Monday, August 24, 2020

History of Costa Rica :: Culture Cultural History Essays

History of Costa Rica Human residence can be followed back over 10,000 years yet it shows up Costa Rica was meagerly populated and a relative backwater in the pre-Columbian time. There is minimal indication of significant networks and none of the great stone engineering that portrayed the further developed human advancements of Mesoamerica toward the north and the Andes toward the south. At the point when Columbus showed up close Lim⠢â ¢n on September 18, 1502 on his third and last journey to the Americas, there were most likely close to 20,000 indigenous occupants They lived in a few self-governing clans, all with particular societies and customs. Costa Rica's just major archeological site is at Guayabo, 30 miles east of San Jos‚‚, where an old city, going back to 1000 B.C. what's more, however to have contained 10,000 individuals at its pinnacle, is as of now being unearthed. Many intriguing gold, jade and earthenware ancient rarities have been found all through the locale and are in pla in view in a few historical centers in San Jose. The Indians gave Columbus gold and he came back to Europe with reports of an abundant gracefully of the yellow metal. In any case, the travelers who showed up to trade out discovered just unfriendly Indians, marshes and infection for their difficulty. A few early endeavors to colonize the Atlantic coast fizzled for similar reasons and for practically 50 years Costa Rica was ignored while colonization accumulated pace in nations toward the north and south. In 1562, the Spanish principle's regulatory focus in Guatemala sent Juan Vasquez de Coronado to Costa Rica as representative and Cartago was built up as the capital the next year. With no Indian captives to work the land, the pioneers had to work the land themselves, fixing a pitiful means by plowing little plots. The ruined province developed gradually and was for all intents and purposes disregarded by the Spanish rulers in Guatemala. By the late eighteenth century, the settlements that would buela had been established and fares of wheat and tobacco were making financial conditions fairly better. Focal America picked up freedom from Spain on September 15, 1821. The news arrived at Costa Rica a month after the occasion. The subject of whether Costa Rica should join recently autonomous Mexico or join another confederation of Central American states brought about a severe fight between the pioneers of San Jose and their partners in Cartago and Heredia. A short considerate war in 1823 was won by San Jose and Costa Rica joined the confederation.

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Bankruptcy Law – 1

One of the duties as a paralegal is to direct research. There is a rundown of fundamental and helpful assets for experts and law understudies to use in examining an insolvency. The essential sources are Statues, Rules and Cases. The auxiliary Sources are Bankruptcy Treatises, Internet Sources and Research Databases otherwise called Bankruptcy Reporter Systems. Every one of these assets are applicable to clarify the procedure in which each is expected to examine liquidation issues. A resolution is a codification of a law passed by assembly establishment and endorsed and marked into law by the official part of the administration. These sculptures fill in as hotspot for addressing all chapter 11 inquiries in the Bankruptcy Code itself by evidently finding the correct Code segment. The Bankruptcy Code characterizes the principles that gather and convey the resources for loan bosses in a chapter 11 continuing. The Code is all around recorded, to begin examining any liquidation issue. Cautious perusing, examination and translation are the most significant instruments to do a compelling exploration. Toward the finish of each code area, there is â€Å"Historical and Revision Notes† that are useful in clarifying the significance of a specific arrangement and furthermore an important auxiliary source to find answers to insolvency questions. The two essential sources in the law library for the U. S. Code in print are United States Code Annotated (USCA) which was distributed by Thomson West and United States Code Services (USCS) which was distributed by LexisNexis. Both the USCA and USCS give and incorporate explanations of cases and articles. The online Statues generally utilized are in the Cornell University Law School, Lll/Legal Information Institute. Rules of the court are rules made by the most elevated court that administer court procedures. Cornell University Law School, LII gives a connect to data about the Interim Rules and Official Forms for the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005. These Rules of Practice and Procedure in insolvency normally known as the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy (Civil) Procedure and Federal Rules of Evidence explain the aggregate standards which are directing the assortment and dispersion of advantages for loan bosses in a chapter 11 continuing. For instance, guidelines on what structure is required, how and when a movement is recorded, how and when a case is documented, and the â€Å"how to† questions, etc. USCA and USCS found in the law center assortment have chapter 11 principles in volumes following the Title 11. Joined to the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedures are structures called â€Å"Official and Procedural Bankruptcy Forms. † These structures present bearing with respect to the substance and presence of the archives. Furthermore every Bankruptcy court makes its own nearby guidelines and neighborhood frames as long as they are not conflicting with the Code or the Bankruptcy Rules. Nearby standards differ from area to region and can at times be the wellspring of noting a training or system question accordingly; every government District Court has its own Local Rules of Court, including United States Trustee Guidelines. Both The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and the Federal Rules of Evidence apply in insolvency procedures however not every one of these principles apply to a chapter 11 case. Another essential hotspot for paralegals to perform investigate is case law which is the law built up by the result of previous cases. There are a few columnist frameworks that distribute just chapter 11 cases. We can discover cases online in LexisNexis Academic and Westlaw Patron Access. Collier additionally distributes a journalist framework called Collier Bankruptcy Cases (Law Core KF1524. C62 1979). The biggest correspondent framework is called West’s Bankruptcy Reporter (Law Core KF1510. A2 W47) and there’s additionally West’s Bankruptcy Digest (Law Core KF1510. 3 W47). All these journalist frameworks hold cases chose by Bankruptcy Courts, region courts, courts of offer, and the Supreme Court that identify with chapter 11 issues. Another framework which is adequate to refer to is called Bankruptcy Court Decisions (BCD). Also, the chapter 11 framework utilizes its own different treatises. A treatise is a composed broad exposition of realities and standards and ends. The most widely recognized asset utilized is Collier on Bankruptcy and they catch up with training structures and aides entitled the Collier Bankruptcy Practice Guide. They comprise of test arguing structures and extra practice devices. These essential wellsprings of looking into insolvency issues start from codes and follows right to columnist frameworks and on the web. The web by a wide margin has rearranged the hour of research completely. Most inquiries can be addressed effectively, capably, and rapidly on the off chance that you input the right Code area or Rule that is identified with the subject of the request and afterward restricted it down to a word or expression in the code segment. The American Bankruptcy Institute (www. abiworld. organization) is the most perceived site that gives every day news and report basic case and authoritative turns of events. The Federal Judiciary Home Page (www. uscourts. gov) can assist you with getting to your nearby court. Additionally, the virtual framework in the courts has bit by bit been joining the capacity to get notification of pleadings. Moreover, courts utilize the web to stay current with the official state middle family salary and different IRS cost norms that must be applied to figure the equation. The web likewise gives fast access to debtor’s current credit report facilitating the way toward standing by to get it via mail and it additionally shows a rundown of the board courses required to get to release singular insolvency cases. All things considered, as for chapter 11 paralegal inquire about, there are a lot of methods of dealing with a careful a brief research dependent on the copious gracefully of apparatuses and assets accessible. It is just a matter of getting the information and experience to precisely apply all the assets like code, sculptures, chapter 11 report frameworks joined with the web to have the best result. References: 1. Fundamental Bankruptcy Law for Paralegals, Custom Edition Published by Pearson Learning Solutions By David L. Buchbinder 2. www. law. asu. edu

Saturday, July 25, 2020

How to Overcome the Bystander Effect

How to Overcome the Bystander Effect Theories Social Psychology Print How to Overcome the Bystander Effect By Kendra Cherry facebook twitter Kendra Cherry, MS, is an author, educational consultant, and speaker focused on helping students learn about psychology. Learn about our editorial policy Kendra Cherry Updated on December 13, 2019 sturti / Getty Images More in Theories Social Psychology Behavioral Psychology Cognitive Psychology Developmental Psychology Personality Psychology Biological Psychology Psychosocial Psychology Psychologists have long been interested in exactly why and when we help other people. There has also been a tremendous amount of interest in the reasons why we sometimes dont help others. The bystander effect is a social phenomenon that occurs when people fail to help those in need due to the presence of other people. In many cases, people feel that since there are other people around, surely someone else will leap into action. Factors That Can Help Overcome the Bystander Effect While the bystander effect can have a negative impact on prosocial behavior, altruism and heroism, researchers have identified a number of different factors that can help people overcome this tendency and increase the likelihood that they will engage in helping behaviors. Some of these include: Witnessing Helping Behavior Sometimes just seeing other people doing something kind or helpful makes us more willing to help others. Imagine that you are walking into a large department store. At the entrance is a bell ringer asking for donations to a charitable organization. You notice that many of the people who walk by are stopping to drop their change into the donation bucket. As a result, you might feel more inspired to stop and donate your own change. Researchers have found that when we observe other people engaging in prosocial behaviors, such as donating blood, we are more likely to do the same. Being Observant One of the key reasons people often fail to take action when help is needed is that they do not notice what is happening until it is too late. Ambiguous situations can also make it difficult to determine if help is truly needed. In one famous experiment, participants were less likely to respond when smoke began to fill a room when the other people in the room also failed to respond. Since no one else was taking action, people assumed that there must not be an emergency. Staying alert and attuned to your situation, rather than relying purely on the responses of those around you, can help you best decide how to react. Being Skilled and Knowledgeable When faced with an emergency situation, knowing what to do greatly increases the likelihood that a person will take action. How can you apply this to your own life? While you certainly cannot be prepared for every possible event that might transpire, taking first aid classes and receiving CPR training could help you feel more competent and prepared to deal with potential emergencies. Guilt Researchers have found that feelings of guilt can often spur on helping behaviors. So-called survivor guilt is just one example. Following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, some people who had survived the event felt driven to help others in the aftermath. Having a Personal Relationship Researchers have long known that we are more likely to help people that we know personally. In an emergency situation, people in trouble can help cultivate a more personalized response even in strangers by taking a few important steps. Simple behaviors such as making direct eye contact and engaging in small talk can increase the likelihood that  a person will come to your aid. If you are in trouble, single out an individual from the crowd, make eye contact, and directly ask for assistance instead of making a general plea to the group. Seeing Others as Deserving of Help People are also more likely to help others if they think that the person truly deserves it. In one classic study, participants were more likely to give money to a stranger if they believed that the individuals wallet had been stolen rather than that the person had simply spent all his money.   This might explain why some people are more willing to give money to the homeless while others are not. Those who believe that homeless people are in their situation due to laziness or unwillingness to work are less likely to give money while those who believe that these individuals are genuinely deserving of help are more likely to provide assistance. Feeling Good Researchers have also found that feeling good about ourselves can contribute to prosocial behaviors. People who feel happy or successful are more likely to lend assistance, and even relatively small events can trigger such feelings. Hearing your favorite song on the radio, enjoying a warm summer day, or successfully completing an important task at work can leave you feeling joyful and competent and more likely to help out another person in need. This is often referred to as the feel good, do good effect.

