Wednesday, November 27, 2019
Three Easy Steps on how to Avoid Being a Phony Catcher in the Rye essays
Three Easy Steps on how to Avoid Being a Phony Catcher in the Rye essays Everybody at one point in life has someone that he looks up to. Whether they want to Be like Mike or want to be like their favorite actor, every child needs someone to be a role model. Unfortunately, many of todays idols are people who are admired simply because they can run faster, jump higher, or shoot straighter than normal people. Most people will never be able to be as physically adept as these professional athletes. However, an excellent role model is readily available for all people who are literate. Holden Caufield from The Catcher in the Rye demonstrates many qualities that people should strive for. First, Holden is someone who lets people know what he is really thinking. He does not hide what he is thinking about people even if he knows that they would not want to know the truth. When this happens, people often feel irate for knowing what another really thinks of them. Holdens transparency can be seen when he talks with Stradlater and accuses him of sleeping with a girl that Holden has feelings for. Although in the book, Stradlater got angry at Holden, he should be happy. It is always better to know where one stands, than to have a misconception on what that person really thinks. If more people indicated their true feelings, fewer people would have psychological disorders from pent up emotions. Second, Holden Caufield is someone who is brutally honest. It was once said the truth shall set you free. If this is true, then Holden is one of the freest people ever. Holden is a guy who will speak his mind no matter what, even if it is something the person he was talking to did not want to hear. This can be seen by the way he talks about phonies. A phony is someone who is a complete fake and insincere. Holden has the lowest regard for these people, even though he has admitted to being one at different points. That takes a lot of courage to be that honest. When h...
Saturday, November 23, 2019
buy custom Insurance Contract essay
buy custom Insurance Contract essay Richard Vanderbrook vs. Unitrin Preferred Insurance Company A decision in this case is hinged on the clauses, conditions and warranties forming part of the policy under which the insured, Richard Vanderbrook is insured. The core subject which has affected the client is a flood which has occasioned the loss that the insured incurred. Therefore, a rigorous assessment of the ambiguity of the clause of flood exclusion in the policy is the main issue in determining an efficacious solution. Thus, there is a way based on some reasoning that will support a ruling in the plaintiffs favor or a contrary reasoning in the defendants favor. This assessment may rely largely on the way the term, flood is defined. It may be perceived in the favor of the plaintiff that the clauses touching on the exclusions of floods presented a lot of ambiguity since the term flood is actually vulnerable to two logical definitions: one that can state that floods occasioned by causes of nature alone and another that links floods occasioned by both causes of nature and intentio nal or negligent action. Based on such an ambiguity, the policy may be construed in favor of client to the insurance company. The defendants claim that the exclusions of flood in the policy unequivocally precludes any coverage for the losses occasioned by the flooding ased on the breached levees, not taking into account the breaching of the levees since they were negligently constructed, designed or improperly maintained can be challenged. Even though the term was not given a definition in the policy, the occurrence ensuing from the levees breach fit well within the commonly understood reference to which the term, flood makes. This is regardless of whether the cause was occasioned by a natural occurrence or not. The plaintiff therefore stands a right chance to claim compensation from the insurance company because floods occasioned the loss. The case can thus be on the favor of the plaintiff since there was no specific definition stating what floods referred to in the policy. The defendant, Unitrin Preferred Insurance Company however states in the policy that they offer coverage for risk involving direct physical loss realized in structures on the asset of the insured together with particular risks facilitating loss to individual property as far as the loss is not occasioned by an excluded peril. Therefore, the policy contains a flood exclusion through which the defendant can refer to in order to avoid liability. Thus, the defendant would re-state that it is clearly indicated on the policy that no insurance is provided for loss occasioned either directly of indirectly through any of the items as stated in the policy: water daamage referring to surface water, tidal water, water body overflow, flood, waves or a spray occasioned by any of these factors be it driven or not driven by wind. The defendant, the insurer makes and exclusion of such factors in spite of any other factor or occurrence which concurrently contributes or in any progression to the loss re alized. Well, the English definition of flood contemplates a natural occurrence resulting from either a tide or rain. Secondly, the interpretation of the exclusions of water damage within the ruptured mains of water together with the movements of the earth exclusions where a distinction can be applied to define unnatural and natural occurrences. Therefore, the court may reject any claims interpreting exclusions of floods as including water inundations occasioned by a dikes or a dams rapture. Looking at the ambiguity of the definition of flood, the case would turn out in favor of the defendant based on the claim that the policy given to the plaintiff covered damage by water occasioned by a ruptured levee in a case where the rupture was occasioned by the inadequate construction, maintenance or design of the levee. This reasoning would see the insurer (defendant) win the case in which the insured succumbed to a loss of property occasioned by the Hurricane Katrina Storm. Buy custom Insurance Contract essay
Thursday, November 21, 2019
Pharisees and Sadducees Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Pharisees and Sadducees - Essay Example The Pharisees were the flag bearers of the Mosaic law (The Torah). They also fought with Judas Maccabeus for the cause of religious freedom. It is said that they increased in numbers and had considerable clout during the Roman period, and as a result they became the most popular party. A number of Pharisees gave stress on the formal aspects of religion but didn't pay much heed to the spiritual (cf. Matthew 23). Nevertheless they do believed in the existence of angels, demons, the resurrection of the body, and the existence of heaven and hell (Acts 23:7-8). They had a very firm belief that they are the chosen people by God and are the keepers of the Law and the Messiah would come to them one day. According to the 'Random House Dictionary of the English Langauge' 'Sadducee' is a member of an ancient Palestinian sect that differed from the Pharisees chiefly in interpreting the bible literally, rejecting oral laws and traditions, and denying an afterlife and the coming of the Messiah. It is believed that the term possibly derived from the founder, Zadok. They were the leading party of the rich, wealthy, aristocrats and the priestly class. They also indulged