Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Free Essays on The Mafia

The Mafia, also known as organized crime or the mob, began as early as the 9th century. By the early 1900’s every large state in the United States had its own Mafia sanction. They concentrated on protection rackets. Soon they expanded by racketeering in other areas such as gambling, prostitution, and bootlegging. But it wasn’t until Prohibition in the 1920’s that organized crime gained almost complete control of illegal bootlegging, narcotic trafficking, gambling, and many other illegal activities. â€Å"A clear line divided the underworld from the upperworld. Members of the Mafia spent most of their times in occasional spates of killing and stealing, as well as in all the mundane activities of any conventional life† (Fox 11). Somewhere between the killing, stealing, and conventional life, the gangsters made their own world. â€Å" It was a middle-earth of smoky nightclubs, the flash of chorus girls in a spotlight, a sprinkling of trumpet and saxophone, and time seemed to stop in a boozy moment of romance and glamour† (Fox 77). In the milieus the men of the underworld met to loaf and plot. Here too the people of the upperworld came to stand and gawk, to partake briefly of what they wanted only in small safe doses. â€Å"Because nightclubs, boxing matches, and racetracks had all been illegal or at least Curran 2 improper, they offered a natural habitat for these notorious gangsters. â€Å"The gangster’s presence made them all the more enticing to the upperworld, with a glistening edge of mystery and danger† (Fox 77). The Mafia participated in many illegal activities, but drug trafficking was one they seemed to flourish in. Their drug related activities posed a threat not only to the adult population who used drugs but also to the children involved as their agents. The trafficking of narcotics often led to many murders, which the Mafia never hesitated to partake in. Many gang wars took place throughout this period.... Free Essays on The Mafia Free Essays on The Mafia The Mafia, also known as organized crime or the mob, began as early as the 9th century. By the early 1900’s every large state in the United States had its own Mafia sanction. They concentrated on protection rackets. Soon they expanded by racketeering in other areas such as gambling, prostitution, and bootlegging. But it wasn’t until Prohibition in the 1920’s that organized crime gained almost complete control of illegal bootlegging, narcotic trafficking, gambling, and many other illegal activities. â€Å"A clear line divided the underworld from the upperworld. Members of the Mafia spent most of their times in occasional spates of killing and stealing, as well as in all the mundane activities of any conventional life† (Fox 11). Somewhere between the killing, stealing, and conventional life, the gangsters made their own world. â€Å" It was a middle-earth of smoky nightclubs, the flash of chorus girls in a spotlight, a sprinkling of trumpet and saxophone, and time seemed to stop in a boozy moment of romance and glamour† (Fox 77). In the milieus the men of the underworld met to loaf and plot. Here too the people of the upperworld came to stand and gawk, to partake briefly of what they wanted only in small safe doses. â€Å"Because nightclubs, boxing matches, and racetracks had all been illegal or at least Curran 2 improper, they offered a natural habitat for these notorious gangsters. â€Å"The gangster’s presence made them all the more enticing to the upperworld, with a glistening edge of mystery and danger† (Fox 77). The Mafia participated in many illegal activities, but drug trafficking was one they seemed to flourish in. Their drug related activities posed a threat not only to the adult population who used drugs but also to the children involved as their agents. The trafficking of narcotics often led to many murders, which the Mafia never hesitated to partake in. Many gang wars took place throughout this period....

