Author: chris

Assignment 1: Should the U.S. Convert to a Zero Personal Income Tax? 

Due Week 7 and worth 280 points

 

In a recent news article located at http://www.nbcnews.com/business/economy/heres-where-your-federal-income-tax-dollars-go-f654971, NBC News reported that the U.S. Government spends $3.6 trillion per year to fund Social Security, Medicare, homeland defense and safety, education, transportation, and the interest on debt obligations. In spite of the services and benefits that the government provides, many taxpayers dread paying income taxes but consider them a necessary evil. Consequently, there is much debate about the inequities contained within the tax code, due to tax shelters and tax credits provided to some taxpayers which thereby increase the tax burden on others.

 

research at least two (2) countries that have a zero income tax rate.

 

Write a four to five (4-5) page paper in which you:

1. Analyze the way in which the two (2) countries that you have researched provide services and benefits to its citizens without collecting personal income taxes.
2. For the countries that you have chosen, determine whether or not the U.S. could adopt their taxation model without reducing its total amount of revenue generated by collecting personal income taxes from individuals and business. Justify your response.
3. Suggest at least three (3) advantages and three (3) disadvantages of the U.S. adopting a zero income tax model. Provide a rationale for your response.
4. Create a proposal for where the revenue would be derived if the U.S. were to adopt a zero income tax model. In your response, provide specific recommendations concerning the following:
   1. The proposed tax base.
   2. Whether or not tax payers at certain income levels should be exempt from taxation.
   3. The primary way in which the IRS would calculate the tax rate in order to ensure that the same level of tax revenue would still be collected.
   4. The primary way in which your plan will achieve equity.
5. Speculate on the primary way in which the federal government could make up any shortfalls if it does not collect its targeted revenue from personal income taxes, and ascertain the most significant way in which the U.S. Department of the Treasury, through the IRS, can still adhere to its fiscal and monetary policies. Justify your response.
6. Use at least four (4) quality academic resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and other Websites do not quality as academic resources.

 

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

• Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
• Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.

 

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

• Examine the types of taxes imposed at the federal, state, and local levels; the federal tax formula; and the rules for arriving at personal and dependency exemptions.
• Analyze the concepts of gross income and distinguish between the economic, accounting, and tax concepts of gross income and strategies to minimize gross income, maximize deductions, and minimize disallowance of deductions
• Use technology and information resources to research issues in federal taxation.

 

• Write clearly and concisely about federal taxation using proper writing mechanics.

1. What is the foundation of morals? In other words, what does the theory ‘utilitarianism’ claim?

2. What is Mill’s response to the objection that “utilitarianism is a doctrine worthy of swine?” (Hint: h has three response)

3. What problem for Mill’s theory does virtue pose?

4. Why are moderation, self-control and sober reflection not unconditinally good?

5. Why would someone object that utlitarianism is flawed because there is not time to calculate consequences?

Go to NPR’s StoryCorps Website, located at http://www.npr.org/series/4516989/storycorps. Read two (2) articles that were published within the last two (2) months that focus on individuals with major adjustment issues.

Next, use the textbook and the Strayer Library to research evidence-based strategies to help with adjustment. Consider strategies that relate to stress and coping, gender, stages of life, cultural and social issues, and health.

When referencing the selected stories, please use this format:

• Standard Reference Format:
  • Title of the story [Audio file]. (Year, Month Day). Retrieved from website url.
    • Example:

A homeless teen finds solace in a teacher and a recording [Audio file]. (2014, March 7). Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/2014/03/07/286921391/a-homeless-teen-finds-solace-in-a-teacher-and-a-recording.

• In-Text Citation Format:
  • The in-text citation for a selected story is an abbreviated version of the title and the year of publication. The abbreviation contains the first three words of the title.
    • Example:

(“A homeless teen,” 2014).

When referencing the textbook, please use this format:

• Standard Textbook Reference Format:
  • Author’s Name. (Date of publication). Title of the resource. Publisher information.
    • Example:

Santrock, J. (2006). Human adjustment: 2007 custom edition. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill.

• In-Text Citation Format:
  • The in-text citation for the textbook is the author’s last name and year of publication.
    • Example:

(Santrock, 2006).

Write a three to six (3-6) page paper in which you:

1. Summarize two (2) articles you selected from the NPR Website. The two (2) article must be from within the last two (2) months.
2. Describe the major adjustment issues discussed in each story.
3. Examine at least three (3) evidence-based strategies from each of the selected articles that could help the individuals in each article enhance their adjustment skills.
4. For each article, recommend the evidence-based strategy that is best suited for the people in the selected articles. Provide a rationale for your response.
5. Use at least four (4) quality academic resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and other similar websites do not qualify as academic resources. Each of your selected articles (2) is a source and your textbook should be used as a source. One additional academic source is required for a total of four (4) sources.