Friday, May 22, 2020

Major Depression A Huge Problem And It Is Growing Essay

MAJOR DEPRESSION is a huge problem and it is growing. By looking at the statistics we can clear up common misconceptions and make it easier to tackle major depression at its root. Major depression is the No.1 psychological disorder in the western world.(1) It is growing in all age groups, in virtually every community, and the growth is seen most in the young, especially teens. At the rate of increase, it will be the 2nd most disabling condition in the world by 2020, behind heart disease. The escalation in the problem, as well as the facts relating to recurring episodes of depression show that while the first line treatment of depression by antidepressants may sometimes control the symptoms, it usually does little to give sufferers depression-free lives. More than ever, we need to look at alternatives to drugs that will equip us to deal effectively with the triggers that allow depression to take hold again and again. This is where drug treatments fail. First and foremost, clinical or major depression is growing at an incredible rate. †¢ People of all ages, backgrounds, lifestyles, and nationalities suffer from major depression, with a few exceptions. †¢ Up to 20% of people experience symptoms of depression. †¢ 10 times more people suffer from major depression now than in 1945 (2) †¢ The average age of first onset of major depression is 25-29 A few key areas of society remain where major depression is not seen. Also, the huge increase in cases of major depression show that it canShow MoreRelatedIndustrial Capitalism And The Economic System1433 Words   |  6 Pagescapitalism has been created that continues to this day. The panic of 1873 is the first global depression that was occurred by new idea of industrial capitalism. The key to industrial capitalism is a boom and bust cycle. Boom and bust cycle is occurred by the process of economic expansion and contraction that occurs repeatedly. During that cycle, booming phase is when the economy is growing, jobs are growing and the market is brining high returns to the investors, which â€Å"booms† the economy. ConsequentlyRead MoreThe Effects Of Depression And Its Effects On Society Essay1497 Words   |  6 PagesDepression is much more than a word with a definition. It is a constant feeling of sadness, guilt, and worthlessness. All genders and ages can experience what it is like to be depressed; however, the earliest signs of depression begin with youngest of the human population. From the day a child is born, the environment, the people, and everything else around them, begins to influence their decisions and impact the way they will live their life. A child is the first naà ¯ve human being to be influencedRead MoreObesity And Its Effects On Obesity1637 Words   |  7 PagesMany people wonder how destructive can effects of obesity be. First of all what is an obesity? Obesity is an abnormal accumulation of body fat, usually 20% or more over an individual s ideal body weight. It is a very serious problem and is becoming very dangerous in today’s world. Obesity is now considered to be the second most preventable death in America, with tobacco being the first. As use of tobacco rates continues to decline, the obesity rates continue to rise. With that being said, deathRead MoreThe Great Depression By Franklin D. Roosevelt s New Deal Legisla tion1115 Words   |  5 PagesWhat do you think about when you hear The Great Depression? Some might say the worst economic time in the United States of America. The Great Depression was one of the longest and innermost economic downturn in the world of history between the years of 1929 and 1939. Also, The Great Depression led to the Federal Government having a more involved role in America s economy, this was done through the creation of Franklin D. Roosevelt s New Deal Legislation, which turned out to be effective becauseRead MoreObesity : A Major Problem Today Society Within The United States1548 Words   |  7 PagesObesity is a major problem in today’s society within the United States. To be more specific, childhood obesity. Childhood obesity is becoming worse, and the adults don’t realize the impact it has on the rest of the child s life. According to Americas Let’s Move initiative the definition of Obesity is, â€Å"excess body fat. Because body fat i s difficult to measure directly, obesity is often measured by body mass index (BMI), a common scientific way to screen for whether a person is underweight, normalRead MoreTeen Depression : Is It Really Doing What It Should?1332 Words   |  6 PagesDepression is a prodigious issue in today’s society and is especially prevalent in teens. According to teen depression statistics, around 20% of teens have or are currently experiencing depression symptoms. And that doesn’t include self- harm or suicide/attempted suicide. Because depression is becoming such a major issue, antidepressant prescription has skyrocketed; but is it really doing what it should? If antidepressant use is increasing, why are the numbers of depressed teens growing or remainingRead MoreThe Causes of Canadas Great Depression of 1929-1939 Essay1679 Words   |  7 Pagesto him heard. â€Å"It’s all gone.†# The term ‘Great Depression’ according to Kristin Brennan evokes black -and-white images of thin men in threadbare suits and worn-out shoes selling five-cent apples on city streets, of â€Å"grim-faced women lined up three deep to collect bread and milk at relief stations.†# The Great Depression of the 1930s was a devastating time toward many Canadians, where the collapse of the stock market was the beginning of the Depression, a period of severe economic and social hardshipRead MoreMajor Depression : A Disabling Illness1569 Words   |  7 PagesMajor Depression: a Disabling Illness or a Tool of Greatness Around one time in everyone’s life, they will suffer from depression, whether it’d be a short amount of time, or the complete opposite. Mentally the effect of depression are scarring, but when a depression victim finally sees the light of day from the withered dark forest, nothing could feel greater. Once the melancholy thoughts are overcome, a victim can grow as a person, appreciate the life they’ve been given, gain some maturity, andRead MoreWhy Is the â€Å"Era of Goof Feelings† a Misnomer? Essay859 Words   |  4 Pagesis partly fact. However, the perception of unity that this era defines is somewhat misleading. Throughout this period, there were various problems that contradicted the era’s name. Some of the serious issues that divided the nation were economic depression and sectionalism. The first major fracture in â€Å"Era of Good Feelings† was an economic panic and depression that is frequently known as â€Å"The Panic of 1819†. This disaster was largely caused by the Second Bank of the United States (BUS). In theirRead MoreSevere Economic Downfall During The Great Depression1360 Words   |  6 PagesThe severe economic downfall during the period from 1929 to 1941 is known as The Great Depression. The stock market crashed and millions of people lost their jobs and ended up homeless. It was one of the most terrifying eras in the US’ history. Industry and agriculture were both major causes of the Depression. Many things were replaced due to the fact of development of the technology. For example, railroads lose to automobiles and coal loses to hydro elective , natural gas, and oil. Also, fewer houses

Friday, May 8, 2020

Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder ( Adhd ) And The...

Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) and the Frontal Lobes Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) throughout history has been seen as a behavioral issue. The prevalence and attention given to ADD/ADHD as a disorder has not become apparent until more modern times. With the coming of Drugs, treatment seemed to become common and successful. There are many risk factors believed to contribute to developing ADD/ADHD. However, no correlates are indeed causal factors to people who develop ADD/ADHD. There has been genetic and hereditary evidence and a definite difference neurologically that proves to be the basis of the ADD/ADHD. Both dopamine and serotonin have a play in the ADD/ADHD. History of Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD), Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD), Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is a debatable topic when it comes to the discovery or history of the disorder. A Doctor Alexander Crichton in 1798 described children as having â€Å"mental restlessness†; when the child was without the ability to constantly attend to any one object. Another description was accounted in a children’s book by Doctor Heinrich Hoffman who was also a physician during 1845. In one of his books of poetry, Doctor Heinrich Hoffman writes about a Fidgety Philip, in which there is a description of a boy recognizable with, what is now ADD/ADHD. (History of ADD/ADHD, n.d.). A British DoctorShow MoreRelated add and ritalin Essay2465 Words   |  10 Pages ADD and Ritalin Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is a problem that affects 5% to 10% of all children. ADD affects more children than any other childhood problems except asthma. It is estimated to be the largest single cause for first referrals to child guidance clinics throughout the country, making up as many as 40% of those cases. Many ADD cases are not diagnosed because the problem most often does not show in the doctor’s office. Current estimates suggest that approximately 50 to 65% of theRead MoreAttention Deficit Disorder Essay1978 Words   |  8 PagesAttention Deficit Disorder Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is a problem that affects 5% to 10% of all children ADD affect more children than any other childhood problems except asthma. It is estimated to be the largest single cause for first referrals to child guidance clinics throughout the country, making up as many as 40% of those cases. Many ADD cases are not diagnosed because the problem most often does not prevail in the doctors office. Current estimates suggest that approximately 50Read More Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Essay1520 Words   |  7 PagesAttention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder / Personality? For a typical person with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) sitting down to do a task such as homework can be agonizing, the physical act of staying in place, being as difficult as concentrating on the work. The person with ADHD may go on in life to have social problems because symptoms such as hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity, are mistaken as laziness or self-centeredness (14). The problems of ADHD often developRead MoreAttention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder Essay1011 Words   |  5 PagesAttention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common childhood disorders that develops in children and becomes apparent in the preschool, early school years and continue through adolescence and adulthood. It is one of the rising public health concerns which is characterized by inappropriate levels of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. The world wide prevalence rate was estimated as 5.29 %. (Polanczyk 2007). Prevalent rates are higher at 12 y ears. It also affects schoolRead More Attention Deficit Disorder in American Children Essay1414 Words   |  6 PagesAttention Deficit Disorder in American Children Approximately 3-5% of all American children have Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). ADD is a leading cause of school failure and under-achievement. ADD characteristics often arise in early childhood. As many as 50% of children with ADD are never diagnosed. Boys significantly outnumber girls, though girls are more likely to be undiagnosed with ADD. ADD is not an attention disorder, but a disorder of impulse control (Pfiffrer 184). CharacteristicsRead MoreChildhood Disorders Range From Attention Deficit / Hyperactive Disorder ( Adhd )909 Words   |  4 Pageswill have a childhood disorder† (U.S. Department of Human Health and Services, 2015). Childhood disorders range from attention-deficit/hyperactive disorder (ADHD), autism, however, these are only a couple well-known disorders. Be that as it may, some individuals are dysfunctional from the myelination, limited working memory or selective attention, all of which can contribute or be linked to ADHD and autism, hence the executive function of individuals are affected by these disorder. ApproximatelyRead More Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Essay1555 Words   |  7 PagesAttention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a developmental disorder that displays as distracted, hyperactive, and unable to focus on tasks and activities. Also known as Hyperkinetic Impulse Disorder, Hyperkinesis, Hyperactive Syndrome, Minimal Brain Damage, Minimal Brain Dysfunction, and Undifferentiated Deficit Disorder, ADHD is the most commonly diagnosed neurological disorder in children. Although many children with ADHD are quite intelligent, their lack of focus can frequently lead toRead MoreAttention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder - Essay1391 Words   |  6 PagesAttention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Abstract There have been major concerns about the different kinds of learning disorders and the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is one. While there are different kinds of the learning disorders which affect the old and the young alike, researchers have not been able to find the cause of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. This paper will begin by discussing the definition of the disorder, the recent statistics of childrenRead MoreAttention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder ( Adhd )1678 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"ADHD is a neurological difference that affects learning and language, and every aspect of life† (Hardman). It has been argued that ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder) is not a real disease, but it has been confirmed by neurological testing that ADHD is a real disease. It has been found that ADHD symptoms are caused by a child having less brain activity in their frontal lobes; this part of the brain controls the impulse control which will make it harder for the child to sit still. ThereRead MoreAttention Deficit Disorder ( Add ) Essay937 Words   |  4 PagesAttention Deficit Disorder (ADD) LeeAnn Larsen Community College of Aurora Attention Deficit Disorder Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is â€Å"a syndrome of disordered learning and disruptive behavior that is not caused by any serious underlying physical or mental disorder and that has several subtypes characterized primarily by symptoms of inattentiveness or primarily by symptoms of hyperactivity and impulsive behavior (as speaking out of turn) or by the significant expression of all

