A Discussion Of Chaucer s The Trustful Three - 978 Words

The Trustful Three (A Discussion of Chaucer s Added Characters ) As I make my slow pilgrimage through the world, a certain sense of beautiful mystery seems to gather and grow, A.C. Benson. In the Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer speaks of a pilgrimage, or religion journey, and the many people who go with him. The tales are made up of each persons story that they tell along the way. Each of these characters adds to his great story told by Chaucer, however, the question is posed, who could he had from this century that would influence this pilgrimage? There are many types of people who could be added as characters to Chaucer s story, however there are three that stick out in my mind that would make quite a difference. Three types of people that Chaucer could add from our time would be an inspiration speaker, a comedian and lastly a musician to create a change, one that was good, for the journey. The first pilgrim Chaucer might think to add to his group is an inspiration speaker. These types of people have a way with words, they get you to look at things in a new perspective. If an inspirational speaker were to go on the long trek, they may have been able to make the others who were quite sinful with their actions think twine not only about themselves, but the actions that they took. Many of these people lived very hypocritical lives, the inspirational speaker may have been a big help in making them change their naughty sinful ways. During that time an

North and South Poles Free Essays

Humans need fresh water. We use it for drinking, for washing and to water our plants. Industries need it to power the chemical reactions that produce our modern lives. We will write a custom essay sample on North and South Poles or any similar topic only for you Order Now Even if more than 60% of the Earth’s surface is covered in water, this is salt water which is not adept for the purposes we listed above. Of the freshwater in the surface, a vast majority of it is locked in ice caps at the North and South Poles. Moreover, human activity has also slowly contributed to the degradation of surface freshwater sources such as rivers and lakes. Because of this, groundwater is slowly becoming an important source of freshwater for daily use. The search for aquifers would need to draw on some geological concepts. First, aquifers would need a source of groundwater. This groundwater usually comes from rainfall meaning that areas with higher amounts of rainfall are much more likely to have aquifers than areas which don’t have as much rain. Some aquifers may be found in areas which do not have much rain. The water in these aquifers are prehistoric water which came from the previous ice age. While useful, these aquifers are not good sources as the water in the water table is not anymore replenished. Second, aquifers rely on th existence of semi porous rocks to store water. Knowledge of the composition of the rock in an area will help identify possible aquifers if the kind of semi porous rock needed for aquifer formation is found. Lastly, I’d also prioritize valleys and plains over hills and mountains. Specifically, I will choose low lying areas near open bodies of water as these areas would have more accessible ground water as the surface of the ground is not very far from the water table. Incidentally, I would avoid areas near the sea as the groundwater in these places are suspect for saltwater intrusion. Also, I’d be wary of human activity in the area as the aquifer may be located in an area such as a former landfill, chemical disposal, or city. These things may contaminate the groundwater and make it unsafe for drinking. Bibliography Thompson, G.. Turk, J. (2007) Earth Science and the Environment 4th edition. New York: Thomson Brooks Cole How to cite North and South Poles, Papers

Perfect - Its the Question free essay sample

â€Å"People sometimes act or think there something there not.† Edward James. The reason I bring this subject up is that it nags at me when people think there perfect and don’t do a single thing wrong well I believe that nobody is perfect. Well most people talk like they do so much good but really there ruthless in there heart. One example is when one time at practice our coaches would yell and yell until we did what they told us to but my team for west would shut down because they were told but just normal kids they we sucked and were all ways going to lose but at one game at royal springs before the game I told them that we are far from perfect but we can at least try and after the game the score was 0-38 we crushed them. Another example would be when our quarter back Matt thought he was the best nothing wrong with him but every game he wanted to shine so finally we told him what was up and he took it to heart that he’s good but not perfect. We will write a custom essay sample on Perfect Its the Question or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page My last example is when I would make a mistake I let myself down but one time my momma told me even if you got high expectations you are still going to mess up time after time. â€Å"The only way to be perfect is to never sin or cause disruption in the world and its ways† Moses. A weird example is when people think there doing the right thing and I tell them that really they do bad things they get upset and mad when told the truth in the world and society now these days. There’s this girl I know and she set the perfect example for me her name is Hailey and one day she acted as if she never done nothing bad she was blaming it on everybody else in family and consumer science but then the next thing you know she got wrote up for a dumb reason but she jinxed herself. Well my beliefs changed once I went to Light House Baptist Church and Brother Larry was speaking about how mankind has developed the thinking that there born amazing and perfect and they don’t make mistakes and also he was talking about how we just need to suck it up and learn from these mistakes. Another example is this phrase I got â€Å"Practice makes perfect† Well that’s not true at all because several people make mistakes everyday and everybody does. Nobody but Jesus is perfect on my outlook and we got to learn to live and deal with it or we will never make it or hopefully people will realize what there actually doing to there selves, others, the earth we will learn from our mistakes at last.

The Boxes in My Head free essay sample

My house has been taken over by boxes. I’ve held it off for as long as possible, but now its time; I step into my room, knowing after today it will never be mine again. My old wood desk cluttered with a myriad of books, mugs, craypas, and countless sticky notes of reminders and to-do lists, most of which are yet to be accomplished. The blue dragon patterned headband I wore when I went to the Head of The Charles with my Crew team laying on the ground next to my cleats, nicely fragranced from my lacrosse practice. My closet, which looks like a monster regurgitating clothes, half of which are those forgotten by friends and never returned on my part, takes up an entire wall. To the right, my queen-sized bed, next to a wall of windows, and in-front of a wall once decorated with pictures, posters, paintings, and sports certificates. We will write a custom essay sample on The Boxes in My Head or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Though its far from clean, big, or coordinated together in anyway, my room is uniquely me- expressive. I sigh and decide to start with my shelf.The first thing i grab, the clay Zebra mask made by my very nonartistic friend, reminding me of the safari themed surprise party the two of us had planned for our Russian friend; memories of loud music, KFC, and failure cookies flood my mind as i reach my hand out for the next object. The miniature Hula-Girl given to me by my best friend who had moved to France last summer, her wiggling hips trigger memories of boring school dances made fun by our crazy antics. At her feet lies a piece of pale-pink, peach, and white corral I picked up from the beach in Costa Rica; I laugh, thinking of that vacation and remembering my enthusiastic offer to pee on my little sister when she had been sting by a jellyfish. My mother had given be a stern look and told me to stop, this wasnt a joking matter; really- its common knowledge that to urinate on a jellyfish sting is the immediate remedy, at least according to the random facts in the all-knowing day planner s systematically dealed out by the school (at least theyre good for something!). Behind her lies my childhood rock collection, a pastime i enjoyed with a nature-loving friend who had initially taught me English; ironically, she had had a speech impediment, resultantly, my English wasinteresting. A blue, olive-wooden cat figurine from my trip to Greece lazily looks up at me, between its paws i had placed fragments of Murano glass from Venice. Choosing which cat i wanted had been an arduous to almost ridiculous, my eleven-year old self had eventually settled on the one which looked most like my own cat back home; putting as much sentiment behind the choice as possible. The swirls in my Venetian mask picked by the little girl who was me during my girly phase each hold the memories of my annual summer trip taken with my grandparents to the City of Glass; the heat and joy reflecting in its polished surface. A dried-White Rose corsage droops over a metal Z book holder, a birthday present, with a Squash ball squished into one of the crevices. With 12 my friend had decided she would take us all to go play Squash; the part forever remembered- during dinner her and i had ordered Green-Apple soda which we took upon ourselves, smart as we were, to stick the straws up our nostrils and inhalemy sister derived great amusement from our howling thereafter. I reach out and gently take the glass heart off of the picture frame, i look at it, and in its reflection i see myself. Christ i sound like Mulan- might as well start singing now, the thought bitterly runs through my mind as i glance back at the heart, and it shows me exactly what i am; i am the Hula-Girl who dances on the Russian-Safari Zebra next to the yawning cat who plays with the glass from Venice just like the mask infront of the Z and the green-apple soda Squash ball rolling around the corral near the language rocks of a distant childhood. It showed me the little Austrian girl who had grown from a nature-tomboy rock-hunter to the animal-loving girly-girl; and i was amazed reflecting back on the confidence i had acquired through my life, and the memories of people who had made me who i am today. I realized everyone who I will ever meet will be placed inside my head, in a box; and each and every person, every memory they give me, will become a part of me. I look around, all things carefully stored, placed, and crammed- all into boxes. I smile; I know that my memories are stored just the same, crammed into corners of my mind, yet the best part is that because its me, and neatness does not exist within, they tumble out in a myriad of colors and shapes, blurring into one giant mess i call myself.

