Financial Crisis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Money related Crisis - Essay Example ese foundations have wrongly surveyed the degree of danger of their activities and uncovered their business, just as different partners to gigantic misfortunes. This conduct was empowered by FICO assessment offices, which because of certain irreconcilable circumstances, bombed in accurately making a decision about the degree of danger of huge numbers of these foundations, and downsized some of them when it was past the point where it is possible to have any kind of effect. Other reason which leaded to the breakdown of the monetary framework was a mix of exorbitant getting, higher hazard taking, and absence of straightforwardness. Major U.S. banks bombed in their evaluation of hazard by taking an excess of influence, by giving credit too effectively, and by not unveiling accurately all the data of their activities to the general population. The administration assumed additionally a job in this money related emergency. By not taking the fitting activities to stop this emergency, the administration just made more frenzy and vulnerability in the money related markets. It additionally bombed in guaranteeing that controllers are carrying out their responsibility equitably, and to the greatest advantage of all gatherings in the budgetary markets. At last, the emergency can likewise be ascribed to contract securitization and to over-the-counter subordinates (for the most part to credit default trades). The multifaceted nature of these instruments, and above all else the absence of guideline in this issue caused an affixed disappointment of the whole money related

Import and Export Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Import and Export - Essay Example Because of high GDP per capita salary Kuwait is an appealing business sector for extravagance and very good quality vehicles. Kuwait vigorously relies upon bringing in vehicles from different nations because of absence of assembling offices and the estimation of auto imports rose to 23% during 2012 (Kuwaitstay, 1). We are concentrating on sending out extravagance vehicle portion as its interest is extremely solid in Kuwait. In Kuwait because of significant expense of creation on account of absence of assets and significant expense of work, producing offices for vehicles are not beneficial, thusly practically all vehicles are imported from different nations (Kuwaitstay, 1). Our vehicles have extraordinary interest everywhere throughout the world and in Kuwait due to excellent, building and economies of scale underway. 2. Coordinations foundation components critical to our fare and their importance. Framework coordinations components that are essential to fare of extravagance vehicles in Kuwait are transportation and correspondence offices, open utilities, banking administrations and retail dispersion channels alongside nearness of good quality court framework, assurance of licensed innovation rights and norms (David and Stewart, 41). 2.1 Transportation foundation : Good Transportation offices are significant in light of the fact that universal development of merchandise is exceptionally influenced by framework without which shipment faces delays, stock gets harmed and prompts improperly bundled item. If there should be an occurrence of extravagance vehicles quality and time is most extreme significant and any postponement or imperfection won't go on without serious consequences by the client and results in tremendous misfortune to the organization (David and Stewart, 41). Anyway in Kuwait transportation foundation is all around created with global standard air terminals, dealer marine and ports and terminals, very much associated cleared streets and great wareho using office to store imported vehicles (CIA, 1). 2.2 Communication foundation : For global exchanges smooth correspondence with clients and providers by various channels like mail, telephone or computerized and electronic media is urgent for smooth business exchanges, sharing of data, item advancement, auspicious choices and conveyance of item and in various nations significance of various stations fluctuates (David and Stewart, 62). Kuwait is a created nation with profoundly created correspondences framework. 2.3 Public Utilities foundation : Public Utilities framework like power, water, sewage and gas are critical for working a distribution center and foundation of corporate office since absence of sufficient and solid gracefully of these things upset the working of business and increment the expense of tasks (David and Stewart, 65). In Kuwait power and gas are modest and effectively accessible and water provided by desalination is moderate and solid with great sewage framework. 2.4 Banking Service and Retail Distribution Channels : Banking framework is basic for budgetary exchanges and lessens the danger of universal business exchanges and encourages different administrations like alternatives showcase supporting for supporting cash variance dangers. A very much grew retail dissemination channel gives clients item accessibility at comfort and nearness and helps a lot in advancing the vehicle by store advancement and increment the purpose of

Newsmakers COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog

Newsmakers COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog It is not uncommon to see SIPA faculty, students, and alumni in the news.   Below are a few recent examples. Helping TANF Help Children Professor Swati Desai has been appointed as a senior advisor to the Urban Institute, on a project to improve state performance measures for TANF â€" Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. TANF is a federal program, providing cash assistance to indigent families with dependent children. The program is funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, providing block grants to states, which administer their individual programs. Desai, an expert in performance management, will spend much of 2011 advising the Urban Institute in choosing and analyzing the data for states that have implemented state-level TANF performance measurement systems that includes both outcome and process indicators and have been identified as having promising practices. “As planning for TANF reauthorization approaches, there is a focus on improving the program’s accountability structure,” said Desai. “The program was created to help needy families reach self-sufficiency by providing cash assistance, work opportunities, and other services. But under the current accountability structure, it is difficult to know whether the program is actually meeting this goal.  The Urban Institute study will help inform the policy debate by conducting in-depth case studies of a few states.” Desai is an associate professor at SIPA, teaching public and nonprofit management, and performance management. She previously served in a variety of positions with the City of New Yorks Human Resources Administration, most recently as Executive Deputy Commissioner for the Office of Evaluation and Research, which provides cash assistance, food stamps, and Medicaid to residents. Wikileaks Stephen Sestanovich writes “Americas Facile, Self-Congratulatory Response to Wikileaks,” in The New Republic. Here is short excerpt from the article: The case for confidentiality in diplomatic communications doesnt make exceptions. Most negotiations can’t be successful if every moveâ€"every embarrassing concession in which you compromise a point today that you declared sacrosanct yesterdayâ€"is made in public. By and large, because the United States is so powerful, we actually gain the most from confidentiality. Secrecy can shield the concessions that others make to us. Without it, they are more stubborn, more fearful, less able to act. On the Front Lines of Dont Ask, Dont Tell On  December 18, Congress voted to repeal Dont Ask, Dont Tell. Veteran and SIPA  alumnus Justin Johnson (MIA 10) writes  in the NY Daily News: Our battalion faced fierce combat as the 1,000 or so Marines conducted stability and security operations in a city of over 300,000. The bonds we formed in combat inspire and drive me to this day. The difficulty of this combat tour forced me to confront my own mortality and make sense of what I experienced and what it meant for my life. I made the incredibly difficult decision to come out to my family and to leave active duty when my period of required service expired in June of 2005. I wanted to stay in the Marines, but did not want to serve in an environment where my entire life and career could be upended because of who I am regardless of my performance in the position. More

Evidence Base for Anxiety Disorders - 3270 Words

1. Introduction This paper provides a brief overview of evidence based psychological treatments for anxiety disorders. It addresses the following questions: †¢ How common are anxiety disorders? †¢ What psychological treatments have empirical support? †¢ What recovery rates can be achieved with these treatments? †¢ How enduring are their effects? †¢ Is there value in combining psychological treatments with medication? Psychological treatments can be delivered in a variety of formats. This paper restricts itself to the traditional, and most extensively researched, format of face-to-face contact with a fully qualified therapist. For most anxiety disorders the therapy sessions are once weekly for 60-90 minutes†¦show more content†¦No other psychological treatment was considered by NICE to be effective in anxiety disorders in general. However, Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (which some people argue is a form of CBT) was supported in posttraumatic stress disorder. NICE has not yet commissioned guidance for the two remaining anxiety disorders (social phobia and specific phobia) or for a closely linked condition that is common in primary care (hypochondriasis/severe health anxiety). However, the RCT findings for each of these disorders are very similar to those obtained in the four disorders that are currently covered by NICE guidance. In particular, for each disorder there are RCTs that show that CBT is: superior to no treatment5-9, superior to a similarly credible alternative psychosocial treatment5 7 10 11, and at least as effective as medication12-16. No other psychological treatment approach for these disorders has been supported in randomized controlled trials. Although non-CBT approaches have not yet received significant support in RCTs, a recent non-randomized comparison between CBT and two other therapies has been interpreted by some media commentators as evidence that non-CBT approaches are as effective as CBT. This interpretation is unwarranted. In the study17 NHS therapists working in primary and secondary care were invited to use a standardized symptom questionnaire (the CORE-OM) with their patients and to submit the questionnaires to a centralShow MoreRelatedMethodological Issues And Challenges To Improve The Study Of Effective Treatments For Psychological Disorders?879 Words   |  4 PagesThe methodological issues and challenges that are unique to a psychological research of effective treatments for psychological disorders are to reduce the burden of mental illness and behavioral disorders by improving the treatments. The importance of completing these goals is by developing and improving the use of treatments. According to our t ext, â€Å"single-subject designs allows true experimental control of the independent variables because its cause and effect conclusions can be fairly accurateRead MoreSymptoms And Symptoms Of Anxiety Disorders1665 Words   |  7 PagesAnxiety Disorders With having so many natural explanations for the potential development of a mood disorder, do anxiety disorders also have natural components? The study conducted by Balik, et al. (2014) didn’t only contain findings of PMS and mood disorders; they also found evidence relating PMS to anxiety disorders. They reported that â€Å"more than half of women with PMS have a history of anxiety† (p 373). Does this mean that PMS is indicative of an anxiety disorder or is it the other way aroundRead MoreEssay on Social Phobia Disorder1149 Words   |  5 Pagesphobia is a kind of disorder, which involves fear regarding societal situations and accomplishable destructive criticism. Social phobia is the greatest general psychiatric problem in epidemiological examination, with estimation of life time occurrence in western circle as more as 16%. Common phobia generally come out in adolescence and is associated with deep distress, destruction and comorbid problem. Females in clinical tria ls are higher possible than males to social anxiety disorder, with various neuroscienceRead MoreEssay about Anxiety Disorder1441 Words   |  6 Pagesmany psychological disorders, anxiety disorders are the most predominant in the United States. According to Antony (2011), anxiety disorders affect nearly 28.8 percent of the population. An extreme and unrealistic anxiety is the most common symptom that characterizes all the psychological conditions within the category of anxiety disorders. The category includes specific phobia, agoraphobia, social phobia, panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and obsessive-compulsiveRead MoreWhat Constitutes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?846 Words   |  4 Pagesmany ways to differentiate behavioral therapy, cognitive therapy, and therapy that is based on both behavioral and cognitive therapies. There is empirical evidence that shows that cognitive behavioral therapy is quite effective in treating several cond itions, including personality, anxiety, mood, eating, substance abuse, and psychotic disorders. Treatment is often manualized, as specific psychological orders are treated with specific technique-driven brief, direct, and time-limited treatments. CognitiveRead MoreMindfulness: Treatment for Mood Disorder in Teens1045 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction This is an experimental study to test if teens with mood disorders have fewer symptoms when they practice P.E.A.C.E.? PEACE is an acronym for a mindfulness practice attending to the breath, body, thoughts, and emotions. P is for pause; E is for exhale; A is for acknowledged; C is for choice; E is for engage. Mindfulness has the potential to have a impact on teens with mood disorders by enhancing awareness, self-management, self-acceptance. Meditation is used in clinical practiceRead MoreAnxiety And Anxiety Of Anxiety1018 Words   |  5 PagesANXIETY Anxiety is an emotion distinguished by feelings of tension, uneasy thoughts and physical changes caused by anticipation of danger. Anxiety can also be defined as a critical developmental stage related to change, dispute, and perceived control of the environment (Potter and Perry, 2014). Encountering occasional anxiety is a normal lifestyle, as everyone feels anxious from stressful situations that might make him/her nervous or fearful. In fact, mild anxiety might help an individual be moreRead MoreGenetics And Genetics Essay797 Words   |  4 PagesEveryone with any mental health disorder always wonders if genetics can be linked to the disorder they have. It has been said that risk of genetics being a factor in anxiety disorders is less likely to be a switch more than a problematic mix of genetics that can put a person at risk. Researchers have said that anxiety disorders can be due to hostile childhood experiences. Efforts identifying the specific DNA mutations to the heritability of anxiety disorders establish any independent suspicious lociRead MoreEssay On Genetics And Anxiety Disorders882 Words   |  4 PagesGenetics and Anxiety Disorders Everyone with any mental health disorder always wonders if linkage of genetics is part of the disorder they have. People have said that risk of genetics being a factor in anxiety disorders is less likely to be a switch more than a problematic mix of genetics that can put a person at risk. Researchers have said that anxiety disorders can be due to hostile childhood experiences. Efforts to identify the specific DNA mutations to the heritability of anxiety disorders establishRead MoreAnetylysis Case Study797 Words   |  4 Pageswith any mental health disorder always wonders if genetics can be linked to the disorder they have. It has been said that risk of genetics being a factor in anxiety disorders is less likely to be a switch more than a problematic mix of genetics that can put a person at risk. Researchers have said that anxiety disorders can be due to hostile childhood experiences. Efforts identifying the specific DNA mutations to the heritability of anxiety disorders establish any independent suspicious loci, but

