MTV Arabia Essay Example

MTV Arabia Essay Case Study: MTV Network: The Arabian Challenge Miguel Iglesias PID: 3966924 International Management (MAN4600) Professor Khosravi September 27, 2012 â€Å"Case Study: MTV Network, The Arabian Challenge† Abstract MTV Networks, known as the biggest music television channel in the world set a new challenge of introducing their channel to Middle East or to the Arab countries. Even tough MTV had spread almost through the whole world they had this challenge as one of biggest challenge they could face due to the Arab closed, classic and conservative culture.MTV feared that the Arab’s would not accept the channel due to their religious and cultural traditions, and there was the challenge. They had to adopt measurements that would make Arabs watch their channel instead of continue watching the 54 Arab music channels that they were used to watch and listen. MTV had never had those types of problems at the time of integrating at another country, so they decided they had to impleme nt some strategies to get through this market.They had to tie-up with a local partner, named AMG (Arab Media Group), in order to be accepted by part of the society they tried to focus on which was young people between 12 and 24 years old. But, on the other hand they could not fully adapt Arab culture and conservative styles because they would lose the MTV global brand main characteristics. So, there is what is considered the biggest challenge MTV had faced on entering a new market throughout the whole world. Case Questions 1. Experts felt that one of the biggest challenges faced by MTV while launching MTV Arabia was the prevalent culture in the Arab world.Discuss the Arab culture. How is it expected to pose a challenge to MTV? The Arab community is an area full of diversity in many aspects; each of the Arab countries has different perspectives so there is not one Arab culture. The Arab region is formed of 22 countries, that some have the same religious, politics and ethical views an d some are totally different. For example, within the Arab’s there are three types of religions, Judaism, Islam and Christianity; so these make some things acceptable in some countries and in others not.Religion is one of the most important aspects on Arabs’ lifestyle, religion has something to do in almost every decision Arabs’ take. Political leaders are also very influenced by religion on their decisions and those are examples that society view as a model. One of the most crucial facts at MTV decision on entering the Middle East market, was the fact the 65% of the Arab population is younger than 25 years old. They had the opportunity to get 190 million more customers in the Arab community. But, also they have to be aware that family is the center of all in the Arab world, that the father of the family has the first and last word.Also, among Arabs honor is one of the most important qualities and these were also some challenges for MTV. The controversial conten t that MTV is used to show on their normal channel was the main difference they had to adapt. The sexuality, use of alcohol, politic criticism and religion criticism are some of the main characteristics of MTV on other countries that are not as conservative as Arabs. With these characteristics MTV has achieved success through the Western hemisphere, because the black humor they use is normal among the youngsters and instead of feeling sensible with these, they see it in a humorous way.But, in the Arab community they still conserve the traditional values supported by their culture. 2. Critically analyze MTV’s strategy in the Middle East. Comment on its entry strategy and also its strategy of providing mixed content to the market. Do you think MTV will be able to succeed in this market? Due to all the difficulties presented on the Middle East market, MTV had a very good integration plan with several strategies that would help them achieve their goal.Analyzing so well the market was one of the best strategies, they knew what the market was seeking to watch, what were they were willing to watch and under what concept. Also, tying up with AMG, a local partner, was very useful because then people would not see it as a brand new concept of music television channel, but instead as a combination of both. The strategy of providing mixed content to the audience was a decision that had to happen in order to establish MTV for the Arabs. They tried to mix their original concept of MTV but without the layouts that didn’t fit on the Arab culture.They tried to take out any program, ad or show that would make a certain controversy between societies. And, instead of showing these they concentrated on offering programs that offer Arabic content. Also, they had to adapt a rule that Arabic subtitles had to be present for shows that were on English. With the help of AMG they made a successful market penetration strategy, on what after a year of its creation was called MTV Arabia. MTV strategy on entering this market was a very thought and analyzed decision that should fit on the Arab community.The main challenges MTV had at first of adapting to the Arabs were mostly solved with the merge with AMG and the set of strategies adapted by them. With these decisions they made a mixture of good decisions to adapt to the market in a rapid way, giving the Middle East audience what they want to see with the special touch of MTV. As a global chain, MTV, with these strategies, has a very good chance of gaining a good percentage of the market share in the Middle East, and continue expanding.