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Original Writing Rumours over Rumours Free Essays

It happened on a usual Friday in the autumn. The weather was very terrible: masses of rain were falling down the sky as if the clouds were exploding. There was no sun visible in the sky. We will write a custom essay sample on Original Writing: Rumours over Rumours or any similar topic only for you Order Now The school bell rang and David put his stuff away and walked out of the classroom. He stood outside the school with his mates, waiting for their mums and dads to pick them up. Having to stay under the rain without any umbrella or a place where they could protect themselves from the rain. After 15 minutes standing and waiting outside in the cold David’s last friend was picked up by his mother. That was very unusual as normally David is the first one to be able to go home, but this day was completely different. David had to wait about half an hour until the red BMW with his dad sitting inside arrived, red-faced and in hurry. David sat down on the front passenger’s seat next to a normally unknown image. The car immediately made its way home. There was an uncommon silence inside the car. David sensed that something was definitely wrong, as normally he asks his son about how the day was. After a few minutes his Dad broke the silence: â€Å"David, how can you explain me the rumour that is there around our neighbourhood?† David just stared at the face of his Dad, thinking ‘What is he talking about? What is wrong with him?’ â€Å"Don’t look at me as if nothing had happened! You know exactly what I’m talking about. The rumour about you.† â€Å"What rumour!? I don’t know anything about it – seriously. What’s the rumour?† â€Å"The rumour is that one of my friend saw you in a bar smoking and drinking lots of vodka. He also saw you with another half nude girl. I can’t remember her name.† â€Å"What? Who started that damned rumour about me? David asked innocently. â€Å"David – Is it true or not?† asked his dad suspiciously. â€Å"No dad! Of course it isn’t true! I have never smoked or drunk any type of alcohol! You have to believe me dad! And I don’t even know that girl you are talking about and I haven’t been in that bar.† â€Å"Don’t tell me any excuses young boy. Your mum will deal with you when we arrive at home† David kept quiet for the rest of their journey. David’s dad only deposed David at home and drove away somewhere. David got much panicked because he knew that if his dad just went away without even speaking to his mum, it meant that trouble was waiting for David at home. Usually his mum does not get that angry with him and believes his son. But this time it was looking very differently because when he went into the house his mum was waiting for him on the couch. â€Å"You owe me an explanation young man!† she said in an unusual tone. â€Å"W-what is there to explain mum?† â€Å"Don’t try to take the piss out of me! You know what I mean. The rumour about you. Is it true?† David shook his head slowly, â€Å"No mum† His mum laughed doubtfully: â€Å"Oh, c’mon! You think I can really believe you? I know you very well and you know that as well as I do how your face looks like when you are telling a lie. Why are you not just telling me the truth?† Depressed David looked up from the floor and said it straight out to his mum: â€Å"Yes mum! Yes – You are damn right. I was there in that pub and drunk a lot of alcohol and smoked. But you have to believe me; I don’t know anything about that girl dad was telling me about. The bar is a clean bar and not a brothel.† â€Å"David, we never had any types of problems with your brother!† â€Å"Why don’t you just tell me that into my face? You hate me and only think about Robert! Robert here, Robert there, he did this and that good think†¦ I’ve got enough of your Robert!† â€Å"OK David. I see, you don’t want to be compared with your elder brother? I know the reason: It is because he is a good person and you are exactly the opposite of him. That’s why you don’t like him and don’t want to be compared to him!† David was crying and silently went to his room. He laid down on his bed and cried. After a while he fell asleep. The next day was a holiday and David woke up very early, at about 6 o’clock. He first washed his face, got dressed and got back into his bed. He didn’t have any breakfast because his mum was there and he didn’t want to see her again. David spent all his day in his room doing nothing else as sleeping or playing around with his mobile phone. His parents completely ignored him, and so did he to them. His parents and David did not communicate to each other properly for about 4 week. David never went into this bar again, drunk alcohol or smoked cigarettes during this time although he was very depressed and often wished to go there. He thought of the possible effect that could happen if he did that again and got caught. When he got back to school after the holidays his mum started speaking with him and David felt very happy about it because in this period of time he found out how important a mother is to a son, which he just experienced. Their relationship was built together again and it seemed to be nothing that could break them both apart. But one day when David was at school his mum got a text message from one of David’s mates that simply destroyed everything. This SMS was telling his mum that David went to a brothel and walked around with inadequately dressed girls. It was Jack, but he was lying. When David came back from school that day, her mother welcomed him with a slap. David got startled from that. He looked at his mother despairingly and didn’t know the reason for this slap. â€Å"What did I do now mum? I swear to God I didn’t go to that bar again or drunk alcohol!† he asked frightened. â€Å"You are a good actor David! I know that style of yours† â€Å"What!?† David asked without knowing anything. â€Å"I’ve had enough of you! D’you think I am that stupid? I just got a message from one of your friends telling me about Eva.† â€Å"I don’t know any Eva! Who are you talking about?† â€Å"Oh c’mon David! First flirting with her in a bar and then walking around with her while she was wearing nearly nothing!† â€Å"Mum I don’t have any girlfriend and neither I know anybody called Eva† â€Å"Why don’t you just admit that you know that girl and the past rumour was true? You can’t hide it forever!† â€Å"What should I admit? What am I hiding?† â€Å"You know what David? I don’t even believe a single word coming out of your mouth!† â€Å"Do you know why I love my dad more than you? It’s because you hate me! You only love Robert and don’t care about me at all! I hate you too!† After saying this David ran upstairs to his room crying. He again lied down on his bed and thought about what he said. He regretted what he just said to his mum, because it wasn’t true. He loved his mum a lot. It was just that they sometimes couldn’t agree and had different thoughts about things. After a while he again slept. In that night he had a dramatic nightmare: He was falling into a whole without any end with his brother. There was a pavement on a side with people holding their hands up in order to catch one of the persons from falling. He saw how his brother Robert was able to rescue himself and survived. David himself was falling further and further into the whole, having no end. Suddenly he then woke up. When he woke up David realised that he was sweating extremely. He got out of his bed and washed his face in the bathroom. In the bathroom he looked at himself in the mirror and thought â€Å"I am dead anyway inside†. He was feeling an uncertain pain that was killing him inside. He looked at the clock; it was 3 o’clock. After he went back to his room he decided to write a letter to his parents about that he is trying to suicide. Once he put the letter on his desk, he opened the window and went out to the balcony. From the ladder there he climbed down the wall. There was a lake he knew about 5 kilometres away from his house, where he wanted to go. After looking back to the bedroom window of his parents and said farewell to his parents inside. He started his way to this lake by running all the five kilometres. He ran as fast as he had never done before. At about 3.30 he arrived there on the lake. David’s biggest fear was a lake or sea as he could not swim. There were boats, which could be rented on the lake. As David didn’t have any money with him he just took one and paddled to the centre of the lake. 5 kilometres away from where David was, his mum woke up and had the funny feeling that something was wrong, having to do with David. She decided to go to David’s room to ensure that everything was alright. But in fact it wasn’t at all. When she opened his room, she saw the empty room with the window open and the farewell letter on David’s desk. She screamed a very ear-piercing scream when she read about David’s suicide. At the same time David was in the centre of the lake and about to suicide himself. David closed his eyes and though about his family, his brother, mum and dad. Then he jumped into the lake with ice cold water and allowed the lake to swallow him†¦ How to cite Original Writing: Rumours over Rumours, Papers