themselves in diplomacy and making foreign relations. The Pharisees socially were common people, the figure of authority in them was the 'Disciples of the Wise' they had a selective attitude to Hellenism, as regarding their attitude to hasmoneans they were opposed to usurpation of monarchy, they believed in free will, angels and afterlife, they believed in Sophisticated scholarly interpretations of the Bible, written Torah and also advocated application of priestly laws to non-priests. In contrast to them the Sadducees came from the background of Priests and aristocrats, the figure of authority in them were the priests, they were for Hellenism, opposed usurpation of priesthood by non-Zadokites , they advocated free will but didn't believe in angels and afterlife. They had a Literalist attitude towards the Holy Bible but didn't believe in the oral Torah, they laid emphasis on priestly obligations. The Pharisees as well as Sadducees followed the Luni Solar Calendar. Within the ministry of Jesus the Pharisees had many confrontations with him, as their beliefs were entirely opposed to what the Jesus preached. Jesus openly violated many of their oral laws. "He mixed freely with tax collectors and sinners, making Him ceremonially unclean (Luke 7:39). He ate and drank with them, and was called a glutton and a drunkard (Luke 7:34). He ate with ceremonially unclean hands (Luke 11:38). He broke their Sabbath laws by healing people, and gleaning corn to eat (Luke 13:14, Matthew 12:1-2). He forgave peoples' sins, which to the Pharisees was blasphemy (Luke 5:21). He also freely criticised the Pharisees for their hypocrisy and self righteousness (Luke 11:37-52). In the Pharisees' eyes, Jesus was guilty of law breaking and blasphemy. The idea of Jesus criticising them was an outrage (Luke 6:11). They also saw Him as a threat both to their popularity and their authority over the people (Luke 13:17). Because of this they plotted to kill Him. Throughout His min istry they questioned Him, trying to catch Him in His answers in order to hand Him over to the Roman Governor (Luke 11:53)." (Retrieved from 'The Law and the Sabbath' http://www.lastdays.org.uk/jesuspha.html 15 January 2009)
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
The Shows Big Love and The Simpsons Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
The Shows Big Love and The Simpsons - Essay Example Both shows: deal with relatively large families, although one show is about an extended family and one family is a nuclear family; have interpersonal relationship troubles, although one show’s interpersonal problems are more complicated than the other; and deal with people who have troubles, but one show is less easy for people to relate to than the other. Big Love and The Simpsons both deal with large families. However, Big Love is really more about a quite larger family than The Simpsons. In Big Love, Bill’s family is a fundamentalist Mormon family practicing polygamy, which means he has multiple marriages. The main characters of the show are Bill (the businessman who owns a chain of home improvement stores), and his three wives, Barb, Nicki, and Margene. The first episode was about their family’s struggle to live their polygamous way of life while keeping it a secret. The Simpson family is a nuclear family with bold traits. Each character is an icon by itself, but when they are together they form the iconic nuclear family. The key family members are the parents Homer and Marge and their three children Bart, Lisa, and Maggie. Big Love and The Simpsons, in their first show, both breach the topics of relationship troubles within the family. The difference is that the troubles described within Big Love are more serious in nature than the troubles in The Simpsons, which are rather petty problems. The first episode of Big Love focuses on Bill’s effort to find balance in the midst of having three wives while dealing with Nicki’s father, who wants a larger share of the store's profit. Meanwhile, in The Simpsons, Bart sneaks away and goes to get a tattoo saying â€Å"Mother.†However, while getting the tattoo, Margeâ€â€his motherâ€â€finds out and interrupts the procedure.Â
Sunday, November 17, 2019
Website copywriting Essay Example for Free
Website copywriting Essay Welcome!            The Makati Educational Institute offers various programs that will prepare soon-to-be teachers to efficiently impart critical information to our future generation. We prepare a person enrolled in our institute by developing his or her full potential. We employ a very modern, multi-dimensional and hands-on approach to education. We also ensure that our tranining and educational policies are at the forefront of the industry. Moreover, we utilize the latest technology in our classrooms, departments and other facilities on campus.            In addition, we manage our students on a one on one basis. We make sure that our teacher to student ratio in our classrooms is kept at a bare minimum, about twenty students per teacher, so teachers can actively attend to each of their students needs and critically monitor each individuals progress.            Our programs and various teaching methods provide students with a competitive advantage by setting them apart from the rest of the pack. We ensure a professional and dynamic atmosphere along with the latest information and technology in whatever field our students are pursuing. We also guarantee that our faculty members and staff will only bring out the best in our students. They are also dedicated in honing students abilities to their fullest. That is why our institution can proudly say that we only deliver the best and most qualified teachers of the future.     History of the institute            Established in 2005, the founders of the institute wanted to provide an accelerated program for working professionals or to those who want to get a degree in a matter of one to two years.            Our goal is to properly educate teachers that will be truly competent in their designated task of effectively passing on knowledge to our future generation. Our institute is dedicated in making this possible by providing quality education and training to our students.            Our faculty started with a group of educators who have been working in the academic field for decades. They decided to start their own institute after having been employed in numerous public and private schools. They figured that it is time they actively contribute to the educational system and what better way to do this than to educate and train future teachers. In a year, the institute has employed 40 full-time teachers as well as 20 part-time teachers. Each year, the faculty and number of students just keps on growing.            Our institutes meager beginnings started with just two dozen students walking the hallways of the two departments that occupy one building of our newly, furnished campus. After a year, enrollment in our institute has quadrupled.            