Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Free Essays on Popular Music And Its Effect On Society

Popular Music and its Effect on Today’s Society In today’s society the teenager has more rights than ever before. Along with these rights come responsibility, independence and the development of good judgment. It is the belief of many people that all of the afore mentioned qualities are destroyed in the lives of teens due to popular music. Today, pop music remains one of the most controversial issues in modern society. Because adolescences are seen as being highly impressionable their negative actions are constantly being evaluated and traced back to sources of culture, and since pop music plays such a huge role in the lives of most teens, it is an easy target to place the blame. The criticism of popular music begins with the â€Å"rock star†. Many will argue that teens who are struggling to fit into society see rock stars as idols . One main reason that this occurs is because of the accessibility of what these rock stars are publishing. Think of all the things that teenagers have in front of them everyday; radio, television, clothing, billboard advertisements, etc. all of which are covered with popular musicians. Because of their tremendous presence, teens begin to perceive rock stars as extravagant people with no boundaries, limits or regulations. Teens then see themselves in the rock stars presentation of themselves and develop an obsession to conform. This helps to pose the question of why teens are the most likely to get wrapped up in the pop music world. While there are millions of reasons, the main ones have to do with the fact that the teenage years are such a critical point of growing up. It is the first age in most people’s lives where independence is theirs and this causes desperation for something new to be controlled by. Teens are most susceptible to manipulation by rock stars because most of these stars are still teenagers themselves, so they are easy to relate to. In fact, some bands are only related to by ... Free Essays on Popular Music And Its Effect On Society Free Essays on Popular Music And Its Effect On Society Popular Music and its Effect on Today’s Society In today’s society the teenager has more rights than ever before. Along with these rights come responsibility, independence and the development of good judgment. It is the belief of many people that all of the afore mentioned qualities are destroyed in the lives of teens due to popular music. Today, pop music remains one of the most controversial issues in modern society. Because adolescences are seen as being highly impressionable their negative actions are constantly being evaluated and traced back to sources of culture, and since pop music plays such a huge role in the lives of most teens, it is an easy target to place the blame. The criticism of popular music begins with the â€Å"rock star†. Many will argue that teens who are struggling to fit into society see rock stars as idols . One main reason that this occurs is because of the accessibility of what these rock stars are publishing. Think of all the things that teenagers have in front of them everyday; radio, television, clothing, billboard advertisements, etc. all of which are covered with popular musicians. Because of their tremendous presence, teens begin to perceive rock stars as extravagant people with no boundaries, limits or regulations. Teens then see themselves in the rock stars presentation of themselves and develop an obsession to conform. This helps to pose the question of why teens are the most likely to get wrapped up in the pop music world. While there are millions of reasons, the main ones have to do with the fact that the teenage years are such a critical point of growing up. It is the first age in most people’s lives where independence is theirs and this causes desperation for something new to be controlled by. Teens are most susceptible to manipulation by rock stars because most of these stars are still teenagers themselves, so they are easy to relate to. In fact, some bands are only related to by ...