Friday, November 22, 2019

9th Grade Science Fair Projects

9th Grade Science Fair Projects 9th grade is the first year of high school, so 9th graders might be competing against older students in a science fair. Even so, they stand every bit as good a chance of excelling and winning. The key to success is choosing an interesting project that doesnt necessarily take a lot of time to complete. 9th graders have a lot going on, so seek an idea that can be developed and completed over the space of a few weeks or less. The quality of the presentation is very important  since high school students are expected to be familiar with word processing programs and printers. Give some attention to the quality of the poster. Be sure to cite any references used in developing the experiment. 9th Grade Science Fair Project Ideas tooth whiteners s of chemicals to try would include hydrogen peroxide solution, dilute hydrochloric acid solution, dilute isopropyl alcohol solution, fruit juice. Some of these agents are thought to be able to loosen the seed coat surrounding the plant embryo.hair conditioner - Use a microscope to determine whether hair conditioner affects the condition of hair (either comparing brands or comparing with conditioner to without-conditioner). Try to get empirical data, such as a diameter measurement of each hair strand and the distance a strand can stretch before it breaks.What is the best way to store bread to keep it fresh the longest time? What things can you do to improve the efficiency or effectiveness of your clothes dryer or water heater or any device? For example, can you take actions or make changes that will decrease the length of time it takes your dryer to get a load of towels dry?Does listening to music while you study affect your ability to memorize facts?Does the presence of smoke in the air affect plant transpiration?Does eye color affect peripheral vision? Supposedly people with darker eyes tend to have wider pupils for a given amount of light than people with light-colored irises. If you have a more open pupil, does it give you measurably better peripheral vision? Another idea to test would be to see if you have the same peripheral vision in bright light as compared with dim light.acid snow? - You know about acid rain, but do you know the pH range of snow? If you live in an area with snow, test its pH. How does the pH of snow compare with the pH of rain from the same region?What methods of preventing soi l erosion work best? For example, what is effective at preventing erosion in your yard? What can you do to reduce noise pollution in a room? What factors contribute to noise pollution inside a residence?seed viability - Is there a test you can perform to predict whether or not a seed will germinate? What factors can you measure that might be used to construct a test?Does an external magnetic field have any noticeable effect on animals such as brine shrimp, cockroaches, or fruit flies? You could use a strip magnet and containers of sample organisms and make observations to address this question.Is the brightness of glow-in-the-dark (phosphorescent) materials affected by the light source (spectrum) used to make them glow or only by the intensity (brightness) of the light? Does the light source affect the length of time a phosphorescent material will glow?Can you affect vitamin C (or another measurable vitamin) levels in juice (or another food) by adding a preservative to the juice?What is the best thickness of insulation for preventing heat loss?Is light bulb lifespan aff ected by whether the bulb is run at full power? In other words, do dim bulbs last longer/shorter than bulbs run at their power rating? What type of box material gives you the best sound for your speaker?When comparing different brands of batteries, is the battery that lasts the longest at a high temperature the same brand that lasts the longest at a cold temperature.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Law Client Letter of Advice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Law Client Letter of Advice - Essay Example Accordingly, we have examined various pros and cons of a legal case that you are possibly contemplating to launch against the parties responsible for causing this fiasco. We are pleased to offer our views and advice on the further course of action as under: As we see it, the basic issues emerging from the episode include the following - (1) Your promotional day show at West End Juicy Bones store ended in an embarrassing finale, causing loss of reputation and damage to your business interests. (2) The situation stemmed from the fact that two unsolicited electronic mails from viagra.com and bitem.com.au suddenly popped up on your work computer and interrupted your promotional PowerPoint slide show, which annoyed and turned away your customers. (3) During the PowerPoint show, you also arranged for playing of Snazza music in the background by using P2P (peer-to-peer) software that enables download and sharing of music. Peer-to-Peer (P2P) refers to the sharing of music, audio, and video files by two computers that have similar access privileges on the network without the support of servers1. Governments across the world have woken up to the dangers posed by the increasing use of P2P by criminals for peddling of pornography, luring of children, and such other cyber crimes.

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Short essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 7

Short - Essay Example The most commonly renowned African arts are figurines, vessels and statuettes. Sacred arts and ritual arts were adversely linked to elaborate and intricate beadwork of many African communities. An all-inclusive orality and musical performances, divinatory art, body art and style were additional ritual performances in African tradition. This paper describes sacred arts and ritual performances in African religion. Cherokee ritual ceremony was one of the African ceremonies, which were well organized and undertaken regularly. Cherokee ritual ceremony traces its roots from Algeria in the North America. Cherokee ceremonies were held with the cycles of mother earth. During the ceremony, positive attitudes were to be held to the later. It, therefore, emerged as a ceremony offering worshipping opportunities, socialization and bonding for the entire clan. Ceremonial instruments were used during these occasions such as drums, tuttle shells rattles and guard shell rattles. A sacred fire was an additional symbol for god’s existence during these ceremonies. Sacred rattles were a shambolic and symbolic representation of holiness. Currently, this ceremony is carried out by Afro-American based immigrants as well as the North African communities. Priesthood was a noble profession in the ancient African societies; in order to become a priest in the traditional African societies, the individuals had to be respectful, godly and an oratory individual who was able to convince the people to follow the gods were worshipping. Priests had to know all the social and cultural ways of his community. Priests had to woo a larger mass of their communities to become believers (Olupona 84). Lastly, priesthood was determined by faith of individuals. Those who were capable of strongly standing by the communities during times of dire need were automatically awarded priesthood positions. Being priestess in the African traditions was directly linked by the societal norms; women in most African