Performance and Management Essay examples - 1640 Words

Phase III: Performance and Management A. Policy For Recognizing Employee Contributions The purpose of this report is to use the compensation system we previously developed in Phases I and II to pay people, develop plans that reward performance, add benefits into the mix, and evaluate these results. First we will look at performance-based-pay as a policy for recognizing employee contributions. Performance-based-pay is a pay plan that varies with some measure of individual or organizational performance, such as merit pay, lump-sum bonus plans, skill-based pay, incentive plans, variable pay plans, risk sharing, and success sharing. It is basically a pay plan that moves away from the traditional base pay and across-the-board increases, and†¦show more content†¦Implementation a. Matching FastCat Jobs With Benchmark Survey Jobs When matching FastCat jobs with benchmark survey jobs we first had to separate the jobs at FastCat into four different job families: engineering, technical, marketing, and administration. We started off with sixteen FastCat positions of the various job families and matched them with the benchmark jobs based on the responsibilities of the job as well as the experience and competencies required to hold the position. For example, take the engineering family. For the Engineer 1 of the benchmark survey job, it is described by the following statements: â€Å"Participates in development, testing and documentation of software programs. Performs design and analysis tasks as a project team member. Typical minimum requirements are a Bachelor’s degree in a scientific field or the equivalent and up to two years of experience.† We compared that to the Usability Engineer in our own organization. Some responsibilities of the Usability Engineer are as follows: â€Å"Contributes to the development and implementation of FastCat web applications,† â€Å"work with FastCat quality assurance to ensure integrity of FastCat software; test, debug, and fix data,† and â€Å"design appropriate software testing strategies.† The position requires a B.S. degree in Computer Science or related field plus at leastShow MoreRelatedPerformance Management Performance Management Performance Management2240 Words   |  9 PagesTo look into the performance measures for a hospital and also an electrical goods retailer. From this I will look into a few companies of each and write what sort of performance measures they use and if their management priorities. Management Coursework Performance Management For this assignment I have been assigned to look into the performance measures for a hospital and also an electrical goods retailer. From this I will look into a few companies of each and write what sort of Read MoreThe Management Of Performance Management Essay1199 Words   |  5 PagesThere seem to be a multitude of definitions for Performance Management. Here are several of these definitions: â€Å"Performance management is a process by which managers and employees work together to plan, monitor and review an employee’s work objectives and overall contribution to the organization. More than just an annual performance review, performance management is the continuous process of setting objectives, assessing progress and providing on-going coaching and feedback to ensure that employeesRead MorePerformance Management2643 Words   |  11 PagesSupporting Good Practice in Performance and Reward Management ASSIGNMENT Activity1 1. Two Purposes of Performance Management and its relationships to business objectives. Performance management is a repetitive process, established by organisations to help them in accomplishing their objectives (goals, as listed in the organisation’s vision) by maximizing the performance of an individual, team or whole organisation and ensure that the objectives are achieved. 1 The Performance Management Process is a key componentRead MorePerformance Management2397 Words   |  10 PagesThere are many purposes of a Performance Management System and its relation to business objectives which include: (i) Strategic (ii) Administrative (iii) Informational (iv) Developmental (v) Organisational maintenance (vi) Documentation (i) Strategic purpose: linking individual goals with the organisations goals and communicating the most crucial business strategic initiatives. This increases employee loyalty and retention, thereby improving the overall performance of the organisation. (ii)Read MorePerformance Analysis : Performance Management Essay2272 Words   |  10 PagesAnnual performance reviews are not an effective form of performance management system to measure the employee’s performance because they can be biased, waste of managerial time, too sporadic to make a lasting impact, and can affect the employee’s behavior. All companies strive to be successful at meeting their company goals in a time efficient manner. As time goes on, companies are realizing the key to a successful business is happy employees. Companies must experiment with new methods to find theRead MorePerformance Management : Quality Management1247 Words   |  5 Pages Performance Management Pearl Mathieu California Southern University HRM 87504 Due December 20, 2016 Dr. Brett Gordon â€Æ' Performance Management Performance management is a continuous process in which employees and managers work together to monitor, plan, and review their employees’ overall performance and their contribution to the organization. Additionally, globalization is bringing about an increase in competition in the workplace, therefore there is a need for an organization to regularlyRead MorePerformance Management And Selection Management1460 Words   |  6 PagesTwo HR Systems. 1. Performance management and selection 2. Strategic Reward Management. Performance Management Performance management is a process where the full complement of owners, managers and employees work in unison to achieve the best result for the organization. One annual performance review does not constitute performance management. Continuous improvement is the desired goal and this can be achieved by setting specified organizational objectives, allocating these to specified employeesRead MorePerformance Management System : Management929 Words   |  4 PagesWeaveTech Performance Management System Performance management is the process a business uses to assess and determine the efficiency in achieving set objectives. A durable performance management system relies on a trusting relationship between employees and employers. When employees doubt the credibility of employers, they also distrust the results of any performance management metrics that are produced. Inconsistent feedback from management can result in poor performance and cause confusion or resentmentRead MorePerformance Management : Quality Management1902 Words   |  8 Pages Performance Management Performance Management in its simplest meaning is a method of computing employees contribution in organization growth and sustainability. And also evaluating whether the targets set by Organization own self is achieved or not. Performance management is a process of planning monitoring and reviewing the employees’ work and his objectives and his contribution towards organization objectives’. Performance management is all about measurement of employee’sRead MorePerformance Management Essay866 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction 4 Performance Potential 5 Understanding TMS Grid 9 TMS Appraisal Rating 11 Special Cases 14 The TMS Process 15 Use of TMS Rating 19 Advantages of the System 19 Gaps in the System 19 Abstract This project us gave the opportunity to analyze and explore performance management system at Bajaj Allianz. We have explored the performance appraisal part of the same namely understanding the Talent Management System (TMS) and its use

