The Journalism And Media Staff - 1511 Words

According to PEW Research Center: Journalism and media staff â€Å"The threat to newspapers now appears from nearly every indicator. From 1950 through 1999, for instance, newspaper revenue grew seven percent a year. From 2000 through 2006, by contrast, it has grown by just 0.5%. Then in the first quarter of 2006, growth was even less: 0.35%.† Though online ad revenues continue to rise, they have been recently description for just 5% of all newspaper company revenue. In addition to inactive and not so popular ad growth, newspapers have been challenging with motion deteriorations, a sceptical Wall Street, ownership changes — such as Knight Ridder’s recent sale of its 32 papers– and perhaps most notably, adapting to the world of online news.†¦show more content†¦What is Digital Media and its sources and their advantages and disadvantage? Digital media are any types of media—including text, images, audio clips, videos, and podcasts—presented in an electronic format, such as on the Internet. Computers, laptops, smartphones, notebooks, tablets such as iPads, and portable media players such as iPods can access digital media. Since many people own these types of devices, the popularity of digital media has surged in the twenty-first century. These all devices has made easy access to the internet server to use it. Because of digital media it is replacing print media (newspaper, magazines) Due to digital media effect newspaper are not getting advertisement of the product and it is the way to happen, the company invest where customers are looking for the product. Because world is digitalizing people having access to internet easily, so company also invest their money on the customers viewpoint. Wherever the customer are products run towards them to show their products. Internet have many advantages for the people to use such as information on almost every subject imaginable, power search engines, ability to do research from your home no need to go through all the bookShow MoreRelatedThe Rise And Fall Of Traditional Journalism1283 Words   |  6 PagesJournalism is gathering, processing, and dissemination of news, and information related to news, to an audience. The word applies to the method of inquiring for news, the literary style which is used to disseminate it, and the activity (professional or not) of journalism. With the invention of complicated printing technology in the 1870s, photographic images were possibly created for the reproduction in newspapers and magazines. Then a hundred years later, the newspaper industry reached its apexRead MoreThe Basic Tasks Of Journalism898 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"the basic tasks of journalism in a democracy under three main headings: 1. The task of observing and informing, primarily as a service to the public 2. The task of participating in public life as an independent actor by way of critical comment, advice, advocacy and expression of opinion 3. The task of providing a channel, forum, or platform for extramedia voices or sources to reach a self-chosen public† (pp. 116). This â€Å"tasks† could be developed and performed by journalism in four types of outletsRead MorePrint Journalism : An Alternative Business Model1420 Words   |  6 Pages Commissioned by Mr Rupert Murdock Written by Lauren M Petri Chief Advisor to Mr Rupert Murdock Executive Summary Print journalism has existed since the early days of the printing press in the 16th century and has succeeded in providing quality news for generations. However, since the technology movement, slowly but surely Print Journalism in Australia has been in crisis. The growing rate of digital technology, the sale of advertising space and competition from cheaper and more popularRead MoreDeath of the Newspaper: Where Will Journalism Go From Here?1337 Words   |  6 Pagesnewspapers are being forced to close their doors. In spite of this, the spirit of journalism cannot be allowed to die. Media expert Clay Shirky (2009, para. 10) writes that, â€Å"There is no general model for newspapers to replace the one the internet just broke.† Shirky’s right, there is no general model because it’s no longer about replacing newspapers; it’s about saving journalism and giving journalists a new media in which to thrive. In an age where young people have been steadily gravitatingRead More Citizen Journalism1587 Words   |  7 PagesJoan Cornell notes that the Internet democratizes the journalism which was in the hand of the few people (2003). The Internet makes the public access to information; at the same time, it creates the public to be journalists, opening blogs to put something new around on the Internet. Many news websites like The Guardian, the Washington Post, CNN and MSNBC allows some personification. The journalism nowadays is facing challenges not only from media and technology convergence, but also from audience theyRead MoreThe General Term Of Journalism1176 Words   |  5 Pages In our contemporary society, we consume massive amount of public affairs every day, all around the world, without being a personal witness of them. We are able to receive this important information through the news media, which includes print-based media such as newspapers, magazines, books, and audio visual such as films, television, and lastly, Internet. Their main purpose is to deliver news to the general public. A legitimate news story aims to do all of the following—inform, educate, and entertainRead MoreCitizen Journalist Essay1690 Words   |  7 PagesCaterin L. Villar November 27, 2011 English 102 Professor Rigney Is Assuming the Role of Citizen Journalist worth the Risk? Amateur journalism is becoming more and more popular everyday with the advancement of technology. Newspapers across America have become so decimated by staff cutbacks that citizen journalists are stepping in to fill the gap in covering the news.   Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube are only some of the free websites where users are connected with others and can share inRead MoreInteractivity And The Use Of Ugc Are Tools That Media Companies1428 Words   |  6 PagesInteractivity and the use of UGC are tools that media companies attempt to use as part of creating public engagement. As people spend more time spend online, they are increasingly interactive, and conversely, there is a greater chance they might become engaged with the content (Yang Coffey, 2014). There is a weak correlation between interactivity and circulation (Graham Greenhill, 2013), and increased circulation could mean additional income for the publication. Engagement results from someoneRead MoreThe Changes Of The P r Industry Overtime And The Main Factors That Created Its New Image Today1503 Words   |  7 PagesPrinciples and the launch of the modern public relations industry 110 years ago, and it’s an industry that is constantly evolving. Modernization has played a huge role in shifting PR and journalism to another level where it’s highly exposed and under constant scrutiny of the public eye. However, as the mistrust in journalism has began to grow and expand, PR is getting its break from the negativity and society’s attitude towards it has improved greatly. As written in PR Week, â€Å"the world of PR has changedRead MoreEssay on Changing Photojournalism Education in American Universities1044 Words   |  5 PagesKenneth Kenney stated the obvious in 1987- â€Å"The lack of trained teachers and educators and standard teaching materials is the most pressing problem in photojournalism education† (Kenney 1987). The same rings true today- professors in the fields o f journalism and photojournalism are practicing the same things they were taught in college- many have been out of the workforce for years, if they were working journalists or photojournalists at all. Today’s professors were trained in the beginning of the digital

Executive Compensation and Corporate Fraud - 1083 Words

Introduction: The past decade has been witness to some of the worst accounts of corporate fraud ever recorded, with multi-billion dollar companies such as Enron, Tyco, and World-com involved in serious financial scandals. CEOs and senior executives are often the driving force behind such unscrupulous activities by adopting shady accounting practices and other forms of short-termist actions for the purpose of increasing their firm’s stock price and their own personal wealth. The following paper will investigate whether there is a link between executive compensation structures and fraud or misreporting. Through the analysis of four academic articles, I will show that the evidence which links compensation tools tied to stock market based†¦show more content†¦In practice, the use of stock options in the corporate sector has increased to account for nearly two-thirds of total pay for CEOs in median firms, a figure that trumps 1984 estimates, where stock options accounted for only 1% of total pay (Denis et al., 2006). So the question we must ask is when we use stock option based incentives for executives, does the evidence warrant the need for greater controls or regulation? Denis et al. (2006) briefly explores the idea of the need for greater outside monitoring, and discusses how the â€Å"dark side† of stock incentive compensation may require robust corporate governance structures to counter-veil the negative effects. Erickson et al. (2006) points out that regulators and policy-makers are quick to link corporate fraud and stock options. They (Erickson et al. 2006) state that the intent of their research was in part to resolve the question as to whether there exists evidence that stock-based compensation is tied to accounting fraud. Since no evidence is found, the policy implications for greater controls are limited. Burns et al. (2006) study has implications for the level of options and equity in CEO remuneration contracts. Efendi et al. (2007) does not provide any policy recommendations, but do call for further researchShow MoreRelatedExecutive Compensation969 Words   |  4 PagesEXECUTIVE COMPENSATION 1. HOW IS IT DETERMINED? Executive compensation generally consists of a mix of four components: - Annual Base Salary - Annual Incentive or bonus plans tied to short-term performance measures. - Long Term Incentives consisting in a mix of restricted stocks, stocks options and other long-term performance plans tied to shareholder return or financial performance. - Benefits plans. As a rule of thumb, the base salary constitutes 30% of total compensation, the annual incentiveRead MoreWorldcom, A High Growth Company999 Words   |  4 Pages C.B. Rogers, 2003). In order to show the public that they were doing well, top management kept a separate report to come up with the difference that existed between the actual and expected number that they need to report to the account called corporate unallocated revenue from the actual book (Beresford, Katzenbach, C.B. Rogers, 2003). By doing so, WorldCom improperly recorded a total of $958 million in revenue from 1999 to the first quarter of 2002 (Beresford, Katzenbach, C.B. Rogers, 2003)Read MoreThe Anatomy Of Corporate Fraud Essay845 Words   |  4 PagesArticle Critique #1 The first article researched was The Anatomy of Corporate Fraud: A comparative Analysis of High Profile American and European Corporate Scandals. The abstract discusses the analysis conducted on the three major American accounting scandals; Enron, WorldCom, and HealthSouth, and compares to the three major European accounting scandals; Parmalat, Royal Ahold, and Vivendi Universal. Bahram Soltani (2014), also discusses within the abstract the different areas reviewed regardingRead MoreA History Of Earnings Management1624 Words   |  7 PagesResulting Legislations At the turn of the 21st century, America found itself wrought with multiple financial scandals. The poor decisions of just a few executives resulted in thousands of people out of a job, pension funds wiped away, and houses going back to the bank. While earnings management was certainly not a new concept nor was the resulting fraud, the high number of scandals within a short period of time brought it front and center. The resulting public outcry forced congress to swiftly passRead MoreThe Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002 Essay example1469 Words   |  6 Pagesthe creation of a Commission designed to oversee audits and corporate accounting practices, and the potential efficacy of this Commission. Finally, I will address the modifications to the Federal Sentencing Guidelines as it relates to corporate fraud. The failure to directly address accounting practices as they relate to stock options and other corporate incentives in Sarbanes-Oxley indicates the flaw in Federal regulation of corporate practices. Sarbanes-Oxley was designed to address the fraudulentRead MoreEnron Of Natural Gas Pipelines Enron1144 Words   |  5 PagesEnron lead to perceived solutions exacerbating the issues and escalating the magnitude of fraud perpetuated. As time progressed Enron faced increasing competition while simultaneously enduring the effects of the beginning of economic recession. The above issue increased the pressure on executives to continue posting performance numbers despite the reality of outside influences. At about the same time the corporate culture of Enron became much more pressured and obsessed with making deals whether goodRead MoreEthical Financial Reporting And Disclosure Quality893 Words   |  4 PagesQuality. The key of the abstract is to emphasize the positive influence of independent audit committee on the ethical financial reporting, corporate disclosure, and company ethical environment overall (p. 183). Introduction. The author studies the relationships between the director overlap and financial reporting quality, and for that purpose, analyzes the compensation measurement system and how it tights to performance (p. 183). The researcher also focuses on the impact of audit committee on the reportingRead MoreLong Distance Rates And Revenue990 Words   |  4 Pagesat WorldCom?, 2002). . In order to show the public that they were doing well, top management kept a separate report to come up with the difference that existed between the actual and expected number that they need to report to the account called corporate unallocated revenue from the actual book (Beresford, Katzenbach, C.B. Rogers, 2003). By doing so, WorldCom improperly recorded a total of $958 million in revenue from 1999 to the first quarter of 2002 (Beresford, Katzenbach, C.B. Rogers, 2003)Read MoreWorldcom Fraud : Worldcom And Worldcom987 Words   |  4 PagesWhile Enron was the complicated fraud, WorldCom fraud was the simplest to commit. WorldCom, now known as MCI and acquired by Verizon Communication since 2006, was founded in 1983 to create a discount long-distance provider. The company grew very rapidly in the 1990s due to several large acquisitions. (Beresford, Katzenbach, C.B. Rogers, 2003) WorldCom completed 3 mergers in 1998 and one of the merger is largest at that time which is purchas ing MCI Communications Inc. for $40 billion. WorldCom alsoRead MoreTyco International Accounting Fraud Case Study1544 Words   |  6 PagesTyco Accounting Fraud: Tyco International is an organization with operations in approximately 100 countries resulting in its claim as the largest manufacturer and servicer of electronics and electrical items across the globe. Actually, the firm designs and makes undersea telecommunications systems, electronic security systems, specialty valves, and fire protection systems. The company has also developed to become a major player in the several other markets including adhesives markets, disposable