How to Paint Composite Materials

How to Paint Composite Materials Composite materials are mixtures of different fibers bound together by a hardening resin. Depending on the application, composite materials may or may not require painting. Painting is a good way to restore or change the color of the composite after the original finish has faded. The best methods of painting depend on the type of materials in the composite. Following are step-by-step instructions for painting some of the most common composites. You may also want to check with the manufacturers recommendations. Painting Fiber Cement Composites Use a pressure washer to clean. Wait two-four hours for the cement composite to dry.Apply a primer.Wait two hours or so for the primer to dry.Apply the paint same way you applied the primer. Wait about two hours for the paint to dry. Painting Wood Composites For exterior wood composites, use a pressure washer with a low-pressure tip to clean. Wait two hours for the composite to dry.For interior wood composites, dust with a broom.Using a roller, coat with an acrylic latex primer. Use a paintbrush for any areas you cant reach with a roller.Wait two hours or so for the primer to dry.Use satin or semi-gloss latex paint on interior wood composites. Use acrylic enamel on wood composites inside the house. Apply acrylic latex paint the same way you applied the primer. Wait four hours until dry. Painting Composite Decking Mix one part bleach with three parts water.Using rags, a roller, or a brush, apply the bleach solution liberally to all surfaces.After half an hour, scrub the surfaces.Rinse off the solution and residue.Using very fine sandpaper (220 grit) lightly sand all the surfaces.Wash off dust and dirt with a household detergent or commercial cleaner made for cleaning composite decks.Rinse thoroughly.If you are going to paint the deck, prime with an exterior latex stain-blocking primer made for plastic materials. Do not prime if you plan to stain the deck instead of painting it.For painting, use a high-quality latex floor and deck paint in a satin or semi-gloss finish. For staining, use a high-quality acrylic latex solid color deck stain recommended for composite decking. Painting Fiberglass Composites Fill holes or imperfections with fiberglass putty. Smooth out the putty with a putty knife. Let it cure completely.Sand with heavy sandpaper (100 grit) to remove excess putty or any paint. After the composite is fairly smooth, switch to 800 grit sandpaper and sand until the composite is very smooth. You can use an orbital sander or sand by hand.Use a dry rag and acetone to remove dust, grease, and debris.Apply a primer. Most primers work on fiberglass, but its a good idea to double check with the paint store on the best one to use. Wait two hours or so until the primer is dry.Spray or use a brush to apply the final coat of paint. Wait until the paint is dry.Apply another coat of paint or apply the clear coat. Always use a clear coat after the last coat of paint; it will seal the paint and help protect the paint from the elements. Final Words On Painting Composites As with any paint job, thorough preparation is the key to a good looking and long lasting paint job on composite materials. Follow recommended safety precautions on the products you use. For example, wear gloves when working with fiberglass. Wear liquid-resistant gloves using bleach. Wear eye protection when sanding, using bleach, and when working with fiberglass.

ABC at Scotty Accents Company Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

ABC at Scotty Accents Company - Case Study Example This has been proven in the case of Scotty Accents where one costing system - absorption costing indicates that the production of Brass was not as profitable as Chrome while the other – activity based costing (ABC) indicates that it is the other way around. Therefore, different costing methods provide different results and can lead to different decisions being taken in terms of pricing and product mix. This problem is known as product-cost cross-subsidization where the over-costing of one product in Scotty Accents case leads to under-costing of the other product (Horngren et al 136). 2.0 IDENTIFICATION OF KEY BACKGROUND INFORMATION The income statement that has been generated at November 2011 indicates that the Chrome model kitchen taps which was just introduced generates a higher net income than the Brass model which the company has been manufacturing for over seven years. However, the decision to concentrate marketing resources on the Chrome model and begin the process of ph asing out the Brass model should not be taken at this time. The reason is that a calculation produced by the controller Jimmy Nader who proposes another costing system (ABC) indicates that the Chrome model is less profitable. While I understand the concern expressed by the president, decisions on what to produce and the quantities to produce should be based on a system that generates reliable information. Not all activities are driven by volume and so it is easier to identify costs based on activities associated with a product. This method identifies activities such as soldering, shipments, quality control, purchase orders, machine power and machine set-ups. The cost objects – Brass and Chrome are then assigned costs based on the activities that relate to their production. Each activity has its own cost allocation base and in this case the cost allocation base for soldering is the number of solder points; for shipments – number of shipments; quality control – nu mber of inspections; purchase orders – number of orders; machine power – machine hours; and machine set-ups – number of set-ups. Although, Nader admits that there are shortcomings with the allocation base for some of the activities that is the best that could be done at this time. ABC is a very objective measure but Mason wants some subjectivity to be introduced in order to suit her desires. However, this is the first time that Chrome has been introduced and the process can be refined to gain efficiency improvements in the production of this model. ABC is a widely recommended approach that has the advantage of identifying causally related cost drivers. In fact, some of the advantages include: ABC places emphasis on individual activities as main cost objects – each activity having a specific purpose (Horngren et al. 140) Higher levels of accuracy can be achieved using ABC since the method involves calculating the cost of each activity and assigning costs b ased on the activity which led to the production of the item (Horngren et al. 140) ABC systems facilitate more favorable pricing and product-mix decisions (Horngren et al 136) Process improvement and product design can be facilitated so that decisions relating to cost control can be made

Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 38

Ethics - Essay Example I had mixed feelings, since my expectations of the USA were not clearly defined. Nonetheless, I knew the years that lay ahead were going to be the most wonderful years of my life. The early days in America were memorable and life changing. Experiencing America in person was thrilling. This remains my best experience. The cultural diversity in America gave me a chance to meet new people from different parts of the world. I missed home, especially my family, and occasionally, I experienced loneliness. However, this had made me break away from my comfort zone and lead an independent life, adapting to a new culture. While in America, I received different treatment from different people. The level of politeness among students varied. Most students were polite to me; they offered to orientate me in my new school. However, a few were impolite. One of my worst experiences was when one student deliberately talked negatively about Koreans, to make me feel bad. This taught me that not all people are going to treat you in the same way. In addition, the level of politeness of a person depends on their personality. Therefore, this personality trait is not existent in every person, so I learnt to understand those who treated me in an impolite way. I experienced the aspect of equality in America in different measures. In terms of education, equal opportunities are provided to both native and international students. However, in few cases, international students had trouble securing jobs in America. However, equality in all aspects is highly upheld in America, as the constitution demands, and this is rarely breached. American culture portrays more openness than Korean culture, which is largely conservative. Here, there is less discrimination on grounds of gender and sex, and there is more freedom of expression. It is normal for expectant students to come to school, and students freely express