Free sample - Anti-alcoholism Programms. translation missing

Anti-alcoholism Programms. Anti-alcoholism Programms1 (same as 3). I completely agree with this point of view. Alcoholism is a complete degradation of human as a person. It hurts to see how close person plunges into this abyss. Sometimes you lose heart and do not know how to help. I think that the12-step programs can help many. It is very important to understand that the treatment of alcoholism, which has a devastating impact on absolutely all aspects of life, can be effective only in the long run. 12-steps program aimed at the full change of life of such people – physical, spiritual and social spheres of his existence. I believe that every man is able to help himself, to make absolutely conscious and suffered choice. 2. I hope to God that 12-step programs are able to hill alcohol dependant people. But it is obviously for me that the behavior of relatives and friends should be appropriate. Many just feel sorry for the loved ones suffering from alcohol dependence, not realizing that failing to provide them with proper assistance make the situation even more complex and infinite. I think it is of great need to be strong in such situation, even stronger than alcohol abused ones. Only strong desire to save person, to make his life and life of all close people worth human being can rescue whole family, of course with the help of qualified professionals. Alcoholic has to be sure that he makes right decision; he has to see and feel his problem as a disease that makes hurt to everyone who loves him. So, I am deeply convinced that 12-step program can help to find the way to freedom and healing. 4. I completely agree that drinking alcohol makes people behave inadequately. This question is still opened and even professionals can not answer the question â€Å"Why?† We are all individuals and not everybody knows what our consciousness hides. Many think that alcohol helps to reveal our true personality but also many drink because of desire to hide it or escape from reality. To my mind the 12-step program’s treating includes such aspects as analysis of the past and making certain findings (own way to cure), and that helps to understand clearly the deep need of deliverance from alcohol abuse. Communicating with people who face the same problem also helps in realization of healing from alcohol dependence.

History of the Scanning Tunneling Microscope

History of the Scanning Tunneling Microscope The scanning tunneling microscope or STM is widely used in both industrial and fundamental research to obtain atomic scale images of metal surfaces. It provides a three-dimensional profile of the surface and provides useful information for characterizing surface roughness, observing surface defects and determining the size and conformation of molecules and aggregates.   Gerd Binnig and Heinrich Rohrer are the inventors of the scanning tunneling microscope (STM).  Invented in 1981, the device provided the first images of individual atoms on the surfaces of materials. Gerd Binning and  Heinrich Rohrer Binnig, along with colleague Rohrer, was awarded the Nobel Prize in physics in 1986 for his work in scanning tunneling microscopy. Born in Frankfurt, Germany in 1947, Dr. Binnig attended J.W. Goethe University in Frankfurt and received a bachelors degree in 1973 as well as a doctorate five years later in 1978. He joined a physics research group at IBMs Zurich Research Laboratory that same year. Dr. Binnig was assigned to IBMs Almaden Research Center in San Jose, California from 1985 to 1986 and was a visiting professor at nearby Stanford University from 1987 to 1988. He was appointed an IBM Fellow in 1987 and remains a research staff member at IBMs Zurich Research Laboratory.   Born in Buchs, Switzerland in 1933, Dr. Rohrer was educated at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, where he received his bachelors degree in 1955 and his doctorate in 1960. After doing post-doctoral work at the Swiss Federal Institute and Rutgers University in the U.S., Dr. Rohrer joined IBMs newly formed Zurich Research Laboratory to study among other things Kondo materials and antiferromagnets. He then turned his attention to scanning tunneling microscopy. Dr. Rohrer was appointed an IBM Fellow in 1986 and was manager of the Physical Sciences Department at the Zurich Research Laboratory from 1986 to 1988. He retired from IBM in July 1997 and passed away on  May 16, 2013. Binnig and Rohrer were recognized for developing the powerful microscopy technique that  forms an image of individual atoms on a metal or semiconductor surface by scanning the tip of a needle over the surface at a height of only a few atomic diameters. They shared the award with German scientist Ernst Ruska, the  designer of the first electron microscope. Several  scanning microscopies use the scanning technology developed for the STM. Russell Young and the Topografiner A similar microscope called the Topografiner was invented by Russell Young and his  colleagues between 1965 and 1971 at the National Bureau of Standards, currently known as the National Institute of Standards and Technology.  This microscope works on the principle  that the left and right piezo drivers scan the tip over and slightly above the specimen surface. The center piezo is controlled by a servo system to maintain a constant voltage, which results in a consistent  vertical separation between the tip and the surface. An electron multiplier detects the tiny fraction of the tunneling current which is scattered by the specimen surface.

Supply chain management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 10

Supply chain management - Essay Example ght together a wide range of best practices with downstream and upstream partners, collaborative practices, innovations in demand forecasting, and integrated business planning, as well as research based operation techniques (Green, 2013). Unilever’s supply chain management can be termed to be a collaborative one. The collaborative supply chain management is effective in the management activities ranging from supplier selection, environmental scanning, monitoring, and auditing and supplier development (partnerships) (Brammer et al. 2012). Both supply and demand repository stages depend on forecasting as the main source of data that determines by the products in demand and availability from the stores. The production stage adopts push technique that is based on aggregate customer demand forecasts to reduce the uncertainty of stock-outs, safety, and effective resource use and cost minimization (Brammer et al. 2012). Consequently, distribution relies on pull technique for all replenishments required by its distributors through the use of customer relationship management. On the other hand, inventory optimization techniques are adopted in the planning and scheduling to determine the quantity and the time frame for production (Nardone & Monahan, 2007). Unilever believes that partnerships in its supply chain management are essential practices because it is a powerful technique to deliver customer experience and value proposition (Unilever, 2012). The main partners include Barry Callebult a main partner in cocoa, Givaudan, The Dow Chemical Company, Metsa Board Corporation, WRI, LEAF, ALPLA, CCL Label, SAP & Accenture and Linfox Logistics. These partners help in business development, world class business support, capacity development, sustainability and business innovation in Unilever (Unilever, 2012). Unilever also aimed to increase its transparency of essential commodity supply chains that is aimed at helping terminate tropica deforestation through its partnership

Reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 16

Reflection - Essay Example It is at this point that one strongly believes in leaving some lessons learned throughout life’s journey which have been instrumental in attaining inner peace and happiness. For one, as a traveler, one observed that vast technological developments in the field of science have indeed paved the way for uplifting the welfare of mankind. Medical breakthroughs, for instance, in conjunction with discoveries that provided comfort and facilitated human interactions enabled men to enjoy longevity. However, it is not solely the objective of men to live longer; but more so, to improve the quality of life. This means that man should be able to discern the purpose of existence extend more than survival to encompass enriching the lives of those they encounter during their journey. They must have been able to provide an insight, shared knowledge, assisted in the development of skills or abilities, and added value to other people’s lives. This does not necessarily mean that only the ed ucated or those who pursued higher education are the only ones capable to improve another person’s life. One acknowledges that simple joys, anecdotes, even painful and challenging experiences provide relevant lessons that provide appropriate learning even to professionals in various fields of endeavors. Secondly, consistent with what various religions teach, it is the individual’s ability to reach tranquility, calmness, peacefulness through adherence to ethical, moral and legal standards posed by society. It is here that science and religion interconnect. As science likewise aims to discover means to alleviate pain, discomfort, and solutions to problems; the goal of religion, likewise, is to attain peace, salvation, eternal life. Science finds solutions to physical problems. Religion finds meaning to emotional and spiritual questions. Religion offers recluse through feeding the spirit with

Elaboration Theory in Learning Psychology Essay Example for Free

Elaboration Theory in Learning Psychology Essay The concept of elaboration theory centers greatly on progressive learning. That is, the steps in learning are built upon each other in a series of increasingly complex steps. In other words, rather than plateau the learning progress, it increases in complexity as time goes on. However, what was learned in the earlier portion of the progression is not discarded. So, the concept of elaboration can be visualized as an upside down pyramid. It starts at a small point and expands. However, the progression is always connected to its origination point. An example of this is as follows: a student is taught basic sentence structure. Then, the basics of sentence structure are expanded into the proper way to devise a paragraph. This later extends further as the students is taught to the create a series of paragraphs that form a coherent essay. An essay can later be expanded into a lengthy research paper. Really, there is no limit to the progression as long as it never deviates from the origination point of proper grammar and structure. Why theorists recommend that learners elaborate as much as possible. Many theorists believe that the elaboration theory provide a cohesive approach to learning. This provides for an increase in retention and overall improvements in learning. How schemas and scripts are often involved in elaboration. The way schemas and scripts work in the realm of elaboration is that they involve the individual’s prior accumulation of knowledge. This can be a help or a hindrance depending upon whether the prior knowledge improves or impedes the facilitation of new knowledge. Why different people may elaborate differently on the same information. Different people may have different strengths and weaknesses. They also may have different goals for learning the material. Since elaboration is a process and not a product, it is understandable that different approaches to present the same material are needed. Why elaboration sometimes leads to the storage of inaccurate information. No system of learning is perfect and elaboration theory is not free of such problems. One possible reason that elaboration theory can lead to inaccurate information is because the progression of learning goes off on tangents. If this occurs, then it may prove difficult to develop a coherent learning paradigm.