Saturday, November 23, 2019

The Chinese Zodiac in Mandarin

The Chinese Zodiac in Mandarin The Chinese Zodiac is known as 生è‚â€" (shÄ“ngxio) in Mandarin Chinese. The Chinese Zodiac is based on a 12-year cycle, with each year represented by an animal. The 12-year cycle of the Chinese Zodiac is based on the traditional Chinese lunar calendar. In this calendar, the first day of the year usually falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice. On New Years day, we enter a new Chinese zodiac cycle, which follows this order: Rat - é ¼   - shÇ”Ox - 牛 - nià ºTiger - 虎 - hÇ”Rabbit - å…” - tà ¹Dragon - é ¾  - là ³ngSnake - 蛇 - shà ©Horse - é ¦ ¬ / é © ¬ - mÇŽRam - ç ¾Å  - yngMonkey - çÅ' ´ - hà ³uChicken - 雞 / é ¸ ¡ - jÄ «Dog - ç‹â€" - gÇ’uPig - è ± ¬ / çÅ' ª - zhÃ… « As with many Chinese traditions, there is a story attached to the types of animals and the order they appear in the Chinese Zodiac. The Jade Emperor (玉皇 - Yà ¹ Hung), according to Chinese myth, governs all of heaven and earth. He was so busy ruling the universe that he had no time to visit earth. He wished to know what the animals of earth looked like, so he invited them all to his heavenly palace for a banquet. The cat was fond of sleeping but did not want to miss the banquet, so he asked his friend the rat to be sure to wake him on the day of the banquet. The rat, however, was jealous of the cats beauty and was afraid of being judged ugly by the Jade Emperor, so he let the cat sleep. As the animals arrived in heaven, the Jade Emperor was so impressed with them that he decided to give each one their own year, arranged by the order they had arrived. The cat, of course, had missed the banquet and was furious with the rat for letting him sleep, and that is why rats and cats are enemies to this day. Qualities Of The Chinese Zodiac Signs Just the like Western zodiac, the Chinese zodiac attributes personality qualities to each of the 12 animal signs. These are often derived from observations about how animals behave and also come from the story of how the animals traveled to the Jade Emperors banquet. The dragon, for example, could have been the first to arrive at the banquet, since he could fly. But he stopped to help some villagers and then helped the rabbit on his way. So those born in the year of the dragon are described as being interested in the world and willing to give a helping hand. The rat, on the other hand, arrived at the banquet by hitching a ride on the ox. Just as the ox arrived at the palace, the rat stuck his nose forward, so was the first to arrive. Those born in the year of the rat are described as shrewd and manipulative, traits which can also be drawn from the story of the rat and the cat. Here is a brief summary of qualities associated with each sign of the Chinese zodiac: Rat - é ¼   - shÇ” forthright, generous, outgoing, loves money, hates waste Ox - 牛 - nià º calm, dependable, obstinate, reliable, proud, and can be uncompromising Tiger - 虎 - hÇ” loving, giving, optimistic, idealistic, stubborn, self-centered, emotional Rabbit - å…” - tà ¹ careful, systematic, considerate, can be indifferent, temperamental, shrewd Dragon - é ¾  - là ³ng strong, energetic, proud, confident, but can be illogical and obsessive.   Snake - 蛇 - shà © intellectual, superstitious, independent, private, cautious, suspicious Horse - é ¦ ¬ / é © ¬ - mÇŽ cheerful, lively, impulsive, manipulative, friendly, self-reliant Ram - ç ¾Å  - yng good-natured, timid, emotional, pessimistic, mild, forgiving Monkey - çÅ' ´ - hà ³u successful, charming, crafty, can be dishonest, self-centered, inquisitive Chicken - 雞 / é ¸ ¡ - jÄ « conservative, aggressive, decisive, logical, can be overly critical Dog - ç‹â€" - gÇ’u clever, willing to help others, open-minded, practical, can be belligerent Pig - è ± ¬ / çÅ' ª - zhÃ… « brave, trustworthy, patient, diplomatic, can be hot-tempered

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Oil, Iraq and U.S. Foreign Policy Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Oil, Iraq and U.S. Foreign Policy - Term Paper Example The Bush administration used the fear of terrorism as a political tool to garner public and congressional support for the invasion of Afghanistan, the country where the infamous Al Qaeda architect Osama bin Laden was thought to be hiding. Bush quickly thereafter justified sending the bulk of the military to Iraq because it was also a terrorist threat because of its massive stockpiles of ‘weapons of mass destruction.’ Of the 13 terrorists linked with the 9-11 attacks, nine were from Saudi Arabia (none from Iraq) who obtained passports from Iran and took orders from an Afghanistan-based organization. No weapons, no link to terrorism and no legal reason to attack. However, Bush decided to invade Iraq for causes deemed unacceptable to the vast majority of other nations so he repeatedly relied on and used false information to justify it. He lied. This discussion will examine how the truth was a casualty early and often during the lead up to the war and outlines some of the co nsequences brought about by these far-reaching and deadly deceptions. The U.S. justified its invasion and occupation of Iraq to the nations of the world by proclaiming, if not proving, that it was a mission to remove weapons of mass destruction which threatened not only the U.S. but all other nations as well. Secretary of State Colin Powell and other administration officials, particularly with the U.S. Department of State, eagerly endeavored to state their rationale for aggressive military actions and make it as palatable to as many other countries as they could. Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz is quoted in an interview with Vanity Fair magazine dated May 28, 2003, as saying â€Å"For bureaucratic reasons, we settled on one issue, weapons of mass destruction† (Shovelan, 2003).

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Organization Development and Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Organization Development and Change - Essay Example Employees may not talk about these principles every day, but they reflect on these values when there are issues at work. In a way, employees judge the organization’s performance against its values. Should there be changes made to an organization, one of the first things that the employees would do is analyze if the process and result of the proposed changes would be aligned with cultural principles. If it does, the employees will acquiesce. If it does not, they will certainly complain and not cooperate. If they have doubts, they will voice it out and challenge the company as what happened with IBM. (Cummings, T. & Worley. C., 2008) In the reading, culture was used to facilitate merger and acquisition integration processes when the CEO epitomized the newly-established values of the company. The CEO trusted first and second level managers with a certain amount of money to spend on activities that would promote productiveness, eliminating the delays caused by going through finance departments and getting approvals. By promoting cultural principles, the CEO was able to encourage the employees to revisit their opinion of the company and adjust their behavior. As such more opportunities were made available to the IBM and the company effectively transitioned from their past beliefs and practices to the new ones. As manifested in the reading, cultural change started from the CEO and the strategies and decisions he made to steer the organization towards the much needed change. As one of the studies conducted in the field has discovered, leadership greatly influences the outcome of cultural change. (Heidrich, B., 2002) The same study listed being role models, making decisions that directly influence the value system, and practicing efficient methods of decision-making as possible ways a leader can change a company’s culture. The use of

