A good man is hard to find By Flannery O' Connor Essay

A good man is hard to find By Flannery O' Connor - Essay Example Here the Grandmother is shown to be very manipulative and even in the journey manipulates her son to divert to Tennessee instead of Florida. On the way to Florida the grandmother describes about a person called misfit, who have been a serial killer and spending time in imprisonment. She during her talk also quotes that it is very hard to find a good man these days. The most interesting fact about Grandmother is that even though she looks good Christian from outside her honesty to religion is very weak. As the journey progress to Florida, grandma and her family meets with Misfit and his accomplice and confronts death threat. On meeting the misfit with weapon, Grandma try to influence misfit by taking him as son but unfortunately the whole family get killed by the convicts. Here the Grandma thinks that she is very religious and misfit instead is ignorant and irreligious. The grandma tries to save herself by telling misfit that she considers him as her son. .However she gets killed from the hands of misfit who take the lady as opportunistic â€Å"We would normally expect that a grandmother should represent goodness while a serial killer should represent evil. O’Connor, however, seems to hold precisely the reverse in this case†(Bernardo).

Hamburger - Patty Essay Example for Free

Hamburger Patty Essay How Many Hamburgers? The data: Charlie sells around 12 cases of hamburgers weekly. †¢Each case contains 80 hamburgers †¢Each hamburger patty costs $. 60 New vender offer is: †¢Week 1 order: 50 cases at $. 30 per patty †¢Then 15 cases for the next 12 weeks at $. 45 per patty Question 1. How many hamburgers does Charlie normally sell during the period of the contract? Charlie normally sells 12480 hamburgers during the period of the contract. 80 hamburgers (12 cases) = 960 hamburgers a week 960 hamburgers a week (13 weeks) = 12480 hamburgers during the period of the contract (13 weeks) 2. What is the total cost of the hamburger inventory for the period? The total cost of the hamburger inventory for the period is 28. 00. 12480 hamburgers ($0. 60) = $7488. 00 during the period of the contract. 3. How many hamburgers will Charlie need to purchase under the new vendor contract? Charlie will need to purchase 18400 hamburgers under the new vendor contract of 13 weeks. 50 cases (80 hamburgers) = 4000 hamburgers for week 1 15 cases (80 hamburgers) (12 weeks) = 14400 hamburgers for the next 12 weeks 4000 hamburgers (week 1) + 14400 hamburgers (12 weeks) = 18400 hamburgers during the period of the contract of 13 weeks. 4. What is the total cost of this inventory? The total cost of the hamburger inventory for the period is $7680. 00. 4000 hamburgers ($0. 30) = $1200. 00 14400 hamburgers ($0. 45) = $6480. 00 $1200. 00 + $6480. 00 = $7680. 00 during the period of the contract. 5. What is the average cost of a hamburger under this deal? (Round to the nearest cent. ) The average cost of a hamburger under the new deal is $0. 42 $7680. 00 / 18400 hamburgers = $0. 42 (. 4173†¦.. 3) 6. What is the percent savings per hamburger under the new deal? The percent savings per hamburger under the new deal is 30 % $0. 60 $0. 42 = $0. 18 $0. 18 / $0. 60 = . 3 .3 (100) = 30% 7. What is the total cost savings? If Charlie accepts the new deal, rather than buying the same amount of burgers from his current vendor, what is the total cost savings? The total cost saving is $3360. 00 $11040. 00 $7680. 00 = $3360. 00 8. If hamburger sales remain stable at 12 cases per week during this period, how many hamburgers will Charlie have remaining in inventory at the end of 13 weeks? The remaining inventory at the end of 13 weeks is 5920 hamburgers 13 weeks (12 cases per week) (80 hamburgers) = 12480 hamburgers 18400 hamburgers – 12480 hamburgers = 5920 hamburgers. 9. If hamburger sales remain stable at 12 cases per week into the future, how many weeks will it take to sell the remaining hamburgers? (Round to the nearest week. ) It will take Charlie about 6 weeks to sell the remaining hamburgers after the contract period ends. 50 cases (week 1) + (15 cases * 12 weeks) = 230 cases in inventory 12 cases per week (13 weeks) = 156 cases sold in 13 weeks 230 cases – 156 cases sold = 74 cases remaining 74 cases remaining / 12 cases sold per week = 6 weeks (6. 166666†¦.. ) 10. If Joe can figure out a way to sell 14 cases a week, how many weeks will it take to sell the entire new vendor inventory? (Round to the nearest week. ) If Joe can figure out a way to sell 14 cases a week, it will take him about 16 weeks to sell the entire new inventory. 230 cases in inventory / 14 cases per week = 16 weeks (16. 428†¦. ) 11. Beyond the price per patty savings, what factors should Joe consider when advising Charlie whether or not to take the new deal? Some factors Joe should consider is will they have to pay the entire cost up front? Or can they make weekly payments? What are the payment terms on the new contract? Will they have enough space in the freezer to take in 50 cases and then another 15 cases per week for the next 12 weeks? Will they be able to sell the hamburger fast enough to store the rest of the cases if they don’t have enough room? Will they be able to sell the all hamburgers before they expire or go bad? If they don’t sell all the cases by the end of 13 weeks, will the next shipment come in and then they are over stock? Will the quality of the new patties be as good as the one they currently have? Will the customers like the new patties? Will they be able to sample the new patties before they decide to sign the contract? 12. The price per patty quoted by the new vendor is attractive, but is this a good deal for the restaurant? If the customers like the new patties, they have enough room in the freezer, and the patties will keep fresh for a long enough time, I think that the deal is great for the restaurant. 13. Beyond the cost savings, what other factors need to be considered before buying a lot more hamburgers than you have sold in the past? I think I cover the answer to this question in question 11. (Please refer to question 11) 14. How can Joe make this deal more attractive to Charlie? Joe can make this deal more attractive to Charlie by explaining that the restaurant will save about 30% per patty. Work out a deal with the vendor that if they are not satisfied with the new patties within a certain time frame they would be able to cancel the contract and explain it to Charlie the risk is minimum. If the patties are as good quality or better than the patty they currently have, the sales would stay the same or get better with better quality patties.

Contrast Essay Between essays Just Take Away Thier Guns and I Want A Wi

"Just Take Away Their Guns" is an effective argument than "I Want a Wife." James Wilson gives a more factual, organizational and better language used argument than Judy Brady. In "I Want a Wife" Brady is stereotypical of what she believes to be the roles of the husband and wife. Also Brady's essay is one sided, she never states a side that would argue her viewpoint. While Wilson shows two clearly stated sides of his argument. The first reason as to why ?Just Take Away Their Guns? is more effective is because the essay has more specifics and facts that can?t be refutable. The president wants more gun control but the public says the laws will fail who is right? And in deciding who is right will any of our amendments be taken away or shortened? Taking away the right to be able to buy and own a gun will have hardly any effect on the illegal use of guns. Wilson states that there are 200 million guns in private ownership, about one-third of them handguns. Of the 200 million handguns that are owned, only 2 percent of the population is allowed to commit a crime. Out of the 200 million guns, about one-sixth of them, are bought legally through either a gun or pawn shop. Many of the current handguns owned, are stolen, borrowed, or obtained through private purchases that wouldn?t be affected by gun laws states Wilson. If there was a successful effort to take away or to shrink the amount of legally purchased w eapons or accessories (ammunition) then what happened to our right to bear arms? Isn?t self defense a key part in our time? If so many guns are stolen, then how is taking away the legal guns going to help? It is not, because people will always find ways to get a gun no matter the restrictions set upon it. Although Wilso... ...e of her duties is to care for the kids, and to obey the husband?s wishes of privacy and sex. While Wilson never uses any sarcasm in his essay to portray what he wants the readers to know and understand. Wilson gives logical and understandable reasons which can easily be seen with no rebuttal. In conclusion this is why I firmly believe that Wilson has a more coherent and cohesive, well stated, argument than Judy?s by no stretch of the imagination. Wilson?s thoughtful process in coming up with an essay that was factual, organizational, and had good use of language is why this argument is so well written. Judy?s essay is undeniably poorly written, to an extent to which a child may right. All in all, ?Just Take Away Their Guns? Wilson has captured the attention of the audience that is unmatched in Judy?s. So all I say is that, ?Guns do kill, people don?t?.

Poes Theory and Practice Reflected in The Cask of Amontillado Essay

Poe's Theory and Practice Reflected in The Cask of Amontillado Edgar Allan Poe, author of "brilliant reviews, poems, and stories," was born in 1809, and sadly died, a young man, in 1849 (665). To truly understand Poe, one must note the time period in which he wrote. It was an age of Literary Realism and Dark Romanticism, which was Poe's arena. The concept of "New Literary Criticism" was not yet mainstream. However, Poe was a critic as well as an acclaimed author. By observing the talents that Poe admired in the writings of others, one may better understand the inner workings of Poe's infamous short stories. In 1854, Poe wrote a review of the works of Nathaniel Hawthorne entitled "The Importance of the Single Effect in a Prose Tale" (854). In this essay I will compare the strengths Poe champions in Hawthorne's works with those that accentuate Poe's well known short story "The Cask of Amontillado." According to Poe, "Truth is often . . . the aim of the tale" (855). Perhaps this is why Poe's "The Cask of Amontillado" borrows its premise from an allegedly factual incident that took place while Poe was stationed at Boston Harbor. After unjustly killing a young lieutenant in a duel, a Captain Green was incited, by his men, into drinking a great deal. He was then buried alive under the floorboards. (Agatucci) Similarly, the unfortunate Fortunato meets his doom while the warmth of liquor soothes his inhibitions. Also like Captain Green, Fortunato was not depicted as an innocent. Universal truth is considered to be one facet of Literary Realism, or as Shakespeare stated "a mirror held up to [human] nature." There is hardly an emotion more natural than the need for revenge. While the appearance of forgivenes... ...ins at once by addressing the reader as a friend: "You, who so well know the nature of my soul" (666). He then proceeds to enlighten the reader as to the unspeakable act he has committed. Poe does this in a demeanor that rests somewhere between bragging and remorse. The regret, however, is not clear until late in the story with the line "My heart grew sick..." (670). We then realize the dreadful deed was committed some 50 years earlier (671). This leads the reader to a discovered sense of urgency in Montresor's confession. Perhaps he is on his own deathbed, one can only guess. This lends itself to Atwood's idea that "This is the story [Montresor] must tell, this is the story [we] must hear" (Agatucci). In other words, the reader must commit to Poe as he has to his reader. "The Cask of Amontillado" is more than a story; it is an insightful experience.