Objectives and Measurement Free Essays

The main goals that hard core will be aimed at achieving for a period of one year are:- 1. To improve the health statues of people by serving a minimum of 50customers per day.   The main objective of hard core is to improve the health status of the people. We will write a custom essay sample on Objectives and Measurement or any similar topic only for you Order Now    For the start a minimum of 50 customers will be served within one day.   People will be advices on the diets to take so that their health status improves.   Teachings on maintaining the required weight shall also be offered. Our customers shall be taught on the kind of lifestyle to lead in order to keep their bodies strong and free from preventable diseases.   Also our customers shall be educated on the kind of exercised to carry out regularly so as to maintain their bodies and remain strong.   Also educate our customer about nutrition values of various foods.   We shall ensure that a minimum of 50 customers have been served per day. 2. To ensure 99% efficiency in offering quality services.   We shall ensure that any service offered by hard core is within the best standards.   Health issues are very crucial and sensitive to somebody’s life.   A small mistake can lead to the death or deterioration of the health of a customer.   Therefore we look forward to offering the best services to our customers. 3. To buy 30 equipments by the end of the year for the start hardcore shall be having the basic equipments for weight measurements, skin treatment, and body massage to ensure a smooth running during the start.   But as time will go by hardcore targets at buying 30 equipments for offering our trainings. 4.To reduce the cost of services by 10% compared to our competitors for hardcore to expand and have more customers it will be charging lower prices to all the services it will be offering our prices will be lower by 10% compared to those charged by our competitors. 5. To build one big recreational hall for practicing by the year 2009.   Hardcore has got many professionals like nutritionist, dietitians, naturopathic doctors, dermatologist, the rapist, personal trainers, fitness instructors, physical therapist and psychiatrist.   Each and everyone of this professional require his own room. This room should be enough and spacious to accommodate at least four people and some equipments.   So for hardcore to be efficient in offering all its services a recreational hall should be build by the year 2009. 6. To buy at least five televisions sets for our customers to be watching while waiting to be served by the end of year 2008.   Hardcore should buy at least five televisions that will be installed at the halls to keep customers busy as they wait to be served.   These television sets should also be used to offer basic teaching to customers to issues like diets, nutrition, prevention of diseases, the importance of maintaining health bodies.   Therefore these televisions will assist offering some basic teachings to our customers. 7. To increase our monthly sales by 10% by the year 2009/ hardcore will have its own retail shop.   This shop will be selling equipments for homes, clothing, other supplements and nutritional valued light foods and drinks to compliment the services it offers.   Hardcore will target at increasing its monthly sales by 10% as from the year 2009. 8. To own our own  ½ acre piece of land by the year 2009. For hardcore to offer its services efficiently it need to won  ½ on acre piece of land by 2009. 10. To have a well trained team of 90 professionals within the first 6 months of starting.   Hardcore should have at least 90 well trained professionals like nutritionists, dietitians, naturopathic doctors, dermatologist, therapist and many more others.   These professionals are the once to ensure that hard core is fulfilling its main mission of improving the health status of its customers. Performance Measurement Performance measurement is vital in all organizations because the organizations need to verify the validity of the selection methods; they also need to do performance measurement in order to improve productivity of the organization. As much as this may seem an important and key aspect of management, still it has a lot more difficulties associated with it. Some of the main factors that may make performance measurement to be more challenging are the measurement problems that make it impossible the supervisors (those in charge of the performance measurement) to tell the juniors or subordinates that they are below the average standards. How should the organization deal with such situations? In order for organizations to do performance measurement well, then they should carefully study the job, systematically and scientifically, in order to determine the nature and characteristics of the job, knowledge, skills and experience required for the successful performance of the job. They should collect all the vital information related to the job. They should then look at the specific individual tasks that comprise the job and qualifications necessary to do the job. This is called job analysis that involves determining the content of the job in terms of what the worker is expected to do, methods and techniques used, and lastly, the conditions and skills required for the job. For proper job measurement, the management must adopt the following process and the methods of job measurements that follow: Management should identify and isolate the component tasks of the job. They should examine when, why and the tasks are done. Find out the duties and responsibilities involved in the job. Identify the working conditions involved in the job. Determine the demands which the job has on the job holder. Know the job relationships. After gathering all these, management can now use the methods of job measurement to know whether the job is being done s it is supposed to be done. The various methods of job measurement include: Performance rating Critical incident MBO Performance Rating Under performance rating values such as creativity, initiative, dependability, knowledge etc assigned to the job and the rating is presented on a scale like this and questions are asked. To what extent does this person demonstrate creativity and then the scores given for the question give the rating of the employee. This method has a number of problems like: a) Managers may be inclined to give everyone a high rating and hence failure to differentiate them. b) Managers may tend to be influenced by most recent performance rather than general performance. Critical Incident Good and bad performance incidents are recorded at the end of the period. The more the good performance incidents the better the employee. The major problem is that this type of job measurement is comparative and qualitative and cannot determine the actual performance on the job. MBO Here the performance of the job is rated as per the objectives set at the begging of the period i.e. sales targets set as 15% and then the sale representative gets 15%, he will get a positive sales performance order and vice versa. For this method of appraisal to be effective there must be a clear understanding between the employer and the employee at the point of setting the objectives. The authority and recourses necessary to achieve the objectives must be delegated to the managers. References Lnick F. John and WillinLee Ziegler, sales promotion and modern Merchandising, McGraw Hill. How to cite Objectives and Measurement, Essay examples