Structural Fesign Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Structural Fesign - Essay Example Structural engineers are thus very important in the construction supply chain. Structural design encompasses the design of the support structure, selection of materials, computation of the member size, evaluation of the effect of the environment on the structural elements, selection of the member types and lastly the configuration of the structure in the most effective, affordable, safe and serviceable manner (Heyman, 1999). The structural designer must work according to the building standardization codes. He may have several designs of which he selects the most affective and affordable design. The design selected must not fail. To ensure proper functionality especially in the factories, the beams must not sag as this may lead to improper functioning or derailing of the cranes. Failure of the structural members results in machines drive shaft fail, machine table misalignment and burning of the bearing due to warbling. Simply supported beams; there are supported vertically at two points. One point is fixed permanently while at the other point, an allowance is given to enable the beam to move horizontally due to expansion (Hosford, 2005). Hollow section: there are several hollow sections that are used in structural design. ... Continuous supported beams; supported at several points. There are several types of beams; these include; Universal beams; they are I shaped beams and are effective as supporting structures, they don't fail easily, they are also referred to as H section beams. Angle sections; they are 'L' shaped are mainly used for roofing where struts and ties are required to make trusses. T-sections; these are structural members that have a 'T' shape. Hollow section: there are several hollow sections that are used in structural design. These include; rectangular hollow section that have a rectangular shape, round hollow section that have a round tubular cross-section and shape, Square sections which have a square cross-section and elliptical cross-section which have an ellipse shape but are hollow inside. Trusses; they are mainly used for roofing; there are sometimes preferred in that they may span for long distances without sagging or deflecting. There are very versatile and can be redesigned easily to add more struts and ties to accommodate greater loads or span longer distances. Bars and rods; bars are rectangular while rods are circular; the are solid unlike the hollow section. Plates. Plates are metallic sheets with a thickness greater than 6mm. Concrete; One of the most widely used structural materials. It is cheap and last long as compared to all the other materials. Concrete comprise of a mix of sand, cement and aggregate in different proportions. The strength of concrete depends on the mixing ratios. Ratios with more sand and cement have greater strength and are used in industrial constructions. Nearly all concrete mixes are reinforced with steel bars. The inherent advantages of reinforcing concrete are; The composite structure resulting from the mix is more