Implications of War on Terrorism on Public Relations Essay

The present Iraq War and War on terrorism have brought new dilemmas for the governments and businesses. How can the companies and government involve themselves in creating a society that is free of discrimination and respect personal freedoms. Even more important is how to avoid the pitfalls that turn out to be a public relations nightmare. One example of such an incident was when British Airways asked an employee to remove the cross she was wearing. British News paper published the news with the headline â€Å"British Airways allows Muslim headscarves, but not Christian symbols†. The woman at the center of the debate decide to sue the airline and the British Airways had to retract its notice after the public relations debacle that only brought it worldwide bad press. Former foreign Secretary, Jack Straw caused another furor by asking the Muslim women wearing veils, visiting his constituency surgery to remove their veils. In the present charged atmosphere, the simple request was seen as another attack on Muslim culture and British Muslims already feeling themselves cornered and persecuted made sure that the topic became a controversial subject. After all, Jack Straw is no Ayatollah Khomeini who has already told Iranian women to wear ‘hijab’ (dress similar to that of catholic nuns) but not cover their faces with veils. The ensuing debate caused high tempers both among traditional Muslims as an attack on personal freedoms at one end and from the mainstream British on banning the veil in public. Jack Straw finally issued a statement that his request was merely a suggestion to visiting constituency members and he did not insist on removal of veil. The war on terrorism and 7/7 tubes bombing has created a special need to sooth the fears of law abiding British Muslims who have just about as much to do with the bombings as any other citizen or the Brazilian shot in the aftermath of 7/7 tube bombing [Thompson et al, 2006]. The law enforcement institutions also have to ensure that the war-on-terrorism does not destroy the good public relations they have so laboriously built with all communities. The present world politics has necessitated a more sensitive handling of religious issues. Jews, Muslims, Sikhs and other religious minorities appear to have become incredibly sensitive and an important research issue is to survey how businesses varying from multi-national corporations to high street shops and industrial concerns have prepared themselves to avoid public relations disasters like British Airways ban on wearing religious symbols at work. Political parties and public figures and celebrities also need to prepare for being ethnically sensitive and religiously neutral. As a part of my 10 week research study I am proposing to survey the importance of religious symbols for our multi cultural society, investigate how the celebrities, public figures and industrial and business sector has prepared itself for the sensitivity of the present times. It would also be of interest to see if totally secular operating practices are acceptable and practical in a multi religious, multi cultural environment. The research is expected to prepare guidelines for various stakeholders to avoid public relation failures and unnecessary problems which result from over enthusiasm in this sensitive area. Bibliography 1. The Mail, (2006, Oct 16), Airline bans woman from wearing cross, [Online] Retrieved from Internet on 25 February 2007, cited in http://card. wordpress. com/2006/10/16/airline-bans-woman-from-wearing-cross/ 2. Guardian Unlimited, (2006, Oct. 05), Straw asks Muslim women to remove veil, [Online] Retrieved from Internet on 25 February 2007, cited in http://politics.guardian.co.uk/homeaffairs/story/0,,1888546,00.html#article_continue

Investment Management Essays

Investment Management Essays Investment Management Essay Investment Management Essay 24/02/2013 1 25721 INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT Lecturers: Sean Anthonisz Nadima El-Hassan Jianxin Wang Brandon Zhu Subject Coordinator: Jianxin Wang Objectives 2 ? ? ? ? Why do you take this subject? What do you expect to learn? How much did you pay for this subject? Is this a good investment? Investment Decisions 3 ? ? How much should I invest in risky assets? How much should I invest in different risky assets? ? ? How many risky assets should I hold? When not to diversify? ? How to determine mispricing? Fair value today? Expected return next year? ? How well do asset pricing models work? ? ? 1 24/02/2013 Investment Decisions 4 ? Passive versus active investing ? ? Is market efficient? Why not? What does it take to beat the market? How to hedge and how much to hedge? Derivative pricing Trading cost, liquidity, private information ? How should I manage risk? ? ? ? How should I trade? ? ? Sources of my performance? What Do We Learn in This Subject? 5 ? ? ? ? A theoretical framework for portfolio construction. A theoretical framework for the pricing of equities and bonds. Some practical applications of asset pricing models and portfolio analysis. Issues relating to market efficiency and investor behaviour. Course Structure 6 Funds Management Information Portfolio Theory Risk and Return Markets and Investing CAPM Factor Models APT Options Fixed Income Equities Futures 2 24/02/2013 Investment Electives 7 ? ? ? ? ? ? 25705 Financial Modelling and Forecasting 25728 Bond Portfolio Management 25729 Applied Portfolio Management 24731 International Finance 25762 Synthetic Financial Products A whole range of subjects for Quant Fin majors: technical analysis, numerical analysis, fin econometrics, stat methods, derivative pricing, interest rate modelling. Prerequisite 8 ? ? 25742 Financial Management Basic math and statistics Basic calculus and optimization Probability and distributions ? Mean, variance, standard deviation, covariance ? Linear regression by ordinary least square (OLS) ? ? ? Read the online Quantitative Review ? A very brief review next week What Is Expected – in class 9 ? Lectures are primarily aimed at Identifying and explaining key concepts and issues Highlighting the links to practice ? Completing selected problems from text ? ? ? Questions are encouraged and rewarded. ? Discussion is better than lecture Mutual respect and encouragement; Potential problems: repeated late arrivals, chatting during lecture, academic honesty Code of behavior ? ? 3 24/02/2013 What Is Expected – outside class 10 ? Address some details within the course reading materials. ? Group study is more effective ? ? Workload is about 7-8 hours per week on average (albeit uneven), including course readings, practices, and assignments. Multiple learning channels: ? ? Multiple levels of learning: ? Web-bas ed learning support Lecture material, textbook, and Excel sheets Approach to Learning 11 ? ? ? Read relevant chapters prior to lectures Attempt to identify and understand the key messages: Concepts? Issues? Connections? Ask questions during lecture. ? You paid $$$ for the opportunity ? ? Think reflect; don’t just summarize memorize. Practice using back-of-chapter questions. Approach to Learning I listen and I forget; I see and I remember; I do and I understand. Xun Zi Just Do It! Nike 12 4 24/02/2013 Textbook and Readings 13 ? Bodie, Kane, Marcus, Investments, 9th Ed, McGraw-Hill/Irwin, 2011. ? You take full responsibility if using an earlier edition. ? ? ? ? Harvard Business School case study 9202-024 â€Å"Strategic Capital Management†. R. A. Haugen, Modern Investment Theory, 5th Ed, Pearson Higher Education, 2001. J. H. Cochrane, 2006, Investments Notes. Other fun books on financial markets. Assessments 14 ? Weekly online quizzes: 10 marks ? ? ? ? ? 15 MC questions in 1 hour Unlimited tries with the best mark kept Monday morning to next Wednesday midnight Once closed, quizzes cannot be reopened Best 10 marks for the semester Group-based case report Online group registration Report due 5pm Friday March 29 Late submissions carry point deduction ? Case study in lecture 6: 10 marks ? ? ? ? Assessments 15 ? Mid-session exam: 40 marks ? ? ? ? Cover lectures 1 – 6, including the case study Multiple-choice (20 marks) Short-answer questions (20 marks) No formula sheet Cover lectures 7 – 13, excluding lecture 8 Multiple-choice (20 marks) Short-answer questions (20 marks) A short list of formulas will be identified and provided during the final exam. ? Final exam: 40 marks ? ? ? ? 5 24/02/2013 Online Group Registration 16 ? ? ? ? ? ? Log in the online course website Click on â€Å"Groups† in the left panel Group names contain â€Å"1m†, â€Å"2m†, â€Å"3m†, â€Å"4m†, indicating max members = 1, 2, 3, 4, respectively. The first member is the group leader. Registration closes after 5pm on March 10. Changing group only in the most extreme circumstances. What’s Required? 17 ? ? ? Materials covered in the chapters listed in the lecture program, except certain subsections are explicitly excluded. The midsession and the final exams will focus on materials covered during lectures, with at most 3-4 multiple-choice questions in each exam on materials not covered in lectures. Materials not covered in lectures will be heavily featured in the online quizzes. Administrative Issues 8 ? Name sign: â€Å"Open† for the business of learning ? Take it out at the start of every lecture It’s good to make the lecturer know your name ? Come to consultation hours ? ? ? Other times by appointment Email for straightforward questions Complex questions are best answered through interactive discussion ? Emails will be answered before or during the next consultation hours ? 6 24/02/2013 Learning Support P ostgraduate ? ? ? ? ? Need help with your postgraduate studies at UTS Business School? Are you new to university / postgraduate education? Not sure to how develop your academic skills in writing, reading, critical thinking etc.? Not sure how to complete assignments or achieve your best? Ask for help from the Learning Support Coordinator ? ? ? ? ? ? Make appointments for confidential individual help Lots of ‘online study resources’ to recommend / hardcopy study resources to share Attend the Study Skills Workshops all semester / or download them / Help by email / phone support / Email: [emailprotected] edu. au www: business. uts. edu. au/teaching/student/resources/studen t-learning. tml Join us on facebook UTSBlearningsupport ? Asset Classes 20 ? ? ? ? ? ? The money market The bond market The equity market The real estate market Currency markets Derivative markets ? Financial and commodities ? Others? Trading Platforms 21 ? Organized exchanges Dealership markets Auction markets ? Electronic trading ? ? ? ? OTC NASDAQ Alternative trading systems (ATS) ? ECNs, dark pools, internal crossings. ? Algorithm/high f requency trading 7 24/02/2013 High Frequency Trading 22 ? Menkveld (2011): a HFTer on Chi-X Dutch stocks from Jan 2007 to June 2008 Trades 1400 times per stock per day ? Gross profit per trade â‚ ¬0. 88 ? ? ? ? ? â‚ ¬1. 55 profit on the spread net of fees â‚ ¬0. 45 profit on positions 5 seconds â‚ ¬1. 13 loss on positions = 5 seconds Max capital committed ? â‚ ¬2 million per stock ? Implied annualized Sharpe ratio = 9. 35! ? ? Sharpe ratio for SP500 over the period = -0. 16 ? Chi-X is in Australia. Costs of Trading 23 ? Commission: fee paid to broker for making the transaction ? Exchange members/subscribers? ? Spread: Bid and ask prices Spread: ask – bid ? P89, #14 ? Market versus limit orders ? ? ? Price impact of large trades Stock Margin Trading 24 ? ? ? ? Borrow (from brokers) to purchase shares Initial margin Maintenance margin minimum level the equity margin can be Margin call ? Call for more equity funds ? Margin arrangements differ for stocks and derivatives 8 24/02/2013 Margin Trading Initial Conditions 25 ? ? ? ? ? X Corp: P = $70 Initial Margin = 50% Maintenance Margin = 40% 1000 Shares Purchased Initial Position: Stock $70,000 Borrowed Equity $35,000 $35,000 Maintenance Margin 26 ? ? Stock price falls to $60 per share New Position ? $60,000=$35,000(Borrowed) + 25,000(Equity) ? Margin = $25,000/$60,000 = 41. 67% How far can the price fall before a margin call? ? ? (1000P $35,000) / 1000P = 40% P = $58. 33 ? P88, #9 Short Sale 27 ? ? Purpose: Profit from a price fall Mechanics Borrow stock through a dealer/broker Sell it and deposit proceeds and margin in an account ? Any dividend is passed back to the lender ? Closing out the position ? ? ? ? Buy back the stock and return it to the lender Prof its can be deposited into your own account ? Naked versus covered short sale 9 24/02/2013 Short Sale Initial Conditions 28 Z Corp Initial Margin Maintenance Margin Initial Price Sale Proceeds Margin Account Balance 100 Shares 50% 30% $100 $10,000 $ 5,000 $15,000 Short Sale Maintenance Margin 29 ? Stock Price Rises to $110 Stock owed Net equity ? Margin % (4000/11000) ? ? $11,000 $ 4,000 36% ? ? How much can the stock price rise before a margin call? ($15,000 100P) / (100P) = 30% P = $115. 38 P89, #12 Summary 30 ? Course introduction and requirements ? Think, reflect, and participate ? ? Financial markets and assets Trading of financial assets Trading platforms Transaction costs ? Margin trading and short selling ? ? 10

