Tuesday, December 24, 2019
The Great Gatsby Character Analysis - 888 Words
The Betrayal of Wealth in The Great Gatsby The Great Gatsby is a novel written by F. Scott Fitzgerald in 1923. The book was later converted into a movie. The overall plot of the movie remained the same, but many details were changed or completely left out in the film production. ââ¬Å"Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone, just remember that all of the people in this world havenââ¬â¢t had the advantages that youââ¬â¢ve had.â⬠(Fitzgerald pg.1) Throughout the novel many different symbols and moods are created to get the overall meaning of wealth portrayed for this era of the ââ¬Å"roaring twenties.â⬠While wealth determines many different things in The Great Gatsby, wealth does not always contribute to one personââ¬â¢s happiness and wellbeing. In theâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦His main goal was to impress Daisy, while other people spend money on items that are needed. The civilians of East Egg are not as careless with their money, they carefully manage their money for more important things. The people with new money are not used to having the income and are not aware on how to wisely spend their money. People that are fortuned to new money tend to be more caring and selfless. People with old money can manage their money better because theyââ¬â¢ve been entitled to their fortune longer. As people they tend to be selfish, careless, and rude. They often make a mess of things and leave their destruction for anyone but themselves to clean up. Gatsby died in the end of both films and book. Gatsby went for a swim one afternoon as he awaited a phone call from Daisy to inform him of her decision to leave Tom. The phone began to ring and Gatsby got out of the pool to answer the phone when he was shot and killed. He died believing that he won over Daisy, when it was only Nick calling. A funeral was held for Gatsby and the turnout was devastating. This scene was altered in the movie to where only Nick, Gatsbyââ¬â¢s one true friend came to say his goodbyes. Although, in Fitzgeraldââ¬â¢s novel Nick, the minister, Henry Gatz, a few servants, the West Egg postman, and Owl Eyes attended the funeral. Daisy did not make an appearance or even send flowers to Jay Gatsbyââ¬â¢s funeral. This scene to show that no matter howShow MoreRelatedThe Great Gatsby Character Analysis1468 Words à |à 6 PagesThe classic novel, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, has a storyline that is permeated with many interesting characters. Char acter flaws are a main aspect that develops the plot line and keeps the readers interested. The characters that have a lot of flaws in their personalities that in the end lead to their demise is Daisy Buchanan, Tom Buchanan, and Jay Gatsby. To start, the character Daisy Buchanan has many internal flaws occurring with her psychologically. Her most prevalent flaw is theRead MoreThe Great Gatsby Character Analysis956 Words à |à 4 PagesIn the book, The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, there is a strong message about the social class systems about the societies that exists between them. First, there are people like the Buchanans and Jordan Baker who were born into wealth and never really had to work for their money. Secondly, The new money people who can never really be like them, inherently because they have had to work for their money and sometimes finding it had been rough while doing so. (Houghton Mifflin) InRead MoreThe Great Gatsby Character Analysis720 Words à |à 3 Pagesnovels that yield insights into the minds of its characters, but few are as honest or intriguing as Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby. The Great Gatsby is a novel that incorporates many different personalities. These personalities in clude kind hearted, vulgar, and heartless people. Fitzgerald uses lies and deception to reveal the characters true intentions. In this essay we will uncover the dark secrets of humanity. Early on in The Great Gatsby we are told that Nicks very wealthy cousin DaisyRead MoreThe Great Gatsby Character Analysis1458 Words à |à 6 PagesF. Scottââ¬â¢s Fitzgeraldââ¬â¢s 1925 novel, ââ¬Å"The Great Gatsbyâ⬠, features the affluent, upper-class characters of Jay Gatsby, Daisy and Tom Buchanan, Jordan Baker, and the lead, Nick Carraway, and follows them throughout their New York lives in the summer of 1922. Nick is presumably so tolerant and willing to be around these people even when he discovers major character flaws because of their similarity with social placement. As this novel took place in the midst of the ââ¬Å"roaring twentiesâ⬠, which was filledRead MoreCharacter Analysis Of The Great Gatsby1227 Words à |à 5 Pages Gatsby is acting nervous when Daisy arrives. He runs out of the house and knocks over Nickââ¬â¢s clock. He wants her to be impressed so he has Nickââ¬â¢s lawn cut, flowers brought to the cottage, and brings fancy China. The green light is coming from Daisyââ¬â¢s dock across from Gatsbyââ¬â¢s property. As Daisy arrives at the cottage, itââ¬â¢s raining. At this point, neither Gatsby nor Daisy are very comfortable around each other. The rain reflects the gloomy mood between them. As time goes on, the sun comes out.Read MoreCharacter Analysis : The Great Gatsby1312 Words à |à 6 PagesFitzgeraldââ¬â¢s short story based on his own story involving his daughter Scottie ââ¬Å"Babylon Revisitedâ⬠is one of the many pieces of literature written by Fitzgerald that has not necessarily been forgotten, but has been shadowed in the success of his novel The Great Gatsby. This story revolves around Charlie, a man who had gone through incredible economic times, felt the crash of the stock market in 1929, and is now starting to get back on his feet, and his battle for custody for his daughter, Honoria, who had beenRead MoreCharacter Analysis : The Great Gatsby881 Words à |à 4 Pages Gatsby in love with Daisy Gatsby was only a kid simple , poor but very optimistic despite the conditions he was living. ââ¬Å" He was a very strict about his schedule. Pg 173 â⬠And one day at 17 years of age i leave the house in search of its future. How did Gatsby and Daisy meet? The parents of Daisy offered a party, among so many people dressed very elegant , and people from the army one of them was Gastby, mixed among the guests dressed of the military. But that night Read MoreCharacter Analysis Of The Great Gatsby748 Words à |à 3 PagesThe novel The Great Gatsby is told from the point of view of a man name Nick Carraway. Nick Carraway is a young man from Minnesota who went to Yale then to New York to study business bonds. As Nick grew up, he followed a lesson that his father gave him, which was to never judge others. Because of that lesson, Nick grew up to be someone who is tolerant, open-minded, quiet, and a good listener, which made others want to talk to him more. Nick lives on the West Egg district of Long Island next to aRead MoreThe Great Gatsby Character Analysis1552 Words à |à 7 Pagesthey do not have instead of what they do? Well in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, this is a major part of the book. Fitzgeraldââ¬â¢s characte rs are used to show that people are greedy and always will be. Specifically, Fitzgerald uses Jay Gatsby to show that society is greedy because he always focuses on what he does not have instead of what he does have. First, Fitzgerald shows how Gatsby does everything to impress Daisy, by how Gatsby becomes rich to win her over and how he does everythingRead MoreThe Great Gatsby Character Analysis1169 Words à |à 5 Pagesnovel The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Nick Carraways role as both narrator and character makes for a dishonest, unreliable storyteller. Besides Gatsby, Carraway is one of the few characters in the novel whose past and values are truly examined to see what kind of person he is. Also, Carraway can be seen as a somewhat unreliable narrator since he is a sometimes biased, active participant and has a history with almost everyone in the novel. Carrawayââ¬â¢s relationship with Gatsby and growth
Monday, December 16, 2019
California Pizza Kitchen Free Essays
CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN TUI University Instructor: MGT599 Module 1 Case Study The purpose of this report is to identify and give feedback on the companyââ¬â¢s current mission and vision statements as well as its values and goals as stated (or not) by the founders and management. The need to have a clear vision and a real mission statement is fundamental and vital for all businesses. The values that make the company what it is and the end state or goals that it wishes to achieve are equally important. We will write a custom essay sample on California Pizza Kitchen or any similar topic only for you Order Now In looking at these factors I will identify the following where possible: What is California Pizza Kitchenââ¬â¢s vision statement and is it relevant? What is CPKââ¬â¢s mission statement and is it effective? What are the values and short and long term goals and what is the company doing to clarify and refine them on a continuous basis? Hildy Gottleib of the Community-Driven Institute has an excellent way of differentiating and explaining what vision and mission statements are. She says the simplest way of doing it is using three little letters and they are ââ¬Å"ARY. Used in this way, Vision and Mission look quite different and are much easier to understand. (Gottleib) She goes on to say that written in this way it is easy to understand that when someone is a visionary they are able to see what it is they want to do and as a missionary they are able to execute their vision. She used the analogy of Jesus. He was the visionary and his disciples were the missionaries. (Gottleib) A good majority of organizations have websites like CPKââ¬â¢s. On these websites most companies will give their mission statement if you will. This statement is important for many reasons. It is stated so that potential clients and or investors can learn what the company is about when it comes to business. This is what helps draw people to the business. When people have a clear understanding as to what a company does or wishes to do in regards to customer service, it causes them to take stock of the company and determine if the company is a right for their consumer needs. My research of the company shows that the company has no mission statement as of publication of this report. The closest mission statement (if one were to call it that) that I could potentially identify was ââ¬Å"CPKââ¬â¢s strong brand awareness has been developed primarily through full service restaurants and through the expansion of our high quality fast-casual, CPK/ASAP conceptâ⬠. (Smith) I believe another way of saying this is that it is California Pizza Kitchenââ¬â¢s mission to be a ââ¬Å"leader in authentic California-style cuisineâ⬠(all the while) being widely known for diverse and innovative menu items. This is no clear mission statement as given by the company but rather this personââ¬â¢s interpretation. If you read their website you will not find much of anything except their personal story. Although this is nice, it tells neither the customer nor the potential investor anything as to what the company is striving towards in clear language. It does nothing to spark or draw interest to the company. California Pizza Kitchen has no clear or discernable mission statement and their vision statement is just as absent. On their company website is stated the founders intent but not their vision ââ¬Å"Having always wanted to get into the restaurant business; they traded in their legal pads to serve hearth-baked pizzas. (California Pizza kithen) Their unspoken business vision was to create pizzas that were an interpretation or a culmination of food with an international flair on a global level. Their pizzas include such creations as a Jamaican Jerk, Thai, and shrimp pizza. This flair has served the company well. Although the company has gone through a rough patch while under the ownership of PepsiCo which nearly ran the business aground due to what some may say was an overly aggressive business model , the company is now back on track with the original founders put back in control of the company. This has allowed CPK to right itself and grow at a more realistic pace. The founders have been allowed to lead the company as they intended at the start and the brand name is flourishing. It is because of this vision that the company is again succeeding. So, it is fair to say that the company has a vision but that vision is shallow and has no clear long term ambition other than serving specialty pizza. I have made numerous inquiries both by email and phone calls to the main office and other places within the company to clearly state their values and goals. I finally received a reply from a Mr. Locksley who is a member of their marketing and relations