The Accountant Role in Business Intelligence - MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss aboutThe Accountant Role in Business Intelligence. Answer: To conduct every business several functions are required to be performed by the business organisation. Accounting is one among those key functions which needs to be performed by almost every business enterprise to maintain the adequate records of important financial data of the company. The function of accounting not only involves preparation of books of accounts but it involves various activities such as collection of data from various resources, recording of the collected data, summarising the data into relevant information, classification of such information so as to incorporate them in the financial statements of the company analysing the processed information and ultimately interpreting, analysing and comparing the financial information regarding the business of the company. Few years back, all these functions were supposed to be performed by the accountants of the company. As accounting functions entails a wide gamut of activities, it was quite difficult for the accountants to carry out such functions individually with complete accuracy and in the limited time. But, with the advancement of technologies the overall accounting function is made simple and manageable. The development of concept of business intelligence has positively contributed to the simplification of business function of various enterprises. Business intelligence is a process which is completely technology driven and covers various tools and applications that supports various business functions. It supports almost every business function with the innovative tools and techniques (Ranjan, 2009). Most of the business organisations use business intelligence as an analytical tool to analyse the complex business information so as to make sound business decisions. BI helps the business managers in collecting the necessary data from various internal and external sources to facilitate the core business functioning. It also promotes the accuracy of function by providing the accurate information to the users on the correct time so that appropriate courses of actions can be made (Hassani, 2015). The implementation of BI tools improves the operational capacity of the business operation by promoting improved decision making. Particularly in the accounting area, business intelligence has a major role to play. It is used to analyse the financial information of the company thereby providing the key financial results to the required parties. Business intelligence provides the analysed data in the easily accessible formats to the users so that proper actions can be taken with the use of relevant financial information of the business of the business. The accounting functions previously used to utilise huge amount of human efforts and time to collect and process the data related to the important business transactions and events. But now the implementation of business intelligence tools has simplified and improved the accounting function by providing completely accurate information on time to time basis. The large databases are used to maintain large amount of relevant financial data regarding the important elements of the company such as the record of sock maintained by the company etc. which can help its management team in achieving the financial goals and objectives. Before the introduction of BI technique, the huge amount of financial data was stored on the physical mode which was difficult to maintain and retain in long term. The databases under the business intelligence techniques has resolved the storage of ample of business data. Moreover, business intelligence applications helps in performing various management accountants functions such as preparation of necessary reports to be delivered to the managers to enable them to take required actions (CIMA, 2008). It also helps the management of the enterprises by prompt provision of information as and when the actions upon them are required to be performed without entertaining any delay whereas in manual accounting the financial information used to be communicated to the intended users and managers by the accountants only on annual basis. Business intelligence tools helps the business goals and objectives by facilitating various functions such as financial budgeting and financial planning by completely processing the accounting data collected from various sources. It also helps the business managers in identifying the financial trends that are generally followed by the businesses so as to enable the managers in making appropriate accounting estimates and assumptio n. BI has also enabled the business enterprises to respond appropriately and timely to the changes in the financial situation of the company. The key performance indicators that are used by business intelligence makes business managers more aware and attentive towards their financial goals and performance so that it can be improved on a constant basis. The typical implementation of business intelligence concept to the business has threatened the management accountants in respect of their functions. With the development of BI technologies the management accountants had started assuming that their role an importance in the organisation functioning is getting reduced gradually. But it is actually not so. Rather the scope of role of accountants is getting enlarged with the implementation of business intelligence tools and applications in the business organisations (Richards, Yeoh, Chong Popovic, 2014). Yes it is a correct fact that the development of business intelligence has facilitated businesses with various analytical and reporting and performance management tools which has reduced the role of management accountants in these contexts but at the same time it is also correct that the implementation of business intelligence spared the management accountants capacity by releasing them from performing the analytical and reporting funct ions (Marjanen, Tommi, 2017). The released capacity of management accountants of the business organisations can be now be used in accepting the decision supporting roles. These accountants are therefore now required perform the strategic functions rather than being the mere spectators (Jordan, 2014). From the above study it can be established that the implementation of business intelligence processes supports the overall functioning of the business organisation. Particularly in the accounting areas, business intelligence tools have proved to be very successful for the organisational functioning by providing necessary information to the managers to make appropriate decision making. It also offers the companies competitive advantages over the firms that are still not using the business intelligence (Guarda, Santos, Pinto, Augusto, Silva, 2013). Moreover, the implementation of business intelligence applications in performing the accounting function has not ended the roles of the accountants rather their roles are changed from being the mere accountants to the strategic decision makers. They are now expected to adopt enhanced role by managing the strategic functions of the same company in which they were performing the mere accounting functions. Ransomware attacks are the cyber security disasters that are carried by the malwares which are disguised as the authentic word files or PDFs that the corporate users are tricked to download. These files are sent in the through the email attachments. When these files are downloaded the malware encrypts the organisational data and demands ransom to release that. Recently, in year 2017, a similar ransomware attack occurred which had majorly affected four countries: Taiwan, Ukraine, Russia and India. The important data maintained by the organisations of these countries was caught by the malware. As a consequence of this, the caught data was encrypted and the access to it was blocked for these organisations. The malware demanded heavy ransoms in return to the decryption of that data. The ransom was supposed to be paid in the Bitcoin currency (Perlroth, Scott Frenkel, 2017). The key risk areas where the medical institutions are exposed to the Ransomware attack: Organisational data: The medical organisation maintains a large record of its patients in the electronic mode which is of utmost importance for it as such records contains the significant information about the patients and the their health care service providers. Such information needs to be accessed for various administrative and operational purposes. However, because of online storage, this data is more exposed to the cyber-attacks (Zetter, 2016). Market reputation: The loss of valuable data or the lives of patients as a result of ransomware deeply affects the market standing of the company and the medical practitioners working in the victim organisation. Health and safety of the patients: One of the major area which could be exposed to the adverse impact of ransomware attack is the safety and well-being of patients of the healthcare facilities providers. The inactivation of medical devices due to such attacks can affect the health of the patients (Zetter, 2016). Intellectual properties: The organisation holds various results of the researches made by its medical practitioners, the drug formulas and the details of experiments in relation to the surgery procedures. Such information is generally kept confidential so that any external interested parties is prevented to access it. However, the ransomware attacks could expose such data to the outside world. The potential impacts of these risks can vary depending upon the severity of the attack. In general following impacts could be experienced as a result of ransomware attack: Harm to the patients health: The disruption of the medical facilities provided to the patients of the hospital because of occurrence of the cyber-attacks can cause heavy injuries to their health. Legal implications: The leakage of public sensitive information of the patients of the hospitals may call for legal costs to be paid by the hospital. Sabotage: The impact of ransomware attack could also reach outside the boundaries of local country. The foreign pharmaceutical competitors of the victimised hospital could also be made available with its valuable data which could be misused by them. Loss of competitive advantage or creditability: The confidential data maintained by the hospital could be revealed out to its competitors as a result of the ransomware attack. The exposure of confidential information could enable the interested third parties to take undue advantage of hospitals valuable data and the exposure of sensitive information about the patients of the company may also cause loss of trust among them (Gordon, Fairhall Landman, 2017). Financial loss: The ransomware attacks may destroy the sensitive and important financial information of the hospitals which could make the organisation suffer from huge financial losses. Following controls can be implemented to protect the hospitals from the occurrence of ransomware attacks. Use of firewall systems: The firewalls can protect the hospitals from the cyber-attacks by preventing the unauthorised users to access the authorised data of the organisation. Password protected systems and devices: All the systems and devices operated by the hospital staff must be password protected so that the illegitimate parities cannot access such systems (Kruse, Frederick, Jacobson Monticone, 2017). Cyber-security training: The employees of the hospitals must have adequate knowledge of cyber security measures so they can prevent the occurrence of such cyber-attacks. Therefore, they must be provided required training in this context (Perakslis, 2014). Installation of antivirus programs: The antivirus programs can safeguard the operating systems of the hospitals by constantly scanning for the viruses in the system applications and software (Martin, Martin, Hankin, Darzi, Kinross, 2017). Deployment of updated software: The organisational functions such as accounting, banking functions etc. of the hospital are often supported by various software. The management must ensure that only updated software with complete security features are used for such business functions. References: CIMA. (2008). Improving decision making in organisations Unlocking business intelligence. Retrieved on: https://www.cimaglobal.com/Documents/ImportedDocuments/cid_execrep_unlocking_business_intelligence_Feb09.pdf. Accessed on 05-01-2018. Gordon, W. J., Fairhall, A., Landman, A. (2017). Threats to Information SecurityPublic Health Implications.New England Journal of Medicine,377(8), 707-709. Guarda, T., Santos, M., Pinto, F., Augusto, M., Silva, C. (2013). Business intelligence as a competitive advantage for SMEs.International Journal of Trade, Economics and Finance,4(4), 187. Hassani, Y. (2015). Why is Business Intelligence (BI) important to your company? Retrieved from: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-business-intelligence-bi-important-your-company-yass. Accessed on 05-01-2018. Jordan, B., (2014). The Accountant's Role in Business Intelligence. Retrieved from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20141120155615-40154060-the-accountant-s-role-in-business-intelligence Accessed on 05-01-2018. Kruse, C. S., Frederick, B., Jacobson, T., Monticone, D. K. (2017). Cybersecurity in healthcare: A systematic review of modern threats and trends.Technology and Health Care,25(1), 1-10. Marjanen, Tommi. (2017). How business intelligence has changed management accountants profession and roles? Retrieved from https://aaltodoc.aalto.fi/handle/123456789/24588 Accessed on 05-01-2018. Martin, G., Martin, P., Hankin, C., Darzi, A., Kinross, J. (2017). Cybersecurity and healthcare: how safe are we?.Bmj,358, j3179. Perakslis, E. D. (2014). Cybersecurity in health care.N Engl J Med,371(5), 395-397. Perlroth, N., Scott, M., Frenkel, S. (2017). Cyberattack Hits Ukraine Then Spreads Internationally.The New York Times. Ranjan, J. (2009). Business intelligence: Concepts, components, techniques and benefits.Journal of Theoretical and Applied Information Technology,9(1), 60-70. Richards, G., Yeoh, W., Chong, A. Y. L., Popovic, A. (2014, January). An empirical study of business intelligence impact on corporate performance management. InPACIS 2014: Proceedings of the Pacific Asia Conference on Information Systems 2014(pp. 1-16). AIS eLiberary. Zetter, K. (2016). Why hospitals are the perfect targets for ransomware.Retrieved from: https://www. wired. com/2016/03/ransomware-why-hospitals-are-the-perfect-targets. Accessed on 05-01-2018.

