Berlin Blockade essays

Berlin Blockade essays On June 26, 1948 the largest airlift began as the American and British forces began the Berlin Airlift. To understand how the airlift came to be, we have to look all the way back to the Yalta Conference. The Yalta Conference began in February 1945 in which the three superpowers, America, Russia and Britain, met to discuss the future of post war Europe. America and Russia were emerging as the two superpowers, and their deteriorating relationship would soon lead to many problems that would develop in post war Europe. Yalta saw the beginning of this deteriorating relationship. First, Stalin put a communist government in place in Poland. Poland had been the route that enemies had used to invade Russia on three separate occasions and Stalin felt he needed a friendly government in power. Stalin had agreed to hold elections in liberated countries following the war which he broke when he established a communist government in Poland. Although the U.S. and Britain had done the same thing when they put their own government in Italy following their defeat, Stalins move in Poland still upset the other two superpowers. U.S. still needed Russias help to fight the war in Japan so President Roosevelt had to be careful not to upset Stalin. The communist government was allowed to stay in Poland but the government was extended to include the Poles living in London that were suppose to form the government. Stalin made sure that the communists always had the majority. Also in an attempt to keep good relations with Russia, Roosevelt agreed to allow Russia to remove ten billion dollars from defeated Germany. Also at Yalta, it was agreed that post war Germany be divided into four occupational zones, which would become one of the main problems leading to the Berlin Airlift. Russia was given the north east, the U.S. was given the south east, Britain the north west, and France the south west. Berlin, German...