Free Essays on Dallas Museum Of Art

The Dallas Museum Of Art During my visit at The Dallas Museum Of Art I came to a revelation that I had stepped into a building with a world of its own. When I proceeded to my first exhibit I was, honestly, mildly amused. As I examined the room filled with artwork decorating the walls, I could not locate a painting that would seize my attention until; I walked through the door and into another part of the exhibit. In this room I saw a painting that did just that, ravished my senses, but unbeknown to me this would be a regular occurrence for the duration of my visit. Walking through the different exhibits was captivating, with some causing me to feel deep emotion in just observing them. The sculptures were magnificent being able to pay close advertency to the detail. I immensely enjoyed my time at the Dallas Museum Of Art and look forward to going back. The first piece of artwork I selected was â€Å"Lise in a White Shawl†. I selected this work of art because as soon as I laid eyes upon her it seemed as though she was staring back. I particularly love the eyes of this painting because they appeared so lifelike as though a person was concealed behind the canvas. The painting was done in oils, which gave the whole scene a very realistic feel to it. Pierre Auguste Renoir was the artist of this artwork and secret lover of the woman in the painting, which I believe is why it’s done so elegantly. The painting looks as if a lot of dedication and passion was expressed in the creation of this masterpiece. The artist captures everything from her worry free and calm expression to the contours of her fingers adjusting her shawl, it’s just absolutely astonishing. The second piece of artwork I selected was â€Å"Ugolino And His Children†. This particular piece was a sculpture made by Jean Baptiste Carpeaux and was a created scene from the book â€Å"Dante’s Inferno†. Consigned to the ninth circle, second ring of hell in Da... Free Essays on Dallas Museum Of Art Free Essays on Dallas Museum Of Art The Dallas Museum Of Art During my visit at The Dallas Museum Of Art I came to a revelation that I had stepped into a building with a world of its own. When I proceeded to my first exhibit I was, honestly, mildly amused. As I examined the room filled with artwork decorating the walls, I could not locate a painting that would seize my attention until; I walked through the door and into another part of the exhibit. In this room I saw a painting that did just that, ravished my senses, but unbeknown to me this would be a regular occurrence for the duration of my visit. Walking through the different exhibits was captivating, with some causing me to feel deep emotion in just observing them. The sculptures were magnificent being able to pay close advertency to the detail. I immensely enjoyed my time at the Dallas Museum Of Art and look forward to going back. The first piece of artwork I selected was â€Å"Lise in a White Shawl†. I selected this work of art because as soon as I laid eyes upon her it seemed as though she was staring back. I particularly love the eyes of this painting because they appeared so lifelike as though a person was concealed behind the canvas. The painting was done in oils, which gave the whole scene a very realistic feel to it. Pierre Auguste Renoir was the artist of this artwork and secret lover of the woman in the painting, which I believe is why it’s done so elegantly. The painting looks as if a lot of dedication and passion was expressed in the creation of this masterpiece. The artist captures everything from her worry free and calm expression to the contours of her fingers adjusting her shawl, it’s just absolutely astonishing. The second piece of artwork I selected was â€Å"Ugolino And His Children†. This particular piece was a sculpture made by Jean Baptiste Carpeaux and was a created scene from the book â€Å"Dante’s Inferno†. Consigned to the ninth circle, second ring of hell in Da...

Post-WWII Jewish Migration

Post-WWII Jewish Migration Approximately six million European Jews were killed in the Holocaust during World War II. Many of the European Jews who survived the persecution and death camps had nowhere to go after V-E Day, May 8, 1945. Not only had Europe been practically destroyed, but many survivors did not want to return to their pre-war homes in Poland or Germany. Jews became Displaced Persons (also known as DPs) and spent time in helter-skelter camps, some of which were located at former concentration camps. As the Allies were taking Europe back from Germany in 1944-1945, the Allied armies liberated the Nazi concentration camps. These camps, which housed from a few dozen to thousands of survivors, were complete surprises for most of the liberating armies. The armies were overwhelmed by the misery, by the victims who were so thin and near-death. A dramatic example of what the soldiers found upon liberation of the camps occurred at Dachau where a train load of 50 boxcars of prisoners sat on the railroad for days as the Germans were escaping. There were about 100 people in each boxcar and, of the 5,000 prisoners, about 3,000 were already dead upon the arrival of the army. Thousands of survivors still died in the days and weeks following liberation and the military buried the dead in individual and mass graves. Generally, the Allied armies rounded up concentration camp victims and forced them to remain in the confines of the camp under armed guard. Medical personnel were brought into the camps to care for the victims and food supplies were provided but conditions in the camps were dismal. When available, nearby SS living quarters were used as hospitals. Survivors had no method of contacting relatives as they were not allowed to send or receive mail. The survivors were forced to sleep in their bunkers, wear their camp uniforms, and were not allowed to leave the barbed-wire camps, all while the German population outside of the camps were able to try to return to normal life. The military reasoned that the Holocaust survivors (now essentially their prisoners) could not roam the countryside for fear that they would attack civilians. By June, word of poor treatment of Holocaust survivors reached Washington, D.C. President Harry S. Truman, anxious to appease concerns, sent Earl G. Harrison, the dean of the University of Pennsylvania Law School, to Europe to investigate the ramshackle DP camps. Harrison was shocked by the conditions he found, As things stand now, we appear to be treating the Jews as the Nazis treated them, except that we do not exterminate them. They are in concentration camps, in large numbers under our military guard instead of SS troops. One is led to wonder whether the German people, seeing this, are not supposing that we are following or at least condoning Nazi policy. (Proudfoot, 325) Harrison strongly recommended to President Truman that 100,000 Jews, the approximate number of DPs in Europe at the time, be allowed to enter Palestine. As the United Kingdom controlled Palestine, Truman contacted the British Prime Minister Clement Atlee with the recommendation but Britain demurred, fearing repercussions (especially problems with oil) from Arab nations if Jews were allowed into the Middle East. Britain convened a joint United States-United Kingdom committee, the Anglo-American Committee of Inquiry, to investigate the status of DPs. Their report, issued in April 1946, concurred with the Harrison report and recommended that 100,000 Jews be allowed into Palestine. Atlee ignored the recommendation and proclaimed that 1,500 Jews would be allowed to migrate to Palestine each month. This quota of 18,000 a year continued until the British rule in Palestine ended in 1948. Following the Harrison report, President Truman called for major changes to the treatment of Jews in the DP camps. Jews who were DPs were originally accorded status based on their country of origin and did not have separate status as Jews. General Dwight D. Eisenhower complied with Trumans request and began to implement changes in the camps, making them more humanitarian. Jews became a separate group in the camps so Jews no longer had to live with Allied prisoners who, in some cases, had served as operatives or even guards in the concentration camps. DP camps were established throughout Europe and those in Italy served as congregation points for those attempting to flee to Palestine. Trouble in Eastern Europe in 1946 more than doubled the number of displaced persons. At the beginning of the war, about 150,000 Polish Jews escaped to the Soviet Union. In 1946 these Jews began being repatriated to Poland. There were reasons enough for Jews not to want to remain in Poland but one incident in particular convinced them to emigrate. On July 4, 1946 there was a pogrom against the Jews of Kielce and 41 people were killed and 60 were seriously injured. By the winter of 1946/1947, there were about a quarter of a million DPs in Europe. Truman conceded to loosen immigration laws in the United States and brought thousands of DPs into America. The priority immigrants were orphaned children. Over the course of 1946 to 1950, over 100,000 Jews migrated to the United States. Overwhelmed by international pressures and opinions, Britain placed the matter of Palestine into the hands of the United Nations in February 1947. In the fall of 1947, the General Assembly voted to partition Palestine and create two independent states, one Jewish and the other Arab. Fighting immediately broke out between Jews and Arabs in Palestine but even with the U.N.s decision, Britain still kept firm control of Palestinian immigration as long as they could. Britains complicated process for regulation of displaced Jewish immigration to Palestinian was plagued with problems. Jews were moved to Italy, a trip which they often did on foot. From Italy, ships and crew were rented for the passage across the Mediterranean to Palestine. Some of the ships made it past a British naval blockade of Palestine, but most did not. The passengers of captured ships were forced to disembark in Cyprus, where the British operated DP camps. The British government began sending DPs directly to camps on Cyprus in August 1946. DPs shipped to Cyprus were then able to apply for legal immigration to Palestine. The British Royal Army ran the camps on the island. Armed patrols guarded the perimeters to prevent escape. Fifty-two thousand Jews were interned and 2,200 babies were born on the island of Cyprus between 1946 and 1949. Approximately 80 percent of the internees were between the ages of 13 and 35. Jewish organization was strong in Cyprus and education and job training was internally provided. Leaders on Cyprus often became initial government officials in the new state of Israel. One shipload of refugees heightened concern for DPs throughout the world. The Jewish survivors had formed an organization called Brichah (flight) for the purpose of smuggling immigrants (Aliya Bet, illegal immigration) to Palestine and the organization moved 4,500 refugees from DP camps in Germany to a port near Marseilles, France in July 1947 where they boarded Exodus. The Exodus departed France but was being watched by the British navy. Even before it entered the territorial waters of Palestine, destroyers forced the boat to the port at Haifa. The Jews resisted and the British killed three and wounded more with machine guns and tear gas. The British ultimately forced the passengers to disembark and they were placed on British vessels, not for deportation to Cyprus, as was the usual policy, but to France. The British wanted to pressure the French to take responsibility for the 4,500. The Exodus sat in the French port for a month as the French refused to force the refugees to disemba rk but they did offer asylum to those who wished to voluntarily leave. Not one of them did. In an attempt to force the Jews off the ship, the British announced that the Jews would be taken back to Germany. Still, no one disembarked as they wanted to go to Israel and Israel alone. When the ship arrived in Hamburg, Germany in September 1947, soldiers dragged each passenger off of the ship in front of reporters and camera operators. Truman and the much of the world watched and knew that a Jewish state needed to be established. On May 14, 1948 the British government left Palestine and the State of Israel was proclaimed the same day. The United States was the first country to recognize the new State. Legal immigration began in earnest, even though the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, did not approve the Law of Return, (which allows any Jew to migrate to Israel and become a citizen) until July 1950. Immigration to Israel increased rapidly despite war against hostile Arab neighbors. On May 15, 1948, the first day of Israeli statehood, 1,700 immigrants arrived. There was an average of 13,500 immigrants each month from May through December of 1948, far exceeding the prior legal migration approved by the British of 1,500 per month. Ultimately, the survivors of the Holocaust were able to emigrate to Israel, the United States, or a host of other countries. The State of Israel accepted as many that were willing to come and Israel worked with the arriving DPs to teach them job skills, provide employment, and to help the immigrants help build the wealthy and technologically advanced country that it is today.

