Friday, August 21, 2020

Blog Archive Mission Admission Writing a Great Thank You Note

Blog Archive Mission Admission Writing a Great Thank You Note Mission Admission is a series of MBA admission tips; a new one is posted each Tuesday. After visiting campus or interviewing, many business school candidates choose to write thank you letters to their respective hosts. But what makes a good thank you note? 1)  Personalization: When writing to your host/interviewer, show sincerity by personalizing your letter. By handwriting your letter and mentioning specifics about your conversation and experiences, you will continue to foster your connection with your interviewer and show that your interaction truly made an impression. 2)  Brevity: Your letter should be no more than a few sentences long. If you write several paragraphs, you run the risk of creating the negative impression that you are trying too hard or that you simply do not respect limits (possibly even suggesting that you might carry on too long in class). By being brief and sincere, you will instead make a powerful impression that will yield results. 3)  Speed: Ideally, send your letter within 24 hours of your visit and within two days at the most. Most interviewers must submit their reports very soon after the interview, and your thank you note will have a better chance of positively influencing this report if it is received before the report is submitted. Also, after too long, your interest may logically fall into question, or your host may simply forget some of the details of your conversation that you are trying to reinforce. By writing your letter immediately, you will create the impression that you have been energized by the experience and are eager to maintain your connection. Thank you notes are generally not  a “make or break” aspect of your candidacy, but they can establish continuity and demonstrate your continued interest to your target schools representatives. We encourage candidates to follow up with such notes  because they are a low-cost way of reinforcing a positive impression and relationship. Share ThisTweet Mission Admission

Monday, May 25, 2020

Where Is It Written By Adam Schwartz Essay - 1400 Words

Where Is It Written†, by Adam Schwartz, is a story about Sam who’s thirteen that lives with his mother Sandra. First Sam visits his father for two weeks in late August. Then he wrote his mother Sandra a letter regarding his decision on staying with his father. Finally, his mother Sandra received his letter and called his father house to speak to Sam about him wanting to live with his father and to reject him to live with his father. Coming of age is an important theme in which they take up for their actions. Sam came of age because he realize his mother Sandra isn t who he thought she was. To begin, this story takes place in New Jersey. The author introduces Sam who is dealing with his mother Sandra. His solution to this problem is to persuade his father to sue. The author explains that he wanted to move with his father. The author also introduces us to Phyllis who is Sam’s father wife, which is now sam’s stepmother. The author mostly focuses on Sam and his mother Sandra the relationship between the two. Such as the shouting, smoking, bringing in different boyfriends every week. Also about the letter that Sam wrote his mother regards of his decision. â€Å"Everything!The cooking, the cleaning,the shouting . Everything!†[Schwartz pg. 87]. This quote refers back to the article about his mother Sandra. The most important detail provided by the author in the beginning of the story are important because they demonstrate that Sam persuades his father to sue his mother soShow MoreRelatedPastoral Comedy Essay1266 Words   |  6 Pagesso. It became much more during the 16th century when As You Like It written by William Shakespeare was published. This play centers around the protagonist Orlando, who rebels against his brother Oliver in order to receive the education he deserves. 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In effect these methods are used as an overall message, created by the corporation in an attempt to instil behaviour and effect change through explicit statements of acceptable behaviour (Stevens, 1994). Codes of ethics are written to guide behaviour, and so any analysis of the impact of a code must include how well it affects behaviour. Contemporary social psychological research such as those done by Ferrell and Gresham as part of their contingency model suggest that, â€Å"EthicsRead MoreThe Genre Of Pastoral Comedy1389 Words   |  6 Pagesduring the 16th century, which is when As You Like It written by William Shakespeare was published. This play centers around the protagonist Orlando, who rebels against his brother Oliver for disrespecting and not following their father’s last wishes. As events turn against him, he is forced to leave the court and go into hiding, where he meets new characters such as his lover Rosalind, her ally Celia, and Duke Senior. 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From 1760 to the end of theRead MoreFact Sheet on Effects of Marijuana on the Body1325 Words   |  6 Pagesevents, difficulty concentrating, dreamlike states, impaired motor coordination, impaired driving and other psychomotor skills, slowed reaction time, impaired goal-directed mental activity, and altered peripheral vision are common associated effects. (Adams and Martin 1996; Fehr and Kalant 1983; Hollister 1988a; Institute of Medicine 1982; Tart 1971) 3. A roadside study of reckless drivers who were not impaired by alcohol, showed that 45% of these drivers tested positive for marijuana. (Dr. Dan BrookoffRead MoreGrowing Interest of Business Ethics2879 Words   |  12 PagesDirectors, 2004; International Federation of Accountants, 2007; Investment and Financial Services Association Limited, 2003; New York Stock Exchange, 2003). Business ethics is one of the factors in the corporate social conscientiousness (Carroll, 1991; Schwartz and Carroll, 2003), and corporate ascendancy has a enormous arrangement of implications in an organization’s come within reach of to corporate social responsibility and business ethics (Bonn and Fisher, 2005), the above mentioned entities advocateRead MoreMusic Is An Identifying Characteristic Of Film And Television1986 Words   |  8 Pageshe aspired to become a rock star and recording artist, Menken experimented with composing musicals throughout the workshop. He took some of his songs and wrot e a rock-ballet for The Downtown Ballet Company called Children of the World; it was here where he met his wife, Janis Roswick, who was one of the ballet dancers. During his early career, Menken worked as a ballet and modern dance accompanist, a musical director for club acts, a jingle writer, arranger, a songwriter for Sesame Street, and a vocal