department. My request to him was simple; tell me what you understand the companyââ¬â¢s values and goals to be. He simply regurgitated in an email his companyââ¬â¢s web page statement. This is not good. Either he is unable to clearly communicate the companyââ¬â¢s values statement as well as their goals or, there are none. It is my findings that the company has no values or goals statements. The company is simply operating on a loose configuration of statements given on a webpage or in an employee handbook. The company touts respect, opportunity, communication, and kindness (R. O. C. K) for all just like all other companies but, there is nothing that I could locate in my search for the employees to get behind other than that. (California Pizza kithen) The company has not given its employees a set of values that all can get on the same page with or real sustenance and purpose. There is an employee handbook but it is more like a generic/vanilla document that covers employee benefits, requirements for uniform standards, and other HR issues. No wonder the employees have no clue. You canââ¬â¢t enforce company standards or values if you donââ¬â¢t ensure that all have access to them in order to read and comply. This is totally unsatisfactory. Goals, the company has no clear or identifiable set of goals in its current state. While under PepsiCo the company had a goal to grow at a stated pace over so many years, while under the current leadership they are focused solely on repairing the damage to the brand name caused by PepsiCo. This could be a goal of sorts but it does or says nothing to the effect of what the companyââ¬â¢s future overall end state is. The company must look at its current situation and develop a set of goals that will enable it to better move forward and grow. Although the company will either continue to survive or eventually wither and fail, a good set of goals will enable everyone to work smarter and more effectively toward success. This aspect is of great importance to company shareholders in that it affects their profits. If the company canââ¬â¢t define a clear goal for the company in regards to profits then the stakeholders in the company suffer and will eventually sell out. Stakeholders want to make money as in any organization and if they donââ¬â¢t, they will revolt on management until it responds. Some things that I would recommend to the company in general are: 1. work aggressively to develop a short and long term vision for your company. 2. After you have your vision identified, develop a team of individuals to recognize your mission and then implement it by sending company leadership out to the employees to articulate it. Once everyone knows what it is the company wants it can begin to implement that vision by working to achieve it. . Take a consensus from across the entire work force in what it deems is or is appropriate values that you want the company to follow. This can be done by online employee surveys or management at each store location polling workers on site. You can gather results either way and decide on those values that are important to all workers at every level and exemplify the very best traits and characteristics of your busine ss. This will allow workers to feel good about where they work and give customers a more positive attitude about the business they are frequenting. . Develop a goal for your business. You can have a goal for employees in regards to customer service and one for the future growth and development of CPK franchises. Both will reap huge rewards for you business. I recommend that you place your vision, mission, values, and goals in high visibility locations throughout the organization. This allows everyone to read and understand what it is they are working towards. Place them in the company board room so that the CEO and board of directors can see it every time they meet. Use them as a gauge to see if the senior leaders are using them to make decisions which support your various statements. If their not then either replace them or hold them accountable for their failures by withholding bonuses or other perks. In conclusion, the company has no set vision, mission, or values statements. There are no clear and defined goals for the organization. The company must do the following in order to begin the process of changing: 1. Develop a vision statement in order to allow everyone to understand what it is the company wants or intends to do. 2. Develop a mission statement that supports that vision. Then, with the vision, begin to work aggressively to realize that vision. 3. Access your company as a whole and determine those values that will support your vision and mission from those that are within your employee base. Tweak and revise constantly in order to ensure that your company reflects the very best and important aspects of your employee base and that they genuinely feel like a part of the team effort. Your employees are your business and the most important part at that. Without them you are out of business. Hold management (CEO, Board of Directors) accountable in ensuring that they make decisions based off of various established statements. 4. Lastly, strongly impart to everyone what the overall goal(s) are for the organization and give them the tools and support to achieve it/them. The company must ensure that it effectively incorporates and uses the first three legs of the support (vision, mission, values) to realize the final result or goal. A goal is nothing without the latter three. With these recommendations you will find that the organization will function and flow far more efficiently than before. It will take determination and real effort on the part of California Pizza Kitchen to achieve the recommendations as laid out in this Summary. I thank you for your attention to this assessment summary. Works Cited California Pizza kithen. California Pizza Kitchen. November 2010. 30 November 2010 . Gottleib, Hildy. 3 Statements That Can Change the World: Mission/Vision/Values. 2007. Creating the Future. 28 November 2010 . Smith, Richard M. Rolling In Dough. 25th June 2007. Harmon Newsweek LLC. 30 November 2010 . How to cite California Pizza Kitchen, Papers California Pizza Kitchen Free Essays string(23) " rising input costs I\." The unique concept of designer pizzas with an unconventional menu flourished, and by 2007 there were 213 stores worldwide in seven countries. COP had various sources of revenue, including company owned restaurants, franchising and a partnership with Kraft foods to sell COP frozen pizzas in grocery stores. During 2007 the industry was experiencing high labor and food costs which put pressure on consumer spending. We will write a custom essay sample on California Pizza Kitchen or any similar topic only for you Order Now Despite this, COP still managed to show earnings growth and impressive financial results. Their quarterly profits were estimated at over $ 6 million. During June 2007, Capââ¬â¢s share price declined by 10% to $22. 10. This caused the management team to consider repurchasing company shares, which required debt financing. COP avoided debt financing thus far; however, it had an available line of credit of $ 75 million at 6. 16% interest rate. The company was thus considering using leverage to grow its business. Success of COP can be facilitated by continuing with its differentiated products, menu development, managing its food and labor cost fluctuations, developing its franchise equines, developing its partnership with Kraft Foods, expanding to more locations and considering using debt as a means of financing. Leverage increases the ROE of a company, which is shown by the Du Pont analysis. Leverage affects cost of capital by reducing the weighted average cost of capital (ââ¬Å"WACâ⬠). This is further analyses using the Modeling and Miller (1958) (ââ¬Å"MM) theory. An analysis of share price and number of shares that could be bought are examined by using three possible debt scenarios. By increasing debt, a higher share price and larger amount of shares to be repurchased is found. We discuss the how tax deductibility of interest can provide the levered firm with a tax shield or tax saving. We recommend a 20% debt to capital structure as well as share buy-back policy. We evaluate this recommendation under various capital structure theories. We evaluate a capital structure required to complete the expansion policy. PORTERS FIVE FORCES Threat of New Entry It is relatively easy opening up a restaurant. Initial capital is high but they could make use of leasing. Food and restaurant service is a simple concept that could easily be implemented. Threat of Entry is high. The Power of Suppliers There are a large variety of suppliers in the industry from where ingredients can be bought. The power of suppliers is low. The Power of Buyers As customers are mainly high net worth individuals, their sensitivity to price and macroeconomic conditions are low. Low income earners have been affected by increasing prices; therefore COP is dependent on their high income earning customers who are able to demand quality of product and service for the price they are willing to pay. The power of buyers is high. Threat of Substitutes As market conditions have declined, consumer spending has decreased. People have thus reduced their eating out expense and substituted it with home-cooked meals. Capââ¬â¢s frozen pizzas by Kraft foods could be used as a substitute; however, that is only one line of product. The threat of substitutes is high. Rivalry among Existing Competitors The other competitors in the industry do not have the unique menu offerings that COP offers. There is thus no direct substitute for the specific menu options found at COP. Customers are thus more likely to go COP for a unique craved item at a lower average price than its upscale dining peers. Rivalry among existing competitors is owe. Based on the Porters Five Forces model above, we conclude that COP operates in an environment with relatively strong competitive forces. SOOT ANALYSIS Weaknesses Strengths Various sources of revenue Customers are largely high income earners affected as much by macroeconomic pressures Average menu prices lower than competitors Continuously developing menu Unique menu offerings-wonââ¬â¢t be found at ASAP Restaurant concept-at airports, therefore creates awareness amongst foreigners Kraft Partnership-when consumers canââ¬â¢t afford eating out, they can still purchase COP products in grocery stores Industry is highly affected by inflation-eating out is first place consumers cut down on spending Does not appeal to low income earners Does not appeal to less adventurous consumers- do not sell any ââ¬Ënormal ââ¬Ëmenu items Lack of geographic diversification-40% of company operated stores are located within California Opportunities 0 Opportunity to gain market share-lowest average price of all upscale dining peers 0 Expansion- currently financial performance unaffected by rising costs. Use this opportunity to expand whilst competitors are experiencing weakened performance and earnings Franchised Restaurants and frozen pizzas through Kraft Foods have the possibility of improving overall margins in the long run 0 Could market other products through Kraft foods Threats Less market competitors-targets broader range of customers 0 Industry challenges- rising costs of commodities could continue and start reducing spending of higher income earners as well QUESTION 1 In what ways can Susan Collins facilitate the success of COP? COP has maintained its competitive advantage and market share through sufficient differentiation. It has ensured cost leadership by competing on price and market differentiation by uniqueness of its product. In order to grow its market share and ensure success of the business, the following should be considered by Susan Collins: 1. Menu Development COP spends 50% of its marketing costs on menu development. Slow selling items are replaced with new items bi-annually. As their menu is the main attraction of customers, it is essential that they maintain a unique menu of items that are in demand. They should continue to do research and spend money on its development. Fortunately for COP, they are very reliant on word of mouth marketing and can thus save on marketing costs. 2. Maintenance of Unique Concept As economic conditions worsen and input costs rise, COP should continue to service its niche market with high quality ingredients and unconventional food offerings. This authenticity is what has made them successful and this will continue to separate them from its competitors. 