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Carol Ann Duffys anthology Mean Time Essay Example for Free

Carol Ann Duffys anthology Mean Time Essay Carol Ann Duffys anthology Mean Time is littered with references to the past. With the title Mean Time in its self referring to time in an ambiguous ways, like Greenwhich mean time, or time associated with angry emotions. The most common interpretation being that the characters represented in many of Mean Times poems as in between two states, past and present. The characters are trapped, escaping, or reminiscing about past times retrospectively from a present time. Much of there past is what is now influencing there present situation or state of mind and Duffy accentuates this factor by being explicit and drawing attention to language that would draw a conclusion to that notion. The Captain of the 1964 Top of the Form Team is a 1960s quiz show between competing teams of school children who, representing their school and in school uniform, would answer general knowledge questions in front of an audience of school children. The individually competitive suggestion of the name of the show individual competition was emphasized in the education system of the 50s and 60s (it would not be unusual for a class to be sat in their rank order according to the last set of exams) and it precedes the change to a comprehensive system. This competitive tone, the sense of a hierarchy, is an important element in the poem. This poem questions the romantic view of the past forming a persona to there present as he characterises his children as his thick kids and his wife as stale. He ambiguously illustrates his past in that he want it back, The Captain. The captain is a symbol of his youth and past in that he wants it back but its so isolated and remote that he cant obtain it and only exists as memories in his mind. The comparison between the first six stanzass representing the past and the last stanza representing the present exhibits a barrier between the two. The constant music references mentioned within the poem to past artists and songs reflects the rich memories that are illustrated to the reader, by appealing to more senses, the eyes and hears. Duffys purpose for inclusion of these songs is not only that they are connected to the time period and create a richer spectacle but they clearly reveal the more desired time period of the character, showing him to feel nostalgia. We see the nostalgia form as he describes his family and current situation in the last stanza previously discussed. Carol Ann Duffys dramatic monologue The Suicide provides an intriguing insight into the forces of the past having an effect on a situation in the present. This poem establishes how the past and present are interconnectivly dependant on each other. This is explained as, without a past of experience and events that shape u as a person there can be no present effects. This notion is also reversed in that without a present the past would never be expressed fully either emotionally or physically with no results or effects seen from past causes. The poem title explicitly provides the reader with exactly what the context of the poem is. The reasons for this is possibly to engage the reader into how is Duffy going to describe the feelings of suicide appealing to our macabre sides of personality. It is commonly thought that language fails to describe many feelings especially that of suicide. The poem analyses the nature of suicidal impulse, by letting a would-be suicide talk to us in the moments before her death. It compares with The Captain of the 1964 Top of the Form Team (The captain), as it is also a dramatic monologue but fails in comparison similarities to that poem. It does refer to the past like The Captain does, however not as explicitly. In The Suicide the reference to the past is, Kisses on a collar. Lies. Blood. The above is a strong reference to a past event of what implicitly seems to be infidelity by the partner. This is followed by short sharp sentences of Lies and Blood. These single emphasised words almost tell a complete story; the history of a relationship, written in lies. Lies that lead to blood (perhaps the blood of the suicide). There is a sense that the whole story is told in these few words. But this whole event can not be ignoring the fact that it was all triggered by a past event that is now influencing if not directly causing the present situation of suicide. The Good Teachers is one of Duffys explicit references to the past but written in present tense which instantly makes the reader form the opinion of reminiscence and living in the past letting past events form the future. We believe to be a male because of the hints to passion for female teachers, as he reveals that you love Miss Pirie. It describes his memories of his life in school as a child but most significantly how he retrospectively looks back and regrets the tom foolery that took place then and how he wasted his time in school. This forms similar themes to End of innocence about regret of the past and wants to escape it. The short sentences in the last stanza can be symbolic of time and how it speedily passed by to leave him where he is now which we never quite find out. Again a barrier is formed between the past and the present by the line But theres the wall you climb. The wall denoting the barrier between past and present and shows how the two are separate. The context before the wall line is about the past, the context of the poem after the wall line is about the present. This structure reinforces the separation of the past and present. Also this show how the past forms a barrier that forms the future and weather or not you accomplish successfully by getting over or around the barrier will have an impact on your life to come. The Captain of the 1964 Top of the Form Team, The Suicide and The Good Teachers all portray the past, but in separate ways. In The Captain the past is seen as a rich rejoicing memory, with dignity and pride at the forefront of it where the past was contrasted to the future to reinforce how commendable the past was. The nostalgia was accentuated by the language and references to his current situation of him having a stale wife and thick kids. The suicide depicts the past consuming the character and a direct cause for her present situation. The language illustrates a dyer situation and forms the opinion that suicide is not chosen, it happens when pain exceeds resources for coping with pain. It fails to by the inadequacy of language and context fully describe the emotion and direct feeling of suicide caused from the past events. It only refers to four words to describe the past, kisses on a collar. This is a classic example of the notion that the past is represented as irretrievable and irreplaceable. Also that not being able to alter the mistakes made in life will undoubtedly form the situation of present and which is suicide in this case but also that those events will characterise you for the future. The Good Teachers forms a view of the past being one of regret and wanting to escape from it. This also, like The Captain and The Suicide, forms a barrier separating the past and present by language and contrasting stanzas.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Saint Bernadette Soubirous :: essays research papers

