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.