International Marketing Plan Part 2 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

International Marketing Plan Part 2 - Assignment Example The number of skating companies in the last couple of years has increased and it is expected that there will be new entrants in future as well (Bennett and Blythe, 2002). The biggest competitors in the skating industry are Rollerblade, Roces, Solomon and K2. The market share of each company can be represented as follows as given in SGMA (2011) report: Rollerblade has been enjoying the largest market share in the industry for decades. As of 2005, its market share was 70% and now it has been reduced to 45%. The main reason in such a reduction in the share is the increase in the new entrants in the market. Still, the company enjoys the reputation of providing high quality skates and other accessories. The range of products provided by the company is huge and it is expected to increase more in near future. Likewise, the close competitors are Roces, Solomon and K2 as well and all these brands have been there in the market for quite long. Since the Skating International is targeting an entirely new segment so these competitors do not directly pose any threat to it but if these brands target the market that the company is targeting via its products, then it can lose its market share. Therefore, the company will need to create differentiating factors to maintain its competitive position in the market. The pricing strategy that will be followed by Skating International will be competitive pricing. The company will charge the prices in comparison with those charged by the competitors. One of the primary purposes of the pricing strategy is to encourage the customers to buy the goods on impulse, experiment with the product and make repeat purchases. Initially the company will charge the products as follows: In order to promote the brand initially, the customers will be given skate bags as well so that the skates will remain protected and they will be handled with utmost ease and care. The skate bags’ price will range in between $20-$40

Managing organisations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Managing organisations - Essay Example Recruitment Managers find Psychology to come in handy when they are recruiting for new job positions in their firms. Managers bearing acute knowledge in psychology are able to tell the different personalities that are needed in the various workplaces and they are able to match different teams with the appropriate team members. This helps the organisation avoid serious recruiting mistakes, thus growing stronger in its workforce (Conrad, 2009). Organisational culture This involves the behaviour of people working in the organisation, how they relate to one another and the meaning that they attach to their roles. Managers need to have knowledge in Psychology to enable them devise plans and strategies that will help in overcoming the challenges within their workforce. They are also able to retain the workforce by understanding their needs and rewards thus retaining them. They are also able to make better and informed decisions when they need to cut costs within the firm. They are able to appease their employees even when the firm is going through some rough times (Conrad, 2009). Development Managers with knowledge in psychology are able to invest in the employees through managerial, leadership, and personal development. This enables the firm to retain the best employees, motivate them and also attract other top performers. This in turn gives the firm competitive advantage with its rival firms (Conrad, 2009). Humanistic Theory of Motivation It is founded on the idea that individuals possess powerful cognitive reasons that influence them into working towards particular goals. Sources of motivations among individuals change as they proceed from basic needs to self-actualisation in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. A well-paying job can be a great source of motivation for the individuals at the initial stage of the hierarchy of needs. As the individual progresses the motivators change and finding meaning in the job, creativity and independence can be the new powerful motivators. Maslow called this compensation when one is motivated by and gives more importance to competencies rather than meta-pay. Organisation of the work environment is very crucial given the changing needs of workers. The managers need to understand this aspect and utilise psychology to implement the necessary strategies to address this issue (Cherry, 2013). Psychology is important as it helps create self-awareness in the managers. They become aware of their strengths and weaknesses, therefore, having total control of all situations in the firm. They also become aware of their surroundings. They are able to understand the behaviour of their subordinates, workers, customers and their clients, thus having the ability to provide better services and a serene work environment. Having knowledge in psychology helps the managers understand different kinds of employees, therefore, finding them positions or departments where they can work well and foster good relationships with others. 1 . b) Examine the problems that managers may encounter when seeking to apply psychology to their role Wrong interpretation of situations The managers may interpret a certain situation wrongly, which will mislead them into making wrong decisions. Managers may walk into a situation at the workplace or with the clients and due to limited interaction with them; they may make the wrong interpretation. This stems from making unfounded assumptions that may lead to the wrong application of Psychology

Business Law Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Business Law - Case Study Example To save the marriage couples from such unfortunate happenings, the government thought to have compulsory counselling for the to-be-married interracial individuals. There are many arguments that can be used against the statutes. Firstly, it can be notified that the for the people whose vehicles are registered outside the state of Minnesota, are compelled to purchase and install an expensive device to reduce radioactive emissions to save the birds. This can be treated as injustice to those vehicle owners. If the device can really check pollution, the device should be made mandatory to all vehicles and not just to those registered with a different state. In the second case, the two weeks of counselling for the inter-racial couples prior to marriage can be identified as state imposition. The law of the land preferably should not dictate the matured adult citizens. Marriage is a personal agenda and varies from person to person. The law should not be mingled with the requirements of the pre-marriage counselling sessions. The prime duty of the court of law is to ensure that the justice is ensured to all the parties. It functions with in the broad guideline that the legislature has provided with. Also, the court does not have the weapon to execute the law. For such purpose, it has to depend upon the executive. The court would ensure that the all the legalities are maintained in its best form. Ralph feels that the company of drug free enterprise has breached his trust. For the purpose, Ralph wants to sue the company with $ 79,000. The most appropriate court would be the place where the agreement was signed in between the enterprise and Ralph. It could also be the place upon where Ralph was supposed to oversee the distribution. The basis for the jurisdiction would depend upon the minute details that were penned down in the agreement between Ralph and the company. There may be lot many reasons. Some of them might involve deviation from the agreed price or

U.S. Supreme Court Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

U.S. Supreme Court - Essay Example Kagan became Pres. Obamas official nominee to replace retiring Associate Justice John Paul Stevens in 2010. It was easy to see why he would nominate her to the position. In his own words, Pres. Obama described her admirable character traits (Scherer, M., 2010) that led to her nomination as : â€Å"Elena is respected and admired not just for her intellect and record of achievement, but also for her temperament, her openness to a broad array of viewpoints, her habit — to borrow a phrase from Justice [John Paul] Stevens — of understanding before disagreeing, her fair-mindedness and skill as a consensus builder.† Ms. Kagan was nominated during a time of trial for our nation. America was in the grips of the worst recession to ever hit its people, the economy was in shambles and the previous Bush administration had often circumvented the law in order to fulfill its own political agenda. She was in effect, coming into a wounded supreme court that needed to be rehabilitated for hits own good. With her nomination, the president was merely trying to put the best person he could find in to fill the job. By his standards, she fit the bill to a T. There was no political agenda behind it and no lobby group behind her nomination. If there were, she would not have eventually been confirmed. That is not to say though that her nomination was without controversy. there were accusations coming from the GOP, who were actively campaigning against her nomination, that Kagan often defied the constitution by disallowing the military access to students on the Harvard campus during her tenure as Dean at the prestigious university. Columnist Phyllis Schlafly claimed that Kagan had â€Å"defied the Solomon Amendment" -- a statute requiring schools to provide the same access to military recruiters that they provide to other potential employers or lose federal funding†. While Foxs Sean Hannity also reported that she had â€Å"led an effort to "kick