Saint Bernadette Soubirous The Soubirous family lived in the far north of the little town of Lourdes, in the Lapaca district. A large stream flowed there, and on this stream there were seven mills; one of them known as the Boly Mill, and this had been the residence of the Soubirous. Francois Soubirous leased the mill from relatives of his wife, Louise. In many ways, it was the trade of the miller that had brought the couple together. They had married on the parish church on 9th January 1843. By 1855, the family income had decreased drastically - trade was not good at the mill, and the Soubirous were not the best of business people; often filled with pity for the poor of the local people, they would tell their customers to pay when they were able to, and they never refused credit. And of course there was the family to raise, which further drained their resources. No longer being able to pay for the rent of the mill, the Soubirous were forced to quit their dwellings, give up the millers trade and take on whatever work they could find for themselves. Francois Soubirous recalled that another relative owned a building in the Rue des Petits Fossà ©s - this building was the former Lourdes jail. The old jail was locally known as "the Cachot". The Soubirous were allowed to remain there rent-free. Each evening, the family gathered around the old fireplace for family prayers. This concluded with the recitation of the Rosary - often led by one of the Soubirous girls, Bernadette. BERNADETTE The marriage of Francois Soubirous and Louise Casterot produced six children. The eldest of these was Bernadette. She was born on 7th January 1844, and was baptized the next day by Abbà © Forgues in the old parish church, being given the name of Marie Bernarde. Because of her small stature, she was always referred to by the diminutive form of the name, Bernadette. Six months later, Louise was expecting a child; because of this, Bernadette was entrusted to the care of a woman in near-by Bartres, Marie Aravant, who had just lost a baby boy. She stayed there for 15 months. From her birth, Bernadette was a weak child, suffering even then from the asthma which would cause her so much suffering that later, in the convent, she would beg the nurses to tear open her chest so that she might breathe. Because of her delicate constitution, her parents would attempt to give her little bits of food not available to the other children, such as white bread instead of black.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Bhavnath Temple Essay