Visa

Introduction The use of visa to regulate entry from one country to another has been practiced for a very long time. This is because different countries have different laws and regulations regarding who should or should not enter their territorial boundaries. However, some countries have introduced visa free entry programs for various reasons. This paper briefly discusses the advantages of visa-free entry to all countries and how the same will be useful to people and governments.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Visa-free Entry to all Countries specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Visa-free Entry There are many types of visas provided by countries depending on purpose or intent of the person travelling to that country. It is great to imagine a world with visa-free entry to all countries. From the word go, this would certainly remove the bottle neck to global movement of people. It will be possible to move hustle free f rom one country to another. Application and checking of visa during movements causes a lot of time delay. Sometimes several visas may be required while travelling to a single destination. Doing away with visas would make the movement hustle free. Most countries have water tight visa requirements which discourage free movement. Having visa free entry would allow free entry to countries for business people. This would create more business opportunities for them. The largest group to benefit would be tourists. This is based on the fact that many countries such as China offering visa free entry for tourists, are recording increased numbers of tourists (Xinhua 1). It would be possible for tourists to travel with ease to countries of their wish. Visa application has many requirements and also requires payment. This is a great disadvantage to all the poor but bright students all over the world seeking to travel to other countries for higher education. Visa-free entry to all countries would be of great benefit to them. Wars and catastrophes happen abruptly without warning hence necessitating quick movement to other countries for safety. Visa-free entry to all countries will be a great relief to such situations. Visa-free entry to all countries would also be of utmost benefit to governments. Governments will have to tighten their diplomatic ties and this will bring them together hence fostering peace and unity. It can also be argued that, governments will benefit economically by collecting more taxes due to increased trading resulting from ease of movement. In addition, governments will record higher interaction of people from different cultures through tourism. This would bring more revenue and also increase cohesiveness between different countries.Advertising Looking for essay on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More For instance, Eurozone allows citizens from member countries to travel and s tay on any Eurozone country without a visa. In return, governments of these countries realize more economic, political, social, cultural and diplomatic ties hence making them stronger. U.S also has a visa-free program with several countries and this program improves cooperation between U.S and these countries. It can be argued that the same may be replicated in all countries. Conclusion Visa-free entry to all countries is a great idea that can benefit both governments and people. People will greatly benefit from removal of Visa as a bottleneck to travel. Governments will greatly benefit from increased revenue from increased trade. Increased integration of people from different countries will foster cohesiveness, peace and unity hence increasing diplomatic ties between governments. Works Cited Xinhuanet.com.  More foreign tourists swarm to China’s island province on visa-free entry, 2011. Web. This essay on Visa-free Entry to all Countries was written and submitted by user Estrella Buckner to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Wuthering Heights and The Color Purple Essay Example

Wuthering Heights and The Color Purple Essay Example Wuthering Heights and The Color Purple Essay Wuthering Heights and The Color Purple Essay you black, you pore, you ugly, you a woman. Goddam, you nothing at all. Each word here is delivered as an insult, growing in intensity, the crowning insult being that she is a woman. That is how black woman where treated. Men at those times wanted woman to be like their slaves, and this is reflected on Harpo, Mr-s son when he tries to make Sophia, his wife, mind by beating her. The funny part is that Sofia is much stronger than him and wins most of the fights. In this novel outsiders are often treated badly because of false impressions or false ideas on them. For example when Shug Avery became sick nobody in this town wants to take the Queen Honeybee in. Everyone is afraid of her because they believe that Shug has the nasty woman disease. This false statement was lead to be believed because everyone believed that Shug was a slut, hussy, heifer and streetcleaner. But still in the meantime the men love Shug because of her singing, but could not dare to take in a social outsider when she wanted help fearing of the shame that will fall on their family if they did. Again Celie is an outsider in her new home. She spent her wedding day running from the oldest boy, who laid my [Celies] head open. She has a brutal wedding life, being constantly in torment from Mr. , until Shug saves her from him. Social outsider were often black, and if you where a woman it would be worse. Sofia was brutally abused in prison because she punched the mayor and because she was a black woman. No one cared about the insult she received from the mayors wife, ordering her to be her maid. Blacks were treated infernally even with Mr. . Mr. is in good terms with the Sheriff because his son Bub if often on prison. Still because Mr. is back he is has a lower status just long as Mr. know he colored. . Another example of black infernality is Mary Agnes. She is raped by the warden because she was black, and no one could do anything about it. Another example of outsider is the Olinka tribe in Africa. The white people living there treats the Olinka as if they where outsider from a different world. They stole their lands and killed many of the people there. Tashi did not want to marry Adam because she feared when she goes to America she will be treated infernally because she thinks she is an outsider to them, and that the scares on her face will be her source of embracement. Both novels put emphasis on economic independence. Both novels find love as a powerful force and end with conquering and banishing the idea of outsiders, and the remaining character live in harmony learning from the mistakes of the older generation about treating outsiders cruelly. However, a lasting impression of both novels is a vivid sense of the cruelty and injustice suffered by social outsiders.