English Pronunciation And Accent For Students English Language Essay

English Pronunciation And Accent For Students English Language Essay The Language has three basic constituents: Sound, structure and vocabulary. The main problem of language learning is to master its sound system, to understand the streams of speech, to hear the distinctive sound features and to approximate their production .Accuracy Of sound, rhythm of innovation, structural forms and arrangement within a limited range of expression must be acquired first before the other linguistic aspect of the language. Correct pronunciation imparts clarity to the speech and correct tone. It makes the language more fluent. It makes an impression on the mind of the listener. The pronunciation has to be learnt through constant and sustained practices. This section provides the different sounds and practices to master the English pronunciation. Received PronunciTION Like all languages English has wide variation in its pronunciation. The variation is especially salient in English because the language is spoken over such a wide territory, being the predominant language in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States, South Africa and India. Although there are many dialects of English, the Received Pronunciation is usually used as the standard accent. To learn the exact pronunciation of the words in English language we need to first identify the different speech, sounds in English language. There are 44 sounds in English language and they are divided into vowels sounds and consonant sounds. There are 20 vowels and 24 consonants. The vowels sounds are further classified into Monophthongs and diphthongs. Monophthongs are either short or long. VOWEL SOUND A vowel sound is produced by the free flow of air. During the articulation of vowel sound,the active articulator is raised towards the passive articulator in such a way that there is a sufficient gap between the two for air to escape through the mouth without friction. For example when we say True the air escapes freely and continuously without any friction. To begin with we first focus on the vowel sound. The vowel sound is the nucleus of the word. No word can exist without it. The consonant sound is the marginal element. It appears either before of after the nucleus. The Consonant sound at the beginning of the nucleus is called the releasing consonant and the one at the end is called the arresting consonant for egg. PICK pik p is known as the releasing consonant. Examples of short vowels: /É ª/ in kit and mirror, /ÊÅ  / in put, /e/ in dress and merry, /ÊŒ/ in strut and curry, /à ¦/ in trap and marry, /É’/ in lot and orange, /Éâ„ ¢/ in ago and sofa. Examples of long vowels: /iË / in fleece, /uË / in goose, /ɜˠ/ in nurse, /ɆÃƒâ€¹Ã‚ / in north and thought, /É‘Ë / in father and start. RPs long vowels are slightly diphthongised. Especially the high vowels /iË / and /uË / which are often narrowly transcribed in phonetic literature as diphthongs [É ªi] and [ÊÅ  u]. Long and short are relative to each other. Because of phonological process affecting vowel length, short vowels in one context can be longer than long vowels in another context. In addition to such length distinctions, unstressed vowels are both shorter and more centralized than stressed ones. In unstressed syllables occurring before vowels and in final position, contrasts between long and short high vowels are neutralized and short [i] and [u] occur.[ CONSONANT SOUND A consonant sound may be defined as a speech sound that is produced with stoppage of air. For Ex ample when we say the word CUP to pronounce the initial /k/ and the final /p/the voice or breathe is particularly hindered by the tongue teeth, lip or other organ of articulation. The consonant sounds are classified according to the nature of the constrictions plosives friction, affricated , and lateral consonants. The sound of the language is known as phonemes. Phoneme is a minimal,distinctive, functional unit of the sound system of a language. Phonetics is the science of speech sounds, their production,transmission and reception, It studies the medium of spoken language. To learn the pronunciation and improve spoken Phonetic transcription. It may be defined as a way of representing speech sounds through symbols. A phonemic symbol represents each English sound. It is important to learn the phonemic symbol to acquire the accurate pronunciation because these symbols help to recognise the sound easily. knowledge of these symbols is useful while referring a Dictionary. It helps to know the pronunciation of the word. PHONETIC TRANSCRIPTION It may be defined as a way of representing speech sounds through symbols. A phonemic symbol represents each English sound. To acquire the exact pronunciation it is important to learn phonemic transcription. This helps to identify the sounds easily .Knowledge of these symbols is useful while referring to a dictionary. The table below contains the list of these pronunciation symbols; VOWELS PHONEMIC SYMBOLS Monophthongs Front Central Back long short long short long short Close iË  É ª uË  ÊÅ   Mid e ɜˠ Éâ„ ¢ ɆÃƒâ€¹Ã‚  Open à ¦ ÊŒ É‘Ë  É’ EXAMPLES Symbols words /e/ bet, let, men /i/ sit, lit, bit /Ɇ/ hot, shot , pot /ÊŒ/ hut, but, nut / à ¦ / bat, mat, sat /u/ would, could, should / Éâ„ ¢ / ago, aloud, about DIPHTHONGS SYMBOLS EXAMPLES Diphthong Example Closing /eÉ ª/ /beÉ ª/ Bay cake, lake, play /aÉ ª/ /baÉ ª/ buy /ɆÃƒâ€°Ã‚ ª/ /bɆÃƒâ€°Ã‚ ª/ boy /Éâ„ ¢ÃƒÅ Ã…  / /bÉâ„ ¢ÃƒÅ Ã…  / beau /aÊÅ  / /baÊÅ  / bough Centring /É ªÃƒâ€°Ã¢â€ž ¢/ /bÉ ªÃƒâ€°Ã¢â€ž ¢/ beer /eÉâ„ ¢/ /beÉâ„ ¢/ bear /ÊÅ  Ãƒâ€°Ã¢â€ž ¢/ /bÊÅ  Ãƒâ€°Ã¢â€ž ¢/ boor CONSONANT SYMBOLS Consonant phonemes of Received Pronunciation Bilabial Labio- dental Dental Alveolar Post- alveolar Palatal Velar Glottal Nasal m n ņ¹ Plosive p  Ã‚  b t  Ã‚  d k  Ã‚  g Affricate tʃ  Ã‚  dÊ’ Fricative f  Ã‚  v ÃŽÂ ¸Ã‚  Ã‚  ÃƒÆ' ° s  Ã‚  z ʃ  Ã‚  ÃƒÅ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ h  Ã‚   Approximant É ¹ j w Lateral l Nasals and liquids may be syllabic in unstressed syllables. /ÃÆ' °/ is more often a weak dental plosive; the sequence /nÃÆ' °/ is often realized as [nÃÅ' ªnÃÅ' ª]. /h/ becomes [É ¦] between voiced sounds. /É ¹/ is