History of the Inca Empire

History of the Inca Empire The Inca Empire was the largest prehispanic society of South America when it was discovered by the Spanish conquistadors led by Francisco Pizarro in the 16th century AD. At its height, the Inca empire controlled all of the western part of the South American continent between Ecuador and Chile. The Inca capital was at Cusco, Peru, and the Inca legends claimed they were descended from the great Tiwanaku civilization at Lake Titicaca. Origins Archaeologist Gordon McEwan has built an extensive study of archaeological, ethnographic, and historical sources of information on the Inca origins. Based on that, he believes that the Inca arose from the remnants of the Wari Empire based at the site of Chokepukio, a regional center built about AD 1000. An influx of refugees from Tiwanaku arrived there from the Lake Titicaca region about AD 1100. McEwan argues that Chokepukio may be the town of Tambo Tocco, reported in Inca legends as the originating town of the Inca and that Cusco was founded from that city. See his 2006 book, The Incas: New Perspectives for more detail on this interesting study. In a 2008 article, Alan Covey argued that although the Inca arose from the Wari and Tiwanaku state roots, they succeeded as an empire- compared to the contemporary Chimà º State,  because the Inca adapted to regional environments and with local ideologies. The Inca began their expansion from Cusco about 1250 AD or so, and before the conquest in 1532 they controlled a linear stretch of some 4,000 kilometers, including nearly one million square kilometers in area and over 100 different societies in coastal regions, pampas, mountains, and forests. Estimates for the total population under Incan control range between six and nine million persons. Their empire included land in what are the modern countries of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina. Architecture and Economics To control such a huge area, the Incas built roads, including both mountainous and coastal routes. One existing fragment of the road between Cusco and the palace of Machu Picchu is called the Inca Trail. The amount of control exercised by Cusco over the rest of the empire varied from place to place, as might be expected for such a huge empire. Tribute paid to the Inca rulers came from farmers of cotton, potatoes, and maize, herders of alpacas and llamas, and craft specialists who made polychrome pottery, brewed beer from maize (called chicha), wove fine wool tapestries  and made wooden, stone, and gold, silver and copper objects. The Inca were organized along a complex hierarchical and hereditary lineage system called the ayllu system. Ayllus ranged in size from a few hundred to tens of thousands of people, and they governed access to such things as land, political roles, marriage, and ritual ceremonies. Among other important duties, ayllus took maintenance and ceremonial roles involving the preservation and care of honored mummies of the ancestors of their communities. The only written records about the Inca that we can read today are documents from the Spanish conquistadors of Francisco Pizarro. Records were kept by the Inca in the form of knotted strings called quipu (also spelled khipu or quipo). The Spanish reported that historical records- particularly the deeds of the rulers- were sung, chanted, and painted on wooden tablets as well. Timeline and Kinglist The Inca word for ruler was capac, or capa, and the next ruler was chosen both by heredity and by marriage lines. All of the capacs were said to be descended from the legendary Ayar siblings (four boys and four girls) who emerged from the cave of Pacaritambo. The first Inca capac,  the Ayar sibling Manco Capac, married one of his sisters and founded  Cusco. The ruler at the height of the empire was Inca Yupanqui, who renamed himself Pachacuti (Cataclysm) and ruled between AD 1438-1471. Most scholarly reports list the date of the Inca empire as beginning with Pachacutis rule. High-status women were called coya and how well you could succeed in life depended to a degree on the genealogical claims of both your mother and father. In some cases, this led to sibling marriage, because the strongest connection you could have would be if you were the child of two descendants of Manco Capac. The dynastic king list which follows was reported by the Spanish chroniclers such as  Bernabà © Cobo  from oral history reports and, to a degree, it is somewhat under debate. Some scholars believe that there was actually a dual kingship, each king ruling half of Cusco; this is a minority viewpoint. Calendrical dates for the reigns of the various kings were established by Spanish chroniclers based on oral histories, but they are clearly miscalculated and so are not included here (some reigns supposedly lasted over 100 years). Dates included below are those for  capacs  that were personally remembered by the Inca informants to the Spanish. Kings Manco Capac (principal wife his sister Mama Occlo) ca. AD 1200 (founded  Cusco)Sinchà ­ Roca (principal wife Manco Sapaca)Lloque Ypanqui (p.w. Mama Cora)Mayta Capac (p.w. Mama Tacucaray)Capac YupanquiInca RocaYahuar HuacacViracocha Inca (p.w. Mama Rondocaya)Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui (p.w. Mama Anahuarqui, built the  Coricancha  and  Machu Picchu, reformed Inca society) [ruled AD 1438-1471], royal estates at Pisac,  Ollantaytambo  and Machu PicchuTopa Inca (or Tupac Inca or Topa Inca Yupanqui) (principal wife his sister Mama Occlo, first capac considered supernatural in his lifetime) [AD 1471-1493], royal estates at Chinchero and  ChoquequiraoHuayna Capac [AD 1493-1527], royal estates at Quespiwanka and Tombebamba[civil war between Huascar and Atahuallpa 1527]Huascar [AD 1527-1532]Atahuallpa [AD 1532](Inca conquered by Pizarro in 1532)Manco Inca [AD 1533]Paullu Inca Classes of Incan Society The kings of the Inca society were called  capac. Capacs could have multiple wives, and often did. Inca nobility (called  Inka) were mostly hereditary positions, although special persons could be assigned this designation.  Curacas  were administrative functionaries and bureaucrats. Caciques  were agricultural community leaders, responsible for maintenance of agricultural fields and tribute payment. Most of the society was organized into  ayllus, who were taxed and received domestic goods according to the size of their groups. Chasqui  were message runners who were essential to the Inca system of government. Chasqui traveled along the  Inca road system  stopping at outposts or  tambos  and  were said to be able to send a message 250 kilometers in one day  and to make the distance from Cusco to Quito (1500 km) within one week. After death, the  capac,  and his wives (and many of the highest officials) were mummified and kept by his descendants. Important Facts Alternate names:  Inca, Inka, Tahuantinsuyu or Tawantinsuyu (the four parts together in Quechua)Population:  Estimates widely accepted by Inca scholars range between six and 14 million within an area extending from Colombia to Chile, in 1532 when the Spanish arrived.State language:  Inca rulers adopted a form of Quechua for their administrative language  and doing so spread it into outlying areas of their empire, but the Inca incorporated many different cultures and their languages. The Inca called their form of Quechua runasimi or mans speech.Writing system:  The Inca apparently kept accounts and perhaps historical information using a  quipu, a system of knotted and dyed string; according to the Spanish, the Inca also chanted and sang historical legends and painted wooden tablets.Ethnographic sources:  Lots of ethnographic sources are available about the Inca, primarily Spanish military leaders and priests who were interested in conquering the Inca. These texts are var iously useful and often quite biased. Some few examples include  Bernabà © Cobo, Historia del Nuevo Mundo 1653, and Relacion de las huacas, among many other reports;  Garcilaso de la Vega, 1609; Diez Gonzalez Holguin, 1608; anonymous Arte y vocabulario en la lengua general del Peru, 1586; Santo Tomas, 1560; Juan Perez Bocanegra, 1631; Pablo Joseph de Arriaga, 1621; Cristobal de Albornoz, 1582 Economics Intoxicants:  Coca, chicha (maize  beer)Markets:  A widespread trade network facilitated by open marketsCultivated crops:  Cotton, potatoes,  maize, quinoaDomesticated animals:  Alpaca,  llama,  guinea pigTribute  was paid to Cusco in goods and services; tribute tallies were kept on quipu and an annual census was kept including the number of deaths and birthsLapidary arts:  ShellMetallurgy:  Silver, copper, tin and to a lesser extent gold were cold-hammered, forged, and air-annealedTextiles:  Wool (alpaca and  llama) and cottonAgriculture:  When necessary in the steep Andean terrain, the Inca built terraces with a gravel base and stepped retaining walls, to drain excess water and allow water flow from the terrace tread to the next terrace downslope. Architecture Construction techniques used by the Inca included fired adobe mud bricks, roughly shaped stones interspersed with mud mortar, and large, finely shaped stones coated with mud and clay finishing. The shaped stone architecture (sometimes called pillow-faced) is among the finest in the world, with large stones sanded into tight jigsaw like patterns. The pillow-faced architecture was reserved for temples, administrative structures and royal residences like Machu Picchu.Many Inca military installations and other public architecture were constructed throughout the empire, at sites such as Farfn (Peru), Qara Qara and Yampara (Bolivia), and Catarpe and Turi (Chile).The Inca Road  (Capaq Ñan or Gran Ruta Inca) was built connecting the empire  and included some 8500 kilometers of major thoroughfare crossing fifteen distinct ecosystems. 30,000 kilometers of subsidiary trails branch off the main road, including the Inca Trail, which is the part that leads from Cusco to Machu Picchu. Religion Ceque system: a system of shrines and ritual pathways radiating out from the capital city of Cusco. Emphasis on ancestor worship and fictive kinship structures (ayllus).Capacocha ceremony: a state event that involved the sacrifice of objects, animals and sometimes children.Burials:  The Inca dead were mummified and placed in open sepulchers so that they could be disinterred for important annual ceremonies and other rituals.Temples/shrines  known as huacas included both built and natural structures Sources: Adelaar, W. F. H.2006  Quechua. In  Encyclopedia of Language Linguistics. Pp. 314-315. London: Elsevier Press.Covey, R. A. 2008  Multiregional Perspectives on the Archaeology of the Andes During the Late Intermediate Period (c. A.D. 1000–1400).  Journal of Archaeological Research  16:287–338.Kuznar, Lawrence A. 1999 The Inca Empire: Detailing the complexities of core/periphery interactions. Pp. 224-240 in  World-Systems Theory in Practice: Leadership, production, and exchange, edited by P. Nick Kardulias. Rowan and Littlefield: Landham.McEwan, Gordon. 2006  The Incas: New Perspectives.  Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO. Online book. Accessed May 3, 2008.