Our graduates in the last three years consisted of over two hundred students. They were employed at least three months upon graduation. This is because our institute offers educators the necessary skills and training to effectively do their job. We have a training program wherein our students are authorized to teach and provide support in various public and private schools nationwide. We also partnered with several schools in order to conduct a job fair that we hold in our institute at least twice a year. We also provide job assistance to fresh graduates of our institute. Faculty            Our faculty consists of 150 qualified educators, working either on a full or part-time basis. They are all masteral and doctorate degree holders and experienced professionals in 16 different specialities. They operate and handle 6 departments in our institute namely Mathematics; Natural Sciences, Social Sciences; Foreign Languages which include Spanish, French, and German; Preschool Pedagogy and Pyschology; and Elementary Education. Each department has their own buidling.            We also have a library, which holds about 350,000 academic journals and books. In addition, we are electronically subscribed to various online academic journals and magazines. We also have three modern computer laboratories to ensure that students have all the resources that they need to succeed in any of their chosen field of study. While our science laboratories contain advanced equipments to assist our students in furthering their knowledge regarding the subject matter.            Furthermore, we also offer free tutorial sessions to our students after class. Out of the 150 teachers on campus, 50 of them voluntarily tutor students on a regular basis. Most of these teachers have doctorate degrees in a wide-array of courses available in our institute.            Moreover, our after-school tutoring program is headed by five of our most dedicated and talented instructors. All of them have doctorate degrees in their chosen field of studies. Also, they all have impeccable records due to their accredited performance.            One of our tutors and full-time staff member is Lisa Gonzales. She heads the foreign language department. Her specialty is in Spanish and French. She graduated as magna cum laude of her class. Lisa strongly believes that learning a foreign language is essential in our ever-growing society that is becoming more globalized over the years. With more Filipinos being employed overseas, it is crucial that students learn and become fluent in at least one foreign language to have an advantage over other job applicants.            On the other hand, Tesa Santos who heads our Math department, stresses the importance of developing better math skills. This is because Filipinos are lagging behind when it comes to this subject area. Thus, she simplifies concepts in order for her students to understand the general idea. She realizes that students need to constantly practice math skills that they have learned. Therefore, she usually engages them in numerous assignments and projects that are based on real life scenarios so that students can see the relevance of what they are learning. Her teaching strategies has proven to be effective because most of her students are currently employed at Mapua and Don Bosco schools.            Finally, Mariel Garcia heads our elementary education department. Mariel firmly believes that the most important stage in the development and learning of children lies in their early years of education. This is because the desire to learn is at its peak. Therefore, educators should know how to handle young children effectively in order to bring out the best in them. Thus, her teaching method employs a more personal approach to learning.            These are just some of our exceptional instructors. Students who have been taught by any one of these teachers know all too well that these teachers demonstrate a strong passion for what they do and skillfully challenge their students. As teachers, they exceed their students expectation. These teachers, along with the rest of our faculty, are all determined to make a difference in each of our students life. We are truly and genuinely interested in their future well-being and success. Thus, students at our institute becomes our main priority. This is because we are aware that without them, our institution will not exist.
Friday, November 15, 2019
Sojourner Truth Essay -- essays research papers
Introduction Sojourner Truth was born in 1797, in Hurley N.Y. Sojourner was born into slavery, and was given the name Isabella Baumfree. Sojourner’s parents, were also slaves, in Ulster county N.Y. Because slave trading was very prominent in those days, Sojourner was traded and sold many times throughout her life. Sojourner ran away from slavery before the Emancipation act was published, and decided to change her name to Sojourner Truth. This name bares great meaning, because she intended on telling the truth to all people about slavery. Sojourner also wanted a religious name, and she felt that this name would best suit her purpose. Sojourner set out on her mission, to educate all people on the subject of slavery, and became a very powerful speaker. She became an influential speaker for women’s rights, as well for the abolishment of slavery all over the country. She became famous for being the first black women to speak out against slavery. Sojourner died at her home in Battle Creek, Michigan on November 26, 1883. She left behind a legacy of ideas and principles for other great black leader to follow. She will always be remembered for her courage, perseverance, diligence, and patience. Her Birth And Parentage Sojourner Truth, originally named, Isabella Baumfree, was born, between the years 1797. She was the daughter of James and Betsey, slaves of one Colonel Ardinburgh, Hurley, Ulster County, New York. Colonel Ardinburgh belonged to that class of people called Low Dutch. Sojourner can give no account to her first master, because she was a young infant when he died. Sojourner and her parents, along with a number of other slaves, became the property of Charles Ardinburgh, son of the deceased master. She distinctly remembers hearing her father and mother say, that their lot was a fortunate one, because their new master, Charles, was the best of the family, because he was very kind to his slaves. James and Betsey, by their faithfulness, docility, and respectful behavior, gained favoritism, and received a lot of land. This land lay on the slope of a mountain, on which they managed to raise a little tobacco, corn, or flax, which they exchanged for extras, in the articles of food or clothing for themselves and children. Who was Sojourner Truth? Sojourner Truth came to Northampton in 1843 to live at the Northampton Association of Education and Industry, a ut... ... no mand could head me! And ain't I a woman.†Conclusion Sojourner Truth has overcome many obstacles in her life, which have made her the great historical icon that she is today. She will always be remembered for her courage and bravery that helped make a difference. Sojourner has made many sacrifices in her life that has not only benefited herself, but many others. Sojourner fled from her life of enslavement to find a better life for her and her children. She did whatever she could do to free her children and to keep them safe. After gaining her freedom, Sojourner set out to free others who were enslaved all over the country. She realized that this would be a difficult task to accomplish on her own, but she knew that there was a higher power that governed us all. She believed and had unmovable faith in the almighty God. Sojourner knew that without God, she would have never been as fortunate as she has. Sojourner gave a whole new meaning to the phrase, "without no struggle, there is no progress." She has truly demonstrated the validity of this phrase, because she has struggled to accomplish what she felt God wanted her to do, and for this she will always be honored.
