President Obamas Foreign Policy

President Obamas Foreign Policy Obama stirred different opinions during his candidacy and after becoming the president. President Obama’s foreign policy went through various transformations, from an initial assurance of changes to situations of increasing optimism to practical realism.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on President Obama’s Foreign Policy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More During his campaign, candidate Obama had made a promise that change would occur in America’s foreign policy and restore the moral basis of how America interacts with the rest of the world. One of his promises with regard to foreign policy was to create better relations between the U.S. and the Muslim world. Thus, Obama wanted to establish a foreign policy to change how the U.S. was perceived by the Muslim world and improve the relations. The Bush administration had tried to deal with this issue without success. This was a period when the U.S. had a p reference for war rather than diplomacy and peace when dealing with anti-Americanism in the Muslim world (Rajaee Miller, 2012). There are various American foreign policy (AFP) logics that were evident in Obama’s behaviour during his candidacy and after clinching the presidency. One of the logics was how the U.S. views the rest of the world with regard to its national interests. Logic also relied on ethical considerations and morality, strategies in foreign policies, and how power is considered depending on its nature and understanding. One of the logics that describe President Obama’s administration is liberalism. President Obama wanted to initiate change in America’s foreign policy to seek expansion of liberty around the world after taking office. This was evident from Obama’s intention to ensure that the American foreign policy considered international law during its application. For Obama, it is a moral duty for the U.S. to ensure that they promote li berty around the world (Rajaee Miller, 2012). Free trade is an important aspect under liberalism. Liberalism is within the U.S. national interest for it to exist within a free trade world economy. It can be seen that the U.S. depends on other countries for its imports. Thus, the U.S. will only consider other countries where it is assured of cheap labour. Under liberalism, the U.S. considers political and civil rights as important.Advertising Looking for essay on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More These important factors can facilitate peaceful co-existence within the world. In pre-2008, the U.S. had a preference towards Israel than Palestine. Obama was aware of the fact that Palestine had been ignored. Thus, in line with ensuring liberty, President Obama saw the need to assist Palestine as well (Rajaee Miller, 2012). He stated that, â€Å"†¦ humiliation Palestine faces is intolerable.â⠂¬  For him, the political rights of Palestine are important and should be considered within the U.S. foreign policy. President Obama maintained a tough stance on Israel during his first year in office. His government also wanted Israel to withdraw from West Bank and Gaza. President Obama’s first decision after taking office involved visiting the Muslim countries. This was done to assure them that the U.S. was not at war with Islam or the Arab world. This was an important strategy for the U.S. to begin applying its foreign policy. Although both Obama and Bush tried to solve the issues that existed in the Middle East, President Obama used a new strategy that was seen as advantageous in comparison to the policy applied during the Bush administration. President Obama was successful initially, but his initiatives failed and were abandoned in the long run (Rajaee Miller, 2012). President Obama enjoyed support from Muslims during his initial years in office, but views about his p olicies began to change during his third year in office because some of the promises made that affected Muslim countries had not been delivered. One issue that led to the fading trust in Obama’s administration is that he had failed to establish peace between Palestinians and Israelis. The American foreign policy during Obama’s first term was also characterized by liberal internationalism. This was based on the realization that Obama’s administration could not work alone without the assistance of other states in the world. One such problem was the al-Qaeda, which has an international impact. With the growing threats of terrorism, it became important for the U.S. to work together with other countries to solve this problem. This logic considered military power as unnecessary. Thus, Obama’s administration intended to withdraw the U.S. troops from Iraq.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on President Obama’s Foreign Policy specifical ly for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More President Obama’s foreign policies were regarded as effective, although they did not result in significant changes on how the Muslim world viewed the U.S. Thus, his policies only avoided an increase in negative feelings that the Muslim world would have towards the U.S. A survey carried out between 2009 and 2010 showed that Muslims viewed Israel as the biggest threat to Arabs, followed by the United States. Thus, solving the issues with Muslims would be a difficult task for Obama. Isolationism was also among the logics evident in the American foreign policy. This logic was based on the belief that the U.S. society would be negatively affected if it took part in foreign matters. President Obama’s administration had begun to reduce its influence in Middle Eastern states. This was attributed to the de-Americanization of the Middle East. Thus, isolationism was seen as a preference for the larger American citiz enry. A few politicians also share this belief. Thus, during Obama’s presidency he has tried to meet the wishes of the public with regard to isolationism. The U.S. began to reduce its influence within the Middle East following the withdrawal of the military in Iraq and reduction of troops in Afghanistan. In many cases, the presence of its security forces was only to ensure national security to curb the threat of terrorism. Isolationism had also been seen in Obama’s promise to close the Guantanamo Bay prison. Hegemony was also evident, where the U.S. maintained close ties with Israel for the benefit of its national interests. This can be seen in President Obama’s statement that, â€Å"Those who threaten Israel threaten us.† Initially, Obama wanted to establish a peaceful co-existence between Israel and Palestine, but the foreign policy had to go through changes to ensure its hegemony. For instance, the U.S. made an agreement to provide aid to Israel at the cost of $30 billion. In effect, this would ensure that Israel had a military advantage (Rajaee Miller, 2012). Thus, the policy is characterized by the tendency to have extensive power when it comes to matters that are occurring abroad.Advertising Looking for essay on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This can be seen in the case of Israel whereby the U.S. will only interact with other Arab countries if Hamas retains its power. Thus, the US has influence on many countries abroad, a situation that has existed for a long time. Obama’s administration can be compared to Bush’s administration as far as hegemony is concerned. Hegemony is also seen in America’s over reliance on international affairs. Obama’s foreign policies went ahead to establish interest of the U.S. abroad. These were matters ranging from politics to economic issues. Terrorism and war on Iraq were international matters that the U.S. considered important and in need of a solution. The U.S. is also guided by altruistic policies. Thus, many of its policies are based on the idea that they are intended to establish world peace and security. For instance, the war on terrorism is seen as a decision that will be for the benefit of all countries within the international system. There exists a diffe rence in behaviour and logic between pre-2008 and post-2008 Obama, although the difference is minimal because Obama made only a few changes. The opinion that the U.S. shared about the Muslim world was still the same. President Obama became popular within the Muslim worked because of his promises to establish a different foreign policy in comparison to what was applied by his predecessor. It is for this reason that the Arabs were seen to have the highest confidence in Obama in early 2009, just after his election. This confidence began to fade in the preceding years as Arabs realized that many of the changes promised by the President were not occurring. Candidate Obama was considered as a leader who would bring change in the U.S. He was regarded as a unifying force, reaching both to America’s foreign enemies and to opponents at home. His policies were seen as a correction to all issues that arose during the Bush administration. Obama was also able to awaken political responsibi lity in America. Thus, he had a greater influence on international matters based on diplomacy after taking office in comparison to the pre-2008 period. Realism is also logic that can be seen in the U.S. foreign policy. Realism is whereby the state seeks to retain a powerful role within world affairs. In the case of the U.S., Obama’s administration established policies to ensure it had significant influence within the Middle East. This was done through its ally, Israel, to facilitate security within the region. States also use international bodies as instruments to stamp their authority. In the case of the U.S., President Obama intended to use the United Nations (U.N.) in defending Israel (Rajaee Miller, 2012). Realism as logic explains the U.S. foreign policy behaviour on why it tries to prevent the rise of other powerful states. The U.S. has gone through trouble to protect Israel, which is strategically located in the Middle East. Being a powerful country, the U.S. still wa nts to increase its strength and prevent the rise of other powerful states within the Middle East. Israel is located in a region that ensures the U.S. controls the various states in the Middle East. Thus, the best strategy for the U.S. is to attract more allies and resources. It is for this reason that Obama’s administration is at the forefront in establishing diplomatic ties with the U.S. enemies abroad. This is important in attracting more allies. In conclusion, the U.S. foreign policy is characterized by various differences when the Obama administration and the Bush administration are considered. In Obama’s case, his initial days in office were characterized by improved international relations, especially in the Middle East. This was the case for some time, until Arabs became dissatisfied that President Obama did not fulfil his promises. References Rajaee, B. M., Miller, M. J. (2012). National security under the Obama administration. 1st ed. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan.