3. Cost Control The firm is highly exposed to rising input costs I. You read "California Pizza Kitchen" in category "Papers" E. Food and labor. It is essential that they develop good supplier and customer relationships to maintain profit margins and competitive advantage. Food prices are very volatile due to inflation. Between 2003 to 2006, food, beverage ND paper supplies have increased by 54%. COP has managed to keep these costs to 24% of its total revenue. They should endeavourer to maintain competitive advantage through arrangements with suppliers. By large volume orders and timely payments of debt, they could aim to receive favorable discounts. Labor costs have also increased by 54% since 2003. Labor costs in 2006 have been 36% of total revenue. There has been an introduction of a new minimum wage, effective July 2007. This represents a 40% increase in the wage rate per hour. Capââ¬â¢s labor costs will increase which will put pressure on its margins. As the employees have low skills and are easily able to switch Jobs, COP should attempt to motivate staff and create incentive programmer to ensure staff retention. They should also train staff to provide excellent service which will add to their competitive advantage. 4. Development of Franchise Business From 2003 to 2006, COP has maintained an approximate 1% of franchise sales to total sales. There is an opportunity to grow the franchise business. By growing its franchise, it will receive upfront income of between $50,000 and $65,000 per store opened. It will also receive royalty fees of 5% of gross sales. . Expansion to be more Geographically Diversified With its expansion plans, it should aim to spread out to a wider geographic location. Based on each locations success, it could open additional stores in that location in future. . Additional Product offerings through Kraft Foods Royalties from Kraft Foods also represent 1% of COP revenues. Currently, they only sell COP branded frozen pizzas in grocery stores. As COP has other products besides pizzas, the partnership with Kraft Foods should be extended to include other items on the menu. This could help alleviate cost increases when restaurant sales decrease s more consumers demand home cooked alte rnatives to save money. 7. Financing Up until 2006, COP has avoided debt financing. It does have an available line of credit of $ 75 million at a low interest rate of 6. 16%. The low interest rate environment and tangible assets available to secure any borrowing would indicate that it could be feasible to take on some debt to fund its expansion plans. The feasibility of taking on debt will be discussed in the next sections. 8. Stakeholder Theory An alternative series of actions that Susan may consider to facilitate the success of COP is to consider what is broadly titled: Stakeholder Theory. Stakeholder Theory postulates that firms should aim to maximize not only the wealth of the shareholders (shareholder view), but to consider all stakeholders associated with the firm. The definitions for stakeholders are broad and varied, but generally constitute those directly or indirectly affected by the operations of the firm, including but not limited to customers, suppliers, society, its owners, its management, and its employees. It has been recently argued that due consideration should be given to stakeholders, and not Just direct shareholder value. Under this theory it could be argued that by giving uh regard to its stakeholders, COP would be achieving greater success than it would if it pursued purely optimal financial performance as a goal. QUESTION 2 Using the scenarios in case Exhibit 9, what role does leverage play in affecting the return on equity (ââ¬Å"ROEâ⬠) for COP? Leverage increases the ROE of COP (ââ¬Å"the Companyââ¬â¢). As shown in chart 1 below, scenarios with successive increases in the debt to equity ratio (ââ¬Å"DIEâ⬠) from zero to 10. 0 percent, 20 percent and 30 percent increases the ROE respectively from 9. 0 percent to 9. Percent, 10. 2 percent and 11. 1 percent. Given that no operational hangers were assumed, total capital remained unchanged and the debt capital was merely used to repurchase equity, we can deduce that the sole explanation for the elevation in ROE was the injection of debt capital. The logic for this occurrence is explained via the DuPont decomposition of ROE as a product of financial leverage (ââ¬Å"FLâ⬠), total asset turnover (ââ¬Å"TATâ⬠) and net profit margin (ââ¬Å"NP): (1) Thus a companyââ¬â¢s ROE with leverage (FL 1 implies leverage) will be greater than if it were not using any leverage. Considering the capital of a company as pizza, each slice represents how much of total investment is financed by a particular type of capital debt or equity); they postulate that the present value of future cash flows (total value) remains unchanged irrespective of the composition of total capital. Thus the capital structure is irrelevant because under these assumptions, investors will force equivalence between the values of levered and unleavened companies by exploiting price differentials to earn arbitrage profit. Adding leverage increases equity risk and return to equity holders but this increase in equity return is, in equilibrium, exactly offset by increases in associated equity discount rate; so that there is no change in total company value. Although this framework serves as a reasonable starting point for a discussion of capital structure, many of the assumptions are unrealistic and thus cannot be applied to the COP case under discussion. As a first practical modification, taxes are considered. MM demonstrate that in the presence of corporate taxes, the value of a levered company (FL) exceeds that of an unleavened company (IV) by an amount equal to the product of the tax rate and the value of debt (the tax shield). Since interest paid is tax deductible, leverage provides a tax shield (ad) that offers savings, to augment the value of the levered company: By implication, taxing authorities subsidies companiesââ¬â¢ use of debt by making interest on debt tax deductible. This tax-modified proposition applies to COP. As shown in Tables 3, consistent increases in leverage increases the MBA by an amount equal to the debt tax shield. By implication, using 100% leverage can add up to $73 million to Capââ¬â¢s value; whilst using up all the $75 million line of credit can add a tax shield of over $24 million to Capââ¬â¢s value. Tax Shield 417885 7,332 14,664 439,881 21,996 Table 3: Tax Shield MM also propose that the cost of equity ( is a linear function of the companyââ¬â¢s debt/equity ratio ( : ( Where = WAC; = Cost of Debt Thus with leverage and corporate taxes, the cost of equity exceeds WAC, and the value of a levered company discounted with WAC will be larger than an unleavened company; also explaining the rise in the value of COP as measured by price per share and PIE ratio under varying scenarios, as shown in Table 1. However, this ignores the financial risk leverage introduced into the company by increasing the probability of an occurrence of financial distress and bankruptcy, agency costs, transaction costs and information asymmetry. These factors influence abase the tax shield such that he use of leverage becomes, in practice, a balancing act between these factors on one hand, and tax savings from the use of debt. Indeed, whilst leverage increases value, it can also reduce what Rick Responded described as ââ¬Å"staying powerâ⬠. Other capital structure theories are discussed under question 4. Thus leverage positively impacts Capââ¬â¢s value and reduces cost of capital as explained within DuPont and MM frameworks. QUESTION 3 Based on the analysis in case Exhibit 9, what is the anticipated share price under each scenario? How many shares will COP be likely to repurchase under each How to cite California Pizza Kitchen, Papers
Sunday, December 8, 2019
The NonDesigner free essay sample
The Non-Designer # 8217 ; s Design Book Essay, Research Paper The Non-Designer s Design Book By Robin Williams I chose this book because I am really interested in the design of a page, whether it be an advertizement, invitation, or feature narrative. I learned some of import rules to follow. This book was easy to read and understand. I recommend it to anyone who might necessitate a small aid with design. There are four basic rules in design. They are contrast, repeat, alliance, and propinquity. I will travel on to discourse these each individually, but maintain in head that the rules are truly interconnected. It is really rare that merely one rule is applied to a design. The writer points out that although inappropriate, there is rather memorable acronym, which I have underlined, for these basic design rules. The rule of propinquity provinces that you group related points together. When you move points near together physically, they are seen as a cohesive group. The intimacy of points on a page implies a relationship. Grouping similar elements into one unit can make many different things for your design. It will do your design easier to follow because propinquity makes the design more organized. Here is an illustration of the deficiency of propinquity utilizing a typical concern card: Jaye Ad Agency ( 405 ) 555-1111 Bill Fold 123 Rocky Road Edmond, OK The job with the concern card illustration above is how many times it makes your eyes halt. The illustration besides do the information on the card seem unrelated, which is a small confusing. The illustration I gave does non clearly show the reader where to get down reading. Here is illustration of a concern card with the rule of propinquity implemented: Bill Fold Jaye Ad Agency 123 Rocky Road Edmond, All right ( 405 ) 555-1111 This concern card illustration is really clear about where to get down reading. All I did was group related information together. The illustration is now visually organized. This book goes into some much more advanced illustrations of propinquity. Since I am a really ocular individual, I thought you might desire to see what I learned about propinquity. The basic thought of propinquity is to extinguish confusion by grouping similar elements together to give the design lucidity and to do it an easy read. The following rule is alignment. It states that every point should hold a ocular connexion with something else on the page. In the chapter about alliance, the writer warns about focus oning different points. She does non state to neer focus on points, but merely to mind of how dull focus can be. When a design is decently aligned, it will be unified and organized . The alliance along with a peculiar font can find the personality ( merriment, serious, sophisticated ) of a design. Examples of invitations: Please assist us observe the Holiday Season! Please aid us celebrate the Vacation Season! The first ( top ) illustration is all right, except that it is truly instead dull. Although still centered, the 2nd ( underside ) illustration is more originative and delighting to the oculus. It s easiest to believe of alliance as consolidative and forming. The rule of repeat provinces that you repeat some facet of the design throughout the full piece. Any component, from the fount to the colour, can be made insistent. Repeat can be used to heighten a design and clear up information. It can besides assist to transport out a subject. Repeated points do non hold to be precisely the same objects, but objects that are evidently closely related. Or merely take an point and do it smaller, make it bigger, or alter its colour. Repeat can easy be overdone, which can do a design annoyance or overwhelming. The intent of repeat is to add ocular involvement. Catch a reader s attending and so maintain it! Last, contrast is formed when two things are different. The rule of contrast provinces that if two points are non precisely the same, so do them different. The basic intent of contrast is to make an involvement on the page. A page is more likely to be read if it is interesting to look at. You can make contrast with founts and colourss. Contrast can do a page more attractive, while at the same clip doing the intent of the design much clearer. When working with contrast, you have to be brave. Don t attempt to contrast things that are similar. Have the backbones to contrast something other than dark brown and dark blue. For the best design consequences find what you want the focal point of your design to be. Then utilize contrast to make that focal point. If you re make bolding plenty, contrast can be a great plus to your design. Contrast, repeat, alliance, and propinquity are the four basic rules to plan. I learned how they work entirely, but more significantly how each one of them works so much better when all four rules are working together. I truly liked this book because it gave many illustrations of each thought discussed. The writer negotiations about non being afraid when it comes to plan. Make the unexpected. This book was besides a good acquisition tool. It contains quizzes throughout the book that assist me to retain the information. This book was besides fun and exciting to read. I am really interested in the ocular facet of layouts. So, taking clip to read this book was a pleasance. I merely wish my other categories were as gratifying.