postalveolar unless devoicing results in a voiceless fricative articulation (see below). /l/ is velarized in the syllable coda. Unless preceded by /s/, fortis plosives (/p/, /t/, and /k/) are aspirated before stressed vowels; when a sonorant /l/, /É ¹/, /w/, or /j/ follows, this aspiration is indicated by partial devoicing of the sonorant. Syllable final /p/, /t/, /tʃ/, and /k/ are preceded by a glottal stop; /t/ may be fully replaced by a glottal stop, especially before a syllabic nasal (button [bÉ ÃƒÅ Ã¢â‚¬ nÃÅ' ©]). SYMBOLS EXAMPLES /P/ Pin, pick /b/ but, cup /t/ tin, stick /d/ bud , doll /k/ could, cake /g/ girl, mug / tʃ / church, chew / dÊ’ / jug, judge /f/ graph, fast /v/ give, vary / ÃŽÂ ¸ / theory, earth / ÃÆ' ° / mother, further /s/ sea, ask /z/ zero, design / ʃ   / ash, shift / Ê’ / garage, pleasure /m/ machine, charm /n/ nature, born / ņ¹ / ring, king /h/ hymn, harp /l/ life, style /l/ /r/ rose, correct /w/ water, work, /j/ yes, you DUALITY OF LETTERS AND SOUNDS Duality of letters and sounds mean that there is no one to one correspondence between letters and sounds in English. Different letters may represent different sounds . Following table gives example of words where different letters represent the same sound. /s/ see, censor, miss /SH/ chef, mention, passion /z/ zoo, season /k/ kill, sick, chemistry / ee/ key, deal, physique / oo/ movie, soup, true /AH/ market, fast, aunt, heart ACCENT Word Stress in English Word stress is the key to understand spoken English. In English, we do not say each syllable with the same force or strength. In one word, we accentuate ONE syllable. We say one syllable very loudly (big, strong, important) and all the other syllables very quietly for example if we say photograph, photographer and photographic. They do not sound similar because we accentuate (stress) ONE syllable in each word. And it is not always the same syllable. So the shape of each word is different . shape total syllables stressed syllable PHO  TO  GRAPH 3 #1 PHO   TO  GRAPH  ER 4 #2 PHO  TO   GRAPH  IC 4 #3 This happens in all words with two or more syllables: TEACHer, JaPAN, CHINa, aBOVE, converSAtion, INteresting, imPORtant, deMAND, etCETera, etCETera, etCETera The syllables that are not stressed are weak or small or quiet. Native speakers of English listen for the STRESSED syllables, not the weak syllables. If you use word stress in your speech, you will instantly and automatically improve your pronunciation and comprehension There are two very important rules about word stress: One word, one stress. (One word cannot have two stresses. So if you hear two stresses, you have heard two words, not one word.) The stress is always on a vowel. The stress in English language can be learned by listening to engish news on radio or television. This serves as a good practice exercise to learn the right stress pattern. Sentence Stress in English Sentence stress is the music of spoken English. Like word stress, sentence stress can help you to understand spoken English, especially when spoken fast. Sentence stress is what gives English its rhythm or beat. You remember that word stress is accent on one syllable within a word. Sentence stress is accent on certain words within a sentence. Most sentences have two types of word: content words structure words Content words are the key words of a sentence. They are the important words that carry the meaning or sense. Structure words are not very important words. They are small, simple words that make the sentence correct grammatically. They give the sentence its correct form or structure. If you remove the structure words from a sentence, you will probably still understand the sentence. If you remove the content words from a sentence, you will not understand the sentence. The sentence has no sense or meaning. Imagine that you receive this telegram message: Will you SELL me CAR because Im GONE to FRANCE This sentence is not complete. It is not a grammatically correct sentence. But you probably understand it. These 4 words communicate very well. Somebody wants you to sell their car for them because they have gone to France. We can add a few words: Will you SELL my CAR because Ive GONE to FRANCE The new words do not really add any more information. But they make the message more correct grammatically. We can add even more words to make one complete, grammatically correct sentence. But the information is basically the same: Content Words Will you SELL my CAR because Ive GONE to FRANCE. Structure Words Why is this important for pronunciation? It is important because it adds music to the language. It is the rhythm of the English language. It changes the speed at which we speak (and listen to) the language. The time between each stressed word is the same. In our sentence, there is 1 syllable between SELL and CAR and 3 syllables between CAR and GONE. But the time (t) between SELL and CAR and between CAR and GONE is the same. We maintain a constant beat on the stressed words. To do this, we say my more slowly, and because Ive more quickly. We change the speed of the small structure words so that the rhythm of the key content words stays the same. syllables 2 1 3 1 Will you SELL my CAR because Ive GONE to FRANCE. t1 beat t1 beat t1 beat t1 beat Important rules of word stress 1 Stress on first syllable rule example Most 2-syllable nouns PRESent, EXport, CHIna, TAble Most 2-syllable adjectives PRESent, SLENder, CLEVer, HAPpy 2 Stress on last syllable rule example Most 2-syllable verbs to preSENT, to exPORT, to deCIDE, to beGIN   3 Stress on penultimate syllable (penultimate = second from end) rule example Words ending in -ic GRAPHic, geoGRAPHic, geoLOGic Words ending in -sion and -tion teleVIsion, reveLAtion 4 Stress on ante-penultimate syllable (ante-penultimate = third from end) rule example Words ending in -cy, -ty, -phy and -gy deMOcracy, dependaBIlity, phoTOgraphy, geOLogy Words ending in -al CRItical, geoLOGical 5 Compound words (words with two parts) rule example For compound nouns, the stress is on the first part BLACKbird, GREENhouse For compound adjectives, the stress is on the second part bad-TEMpered, old-FASHioned For compound verbs, the stress is on the second part to underSTAND, to overFLOW