Benefits of Alternative Dispute Resolution Essay -- ADR

The purpose of this paper is to discuss what Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) is and how it came about, what different types of ADR there is to choose from and how ADR benefits both parties compared to litigation. ADR can quickly resolve almost any minor issue regarding most civil cases family, neighbors, employers, contractors, etc. ADR includes mediation (also known as conciliation), arbitration and settlement conferences. Some of the benefits of ADR include cost, speed, confidentiality, control, cooperative resolution and industry experts. Brief History of ADR ADR has been around for many years but has really taken off over the past few decades specifically after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed. In the Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed â€Å"discrimination in employment or public accommodations on the basis of race, sex or national origin.† These laws opened up the â€Å"gateway† for employee's to fight employer's for fair treatment. Also, during this time the women's movement and the environmental movements where growing quickly leading to more and more court cases. The court system where becoming overwhelmed and cases were being delayed for long period of times. As the courts were trying to resolve cases quickly there were more and more procedural errors being made. ADR's like mediation and arbitration became a popular way of to deal with these types of cases and others and it was helping relieve pressure on the already overloaded court system. The judicial system is still considered a fair way of disputing resolutions. However, it's time consuming and expensive. Some pro's of litigation, according to Citizen's Guide.ca: Pro's and Con's of litigation, are they can create a precedent that will prevent future ... ... 2011 Henton, Lesley. What is a Settlement Conference? 2009-2011. July 18, 2011 Woods, Robert E. What are the Benefits to Alternative Dispute Resolution? 1995. July 6, 2011 Judicial Council of California. Alternative Dispute Resolution: Options for Resolving Your Dispute. 2011. July 12, 2011 Bakke-Norman Law Offices. Alternative Dispute Resolution: A Client's Guide to the Language and Procedure. 2010. July 15, 2011 Beyond Factory Farming Coalition. Citizen's Guide to Confronting a Factory Farm. April 2007. July 9, 2011

Memories of Montreal

The main character begins by emphasizing his regret and sadness In bringing his son up in a posh, serene and wealthy neighborhood located in West Vancouver, that Is vastly deferent from the richly cultured streets of Montreal from which he grew up In. This point is clearly stated In the text with the statement â€Å"And I blame yeses'.He wishes that his son had had the chance to experience the feeling of safety and support that came with growing up In a Jewish community where all the females had similar tragic pasts Involving the Holocaust. Although his childhood may have been less luxurious than his sons he knows that Its our experiences that makes us who we are as a person, and that It was the life skills that he learned growing up In Montreal, that are priceless to him.The father than truly captures the reader Into is fond memories of growing up In Montreal as he describes the Joys that he experienced by expressing the all to familiar sights and scents that he came across while n avigating the bustling streets of Montreal that were lined with all sorts of family owned shops, delicatessens, laundries and corner stores. The main character finishes by reflecting the sorrow he feels for his son as he walks to school, surrounded solely in beautiful showering cherry blossoms and not the influential feel of community, that he once did.

Personal Mastery Plan Essay

A personal mastery plan enables an individual to learn and focus on another career and be able to reflect on the leadership competencies and skills needed in leadership. Personal mastery involves programming individuals mind towards success and achievements. It differentiates best individual and a mere individual. Personal master gives an individual a focus and gives a sense of responsibility of individuals life, rather than moving with the life tide (Seeman & Lien, 2001, p. 614 ). Every individual in this world has an individual and unique life, with varying attitudes and values. Individual values and attitude is developed over time, as an individual grow and develop from birth, through out the development life. After the values are developed, they are continuously shaped by a number of factors, such as experiences in life, education and memories of the past events. As an individual carry out various activities experience is acquired, and as one progresses in education, more and more is learned, changing the individual’s value and attitude. As one develops fro child hood to adult, both good and bad situations and activities are encountered leaving an individual with strong memories (Seeman & Lien, 2001, p. 619). For example when one is born, he or she stays at home and gets the necessary care from the parents. As one grow and reach school age, one leaves the the parent and goes to school, where he or she adjust to school life, as one progresses through learning, his or her education level advances in and changes in learning institutions are made. After schooling, one is employed, and gets promotions as as he progresses at work. With such progress, the memories of the encounters at home, various schools, and at various work position, plays a major roles in shaping individual’s future values and attitudes. Value influences behavior, as it gives an individual the ability to decide between relevant alternatives which is important in living . Value and belief are great determiners of individual personality, and are the basis of how we sees others every individual has a set of values which influences behavior of the individual without the individual intention. Personal values which involves honesty, moral and friendlinesses determines individual’s moral character. The society value enhances relating with others in the society (Seeman & Lien, 2001, p. 616 ) Our tendency to evaluate many issues and aspects. Although attitude can be influenced, it is only individuals who can change their attitudes. Unlike value, individuals attitude can be detected even without individuals consciousness. Attitude develops through past experiences. Social environment is shapes individuals attitude. Personal mastery has been my drive force through out my life. Personally, personal mastery, involve much beyond skills and competence. I consider it to involve creativity through out ones life, and need to be continuously involved. My learning process has always involved creativity. Using memories and experiences, i encountered during my learning process, i have known that every individual need to actively participate in self evaluation, gather appropriate information if one need to be compete in day to day activities. My past experience gives me the ability to gather and integrate information into my personal and professional life. My mission is to create a balanced environment in both southern Afghanistan and the tribal areas of Pakistan, with a purpose to extend the central government’s reach. This foments insurgency among a proto-insurgent people, security interests in this area is unique cultural problem, which does not involve economic, religion or a generic â€Å"tribal† problem. Using emotional intelligence and my strength I intend to encourage the United States and the International community to use anything they can to integrate the tribes and cultures which disintegrated after the invasion of Soviet Union in Afghanistan in 1979. There are two main types of leaders. The authoritative who dictates what they expect to be done giving the conditions, and the participating who gives guideline on what to be done, and in many cases participates. I want to be a participating leader. The knowledge on negative experiences makes many people to have negative attitude towards leaders who trick them or take advantage over them. This knowledge and experiences makes me consider a worth while and a long lasting leadership. As a leader, I require my people credibility. This means that my integrity will create trust in my people to believe what I tell them. I will give guidance to my people on various issues and will ensure i equally participate in various constructive activities. As a leader I will value all individuals in the society, having time for all individuals in the society. My people will be my prestige. With this, I will be at a better chance to show love to everybody. I will consider security for my people. An economically stable nation is my target. As good leader, I will work hard, using all means to ensure that my people live happily and with their basic needs provided. The value I have for all people will help me protect from all sorts of harm. They need to be free from mass destruction, poverty, hunger and diseases. I will ensure quality health care for all people without discrimination The poor will enjoy similar benefits with the rich. A leader who respects international relation is my role model. My people need to benefit from international relations. They will be able to interact freely, a factor I consider to have economical benefit. They can freely engage in International trade through enhanced International relations. I will ensure ill promise what i can fulfill. To become a leader, a lot is needed. One need to have the required education and training. After being a leader, that is not the end of the race. A continuous leadership competencies need to be developed, and assessed. To achieve my goal, I will further my education, to get appropriate training which will enable me to meet the requirements to be a reader. I will ensure I exude certainty and success. My leadership will be flexible, to accommodate changes. Since leadership is an art that requires ongoing practice, I will ensure I understand my strength and weaknesses. With the weaknesses I will be able to correct for the benefit of my people and society. To determine the impact of my leadership, I will ensure a consistent assessment of my leadership. A collection of gathered information other other leaders leading styles, and other sources of information, I can learn critical leadership competences, stand a better position of identifying all possible hindrances that are likely to hinder effective leadership.

Trilobites, the Dinosaurs of the Arthropod Family

Trilobites, the Dinosaurs of the Arthropod Family Tens of millions of years before the first dinosaurs walked the earth, another family of strange, distinctive, weirdly prehistoric-looking creatures, the trilobites, populated the worlds oceansand left an equally abundant fossil record. Heres a look at the ancient history of these famous invertebrates, which once numbered in the (literal) quadrillions. The Trilobite Family Trilobites were early examples of arthropods, a vast invertebrate phylum that today includes such diverse creatures as lobsters, cockroaches and millipedes. These creatures were characterized by three main body parts: the cephalon (head), thorax (body), and pygidium (tail). Oddly, the name â€Å"trilobite,† which means â€Å"three-lobed,† doesn’t refer to this animal’s top-to-bottom body plan, but to the distinctive three-part structure of its axial (left-to-right) body plan. Only the hard shells of trilobites are preserved in fossils; for that reason, it took many years for paleontologists to establish what these invertebrates soft tissues looked like (a key part of the puzzle being their multiple, segmented legs). The trilobites comprised at least ten separate orders and thousands of genera and species, ranging in size from less than a millimeter to well over two feet. These beetle-like creatures appear to have fed mostly on plankton, and they inhabited a typical array of undersea niches: some scavenging, some sedentary, and some crawling along the ocean bottom. In fact, trilobite fossils have been discovered in pretty much every ecosystem on hand during the early Paleozoic Era; like bugs, these invertebrates were quick to spread and adapt to various habitats and climatic conditions! Trilobites and Paleontology While trilobites are fascinating for their diversity (not to mention their alien appearance), paleontologists are fond of them for another reason: their hard shells fossilized very easily, providing a convenient â€Å"road map† to the Paleozoic Era (which stretched from the Cambrian, about 500 million years ago, to the Permian, about 250 million years ago). In fact, if you find the right sediments in the right location, you can identify the various geologic eras by the types of trilobites that appear in succession: one species may be a marker for the late Cambrian, another for the early Carboniferous, and so on down the line. One of the interesting things about trilobites is the Zelig-like cameo appearances they make in ostensibly unrelated fossil sediments. For example, the famous Burgess Shale (which captures the strange organisms that began to evolve on earth during the Cambrian period) includes its fair share of trilobites, which share the stage with bizarre, multi-segmented creatures like Wiwaxia and Anomalocaris. Its only the familiarity of trilobites from other fossil sediments that decreases their Burgess wow factor; they are not, on the face of it, any less interesting than their less-well-known arthropod cousins. They had been dwindling in numbers for a few tens of millions of years before then, but the last of the trilobites were wiped out in the Permian-Triassic  Extinction Event, a global catastrophe 250 million years ago that killed off more than 90 percent of the earths marine species. Most likely, the remaining trilobites (along with thousands of other genera of terrestrial and water-dwelling organisms) succumbed to a global plunge in oxygen levels, perhaps related to massive volcanic eruptions.