Sunday, December 1, 2019
McDonalds Strategic Audit Essay Example
McDonalds Strategic Audit Paper McDonalds as being ninth most valuable brand in the world which has replaced the US army as the Nationââ¬â¢s largest job training organization Controls the market share of more than 3 food chains taken together in America started in 1940. McDonalds Corporation (MCD) is the worlds largest chain of fast food restaurants, serving nearly 47 million customers daily. McDonalds primarily sells hamburgers, cheeseburgers, chicken products, French fries, breakfast items, soft drinks, milkshakes and desserts. More recently, it has begun to offer salads, wraps and fruit. Many McDonalds restaurants have included a playground for children and advertising geared toward children, and some have been redesigned in a more natural style, with a particular emphasis on comfort: introducing lounge areas and fireplaces, and eliminating hard plastic chairs and tables. Company has also expanded the McDonalds menu in recent decades to include alternative meal options like salads and snack wraps in order to capitalize on growing consumer interest in health and wellness. Each McDonalds restaurant is operated by a franchisee, an affiliate, or the corporation itself. The corporations revenues come from the rent, royalties and fees paid by the franchisees, as well as sales in company operated restaurants. McDonalds revenues grew 27% over the three years ending in 2007 to $22.8 billion, and 9% growth in operating income to $3.9 billion We will write a custom essay sample on McDonalds Strategic Audit specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on McDonalds Strategic Audit specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on McDonalds Strategic Audit specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer McDonaldsââ¬â¢s success is the result of superior products, high standards of performance, distinctive competitive strategies and the high integrity of our people. McDonalds is continuing to expand and introduce new alternative beverages in the market. Approximately 85% of McDonaldââ¬â¢s restaurant businesses world-wide are owned and operated by franchisees .All franchisees are independent, full-time operators. McDonaldââ¬â¢s was named Entrepreneurââ¬â¢s Number-one franchise for 1997 McDonaldââ¬â¢s corp. is currently one of the most successful consumer products company in the world with annual revenues exceeding $23 million and has more than 1.6 million employees. McDonaldââ¬â¢s products are recognized and are most respected all around the globe. Currently, its divisions operate in all over the world in beverages, snack foods, and restaurants. The corporations increasing success has been based on high standards of performance, marketing strategies, competitiveness, determination, commitment, and the personal and professional integrity of their people, products and business practices. McDonaldââ¬â¢s believes their success depends upon the quality and value of their products by providing a safe, whole some, economically efficient and a healthy environment for their customers; and by providing a fair return to their investors while maintaining the highest standards of integrity. McDonalds A Global Phenomenon McDonalds opened its doors in India in October 1996. Ever since then, our family restaurants in Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Ludhiana, Jaipur, Noida Faridabad, Doraha, Manesar and Gurgaon have proceeded to demonstrate, much to the delight of all our customers, what the McDonalds experience is all about. Our first restaurant opened on 15th April 1955 in Des Plaines, Illinois, U.S.A. Almost 50 years down the line, we are the worlds largest food service system with more than 30,000 restaurants in 100 countries, serving more than 46 million customers every day. Locally Owned McDonaldââ¬â¢s in India is a 50-50 joint venture partnership between McDonaldââ¬â¢s Corporation [USA] and two Indian businessmen. Amit Jatiaââ¬â¢s company Hardcastle Restaurants Pvt. Ltd. owns and operates McDonalds restaurants in Western India. While Connaught Plaza Restaurants Pvt. Ltd headed by Vikram Bakshi owns and operates the Northern operations. Amit Jatia and Vikram Bakshi are like-minded visionaries who share McDonalds complete commitment to Quality, Service, Cleanliness and Value (QSCV). Having signed their joint-venture agreements with McDonalds in April 1995, they trained extensively, along with their Indian management team, in McDonalds restaurants in Indonesia and the U.S.A. before opening the first McDonaldââ¬â¢s restaurant in India.
Tuesday, November 26, 2019
Temperature and Betula disribution on the Holy range Massachusetts essays
Temperature and Betula disribution on the Holy range Massachusetts essays Temperature and Betula distribution on the Holyoke Range, Massachusetts In this study, it will be tested whether temperature affects tree densities in the genus Betula on different slopes of the Holyoke Range, specifically the north and south faces of the mountain range. My prediction is that the north face of the mountain will have a higher density of these trees than the south face of the range because of the temperature differences of the north slope being warmer than south slope for the range of growth for these trees. This experiment can be used to predict patterns of vegetation in other similar latitudes and slopes around the world. On September 20, 2000, the birch tree genus, Betula, density was measured on the north face of the Holyoke Range and on September 27, 2000, Betulaà ¡s density was also measured, but on the south face of the Holyoke Range. There were eight sites laid across a 150m transect line running across the slope starting from a subjectively chosen point. Based on the data collected on the Holyoke Range, the birch trees densi ties were not significantly higher on the north face than on the south face of the mountain range. Eight separate t-tests were performed, four on the density of the adult birch trees, and another four on the basal density of adult birch trees. From this data analysis it was possible to determine that the results were due to chance, not congruent with my prediction. From the results of my data, it can be concluded that temperature is not a factor in the tree density of Betula. In fact, temperature is not the only factor that can determine the growth of Betula, or other species of trees. Certain biotic and abiotic factors that can explain vegetation patterns of similar areas compared to this study. In this study, it will be tested whether temperature is one of the factors that affect tree densities in the genus Betula on different slopes of the Holyoke Range, specifically the north and ...
Friday, November 22, 2019
4 Tips for Writing Perfect USC Essays
4 Tips for Writing Perfect USC Essays SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips So you have your heart set on going to the University of Southern California. Thatââ¬â¢s greatââ¬âitââ¬â¢s one of the best schools in the country! Unfortunately, that makes it tough to get accepted: only 13 percent of applicants are admitted each year. To apply, USC requires you to submit both the Common Application and a school-specific writing supplement designed to ââ¬Å"discover your individual story.â⬠But what does that mean? And how can you make your USCessays stand out from the crowd? Weââ¬â¢ve got you covered. This guide will teach you everything you need to know to write an outstanding USC Writing Supplement. Weââ¬â¢ll answer all of your questions, including: What is the supplement? What are the questions, and how do I answer them? Are there tips and tricks for knockingyour USC essays out of the park? What steps do I take to finish my USC application? Letââ¬â¢s get started! What Is the USC Supplement? The USC Writing Supplement is an additional part of the USC application that you fill out through the Common App website. The supplement itself consists of two writing prompts (250 words each) and eleven short answer questions (100 characters each). The word limits mean youââ¬â¢ll have to cram a lot of information into a short amount of space. GreatUSC essaysare going to be concise, honest, creative, and engaging. Remember, USC designed the supplement to help admissions counselors get a better sense of your personality. Donââ¬â¢t be afraid to embrace your individuality here! Itââ¬â¢s your chance to share aspects of yourself, your life, and your goals that arenââ¬â¢t captured by the Common App. In other words: this is your time to shine. Where Can I Find the USC Supplement? The writing supplement is part of the USC Common Application. Once you've selected USC as one of your colleges, it should pop up in the application portal. If you're not exactly sure how to find it, don't worry...here's a step-by-step guide! Log into the Common App website using your username and password. Click on the ââ¬Å"College Searchâ⬠tab and search for ââ¬Å"University of Southern California.â⬠Select the search result, then click ââ¬Å"addâ⬠to add it to your profile. Return to your dashboard and select the ââ¬Å"University of Southern California.â⬠From there, click on the link titled ââ¬Å"Incompleteâ⬠next to the ââ¬Å"Writing Supplementâ⬠label at the bottom of the box. You can also access the supplement by clicking on the ââ¬Å"Writing Requirementsâ⬠tab and clicking the ââ¬Å"Writing Supplementâ⬠link. How Do I Answer the USC Essay Prompts? The writing supplement contains two short writing prompts designed to showcase both your writing skills and your personality. But because youââ¬â¢re limited to 250 words, you need to make every word count. Here are some general strategies to keep in mind: #1: Use a Standard Format Itââ¬â¢s important that you arenââ¬â¢t wasting precious space. A good strategy is to limit your introduction/thesis statement and your conclusion to one sentence each. That lets you use the rest of the space to answer the prompt. #2: Show, Don't Tell Instead of giving run-of-the-mill answers, use stories and anecdotes to illustrate your point. Paint a picture for your audience when you can! For example, say youââ¬â¢re talking about your love of photography. Instead of saying ââ¬Å"I love to photograph people,â⬠see if you can capture the feeling of taking someoneââ¬â¢s picture. A better sentence might read: ââ¬Å"I love trying to capture peopleââ¬â¢s personality through my camera lens.â⬠The first answer tells us you enjoy photography, but the second response shows us why you love it. #3: Edit, Edit, Edit Donââ¬â¢t be disappointed if your first attempt at answering these prompts goes over the word limit. Thatââ¬â¢s okay! Keep cutting and revising until you end up with something great. Here are a few examples of how you can edit a sentence to make every word work. Take out wordy phrases.OKAY: ââ¬Å"It was the very best experience of my whole life.â⬠BETTER: ââ¬Å"It was the best experience of my life.â⬠BEST: ââ¬Å"The trip was transformational.â⬠Use the active voice PASSIVE: ââ¬Å"Geology would be my preferred major.â⬠ACTIVE: ââ¬Å"I plan to major in geology." Replace ââ¬Å"isâ⬠and ââ¬Å"wasâ⬠with more descriptive verbs WITH ââ¬Å"ISâ⬠: ââ¬Å"Researching cancer treatments is my ultimate career goal.â⬠WITHOUT ââ¬Å"ISâ⬠: ââ¬Å"I plan to pursue a career in cancer research.