The Effect of Life Changes On Stress Related Illness -Psychology Essay

The Effect of Life Changes On Stress Related Illness -Psychology Essay Free Online Research Papers The Effect of Life Changes On Stress Related Illness -Psychology Essay Holmes and Rahe intended to find a link between the changes in some one’s life and them becoming stressed and consequently ill, so both the links between life changes and stress, and then stress and illness. The last thing they wanted to do was to determine the severity of a life change, and thus predict how ill you may become. Some of the procedures that the two men undertook included checking patient’s medical records to find 43 life changes that were common during the months prior to the illness, then asked roughly 400 people to rate how stressful each event was in relation to getting married which was given a rating of 50, this then led to them creating there SRRS (Social Readjustment Rating Scale) and finally, some patients they asked were already ill and were asked to calculate their SRRS totals in the few earlier months, and the reverse, some people found their SRRS scores and were then monitored for illness. They found that there was a correlation of higher SRRS scores and more likely to become ill. The percentage was roughly 50% likely to become ill if your score was over 200 and 80% if more than 300. There are unfortunately a couple of weaknesses about this theory. Some of them include the fact that positive and negative changes were both counted alike, but this could be a mistake as positive changes may be more enjoyable and not contributing to the illness in any way. And another weakness is cultural relativism, as some things that we may find a negative change and find to be stressful, may be the complete opposite for other cultures, and thus it may not help towards and illness. Finally it was found by Kanner, that a more accurate way of using this theory was to measure changes by daily minor hassles, such as getting stuck in a traffic jam or missing a bus etc. These weaknesses are all quite major factors, even though the SRRS and related research is still in common use today. Research Papers on The Effect of Life Changes On Stress Related Illness -Psychology EssayArguments for Physician-Assisted Suicide (PAS)The Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseThree Concepts of PsychodynamicResearch Process Part OneStandardized TestingLifes What IfsInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyRelationship between Media Coverage and Social and

The Impact of Migration on Hotel Management in Bucharest Research Paper

The Impact of Migration on Hotel Management in Bucharest - Research Paper Example Since many Romanians are leaving for work abroad, there is a general lack of unqualified labor in Romania and this migration process has been rather continuous leading to economic and social impact on the labor market of Romania. The focus here is on the hotel industry and the perspectives for hotel management that brings out several issues about the hospitality and tourism sector in Romania and in Europe. Here the specific focus is on the tourism industry because tourism and hotel industry is an important part of the developing economy of Romania. The hotel industry is Romania is dependent on several factors including the levels of service, the workforce available, the tourists and visitors to Romania and Romanian and world economy, condition of the tourism industry in general. In one relevant study, Nield et al (2000) discussed the importance of levels of service in the hotel industry and the differences in levels of satisfaction. In this research proposal the methodology as also the background and further analysis of the research data are given along with the research questions, the literature review provides the basis for research and the questionnaire prepared aims to bring out the impact of migration and the state of the economy on the hotel and tourism industry of Romania as asked to 100 respondents working within the tourism/hotel industry and based in Bucharest. Background The hotel industry in Romania is as dependent on tourists as it is dependent on the workforce and the amount of unskilled labor. In fact the hotel industry is largely dependent on unskilled or low skilled labor comprising of cleaners, hotel supervising staff, clerks, security and doormen, concierge staff, taxi drivers, car drivers, bus

AutoCAD user guide Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

AutoCAD user guide - Assignment Example Analysis also contains how the report from the research was used to modify the document. There are statements both written and concluding, these talk about the results of the tests, lessons learnt from the study, what was yet to be learnt. And to conclude, weaknesses, shortcomings and possible application of the document is discussed. Introduction Automatic computer aided designs is a technique of producing technical engineering drawings which is typically done by the use of computers; computers are the drawing tools. AutoCAD is one of the computer software: it is an application software (off – the – shelf package) specially designed for drawing purpose. The use of AutoCAD is aimed at ensuring that the product is of high quality; neat, presentable, appealing to the observer’s eye. The drawing process should be efficient and smooth thus drawer should have easy time using his apparatus. This yields to the need for some guide for the AutoCAD user. An AutoCAD user gu ide is document which is used to document all the directives that may be required by the prospected user of AutoCAD. It therefore serves the purpose of marking the user is in a position to comfortably use the software without employing doubts in their operations. User guide, manual like document, directs the user on the steps to take during usage (Smith & Morse, 2001). Importance of a user guide is that it saves the user from employing doubts; trial and error in his operations. The user becomes very certain upon following of the given procedures and instructions and as a result he can speculate the time he needs to use or get used to the software. User guide uses graphics and symbols to pass across information and instructions. In giving directives, these graphics and symbols help create a vivid picture in the user’s mind. When properly interpreted they enhances the understanding of the user (Seidler, 2012). Therefore, user guide applies the engineering understanding of graph ics in passing across information these help summarize an idea and create visual impression. Apart from just using graphics and symbols to give directives, it also aids the understanding of such graphics and symbols through some explanations which often follow the symbols and graphs. This user guide specializes on the components of the AutoCAD and their uses and applications. All the components mentioned are discussed and their uses explained. The limitation of this document is that not all the instructions could be demonstrated through literature, graphics or even with the use of symbols. History of AutoCAD AutoCAD is software which was derived from Interact; an early version which operated on the Marinchip Systems owned by the Autodesk founders Dan Drake and John Walker. It was first released in 1982 December after John Walker had purchased the previous form of the software. In 1986, AutoCAD became the world’s most ubiquitous program for design using the microcomputers. It utilised lines and curve fittings. Today AutoCAD is used in many industries by

Infotainment of U.S. News Media Essay Example for Free

Infotainment of U.S. News Media Essay The current type of news media in the United States, dubbed as infotainment, wherein soft journalism is preferred over hard news, further stains the reputation of what is regarded as the â€Å"Fourth State† or one of the influential bodies in American society. This is because this kind of coverage does not offer serious reporting of events and hard facts, but sensationalized news about the lives of personalities, crime, and other less realistic stories. It is unfortunate to note that infotainment has made American media more comfortable with embellishing hard news primarily because it is what the public wants and what the public needs. Under the disguise and with misleading purpose of an energized print sales and broadcast ratings, infotainment is such a blooper which actually further escalates the worsening level of news media public. At the same time, it damages more the involvement and knowledge of the readers and viewers. In short, the existing nature of American news media weakens the quality of reporting and credibility of broadcast and print media companies, pushes further their respective public, and is detrimental to the nations democracy. Due the tight competition within the industry, American news media is now tied up to meet income expectations, resulting in a quality sacrifice and economic operation demands that dictate the choices of news content and compromise the managements operations. This transformation in the industrys mode has promoted a second thought of industry standards. This leaves the profession into the hands of new era of media practitioners who are less committed to the existing journalism code of ethics. These new breed have actually portrayed themselves as famous personalities moonlighting as journalists or news reporters. Ultimately, it is both the news organizations and American public which are to be blame for this sickening and continued reporting that focuses on personalities and other forms of entertainment rather than the essence or content of a news event. This is because no media company would practice infotainment if it will not click with the audience. However, it is not yet too late to save the news media industry. What it can do is for it to keep abreast and take advantage of the technological advancements within the industry such as the accessibility of satellite television or cable system and availability of World Wide Web or Internet. American media should utilize these technological improvements by not sensationalizing or resorting to what is called the â€Å"yellow journalism. † Instead, it should advance its cause and primary goal which is to present to the public a balance, fair, and fearless news reporting.

There are no Characters in The Scarlet Letter :: essays research papers fc

Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote The Scarlet Letter as an exemplum on pride. His creation of Hester Prynne, the protagonist of The Scarlet Letter, and her selflessness was the moral behind keeping her alive. The characters in The Scarlet Letter are nothing more than symbols representing abstract qualities and are dispensable. Names play an important role in The Scarlet Letter it is Hawthorne’s way of distinguishing not just the characters but their personalities. The latter is the most important when considering Hawthorne’s characters as abstract symbols. Dimmesdale is especially noted for his dark nature of concealing his association with Hester’s scarlet letter. His extreme selfishness and pride blinds him from what the Bible ahs taught him and in this aspect is a one dimensional character as are the Puritans. â€Å"Whom, but the Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, half-frozen to death, overwhelmed with shame, and standing where Hester Prynne had stood!† (Hawthorne 139). His extreme fear of someone discovering his secret and losing his high status is just one way Hawthorne manipulates the characters to make the novel more didactic rather than a stream-of-consciousness. â€Å"Hester recalls Hestia, the Greek goddess of the hearth and home, and Esther of the Old Testament, a woman who intercedes for her people and is often considered and image of inner strength coupled with beauty†(Pennell 83). Each character is abstractly represented differently; Pearl as nature, Chillingworth as pure evil, Hester as selflessness and Dimmesdale as pride. Roger Chillingworth's†¦expression had been calm, meditative, scholar-like. Now there was something ugly and evil in his face† (Hawthorne 117). Hawthorne again is manipulating the characters to fit the exemplum. The easiest way to understand that the characters are in fact a symbol is to take into account the amount of themes, symbols and motifs Hawthorne incorporates in his novels. â€Å"The book is a moving series of symbols within a larger symbol from beginning to end†¦It is true that these characters are arbitrary manifestations of specific urges†¦They are not made of flesh and blood so much as they are made of moonlight and abstract qualities† (Gorman 7). The characters are just disposed of when their purpose has been served. When Dimmesdale confesses his sins on the scaffold, the pride element of his character leaves so Hawthorne kills him off. â€Å""The law we broke I--the sin here awfully revealed!--let these alone be in thy thoughts... God knows; and He is merciful! He hath proved his mercy, most of all, in my afflictions†¦Had either of these agonies been wanting, I had been lost for ever! Praised be His name! His will be done! Farewell!"(Hawthorne 233).