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

• Be typed, double-spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides.
• Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required assignment page length.
• Include a reference page containing APA-formatted references for all sources used in your paper. The reference page is not included in the required assignment page length.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

• Identify contextual variables (e.g., culture) that impact psychological adjustment.
• Define stress, stressors, and coping strategies, and contemplate their relationship to health and wellness.
• Identify and describe social psychological phenomena.
• Describe adult relationships, lifestyles, and issues of parenting and longevity.
• Identify gender differences and explore gender role stereotypes.
• Use technology and information resources to research issues in psychology.
• Write clearly and concisely about psychology using proper writing mechanics.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Assignment 1: LASA 2: Monitoring Our Home Planet

The Internet is a powerful tool that provides the ability to monitor natural phenomena and disasters that happen all over planet Earth.

In this assignment, you will research resources available on the Internet for monitoring natural phenomena including earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, global climate, and weather.

Based on your research, do the following:

• Identify a minimum of three different natural phenomena that are typically responsible for natural disasters. Analyze the potential impact of these disasters.
• Analyze how these phenomenon are monitored, or not, via the Internet. Critique available Web sites, which publicly display up-to-date monitored information related to each of the natural phenomena you have identified. Focus on the following aspects:
  • Geography
    • What parts of the world are potentially affected by these phenomena? Specifically identify the countries.
  • Resources
    • What kinds of resources are allocated toward monitoring these phenomena and why?
    • What types of Web resources monitor the phenomena and provide up-to-date information about them?
    • What kinds of technology are involved in monitoring the phenomena?
  • Politics
    • What political ramifications would this disaster-preparedness technology cause between more-developed countries and less-developed countries?
    • What kinds of issues could this technology cause between less-developed countries?
  • Economics
    • How would this technology directly impact the economies of those countries that have the technology versus those countries that do not?
    • Do you predict any indirect impacts? What current evidence supports your position?
  • Disaster Preparedness
    • What types of systems are in place in terms of disaster preparedness related to these monitored phenomena?
• Summarize your findings. Evaluate how this technology will impact the future of humanity, both positively and negatively. Be sure to consider the political and economic issues discussed in your future predictions.

Choose one of the ethical issues from the list to research and write about. It is recommended that you choose a topic you are familiar with or that you have thought about previously, if possible. For example, you might choose an issue that either worries you or enrages you; you might choose one that you have worked on; or you might choose one that relates to recent events in your community.

 

Possible Issues

Corporate executive compensation

Corporate contributions to political campaigns

Affirmative action

The media and its responsibilities

Domestic surveillance

Whistle blowing in government or in a business

Religion in the workplace

Pornography

Consumer tracking

Ethical problems of gambling

Progressive taxation rates

Immigration

Women’s equality

 

In your paper, you will apply the ethical theories and perspectives to the issue that you select. You do not have to use all six, but you should apply at least two ethical theories and at least one ethical perspective in your paper. Make sure that you write primary ethical topics and concepts; do not get distracted by doing analyses that apply political, economic, religious, or legal perspectives. Describe, compare, and apply the ethical theories and perspectives to the topics. Explain your analysis of the issue using these theories and perspectives. What are the ethical issues? Where there breaches of ethical behavior? How could each theory help people think about what constitutes virtuous or ethical behavior?

 

at least three pages of text plus a title page and a references page. Your draft should include a clear thesis statement that states what you plan to argue. Also include a list of the sources you intend to use.  Format your rough draft according to APA style and properly cite and reference all your sources according to APA format

Your team has been hired by Verizon as consultants to help them apply a decision process that will result in a solid set of recommendations for resolving their complex problems. Your team should utilize the following consulting steps in your process:

1. define the complex problems
2. determine objectives***Need this by tomorrow please***
3. generate creative alternatives
4. analyze and evaluate alternatives
5. propose recommendations

Note that the company may face several problems, which may be inter-related and quite complex. You will need to address the financial ramifications as well as the risks, consequences, and trade-offs of various alternatives and recommended solutions.

 

Length: Each team member contributes 800 words to the body of the paper (does not include executive summary, introduction or conclusion).