â⬠#4: Donââ¬â¢t Wait Until the Last Minute The USC supplement is short, so itââ¬â¢s tempting to tackle it at the end of the application process. Donââ¬â¢t! Writing short responses is harder than it looks, so give yourself plenty of time. The First USC Essay For your first response, youââ¬â¢ll answer one of three prompts. Keep in mind that no prompt is better than the other, so go with the question that works best. Weââ¬â¢ll talk about each question in depth, but here are some tips for choosing the best prompt for you: Pick a question that lets you show a different side of yourself that you havenââ¬â¢t shared yet Choose a topic that allows you to tell a story (remember: paint a picture with your words) Avoid prompts that repeat what youââ¬â¢ve already said in your Common App. The last point is particularly important since one of the writing questions on the Common App asks you to discuss a time when you questioned a belief or idea. Itââ¬â¢s basically the same question as the first option below, so if you chose this prompt for your Common App, go with a different option for your writing supplement. How to Answer Essay Option 1 ââ¬Å"USC believes that one learns best when interacting with people of different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. Tell us about a time you were exposed to a new idea or when your beliefs were challenged by another point of view. WhatIsThis Question Asking You to Do? This is a question about diversity. USC looks for students who are ââ¬Å"interested in the world, in other peoples and cultures, and enjoy examining important issues from a global perspective.â⬠Your response should embrace USCââ¬â¢s core values by demonstrating your ability to participate in a diverse community. To do this, you should talk about a time you were challenged, not about a time you challenged someone else. This is a tricky, but important, distinction. Make sure you pick a story where you had to reconsider an idea because of someone elseââ¬â¢s opinions. How Do You Answer the Question? Tell a story with a central conflict, a climax, and a resolution. Think of a particular moment where someone questioned your beliefs. How did it begin? What did the other person say? How did you react? How did you change? Demonstrate a solid understanding of diversity. Merriam-Webster defines diversity as ââ¬Å"the condition of having or being composed of differing elements, especially the inclusion of different types of people (such as people of different races or cultures) in a group or organization.â⬠As you can see from this definition, diversity is about more than race- it also encompasses differences in things like class, culture, gender, nationality, religion, politics, and physical ability. Talk about how your experience changed you. A good way to do this is to pretend this moment is a scene in a television show that youââ¬â¢re directing. How would you describe the event to the actors? What emotions would you ask the actors to portray? Use those details to tell a more complete story. Keep it positive. USC wants students who embrace diversity, so focus on the positives of your experience. Now that you have an idea about what the prompt is asking you to do, here are a few examples to help get you started: You were trying to help a wheelchair user cross the street without asking them if they needed assistance. They explained that using a mobility device doesnââ¬â¢t mean they need help, and they challenged your ideas about disability. Since then, youââ¬â¢ve worked hard to become an ally for people with disabilities. You believed that undocumented illegal immigrants should be deported until you realized that one of your best friends is undocumented. Learning her story- and confronting your own stereotypes about illegal immigration- has made you change your perspective and become passionate about helping undocumented students go to college. Thatââ¬â¢s why you and your friend organized your cityââ¬â¢s first ever march to support immigrants. How to Answer Essay Option 2 ââ¬Å"Describe something outside of your intended academic focus about which you are interested in learning.â⬠WhatIsThis Question Asking You to Do? The admissions committee already knows what your passion is- thatââ¬â¢s why youââ¬â¢ve chosen it as your major! Essentially, this question is just asking what else piques your interest. After all...you might want to be a doctor, but medicine isnââ¬â¢t the only thing you love. Also, this prompt wants you to think beyond your degree. For example, if youââ¬â¢re majoring in computer science, donââ¬â¢t talk about learning more about programming. Step outside your comfort zone! The admissions counselors want to see that youââ¬â¢re curious and well-rounded. How Do You Answer the Question? Brainstorm a list of potential topics. Come up with a list of ideas you find fascinating and want to learn more about. If youââ¬â¢re stuck, try jotting down your hobbies. For instance, maybe youââ¬â¢re majoring in business but you play the piano, and youââ¬â¢ve always wanted to learn more about how pianos are made. Connect the topic back to your major...or donââ¬â¢t! There are two ways to approach this question. You can pick an idea that compliments your field of study and explain how the two relate, or you choose a totally different topic to showcase your wide-ranging interests. Neither approach is better than the other, so go the direction that best fits your idea. Explain why youââ¬â¢re interested in this idea. How did this topic first spark your interest? Share a story that captures your ââ¬Å"aha!â⬠moment. For example, maybe you went camping and saw the Milky Way, so now you want to learn about space. Or perhaps youââ¬â¢re vegan, so youââ¬â¢re interested in sustainable agriculture. Telling a story shows the reader your passion, and it might even make them passionate about the subject, too! Address what (if any) study youââ¬â¢ve already done. Have you already dipped your toes into this topic? If so, share a little about what youââ¬â¢ve learned. (If not, thatââ¬â¢s okay, too.) Connect your answer back to USC. Even if you arenââ¬â¢t tying your interest back to your major specifically, you should still discuss how going to USC will help you explore your topic. Perhaps USC offers related extracurricular clubs or service organizations you can join. Or maybe itââ¬â¢s USCââ¬â¢s location thatââ¬â¢s important- if youââ¬â¢re a movie buff, thereââ¬â¢s no better place to learn about film than Los Angeles. How to Answer Essay Option 3 ââ¬Å"What is something about yourself that is essential to understanding you?â⬠WhatIsThis Question Asking You to Do? This is a super open-ended prompt, which can be a blessing and a curse. Essentially, this prompt is saying, ââ¬Å"Tell us something unique about yourself that helps us get to know you.â⬠You have to do more than talk about your tattoo or your love of jazz; you have to tell your reader how that reveals an essential part of who you are. How Do You Answer the Question? Make a list of unique things about yourself. Youââ¬â¢re not aiming for the best or craziest or most interesting thing about yourself. There are all sorts of unique things about you! Maybe you can say the alphabet backwards (which shows determination), or you stop to rescue turtles crossing the road (youââ¬â¢re soft-hearted). You donââ¬â¢t have to be an Olympian to have a great story to share. Choose something you didnââ¬â¢t talk about in the Common App. If you focus on a particular personality trait in your other responses, choose something different for this answer. Admission counselors will read your whole application, so try not to repeat yourself. Tell a specific story. Yeah, we know...youââ¬â¢re tired of hearing this. But weââ¬â¢re going to repeat it because itââ¬â¢s what works. Donââ¬â¢t just say youââ¬â¢re unique because you love to dance. Instead, tell your reader about your favorite performance. Explain why this part of you is important to understanding who you are. Explain how your story demonstrates a fundamental part of your personality. For example, maybe you have a scar on your knee from where you jumped off a wall onto your trampoline and missed when you were four. This shows you love adrenaline and enjoy taking risks! Because you can be super creative, thereââ¬â¢s a greater risk of missing the mark in this response. Here are some topics/pitfalls to watch out for: Avoid mentioning USC. This prompt is about you! Donââ¬â¢t focus on your family. Again, this prompt is about you! Draw a conclusion. You need to explain how your story reveals a core part of your identity. The SecondUSC Essay Describe how you plan to pursue your academic interests at USC. Please feel free to address your first- and second-choice major selections. What Is This Question Asking You to Do? No option here: youââ¬â¢re stuck with this prompt and limited to 250 words in your response. But thatââ¬â¢s okay, because this is the ââ¬Å"Why USC?â⬠question. (Itââ¬â¢s a version of what we call the ââ¬Å"why this college essayâ⬠around here.) Why do you need to go to USC to fulfill your dreams? Or put another way: why is USC the only school for you? This means choosing and discussing your major (and your second choice major if your program is very competitive). Remember, youââ¬â¢re not committed to the major you pick. You can change majors after youââ¬â¢ve enrolled. How Do You Answer the Question? Research, research, research. Visit the USC website and get to know your college, department, and the classes they offer. Also, take a close look at your majorââ¬â¢s course of study. If youââ¬â¢re going to take classes from other departments, figure out which ones and why. For example, if youââ¬â¢re majoring in international relations and want to work in China, youââ¬â¢ll probably take foreign language/culture courses (like Advanced Modern Chinese) and political science courses (like Chinese Foreign Policy). Research the professors in the department and mention them by name. Seize the day. Thereââ¬â¢s more to college than going to class. Making the most of USC means getting involved and taking advantage of opportunities like internships and study abroad programs. There are over 100 international fellowships and programs available through different colleges, so be sure to look into them. Mentioning programs like the Global Fellows Internship, available to all students, or the Maymester, which is a major-specific opportunity, shows youââ¬â¢re serious about making the most of your education at USC. Focus on USC. Your job is to show why USC and nowhere else can help you achieve your dreams. Special Engineering and Computer Science Prompts If youââ¬â¢ve decided to major in computer science or engineering, you might have noticed you have a few extra USC essays to write. Thatââ¬â¢s not a mistake- the Viterbi School of Engineering asks potential engineering students to complete two additional short writing prompts. Not sure how to tackle these questions? Donââ¬â¢t worry...weââ¬â¢ll walk you through the answers. How to Answer Question 1 What do you personally expect to get out of studying engineering or computer science in college? WhatIsThis Question Asking You to Do? This prompt asks you to think about more than your four years at USC; it wants you to consider your future career, too. What does your engineering career look like? What do you want to accomplish? The answers to these questions will shape your response and show that youââ¬â¢re future-focused.How Do You Answer the Question? Mention specific professors and classes. Show that youââ¬â¢ve done your homework and are ready to hit the ground running. Think beyond the classroom. Sure, you want to learn to be an engineer. But knowledge- also known as ââ¬Å"hard skillsâ⬠- is only one part of what you learn in college. You also make connections with your classmates, figure out how to collaborate on projects, and learn how to think outside the box. These are often called ââ¬Å"soft skills.