New Century Financial Essay

1. Describe and evaluate New Century’s business model? New Century Financial Corporation, headed by founders Brad Morrice, Edward Gotschall, andRobert, was a firm which specialized in subprime mortgages. The company originated, sold, andserviced subprime home mortgage loans. New Century was structured as a real estate investment  trust (REIT) and was composed of two operating divisions. The Wholesale Loan Division,  known as New Century Mortgage Corporation, comprised 85% of the firm’s loan originations,  while the Retail Mortgage Loan Division operated under Home123 Corporation.  New Century Mortgage Corporation operated in 33 locations throughout 19 different states  and relied heavily on independent mortgage brokers to identify potential borrowers and assist  them through the loan process until the loans were closed by New Century. This division also  purchased funded loans from other lenders and expedited the loan underwriting process through  its web-based system known as FastQual. The Retail division was comp osed of 235 sales offices  throughout 35 states, a call center, and a web site. This division was aggressive in its approach to  seek out potential borrowers and close loans earning it the nickname â€Å"CloseMore University.†Ã‚  The company typically originated loans and used short-term loans to fund new mortgages  until they were sold within 30 to 90 days of origination. New Century’s income was generated  from the difference between the lending rate and rate at which the loans could be sold or  financed and from servicing loans. Loans were sold either as whole loan sales where mortgages  were pooled together and sold to investors or as securitizations structured as sales. The company  also carried securitizations structured as financing as assets on their books and used the bonds  to finance the securitized loans as liabilities, thereby generating income based on the difference  between interest received from borrowers and interest paid to bondhold ers. 2. What were the primary risks faced by New Century? New Century’s business model enabled the firm to grow rapidly from 2001 through 2006  as access to capital markets expanded and regulations were relaxed. Loan securitization  allowed lenders to spread credit risk over a larger number of investors creating an  environment where companies like New Century could lend to subprime borrowers at  higher rates while financing their operations with the lower interest rates provided by  the highly liquid mortgage-backed securities (MBS) markets. These factors fueled the  company’s growth, but caused the firm to be highly sensitive to risks of increasing interest  rates, declining home sales, and default by less creditworthy borrowers. New Century’s  aggressive strategies in pursuing subprime borrowers resulted in increased risk of asset  Additionally, the short-term credit the company obtained in order to finance loan  origination was contingent on New Century meeting certain debt covenants and financia l  ratios. Increases in interest rates or regulations or the inability to move new loans off its  balance sheet could cause the company to be unable to obtain financing to continue funding  loans. Likewise, a decrease in the difference between the interest rate at which it could  borrow and the interest rate at which new loans could be closed, would affect income and  may result in noncompliance with net income requirements or debt-ratios imposed by New  Finally, the loans which New Century sold were pooled together. The investment banks  which purchased the loans would perform a due diligence review on only 25 percent of  the pool before negotiating the composition and price of the mortgage pool. A â€Å"kick-out†Ã‚  clause was included to allow for buyers to reject part of the loan pool for defects such as  faulty documentation, appraisals, or underwriting issues. The buyers could also require New  Century to repurchase loans which experienced early payment default (EPD). As such, the  company was exposed to risks related to internal controls in monitoring loan processing,  underwriting, and closing which could cause a substantial loss in income due to increased  kick-outs and repurchased loans. Further aggravating these risks were the company’s  aggressive tactics in pursuing and closing subprime borrowers such as offering loans  requiring only stated income and assets as opposed to full documentation loans. 3. What were New Century’s critical performance variables? How well was New  Century performing with respect to these critical performance variables?  New Century Financial had performance variables that critically affected its business  and led to it’s eventual bankruptcy filing. These included liquidity, default rate, and forms of  The overall rate of default is critical because of its compounding increase in liabilities with  a decrease in assets. A default rate higher than the historic rate would adversely affect the  valuation of many assets in the firm’s financial statements. It is also tied to the demand for  mortgage backed securities, increased default reduces the demand for subprime securitization,  thus reducing New Century Financial’s source of income at a time of increasing obligations. 4. What were the reporting errors identified by the bankruptcy examiner? The bankruptcy examiner noted several inconsistencies with US GAAP. These included  errors in calculating the loan repurchase reserve, the lower-of-cost-or-market (LCM) valuation  of loans held for sale, and the residual interest valuation. Additionally, the methodology used  for the allowance for loan losses (ALL) was known by management to be defective as the  company’s models used poor predictors of future performance to determine the level of reserve  needed. In calculating the repurchase reserve, New Century obtained historic averages and  applied those percentages to loans sold in the last three months as EPD was defined as payment  default occurring in the first three payments. However, since the repurchases were being  processed by several different departments within the company depending on the cause of the  repurchase, there was a backlog in obtaining the data in a timely manner. As loan repurchases  became more frequent, the company continued us ing stale data causing the reserve calculation to  In addition, the company was not properly applying LCM valuation as stated in its own  company policy. Instead of pooling similar loans to determine to conduct LCM analysis, the firm  was performing the analysis on the disaggregated loans and then grouping the loans together  to conduct valuation on the group as a whole. This method resulted in gains from one loan  group offsetting the losses in another causing the LCM valuation to be significantly flawed.  The residual interest valuation methods used were also flawed as the company was using  discount rates which were lower than those used by others in the industry to compute residual  interest. New Century disregarded numerous warnings from their auditors, KPMG, regarding  the low discount rates and failed to provide documentation to justify or support the valuation  methodology used. Furthermore, prepayment rates and loss rates were estimated using historical  data related to activity occurring years prior without adjusting for changing market conditions  which resulted in an overvaluation of residual interest.  While the examiner did not consider the issues in the ALL calculation to be material, this  issue merits attention because the company had been very aggressive in closing loans, many  of which were risky stated income and assets loans to subprime borrowers. New Century  management was aware that their ALL was flawed, although they believed that they were  over-reserved and not under-reserved. As with their other accounting estimates, the company  failed to provide adequate documentation to support assumptions and knowingly relied on poor  predictors, stale data, and defective models. 5. Why did New Century fail? New Century grew rapidly through the late 1990s and early 2000s, however its business  model was not sustainable for the long term. The company relied heavily on subprime borrowers  and offered them a range of risky loan options. Those subprime loans were pooled together and  securitized in effort to reduce the riskiness of the loan pools. However, as high risk borrowers  found themselves unable to make payments on their loans, a cooling real estate market and  increase in interest rates left subprime mortgagors without little options to get out their loans  Aside from those challenges which were shared by all competitors in the industry at the  time, New Century also had several internal weaknesses. The company was strongly focused  on sales and loan production, but failed to adequately monitor and control loan quality. Internal  controls were poor and the audit committee did not sufficiently perform its duties to oversee  the internal audit department and addres s operational risks. Internal auditors identified several  issues regarding loans quality, closings, and servicing, however internal controls over financial  reporting were overlooked. Adding to the company’s gross lack of controls, was the absence  of a stated company accounting policy. The examiner pointed out that merely having a policy  in place to address the accounting methodology and estimates would have greatly affected the  company’s ability to apply appropriate accounting treatment consistent US GAAP.