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Essay about Cloning - The Great Human Embryo Clone Hype

The Great Human Embryo Clone Hype Abstract: The cloning of human embryos has sparked a major debate worldwide. New cloning methods have surpassed the technology that could only duplicate specified genes or produce offspring from frozen mice and human embryos. Cloning has been used to free would-be sufferers from a particular disease carrying gene. Likewise, out of desire to assist infertile couples and overcome the drawbacks of using in-vitro fertilization, came the newest method of cloning. Although skepticism exists because of the lack of regulation and the extreme possibilities considered such as cloning for hair and eye color or for a particular gender, with proper regulation, researchers and doctors intend to embrace this†¦show more content†¦Why stop now? Although there have been various arguments proposed against the use of any cloning techniques, there are healthcare issues that validate the use of cloning procedures. Controversy has developed from the fear of how cloning will be used. Since the late 1980s cloning techniques have been used to identify certain genes that cause disease. The primary work of the Human Genome Project was to develop three research tools that will allow scientists to identify genes involved in both rare and common disease (Collins, 1995). These gene identification tools are what researchers call positional cloning. Positional cloning techniques are used to identify genes based solely on their location within the subjects total genetic material or genome. There is no prior knowledge of the genes function within the region of which the gene is identified. Positional cloning techniques for confirming the role of susceptible genes rely on sufficient prior understanding of the disease process to implicate possible disease-related genes. The three tools involved in positional cloning are 1) The Physical Map (Figure 1), 2) The Genetic Map (Figure 2), and 3) The Sequence Map of the DNA nucleotide (Figure 3) . Each tool allows for better focus on the gene being located. As Figure 1 illustrates, whole chromosomes are cut into large fragments of DNA and then cloned. Then cloned DNA pieces are realigned in the order in which they originally occurred in the chromosomes andShow MoreRelatedCloning for the Greater Good Essay1270 Words   |  6 PagesCloning for the Greater Good Many advances in science continue to bring possibilities and hope to people around the world. The possibility of therapeutic cloning and embryonic stem cell research not only brings hope to people with diseases but also brings fear to many when the thought of clones walking the earth comes to mind. Therapeutic cloning is an advanced procedure also known as somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) where DNA is removed from an egg and replaced with DNA from a somatic cellRead More The Bright Future of Genetic Engineering Essay2185 Words   |  9 Pagesyears. Imagine a fundamental revolution in health care - with treatments and perhaps even cures for heart disease, arthritis, Alzheimer’s, cancer and AIDS. Richard J. Mahoney, 1993 (Wekesser 30) Genetic engineering is a topic which has come under great scrutiny and debate. Since its appearance on the scientific stage in 1973 (Wekesser 23), it has been heralded as everything from the discovery of a fountain of youth to the harbinger of the death of humanity. In reality, genetic engineering is noneRead MoreGp Essay Mainpoints24643 Words   |  99 Pagesrestrictions placed on traditional media †¢ Allow a plethora of new and alternative perspectives to come through †¢ Opening our eyes to the larger world beyond what we experience in our everyday lives †¢ More attuned to the happenings of our human counterparts NO: Move beyond ourselves, to take a stance on social issues, enabling us to take up causes far greater than ourselves by galvanizing and gathering the entire global community into taking concrete action †¢ E.g. Avaaz.org †¢ Making