â⬠Good answers mention both hard and soft skill sets. Consider your community. Itââ¬â¢s tempting to focus on how your studies will affect you- after all, the question asks about what ââ¬Å"you personallyâ⬠want to get out of your degree! But part of USCââ¬â¢s mission is providing public leadership and service. The school wants its students and alumni to take their education and use it to help others. Connecting back to the universityââ¬â¢s mission statement means youââ¬â¢re thinking about how you fit into the universityââ¬â¢s community and its legacy. Donââ¬â¢t repeat yourself. This prompt is very close to the second short writing prompt we discussed above. By talking about your career and helping others, youââ¬â¢ll keep your answer fresh. How to Answer Question 2 While the world as a whole may be more technologically advanced than ever before, the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) has outlined 14 Grand Challenges that engineers should focus on to improve life on the planet. Learn about the Grand Challenges at www.engineeringchallenges.org and tell us which challenge is most important, and why. WhatIsThis Question Asking You to Do? First, go to the National Academy of Engineering website and pick the challenge that resonates most with you. Donââ¬â¢t try to pick ââ¬Å"the bestâ⬠challenge. All the challenges are equal, so donââ¬â¢t try to guess what the admissions board wants to hear! Honesty is key. This prompt also asks you research and understand your challenge. The National Academy of Engineering website provides in-depth looks at each problem, so start there. (Hereââ¬â¢s the write-up explaining why providing access to clean water is important, for example.) Do additional research to see what solutions are on the horizon, too. You also need to argue in favor of your choice. Yep, thatââ¬â¢s right: this is a persuasive essay. Your job is to convince the reader- in 250 words!- why the challenge youââ¬â¢ve chosen is most important. Go through your research and pick out the two most convincing pieces of information. This will help you build your argument. How Do You Answer the Question? Jump right in. Use your first sentence or two as your thesis, just like in English class. This helps save space for your argument. Your thesis should be clear, specific, and grab your readerââ¬â¢s attention. Hereââ¬â¢s a sample thesis for the ââ¬Å"Make Solar Energy Economicalâ⬠challenge: ââ¬Å"Solar energy usage has increased 20% in the last 15 years due to lowering costs. Embracing the ââ¬Å"Make Solar Energy Economicalâ⬠challenge will give more people easy access to clean energy, which will have a major impact on climate change. Show that youââ¬â¢ve thought- and read- about the problem. In order for your response to persuade your reader, it should be well-informed. Use one or two compelling facts to support your point, and paraphrase the information to save space! Donââ¬â¢t bite off more than you can chew. You only have 250 words, so you canââ¬â¢t make a three part argument like you would in an essay. Focus on your most persuasive argument. Make an emotional connection. Appealing to emotions like hope, happiness, and fear have a powerful impact. A good way to do this is by talking about how your challenge will change peopleââ¬â¢s lives in your conclusion sentence. For instance, if youââ¬â¢re writing about engineering better medicines, talk about the lives your research can save. Image credit: Freddie Alequin The USC Short Answer Questions On the surface, the short answer questions seem simple, but many students find this section the hardest part of the supplement. Thatââ¬â¢s because these responses are limited to 100 characters or less- shorter than a tweet! Here are some general tips to make tackling the short answer questions a breeze: Maximize the space you have. There is room to elaborate on your answers a bit, and you should. There are no right answers. Admissions counselors donââ¬â¢t have specific responses in mind. This is their way of trying to get to know the person behind the application. Youââ¬â¢re more than a major. Itââ¬â¢s tempting to make every answer tie into your major or future career in some way. Instead, your answers should capture who you are as a person, and tie them back to your academic goals only if itââ¬â¢s a good fit. Donââ¬â¢t be afraid of a little humor. Embrace being funny, but not at someone elseââ¬â¢s expense. (Donââ¬â¢t put people, things, or ideas down in your responses.) Avoid clichà ©s. Keep it tasteful. If you wouldnââ¬â¢t say it to your parents, donââ¬â¢t say it to an admissions counselor! Now that you have some solid strategies, letââ¬â¢s look at each question individually. Questions 1-3: Describe Yourself in Three Words A good way to tackle this question is to ask your friends and family to text you their responses, and look for patterns. For example, if five people say you are nice and caring, combine those into one idea, like ââ¬Å"empathetic.â⬠Adjectives are the most common words to use, but you can pick nouns, too! Just stick to ones with personality (like ââ¬Å"bookwormâ⬠if you love to read, or ââ¬Å"shutterbugâ⬠if youââ¬â¢re a photographer). Choose words that are highly descriptive (like ââ¬Å"enthusiasticâ⬠instead of ââ¬Å"funâ⬠) and avoid clichà ©s if you can. Oh, and the supplement breaks this response into three separate fields, so make sure you donââ¬â¢t type all three words on one line! Here are some sample responses: ââ¬Å"Whimsical, artistic, collaborativeâ⬠ââ¬Å"Competitive, thoughtful, engagingâ⬠ââ¬Å"Loquacious, jovial, encouragingâ⬠ââ¬Å"Reserved, compassionate, givingâ⬠Question 4: What Is Your Favorite Snack? Hereââ¬â¢s a chance to showcase your personality by being specific. Letââ¬â¢s say you love peanut MMs. A specific answer might say, ââ¬Å"Eating peanut MMs while watching a scary movie.â⬠You can also touch on your personal history, especially if you come from a diverse background. You could say something like ââ¬Å"My abuelaââ¬â¢s enchiladasâ⬠or ââ¬Å"Almond Crush Pockyâ⬠as a nod to your heritage. Finally, lean into your weird. We all have strange snacks that somehow hit the spot (weââ¬â¢re looking at you, hot dog buns dunked in hot chocolate). If thereââ¬â¢s a bonkers food you enjoy- like hot Cheetos with nacho cheese on top- this is your time to shine. An added bonus? It will definitely make an impression. Here are some sample responses: ââ¬Å"Perfectly toasted marshmallows while sitting around a campfire.â⬠ââ¬Å"A hot dog and soda from Fenway Park.â⬠ââ¬Å"Homemade apple pie with melted cheddar cheese on top!â⬠ââ¬Å"A package of Digestive Biscuits (theyââ¬â¢re cookies!) and a glass of milk.â⬠Question 5: Favorite App/Website This is one of the trickier short answer questions. To tackle it, connect your response to one of your interests. If youââ¬â¢re a movie buff, you could mention a movie site. If you love to cook, maybe you mention your favorite food blog. The average person spends about 24 hours a week online, so if you check your browser history, youââ¬â¢ll find a few good options. But whatever you do, donââ¬â¢t pick a website because you think it makes you look smart. Remember: be sincere! (Admissions counselors will be hard pressed to believe anyoneââ¬â¢s favorite website is cnn.com.) We also recommend that you avoid mentioning social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Snapchat unless theyââ¬â¢re pertinent to your major in some way. These responses will be a dime a dozen, and they donââ¬â¢t tell your reader much about you. Here are some sample responses: ââ¬Å"BirthMoviesDeath.com. (Iââ¬â¢m a movie buff!)â⬠ââ¬Å"Behance.net because Iââ¬â¢m inspired by other peopleââ¬â¢s creativity.â⬠ââ¬Å"Epicurious.com- cooking is my favorite hobby, and the recipes here are the best.â⬠ââ¬Å"AtlasObscura.com, which is definitely the smartest, strangest place on the web.â⬠Question 6: Best Movie of All Time This question can make applicants anxious because people are passionate about the movies they love...and the movies they love to hate! Thatââ¬â¢s why we recommend you either give a serious answer or embrace silliness. This goes without saying, but make sure your movie choice is appropriate. If you wouldnââ¬â¢t watch it with your family, donââ¬â¢t list it here. Also, steer clear of any super controversial picks- donââ¬â¢t pick a film that is clearly discriminatory, like Birth of a Nation. Here are some sample responses: Serious: ââ¬Å"Blade Runner because of its influence on sci-fi film.â⬠Serious: ââ¬Å"Saving Private Ryan. It reminds us that war is hard, dangerous, and tragic.â⬠Silly: ââ¬Å"The Lion King. We should all ââ¬Å"hakuna matataâ⬠a little more!â⬠Both: ââ¬Å"Legally Blonde- I love stories about women chasing their dreams.â⬠Question 7: Dream Job Obviously, this answer should roughly align with your major. (Donââ¬â¢t say your dream job is to play Aaron Burr in Hamilton if youââ¬â¢re majoring in computer science.) Also, think big and think ahead. For instance, if youââ¬â¢re a computer science major, maybe you want to start a company that develops assistive AI for people with disabilities. Embrace big goals! The more specific you are, the better. Donââ¬â¢t just say you want to be a veterinarian. What kind of animals do you want to work with? Will you specialize in something? Do you want to own your own practice? Adding detail will make your answer stand out. Here are some sample responses: ââ¬Å"A large-animal veterinarian that helps rural farmers care for their livestock.â⬠ââ¬Å"The owner of a non-profit that helps women of color succeed in corporate America.â⬠ââ¬Å"A judge appointed to the U.S. Courts of Appeals.â⬠Question 8: What Is Your Theme Song? Everyone needs a little walk-in music. As you think about yours, choose a song with a title that makes a point. Itââ¬â¢s tempting to pick a song with a specific lyric that speaks to you, but your admissions counselor might not be able to make the connection. Think more along the lines of ââ¬Å"I Wonââ¬â¢t Back Downâ⬠by Tom Petty or ââ¬Å"Sisters Are Doinââ¬â¢ It For Themselvesâ⬠by Aretha Franklin and the Eurythmics. Be careful that your song title canââ¬â¢t be misconstrued. ââ¬Å"Iââ¬â¢m Too Sexyâ⬠by Right Said Fred might seem like a funny choice to you, but it could also come across as cocky or overconfident. Also, keep your choice appropriate. Look through the song lyrics to make sure they arenââ¬â¢t offensive. And whatever you do: donââ¬â¢t say the Trojan Fight Song. Thatââ¬â¢s probably the most popular- and most clichà ©d- answer. Here are some sample responses: ââ¬Å"Beautiful Dayâ⬠by U2 ââ¬Å"My Shotâ⬠from the Hamilton soundtrack ââ¬Å"Donââ¬â¢t Stop Believinââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬ by Journey Question 9: Dream Trip Thereââ¬â¢s no special trick to answering this question. Just be honest and specific! Also, feel free to focus on experiences as well as destinations. Maybe you want to snorkel with stingrays in the Caribbean or visit the Lord of the Rings set locations in New Zealand. Share that here! Here are some sample responses: Letting a lantern go during the Floating Lantern Festival in Thailand. Hiking to the top of Machu Picchu. Driving from California to Illinois on Route 66 with my best friends. Eating paella from a street vendor in Barcelona. Visiting Zimbabwe and bungee jumping off the Victoria Falls Bridge. Question 10: What TV Show Will You Binge Watch Next? This is another question designed to reveal something about you, your likes, and your dislikes. We suggest you pick a show you like as long as it isnââ¬â¢t completely without substance. If youââ¬â¢re having a hard time choosing, try narrowing it down to your favorite genre first. Here are some sample responses: Iââ¬â¢ll binge Making a Murderer because Iââ¬â¢m interested in how the justice system works (and doesnââ¬â¢t) The Good Place because it combines comedy and philosophy! Friends because it helps you understand interpersonal relationships. Iââ¬â¢m binging RuPaulââ¬â¢s Drag Race and learning a lot about drag culture and inclusivity. Question : Place You Are Most Content? We all have a happy place. Close your eyes and imagine the place youââ¬â¢re most at ease. What does it look like? Smell like? Feel like? Use that picture as inspiration for your response, and donââ¬â¢t be afraid to share the descriptive details. Avoid reiterating your community service or extracurricular activities. While you might really enjoy volunteering at your local Boys and Girls Club, itââ¬â¢s probably not the place where youââ¬â¢re most relaxed and comfortable. Here are some sample responses: ââ¬Å"Curled up in bed with a good book.