Business Administration class Strategy Formulation Essay

Business Administration class Strategy Formulation - Essay Example This is because in each stage, certain vital activities are done. In Strategy formulation, certain features of the organization are presented. The features are analyzed both internally and externally. These features include the vision, mission statement, objectives, and tactical objectives of the organization. The process starts by first looking at the mission and objectives which describe the companys business goals as well as measurable financial and strategic objectives. Secondly, an environmental scan is done. This includes an internal analysis of the firm as a whole, and its industry (task environment). An external analysis, also known as the PEST analysis follows (â€Å"Pest Analysis†, 2010). In strategy formulation, the information acquired from the environmental scan is used to match the firm’s strengths to its opportunities while addressing its weaknesses and external threats. In strategy implementation, programs, budgets, and procedures are used as means of implementation and this makes it important for success to be guaranteed. In the final stage which is evaluation and control, parameters to be measured are defined. The next step involves defining targets for the measured parameters, performing the measurements, and finally, comparing the measured results to pre-defined standards and make necessary changes. This second stage of strategic management supports the mission and objectives of the organization by creating sustainable competitive advantages. The stage is organized into six sections. Some of these sections are; Corporate-Level Strategy, Competitive Strategy, Functional Strategy, Choosing Strategies, and Troublesome Strategies (Rex, n.d.). Each of these sections has got its own methods of formulation. The level of Corporate-level Strategy is concerned with the direction of the company. It provides a channel for the organization to make some changes and improve their growth objectives and achievement. In the second level, Competitive