Written Analysis and Communication-I Assignment – I Case Analysis â€Å"Bhavnath Temple† Submitted On: Submitted By: 16-07-2010 Arpit Dangayach Section-A Roll No. 101114 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The problem is government’s dilemma to go with lower or higher reservoir capacity. Government’s objective is to provide economic development. It wants to increase agricultural production and generate higher revenues. Option 1, government can go for lower reservoir capacity. Option 2, government can go for higher reservoir capacity. Option 3, government can go for reduced reservoir capacity. Option 1 would save the temple. Revenues would be earned from agriculture and tourism. In option 2, temple would be submerged but higher production and revenues would be there. In option 3, lower production and revenues would be there but support of the villagers will be beneficial for future expansion. Word Count: 107 MAIN REPORT The case has been set in post independence period of India. It talks about the government’s plans for all-around economic development. In the undivided Bombay province a proposal was put forth by the government to build dams across the rivers Lokmata and Sadmata in the northern part of Gujarat. The dams were to have a capacity of 4700 million cu. ft. of water and facilitate irrigation of 92000 acres of land in 3 districts. The control levels of dams were as mentioned in exhibit 1. However construction of the dams would result in submerging of 10500 acres of land belonging to some 20 villages. Therefore the government also had the task of resettlement of the villagers and providing new sources of livelihood, thus adding direct cost to the cost of constructing the dam. But the government was determined about the feasibility of the project. However the control level of the dams would also lead to submergence of the temple of Bhavnath. This was an old temple which was considered highly sacred and connected with Bhrugu Rishi. Also, the temple attracted many tourists at the annual fair. Due to this reason the Government faced stiff opposition from the villagers. The government agreed to take steps to protect the temple. However the final proposal had some changes made like the new control levels as mentioned in exhibit 2, raised capacity i. . 5700 million cu. ft. But this would lead to complete submergence of the temple and was inevitably met with adamant resistance from the people. Bombay was divided in 1960 and Gujarat was formed. The newly formed government was keenly interested in the dam scheme but the opposition still persisted. PROBLEM The central problem is the government’s dilemma to go with Plan I or Plan II. Plan I: The dam would be c onstructed with control levels as in exhibit 1. The capacity would be 4700 million cu. ft. The revenues generated would be Rs. 15. 83 lakhs annually. The temple would be saved from submergence and provided with an all-weather access. Plan II: The dam would be constructed with control levels as in exhibit 2. The capacity would be 5700 million cu. ft and higher revenues would be generated. The temple would be completely submerged. OBJECTIVES †¢ Economic Development: The government wants to go for all-round economic development and thus provide better future prospects for the nation. †¢ Increase in Irrigation Potential: The government wants to bring more area under irrigation and thus earn higher revenues. Resettlement of Villagers: The government has to shift the villagers to a new location and also provide them with source of livelihood. †¢ Protection of Temple: The government would not want to hurt the religious sentiments of the villagers by submerging the temple and thus affect its vote bank. OPTIONS 1. The government can build the dams with reduced control levels as in exhibit 1. The capacity would be 4700 millio n cu. ft and it would facilitate irrigation of 92900 acres of land. This would help generate revenues of Rs. 15. 83 lakhs annually. 2. The government can build the dams with higher control levels as in exhibit 2. The capacity would be 5700 million cu. ft and thus higher revenue generation. 3. The government can opt for slight reduction in the reservoir capacity i. e. below what was initially proposed. As the villagers realise the potential benefits due to the dam, the government can increase the reservoir capacity by expanding laterally. EVALUATION 1. If the government goes with Option 1, it would be able to protect the temple from submerging. This would also respect the religious sentiments of the villagers. Also, the government would be able to cash in on the revenues generated from the tourists arriving at the temple during the annual fair. The vote bank of the government would also be secured. Also there would be lesser shifting of the villagers required. However the reduced dam capacity would mean lower irrigation potential and lower revenues generated. 2. If the government goes with Option 2, it would be able to increase the irrigation potential and thus generate higher revenues. It would also mean better economic development for the village as well as the nation. However, as it would imply submergence of the temple, there would be stiff resistance from the villagers. The government would also have to face the ire of opposition parties. This would in turn hurt their vote bank. Submergence of the temple would also stop the inflow of the revenues generated through tourism. There would also be additional burden on the government for shifting of the villagers and arranging their source of livelihood. 3. If the government goes with Option 3, they would be saving the temple from submergence. There would also be lesser number of villages getting submerged. This would save the government costs of resettlement of the villagers. As there is sufficient irrigation potential, the government can in future increase the irrigation potential by expanding the reservoir laterally. However revenues generated would be less and so would be agricultural production. ACTION PLAN The government should go with Option 1. The dam would facilitate the irrigation of 92900 acres of land and generate annual revenues of Rs. 15. 83 lakhs. The government would also be able to collect the revenues generated from the tourists visiting the temple. This plan would protect the temple from submergence. As a result the government’s action would be viewed in good faith by the villagers as their religious sentiments would be taken care of. This plan will also help the government to stay in power. It would win them the support from nearby villages too.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Target Financial Analysis