Banc One HBS case Essay

Banc One has a problem with the alignment of two of its important strategies: (1) rapidly acquiring profitable banks and (2) sustaining high returns while mitigating interest rate risk. Banc One has been very successful in acquiring banks, and much of this is done through the sale/transfer of Banc One’s stock. This strategy relies heavily on Banc One’s ability to maintain a high stock price. The second strategy – high returns with mitigated interest rate risk – relies heavily on the use of interest rate swaps. This use of interest rate swaps has become concerning to investors – due to its complicated nature, off-balance sheet activity, and distortions in earnings metrics – which has negatively affected and continues to negatively affect Banc One’s stock price. Because both strategies are extremely successful, Banc One should not focus on abandoning either, but rather focus on educating investors about the use of interest rate swaps and their importance in not only sustaining high returns, but also providing mitigated risk, which is a strategy investors generally seek. Rather, Banc One should follow a three-step solution. The first step is to continue educating investors through prospectus-type materials (in very simplified forms) and individually informing fund managers and analysts, who are easier to educate about these complex transactions. The second step is to provide transparency with swap transactions. Although Banc One is only required to disclose swap information in the footnotes of its financial statements, Banc One should provide very detailed and clear information about specific swap transactions, to reinforce the notion that Banc One has nothing to hide with these swap transactions. For the last step, Banc One should analyze it s swap-trading procedures and identify simpler types of swap trades it could make. This would make reporting and educating on swaps easier. QUESTION 1: How could Banc One manage its interest rate risk exposure without using swaps? That is, how could it move from being asset sensitive to being neutral or liability sensitive without using swaps? The reason why Banc One needs to use swaps is to cover the gap between the duration of its asset and liabilities and thus to mitigate its exposure to interest rate risk. Therefore, another way for the bank to achieve this is by: Matching the maturities of its assets and liabilities. Since the bank has more long- term fixed-rate liabilities, it can add more long-term fixed rate assets, such as Treasure Securities to its portfolio. This will match the maturities on both sides of the balance sheet and will make the bank neutral to changes in interest rates. If rates change, an upward movement on one side of the balance sheet will offset a downward movement on the other. Matching the duration of its loans and liabilities and making sure the impact of interest rate changes on both sides of the balance sheet would cancel each other out. If the bank decides to take this approach, it can use instruments with different maturity periods in order to neutralize its exposure to interest rate risk. In order to achieve this it has to match the return of initial investment periods of its assets and liabilities. Borrow at a floating rate and use the proceeds to buy long-term fixed rate assets in order to mitigate their asset interest rate exposure. In this case the bank secures future income payments at a certain fixed rate, which it can use to pay the interest on its long-term fixed rate liabilities. Similarly, it can use the income from its floating-rate assets to repay the income on its borrowed floating-rate instruments. Thus, it neutralizes its risk-exposure. Avoid long-term liabilities in order to reduce its exposure to interest rate  risk on the asset side. In this case, the bank can borrow only through short-term liabilities and thus changes in interest rates will not affect its liabilities side more than they will impact its assets side. Purchasing options, forward, or future contracts. In this way the bank can reduce the uncertainty in the future by entering into an agreement with set terms for a specific date. Thus, if the interest rate moves in an unfavorable direction, the bank has the option to use these tools in order to mitigate the impact of the change on its balance sheet. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using swaps rather than these other means? Advantages: There are no capital reserve requirements specific to swaps. Swaps do not appear as assets on the balance sheet and thus they are not accounted for in the capital requirement calculations for the bank. This frees capital for the bank and at the same time brings insurance against its interest rate exposure. Swaps give flexibility and allow the bank to design the contracts in a way that fits its needs. Banks can tailor the durations, rates and other terms of the swap contracts and make it specific to the current situation of the bank. Furthermore, they can easily communicate with other banks in order to construct contracts, which benefit both sides. Swaps can also improve the bank’s liquidity – It can invest in short-term instruments and thus avoid locking in its funds in long-term securities. At the same time it can add swaps to its portfolio in order to mitigate some of the interest rate risk involved in the investment of short-term securities. In this manner the bank can make sure it has enough funds to meet changes in demand and at the same time it does not have to be exposed to the accompanying rate change risk. Swaps are off-balance sheet agreements; however, the income they generate is included in the company’s financials. In this case swaps are not recorded as assets or liabilities, however, they still bring income, which is included in the company’s cash flow statement and accounted for in the performance ratios of the organization. Disadvantages: Creates difficulties for the market and for investors to assess the risk and financial situation of the bank. As banks use more and more swap contracts, assessing the risk exposure of the organization becomes increasingly complex. Thus, external investors have a harder time evaluating the bank’s current situation and usually require higher returns to compensate for the perceived higher risk. Gives opportunities for speculations- Even though banks use swaps in order to mitigate interest rate exposure, they can also use them as instruments for speculations and short-term gains. If managers think they can predict the rate movement for a future period, they can be tempted to use swaps in order to gain from this movement. Thus, banks have to be careful in their strategies and should make sure they monitor the decision making process involved in the purchases and sales of swaps. They carry a small risk that the opposite party might default on the contract and leave the bank exposed to interest rate risk. What is the impact on interest rate sensitivity, accounting ratios, and capital ratios? Utilizing swaps, Banc One is more liability sensitive rather than asset sensitive. Without swaps, they would need to use its long duration assets to help control its interest rate sensitivity. Through its use of swaps, Banc One increases it return on assets. If they chose to manage interest rate risk by using methods mentioned above, the bank would hold more assets with longer durations causing the return on its assets to decrease relative to them using swaps. In the same scenario, the bank would have a lower return on equity due to the large amounts of assets needed. In  addition, the Appendix shows that although the Twin B bank has higher risk adjusted assets, the Tier I capital to risk-adjusted asset ratio is lower compared to Banc One’s ratio. References: http://www.federalreserve.gov/Boarddocs/SupManual/trading/200901/3000p2.pdf QUESTION 2: Describe how AIR’s work. Amortizing Interest Rate Swaps (AIRS) at Banc One grew out of a desire to create a synthetic collateralized mortgage obligation (CMO) similar to swaps but with the additional returns characteristic of CMO investments. Why is Banc One using them? CMO’s are desirable investments because it allows investors to get the benefits from investing in mortgage securities and it also is structured so that investors can easily estimate speed of prepayment. AIRs work best in low interest rate environments. With low interest rates, AIRS amortize faster and banks reinvest only when yields were low. AIRs have evolved to have their amortization schedule fixed by a formula instead of being tied to a group of mortgages. Another element of AIRs desirable to Banc One centered on the fixed rate or swap spread. In AIRs, Banc One would receive a fixed rate plus LIBOR. During this time period, Banc One could receive a swap spread of 120 bps over treasuries as compared to Banc One using a standard swap or comparable CMO that yielded 100 or 20 bps over similar treasuries, respectively. QUESTION 3: What are basis swaps? Basis swaps allow Banc One to transform prime-based floating rate assets to  fixed-income investments. Why is Banc One using them? Banc One was still vulnerable to basis risk even though synthetic investments partially shielded the bank from sensitivity stemming from shifts in interests rates. Between the two rates, LIBOR and prime, LIBOR changed frequently because it was traded daily while prime changed infrequently because it was governed by bankers. Basis swaps involved Banc One paying a floating rate based on prime while receiving floating rates based on three-month LIBOR and in addition Banc One would use an AIR to mitigate the risk posed by mismatched rates. QUESTION 4: What is counterparty risk? Counter-party risk is the risk that the counter-party – the other party in the transaction – will default on its obligations. How does Banc One measure this risk? The key to measuring counter-party risk is to understand the counter-party’s ability to pay, and this is done through a counter-party’s credit rating. The higher the credit rating, the greater the likelihood that that counter-party would not default. There are other ways that institutions can assess this risk, such as through an independent analysis of the company’s financial reports. How do they manage counter-party risk? Banc One managed this risk in several ways. First, it never dealt with an entity with lower than a single-A rating. Second, Banc One monitored its mark-to-market exposure to each counter-party and limited its exposure to any given company through strict guidelines. If the exposure exceeded the specified amount according these guidelines, Banc One would reallocate its swap portfolio. Third, counter-parties were required to post additional collateral as the market value of the swap changed, similar to how a margin account works with stocks. If the swap value for the counter-party dropped, it would have to post additional collateral to cover the value of a potential default. QUESTION 5: Why might Banc One’s use of swaps be damaging to the stock price? The main problem Banc One is facing is a drop in investors’ confidence due to its increased use of interest rate swaps. As confidence in Banc One falls, so does its stock price. At that time Banc One has ten pending acquisitions, with Liberty National Bancorp being the largest and if its stock falls below the â€Å"walkaway† price of $34.55 Liberty National Bancorp will either cancel the deal or the acquisition will become dilutive in violation of the bank’s established rules. What are investors and analysts concerned about? On the one hand investors are concerned about the transparency and accuracy of Banc One’s financial reports. Since interest rate swaps were off-balance sheet transactions, they underestimated the bank’s assets and in turn overestimated its earnings performance (Net interest margin, ROA and E/A ratio). In addition, the regulatory bodies (Financial Accounting Standards Board) required minimal disclosure on the companies’ swap portfolio, and as Banc One’s portfolio increased, investors felt they could not accurately assess the risk of the bank. On the other hand the fact that Banc One was acquiring heavily asset-sensitive institutions – which required it to increase its interest rate swaps portfolio to adjust to mild liabilities sensitivity – further made investors uncomfortable because they felt the growth of the portfolio might get out of control and could further cloud Banc One’s financial performance. How should Banc One respond to these concerns? The best path for Banc One is to educate investors about the bank’s use of derivatives. If Banc One does nothing, investors will likely become more concerned with Banc One’s practices and continue to withdraw from the stock, which will result in lower a lower stock price and major complications in Banc One’s investment strategy – acquiring other banks. If Banc One limits its derivatives trading, it exposes itself and its stock holders (which it has a fiduciary duty to) to much greater levels of interest rate risk. Because Banc One’s current strategy is the most optimal strategy for higher returns with more limited risk, it must find a way to educate investors about its practices, and how these practices are in investors’ best interests. This could include the disbursement of simpler educational materials (similar to prospectuses) and meetings with fund managers and analysts to inform them of the benefits of these trading practices. Banc One should also provide more transparency to investors about the types of derivatives trades it makes, adding more information about these trades rather than detail-limited footnotes in financial statements. Banc One should also research and implement (if possible) methods to trade swaps more simply.

Compare and Contrast Vivre Sa Vie (My Life to Live) and Emporte-Moi (Set Me Free) essays

Compare and Contrast Vivre Sa Vie (My Life to Live) and Emporte-Moi (Set Me Free) essays The films Vivre Sa Vie (My Life to Live) and Emporte-Moi (Set Me Free), are very similar when looking at the two main characters of the films, Nana and Hanna. However, the events and people surrounding the characters are different, to catch these similarities and differences throughout the second film (Emporte-Moi) it is imperative that the first film (Vivre Sa Vie) has been seen. The similarity is sprung when Hanna watches Vivre Sa Vie for the first time. Almost instantly she idolizes the main character Nana and it is then that Hannas life begins to parallel Nanas. Both are on a search for their own identity separate from the outside forces that are trying to control them. In the film Emporte-Moi, Hanna comes from a difficult household where her parents seem to love each other but seem hate each other just as much, if not more. Hannas father, an unpublished poet with no other work, and cannot find a way to show his family love. Instead he is very controlling of his family. He forces Hanna to cut her hair short like a boys. He makes his wife type his works at night. Her mother is over worked, working a seamstress during the day and a typist at night for Hannas father. While at the same time she is very depressed and makes many suicide attempts, she is not there for Hanna either. Neither of Hannas parents is there to guide her at a time where she is a difficult age of 13 and becoming a woman. This is why Hanna begins to look other places for guidance in her life. Through her idolization of Nana an idolization of her teacher is sprung. Hanna also associates her teacher with Nana, when she sees her teacher smoking the way Nana did in the movie. Hanna tries develop a special relationship with her teacher. Thus Hanna begins to look at Nana as well as to her teacher for guidance and inspiration in her life, instead of her parents. Guidance from her teacher has a much more positive effect on ...