An Analysis Of The Asean Regional Forum Politics Essay

An Analysis Of The Asean Regional Forum Politics Essay The end of the Cold War brought a fundamental change of security environment in Asia. As the East-West confrontation ended, US security policies became unclear. A power vacuum had been created in the region after the Soviet armed forces withdrew from Far East and Indochina, and the Chinese political influence was rapidly increasing. A multilateral forum for regional security was therefore ASEAN’s solution to the challenges that arose. In spite of the end of the Cold War, Asia still had problems such as tension on the Korean Peninsula, territorial disputes over the Spratly Islands, civil war in Cambodia and tension across the Taiwan Straits. These were problems that posed the threat of becoming severely destabilizing factors in the region. Although the United States had become the world’s only military superpower, in terms to burden sharing, its domestic economic problems as well as the global nature of all its affairs placed more demand on Asian countries. Therefore, A sian nations were preoccupied with this new set of circumstances in terms of security and how to get through the post-Cold War transitional period, while maintaining stability in Asia and ensuring its further development. The fundamental views of that emerged in the context of the above security threat were: In an uncertain post-Cold War era, promotion of confidence-building measures among Asian countries will be increasingly necessary. The Asia Pacific region will soon be facing new global issues such as the environment, terrorism, and drug trafficking. In order to address such issues, a regional cooperative framework is crucial and should be enhanced. The late 1980s and early 1990s marked a period of strategic shifts and uncertainty for Southeast Asia. Incorporating China and Japan into the web of interdependence with the rest of the region became imperative. It was recognised that United States’ engagement in the Asia Pacific region is indispensable for the stability and p rosperity of the region. Thus, the ARF emerged. The ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) is the principal forum for security dialogue in Asia, complementing the various bilateral alliances and dialogues. It provides a setting in which members can discuss current regional security issues and develop cooperative measures to enhance peace and security in the region. It draws together 27 countries which that include the 10 ASEAN member states (Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam). To begin with, it is not hard to miss that the ARF’s scope in terms of its member states goes far beyond South East Asia such that it includes a large number the developed and emerging powers of the world. In my view, this is an important characteristic of the ARF, which makes it unique compared to other security forums around the world. The reason behind this could be the idea of collective security. Most conflicts tend to involve national interests of major powers of the world. Therefore, their inclusion in the forum in a way ensures their consent or commitment towards peace and stability in the region. Formation of the ARF The ASEAN Regional Forum was primarily the outcome of states’ response to regional security problems that emerged post Cold War. The reasons for its formation can be looked via the two contrasting lenses of Realism and Idealism in order to grasp a wider interpretation. According to Realism, state action is a result of it national interests and a constant â€Å"security dilemma† that it faces. The concern for â€Å"security† motivates states to behave in a certain way, which in this case, was to come together and form a multilateral institution. Post-Cold War, there was a concern about changing strategic situation of South East Asia, wherein there was the fear that the attention and aid that the United States had showered during and before the Cold War would wane away. Moreover, the rapidl y rising power of China was extremely worrisome and there was still a trust deficit that existed among the ASEAN countries and Japan- a hangover of Second World War ASEAN saw the ARF as a way to keep the US in, and China and Japan down. Moreover, the ARF could be seen as ASEAN’s way to maintain a â€Å"balance of Power† among the South East Asian Nations themselves.

Discussion question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Discussion question - Essay Example It has an updated A5X processor bringing quad-core graphics on the rear with a VGA sensor on the front. It has a sharper screen, powered by high-speed A5x chip, and has the capability of viewing high-powered 3D games. Additionally, the new product can accommodate films on iTunes Store in Full HD, and has a clear and crispy picture resolution. Moreover, the new iPad 3 can play HD films and in the U.S., the iPad 3 connects to fast cellular networks. Most significantly, the new iPad 3 has roaming possibilities over HSPA networks making it the best product in the market (Apple, 2012). The marketing trend of this product is very affirmative. Indeed, Apple has adopted various marketing strategies like marketing mix and e-marketing. In using the e-marketing strategy, the company involves product configuration, product price valuation of the market mix, product and sales promotions, and availing the product in various markets physically and online (Kalyanam and Mclyntyre, 2002). A company’s success involves articulating all aspects of marketing, customer service and customer relationships, value creation, and strategic management. Strategic marketing management can be defined as an intensive and comprehensive program used by organization managers seeking to develop a more strategic and disciplined approach to the marketing process of a reference organization (The Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia, 2011). Better strategic marketing management guarantees competitive advantage and subsequent increase in turnovers. According to the article â€Å"Unleashing the power of Marketing† and in relation to strategic marketing management, there is need to refocus strategic management in line with the new technological advancements, stronger customer relations, innovations, and global markets. This requires a marketing engine that will lead to a more direct interaction with the customers thus creating new markets using standard finance and h uman resources.

Peer response Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 11

Peer response - Article Example re that manager or leaders of nursing homes have comprehensively evaluated techniques and strategies that would ensure continued existence of these nursing homes. Factors that are within management’s control are costs, which they deemed, should be kept at a minimum, to generate profits, as needed. Another comment is that team learning and shared mental models are internal factors that management could tap to increase job satisfaction and productivity (Bossche, Gijselaers, Segers, Woltjer, & Kirschner, 2011). But these alone, could not ensure increased profits, if and when not enough revenues are generated by nursing homes. I share the same contention, however, that ‘in times of economic scarcity, cutting back on teamwork is a mistake, as teamwork is needed then more than ever’. Actually, in diverse settings, regardless of economic condition, organizations should harness the power of teamwork as a means of improving performance and productivity. Teamwork should go beyond teams in respective departments of the organizations; but more so, the collaborative departments that comprise the entire organization. As such, shared decision models would be useful in soliciting responsible inputs from different departments to facilitate achievement of the organization’s

Fostering Maximum Employment and Price Stability Assignment

Fostering Maximum Employment and Price Stability - Assignment Example To foster maximum employment and price stability, the committee reassured that its target of 0% to 0.25 % rate remains appropriate. In establishing long-term goals, the committee has established measures that shall be used for monitoring and evaluation techniques which will take into account a wide range of information regarding the current market structure. Nevertheless, if updates indicate faster progress toward the committee’s employment and inflation objectives than the committee is currently expecting, then increases in the target range for the federal funds rate are likely to happen sooner than expected. On the other hand, in cases, progress appears to be slower than anticipated, and then increase in the target range are certain to occur later than is currently anticipated. According to last two statements, the committee’s stance has not changed on maintaining its current policies regarding reinvesting principal payments from its major holdings of agency debt as well as agency mortgage-backed securities and of rolling over maturing Treasury securities at auctions. It is currently anticipated that even after employment and inflation are close to mandate-consistent levels, economic situation may for a while, warrant keeping the target federal funds rate below levels the committee views as normal in the longer run. The council decided to keep the key ECB rates unchanged, as regards nonstandard monetary policy measures, the aim is now in implementation. Following the council’s prior meeting, the council shall start purchasing euro-subjugated public sector securities in the secondary market. Additionally, the council shall continue purchasing asset-backed securities as well as covered bonds which had begun the previous year. The joint monthly purchase s of private and public sector securities will total to  £60 billion of which are intended to be carried out until the end of September 2016 and will always be adjusted until there is proper adjustment in inflation path which is consistent with the council’s aim of achieving inflation rates below, but close to 2% over the medium term.  Ã‚  

Was Sir Douglas Haig a Good or Bad Leader?