Valuation Methods of Collateralized mortgage obligations Dissertation

Valuation Methods of Collateralized mortgage obligations - Dissertation Example ted For Research Study 55 Data Analysis 57 Data Analysis Technique 57 Appropriateness of data analysis technique 59 Description on Questionnaire Formulation 61 Findings of the Research (CMO Valuation Model) 62 Reliability on the Data 62 Chapter Summary 63 Chapter Four: Methods 64 Introduction 64 Research Method 64 Research Design 66 Population and Sample 67 Sampling and Sampling Technique 67 Research Instrument 68 Primary Data Collection 69 Secondary Data Collection 70 Ethical Issues 71 Chapter Five: Findings 72 Introduction 72 Overview of the Study 72 Findings 72 Research Question One 73 Degree of relationship between the yield of FNMA-supported tranches and return on the US treasury bonds 73 Effect of Projected and Market Consensus on Subprime MSRs 76 Research Question Two 77 Relationship between the yields of FNMA-supported tranches and the assumption of the prepayment speed 77 Factors influencing the term structure of interest rate 79 Review on Subprime Meltdown 80 Research Quest ion Three 80 Fundamentals of CMO valuation identified through secondary data collection 81 Research Question 4 91 Quantitative representation of the MSR Price Impact 91 Component MSR Price Impact: 91 Total MSR Price Impact: 91 Impact on Sample Residual Interest is More Significant: 92 Fixed-rate mortgage valuation methodologies 93 Benchmark method 93 Rapid approximation method 96 Rational valuation approach 97 References 98 Dedication Acknowledgments Abstract Chapter One: Introduction This proposed quantitative descriptive research study discusses the various valuation methodologies of prepayment speeds with Collateralized Mortgage Obligations (CMO) tranches and analyzing how the prevalent valuation methods are useful in current complex economic scenarios. The objective of this study is primarily to examine the applicability of various methods of valuation for pricing the CMOs so as to determine their validity in the present economic conditions. Chapter 1 provides a broad overview o f the various facets with respect to the valuation of the prepayment speeds within CMO tranches. Collateralized Mortgage Obligations are derivative debt instruments that can be aptly defined as the claim that arises out of cash flows from large pools of home mortgages. The structure of CMO is such that once the principal and interest received from the mortgage holders it is distributed to tranches. The principal amount, the coupon rate, the prepayment risk and the maturity date differ among the tranches (Economy Watch, n. d.). CMOs are derivative debt instruments providing both retail and institutional investors the possibility of higher yields with a Standard & Poors AA

