Free Essays on Small Firm Use Of Leverage

8. Coleman, S. and R. Cohn, (1999)  « Small Firm Use of Leverage : A Comparison of Men and Women-Owned Firms  », Conference Proceedings, United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship, San Diego, January 14-17. Abstract Prior research and anecdotal evidence suggests that women-owned small businesses use less debt than men. This study uses data from a nationwide sample of small businesses to determine differences in leverage between men and women-owned firms. Findings reveal that the primary determinants of leverage are firm size, firm age, and profitability. There were no significant differences in the usage of debt between men and women, and gender was not a significant predictor of financial leverage. Introduction Small businesses in the United States are widely recognized as a principal source of economic growth, new jobs, and new products and services. Access to capital is a frequently cited problem, however, and sources of capital are more limited for small firms that for large ones. Traditional capital structure theory as developed by Modigliani & Miller (1958) holds that firms will select the mix of debt and equity that maximizes the value of the firm and minimizes its weighted average cost of capital. This theory may not hold for small privately-held firms because it is based on the assumption that there are no transaction costs of any kind and that investors and managers have the same information about the firm. In fact, the cost of issuing public debt or equity is prohibitive for small firms, and informational asymmetries abound. Thus, unlike larger, particularly publiclyheld companies, small firms typically do not have the option of issuing stocks or bonds. Owing to their inability to access the public debt and equity markets, small businesses tend to be heavily reliant on commercial banks as a source of debt financing (Cole & Wolken, 199... Free Essays on Small Firm Use Of Leverage Free Essays on Small Firm Use Of Leverage 8. Coleman, S. and R. Cohn, (1999)  « Small Firm Use of Leverage : A Comparison of Men and Women-Owned Firms  », Conference Proceedings, United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship, San Diego, January 14-17. Abstract Prior research and anecdotal evidence suggests that women-owned small businesses use less debt than men. This study uses data from a nationwide sample of small businesses to determine differences in leverage between men and women-owned firms. Findings reveal that the primary determinants of leverage are firm size, firm age, and profitability. There were no significant differences in the usage of debt between men and women, and gender was not a significant predictor of financial leverage. Introduction Small businesses in the United States are widely recognized as a principal source of economic growth, new jobs, and new products and services. Access to capital is a frequently cited problem, however, and sources of capital are more limited for small firms that for large ones. Traditional capital structure theory as developed by Modigliani & Miller (1958) holds that firms will select the mix of debt and equity that maximizes the value of the firm and minimizes its weighted average cost of capital. This theory may not hold for small privately-held firms because it is based on the assumption that there are no transaction costs of any kind and that investors and managers have the same information about the firm. In fact, the cost of issuing public debt or equity is prohibitive for small firms, and informational asymmetries abound. Thus, unlike larger, particularly publiclyheld companies, small firms typically do not have the option of issuing stocks or bonds. Owing to their inability to access the public debt and equity markets, small businesses tend to be heavily reliant on commercial banks as a source of debt financing (Cole & Wolken, 199...

Jaguar Facts (Panthera onca)

Jaguar Facts (Panthera onca) The jaguar (Panthera onca) is the largest big cat in the Americas and the third largest in the world, after the lion and tiger. spost Fast Facts: Jaguar Scientific Name: Panthera oncaCommon Names: JaguarBasic Animal Group: Mammal Size: 5-6 feet plus 27-36 inch tailWeight: 100-250 poundsLifespan: 12-15 yearsDiet: CarnivoreHabitat: Central and South AmericaPopulation: 64,000Conservation Status: Near Threatened Description Both jaguars and leopards have spotted coats, but the jaguar has fewer and larger rosettes (spots), often containing small dots. Jaguars are shorter and stockier than leopards. Most jaguars have golden to reddish-brown spotted coats with white bellies. However, melanistic jaguars or black panthers occur about 6% of the time in South American cats. Albino jaguars or white panthers also occur, but they are rare. Black jaguars occur naturally in wild populations. Alicia Barbas Garcia / EyeEm / Getty Images Male and female jaguars have a similar appearance, but females tend to be 10-20 percent smaller than males. Otherwise, the size of the cats varies greatly, ranging from 3.7-6.1 feet from the nose to the base of the tail. The cats tail is the shortest of the big cats, ranging from 18-36 inches in length. Mature adults may weigh anywhere from 79-348 pounds. Jaguars in the southern end of their range are larger than those found further north. Habitat and Distribution The jaguars range once ran from the Grand Canyon or possibly Colorado in the United States down through Argentina. However, the cat was heavily hunted for its beautiful fur. While its possible a few of the cats remain in Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico, sizable populations only exist from Mexico through Central America and into South America. The cat is protected and believed to have a high chance of survival in the Kaan Biosphere Reserve in Mexico, the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary in Belize, the Manu National Park in Peru, and the Xingu National Park in Brazil. Jaguars are disappearing from most of the remainder of their range. While jaguars prefer forested areas near water, they also live in shrubland, wetlands, grasslands, and savanna biomes. Diet and Behavior While jaguars resemble leopards, their ecological niche is most similar to that of the tiger. Jaguars stalk and ambush prey, often falling upon the target from a tree. They are strong swimmers and readily pursue prey in water. Jaguars are crepuscular, usually hunting before dawn and after dusk. Prey includes capybara, deer, pigs, frogs, fish, and snakes, including anacondas. The cats jaws have a powerful bite force that enables them to crack open turtle shells and defeat all but the largest caimans. After making a kill, a jaguar will haul its dinner up a tree to eat. Although they are obligate carnivores, jaguars have been observed eating Banisteriopsis caapi  (ayahuasca), a plant containing the psychelic compound N,N-Dimethyltryptamine  (DMT). Reproduction and Offspring Jaguars are solitary cats except for mating. They mate throughout the year, usually whenever food is abundant. Pairs separate immediately after mating. Gestation lasts 93-105 days, resulting in up to four, but usually two, spotted cubs. Only the mother cares for the cubs. Cubs open their eyes at two weeks and are weaned by three months of age. They stay with their mother for a year or two before leaving to find their own territory. Males typically have larger territories than females. Male territories do not overlap. Multiple females may occupy a territory, but the cats tend to avoid each other. Females reach sexual maturity around two years of age, while males mature later at age three or four. Wild jaguars live 12-15 years, but captive cats may live 23 years. Jaguar cubs are spotted. Picture by Tambako the Jaguar / Getty Images Conservation Status The IUCN classifies the jaguars conservation status as near threatened. As of 2017, the total cat population was estimated to be around 64,000 individuals and was decreasing rapidly. Jaguars, especially males, range across vast territories, so the animals are heavily influenced by habitat loss and fragmentation from development, transportation, agriculture, pollution, and logging. As apex predators, they are at risk from diminishing availability of natural prey. Jaguars are not protected across much of their range, particularly in countries where they threaten livestock. They may be hunted as pests, as trophies, or for their fur. While the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of 1973 greatly reduced pelt trade, illegal trade remains a problem. Jaguars and Humans Unlike leopards, lions, and tigers, jaguars rarely attack humans. However, the combination of human encroachment and decreased prey has led to increasing conflict. While the risk of an attack is real, jaguars and pumas (Puma concolor) are much less likely to attack people than other big cats. Perhaps a handful of human attacks by jaguars have been documented in recent history. In contrast, over a thousand people have been attacked by lions in the past 20 years. While the direct risk to humans is small, jaguars readily target pets and livestock. Sources Dinets, V. and P. J. Polechla. First documentation of melanism in the jaguar (Panthera onca) from northern Mexico. Cat News. 42: 18, 2005.Mccain, Emil B.; Childs, Jack L. Evidence of resident Jaguars (Panthera onca) in the Southwestern United States and the Implications for Conservation. Journal of Mammalogy. 89 (1): 1–10, 2008. doi:10.1644/07-MAMM-F-268.1  Mossaz, A.; Buckley, R.C.; Castley. Ecotourism Contributions to Conservation of African Big Cats. Journal for Nature Conservation. 28: 112–118, 2015. doi:10.1016/j.jnc.2015.09.009Quigley, H.; Foster, R.; Petracca, L.; Payan, E.; Salom, R.; Harmsen, B. Panthera onca. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T15953A123791436, 2017. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T15953A50658693.enWozencraft, W.C. Order Carnivora. In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M. Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 546–547, 2005. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0.

How is modern technology used in Medical centers Essay

How is modern technology used in Medical centers - Essay Example 2 Introduction A poet, philosopher and an artist of an early 20th century named Khalil Gibran, who lived in a pre-computer era, stated that (Pasupathy 18-21) â€Å"A little knowledge that acts is worth infinitely more than much knowledge that is idle†. It is surprising that he is concerned about the knowledge management systems in the 20th century. However, this idea has become more useful if this statement is meditative in the long-term care industry. In addition, by computerizing long-term care industry a massive enhancement has been noticed. But long-term care institutions still require a lot more knowledge associated with technology in order to enhance nursing homes, progress through administration techniques, improve the medical processes and gain knowledge associated with system management (Pasupathy 18-21). The administrator of a nursing home must understand the core objective of management system and the purpose of long-term care organizations before procuring, executi ng and promoting these systems, as it will consequently aid in understanding the characteristics and features of the system (Pasupathy 18-21). ... It is made possible by the sound knowledge in health care that locate a new direction in the field of health and social care system. A 24-hours care support has been established by the NHS that provides full support to the patients, as well as to the public keeping in mind the concept of primary self-care. However, the NHS must maintain the acquisition of new technologies and innovative working practices to facilitate people with long term conditions to live a healthy life (Robinson 9-12). Likewise, health services are provided to the patients via national ICT infrastructure that is designed to support multi-channel services in order to provide 24/7 constant recommendations and knowledge regarding self-management and the management of long-term health conditions (Bradbury 309-314). Moreover, many patients find it difficult on how to find adequate solutions related to any health condition or how to contact their regular care service providers in late working hours or in some cases aft er working hours. In 2004, the problem has been aggravated for several patients due to out-of-hours (OOH) services (Bradbury 309-314). The NHS direct has made this possible for patients to get reliable and useful information through any medium such as telephone, internet, digital TV (DiTV). In addition, NHS Direct is continuously providing sound knowledge to spread awareness among the patients (Bradbury 309-314). A number of communities are using different technologies such as, point-of-care (POC) documentation and financial software, as mentioned in a long-term living trend survey ('Long-Term Living's Survey of Technology Usage', 65-65). In that survey it was concluded that the latest technology acquisition will

Role of national security advisor of US Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Role of national security advisor of US - Essay Example Various stakeholders in tackling security issues in US play different roles to establish the causes and means effectively applicable to mitigate issues of security in the world. Among the major stake holders in security issues in US are; the president, the security advisor, the director of national intelligence, the congress among others. The US security stakeholders take interest in circumstances that affect values, economic prosperity, security and international order. US security sector investigates security status, formulate policies and offer support to the regions that are affected by insecurity. In making decisions related to security, the stakeholders contribute share information that determines the course of action to be taken by the US government. The action taken by America regarding a security issue is not solely decided by the president. In this paper, I will analyze the role of the US National Security Advisor and his place in offering advice to the government and the e ffect on the Instrument of National Power as a result of the course of action. In this analysis, I will take into consideration the role of the US National security Advisor in the situation of Afghanistan and Pakistan. This is because the US is concerned with the future outcome of the security situation in that area. This is because of the existence of terror groups which have destabilized security of the region for many years. Terrorist groups are considered a threat to the whole world since they are believed to be trafficking weapons of mass destruction into the region (Lesson 19 pg 237). Seth Jones, the author of the article, It Takes the Villages: Bringing Change from Below in Afghanistan addresses the issues surrounding the US involvement in security issues touching Afghanistan. According to Jones, the government of US has operated with little information about the cultural dynamics that surround the area of Afghanistan. For example, the author argues that the government of US has taken military to Afghanistan while they lack information on the values of the local people. In actual sense, the author supports his work by quoting the word of the Major General Michael Flynn who attested that they are working in an area where they know very little about. Flynn was quoted to have used these words eight years in to the war between US and terrorists in Afghanistan (Jones pg 240). In tackling the security situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan, the US national Security Advisor will be required to change the strategy he has presented to the US government concerning the implementation of military plans in those areas. This is because there are deficiencies in the way the US has been approaching the settlement of disputes in that region. In addressing security issues, the government of US has failed to put into consideration the culture of the people of Afghanistan. This would inform decisions Americans soldiers make in planning and executing plans since activities o f a people are linked to their values (Jones pg 241). It is evident that many of the American soldiers have minimal interaction with people of the rural areas of Afghanistan. To achieve settlement of disputes between the two areas, the government of US will be required to engage the allies to the warring sides and get exact information about causes of war. The government of America will need to execute a cultural study of the

CSS Styles and Web Design Essay Example for Free

CSS Styles and Web Design Essay Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) defines how HTML elements are to be displayed and in-short referred as CSS. It controls the appearance of multiple HTML pages by just including one single external style sheet. For storing external style sheets CSS files (â€Å". css† extension) are used. CSS-based layouts along with table based layouts are used to manage the formatting of a web site. Cascading style sheets (CSS) make it easy to manage the formatting of a web site and it can be used to control the appearance of objects on a page or throughout a site. It can be designed and redesigned, and can control the formatting of hundreds of pages, including fonts, link colors, margin settings and background images. It is widely supported by modern browsers and allows flexibility in positioning. CSS based layouts Keeps the HTML/text ratio at a low level thus decreasing load time and Allows the display of main content first while the graphics load afterwards. CSS also avoid accessibility issues raised by table cells and the content flows logically without disruption. The three ways by which style can be added in HTML document are: 1. External style sheet 2. Internal style sheet (inside the head tag) 3. Inline style (inside an HTML element) In terms of priority when HTML document displays, it first looks for Inline style, than for internal style sheet (inside the head tag) and at last include External style sheet which is CSS. External style sheet (CSS) enables developer to change the appearance and layout of all the pages in their WebPages by just editing one single CSS file. Internal (embedded) style sheets are useful for managing single HTML page in which it is included and inline style sheet are used for managing some special formatting within the webpage. The Evolution of HTML Standards The evolution of HTML standards started from 1989, when Tim Berners-Lee invented the Web with HTML as its publishing language. In September 1991, Open discussion about HTML across the Internet begins. In 1992, HTML 1. 0 the first release of HTML to the world, was taken from Tim-Berners Lee original proposal. At this time not many people were involved in website creation and the language was very limited. In May 1994, HTML+ having some physical layout was shown at the first World Wide Web conference (W3C) that was held in Geneva. In July 1994, HTML specification for HTML 2. 0 was released. It included everything from HTML 1. 0 and added a few new features and defined many core HTML features for the first time. It was HTML standard until January 1997. In March 1995, HTML 3. 0 published as an Internet Draft by a HTML working group, led by Dave Raggett. In 1996, HTML 3. 2 (wilbur) came after the end of the Browser Wars and became the official standard in January 1997. It had included the tags introduced by Netscape and Microsoft during Browser Wars. In December 1997, HTML 4. 0 (cougar) introduced with HTML’s new supporting presentational language, cascading style sheets and became the official standard in April 1998. HTML 4. 0 was revised and corrected and later introduced as HTML 4. 01 in 1999. In January 2000, XHTML 1. 0, an XML version of HTML 4. 01, became joint standards along with HTML 4. 01. In XHTML 1. 0, there are not many new or deprecated tags and attributes but it was changed with a view of increased accessibility and functionality and a new set of coding rules. In 2001, XHTML 1. 1 with some modularization came. In 2002, XHTML 2. 0, which is more simplified and generalized standards, came into effect for WebPages. References: CSS Tutorial available at http://www. w3schools. com/css/css_intro. asp accessed on 27 July 2007. Web Development Series: formatting content, January 4, 2007 retrieved on 27 July 2007 from http://academictech. doit. wisc. edu/ORFI/wds/index. htm Moller, A. Schwartzbach, M. L. 2006. HTML and Web Pages: An Introduction to XML and Web Technologies, Addison-Wesley. Retrieved on 27 July 2007 from http://www. brics. dk/ixwt/html. pdf Shannon, R (n. d. ). The History of HTML Retrieved on 27 July 2007 from http://www. yourhtmlsource. com/starthere/historyofhtml. html http://www. w3. org/ accessed on 27 July 2007.