Women Role in Society in Uzbekistan free essay sample

The population of Uzbekistan is exceedingly young. In the early 1990s, about half the population was under nineteen years of age. Experts expected this demographic trend to continue for some time because Uzbekistans population growth rate has been quite high for the past century: on the eve of the collapse of the Soviet Union, only Tajikistan had a higher growth rate among the Soviet republics. Between 1897 and 1991, the population of the region hat is now Uzbekistan more than quintupled, while the population of the entire territory of the former Soviet Union had not quite doubled. In 1991 the natural rate of population increase (the birth rate minus the death rate) in Uzbekistan was 28. 3 per 1,000more than four times that of the Soviet Union as a whole, and an increase from ten years earlier (see table 2, Appendix). These characteristics are especially pronounced in the Autonomous Republic of Karakalpakstan (the Uzbek form for which is Qoroqalpoghiston Respublikasi), Uzbekistans we sternmost region. In 1936, as part of Stalins nationality policy, the Karakalpaks (a Turkic Muslim group whose name literally means black hat) were given their own territory in western Uzbekistan, which was declared an autonomous Soviet socialist republic to define its ethnic differences while maintaining it within the republic of Uzbekistan. In 1992 Karakalpakstan received republic status within independent Uzbekistan. Since that time, the central government in Tashkent has maintained pressure and tight economic ties that have kept the republic from exerting full independence. Today, the population of Karakalpakstan is about 1. 3 million people who live on a territory of roughly 168,000 square kilometers. Located in the fertile lower reaches of the Amu Darya where the river empties into the Aral Sea, Karakalpakstan has a long history of irrigation agriculture. Currently, however, the shrinking of the Aral Sea has made Karakalpakstan one of the poorest and most environmentally devastated parts of Uzbekistan, if not the entire former Soviet Union. Because the population of that region is much younger than the national average (according to the 1989 census, nearly three-quarters of the population was younger than twenty-nine years), the rate of population growth is quite high. In 1991 the rate of natural growth in Karakalpakstan was reportedly more than thirty births per 1,000 and slightly higher in the republics rural areas. Karakalpakstan is also more rural than Uzbekistan as a whole, with some of its administrative regions (rayony ; sing. , rayon ) having only villages and no urban centersan unusual situation in a former Soviet republic. The growth of Uzbekistans population was in some part due to in-migration from other parts of the former Soviet Union. Several waves of Russian and Slavic in-migrants arrived at various times in response to the industrialization of Uzbekistan in the early part of the Soviet period, following the evacuations of European Russia during World War II, and in the late 1960s to help reconstruct Tashkent after the 1966 earthquake. At various other times, non-Uzbeks arrived simply to take advantage of opportunities they perceived in Central Asia. Recently, however, Uzbekistan has begun to witness a net emigration of its European population. This is especially true of Russians, who have faced increased discrimination and uncertainty since 1991 and seek a more secure environment in Russia. Because most of Uzbekistans population growth has been attributable to high rates of natural increase, the emigration of Europeans is expected to have little impact on the overall size and demographic structure of Uzbekistans population. Demographers project that the population, currently growing at about 2. percent per year, will increase by 500,000 to 600,000 annually between the mid-1990s and the year 2010. Thus, by the year 2005 at least 30 million people will live in Uzbekistan. High growth rates are expected to give rise to increasingly sharp population pressures that will exceed those experienced by most other former Soviet republics. Indeed, five of the eight most densely populated provinces of the former Soviet UnionAndijon, Farghona , Tashkent, Namangan, and Khorazmare located in Uzbekistan, and populations continue to grow rapidly in all five. In 1993 the average population density of Uzbekistan was about 48. inhabitants per square kilometer, compared with a ratio of fewer than six inhabitants per square kilometer in neighboring Kazakstan. The distribution of arable land in 1989 was estimated at only 0. 15 hectares per person. In the early 1990s, Uzbekistans population growth had an increasingly negative impact on the environment, on the economy, and on the potential for increased ethnic tension. lt;gt;Ethnic Composition Updated population figures for Uzbekistan. UzbekistanUzbekistan Ethnic CompositionUzbekistan Population pressures have exacerbated ethnic tensions. In 1995 about 71 percent of Uzbekistans population was Uzbek. The chief minority groups were Russians (slightly more than 8 percent), Tajiks (officially almost 5 percent, but believed to be much higher), Kazaks (about 4 percent), Tatars (about 2. 5 percent), and Karakalpaks (slightly more than 2 percent). In the mid-1990s, Uzbekistan was becoming increasingly homogeneous, as the outflow of Russians and other minorities continues to increase and as Uzbeks return from other parts of the former Soviet Union. According to unofficial data, between 1985 and 1991 the number of nonindigenous individuals in Uzbekistan declined from 2. to 1. 6 million. The increase in the indigenous population and the emigration of Europeans have increased the self-confidence and often the self-assertiveness of indigenous Uzbeks, as well as the sense of vulnerability among the Russians in Uzbekistan. The Russian population, as former colonizers, was reluctant to learn the local language or to adapt to local co ntrol in the post-Soviet era. In early 1992, public opinion surveys suggested that most Russians in Uzbekistan felt more insecure and fearful than they had before Uzbek independence. The irony of this ethnic situation is that many of these Central Asian ethnic groups in Uzbekistan were artificially created and delineated by Soviet fiat in the first place. Before the Bolshevik Revolution, there was little sense of an Uzbek nationhood as such; instead, life was organized around the tribe or clan (see Entering the Twentieth Century, this ch. ). Until the twentieth century, the population of what is today Uzbekistan was ruled by the various khans who had conquered the region in the sixteenth century. But Soviet rule, and the creation of the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic in October 1924, ultimately created and solidified a new kind of Uzbek identity. At the same time, the Soviet policy of cutting across existing ethnic and linguistic lines in the region to create Uzbekistan and the other new republics also sowed tension and strife among the Central Asian groups that inhabited the region. In particular, the territory of Uzbekistan was drawn to include the two main Tajik cultural centers, Bukhoro and Samarqand, as well as parts of the Fergana Valley to which other ethnic groups could lay claim. This readjustment of ethnic politics caused animosity and territorial claims among Uzbeks, Tajiks, Kyrgyz, and others through much of the Soviet era, but conflicts grew especially sharp after the collapse of central Soviet rule. The stresses of the Soviet period were present among Uzbekistans ethnic groups in economic, political, and social spheres. An outbreak of violence in the Fergana Valley between Uzbeks and Meskhetian Turks in June 1989 claimed about 100 lives. That conflict was followed by similar outbreaks of violence in other parts of the Fergana Valley and elsewhere. The civil conflict in neighboring Tajikistan, which also involves ethnic hostilities, has been perceived in Uzbekistan (and presented by the Uzbekistani government) as an external threat that could provoke further ethnic conflict within Uzbekistan. Thousands of Uzbeks living in Tajikistan have fled the civil war there and migrated back to Uzbekistan, for example, just as tens of thousands of Russians and other Slavs have left Uzbekistan for northern Kazakstan or Russia. Crimean Tatars, deported to Uzbekistan at the end of World War II, are migrating out of Uzbekistan to return to the Crimea. Two ethnic schisms may play an important role in the future of Uzbekistan. The first is the potential interaction of the remaining Russians with the Uzbek majority. Historically, this relationship has been based on fear, colonial dominance, and a vast difference in values and norms between the two populations. The second schism is among the Central Asians themselves. The results of a 1993 public opinion survey suggest that even at a personal level, the various Central Asian and Muslim communities often display as much wariness and animosity toward each other as they do toward the Russians in their midst. When asked, for example, whom they would not like to have as a son- or daughter-in-law, the proportion of Uzbek respondents naming Kyrgyz and Kazaks as undesirable was about the same as the proportion that named Russians. (About 10 percent of the Uzbeks said they would like to have a Russian son- or daughter-in-law. ) And the same patterns were evident when respondents were asked about preferred nationalities among their neighbors and colleagues at work. Reports described an official Uzbekistani government policy of discrimination against the Tajik minority. More about the lt;gt;Population of Uzbekistan. UzbekistanUzbekistan Other Social AffiliationsUzbekistan Other social factors also define the identities and loyalties of individuals in Uzbekistan and influence their behavior. Often regional and clan identities play an important role that supersedes specifically ethnic identification. In the struggle for political control or access to economic resources, for example, regional alliances often prevail over ethnic identities. A United States expert has identified five regionsthe Tashkent region, the Fergana Valley, Samarqand and Bukhoro, the northwest territories, and the southern regionthat have played the role of a power base for individuals who rose to the position of first secretary of the Communist Party of Uzbekistan. Often clan-based, these regional allegiances remain important in both the politics and the social structure of post-Soviet Uzbekistan. UzbekistanUzbekistan Language and LiteratureUzbekistan As with ethnic patterns and boundaries of post-Soviet Uzbekistan, the dominant native language, Uzbek, is in many ways a creation of the Soviet state. Indeed, until the beginning of the Soviet period, the languages spoken among the native population presented a colorful and diverse mosaic. Under Soviet rule, officially at least, this mosaic was replaced by Uzbek, which almost overnight became the official language of the Turkic population of the republic. But Russian, which at the same time was declared the international language of Uzbekistan, was favored above even Uzbek in official usage. Many Russian words made their way into Uzbek because Russian was the language of higher education, government, and economic activity throughout the Soviet era. In the 1980s, Uzbeks began a strong effort to eliminate the recent Russian borrowings from the language. The Latin alphabet was introduced to begin a gradual process of replacing the Cyrillic alphabet. But in the mid-1990s Russian still was widely used in official and economic circles. lt;gt;Linguistic Background lt;gt;Influences in the Soviet Period lt;gt;Language in the 1990s lt;gt;LiteratureUzbekistanUzbekistan Linguistic BackgroundUzbekistan Uzbek is a Turkic language of the Qarluq family, closely related to Uyghur and Kazak. Although numerous local dialects and variations of the language are in use, the Tashkent dialect is the basis of the official written language. The dialects spoken in the northern and western parts of Uzbekistan have strong Turkmen elements because historically many Turkmen lived in close proximity to the Uzbeks in those regions. The dialects in the Fergana Valley near Kyrgyzstan show some Kyrgyz influence. Especially in the written dialect, Uzbek also has a strong Persian vocabulary element that stems from the historical influence of Iranian culture throughout the region (see Early History, this ch. ). Uzbek has a relatively short history as a language distinct from other Turkic dialects. Until the establishment of the Soviet republics boundaries in the 1920s, Uzbek was not considered a language belonging to a distinct nationality. It was simply a Turkic dialect spoken by a certain segment of the Turkic population of Central Asia, a segment that also included the ruling tribal dynasties of the various states. The regional dialects spoken in Uzbekistan today reflect the fact that the Turkic population of Southern Central Asia has always been a mixture of various Turkic tribal groups (see Ethnic Groups, ch. 1; Social Structure, ch. ; Population, ch. 5). When the present-day borders among the republics were established in 1929, all native peoples living in Uzbekistan (including Tajiks) were registered as Uzbeks regardless of their previous ethnic identity. Until 1924 the written Turkic language of the region had been Chaghatai, a language that had a long and brilliant history as a veh icle of literature and culture after its development in the Timurid state of Herat in the late fifteenth century. Chaghatai also was the common written language of the entire region of Central Asia from the Persian border to Eastern Turkestan, which was located in todays China. The language was written in the Arabic script and had strong Persian elements in its grammar and vocabulary. Experts identify the Herat writer Ali Shir Navai as having played the foremost role in making Chaghatai a dominant literary language. In modern Uzbekistan, Chaghatai is called Old Uzbek; its origin in Herat, which was an enemy state of the Uzbeks, is ignored or unknown. Use of the language was continued by the Uzbek khanates that conquered the Timurid states. Some early Uzbek rulers, such as Mukhammad Shaybani Khan, used Chaghatai to produce excellent poetry and prose. The seventeenth-century Khivan ruler Abulgazi Bahadur Khan wrote important historical works in Chaghatai. However, all of those writers also produced considerable literature in Persian. Chaghatai continued in use well into the twentieth century as the literary language of Central Asia. Early twentieth-century writers such as Fitrat wrote in Chaghatai. In the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century, Chaghatai was influenced by the efforts of reformers of the Jadidist movement, who wanted to Turkify and unite all of the written languages used in the Turkic world into one written language (see The Russian Conquest, this ch. . These efforts were begun by the Crimean Tatar Ismail Gaspirali (Gasprinskiy in Russian), who advocated this cause in his newspaper Terjuman (Translator). Gaspirali called on all the Turkic peoples (including the Ottoman Turks, the Crimean and Kazan Tatars, and the Central Asians) to rid their languages of Arabic, Persian, and other foreign elements and to standardize their orthography and lexicon. Because of this effort, by the early 1920s the Turkic languages of Central Asia had lost some of the Persian influence. UzbekistanUzbekistan Influences in the Soviet PeriodUzbekistan Unfortunately for the reformers and their efforts to reform the language, following the national delimitation the Soviet government began a deliberate policy of separating the Turkic languages from each other. Each nationality was given a separate literary language. Often new languages had to be invented where no such languages had existed before. This was the case for Uzbek, which was declared to be a continuation of Chaghatai and a descendant of all of the ancient Turkic languages spoken in the region.