How to Find and Use AP Score Calculators

How to Find and Use AP Score Calculators SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips What is the best way to use AP score calculators? In this post we will discuss how to get the most out of them – and when you shouldn’t use them at all. Where Do I Get an AP Score Calculator? Before we talk about the best ways to use score calculators, you need to learn where to find one for your particular AP class! Each AP test uses a different scoring system. There are no â€Å"official† AP score calculators released by College Board, so teachers and test prep companies have to make their own. To get an AP score calculator, first talk to your teacher – AP teachers often have a formula they use for grading practice tests. If your teacher doesn't have one or you're self-studying, get a prep book for your AP class. Prep books written for individual tests will always have a score calculator. Finally, look online – many websites have approximate score calculators you can use for each AP class. A word of caution: all score calculators are approximations since the scaling of an AP test changes year to year to keep the difficulty level the same. For example, 100 points could be enough for a 5 one year, but in the next year it would only get a 4. We’ll talk about how to compensate for that below. Our Calculator Example: AP English Language and Composition Throughout this post we’ll be using AP English Language and Composition as an example as we talk about score calculators. It’s the most popular AP test currently. Over 500,000 students took it in 2014! There are 55 possible multiple choice points (1 point per question) worth 45% of your score, and 3 essays (worth 9 points each) for 27 possible points worth 55% of your score. This is the calculator we are using: (Multiple Choice Score x 1.23) + (Essays x 3.05) = Total Score That total score is translated to the final composite AP score of 1-5 like so: 5: 104-150 4: 92-103 3: 76-91 2: 50-75 1: 0-49 It seems a bit complicated, but once you get used to the formula it’s easy to use, and it can help you design a target score for the AP test. Using this calculator, we'll now explore the do's and don'ts of using AP score calculators. Do’s Of Using Score Calculators Grade Your Practice Exams With Them We highly recommend taking the extra step of grading any practice AP tests you take. Getting a predicted 1-5 AP score is a great way to get a snapshot of how you’re shaping up to do on the test. So instead of just getting a free response and multiple choice raw score, you can put those scores in context and get an idea of how much they need to improve before exam day. To use AP English as an example, if you took a practice exam and got a 30/55 on multiple choice and 12/27 on the essays, you might be discouraged. But using the calculator, you find you get a final score of 73 – which is just a few points away from passing! Which isn’t so shabby for a practice test. So instead of feeling disappointed, you can figure out exactly how much you need to improve to pass your next practice test. You can also get a sense of how much score improvements will help you. To use our example, you might realize â€Å"If I go from a 4 to a 6 on all my essays, I could not only pass, but get a 4 overall!† (If you got 30/55 on multiple choice and 18/27 on the essays, you would get a total score of 92, which would just barely get you a 4.) This helps you create manageable improvement goals. Remember, you don’t need to get every single point on an AP test to get a 5. And you certainly don't need every single point to pass. Come Up With a Detailed Target Score AP score calculators allow you to understand both the multiple choice and free response scores you need for certain final AP scores. This can help you decide where to focus your studying efforts. You might go for all-around improvement, or you could target your studying on just the free response or multiple choice. On AP English Language, if you’re going for a 5, you could go for near-perfect essays and have more wiggle room on multiple choice, or go for nearly-perfect multile choice and aim for middle-of-the-road essays. For example, if you get 8s on all your essays and 35/55 on multiple choice, you would get a 5 total score, which is pretty comfortably a 5. On the flipside, if you got 6s on your essays and 50/55 on multiple choice, you would also get a 5 total score. This allows you to play to your strengths on the AP exam and not overwhelm yourself trying to be perfect at everything. If you're a strong writer, you could aim for 8s on your essays and not worry about making your multiple choice score perfect. Or if you're great at taking multiple choice tests, you could aim for a 50 on multiple choice and try and make your essays decent. In short, you don't have to burn yourself out if you use a score calculator to set target scores for each section. Go For Consistency Don’t take one practice exam, calculate a 5 using the score calculator, and stop studying. Use the score calculator every time you practice, and make an effort to take at least two or three full-length practice exams before the real thing. Also try your hardest on practice free response questions and multiple choice sections your teacher may assign in class. Why? Especially when it comes to essays, you could be in trouble if you’re hit with an essay that you’re not well-equipped to answer. If you stop studying after you get a 5 on one practice test, you won't be prepared for whatever the AP test throws at you. Only by practicing consistently can you be adequately prepared or whatever questions appear on the AP test. By practicing a lot, you make sure that 5 is all-but-guaranteed, not just a fluke. In short, practice makes perfect – or at least it makes 5s! Don’ts of Using AP Score Calculators Don’t Use Them Too Early in the Year Don't worry about practicing for AP exams in the fall! There is no point in taking and grading a practice AP exam early in the year. That would be like taking a final exam for a class before winter break! You still have a lot to learn, so taking an exam early on would just stress you out. The score calculators are best used to inform you how you’re shaping up to do on the exam, so using them too early will demoralize you. You shouldn’t expect yourself to be able to tackle the AP exam before the first semester is over! Especially on the hardest exams. Wait until the first semester is over before taking practice exams and grading them. Don’t Panic If You Don’t Get the Scores You Want in Practice Even though it can be frustrating to get a 1 or 2 on a practice exam, don't despair. Remember that you’re practicing to find your weak points and improve them. Getting a low score in practice can be good because it shows you mistakes you are apt to make so you can learn from them. Think of it this way: any mistake you make while practicing is one you won’t make on the real thing as long as you study. Even if you get a 1 or a 2 on a practice exam, that doesn’t mean you’re doomed to fail on the real thing. The key is to analyze your mistakes so you can learn from them and improve for the real AP exam. Don’t Assume AP Score Calculators are 100% Accurate Simply put, they’re not! As we discussed above, they can only approximate your real score. Since AP tests are equated each year so scores are consistent, a raw score that’s good enough for a 5 on one exam could only be good enough for a 4 on another. This means when setting target scores, be generous. For example, if you’re going for a 5, don’t just practice for the lowest possible raw score that could work according to your calculator – aim for many points above that! For AP English, we would set the 5 threshold 10 points higher, 4. We would set the passing threshold (a score of 3) at 86 instead of 76. By doing this, we leave wiggle room for year-to-year test scaling differences and unexpected mistakes you might make on the exam. Bottom Line AP Calculators are an excellent tool to help you get the most out of your AP exam practice and set smart target scores. Just beware of using them too early, and don’t let them make you complacent! What’s Next? Learn more about AP: how long exams are, how they’re scored, and how many AP classes you should take. Also studying for the ACT/SAT? Get the latest tips from our expert writers on each section: SAT Math, Reading, and Writing, or ACT English, Math, Reading, and Science. Did you already take the ACT/SAT? Find out if you should retake the exam. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Personal Leadership Development Strategy Research Paper - 1