0.5 M EDTA Solution Recipe

0.5 M EDTA Solution Recipe Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) is used as a ligand and chelating agent. Its especially useful for sequestering calcium (Ca2) and iron (Fe3) metal ions. This is the lab recipe for 0.5 M EDTA solution at pH 8.0: Solution Materials 186.1 grams EDTA (disodium ethylenediamine tetraacetate2H2O)Â  800 milliliters distilled watersodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution or solid (to adjust pH) Procedure Stir 186.1 g disodium ethylenediamine tetraacetate2H2O into 800 ml of distilled water.Stir the solution vigorously using a magnetic stirrer.Add NaOH solution to adjust the pH to 8.0. If you use solid NaOH pellets, youll need 18 to 20 grams of NaOH. Add the last of the NaOH slowly so that you dont overshoot the pH. You may wish to switch from solid NaOH to a solution toward the end for more precise control. The EDTA will slowly go into solution as the pH nears 8.0.Dilute the solution to 1 L with distilled water.Filter the solution through a 0.5 micron filter.Dispense into containers as needed and sterilize in an autoclave. Related Lab Solution Recipes 10x TBE Electrophoresis Buffer10X TAE Electrophoresis Buffer

Pick an ethnicity that lives on Long Island and discribe how the have Essay

Pick an ethnicity that lives on Long Island and discribe how the have adapted to life on long island - Essay Example In Long Island, the presence of the Chinese people in the area can hardly remain unnoticed and their impact to the ever-changing culture of the island can never be understated. Historical Background Based on government data, the first Chinese settlers of the United States arrived in 1820. During the California Gold Rush of 1848, a significant number of Chinese workers increased to over a hundred in the hope of finding their fortune in a foreign land. Years passed, more Chinese were transported to the country to do menial labor in the household, in the industries and in large projects such as the Central Pacific Railroad (1863). Practically, the early Chinese immigrants only sought for better economic opportunities in the New World; however, they were confronted with harsh discrimination and brutal treatment that they endured for decades (Zhao â€Å"Remaking† 39). The culmination of all the racism that the Chinese suffered occurred in 1882 when the Chinese Exclusion Act took ef fect. Until 1943, Chinese people were banned from immigrating to the ‘land of milk and honey.’ In the 70’s and 80’s, which is considered as the Second Wave of the Chinese immigration to the United States, citizens from Hong Kong, Taiwan and mainland China traversed the Pacific in search for a better life. Through the years, issues on illegal immigration and the threat of deportation were faced by the Chinese in the US. In 1992, the Chinese Student Protection Act, sponsored by Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) was enacted to grant permanent residency status to all Chinese nationals who came to the US on or before April 1990 (Zhou 55-61). Vis-a-vis with California, New York has been the haven of the Chinese in this western soil where they continually grew in number and gradually established their communities. In fact, the New York Metropolitan Area has recently been hailed as the district outside Asia where the largest concentrations of Chinese populations reside. In 2008, there were approximately 659, 596 Chinese in the metropolis (Zhao â€Å"†The New Chinese† 41). Long Island’s Chinatown The Chinese Diaspora has stretched in the entire globe and reached almost all corners of it. In Long Island, such phenomenon can be affirmed through the myriad testaments that can be seen not only in the streets but also on how people live. True to it, its diverse cultural environment has incorporated the Chinese Way, which can be perfectly gleaned from its ethnic enclave called Chinatowns. As vibrant as the one in Lower Manhattan and would be comparable to the one in San Francisco and Vancouver, the Chinatown in Flushing, Queens is the new home for Chinese businesspersons and workers. Until the 70’s, Flushing was mostly dominated by Italian and Greek nationals who left the place due to an economic downturn. As large groups of people departed from the area and the housing prices dropped, the Chinese immigrants, and the oth er East Asians, started to settle and prevailed in the area since the early 80’s until today (Tsui 53). The busy Chinatown in Flushing is a fusion of the East and the West. There are American stores as well as Chinese stores, restaurants and supermarkets. In fact, one hotel in the area prides itself of its ‘distinctly Asian flair.’ Korean, Japanese and Vietnamese business enterprises can also be seen in the area. Another Chinatown can be located in the Sunset Park at Brooklyn. Purported to be one

Science Lab 2 Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Science 2 - Lab Report Example Using MuseLAB, a log will represent the hurricane and separate six red lizards from the main group present in the mainland. Afterwards, the log shifted toward an island distant from the mainland and represented by a wet patch of grass and undergrowth. This shift was another six red lizards to the wet patch of grass and undergrowth. The MuseLAB software will animate the changes in the colors of the two isolated populations as they differentiate in line with the conditions of the new surroundings. Animations of the different colors of both groups of lizards should account for a physical trait capable of being passed down to the next generations. The offspring of the six red lizards maintained their cover in the mainland even after three generations. On the other hand, the offspring of the other group of lizards in the island slowly adopted green bodies after three generations. The six red lizards use this body color to mimic a different species of extremely poisonous lizards within the same ecosystem. The hurricane did not separates these two spaces thereby allowing the offspring to maintain the red color three generations down the line. In contrast, the brown lizards adopted a green body color to achieve optimal camouflage in a surrounding with thick green vegetation and

To Impeach or not to Impeach Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

To Impeach or not to Impeach - Essay Example It is a legal proceeding founded against a government servant by a governing body. It is applicable for the President, Vice President, and other central officers in addition to judges in United States of Representatives. Impeachment is enacted on the basis of regular court reports. Impeachment is executed by the Senate in the United States. Impeachment can be voidable automatically a charged official is able to establish his/her innocence in front of the Senate. The Top most judicial organizations are resolute that they cannot review such proceedings. Impeachment may be conducted by a member of legislatures. The impeachment may be activated by non-member, when the conferences of judicial committee suggest that a federal judge liable to be impeached. Impeachment process generally is based upon a two-step approach (Shanks, 2002). The main objective of this study is to gather comprehension about the impeachment process with particular reference to the scenario prevailing in the United S tates. The study would facilitate to find out if impeachment of federal officials is a common occurrence in the United States. ... From the analysis of the history related to impeachment, it can be said that impeachment is a common occurrence for the federal officials. It is a very common occurrence for the federal officials not from now but from early history. In recent history, there have been frequent instances of federal officials being impeached in the United States. Since the initial impeachments in the year 1986-1989, a number of cases had been reported and executed impeachment of federal officials as well as judges. Consequently, many of these federal officials were forced to resign from the official position or they were punished under the court of law. In the year 2003, there had been 61 federal officers who were investigated due to their impeachment (Bazan, 2010). Who Was The Federal Official Who Was Most Recently Impeached? Gabriel Thomas Porteous, Jr. was the federal official who was most recently impeached after completing sixteen years of judgment in Federal court in United States. His impeachment was performed in 2010 and subsequently he was ejected from his position in the United States District Court (Memoli, 2010). Why Was He Impeached? On 8th December 2010, the Government of America found Judge Gabriel Thomas Porteous Jr. of Federal District Court to be guilty under at least one of the four related articles of impeachment and subsequently detached him from his position. Judge Porteous was the eight magistrate of federal court to be removed from his position under the charges of impeachment. He was impeached by the Senate in March 2010 on a charge of accepting money from business people along with assuming other favors from them. Moreover, he was charged on the grounds of intentionally deceiving the Senate as well as Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) after he

Sport in school Essay Example for Free

Sport in school Essay Sport at school should NOT be compulsory. Sports training and PE take up time that could be better spent learning other subjects, and PE and Sport are not as important as other subjects like maths, science etc. It is also my belief that it students should have the right to choose whether or not we do sport/PE, because we are allowed to choose the subjects that are more important, so why are we not allowed to choose whether or not we do sport? Every year in PE, we do the same sports and the same practice drills, so after year 7, there is no point continuing to do PE, because the you are just doing the same things that you have done in previous years. 2 periods per cycle are spent on PE, 2 periods which could be spent on subjects like foreign languages, which are only allocated 4 periods per cycle or English or Science, which get 5 periods per cycle. These subjects are more important than PE and time the two periods given to PE would be better used if distributed to these subjects. As well as PE, we spent up to 3 hours a week at training and another 3 hours on Saturday for competition. Can you imagine students academic performances if we were to spent 6 hours a week doing homework or study? And it is not only the actual time you are at training that counts, because often, after training you are tired and cannot be bothered to do homework or study, again dragging down our academic results. If sport was optional, then the people participating in the teams would be the people that wanted to be there, the people who wanted to play and win. But instead, there are people in the teams who are not interested in the sport, not interested in winning and are only there because they have to be. These people drag down the team and ruin the sport for those that want to be there.

Humorous Wedding Speech by Brother of the Groom -- Wedding Toasts Roas

Humorous Wedding Speech by Brother of the Groom Good afternoon Ladies and Gentlemen. My name is Bill, Michael's brother. Michael didn't choose me to be in the wedding party in the traditional way. Actually, I drew straws with our other brother Sean. (pause) But just because I'm up here speaking don't for one minute think I was the winner. Laughter I think all went well this morning getting Michael ready for his big day. The condemned man ate a hearty breakfast, but alas I was unable to comply with his last request as a single man due to objections from the S.P.C.A...........Bloody do-gooders! Going back some 30 years my first memory of Michael was that he was small and a bit dribbly – yes that’s right, very similar indeed to how he looked at the church this morning. So it shouldn’t be too hard to believe that he was a deeply ugly baby. So ugly in fact, that when he was born the midwife had to be restrained from slapping my parents. And come to think of it, I recall my mum suffering badly from morning sickness †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. right up until Michael’s 1st birthday. I was however very excited at the prospect of having another little brother. Someone I could dress up as a gimp and scar for life - you know, the usual brotherly stuff. But even before he was born he was getting ME into trouble. It was seven months into my mum’s pregnancy and I spotted her arriving back from a hospital check up. I was with dad and... ...t from someone who’s motto is - â€Å"If you don’t like my driving you should keep off the pavements†. Michael, despite all the abuse I've just dealt you, you really are a special person and a true friend as well as a brother. I'm lucky to know you and I'm fortunate you've brought a warm and caring person into my life as well as yours. So seriously, I do hope Michael knows how lucky he is. Not only has he found a beautiful wife who completes a wonderful couple but he's also found someone who wants to live with him for the rest of his life. I managed 14 years and that was more than enough for me! Ladies and gentlemen, please raise your glasses and drink a toast to the health and happiness of Paul and Linda.