 

Report Format: Your consultant team should produce a business report that includes an executive summary and follows an organized plan for presenting your analyses, recommendations and decision process. Report sections should include:

1. Title Page
2. Table of Contents
3. Executive Summary (A brief summary of the report. This is NOT a history of the company.)
4. Introduction (The Instructor is NOT the audience for this report. The company is the audience, so make sure your report is geared toward them. Hint: you wouldn’t provide a long history of the company as an introduction since they already know all that stuff. This sort of filler will be considered “fluff.”)
5. The Situation (only include portions of company history if directly related to the problem/s)
6. Background of the Problem
7. The Complex Problems
8. The Objectives (make the list clear and as specific as possible)
9. Creative Alternatives
10. Evaluation of Alternatives (should include table/s with numerical analyses. A very important section.)
11. Consequences
12. Risks
13. Add sub-points as appropriate for your project
14. Recommendations
15. References

There are a number of well-known strategic planning models. To bring your team up to speed on the evolution of strategic planning itself, write a white paper of 1,200–1,500 words that addresses the following specific models of strategic planning:

• Michael Porter’s Five Forces
• Adrian Slywotzky’s Value Migration
• W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne’s Blue Ocean Strategy

Using the Web resources provided and any others that you find, address the following in your white paper:

• Discuss the premise underlying each of the three models of strategic planning and the advantages that each brings to the process.
• Discuss how to apply or implement strategic planning using each of the methods.
• Discuss the pros and cons of each strategic planning method.

Select 1 of the models, and respond to the following questions:

• What methods could be used to ensure continuous process improvement in the organization from a production and operations management perspective?
• From a business finance or accounting perspective, how would you analyze the business and measure the effectiveness of your strategy so that you can make the best decisions for the organization?
• As a leader, how would you help the organizational structure and culture adapt to the changes that would result from this strategy (e.g., how you would empower teams, resolve conflicts, and motivate employees to support the changes from this strategy)?
• From a marketing perspective, what effect will the strategy have on your marketing plan; product differentiation, positioning, life cycle, and portfolio; and Internet or retail marketing to your customers?
• What human resource management changes will be necessary because of the strategy? Address each of the functions of human resources, including staffing, training and development, performance management, compensation, and employee relations.

Scenario:

You are a new HR specialist in a small hospital. The hospital has recently had an increase in accidents and work related incidents. The hospital administration has never had a full time HR specialist and is not sure where to begin to address this issue. One of the first tasks that you are to complete, is to create an employee safety handbook. The handbook will serve as a guide for employees on how they are to interact in a safe and productive work environment.

Directions:

Create an employee safety handbook. Be sure to include the following:

• Explain the need for safe work environment.
• Identify the responsibilities of employees in maintaining a safe work environment.
• Incorporate employee relations doctrines.
• Delineate and describe OSHA standards as it relates to employees.
• Identify and address Joint Commission concerns as it relates to employees.
• Address ramifications if safety and performance management standards are not met.

Must not be plagarized will run through plagarism checker.

LASA 2—Prevention Strategies

Treatment programs cannot always be 100% effective, and many substance abusers relapse into drug abuse after days, months, or even years of sobriety. With the marginal success of treatment programs, it is even more important that people never start using drugs. As such, prevention strategies are of utmost importance.

Review the case study. Using your module readings and the Argosy University online library resources, research methods of increasing awareness about substance abuse and dependence.

 

Develop a PowerPoint presentation including the following:

 

Aaliyah had been taking amphetamines regularly for two months and had been experiencing the physiological, psychological, and toxic effects of chronic amphetamine use.  She had started drinking alcohol to help her sleep at night.

One morning she was driving to work and feeling the effects of a hangover from the night before.  She was not concentrating on the road, and ran into the back of a car that had stopped in front of her. Luckily, none of the people involved in the accident was seriously injured.

This incident served as a “wake up call” for Aaliyah, and she decided to get help for her problems.  However, because she is now using both amphetamines and alcohol, she is not sure what treatment program to enter.

Aaliyah would like to help other people avoid the troubles caused by drugs. She would like to give a presentation at her college to discuss her experiences and give students several prevention options, as well as ways to tell if their friends or loved ones have a drug problem.

 

• Identify and describe two prevention strategies.
• Explain ways of determining whether loved ones have a problem with drugs using the current DSM characteristics of substance use disorders.
• Address the effectiveness of current treatment strategies in the United States.
• Explain polypharmacology
• Address the possible treatment options and treatment difficulties for someone who is dependent on two substances.

Develop an 8–10-slide presentation (complete with speakers notes) in PowerPoint format. Apply APA standards to citation of sources. Be sure to include a title slide and a list of references.