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Financial Statement Analysis Emirates Telecommunications Corporation

Question: Discuss about theFinancial Statement Analysisfor Emirates Telecommunications Corporation. Answer: Introduction The present report aims to develop an in-depth understanding of the financial position of Etisalat, a multinational company in the UAE operating in the telecommunication market. The report provides a proper understanding of the history of the company and analyses its liquidity, profitability, activity and debt position. History of the Company Etisalat is a branded trade name for Emirates Telecommunications Corporation that is a recognised multinational company of the UAE providing telecommunications services. The company operates across 17 countries including Asia, the Middle East and Africa. It is attributed to be about 13th largest mobile network operator and provides its services to approximately 167 million customers across the world. The company was established in the year 1976 as a joint stock corporation between International Aeradio Limited and local partners. The company transformed its ownership structure in the year 1983 with government of the UAE occupying about 60% share and 40% are publically traded (Company Profile, 2016). The company is currently aiming to meet the needs and expectations of the customers through providing higher speeds and larger coverage through innovative service offerings. The company has developed its business model specifically to meet the customers changing needs and demands through providing best possible customer services. The company has invested in fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) and LTE for providing 85% network coverage to the population of the country. Etisalat has achieved leadership in terms of technology and innovation through continually providing best customer services. The main focus of the company is to deploy higher technology solutions for developing products and services for the customers in order to meet their changing expectations. The increasing capital expenditure of the company is to provide wider coverage and high speeds to the customers though deploying latest technologies (Etisalat: Annual Report, 2015). Exploring Financial Statements-Matching the Business Model and Reading and Interpreting Derivatives in Accounting The derivates in accounting are used for hedging the financial risk and gaining protection against change in interest rates, commodity prices and equity values. As explored from the financial statements of Etisalat, the company does not involve the usage of derivatives. However, it is recommended to the company to implement the use of derivatives for safeguarding itself from unnecessary financial risk. The company must adopt a proper hedging policy through the use of derivates to protect from fluctuations in its financial performance (Kroll, 2005). Analyzing Liquidity and Profitability Liquidity Ratio Liquidity ratios examines and evaluates the current and long-term liabilities of the company. The most prominent liquidity ratios used to examine the ability of a company to meet its short and long-term obligations are current ratio and quick ratio (Mumba, 2013). Current Ratio: It examines the current assets of a company in relation to the current liabilities. The current ratio as calculated for Etisalat for the financial year 2014: Current Ratio: Current assets/Current Liabilities= 37,583,244/ 39,867,123=0.94 (Etisalat: Annual Report, 2014). The current ratio as calculated for Etisalat for the financial year 2015 is as follows: Current ratio= 41,680,494/ 42,344,526=0.98 (Etisalat: Annual Report, 2015). Quick Ratio: It evaluates the effectiveness of a company to meet its short-term obligations and is calculated as follows Quick Ratio= (Cash + Marketable Securities + Accounts Receivable) / Current Liabilities Quick ratio for Etisalat for the financial year 2014 is as follows=Current assets-Inventories/Current Liabilities=37,583,244-624,652/39,867,123=0.93 (Etisalat: Annual Report, 2014). Quick ratio for Etisalat for the financial year 2015 is as follows=41,680,494-774,089/42,344,526=0.97 (Etisalat: Annual Report, 2015). (All figures in AED000) Profitability Ratio Profitability ratio measures the ability of a company to generate profit after deduction of all costs and expenditure (Mumba, 2013). Operating profit and assets turnover ratio can be used to examine the profitability performance of a company. Operating Profit ratio: It depicts the relationship between operating profit and total net sales and is calculated as follows: Operating Profit ratio for Etisalat for the financial year 2014 is as follows: Operating Profit Ratio=Operating Profit/Total sales=9,925,894/48,508,398=0.204 (Etisalat: Annual Report, 2014). Operating Profit ratio for Etisalat for the financial year 2015 is as follows: Operating Profit Ratio= Operating Profit/Total sales= 11,321,938/ 51,737,018=0.22 (Etisalat: Annual Report, 2015). Assets Turnover ratio: It examines the efficiency of a company to generate sales revenue and is calculated as follows: Assets Turnover ratio for Etisalat for the financial year 2014 is as follows: Assets Turnover=Net Sales/Average Total Assets= 0.45 Assets Turnover ratio for Etisalat for the financial year 2015 is as follows: Assets Turnover=Net Sales/Average Total Assets= 0.40 (Emirates Telecommunications Group Co PJSC, 2016). It can be said from the liquidity and profitability analysis that Etisalat has improved its liquidity and profitability position from the financial year 2014 to the financial year 2015. Impact of Competition on Etisalat Companys Financial Performance On the basis of the financial ratio analysis conducted, it can be said that Etisalat has enhanced its financial performance. The liquidity and profitability position of the company has increased significantly in the financial year 2015 as compared to the financial year 2014. The liquidity ratio analysis depicts that the ability of the company to meet its short-term and long-term liabilities has enhanced from the year 2014 as compared to the year 2015. Also, the profitability ratio analysis depicts that efficiency of the company to generate sales has enhanced significantly in recent times. This is due to the continuous investment of the company into the latest technologies for effectively meeting the increasing competition in the market. Etisalat operates in highly competitive telecommunication market and thus has to implement latest technology solutions for effectively meeting the customer needs and demands. The use of innovative service offerings through adopting latest technology s olutions has improved its financial performance as can be seen from the above financial analysis. Debt Paying Ability and Risk Debt paying ability ratios examines the efficiency of a company to effectively meet its interest coverage (Houston and Brigham, 2009). The debt/equity ratio and debt ratio can analyse and examine the debt paying ability of Etisalat. Debt/Equity ratio for Etisalat for the financial year 2014 is calculated as follows=Debt/Equity=0.44 Debt/Equity ratio for Etisalat for the financial year 2015 is calculated as follows=Debt/Equity=0.41(Emirates Telecommunications Group Co PJSC, 2016). Financial Leverage ratio for Etisalat for the financial year 2014 is calculated as follows =Total Assets/Total Liabilities=3.07 Financial Leverage ratio for Etisalat for the financial year 2015 is calculated as follows =Total Assets/Total Liabilities=2.95 (Emirates Telecommunications Group Co PJSC, 2016). Activity Analysis: It is used to examine the ability of a company to transform its asset, liability and capital into cash or sales revenue (Bull, 2007). Accounts receivable turnover and inventory turnover can analyse the activity ratios of the company. Accounts Receivable turnover for Etisalat for the financial year 2014 is calculated as follows: Net Credit Sales/Average Accounts Receivable=3.35 Accounts Receivable turnover for Etisalat for the financial year 2015 is calculated as follows: Net Credit Sales/Average Accounts Receivable=2.83 (Emirates Telecommunications Group Co PJSC, 2016). Inventory turnover for Etisalat for the financial year 2014 is calculated as follows =Net Sales/Average Inventory= 23.63 Inventory turnover for Etisalat for the financial year 2015 is calculated as follows= Net Sales/Average Inventory=18.95 (Emirates Telecommunications Group Co PJSC, 2016). The debt paying ability and activity analysis of the company depicts that company is presently using less amount of debt in its capital structure. Thus, Etisalat involves the use of less financial leverage in its capital structure. However, the company need to improve its ability to transform its assets into cash as depicted from its activity analysis. The accounts receivable turnover and inventory turnover ratio of the company has decreased from the financial year 2014 to the year 2015. Therefore, the company must adopt strong measures for enhancing its ability to transform its asset, liability and capital into cash or sales revenue. Conclusion Thus, it can be said from the financial analysis conducted for Etisalat that the company has improved its financial performance in the year 2015 as compared to the previous financial year of 2014. References Bull, R. 2007. Financial Ratios: How to use financial ratios to maximise value and success for your business'. UK: Elsevier. Company Profile. 2016. Retrieved October 10, 2016, from https://www.etisalat.com/en/about/profile/company-profile.jsp Emirates Telecommunications Group Co PJSC. 2016. Retrieved October 10, 2016, from https://financials.morningstar.com/ratios/r.html?t=ETISALAT#tab-financial Etisalat: Annual Report. 2014. Retrieved October 10, 2016, from [https://etisalat.com/en/system/docs/12-4-2013/Etisalat-AnnualReport2015-English.pdf Etisalat: Annual Report. 2015. Retrieved October 10, 2016, from https://www.etisalat.com/en/system/docs/12-4-2013/Etisalat-AnnualReport2014-English.pdf Houston, J.F. and Brigham, E.F. 2009. Fundamentals of Financial Management. Cengage Learning. Kroll, K. 2005. How To Minimize Risks With Derivatives. Retrieved October 10, 2016, from https://businessfinancemag.com/tax-amp-accounting/how-minimize-risks-derivatives Mumba, C. 2013. Understanding Accounting and Finance: Theory and Practice. USA: Trafford Publishing.