Is Hockey Being Lost As A Canadian Game Essays -

Is Hockey Being Lost as a Canadian Game? Hockey, to many Canadians it is their favourite sport or pastime. This game is a part of Canadian's heritage. Although with the ongoing ?Americanizing? of Canada, it is only a matter of time before Canada's game is changed as well. The NHL, National Hockey League, is the professional league for hockey. In the past, and still today, Canadians have made up the greater part of the leagues players. The article NHL Melting Pot gives statistics and a graph of which nationalities were and are playing in the league. In 1967, Canadian born players made up nearly 97% of the NHL. ?With the influx of players from other countries, the NHL is beginning to look like the United Nations on ice.? (Card#3) Now Canadians are only 66.2% of the population in the league. The American born players are slowly sneaking up at 16.6%, the second largest nationality. The gap does not look that tight, however when you consider the time in which this jump has taken place, it will get closer sooner instead of later. In the article, ?The New Ice Age? it gives statistics on the recent jump in American and other players into the NHL. In 1983, out of 21 teams there were 409 Canadian born players to 68 American born players and 47 European players (Only showing the top 25 players on each teams roster). In 1992, out of 24 teams there were 396 Canadian born players to 101 American players and a surprising 103 Europeans (Only showing the top 25 players on each of the teams). ? The increase of American and European players in recent years is changing the look of the NHL.? (Card#2) The American, and European invasion is making hockey everyone's game and not just Canada's. Why would this bother Canadians? Why not share their national pride in hockey? Many Canadians feel that hockey is the last thing that they can truly call their own. ? Hockey Night In Canada has been one of the five most- watched television shows here (Canada) every year since the dawn of television, and, in Parliament, a National Hockey Caucus monitors the Canadian-ness of the game.? (Card#5) This was said by Ken Dryden, a former NHL player in an interview with reporter Mary Williams Walsh is Saskatchewan. Dryden says that one by one the things that Canada stands for and its time honoured institutions are being dismantled. The fear is that in the end, Canada's culture and society will be indistinguishable from the U.S. , ? Hockey is more than the Canadian national pastime: it is a passion, a cultural icon, as tied up in the it-ness of Canada as soccer is to Brazil or the bullfight to Spain.? Card#5) All across the country nationalist's see hockey as another precious piece of the country slipping away into the American market. The NHL itself which used to be dominated by Canadians is even becoming more and more like the other U.S. leagues as far as the way it is run and the players involved. The Winnipeg Jets were yet another Canadian team that had to move to the U.S. This is becoming a normal event for Northern teams. The ?Cities to the South? are saying they have bigger markets and the money to do better. The NHL, according to Dryden, is not concerned with the game anymore, only the money. This is where the difference between Canadian thought and American thinking comes into play. Canadians are concerned with the game because it's theirs, American's see the game as a money making opportunity and a business. Gary Bettman , the commissioner of the NHL, has not made matters any better, or easier. In 1996 the Winnipeg Jets left Winnipeg for Phoenix Arizona, with absolutely no sympathy from Gary Bettman. Thousands of upset fans went out onto the ice after the game, and stayed for a long, long time. ? We thought Gary Bettman was going to be the saviour of the NHL. All he did was Americanize the product.? said long time season ticket holder Ron Wersch. The Jets were just another team in the loss to the American market. The Quebec Nordiques moved to Colorado a couple of years ago as well. And threats of losing more teams such as the Calgary Flames or the Edmonton Oilers or the Ottawa Senators are always lingering in the air. For many Canadian hockey lovers this does not sit very well. One of those die hards is Don Cherry. Cherry is a retired coach Is Hockey Being Lost As A Canadian Game Essays - Is Hockey Being Lost as a Canadian Game? Hockey, to many Canadians it is their favourite sport or pastime. This game is a part of Canadian's heritage. Although with the ongoing ?Americanizing? of Canada, it is only a matter of time before Canada's game is changed as well. The NHL, National Hockey League, is the professional league for hockey. In the past, and still today, Canadians have made up the greater part of the leagues players. The article NHL Melting Pot gives statistics and a graph of which nationalities were and are playing in the league. In 1967, Canadian born players made up nearly 97% of the NHL. ?With the influx of players from other countries, the NHL is beginning to look like the United Nations on ice.? (Card#3) Now Canadians are only 66.2% of the population in the league. The American born players are slowly sneaking up at 16.6%, the second largest nationality. The gap does not look that tight, however when you consider the time in which this jump has taken place, it will get closer sooner instead of later. In the article, ?The New Ice Age? it gives statistics on the recent jump in American and other players into the NHL. In 1983, out of 21 teams there were 409 Canadian born players to 68 American born players and 47 European players (Only showing the top 25 players on each teams roster). In 1992, out of 24 teams there were 396 Canadian born players to 101 American players and a surprising 103 Europeans (Only showing the top 25 players on each of the teams). ? The increase of American and European players in recent years is changing the look of the NHL.? (Card#2) The American, and European invasion is making hockey everyone's game and not just Canada's. Why would this bother Canadians? Why not share their national pride in hockey? Many Canadians feel that hockey is the last thing that they can truly call their own. ? Hockey Night In Canada has been one of the five most- watched television shows here (Canada) every year since the dawn of television, and, in Parliament, a National Hockey Caucus monitors the Canadian-ness of the game.? (Card#5) This was said by Ken Dryden, a former NHL player in an interview with reporter Mary Williams Walsh is Saskatchewan. Dryden says that one by one the things that Canada stands for and its time honoured institutions are being dismantled. The fear is that in the end, Canada's culture and society will be indistinguishable from the U.S. , ? Hockey is more than the Canadian national pastime: it is a passion, a cultural icon, as tied up in the it-ness of Canada as soccer is to Brazil or the bullfight to Spain.? Card#5) All across the country nationalist's see hockey as another precious piece of the country slipping away into the American market. The NHL itself which used to be dominated by Canadians is even becoming more and more like the other U.S. leagues as far as the way it is run and the players involved. The Winnipeg Jets were yet another Canadian team that had to move to the U.S. This is becoming a normal event for Northern teams. The ?Cities to the South? are saying they have bigger markets and the money to do better. The NHL, according to Dryden, is not concerned with the game anymore, only the money. This is where the difference between Canadian thought and American thinking comes into play. Canadians are concerned with the game because it's theirs, American's see the game as a money making opportunity and a business. Gary Bettman , the commissioner of the NHL, has not made matters any better, or easier. In 1996 the Winnipeg Jets left Winnipeg for Phoenix Arizona, with absolutely no sympathy from Gary Bettman. Thousands of upset fans went out onto the ice after the game, and stayed for a long, long time. ? We thought Gary Bettman was going to be the saviour of the NHL. All he did was Americanize the product.? said long time season ticket holder Ron Wersch. The Jets were just another team in the loss to the American market. The Quebec Nordiques moved to Colorado a couple of years ago as well. And threats of losing more teams such as the Calgary Flames or the Edmonton Oilers or the Ottawa Senators are always lingering in the air. For many Canadian hockey lovers this does not sit very well. One of those die hards is Don Cherry. Cherry is a retired coach

Judicial Decisions and Interest Groups essays

Judicial Decisions and Interest Groups essays One reason why interest groups form and grow strong is the relative weakness of American political parties. This weakness is due, in turn, to the separation of the three branches of government. Every legislator must summon a winning coalition in his or her own state or district and the coalition is not the same as the majority coalitions of successful assemblies. Splintered party loyalties thus enhance the influence of interest groups (Hays) - during election when financial support becomes critical and after election when the winning candidate gets closely Another reason is the decentralization of political power to states and localities, called federalism or federal system. This conduces to the growth of interest groups, which begins from the state or local level and which, as a consequence of the social and economic diversity, further weakens the party system. Furthermore, the independence of the judiciary encourages the expansion and strength of interest groups on issues not under the control of legislature or bureaucracy (Hays). These groups can, thus, use this clout to achieve policy objectives through the judiciary if they cannot do so by legislative action. And a third reason is public airing of an unlimited range of views and the freedom of the press and assembly. The various media have also been decentralized and this has made it more difficult to pay real attention to these groups. Only the internet has made access to these views easier. But these traditional realities, in general, provide the momentum and venue for the formation and power of such groups. The three major types of interest groups are business, labor and agriculture. Agricultural interest groups have waned because of the decline in the number of farmers in the USA (Hays). Major corporations are also major players in the economy, for which elected officials are held accountable. This w...

Global banking issues Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Global banking issues - Assignment Example The best example of barter system is that suppose there are two persons, one of them has a goat and the other has a cow and they both want the goods possessed by each other. In such condition the barter system is created so as to get into an agreement for the procedure of goods exchange. However even if the goods are exchanged successfully there would be a time when the goat and cow would die and hence it can be stated that these goods are not able to maintain their initial value over the time. In such a scenario there was evolution of a new concept in the form of money which served as exchange medium (Schwartz 361).This medium was accepted widely by all the traders as it was able to solve the problem that was associated with goods that deteriorated with time. One of the most important functions of money is that it can be considered to be unit of account that facilitates a mechanism through which value can be placed on the services and goods. This is simply because such a function is a standard unit in monetary terms for value measurement on services and goods. For instance when a person goes to a supermarket the monetary value of goods can be observed by the person through the price tags on the goods. There even exists monetary value on services such as when a person goes for a spa and gets the required service the person in return pays money to the concerned individual for the availed service. Thus unit of account as a function of money can be regarded as value measurement for services and goods. The supply of money can be considered as liquid instrument and total stock assets at a particular time and this in turn in an economy of a country is accepted as medium of exchange. The Federal Reserve System takes into control the supply of money in America. The supply of money comprises of three essential components such as the

Social Desirability and Effectiveness of a Fat Tax in Countering Essay

Social Desirability and Effectiveness of a Fat Tax in Countering Obesity and Dietary-Related Disease in Canada - Essay Example Food labeling measures have been implemented for years, but despite such policies being in place, people in these nations continue to grow obese. Recently, most governments, especially in America, Europe and parts of Asia have or are considering implementing high tax policies on junk food. Experiences show that food tax policies are withdrawn later for their unintended consequences, with only a few exceptions of countries like Finland that seem to progress well with such policies. Thesis: This paper asserts that fat tax yields unintended consequences by impacting consumers differently in reference to regression effect, and there are challenges in altering consumer dietary behavior. Fat tax alone is an insufficient measure to solve the problem of obesity in any country; it would require combined policies and regulations by different responsible parties to alleviate the health problem. Each government has individually selected which food categories to impose the tax on. Some focus on levying high sugar foods, while others focus on fat saturation or the cholesterol content. These are some of the ways used to evaluate taxable junk food. However, defining junk food is complicated for the reason that it extends even into the healthy food types. First, not every meal that is served at the table even in sizable proportions is healthy or has the right nutritional value. Researchers classify vegetables and fruits among the recommended food types, others extend to healthy fatty acids which can be challenged when high-fat content is considered, but place a bias on the served fast foods at most outlets, targeting those prepared or manufactured with high sugar, salt, fat, cholesterol and fat-saturated or low vitamins contents. Others define unhealthy foods as a combination of the latter category but criticized to be rather harsh on the consumer.