Personal Leadership Development Strategy - Research Paper Example The vision of leadership therefore places more attention on the relationship between an individual leader and the groups, while at the same time placing more emphasis on collective development. In these contexts, leadership’s relationship to capacity development is often viewed in three levels: individual, organizational and societal. Of these three main levels, societal leadership development often offers the most sustainable change, but also the most difficult to reach, monitor and by an extension evaluate. This paper analyzes personal leadership development, my current leadership state, weaknesses and strengths and it will take to reach an ideal leadership state. Success does not come on a silver platter. It only comes when you are able to face your challenges obstacles which are associated with being a leader. This process entails having adequate information of your strengths and the weaknesses that are inherent within you. Listed are my weaknesses which have contributed o r hindered my personal leadership growth, skills which I intend to enhance my course at the end of my studies; Being compassionate Hardworking Sociable Action oriented and practical High level of integrity Forgiving Having a high level of personal and social intelligence. Leadership Reviewed When looked from an organizational perspective, leadership is the ability of guiding a group of individuals that are in the organization, and thus involves creating and instituting a very clear vision and outline for an organization (Grohmann & Kauffeld, 2013). In this context, sharing a vision with other people or employees in the company aims at creating a unified platform so that fellow organizational employees can follow the company’s objectives without any compromise, and offering information, and other parameters and methods that are required for the accomplishment of the company’s vision. Additionally, leadership involves the process of organizing and coordinating various pr ogram actions and activities, and other inherent conflicting positions that may derail workers and organizational stakeholders from achieving the desired organizational levels. On the other hand, leadership management involves the process of planning, organizing, directing, coordinating, and control both human and non-human resources in an organization so as to achieve the required organizational levels. Management of people in the organization therefore is the art of planning, organizing and coordinating people and resources in the organization without compromising organizational goals and resources (John, 2002). When examined exclusively, management bears certain characteristics that define organizational efficiency and effectiveness: it involves a continuous process that is often in motion; the leader has to undertake certain functions and responsibilities in an ongoing process and allocating resources to ensure that organizational objectives are met without compromising the obje ctives of individual employees in the organization. The modern concept of organizational management views management and leadership as synonymous. In this understanding Neirott & Paolucci (2013) contend that leadership is a result driven process that is multidisciplinary in nature; it is a process that embraces focus in achieving the intended organizational goals and results through working with and by people that have diverse

Australian Law and Commonwealth Parliament Assignment

Australian Law and Commonwealth Parliament - Assignment Example According to the findings, it can, therefore, be said that the Parliament of Australia (Commonwealth Parliament) is the core institution where the process of debate, consideration, and passage of bills into laws plays out. This is a crucial aspect of governing the nation, as it allowed obsolete laws to be replaced by more relevant ones (recent laws governing grants and rights of Aboriginal Australians are a case in point). The constitution states that â€Å"a new Commonwealth (national) law can only be made, or an existing law changed or removed, by or under the authority of the federal Parliament, that is, by or in accordance with an Act of Parliament.† This instance shows that the motives and objectives for the creation of the institution of the Parliament are well articulated in the Constitution. The rest of this essay will argue that the Commonwealth Parliament is indeed endowed with broad-ranging powers to make laws for the country. The Commonwealth Parliament is a bicame ral arrangement, where the two houses of Parliament will have to concur before laws could be passed. The lower house of the Parliament is elected on the basis of ‘one-vote-one-value’ principle. The upper house, on the other hand, contains appointed members alongside elected members. Section 1 of the Constitution of Australia states that Parliament contains three units. The first component is the Queen, the second is the Senate and the third is the House of Representatives. Since the Queen is a nominal figure, she’s represented by the Governor-General. The Senate (the upper house) consists of 76 members (twelve each for each state and two for each mainland territory). Using the method of proportional voting, Senators are elected to the house. The lower house, on the other hand, is represented by 150 members. The members of the House of Representatives are drawn from electoral divisions or electorates. (Wear, 1999, p.544) These two houses meet in separate chambers of the Parliament House in the capital city to debate and vote on several legislative proposals. This way, views from all sections of society are heeded in the process. Thus, the pioneers of Australian democracy have installed a stable and foolproof structure for updating the laws of the country. (Kelly, 2001, p.44) The framers of the constitution also imposed checks and balances in the system through the endowment of unequal amounts of powers to the two houses. For example, â€Å"In matters relating to the collection or expenditure of public money the Constitution gives a more powerful role to the House of Representatives—the House of Government. Bills which authorize the spending of money (appropriation bills) and bills imposing taxation cannot originate in the Senate. The Senate may not amend bills imposing taxation and some kinds of an appropriation bill, or amend any bill so as to increase any proposed charge or burden on the people but it can ask the House to make amen dments to these bills.†Ã‚  