Research Real Estate Data Set Essay Example for Free

Research Real Estate Data Set Essay Abstract In this paper the team analyzed three scholarly articles relating to our study. Furthermore, the team also analyzed additional data sets to include more variables like bedrooms and bathrooms in our investigation to test our hypothesis which shows that the results are consistent with the hypothesis. The population size, primary and secondary data, using unbiased information and applying ethics are also discussed in detail. Real Estate Data Set II As we begin the final stages of our project it is important to understand the process of applied research and how one or more variable have an impact on the dependable variable. It is important to understand why research is necessary and how we apply research to get answers to issues. The team analyzed thirty date sets to research homes with or without a pool, with or without a garage, and on the proximity of the house to the city, and how those factors affected the selling prices of homes. Furthermore, the team also analyzed more data sets to include more variables like bedrooms and bathrooms. Six bedrooms, three bath houses will sell for more than a one bedroom, one bath houses, regardless of whether it has a pool or garage. As we go forward with this assignment and analyze more data collection sets, it seems that the hypothesis that we proposed is the right one. Our hypothesis is based around the concept of human prioritization and its role in home selection. Additionally, the team researched three scholarly articles that are pertinent to our study to help us understand why the research is important and necessary. The first article uses analysis to discuss the connection between the selling price of a home and â€Å"Time on the Market† (TOM) (Sirmans, et al, 2010). It states that the longer the house is on the market the lower the selling price of the house. The study uses data sets to examine single family homes and whether the TOM co-efficient is susceptible to location, income of families, wealth and time. The results proved that the TOM co-efficient is sensitive to the variables and there is a significant relationship between TOM and the selling prices (Sirmans et al, 2010). It also states that selling prices and TOM is a very complicated because ellers / buyers want to maximize the price, while sellers want to sell at the top price buyers want to purchase at the lowest price. The second article discusses the study of how technology of real estate is changing and how important technology is key to gather important data from private and public sources for the real estate industry. Many studies have been published about the impact of the information on the real estate industry, on market size and efficiency, and market innovation. These studi es have proven that email and the use of internet are used as a positive marketing tool. Survey questions were developed to gather information about real estate agents and their attitude about using information technology as marketing their services. The results were positive and all that were surveyed viewed that information technology was key in some areas. Internet usage got a high score along with online research but personal webpage’s indicated a lower score (Acharya et al, 2010). The third article examined that in real estate development there is a need for risk assessment techniques to assess the impact of the project. The article is based on an exploratory survey which data was collected through interviews and a questionnaire. The study was conducted in the Thailand area using Thai real estate development companies. The study revealed that there are no systematic techniques to deal with the concerns of economic and political risks (Khumpaisal et al, 2010). All three articles focus on real estate research and how information is collected and used in different studies. All three article discuss how data, the collection of the data and the usage of the data play an important part while conducting research. When conducting research it is often difficult, or impractical to test the entire population. Many issues can arise, such as time consumption, cost, and redundant information. Often it is possible for researchers to draw conclusions based on population samples. This is when we test a small portion of the population and draw conclusions on the entire population based on the sample results. For our research the sample of thirty homes came from a larger sample of one hundred six homes. These homes were a sample of homes in one state, across five townships. For our research we decided to limit the sample to around thirty homes of similar qualities (outside of the variables we are testing). The reason we do this is to be sure there isn’t an outside, unknown variable affecting the experiment. Therefore we chose homes that are between two and three bedrooms, with two bathrooms. This gave us a sample of thirty-one homes. For this particular research, it is possible to see the affects of different variables on home prices. Also, with more than thirty samples it is also possible to eliminate outliers that may skew averages. For example, if we only tested three homes and two of them were priced outrageously, we wouldn’t be able to draw valid conclusions. However, by testing thirty-one homes, we can eliminate outliers. There are many possible sources of bias and error when testing a hypothesis with only sample of the population. In our case, we could simply omit homes that disprove our hypothesis. One reason for this is if we were working for a real estate company and they want to see which homes can make them the most money, and we know there are a lot of homes near the city center for sale. If we omit homes far away from the city that are selling for more, our bias has caused us to give false findings. Not all omissions are intentional. Sometimes errors are simply made in the research process. For example, with our research we could have included homes with any number of bedrooms. This would have resulted in data that may not have been practical for our research. For example, the complete data set included homes with up to eight bedrooms. If we were to compare that to a home with only two bedrooms the fact that either had a pool, or garage, or was close to the city would have been negligible. Again, we chose to only test similar homes in respect to number of bedrooms and bathrooms in order to prevent this error. It is necessary to collect primary data when a researcher cannot find the data needed in secondary sources. Some methods of primary research would include observation, postal surveys, telephone interviews, online surveys, face to face surveys, focus groups, and test marketing. Observation works well in retail markets. Observing consumer behavior provides many insights, although can sometimes leave unanswered questions. Postal surveys are great because they are relatively cheap with the ability to cover a wide geographical area. However, response rates are minimal and can take quite some time before any of the surveys are returned. Telephone interviews allow quicker feedback than a postal survey but any potential customers are usually hesitant on giving anything but short answers. Increasingly popular and at relatively low cost, surveys online are widely used by growing businesses as a way of gathering the views of potential and existing customers. Face to face surveys are sometimes costly, but a great way to get individual detailed insight, while focus groups are a good way of getting detailed information about customer preferences and tastes. Test marketing involves picking a small section of the market and selling a new product in order to assess customer reaction. This primary research can be a great predictor of how a new product or service will be received by the larger market. Primary research is the preferred research and conducted all of the time. National polls and surveys collect the population’s thoughts about proposals or particular political figures, journalists use it as their primary means of reporting events as well as news, and organizations collect data on their market trends and consumer base. When conducting research in professional or academic settings, the researcher needs to be aware of the ethics behind the research activity Ethical issues arise throughout any piece of all research. These issues often turn into political ones, and there are also close connections between issues around participation and ethical concerns. Ethical issues also have a tendency to turn into questions of trust. The researcher is the research instrument therefore the reader and/or user of qualitative research must be able to trust the researcher to have followed the proper procedures. There are quite a few key phrases which describe the system of ethical protections that medical research and the contemporary social establishments have created such as, voluntary participation, informed consent, confidentiality, anonymity, and rights to service, to better protect the research participant’s rights. When conducting research it is important to understand all stages of the research and apply good practices such as using unbiased sources and clear and ethical standards. Even when clear ethical standards and principles are in place, there will be times when the rights of potential participants runs up against the need to do accurate research. No set of standards can possibly anticipate every ethical circumstance. Furthermore, there needs to be a procedure that assures that researchers will consider all relevant ethical issues in formulating research plans.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration Essay -- Reserach OSHA W