The media and today Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The media and today - Essay Example Meeuwis in 1993 illustrated the effectiveness of media by highlighting the role of television and press in the creation of nationalism in Serbia.1 Stuart Ewen argues that advertising has a more significant power in human collective consciousness as compared to the credit, which is given to it. Moreover, the two theories Social Learning theory and Cultivation theory also describe the importance of modern media in shaping the perceptions of people.2 In 1990, Abernethy found 32 percent rate of television commercial avoidance and in 1994, King found 35 percent audience claiming to watch ads.3 â€Å"Advertising effectiveness does vary over time, and when the market is in an unfavourable or unsaturated condition, advertising generally becomes more important and effective (Chung and Kaiser 1998).†4 A research conducted by Campbell, Margaret C. and Kevin Lane Keller on Television ads and internet ads showed that on both media the â€Å"wear out point happens sooner when the ad being repeated is for an unfamiliar brand as opposed to a familiar brand.†5 Marketing Evaluation research show that nowadays, power of media mix or ‘Surround Sound Marketing’ is greater as compared to what one medium can produce, thereby, highlighting a reduced effectiveness of media.6 Moreover, the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) revealed that about 62 percent of marketers uphold that in the last two years, the television a dvertising has become less effective.7 In short, a radical changed has been seen in the advertising industry in the last few years. A logical perspective is that the consumers’ past responses to the media advertising is not the same because of the changing tastes, demographics, competition, economic and social factors, advertising theme etc. Furthermore, the marketing world has changed and even a target market consumer of a product/service is not considered to be ‘effectively exposed’, unless he watches the ad at least three to four times.

U.S. Supreme Court Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

U.S. Supreme Court - Essay Example Kagan became Pres. Obamas official nominee to replace retiring Associate Justice John Paul Stevens in 2010. It was easy to see why he would nominate her to the position. In his own words, Pres. Obama described her admirable character traits (Scherer, M., 2010) that led to her nomination as : â€Å"Elena is respected and admired not just for her intellect and record of achievement, but also for her temperament, her openness to a broad array of viewpoints, her habit — to borrow a phrase from Justice [John Paul] Stevens — of understanding before disagreeing, her fair-mindedness and skill as a consensus builder.† Ms. Kagan was nominated during a time of trial for our nation. America was in the grips of the worst recession to ever hit its people, the economy was in shambles and the previous Bush administration had often circumvented the law in order to fulfill its own political agenda. She was in effect, coming into a wounded supreme court that needed to be rehabilitated for hits own good. With her nomination, the president was merely trying to put the best person he could find in to fill the job. By his standards, she fit the bill to a T. There was no political agenda behind it and no lobby group behind her nomination. If there were, she would not have eventually been confirmed. That is not to say though that her nomination was without controversy. there were accusations coming from the GOP, who were actively campaigning against her nomination, that Kagan often defied the constitution by disallowing the military access to students on the Harvard campus during her tenure as Dean at the prestigious university. Columnist Phyllis Schlafly claimed that Kagan had â€Å"defied the Solomon Amendment" -- a statute requiring schools to provide the same access to military recruiters that they provide to other potential employers or lose federal funding†. While Foxs Sean Hannity also reported that she had â€Å"led an effort to "kick

Homework wk 4 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Homework wk 4 - Assignment Example A short-term loan is a loan given for at most a three-year period. An overdraft is where the bank allows a customer to overdraw money from the bank, which happens within the banks limits. A variable rate of interest is charged on the amount the corporation is overdrawn on daily basis. Short-term borrowing has a self-liquidating nature, where the company gets short-term loans, uses it get more inventory that in turn promote production of more final product to meet demand. Receivables as a result of the sales thereafter, become cash which is used to pay for the seasonal short-term loan and cover related long-term financing costs. These sources of liquidity involve an agreement between a credit offering facility and the company. Therefore, a variable or fixed rate interest is always charged according to the policies and terms and conditions of the lender. With the annual average purchases and the average accounts payable it is possible to get accounts payable turnover ratio which is the number of times the accounts payable are turned over or purchases paid for in a

A Brief History of Energy Use in Human Societies Essay Example for Free

A Brief History of Energy Use in Human Societies Essay The industrial revolution started the intensive use of oil, coal and natural gas. The development of factories, cars, and technological advances marks the start of air pollution. Smog from factories and the release of carbon dioxide from cars began to become detrimental to the environment as well as to health. Ever since the world continues to burn fossil fuels and will continue to do so. Factories, motor vehicles, buses, etc., are used throughout the world to provide people with transportation, products or food and have been a leading cause of air pollution. Similarly, these things have led to a series of environmental issues as well as health concerns, including many respiratory diseases (The Industrial Age). Although air pollution is a concern throughout the world, developing nations take different approaches to concerns as well as developed nations. Most of the worlds children live in developing nations, which means that they are exposed to higher levels of poverty and have different levels of health quality as oppose to developed, wealthier nations (Loomis et al. 1999). In a country like Mexico for instance, childhood mortality is high. Mexico City is one of the most populated cities in the world, with a population of eighteen million people and three million motor vehicles (Borja-Aburto et al. 1998). Nevertheless, air pollution has the same effects on the respiratory system among the population in New York City. Similarly, it is also densely populated and traffic congestion leads to the emission of air pollutants that are harmful to respiratory health. Air pollution affects the respiratory system, causing different respiratory diseases in both Mexico City and New York City, but there are a number of different methods used in each city to prevent further air pollution. Many countries in Latin America are going through rapid industrialization, as well as an increase in transportation and have not yet resolved health concerns related to air pollution. Due to the poor sanitation that young kids experience in poor countries, they are becoming infected with many diseases, thus becoming more susceptible to respiratory diseases (Loomis et al. 1999). When poor children experience life-threatening diseases, they are more likely to die because they cannot receive medical attention. In addition, studies reveal that air pollution is the main cause of the increasing infant mortality in Mexico City (Loomis et al. 1999). The main pollutants that are of a concern in Mexico City are nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter and tropospheric ozone (BellML et al. 2006). It is estimated that the transportation sector is responsible for about forty percent of the particulate matter emissions in Mexico City. Transportation however, is a vital sector in Mexico City traffic congestion in Mexico City forces people to take transportation methods to reach work, school, etc. Similarly, a large part of the population lives in poverty, which means they cannot afford a car. In addition, it has been reported that ozone causes the airway inflammation among young children playing outdoors. Nitrogen oxides increase the chance of respiratory infections as well as wheezing (Bernstein JA et al. 2004). Particulate matter is associated with infant mortality and also includes an increasing number of absences of students in schools as well as emergency room visits for respiratory problems including asthma (Bell ML et al. 2006). In addition, a reduction of 10 percent of particulate matter and ozone levels would save 273 to 1189 lives every year as well as save 760 US dollars a year there would be less emergency room visits, less medicine to purchases, less days of work or school missed or hospital admissions. New York City, similar to Mexico, has an air pollution problem caused by motor vehicles. However, morbidity and asthma is higher in different communities around New York City South Bronx and Harlem. These communities for instance, have higher diesel exhaust le vels from bus depots, truck routes, and waste transfer stations (Patel et al. 2013). As a result, this diesel exhaust creates black carbon. The black carbon is linked to the increasing number of respiratory diseases as well as the hospital admissions among children and adolescence in Harlem and South Bronx (Patel et al. 2013). Similarly, Patel et al. also explain that short-term increases of particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide are associated with airway inflammation among adults and children. The number of people being affected by air pollution will continue to grow, if no regulations to stop air pollution are enforced. Mexico city suffers from a serious air pollution problem, which has led to many respiratory diseases. However, there are policies that exist which help control air pollution. An air pollution problem that they face is ozone released from transportation methods. One measure Mexico City has taken to reduce vehicle pollution includes a motor vehicle Maintenance and Inspection (IM) program. This program keeps track of vehicle emissions to make sure th at the advanced emission control systems are working properly in modern-day cars (Riveros HG et al. 2002). In addition, catalytic converter devices added to the exhaust of a motor vehicle consisting of a catalyst that transforms pollutant gases into less dangerous ones were introduced in 1995 to Mexico City. In 1995, vehicles were emitting 70 percent less hydrocarbon, 75 percent less carbon monoxide and 65 percent less nitrogen oxide (Riveros HG et al. 2002). Similarly, methyl tertiary-butyl ether was added to gasoline beginning in 1995, to refine combustion efficiency and applied boundaries on the aromatic aspect of fuels as well as on the sulfur content in fuel used in industries (Mckinley G et al. 2005). However, despite the tries to limit air pollution, the levels of air pollution emissions remain high.The State of New York has many programs, which take care of the environment. For example, there is the Department of Environmental Conservation. This department carries out monitoring programs as well as pollution control. It also contains a Maintenance Program and requires a Vehicle Inspection, which monitors motor vehicle emissions and requires unsuccessful pollution control equipment to be fixed. Furthermore, New York City also has Inspection and Maintenance (IM) programs. These programs requires cars to take an annual emission inspection and requires a repair when emission system is not working properly. All of these methods are used in New York to prevent more air pollution to enter the atmosphere. As a result, although air pollution remains high in New York City, these methods to protect the environment from harmful pollutants (Controlling Air Pollution from Motor Vehicles).Air pollution is a major problem in both densely populated cities New York City and Mexico City. This problem has led to an increase in asthma, as well as other respiratory diseases. It has also led to an increasing number of hospital admissions, and emergency room visits. There are a large number of fatal deaths as a result of air pollution, which is why each city must have regulations to help eliminate the pollution. People are becoming sick, and a lot of money is being spent as a result of the pollution. Not only the people are suffering from this environmental problem, but the environment as well. Carbon emissions, as well as ozone are detrimental to Earth, as well as to health. Young children and seniors are the most vulnerable to these diseases, but something can be done to protect the citizens of these cities, and that is more air pollution control policies. Mexico City and New York City have regulations, but they are not enough to end the air pollution. Cars are a necessity in every major city around the world, which creates more air pollution for the world. However, more regulations need to be placed before the environment becomes greatly impacted by the man-produced emissions