Thursday, April 9, 2020

7 Highest Paying Bachelor Degrees

7 Highest Paying Bachelor Degrees Everybody wants to go straight from school into a high-paying career. The trouble is, how can we maximize our chances? The best bet would be to choose a degree that syncs up nicely with the highest-paying careers out there. That way you’ll be set up with the most relevant skills right out of the gate. Here are 7 highest paying bachelor degrees that can steer you into a good job.1. Health Care AdministrationThe health care industry is always at the top of the heap: there’s lots of growth and lots of jobs, many high-paying. Training resources are widely available, and the demand for this kind of work just keeps increasing.You’ll have a relatively easy time finding employment once you’re finished with school. If you’re not ready to commit yet, try a couple of classes in anatomy, statistics, accounting, or physiology and see what you think.2. Computer ScienceNo matter what field you want to end up in, a degree in computer science can really set you up t o stand out at the forefront of the technological vanguard. Whether it’s web building or design, software engineering, A.I., you’ll already have a major foundation laid towards building your career.Most jobs requiring a comp sci degree also pay very well. Try a class or two in computer engineering, computer math, or digital system design if you’re not sure.3. Civil EngineeringYou like to build things, design things, dream big. Fix problems that befuddle everybody else! Make the world a better, more ergonomic place? The country is in sore need of an infrastructure reboot, so jobs requiring a civil engineering degree are going to spike. Good to get in early doors! Try a couple of courses in dynamics, engineering economics, or fluid mechanism for a start. There are lots of others, depending on your school’s catalogue.4. NursingLike Health Care Administration, no matter what you do with a degree in nursing, you’re almost guaranteed a well-paying job. N urses are the backbone of the whole industry. They’re the ones doing 90% of the patient care.If you like all things medicine and really enjoy helping people, try a few courses in chemistry, physiology, anatomy, psychology, or mental health and see if you’d like to pursue more.5. AccountingEverybody needs an accountant–from individuals to small businesses to huge corporations. If you’re good at math and financial systems, this might be a great opportunity for you. The further up the ladder you go as an accountant, the higher the pay. There are lots of accounting courses, and courses on tax and business law that can help you decide if you feel the call.6. PsychologyEven as our reliance on technology increases, there is still a high demand for understanding human behavior. You don’t necessarily have to be a shrink if you get a degree in psychology; you could work for large corporations, in HR, or in industrial relations†¦ the sky’s the lim it. The more emphasis is placed on marketing trends and analysis, the more the demand for those with psychological training will increase.Try out some neuroscience, with some statistical methods, and some perception vs. sensation classes to see how it feels to you.7. Business AdministrationIf you have a bit of the entrepreneurial spirit, this might be a great degree for you. Certainly it will stand you in good stead if you’d like to create and build your own business one day. This degree will give you the planning experience and knowledge to back up all your dreaming and big ideas. Start with classes in financial or operations management, systems and accounting, and other business and marketing topics to prepare yourself.