Occupational Safety and Health Administration PAST The Occupational Safety and Health Administration or OSHA is a part of the US Department of Labor, and was started in 1970 as part of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. Its mission is to prevent work-related injuries, illnesses, and deaths by issuing and enforcing rules (called standards) for workplace safety and health. Since it’s inception it has helped to cut the incidents of workplace fatalities by sixty percent, and occupational injury and illness rates by forty percent. This presentation will present what OSHA has accomplished in the past, present and what it hopes to accomplish in the future.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are many reasons for the introduction of an organization like OSHA. In the 18th century workers, during the English Industrial revolution, People worked in the coal mines naked, because there was no governmental regulation. At the onset of the Industrial revolution in America there wasn’t much in the way of protecting it’s workforce either, from abuse by their employers. Unsafe working conditions and child labor was prevalent in industry. In 1884 the first agency designed to address labor issues was called the Bureau of Labor. At this time it was a part of the Department of the Interior, as there was no Department of Labor. The department of Labor was established as a cabinet level agency in 1913.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Some of the major changes to industrial safety since OSHA was established, are as follows. In 1970 they established the use of guards on all moving parts to prevent contact with moving machinery. Permissible exposure limits on air borne chemicals and dust particles. Also the emphasis on personal protective equipment in the work place. In the 1980’s OSHA started the Lockout Tagout program where businesses are required to put locks and tags on equipment that is in the off or deenergized state, while maintenance or repair work is being performed. In 1990 they instituted the confined space program to cut down on the number of deaths and injuries due to workers entering manholes, pits, bins and other confined spaces. They also instituted the Hazard communication process, or â€Å"Right to know†. This is a system of information readily available to workers on the chemicals used in the work place. PRESENT OSHA currently has 2,200 emplo... ...am will be tailored to suit the needs of the particular employer or workplace. To ensure success with these programs OSHA plans to improve collection, tracking and analysis of information. Then based on the analysis of the information OSHA plans to target new areas, and develop new training.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In order to meet the needs for additional training and implementing new plans OSHA must strengthen their infrastructure and capabilities. One part of this effort, which differs from past OSHA efforts, is using customer communication as an information source. Another major task to improve capabilities will be to conduct a comprehensive workforce skills assessment and enhance future technical competency. Another key element to future growth, is OSHA’s commitment to maintain Information Technology (IT) for a mobile workforce. This enables OSHA to deploy a mobile staff that maintains real-time communication with the central organization.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In conclusion, OSHA has its hands full trying to keep up with technology and manufacturing processes. Wireless communications as well as computing have enabled the manufacturing industry to rapidly advance and it’s up to OSHA to do the same.

U.S. Holiday Shopping

Sales among U. S. stores went stronger than expected over the weekend causing a relief for most retailers who were expecting a bleak shopping period due to overall slowdown of the economy. However, even though the figures are up, signs of more troubles were evident. Apparently, the bargain prices which helped drove shoppers to buy were so shocking that some analysts predicted that these stores will see a much worse profit slashing from their sales in the long run. Most retail experts consider the Friday after Thanksgiving Day as the overall barometer of retailing performance for holiday sales which basically account for at least 25 percent of their annual sales. The very indicator for these retailers came out when ShopperTrak released a report indicating a 3 percent increase of sales last Friday compared with last year’s performance. Moreover, the National Retail Federation (NRF) added that shoppers spent at least 7% more this year compared to 2007 with an average shipper spending about $372. 7 from Friday through Sunday. According to Kathy Grannis of the federation, â€Å"It seems that not only did retailers do a good job of attracting shoppers but it seems that shoppers were also excited again to take part in the tradition of Black Friday weekend. † Friday’s store sales which ranged from 50 to 70 percent will not provide better profits for retailers in the long run experts said. It was such an indicator that â€Å"retailers are somewhat desperate to sell†, according to Hana Ben-Shabat, of A. T. Kearney's retail practice. NRF reported that 172 million shippers visited shops and online stores after Thanksgiving weekend which is up from 147 million shoppers last year. In general, shoppers bought low-cost items like clothes, DVDs, video game CDs and other accessories. Gift card were not as popular having a 10 percent decrease in sales.