Monday, April 27, 2020

Supervalu Company Analysis free essay sample

One company that may provide investors such an opportunity is Supervalu, Inc. Supervalu is an Eden Prairie, Minnesota based retail supermarket chain that has experienced sharp drop in the value of their share over the past several years. The company has committed itself to a turn-around by replacing Wayne Sales with Sam Duncan as CEO. Duncan followed his appointment as CEO by shuffling the top management deck and bringing in a new president in charge of Save-A-Lot, the companies most important subsidiary. All this was done with the ultimate aim of speeding up the turnaround. The company is also trimming down with layoffs and selling some of its well known brand to investment group Cerberus Capital (Anderson, 2013). 2. Overview of Supervalu Supervalu is an American retail giant. It has been in business for more than a century. With over 130,000 employees, it is the third largest food retail company in the United States (after Kroger and Safeway), and ranks number seventy five on the 2012 Fortune 500 list of America’s largest companies (Forbes, 2012). We will write a custom essay sample on Supervalu Company Analysis or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page On June 2nd 2006, the company announced the purchase of Boise, Idaho based Albertsons, Inc and all of its 1,124 stores. The Supermarket News magazine’s ranking of â€Å"Top Wholesalers for 2008† put Supervalu at the very top of the list (Supermarket News, 2008). The company has been listed on the New York Stock Exchange since 1967. The company’s mission is served by operations consisting principally of grocery and pharmacy operations with a total of 2,432 stores with the firm also offering supply chain services for smaller retailers, serving over 4,300 retailers (Supervalu, 2012). The retail operations are supported by 22 distribution centers, and the wholesale distribution is supported by nine distribution centers, the latter of which also supply company owned stores. The company benefits from a solid level of diversification with a number of different brands targeting different markets, including Acme, Albertsons and Shop ‘n Save brands. The company owns 1,102 traditional food retail stores, as well as 397 hard discount stores trading under the Save-A-Lot brand name (Supervalu, 2012). In addition the company also licenses the Save-A-Lot brand to 935 independent operators. With what seems to be a successful operation, the company however still faces a number of uphill battles with the last three years reporting significant losses and extreme pressure from competitors. In 2012 CEO Craig Hackert in charge since 2009 was replaced by company chairman Wayne Sales. A move that saw a sharp drop in share prices was met eight months later with Sales’ own firing and replacement with newcomer Sam Duncan in January of this year with the aim of accelerating the company’s turnaround. There have been significant problems including massive losses and decline in revenue production. Measures are now being taken to limit losses, slash cost and regain sales, including the sale of non-profitable brands as well as a shakeup in top management as discussed earlier. However, issues such as high levels of debt, a low level of equity and difficult trading conditions may persist for some time. In order to assess the organization as a potential investment, it is necessary to look at the financial analysis. 3. Financial Analysis Companies produce annual reports designed with the shareholder as the primary audience. The annual reports which are published using the standard format present the performance of the organization in the preceding 12 month period. The annual reports the 10-K in the United States – are overseen by an auditor to ensure that they reflect a true and honest picture of the company and are compiled in line with the required account standards. It should however be noted that financial reports may sometimes be rife with misleading information as was the case in recent years with Enron and WorldCom. However, for the purpose of this project, it is assumed that there are no potential misstatements. 4. 1 Summary of Statements All figures presented will be in millions of US dollars when examining the different financial statements – unless otherwise specified with the exception of per-share numbers. All figures for Supervalu, Inc. , have been extracted from the 10-k for the financial year ending February 2011 and 2012. Where industry comparisons are made, these have been taken from relevant ratio pages on MSN Money. 4. 2. 1 Income Statement The income statement, which can be found in appendix 1 is also called the Consolidated Statement of Earnings and shows that the financial year which ended on February 25th 2012 (a 52-week year) saw net sales of $36,100. This represented a deep in revenues on the previous two years as the 2011 net sales was $37,534 and the 2010 net sales was $40,597. Since 2010 the company has seen an 11. 0 percentage point decline in revenues. Some downward movement in revenue was however expected as a result of the divestments that occurred in mid to late 2011. The gross profit for the year 2012 was $8,019 which is a gross profit margin of 22. 1%. However the company saw a loss in operating profit of $519, primarily the result of high cost on intangible assets. 2012’s operating profit was still a lower loss in operating profit compared to 2011 when it was $976 and a gain of $1,201 in 2010. Net earnings are shown on the income statement. For the sake of accounting, net earnings may be presente d before or after taxes. Since Supervalu is experiencing an adverse financial climate and took advantage of a negative tax payment in 2010 and 2011, this paper will utilize the definition of net earnings as being earnings after tax. After provisions for income taxes were factored in, the company showed a loss of $1,040 or -2. 88% in net earnings in 2012. It must however be noted that this number represents an improvement on the previous year when net earnings registered a -4. 02% loss at $1,510. In 2012 there was a loss of $43. 91 per share in net earnings. This number is however an improvement from 2011 when the net loss per share was $7. 13 . It should be noted that these changes are not influences by the weighted average of outstanding share which stood at 212 million (Supervalu, 2012). The income statement highlights a company in some serious difficulties; however the numbers show encouraging signs of a rebound to better times in 2010. 3. 1. 2Balance Sheet The balance sheet referenced in Appendix 2 defines the company’s position in terms of assets and liabilities. The company experienced a drop in the value of its assets in 2012, however there was also a decrease in total liabilities overall. Current assets generally calculated as having an economic shelf life of 12 months or less fell steadily from 2010 ($3,711) to 2011 ($3,420) and 2012 ($3,225). This decline can be seen across all asset categories. Long-term assets also declined to $12,053 representing a 12. 39% drop in value. Measures to cut cost and control debt are starting to take hold as the level of current liabilities has declined year to year since 2010. The long term liabilities of the companies on the other hand have seen an upward tick with total liabilities rising from $11,524 in 2011 to $12,032 in 2012. Important to investors is the decline in the level of equity within the organization. This has gone down from $2,887 in 2010 to $1,340 in 2011 and just $21 in 2012. The balance sheet continues to paint a picture of current gloom face the organization in the near term. 3. 1. 3 Cash Flow Statement The cash flow statement in Appendix 3 shows $157 in cash and cash equivalents in hand at the end of 2012. This represented a decline in the previous two years of $211 in 2010 and $172 in 2011. This represents a gradual but consistent drop in cash and cash equivalents of the company. Significant impacts are the losses carried over into cash flow which amounted to $1,040 for 2012 and $1,510 for 2011. The net effect is a reduction in the amount of cash provided for operating activities. It is important to make note of the fact that while the company has engaged in disposing of some assets, there have also been new investment resulting in overall net investing of $484 in 2012 and $227 in 2011. Cash flow from financing activities was also negative with $291 raised from the issuance of long-term debt, but this is counteracted with $798 payment of long-term debt and capital lease obligations. This results in net cash outflow from financing activities of $587. However, this is a decline on the previous year of $975. 3. 1. 4Statement of Owners Equity The consolidated statement of stockholders equity found in Appendix 4shows the balance of equity over a period of four years, 2009-2012. The statement shows that the position of common stock has not changed, with a total of $230. The capital in excess of par has only change very slightly from $2,853 in 2009 to $2,855 in 2012. The major factor of the equity level is a deficit which resulted in a negative balance of -$1,892 at the end of 2012. When added with other accumulated losses results in a total shareholder equity in the firm of $21. This is a notable change compared to 2009 when the total balance of equity was $2,581. . 1 Ratio Analysis Ratio analysis can be used here to explore the financial position of the firm and the way in which it is performing by analyzing internal performance as well as providing a benchmark for comparison with the industry. This section puts forward some ratio analysis calculations and makes comparisons with industry averages where available. 3. 2. 1 L iquidity Liquidity is an important measure companies facing hard times. It measures the firm’s ability to survive in the short term and meet its current financial obligations (Libby et al, 2010). The current ratio and the quick ratio are the two main measure of liquidity also known as the acid test. The current ratio measures the firm’s ability to use current assets to settle current liabilities. In the case of Supervalu, there are insufficient assets available to pay current liabilities. This is however not unusual as like in many industries with rapid cash flow, a relatively low current ratio may be acceptable based on expected cash flow. Supervalu is therefore not necessarily showing any signs of mounting distress with the current ratio at 0. 0 as shown in table 1. The industry average is slightly higher, however this difference may be indicative of better use of capital – although it could also indicate cash flow issues. Table [ 1 ]: Current ratio Current ratio| 2010| 2011| 2012| Industry Avg. | Current assets| 3,711| 3,420| 3,225|   | Current liabilities| 4,167| 3,786| 3,590|   | Current ratio| 0. 89| 0. 90| 0. 90| 1. 1| (Supervalu figures are extracted from Supervalu Inc. 10-K. Industry comparison figure from Microsoft Money, 2012). The quick ratio is another way to evaluate liquidity within a company. The idea behind this is that an organization may not be able to realize the full value of its inventory if they are required to liquidate inventory in order to pay current liabilities. Calculations for the quick ratio are similar to the current ratio minus inventory value which is deducted from the total current assets as can be seen in Table 2. Table 2: Quick ratio Quick ratio| 2010| 2011| 2012| Industry Avg. | Current assets| 3,711| 3,420| 3,225|   | Inventory| 2,342| 2,270| 2,150|   | Net current assets| 1,369| 1,150| 1,075|   | Current liabilities| 4,167| 3,786| 3,590|   | Quick ratio| 0. 3| 0. 30| 0. 30| 0. 7| (Supervalu figures are taken from Supervalu, Inc. 10K. Industry figures are taken from Microsoft Money, 2012) 3. 2. 2Asset Management The company’s ability to manage assets will be a key deciding factor in its return to profitability. Measures of asset management include return on assets and return on equity. For Supervalu, the return on assets shows a sligh t improvement in 2012 at -8. 06% compared to -10. 00% in 2011. Table [ 3 ]: Return on assets Return on Assets| 2010| 2011| 2012| Industry Avg. | Net income| 393| -1510| -1040|   | Total assets| 16436| 13758| 12053|   | Return on assets| 2. 31%| -10. 00%| -8. 06%| 6. 80%| (Supervalu figures taken from Supervalu Inc. 10-K, industry comparison figure from Microsoft Money, 2012) The return on equity is poor. While the actual loss has declined in 2012, the phenomenal change in the return on equity showing large losses is the results of adjustments that followed the steep decline in the level of equity. Table [ 4 ]: Return on equity Return on Equity| 2010| 2011| 2012| Industry Avg. | Net income| 393| -1,510| -1,040|   | Equity| 2,887| 1,340| 21|   | Return on equity| 13. 60%| -112. 69%| -4952. 38%| 15. 5%| (Supervalu figures taken from Supervalu Inc. 10-K, industry comparison figure from Microsoft Money, 2012) The return on equity may not be enough to make an assessment of management’s use of assets. An alternative measure will be asset turnover (Libby et al, 2010). This analyzes the way in which assets are used to generate revenue. It will show how many times assets have been turned over in a given year. Supervalu seems to be improving efficiency in terms of utilization. They turned over assets equivalent to 2. 8 times in 2012 which was an increase from the previous two years (2. 9 times in 2011 and 2. 39 times in 2010). Looking at this in terms of industry context where the average is 2. 4 times, Supervalu appears to be improving efficiency which is positive for recovery. 3. 2. 3Debt Management The company’s debt equity ratio seems to spell doom for the future. This ratio measures the proportion of debt to equity. Compared to the industry average of 1. 03 shown in table 5 Table 5: Return on equity Debt to equity ratio| 2010| 2011| 2012| Industry Avg. | Total debt|   | 11,524| 12,032|   | Total equity|   | 1,340| 21|   | Debt/Equity|   | 8. 6| 572. 95| 1. 03| Supervalu figures taken from Supervalu Inc. 10-K, industry comparison figure from Microsoft Money, 2012) Another measurement of debt management is the debt ratio. Supervalu’s debt ratio show s that it is in a delicate position with the majority of assets being funded by debt. Many companies have gone through similar issues due to losses in equity but have rebounded as was the case with auto maker General Motors. These numbers do not therefore signify an inability for Supervalu to rebound. 3. 2. 4 Profitability An important measure of viability is the profitability of the organization. There are various measures of profit, however in this report I shall focus on net profit margin. This is the level of profit that remains after all cost has been deducted. In this report, I shall utilize the measure after interest and taxes. As can be seen on table 6, the company is slowly digging itself out of a low point in 2011 when the net profit margin was negative 4. 02%. However in an industry where the average is 3. 24%, it is obvious the organization has a long way to go. Table 5: Return on equity Net profit margin| 2010| 2011| 2012| Industry Avg. | Revenue (Net sales)| 40,597| 37,534| 36,100|   | Net profit| 393| -1,510| -1,040|   | Net profit margin| 0. 96%| -4. 02%| -2. 88%| 3. 24%| (Supervalu figures taken from Supervalu Inc. 10-K, industry comparison figure from Microsoft Money, 2012) 3. 2. 5Market Value There are a number of different measures of market value, the most common of which is the price earnings ratio. This is a measure that assesses Harold company will take to earn is total capitalization. However, as Supervalu is making a loss this ratio is not relevant and cannot be calculated. To assess market value a measure which may be utilized are the earnings per share. The earnings per share are shown in table 10, and are a measure of the profit, or loss, the company makes attributed to each share outstanding. As expected, this is in line with the net profit margin in table 5, with the earnings per share being -$4. 91 in 2012 falling from -$7. 12 in 2011. Table 6: Return on equity Earnings per share| 2010| 2011| 2012| Net profit| 393| -1,510| -1,040| Average share out| 213| 212| 212| Net profit margin| 1. 84%| -7. 12%| -4. 91%| (Supervalu figures taken from Supervalu Inc. 10-K 3. Competitors Supervalu is widely considered the third largest supermarket chain in the country. Its main industry peers are  Safeway, Kroger, and  Whole Food Market. Supervalu generated a steady gross margin of 22. 21% in 2012 and 22. 41% in 2011. However, the company is a loss-maker and it produced negative earnings in the previous year. Safeway, Kroger and Whole Food Market generated operating margins of 2. 37%, 1. 61%, and 6. 36%, respectively. It is clear from these gross margin numbers that the grocery industry has very slim operating margins on sales. Table 7: Competitor Analysis Figure in Million| Net Income| Long term D/E| Operating Margin %| Supervalu| -1244| Very High| -2. 1| Kroger| 728| 1. 8| 1. 61| Whole Food Market| 465| 0. 001| 6. 36| Safeway| 523| 2. 3| 2. 37| (Competitor results taken from Finviz. com) It also seems that Supervalu continued to struggle with insufficient growth in its operating activities in the last quarter of 2012. The corporations operating income fell for fiscal 2012. Furthermore, Supervalu is susceptible to financial leverage as it took on a new $2. 5 billion of debt in the third quarter of 2012 (Boehme, 2012). Supervalu needs to continue to reduce its operational cost in order to record positive results. 4. Conclusion The shedding of 877 grocery stores in a $3. 3 billion dollar deal with Cerberus Management LP in the first quarter of this year seems to have been a sign of a new and positive beginning (Dezember, 2013). The company’s stock has been one of the top performers this year; contradictory for a company still drowning in debt and declining sales. However the market has a positive outlook on the company. Since January 1st this year, shared of the company have gained a solid 133%. Supervalu closed the first day of trading this year at $2. 60 and ended the last week trading at $5. 26. Thanks to these positive numbers, both Fitch and Moody’s have upgraded their ratings on the company from negative to stable which has been a boost to investor confidence. The reduction in non-performing assets is expected to continue to improve the stability of the company. With less exposure to market volatility, the company should be able to rebound and even thrive. Decreasing the debt level will boost the balance sheet and future net revenues. 5. Recommendation Although the bullish run of Supervalu which started early this year continues, the company still has a long way to go in its quest to recover. Therefore the subjective recommendation of this report will be to hold. Based on the company’s current trend, it is very likely that within the next year the company will show even more positive signs of improvement and therefore warrant a change to a buy recommendation. If the organization is able to make a recovery it will be in a very strong position in the market as the number three grocer that also benefits from a large wholesaler and supply chain management operation. References Anderson, Jake, (January 10th 2013), Supervalu to Sell 5 Chains in $3. 3B Deal, Replace CEO. Retrieved April 13th 2013 from http://tcbmag. om/News/Recent-News/2013/January/Supervalu-to-Sell-5-Chains-in-$3-3B-Deal,-Replace Patton, Leslie, (July 30th 2012), Supervalu Names Wayne Sales CEO Amid Strategic Review. Retrieved April 13th 2013 from http://www. bloomberg. com/news/2012-07-30/supervalu-names-sales-chief-executive-officer-to-replace-herkert. html Forbes Inc. (2012), Fortune 500 List of Best Companies (2012). Retrieved April 13th 2013 from http://money. cnn. com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2012/full_list/ Supermarket News (2008, SN Top Wholesalers for 2008. Retrieved April 17th 2013 from http://supermarketnews. om/top-75-retailers-amp-wholesalers/sn-top-wholesalers-2008 Supervalu, (2012). About Supervalu. retrieved April 13th 2013 from http://www. supervalu. com/sv-webapp/about/about. jsp Boehme, Kate, (September 16th 2012), Can Supervalu Survive Its Debt? Retrieved April 18th 2013 from http://seekingalpha. com/article/869491-can-supervalu-survive-its-debt Dezember, Ryan and Hudson, Kris (January 10th 2012), Property Is Plum in Supervalu Deal. Retrieved April 18th 2013 from http://online. wsj. com/article/SB10001424127887324581504578233411904827872. html