Criticism of the government Essay Example for Free

Criticism of the government Essay In naming people, the girls were probably projecting their own guilt onto others. In this assignment, The Crucible by Arthur Miller I am going to explore the whole situation to discover from where I think the evil came from. In order to do this, I am going to need to analyse some of the characters and state how much I think they contributed to the real evil in Salem. Firstly there is Samuel Parris. He is a very memorable character. Throughout the play, his character comes across as nasty, cold and cunning but underneath that bold exterior we see that he is an insecure and cowardly man who is easily intimidated by those of higher power in order to achieve what he believes to be a high status. Because of this, and the fact that he is widowed and has never been able to care for children, anyone who has read the play will find Parris unfit to be a father to his only daughter Betty, let alone be a minister of Salem. Due to his insecurity, Parris is paranoid that whatever he does, or wherever he goes he is being judged, as Arthur Miller states in his introduction, He believed he was being persecuted wherever he went, despite his best efforts to win people and God to his side. As he thinks of himself as a man of importance to the ordinary people of Salem, because he is a minister of Salem, he is over-sensitive and easily offended, even if someone rose to shut the door without first asking his permission. Between the very start of the play and the very end, there is quite a change in Samuel Parris character so our feelings towards him change also. As a member of an audience first watching the play, I would have no idea of the characteristics of Parris, which are described above, so when Parris first appears I am not biased towards him, and, in fact pity him as he kneels helplessly at the bedside of his daughter, although this feeling does not last long. We can see through Parris actions throughout the play that he is actually quite a foolish man. Although it is obvious that there are many others who can be blamed for the start of the witch-hunts in Salem, Samuel Parris is to blame on many occasions. For instance, his inability to handle the situation, the dancing in the woods, where he found his daughter, niece and other young girls in the wood, doing what he thought to be conjuring spirits, and Bettys state of unconsciousness. Parris could have handled the situation with humour, realising that such young girls were most probably unable to conjure spirits, and that Betty may have reacted like she did out of fear and hysteria. In this scene we find that Parris is very selfish as he cares more for his reputation than for the well being of his only daughter. He says that he does not wish to leap to withcraft for the cause of Bettys state when he says, Let him look to medicine and put out all thought of unnatural causes here. There be none. We believe that he is worried about his daughter and does not wish to let himself believe that there might be some evil presence with a hold on Betty, but it soon becomes apparent that he is only worried about his reputation and how his enemies will try and use Bettys condition against him, Now look you child, your punishment will come in its time. But if you trafficked with spirits in the forest I must know it now, for surely my enemies will, and they will ruin me with it. Parris can also be quite cruel. Instead of bringing up his niece Abigail as a cherished member of his family, he sends her out to work as a maid to the families of the village. Because of this, and all the previous discoveries made about Parris, it is easy for the audience to start to see his character differ from how it was at the very start of the play. We start to resent Parris, and start to see the cunning and selfish character of Parris, as described in Arthur Millers introduction to the play. One action that proves just how prone to act before thinking Parris is, is when he calls for Reverend Hale of Beverly, an expert in seeking out unnatural presences, although he has already stated that he does not want to look to unnatural causes to find the source of Bettys condition. He then progresses to tell Mr Hale that he caught the girls in the woods conjuring spirits, Why, sir-I discovered her and my niece and ten or twelve of the other girls, dancing in the forest last night. There was absolutely no need for Parris to have told Hale that. If he had not told him then Hale would have eventually have had to come to some conclusion about what was wrong with Betty and even if he did say it was to do with the unnatural world, Samuel Parris, nor any of the girls could be held responsible. It is doubtful that any of the girls would have confessed it themselves as the other girls threatened those who came close to telling. Later on in the play, Parris realises this early mistake he has made even though by now it is too late to save himself. After Hale eventually manages to get the girls to confess to have conjured spirits, we see a great change in Parris views towards witchcraft. He no longer wishes to stay away from the possibility of unnatural causes; in fact he does all he can to put all the blame on it when he finds that he can use it to his advantage. Parris seems to find it his responsibility to make matters worse for anyone accused of witchcraft, as with anyone whos testament may stand in the way of him achieving what he wants. As the girls make wild accusations about the poor innocent members of the Salem community, Parris makes senseless claims that make it seem like the girls are telling the truth. He does the same with anyone who tries to defend someone he has accused. He does this solely for his own benefit. Take for example when, in Act three, Judge Danforth asks John Proctor, Now, what deposition do you have for us, Mr Proctor? to which Proctor replies Its a sort of testament. The people signing it declare their good opinion or Rebecca, and my wife, and Martha Corey. Parris tries to enforce doubt into the minds of those present by questioning the validity of his argument, Their good opinion! though thankfully, he does this to no avail. Parris character stays pretty much the same throughout the duration of the play. He continues to ruin peoples lives. He is quite wise as he is able to manipulate peoples words to make it sound as if they are confessing to have trafficked with the devil. Nearing the end of the play, when John Proctor has been accused of witchcraft and is to be hanged, Parris character changes somewhat. Prior to the accusation against Proctor, Parris has slandered John Proctor and Giles to judge Danforth so that they will not be believed because he knows that if they are, it will look bad on his part. Soon after Proctor is accused, the people of Salem, who had always applauded the execution of witches, realised that the innocent were being killed. They chose to take out their anger on Parris and he received death wishes, one being a dagger in his door. This is what brings on the peculiar difference in his character. With his vain attempts, he tries to get Proctor to admit to witchcraft although he knows hes not guilty of it. Parris reason for doing this is clear to the audience, and our beliefs that he is a selfish man are confirmed. There are also many others who can be blamed for the Salem witch-trials. One other is Abigail Williams. I think that Abigail is the main, and close to being the only cause of the witch hunts in Salem. In comparison to all the other characters that I will describe, she is relatively young, yet she seems to be the wisest in the art of corruption and deceit. As with every character in the play, as a member of the audience I know nothing about Abigails character other done what she shows through how she portrays herself on stage. Because of this, when we first meet Abigails character, we have no previously existing feelings towards her. We first see Abigail when she has just entered the bedroom of her cousin Betty, who lies inert on her bed after the shock of being caught dancing in the woods. Her character seems to be gentle and caring. We soon learn that she is not so innocent because of two things she does, or has done. The first is the news of the cruel deed that she is supposed to have committed against Elizabeth Proctor, as Parris says Abigail, is there any other cause than you have told me, for your being discharged from Goody Proctors service she comes so rarely to church this year for she will not sit so close to something soiled. What signified that remark? By the way that she responds to this, it is simple to see that she is very aware of how she feels about people, and cares nothing about the respect she should show them, through what she says, She hates me, uncle, she must, for I would not be her slave. Its a bitter woman, a lying, cold, snivelling, woman, and I will not work for such a woman! The second is the change in attitude she has towards Betty. She claims that she will never do anything to harm Betty, I would never hurt Betty. I love her dearly. But as soon as Parris has left the room, we see that she is conniving and all that she said whilst Parris was in the room was an act. Immediately we grow to resent Abigail as we have seen her for just a short while, yet she has already been deceitful to someone that she should have great respect for. Abigail, in fact, has no real care for Betty. Her only care is that Betty does not land her in trouble. Once Parris has left the room, Abigail becomes more aggressive in her attempts to get Betty out of her unconscious state, Betty? Now stop this! Betty! Sit up now! Abigail is a person who easily intimidates her peers. I personally think that the other girls allow her to be so dominant over them as they think that she has no fear of anyone because of what happened to her parents, I saw Indians smash my dear parents heads on the pillow next to mine, and I have seen some reddish work done at night, and I can make you wish you had never seen the sun go down! There is much that can be said about Abigail, and her contribution to the evil in Salem. As Mary Warren tells her early on in the play, all Abigail has to do, to save her own, and many others lives, is admit to having had danced in the woods. If she had been straight with Parris and told him everything that went on in the woods instead of blaming it on Tituba then she, along with the other girls who participated, would have only been whipped for their dancing. When Abigail and Proctor are first seen together in Bettys room, we see once more the lack of Abigails innocence as we find out about the pairs brief encounter, Give me a soft word, John. A soft word. The manner in which Abigail talks to Proctor is not of that of a child, so any beliefs that we assumed about the innocence of her character are dashed. When Reverend Hale first arrives and begins to question Abigail, she is frightened of the thought of being caught, and then when Hale simply asks if she was forced into it by Tituba, she finds a useful way of shifting the blame away from her, and onto someone that she herself knows is entirely innocent. Because of this our feelings towards Abigail change dramatically. Not only has her character lost its innocence, but it has also gained a streak of deceit, cruelty, and cowardice. Out of pure fear for her life, Tituba confesses to having had conjured spirits, but when Abigail joins her in confessing, it is done purely to alleviate her from the guilt of letting Tituba take all the blame. The fact that the other girls soon join in after Abigail either symbolises the same thing it did with Abigail or just shows how much power Abigail expresses other them. Because of the fact that Tituba is supposed to be a cherished friend of all the girls, how easily the girls can blame her comes as a shock, and just shows how far from kind the girls are. Unknowingly the adults actually fuel the start of the witch-hunts as they feed the girls with names of people that can be held liable of committing the crime. However, Abigail is fully aware of what the adults are doing and uses it to her advantage. The other girls follow Abigail, but only out of the hysteria. This event helps to inspire Abigail. Throughout the rest of the play, Abigail uses this technique to claim that she saw people with the devil. She is believed by the court officials because, as judge Danforth says, witchcraft is ipso facto, on its face and by its nature, an invisible crime, is it not? Therefore, who may possibly be witness to it? The witch and the victim. As I have already stated, Abigail is clever and it does not take her long to realise that she can blame people that she wishes to take revenge on, whatever the reason may be. For example, Abigail accuses Elizabeth Proctor because she wants her out of the way so that John Proctor will return to her. Abigail seems heartless as she jeers when she sees people that she knows are innocent being hanged. For this reason, and many others that I have described, including her infatuation with John Proctor, I blame Abigail for the Salem witch-trials. She contributed more than most of the others. Although it is not his fault, John Hale can be blamed for the conviction of people accused of witchcraft. However, John Hale did not contribute much to the evil. Through all of his actions, John Hale acts honestly and is genuinely convinced that the people are possessed. Hale is a minister who specialises in ascertaining witchcraft. He is convinced that he can tell if a person is possessed, and does not mean to cause any harm when he uses his gift to convince people to confess to trafficking. The accused know that confession is the only way of staying alive, but, at this moment, Hale is oblivious to it. Fortunately, Hale realises what is going on, after he is confronted by Proctor when he speaks of how many have confessed to witchcraft, why not, if they must die for denyin it? There are them that will swear to anything before theyll hang: have you never thought of that? Hale is truly remorseful and from that point on, does everything in his power to resolve the situation. But, with Hales case, although he does nothing to promote it, it shows how much image overpowers common sense. Hale brings with him weird books and he is thought of as a great healer, whereas Giles Coreys wife is hanged for reading books that could have been just like Hales. Compared to most of the other characters, the Putnams played a relatively small part in their contribution. In these times, it was thought that if a child died young it was the mothers failure as a woman. Ann has had seven of her eight children die at a young age and is ashamed of what the townspeople must think of her. Because of this we pity her. When Goody Osburn is blamed, Ann is relieved and is quick to find that she can now use Goody Osburn as the reason her children died, as she states, just after Goody Osburn is charged, I knew it! Goody Osburn were midwife to me three times. I begged you, Thomas, did I not? I begged him not call Osburn because I feared her. My babies always shrivelled in her hands! Unlike Ann, Thomas Putnam does not act out of grief, but out of greed. For this reason, we dont pity Thomas, and, in fact, feel resentment towards him, as he is heartless. He feels absolutely no guilt or remorse in falsely testifying in court about someone that he wants something from. For instance, Thomas Putnam convinces his daughter Ruth to cry witchery on George Jacobs so that he will be arrested, as it is obvious that such a man will not admit to working with unnatural spirits. This was because the law on witchcraft was, if someone was executed after being accused of witchery, but does not admit to it, then their land becomes state property, which means that anyone can buy it. Giles Corey realises that Putnam is acting out of greed and heads straight to court, in an attempt to overthrow the court, as Danforth questions Putnam I have here an accusation by Mr Corey against you. He states that you coldly prompted your daughter to cry witchery upon George Jacobs that is now in jail. John Proctor can also be blamed because from the start, he could have brought the situation to a halt if he had not been such a coward. From the start, Elizabeth tries to tell John Proctor of the dangers of Abigail but he does not seem to grasp just how dangerous the situation might become, until it is too late.