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
Research Spotlight on Homework Essay
Some researchers are urging schools to take a fresh look at homework and its potential for engaging students and improving student performance. The key, they say, is to take into account grade-specific and developmental factors when determining the amount and kind of homework. So, what’s appropriate? What benefits can be expected? What makes for good homework policies? Research doesn’t have all the answers, but a review of some existing data yields some helpful observations and guidance. How Much Homework Do Students Do? Survey data and anecdotal evidence show that some students spend hours nightly doing homework. Homework overload is the exception rather than the norm; however, according to research from the Brookings Institution and the Rand Corporation (see the Brown Center 2003 below). Their researchers analyzed data from a variety of sources and concluded that the majority of U.S. students spend less than an hour a day on homework, regardless of grade level, and this has held true for most of the past 50 years. In the last 20 years, homework has increased only in the lower grade levels, and this increase is associated with neutral (and sometimes negative) effects on student achievement. How Much Is Appropriate? The National PTA recommendations fall in line with general guidelines suggested by researcher Harris Cooper: 10-20 minutes per night in the first grade, and an additional 10 minutes per grade level thereafter (e.g., 20 minutes for second grade, 120 minutes for twelfth). High school students may sometimes do more, depending on what classes they take (see Review of Educational Research, 2006). What are the benefits? Homework usually falls into one of three categories: practice, preparation, or extension. The purpose usually varies by grade. Individualized assignments that tap into students’ existing skills or interests can be motivating. At the elementary school level, homework can help students develop study skills and habits and can keep families informed about their child’s learning. At the secondary school level, student homework is associated with greater academic achievement. (Review of Educational Research, 2006) What’s good policy? Experts advise schools or districts to include teachers, parents, and students in any effort to set homework policies. Policies should address the purposes of homework; amount and frequency; school and teacher responsibilities; student responsibilities; and, the role of parents or others who assist students with homework. Reference: Cooper, H. (2003). A synthesis of research. Review of Educational Reseach, volume 76, Retrieved January 09, 2013, from http://www.nea.org/tools/16938.htm Reasons why students should not have homework Homework is supposed to ensure that all students retain the material covered in the classroom, but for many children it is an unnecessary chore and actually hinders their learning. Children learn best when they are interested in the subject. Positive mental attitude makes learning even challenging things much easier. Negative mental attitude, however, makes retaining knowledge harder and creates stress in a learner. It also takes much longer periods of time to complete. As a result children hardly have any time to develop their talents through extracurricular activities, or to spend adequate time with family and friends. Instead of being burdened with much resented huge loads of homework, children should have the opportunity for more self-directed and interactive learning at school to generate their interest and build in them positive attitude towards learning. Teachers should be more creative and use multimedia like computers and video presentations to make covered subjects more engaging involving children’s input more. Students should be allowed to suggest activities and projects they would like to do. In the present school system it is usually the teacher who decides what and how children should learn in class and at home. This promotes passivity and a sense that learning is a necessary evil rather than exiting opportunity to learn about the world we live in. This is very ineffective, making kids bored, stressed, and frustrated. Not to mention that it is often parents who do the reluctant kids’ homework therefore homework doesn’t help them to learn at all. They get their grades, but end up having learning gaps that will come out later on and hinder their success. Children who are struggling themselves with loads of homework lack the time to develop other than academic passions and experience very unhealty stress that cen result even in a depression. The numbers of children who take antidepressants is rapidly growing. Students who are defiant about their homework often have very strained relationship with their parents. It is a source of contention in too many families and contributes to deep emotional problems in these children and also inevitably may cause depression and substance abuse. The age of kids taking street drugs is getting lower and lower. Children as young as ten in some countries have a drinking problem and homework overload can be an indirect cause of that. That is why I think students should not have homework, but be able to have enjoyable learning experience at school and freedom to be encouraged by the teacher to expand their knowledge on their own terms at home, and to be rewarded for the extra effort instead of being forced to do homework they don’t like. Reference: Tehrani, E. (2009). Reasons why students should not have homework. Retrieved January 09, 2013, from http://www.helium.com/items/1309973-why-students-shoul-not-have-homework The Truth About Homework In high school, some studies do find a correlation between homework and test scores (or grades), but it’s usually fairly small, and it has a tendency to disappear when more sophisticated statistical controls are applied. Moreover, there’s no evidence that higher achievement is due to the homework even when an association does appear. It isn’t hard to think of other explanations for why successful students might be in classrooms where more homework is assignedâ€â€or why they might spend more time on it than their peers do. The results of national and international exams raise further doubts. One of many examples is an analysis of 1994 and 1999 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, or TIMSS, data from 50 countries. Researchers David P. Baker and Gerald K. LeTendre were scarcely able to conceal their surprise when they published their results last year: â€Å"Not only did we fail to find any positive relationships,†they wrote, but â€Å"the overall correlations between national average student achievement and national averages in [amount of homework assigned] are all negative.†Consider the assumption that homework should be beneficial just because it gives students more time to master a topic or skill. (Plenty of pundits rely on this premise when they call for extending the school day or year. Indeed, homework can be seen as a way of prolonging the school day on the cheap.) Unfortunately, this reasoning turns out to be woefully simplistic. Back â€Å"when experimental psychologists mainly studied words and nonsense syllables, it was thought that learning inevitably depended upon time,†the reading researcher Richard C. Anderson and his colleagues explain. But â€Å"subsequent research suggests that this belief is false.