Agricultural Practices

Agriculture has been practiced by men since time immemorial. Â  Practically speaking it refers to the process of producing crops that will feed the people and make them survive. Agriculture does not pertain to a single method alone, but over the years, there are evolutionsand innovations that this method of food production has undergone.Organic farming makes use of the natural processes of food production – from planting to harvest stage. Organic farmers make do with natural fertilizers like manure, compost, and residues instead of purchasing commercial fertilizers.Some benefits of organic farming include the prevention of soil erosion which is usually caused by the lack of nutrients in the soils, and empowering farmers to come up with their own natural production methods. On the other hand, some drawbacks raised by critics involve food and water contamination, poor quality of food, and even depletion of natural resources.Another farming or agricultural practice deals with fo od production which primarily intends to feed the family working on that land. This is subsistence farming. The farmer’s capacity is to provide only enough food for him and his family’s regular activities, but in worse cases, they still experience famine.Some strategies are being evaluated and conducted to determine if this farming practice can offer the farmers to produce more than what they need for economic purposes.With the advent of technology through continuous research, there now exists the modern agriculture practice. This type of agriculture greatly relies on engineering and technology. This also gave birth to the popular and controversial genetically modified foods (GMF) like rice, corn, vegetables, and fruits to name some.Issues and debates have been raised in support and in opposition to this breakthrough. Proponents maintains the belief that genetic engineering is the answer to the increasing population by producing in greater volume without risking the qu ality of food, while critics argue that the negative effects of these GMF, though not yet observable, will be noticeable on a long-term basis.Agriculturist and scientists must exert their collaborative effort in improving the agricultural systems along with protecting the health and safety of the natural resources and the consumers.Reference:Open-Encyclopedia. Retrieved, April 30, 2007, from http://open-encyclopedia.com/

The New SAT What You Need to Know

The New SAT What You Need to Know The New SAT: What You Need to Know Originally called the â€Å"Scholastic Aptitude Test,† the SAT is a standardized test used for college admissions in the US. Understanding the SAT is therefore essential for anyone looking to enroll at a US college. However, starting this month (or May 2016 for international students), the SAT has changed. And if you’re thinking of applying to college this year, you’ll need to know the difference. Main Changes In terms of structure, the new SAT still focuses on math and English skills, but with an ‘evidence-based reading and writing’ section replacing the separate writing and critical reading components of the old test. The essay component is now also optional and scored separately, rather than compulsory. Old SAT New SAT 1. Critical reading 2. Writing 3. Math 4. Essay 1. Evidence-based reading and writing 2. Math 3. Essay (optional) On top of these structural differences, some of the main changes include: Scores will now be given on a 1600 point scale (800 for math; 800 for reading/writing) instead of the old 2400 point scale Incorrect answers will no longer be penalized on multiple-choice questions Less focus on obscure vocabulary, more on understanding words in context and evidence-based reasoning Math component now only permits use of a calculator on some sections Preparing for the New SAT Since this new SAT differs significantly from the old one, it’s vital to prepare accordingly. This might involve: Learning the New Test Format The simplest and most important thing you can do before sitting the new SAT is learning exactly how it has changed; knowing the general structure and format of the SAT will allow you to focus your revision and ensures you won’t be surprised when the test day arrives. Honing Your Critical Reading The new SAT focuses more on evidencing your claims, critical analysis and understanding information in context (rather than answering sentence completion questions). This makes it essential to work on your reading skills as well as your vocabulary. Taking a Practice Test As ever with exams, the best way to prepare is taking a practice paper. For the new test, your best option is the Khan Academy Official SAT Practice site.