Kitchen Science :: physics science

EGGS "A ""A Hne"A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg." ~ Samuel Butler making another egg." "Besides for being a staple ingredient in cookie dough, we like eggs because there's lots of science involved with them." ~Blake Rider One of the most notable characteristic of an egg is how much an egg white can foam up. Why does this happen? Eggs are approximately 90 percent water and 10 percent protein. There is an electrical attraction between water molecules (for this reason you won't get any results from trying to whip up water alone) and when you beat them you are allowing the proteins to break apart the water molecules. When they get farther apart, the electric attraction decreases which allows the egg whites to spread out and bonds to form between the proteins. Over beaten eggs really means that too many bonds formed between the proteins and you can actually help to prevent this by adding vinegar. Vinegar is an acid so its particles are positively charged. These charged particles join charged protein, neutralizing them and making them less likely to form bonds with other proteins. Cold eggs whites will be more difficult to beat into a foam, because the air bubbles will be smaller and more difficult to seperate than egg whites at room temperature. Boiling eggs: Have you ever hard boiled an egg and it ended up with a flat edge on one side? Eggs have a small pocket of air trapped in-between the flatter end of the egg and the shell. When the eggs are boiled the temperature rises and so does the volume of the air pockets which do not allow for the flatter ends to cook up against the shell and will, therefore, end up with one side flatter. Solution? If you happen to be an egg connoisseur and want that full egg shape is all you have to do is poke a hold with a small needle through the outer membrane of the shell. As the pressure builds, the air will be pushed out into the boiling water (so you should see a stream of bubbles coming from the egg) but the egg white will not be able to escape through the inner membrane. The result will be a perfectly egg shaped egg. Discoloration: Anyone who has hard boiled eggs before probably has noticed that the yolk will sometimes have a dark greenish tint to it. Kitchen Science :: physics science EGGS "A ""A Hne"A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg." ~ Samuel Butler making another egg." "Besides for being a staple ingredient in cookie dough, we like eggs because there's lots of science involved with them." ~Blake Rider One of the most notable characteristic of an egg is how much an egg white can foam up. Why does this happen? Eggs are approximately 90 percent water and 10 percent protein. There is an electrical attraction between water molecules (for this reason you won't get any results from trying to whip up water alone) and when you beat them you are allowing the proteins to break apart the water molecules. When they get farther apart, the electric attraction decreases which allows the egg whites to spread out and bonds to form between the proteins. Over beaten eggs really means that too many bonds formed between the proteins and you can actually help to prevent this by adding vinegar. Vinegar is an acid so its particles are positively charged. These charged particles join charged protein, neutralizing them and making them less likely to form bonds with other proteins. Cold eggs whites will be more difficult to beat into a foam, because the air bubbles will be smaller and more difficult to seperate than egg whites at room temperature. Boiling eggs: Have you ever hard boiled an egg and it ended up with a flat edge on one side? Eggs have a small pocket of air trapped in-between the flatter end of the egg and the shell. When the eggs are boiled the temperature rises and so does the volume of the air pockets which do not allow for the flatter ends to cook up against the shell and will, therefore, end up with one side flatter. Solution? If you happen to be an egg connoisseur and want that full egg shape is all you have to do is poke a hold with a small needle through the outer membrane of the shell. As the pressure builds, the air will be pushed out into the boiling water (so you should see a stream of bubbles coming from the egg) but the egg white will not be able to escape through the inner membrane. The result will be a perfectly egg shaped egg. Discoloration: Anyone who has hard boiled eggs before probably has noticed that the yolk will sometimes have a dark greenish tint to it.