Was Sir Douglas Haig a Good or Bad Leader? The issue of Douglas Haigs role as a general on the Western Front, during the Battle of the Somme in 1916, has been thoroughly questioned by many historians to date. Through different views and opinions, Haigs skills have been both heavily celebrated and criticised. Therefore he has been viewed as both Butcher of the Somme and the Architect of Victory, much evidence supporting both arguments. However the majority of people seem to favour the idea of Haig being a merciless leader, which is completely understandable. For instance, the Battle of the Somme hugely affected almost every person in Britain, many losing family members. For them, it would have been easy to blame the British losses solely on General Haig, and many did just that. However many people saw him as a highly gifted soldier and leader, and there was a good side to Haig, for example, he did manage to eventually wear down the German army, and played a part in the result of World War 1. Therefore this controversial issue will perhaps be continually debated. The Battle of the Somme was a largely Scottish battle, with three Scottish divisions participating. This also applied to Douglas Haig, who was born in Edinburgh and was commander in chief. He was blamed for the enormous slaughter of the Battle of the Somme, during which there were around 60,000 British casualties on just the first day, a third of which were killed. This alone is evidence enough for a lot of people of Haigs failures as a general. However, many of the flaws in Haigs leading of the Battle of the Somme stemmed from the fact that he was commanding a group of sixty divisions, when the usual number was just six. This shows the extreme circumstances under which Douglas Haig was commanding at the Battle of the Somme. The Battle of the Somme was a significant event in history; this is mainly due to the absurd amount of deaths, even though they were no larger than were to be expected, however some people find fault in the fact that Haig kept the army fighting even when he became aware of the continuous height of casualty figures. Just like any general, Haig strove for success, however he had a major fault: he was extremely optimistic, and constantly believed that the German army was close to surrendering, therefore believing that a win was also close. This positive personality is shown by a quote which Douglas Haig himself said at the beginning of the war, The situation is never so good or so bad as first reports indicate. However, even though he felt that his army was fully capable of defeating the Germans, he wasnt correct, in fact, Haigs army didnt have the huge amount of soldiers, which the German army were able to take advantage of this clearly shows that his targets were impossibly to achieve , he was just too ambitious. Haig was also heavily criticised for the ridiculous length of the battle, this was simply because it could have been ended much sooner than it was, and this would have even prevented Britain in constantly finding fault in Haigs leadership skills. The main reason that Haig even allowed the battle to continue because he wished to straighten his trenches, as this would have had a great effect on his armys attacks. However Haig was also criticised for allowing the British army to fight in the appalling weather at the time of the Somme, although technically he cannot take the entire blame for this decision as the idea actually came from the French army officer. Haig was certainly one to override his army commanders, although this is understandable, as if he found their advice questionable then he had to trust himself to make the correct decision alone. However at the beginning of the battle of the Somme, Haig was overruled himself, by the governments of Britain and France, they asked Haig to attack the German army at that point in time, but Haig didnt agree this was because he felt that his armies werent ready; however his argument wasnt effective, therefore he was ignored. Haig understood that he would have to plan an attack quickly, because if he took too much time to do so then the alliance which stopped the French from attacking the British could be put in jeopardy, and that was a risk that Haig couldnt afford to take. At the start of the battle, the British army looked to have no chance in defeating the German army, in fact, Official History wrote that the Somme was the first time that the †¦British line been held with so few men and so few guns†¦. The British army were also overwhelmed by the power of the Germans and after just one day of fighting there were an enormous number of casualties, most of them due to bite and hold attacks. In the beginning, Haig was severely short of forces and, trying to find a solution, ended up having to leave Goughs twelve divisions alone to defend 42 miles of the front, this resulted in some having very few soldiers. Haig could have managed the Somme better, however by the end of the battle, the British were achieving success against the Germans and eventually the Germans did surrender, in fact the German General Ludendorff mentions in his autobiography, My war memories, As a result of the Somme we were completely exhausted on the Western Front. When considering Haigs skill as an army commander it has to be remembered that the situation at the Battle of the Somme was extremely unique, Haig was handling ten times the amount of forces, most of whom were learning the tactics of war as they went along. After the battle ended Haig was compared to other generals who sent hundreds of soldiers to their deaths, he was viewed as uncaring and constantly making horrible decisions. Although Haigs opinion of the turnout of the war was never made clear, it was suggested that he agreed with the result, as in 1919, Haig defended the fact that the Germans were offered a settlement at the end of the war. The relationship between Douglas Haig and David Lloyd George was a cause of major conflict and had an overpowering effect on Haigs reputation. Lloyd George was clear in the fact that he had no trust or liking for Haig, especially during the Somme, when he didnt understand why Haig was allowed the high casualty rates to continue, especially since this didnt give any advantage to the British. He saw Haig simply as a man with no intelligence, and no understanding, although he also never replaced him, or even stood up to him. However, it was no secret that a war was waged between Haig and Lloyd George. An example of the tension between these characters was on the 1st September, when Haig received a telegram from Henry Wilson, marked personal, this carried a warning, that Haig was to stop preventable casualties during the battle of the Somme. The clear reason for the telegram was for the protection of Lloyd George; however Haig took it that he could strike the Hindenburg line if he felt t he need to do so. The tension between them grew when Lloyd George published his war memoirs, in which he unleashed an attack on Haig, both, simply as a man and as part of the army. This was one of the very little books that really cause chaos for an important figures reputation, especially since when it became available, Haig had already passed and therefore he couldnt even protect his own reputation. However Lloyd George isnt the only politician that Haig had a significant relationship with, Haig and Winston Churchill also had a somewhat interesting relationship, in fact Haig helped out Churchill in the writing of his book, The World Crisis, by sending him parts of his personal diaries which he kept during the war. The reason that this is interesting is the fact that Churchill often criticised Haig, especially as a General during the war. However, Churchill did admit that when reviewing the war he began to think a good deal better if Haig than I did at the time. Unlike Lloyd George, Churchill felt that it would be impossible to find as good a general as Haig was to replace him. Haig didnt mind some criticism from Churchill in his book, but it was that criticism which strongly effected Haigs reputation. The conflict between these politicians and Haig meant that Haig had to fight the war against not only the Germans, but also those politicians. It wasnt just Churchills writing that affected Haigs reputation though; there were many different memoirs and accounts released after the war, by many different people, for example, David Lloyd George, Churchill and Gough. However when these records were released Haig mentioned to Foch that he couldnt release a book on the war, as it was too soon to tell the truth. If he had written them however, they would have not only been successful, but would have probably heightened his reputation. However Haigs Final Dispatch, published in 1919 actually had only a small effect on the opinions of the war. Yet, decades later, a revisionist historian, John Terraine revised these arguments and tried to re-build Haigs reputation. In fact, Terraines Douglas Haig: An Educated Soldier strongly defended Haigs reputation, his main point being that it was Haig who eventually wore down the German army. However historian, John Laffin, has the opposite opinion, he feels as though Haig should be accused beca use of his wilful blunders and wicked butchery. This shows clear argument between the two recent historians, both trying to challenge Haigs reputation. Terraine passed away in 2003, however before his death, he did manage to change the way that some people saw Douglas Haig, and he restored Haig to the position of serious commander. Haig was criticised and celebrated by different historians, few ever looking at both sides of things. Haigs reputation was heightened the most due to his input in helping and celebrating ex-servicemen. Haig devoted a large part of his life, after the war, to charity events and war-memorials. This shows that people were even slightly wrong about the fact that he didnt care about the young men fighting in the war. For example, in 1922, Haig travelled to Swansea and 4000 people turned out to see him lay a stone for the city memorial, and in 1925, the Haigs toured Canada; some 10,000 people came to see Haig lay a stone on a cenotaph in Toronto. Also, in Glasgow, in 1924, Haig revealed a monument. These days people may be shocked to find out that in 1925 Haig opened the Newfoundland Memorial Park; this was where the 1st Newfoundland attack took place in 1916. The fact that Haig was sought after to carry out the ceremony by the government, shows that even though there is constant argument over Douglas Haigs reputation, at this time he must have been highly thought of. This is why Haig was overwhelmed with huge amounts of requests to reveal all sorts of different memorials. Haigs speeches at these events were never completely neutral, the issues of sacrifice and the needs of ex-soldiers were constantly highlighted. This made his reputation improve to a lot of people, because they felt as if he was more caring. In the early 1920s Haig began to type up his wartime diary, he wished for this to be published after his death. In 1928 a line of war diaries and memoirs began being published, some attacking Haigs reputation seriously, however Haig wasnt alive to see this, as on the 29th January 1928, Douglas Haig died of a heart attack. This death came as a shock to Britain, many people in disbelief. Haigs wife believed that the strain of wartime command had worn out his heart, and the media began to print headlines, field marshal a war victim, Haig was treated just like any soldier who had fought in the war, and he too was seen as a war casualty. The real surprise after Haigs death was the extent to which the public mourned him; his death was treated much more graciously than any other British general. Therefore his coffin was escorted by the two future kings of England, showing that he was obviously an important member of the nation, even though some people viewed him as a callous butcher. This was reinforced because St Pauls, Wrens great cathedral was suggested as where Haig would be buried and if he had been then hed have been buried with Wellington and Nelson, two heroes from WW1, however Haig had wanted to be buried at home, in Edinburgh, therefore he body was sent north. A crowd of people waited for him to arrive, to pay their respects. Eventually he was buried in the grounds of Dryburgh Abbey. However the event of his death just brought more conflict to the argument of Haigs reputation. Again, Haigs reputation plummeted. Therefore Haigs reputation is constantly debated, going from one extreme to the other, barely ever balancing, or being fair to the actions of Haig. However much argument is presented in favour of Haig, the evidence is overpowered by the casualty figures of the battle of the Somme, by Churchills criticisms of Haig and by the tension in Haigs relationship with David Lloyd George, these are the facts people cant just forget and therefore the points which effect Haigs reputation. Haigs reputation was most significantly analysed through memoirs and accounts, for example of Churchill, Lloyd George, Gough and Terraine, although his reputation took a severe hit after his death also. Its clear that Haig will forever be viewed as heartless general, which is a fair judgement, considering the fact that he was the general in charge during the Battle of the Somme, and allowed the horrific casualty figures to present, and the fact that he let the battle go on for much longer than it should have, fo r personal or no gain, and thats why Douglas Haig will forever be condemned as Butcher of the Somme. Hedging Techniques: Analysis of pros and cons Hedging Techniques: Analysis of pros and cons This report will discuss the basics of hedging, advantages and disadvantages of hedging. There is description of methods and techniques used for hedging. This also discusses the primary need of hedging. Then follows the detailed calculations of the receivables of 500M pesos due in six months time and the best way of hedging to get the most of it. This report then goes on to discuss the forward contracts and futures along with forward options that are available for individual and basic differences between forward contracts and options Introduction: An unexpected change in exchange rates is the economic exposure which is commonly seen as a political disaster or natural disaster. The effect of economic exposures on exchange risks is kept out from this paper on one hand. On the other hand the cross-border firms do not get affected by the volatility of the exchange rates, in terms of the translation transaction exposures. Foreign exchange risk does not exist; even if it exists, it need not be hedged; even if it is to be hedged, corporation need not hedge it. When compared with certain results this hypothesis seems to