Emerging :: Personal Narratives Death Suicide Papers

Emerging The world where goals and success are of sole importance is not a reality, it is an illusion. Phone calls at three a.m. rarely bring good news. One call shattered my world and changed my life forever. Reality blurred. My emotions took a violent grip on my mind, body, and ultimately my spirit. I began my sophomore year of high school standing at the very edge of my reality. I saw my life crumble around me and seemed to plummet into a dark abyss of disbelief. Suicide. After only 35 short years of life, my aunt Sue took her own life. My rational, upper-middle class reality vanished. The idea that everything happens for a reason, and that things always had an answer no longer held true. All the truths, all the certainty, all the normality, all the security embellished in my family and my reality were destroyed. Things like this aren't supposed to happen to me. This happens to other people. My emotions rushed through me as though on a race track, each trying to dominate. Yet, ultimately they were on a collision course. They exploded and blurred into a fiery inferno. Why did this h appen? How am I supposed to feel now? How do I begin to piece together and construct a new reality? All I had was questions, and the world I had searched for answers in so many times before no longer existed for me. My search for answers led me inward as I was forced to construct a new reality. "Oh my God, oh my God," the words rang through my ears and seemed to shake my very soul. I was jolted from my bed after an already sleepless night to Dad's horrified cry. The sheer terror that seemed to strangle his words seemed to pierce my heart with each syllable. Even from three rooms away, it echoed. A small beam of light crept under my door as the light in my parents' room was turned on. Even as I reached to open my door and investigate the commotion, I felt a heavy horror fall over me. Something was terribly wrong, and my heart raced as my sweaty palm turned the door knob. The scene in my parents' room was one I had never seen before. The expressions, the actions, were foreign and frightening. They both sat erect in their bed. Mom leaned close to Dad and held his arm tight, waiting herself to hear the terrible news. Emerging :: Personal Narratives Death Suicide Papers Emerging The world where goals and success are of sole importance is not a reality, it is an illusion. Phone calls at three a.m. rarely bring good news. One call shattered my world and changed my life forever. Reality blurred. My emotions took a violent grip on my mind, body, and ultimately my spirit. I began my sophomore year of high school standing at the very edge of my reality. I saw my life crumble around me and seemed to plummet into a dark abyss of disbelief. Suicide. After only 35 short years of life, my aunt Sue took her own life. My rational, upper-middle class reality vanished. The idea that everything happens for a reason, and that things always had an answer no longer held true. All the truths, all the certainty, all the normality, all the security embellished in my family and my reality were destroyed. Things like this aren't supposed to happen to me. This happens to other people. My emotions rushed through me as though on a race track, each trying to dominate. Yet, ultimately they were on a collision course. They exploded and blurred into a fiery inferno. Why did this h appen? How am I supposed to feel now? How do I begin to piece together and construct a new reality? All I had was questions, and the world I had searched for answers in so many times before no longer existed for me. My search for answers led me inward as I was forced to construct a new reality. "Oh my God, oh my God," the words rang through my ears and seemed to shake my very soul. I was jolted from my bed after an already sleepless night to Dad's horrified cry. The sheer terror that seemed to strangle his words seemed to pierce my heart with each syllable. Even from three rooms away, it echoed. A small beam of light crept under my door as the light in my parents' room was turned on. Even as I reached to open my door and investigate the commotion, I felt a heavy horror fall over me. Something was terribly wrong, and my heart raced as my sweaty palm turned the door knob. The scene in my parents' room was one I had never seen before. The expressions, the actions, were foreign and frightening. They both sat erect in their bed. Mom leaned close to Dad and held his arm tight, waiting herself to hear the terrible news.

Treaty of Versailles and the Nazi Rise

The Treaty of Versailles played a significant role in giving the German people a reason to elect into power the Nazi’s and their ideas on nationalism. The Treaty essentially laid blame on Germany for causing the First World War, which historian’s have come to conclude was a blatant untruth that humiliated the Germans. Germany had 13 percent of its land taken away along with 10 percent of the population, its army reduced to a maximum of 100 thousand soldiers including police and other security officials, submarines were banned from its naval fleet and massive reparations amounted to multiple billions of British pounds.Between Germany’s forced agreement in May of 1919 and the peak of the great depression in 1930, little of the excessive reparations were ever made. It is during this time that Germans had come to realize they would be under an impossible debt for decades, leaving the general populous to put great faith in the ideas of Adolf Hitler.His blame for the e conomy’s downfall rested on the â€Å"Jews† in political power for which their actions, so thoughtless of the true German supremacy, had kept Germany in economic plunder for so many years. His plan for swift economic recovery through the use of military power and authority gave hope to so many Germans who were starving for a powerful Germany, one that would not stand for French and British jurisdiction. Hitler used these ideas to assure the people that Germany would be back on its feet, and the people trusted him.It is said that there existed a belief within the German people that the powers of the Nazi party could be retracted if ever it was to escalate out of control, but such a belief had surpassed feasibility as soon as he been elected chancellor in 1933 and established the Third Reich. â€Å"German Economy in the 1920s,† Daniel Castillo, Dec. 2003, http://www. history. ucsb. edu/faculty/marcuse/classes/33d/projects/1920s/Econ20s. htm â€Å"Treaty of Versai lles,† A&E Television Networks, accessed October 23, 2012, http://www. history. com/topics/treaty-of-versailles

Supply Chain Management Example

Supply Chain Management Example Supply Chain Management – Coursework Example Supply Chain Management (SCM) Supply Chain Management (SCM) Definition Supply chain management relates to interconnected businesses network management with the ultimate goal of providing services and products packages according to customers’ requirements (Cetinkaya et al., 2011). In essence, supply chain management entails all the fundamental process involved in storage and movement of raw materials, inventory work-in-processes, and finished goods from origin to consumption. SCM ensures that consumers get the appropriate quantity of products and services at the right time. Effective SCM focuses on forecasting, planning, assembly of products, purchasing, and storage. In addition, SCM entails distribution and sale of products and services to customers according to their preferences. It is imperative to note that SCM remains integral in the inherent success of a business within the market. An effectively planned system of supply chain management would ensure retention of loyal cu stomers through provision of standard products and services. Role of SCM in a company’s ability to compete effectively within the marketInvolvement of SCM principles in business process is fundamental to attainment of sustainable competitive advantage within the consumer market. SCM has the significant role of ensuring creation and delivery of affordable, convenient, and better products and services to consumers. For an organization to compete efficiently in the market, its SCM system must properly meet market demands through quality research and production of preferred products and services. In addition, the SCM system must commit itself to providing products and services at appropriate periods. Therefore, SCM has the fundamental role of establishing organizations’ logistics, product development, purchasing, and quality management. Moreover, SCM has to meet market pressures through establishment of competitive global procurement and sourcing, supplier relationship man agement, and inventory control. The inherent dynamism in market trends requires creativity and innovative skills of SCM professionals to enable a company compete effectively within the market. ReferenceCetinkaya, B., Cuthbertson, R., Ewer, G., Klaas-Wissing, T., Piotrowicz, W., & Tyssen, C. (2011). Sustainable Supply Chain Management: Practical Ideas for Moving Towards Best Practice. London: Springer Science & Business Media.