Juan A. Torres Rodriguez D01596038 Mini Case Assignment Target Corp. started in 1902 as Dayton’s Dry Goods company. At 1911, Dayton’s Dry Goods is renames as Dayton Company, and commonly known as Dayton’s Department Store. In 1946 Dayton’s Department Stores started giving the community back 5% of their pretax profits, a practice that Target Corp still maintains. During the 1960’s Dayton’s create a new kind of store to appeal the masses called Target, opening the first Target store in the Twin Cities on May 1, 1962. The industry sector in which Target Corporation competes is in the retail sector reaching the $62. 7 Billion in sales. As mentioned above, Target competes in the retail sector, which makes the operating risks of the company mainly focused on customer’s perceptions, differentiation of brand, and anticipating consumer preferences to boost their sales, gross margin and profitability. If we take a look at Target’s 10K, th e first risk factor they mention is the ability of differentiate the business from other retailers by creating attractive value propositions through a careful combination of price, merchandise assortment, convenience, guest service and marketing efforts.Another risk that all companies in this sector face is the macroeconomic condition of the country and the impact this has in their consumers. This lead us to the financial risk the company might have. One of the financial risks we have to consider in any type of company is the debt to total capitalization ratio. Based on financial information of their 2011 report, we can calculate the debt to total capitalization ratio in the following manner: Total debt: 15,726 million Total stockholder’s equity: 15,487 million, therefore: 15,726 / 31,213= . 50 or 50%Comparing their debt to total capitalization ratio with industry average, Target’s is too high. The industry debt to total capitalization ratio is 0. 36. Comparing the fin ancial information of previous years Target went from 0. 58 in 2009 to 0. 52 in 2010, to 0. 50 in 2011. Overall, Target is improving significantly their debt to capitalization ratio, but still has some work to do. In regards of Target stock, currently they don’t have any preferred stock outstanding, just common stock. Target’s common stock is traded in the NYSE as TGT. The price of it’s common stock as of today is $62. 0, going up 0. 06 points. Target’s cash dividend yield on the Common Stock is 0. 0192 = 1. 92% = 2. 0: Cash dividends declared per share: $1. 20 Current stock price: $62. 50 Cash dividend yield= 1. 15 dividends declared/ 62. 50 stock price = 1. 92 = 2. 0 Target’s market capitalization is: 668. 4 million shares issued and outstanding x $62. 50 of stock prices = 41. 8 Billion Continuing with Target’s capital structure, if we look at Target’s liabilities section: Short portion of Long-Term Debt = $3. 3 Billion Long-term de bt = $15. 2 Billion Therefore the total debt for Target would be: . 3 B + 15. 2 B = 18. 5 Billion Dollars Taking the previous calculation of Targets market capitalization of 41. 8 the total capitalization would be: 18. 5 B + 41. 8 B = 60. 3 Billion, or: 31% Debt 69% Equity As of November 18, 2012, Target’s current beta is . 48. Now if we would like to calculate what would be Target’s new beta without the long-term debt (unlevered beta) we need to use the Hamada formula for the unlevered beta bu= b/ [1 +(1-T)(D/S) bu= . 48 / [ 1 + (1-34. 3%) (18. 5/40. 6)] bu= . 37 If Target would not have any long-term debt, its beta would be of . 7. Moving to Target’s current Marginal Tax Rate, according to the Income Statement found at Target’s annual report, the rate is 34. 3%. In order to calculate Target’s Cost of debt before and after taxes, we need to look for the bonds issued by a corporation. Since Target has not issued bonds, I took the cost of a long-ter m debt due in 2020 as my example. The rate of that long-term debt is 3. 875%. This would be the Cost of debt before any taxes taken. Now to calculate the Cost of Debt after tax, we need to proceed with the following calculation: 3. 875 ( 1 – 34. %) = 2. 545875 As mentioned before, Target doesn’t have any preferred stock. We can calculate the Cost of Equity using the Risk Free Rate of 3. 00% and a Risk Premium of 7. 5% points. Using the new beta of . 48 we can determine what is the Expected Total return by Common Stockholders: rRF = 3. 00 rRP = 7. 5 b= . 48 Cost of Equity = rRF + (rRP x b) =3. 00% + (7. 5% pts x 0. 48) = 0. 066 ? 6. 6% Given the dividend yield of 2. 0 we can also determine the Expected annual appreciation of Target’s Common Stock: 6. 6% Total Return – 2. 0 Dividend Yield = 4. % of E. A. A. With the previous information calculated we could proceed and calculate the Weighted Average Cost of Capital: wd = 31% ws = 69% rs = 6. 6% rd = 3. 875% Tax = 34. 3 WACC = wd ( 1 – T)rd + ws(rs) =31% ( 1 – 34. 3%) 3. 875% + (69% x 6. 6%) = 0. 053432 = 5. 3432% One of the last things used to evaluate in order to consider investing in a company is its Price Earnings Multiple. Target’s Price Earnings Multiple is calculated the following way: Stock Price= $62. 50 Earnings Per Share = $4. 50 P/E = Stock Price / EPS = 62. 50 / 4. 50 = 13. 89If we compare Target’s P/E ratio with Wal-Mart, which is in the same industry, (14. 03 P/E), Target’s P/E is within ndustry. http://finance. yahoo. com/q/bc? s=TGT+Basic+Chart&t=5y This chart was retrieved from Yahoo! Financial. In here we can see the performance of Target’s Stock (TGT) during the past five years. In 2008 Target’s started at approximately $55. 00; looking at 2009, the stock plummeted from the 60’s to the mid 20’s, which reflects the market crash. After this episode in the economy we can see that Target’s stock has re covered significantly.After performing the calculations, Target’s capital structure is optimal. However, the debt to capitalization ratio is high, at 50%. Target needs to lower its Long-Term Debt. Comparing Target’s debt to capital to the industry average, the industry average is 0. 36. However I would invest in Target. I think I would have an advantage over outsiders, because I used to work at Target Corporation. Target is a company that is constantly growing, and their sales demonstrate their market advantage over other retailers. What convinced me to invest into Target mostly was the P/E ratio.Comparing it to a corporation like Wal-Mart, which is really successful, Target’s P/E ratio is acceptable and attractive. References 1. Scovaner, Douglas A. (2011). Target 2011 Annual Report. Retrieved on November 18, 2012: https://corporate. target. com/annual-reports/2011/images/company/annual_report_2011/documents/Target_2011_Annual_Report. pdf 2. Stock Analysis on n et. (2012). Retrieved on November 18, 2012. http://www. stock-analysis-on. net/NYSE/Company/Target-Corp/Ratios/Long-term-Debt-and-Solvency#Debt-to-Capital 3. Retrieved on November 18, 2012 http://ycharts. com/companies/TGT/pe_ratio 4.Yahoo! Finance. (2012). Retrieved on November 18, 2012. http://finance. yahoo. com/q/bc? s=TGT+Basic+Chart&t=5y ——————————————– [ 1 ]. https://corporate. target. com/annual-reports/2011/images/company/annual_report_2011/documents/Target_2011_Annual_Report. pdf, page 5. [ 2 ]. http://www. stock-analysis-on. net/NYSE/Company/Target-Corp/Ratios/Long-term-Debt-and-Solvency#Debt-to-Capital [ 3 ]. https://corporate. target. com/annual-reports/2011/images/company/annual_report_2011/documents/Target_2011_Annual_Report. pdf, [ 4 ]. http://ycharts. com/companies/TGT/pe_ratio