Monday, March 9, 2020

Proof Beyond a Reasonable Doubt in Criminal Trials

Proof Beyond a Reasonable Doubt in Criminal Trials In the United States court system, the fair and impartial delivery of justice is based on two fundamental tenets: That all persons accused of crimes are considered to be innocent until proven guilty, and that their guilt must be proven â€Å"beyond a reasonable doubt.† While the requirement that guilt must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt is meant to protect the rights of Americans charged with crimes, it often leaves juries with the momentous task of answering the often subjective question - how much doubt is â€Å"reasonable doubt?† Constitutional Basis for Beyond a Reasonable Doubt Under the Due Process Clauses of the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, persons accused of crimes are protected from â€Å"conviction except upon proof beyond a reasonable doubt of every fact necessary to constitute the crime with which he is charged.† The U.S. Supreme Court first acknowledged the concept in its decision on the 1880 case of Miles v. United States: â€Å"The evidence upon which a jury is justified in returning a verdict of guilty must be sufficient to produce a conviction of guilt, to the exclusion of all reasonable doubt.† While judges are required to instruct juries to apply the reasonable doubt standard, legal experts disagree on whether the jury should also be given a quantifiable definition of â€Å"reasonable doubt.† In the 1994 case of Victor v. Nebraska, the Supreme Court ruled that the reasonable doubt instructions given to juries must be clear, but declined to specify a standard set of such instructions. As a result of Victor v. Nebraska ruling, the various courts have created their own reasonable doubt instructions. For example, judges of the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals instruct juries that, â€Å"A reasonable doubt is a doubt based upon reason and common sense and is not based purely on speculation. It may arise from a careful and impartial consideration of all the evidence, or from lack of evidence.† Considering the Quality of Evidence As part of their â€Å"careful and impartial consideration† of evidence presented during the trial, jurors must also evaluate the quality of that evidence. While first-hand evidence such as eyewitness testimony, surveillance tapes, and DNA matching help eliminate doubts of guilt, jurors assume - and are typically reminded by defense attorneys - that witness may lie, photographic evidence can be faked, and DNA samples can become tainted or mishandled. Short of voluntary or legally-obtained confessions, most evidence is open to being challenged as invalid or circumstantial, thus helping to establish â€Å"reasonable doubt† in the minds of the jurors. Reasonable Does Not Mean All As in most other criminal courts, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court also instructs jurors that proof beyond a reasonable doubt is a doubt that leaves them â€Å"firmly convinced† that the defendant is guilty. Perhaps most importantly, jurors in all courts are instructed that beyond a â€Å"reasonable† doubt does not mean beyond â€Å"all† doubt. As Ninth Circuit judges state it, â€Å"It is not required that the government (the prosecution) proves guilt beyond all possible doubt.† Finally, judges instruct jurors that after their â€Å"careful and impartial† consideration of the evidence they have seen, they are not convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant actually committed the crime as charged, it is their duty as jurors to find the defendant not guilty. Can Reasonable Be Quantified? Is it even possible to assign a definite numeric value to such a subjective, opinion-driven concept as reasonable doubt? Over the years, legal authorities have generally agreed that proof â€Å"beyond a reasonable doubt† requires jurors to be at least 98% to 99% certain that the evidence proves the defendant to be guilty. This is in contrast to civil trials on lawsuits, in which a lower standard of proof, known as a â€Å"preponderance of the evidence† is required. In civil trials, a party might prevail with little as 51% probability that events involved actually occurred as claimed. This rather wide discrepancy in the standard of proof required can be best explained by the fact that persons found guilty in criminal trials face far more severe potential punishment - from jail time to death - compared to the monetary penalties typically involved in civil trials. In general, defendants in criminal trials are afforded more constitutionally-ensured protections than defendants in civil trials.   The Reasonable Person Element In criminal trials, jurors are often instructed to decide whether the defendant is guilty or not by applying an objective test in which the defendant’s actions are compared to those of a â€Å"reasonable person† acting under similar circumstances. Basically, would any other reasonable person have done the same things the defendant did? This â€Å"reasonable person† test is often applied in trials involving so-called â€Å"stand your ground† or â€Å"castle doctrine† laws that justify the use of deadly force in acts of self-defense. For example, would a reasonable person have also chosen to shoot his or her attacker under the same circumstances or not? Of course, such a â€Å"reasonable† person is little more than a fictional ideal based on the individual juror’s opinion of how a â€Å"typical† person, possessing ordinary knowledge and prudence, would act in certain circumstances. According to this standard, most jurors naturally tend to consider themselves to be reasonable people and thus judge the defendant’s conduct from a viewpoint of, â€Å"What would I have done?† Since the test of whether a person has acted as a reasonable person is an objective one, it does not take into account the particular abilities of the defendant. As a result, defendants who have shown a low level of intelligence or have habitually acted carelessly are held to the same standards of conduct as more intelligent or careful persons, or as the ancient legal principle holds, â€Å"Ignorance of the law excuses no one.† Why the Guilty Sometimes Go Free If all persons accused of crimes must be considered innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, and that even the slightest degree of doubt can sway even a reasonable person’s opinion of a defendant’s guilt, doesn’t the American criminal justice system occasionally allow guilty people to go free? Indeed it does, but this is entirely by design. In crafting the various provisions of the Constitution protecting rights of the accused, the Framers felt it essential that America apply the same standard of justice expressed by renowned English jurist William Blackstone in his often-cited 1760s work, Commentaries on the Laws of England, â€Å"It is better that ten guilty persons escape than that one innocent suffer.†