Biography of Civil Rights Activist James Weldon Johnson

Biography of Civil Rights Activist James Weldon Johnson James Weldon Johnson, an esteemed member of the Harlem Renaissance, was determined to help change lives for African-Americans through his work as a civil rights activist, writer and educator. In the preface of Johnson’s autobiography, Along This Way, literary critic Carl Van Doren describes Johnson as â€Å"†¦an alchemist- he transformed baser metals into gold†(X). Throughout his career as a writer and an activist, Johnson consistently proved his ability to uplift and support African-Americans in their quest for equality. Family at a Glance Father: James Johnson Sr., - HeadwaiterMother: Helen Louise Dillet - First female African-American teacher in FloridaSiblings: One sister and a brother, John Rosamond Johnson – Musician and songwriterWife: Grace Nail – New Yorker and daughter of wealthy African-American real estate developer Early Life and Education Johnson was born in Jacksonville, Florida, on June 17, 1871. At an early age, Johnson showed great interest in reading and music. He graduated from the Stanton School at the age of 16. While attending Atlanta University, Johnson honed his skills as a public speaker, writer and educator. Johnson taught for two summers in a rural area of Georgia while attending college. These summer experiences helped Johnson realize how poverty and racism affected many African-Americans. Graduating in 1894 at the age of 23, Johnson returned to Jacksonville to become principal of the Stanton School. Early Career: Educator, Publisher, and Lawyer While working as a principal, Johnson established the Daily American, a newspaper dedicated to informing African-Americans in Jacksonville of various social and political issues of concern. However, the lack of editorial staff, as well as financial troubles, forced Johnson to stop publishing the newspaper. Johnson continued in his role as principal of the Stanton School and expanded the institution’s academic program to  ninth and tenth grades. At the same time, Johnson began studying law. He passed the bar exam in 1897 and became the first African-American to be admitted to the Florida Bar since the Reconstruction. Songwriter While spending the summer of 1899 in New York City, Johnson began collaborating with his brother, Rosamond, to write music. The brothers sold their first song, â€Å"Louisiana Lize.† The brothers returned to Jacksonville and wrote their most famous song, â€Å"Lift Every Voice and Sing,† in 1900. Originally written in celebration of Abraham Lincoln’s birthday, various African-American groups throughout the country found inspiration in the song’s words and used it for special events. By 1915, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) proclaimed that â€Å"Lift Every Voice and Sing† was the Negro National Anthem. The brothers followed their early songwriting successes with â€Å"Nobody’s Lookin’ but de Owl and de Moon† in 1901. By 1902, the brothers officially relocated to New York City and worked with fellow musician and songwriter, Bob Cole. The trio wrote songs such as â€Å"Under the Bamboo Tree† in 1902 and 1903’s â€Å"Congo Love Song.† Diplomat, Writer and Activist Johnson served as United States counsel to Venezuela from 1906 to 1912. During this time Johnson published his first novel, The Autobiography of an Ex-Coloured Man. Johnson published the novel anonymously, but rereleased the novel in 1927 using his name. Returning to the United States, Johnson became an editorial writer for the African-American newspaper, New York Age. Through his current affairs column, Johnson developed arguments for an end to racism and inequality. In 1916, Johnson became field secretary for the NAACP, organizing mass demonstrations against Jim Crow Era laws,  racism and violence. He also increased the NAACP’s membership rolls in southern states, an action that would set the stage for the Civil Rights Movement decades later. Johnson retired from his daily duties with the NAACP in 1930 but remained an active member of the organization. Throughout his career as a diplomat, journalist and civil rights activist, Johnson continued to use his creativity to explore various themes in African-American culture. In 1917, for instance, he published his first collection of poetry, Fifty Years and Other Poems. In 1927, he published God’s Trombones: Seven Negro Sermons in Verse. Next, Johnson turned to nonfiction in 1930 with the publication of Black Manhattan, a history of African-American life in New York. Finally, he published his autobiography, Along This Way, in 1933. The autobiography was the first personal narrative written by an African-American to be reviewed in The New York Times. Harlem Renaissance Supporter and Anthologist While working for the NAACP, Johnson realized that an artistic movement was blossoming in Harlem. Johnson published the anthology, The Book of American Negro Poetry, with an Essay on the Negro’s Creative Genius in 1922, featuring work by writers such as Countee Cullen, Langston Hughes and Claude McKay. To document the importance of African-American music, Johnson worked with his brother to edit anthologies such as The Book of American Negro Spirituals in 1925 and The Second Book of Negro Spirituals in 1926. Death Johnson died on June 26, 1938, in Maine, when a train struck his car.