Effects of Teaching Methods on Accelerated Learning

Effects of Teaching Methods on Accelerated Learning Teaching techniques and their effectiveness in developing accelerated learning within UK schools and colleges Table of Contents (Jump to) 1. Research Background 2. Literature Review 3. Aims Objectives 4. Research Methodology Analysis References and Bibliography 1. Research Background The author of this report was taught using the traditional methods of teaching throughout the student life. The author came to know about a technique known as brain gym through an acquaintance and became aware of such techniques. This encouraged the author at a later stage to develop an understanding of accelerated learning and to see if it was considered effective by practitioners. Consequently, the author decided to base the dissertation on this topic within the context of English primary schools and colleges. After initiating the research the author realised that there was so much more to the topic of accelerated learning, and that there were numerous techniques associated with it that claimed to improve students learning. Hence the idea was to base the work on finding out how popular these teaching techniques were in relation to others and whether traditional teachers considered them effective. 2. Literature Review There is a huge amount of literature surrounding accelerated learning theory and different teaching techniques that claim to help develop students learning. In this section the author will make reference to a variety of techniques that are linked to accelerated learning theory but will discuss their perceived effectiveness in different situations while conducting the detailed literature review. While doing the complete literature review he author will also explore the current literature that describes the brains structure and how learning occurs, in order to help the readers understanding of how these various teaching technique help learning. Student centered education allow student to develop their real abilities by not distorting learning: this philosophy does not support traditional teaching techniques. The idea was originally conceived by Jean-Jacques Rousseau in 1762. It was thought that we should not focus on what information to teach students (primarily student’s), but teach subjects and skills in accordance to what natural talents a student possesses. The student will then develop in to a life long learner as each of them develops through stages (Sutherland, 1988). This idea has been associated with current educational policy that encourages us to become life long learners. Learning is not just about academic knowledge but is an experience that should be positive if it is to be effective. The author will now cite some of the techniques that were identified during the preliminary literature review. Brain gym is one such technique that is used to promote learning and is supposed to be effective when used with academic skills. Brain gym is used in educational kinesiology (Edu-k). There are three main types of activity that promote different processes: Crossing the midline essential for writing and reading, Lengthening activities helps in expression of stored memory, skills such as test taking, speech and writing, Energy exercises helps to decrease stress and fatigue, increases the flow of energy around the body (Magidson, 2004, p.2). The ability to cross the midline refers to an individual being able to cross and use both hemispheres at once, where different types of information can be processed and moved from left to right and right to left. Some scientists suggest that this process is a key skill required for academic success (Dennison et al 1994). Brain gym activities have been created to help learners cross the midline in order to help improve co-ordination, breathing and stamina, enhance vision and hearing and improve spatial awareness (Cohen et al 2002). Skills that may improve include short-term memory and concentration (Drabben-Thiemann et al, 2001). There is some criticism of the technique because any form of physical activity seems to create a relaxed state (Adey et al, 2002). Target setting has been used to help individuals learn more effectively by organising information in to sections in the form of a target to be achieved. It is supposed to help the learner make sense of information and feel as if the task can be achieved in small steps. The brain stores information, and then retrieves it when appropriate in the form of memory. The short-term or working memory has limited capacity, compared to our long-term memory that is much greater (Prashnig, 1998). Learning tends to be more effective when spread out over a period of time with numerous revisits (Long, 2000). Target setting should review work regularly and be connected with other work if it is to enhance long-term memory; this requires consistency and the allocation of time to ensure the technique is effective. Like a placebo, if success is created in learning it is likely to be recreated in a similar experience (Stockwell, 1992). Target setting is suggested to be difficult to use in practice because the system is time consuming to set up (Naughton et al, 2001). VAK input technique uses different methods to present information and various activities to engage the students attention; depending on the way they prefer to process information. There are allegedly different types of learners: visual, auditory and kina-esthetic (Smith 1996). Neuro-lingusitic programming research has implied that in a class there are a certain percentage of learners who prefer one of the three types of input. Approximately 29% of learners prefer visual input methods, 34% auditory and 37% are kinaesthetic learners; teachers also subconsciously teach using their preferred method of input (IAL 2000). The traditional assumption that learning is more effective in a quiet atmosphere has been challenged by research conducted in to the effects of music on learning. Research in New Zealand implied that 40% of high school students preferred noisy environments to silent ones (Prashnig, 1998). When this technique is used in lessons it appears to stimulate activity in both hemispheres (Schuster el al, 1986). Educators need to be trained on what type of music has different effects on the state created in learners, if this technique is to be used (Northumberland LEA, 2004). Teachers tend to use a mixture of approaches depending on the situation in which they teach. Some are considered more effective than others, although each technique usually derives from a specific theory. There is an increasing amount of research being conducted on how we learn and what techniques may help. However one must remain cautious about how we apply these finding, because each one is dependent on the circumstances in which it was created. 3. Aims Objectives The primary aim of the research is to find out the different teaching techniques that are used and to determine if those associated with accelerated learning theory are popular, together with how effective they are in developing students learning. Additionally this dissertation will also provide with accurate, up-to-date, research-based information about possible future trends in accelerated learning techniques. And lastly, this research will try to provide possible suggestions and recommendations to be considered for the improvement of such techniques to develop ideas for further research in this context. To summarize some of the questions that will be addressed through this research are as follows: What teaching techniques are used to develop students learning? The need for such techniques to be used? Effectiveness and implications of such techniques? What are the possible alternatives? Student involvement in the use of such techniques? 4. Research Methodology Analysis A collection of methodologies will be used to carry out this research. Both primary and secondary data will be collected for this purpose. The secondary data will comprise of data from literature reviewed from books, journals, Internet and the annual reports of the institutions while the primary data will take the form of information/results collected from the case study and questionnaire. The researcher has chosen the Case study and Survey strategies for the research. Both of them are common and popular strategy in educational research. â€Å"A case study is a detailed examination of one setting, or one single subject, or one single repository of documents, or one particular event [Bogdan and Biklen, 1982].† Case study approach is categorized as ‘Non-Participant’ qualitative research. Therefore, the first stage of research will comprise of short listing of the educational institutions where the case studies will be carried out. The first criteria will be selecting those institutions that employ accelerated learning techniques. Educational institutions with traditional setting will also be included in the case study for comparative analysis. Survey research is one of the most widely used forms of research among the educational researchers. It involves researchers asking a large group of people questions about a particular topic. All surveys possess three basic characteristics: (1) the collection of information (2) from a sample (3) by asking a question. A survey can be carried out by conducting interviews with individuals or groups and use of questionnaires. In the second stage of the research the researcher will use a detailed questionnaire, testing quantitatively a much larger sample of teachers. Based on the initial literature review the author will prepare a preliminary questionnaire which be circulated to a small sample. Based on the results of the initial response the questionnaire will be refined and will be sent to a much larger sample. Research analysis will be done based on the method proposed by Hycner (1985). According to him, the analysis requires the researcher to read the transcripts; identify themes; confirm the accuracy of the interpretation and produce a final summary. Thus the information will be analyzed accordingly and a brief summary will be prepared. References Adey, P. Robertson, A. Venville, G. (2002) Effects of a cognitive acceleration programme on Year 1 pupils British Journal of Educational Psychology 72 (1) pp.1-25 Bogdan, R. and Biklen, S. (1982). Qualitative Research for education. Boston: Allyn and Bacon. Brain Gym International (ONLINE www.braingym.org). Burns, N., Grove, S. K. (1997). The practice of nursing research. Conduct, critique and utilization. Philadelphia: W.B.Saunders. Cannell, C. Fowler, F. J. Kalton, G. Oksenberg, E. Bischoping, K. (2004) New quantitative techniques for presenting survey questions in Bulmer M (ed) Questionnaires Volume IV Eondon: SAGE Publications Etd. Cohen, I. Goldsmith, M. (2002) Hands on how to use brain gym in the classroom Ventura: Edu-Kinesthetics Inc. Dennison, D. Dennison, G. (1994) Brain gym teachers edition revised 2 ed. Califonia: Edu-Kinesthetics Inc. Dennison, G. (2001) Brain gym for preschoolers in a Headstart Program USA: Brain Gym International (ONEINE http://www.braingym.org/). Drabben-Thiemann G Hedwig D Kenklies M Yon Blomberg A Marahrens G Marahrens A Hager K (2001) The effects of brain gym on the cognitive performance of Alzheimers patients Brain Gym Journal XVI (1) pp.10, USA: Brain Gym International (ONLINE www.braingym.org). Hycner, R H (1985) Some guidelines for the phenomenological analysis of interview data, Human Studies 8, 279-303 International Alliance for Learning (IAL) (2000) Spirit of accelerated learning; unity, self systems and society Atlanta: Teach America Cooperation. Long M (2000) The psychology of education London: RoutledgeFalmer, Magidson E L (2004) Educational kinesiology and brain gym. Creative Counseling Consulting (ONLINE http://members.aol.com/braingym/bg.htmr). Naughton G M Rolfe S A Siraj-Blatchford I (2001) International Perspectives on theory and practice Buckingham: Open University Press Northumberland LEA (2004) The thinking classroom Northumberland: LEA (ONLINE http://ngfl.northumberland.gov.uk/). Prashnig B (1998) The power of diversity new ways of learning and teaching Stafford: Network Educational Press Ltd. Schuster D H Gritton C E (1986) Suggestive accelerative learning techniques London: Gordon and Breach Science Publishers. Smith A (1996) Accelerated learning in the classroom Stafford: Network Educational Press Stockwell T (1992) Accelerated learning in theory and practice Liechtenstein: Druckerei Gutenburg AG Sutherland M (1988) Theory of education Harlow: Longman