Saturday, November 16, 2019

The Issue of Internet Addiction Syndrome Essay Example for Free

The Issue of Internet Addiction Syndrome Essay The phenomena of Internet Addiction Disorder/Syndrome (IAD/IAS) are not new phenomena that are really not new when one stops to think about the underlying aspects of it. It is simply a new variant on traditional Obsessive Compulsive Behavior (OCD) and addictive personalities. For those unfamiliar with the term IAD, it refers to an obsessive compulsive behavior approach to the internet where one invests significant amount of time â€Å"socializing† online or even performing academic pursuits or isolated leisure pursuits such as reading online to such a degree that other aspects of interaction – personal or interpersonal – are completely excluded. This behavior becomes so absorbing that the person can not pull him or herself way from the computer despite the fact that there are negative consequences that can result. Hence, the continuation of a particular behavior despite the fact that there are negative repercussions that may result is a textbook definition of the term addiction and, to a certain extent, I, myself, have suffered certain IAD type behavior patterns.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In general, an article written by Lisanne Carothers effectively describes the behavioral patterns of individuals who embody the traits of this condition:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"A recent study of [a multitude of] participants conducted revealed obsessing over   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   e-mail and the Internet [has the potential to severely damage common] daily   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   relationships and work performance. Those suffering from IAD most often have     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   [lacking relationships in the real world] and†¦develop a new persona, play out   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   sexual fantasies or have instant access to [new people, places and experiences].   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For myself, my own compulsive behavior manifested in the form of message boards that dealt with personal interests of mine. This may not seem like a â€Å"big deal† to some, but the reason I eventually curtailed my own personal ‘time-wasting’ in this pursuit was because it was getting to be, well, addictive and compulsive. For example, for a period of time in my life I developed a passing interest in videogames. In an attempt to learn more about videogames I would frequent message boards for more information. Eventually, this led to me writing questions on message boards and then reading the answers that were provided. This may seem benign and, to a great degree, it was. My Own Experience   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In time, I began to interact more and more with people in the message boards and this became somewhat of a social function. This social interaction started to become somewhat repetitive on my part and, honestly, started to become frequent enough that the patterns bordered on compulsive. At this point, I became somewhat uneasy about my own behavior and simply stopped spending the amount of time that I previously spent on the project. This never manifested itself in me into any sort of serious problem. For others, however, the addiction to this new world of the internet becomes so severe that they lose perspective and do not pull themselves out of it. As such, their compulsions become debilitating. The Potential Damage   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Is there anything wrong with all this? Is it really such a bad thing to have to deal with? To a great extent, the answer is yes although most people do not realize this. The reason they do not realize it is because: The joy that they receive from the internet clouds their judgment. They do not realize how much damage is occurring do by their time commitment   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Issue of Internet Addiction Syndrome – Page 3 Obsessing over fantasy personas and their online experiences keeps them out of the real world.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Consider the following notion in regards to this:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   [The real world ceases to be important for them. even common everyday things    such as] food, personal cleanliness, relationships, even [something as critically   Ã‚   important for health such as] sleep are forgotten in the world of †¦the Internet.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   More and more of their conversations, social activities and even personal   Ã‚  Ã‚   relationships [develop through the origination point of electronic mediums    rather             then anything] face to face. (Watkins) Clearly, this is not the best way to go about life. This is something that I realized early and quickly divested myself of the problem. I have, however, noticed the prevalence of this problem in other people and it is not a good path that they are on. The reason for this is that when people opt to create a life for themselves that is one of â€Å"virtual reality† as opposed to absolute reality, there will be an instance where they must confront absolute reality sooner or later. Often, if they invest too much time in their online interactions, they will be at a severe disadvantage in the proverbial real world. Public Opinion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Also, I find it troubling that many do not even believe a condition such as Internet Addition Syndrome even exists. Like many issues of mental health and stability, the public will often take a dismissive attitude towards the subject matter and instead label the problem a character flaw or weakness. This is unfortunate because it does not allow the person to receive the proper counseling, treatment or advice they need. This causes the condition to perpetuate and, possible, get worse. Hopefully, as the awareness level of this condition continued to expand more and more people will take the condition serious and those in need of help will receive the help they need before the condition becomes overwhelming.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As noted by Robert Purdy in his essay â€Å"Internet Addiction,† the best way to treat this condition is to slowly and gradually reduce one’s time on the internet. I, myself, however, was more abrupt in my discontinuation of the vast majority of my internet time, but this is due in great part to the fact that I was not as obsessive as others are. For those who are struggling with more severe forms of Internet Addiction Syndrome, a gradual reduction would be well advised. Bibliography Carothers, L. â€Å"Internet Addiction.† 1 December 1997 Retrieved 24 September 2007 From     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.bcmag.com/features/9609net.html. Stonecypher, L. Are You Addicted to the Internet? 2004 Retrieved 25 September 2007   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   From http://www.kudzumonthly.com/kudzu/jul01/addiction.html Purdy, R. â€Å"Internet Addiction.† Date Unknown Retrieved 24 September 2007 from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://iml.jou.ufl.edu/projects/students/purdy/addiction.htm Purdy, R. â€Å"The Internet: Boon or Detriment to Society?† Date Unknown Retrieved 24   Ã‚   September 2007 from http://iml.jou.ufl.edu/projects/students/purdy/index.htm Watkins, R. â€Å"Geek Speak.† 1998 Retrieved 25 September 2007 From   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/geekspeak/Addict.htm