Thursday, March 19, 2020

Snow Goose Overpopulation Essay Example

Snow Goose Overpopulation Essay Example Snow Goose Overpopulation Paper Snow Goose Overpopulation Paper Essay Topic: The Wild Duck The Overpopulation of the Snow Goose in North America Abstract The purpose of this paper is to explore available research on the overpopulation of the Snow Goose on the North American continent. The snow goose has been rising in population since the middle of the century and has been escalating so much it is destroying their natural habitat. Wildlife managers have just recently begun to implement strategies to combat this problem. Mainly through the use of hunters the managers are trying to curb the population growth. Introduction There are three main species of Snow Goose of primary concern. The Lesser Snow Goose (LOGO) is the must abundant and at the same time most troublesome. Rossi Goose (ERGO) is very similar to the Lesser and can only be distinguished by close observation. Both the Lesser and the Ross nest in salt marshes along Hudson Bay and then migrate down to the gulf coast states such as Texas and Louisiana. Their populations number in the millions. The third sub species is the Greater Snow Goose. They nest in the same marshes as the others except they migrate down the Atlantic Coast into the Carolinas and that vicinity. All three species have exploded in numbers since he sasss. Researchers have done a lot of study on the numbers and the degradation but may need to do more studies on the impact to other species and look for other options to control the populations. Population Trends The numbers of all light colored geese has been on the rise since data was first collected. The Lesser Snow Goose (LOGO) has drastically increased in number since data was first taken. Numbers range from around 800,000 in 1969 to as many as 6 million in 1996 (COWS 1999). While the Greater snow Goose (EGGS) has risen in numbers from a few thousand to almost 500,000 COWS 1999). This brief article did not provide much insight into actual numbers. Abraham and Jiffies in their report dig deeper and provide more significant and detailed population counts. Their numbers add in the Mid- winter index, which is the number of geese counted during mid-winter and referred to as MI. Their numbers also have a count for Ross Goose (ERGO) which primarily flies with the (LOGO) and is very hard to distinguish (Abraham and Jiffies 1998). They too suggest the LOGO population to be around 800,000 in 1 969 and in 1994 about 2. 4 million. Although it is suggested that he number is low due an undercount during the winter and a more precise count may be taken when nesting in spring. The population of Greater Snow Goose has reached 612,000 from around 50,000 in the mid sasss. Rossi Goose has increased from 8,000 in 1957 to nearly 500,000 in 1995 (Abraham and Jiffies). The Texas Department of Fish and Wildlife states that the population of wintering snow geese has remained constant. They imply this is due to the fact that the geese have spread their winter range into other states (TADS 1999). As indicated earlier it is very hard to count wintering rids because such a large number of wintering areas. Below are a few graphs of these population trends (COWS 1 999) (Insisting 98) (Insisting 1 998) Factors contributing to High Population The snow goose problem is a wildlife managers nightmare. Through prudent restrictions on birds taken as game, and the increase in refuges coupled with excellent habitat in the birds entire range. It is estimated that there is nearly 900,000 ha of rice fields over the snow gooses winter range (Abraham and Jiffies 1998). This is in addition to the typical salt marsh wintering ground. Abraham and Jiffies suggest that farther to the North in dates like Nebraska and North Dakota the conversion of grassland prairie into cereal grains has provided a tremendous amount of food for the geese. In addition it has also blurred the area typically considered the wintering range. It may also provide a natural rest stop along the way for migrating birds assuring greater health at nesting grounds (Abraham and Jiffies 1998). The establishment of refugees has reduced the amount of birds taken by hunters allowing more birds to complete a full migration cycle (COWS 1999). Hunting of the Greater Snow Goose was banned in the us from 1931-75 Abraham and Jiffies 1998). Hunting was not allowed to promote population numbers, and once started in 1 975 did not have a high harvest. The LOGO and ERGO starting in the middle of the asss and continually have extended their nesting range south into less extreme climate (Abraham and Jiffies 1998). It has also been suggested that since birds are now living longer the older adults are now leading the less wary young to safer sites and out of hunters range (Insisting 1998). Insisting also suggests that the artic may be warming and as Abraham and Jiffies cited there has been shown a relation between the snow melt and survival of nesting birds and their young. According to Hodge the annual kill by hunters in 1 970 neared 40% but in 1994 the rate had dropped to less than 8%. Thus allowing a great deal of the adult population to return to nesting sites in the spring. Impact on habitat The snow geese still nest in a primarily salt marsh environment. The geese have a detrimental feeding behavior in which they pull up the marsh grass by the roots. This behavior is know as grubbing and when done in mass quantities can destroy whole marshes for decades. A project known as the Hudson Bay Project: Ecosystem Studies and Conservation of Coastal Arctic Tundra has done extensive research onto the effects of the snow goose population on the area around Hudson Bay. Researchers there estimate that it takes decades to replace a marsh that has been decimated by the geese. It has been shown by the Hudson Bay Project that repeated grubbing on the salt marsh in the Hudson Bay area has effectively depleted a large percentage of the available marsh. The geese completely strip the marsh of grass, and can ruin a marsh for a long period of time. The project researchers set up exclusion zones where they fenced off part of the marsh to demonstrate and measure the effects of grubbing and overpopulation on marshes. The exclusion zone would maintain green patch of grass while the rest of the marsh would become barren and undesirable (Hudson Bay Project 1999). Some have suggested they are damaging the crops in their winter range, but it is also known that a large portion of their winter food is waste grain, not a huge environmental impact as in their nesting grounds. It is estimated nearly 35 percent of their nesting territory has been completely destroyed and another 30 percent so badly damaged that is not viable and the remaining 35 percent is in grave danger of becoming wasted (Hodge 1999). Exclusion zones showing marsh grass depletion. (Hudson Bay Project) Degraded marsh. (Hudson Bay Project) Impact on other Species The impact on other species is the major whole I have seen in the research done to date, I had a real hard time finding any concrete evidence that the high number of geese was negatively affecting other species. The Hudson Bay Project and Hodge both claim that it is and will affect other species such as ducks and shore birds. While it might be easy to draw the conclusion that grading of their habitat will send the populations into decline just dont see much hard evidence, and it would be nice in future studies to have a correlation between the increase in Snow goose population and a decrease in say the yellow rail population. Abraham and Jiffies make and excellent point The scale of the problem and associated level of risk to the broader populations requires intensive study, including some calculation of the proportion of total range of the species affected by goose damage. It is clear, however, that the interaction is dynamic, and the rapid occupation of new areas by geese increases the threat to other species even as the effects are being calculated. Management Strategies The general consensus among many groups is that a very large percentage of the population needs to be eliminated. There are two main ways now that birds a killed. That is through aboriginal egging and Recreational hunting. The amount to which hunting is disputed (Paul 1999). Paul points to seemingly different numbers by two different groups each suggesting the recommended kill or harvest of the Snow goose. Mrs.. Paul also points out that on the extreme end the harvest rate would have to increase by 9 fold to eave the desired effect on the overall population. To have this desired effect the US and Canadian governments have agreed to expand hunting in hopes of nabbing more birds. Texas even has proposed a special permit for some hunters that would allow them to take as many as 100 more birds than they did last year. The Canadian government is also looking into Ways to encourage aboriginal peoples to take more eggs for subsistence. States are being encouraged to do what is necessary to increase hunting opportunities for the Snow goose. Some are considering putting pressure on private land owners to allow more hunting. Refugee managers are also toying with opening up more hunting on previously denoted safe zones. Manitoba has opened up a special Lesser Snow Goose hunting season in the spring and allowed hunters to use electronic calls (COWS 1999). Electronic calls are thought to increase the chances for hunters. Will it Work? One of the main concerns for all involved is will it work? Paul stresses the point that we must consider if the strategies will allow for complete recovery of the grass. Should the Refuge system be modified? Are our practices for other migratory birds going to lead to similar problems? (Paul 1 999) It is estimated that hunters will need to kill over 900,000 geese a year for over a decade to make any kind of dent in the population (Hodge 1999). Some are skeptical that hunters can take that many birds to begin with, let alone the fact that to many that seems like a merciless slaughter of innocent animals. Conclusion It appears that one thing is very clear there is an overpopulation of Snow Geese on the North American Continent. The situation is almost out Of hand and something needs to be done fast. Although there has enough research on the fact that there are simply to many geese there really has not been enough on the impacts to other species, and what is the best way to take care of the problem.