Student Giving Intramuscular Injections

Student Giving Intramuscular Injections This paper particularly focuses on my experience of learning from reflection on giving intramuscular (IM) injections, using Gibbss (1988) reflective model. I demonstrate how practice anxiety, as a student nurse, can be dealt with through effective mentoring. I chose the seminal theory of Gibbs reflection on practice, as it illustrates six significant stages; description, feelings, evaluation, analysis of the incident, conclusion and an action plan Ghaye and Lillyman (1997). Gibbs cycle is used throughout the process of reflecting on the incident to help me make sense of my practice and understand what l could do differently to enhance good practice. I use my experience from a placement simulation as I could not be on actual placement due to unforeseen circumstances. Reflection is a process through which healthcare practitioners and students can learn from experience and use the knowledge to inform and improve practice Schon, (1983). The ability to reflect on ones actions is particularly imperative in clinical practice and discourse. As Jarvis (1992) asserted, there is no consensus on the definition of reflection as it is a broad concept. Reid (1993, p305.) define reflection as; a course of action reviewing an occurrence of practice to describe, analyse, evaluate and so inform learning about practice Schon (1983) identified two types of reflection which are; reflection in action, which takes place during the event where the practitioner may not be aware that it is happening and reflection on action, which takes place after the event. Jasper (2003) concluded upon the vitality of reflecting on action, as it transforms experience into knowledge which enhances good clinical practice. Description During my first placement simulation, I practised giving intramuscular injection, is the best tolerated form or injection, and the safest way of injecting medication into a patient Shepherd, (2002). Within the first week of my placement simulation, I was offered the opportunity to practise administering an injection on a dummy. However, as a student, I was cautious and anxious, feeling that I was not competent enough. I discussed my concerns with the lecturer who was empathetic and helped formulate a plan to conquer my doubts. The plan involved a step-by-step conversation of the procedure of administering intramuscular medication, preparing the medication on numerous occasions and practising the injection technique on a dummy. Throughout these stages I was given the opportunity to discuss any questions, feelings or concerns that arose. Once confident enough to do so, under the supervision of the lecturer, I administered an IM injection to a dummy. I recorded my intervention in a refl ective journal. After giving the injection, I was given feedback and the opportunity to discuss my feelings which was valuable and of significance. Feelings As a novice, I never really enjoy giving injections, but after my second practise, good compliments from colleagues and lecturer my confidence increased. Most importantly, l kept thinking, if l gave the injection to an unwilling patient, how awful would I feel? I reminded myself, ethically, what is it like to carry out a therapeutic procedure that inflicts pain on another human being? All these challenges came to my mind before giving the injection. I began to feel quite anxious and nervous, wanting to delay the procedure for as long as possible hoping my anxiety would decrease. I believe the build up of nervousness beforehand is common, particularly for beginners like me. I prepared the injection using the necessary mathematical calculations, picked the right syringe and the right injection for the procedure. I then administered with my lecturer observing my technique, confidence and competence. Evaluation My preliminary anxiety about administering the injection was normal but as a student nurse, I ought to learn the technique and procedure of IM injections. This anxious behaviour could be explained in relation to the Joharis Window (Luft 1969). As in Joharis window, before being confronted with having to administer injection, I experienced an unknown area, whereby my fears and anxieties were anonymous to me and to others [my lecture]. Because I lacked self-awareness regarding these anxieties, I was unable to begin addressing my anxieties around administering the injection. This made me continue to avoid this area of practice, and as a result I did not develop this clinical skill before this incident. By the end of the incident, my feelings were known to me and others [my lecturer]. By disclosing my anxieties and fears to my lecturer and receiving feedback, my awareness of these issues increased. My lecturer commented on what l did right, wrong and what l could have done differently. R esultantly, I was able to address my feelings, areas of strengths, weaknesses and begin to develop the skill of administering injections. Analysis Department of Health (2008) identified lecturers as qualified nurses, who facilitate learning and supervise students. Mentoring also involves the assessment of the student in the practice setting NMC (2008). The interaction between mentor/lecturers and students is answer to minimise practice anxiety and professional intervention is often required to reduce any anxieties. This was resonant in my experience with my mentor while carrying out this procedure. Critically reflecting and understanding my feelings around giving the IM and after the procedure makes me think and evaluate what l ought to do differently in the future. This will enhance my technique and practice while also benefiting patient care. I am now aware of my competence as my mentor highly commended on my confidence, technique quality and the communication that l maintained with her throughout the procedure. Conclusion The description given in this paper is a general and subjective one that attempts to address my feeling and experience of giving the IM. It also aims at indentifying patterns and schemes in the experience of individuals in a similar context of giving IM for the first time. I believe, my experience will help educators to better understand the meaning of the anxiety that is observed as students undertake the act of giving their first injections. It will also help other students reflect and come to understand the meaning of that experience and not feel overwhelmed by this crucial initial experience. Action Plan I created an action plan to improve my practice and set out a course of action should a similar incident occur? Recording an entry in a reflective journal enabled me to record areas of practice that I want to develop and will allow me to track my progress regarding the administration of IM injections (Jack and Smith 2007).I also developed listening skills. Stickley and Freshwater (2006) argue that effective communication, which involves active listening, is an essential nursing skill, because of its beneficial effects on the patients experience. Word Court: 1100