McDonald’s: Customer Driven Essay

What does it mean to be customer driven? One Fortune 500 Company that lives to please and satisfy their customers is, McDonald’s. According to the article The Ray Kroc Story (2012), McDonald’s passion for quality and customer service all began with a man named Ray Kroc (p.1). In 1954, Ray came across a restaurant in San Bernardino, California run by brothers Dick and Mac McDonald. He was immediately captivated by how effective their small operation was. Ray found that the restaurant only offered a limited menu, which consisted of burgers, fries, and beverages. Due to the limited variety, the brothers were able to focus on what was really important, which was quality customer service. Ray Kroc had formed a vision. The article The Ray Kroc Story (2012), he pitched his vision of McDonald’s restaurants all over the United States to the brothers (p. 2). In 1955, one year after discovering the small restaurant in California, Ray Kroc founded the McDonald’s Corporation. Five years later, Ray bought the exclusive rights to the McDonald’s name, and by 1958 McDonald’s has sold its 100 millionth burger. According to the article The Ray Kroc Story (2012), Kroc’s unique philosophy was that he wanted to build a restaurant system that would be famous for its food consistency, its uniform methods of preparation, and that was customer driven (p. 3). He wanted to be able to serve burgers in Alaska that would taste the same in Alabama. To make this a reality he persuaded franchisees and suppliers to buy into his vision. This was that they were not working for McDonald’s, but rather for themselves, for McDonalds. Ray Kroc never stopped working for McDonald’s. He worked there right up until  he passed away on January 24, 1984 (p. 4). He worked out of his wheelchair in his office, nearly every day, in San Diego, California. Ray Kroc’s legacy and passion for quality, service, and efficiency continues to still be an integral part of McDonald’s today. McDonald’s has more than 33,500 restaurants worldwide. It also has 1.7 million employees, throughout 119 countries. McDonald’s mission statement and list of values truly shows how they are customer driven and what they focus on, to continue being successful. The article McDonald’s Mission and Vision (2010-2012), their brand mission is to be their customers favorite place and way to eat (p. 1). They operate around seven core values every day. The first value is that they place the customer experience at the core of what they do. They say that their customers are the reason for their existence. They show their appreciation by providing every person that walks through their door, and drives through their drive thru with high quality food. Their goal is quality, service, cleanliness, and value for each and every customer. Second, they are committed to their customers. McDonald’s provides ample opportunity, they nurture talent, and they develop leaders. This company believes that a team of well-trained individuals, coming from diverse backgrounds, working together fosters respect, and is key in their continued success. The third value according to the article McDonald’s Mission and Vision (2010-2012) is that they believe in their system (p. 1). McDonald’s has a business model that Ray Kroc compared to a three legged stool. His philosophy was based on the simple principle of the three legged stool: one leg was McDonald’s, the second leg was the franchisees, and the third leg was McDonald’s suppliers. Fourth, they operate their business ethically. This company believes that sound ethics is good business. They strive to hold themselves and to conduct their business to a high standard of fairness, honesty, and also integrity. McDonald’s believes that they are individually accountable and collectively  responsible. Fifth, they give back to their communities. McDonald’s is serious about the responsibilities that come along with being a leader. They try to make the world a better place by helping their customers build better communities, supporting the Ronald McDonald House Charities, and by leveraging their size, scope, and resources. Sixth, they grow their business profitably. This company is a publicly traded company. Being that they are publicly traded, they work to provides sustained profitable growth for their shareholders. In order to do this they have to focus continually on their customers and the health of their system. The last and final value that McDonald’s lives by is that want to continuously improve. They consider themselves a learning organization. One of the goals under this value is to anticipate and respond to changing customers, employees, and system needs through constant innovation and evolution. Ray Kroc (2010-2012) once said, â€Å"McDonald’s is a people’s business† (p. 1). One major way this company shows that it cares about its customers, can be seen through the company’s involvement in their customers communities. McDonald’s is a part of a global network of local family restaurants, and they are proud to give back to the communities they serve. They demonstrate this by supporting local sports teams, helping talented young athletes, and taking steps to improve neighborhoods. Two example of this can be seen through McDonald’s involvement in the McDonald’s All American High School Basketball Games, and Camp Mickey D’s. Every year the company brings the top high school basketball talent in the nation together to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House Charities. Camp Mickey D’s was created by Sybel Pici, owner of three McDonald’s franchise in Texas. This program helps students come to terms and grips with the challenges of the workplace, while making a connection between school and work. One of the most widely recognized ways that McDonald’s shows it is customer  driven is through its support of the Ronald McDonald House Charities. According to the article The Ronald McDonald House Charities (2010-2012), the Ronald McDonald House Charities was founded on the idea of strength through numbers (p. 1). Through this customers and families find strength from staff, donors, and each other. The Ronald McDonald House provides a home away from home for families whose children are in hospitals or need medical treatment. Since 2002, McDonalds has brought together its franchisees, suppliers, employees, and customers to take part in a worldwide annual fundraiser. This fundraiser has brought in nearly $170 million for the Ronald McDonald House Charities and other various charities. McDonald’s has many strong suits. First, they rank high on the Fortune Magazine’s food service companies that are most admired. They have global operations all over the world. McDonald’s has cultural diversity in the foods that are provided based on the location. This company has great locations in theme parks, airports, Walmart stores, and along well traveled roads. They have efficient operating guidelines in the assembly line fashion. One weakness is that they are failing the pizza test market therefore limiting the ability to compete with fast food pizza providers. Their training costs are high due to high turnover. They have minimal concentration on providing organic foods. McDonald’s has large fluctuations in the net and operating profits making impacts on investors. There are quality concerns due to franchised operations. Last, they focus on burgers and grease fried foods and not on healthier options for their customers. One opportunity that McDonald’s has is they are opening more joint ventures with several different retailers. They have become more responsive to the social changes and healthier options. They are advertising the capabilities of WIFI. The company has been expanding on the advertising in regards to being more socially responsible in the environment. They have expanded in to newly developed parts of the world. They have opened products up to allergen free options such as peanut free and gluten free foods. Last they have ventured into more enticing beverage choices. One threat is that their marketing strategies are enticing people all the way from small children to adults and they take criticism because of it. McDonald’s has lawsuits for offering unhealthy foods with addictive additives. They have contamination risks. One threat is that there are a large amount of other fast food places that are open and serve as competition. The competition is focusing on healthier dieting by consumers. Last there is a downturn in economy which limits people to going out to eat. Through the vision of Ray Kroc, a Fortune 500 company was formed. Through McDonald’s mission statement and seven core values, this company has had continued success over the years. The success of this company is a direct result of being a truly customer driven company. References McDonald Mission and Corporate Values :: AboutMcDonalds.com. (n.d.)._† Official Global Corporate Website :: AboutMcDonalds.com_. Retrieved March 24, 2012, from http://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/mcd/our_company/mission_and_values.html Ronald McDonald House Charities :: McDonalds.com. (n.d.). _Home :: McDonalds.com_. Retrieved March 23, 2012, from http://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en/our_story/our_communities/rmhc.html The Ray Kroc Story :: McDonalds.com. (n.d.). _Home :: McDonalds.com_. Retrieved March 22, 2012, from http://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en/our_story/our_history/the_ray_kroc_story.html