Tuesday, March 3, 2020

MLA Referencing †Citing a Website (Writing Tips from Proofed)

MLA Referencing – Citing a Website (Writing Tips from Proofed) MLA Referencing – Citing a Website Is there anything you can’t find online these days? If there is, we don’t want to know about it. Admittedly, though, the only thing we truly care about is that you cite online sources correctly! Here, then, is our guide on doing exactly that when citing a website with MLA referencing. In-Text Citations MLA typically uses an author–page number citation format. However, websites do not have page numbers, so you might not know what to include when you cite a website in a college paper. Thankfully, the solution to this is simple. All you need to do to cite a website in MLA referencing is include the first item of information that appears in the list. Usually, this will be the author’s surname, although you can use the title of the webpage if no author is named. If the author/webpage is named in the text, this is enough by itself. Otherwise, though, you would cite the source in brackets as follows: The Museum of Modern Art describes its mission as being to â€Å"present a dynamic and varied offering of some of the most thought-provoking art produced today† (â€Å"Who We Are†). We can examine whether it achieves this by collecting visitor data (McIntyre). Here, in the first citation, we’re citing the page titled â€Å"Who we are† from the MoMa website. The page does not name an author, so we use the title instead. In the second citation, we’re citing a different page from a different site and we give the author’s surname instead. List All websites cited in your work should appear in the list at the end of your document. The format here can vary a little, but you need to give enough information for your reader to find the website you’ve referenced. Typically, this will include: Author name(s) (if available) The name of the page cited The title of the overall website The date of publication or the date the page was last updated A URL (minus the â€Å"https://† bit) The date you accessed the page (if required by your school) For the pages cited in the example above, then, we’d list them as follows: McIntyre, Morris Hargreaves. â€Å"Visitor Behavior and Engagement in the Museums and Heritage Sector.† AMACultureHive, 18 Apr. 2013. www.culturehive.co.uk/resources/how-to-bridge-the-gap-between-data-and-insight-in-the-museums-and-heritage-sector/. Accessed 1 June 2018. â€Å"Who We Are.† MoMa, 2018. www.moma.org/about/who-we-are/. Accessed 14 June 2018. You may notice that, as well as the lack of an author, we don’t have a precise date for the â€Å"Who we are† page from the MoMa website. This is because the page does not have an upload date, so we have used the copyright date for the site as a whole instead. The most important factor is that we’ve given the exact URL of the webpage, which will allow the reader to find the source used.

Sunday, February 16, 2020

Essential Elements of a Crime Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Essential Elements of a Crime - Essay Example Under our scenario, it is evident that conduct of Stephen of punching Vincent in the stomach is, the actus reus of battery. Battery in itself is unlawful taking into consideration that it is often meant at hurting the other party intentionally. In other words, Stephens’s unlawful offensive physical contact against Vincent is tantamount to a criminal offence. Commission acts is a significant proof for the actus reus of a crime. The case at hand can also be examined from causation point of view whereby action of the defendant resulted on a particular consequence. For instance, it can be established that Stephen’s act of punching Vincent was the major cause of Vincent’s illness. This clearly proves that in case a definition of the actus reus calls for a proof of an occurrence of a particular consequences then the prosecutor carries the responsibility of proving that the defendant’s conduct directly caused the consequences. For instance, if the prosecutor beli eves that Stephen conduct of battery was the reasonable cause of Vincent death then he/she has to prove this assertion. A conduct in criminal law does not need to be a commission only but also omission. V asserts that Clarkson (2005: 102) Omission refers to failure to take a positive action and consequently results in injury. Under general common law not only in the United Kingdom but also in other countries practicing common law, no individual can be held criminally liable for an act of omission. However, there are exceptions to omission rule such as in cases where there is: statutory duty, contractual obligation, voluntary assumption of responsibility, duty due to defendants previous conduct, and public duty. Failure to act and or respond positively to the above exceptions can result to committing actus reus by omission. In our scenario Stephen was guilty of committing the actus reus of omission. This claim can be justified by the fact that he failed respond to his prior act of ca using bodily harm to Vincent and consequently led to victim’s death. Under the common law defendant is often expected to correct a dangerous situation, which he/she is directly responsible for its occurrence (Emanuel, 2007: 95). Instead of helping Vincent who was, gasping for air on the floor Stephen just chose to run away even after punching him. Meanwhile Jim cannot be held criminally liable for committing actus reus of omission taking into consideration that he was under any statutory or contractual duty to help Vincent and there his inaction cannot attract any penalty under common law. Task 2: principles of novus actus interveniens and the ‘egg shell rule’ Principle of novus actus interveniens is widely used in the context of causation and it is used to explain interference with the chain of causation or to mean 'a new intervening act' (Hodgson, & Lewthwaite, 2007: 61). The chain of causation in criminal law refers to the series of events triggered by the def endant that leads to a particular event and consequent injury. For instance, it can be established through a post-mortem that a serious stab wounds is the major cause of a victim’s death. The relationship between a guilty action and its consequences is an important premise for establishing guilt and final liability not only in

Sunday, February 2, 2020

Legalization of Marijuana in Arizona Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Legalization of Marijuana in Arizona - Essay Example Currently, taxation on Alcohol and Cigarettes has been beneficial for the federal government. Solely $9 billion are gained annually through the excise tax on alcohol and $25 billion through cigarettes. States collect approximately $5.5 billion through alcohol taxes. There are certain shortcomings in the system due to which legitimate amount is still not collected. Collection of the exact amount of money through taxes on alcohol and cigarettes would gather billions of dollars. Strong legislation and adequate measures for the collection of tax on marijuana will definitely help Arizona to accumulate billions of dollars. Legalization of marijuana should be done in such a manner that high taxes are applied to it. There is not the much abundant supply of marijuana in the country and it has been sold in the grey market at a high price. Eventually, legalization of marijuana and quotation of high prices would basically discourage people to spend money on it. At the same; tax collection throug h it would be advantageous. The legalization of marijuana would promote its usage in the country but due to high prices, people would not be able to purchase it which would be ultimately positive. Most of the users of Marijuana are teenagers, high prices would change their purchase behaviors and sales reduction would be seen. Legalization of marijuana would also enable State to keep the record of demand and supply, which is fundamental for economics and finance division of Arizona. The sale and purchase mechanism of marijuana is still prevalent beneath the table and it involves drug dealers, criminals, and mob gangs. Due to legalization, these unlawful business operators would get out of their hubs for business. Their presence in the market would basically escort police officials to find the culprits of smuggling and illegal trade. By catching these individuals, the economy of the country and state would rise as grey market and smuggling has destroyed nation’s economy.  