be inconsistent. Different ways have been found out by some empirical researches to hinder different exposures. For instance, in some real cases financial instruments or netting was applied. Hedging and Importance Normally foreign exchange rates are dictated based on the supply and demand of two currencies and are persuaded depending on both the interest and inflation rates of the corresponding countries. For entering into a contract both the parties those are going to buy sell must have to be familiarised by the forward exchanging rate. Above all relationship between forward exchange rates, spot exchange rates, inflation and interest have to be introduced. Due to some factors such as government intervening and costs of transaction, relationship should not always be hold in the short run. But however the relationship could be hold on the long run by the four parties: purchasing power, expectations theory, the interest rate parity the international Fisher effect. Types of exchange rate exposures: In an international firm exchange rate losses those are unfavourable are protected by hedging currency exchange risk. Thus hedging currency exchange risk can be considered as one of the factors for eliminating risks. There are basically three forms of exchange rate exposures. Transaction exposure Translation exposure Economic exposure Transaction exposure: It is caused when the organisation is driven into certain financial agreements or obligations. The future gains or losses of an organisation are completely dependent on the changes caused to the exchange rates in the future cash flows of the agreements or obligations. The values that were before after the accounts received paid along with those engagements to buy or leasing financial cash flows do not match. The risk of transaction exposure is completely different from the risk of transaction exposure since the former one contains potential changes regarding cash flows. Translation exposure: Translation exposure is also known as balance sheet exposure or accounting exposure. It is a kind of exposure which occurs when if the financial statements of all the affiliates have been consolidated by the parent company. The denominated currencies of the affiliates are quite different when compared to their parents. Economic exposure: Economic exposure is also known as real exposure or operating exposure. It is mainly concerned about the risk of losses in exchange in association with the changes in future cash flows. It is completely different from the former two exposures which operate by long-term diplomatic decisions. There are mainly three barriers for non-financial organisations hedging currency risks compared to the financial organisations. Firstly, models to forecast forward are not well devised. Secondly, team of management is incessantly hesitant to hedge risks of FX the team seems to risk-averse with respect to FX risks. Lastly, the risk management is less in non-financial firms compared to financial firms. The main purpose of hedging FX risks for most of the non-financial firms is for variance reduction in future cash flows. Some of the advantages of corporate hedging are as below. It can predict the cash flows of the firm that are generated internally can arrange the financing plan of a firm either internally or externally. Also hedging helps for the smoothening of the net income of a firm, which proves to be valuable in the present financial market which focuses attention to quarterly earnings rather than the cash flows in the long-run. Based on the proponents of hedging, some of the many arguments are opposed to hedging. Spending on hedges of currency opt for an exceed in the loss in currency risk exposures. If the management fails in reducing the risks using hedging, rivalry arises between management shareholders, where as the value of the shareholder crumbles. There are several hedging instruments in order to protect our money from getting exposed to the above mentioned exposures/risks. These hedging techniques include spot, forward contracts, options, futures, currency swaps and so on usually referred to as derivatives. The most frequently used instruments are: Forward Contracts: The two parties enter a contract in which they agree on a favourable current exchange rate on a specified future date. Thus this guarantees a customized future payment and maturity date and eliminates future volatility. It is tailor made instrument that it includes and specifies all its parameters like money, date, exchange rate and denomination of payment. Also the cost of forward contracts is low comparing with other instruments and the settlement date is up to one year. Futures: These are similar to forward contracts but are more standardised in terms of volume that is about to be exchanged. This is generally intended to speculating profits. Spots: This allows us to buy or sell a currency at todays exchange price and the day of settlement will be no more than two business days. Currency Options: Options are like contracts but are more costly than contracts. It guarantees a worst-case exchange rate for the future purchase of one currency for another. There is a right to sell or buy but there is no obligation to do so as such giving the options holder substantial benefits. Currency Swaps: These are in general long term high value transactions. By swapping their future cash flow obligations the counterparties are able to replace cash flows denominated in one currency with cash flows in a more desired currency. As requested billing in U.S. dollars, forward contracts and money market hedge are some effective techniques of hedging and safe guarding the firm from any possible fluctuations and risks arising from the same. In U.S. dollar billing we charge the goods at the rate in their home country but enter a contract based on the spot rate on the day of sale, and which means they need to pay the equivalent amount in dollars when the payment is due. Irrespective of the fluctuations of the currency rates the company is bound to make the payment of that exact amount of dollars at the end of contract or due date. Forward contracts are mentioned above lock in the exchange rate on future currency transactions and thus reducing their exchange risk. The payment is due in future but the current exchange rate is used for entering into such a contract. Money market hedge is a technique where in the company relies on borrowing and investing funds via money markets and using the spot rate to lock in the amount from the receivable. We borrow in the home currency the same amount that we are expected to receive ad invest in the other currency. Billing in U.S. Dollars As per our previous exports made to Mexico, we will receive 500 million Mexican Pesos. The spot rate of Peso/USD is 15.3555-15.3561, one of 15.3555 is the bid price at which the trader will buy from us and 15.3561 is the price at which he will sell. So we need to buy 500 million Mexican pesos meaning we need to consider the spot exchange ask rate 15.3561. Thus the 500 million Mexican pesos will come to USD which is $32.5604 M. Therefore we will be receiving a definite sum of $32.5604 M after the end of contract which is 6 months. So what ever is the exchange rate at the end of 6 months or whatever be the range of fluctuations we will get $32.5604 M. But the company has to pay an equivalent of $32.5604M which is $32.5604M*15.3555 = 499.9812M pesos. This is mainly due to the depreciation of peso with respect to US dollars. Forward Contract Since the goods have been exported the importer is now short if 500 million Mexican pesos. By entering into a forward contract we sign an agreement with the importer, which states that the delivery of the equivalent of the amount due should be made after 6 months time at the forecasted forward rate which is 15.0123-15.0134 (peso/USD). So as in the previous case we will be entitled to a sum of USD which turns out to be $33.3036 M. Hence we now entered into a future contract which gives us $33.3036 M at the end of 6 months. While we receive $33.3036 M, as an equivalent to 500 M Mexican pesos, the importer needs to pay the trader an amount of $33.3036*15.0123 = 499.9636 M pesos. However if the future rate increases then the importer is obliged to pay the 500M pesos at the prevailing spot rate. But in case the spot rate goes down then the importer has to meet the previously agreed rate for the payment. Money Market Hedge Here we are expected to receive 500 M pesos, so we borrow the same amount from a Mexican bank at the borrowing rate of 2.6% p.a. and we convert them to US dollars and invest the exact same amount in US dollars at 3.1% p.a. We borrow 500M Mexican pesos at 2.6%, which is = 493.5834M and we convert them into dollars at the prevailing spot rate of 15.3561, which transforms to = $32.1425M and we invest them in US market at 3.1%, which gives us $32.1425*1.016 = $32.6568M. But once we receive the payment of 500M pesos the loan will have to be repaid and we have $36.6568M*15.0123 = 550.3029M pesos, whereas the loan amount is 500M*1.013 = 506.5M pesos. Which means we have a profit of 550.3029M-506.5M pesos = 43.8029M pesos, which in turn is = $2.9176M Best Hedge By observing the figures, it is clear that future contracts method is more beneficial than the rest of them. This hedging earns us $32.5604M by billing in U.S. dollars, $33.3036M in forward contracts and $32.6568M by money market hedging. Derivatives The derivative securities market has become quite large in recent years. In 2007, according to the International Swaps and Derivatives Association the notional value of all financial swaps stood at $587 trillion worldwide. The GDP of the entire world was only about $60 trillion by the year 2008. The swaps and derivatives transfer risk from those who do not want to bear to those who are willing to bear for a fee. It is almost like insurance on property or automobile. For example, a put option is to safeguard if the price of a stock is expected to fall. And, like the insurance industry, both parties are mutually benefitted by this type of transaction; it is called hedging. Bulk of the transactions in derivative securities is mainly based on speculation than for the purposing of hedging against foreign currency risks. These help in providing liquidity in the currency market apart transferring risk. The sizes of banks and stock brokerage firms in derivative securities may give rise to huge loss which may well bring the entire financial system to a standstill. At the same time, some participants in these derivatives markets are reporting huge profits. Swaps The derivatives market involves more than just put and calls options. There are also contracts involving swapping fixed interest rate payment streams for adjustable or floating interest rate payment streams. Simply put its mutual agreement of two parties which satisfy both the parties. Forward Contracts and Futures Swaps, caps, and floors are recent innovations in the derivatives markets. The derivatives market traditionally included forward contracts in addition to options (puts, calls, warrants). A forward contract involved a commitment to trade a specified item at a specified price at a future date. The forward contract takes whatever form the two parties agree to. There is also a market for standardized forward contracts, which is called the futures market. The standardization makes possible a wider market with greater liquidity and efficiency. Often the futures markets eliminate the ties between specific parties, the party and the counter-party, and the risk that the other might not fulfil the contract. In the futures market everyone deals with the clearinghouse who guarantees fulfilment. Forward exchange operations carry the same credit risk as spot transactions, but for longer periods of time; however there are significant risks involved. A forward contract requires delivery, at a fixed future date, of a specified amount of one currency against other foreign currency payment; the exchange rate is fixed at the time of writing the contract. It is to be noted that gain or loss on the forward contracts is irrespective of the current spot rate. The gain or loss exactly offsets the change in currency costs. The major active participants in forward markets are arbitrageurs, traders, hedgers who seek to reduce their exchange risks by locking in the exchange rate on future trade or financial operations. There are differences in even the quoted prices, commercial customers are usually quoted the actual price while the dealers quote the forward rate only as a discount/ premium on the spot rate. These contracts are usually available for 1,2,3,6 or 12 months delivery. However forwards for odd maturities can also be formulated. With the increase in the maturity and volatility of the currency the bid-ask spread rises. Forward Exchange Options Contract In the options market there has developed some terminology that is somewhat intimidating to the uninitiated. A call option is the right to buy a share of a stock, the underlying security, at a specified price, called the exercise price or the strike price. A put option is the right to sell a share of a stock at a specified price, the exercise price or the strike price. There is a limited time for the exercise of the call option. An American option can be exercised at any time up to and including the expiration date. A European option can only be exercised on the expiration date. The value of a call option at any time depends upon: The current market price of the underlying security The exercise price The interest rate Time remaining until expiration The volatility of the price of the underlying security. When any of these change the value of the option will change. The options terminology that is most obscure is the use of Greek letters to refer to the response of the option value to changes in the variables which affect it. Ά Delta = the change in the price of the option per unit change in the price of the underlying; i.e., the increase in option value if the current market price of the stock goes up by one dollar. Delta is important in creating a perfectly hedged portfolio. The rate of change of the delta of an option is called its gamma. à Ã‚  Rho = the rate of change in the price of an option in response to a unit change in the interest rate. ÃŽÂ ¸ Theta = the rate of change in the price of an option with respect to time; i.e., the change as the time until expiration decreases by one unit. Vega (this is not a Greek letter) = the rate of change in the price of an option for a unit change in volatility. Despite having the right to buy a call option or to sell a put option, the rights holder is not obliged to buy or sell but can do so at his will. This will give him total flexibility as to when to buy/sell his options