How Progress Makes Us Sick Essay -- Science Scientific Papers

How Progress Makes Us Sick By now, Im sure nearly everyone has heard of SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome). If youve watched all news channels like CNN or Fox News over the past month with their alternating images of people hurrying through airports wearing surgical masks and bombs exploding over Baghdad, youd think there were only two news stories worth reporting: the growing body counts created by SARS and the Iraq war. However the attention that has been focused on SARS has startled people rather than educated them about the disease. Lack of information leads to fear. According to J. Michael Bishop in Enemies of Promise: We live in an age of scientific triumph. Science has solved many of natures puzzles and greatly enlarged human knowledge. And the fruits of scientific inquiry have vastly improved human welfare. Yet despite these proud achievements, science today is increasingly mistrusted and under attack. The parade of frightening new maladies continues, each on confirming that our species, for all its cleverness, still lives at the mercy of the microbe. In May fifths issue of Newsweek, Geoffrey Cowley states: Many of the advances that have made our lives more comfortable have also made them more dangerous. Some thirty new diseases have cropped up since the mid-1970scausing tens of millions of deaths. What exactly is SARS, or severe acute respiratory syndrome? It is a respiratory illness that has recently been reported in Asia, North America, and Europe. SARS begins with a fever greater than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit. Some others symptoms may include headache, an overall feeling of discomfort, body aches, and sore throat. After two to seven days SARS patients may develop a dry cough and have trouble breathing. S... ...the natural world. In consequence, we are admired but also feared, mistrusted, even despised. We offer hope for the future but also more conflict and ambiguous choice. The price of science seems large, but to reject science is to deny the future. Will there ever be an answer for SARS? Will there ever be a cure? Science is a process and I think that is what most people dont see. In order to make the right decisions, there is a process that scientists have to follow. Sometimes that process takes time. We cant unplug from what we believe, but we can meet somewhere in the middle and work together as a team. Works Cited Bishop, Michael. Enemies of Promise. The Presence of Others. Marilyn Moller. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2000, 237-243. Shih, June. A City Masked in Fear and Distrust. U.S. News. May 5, 2003. Cowley, Geoffrey. SARS. Newsweek May 5, 2003.

Back to School

Back to School: A Comparative Essay Walking back into school for the first time in years sent a rush of memories through my mind, from the tree I used to climb after school to the conversation that lead to the premature loss of my virginity and so much more. Surprisingly, my emotions lead me to something else altogether†¦looking at the dull concrete walls, iron laced windows and towering fences I realized; public school truly is a prison. Mind you, your average middle or high school may not have iron bars or shackles but you can â€Å"bet your bottom dollar† public schools and prisons are more alike than not.Both include guards, gangs, crowded cafeterias with bad food, strict schedules determined by vociferous bells, signed documents in order to get in or out and only God knows who will get out alive. The only things somewhat cheery about my former schools are the student murals cracked and damaged by barbaric vandals. Every student gets the same sentence: three consecuti ve sentences of five years, three years and four years before you can be considered a productive member of society. You might get out early for good behavior, but you are probably more likely to end up with time added on.Thinking back to my time in the â€Å"Big House†; I always felt like a criminal. Between the IDs and hall passes it seemed like no matter where I went there was someone making sure I didn’t do something horrible. Getting sent to the torture chamber called â€Å"The Hole† for the most asinine things like having a pack of matches, a metal fork or even wearing a polo that wasn’t just the right shade of green. The Hole truly was psychological torture; a tiny room with no clocks (you’d drop your phone and watch in a box as you walked into the room), the temperature was permanently set to 50 ° degrees Fahrenheit.If a single word was spoken (without permission from the teacher) it gave you an automatic extra day in The Hole and you†™d be marched into the musty cafeteria far too late in the afternoon to avoid socialization. Another way of getting sent to The Hole was to be caught out of class without your student ID†¦you could be on your way to your locker to get the ID and you’d be sent to The Hole for the rest of the day. Speaking of IDs, going back to school this past week, I got a taste of â€Å"the good old days†.Trying to get into my old high school was like trying to break into Fort Knox. Having to pull out three different forms of ID, they still rejected my entry. It’s almost funny how even though I’ve graduated, every employee I encountered somehow made me feel like a criminal-just like they did back when I was still a student. My first stop was my high school and I was told in order to enter the school (just to look around) I had to make an appointment a month in advance. After hearing that I desided to hightail it over to my old middle school, this proved just as fr uitless.At the middle school I was finally able to speak to a vice principal who told me I could come back after school hours; my joy was short lived when he told me I could only walk through the echoing breezeway which I had already walked through to get to the administration office. For the last time in my life, I walked out of the school feeling loathsome and reprehensible, until I got into my car. As my engine hummed it hit me; I will never have to go back there†¦and I will never have to feel like a criminal again.Considering the fact that I don’t do anything illegal, I know I won’t have to face either form of incarceration again. Also, I will never make my future children suffer through public schooling or what I like to call â€Å"Prison Life Training†; instead, they will either be homeschooled or attend private school. I was so flabbergasted by my mistreatment I had to write where my pen lead me. All in all, prison, grade school, it’s all the same to me and regardless of which one a person is in; they both feel asphyxiating and confining. Back to School Back to School: A Comparative Essay Walking back into school for the first time in years sent a rush of memories through my mind, from the tree I used to climb after school to the conversation that lead to the premature loss of my virginity and so much more. Surprisingly, my emotions lead me to something else altogether†¦looking at the dull concrete walls, iron laced windows and towering fences I realized; public school truly is a prison. Mind you, your average middle or high school may not have iron bars or shackles but you can â€Å"bet your bottom dollar† public schools and prisons are more alike than not.Both include guards, gangs, crowded cafeterias with bad food, strict schedules determined by vociferous bells, signed documents in order to get in or out and only God knows who will get out alive. The only things somewhat cheery about my former schools are the student murals cracked and damaged by barbaric vandals. Every student gets the same sentence: three consecuti ve sentences of five years, three years and four years before you can be considered a productive member of society. You might get out early for good behavior, but you are probably more likely to end up with time added on.Thinking back to my time in the â€Å"Big House†; I always felt like a criminal. Between the IDs and hall passes it seemed like no matter where I went there was someone making sure I didn’t do something horrible. Getting sent to the torture chamber called â€Å"The Hole† for the most asinine things like having a pack of matches, a metal fork or even wearing a polo that wasn’t just the right shade of green. The Hole truly was psychological torture; a tiny room with no clocks (you’d drop your phone and watch in a box as you walked into the room), the temperature was permanently set to 50 ° degrees Fahrenheit.If a single word was spoken (without permission from the teacher) it gave you an automatic extra day in The Hole and you†™d be marched into the musty cafeteria far too late in the afternoon to avoid socialization. Another way of getting sent to The Hole was to be caught out of class without your student ID†¦you could be on your way to your locker to get the ID and you’d be sent to The Hole for the rest of the day. Speaking of IDs, going back to school this past week, I got a taste of â€Å"the good old days†.Trying to get into my old high school was like trying to break into Fort Knox. Having to pull out three different forms of ID, they still rejected my entry. It’s almost funny how even though I’ve graduated, every employee I encountered somehow made me feel like a criminal-just like they did back when I was still a student. My first stop was my high school and I was told in order to enter the school (just to look around) I had to make an appointment a month in advance. After hearing that I desided to hightail it over to my old middle school, this proved just as fr uitless.At the middle school I was finally able to speak to a vice principal who told me I could come back after school hours; my joy was short lived when he told me I could only walk through the echoing breezeway which I had already walked through to get to the administration office. For the last time in my life, I walked out of the school feeling loathsome and reprehensible, until I got into my car. As my engine hummed it hit me; I will never have to go back there†¦and I will never have to feel like a criminal again.Considering the fact that I don’t do anything illegal, I know I won’t have to face either form of incarceration again. Also, I will never make my future children suffer through public schooling or what I like to call â€Å"Prison Life Training†; instead, they will either be homeschooled or attend private school. I was so flabbergasted by my mistreatment I had to write where my pen lead me. All in all, prison, grade school, it’s all the same to me and regardless of which one a person is in; they both feel asphyxiating and confining. Back to School Back to School: A Comparative Essay Walking back into school for the first time in years sent a rush of memories through my mind, from the tree I used to climb after school to the conversation that lead to the premature loss of my virginity and so much more. Surprisingly, my emotions lead me to something else altogether†¦looking at the dull concrete walls, iron laced windows and towering fences I realized; public school truly is a prison. Mind you, your average middle or high school may not have iron bars or shackles but you can â€Å"bet your bottom dollar† public schools and prisons are more alike than not.Both include guards, gangs, crowded cafeterias with bad food, strict schedules determined by vociferous bells, signed documents in order to get in or out and only God knows who will get out alive. The only things somewhat cheery about my former schools are the student murals cracked and damaged by barbaric vandals. Every student gets the same sentence: three consecuti ve sentences of five years, three years and four years before you can be considered a productive member of society. You might get out early for good behavior, but you are probably more likely to end up with time added on.Thinking back to my time in the â€Å"Big House†; I always felt like a criminal. Between the IDs and hall passes it seemed like no matter where I went there was someone making sure I didn’t do something horrible. Getting sent to the torture chamber called â€Å"The Hole† for the most asinine things like having a pack of matches, a metal fork or even wearing a polo that wasn’t just the right shade of green. The Hole truly was psychological torture; a tiny room with no clocks (you’d drop your phone and watch in a box as you walked into the room), the temperature was permanently set to 50 ° degrees Fahrenheit.If a single word was spoken (without permission from the teacher) it gave you an automatic extra day in The Hole and you†™d be marched into the musty cafeteria far too late in the afternoon to avoid socialization. Another way of getting sent to The Hole was to be caught out of class without your student ID†¦you could be on your way to your locker to get the ID and you’d be sent to The Hole for the rest of the day. Speaking of IDs, going back to school this past week, I got a taste of â€Å"the good old days†.Trying to get into my old high school was like trying to break into Fort Knox. Having to pull out three different forms of ID, they still rejected my entry. It’s almost funny how even though I’ve graduated, every employee I encountered somehow made me feel like a criminal-just like they did back when I was still a student. My first stop was my high school and I was told in order to enter the school (just to look around) I had to make an appointment a month in advance. After hearing that I desided to hightail it over to my old middle school, this proved just as fr uitless.At the middle school I was finally able to speak to a vice principal who told me I could come back after school hours; my joy was short lived when he told me I could only walk through the echoing breezeway which I had already walked through to get to the administration office. For the last time in my life, I walked out of the school feeling loathsome and reprehensible, until I got into my car. As my engine hummed it hit me; I will never have to go back there†¦and I will never have to feel like a criminal again.Considering the fact that I don’t do anything illegal, I know I won’t have to face either form of incarceration again. Also, I will never make my future children suffer through public schooling or what I like to call â€Å"Prison Life Training†; instead, they will either be homeschooled or attend private school. I was so flabbergasted by my mistreatment I had to write where my pen lead me. All in all, prison, grade school, it’s all the same to me and regardless of which one a person is in; they both feel asphyxiating and confining.

Re-Branding Sunsilk Back Into the UK Hair Market Essay

Originally launched in the Netherlands in 1956, Sunsilk provides haircare solutions in 80 countries around the globe. No matter the hair type or problem, we have the products and the know how to make your hair feel and look beautiful. Our passion in life is to help women celebrate looking beautiful everyday, anywhere. Bad hair days are history Take on life with confidence and consign bad hair days to the bin with Sunsilk. Our range of products incorporates various natural ingredients and extracts with their own specific properties; chamomile for cleansing without limpness, ginseng extract for strength and more for any and all requirements. Get great advice and tips on hair care from us too. Key facts * Number 1 in Asia, Latin America and the Middle East * Sales of more than â‚ ¬1 billion a year * Sells in 80 countries * Also sold as Elidor, Hazeline, Seda and Sedal * Recent awards: Holds the Guinness world record for the most heads of hair washed and styled in one day Sunsilk is a hair care brand, primarily aimed at women, produced by the Unilever group, which is now considered the world’s leading company in hair conditioning and the second largest in shampoo[1]. Sunsilk is Unilever’s leading hair care brand, and ranks as one of the Anglo-Dutch conglomerate’s â€Å"billion dollar brands†. Sunsilk shampoos, conditioners and other hair care products are sold in 69 countries worldwide. Sunsilk is sold under a variety of different names in markets around the world including Elidor, Seda and Sedal. The brand is strongest in Asia, Latin America and the Middle East and is the number one hair care brand in India, Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Thailand. * 1954 – Sunsilk first launched in the UK.  * 1955 – First advertisement of Sunsilk appeared on TV. * 1964 – Launch of Sunsilk hair spray. * 1968 – Sunsilk shampoo re-packaged in PVC bottles. * 1971 – Launch of Sunsilk conditioner. * 1975 – Sunsilk became the biggest name in hair care. * 2003 – Sunsilk glossy magazine launched in Argentina. * 2008 – Social networking site Gang of Girls was introduced in India. First advertising Sunsilk began advertising in 1955 with a campaign that focused on specific hair â€Å"issues†. In the UK, the campaign focused on shiny hair. During the 1960s, a television commercial of Sunsilk featured a tune composed by John Barry, â€Å"The girl with the sun in her hair†, which proved so popular that it was subsequently released as a pop single. Sunsilk radio commercials were aired in 1969 featuring Derek Nimmo to support the new Sunsilk Herb shampoo for problem hair called â€Å"Hairy Tales†. In the early 1970s, Sunsilk was advertised with the slogan â€Å"All you need is Sunsilk†. Celebrity associations Madonna, Shakira, Marilyn Monroe, and Marian Rivera all featured in Sunsilk’s 2008 advertising campaign â€Å"Life Can’t Wait†[3] which launched with a Super Bowl XLII spot. The philosophy behind the campaign was about girls taking positive steps to gain better control of their lives â€Å"Hair On = Life On†. Actress and former Miss World Priyanka Chopra is the brand ambassador for Sunsilk in India. [4] In 2009, singer Delta Goodrem was announced as the â€Å"face of Sunsilk† in Australia. The singer and her music have since featured in several Sunsilk adverts.[5] In 2007, British girlband Girls Aloud launched a campaign for Sunsilk after securing a sponsorship deal worth over  £1,000,000.[6] Members Nicola Roberts, Nadine Coyle, Cheryl Cole, Kimberly Walsh and Sarah Harding all represented the brand, which included shooting a television commercial. Sunsilk also sponsored their following tour. Magazine In 2003, Sunsilk (Sedal) launched the first hair only glossy magazine in Argentina aiming to communicate to the professional hair industry. More than 800,000 copies are published each month. The magazine focuses on hair, fashion and beauty issues as well as showcasing hairdressers’ work. It is sold locally on news stands and distributed to hair salons. Gang of Girls In 2008, Sunsilk India launched a social networking site called Gang of Girls [7], which offered its users access to a variety of local and global experts to address various hair care needs through its content, blogs and live chat room. The site includes rich content of hair care and fashion, and users can also take part in interactive games and quizzes.In 2011, Sunsilk was listed in The Brand Trust Report published by Trust Research Advisory. Co-Creation collaboration From 2009 Sunsilk started working with a number of professional hair â€Å"experts† to develop new and improved products. Each hair â€Å"issue† variant links to an â€Å"expert† with the relevant specialist hair knowledge. For example, Dr Francesca Fusco, a New York dermatologist, co-created a â€Å"hairfall† variant for the brand. The line up also includes: Jamal Hammadi for Black Shine, Rita Hazan for Vibrant Colour, Teddy Charles for Plumped Up Volume, Thomas Taw for Damage Reconstruction, Ouidad for Defined Curls and Yuko Yamashita – inventor of Japanese hair straightening process ‘YUKO’ – for Perfect Straight. Availability Sunsilk is available in over 60 countries worldwide. However Sunsilk products seem to be no longer available in the United States. The Sunsilk website has a list of countries where their products are sold, the USA is not one of them.

7 Writing Warm Ups for More Productive Writing

7 Writing Warm Ups for More Productive Writing Wonder how to stimulate and encourage your brain to simply dive into the writing process? A few warm-up activities will help to get your words and ideas flowing. Why is it important to warm up? The answer is quite predictable: to avoid the writers block and start writing right away. You would be surprised at how much writing will come from you once youre warmed up. Youll easily banish all distractions and get down to putting the words on paper. Here are a few proven ways to make you think and force your brains into action. 1. Describe Whats Going On Outside Your Window It is the easiest writing warm up ever! You just to have look out your window and write down your observations. Try not just to focus on people, buildings and weather, think what else is there. Do you see something unusual? Consider the peoples emotions and imagine what they may be talking about. Try to be specific to make sure that your description takes no more than 5 sentences. Its just a short warm up that shouldnt last more than 15 minutes. 2. Write Imaginary Definitions of Unknown Words Take a dictionary and open it on a random page. Find a word you are not sure how to define. Then create an imaginary definition for it. Play with words and youll discover new ways of saying old things. Be inspired and your imagination will help you produce the most vivid descriptions. Repeat this exercise for several times until you feel that your brain is warmed up enough to proceed with your main task. 3. Describe Your First Experience Describe your first. Your first day of school, first kitten, first job, first car, first yoga class, first date, it doesnt matter – all will make excellent stories. The first time of doing something is always an exciting experience, so youll easily find the right words to describe it and avoid that situation of staring at a blank sheet of paper. Concentrate on your emotions and start developing them in full – get the creative juices flowing! 4. Pretend Youre a Travel Writer Find a world map and blindly put your finger somewhere. Then pretend you are a travel writer and tell about the weird experience in that particular country. What happened? How did you behave in that unusual situation? How did you solve the problem? You may include anyone and anything you want into your story – locals, taxi drivers, bartenders, random people. Youll get a killer piece of content, just take some inspiration and put your pen to paper. 5. Create a Half-Page Monologue Creating monologues is a great way to warm up, so get in the habit of writing them. Take a newspaper or go to google news, find an interesting headline, then decide on a character who comes from that headline and write a short monologue for that character. Be specific, it is just a warm up and you dont have to create a long piece of writing. A half-page monologue will be more than enough to get your brain into the writing mode. 6. Write a Letter to Your Future Self Writing a letter can be a really wonderful experience. There are no restrictions on how old you should be – one year, five years or 10 years from now. What would you say? What kind of person would you be? What goals would you want to have achieved? Think about your place in life, your achievements or fails. First of all, identify the period of time to write about and start writing. Dont pay much attention to the letter format as its just a quick warm up. 7. Consider a Free Writing Session Give yourself a time limit and go. Dont stop, just get the words on a page. Write about everything that comes to your mind. Dont give your brain a moment to stop or evaluate your ideas, set a timer for 10 or 15 minutes and write without interruption. Free writing is not the time for editing or judging, you need to keep your pen moving. You will see that a free writing session is beneficial for more productive writing.