Saturday, January 25, 2020

Racism and Social Prejudice Reflection Paper

Racism and Social Prejudice Reflection Paper Racism Racism refers to social prejudice against someone based on their skin color. It is a belief that members of a particular race possess certain qualities, characteristics and abilities in order to distinguish them as either superior or inferior to other races. I was born in Southern Kuwaiti. I was raised up in the slums in the outskirts of the city. I did not attend school. I spent much of my life on the looking up to the passers-by for food and other necessities. It was during this period as I strolled up and down the streets when I heard someone refer to me as a â€Å"bidoon†. I barely understood what this meant. Each day I would not comprehend the reason my parents could not own and possess the land. I also noticed that majority of my neighbors had the same cultural practices like us, they dressed like me. Moreover, the majority of the children in the neighborhood did not attend school like me. We spent most of our days and time in the streets borrowing food and money from the strangers. The term â€Å"bidoon† became more and more familiar to my ears each day. At 16, I had grown sick and tired of other kids laughing and giggling at me in the streets. While we remained stranded and misplaced in the streets, they seemed to be in a better position, always smiling and more comfortable than me. The curiosity to ask my parents why I did not attend school grew each day. Besides, I always wondered why I did not have the privilege to dress up smartly like the rest of the kids and grown ups on the streets. Furthermore, I realized each day that there was a big disparity between me and them. I realized that there existed none of the Arabian people in my neighborhood. Majority of us were all not of Arabian origin. Besides, I did not know why addressed me differently. Each day, something different was always coming up. Also, I realized that we were residing on the less privileged side of the city. Food was a problem, I had no access to clean water and sanitation. At the age of 20, life here had become more and more compelling. My parents were growing older each day and providing for my siblings and I was becoming more cumbersome. I felt compelled to move to the streets in search of a job opportunity. However, my parents would not allow me to. With persistence, he later explained to me that since we were not Arabs, life here was becoming more and more unfavourable. I realized that my parents had still not obtained their identification documents. It had become difficult for them to acquire Kuwait citizenship. This is because, we were not Arabians. I realized that only people of the Arabian origin were more privileged to be legal Kuwait citizens. Besides, it came to my attention that only those who acquired citizenship had more legal rights. They could access education, better health care, and better living conditions unlike me. I now realized why I had spent my entire childhood roaming around the streets. This had all been because we were not legally recognized as Kuwaiti citizens. Besides, majority of the people who enjoyed better civil rights were the Arabians. Living with this form of ethnical discrimination each day now fully dawned onto me. Again, I found that the traditional word I had heard,†bidoon† referred to me, the non-Arabian. It was used to mean I was stateless. That is why I lived in the outskirts of the city. In the slums where housing, sanitation and even food were a problem. My human rights were violated. Despite my parents’ restrictions, at the age of 22, I persistently went out to the streets. My key interest was on following up why all this prejudice on ethnicity and race was being carried on. It later came to my attention that, according to the Kuwaiti constitution, the nationality act, put in place various classes of citizens. I realised that there was a class of those referred to as â€Å"ancient Kuwaitis†(Walcott345-370) and others as naturalized citizens. â€Å"Ancient Kuwaitis† were definitely the Arabs, or those of Arabic origin. These were the ones who had full political rights. The naturalized Kuwaitis were I and the rest of us who were not of Arabian origin despite having grown up in Kuwaiti for the longest period. Living with this traumatising prejudice each day was difficult. It got worse when I discovered it was constitutionally stated. Each day of being a â€Å"bidoon† was a reality. It was distinctly clear that the human rights of the Bidoons like I were being violated and it was constitutionally acceptable. Moreover, I could frequently hear people identifying themselves as either â€Å"Article-1-citizens,†Article-3-citizens†(Walcott,450-500) and many others. I later became curious on why it was not legal for me to participate in the democratic process.I was left out. This is because I could only enjoy the privilege of voting after thirty years. This is because I was not an original Kuwaiti citizen since I was an alien in the land. Besides, neither was I descendant of an original Kuwaiti by blood (Welbon,345-400). I was simply an alien. I had to live with the pain of my rights being violated for the longest period possible. Besides, I realized that it was also constitut ionally acceptable that the Nationality Act gave preferential consideration to people of Arab origin to â€Å"bidoons.Bidoons acquired citizenship through naturalization. I realized that despite the fact that this is legal as per the Kuwaiti constitution, it is a violation of the Kuwait’s treaty duties. I later on sought to discover the origin of statelessness in the country. I discovered that this resulted from the fact that many had failed to acquire citizenship at independence hence could not be identified as Kuwait citizens after independence(Welbon,345-400). I however realised that the situation worsened over time because, rules guiding citizenship had become more vigilant overtime. I clearly understood why I had not attended school. I was a child to the bidoons (Welbon,345-400). I also realised that my parents could not have secured employed anywhere because of the strict rules that had been enforced to govern the â€Å"bidoons†.moreover, throughout I had had no access to medical care because I was the child of a†bidoon†.The worse got to worst in the 1990s, when Iraq invaded Kuwait. The â€Å"bidoons† had to forcefully join the army. If not so, imprisonment or death sentence. I lived under the threat and fear of imprisonment. I had to join the Iraq military(Welbon,345-400) to avoid facing any of the above threats, However this was viewed as a betrayal by Kuwait government. Hence upon liberation in 1991, the other â€Å"bidoons† and I were persecuted. Besides, the rest of my colleagues who had somehow managed to secure jobs were dismissed and denied pay. I had to live with the anger and agony of this prejudice each day ever since. What seems more sympathetic is the fact that each day, the state of prejudice against the non-Arabs worsened. I could not have access to necessary documents such as birth, death or marriage certificates (Wen and Tarn, 100-134). I still remain without any identification documents to this day. Travels across the border have become difficult. I am faced with the option of leaving the country if only never to come back. As the 21st century dawned, there was hope for legal action putting into concern our grievances; however, there is no political will. Instead, I have to live with the fear of eviction. This involves signing affidavits that I am a foreigner. This grants me a residence permit of five years. I have had to bribe the authorities for simple favours such as traveling across the borders. Entire life seems to be limited in a cocoon of things that revolve around insecurity. The fear of eviction from the state you have been at for many years and lack of access to essential facilities such as medical care was more than enough for me to bear (Wen and Tarn,100-134). The state of insecurity and persecution was incredible; this is all I have had to live with. Racism and ethnicity have been key in deterring fundamental progress in my life. Bibliography Pechenizkiy, Mykola. â€Å"Racism in Arabian Countries.† (2006): 1–26. Print. Ravi, Jayashree, Zhifeng Yu, and Weisong Shi. â€Å"A Survey Racism and Ethinicity in Kuwait .† (2009): 943–960. Web. 30 Jan. 2014. Spruyt, Charline. â€Å"Changing Concepts of Racism in Arabian countries .† (2011): 1–129. Print. Welbon, By Guy. â€Å"IN.† 31–38. Print. Wen, H Joseph, and Jyh-horng Michael Tarn. â€Å"racismà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¯,1998,USA,print