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Elizabeth Cady Stanton essays

Elizabeth Cady Stanton essays Elizabeth Cadys older brother Eleazer, died when she was eleven years old. He was the only son of Judge Daniel Cady and Margaret Livingston Cady. Eleazer was the pride of the wealthy and conservative Cady family. Soon after Eleazers death, Elizabeth hopped onto her fathers lap. At first he paid no attention to her as she laid her head against his chest. Finally, her father sighed, Oh my daughter, I wish you were a boy! Elizabeth Cady then proceeded to spend great amounts of time studying and horseback riding, hoping to fill the void that her brother left. Learning in an academy full of boys, she pressed on, studying Latin, Greek and math with boys in the academy, and she became one of the top students. Soon, Elizabeth realized that taking action to succeed and becoming self-reliant was shaping her into in her own words, a very extraordinary woman. After graduating from Troy Female Seminary in New York (she was not allowed to attend mens colleges), Elizabeth Cady met Henry Stanton, who in her words was then considered the most eloquent and impassioned orator on the anti-slavery platform. After attending a few of his anti-slavery conventions, Elizabeth became enthused with new ideas of individual rights and the basic principles of government. She was also intrigued with the speaker. Elizabeth and Henry Stanton married in 1840. As they continued to attend the anti-slavery conventions, Elizabeth and others protested the exclusion of women as U.S. political abolitionist delegates. Elizabeth became determined to bring about change. Elizabeth Cady Stanton met with Lucretia Mott, a Philadelphia delegate, and planned the first female suffrage convention, held in Seneca Falls in 1848. The Stanton, Mott and three other women used the Declaration of Independence to guide them, changing a phrase here and there including adding women...

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Parthenogenesis - Reproduction Without Sex

