Abstract
The paper examines these articles: "The Link between Gross Profitability and Pharmaceutical R&D Spending" by F.M. Scherer; "The Impact of Pipeline Drugs on Drug Spending Growth" by Mullins, Wang, Palumbo and Stuart; and "Improving the Quality of Health Care: Who Will Lead?" by Becher and Chassin. The first article explains pharmaceutical firms are not playing fair and square with the data regarding what amount of profits they are actually pouring into legitimate research and development projects. The author points out, from the second article, that the market can predict quite easily the impact of each new drug because an increase in consumer spending on these drugs can be evaluated by using the three factors of price, utilization, and product shift. The paper relates, in the third article that, today in the health care industry, there are three categories of quality problems, which harm patients, including not getting beneficial health services, undergoing treatments or procedures from which they will not benefit, and receiving the medical services they really need, but having those services provided badly, which exposes patients to an addition risk of preventable complications.

Table of Contents
Article 1: The Link between Gross Profitability and Pharmaceutical R&D Spending
Introduction
Time-Series Analysis,
The Gross Margins versus R&D
Article 2: The Impact of Pipeline Drugs on Drug Spending Growth
Article 3: Improving the Quality Of Health Care: Who Will Lead?

From the Paper
"However, if those making executive decisions within pharmaceutical companies have the vision to see what will sell on the market two or three years down the road " as for example, Tagamet sold well in 1977, and it was an R&D launch " there are great opportunities for great new profits. That means drug companies are not just hiding profits or concealing profits on so-called R&D, to satisfy stockholders and other interested parties."

Tags:research, prediction, patient, physicians, insurance

Abstract
This paper explains that Don McLean's "American Pie", which debuted in 1972 at the height of the counter cultural revolution, was associated with the rebelliousness of the Hippies, the national social controversy of the Vietnam War, profound social changes in race relations and human rights and the women's liberation movement. The author points out that semiotics is the study of signs and symbols employed in communications and the process through which they develop their shared meaning among people who recognize and understand their intended message. The paper presents the semantic meaning of quoted lyrics from the song, such as 'I drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry'. The author states that this relates to the three civil rights activists who were murdered by racists in Mississippi while working to register black voters in the rural South.

Table of Contents:
Semiotics
Cultural Context of Don McLean's American Pie
Semiotics of the Music

From the Paper
"Just as importantly, by the 1970s, the movement toward racial sensitivity had already resulted in a change from the term "race music" to "rhythm and blues" because the former had taken on an offensive symbolism of racial bigotry that was on the verge of
becoming culturally unacceptable. In particular, this change represents the distinction between language and semiotics in that purely non-literal influences inspired the semiotic evolution of elements of language. Whereas "rhythm" does correspond to a component of music and "blues" does correspond to a thematic focus of so-called "race music", the impetus for the change was strictly moral and ethical and not any need for linguistic precision."

Tags:symbols, syntactics, establishment, memorialized, february

Abstract
The paper explores whether General Motors' use of foreign markets can save the company. The paper examines the strong position of GM in China and its potential to enter into a joint agreement to sell hybrid cars in Germany. The paper finds that for GM, expanding its international outreach and engaging in joint partnerships internationally, is essential. The paper argues that GM must transform its image into that of a green company, and find new customer bases now that the U.S. demand for automobiles is contracting, and likely to falter for years into the future.

Outline:
Introduction
Research Question
First Market: China
Second Market: Germany
Conclusion

From the Paper
"By 1994, the once-great American company's market share was only 33 percent of the world automotive market and its Japanese competitor Toyota was nipping at its heels. GM regained some foothold in the American market by focusing on large SUVs, most notably the massive Hummer brand that came to symbolize the entire American auto industry's wastefulness. Ironically, in 1999, the company had introduced a prototype electrical car known as the EV1 but abandoned it when it failed to show an immediate profit. When the price of gas reached $4 a gallon in 2007, GM would come to regret that decision. In 2008, Toyota became the world's largest car manufacturer, thanks in part to its successful marketing of the Prius, a hybrid electric-gas vehicle. The credit crisis in 2008 further hampered consumer interest in GM. American consumers had trouble obtaining financing for new cars, period, and they were certainly not interested in buying from a company with a shaky financial record. When Rick Wagoner, GM's chairman went to Washington to ask for $7.5 billion to support $25 billion in loan guarantees and promised to make more fuel-efficient cars, Wagoner's choice of a corporate jet as a mode of transportation drew fire. Soon, Wagoner was forcibly ousted by President Obama. GM proceeded speedily through bankruptcy and abandoned its Hummer brand as well as other unprofitable models (GM, 2009, The New York Times)."

Tags:automobiles, hybrids, green, technology, Chevy, Volt

Abstract
The paper examines the history of the American show, "Saturday Night Live", including specific examples of skits and actors (and the importance of both in the shaping of the show). The paper covers the content of the show and the reasons why it is still so popular today.

From the Paper
"Herb Schlosser, president of the National Broadcasting Company, was desperate. The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson was airing six nights a week, with reruns on Saturday nights. Both Carson and Schlosser wanted to get rid of the reruns, and produce a late night program that would appeal to the generation that grew up with Beaver Cleaver. Schlosser hired a man named Dick Ebersol to oversee the creation of such a show. Ebersol turned to Lorne Michaels, simply giving him almost complete freedom and control. Within six months, Michaels had gathered a cast, the "Not Ready for Prime Time Players," and a show was literally thrown together. Critics said that the show would be a dismal failure, because none of the young target audience was going to sit home on Saturday Night to watch television (Hill and Weingrad 36). But when Chevy Chase stepped onto the stage on October 11, 1975, and said, "Live from New York, it's Saturday Night!" He marked the start of the longest running television comedy show to date, proving all the critics wrong (Fitzgerald 390)."

Tags:english, Dick, Ebersol, SNL, Chevy, Chase

Abstract
This paper explains that three types of commercials, aired during "CSI: Miami" on September 19, 2005, were aimed at selling female products, male products and the TV station itself. The author points out that these commercials were structured to appeal specifically to either males or females. The paper relates that commercials geared to attracting women are more populist in that they appeal to the female drive to visually fit in with the expectations of American society. The author states that commercials geared to attracting men are more elitist in that they are based on the motivation to have the bigger and better product so they will be the source of envy for others. The author underscores that both methods do not attempt to sell a product that the viewer may necessarily need, but rather sells the social implications that come with the acquisition of the product.

From the Paper
"The clothing commercials flaunt women that are single digit sizes strutting around while men check them out in their brand new attractive JCPenny and Marshalls Fall wear. They are always smiling and laughing as they dance around looking very comfortable and self confident. The colors used in these commercials complement the models. Since it is an autumn line, the ad is filled with earth-tones. For example, a red haired model is wearing a red scarf and a brunette is wearing a brown sweater. The colors support the models to show them in their best light, thus amplifying the attractiveness of the clothing being sold."

Tags:loreal, elitism, populism, chevy, driving