Dividend policy at Linear technology Case Study

Dividend policy at Linear technology - Case Study Example The paper tells that Linear technology has used all four types of dividend distributions. The company has used stock splits four times since its initial public offer (IPO) in 1993, 1996, 1999 and 2000, each of which has been 2 for 1 split. The company has also had share purchases every year since 1993 and every year thereafter except in 2000. Most of these share repurchases were done in 2002 and 2003. The dividend policy that Linear Technology chooses at a particular point in time will depend on a number of factors. These factors include the signal it wants to send to its shareholders, the need for funds to invest in new projects, the type of shareholders that the firm has, and the amount of cash the firm has at its disposal. The method of dividend payment should also depend on the tax implications. Linear Technology does not appear to be investing in any new projects. The figures also indicate that research and development expenses have declined since it reached its peak in 2001. Th is signifies that the company has to a certain extent run out of ideas. It is therefore sending the wrong signal to its shareholders who may believe that the company’s growth prospects are good. The only technology company that showed signs of consistent growth over the period has been Microsoft. Linear seems to be totally focused on satisfying shareholders in terms of dividend payouts and maintaining a positive cash flow. There is no mention of any new projects or initiatives to grow the business. If Linear Technology wants to grow it could obtain a loan easily because the company does not currently have any debts. Furthermore, interest on corporate debt is tax exempt and the interest rate on AAA rated corporate debt has fallen every year since 1995. This may help to increase the value of the company and also increase the returns on shareholders funds. An advantage of using debt to fund growth is that interest paid on loans is allowable as a deduction for tax purposes while a dividend is not. Funding Requirements Linear technology desires to have sufficient cash flows so that the company can withstand any financial crisis. The company however, has the capacity to obtain debt. Linear technology manages it payroll expenses by issuing stock options to compensate employees. Therefore, when the company does well employees receive a higher profit share and so the company is able to maintain a positive cash flow as well as pay out dividends on a quarterly basis. Available Resources The company has a significant amount of cash available and this can be backed up with its capacity to borrow. Linear currently has over $1.5m in cash and short term investments. This may not however, be sufficient to finance a major project but would become useful in the company’s bid to obtain a loan as it would provide a cushion in the event that the company is not able to pay interest expenses out of regular earnings. Costs and Benefits of Retaining Excess Funds Retaining excess funds can result in agency costs. Managers may be tempted to pay themselves excessively. It is more likely that they may not exercise care in the use of such funds since the pressures that normally arise from having limited funds do not exist. This lead to a waste of funds that could have been used to pay dividends. The benefits of retaining

Affect on weight gain and sugar water on Mice Research Paper

Affect on weight gain and sugar water on Mice - Research Paper Example Overweight and obesity are interrelated terms for many health complications. Children and adolescents also fall under this category. Many health complications such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, breast, colon and prostate cancers and depression are associated with the obesity and overweight.. Obesity is caused due to the imbalance in the energy homeostasis. Many factors such as metabolic, environmental, cultural, socioeconomic, genetic and behavioral factors are associated with the obesity and overweight. The reason for the increase in the body weight was identified as increased carbohydrate intake mainly in the form of sugars. Carbohydrate intake increases the blood glucose and insulin levels. If simple carbohydrates are taken in the food, the production of glucose is very high and it increases the blood glucose level. Undigestable carbohydrates do not increase the blood glucose level as that of simple sugar and simple carbohydrates. This sort of hyperglycemic re sponse increases the carbohydrate oxidation and contributes to the body fat gain. (Malik, Schulze and Hu). The sudden changes in the blood glucose contribute to the variation in the postprandial glucose concentration. This finally affects the metabolism of the body and induces weight gain. Our body can store 300-500g of carbohydrates as glycogen in the human body and the rest are oxidized and converted into fat. The studies have confirmed that a 480g of oral carbohydrate load did not induce the fat oxidation in the young adults. (Saris). If the percentage of carbohydrate intake is very high then the increase in the body weight will be drastic. The increase in the body weight also leads to the risk of coronary heart disease and Type 2Diabetes mellitus. Obesity is generally caused by the difference in the energy homeostasis of food intake and daily physical activity. Obesity is the nutrition related problem in the developing and developed countries. To overcome obesity, many health gu idelines are focused such as increase in the physical activity and reducing the intake of foods containing sugar and fat. Sugar is a disaccharide molecule. Sucrose, maltose and lactose are compound sugars with the general formula C12H22O11 . (Saris). Sucrose is the common sugar used in our day to day life. Sucrose contains glucose and fructose. Sucrose is the most important dietary factor for weight gain. Readily digestible food have high glycemic index( GI) with higher post prandial blood glucose and insulin concentrations than the less digestible carbohydrates. Sugar containing foods have high glycemic index and increase the carbohydrate oxidation and contribute to body weight. (Saris). Similarly high fructose and galactose content increases the body weight. The galactose and fructose are used as sweeteners in the food and they increase the blood glucose concentration on ingestion. The sweet taste of the sugar is the main reason for the preference and intake of carbohydrate rich f ood. Diet induced obesity is caused by the conversion of carbohydrates into fat deposits in the white adipose tissue and the liver. (Lowndes et al.). The energy metabolism and carbohydrate and lipid metabolism are regulated by a complex network of signaling processes. High sucrose diet can induce the expression of the white adipose tissue and mRNA of liver Lipoprotein lipase enzyme. High sucrose diet is found to increase the risks of cancer. Pancreatic cancer is the most pre dominant cancer in this case. The diet that contains high concentration of sucrose and dextrin acts as the