Two Girls with the Courage to Change their World

Although most humans are born free, they can live life bound by the barriers and expectations of society. The novels The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie and Sister Wife focus on female protagonists who break out of the moulds their societies place them in and form their own identities. In this essay, I will argue that these novels show how feminism has a positive impact on society and on the individuals who practise it. To do this, I will analyze how the cultures restricted females, how each protagonist resisted conformity, and the successful conclusion each character reached. In The Sweetness of the Bottom of the Pie, the main character, Flavia DeLuce, epitomizes the struggles women faced for equality in England during the 1950’s. In the aftermath of World War II, a new emphasis was placed on the nuclear family as the foundation of society. Although during the war many women worked outside the home and participated in the war effort, after its end they were encouraged to assume roles of wives and mothers as the government aimed to re-establish domesticity as women’s primary occupation. The fictional town of Bishops Lacey was no different. Women were expected to perform domestic work or jobs considered to be specific to their gender, such as a cook or librarian, and men were expected to perform the superior roles, such as detectives, professors or priests. The society Flavia was raised in expected females to be dependent and accepting of their male superiors. Flavia, the protagonist of the novel, can be described as an independent, self-reliant, and persistent eleven year old. Throughout the novel, her feminist qualities and resistance to the moulds of her culture are evident. Flavia verbally declares on several occasions that she is just as capable, if not more so, than her male counterparts: â€Å"Yes, I’d solve this case and present it to him wrapped up in gaily colored ribbons† (95). In this statement Flavia affirms her belief that she has the ability to solve the case just as effectively as the male detectives. Similarly, Sister Wife‘s main character, Celeste, questions the inferior place of women and their lack of rights in the context of a polygamous community. Celeste was born in Unity, home to The Movement, a conservative religious group that lives apart from mainstream, modern society. Unity is a society based on conformity and unwavering obedience, especially when it comes to women. Women in this society are not granted the option to choose; before they are born, their roles in society are already planned, â€Å"Fathers and mothers †¦ from the time your daughter can crawl, you must teach her that she does not belong to you but to the prophet and the man the prophet will assign her to in marriage. Only these men†¦ can take your daughters to the highest degree of the celestial kingdom† (33). This statement, spoken by the prophet, clearly shows the roles of women in Unity and their dependence on the male figures that dominate their society. Celeste, who can be described as an opinionated and individualistic young girl, has to hide aspects of her natural personality to find acceptance in Unity. Celeste begins to question the ways of The Movement as the day when she will be assigned to a husband draws near. She does not want to be married at 15; she seeks higher aspirations, such as â€Å"an education, a career, to fall in love and chose her own husband, to be independent and think for herself† (264). However, Unity would never permit Celeste to do any more than become a celestial wife. A celestial wife is a term commonly used in polygamous communities meaning heavenly or holy wife; a woman can be considered a celestial wife when their husband marries more than one women. This forces Celeste to decide whether to conform to the roles laid out for her, or to resist her male dominated society. In the novel The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, Flavia, contrary to Celeste, avidly verbally and physically, defies her male dominated society. Flavia hates being undermined and judged based on her gender instead of her abilities; â€Å"’why it’s only a girl,’ ‘I could’ve slapped his face,’† (242). These statements occur after Flavia is caught breaking into a boys boarding school. When a teacher notices her he calls the police, assuming that she was a boy and therefore a legitimate threat to security. However, when he discovers that she is a girl, he apologizes for alerting the cops and claims that if he knew, he could have easily dealt with the situation. In Bishops Lacey, many male figures decide the scope of Flavia’s abilities before they get to know her; as a result Flavia receives great joy in proving them wrong. In the beginning of the novel, Flavia discovers a dead body in her front yard. Instead of initiating the expected female response of running to get help, Flavia kneels over the body and exclaims, â€Å"I wish I could say I was scared, but I wasn’t. Quite the contrary. This was by far the most interesting thing that had ever happened to me in my entire life† (29). Although Flavia wakes Dogger, a maintenance worker in the De Luce home, she takes care of the dead body herself. Flavia calls the police, confirms that the victim is dead, and is the first to greet the detectives when they arrive. Her natural ability to remain calm and take control of the situation is very uncharacteristic of the females in Bishops Lacey. Ms. Mullet’s response to the situation is much less refined: â€Å"Oh, good Lord! † (14). Later, when Flavia’s father is charged with the murder, she cannot just watch as men try to wrongly convict him of the crime: â€Å"My duty was to my father and it had fallen upon my shoulders to help him† (152). Despite the detective’s setbacks, Flavia begins to unravel the mystery which will free her father and prove that she is just as capable of solving the case. During her journey to discover the truth, Flavia ignores the rules created by the men in her life, such as ignoring the detective’s obvious worry for her safety, her father’s pleas for her to â€Å"Go home,† and unlawfully breaking into a hotel room and a clock tower (173). Flavia’s determination and unwillingness to rely on men are admiral qualities; however, they do place her in serious danger. Near the end of the mystery Flavia is kidnapped by the murderer Frank Pemberton. Although this is the first time in the novel she shows fear, Flavia still refuses to submit to his demands. Despite the fact that she is physically bound and unable to resist, she believes she can still conquer Pemberton with her wit. Throughout the novel Sister Wife, Celeste also defies the male dominance in her society; however, she does this in a much subtler way. Through the majority of the novel, Celeste mentally resents the restrictions and roles of women in her society; however, physically, she seems to follow and obey the laws laid down by men. This is one of the major differences between the two characters, as Flavia could be characterized as a woman of action whereas Celeste could be described as a woman of thoughts. At the beginning of the novel, Celeste seems to be the perfect daughter: she is obedient and respectful of her culture. However as more of her character is revealed, the reader discovers that Celeste is consumed with thoughts of a life outside Unity. Within the community, Celeste’s lifestyle is so structured that â€Å"a person doesn’t really need to think at all† (11). Yet, Celeste still doubts the system and finds it impossible to accept the prophet’s laws without questioning them: â€Å"God is not in the religious ranting, he’s not in the rules or the sacred book. He is here in this beauty of this divine morning† (129). When Celeste meets a young, attractive boy named Jon, she begins to believe that she should have the right to fall in love with a boy her own age. Although Celeste and Jon’s relationship is banned in Unity and considered blasphemy, neither character can stop romantically seeing the other. Celeste wonders whether â€Å"it’s time for her to change things†¦. Refuse to be assigned to a husband† (49). This shows Celeste’s feminist tendencies and her subtle way of resisting her society. However, Celeste’s loyalty and love for her family prevents her from acting on her desires. When Celeste and Jon are caught, he begs her to leave with him: â€Å"’Celeste you know you don’t want this life’†; she responds: â€Å"‘But I also know that I cannot disgrace my family’† (142). After Jon’s departure, the whole community becomes aware of Celeste’s indiscretion and Celeste reaches a new level of despair. She laments that â€Å"What Daddy wants is right for him. Nobody asked me if being a celestial wife was right for me; if they had I would have said no† (148). Celeste begins to feel like a caged animal and every movement becomes an effort. This leads the reader to conclude that without the right to think independently and make decisions for oneself, people can lose the very essence of what makes them human. The days begin to blur for Celeste and soon she finds herself engaged to Jon’s father. It does not matter how much she is repulsed by the idea of her new husband; Celeste cannot leave Unity and in the end she chooses to marry the one the Lord reveals for her. In the end, Flavia’s resistance to the gender inequality in her society changes Bishops Lacey forever. When sitting in a room alone with a raging murderer, Flavia realizes that there are no miracles in Bishops Lacey. If she wants to live she â€Å"must make things happen for herself† (315). Flavia knows that â€Å"humans were incapable of accepting their own helplessness,† (316) and as a result they have become survivors. She was not giving up without a fight, and although she knew that she could not escape alone, she physically fought Pemberton with everything she had. Flavia proclaimed that â€Å"Napoleon had once called the English a nation of shopkeepers†¦ but we were a nation of survivors, and I, Flavia Sabina De Luce, could see it even in myself,† (331). Even as the strength leaves her body, Flavia stalls Pemberton using her knowledge of the murders he had committed, hopefully buying her rescuer the time he needs. In moments, Dogger arrives, freeing Flavia from Pemberton’s grasp. When Flavia is freed from the pit she had been concealed in, the residents of Bishops Lacey no longer view her as just a girl. They regard her as â€Å"somehow a different Flavia than the one†, they knew â€Å"only two days ago† (349). Flavia will forever be remembered as the girl with enough courage to defy all the odds and uncover the truth. The symbolism of her heroic journey is evident as Pemberton is arrested in complete darkness and her father is released in the light that followed. The idea of darkness becoming light also symbolized the rebirth of Bishops Lacey, as their previous view that â€Å"females were disadvantaged by nature† (275) had been proven false by Flavia’s actions. In the weeks that follow her kidnapping, Flavia comes to be perceived as an equal in her community, consulted by the detectives and police. As a result her independence flourishes. In contrast, Celeste’s resistance to the gender inequality in her society changes her life forever by providing her with enough strength to follow her dreams. Celeste does not find any more happiness in married life than in life with her biological family and feels as though she has â€Å"been sentenced to a life without hope. My heart feels as though it will never heal† (246). This statement reveals the psychological realities of many women trapped within the system of polygamy. To keep a level of sanity, Celeste creates Inukshuks; this allows her to regain some control in her life and feel connected to the earth. As male dominance leaves little room for female imagination, Celeste manages to express herself through her creations and this ends up saving her soul: â€Å"When I concentrate on rocks, I forget everything else, and for those short hours I experience peace† (246). The idea of using an element of creation to explain one’s society and her place in it is a common theme shared by both novels. In The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, Flavia uses chemistry to express her creativity and knowledge, using chemical analogies to explain her world. After only a few months of marriage, Celeste becomes pregnant, and as a result, her devastation increased because a child would forever bind her to Unity. But on the first day of spring her daughter, Hope, is born, and suddenly everything in Celeste’s world changes. She wants her daughter to have everything she did not have: â€Å"I may not have been strong enough to leave Unity for myself, but in this moment I know that I will find the strength to do it for her† (264). Celeste’s dream of escape become reality when she leaves Unity a few months after her daughter is born. The courage to believe that society should have a place where everyone is equal is the foundation of feminism in both the novels Sister Wife and The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. The two female protagonists defy the male dominance in their societies and discover who they truly are. Each character faces the obstacle of a very repressive culture and yet, are able to summon the courage of the feminists who lived before them to resolve the conflicts of their time. Though Flavia’s resolution had more of an immediate impact than Celeste’s, by leaving Unity, Celeste set a new precedent for girls in polygamous communities and helped others realize that there is a way out. Therefore, it is justified to claim that both girls resolved aspects of gender inequality in their societies. These unique women have positively impacted society and contributed to the rights and freedoms modern women enjoy.