Atomic Bomb :: essays research papers

Atomic bombs were the first nuclear weapons to be developed, tested, and used. In the late 1930s physicists in Europe and the United States realized that the fission of uranium could be used to create an extremely powerful explosive weapon. In August 1939, German American physicist Albert Einstein sent a letter to U.S. president Franklin D. Roosevelt that described this discovery and warned of its potential development by other nations. The U.S. government established the top secret Manhattan Project in 1942 to develop an atomic device. The leader of the Manhattan Project was U.S. Army Brigadier General Leslie R. Groves. His team, working in several locations but in large part at Los Alamos, New Mexico, under the direction of American physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, designed and built the first atomic bombs. The first atomic explosion was conducted, as a test, at Alamogordo, New Mexico, on July 16, 1945. The energy released from this explosion was equivalent to that released by the detonation of 20,000 tons of TNT. Near the end of World War II, on August 6, 1945, the United States dropped the first atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. It followed with a second bomb against the city of Nagasaki on August 9. According to U.S. estimates, 60,000 to 70,000 people were killed by the Hiroshima bomb, called â€Å"Little Boy,† and about 40,000 by the bomb dropped on Nagasaki, called â€Å"Fat Man.† Japan agreed to Allied terms of surrender on August 14th. These are the only times that a nuclear weapon has been used in a conflict between nations. Fusion bombs, also called hydrogen or thermonuclear bombs, were developed and tested in the early 1950s, but these have never been used in warfare. A thermonuclear device depends on a fission reaction to produce extreme heat that causes hydrogen isotopes of deuterium and tritium to come together, or fuse, but the main energy source for thermonuclear devices comes from the fusion reaction, not the triggering fission reaction. For more information on this type of bomb, see Hydrogen Bomb.

A Look into the Secrets Behind Advertising Essay -- Advertisements Med

A Look into the Secrets behind Advertising Did you know that in the course of an average day you are bombarded by over three thousand advertisements? (Faigley 93) From bus stations and newspapers, to e-mails, television, and music videos, today's marketers are finding innovative ways to make their advertisements sophisticated and appealing so that they can lure consumers to their products. How has this phenomena occurred? This â€Å"strategic advertising† is not as complicated as it sounds. In fact, businesses use a formula-like approach when creating such advertisements. In order to be a savvy consumer, I recommend that you be aware of these techniques. To create an ad, businesses research consumer trends. One steadily growing trend in America is the â€Å"on-the-go† fast food industry . . . and it seems as if Americans can not get enough of those juicy cheeseburgers and greasy fries! In order to encourage healthier habits, marketers focus on weight loss and fitness, using strategic advertising to sell their product. An excellent example of strategic advertising is found in the January 2004 issue of People Magazine . This ad, sponsored by Life Time Fitness, promotes Lean Source weight supplement pills. The ad pictures a beautiful, healthy model standing on the beach during a cloudy day. Her arms are wide open, directing us to read the words written below. In the corner of the ad sits a bright bottle of Lean Source weight loss pills and a â€Å"stamp† of approval for the product. This advertisement illustrates how a company uses strategic advertising to sell its product to consumers like us by displaying its supposed credibility, emotional and sexual appeal, and effective visual design. ... ...Life Time Fitness's ad utilizes marketing strategies by making the ad believable, emotionally and sexually attractive, and visually pleasing. Congratulations! You are now an official savvy consumer, so the next time you see an ad that â€Å"catches your eye†, be sure to take a second glance at it. You will be thankful that you did. Works Cited Faigley , Lester, and Jack Selzer . Good Reasons with Contemporary Arguments . 2nd ed . New York : Pearson bbbbbbLongman, 2004. Meadows, Michelle. â€Å"Public Health Officials Caution Against Ephedra Use† FDA Consumer Magazine June 2003:1-3. 2003. U.S . Food and Drug Administration. 26 Jan. 2004 . Zarefsky , David. Public Speaking: Strategies for Success, Penn State Version . 2003-2004 ed . New York : Pearson Printing, 2003.

Walking Down Memory Lane Park

Salina Vang Narrative Description-FFD Mr. Henshaw APELC 8 June 2011 Walking Down Memory Lane Park Whenever I think of Projects Park it brings back many memories because it was in the neighborhood where I spent my childhood years. Even though it was just for a small portion of my life, for one of the longest times it was the place where I had the best memories of courageous acts. Project Park was where I experienced the feeling of always being around others my age and it where I met the coolest people and made the best friendships, some of whom I am still friends with today.It was the place where at that point in time I lived my life to the fullest. Projects Park was located in isolation on its own block at the very end of the road. During the daytime children from all over the neighborhood came to play with their family and friends, me included. However when the sun went down night crept in turning the sky an ominous shade of antiquity and along with it, it brought creatures of the n ight to roam among the site. One evening upon entrance to the park I remembered the story someone once told me, â€Å"one could see the glare of two floating red eyes following those who meandered around the park at night. Rejecting the thought, but still a bit superstitious I entered the park anyways. As the sun went down it created an illusion as if the shadows were waking up from their dark crevices. I was standing at the foot of a shadow from a tall tree towering over me. The sun setting turned those tree-branches into arms grazing along the cement seeming as if they wanted to grab me. At the further end of the block a tall street lamppost lit up a dim fire dull enough just to see the path of the park. Night had come and it was so quiet my eardrums hurt and ever step I took sent chills down my body.As I approached the swings I noticed the echoes of my footsteps had just suddenly started lasting longer than they should have. I took another step with my left foot, stopped, and th en heard the brisk echo of another step after that. Looking down at my left foot, it was exactly where I had left it, somehow, the long echoed steps had not stopped, but were now storming towards me faster and louder than ever like a violent beating thunderstorm. Immediately, I turned around and in that instant, it stopped, a split second of dead silence. Something was definitely wrong.I felt like a hole had been punched right through me sending waves of fear down my back making my hair stand at their ends. My sudden instincts told me to approach the swings for comfort. However I remembered that I had caught seeing a swing move on its own accord before; as if someone was riding on its seat. The feeling of terror, noticeably aroused in my appearance by now, made me want to run for the wide open field. The open field was the highly vivid field of wherein games were held because of its noticeable boundaries of where the green grass ended and the sharp concrete cement began.Now after da rk, it seemed to lay awaiting and full of hunger for something to step onto its surface so it could suck them into its dark ruptured depths. It, during the daytime acted as a virtuous grass field wherein competition took its place. It was the place in the park where cries of victories could be heard and where one could also seek for rivalry. Suddenly just filled with thoughts of competition I was overcome with memories and had forgotten about the dark surrounding me. One of the games always played was Kick the Can.This game’s boundary took up the whole neighborhood allowing for a lot of space. It was one of my favorite games because there was always one person â€Å"it†. Their goal was to spot every other player and try to get them out, at the same time, guarding the base containing the can. However with one person on one team and everyone else on the rivalry team it created several disadvantages. Players on the team with more people crouched between slits in the earth and hid within the shadows waiting for that intense moment when their rival finally looked away.At last with the opportunity they jumped out of their hiding places running as fast as their legs could carry them for the chance to â€Å"kick the can. † It was the only way to free all of their teammates from jail. Moreover for me personally the best part was being the person hiding from the rival. I loved the feeling of running from the enemy, acting like I was a ninja hiding against walls, climbing up trees, and maneuvering my way behind fences to escape the chance of being caught.At the time, I thought it was the perfect space for me to roam around freely and still feel comfortable and safe because most of the people living in the neighborhood were friendly and didn’t mind the company. Unfortunately, there were those who disliked it and I did my best to avoid them. One again acknowledging my surroundings, I built up the courage to keep walking along the path as if ever ything was normal. I recalled the best of times shared here in this park with my friends, where we had our best of times playing, talking and sharing our amazing made up stories of us coming together to be a complete family.It was also the place where we all learned how to ride our first bike and to ride our first roller blades after falling on our hands and knees countless times but getting up repeatedly to try all over again. Now walking along the path I remember the time when one of my best childhood friends, Michael Cheng, the cute little boy who secretly held a crush on me, chased me along the path while I ran for my life from the despair of being hugged and at risk of being contaminated with â€Å"boy cooties†, and it made me laugh. Sadly I regret that I no longer keep in contact with Michael.If I could go back to the day he moved away, I wouldn’t even think twice about asking him for a contact number. With the feelings of fear, courage, and sadness all mixed wit hin me, I felt crossed. Then looking back at the path I had just walked and up towards the now barely visible tree that seemed to be taunting me before, I had one last thought before I left the park that night. Standing under the dim light post, I remembered Michael, the boy who I had been running so horridly from; it had happened that he was the first boy who I had ever received my first hug from.With that flashback, it gave my stomach the faint distinct feeling of rapture evanesce that left me with a bright hint of a smile on my face as I walked away from memory lane park. Today, even though I no longer live in the neighborhood of Projects Park, whenever I visit the place, there is still a part of me that can connect to the park, making it feel like home. I’m thankful that I still keep in contact with a couple friends from the neighborhood and usually, whenever we get together, we can still go on for hours telling each other about our lives of growing up together in the pro jects.Sadly, I don’t keep in contact with most of my friends from the hood any longer. We have been separated by hundreds and thousands of miles far and wide, but, there is one thing I know we all still have in common, the family connection we had within Projects Park that will never be forgotten. In fact, to me, it feels just like yesterday that I was little kid, out freely roller skating, carelessly chasing friends, and enjoying my life to its fullest.