Parthenogenesis - Reproduction Without Sex Parthenogenesis is a type of asexual reproduction in which a female gamete or egg cell develops into an individual without fertilization. Animals including most kinds of wasps, bees, and ants that have no sex chromosomes reproduce by this process. Some reptiles and fish are also capable of reproducing in this manner. Many plants are also capable of reproducing by parthenogenesis. Most organisms that reproduce by parthenogenesis also reproduce sexually. This type of parthenogenesis is known as facultative parthenogenesis and organisms including water fleas, crayfish, snakes, sharks, and Komodo dragons reproduce in this manner. Other parthenogenic species, including some reptiles, amphibians, and fishes, are only capable of reproducing asexually. Key Takeaways: Parthenogenesis In parthenogenesis, reproduction occurs asexually when a female egg cell develops into a new individual without fertilization.Many different types of organisms reproduce by parthenogenesis including insects, amphibians, reptiles, fish, and plants.Most parthenogenic organisms also reproduce sexually, while others only reproduce by asexual means.Parthenogenesis is an adaptive strategy that allows organisms to reproduce when sexual reproduction is not possible due to environmental conditions.Parthenogenesis that happens by apomixis involves the replication of an egg by mitosis resulting in diploid cells that are clones of the parent.Parthenogenesis that happens by automixis involves the replication of an egg by meiosis and the transformation of the haploid egg to a diploid cell by chromosome duplication or fusion with a polar body.In arrhenotokous parthenogenesis, the unfertilized egg develops into a male.In thelytoky parthenogenesis, the unfertilized egg develops into a female.In deute rotoky parthenogenesis, a male or female may develop from the unfertilized egg. Advantages and Disadvantages of Parthenogenesis Parthenogenesis is an adaptive strategy to ensure the reproduction of organisms when conditions are not favorable for sexual reproduction. Asexual reproduction can be advantageous to organisms that must remain in a particular environment and in places where mates are scarce. Numerous offspring can be produced without costing the parent a great amount of energy or time. A disadvantage of this type of reproduction is the lack of genetic variation. There is no movement of genes from one population to another. Due to the fact that environments are unstable, populations that are genetically variable will be able to adapt to changing conditions better than those that lack genetic variation. How Does Parthenogenesis Happen? There are two main ways in which parthenogenesis occurs. One method is by apomixis, where egg cells are produced by mitosis. In apomictic parthenogenesis, the female sex cell (oocyte) replicates by mitosis producing two diploid cells. These cells have the full complement of chromosomes needed to develop into an embryo. The resulting offspring are clones of the parent cell. Among the organisms that reproduce in this manner are flowering plants and aphids. Dorling Kindersley / Getty Images The other main method of parthenogenesis is through automixis. In automictic parthenogenesis, egg cells are produced by meiosis. Normally in oogenesis (egg cell development), the resulting daughter cells are divided unequally during meiosis. This asymmetrical cytokinesis results in one large egg cell (oocyte) and smaller cells called polar bodies. The polar bodies degrade and are not fertilized. The oocyte is  haploid  and only becomes diploid after it is  fertilized by male sperm. Since  automictic parthenogenesis does not involve males, the egg cell becomes diploid by fusing with one of the polar bodies or by duplicating its chromosomes and doubling its genetic material. Since the resulting offspring are produced by meiosis, genetic recombination  occurs and these individuals are not true clones of the parent cell. Sexual Activity and Parthenogenesis In an interesting twist, some organisms that reproduce by parthenogenesis actually need sexual activity for parthenogenesis to occur. Known as pseudogamy or gynogenesis, this type of reproduction requires the presence of sperm cells to stimulate egg cell development. In the process, no genetic material is exchanged because the sperm cell does not fertilize the egg cell. The egg cell develops into an embryo by parthenogenesis. Organisms that reproduce in this manner include some salamanders, stick insects, ticks,  aphids,  mites,  cicadas, wasps, bees, and  ants. How Is Sex Determined in Parthenogenesis? In some organisms such as wasps, bees, and  ants, sex is determined by fertilization. In arrhenotokous parthenogenesis, an  unfertilized egg develops into a male and a fertilized egg develops into a female. The female is diploid and contains two sets  of chromosomes, while the male is haploid.  In thelytoky parthenogenesis,  unfertilized  eggs develop into  females.  Thelytoky parthenogenesis occurs in some ants, bees, wasps, arthropods, salamanders,  fish, and reptiles. In  deuterotoky parthenogenesis, both males and females develop from unfertilized eggs. Other Types of Asexual Reproduction In addition to parthenogenesis, there are several other types of asexual reproduction. Some of these methods include: Spores: Spores are reproductive cells that develop into new organisms without fertilization.Binary fission: In binary fission, an individual replicates and divides by mitosis creating two individuals.Budding: In budding, an individual grows out of the body of its parent.Regeneration: Regeneration occurs when the detached part of an individual forms another individual. Sources Allen, L., et al. Molecular Evidence for the First Records of Facultative Parthenogenesis in Elapid Snakes. Open Science, The Royal Society, 1 Feb. 2018, rsos.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/5/2/171901.Dudgeon, Christine L., et al. Switch from Sexual to Parthenogenetic Reproduction in a Zebra Shark. Nature News, Nature Publishing Group, 16 Jan. 2017, www.nature.com/articles/srep40537.Parthenogenesis. New World Encyclopedia, www.newworldencyclopedia.org/p/index.php?titleParthenogenesisoldid987045.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Myrrh (Commiphora molmol) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Myrrh (Commiphora molmol) - Essay Example and 60 essential oils are normally used by the professional aromatherapist, and most suppliers offer in the region of 70-80; these oils generally belong to just a few of the many plant families, and the families dealt with below include the majority of plants utilized in the production of essential oils’. Current paper refers specifically to the plant commiphora molmol (or myrrh as most commonly known) and its use in the area of medicine and aromatherapy. A series of clinical data is also presented in order to support the theoretical views that are related with the use of myrrh as a basis of several remedies applied in modern medicine. The word myrrh origins from the Arabic word ‘murr’ that means ‘bitter’. In Encyclopedia Britannica (2007) myrrh is referred as a ‘bitter-tasting, agreeably aromatic, yellow to reddish brown oleoresinous gum obtained from various small, thorny, flowering trees of the genus Commiphora, of the incense-tree family (Burseraceae); the two main varieties of myrrh are herabol and bisabol’. The study of Hanrahan (2007, 1) also refers to myrrh and its origin. In the specific study it is mentioned that ‘myrrh (also known as Commiphora molmol, abyssinica, or myrrha) is a close relative and member of the Burseraceae family, native to the eastern Mediterranean, Ethiopia, the Arabian peninsula, and Somalia; myrrh is a shrubby desert tree known variously as gum, myrrh tree, guggal gum, guggal resin, didin, and didthin’ (Hanrahan, 2007, 1). The most significant characteristic of myrrh is its distinctive colour. More specifically, as it is stated in a report published by the Tillotson Institute of Natural Health (2005), ‘myrrh gum has an intense dark color, reflecting its medicinal potency; it exerts a strong and certain action against specific types of pain and swelling, such as that of rheumatoid arthritis while it is strong enough to soften hard swellings and carbuncles;Â  like all plant resins, myrrh can also lower blood