Aspects of Life in Puerto Rico essays

Aspects of Life in Puerto Rico essays Imagine all the nations in the world belonging to one big family. The United States would be the father, China the mother, Japan the daughter, France the son, and so on. In this family of nations, Puerto Rico would only be a family relative. Proud to be American citizens and part of the United States, its culture and social mores are defiantly Spanish. Puerto Rico is a gorgeous, sunny island of many different colors. It has green trees, fields and forests, brown hills, and white, sandy beaches. Puerto Rico is famous for its beautiful beaches, warmhearted people, and delicious foods. In fact, Puerto Rico is also known to be the oldest community under the American Flag. Christopher Columbus discovered the lovely island on November 19, 1493 during his second voyage to the new world. Columbus decided to call the island San Juan Bautista (St. John the Baptist) in honor of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain. Their son was named Juan and Columbus wanted to show gratitude because the king and queen gave him the money to buy the ships he used to sail the new world. Before Columbus named the island San Juan Bautista, it was called Boriquen but a lieutenant to Columbus named Juan Ponce de Leon decided to call the island Puerto Rico (rich port). Puerto Rico known as Boriquen wasnt exactly empty when Christopher Columbus found it. The first Puerto Ricans to occupy the tropical paradise was an Indian tribe called the Taino Indians. The Tainos lived in small villages and were led by a Cacique, or chief. The Taino Indians were branded to be very kind, peace- loving and generous people. But the Spaniards didnt appreciate the Tiano Indians. They took over the island, and turned the Taino Indians into slaves. Today the word Taino is still used to describe the people of Puerto Rico. What is a Puerto Rican? Ive heard the questions plenty of times. Of course, Puerto Rican are people who live in, or come f...

Opossum Facts (Order Didelphimorphia)

Opossum Facts (Order Didelphimorphia) The opossum (order Didelphimorphia) is the only marsupial found in the Americas. The Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana) is the single species found in the United States, but at least 103 species occur in the Western Hemisphere. The word opossum comes from the Powhatan or Algonquian name for the animal, which roughly translates as white dog. Although the opossum is commonly called a possum, some marsupials in the Eastern Hemisphere are also called possums (suborder Phalangeriformes). Fast Facts: Opossum Scientific Name: Order Didelphimorphia (e.g., Didelphis virginiana)Common Names: Opossum, possumBasic Animal Group: MammalSize: 13-37 inches plus 8-19 inch tailWeight: 11 ounces to 14 poundsLifespan: 1-2 yearsDiet: OmnivoreHabitat: North, Central, and South AmericaPopulation: Abundant and increasing (Virginia opossum)Conservation Status: Least Concern (Virginia opossum) Description Didelphimorphs range from the size of a rodent to that of a domestic cat. The Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana), which is also known as the North American opossum, varies in size according to its habitat and sex. Opossums in the northern portion of their range are much larger than those that live further south. Males are much larger than females. On average, the Virginia opossum ranges from 13 to 37 inches in length from nose to the base of the tail, with a tail adding another 8 to 19 inches of length. Males weight between 1.7 and 14 pounds, while females weigh between 11 ounces and 8.2 pounds. Virginia opossums have gray or brown fur and white, pointed faces. They have hairless prehensile tails, hairless ears, and opposable thumbs on their rear paws. As with other marsupials, the female has a bifurcated vagina and a pouch, while the male has a forked penis. Opossums have prehensile tails and opposable thumbs on their rear feet. Frank Lukasseck, Getty Images Habitat and Distribution Opossums live in North, Central, and South America. The only species found in North America is the Virginia opossum, which lives along the West Coast of the United States, and from the Midwest all the way to the East Coast and throughout most of Mexico and Central America. However, climate change has been extending the Virginia opossums range into Canada. Although the opossum prefers a wooded habitat, it is highly adaptable and often lives in urban environments. Diet The opossum is a nocturnal omnivore. It is primarily a scavenger, feeding on carcasses, garbage, pet food, eggs, fruit, grain, and other plants. Opossums also eat insects, other small invertebrates, birds and their eggs, rodents, and frogs. Behavior The opossum is best known for playing possum or playing dead. When a possum is threatened, it initially responds by hissing and baring its teeth, but further stimulation triggers an involuntary response that puts the animal in a near-coma state. The possum falls onto its side with open eyes and mouth and expels a stinky fluid from its anus that basically causes it to smell like rotten meat. Its heart rate and breathing slow, but the animal remains fully conscious. The response repels predators that avoid carcasses. Playing possum isnt under the opossums control, so an opossum knows what is going on around it, but cant simply get up and leave when a threat has passed. The feigned death may last a few minutes or up to six hours. Playing possum is an involuntary response to a perceived threat. Joe McDonald, Getty Images Opossums do not hibernate in winter. Since they dont dig dens or build burrows, the animals seek shelter when temperatures drop. In cold habitats, they commonly overwinter in garages, sheds, or under homes. Reproduction and Offspring The average opossum estrous cycle is 28 days, but the number of litters they bear per year depends on the species. The Virginia opossum breeds between December and October, with most young born February through June. The female has between one and three litters per year. Opossums are solitary animals. The male attracts the female by making a clicking sound. The pair separates after mating. As marsupials, females give birth to numerous young (as many as 50) very early in development. The young climb from their mothers vagina to teats within her pouch. A female only has 13 teats, so at most 13 young may survive. Typically only eight or nine young, called joeys, emerge from the pouch after two and a half months. The joeys climb onto their mothers back and stay with her for four or five months before venturing out on their own. In the wild, an opossum lives one to two years. This short lifespan is typical of marsupials. In captivity, an opossum may live up to four years, but it still ages rapidly. Conservation Status The conservation status of the opossum depends on the species. Some species are threatened or extinct. The only type of opossum found in North America is the Virginia opossum, which the IUCN classifies as least concern. Although hunted, trapped, and accidentally killed, Virginia opossums are abundant and generally increasing in population. Opossums and Humans The major cause of opossum mortality is motor vehicle collision. Opossums are hunted for fur and food. Their fat is high in essential fatty acids and may be used in therapeutic skin salves. Although not aggressive, the opossum is not an ideal pet. First, its illegal to keep an opossum as a pet in many states unless you have a wildlife rehabilitation license or wildlife hobby permit. Even then, the creatures are challenging to keep because they are nocturnal animals that require a varied diet and have inherently short lifespans. Wild opossums are useful to have around because they control tick, rodent, and snake populations. Unlike many mammals, they arent susceptible to rabies. Sources De Barros, M. A.; Panattoni Martins, J. F.; Samoto, V. Y.; Oliveira, V. C.; Gonà §alves, N.; Manà §anares, C. A.; Vidane, A.; Carvalho, A. F.; Ambrà ³sio, C. E.; Miglino, M. A. Marsupial morphology of reproduction: South America opossum male model. Microscopy Research and Technique. 76 (4): 388–97, 2013.  Gardner, A.L. Order Didelphimorphia. In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 6, 2005. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0.McManus, John J. Behavior of Captive Opossums, Didelphis marsupialis virginiana, American Midland Naturalist, 84 (1): 144–169, July, 1970. doi:10.2307/2423733Mithun, Marianne. The Languages of Native North America. Cambridge University Press. p. 332, 2001. ISBN 978-0-521-29875-9.Pà ©rez-Hernandez, R., Lew, D. Solari, S. Didelphis virginiana. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T40502A22176259. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T40502A2217 6259.en

Opossum Facts (Order Didelphimorphia)

Opossum Facts (Order Didelphimorphia) The opossum (order Didelphimorphia) is the only marsupial found in the Americas. The Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana) is the single species found in the United States, but at least 103 species occur in the Western Hemisphere. The word opossum comes from the Powhatan or Algonquian name for the animal, which roughly translates as white dog. Although the opossum is commonly called a possum, some marsupials in the Eastern Hemisphere are also called possums (suborder Phalangeriformes). Fast Facts: Opossum Scientific Name: Order Didelphimorphia (e.g., Didelphis virginiana)Common Names: Opossum, possumBasic Animal Group: MammalSize: 13-37 inches plus 8-19 inch tailWeight: 11 ounces to 14 poundsLifespan: 1-2 yearsDiet: OmnivoreHabitat: North, Central, and South AmericaPopulation: Abundant and increasing (Virginia opossum)Conservation Status: Least Concern (Virginia opossum) Description Didelphimorphs range from the size of a rodent to that of a domestic cat. The Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana), which is also known as the North American opossum, varies in size according to its habitat and sex. Opossums in the northern portion of their range are much larger than those that live further south. Males are much larger than females. On average, the Virginia opossum ranges from 13 to 37 inches in length from nose to the base of the tail, with a tail adding another 8 to 19 inches of length. Males weight between 1.7 and 14 pounds, while females weigh between 11 ounces and 8.2 pounds. Virginia opossums have gray or brown fur and white, pointed faces. They have hairless prehensile tails, hairless ears, and opposable thumbs on their rear paws. As with other marsupials, the female has a bifurcated vagina and a pouch, while the male has a forked penis. Opossums have prehensile tails and opposable thumbs on their rear feet. Frank Lukasseck, Getty Images Habitat and Distribution Opossums live in North, Central, and South America. The only species found in North America is the Virginia opossum, which lives along the West Coast of the United States, and from the Midwest all the way to the East Coast and throughout most of Mexico and Central America. However, climate change has been extending the Virginia opossums range into Canada. Although the opossum prefers a wooded habitat, it is highly adaptable and often lives in urban environments. Diet The opossum is a nocturnal omnivore. It is primarily a scavenger, feeding on carcasses, garbage, pet food, eggs, fruit, grain, and other plants. Opossums also eat insects, other small invertebrates, birds and their eggs, rodents, and frogs. Behavior The opossum is best known for playing possum or playing dead. When a possum is threatened, it initially responds by hissing and baring its teeth, but further stimulation triggers an involuntary response that puts the animal in a near-coma state. The possum falls onto its side with open eyes and mouth and expels a stinky fluid from its anus that basically causes it to smell like rotten meat. Its heart rate and breathing slow, but the animal remains fully conscious. The response repels predators that avoid carcasses. Playing possum isnt under the opossums control, so an opossum knows what is going on around it, but cant simply get up and leave when a threat has passed. The feigned death may last a few minutes or up to six hours. Playing possum is an involuntary response to a perceived threat. Joe McDonald, Getty Images Opossums do not hibernate in winter. Since they dont dig dens or build burrows, the animals seek shelter when temperatures drop. In cold habitats, they commonly overwinter in garages, sheds, or under homes. Reproduction and Offspring The average opossum estrous cycle is 28 days, but the number of litters they bear per year depends on the species. The Virginia opossum breeds between December and October, with most young born February through June. The female has between one and three litters per year. Opossums are solitary animals. The male attracts the female by making a clicking sound. The pair separates after mating. As marsupials, females give birth to numerous young (as many as 50) very early in development. The young climb from their mothers vagina to teats within her pouch. A female only has 13 teats, so at most 13 young may survive. Typically only eight or nine young, called joeys, emerge from the pouch after two and a half months. The joeys climb onto their mothers back and stay with her for four or five months before venturing out on their own. In the wild, an opossum lives one to two years. This short lifespan is typical of marsupials. In captivity, an opossum may live up to four years, but it still ages rapidly. Conservation Status The conservation status of the opossum depends on the species. Some species are threatened or extinct. The only type of opossum found in North America is the Virginia opossum, which the IUCN classifies as least concern. Although hunted, trapped, and accidentally killed, Virginia opossums are abundant and generally increasing in population. Opossums and Humans The major cause of opossum mortality is motor vehicle collision. Opossums are hunted for fur and food. Their fat is high in essential fatty acids and may be used in therapeutic skin salves. Although not aggressive, the opossum is not an ideal pet. First, its illegal to keep an opossum as a pet in many states unless you have a wildlife rehabilitation license or wildlife hobby permit. Even then, the creatures are challenging to keep because they are nocturnal animals that require a varied diet and have inherently short lifespans. Wild opossums are useful to have around because they control tick, rodent, and snake populations. Unlike many mammals, they arent susceptible to rabies. Sources De Barros, M. A.; Panattoni Martins, J. F.; Samoto, V. Y.; Oliveira, V. C.; Gonà §alves, N.; Manà §anares, C. A.; Vidane, A.; Carvalho, A. F.; Ambrà ³sio, C. E.; Miglino, M. A. Marsupial morphology of reproduction: South America opossum male model. Microscopy Research and Technique. 76 (4): 388–97, 2013.  Gardner, A.L. Order Didelphimorphia. In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 6, 2005. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0.McManus, John J. Behavior of Captive Opossums, Didelphis marsupialis virginiana, American Midland Naturalist, 84 (1): 144–169, July, 1970. doi:10.2307/2423733Mithun, Marianne. The Languages of Native North America. Cambridge University Press. p. 332, 2001. ISBN 978-0-521-29875-9.Pà ©rez-Hernandez, R., Lew, D. Solari, S. Didelphis virginiana. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T40502A22176259. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T40502A2217 6259.en

Privacy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Privacy - Essay Example The government and other influential people have been very vocal in monitoring social networks, arguing that it helps the government understand how the public is receiving its policies and practices (Rennie). For instance, the UK government has responded to a law suit brought to court by a civil rights agent about privacy by saying that the government has a right to carry out what they call legal spying. (Queally, Para 1). Americans are also not left behind. According to Damon (Para 1), the US government is working with social media companies to plan for back-doors to help government spy in peoples social media accounts. This shows that governments are increasingly looking to spy on people’s live through social media. Although there may be an advantage for allowing the government to access personal information for investigation purposes, the problem is that this is prone to abuse. At the same time, the basic principle of justice and liberty require that the freedom of an indiv idual should not be scarified, not even when it is for the good of the public. In this regard, the government should look for alternative ways to do their investigation, and not interfere with the private lives of everybody else. No one should ever have the moral authority to interfere with people’s privacy, not even for the sake of national security. I believe that it is obscene for the government to look through people’s private information on social networks and phones because this goes against the constitutional right that guarantees privacy of individuals. Invading people’s privacy on the social networks and mobile phones by the government is a heinous practice that might result in illogical judgment about the social networks users. For example, most young people use the social media for dating and organizing youth oriented events. The dating language might look immoral to the government and parents, but the sender and

Week 14 Experiential Exercise Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Week 14 Experiential Exercise - Essay Example ings had changed significantly in the field of marketing since she first entered it, but the steps to creating a marketing plan remain essentially intact, though they are now somewhat more difficult and require more ingenuity. For instance, the first thing that one does when creating a marketing plan is segment the audience. An organization ahs to have a very clear picture of who they are trying to reach, who they are not trying to reach, and how to divide up groups within their target audience. For instance, hotels spend a great deal of their time and effort trying to market themselves towards business travelers, a demographic that obviously uses hotels a great deal. But this does not constitute a homogenous group: high power brokers are going to want different things than a low level sales person in town for a day; people who need to stay somewhere for weeks want different things than those who can be in and out quickly. So it is essential to segment the market and identify who you want to reach and reach them how best you can. Now there are more opportunities for marketing than ever, ranging from traditional media such as print ads to youtube ads and other social media. I was told that age constitutes a significant difference in social media use, but this seems to be slowly fading with time: though young users outnumber old, more and more middle age and retirement age users are using social media. One important note that was driven home to me is to treat marketing plans like an investment: the key is not how many people you reach, but how efficiently spent marketing money is. Thus, one might, for instance, have to determine whether it would be better to buy minutes upon minutes of television ads in various markets, trying to entice small business travelers and entrepreneurs, or to rather spend less money to fly out and meet a procurement executive and a large corporation, and try to get that compan y to go with your hotel as their standard choice when

Corporate Risk Management Essay Example for Free

Corporate Risk Management Essay Risk refers to the uncertainty that surrounds future events and outcomes. It is the expression of the likelihood and impact of an event with the potential to influence the achievement of an organization’s objectives. Risk management is a systematic approach to setting the best course of action under uncertainty by identifying, assessing, understanding, acting on and communicating risk issues. The Corporate Risk Management framework is a systematic, integrated approach with a focus on managing financial risks to enhance shareholder value. The Corporate Risk Management processes are indentification of the risk, measurement , policy, process and execution. Those processes are utilised by corporate enterprises to manage the risk of fortuitous loss. Once corporate risks have been identified and their impact on the firm measured, risk management attempts to control the size and frequency of loss, and to finance those fortuitous losses which do occur. Those are the main definition about the subject, which are to be discussed in this document. Risk Management is an ongoing activity and should be carried out as a part of day-to-day business. The management of risk can only take place within an organisational framework that is inclusive of all parts of the corporate infrastructure. Without this framework, risks cannot be efectivelly discussed, communicated, compared and managed in a coherent way across the whole organisation. Risk should be a feature of any management discussion of any uncertain circumstances including new initiatives of any kind and the implementation of significant projects Risk management deals with insurable and with uninsurable risks and is an approach which involves a formal orderly process for systematically identyfying, analysing and responding to risk events throughout the life of a project to obtain the optimum or acceptable degree of risk elimination or control. Risk management is an essential part of the project and business planning cycle which requires acceptance that uncertainty exists, generates a structured response to risk in terms of alternative plans, solutions and contingencies ,is a thinking process requiring imagination and ingenuity and generates a realistic attitude in an investment for staff by preparing them for risk events rather than being taken by surprise when they arrive. Risk management involves identifying risks, predicting how probable they are and how serious they might become, deciding what to do about them and implementing these decisions. Corporates finance is the specific area dealing the financial decisions corporations make and the tools and techniques used to make the decisions. Categories of corporate financial decision making are : objectives of investment decision, financial decision and financial techniques. Corporates need a more advanced risk management approach in order to benefit from a competitive advantage from strategic risk management. They should manage risks proactively via an integrated approach with a focus on measurable financial risks. Quantitative techniques, such as cash flow-at-risk and earnings-at-risk, are necessary to look at the combined effect of risks on the formulated business objectives. Identification of risks, analysis of implications, response to minimise the risk and allocation of the contigencies are part of the process of managing the corporate risk. The objective to managing the corporate risk is to understand the risk that is known to be associated with the corporate strategy plan. This corporate risk management plan will enable the communication of the risks and risk treatments to be passed down to the strategic business units that may be impacted by the risk and maintenance of the corporate risk register. Altough risks are evaluated at the corporate level, the power they maintain over governments and consumers is phenomenal. Corporate risk startegy often implies planned actions to respond to identified risks. A typical corporate risk strategy includes the following: * accountabilities for managing the corporate risk. * A corporate risk register will be maintained as a record of the known risks to the corporate strategy plan; the types of mitigating action recorded. * Treatment plans are identified that form part of the corporate strategy and will be communicated to the SBUs, so they in turn may manage the risk which may affect them. A first estimate of potential effects can be determined using assumption analysis, decision tree analysis and the range method. These models can then be used to evaluate the effectiveness of potential mitigating actions and hence select the optimum response. Mitigating actions can be grouped into four categories and potential action : * Risk avoidance * Risk reduction * Risk transfer * Risk retention Corporate management, often referred to as corporate strategy, is concerned with ensuring corporate survival and increasing its value not just in financial terms but also by variables such as market share, reputation and brand perceptions. Thus the scope of corporate risk management is wide ranged to support the corporate strategy. A senior corporate manager owns the process and has the staff to resource the analysis and administrative activities. A board member champions the process ensuring access to information and resources. A core group of corporate broad members and strategic business unit executives can draw additional input from stakeholders such as shareholder representatives, representatives from major customers, partners and suppliers and external experts. At the corporate level a corporate strategy plan is often produced. The plan objectives are: * Create and maintain a strategy that achieves the corporate intent, corporate commitments and expectations of the customers, shareholders and other stakeholders. * Incorporate and maintain the commitments and the requirements of business sectors, specifically strategic business units and process owners that support the strategic direction. * Communicate the strategic direction and relevant objectives and target to each strategic business unit. * Manage strategic change to maintain or gain competitive advantage. The risk management process can be viewed as the application of traditional management techniques to a particular problem. Risk management is a continous loop rather than a linear process so that, as an investment or project processes, a cycle of identification, analysis, control and reporting of risks is continuously undertaken. Steps in the risk management process include: * setting risk-return goals, * identification and evaluation of the causes of potential expense or revenue fluctuation, * choice and balance of loss control and loss finance tools, and * implementation, monitoring and review. There are many opinions about those processes. For example Chapman and Ward believe that there are eight phases in the risk management process. Each phases is associated with broadly defined deliverabe, and each deliverable is discussed in terms of its purpose and the tasks required to produce it. Phases and deliverable structures: * Define : the purpose of this phase is to consolidate any relevant existing information about the project, and to fill in any gaps uncovered in the consolidation process. * Focus : the purpose of this phase is to look for and develop a strategic plan for the risk management process, and to plan the risk management process at an operational level. * Identify : the purpose of this phase is to identify where risk may arise, to identify what might be done about the risk in proactive and reactive terms, and to identify what might go wrong with the responses. Here, all the risks and responses should be identified, with threats and opportunitiess classified, characterised, documented, veified and reported. * Structure : the purpose of this phase is to test the simplified assumptions, and to provide a more complex structure when appropriate. Benefits here include a clear understanding of the implications of any important simplifying assumptions about relationships between risks, responses and base plan activities. * Ownership : at this phase client/contractor allocation of ownership and management of risk and responses occur, such as the allocation of client risks to named individuals, and the approval of contractor allocations. Here, clear ownership and allocations arise; the allocations are effectively and efficiently defined and legally enforceable in practice where appropriate. * Estimate : this phase identifies areas of clear significant uncertainty and areas of possible significant uncertainty. This acts as a basis for understanding which risks and responses are important. * Evaluate : at this stage synthesis and evaluation of the results of the estimation phase occurs. Diagnosis of all important difficulties and comparative analysis of the implication of responses to these difficulties should take place, together with specific deliverables like a prioritised list of risks or a comparison of the base plan and contingency plans with possible difficulties and revised plans. * Plan : at this pase the project plan is ready for implementation. The main processes involved in project risk management are: * risk identification, risk quantification and analysis, * risk response, selection of risk response options, * outputs from the risk response process, * outputs from the risk response process, * risk management within the project life cycle, * the tasks and benefits of risk management, * the beneficiares of risk management. Risk identification consists of determining which risks are likely to affect the project and documenting the characteristics of each one. Risk identification should adress both the internal and the external risks. The primary sources of risk which have the potential to cause a major effect on the project should also be determined and classified according to their impact on project cost, time schedules and project objectives. Inputs and outputs of the Risk Identification Process . Inputs to risk identification are given as product or service description; other planning outputs (work breakdown structure, cost and time estimates, specification requirements) historical information. Outputs to risk identification are sources of risk; potential risk events; risk symptoms; imputs to other processes. After identification risks should be ’validated’, for instance, the information on which they are based and the accuracy of the description of their characteristics should be checked. The purpose of risk identification is to identify and the project or service components, the inherent risks in the project or service, to capture the most significant participants in risk management and to provide the basis for subsequent management, to stabilise the groundwork by providing all the necessary information to conduct risk analysis. Risk quantification and analysis involves evaluating risks and risk interactions to assess the range of possible outcomes. It is primarily concerned with determing which risk events warrant a response. A number of tools and techniques are available for the use of risk analysis and quantification and the analysis process. Risk response involves defining enhancement steps for opportunities and responses to threats. Â  Risk avoidance involves the removal of a particular threat. This may be either by eliminating the source of the risk within a project or by avoiding projects or business entities which have exposure to the risk. Since the significance of a risk is related to both its probability of occurence and its effect on the project outcome if it does occur, risk reduction may involve either lowering its probability or lessening its impact ( or both ). Projects may be seen as investment packages with associated risks and returns. Since a typical project or business involves numerous stakeholders, it follows that each should ’own’ a proportion of the risk available in order to elicit a return. Basically, risk transfer is the process of transferring risk to another participant in the project. Transferring risk does not eliminate or reduce the criticality of the risk, but merely leaves it for others to bear the risk. Risk Retention .Risks may be retained intentionally or unintentionally. The latter occurs as a result of failure of either or both of the first two phases of the risk management process, these being risk identification and risk analysis. If a risk is not identified or if its potential consequences are underestimated, then the organisation is unlikely to avoid or reduce it consciously or transfer it adequately. Corporate risk refers to the liabilities and dangers that a corporation faces. Risk management is a set of procedures that minimizes risks and costs for businesses. The job of a corporate risk management department is to identify potential sources of trouble, analyze them, and take the necessary steps to prevent losses There are several steps in any risk management process. The department must identify and measure the exposure to loss, select alternatives to that loss, implement a solution, and monitor the results of their solution. The goal of a risk management team is to protect and ultimately enhance the value of a company. With corporations, financial risks are the biggest concern. Just as with standard insurance policies for physical damage, some financial risks can be transferred to other parties. Derivatives are the primary way that corporate risk is transferred. A derivative is a financial contract that has a value based on, or derived from, something else. These other things can be stocks and commodities, interest and exchange rates or even the weather when applicable. The three main types of derivatives that corporate riskmanagers use are futures, options, and swaps. Corporate risk is especially prominent during difficult times in the economy. Risk management teams will take less chances when the economy is less forgiving. They will do everything necessary to avoid additional risks, which in some cases can contribute to a decrease in credit availability and less overall spending. * Corporate Risk Management ,second edition, Tony Merna Faisal Thani 2008 * Analysis Evaluation,second edition, Neil Cowan 2005 * http://www.decs.sa.gov.au/docs/documents/1/DecsRiskManagementFramewo.pdf * http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-corporate-risk.htm

Essay example --

Our world is growing! Growing in population that is, but the resources are staying the same. To help with the growing of the population that will be happening in the 21st century, science and agriculture need to work hand-in-hand. They need to stand together to make a break through together, to insure that everyone will have food on their plate. We need to work to have larger yields with the land we have. Some people say that humans need to change their diet, and others say that we should destroy hundreds of acres of wild land. According to Feed Nine Billion website, people feel that the only way things will be improving, is if everyone becomes a vegetarian. But others disagree. The people who think that this is the only way do have a good point. Grains and vegetables do produce so much faster than animal production. Then again, you can’t just assume that everyone will follow, and turn to becoming a vegetarian. Besides think of all the farmers that would be out of a job! These farmers could have been family business, just like a dairy farm that is located outside of our town. R&D dairy farm has been handed down generation after generation. Funding has to become an essential in today’s society for this new advance in technology that will be needed. We aren’t only having problems worrying about feeding the next generation; we should be concerned now. Did you know, that in the last 11 years, six of those years the population has consumed more than what was produced? The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations website, just this year the cereal production has gone up eight percent. Imagine what will be expected in the 21st century. People are demanding more food now, than they ever have. Scientists say that far... ...t too expensive for the farmers. The second step is that broader awareness is required. According to Sarah Alexander, â€Å"different farmers trust different sources, such as vendors, crop consultants, and university extension services.† Farmers are going to need to be open minded to new things, in order to feed the human race. The last step is farmers need the right incentives. Farmers want to know about the good that they are doing. Farmer’s want to know how they are saving the environment, and how they are producing more food, and feeding more people than they were before. If we all work together, feeding the nine will be possible, and even likely. Farmers need to know how much they are needed, for this process and know that new ways of farming will help in the long run. People don’t have to change their diets so everyone can be fed. Together, we can feed the world.

Compare how two television programmes you have studied offer comic representation of gender

In this essay I intend to use two sitcoms to answer the question. Gender representation is a major part of many sitcoms and I will be looking into why this is, and how they are represented comically. I will be using an episode of Absolutely Fabulous and an episode of Keeping Up Appearances to provide me with examples to support my ideas and opinions. * Absolutely Fabulous- Eddie- comical features: Over dressed, flamboyant & eccentric appearance No sense of moral or political correctness (buying merchandise from African villages) Physical behaviour- poor co-ordination of arms and hands- looks comical- lots of movement. (Example- when arrives late in & faces questioning from Saffy) Voice-sounds younger than she is & talks like she is younger- comical because trying to hide from her real age Language- talks like a teenager, talks to daughter like she is her mum (role reversal) Also degrading to daughter, loud and immature behaviour. Not stereotypical mum- quite the opposite, stereotypical teenager. (mood swings & behaviour, dress etc) Main interest is men- questions Saffy about when she will finally get a boyfriend. Generally most of her features are exaggerated to increase comical value. Saffy- Comical features: Very boring/ sensible dress sense, dull colours & appearance- even though a teenager. Sensible & boring- role reversal with her mum- example- when telling mum off about returning home late. Body language- reserved, sensible, quiet and controlled. Tries to make deals & compromise with her mum- role reversal again. Also with Patsy- T.V show. Well spoken, doesn't use slang, swear or shout. Stereotypical mum, portrayed through a daughter 9role reversal with her mum) Relies heavily on Saffy. Generally most of her features are exaggerated to increase comical value. Patsy- Comical Features: Shows how women can get wherever they want- slept with her Boss to get a better job. Pretends to be professional. Dresses like she's on a catwalk- completely inappropriate & ridiculous. Uses too much make up & has an overdone hairstyle. Addicted to cigarettes and alcohol. Tries to use and manipulate Saffy- uses sob story to make her appear on T.V show. Appears to be very shallow with not much of a life & few friends- when she is desperate to go to lunch with Eddie, as has no one else to go with. Generally most of her features are exaggerated to increase comical value. Other notes: Patsy and Eddie- more than best friends, rely on & need each other. Magazine editors- all similar to Patsy. Some appear very aristocratic. Main editor- very professional, smartly dressed, busy, taking what some would perceive as a male role. Patsy and Eddie try to get as much free stuff as they can from the building- demonstrates that although they behave like the others, they cant afford to live the lifestyle or dress the same. T.V show- Presenter is typical morning T.V presenter- dress, behaviour and style. Very awkward situation & patsy doesn't know what to do or say, and fails to appreciate the situation- national television. Keeping Up Appearances Hyacinth- Self obsessed, eccentric & extremist. Overpowering and controlling. She is embarrassed of her family except for her rich sister. Very Snobbish. