Sunday, March 15, 2020

Review of Southern Racial Issues in Jimmy Carters Memoir An Hour Before Daylight essays

Review of Southern Racial Issues in Jimmy Carter's Memoir An Hour Before Daylight essays Southerners, even racially sensitive Southerners such as Jimmy Carter, often claim that they understand the true' plight of Black Southern people. This statement, so strange on its surface given the racial intolerance that has long marked the South, is made because white Southerners frequently live at greater proximity to individuals whom identify themselves as African Americans. Even advocates of segregation in the pre-civil rights era in the South often had Black maids and Black individuals take care of their children. Whites in the North might endorse racial tolerance in the abstract, but had little contact with African Americans on a personal basis in the pre-civil rights era and even Former President Jimmy Carter, and those who advocate the point of view that Southern people of a liberal ilk have a greater understanding of the Black plight in America may thus have legitimacy in their advocacy of their greater tolerance in comparison to Northern whites. It is indeed perhaps better and more humane from a human rights standpoint to understand someone as an individual human being rather than to advocate the betterment of the race' in an abstract fashion, as Northerners who came to the South to help the cause of civil rights but had never known a Black person as a friend or associate. Carteri ¿Ã‚ ½ states thati ¿Ã‚ ½ in his Southern community, in Georgia our [white and Black family's] daily existence was almost totally Carter grew up on a farm. He knew that the peanuts harvested could not have brought economic gain to the community, without the efforts of Black families. He saw that Black Americas sweat as much as the White laborers, ate as much, and yet were paid far less. He experienced discrimination, not in the abstract, but knowing that his family and lifestyle could not have existed nor been supported without the struggle, ...

Thursday, February 27, 2020

Option Pricing Model in Valuing a Company in the Context of Pfizer Dissertation

Option Pricing Model in Valuing a Company in the Context of Pfizer - Dissertation Example His constant guidance and positive attention helped researcher to concentrate more on the research topic. The researcher would also like to thank his other professors for acting as a support system when required along with helping and guiding when needed and required. The support and cooperation of the University in allowing access to the library helped in referring to different study materials that further help in understanding the research topic in a sound manner. The researcher would also like to thank his family for being there as a strong support system often guiding and supporting along with enhancing the level of motivation and excitement through kind and positive feedback. The researcher feels blessed to have friends who not only shared their views and opinions on the research topic bust also brainstormed to add more value to the research topic. Overall, the researcher would like to acknowledge the efforts and support of everyone playing an important role in the entire resear ch process. Without the support and cooperation of above mentioned people, the research would have been an aimless journey lacking depth and understanding. The researcher expresses his deep gratitude for all the support and guidance along with being thankful to everyone for being so kind and supportive throughout the research journey. TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1.Introduction 4 1.1 Introduction to the Research Topic 4 1.2 Research Aims and Objectives/ Questions 5 1.3 Scope of the Research 6 1.4 Rationale for the Research Topic 7 1.5 Limitations of the Research 8 1.6 Methodology 9 1.7 An Overview of Pfizer 10 1.8 Summary 11 Chapter2.0 Literature Review 12 2.1 Introduction 12 2.2 An Overview of Options 12 2.3 Types of Options 14 2.4 Factors Affecting Options 16 2.5 Application of Option Pricing Model 18 2.6 Option Pricing Model in Real World 19 2.7 Option Pricing Model and Historical Data 20 2.8: Summary 21 Section 3.0 Research Methodology 22 3.1 Introduction 22 3.2 Research Philosophy 22 3.3 Research Approach 23 3.4 Data Collection Methods 23 3.5 Data Analysis Methods 24 3.6 Ethical Considerations 24 3.7. Strengths of the Methodology 25 3.8: Limitations of the Methodology 25 Chapter 4.0 Findings and Analysis 26 4.1 Introduction 26 4.2 Value based Management 26 4.3: Economic Value Added 28 4.4: Market Value Added 29 4.5: Option Pricing Models 30 4.6: General Findings 32 4.7: Summary 34 Chapter 5.0 Conclusion and Recommendations 35 5.1 Introduction 35 5.2 Conclusion 35 5.3: Recommendations for Future Research 36 5.4: Recommendations for Pfizer 36 5.5: Reflection 37 5.6 Summary 37 BIBLIOGRAPHY 38 CHAPTER-1.0: INTRODUCTION 1.1: Introduction to the Research Topic Business environments have always been unpredictable and hard to understand and therefore, it becomes important to understand the intricacies of business environments and financial concepts that will help in understanding the growth and development of organsiations. In finance, the time value of assets and o rgansiations is calculated through the analysis of intrinsic and extrinsic values that vary in a great manner (Aswath, 2008). In finance, the concept of â€Å"Option† is defined as a derivative financial instrument specifying a contract between two parties for a future transaction revolving around an asset at a reference price (Aswath, 2008) In today’s time, the concept of option pricing has emerged as a safeguarding tool for a number of organsiations willing to

Tuesday, February 11, 2020

Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Finance - Essay Example Moreover, an increase in EPS is also increasing dividend paid to NEXT plc shareholders, thus satisfying more the shareholders. This increase in EPS is also tested for quality based on the information from cash flows. Increase in EPS is strengthening positive operating cash flows; as increase in EPS is sometimes shown only on income statement and cash flow statement provides real picture with negative cash flows for operations (Next Plc, 2012).. This increase in EPS in line directors stated objective to provide sustainable long term growth in EPS. For this purpose, NEXT has adopted two strategies; one to increase the sales of the company by increasing the product quality and new stores along with increased cost control. The second strategy is buying back of outstanding shares. Buy backed shares reduces the number of shares outstanding in the market and hence, allows greater proportion of net income to individual share, thus it will lead to same earnings with less outstanding shares, t herefore lower EPS. EPS increase also puts positive impact in share price (though not always) and has also benefitted NEXT plc. CORPORATE BONDS FROM BALANCE SHEET For year 2012 NEXT plc has increased corporate bonds liability amounting to 652.1 million as compare to 471.2 million in year 2011. In the current year firm has issued 10 year 325m bond. Increase in corporate bonds has increased interest expense to 28m (Next Plc, 2012). Increase corporate bonds indicate that firm is extending its debt source of financing as against equity financing to take tax benefit. Equity financing is the most expensive source of financing; therefore, firms are more inclined to debt financing that is relatively cheaper as per Pecking theory (Zhao, Katchova, and Barry, 2004). Moreover, increase in debt facilitates firms firm with cash flows without giving any rights of decision making. Since in difficult economic situation firms have to make tough decisions therefore, management is interested to maintai n decision making more in their own hands. In addition to this, increase in debt gives the opportunity to firms to take advantage of the leverage concept which in return increases its Return on Equity (ROE) (Booth, Aivazian, Demirgue-Kunt and Maksimovic, 2001). This makes the firm more attractive for investors against competitors and it gives a positive signal to the investors according to Signal Theory. Benefit of this strategy has started to be reflecting as NEXT plc share has been ranked as the second best performing firms on FTSE-100 companies and has led its earnings per share increased by compound rate of 18 percent. NEXT Plc has been increasing its debt source of financing to facilitate two objectives; first, to tender cash flows for operations and capital investment. And second to gain the sustainable long term growth in EPS. To continue growth strategy in terms of location, product and sales firm and also EPS, NEXT plc has planned to increase the debt further and has also i ncreased its bank facility by 300 million for 5 years. Moreover, NEXT plc has planned to increase debt max by 700m in order to support the share buyback strategy. REPURCHASE OF OWN SHARES FROM STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS NEXT plc has been following to continue share buy back from on market and off market. In year 2012 firm conducted in investment activity of buying back its own shares

Friday, January 31, 2020

Fitness Essay Example for Free

Fitness Essay Why do people exercise? This may be a simple question, but it can generate multiple and varying responses. Assumptions such as pure weight loss, arise. Although this may be true, weight loss is not the only reason that drives people to engage in such activities. If curious minds dig a little deeper within this topic, different perceptions are brought up or given a better understanding of the situation. People exercise for many reasons. These reasons can be categorized to physical, psychological, and emotional dimension. In the physical sense, people exercise to better their appearance by losing or maintaining weight and overall health. One of the most noticeable effects of exercise is the physical changes that occur to the loss of body fat in a person. A person who may be overweight see exercise as a tool to help him achieve his desired body composition. With continuous exercise, the body burns calories. Excess fat that are stored within the body are utilized and burned for energy, leading to weight loss. Aside from weight loss, exercising provides beneficial heart effects to a person. It strengthens the heart muscle by allowing it to pump blood more effectively which results in the reduction of pressure on the walls of the blood vessel, which lowers blood pressure. (Sherwood, 2010). Other heart benefits include good HDL cholesterol levels, reducing bad LDL cholesterol levels, and reducing inflammation of arteries, as suggested by the University of Maryland Medical Center, or UMMC (as cited by Sherwood, par. 4). According to the website WebMD, regular exercise can help prevent diseases and ailments such as heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, back pain, and osteoporosis. Beyond the physical effects of exercise come psychological effects. Running, after a long and stressful day at school or work can help a person feel better afterwards. The link between exercise and mood is pretty strong, Michael Otto, PhD, a professor of psychology at Boston University says. Usually within five minutes after moderate exercise you get a mood-enhancement effect. (as cited by Weir, 2011). Aerobic exercises help the body produce chemicals called endorphins. Endorphins are polypeptides that that bind the neuron-receptors in the brain which provides relief from pain (ciarac, 2006). Endorphins also help treat contributing factors to anxiety and depression. Exercise can help reduce immune system chemicals that may worsen depression. Aside from that, it helps increase body temperature that may have calming effects on a person. Some people also exercise as an alternative to drinking. Exercise is a healthy coping mechanism for anxiety and depression, as opposed to drinking alcohol or dwelling on negative thoughts which can lead to difficult situations. Engaging in moderate amount of exercise will result in improved emotional state as well. Some people exercise in the assumption that they will gain a sense of achievement. In some cases, exercising provides that first push for a person to aim for, and achieve self-confidence. When a person meets his or her exercise goal or challenge, it helps feed that yearning of achievement. The emotional state of a person also ties in with the physical result of exercise. When a person loses weight, he or she tends to feel better about his or her appearance. Being able to wear clothing you desire, gives that extra good feeling. Exercising also becomes a positive distraction from the stresses of everyday life. It helps take a person’s mind off his or her worries temporarily. Another reason why people exercise is to get more social interaction. Exercising can provide opportunities to meet more people by going to the gym, jogging at the park, or signing up for dance class. Positive interaction improves a person’s emotional state. These interactions can vary from a friendly smile to creating strong meaningful bonds. Exercise promotes better sleep as well. Regular physical activity tires you out and get to fall asleep faster as well as deepen it. Do you feel tired or out of shape when it comes to sex with your special someone? It could sparks up more intimacy in your relationship between lovers as well. Regular physical activity can leave you feeling energized and looking better, which may have a positive effect on your sex life. But theres more to it than that. Regular physical activity can lead to enhanced arousal for women. And men who exercise regularly are less likely to have problems with erectile dysfunction than are men who dont exercise. As well as performance that both the male and female enhances for greater pleasure. Gain health benefits as you have fun. If you want to lose weight or meet specific fitness goals, you may need to exercise more. Remember to check with your doctor before starting a new exercise program, especially if you have any health concerns. One more important thing about exercising is that it is very fun when you just think about it. Exercising is one of the best way to better your connection within your family, you’re not just improving your health but your well-being too. There are several ways you can enjoy exercise, not just going to the gym constantly, such as hiking, mountain climbing, swimming, snorkeling, diving, etc. There is wide variety of activities to choose from just to keep yourself from being bored from doing the same thing every day. So work out, get your lazy behinds up and get a move on. You won’t get the satisfaction like any other just by sitting down doing nothing but watching television.

Thursday, January 23, 2020

Essay --

The image has a huge effect in society. A celebrity’s image can characterize, shape and circulate societal myths in Hollywood. When people see the significant images, they will connect the specific celebrities in their time period. A blonde, beautiful, and sexy girl whose white dress was flying is one of the most famous images that the American actress, singer, and model Marilyn Monroe made in the 20th century. People think her figure and beauty made her a popular icon and sex symbol in the 1950s. Monroe's status as a sex symbol has influenced many artists since her time, even though the beauty standard has been different since then. Many celebrities imitate Monroe not only because of marketing and media needs, but also because people today still â€Å"worship† the image of Monroe. However, to only examine this sexualized image, people would seldom find out that Monroe was a feminist in the mid 20th century. On the other hand, how does a woman who passed away at thirty- six years old, after starring in only a handful of movies, have such an impact on society, especially young women, in the 21st century? The reason why Monroe is still relevant and even famous today shows the power of female charisma. Monroe had many feminist characteristics, such as being an independent professional woman, she was courageous to express herself, and she was always self-actualized. Independence, self-expression, and self-actualizion are all the ideas that feminists encouraged in the 21st century. The media created Monroe’s sexy image at first, but she used it to become famous. Later on she tried to use her action to get rid her sexy image. Even though many feminists think Monroe is a victim through Monroe’s sexualized image, Monroe’s image has influenced f... ...ized as a feminist already. Her actions reveal a person who was far more than the sexy dumb blonde she supposed to be in the movies. Monroe passed away just before feminism made clear that women have every human possibility. Women need to support each other and to explore the real lives to help themselves. Monroe used her experience to show the power of female charisma to the public. She not only was the feminist model for modern women, but also showed her powerful personality to men. Monroe believed in equality, but she falls through a patriarchal society that only valued her for her sexual image. Monroe understood the need for the power of the women in the modern society, and that’s why her image has been redefined. Any woman who contribute their lives in the way chosen by themselves, who is concerned and intelligent, is making the world a better place for women.