†The statement â€Å"People need time to learn things†is true, of course, but it doesn’t tell us much of practical value. On the other hand, the assertion â€Å"More time usually leads to better learning†is considerably more interesting. It’s also demonstrably untrue, however, because there are enough cases where more time doesn’t lead to better learning. In fact, more hours are least likely to produce better outcomes when understanding or creativity is involved. Anderson and his associates found that when children are taught to read by focusing on the meaning of the text (rather than primarily on phonetic skills), their learning does â€Å"not depend on amount of instructional time.†In math, too, as another group of researchers discovered, time on task is directly correlated to achievement only if both the activity and the outcome measure are focused on rote recall as opposed to problem-solving. Carole Ames of Michigan State University points out that it isn’t â€Å"quantitative changes in behavior†â€â€such as requiring students to spend more hours in front of books or worksheetsâ€â€that help children learn better. Rather, it’s â€Å"qualitative changes in the ways students view themselves in relation to the task, engage in the process of learning, and then respond to the learning activities and situation.†In turn, these attitudes and responses emerge from the way teachers think about learning and, as a result, how they organize their classrooms. Assigning homework is unlikely to have a positive effect on any of these variables. We might say that education is less about how much the teacher covers than about what students can be helped to discoverâ€â€and more time won’t help to bring about that shift. Regardless of one’s criteria, there is no reason to think that most students would be at any sort of disadvantage if homework were sharply reduced or even eliminated. But even if practice is sometimes useful, we’re not entitled to conclude that homework of this type works for most students. It isn’t of any use for those who don’t understand what they’re doing. Such homework makes them feel stupid; gets them accustomed to doing things the wrong way (because what’s really â€Å"reinforced†are mistaken assumptions); and teaches them to conceal what they don’t know. At the same time, other students in the same class already have the skill down cold, so further practice for them is a waste of time. You’ve got some kids, then, who don’t need the practice, and others who can’t use it. Furthermore, even if practice were helpful for most students, that wouldn’t mean they needed to do it at home. In my research, I found a number of superb teachers (at different grade levels and with diverse instructional styles) who rarely, if ever, found it necessary to assign homework. Some not only didn’t feel a need to make students read, write, or do math at home; they preferred to have students do these things during class, where it was possible to observe, guide, and discuss. Finally, any theoretical benefit of practice homework must be weighed against the effect it has on students’ interest in learning. If slogging through worksheets dampens one’s desire to read or think, surely that wouldn’t be worth an incremental improvement in skills. And when an activity feels like drudgery, the quality of learning tends to suffer, too. That so many children regard homework as something to finish as quickly as possibleâ€â€or even as a significant source of stressâ€â€helps explain why it appears not to offer any academic advantage even for those who obediently sit down and complete the tasks they’ve been assigned. All that research showing little value to homework may not be so surprising after all. Reference: Kohn, A. (2006). The truth about homework. Retrieved January 09, 2013, from http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2006/09/06/02kohn.h26.html?tkn=RVRFTkNGGXy32nbQpdGsSFt01V8aHU5cZ3wG
Sunday, November 10, 2019
Barclays Scandal: Libor
From Amanda Chua, Financial Manager To Sir David Walker, Chairman of Barclays Plc. Date 24th February 2013 Subject Implication of The Recent Libor-Fixing Scandal for Barclays Bank 1. Executive Summary * The London Interbank Offered Rate (Libor) is the average interest rate charged to banks for lending funds in the interbank market (Investopedia n. d. ). * The UK Treasury reported that Libor is responsible for an estimated $300 trillion worth of financial transaction (BBC 2012). Barclays’ traders submitted inappropriate rates upon derivative traders request (FSA 2012). * Barclays’ submitted inappropriate rates to prevent negative media attention (FSA 2012). * Barclays was fined ? 290 million for Libor scandal (Wilson 2012). * Former Chairman, CEO and COO resigned in July 2012 (BBC (B) 2013). * Barclays’ share prices fluctuated due to Libor Scandal (Fletcher 2012). * Pursuing profit maximization, Barclays inevitably exploited its stakeholders (MBA Knowledge Base n. d. ). Financial managers think solely for the purpose of profit maximization for the shareholders as it lose focus, carrying out unethical behaviors to gain short-term gratification. * Barclays is suggested to create shareholder value by combining a well-thought-of goal with focused financial planning that will deliver returns to shareholders but in an ethical manner that is acceptable by the society (Barclays Boss Lays Out Revival Plans, 2013). * Installation of more advanced surveillance devices further enforces plan as employees are monitored closely in efforts to control the wellbeing of the workers (Roland 2013). Barclays is suggested to form a neutral ring-fenced rate-setting unit to monitor the rates submission (Daniels 2013). 2. Libor: Explained The London Interbank Offered Rate (Libor) is the average interest rate charged to banks for lending funds in the interbank market (Investopedia n. d. ). Major banks in London who are under BBA submit the rate they presume they will have to pay for borrowing funds from another bank to Thomson Reuters, who will then discard the four lowest and highest rates and use the emainders to calculate the average, resulting with the Libor rate (Kiff 2012). The importance of Libor It is used as the benchmark for interest rates around the world (Surowiecki 2012). The UK Treasury reported that Libor is responsible for an estimated $300 trillion worth of financial transaction (BBC 2012) such as mortgages, corporate loans and derivatives (Surowiecki 2012). Also, Libor acts as a barometer for the welfare of the volatile global financial market (BBA n. d. ). 