â⬠ââ¬Å"Hiking through the woods with my dog, Lola.â⬠ââ¬Å"Napping in the hammock in my backyard.â⬠Next Steps for Your USC Supplement Even once youââ¬â¢ve finished and submitted your Common App and USC essays, youââ¬â¢re not quite done. Most of USCââ¬â¢s colleges require you to submit additional materials, like portfoliosorwriting samples, before your application is considered complete. Visit the links below to view each collegeââ¬â¢s supplemental application requirements and submission deadlines: USC School of Architecture Roski School of Art and Design Iovine and Young Academy for Arts, Technology and the Business of Innovation Marshall School of Business (World Bachelor in Business) USC School of Cinematic Arts Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism Kaufman School of Dance Ostrow School of Dentistry (Junior Transfers Only) USC School of Dramatic Arts Viterbi School of Engineering Thornton School of Music USC School of Pharmacy Need Some Extra Help? The USC application process can be overwhelming, but PrepScholar is here help you succeed! Check out our resources below for more information about how our experts can help you achieve your dreams. Havenââ¬â¢t started your Common Application yet? No problem! Weââ¬â¢ve got you covered with tips and tricks to make your application stand out from the crowd. Start learning more about USC! Check out their mission statement, admissions website, and this great blog post about getting to know USC without leaving your couch. Still stressed about your supplement? Get in touch with PrepScholarââ¬â¢s college admissions team! Want to write the perfect college application essay? Get professional help from PrepScholar. Your dedicated PrepScholar Admissions counselor will craft your perfect college essay, from the ground up. We'll learn your background and interests, brainstorm essay topics, and walk you through the essay drafting process, step-by-step. At the end, you'll have a unique essay that you'll proudly submit to your top choice colleges. Don't leave your college application to chance. Find out more about PrepScholar Admissions now:
Thursday, November 21, 2019
Battle of the 73 Easting Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words
Battle of the 73 Easting - Thesis Example The 2ACD and 1ID of the US Army utilized advanced technology and superior military strategy to launch an intensive sustained surprise attack which destroyed the Tawakalna forces. This paper examines the main battles fought by the two US divisions that broke through the central lines of the Tawakalna force and the events that occurred in the two-day duration of the battle. The US-led Coalition Force victory over the elite Iraqi Republican Guard unit, Tawkalna division at 73 Easting is the most decisive ground combat that weakened the Iraqi military and gave way for the destruction of the other Iraqi Republican Guard units which ended the Gulf War (Borque 2). The Coalition victory in the 73 Easting battle is attributed to the superiority of the Coalition military forces, strong and decisive leadership and the utilization of a good battle plan. The victory of the Battle of 73 Easting is the result of the optimum combination of several Army Doctrines (Atkinson 9). First of all, the posse ssion of modern equipment and technology is important in battles. Secondly, a superior military strategy, audacity, effective communication and co-ordination can help defeat the most resolute and bravest army. Surprise, followed by intensive assault is an important tool to destabilize the enemy and prevent them from gaining their tempo and ensure their defeat. Finally, there is the need to use specialized units to execute specific tasks in order to gain military success. The Battle of 73 Easting culminated from the need to destroy and weaken the Iraqi Republican Guard (IRP), which had been a tool used by Saddam Hussein to destabilize international peace by invading Kuwait (Atkinson 2). The battle started on the 26th through to the 27th of February, 1991 at a barren desert just 25 kilometers off the Kuwaiti-Iraqi border. The 7th Corps of the US Army played major role in the Battle of 73 Easting under the command of Lieutenant General Fredrick Franks Jr (McGregor 2). General H. Norman Schwarzkopf held the Central Command of the operation (McGregor 2) . Jointly, the 2nd Armored Cavalry Division of the 7th Corps was the main unit of ground troops that was tasked with facing the Tawakalna central position in the 73 Easting Battle. They were ably supported by the 1st Infantry Division. A total of 4,500 troops made up the core of the 2ACD. However, for the purpose of the battle, 5,500 more troops joined the 2ACD in its three squadrons (Daily 52). Each squadron was equipped with a tank company, howitzer batteries, headquarters troops and three cavalry troops (MacMaster 1). Each troop cavalry had 120 soldiers, nine armored battle tanks and 12 bradley fighting vehicles (Daily 52). The British 1st Armoured Division in the south and the 3rd American Armored Division in the north supported the 2AD in the operation (Donaldson 182). The plan was to encircle the Tawakalna stronghold and meet the 2ACD and 1ID to cut off the Tawakalna stronghold. There is no report of the comma nder of the Tawakalna forces in the war (Adrian 362). It is logically inferred that it reported directly to and took orders from Saddam Hussein. In events leading to the battle, the Iraqi government, in defiance of international law had invaded Kuwait claiming it as an Iraqi territory (Musallam 1). The Tawakalna Division of the IRP was a significant elite unit that played a central role in the invasion and maintenance of Iraqi military presence in Kuwait (Adrian 362). The
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Quantitative and Qualitative Research Assignment
Quantitative and Qualitative Research - Assignment Example It examines the experience of individuals delivering and receiving nursing care. The methods used to carry out qualitative research are case studies, interviews, ethnography and focus groups. On the other hand, quantitative study mainly focuses on measurable client outcomes and mainly uses statistics. However, bias is encountered when carrying out nursing research. When conducting a quantitative research, there are two main types of bias that may be encountered: random and systematic bias. Random bias takes place when a researcher assumes particular data. This happens wherebys the assumption made is not a precise representation of what is in the research. An example of a random bias is food diaries. Food diaries are inaccurate because people tend to over represent or under represent food consumption. However, this bias can be avoided by taking photographs of every study (Campbell & Campbell, 2006). On the other hand, systematic bias is a bit different. According to a study conducted by Dr. Colin Campbell, he stated that there were defects in the consumption of animal protein. However, Minger (2011) carried out a research on the same topic as Campbell and stated that the consumption of proteins and other foods was positively correlated. Systematic bias can be prevented by multiple null-hypothesis, re-utilization and utilization based on ongoing collection of data. All data should also be represented irrespective of the nature. There are various types of bias, which are associated with qualitative research. This biasââ¬â¢ can be experienced during the pre-trial, the clinical trial and after a trial. Examples of bias encountered during pre-trial stage may be as a result of study design, selection and channeling. There are other subtypes of bias which occur during the clinical trial. They include interviewer bias, transfer bias, recall bias and chronology bias. Bias after a trial may involve confounding and citation bias. When conducting a nursing research, bias
Saturday, November 16, 2019
Macbeth Analysis Essay Example for Free
Macbeth Analysis Essay I was just walking with Banquo on a cold and windy day to Forres when we come across three witches. They were very old and they all had long curly beards. One of them had a long crooked old finger and she kept on pointing it at me. The witches started talking to me. They all said hail Macbeth hail to thee. Banquo started talking to them and then the witches all said the same word Hail at the same time. I was getting really interested, so I said carry on talking. I wanted to know what they were trying to tell me. I was telling them to speak but they did not and they just vanished away. They told me that I was going to be king. I was sitting in my room and in comes my wife. I said to my wife that I did not want to kill Duncan anymore. Lady Macbeth started telling me that I was a coward, and then she started rushing into the plans about killing Duncan, but I wasnt even sure I wanted to kill him anymore because Duncan was giving me complements lately. She thought I was drunk earlier because I had been so eager to murder Duncan, and now she thought I was afraid of murdering him. The truth is I was scared. She was telling me all the plans I decided to do it then and what she told me to do is show my grief about the king being dead and act innocent . Lady Macbeth told me that when the bell strikes that is when I murder Duncan. when the bell rang I went to the courtyard to murder Duncan. My wife had already drugged the bodyguards and placed daggers on them to make it look like they have done it. Now it was going to be easy for me to do the murder. I had done the murder, then went back to the party and everything was like had not done anything.
Thursday, November 14, 2019
Free Essays - The Second Coming :: Second Coming
The Second Coming The Second Coming reminds me of the Marabar Caves in A Passage to India because of the "disconnectedness" that is portrayed. The poem quickly begins: "Turning and turning in the widening gyre [cycle of history] The falcon cannot hear the falconer'; Here Yeats reminds us all about the cycle of life that is constantly in rebirth. Everything is constantly "turning" in a "widening gyre" and yet the "falcon cannot hear the falconer" Life is connected in the sense that it is constantly in motion, constantly "turning" and yet there exists this strange "disconnectedness" because nature "the falcon" is so far separated from mankind "the falconer" that it can no longer be called. I may be reading too much into this small passage but it really reminds me of Forster's Marabar Caves: "A tunnel eight feet long, five feet high, three feet wide, leads to a circular chamber about twenty feet in diameter. The arrangement occurs again and again throughout the group of hills, and this is all, this is a Marabar Cave. . . They are dark caves. . . there is little to see, and no eye to see it," (137) It doesn't matter how deep you get into the caves, it doesn't matter how many turns you follow because you end up in a cave that looks exactly like the one in the beginning. Even language cannot be understood well, everything amounted to "Boam." Nature changed the very language of mankind to "boam." Is Forster's caves a symbol of life as he saw it ? "Circular chambers" that "occur again and again." I may be totally wrong but the Caves remind me of the first two lines of The Second Coming. Yeats cry continues with: "Things fall apart; the center cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world," The world is in disarray, nature has been separated from mankind due to the Industrial revolution and philosophical thought. Locke has shown us all that metaphysical entities, like nature, don't exist because it's not physical and thus able to be tested by scientific methods. At least in the Romantic era, mankind was connected with nature. In Wordsworth, Blake, and Keats we find a special connection with nature that is lost in Yeats. The Romantics understood the connection mankind has with nature and tried to amplify it with their prose and poetry.