Tuesday, January 14, 2020

Night of the Living Dead Essay

American  independent  black-and-white  horror film  and  cult film  directed by  George A. Romero   Night of the Living Dead  was heavily criticized during its release because of its explicit content, but received critical acclaim and was selected by the  Library of Congress  for preservation in the  National Film Registry  as a film deemed â€Å"culturally, historically or aesthetically significant. reviewers cited the film as groundbreaking. Pauline Kael  called the film â€Å"one of the most gruesomely terrifying movies ever made — and when you leave the theatre you may wish you could forget the whole horrible experience. .  . . The film’s grainy, banal seriousness works for it — gives it a crude realism†. [62]  A  Film Daily  critic commented, â€Å"This is a pearl of a horror picture which exhibits all the earmarks of a  sleeper. Since the release, critics and film historians have seen  Night of the Living Dead  as a subversive film that critiques 1960s American society, international  Cold War  politics and domestic  racism. Elliot Stein of  The Village Voice  saw the film as an ardent critique of American involvement in  Vietnam, arguing that it â€Å"was not set in  Transylvania, but Pennsylvania — this was  Middle America  at war, and the zombie carnage seemed a grotesque echo of the conflict then raging inVietnam Pauline Kael,  5001 Nights at the Movies  (Henry Holt and Company, 1991 Elliot Stein, â€Å"The Dead Zones: ‘George A. Romero’ at the American Museum of the Moving Image†,  The Village Voice(New York), January 8–14, 2003 http://www. filmsite. org/posters/psyc2. jpghttp://www. filmsite. rg/reddot. gif  Alfred Hitchcock’s powerful, complex psychological thriller,  Psycho  (1960) is the â€Å"mother† of all modern horror suspense films – it single-handedly ushered in an era of inferior screen ‘slashers’ with blood-letting and graphic, shocking killings The master of suspense skillfully manipulates and g uides the audience into identifying with the main character, luckless victim Marion (a Phoenix real-estate secretary), and then with that character’s murderer – a crazy and timid taxidermist named Norman (a brilliant typecasting performance by Anthony Perkins). Hitchcock’s techniques voyeuristically implicate the audience with the universal, dark evil forces and secrets present in the film. Psycho  also broke all film conventions by displaying its leading female protagonist having a lunchtime affair in her sexy white undergarments in the first scene; also by photographing a toilet bowl – and flush – in a bathroom (a first in an American film), and killing off its major ‘star’ Janet Leigh a third of the way into the film . Film reviews, for instance, will sometimes take up political or sociological concerns in the course of issuing formal-aesthetic judgments. Night of the Living Deaddramatizes the bewildering and uncanny transformation of human beings into non-human forms. Indeed, like all metamorphosis narratives, the film carries uncomfortable messages about identity — about what it means to be a human being and about the terror of alienation. The film’s power to unsettle its audience also derives from its focus on the taboo subject of cannibalism (which it depicts far more graphically than previous zombie films). In the eighteenth century, the English ironist Jonathan Swift (1996) wroteA Modest Proposal,a darkly satirical attack on the privations suffered by the Irish people at the hands of the English in which the author ironically proposed that infants be killed and eaten in order to solve the problem of poverty in Ireland. Night of the Living Deadalso uses cannibalism as a metaphor for exploitative power relations. Thus, while it deals with a quite different set of social problems, Romero’s film can also be seen a sinister satire that exploits an outrageous premise in the interests of social and political critique. In his book  Understanding Popular Culture,  John Fiske writes: It is not violence per se that characterises popular culture, but only that violence whose structure makes it into a metaphor for the distribution of power in society. Fiske, 1989: 137) According to Fiske, then, violence is a metaphor for inequitable (and presumably unjust) power relations in society. It is important, however, to understand this point in historical context. Violence became more commonly depicted in films and on television in the late 1960s, during a socially turbulent period when social hierarchies were being challenged   Night of the Living Dead  draws on Alfred Hitchcock’s  Psycho  (1 960), especially in its film craft: the use of shadow and camera angles. Night of the Living Dead  (and, indeed, its worthy equels) reminds us of something that the recent outbreak of zombie films may have caused us to forget: the oppositional potential of popular culture. In this sense, the film is an undead classic that can still tell us something about who we are — and warn us about what we might turn into. Waller, Gregory A. (1986),  The Living and the Undead  (Urbana and Chicago: University of Illinois Press) Swift, Jonathan (1996),  A Modest Proposal and other Satirical Works  (New York: Dover) like most genre movies, reflect the values and ideology of the culture that produced them. Don Siegel’s  Invasion of the Body Snatchers  (1956), for example, about an invasion of alien seed-pods that replace people with emotional replicas, is typically discussed in relation to American contemporary culture in the 1950s. Unlike earlier horror films,  Invasion of the Body Snatchers  imagines infection on an apocalyptic rather than personal scale, as in the vampire myth, a clear reflection of Cold War fears of nuclear destruction. But even as Americans felt threatened by possible nuclear war and Communist infiltration, the film also expresses a fear of creeping conformism at home. Invasion  makes the commonplace seem creepy, and in the climax a mob of plain-looking townsfolk pursue Miles and Becky out of town in a horrific evocation of the kind of witch-hunting mentality witnessed in the United States just a few years before the film’s releaseRead more:  Critical debates – Horror Films – actor, children, cinema  http://www. filmreference. com/encyclopedia/Criticism-Ideology/Horror-Films-CRITICAL-DEBATES. html#ixzz1qab4D5B2