3. Barclays’ mistakesEmployees at Barclays submitted lower than actual predicted rates to Thomson Reuters (Murray-West 2012). Why it was done Derivative transactions made use of the Libor rate. Hence, the fluctuation of the rates would influence the profit gained for the traders (Surowiecki 2012). Both the traders and rate submitters cooperated through frequent intera ction (Surowiecki 2012) as traders requested for lower rates because they would benefit by paying less for the interest charged on the derivatives.Barclays submitted lower rates to conceal the trouble state it faced during the 2008 credit crunch (Murray-West 2012) when initially their submitted rates were higher than other banks (Bischoff & McGagh 2013). Lower rates prove that banks intending to lend funds to Barclays were assertive of their financial health, because the less assurance a bank had for another, the higher the rate charges will be (Bischoff & McGagh 2013), and Barclays expressed the contrary to conceal their financial instability.It was said that Bob Diamond, then chief executive officer of Barclays, was contacted by Paul Tucker, the deputy governor of the bank, concerning the recurrent greater rates amongst other banks, which worried Diamond who conveyed the news to Jerry del Missier, then chief operating officer, who misinterpreted the news as a command to rig the ra te (Bischoff & McGagh 2013). How it was done. It was effortless to manipulate the rates because they are derived from estimates rather than calculated values (Eavis & Popper 2012).Also, interbank borrowings were reduced during the financial crisis causing difficulty in evaluating whether submitted rates were realistic (Wheatley 2012). 4. Consequences for Barclays’ scandal Manipulating the Libor rate is intolerable and investigation involving the FBI is a reputational damage in itself (R. D. 2012), not only towards Barclays but in the banking sector as a whole where regulators are still speculating which other banks were involved (Bischoff & McGagh 2013). Barclays received a total of ? 290 million penalty from FSA, CFTC and DoJ (R. D. 012) for manipulating the Libor rate. Furthermore, former Barclays’ chairman, Marcus Agius resigned on July 2nd 2012, followed by Bob Diamond and Jerry Del Missier on July 3rd 2012 as a result for their involvement in the LIBOR scandal (BB C (B) 2013). Similarly, 3700 employees were discharged to reorganize the Barclays banking regime (McGee 2013). As Libor accounts for $300 trillion worth of financial transaction, this affects many because lenders lose out as the borrowers benefit from the low interest rate charges and people are very disappointed at the extend to where Barclays has went to.Due to the scandal, Barclays’ share prices fluctuated because the market expected charges for lawsuits against Barclays and it reflected the reputational damage Barclays has encountered for its involvement in the scandal (Armour, n. d. ), though this has caused an overhaul in Barclays that resulted in the increase of share prices months after. Moreover, investment firms and municipal government who fell victim to the Libor scandal due to the buying of bonds or signing of contracts demanded reimbursement from Barclays and will inevitably elicit legal actions (Bloomberg News 2012). 5. Role of Financial ManagementProfit maximi zation is the goal of financial management (Hillier et al, 2011) indicating that its objective is gaining greatest profits by using all possible resources irrespective of the consequences or underlying risk (O’Farrell n. d. ). This is seen as Barclays’ traders tried to maximize profits for their own benefit as well as their stakeholders. Shortcomings of Profit Maximization During the financial crisis, banks were financially unstable, they refused to borrow one another funds because of the low confidence they had for one another, seen through the Libor ratings that were previously submitted before the Libor rigging scandal.Barclays chose to conceal its proper Libor rates that would have indicated its troubled state to the public. This was second by the fact that a firm who pursues the goal of profit maximization will inevitably exploit its workers and consumers, which exemplify an unethical way of carrying out a business resulting from its corrupted practices (MBA Knowl edge Base n. d. ). In Barclays’ case, this was shown by its objective to save the bank’s reputation by finding means to profit maximize to avoid possible outcomes of failure.Jerry’s assumption of Bob’s instruction to fix the Libor rate when it was unfavorable (Bischoff & McGagh 2013) is another illustration of profit maximization gone wrong when financial managers think solely for the purpose of profit maximization for the shareholders as it diverge its actions by carrying out unethical behaviors to gain short-term gratification. Barclays has neglected possible risks because they were too focus on profit maximization as they rigged the Libor for the past years. Risk ignorance is another flaw of profit maximization (eFinance Management n. . ) because firms tend to be shortsighted towards maximizing profit they deserted their morale. This is shown by the reputational damage as a consequence of the scandal. Lastly, the disregard of quality is a shortcoming ( eFinance Management n. d. ) shown through Barclays’ scandal because Barclays obsessed over profit maximization, it neglected the goodwill of the bank. Barclays being a world-renowned bank that was earned through the years overlooked its goodwill as an asset as it rigged the Libor rate to earn short-term profits. . Summary It can be concluded that Barclays’ manipulation of the Libor rate was unacceptable. However, they have taken full responsibility over the consequences. It is suggested that Barclays make an overhaul in its management by changing its mentality from a bank that gravitated its goal on profit maximization to prioritizing an ethical environment before its success (Mcgee 2013) through removing workers incapable of committing to the revised goal (BBC (A) 2013), as this will be a long-term change. (Waldie 013) Antony Jenkins, the new Barclays CEO mentioned in Barclays Boss Lays Out Revival Plans (2013) that Barclays was previously too shortsighted as well as being too aggressive and self-serving. Nonetheless, the current damage helps Barclays to learn from experience. Presently, it is advice to create shareholder value by combining a well-thought-of goal with focused financial planning that will deliver returns to shareholders but in an ethical manner that is acceptable by the society (Barclays Boss Lays Out Revival Plans 2013).Installation of more advanced surveillance devices further enforces this plan as employees are monitored closely in efforts to control the wellbeing of the workers (Roland 2013). Lastly, it is suggested to form a neutral ring-fenced rate-setting unit to monitor the rates submission (Daniels 2013) in Barclays and this combines with trainings that shall be implemented to nurture an ethical and systematical way of setting the Libor rate. This plan aids by applying a team submission rate rather than an individual’s whereby rates submitted will be relatively reliable. BibliographyACTUELNEWSCHANNEL. 