Comparing the Mothers in The Glass Menagerie and A Raisin in the Sun Es

Comparing the Mothers in The Glass Menagerie and A Raisin in the Sun   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The plays, The Glass Menagerie and A Raisin in the Sun, deal with the love, honor, and respect of family. In The Glass Menagerie, Amanda, the caring but overbearing and over protective mother, wants to be taken care of, but in A Raisin in the Sun, Mama, as she is known, is the overseer of the family. The prospective of the plays identify that we have family members, like Amanda, as overprotective, or like Mama, as overseers. I am going to give a contrast of the mothers in the plays.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In The Glass Menagerie, by Tennessee Williams, we embark on the task of seeing a family living in the post WWII era. The mother is Amanda, living in her own world and wanting only the best for her son, Tom. Tom, a dreamer, tired of Amanda’s overbearing and constant pursuit of him taking care of the family, wants to pursue his own goals of becoming a poet. He is constantly criticized and bombarded by his mother for being unsuccessful. This drives him to drinking and lying about his whereabouts, and eventually at the end of the play, he ends up leaving. An example of Amanda and Tom’s quarrel I when he quotes, â€Å"I haven’t enjoyed one bit of this dinner because of your constant directions on how to eat it. It’s you that makes me rush through meals with your hawklike attention to every bit I take.†(302) Laura, on the other hand, is shy and out of touch with reality because of a slight disability, in which she is comfort...

Drowned Out

Ivana Aleksich November 1, 2012 Film Review: â€Å"Drowned Out† The way this documentary was filmed shows the people who contributed to the film to living and working alongside the villagers and I found this helped capture the candid interviews and the honest and realistic impact of the way villagers of living in India due to the government dam project. Not only do people have to make a choice of whether they Move to the slums in the city, accept a place at a resettlement site or stay at home and drown. This place is not just a piece of land where they live but it is their home, their identity.This reminds me personally of my connection with Serbia. My family has to leave their homeland because of war and invasion. My family did not see this as moving to a better place, but saw it as their homeland being destroyed. Who they are as people dead in a place that no longer exists like it once had. This is how I see the people in the villagers, they are being forced to say goodbye t o a certain part of them, their family, and ancestors forever. In the student presentation relating to the world bank and dams refers to something very important to villagers. Non-material things are what are important to the villagers.After the dam is built, I will drown out the cultural traditions of the villagers, create development of affected communities in isolation, and cultural shift, new lifestyles and attitudes. The documentary follows the villagers of Jalsindhi. This village is in Madhya Pradesh on the banks of the Narmada River about ten miles upstream from the Sardar Sarovar project. The 76 villages struggle through a battle against the dam. The lead character is Luharia Sonkaria, who is the village’s medicine man, a role that was his father’s and grandfather’s before him. The government provides them no viable alternatives.The government offers unusable land a hundred miles away or a small sum of money in compensation for their river-side land. The film documents hunger strikes, rallies, and a six year Supreme Court case, and finally follows the villagers as the dam fills and the river starts to rise. The documentary features Arundhati Roy, who has been an outspoken activist bringing international attention to the controversy. Government aims to provide electricity, irrigation and drinking water to tens of millions of people. Government is confident in this claim. The government has a completely difference views of the impact of the dam.They believe the dam will help the people and make them happy. But the government has nothing to lose from this dam project because the people in government do not live in the area that the dam is supposed to floor. The villagers have everything to lose and millions of them did. This brings up the struggle between the rich and the poor/the powerful and the less powerful. The big question that is stated in this documentary is, â€Å"For whom is this development for? † The government trie s to convince the villagers that this is for them and their benefit, but in reality the villagers are not being taken into account for this dam project.This dam development is solely for the purpose the one thing that is universally valued: money and the power of government. Villagers and poor people are not at level in society where they can rely on money and power. They believe in things that the government and money could never find important. Villagers value their traditions and their old lifestyle. The government and the world bank is working to become more modern and to gain more money. For this reason alone, the government is aware of what will happen to the villagers but the government could not understand how hard this project will hurt the villagers and their lives.

Factors that Impact Demand for an iPad

Internal: Pricing decisions Unique features (Apple's iPad was one of the first tablet to have the app world where user can download applications such as games or books and use it right away after download has been completed. ) External: Availability of competitors' products Price of substitute products Incomes of potential customers There are several essential factors that impact the demand for iPads, these are: price of the product (internal variable), price of substitute products, and incomes of otential customers (external variables).As the primary principle of the demand function stated, that if price of a certain product or service increases, the quantity of that same product will decrease. Most, if not all, customers make their purchasing decision of a product based on its price (all other things held constant). If there are two similar products but one is more expensive than the other, it is rational to choose for the cheaper product. Now, how can an expensive product such as iPad still reate a lot of demand in the market?The answer that I could think of is product uniqueness and product loyalty. When Apple's iPad first came out in 2010, this product was not cheap. But it was due to its unique features that the competitors did not have that made iPad successful. Today, there are a lot of tablets that have about the same features as the iPad and offer a lower price. I would say that product loyalty is also one of the reasons why there are still demands for ‘Pads.

Private Interest vs. Public Interest Groups essays

Private Interest vs. Public Interest Groups essays Interest groups abound in the United States thanks to several factors. First and foremost, our own Federalist government, with many centers of power, in combination with the freedom secured by our Constitution, encourages the forming of interest groups. As constituents see wavering political parties, with blurred political lines, interest groups are created to ensure strong stands are taken on issues. And lastly, interest groups proliferate, in part, due to "the great number of social cleavages along income, occupational, religious, racial, and cultural lines." ("Interest Groups") With all of this activity, why is the Board of the Consumers' Association having difficulty attracting new It is understandable that the Board is feeling frustration in the apathy they perceive from Americans in general. Americans are blessed to live in a country that is comfortable for the average resident. Certainly there are challenges that need to still be addressed in the Land of the Free, however, in comparison to other countries still under tyrannical oppression, Americans have it pretty good. This comfort level brings about a level of apathy. Couple this with a natural human resistance to change, and it becomes clearer why more Americans aren't active in any interest group, let alone the Board's. To counter this, the Board needs to first determine whether they are a public or private interest group. A public interest group is one that concerns itself with issues that affect the nation as a whole. With this wide demographic to solicit, they have the benefit of soliciting support from every citizen of the United States. Their weakness however is that oftentimes their stand on public issues is on one extreme end of the spectrum, which the average American, although agreeing with the stand in general, cannot support the extremity to which they've gone. An example of thi ...