Sredni Vashtar & the Lumber-Room Summary

A sickly ten-year-old boy lives a miserable life in the house of his domineering cousin guardian. However, He would not live another 5 years of his life because he is sick. He creates a fantasy religious cult in a garden shed, where his idols are a hen and a ferret. He is a lonely and imaginative young boy. One day he bought a polecat-ferret and named it Sredni Vashtar. Conradin lived with Mrs De Ropp, his guardian. She is the one who took care of Conradin and responsible to serve shelter, food and clothes for conradin. Although they lived together, Mrs De Ropp dislikes Conradin. She never shows her concern toward Conradin. In the story, Conradin keeps two animals in backyard shed which is a hen and a ferret. But, Mrs. De Ropp discovers the hen and told to Conradin that she has sold the hen to the butcher. When his guardian gets rids rid of his hen, he prays to the ferret for revenge. Then, Conradin turn his devotion to the Sredni Vashtar, a great ferret. It gives happiness to Conradin although he is sick. Sredni Vashtar is like a god for Conradin. One day, Mrs. De Ropp realized that Conradin was keeping something else from her in the shed where Sredni Vashtar stayed. She goes the shed again. At last she finds Sredni Vashtar while Conradin prays to his god for the safety of his ferret. She went there to check it but she was been bitten in the throat by the ferret and died. Sredni Vashtar bite Mrs. De Ropp. The maid went to the shed and shocked. She screamed out loud as she discovers the dead body of Mrs. De Ropp while Conradin enjoys toast in the kitchen. The Lumber-Room One morning, a boy called Nicholas doesn't want to eat his breakfast, and puts a frog in his bowl. His distant aunt gives out to him for this, and Nicholas's two cousins and younger brother are taken to the seaside at Jagbourough, while he has to remain at home as a punishment. When the other children have left, Nicholas's distant aunt goes to work in the garden and commands him to stay out of the gooseberry garden. Nicholas instead takes the key from a shelf in the library and sneaks into the lumber room, where he is never allowed to go. He has lots of fun in the lumber room. He sees lots of beautiful and strange objects, such as old ornaments, tapestries, and a teapot shaped like a duck. He finds a big book with pictures of birds in it. While he is looking at a picture of a duck, the aunt screams for him. Nicholas finds that she has fallen into a tank of water, and refuses to help her out on the grounds that she is an impostor. Nicholas's cousins and brother come back from the sea in a very bad mood. They have had no fun at all because the tide was in and one of them had sore feet. The aunt was rescued from the watertank by a kitchen maid after more than half an hour. Only Nicholas is happy because he is thinking of a tapestry depicting hounds and a stag.

Controversy in Sport Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Controversy in Sport Management - Assignment Example student has the skills to play for a team in division me then the student should receive a scholarship to go to that school free, or for however much the scholarship costs. The National College Athletic Association believes offering free scholarships is payment enough for the student athletes, and should suffice for the players offering their services to generate revenue for their school. The school provides free education to these student athletes and offers the first recruiting platform for professional sports like the National Football League (NFL) and National Basketball Association (NBA) (Hawkins, 2010). Even with all of this, there is no way the National College Athletic Association can put up a big fight contrary to paying its student athletes if football and basketball are the only sports played in college. Division I football and basketball produce most of the revenue numbers and are the only sports that are profitable. It is difficult to allow a football and basketball player to receive payment but it is tougher for all other sports; including division II and III to get on the pay list (Zimbalist, 2006). On the contrary, players have just as much reason to think they need payment. The National College Athletic Association division I football generates about 12 billion dollars internationally in a year. This is like taking the top films of the last 10 years, combining them, and not paying the movie stars even a single penny. The National College Athletic Association basketball March Madness competition makes $760 million (Hawkins, 2010). Most of the players argue that they are more than just student athletes are. Watch ESPN a television program on Tuesday night and one can see that a basketball team from California is playing in Florida. Hockey teams from Alaska travel to away events for two weekends in a row without resting. They depart on a Tuesday and return on a Sunday the following week. Travelling and playing makes these student athletes to miss

Write a report on the environmental activities Coursework

Write a report on the environmental activities - Coursework Example Corporations operating globally need to undertake various environmental activities in order to conserve the environment and provide a sustainable society. The environmental policies are prepared so as to promote these activities in the organization (Hirata Corporation, 2014). The main purpose of the report is to highlight the environmental activities that are undertaken by a European Carbon Intensive Industries Company, Arcelor Mittal. The report also investigates the level of disclosure that is provided by the company with respect to the specific environmental activities in the past 2 years. The level of disclosures is provided with the help of disclosure index, which includes General Environmental Activities and Specific Environmental Disclosure as per GRI indicators. The individual activities that are highlighted in the Appendix are detailed in the report along with the level of disclosure. The methodology indicates the process employed to elaborate the environmental activities and how the data are collected. The section, analysis of the results, depicts the comparative evaluation of data obtained in the last two years. The analysis is followed by a general discussion regarding the environmental activities that are undertaken by the companies. The general discussion is based on the activities that are disclosed by the selected company. This part of the report is prepared with the help of academic literature that are provided by different authors regarding the disclosed topic. The recommendations are provided based on the research and conclusion, which is a good source of information for further researches. The methodology includes the methods and principles that are employed in collecting information regarding the environmental activities of Arcelor Mittal (AM). The information pertaining to the different disclosures of

Finance discussions1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Finance discussions1 - Essay Example Ford, on the other hand is healthy enough to withstand short term payments without liquidating its inventories. General Motors again has a problem with a large amount of inventory and slow processes that take almost double the time to convert inventory into sales. Low inventory figures for Ford facilitate a high inventory turnover. Ford has the worst accounts receivable with only 0.62 days of sales outstanding, well below General Motors 23 days. This means that receivables are not being collected on time. Ford, with relatively lower sales and higher fixed assets, also utilizes its assets efficiently. Both companies seem to be generating a sufficient volume of business given their total assets. Ford has a slightly higher profit margin on sales than General Motors’ even though both have approximately the same net income. This is attributed to higher sales of General Motors. In terms of the overall return on the investment earned by both companies, they are neck to neck with General Motors out performing Ford due to large asset holdings of the latter. Ford’s negative equity results from the large amount of retained earning deficit and accumulated comprehensive loss over the years. This has resulted in a negative return of 974% to common stockholders. The recent years of more than 100% debt ratio, have eaten into the equity of the company. General Motors is doing well in this regard with a decent return to its common stockholders of 18%. Ford is highly leveraged with almost 100% debt. It has however, brought this figure down from previous years. Compared to that, General Motors even though highly leveraged itself, seems to be in a safer position with 78% debt. This high amount of debt is affecting Ford’s performance as it lowers its ability to cover its fixed financial charges and bogs down its income, adversely affecting the equity. Overall, Ford has taken more debt than it can

Financial Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Financial Economics - Essay Example Over time the option can gain a lot of value if the price of the stock rises since the employee has the right to purchase the stocks at the predetermined price. Since the objective for the employee is to gain the maximum monetary benefit possible as a beneficiary of a stock option plan I would encourage the company to implement financial and investment strategies that will increase the value of the firm. In order to learn the best strategy to optimize the value of the stock option plan we must evaluate the potential effects of the company choosing increased dividend payout strategy vs. stock repurchase program. The dividend payout policy of a firm refers to the decision regarding the magnitude of the dividend payout which is the percentage of earnings paid to the stockholders in the form of dividends (Referenceforbusiness). The owner of a company’s common stock will always prefer to have the highest dividend payout possible. One of the main reasons people like dividends so much is because they are obtaining an immediate financial return instead of waiting for the sale of the stock to achieve a capital gain. In order to better understand the effect of dividend we must recognize the existence of retained earnings. At the end an accounting period when profits are determine the board of director can either declare dividends or kept the profits in the form of retained earnings. When money is not distributed and it is kept as retained earnings the company can utilize these funds to make the business grow. If a company is able to invest its money wisely in high yield projects, the firm can achieve internal grow that will raise the market value of the company. During bad financial times such as the current global recession it is common for companies to reduce their payout of cash dividends in order to maintain its liquidity and to keep its cash balance as high as possible (Bigda). A sector that has been horribly as far as reduction in

SKA-ARABIA Oil Company Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

SKA-ARABIA Oil Company - Research Paper Example In order to invest in divergent regions and establish security for the company, SKA ARABIA needs to move beyond their motto of ‘doing difficult jobs in difficult places’ and tailor their expertise into providing solutions for developing countries in South East Asia. Countries like Pakistan face power shortage and increasing civil tensions as major road blocks to economic development, by changing its strategy SKA ARABIA can provide vital services in such regions and create long lasting relationships of value and mutual benefit. Kotter’s 8-step approach will be an invaluable tool for achieving this change in direction. Getting support from top management to the field workers is essential for any organization planning to adopt a different strategy or enter a new market, by successfully merging the established practices in the organization’s culture with Kotter’s approach the company can bring about successful change. 2. Over View of the Company: The com pany started from providing fuel to Iraq, as the suppliers for US government in 2003 and moved on to receiving contracts from Iraq Government. In recent years SKA ARABIA has expanded its operations into other regions like Afghanistan and East Africa, becoming the major fuel and supply chain logistics providers there. They have established a presence in UAE and Kuwait as well. Their various competencies include a wide range of Fuel Supply Chain Management, Camp Construction, Security Services Aviation Services, Ground Logistics and Life Support. The mission of the company as stated on their website is â€Å"Through our pioneering spirit, we strive to be the acknowledged leader and preferred partner in helping our clients succeed in the world's most difficult to operate countries†. In order to achieve their mission the company focus is on employee satisfaction and involvement to generate the kind of motivation to work under such conditions and provide the best service. Corporat e Social Responsibility is the other side of their tactical strategy, with the highest standards of health, safety, environment and ethics employed by the company. This is achievable by conforming to the latest engineering standards, safety protocols and local regulations and communicating the importance of upholding such best practices to all stake holders. These practices are adopted on every level of operations: fueling systems are regularly checked to identify any potential hazardous conditions that could lead to system failure; security checks and coordination is given the utmost importance; a standard of transparency and documentation is maintained by the fuels accounting department. SKA ARABIA is up to both the U.S. Military and international standards. Currently the company is the only private company awarded contract by the Iraqi Ministry of Oil to supply fuel to the six international airports of Iraq. They provide a range of transport and logistics services with regards to both fuel and personnel to companies which are operating in Iraq. The client base includes the US Government, United Nations, NGO’s, international oil companies, various governments and many commercial aviation companies Providing security in such a volatile climate is one of the unique selling points of the company; their employees are well