Fair Value Case

Case 11-2(b) Fair Value Disclosures Case 11-2(b) is an extension of Case 11-2(a). For this case, assume that the Case 11-2(a) facts remain, with the exception of the additional assumptions listed below for each security. As stated in Case 11-2(a), Family Finance Co. (FFC) accounts for its investments at fair value, with changes in fair value reflected either in earnings (for trading securities) or other comprehensive income (OCI) (for available-for-sale (AFS) securities). Because FFC uses the interest rate swap in a cash-flow hedge, FFC measures the derivative at fair value, presenting the portion of the fair value change that effectively offsets cash flow variability on its corporate debt in OCI and the remainder in earnings. Additional facts related to specific securities and derivatives owned by FFC are described below. Also refer to the data table at the end of this section for the fair value amounts for each instrument needed to complete the case. S tudents should assume that al l amounts discussed below and those included in the data tables are U.S. dollars in thousands. Instrument 1 — Collateralized Debt Obligation †¢ FFC classifies its collateralized debt obligation (CDO) within Level 3 of the ASC 820, Fair Value Measurement, fair value hierarchy as of December 31, 2012. †¢ FFC identified October 1, 2012, as the date on which the CDO’s fair value measurement changed in classification from Level 2 to Level 3. †¢ FFC determined the broker quotes were not significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety because those quotes resulted in a management adjustment to the income-approach discount rate of just 1 percent.On the basis of sensitivity analysis performed by adjusting the discount rate, management determined percentage changes of 2 percent result in a significantly higher or lower fair value. Further, management performed a qualitative assessment of the significance of these inputs to its fair value measurement and concluded that it did not place much weight on these measurements because they were based on proprietary models using unobservable inputs.That is, management could not, without unreasonable effort, conclude with sufficient assurance whether the quotes were prepared in accordance with ASC 820 and reflected current market conditions and market participant assumptions. †¢ FFC accounts for the CDO as a trading security. 1 Note that as discussed in Case 11-2(a), Instrument 4 is an equity security that does not have a readily determinable fair value and thus is not within the scope of ASC 320, Investments — Debt and Equity Securities.However, FFC has elected the fair value option for the security in accordance with ASC 82510, Financial Instruments: Overall, and thus accounts for the investment at fair value with changes in fair value recorded through earnings. C opyright 2009 Deloitte Development LLC All Rights Reserved. Case 11-2(b): Fair Value Disc losures Page 2 Instrument 2 — Mortgage-Backed Security †¢ FFC classifies its mortgage-backed security (MBS) within Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy as of December 31, 2012. †¢ FFC accounts for the MBS as a trading security. Instrument 3 — Auction-Rate Security †¢FFC classifies its auction-rate securities (ARSs) within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy as of December 31, 2012. †¢ FFC identified November 1, 2012, as the date on which the fair value measurement of the ARSs changed in classification from Level 2 to Level 3. †¢ FFC accounts for the ARSs as AFS securities. Instrument 4 — Equity Security of a Nonpublic Company †¢ FFC classifies its investment in Company X within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy during 2012. †¢ FFC sold the equity security in October 2012 for $120. Instrument 5 — Interest Rate Swap †¢ The interest rate (IR) swap is part of a portfolio of IR swaps.FFC individually assessed the IR swaps and classified them wit hin Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy as of December 31, 2012. †¢ FFC does not measure its corporate debt at fair value with changes in fair value reported in earnings. †¢ FFC executes IR swaps with various counterparties and accounts for its IR swap assets and liabilities on a gross basis on its balance sheet. Instrument 6 — Fuel Swap — Gasoline †¢ FFC classifies its fuel swap within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy as of December 31, 2012. †¢ The fuel swap was the only derivative in FFC’s commodity derivatives portfolio. †¢The fuel swap’s fair value at initial recognition (January 2, 2012) was $0. Furthermore, each of the four annual swaplets 2 had an inception value of $0. 2 A s waplet is akin to a swap with a single settlement. For example, an IR swap with a duration of two years that re-prices and settles every quarter can also be viewed as a sequential series of eight swaplets at inception (each swaplet is net settled a s of the settlement date specified in the swap contract). The fair value measurement of an IR swap considers the expected cash flows of all unsettled swaplets as of the measurement date.C opyright 2009 Deloitte Development LLC All Rights Reserved. Case 11-2(b): Fair Value Disc losures †¢ Page 3 The first annual swaplet settled on December 31, 2012, resulting in a net cash payment to FFC of $100. Required: †¢ Using the case facts and the fair value amounts provided in the fair value data table below, prepare the annual quantitative disclosure tables required by ASC 820 as of December 31, 2012, for each of the six instruments: o For fair value measurements as of the reporting date (i. e. , December 31, 2012) separately for each class of assets and liabilities.Use blank table formats 1a and 1b below to complete the required quantitative disclosures. (Note that participants are also required to identify the classes of assets and liabilities to include in Tables 1a and 1b. ) o For assets and liabilities measured at fair value by means of significant unobservable inputs on a recurring basis, a reconciliation of the beginning and ending balances (i. e. , annual table) separately for each class of assets and liabilities, including where the gains or losses included in earnings are reported in the income statement.Use blank table format 2 below to complete the required quantitative disclosures. (Note that participants are also required to identify the classes of assets and liabilities to include in Table 2. ) o For certain assets and liabilities measured at fair value, (1) the amount of the total gains or losses for the period included in earnings that are attributable to the change in unrealized gains or losses relating to those assets and liabilities still held as of the reporting date (i. e. , December 31, 2012) and (2) a description of where those unrealized gains or losses are reported in the income statement.Use blank table format 2 below to complete th e required quantitative disclosures. o For assets and liabilities measured at fair value by means of significant unobservable inputs, quantitative information about the significant unobservable inputs used in the fair value measurement. Use blank table format 3 below to complete the required quantitative disclosures. (Note that participants are also required to identify the classes of assets and liabilities to include in Table 3. ) †¢ Identify any qualitative disclosures required under ASC 820 for each of the six instruments as of December 31, 2012.C opyright 2009 Deloitte Development LLC All Rights Reserved. Data Tables Fair Value Data Table (U. S. dollar amounts in thousands) I nstrument 1. CDO 2. MBS 3. ARS 4. Equity security of nonpublic company (PEI) 5. IR s wap (asset) 5a. IR swap portfolio — gross asset values 5b. IR swap portfolio — gross liability values 5c. IR swap portfolio — net assets by counterparty 5d. IR swap portfolio — net liability by counterparty 6. Fuel swap Beginning Balance — 1/1/2012 N/A N/A 75 90 N/A 200 (125) 105 (30) N/A Purchase Value / Date 50 / 6/1/12 85 / 9/1/12 N/A N/A 0 / 1/2/2012 Various Various VariousVarious 0 / 1/2/2012 Fair Value at Transfer Date 40 N/A 55 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Ending Balance — 12/31/2012 25 75 50 0 40 140 (100) 60 (20) 375 I ncome Statement Line I tem Trading revenues Trading revenues Other revenues Other revenues Trading revenues Trading revenues Trading revenues Trading revenues Trading revenues Trading revenues PEI = private equity investments. I nstrument 5 — IR Swap Portfolio (Support for Break-up by Counterparty to Compute Gross Values) Beginning Balance Asset Liability Net Ending balance Asset Liability Net Total A-1 200 –125 75 20 –30 –10 140 –100 40 0 –15 25 Counterparties A-2 B-1 40 20 –25 –40 15 –20 50 –15 35 30 –50 –20 B-2 120 –30 90 20 –20 0 C opyright 2009 Deloitte Development LLC All Rights Reserved. Case 11-2(b): Fair Value Disc losures Page 2 Fuel Swap Data Table Pay Fixed, Receive Float (Fuel Swap) Four-year swap settles annually, executed 1/1/12, matures 12/31/15; Inception transaction price = zero (at-market swap), each of the four annual s waplets had an inception fair value = zero Cash Flow From Settlements Occurring at End of Fair Value by Period by Swaplet Swaplet Fair Value Quarter Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 TotalFair value — Year 1 (1/2/12 — beginning of period) 0 0 0 0 0 N/A — Fair value — Year 1 (12/31/12 — end of period) s ettled 120 125 130 375 Y1 100 Unobservable Inputs Data Table Collateralized Debt Obligation Credit spread Discount for lack of marketability 2% 5% Aucton-Rate Security Estimate of future coupon rates Constant prepayment rate Credit spread Discount for lack of marketability 4. 30% 4. 00% 2. 00% 15% Aucton-Rate Security U. S. unleaded gasoline forward pr ice curve (per gallon) CVA $2. 00 – $4. 00 4. 00% C opyright 2009 Deloitte Development LLC All Rights Reserved. Format for Table 1a:Table 1a Description / Classes [For Assets] Fair Value Measurements as of Reporting Date Determined by Quoted Prices in Active S ignificant Other S ignificant M arkets for Identical Assets Observable Inputs Unobservable Inputs (Level 1) (Level 2) (Level 3) [CLASSES TO BE DETERMINED BY PARTICIPANTS] T otal assets -– – – – – Format for Table 1b: Table 1b Description / Classes [For Liabilities] Fair Value Measurements as of Reporting Date Determined by Quoted Prices in Active S ignificant Other S ignificant M arkets for Identical Assets Observable Inputs Unobservable Inputs (Level 1) Level 2) (Level 3) [CLASSES TO BE DETERMINED BY PARTICIPANTS] T otal liabilities Format for Table 2: Level 3 Recurring Fair Value Measurement Disclosure Trading CDO AFS ARS PEI Retail Derivatives Commodities Beginning balance Total gai ns or losses (realized/unrealized): Included in earnings (or changes in net assets) Included in other comprehensive income Purchases Issues Sales Settlements Transfers into Level 3 Transfers out of Level 3 Ending balance The amount of total gains or losses for the period included in earnings (or changes in net assets) attributable to the hange in unrealized gains or losses relating to assets still held as of the reporting date Realized Total C opyright 2009 Deloitte Development LLC All Rights Reserved. Case 11-2(b): Fair Value Disc losures Page 2 Format for Table 3: Level 3 Fair Value Measurements – Quantitative Information About Significant Unobservable Inputs I nvestment Fair Value at 12/31/12 Valuation Technique Unobservable Input Value Instrument 1 Fair Value Technique Input 1 Input 2 Amount, range, etc. Amount, range, etc. Instrument 2 Fair Value Technique Input 1 Amount, range, etc. C opyright 2009 Deloitte Development LLC All Rights Reserved.