4 Essays - Education, Learning, Educational Psychology, Articles

4 Essays - Education, Learning, Educational Psychology, Articles Article Research Analysis on Desired Learning Style Student's name Institution affiliation Instructor's name Course Date of submission Introduction This is a n investigati ve article analysis on the undergraduate scholar investigators, desired education styles and pure science research. It's a n engaging combination that was printed in the " Clearing H ouse J ournal " and was documented by " Woeste and Barham. " This article can be accessed from " Week One Electronic Reserve Findings ." Analysis of this article will mainly focus on the summary of the report, the form of the information contained in the section and to identify whether the information provided in the article is reliable and valid to use in other fields. The article analysis will also focus on how the information contained in the report c an be used to bring changes in learning institutions . Summary of the article The article majorly is centered on the " B asic Science I nvestigation " and the part that a group dynamic plays on a learner . The research has identified that while technical ration of the study can have an enormous task, students investigators are always confronted with the booming in various crescendos as well. Barham and Woeste , (2018), in their research found that the favored scholarship style of a learner can have a significant benefit s for the mentors. This is because it permits them to have a significant appreciation of how to addre ss and meet different problems in their lives. This article also accounts the context of working beside learners investigators who choose diverse scholarship styles ( Hancock, and Algozzine, 2016) . The writers of this article also connect this information on the effects of being well informed and their influence on students preferred learning techniques an d how they can contribute to the creation of environments conducive for learning experiences. They found that this eventually has a significant impact on winning combination for the whole team. Type of information in the article First, the article introduces two kinds of student researchers and their preferred learning styles of students. There are two student researchers in the report the first one has favorite scholarship style of kinesthetic and the second learner has favorite learning style of graphical , but together agreed that audio is the slightest ideal learning style. According to , Barham and Woeste, "the nature of basic science research required strict adherence to sterile technique, chemical hygiene protocols, quality control guidelines and handling of microbiological specimens." In both types of investigation , learners were requested to exhibit different methods required in simple science, and they both did consequently, presenting a detailed appreciative and capability in the procedures needed. The next section of this article contains the start of the project (Bryson, etal, 2018) . After the grant submission was received, the leaners investigators were asked to examine and give detailed information on the timing of adherence of the bacteria to various substances. It was observed that student's one had difficulties in establishing something new, and was able to proceed after being given directions. It was also noticed that after moving student one from office to laboratory, showed significant improvement and competence in using instruments and apparatus provided. The decision to move student one from office to the laboratory had significant influence because the researcher was able to play a critical role in contributing learning styles that best suited his or her requirements. In the case of student two, there was no need to exhibit hands-on tactic to exhibit different concepts for the various fragments of the project. Woeste and Barham observed that student two was inquired to document all procedures and information regarding the task . The fact that researchers need to be recorded for the future reference students research two played a vital role in the documentation aspect of the research. At the end of the project learner researcher two significant contributions to this project. This had a substantial impact in the manner that benefited the project to suit his or her preferred learning auditory learning least. This article also explains how research leaner one and two did during the presentation of their project. In both cases, they were

Analysis of Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren

The presidents have always played a crucial role in American politics and are known for their roles in unifying the nation. They are glorified for their charisma and ability to lead, but even these brilliant men make economic, political, and social blunders. Andrew Jackson, who was in office from 1829-1837, was a president of many firsts as he was the first frontier president, first to have a kitchen cabinet, and first to use a pocket veto. Jackson was later succeeded by his vice president, Martin Van Burden. Van Burden, who was in office from 1837-1841 , was known for his shrewd political skills.Both these men laid down the foundations for a stronger, more centralized national government with methods that garnered mixed responses. Andrew Jackson was a war hero turned president, but his battles did not end with his election. One type of problem Jackson faced was economic. South Carolinian planters saw that the protective tariff, passed by Congress in 1 824, as oppressive since most of the revenue made from it was invested in the northeasts manufacturing industry. They were more infuriated when the tariff was raised in the summer of 1828 (Brinkley 207).The South Carolinians and Vice President John C. Calhoun saw the taxes as blatantly unconstitutional, exceeding Congresss powers to raise necessary revenues and oppressing one section of the country while enriching others (Willets 63). A nullification document written by Calhoun known as the South Carolina Exposition and Protest was passed by the state legislature in 1 832 as a response. This text announced that any state could declare its original sovereignty and disregard federal laws that are found offensive in their borders.In retaliation, Jackson sent federal troops to South Carolina to enforce the law, but before any violence could ensure the state backed down Brinkley 207). This created a strong rift between the Jackson and his vice president that turned in to a bitter rivalry between the two. Jacksons strong approach caused the executive branch to become unstable and eventually Calhoun and he split in 1832 (Willets 64-65). Another negative economic event that Jackson faced was his clash with the Second Banks of the United States. The Second Bank of the United Sates was a privately owned institution with an outrageous amount of public influence. With a congressional charter, it was the national governments sole fiscal handler and could use public ends without interest for its own discretion (Brinkley 211). Due to this, Jackson saw the Bank as an unconstitutional aberration and an affront to popular sovereignty (Willets 75). There was also opposition of the Banks by advocates of soft money, who were mainly state banks, and advocates of hard money, who were people that disapproved all banks and believed only in coins for currency (Brinkley 211). O when it was time for the Banks charter to be renewed in 1832, Jackson. He removed all federal funds the following year and when the original charter expired in 1 836 all operations as a national bank ended. This would subsequently cause the economy to become unstable a year later (Willets 79-80). Although there were no wars during Jacksons administration, there have been close calls. A treaty was created, in 1831 a year before Jackson took office, whereby France agreed to pay reparations for damages made on American shipping under the reign of Napoleon.The French Chamber of Deputies, however, later refused to allocate the appropriate funds. Jackson infuriated with this called on Congress to allow for reprisals should the French not pay. Both nations refused to back down and the bickering spiraled to the point where they recalled their ministers and a war seemed imminent (Willets 138). The crisis was averted with the French eventually ceding with urgings from Britain. Jacksons stubbornness and refusal to back down landed the United States in hot water, especially in provoking a nation like France that she would not be able to fight. Jackson also faced the issue of American advancement into the west. The removal of Indians was a major concern of his administration and management of the situation was the most notable gaffe of his administration. Like many other Americans at the time, he believed that the Indians were inferior to white men and saw them as savages. Once in office, Jackson urged the Indians to move westward and give up their land, but he was adamantly opposed. The first of the land battles began with Georgia when the state claimed millions of acres of Indian land.The Indians responded with a suit in the Supreme court that was ruled in their favor, stating that Georgia had no authority over their land. The Georgians ignored this and a white invasion of the land ensued. Jackson did nothing to enforce the ruling and there was no consequences to the blatant disregard of the Supreme Court (Ermine 60-61 Later, the Indian Removal Act of 1 830 was eased and signed by Jackson which gave him the authority to make treaties that would exchange land in the west for Indian land east of the Mississippi.It also stated their relocation would be paid for by the federal government. The Indians opposed this act because although it seemed peaceful, they were removed forcefully. This led to many bloody conflicts in which one side would try to seize the land while the other side tried to protect it. The struggle continued and many citizens were polarize on the issue as some saw the Indians as hindrances to American expansionism while the others saw it as outright disrespect of the Indians rights.Eventually in 1835, after the anti- treaty supporters negotiated better terms, a treaty was signed in which the Indians would give up their land in exchange for other lands wes t of the Mississippi (Willets 139-141 This later led to the Indians large exodus where thousands suffered. Although Jacksons decision allowed for the nation to expand, it was at the enormous expense of the Indians. He forcefully kicked them Off their land and treated them as if they were livestock that did not deserve basic human rights. Jackson served for two terms and remained incredibly popular even after resigning.He was the true epitome of a poor, country boy who grew up to become president. He was a self-made man that used his presidency to help ordinary people rather than the rich. Although he had he helped the nation to grow, it came at the sacrifice of so many innocent lives. His popularity with the people led to the election of Martin Van Burden, who was his vice president and once the most powerful member of Jacksons cabinet as Secretary of State. At the very beginning of Van Burdens presidency, he faced the first major economic crisis that America had experienced thePanic of 1837. This fiscal fiasco was triggered by Jacksons withdrawal from the Second Bank of the United States and deposition into state banks of federal funds. Consequently, there was reckless speculation by the banks in lands westward (Willets 1 19). The bubble finally burst in 1837 and hundreds of businesses and banks failed, causing the worst depression of the economy at the time. Van Burden did little to relieve popular misery as he called for less government intervention and created no programs to help with the massive unemployment rate (Wider 102).He later proposed for the rancher of federal funds to an independent treasury. This bill would eventually be passed year latter, but many blamed him for the crisis and inadequate response to it. It ultimately led to his crushing defeat by the William Henry Harrison, the Whig candidate, in the following election (Wider 103-104). During his presidency, Van Burden also faced raising tensions with Great Britain as there was a heated border dispute near the Canada-Maine border. This skirmish brought the two on the brink of war. However, Van Burden sought to revolve this conflict before violence resulted.General Winfield Scott and an envoy were sent to Britain to negotiate a treaty, which subsequently concluded the conflict. Many criticized Van Burdens cautious diplomacy as they felt that he should have taken a stronger stance against Britain and assert the United States as a force to be reckoned with (Wider 131). Slavery at the time was a controversial topic as many northern cities saw it as an abomination that should be abolished while in the south it was the center of the economy. Starting in 1836, many slave owners looking for space to expand saw Texas as the solution to their problems.