Friday, January 17, 2020

Domestic and Global Business Environment

BA 7000 Domestic and Global Business Conditions Bradley T. Ewing, Ph. D. Jerry S. Rawls Professor in Operations Management Area of ISQS Office: BA 164A Phone: 742-3939 Email: bradley. [email  protected] edu MBA Summer 2009 COURSE DESCRIPTION BA 7000 – Domestic and Global Business Conditions – This course is intended to help students develop a better understanding of the domestic and global environments in which US businesses compete. Specifically, this course takes a satellite-view of markets in which firms compete, including markets for goods and services; money, bonds and stocks; foreign exchange; and labor.These markets are examined individually and as a system. Particular emphasis is placed on studying the interactions among all markets in order to gain a better understanding of how domestic and global business conditions affect the formulation and implementation of business strategies. COURSE OVERVIEW This course examines the fundamentals of business conditions a nalysis with an emphasis on how domestic and global business conditions affect the formulation and implementation of business strategies. Specifically the primary goals of this course are to enable you to: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢Recognize the relevance of domestic and global business conditions to managerial decision-making and firm performance, and to apply business principles to relate to business issues and the marketplace. Understand the mechanisms of the domestic and global business environment within the broad social, political, industrial and economic contexts. Explore the nature of business conditions and the implications for decision-making, research, business and policy. Analyze the firm, organization, or practices and its operations from a domestic and global systems perspective.Acquire a skill set of analytic tools that will increase your human capital. BOOKS & MATERIALS These books are fairly quick and easy to read: The Undercover Economist by Tim Harfor d The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explains the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy by Pietra Rivoli Articles: â€Å"Who Supplied My Cheese? † Business Economics, October 2005. (will be posted on my web site www3. tltc. ttu. du/ewing) â€Å"Strengthening Globalization’s Invisible Hand,† Business Economics, October 2006. (will be posted on my web site www3. tltc. ttu. edu/ewing) Other: Economics for Dummies (contains background, reference material) Online Lecture Notes – a set of PowerPoint slides (in pdf) available on my web site (http://courses. ttu. edu/bewing). You should use these to supplement the e-delivery lectures You should read â€Å"Economics for Dummies† in its entirety before reading any of the other books or doing the assignments. Additionally, you should view the lectures on DVD concur rently with your reading of â€Å"Economics for Dummies†.Reading â€Å"Economics for Dummies† and viewing the lectures prior to doing the assignments will help you understand the material and it should help you get the best grade possible. LEARNING OBJECTIVES 1. Develop students’ ability to think in business terms and about the conditions surrounding their operating environment. 2. Develop students’ ability to view organizations from a domestic and global business systems perspective. 3. Build students' analytical skills for conducting business analysis. 4. Provide students with the opportunity to develop strategies for real world problems, and to develop decision making skills. . Integrate knowledge gained in other business experiences. Course Topic Guide Material to be covered: Business Conditions Concepts and Analysis Introduction to business conditions, concepts and analysis Operating a firm within the domestic and global environment Global economy an d the Federal Reserve Economics of Risk – risk analysis (perception & communication), risk management & decision making Value Creation, Supply Chain Economics Business model – integrating economics, operations & strategy Note: You may download a set of PowerPoint slides to accompany the lectures.COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING All assignments need to be emailed to me with the course title and semester (i. e. , â€Å"MBA – BA 7000 Summer 2009†) clearly written in the subject line. I will acknowledge receipt of your assignments – usually within 24 hours. Due to the amount of spam and the use of a junk mail filter, do no assume that I have received your assignment until you have received an acknowledgement from me (Note: please use your official Texas Tech email account so that way your email has a better chance of getting through).General Guidelines for Written Work All written work prepared outside of class should be typewritten and contain a cover page with your name, course number, date, and title. Where page lengths are noted for particular assignments, the page lengths assume 12 point font, 8 1/2 by 11 paper, double spaced type, and one inch margins on all sides. In cases where 12 pitch type is not available, page lengths should be adjusted proportionately. Please include a cover sheet for all work which includes your name along with the date and subject of the project. Written work will be graded for both content and quality.That is, grammar, punctuation, spelling, coherence, style, and organization will be considered. A concise style is essential. Corporate executives repeatedly emphasize the need for business schools to do a better job of preparing MBAs to write in an organizational context. The standards applied to writing quality will approximate those applied to major corporate documents that have been prepared for broad distribution among senior executives. In order to receive a grade of â€Å"B† in the cours e the student will need to do â€Å"B† quality work on each of the above assignments.In addition to the above assignments, students will need to do â€Å"B† quality work on the following assignments (#1-4): Assignment #1 Turn in a 2-3 page critique of The Undercover Economist. In your critique of the book identify key points that you think will be valuable to you (or, in some cases, for a particular industry, the domestic or global economy) in the years to come. Additionally, identify what parts, if any, of the book were a waste of your time to read. I also want you to identify what parts of the book relate to the lectures.Next, discuss how you would/could successfully apply the major points of the book in an organization (of your choosing but presumably in the field of your chosen profession). Discuss potential pitfalls (i. e. , areas that are especially vulnerable to â€Å"success† and thus provide examples of how these major points have been unsuccessfully ap plied in the organization of your choosing). Discuss how you would (e. g. , if you were to be consulted or had been consulted) apply some of these tools and knowledge differently to the organization in the future.Then on a scale of 1 to 10 (ten being the best) give an overall assessment of the book. Assignment #2 Turn in a 2-3 page critique of The Tipping Point. In your critique of the book identify key points that you think will be valuable to you (or, in some cases, for a particular industry, the domestic or global economy) in the years to come. Additionally, identify what parts, if any, of the book were a waste of your time to read. I also want you to identify what parts of the book relate to the lectures.Next, discuss how you would/could successfully apply the major points of the book in an organization (of your choosing but presumably in the field of your chosen profession). Discuss potential pitfalls (i. e. , areas that are especially vulnerable to â€Å"success† and th us provide examples of how these major points have been unsuccessfully applied in the organization of your choosing). Discuss how you would (e. g. , if you were to be consulted or had been consulted) apply some of these tools and knowledge differently to the organization in the future.Then on a scale of 1 to 10 (ten being the best) give an overall assessment of the book. Assignment #3 Turn in a 2-3 page critique of Freakonomics. In your critique of the book identify key points that you think will be valuable to you (or, in some cases, for a particular industry, the domestic or global economy) in the years to come. Additionally, identify what parts, if any, of the book were a waste of your time to read. I also want you to identify what parts of the book relate to the lectures. Next, discuss how you would/could uccessfully apply the major points of the book in an organization (of your choosing but presumably in the field of your chosen profession). Discuss potential pitfalls (i. e. , areas that are especially vulnerable to â€Å"success† and thus provide examples of how these major points have been unsuccessfully applied in the organization of your choosing). Discuss how you would (e. g. , if you were to be consulted or had been consulted) apply some of these tools and knowledge differently to the organization in the future.Then on a scale of 1 to 10 (ten being the best) give an overall assessment of the book. Assignment #4 Turn in a 2-3 page critique of Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy. In your critique of the book identify key points that you think will be valuable to you (or, in some cases, for a particular industry, the domestic or global economy) in the years to come. Additionally, identify what parts, if any, of the book were a waste of your time to read. I also want you to identify what parts of the book relate to the lectures.Next, discuss how you would/could successfully apply the major points of the book in an organization (of your cho osing but presumably in the field of your chosen profession). Discuss potential pitfalls (i. e. , areas that are especially vulnerable to â€Å"success† and thus provide examples of how these major points have been unsuccessfully applied in the organization of your choosing). Discuss how you would (e. g. , if you were to be consulted or had been consulted) apply some of these tools and knowledge differently to the organization in the future. Then on a scale of 1 to 10 (ten being the best) give an overall assessment of the book.In order to receive a grade of â€Å"A† in the course the student will need to do â€Å"A† quality work on each of the above assignments. In addition to the above assignments, students will need to do â€Å"A† quality work on the following two assignments (#5-6): Assignment #5 Turn in a 2-3 page critique of the articles â€Å"Who Supplied My Cheese? † and â€Å"Strengthening Globalization’s Invisible Hand,†. In your critique of the article identify key points that you think will be valuable to you (or, in some cases, for a particular industry, the domestic or global economy) in the years to come.Additionally, identify what parts, if any, of the article were a waste of your time to read. I also want you to identify what parts of the article relate to the lectures. Next, discuss how you would/could successfully apply the major points of the article in an organization (of your choosing but presumably in the field of your chosen profession). Discuss potential pitfalls (i. e. , areas that are especially vulnerable to â€Å"success† and thus provide examples of how these major points have been unsuccessfully applied in the organization of your choosing). Discuss how you would (e. g. if you were to be consulted or had been consulted) apply some of these tools and knowledge differently to the organization in the future. Then on a scale of 1 to 10 (ten being the best) give an overall assessm ent of the article. Assignment #6 – Value Creation Project The Value Creation project consists of a written report. VALUE CREATION DISTANCE LEARNING PROJECT OUTLINE: In this assignment I want you to select an existing company and then select a country (or, if doing a project related to Wind Energy, you may choose a region of the US or the offshore) to which you want the chosen company to expand.Next, I want you to investigate the external environment of the country to which the firm plans to expand and compare it to the domestic environment in the firm’s home country. I then want you to discuss how good of a fit the new country’s environment is for your chosen firm. Specifically discuss: What macro-environmental trends are relevant? What are the contending forces in the industry? What forces are changing the industry over time? Are there key competitors that present opportunities or challenges to the firm?Define opportunities as favorable conditions in the exter nal environment, define threats as unfavorable conditions in the external environment, and conduct an environmental scan. Additional factors about the chosen country that you may want to consider when doing the environmental and competitive analyses. Each sub-section (i. e. , A, B, C, D, E, F) should be about 2-3 pages. Thus, since there are two major parts (i. e. , I and II), the overall length should be around 24-36 pages. Additionally, a cover page and a references section are required (but do NOT count in the page length suggestions).The absolute page limit (not including the cover sheet and references) is 40 pages. A full letter grade will be deducted on any project longer than 40 pages. No exceptions. Please follow this outline carefully. I. General Environmental Analysis A. Economic 1. Overall level of development 2. Economic growth: GDP and industry 3. Role of foreign trade in the economy 4. Currency: inflation rate, currency controls, stability of exchange rate 5. Balance o f payments 6. Per capita income and distribution 7. Disposable income and spending patterns B. Social/Cultural 1.Population size, growth, density, distribution (urban/rural) 2. Literacy rates, education levels 3. Existence of middle class 4. Similarities and differences in relation to company's home market 5. Language and other cultural considerations C. Political 1. System of government 2. Political stability and continuity 3. Ideological orientation 4. Government involvement in business 5. Attitudes toward foreign business 6. National economic and development priorities 7. Membership in regional trade organizations D. Technological E. Physical 1. Physical distribution and communications network (e. . , supply chain) 2. Climate variations 3. Shipping distance F. Major Threats and Opportunities II. Industry/Competitive Environment A. Threat of New Entrants/Barriers to Entry 1. Limitations on trade (e. g. , high tariff levels, quotas) 2. Documentation and import regulations 3. Local standards, practices, and potential non-tariff barriers 4. Patent/trademark availability 5. Preferential treaties with a company's home country 6. Legal considerations for investment, taxation, profit repatriation, employment 7. Availability of intermediaries B. Threat from Competitors 1.Number of international competitors and their market shares 2. Number of local competitors and their market shares 3. Advantages needed to compete effectively relative to competitors C. Threat from Substitutes D. Power of Buyers 1. Customer needs and desires (e. g. , demand behavior and estimation, price elasticity of demand, etc. ) 2. Local production, imports, consumption 3. Exposure to and acceptance of product/service 4. Availability of complementary products/services 5. Industry-specific key indicators of demand 6. Attitudes towards products of foreign originE. Power of Suppliers 1. Number and location of suppliers 2. Market structure (e. g. , competitive, monopoly, or in-between, etc. ) F. Maj or Threats and Opportunities ASSIGNMENT DUE DATES (Recommended) Assignments #1 & #2 are due June 22, 2009 Assignments #3 & #4 are due July 13, 2009 Assignments #5 & #6 (Value Creation Project) are due August 3, 2009 Note: The absolute Final Date to turn in all assignments is Monday, August 3rd at 5:00 PM CLASSROOM POLICY ISSUES WITHDRAWAL POLICY The requirements set by the university for withdrawal will be strictly followed.You should retain all documentation of courses you have dropped. STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS The university is committed to the principle that in no aspect of its programs shall there be differences in the treatment of persons because of race, creed, national origin, age, sex, or disability, and that equal opportunity and access to facilities shall be available to all. Any student who because of a disability may require special arrangements in order to meet course requirement should contact the instructor as soon as possible to make any necessary accommodations.S tudents should present appropriate verification from AccessTECH in the Student Counseling Center in West Hall. ACADEMIC INTEGRITY The university catalog states the following: â€Å"It is the aim of the faculty of Texas Tech University to foster a spirit of complete honesty and a high standard of integrity. The attempt of students to present as their own any work that they have not honestly performed is regarded by the faculty and administration as a serious offense and renders the offenders liable to serious consequences, possibly suspension. The catalog defines cheating as â€Å"Dishonesty on examinations and quizzes or on written assignments, illegal possession of examinations, the use of unauthorized notes during an examination or quiz, obtaining information during an examination from the examination paper or otherwise from another student, assisting others to cheat, alteration of grade records, illegal entry to or unauthorized presence in an office are instances of cheating. I n this class, collaboration with others on in class examinations and cases is considered within the definition of cheating. RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS A student who intends to observe a religious holy day should make that intention known to the instructor prior to the absence. A student who is absent from classes for the observance of a religious holy day shall be allowed to take an examination or complete an assignment scheduled for that day within a reasonable time after the absence.