Exxon Mobil Stock Analysis

STOCK ANALYSIS REPORT – Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM) –August 15th , 2011 [pic] Industry: Oil and Gas Operations Sector: Energy Recommendation: SELL Price: $74. 29 (as of  Ã‚  August 15th 2011, 4:00pm ET) Intrinsic Value: $52. 10 or 42. 6% overvalued Fundamentals Grade: A Investment Style: Large Cap Blend CORPORATE INFORMATION [pic] Location: 5959 Las Colinas Boulevard Irving, TX 75039 Phone: 972-4441000 Fax: 972-4441348 Web Site: http://www. exxonmobil. com/ Employees: 83,000 Exchange: NYSE BUSINESS SUMMARY Exxon Mobil Corporation (Exxon Mobil) through its divisions and affiliates is engaged in exploration for, and production of, crude oil and natural gas, manufacture of petroleum products and transportation and sale of crude oil, natural gas and petroleum products. †¢ ExxonMobil is the largest integrated oil company, with operations in over 200 countries. This globally diversified enterprise produces superior returns in its business segments when compared to other major oil and gas companies. †¢ Exxon has a strong balance sheet with a cash position of approximately $13B and 0. 7 Debt-to equity. Exxon has the liquidity and credit to invest in high return projects around the world. †¢ Prices for oil and gas are expected to rise in the foreseeable future. Emerging market growth and increasing need for energy will place upward pressure on prices. Exxon will benefit as the world’s largest oil and gas company (by reserves, excluding national oil companies). The average industry return is 27%, which is greater than that of S&P500 (21%). †¢ Exxon’s all-stock purchase of XTO Energy is dilutive to share holders and not expected to increase EPS in 2011 or 2012. Exxon’s size and breadth of operations make it difficult to find investments large enough to produce market beating growth. We expect Exxon’s growth to slightly lag the overall economy, especially smaller exploration and production companies that have better investment opportunities relative to their size. †¢ Exxon’s inability to organically replace reserves means that it must acquire oil and gas assets to supply its operations with replacements for the reserves it consumes. Acquired assets will likely come at a higher price and produce a lower return. Production from Exxon’s Upstream segment (exploration and production of oil and gas) has been declining (down 30% since 2006). While the acquisition of XTO will replace some of this lost production, it is expected that the company will continue to experience declining production from its existing fields. KEY STATISTICS |Market Cap (intraday)5: |360. 57B | |Enterprise Value (Aug 17, 2011)3: |363. 1B | |Trailing P/E (ttm, intraday): |9. 78 | |Forward P/E (fye Dec 31, 2012)1: |8. 21 | |PEG Ratio (5 yr expected)1: |1. 32 | |Price/Sales (ttm): |0. 91 | |Price/Book (mrq): |2. 0 | |Enterprise Value/Revenue (ttm)3: |0. 93 | |Institutional Ownership |49. 12% | |Earnings Yield |9. 28% | |Return on equity (RoE) |24. 69% | |36 month Beta |0. 9 | |Dividend Yield |2. 48% | |Profit Margin |8. 51% | |Current Ratio |0. 97 | |Debt to equity ratio |0. 07 | [1]Source: Yahoo finance; http://ycharts. om/companies/XOM/return_on_equity ANALYSIS Exxon Mobil (XOM) is the largest market capitalized oil company in the world which in 2008 obtained the highest quarterly and annual profit in United States history. The Company plans to invest $125 billion over the next five years to develop new technology, deliver new Upstream projects, increase refining capacity, and grow their Chemical business. Exxon Mobil’s revenue and profit have increased 60% and 79% respectively in the last 5 years. The Company exhibits a healthy profit margin and return on equity of 8. 51% and 20. 4% respectively and maintains an above average earnings yield of 10. 27%. Exxon Mobil has plenty of liquidity enabling the Company to pay all its long-term debt in less than three months on profit alone. Exxon Mobil is valued at $52. 1 as of August 15th 2011. The Company is 42. 61% overvalued for the current price of $74. 29. The PB ratio is slightly above the industry average of 2. 0. Risks to Exxon Mobil include depreciating reserves, decreasing number of new oil fields, adverse environmental impacts, government regulations, geopolitical risks, market volatility, macroeconomic difficulties, etc. Balance Sheet The balance sheet of XOM is pristine. Debt comprises only 9% of total capital, and in a business that is very capital intensive, that’s a great sign. The current ratio is low at 0. 94, slightly lower than the generally accepted â€Å"safe† level of 1. $30 billion in earnings in 2010 is more than enough to repay the roughly $15 billion in total debt the company has in only a few years. Return on Equity The return on equity closely followed the rise of oil prices up until 2008, the fall in 2008- 2009 and the subsequent increase ever since. Right now Exxon-Mobil has a high return on equity of 20%. Given the high oil prices, I expect ROE to reach its 2008 highs this year. Rather than focus on absolute values for this indicator, I generally want to see at least a stable return on equity over time. Dividends Exxon Mobil has paid an increasing dividend for the past 27 years, and according to their website, averaged 5. 7% over that time period. The most recent increase came on April 27 of this year, when they raised the quarterly payout 6. 8% from $0. 44 to $0. 47 a share. This is an annual raise from $1. 74 to $1. 88, or 8%. Projections: 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Dividends Per Share $1. 4 $2. 00 $2. 04 $2. 07 $2. 10 Dividend Growth 11. 7% 2. 7% 2. 4% 1. 3% 1. 3% DIRECT COMPETITOR COMPARISON | |COP |CVX |XOM |Industry | |Market Cap: |91. 75B |195. 65B |360. 57B |26. 52B | |Employees: |29,900 |62,000 |83,600 |11. 00K | |Qtrly Rev Growth (yoy): |45. 70% |30. 60% |36. 30% |8. 0% | |Revenue (ttm): |210. 76B |216. 90B |392. 72B |18. 63B | |Gross Margin (ttm): |23. 43% |32. 58% |31. 45% | 32. 51% | |EBITDA (ttm): |28. 78B |45. 90B |65. 78B |4. 19B | |Operating Margin (ttm): |9. 46% |15. 07% |12. 74% |11. 65% | |Net Income (ttm): |11. 3B |23. 01B |37. 93B |N/A | |EPS (ttm): |7. 93 |11. 45 |7. 59 |2. 46 | |P/E (ttm): |8. 43 |8. 53 |9. 78 |12. 94 | |PEG (5 yr expected): |6. 21 |1. 61 |1. 32 |1. 14 | |P/S (ttm): |0. 43 |0. 90 |0. 91 |1. 39 | P/E ratios are higher for firms with strong growth prospects, other things held constant, but they are lower for riskier firms. All the three companies have P/E lower than the Industry average. Profit margin is very useful when comparing  companies in similar industries. A higher profit margin indicates a more profitable company that  has better control over  its costs compared to  its competitors. Here again, XOM has a relatively good control of cost. As per the comparison of the ratios with industry average, Exxon Mobil is high performing company with higher ratios than industry standards. Current Market Price (as of 08/17/11) of the Stocks: |  Company name |Current Market Price | |Chevron Corp |$92. 02 | |ConocoPhillips |$62. 29 | |Exxon Mobil |$74. 29 | EXXON MOBIL’S INTRINSIC VALUE: †¢ Current US 90 days Treasury Bill – Rate of Return: 3. 5%   †¢ Historical return on long term Treasury Bond = 5. 8% †¢ Long term risk free rate = rRF = 5. 8% (historical return) Return for the market or an average stock(rM): For this project, it is assumed that the historical rate of return for the S&P500   is same as the market risk = 10. 4%. I am using CAPM method to estimate the market risk premium and calculating the historical risk premium by comparing historical to historical rates. The historical risk premium is 10. 4 -5. 8 = 4. 6% Required Return on Common Stock Required return on common stock (rS) for Exxon Mobil rS = rRF + (rM – rRF)*b = 5. 8% + (10. 4% – 5. 8%) * 0. 49   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   = 8. 05% Dividend Growth Model: Common stocks provide an expected future cash flow stream, and a stock’s value is found as the present value of the expected future cash flow stream. The expected final stock price includes the return of the original investment plus an expected capital gain. The expected cash flow consists of two elements: 1. the dividends expected in each year. 2. the price investors expect to receive when they sell the stock. Formula1:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   P hat 0 = D1/rS – g Where P hat 0 = intrinsic value of the stock today as seen by the investor D1 = D0 (1 + g) = expected dividend in the first year. D0 = recent dividend paid g = expected dividend growth rate. rS = required rate of return Formula2: r hat S = D1/P0 + g Where r hat S = expected rate of return D1/P0 = expected dividend yield P0 = actual market price of the stock today. g = expected growth rate or capital gains yield. One would buy the stock only if expected rate of return is equal to or greater than required rate of return. For Exxon Mobil: D0 = $1. 8; g = 5. 7 %; rS = 8. 05% P0 = 1. 38 (1+ 0. 057)/ (0. 085 – 0. 057) = 1. 457/ 0. 0280 = $52. 1 The current price is greater than intrinsic value, the Exxon Mobil stock is overvalued by $22. 20 r hat S = 1. 96% + 5. 7% = 7. 66% The expected rate of return is less than required rate of return, which means investor will not buy. Conclusion: SELL Comparing the averaged value of $52. 10 a nd the closing price on 08/15/11 of $74. 29, XOM is adversely overpriced price, with an approximate 42. 6% difference. At this point in time, I think Exxon Mobil’s risks outweigh the potential opportunity here. While I feel the dividend is safe (at a 25% payout ratio) and the current yield is adequate (2. 48%), the Company's ability to increase the payout and create outsized returns for investors is limited by the Company's cyclical market and weak consensus estimates. Sources: †¢ http://financialanalysisonline. com/ †¢ http://www. thedividendpig. com/? p=1395 †¢ http://investing. money. msn. com/investments/stock-price? symbol=xom †¢ http://www. stock-analysis-on. net/NYSE/Company/Exxon-Mobil-Corp/Valuation/Ratios#Current-Valuation-Ratios †¢ http://www. dailyfinance. com/2011/08/08/big-oil-outlook-major-oil-stocks-with-bullish-opti/? ource=TheMotleyFool †¢ http://www. exxonmobil. com/Corporate/Files/news_pubs_sar_2010. pdf †¢ http://www. exxonmobil. com/corporate/investor_dividend. aspx †¢ http://ycharts. com/companies/XOM/price_to_book_value †¢ http://financialanalysisonline. com ———————– [1] 1 Data provided by Thomson Reuters 2 Data provided by EDGAR Online 3 Data derived from multiple sources or calculated by Yahoo! Finance 4 Data provided by Morningstar, Inc. 5 Shares outstanding is taken from the most recently filed quarterly or annual report and Market Cap is calculated using shares outstanding.

Who Invented the Acoustic and Electric Guitars

One of the mysteries of the music world has long been who, exactly, invented the guitar. The Ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Persians had stringed instruments, but it wasnt until the relatively modern era that we can begin to point to Europeans Antonio Torres and Christian Frederick Martin as key to the development of acoustic guitars. Decades later, American George Beauchamp and his cohorts played an important role in the invention of the electric. Ancient Guitars Stringed instruments were used as accompaniments to storytellers and singers throughout the ancient world. The earliest are known as bowl harps, which eventually evolved into a more complex instrument known as a tanbur. The Persians had their version, chartars, while the  Ancient Greeks strummed along on lap harps known as kitharas. The oldest guitar-like instrument, dating back about 3,500 years, can be viewed today at the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities in  Cairo. It belonged to an Egyptian court singer by the name of Har-Mose. Origins of the Modern Guitar In the 1960s, a Dr. Michael Kasha debunked a long-held belief that the modern guitar originated from these harp-like instruments developed by ancient cultures. Kasha (1920–2013) was a chemist, physicist, and teacher whose specialty was traveling  the world and tracing the history of the guitar. Thanks to his research, we know the origins of what would eventually evolve into the guitar. A guitar is a musical instrument with a flat-backed rounded body that narrows in the middle, a long fretted neck, and usually six strings. It is European in origin: Moorish, to be specific, an offshoot of that cultures lute, or oud. Classical Acoustic Guitars Finally, we have a specific name. The form of the modern classical guitar is credited to Spanish guitar maker Antonio Torres circa 1850. Torres increased the size of the guitar body, altered its proportions, and invented the fan top bracing pattern. Bracing, which  refers to  the internal pattern of wood reinforcements used to secure the guitars  top and back and prevent the instrument from collapsing under tension, is an important factor in how the guitar sounds. Torres design greatly improved the volume, tone, and projection of the instrument, and it has remained essentially unchanged since. At around the same time that Torres started making his breakthrough fan-braced guitars in Spain, German immigrants to the U.S. had begun making guitars with X-braced tops. This style of the brace is generally attributed to Christian Frederick Martin, who in 1830 made the first guitar to be used in the United States. X-bracing became the style of choice once steel string guitars made their appearance in 1900.   The Body Electric When musician George Beauchamp, playing in the late 1920s, realized that the acoustic guitar was too soft to project in a band setting, he got the idea to electrify, and eventually amplify, the sound. Working with Adolph Rickenbacker, an electrical engineer, Beauchamp and his business partner, Paul Barth, developed an  electromagnetic device that picked up the vibrations of the guitar strings and converted these vibrations into an electrical signal, which was then amplified and played through speakers.  Thus the electric guitar was born, along with the dreams of young people around the world.