The Anonymous Author

The Anonymous Author I read an interesting essay recently, fully expecting to gloss it over and move on to my next email. But the theme grabbed my mind and wouldnt let go, and when that happens, when I see it matters to the writers I love, I usually convert the message into a FundsforWriters post. While fame impedes and constricts, obscurity wraps about a man like a mist; obscurity is dark, ample, and free; obscurity lets the mind take its way unimpeded. Over the obscure man is poured the merciful suffusion of darkness. None knows where he goes or comes. He may seek the truth and speak it; he alone is free; he alone is truthful; he alone is at peace. ~Virginia Woolfe Imagine being able to write without worry as to what the world thought of you? Imagine writing not caring how many books sold? Imagine just focusing on leaving your deepest thoughts on paper with no ramifications or backlash from family and friends? Virginia Woolfe said it best when she stated, the delight of having no name, but being like a wave which returns to the deep body of the sea. Oh my goodness, I could envision and embrace that feeling. Isnt that what we crave as writers? To write without repercussions? To write from our most inside place and let it loose into the world then retreat back to our inner self and write again? When we write solely for profit, our writing often suffers a bit, because we write knowing that it has to be accepted When we write solely to release our candid, sincere thoughts, and yes, Im including with fiction, we feel a sense of relief, release, and self-sustaining integrity. But we risk not making many sales. My suggestion is this . . . if you are writing as a career, then you must write somewhat for the public. However, somewhere along the way, write something that is yours. Write something that reconnects with your true being. Feel honorable and principled writing for one person, yourself. You never know . . . that might be your best work.

Artist vs. Artisan

Artist vs. Artisan Artist vs. Artisan Artist vs. Artisan By Mark Nichol What’s the difference between an artist and an artisan? This unnecessarily sensitive question is equivalent to the issue of what constitutes art and what is designated as craft. In both cases, the former word essentially refers to the making of tangible or intangible products as an expression of creativity and imagination for purely aesthetic reasons. An artisan, meanwhile, though spurred by the same impulses, produces crafts, which, though they may be acquired only for decoration, are designed to be practical. Therefore, though some tension between artist and artisan between producers of art and designers of crafts may exist because of a perceived differential in their relative cultural status, the technical definitions are just that: precise distinctions not in quality or artistic achievement but in function. The word for the creator of art is the gender-neutral term artist. (The French form of the word, artiste, came to apply more broadly to creative professionals, especially performers, though it also has a pejorative sense of â€Å"pretentious artist.†) By extension, one talented in any endeavor even a con artist may earn the term. By contrast, makers of crafts have gender-specific labels craftsman and craftswoman but though craftsperson is the natural neutral term, many such practitioners prefer to be called artisans. (The Latin ancestor of this term is artire, which means â€Å"to instruct in the arts.†) Other words that ultimately derive from the Latin word ars (â€Å"art†) include artifact, which comes from the Italian word artifatto and ultimately from the Latin terms arte and factum (meaning â€Å"thing made†), originally having primarily an archaeological sense but now referring to anything left behind or remaining, and artifice, which originally meant workmanship but, from a secondary sense of â€Å"cunning,† came to refer to deceit or trickery. (However, artificer remains a synonym for artisan, although it can also refer to one who contrives or makes things or ideas.) Artificial, the adjectival form of artifice, broadly refers to anything not produced in nature. Artful once referred exclusively to artistic skill but later primarily came to mean â€Å"dexterous, wily†; in that sense, the term is best known in the moniker of the Artful Dodger, an adroit young pickpocket in Charles Dickens’s novel Oliver Twist. The antonym, artless, likewise was originally a reference to a lack of talent but now usually refers to clumsiness in word or deed. Arty and artsy both describe artists, but the terms have developed a pejorative sense of pretension, and artsy is hyphenated in combination with craftsy and, worse, fartsy, to refer to someone with such airs, or a creation of theirs. Art is used in combination with other terms to denote subgenres with serious artistic ambitions (â€Å"art film,† â€Å"art rock†) as well as artistic movements, as in â€Å"art deco,† a truncation of the French phrase art dà ©coratif (â€Å"decorative art†), and art nouveau (â€Å"new art†); the first letter of each word in these phrases is often capitalized, especially when associated with other initial-capped designations. Another movement, named arts and crafts, is usually initial-capped to distinguish it from generic references. The liberal arts are the academic subjects also known as the humanities. The term liberal stems from the idea that knowledge of these subjects and the attendant skills are necessary for free people to know in order to be productive members of society. From the phrase â€Å"liberal arts† comes the designations for mastery of coursework known as the bachelor of arts and master of arts degrees (truncated, alternatively as â€Å"bachelor’s degree,† or bachelor’s, and â€Å"master’s degree,† or master’s). These terms have no specific relation to art itself, though study and/or practice of art may be a component of the coursework. 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 Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:30 Religious Terms You Should KnowRunning Amok or Running Amuck?10 Humorous, Derisive, or Slang Synonyms for â€Å"Leader† or â€Å"Official†

Open Communications Network With PLCs Assignment

Open Communications Network With PLCs - Assignment Example These levels of communication are either open or closed. Open communication technologies using programmable logic controllers are in some instances considered to be less secure since they are prone to interference by unauthorized individuals. However, they are proffered by several companies due to their low costs (Beach, 2008). There are several devices that enable data transmission using Programmable Logic Controllers. These encompass several gateways that are hosted in different operating system development environment. Open network communication getaways use the open Linux development environment together with certified hardware to ensure secure and efficient data transmission. Using these getaways, several interfaces are employed. These include universal serials Buses (USB’s), Serial ports, secure digits cards (SD cards) and Ethernet. Also, internal peripherals such as Global position System (GPS) receivers, and cellular modems maybe used. Programmable Logic Controllers networks are equipped with several options that are designed to meet specific communication and control requirements. Some of the typical options provided include peer-to-peer communications, host computer communications among others. The vendors of this PLC devices produce unique devices with unique networking capabilities (Irwin,