Prop, Props, and Props To

Prop, Props, and Props To Prop, Props, and Props To Prop, Props, and Props To By Maeve Maddox Facebook postings often educate me in current usage. A recent discovery comes from this comment about a television show called Shark Tank: Georges’ caring nature steals the show and the hearts of the judges.   It goes to show that character can never be undervalued or underestimated†¦Props to Paul Mitchell cofounder John Paul DeJoria for recognizing that. I was familiar with props as a shortening of several different English words, but this usage left me bewildered. NOTE: This post is for readers who, like me, have managed to remain ignorant of the expression â€Å"props to† until now. It is also for ESL learners who may not be familiar with other uses of prop. First of all, the word prop exists as a complete word in its own right, both as a noun and as a verb. The noun came first: prop noun: A stick, rod, pole, stake, or beam used as a temporary support or to keep something in position; in extended use, anything that serves to support something or keep it in place. A fruit-laden plant may need a wooden prop to hold its branches off the ground. Shakespeare used prop in its figurative sense in The Merchant of Venice. When the character Gobbo is told that his son is dead, the old man exclaims, â€Å"Oh no, God forbid! the boy was the staff of my old age, my prop!† From the noun came the verb: prop verb: To support or keep from falling by or as if by a prop; to keep in position with a prop, or with something used as a prop. A gardening site advises, â€Å"Learn to prop up your plants before they flop.† An op-ed writer asserts, â€Å"Government should not prop up greyhound racing.† The verb is often used with the particle up, but not always: â€Å"1 Billion IMF Loan Props British Pound.† The clipped form prop is used to represent different words. Proposition In the context of political writing, a proposed law, called a proposition, is often referred to as â€Å"a Prop†: â€Å"Opponents argue that Prop 47 will put thousands of criminals back on our streets without first ensuring they have been rehabilitated.† â€Å"Proposition betting† is a wagering term. A â€Å"prop bet† is placed on some contingency related to the game but it has nothing to do with which side wins or loses. Here are some prop bets that were made on the Super Bowl XLIX: Will Idina Menzel forget or omit at least one word of the official US national anthem? What will Katy Perry be wearing when she begins the halftime show? What color will Bill Belichick’s hoodie be? Proprietor An old-fashioned way to display the name of a shop owner on a sign or business card was to precede or follow the name with the abbreviation Prop. for proprietor: â€Å"H. W. Jones, Prop.† The abbreviation came to be used as a word to mean owner, as in â€Å"Who is the prop of this establishment?† Proprietary This is a Wall Street idiom. When a trader uses the firm’s own money to trade for currencies and commodities- as opposed to using depositors’ money- the operation is called â€Å"proprietary trading.† The term is often shortened to â€Å"prop trading† and the agent who does it is a â€Å"prop trader.† Here’s a recent headline from Business Insider: â€Å"A Prop Trader Explains His Work, His Salary, And Why Everyone Is Wrong About His Profession.† Propeller The word propeller to mean a device for propelling a machine dates from the 18th century, but the shortening prop for propeller dates to World War I when pilots started referring to airplane propellers as props. Nowadays, the word is more frequently used attributively to describe a certain kind of plane: â€Å"Angelina Jolie is well known for her love of aviation. And the mother-of-six indulged in her favourite pastime on Friday with a trip in the pilot seat of a small prop plane.† Property In the context of putting on a play, a prop is â€Å"an object used in a performance. Prop and props in the context of theater derives from property and properties. A prop usually seen in a performance of Macbeth is a cauldron. By extension, a prop can be any kind of accessory, as in this example from the OED: â€Å"Interspersedwere the other props of a traditional Jewish homea Purim megillah.† The props in the expression â€Å"props to† differs from all of these shortenings in that it telescopes a phrase: proper respects. In the quotation that introduced me to this expression, â€Å"Props to Paul Mitchell† means is â€Å"Congratulations to Paul Mitchell,† or â€Å"Good for Paul Mitchell.† The use of props in the sense of â€Å"due respect† appears suddenly on the Ngram Viewer in 1992 and shoots upward in a vertical line on the graph. The OED labels this use of props as slang, â€Å"originally in African-American usage,† and provides a citation from 1990: â€Å"I was one of the first female rappers, but Ive always gotten my props.†- Chicago Tribune Merriam-Webster defines props as â€Å"something that is said to publicly thank and give special attention to someone for doing something; credit or recognition.† Although props in the sense of recognition seems to have moved up from slang to colloquial, it is still not considered to be standard. In time, however, it may replace worn-out kudos. Related posts Word Clipping Kudo vs Kudos Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:12 Types of Language50 Types of PropagandaA "Diploma" is not a "Degree"

Essay subject is Auditing and is about Applied Graphene Materials Plc

Subject is Auditing and is about Applied Graphene Materials Plc - Essay Example Failure by the auditors to give this view compromises the quality of the audit that is carried out. Audit risk includes any factor at the discretion of the auditor that may cause a material misstatement or even omissions in the financial statements of a company (Dotel, 2015). These risks may arise in different forms in the audit report and the financial statements. First, by an auditor failing to emphasize a matter that is of significance to the users of the financial statements in the audit report, audit risk arises. Secondly, an auditor may provide an opinion on the financial statements where no such opinion may be reasonably given as a result of the significant limitation of scope in the audit performance (Zuca, 2013). Audit risk is a component of three major risks namely, inherent risk, detection risk, and control risk. All these three risks are likely to be encountered while performing an audit. The auditor is therefore expected to assess the level of risk pertaining to each of the three components of audit risk. Inherent risk refers to the risk of material misstatements in a company’s financial statements due to the error of omission. The error of omission of key components of an audit in the audit report arises because of other factors apart from the failures of business internal controls. This component of audit risk is common in companies that have more complex transactions (Schwartz, 2013). Control risk refers the risk of a material misstatement in the company’s financial statements due the failure of operation of relevant controls in a business. In order to reduce the instances of fraud and error within an organization, there is the need for the companies to have proper inter nal controls. Control risk becomes high when a business does not have adequate internal control systems thus creating opportunities for fraud and errors in the financial statements. Furthermore, in order to prevent this