Monday, January 6, 2020

Jesus Christ Superstar A Fresh Modern Take - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 2 Words: 636 Downloads: 1 Date added: 2019/06/26 Category Religion Essay Level High school Tags: Jesus Christ Essay Did you like this example? When NBC decided to take on a live-in-concert version of Jesus Christ Superstar on Easter Sunday, they were taking on a huge task that could easily turn disastrous. The 1970 rock opera album written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice followed by a spectacular movie adaptation by Norman Jewison in 1973 shone a new and controversial light on the days before Jesus crucifixion. With some disastrous live musicals lurking in the past, Jesus Christ Superstar had a lot to live up too, and ended up being a success in connecting to its audience. A stroke of genius with this task was the decision to perform the musical at the Marcy Avenue Armory in front of a live audience. With a mosh pit at the base of the stage, actors could interact with the audience members through handshakes and high fives. The frenzied energy from the audience buoyed the cast members and sustained vigor and liveliness to the production. This was especially seen with John Legends first appearance as Jesus Christ. The crowd was encouraged to go wild every time he appeared, thus adding to the idea that Jesus worshippers were becoming too fanatic. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Jesus Christ Superstar: A Fresh Modern Take" essay for you Create order The second part that led to this masterpiece was the casting. In a musical entitled Jesus Christ Superstar, the star of the show was not John Legend, but was Hamilton alum Brandon Victor Dixon starring as a conflicted Judas. John Legends performance started off slow and his one-note acting held him back during moments that should have carried more emotion. However, he delivered where it most mattered with the beautifully tragic Gethsemane (I Only Want to Say). Dixon, however, captivated the audience throughout the entire production. His performance was powerful in the way that he consistently brought strength and emotion during his characters darkest hours. He finished with a spectacular and stunning rendition of the number Superstar. Dixons performance proved him to be the real superstar. The other cast members held their own weight. Sara Bareilles lent her gentle strength to her performance of Everythings Alright and I Dont Know How to Love Him. Ben Daniels imbued his role of Pontius Pilate with regality, and later on, with desperation and despair, as he realized he could not save Jesus Christ. A showstopper cameo that added to the nostalgia of this live production was the appearance of Alice Cooper in a gaudy and extravagant orange suit as King Herod. Again, the live audience came into play here as they fell in adoration at King Herods Song. The set was simple, but largely effective. Scaffolding loomed in the background with the stage clear for the casts large dance numbers. In one instance, this lack of the set fails. Instead of the traditional temple scene where Jesus destroys the vendors stalls, Superstars version is a wooden cross covered in glitter that the cast members writhe upon. This version failed to capture the destruction, the sacrilege committed, and Jesuss true anger at this blasphemy. On the other hand, Jesus crucifixion was a brilliant feat. He was lifted up in the air, as the walls behind him disappeared in a shape of the cross, and a heavenly light shone down. The creative artistry in this scene was stunning and left the audience with one last divine impression. Jesus Christ Superstar pulled off the miracle of being a successful televised live musical. The musical had a lot to live to up to following the widely popular 1973 movie, and yet, it channeled the nostalgia of the past while connecting to a new audience. With an energetic, multicultural cast littered with pop legends and Broadway stars, the vocal power was spectacular and mesmerizing. The interaction from the live audience lifted the performance to a new level and a new form of art. The resurrection of Jesus Christ Superstar was a superb achievement.