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Compare And Contrast The Kngiht And The Squire Essay -- essays researc

Geoffrey Chaucer portrayed a cross section of medieval society though The Canterbury Tales. "The Prologue" or foreword of this work serves as an introduction to each of the thirty one characters involved in the tales. Two of these characters are the Kght and the Squire, who share a father and son relation. These individuals depart on a religious pilgrimage to a cathedral in Canterbury. The Squire, opposed to the Knight, goes for a vacation instead of religious purposes. His intent is not as genuinand pure as his father's. Though the Knight and the Squire are from the same feudal class and vocation, they differ in the fact that the Knight represents how society should have been; and the Squire depicts an accurate portrayal of how it actually was.Chivalry, heroism, and modesty delineate the Knight, whose upright standards and principles illustrate a true gentleman; these characteristics are not evident in the Squire. Even though the Knight has won many wars, he is careful not to brag about his ctories. The most recurrent point in the description of the Knight is the abundance and importance of his conquests; however, the Squire's battles are barely mentioned. While the entirety of the Squire's battles are summed up in two lines ("he had se some service with the cavalry / In Flanders and Artois and Picardy"), the list of the Knight's battles dominates his description (Chaucer 120). The Squire's battles are not fought in the interest of his chivalry. On the...

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

E-Marketing Essay

Considering the current volume of internet marketing business, it’s hard to believe how young the internet marketplace is. While the timeline of internet marketing has been short, the cumulative events leading up to where we are now have impacted the entire globe faster than any marketing revolution in history. Today, it’s hard to believe in having an organization which doesn’t have some kind of online presence. When the internet was first introduced in the early 90s, the internet was treated as a tool for exchanging emails and digital information, but wasn’t yet considered valuable for reaching customers. Soon, companies which had been spending huge chunks of their marketing budget on offline list building, begin to realize that they could accomplish the same thing via email and for much less. Whatever the case may be, Nepal is still in the early phase of e-marketing and e-commerce. Only few people have access to internet, among those, very few use internet for business purpose. Most of the people who have web access are keeping themselves busy on social networking sites. But the positive aspect is that the number of people realizing and using internet as an e-commerce are continuously increasing. Human behavior and natures are so dynamic. We constantly want to change and our likes and preferences changes with time, trend and technology. Realizing this nature of human being and large increment in the number of internet users in Nepal, the founder of hamrobazar.com saw an opportunity and founded hamrobazar.com seven years ago. Hamrobazar.com is free online site which enables individuals as well as companies to sell wide variety of new or used product online. Hamrobazar.com is a site that has created a platform where both seller and buyers can interact with each other to buy and sell products and services. Hamrobazar.com is an e-commerce company based in Kathmandu, Nepal. Hamrobazar is one of the popular sites in Nepal for free selling and purchasing of variety of new or used products. It offers its users an easy and trendy way to purchase wide variety of new or used goods online. A buyer can choose a suitable product from the list of a large product variety and can purchase from the seller. People buy new products everyday or every week. All of us are buying new things every week. It can be a car, a book, a music CD, a DVD, mobile set, mobile accessories, services, toy and many more. But as time and technology changes, the products we purchase may get outdated or we may wish to buy a different product. The reason to buy a new product or buy a different products could be several, change in technology, age of the product, malfunctioning of the product, wish to get updated with new product in the market, bought a product earlier that is not suitable and the list for reasons can continue. For all those who wish to sell their product and for all those who wish to purchase a new or a used product hamrobazar.com is the perfect answer. The best thing above all, it is for free. Hamrobazar member can login and sell their products for free. Hamrobazar.com is free online classified which enables individuals as well as companies to sell wide variety of new or used product online. Hamrobazar is visited by around 50,000 unique visitors who use the site for buying and selling purpose. Compared to newspaper classifieds, hamrobazar.com will provide more comprehensive detail and pictures thus enabling consumer to choose better. Hamrobazar.com has created such platform where both seller and buyers can interact with each other Mission Statement and stated goals of hamrobazar.com Hamrobazar.com does not appear to have a predetermined mission statement, nevertheless, the basic mission and goals of the Company is to provide a perfect solution for selling the products for free. It also believes that internet is a great promotional vehicle as well as communication channel for connecting buyers and sellers. In general, hamrobazar.com has communicated that its mission is to influence technology and potential to provide the best buying experience on the Internet for free. Business Philosophy of hamrobazar.com Despite its increasing popularity, hamrobazar.com remains unremittingly focused on the costumers. Since, the main philosophy of hamrobazar.com is to help the web users to sell their products for free. It is constantly focusing on the customer friendly interface so that customers can enjoy their purchase on a trendy and an easy way.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Financial Analysis of McDonalds Company

PART 1, COMPANY OVERVIEW:a. McDonald’s is an American fast food chain that sells a variety of fast food alternatives, but most notably has earned its reputation and success for the hamburger. It is the largest fast food chain in the world, with globally recognized â€Å"golden arches† symbolizing a reliable meal can be had in over 119 countries. McDonald’s has continued to develop their menu to reflect the desire/demands of their customers. The current CEO of McDonald’s is Mr. Don Thompson. b. McDonald’s was started in the 1940s as a BBQ restaurant owned and operated by Richard and Maurice McDonald’s in California, U.S.A.The McDonald’s franchise was not established until 1955, when man by the name of Ray Kroc opened the ninth McDonald’s restaurant in Des Plaines, Illinois. By 1961, McDonald’s filed trademark for the company name and â€Å"drive-thru† service. Ray Kroc eventually forced the McDonald’s brother s out of the business and successfully spread the company throughout the world. Today, McDonald’s is an international sign of globalization. c. McDonald’s invests in properties, operates restaurants, and is a franchiser of the McDonald’s chain, in order to make money. McDonald’s operates differently than most franchise companies. Most franchised companies make their money by claiming a percentage of the income made at each chain; however, often times McDonald’s Corporation will purchase the property the franchise is on and charge rent.d. Arguably, the main thing McDonald’s sells is uniformity and expectations. This is to say, when you order from McDonald’s you know what you will get every single time; no surprises. McDonald’s makes money doing this by selling the food for significantly more  than what they purchased it for. McDonald’s also makes money by participating in the strategy discussed above investing in proper ties and charging franchise owners rent, franchise markups of 40%, operating restaurants, etc. e. McDonald’s has over 33,000 locations in over 119 countries across the globe to include places like Israel, Brazil, Scotland, Russia, the U.S., India, and China. Within each of those countries McDonald’s can be found in a variety of places in a variety of forms; such as, coffee stands in Paris, drive-thru only restaurants in Germany, airport vendors, or even connected to gas stations.f. In recent years McDonald’s has taken criticism on the unhealthy food choices on their menu, so much to where at some restaurants they have listed the total caloric intake per meal. That said, McDonald’s was the official food sponsor of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, England, where they built their largest restaurant to date to support the massive crowds.PART 2, FINANCIAL OVERVIEW:a. Sales and Income Record:————- Fiscal Years ——â₠¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€-2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Sales 22.79 23.52 22.74 24.07 27.01 Percent Change in Sales Each Year3% -3% 6% 12% Net Income 2.34 4.31 4.55 4.95 5.5 Percent Change in Net Income Each Year84% 6% 9% 11%GRAPH OF SALES & NET INCOME, FY 2007 ‑ 2011COMMENTS: Aside from 2009, the company has seen growth in both sales and net income every year. The decrease in sales for 2009 could possibly be a result of the economic times, where many of McDonald’s customers may have reduced their spending and become more conservative with their expenses. The growth percentages since 2010 are increasing, which indicates a positive trend in the company moving forward. It would be unrealistic to assume that the company can continue doubling its growth percentages, but a continued growth of 12% to 15% is possible.b. Expense Distribution:FY 2011 Major Expenses: COGS 16.3 SG&A 2.2 Interest 0.49 Taxes 2.5PIE CHART OF EXPENSES, FY 2011COMMENTS: As depicted in the chart, the companies’ largest expense is Cost of Goods Sold (COGS). In order to increase their profit margin, McDonald’s must continue to try and find ways to reduce COGS. This is because many of the other expenses are much harder to influence. Selling General and Administrative (SG&A) expenses have most likely already been trimmed to the minimum over the company’s life, taxes are required by the Government, and interest expense makes up only a small portion of expenses. The company may need to do a cost-benefit analysis to determine what may be done to reduce COGS. One idea may to better vertically integrate the company, or to remove menu items which are unpopular and/or seasonal.c. Assets Distribution:Year-end FY 2011 Assets: Cash 2.3 Accounts Receivable 1.3 Inventory 0.12 Fixed Assets (PP&E) 22.8 Other Assets 1.67PIE CHART OF ASSETS, Year-end FY 2011COMMENTS: As depicted in the chart, the companies’ assets are largely fixed. This comes as no surprise since the company consists of over 33,000 restaurant locations worldwide. The percentage of fixed assets as compared to current assets does mean though that the company is not liquid, which means it cannot quickly convert its assets to cash. The low inventory which actually makes up just 0.4% of the asset distribution is normal due to the fact that the company is a restaurant chain, and much of the product has a quick shelf life.c. Capital Structure: Year-end FY 2011 Capital Structure:Current Liabilities 3.5 Long-term & Other Liabilities 13.73 Common Equity 14.4CAPITAL STRUCTURE PIE CHART, Year-end FY 2011COMMENTS: As depicted in the chart, the companies’ capital structure is made up largely of common equity and long-term liabilities. The compa ny has been extremely successful, and has gained equity over the years as it became the world’s largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants. Additionally, in order to continue their growth, the company has expanded its locations, which required long-term debt financing. Because of these characteristics,  the percentages of each of these categories are expected. Furthermore, the company has low current liabilities, which is normal for yearly operations in this sector.PART 3, RATIO ANALYSIS:(1) LIQUIDITY:Comments On McDonalds Liquidity:McDonald’s has a good current ratio. It is above 1, which means that it has enough current assets to cover current liabilities. Also, since the number is not too high, we know that the company is utilizing its assets efficiently. The quick ratio is also good because it is above 1, meaning McDonald’s does not rely on their inventory. Comparing the numbers to Wendy’s, McDonald’s has room for improvement.(2) ASSET MANAGEMENTComments On McDonalds Asset Management:McDonald’s has great Total Asset Turnover when compared with Wendy’s. They are making over $0.75 for every dollar of assets. Also, their Average Collection Period is very good, taking on average 18 days to collect on receivables.(3) DEBT MANAGEMENT:Comments On McDonalds Debt Management: Both companies’ debt ratios are similar, and are not alarming for the industry. However, McDonald’s Times Interest Earned is much higher than Wendy’s. This shows possibly lenders that McDonald’s can easily meet their interest owed (17x).(4) PROFITABILITY:Comments On McDonalds Profitability:For the industry, McDonalds has good profitability. Wendy’s seems to be struggling in this area, and it may be best to compare the company against another peer to determine how they are doing.(5) MARKET VALUE RATIOS:Comments On McDonalds Market Value Ratios:McDonald’s market value is good compared to both indust ry numbers, as well as against Wendy’s market value ratios. McDonald’s ratios prove the company is economically strong. Part 4, Summary and ConclusionThe McDonald’s Company is continuing to grow, both physically and monetarily, as seen in the increase in locations and sales per year. This is a good sign, especially during the current economic times. The company also has standard asset, expense, and capital distribution for companies within the fast food industry. This is good because there are no glaring issues that would inhibit investing in the company. Additionally, the company has great ratios when compared with The Wendy’s Company, as well as the rest of the fast food industry. One can fully understand how well the McDonald’s company is doing in comparison to the industry.Looking forward, the McDonald’s Company can try to get better by finding efficiencies where possible. One way the company could do this is by reducing its Cost of Good s Sold. Through eliminating some specialty items, this may be possible. Also, the company may want to look at a way to increase their return on assets and equity as any increase, large or small, will always help a company. Again, the company is doing extremely well already, but great companies should always continuously look for efficiencies and improvements in these areas.Overall, the McDonald’s Company has postured itself to become a large and extremely successful company within the fast food industry. It has grown from a small upstart in the 1940’s, to a symbol of globalization today  because of the multiplicity of restaurant locations around the world. I believe The McDonald’s Company is a great investment opportunity as it seems to continually improve, develop, and grow to serve its consumers around the world.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Daguerre and Talbots Understanding Of Photography †Essay

Daguerre and Talbots Understanding Of Photography – Essay Free Online Research Papers Daguerre and Talbots Understanding Of Photography Essay The metaphors used by Daguerre and Talbot (â€Å"the pencil of nature† etc) reveal an understanding of photography as a tool for the areas of art and science, rather than an artistic medium in its own right. When Talbot writes, â€Å"let Nature substitute her own inimitable pencil†, we see an idea that while the hand of man makes this process possible, it is the hand of nature that actually creates the image, and as such it could never be seen as creative or artistic in terms of a painting – man merely triggers the process, and is not a creative contributor to the finished photograph. So the photo is not seen as a window to the world but as a remove, a process of Nature drawing herself, giving its own impression of itself. As such, the scientific and the artistic uses for photography are given fairly equal footing. We can see in William Talbot’s â€Å"The breakfast table† 1840 this convergence. While demonstrating to the viewer the detail that can be gained by the camera, the photo clearly echoes the still life painting genre in its composition and subject, but also anticipates scientific survey and collection work, especially of the colonialists. Research Papers on Daguerre and Talbot's Understanding Of Photography - EssayComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andWhere Wild and West MeetIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalMind TravelMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductThree Concepts of PsychodynamicRiordan Manufacturing Production PlanUnreasonable Searches and SeizuresGenetic Engineering

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Braving the Middle School Book Talk

Braving the Middle School Book Talk When we writers began our quest in the literary world, we held several fantasies.â€Å"My book will sell more than Harry Potter†, â€Å"Johnny Depp will call and beg me to let him produce my book into a movie†, â€Å"Stephen King and I will be on a first name basis† (come on, I can’t be the ONLY one thinking of this!). But then we write, and lo and behold, that status doesn’t come, the fame and money dont come but other things come. Maybe you receive local recognition, an invite to do a book talk at a local book club, or school, or library. After a local newspaper mentioend my locally-published middle grade book, I was approached This is my fourth year of doing book talks to middle grade students, and I have come across some interesting tidbits I thought might help my fellow literary artists out there. Public speaking is a common fear. I used to be the lead singer in a band, and I had to talk, and I was scared to death of it. That was years ago. Of course since then stage fright has multiplied – and then to think, â€Å"You have to talk to kids! They have the attention span of†¦ a gnat!† Well that’s what teachers kept telling me anyway, but†¦ I approached my very first book talk in pretty much the same way I approach my writing. â€Å"Don’t think about it, keep a short outline in your head, step up, do it ignore the outline.† Truly, some people are better off at winging it, but for those of you who aren’t, here’s some advice from someone who has had to stand in front of ‘tweens’ for three years running. 1. Don’t be afraid. These are kids, they don’t work for the I.R.S. 2. You are their entertainment. You being there means they don’t have to do class work. They want you there! 3. Exude the joy of writing to them. They need to see it, feel it, hear it in your presentation or you’re just another grown up, talking. 4. Be prepared. Have samples, teasers, book marks. They love taking that stuff. True it may never make it home, but some of it will. 5. Plan entertaining answers for common question like: a. Are you rich and/or famous? My challenge to this is to let them know that though we can eventually gain a mass of riches, we write for the love of writing. One question I always ask is â€Å"How many of you here like to write?† and it never fails, I get one or two hands go up in a classroom, and they aren’t excited to let their friends know this. So my response is â€Å"That’s great. How many love to read?† More hands go up. â€Å"Well there ya go, you can’t read unless someone is writing, so you couple of writers will be fueling their reading hunger, get started.† b. â€Å"Miss Jones says that when we write, we have to do re-writes. How many times do you have to re-write the same story?† Answer? â€Å"Do you have a favorite song? Do you know it c. â€Å"I can never get ideas, all my ideas come from books I already know.† Answer:   â€Å"Ideas are all around you, just look for them. Writing to me is like a puzzle. It comes in pieces then as you write it puts itself together.† An example I give in every class is this one : â€Å"You know when you go to the grocery store with your mom and the cashier has a name tag ‘My name is Brian, ask me about my dog’. What about Brian’s dog? Well Fluffy died two weeks ago, but Brian has it in his freezer because he loves that dog and just can’t let go – and yes that’s dead dog hair on your Lucky Charms.† It always gets a laugh. Ideas are everywhere, a good exercise is to ask someone what they did over the weekend, and expand from there – and even make it a quick game. â€Å"We went to the zoo.† â€Å"Ahh, ok, so suppose you were at the zoo, and as you walked Basically, the audience wants you to sway them. They need to see the fire to write in you, and you will inspire. I love to share the fact that when I was in middle school I spent almost all of my time drawing comic books – or graphic novels as they like to call them these days – and that I credit my high school English teacher in lighting the fire in me to write. She pulled me aside one day and said â€Å"Why don’t you try writing a short story, I think you could do it.† I did. She liked it, and the rest is history. If you are an author of YA or Middle Grade books, contact the media specialist or lead teacher at your local schools and ask for a chance to speak with the kids. A good time for this is either during the month of November which is NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), or during your local schools National Literacy Week. Either way you can wow them with your literary artistic skill and craft. Make us proud.

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Womans Suffrage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Womans Suffrage - Essay Example In America both groups originated in the ideals of American democracy and Protestant individualism. But these ideals when applied to women were everywhere met with contradictory economic and social institutions which subjected women to traditional male authority or questioned their capacity for independence and initiative. â€Å"With the flood of post-civil war suffragist rhetoric came an equally full and passionate cry from the anti-suffragists, or antis as the suffragists called them. Threatened by the suffragists new conception of modern government†(Oates 1991) Religion profoundly helped to legitimize woman’s quest for equality. Of the five women who planned the Seneca Falls convention in the summer of 1848, four were Quakers. Historian Margaret Bacon has asked why the tiny Religious Society of Friends contributed such a disproportionate number of leaders to the feminist cause. It turns out that Quakerism was a veritable seedbed for the new feminism. As early as the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, Quaker women had served as traveling ministers, on occasion leaving behind husbands and children, so strongly did they feel called to the Lord’s work. Well before the Revolution the American Friends had also established a tradition of separate women’s business meetings of the monthly meeting. In addition, Quaker women who felt moved by the Holy Spirit to speak in meetings were expected to do so.