Scientists Complete the Periodic Table

Scientists Complete the Periodic Table   The periodic table as we know it is now complete! The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) has announced verification of the only elements left elements 113, 115, 117, and 118. These elements complete the 7th and final row of the periodic table of elements. Of course, if elements with higher atomic numbers are discovered, then an additional row will be added to the table. Details on the Discoveries of the Last Four Elements The fourth IUPAC/IUPAP Joint Working Party (JWP) reviewed literature to determine claims for verification of these last few elements have fulfilled all the criteria necessary to officially discover the elements. What this means is the discovery of the elements has been replicated and demonstrated to the satisfaction of scientists according to the 1991 discovery criteria decided by the IUPAP/IUPAC Transfermium Working Group (TWG). The discoveries are credited to Japan, Russia, and the USA. These groups will be allowed to propose the names and symbols for the elements, which will need to be approved before the elements take their place on the periodic table. Element 113 Discovery Element 113 has the temporary working name ununtrium, with symbol Uut. The RIKEN team in Japan has been credited with discovering this element. Many people hope Japan will choose a name like japonium for this element, with symbol J or Jp, since J is the one letter presently absent from the periodic table. Elements 115, 117, and 118 Discovery Elements 115 (ununpentium, Uup) and 117 (ununseptium, Uus) were discovered by a collaboration between Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Oak Ridge, TN, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California, and the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Dubna, Russia. Researchers from these groups will propose new names and symbols for these elements. Element 118 (ununoctium, Uuo) discovery is credited  to a collaboration between the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Dubna, Russia and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California. This group has discovered several elements, so theyre sure to have a challenge ahead of them coming up with new names and symbols. Why Its So Hard To Discover New Elements While scientists may be able to make new elements, its difficult to prove the discovery because these superheavy nuclei decay into lighter elements instantaneously. Proof of the elements requires demonstration that the set of daughter nuclei that are observed can be unequivocally attributed to the heavy, new element. It would be much simpler if it was possible to directly detect and measure the new element, but this hasnt been possible. How Long Until We See New Names? Once the researchers propose new names, the Inorganic Chemistry Division of the IUPAC will check them to make sure they dont translate into something funky in other language or have some prior historic use that would make them unsuitable for an element name. A new element may be named for a place, country, scientist, property, or mythological reference. The symbol needs to be one or two letters. After the Inorganic Chemistry Division checks the elements and symbols, they are presented for public review for five months. Most people start using the new element names and symbols at this point, but they dont become official until the IUPAC Council formally approves them. At this point, the IUPAC will change their periodic table (and others will follow suit).

Response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 10

Response - Essay Example Although the photo initially meant a team of three people, this notion changed as I continued interacting with it. as time progressed, I realized that it is not actually what I had been thinking about it. After undergoing the discovery process, I shifted my writing from a mere discussion of the physical appearance of the objects in the photo to discussing and interpreting the cultural practices that were depicted in the photo. This experience really demonstrates how our writing process is can be greatly influenced and altered when we adopt the concept of â€Å"curious mind† in our writing process. I decided to use a drum because it is one of the musical instruments which I have been interacting with for quite some time. A drum is a musical instrument which is often used as an accompaniment by many artists because of its melodious and rhythmic sound that it produces. It is often used by different musicians of different types such as jazz, band and reggae. This drum was made by a man called John Kaman. He was one of the greatest professionals who were specialized in the making of such instruments. Personally, drum is not known to me because I have been using it for a very long time. Since I am interested in music, I have been playing drum with my colleagues. I prefer it to other instruments because it is much easier to learn how to play it. So, my experience with drums has been a good one. All through, I have been taking my time to study and observe different types of drums. According to my cultural background, I need to be unbiased, objective and open minded when interacting with new objects. This influences me to see everything so well. Meaning, before I came across this particular one, I already had an idea that there are different kinds of drums of varying sizes from which one can choose to use. Actually, drum is one of the most popular musical instruments which have been in use for years. In human history, drums have been of significance. However, for