Poem Explication Essay

The first two lines show the king’s envy of other people in his court who unlike him can sleep soundly. Subsequently, he blames his not being able to sleep upon nature and questions why it has not made him sleepy yet. Line five seems particularly important because there King Henry hints that what he really wants is not sleep itself but the forgetfulness that comes with it. This line somewhat shows why the king is not able to sleep. King Henry wants nature to steep his sense of forgetfulness and let him rest but it does not, and so the king further questions nature as to why those that he considers below him are granted what he is not. He contrasts the common sleeping area with that of his grand chambers in lines six to eleven and asks nature why it would choose the former over the latter. In this part of the poem, the king describes the first sleeping place as shabby and poor while describing his own bed chambers as â€Å"perfumed† with sheets that are very expensive. This shows that the king thinks highly of his status as being superior to others as first expressed in the poem’s first two lines. The king further establishes this in the next lines of the poem, comparing himself to a lowly cabin boy who is probably somewhere sleeping while the monstrous winds rocked the ship floor where he slept. The king again contrasts it to his own situation, peacefully lying down without the disturbance of a heavy storm and again questions why he is denied of sleep. The last line supports the inference made in the fifth line. The words â€Å"uneasy lies the head that wears this crown† denotes that the king cannot sleep because there was something that was really bothering him. Reference The Second part of King Henry the Fourth. Retrieved March 27, 2008 from: http://shakespeare.mit.edu/2henryiv/2henryiv.3.1.html

Water Conservation

Hovhannes Marukyan Extra Credit MGT 462/November 16, 2009 Water Conservation I have attended the presentation about water conservation techniques that each of us can use in our everyday life to ensure the sustainable development of resources and especially water. The presenter on the water conservation was a man who is in charge of the water preservation in Santa Monica. The presentation was very interesting and had great deal of information about proven water conservation tactics. The topics covered included everything pertaining to consumer water usage and misusage. The topics included varied from water content in the soil to less water consuming showerheads to newer ways of watering the lawn. In order to understand the in-home usage one must first understand the nature of water usage in the global scale. He pointed out that most of the time societies use more water than needed. Some examples of places where people overuse water are in resorts, hydraulic dams, outdoor pools, basking in the showers, overflowing tubs, and so on. What is interesting is that in order for water to get to us individually it needs to use energy to generate enough pressure, and if we use less water, hence we use less energy. Hydralic dams use the most amount of water, and if we consume less energy we will use less water. Drying and cooling take the most amount of energy. His next topic in the presentation was about understood the Hydrologic cycle. The hydrologic cycle is when water on earth becomes dry enough and goes into the air as steam, than under right conditions when it’s high enough in the atmosphere and it meets a with the cool air the steam becomes liquid and falls down as rain. We dry up the air, from freeways, residential surfaces, and commercial surfaces, and if the air is not cold enough than the water will rarely liquefy. Now in order to battle this situation he presented with three possible solutions. First by cutting down on driving, with correlation of roof gardening we will to keep the air cool. Secondly we will save water by changing habits and fixtures, conserving water and energy. Third way is by reusing the water instead of throwing it away, this could be done by installing grey water systems. It is when the dirty water is recycled instead of going to the ocean. Next step in the presentation was about how we as individuals can do to conserve water. He broke down water conservation into two parts, the indoor and the outdoor. What we can do indoors is to do the simple things, like not letting the water on when brushing our teeth, not taking extensive showers, not leaving the water on for hours and forgetting about it. Another easy way to use less water is putting a half full bottle of water in the back of the toilet to deter it from using a lot of water. This is especially a good idea for old toilets models which in general use more water than needed. The best amount of water per flush is 1. 5 GMP; the transition is slow, but persistent. He also mentioned other ways of water conserving that included buying a water conserving showerhead, using toilets with dual flush systems, for hard and soft waste. And in general looking at everything inside the house that uses water and trying to see if one can reduce its water consumption. An example would be to buy a more water efficient dish washer, and a washing machine. However he talked more extensively about the outdoor techniques of water conservation. He said that about half of the water used in homes is consumed outdoors. He also stated that about 20% of energy in California is spent of the transportation of water. Another very interesting aspect about water consumption that he spoke of was the usage of plants in the landscaping of houses can greatly reduce the amount of energy that is required to cool them. He also mentioned the fact that people sometimes make a mistake of watering their plants more when there is a problem. According to the speaker there could be many reasons that a plant is unhealthy such as bad soil, positioning, and bugs. Since watering plants and the lawn is such a huge consumer of water, he suggested inspecting plants regularly, finding out what kind of soil is required for a great plant, positioning the plants to face the sun, hence reduce the amount of sunshine on the house, and saving energy. Also watering the lawn differently could help reduce water consumption. He spoke about drip irrigation, which is a very smart way of irrigating. It does not irrigate the whole lawn but the important parts of it where the plants are located. This helps use less water, waters only the plants exclusively, and is a great way battles weeds which thrive on water and take a lot of money to kill. Other ways of making sure that we use less water is using spray heads that use less water. Because soil can only absorb so much water at a ime it is important to making sure that the sprinkles don’t disperse water faster than the soil can absorb it. Adjusting the sprinkle time to daylight saving can meet this issue. The last way to save water that the presenter mentioned was using what is called permeable pavement. This pavement type uses space in between pavement and fills it with another material such as sand to allow in instead of allowing it to run off. Having some water in the soil is be neficial. With all the manmade building the soil underneath does not get enough water to stay in the same shape. Water Conservation Hovhannes Marukyan Extra Credit MGT 462/November 16, 2009 Water Conservation I have attended the presentation about water conservation techniques that each of us can use in our everyday life to ensure the sustainable development of resources and especially water. The presenter on the water conservation was a man who is in charge of the water preservation in Santa Monica. The presentation was very interesting and had great deal of information about proven water conservation tactics. The topics covered included everything pertaining to consumer water usage and misusage. The topics included varied from water content in the soil to less water consuming showerheads to newer ways of watering the lawn. In order to understand the in-home usage one must first understand the nature of water usage in the global scale. He pointed out that most of the time societies use more water than needed. Some examples of places where people overuse water are in resorts, hydraulic dams, outdoor pools, basking in the showers, overflowing tubs, and so on. What is interesting is that in order for water to get to us individually it needs to use energy to generate enough pressure, and if we use less water, hence we use less energy. Hydralic dams use the most amount of water, and if we consume less energy we will use less water. Drying and cooling take the most amount of energy. His next topic in the presentation was about understood the Hydrologic cycle. The hydrologic cycle is when water on earth becomes dry enough and goes into the air as steam, than under right conditions when it’s high enough in the atmosphere and it meets a with the cool air the steam becomes liquid and falls down as rain. We dry up the air, from freeways, residential surfaces, and commercial surfaces, and if the air is not cold enough than the water will rarely liquefy. Now in order to battle this situation he presented with three possible solutions. First by cutting down on driving, with correlation of roof gardening we will to keep the air cool. Secondly we will save water by changing habits and fixtures, conserving water and energy. Third way is by reusing the water instead of throwing it away, this could be done by installing grey water systems. It is when the dirty water is recycled instead of going to the ocean. Next step in the presentation was about how we as individuals can do to conserve water. He broke down water conservation into two parts, the indoor and the outdoor. What we can do indoors is to do the simple things, like not letting the water on when brushing our teeth, not taking extensive showers, not leaving the water on for hours and forgetting about it. Another easy way to use less water is putting a half full bottle of water in the back of the toilet to deter it from using a lot of water. This is especially a good idea for old toilets models which in general use more water than needed. The best amount of water per flush is 1. 5 GMP; the transition is slow, but persistent. He also mentioned other ways of water conserving that included buying a water conserving showerhead, using toilets with dual flush systems, for hard and soft waste. And in general looking at everything inside the house that uses water and trying to see if one can reduce its water consumption. An example would be to buy a more water efficient dish washer, and a washing machine. However he talked more extensively about the outdoor techniques of water conservation. He said that about half of the water used in homes is consumed outdoors. He also stated that about 20% of energy in California is spent of the transportation of water. Another very interesting aspect about water consumption that he spoke of was the usage of plants in the landscaping of houses can greatly reduce the amount of energy that is required to cool them. He also mentioned the fact that people sometimes make a mistake of watering their plants more when there is a problem. According to the speaker there could be many reasons that a plant is unhealthy such as bad soil, positioning, and bugs. Since watering plants and the lawn is such a huge consumer of water, he suggested inspecting plants regularly, finding out what kind of soil is required for a great plant, positioning the plants to face the sun, hence reduce the amount of sunshine on the house, and saving energy. Also watering the lawn differently could help reduce water consumption. He spoke about drip irrigation, which is a very smart way of irrigating. It does not irrigate the whole lawn but the important parts of it where the plants are located. This helps use less water, waters only the plants exclusively, and is a great way battles weeds which thrive on water and take a lot of money to kill. Other ways of making sure that we use less water is using spray heads that use less water. Because soil can only absorb so much water at a ime it is important to making sure that the sprinkles don’t disperse water faster than the soil can absorb it. Adjusting the sprinkle time to daylight saving can meet this issue. The last way to save water that the presenter mentioned was using what is called permeable pavement. This pavement type uses space in between pavement and fills it with another material such as sand to allow in instead of allowing it to run off. Having some water in the soil is be neficial. With all the manmade building the soil underneath does not get enough water to stay in the same shape.