Monday, November 11, 2019
Diamonds Are Forever (from Sierra Leone), Kanye West
Diamonds are Forever (from Sierra Leone), Kanye West The famous song ââ¬Å"Diamonds are Forever (from Sierra Leone)â⬠is not only a good song that is sung by a legendary music artist, Kanye West, but it is a hidden message political song that is directly talking about the precious blood diamonds from the southern countries of the continent Africa. When someone hears the two words ââ¬Å"blood diamond,â⬠most would probably assume that the diamonds are from Africa and that there are many people who die trying to mine for them.In reality, a blood diamond, also known by the names of conflict diamonds, converted diamonds, hot diamonds, or war diamonds, is a diamond that is mined in a war zone and sold to finance an insurgency, invading army's war efforts or a particular warlord's activity. These terms are particularly used in the context of diamond trading to indicate the negative effects for the sales of these said diamonds. Most of the blood diamonds are mined particularly i n Africa, where around two-thirds of the entire world's diamonds are extracted from.Overall, the main political issue that this song is referring to is the cold fought war for the control over Africaââ¬â¢sââ¬â¢ blood diamonds. The reason the country Sierra Leone is mentioned in the song is because of the huge war situations that the blood diamonds have caused. A little knowledge about this particular conflict; from the years of 1989 to 2003, the country of Liberia was engaged in a civil war. In the year of 2000, the United Nations accused Liberian president Charles G.Taylor of supporting the Revolutionary United Front insurgency in neighboring the country of Sierra Leone with weapons and proficient military training in exchange for blood diamonds. In the year of 2001, the United Nations applied sanctions on the Liberian diamond trade. In August of 2003, Taylor stepped down as the president, and after being exiled from Liberia to Nigeria, faced trial in The Hague. On July 21st of 2006, Taylor pleaded not guilty to the charged crimes against humanity and war crimes of which he was found guilty in April of 2012.Itââ¬â¢s not too easy to tell if the diamond in the middle of a gold ring is a true blood diamond or not. In reality, there is no way to tell by looking with the naked eyes or even under a jewelerââ¬â¢s gem magnifying glass. Many influences about blood diamonds have been made famous. Some examples include the song ââ¬Å"Diamonds from Sierra Leoneâ⬠and the famous movie ââ¬Å"Blood Diamond. â⬠After listening to the song by rapper Kanye West, it sends out a deep message about what is going on in Africa on the war of diamonds. The music video that goes along with the song is also very powerful.A lot of the lyrics in the song include hidden descriptive messages about what happens because of these blood diamonds. Not nessacerily about blood diamonds, but what is happening to the southern African countries and what is happening to the pe ople who are forced to mine diamonds. In many cases, children are kidnapped and forced into slavery and forced to mine for diamonds. In other cases it is adults who are kidnapped from their families and forced to mine. After performing some brief research about the forced slavery for mining the diamonds, rebellion is typically not an answer.In simple prospective, people who are forced into the mining slavery are given simple choices; mine for diamonds or be killed, or mine for diamonds or you will be forced to kill your family and then you will be killed. This is just a sickening way of realizing that the diamonds on any wealthy personsââ¬â¢ fingers could not have only cost hundreds and hundreds of dollars, but also cost hundreds and hundreds of innocent lives that will never be remembered. In connection with the message to what the song ââ¬Å"Diamonds are Foreverâ⬠is trying to tell the whole world is that hundreds of thousands of people have died in Africaââ¬â¢s ongoin g diamond wars.One of the challenges now that we come face to face with is to prevent warlord empires from kidnapping and recurring, and to get diamonds to a safe place where they can be an engine of growth in the 15 African countries where they are mined, instead of a scourge. One of the verses from the song that really stands out to me is: ââ¬Å"â⬠What's up with you and Jay, man, are y'all ok man? â⬠They pray for the death of our dynasty like Amen. Right here stands a man, with the power to make a diamond with his bare handsâ⬠¦ â⬠This verse really stands out because of what it means to me.I believe it means that we are asking if people who are mining for diamonds are okay. In response, all we hear are the prayers that ask for the fall of their country, because people are being forced to exchange their enslaved lives for blood diamonds. But in reality, nobody knows who the ââ¬Å"weâ⬠are and nobody knows who the people mining are because their lives have already been traded for diamonds. In simple words spoken by Kanye West himself, ââ¬Å"Little is known of Sierra Leone, and how it connects to the diamonds we own. ââ¬
Saturday, November 9, 2019
Inside Job
Where would we be today if the ââ¬Å"decision makersâ⬠would have made more acceptable decisions that affected the economy prior to the market crashing? Millions of middle-class Americans have been left jobless, and even homeless, as a result of the major corporations getting bailed out, while certain individuals were benefiting millions of dollars in bonuses. Following the Great Depression, the United States did not have a single financial crisis. However, according to Charles Ferguson, who is the director of Inside Job, the progressive deregulation of the financial sector since the 1980s gave rise to an increasingly criminal industry. In fact, many executives and leaders that were involved in this meltdown refused to answer questions, and some refused to interview for the documentary all together. The financial crisis of 2008 left many of us with many unanswered questions wondering how the most powerful nation in the world ended up with a destructed economy. The documentary Inside Job hunts down the culprits of the major financial institutions that had the biggest effect on the nationââ¬â¢s economy. The film attempts to provide a comprehensive understanding of the most important subject we have yet to face as a country; which is the worst financial crisis since the Depression, as well as holding those accountable who destroyed our financial system. Inside Job exposes the shocking truth behind the economic crisis. Throughout the film, you feel yourself cringing more and more by each interview. This documentary not once uses the word ââ¬Ëcapitalismââ¬â¢, although it is implied throughout the entire duration. The underlying message about capitalism in the movie is that it mainly benefits the elite, and that it is a corrupt world of finance. The big banks and financial institutions molded the government policies in their favor. As the economy came crashing down, the owners and leaders of financial institutions walked away from the crisis with their personal accounts untouched, and in superb condition for what the entire global economy was going to face next. Joe Boustead, of Socialist. et, states ââ¬Å"The truth is that in a capitalist mode of production anarchy rules, this in turn led to a massive crisis of overproduction, there were simply too many commodities being produced to be consumed as the individuals could either not afford them or simply had no need for them. â⬠One by one, the big banks came crashing down, and more debt was being added to what would become the worst economic crisis in history. Out of the various philosophers, Friedrich Nietzsche would be inclined to agree with the behavior of the Wall Street moguls and the politicians who were responsible for the ââ¬Å"Great Recession. Nietzsche is the philosopher of the will to power, seen as vital creation and fulfillment. He believed that humans and animals seek to live only to exert power and that each person should establish their own moral codes. As Nietzsche believed, ââ¬Å"A living thing seeks above all to discharge its strengthââ¬âlife itself is will to power; self-preservation is only one of the indirect and most frequent. â⬠As evidenced in the documentary, the government and executives sought to discharge their strength by partaking in self-preserving behaviors. While Inside Job exposed the criminal culture of Wall Street, a culture of lies, trickery, and corruption for power, it also exposed the widespread abuse of cocaine and prostitutes. Jonathan Alpert, a psychological counselor for Wall Street executives and professionals in the film, tells us that these practices ââ¬Å"go right to the very top. â⬠Nietzsche valued individualism above all else. He spoke negatively of anarchists, but he believed that only certain individuals should attempt to break away from the ââ¬Å"herd. â⬠That is the main reason I believe he would agree with the behaviors shown in this film. He would be inclined to believe that only certain individuals would be intelligent enough to take advantage of certain laws implemented by government, and somehow twist them into their own benefit, which is exactly what these Wall Street moguls did. If I were to propose legislation to address the problems and issues presented in the documentary, I would use John Stuart Millââ¬â¢s philosophical view as a basis for the legislation. Mills believed in utilitarianism, which claimed that ââ¬Å"one should assess persons, actions, and institutions by how well they promote human happiness. James Mill claimed: The desire, therefore, of that power which is necessary to render the persons and properties of human beings subservient to our pleasures, is the grand governing law of human nature [Essay IV; cf. Essay V]. I would use utilitarianism as a standard of conduct. Mills believed in the common good for the greatest number. This legislation would not have allowed the senseless, selfish acts that were committed which resulted in a recession that the entire nation had to deal with. Utilitarianism would have avoided the issues that were addressed in the documentary. It would maximize happiness and reduce the suffering of millions of people. I would also implement Sartreââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"bad faithâ⬠, or better known as his existentialism philosophy. Existentialism is a concept where a human would be under pressure from society and acts authentically. These CEOs and leaders knew what they were getting not only their institutions in, but also the economy. Instead of acting authentically and making decisions that would later on benefit the greater amount of people in the world, they chose to act unconsciously. It is a fact that the recession could have been avoided. The wrong decisions were purposely implemented in order to cover certain individuals and maintain power, and of course wealth. Jean-Paul Sartre believed that one should be held responsible for his own actions, and that all individuals should act authentically. From Sartreââ¬â¢s view, we are all ââ¬Å"consciousâ⬠when we make decisions. He focused on three modes of being: being-for-itself, being-in-itself, and being-for-others. The ââ¬Å"being-for-itselfâ⬠would be better described as the being of consciousness. All of these problems that we are facing today, would not be occurring if the decision makers would have acted with consciousness, rather than cruelty, and greed. The people who purposely made calls to somehow sabotage the economy for their own interest should be held accountable, and prosecuted, just as any criminal. Inside Job does an amazing job of informing the audience of what happened behind closed doors to end up where our economy is today. It goes back in history far enough to explain where this economic downfall started, and who there is to blame. The economic crisis could have been avoided if the correct course of action were taken, but instead the middle-class ended up in a situation that was never thought of. Due to greed, this country has to work harder to clean up the mess of the power and money-hungry executives that allowed the economy to get to this state. Inside Job is an informing documentary that leaves us disgusted, but yet informed of the unethical moves people are willing to make in order to stay in power and wealthy. At the end of this documentary, we are left wondering, where would we be today if greed didnââ¬â¢t partake in peopleââ¬â¢s every move? What is next to come to America, what was once the most powerful country in the world? These moguls are roaming free enjoying their millions of dollars, rather than behind bars for leaving the nation in the worst state we have ever been in as a nation. While the less-powerful, and innocent, are figuring out where the next meal is coming from, or finding a way to get their children to college, the rich are feeding off of every dollar that was benefited and controlled. The truth always comes to light, and in this case, regardless of how hard these folks tried to hide it, the research was conducted to find out what exactly happened. Inside Job Inside Job Summary Inside Job is a documentary by Charles Ferguson, about the causes of the global financial crisis and revealed what was going on inside the U. S. financial industry during the first decade of the 21st century. The movie highlights the effects of a series of causes beginning in the Regan Administration. These causes most prominently include deregulation that allowed excessive and reckless actions in finance, fraud, and conflicts of interest. Deregulation allowed the financial sector more freedom and less discipline, which provided more opportunity for profit and risk.Reflecting the profit growth resulting from deregulation, investment banks went from small, private firms to public companies. The movie illustrates the growth of the financial sector beginning in the 1970s and continuing into the early 2000s, considering that from 1978-2008 the average salary in the United States in every profession other than investment banking rose by 25% and the average salary in inv estment banking rose by 150%. In early 2000 another method mortgage lending was developed that allowed for excessive risk and allowed for incentives to bet against the system for personal gain.The system was called the Securitization food chain and loans were mixed with other types of debt, such as car loans and credit card debt, given a rating, and investors would include these mixes in their funds depending to their rating. Since each party was removed from risk by selling the debt, lenders could extend absurd loans that were highly unlikely to be repaid, rating agencies could grade the absurd debts highly without consequence and the result was the opportunity for virtually anyone in the US to receive a home loan and purchase a home.Which sent home prices incredibly high and since the financial sector was profiting from this procedure through the Securitization Food Chain no one cared about who was holding the bag. The rest is history. The financial industry knew that the meltdown was going to occur. Records show that internally they were betting AGAINST their own offerings. The bubble bursts resulting in people losing their illusory homes and their previously tangible jobs. The financial sector lost their businesses.An incredible, sweeping wildfire of foreclosures and bankruptcies. The US government claimed that if these major financial institutions that caused the crisis were allowed to fail, the effect on the global financial system would be catastrophic. The US government said these firms were ââ¬Ëtoo big to fail' and paid out several hundred billions of taxpayer money to save these firms. The unemployment and inflation from these rescues is still accumulating today.
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