2013. Barcla ys Boss Lays Out Revival Plans [online]. [Accessed 22 February 2013]. Available from: http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=4dznoD8yd14 ARMOUR, J. [2012]. The Price of Reputation: Lessons from the Barclays LIBOR Scandal [online]. [Accessed 9 March 2013]. Available from: http://www. clmr. unsw. edu. au/article/ethics/libor-manipulation/price-reputation-lessons-barclays-libor-scandal BBALIBOR. [no date]. bbalibor explained [online]. [Accessed 28 January 2013]. Available from: http://www. bbalibor. com/bbalibor-explained/the-basics BBC. [2012].Libor – what is it and why does it matter [online]. [Accessed 28 January 2013]. Available from: http://www. bbc. co. uk/news/business-19199683 BBC (A). [2013]. Barclays boss tells staff â€Å"sign up to ethnics or leave†[online]. [Accessed 18 February 2013]. Available from: http://www. bbc. co. uk/news/business-21064590 BBC (B). [2013]. Timeline: Libor-fixing scandal [online]. [Accessed 8 February 2013]. Available from: http://www. bbc . co. uk/news/business-18671255 BISCHOFF, V and MCGAGH, M. [2013]. Q&A: what is Libor and what did the banks do to it [online]. [Accessed 8 February 2013].Available from: http://citywire. co. uk/money/qanda-what-is-libor-and-what-did-the-banks-do-to-it/a600479/3 BLOOMBERG NEWS. [2012]. Consequences to banks of Libor scandal staggering [online]. [Accessed 8 February 2013]. Available from: http://www. winnipegfreepress. com/fpnewsvoices/Consequences-to-banks-of-Libor-scandal-staggering-162730376. html DANIELS, V. [2013]. RBS Outlines The Actions Management Has Taken Following Discovery Of LIBOR Scandal [online]. [Accessed 8 March 2013]. Available from: http://hereisthecity. com/2013/02/06/rbs-outlines-the-actions-management-has-taken-following-libor-sc/EAVIS, P and POPPER, N. [2012]. Libor Scandal Shows Many Flaws in Rate-Setting [online]. [Accessed 22 February 2013]. Available from: http://dealbook. nytimes. com/2012/07/19/libor-scandal-shows-many-flaws-in-rate-setting/ EFINANCE MANA GEMENT. [no date]. Profit Maximization [online]. [Accessed 6 March 2013]. Available from: http://www. efinancemanagement. com/finance-financial-management/87-profit FINANCIAL SERVICE AUTHORITY. 2012. Final Notice. England: FSA. [Accessed 22 February 2013]. Available from: http://www. fsa. gov. uk/static/pubs/final/barclays-jun12. pdf FLETCHER, N. 2012]. Barclays drops more than 10% after Libor scandal, with other UK banks also hit [online]. [Accessed 8 February 2013]. Available from: http://www. guardian. co. uk/business/marketforceslive/2012/jun/28/barclays-uk-banks-libor-scandal HILLIER ET AL. 2011. Fundamentals of Corporate Finance. Europe: McGraw. INVESTOPEDIA. [no date]. London Interbank Offered Rate – Libor [online]. [Accessed 28 January 2013]. Available from: http://www. investopedia. com/terms/l/libor. asp#axzz2LAAqHDOs KIFF. [2012]. What is LIBOR [online]. [Accessed 28 January 2013]. Available from: http://www. mf. org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/2012/12/basics. htm MBA K NOWLEDGE BASE. [no date]. Objectives of Financial Management [online]. [Accessed 22 February 2013]. Available from: http://www. mbaknol. com/financial-management/objectives-of-financial-management/ MCGEE, S. [2013]. Confessions of a Barclays Banker Who’s Seen The Light [online]. [Accessed 22 February 2013]. Available from: http://www. thefiscaltimes. com/Columns/2013/02/19/Confessions-of-a-Barclays-Banker-Whos-Seen-the-Light. aspx#page1 MURRAY-WEST, R. [2012]. What does the Libor scandal mean for us [online]. Accessed 8 February 2013]. Available from: http://www. telegraph. co. uk/finance/personalfinance/consumertips/banking/9364994/What-does-the-Libor-scandal-mean-for-us. html O’FARRELL, R. [no date]. Advantages & Disadvantages of Profit Maximization [online]. [Accessed 22 February 2013]. Available from: http://smallbusiness. chron. com/advantages-disadvantages-profit-maximization-11225. html R. D. [2012]. Eagle fried [online]. [Accessed 8 February 2013]. Available fr om: http://www. economist. com/blogs/schumpeter/2012/06/barclays%E2%80%99-libor-emb
Friday, November 8, 2019
Free Essays on Atomic Bomb
Analysis of the Atomic Bomb Ever since the dawn of time man has found new ways of killing each other. The most destructive way of killing people known to man would have to be the atomic bomb. The reason why the atomic bomb is so destructive is that when it is detonated, it has more than one effect. The effects of the atomic bomb are so great that Nikita Khrushchev said that the survivors would envy the dead (International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, 1982). These devastating physical effects come from the atomic bomb’s blast, the atomic bomb’s thermal radiation, and the atomic bomb’s nuclear radiation. An atomic bomb is any weapon that gets its destructive power from an atom. This power comes when the matter inside of the atoms is transformed into energy. The process by which this is done is known as fission. The only two atoms suitable for fissioning are the uranium isotope U-235 and the plutonium isotope Pu-239 (OutlawLabs). Fission occurs when a neutr on, a subatomi! c particle with no electrical charge, strikes the nucleus of one of these isotopes and causes it to split apart. When the nucleus is split, a large amount of energy is produced, and more free neutrons are also released. These neutrons then in turn strike other atoms, which causes more energy to be released. If this process is repeated, a self-sustaining chain reaction will occur, and it is this chain reaction that causes the atomic bomb to have its destructive power (World Book, 1990). This chain reaction can be attained in two different ways. The first type of atomic bomb ever used was a gun-type. In this type two subcritical pieces of U-235 are placed in a device similar to the barrel of an artillery shell. One piece is placed at one end of the barrel and will remain there at rest. The other subcritical mass is placed at the other end of the barrel. A conventional explosive is packed behind the second subcritical... Free Essays on Atomic Bomb Free Essays on Atomic Bomb Analysis of the Atomic Bomb Ever since the dawn of time man has found new ways of killing each other. The most destructive way of killing people known to man would have to be the atomic bomb. The reason why the atomic bomb is so destructive is that when it is detonated, it has more than one effect. The effects of the atomic bomb are so great that Nikita Khrushchev said that the survivors would envy the dead (International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, 1982). These devastating physical effects come from the atomic bomb’s blast, the atomic bomb’s thermal radiation, and the atomic bomb’s nuclear radiation. An atomic bomb is any weapon that gets its destructive power from an atom. This power comes when the matter inside of the atoms is transformed into energy. The process by which this is done is known as fission. The only two atoms suitable for fissioning are the uranium isotope U-235 and the plutonium isotope Pu-239 (OutlawLabs). Fission occurs when a neutr on, a subatomi! c particle with no electrical charge, strikes the nucleus of one of these isotopes and causes it to split apart. When the nucleus is split, a large amount of energy is produced, and more free neutrons are also released. These neutrons then in turn strike other atoms, which causes more energy to be released. If this process is repeated, a self-sustaining chain reaction will occur, and it is this chain reaction that causes the atomic bomb to have its destructive power (World Book, 1990). This chain reaction can be attained in two different ways. The first type of atomic bomb ever used was a gun-type. In this type two subcritical pieces of U-235 are placed in a device similar to the barrel of an artillery shell. One piece is placed at one end of the barrel and will remain there at rest. The other subcritical mass is placed at the other end of the barrel. A conventional explosive is packed behind the second subcritical...
Tuesday, November 5, 2019
Largest Counties by Population in the United States
Largest Counties by Population in the United States Forty-three counties in the United States have a population greater than 1 million, ranked by population. The data for this list is based on mid-2016 population estimates from the United States Census Bureau. In 2010, only 39 counties in the United States had a population of more than 1 million, and Los Angeles County had fewer than 10 million residents. The top five list remains the same as in 2010. From this list, you can see that although much of the countrys population is concentrated in the megalopolis region of the Northeast, there is considerable population in the metropolitan regions of the Sun Belt from Texas to California. These heavily populated cities of Texas, Arizona, and California continue to experience phenomenal growth as population declines in places like the Rust Belt continue. Largest Counties by Population Los Angeles County, CA: 10,116,705Cook County, IL: 5,246,456Harris County, TX: 4,441,370Maricopa County, AZ: 4,087,191San Diego County, California: 3,263,431Orange County, California: 3,145,515Miami-Dade County, Florida: 2,662,874Kings County, New York: 2,621,793Dallas County, Texas: 2,518,638Riverside County, California: 2,329,271Queens County, New York: 2,321,580San Bernardino County, California: 2,112,619King County, Washington: 2,079,967Clark County, Nevada: 2,069,681Tarrant County, Texas: 1,945,360Santa Clara County, California: 1,894,605Broward County, Florida: 1,869,235Bexar County, Texas: 1,855,866Wayne County, Michigan: 1,764,804New York County, New York: 1,636,268Alameda County, California: 1,610,921Middlesex County, Massachusetts: 1,570,315Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania: 1,560,297Suffolk County, New York: 1,502,968Sacramento County, California: 1,482,026Bronx County, New York: 1,438,159Palm Beach County, Florida: 1,397,710Nassau County, New York: 1,358,627Hillsborough C ounty, Florida: 1,316,298 Cuyahoga County, Ohio: 1,259,828Orange County, Florida: 1,253,001Oakland County, Michigan: 1,237,868Franklin County, Ohio: 1,231,393Allegheny County, Pennsylvania: 1,231,255Hennepin County, Minnesota: 1,212,064Travis County, Texas: 1,151,145Fairfax County, Virginia: 1,137,538Contra Costa County, California: 1,111,339Salt Lake County, Utah: 1,091,742Montgomery County, Maryland: 1,030,447 Mecklenburg County, North Carolina: 1,012,539Pima County, Arizona: 1,004,516 St. Louis County, Missouri: 1,001,876
Sunday, November 3, 2019
My School Writing Center Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
My School Writing Center - Essay Example The slogan I chose for my poster is â€Å"Write with us.†All of the writing center assistants are highly skilled and professional individuals whose writing talents cannot be questioned. They are some of the best in the business and we are lucky to have them on our side, rooting for us to succeed in writing the perfect academic paper. â€Å"Write with us†is actually a word of encouragement that one of the writing assistants told me when I was feeling down and hard on myself about my meager English writing skills. I did my best to â€Å"Write with them†and came out a much better, more confident, and well rounded international student in the process. I chose the blue, red, and yellow colors for the bird because those are relaxing colors that I hope will encourage the other Chinese international students to come forward and seek the help that they need from the writing center. I know that the bird looks like a chicken and I specifically intended for the bird to lo ok that way because of the American term "chicken feed" which means, it's easy. That is what I want the other students to come to realize, writing the academic papers will be as easy as chicken feed once they write with the help of the academic writing center. Choosing to place the posters in the restrooms, cafeteria, and other high traffic places in the university was not a hard choice to make. I wanted to get my poster the highest visibility possible so any place where there is a conglomeration of students for more than 5 minutes is bound to attract attention to it.... The first thing that I noticed upon reaching the academic writing center was that I was not the only international student who was having problems when it came to writing my academic papers. European, Asian, Middle Eastern, and other countries were also there, seeking the professional help of the writing assistants. It was like being at the United Nations. That was where I met other Chinese students who had already been using the Writing Center for quite sometime already. That meeting helped me realize that I was not alone and I was not stupid. I had found a home where I could get the academic help that I needed while also connecting with other exchange students who were more than happy to help me out with my written and spoken grammar problems. As Chinese students living in China, we never had to worry about how well we spoke in English or whether we could write academically acceptable English papers. We were in China after all and we only needed to know how to speak in the Chinese language of our region. We did not need to know the difference between batter and butter. It was not necessary to dot every I and cross every T in our papers. We got by. But studying in America is a totally different ballgame and we have to play by the American academic rules of writing and spoken grammar. We all need the kind of help that the university writing center offers to its international student community. All we have to do is take the help being offered. Chinese international students no longer need to be afraid of getting low grades in their essays. There is no need to suffer the sense of hopelessness and feeling of isolation and stupidity because we cannot
Friday, November 1, 2019
The Media and Some of Valarie Geller's Philosophies Research Paper
The Media and Some of Valarie Geller's Philosophies - Research Paper Example In 2009, she went back to Holland to showcase her book â€Å"Creating Powerful Radio - Getting, Keeping & Growing Audiences†and to give more information about how the book can be utilized to its maximum with some of the information that it provides such as how to get and maintain an audience as well as topics on management and how to make it in the radio industry. Valarie has since had a key interest in radio. She has always had the idea that radio should be revolutionized so as to make it interactive and not just a source to communicate information to its audiences. This is evidenced by the fact that she has written books that handle topics on effective communication. Another factor is that she coaches radio personnel to be dynamic in that, proper communication, interaction and involvement ought to attract a lot of audiences. Some of her contributions to news/talk format radio include the fact that she trains broadcasters to up their skills in relation to media content, crea tivity, caring about the listeners and generally connecting with the audience. Geller has influenced the medium of radio in terms of understanding what the audience wants and being able to give it to them; she also has managed to capture the minds of audiences by talking on interesting events and news. Geller has had major philosophies that she has since implemented and they have reaped benefits. These include; making the most out a listeners time. This is by ensuring that each second a broadcaster is speaking to the audience; they make an impact at that moment. Telling the truth is another philosophy that Geller insists on.
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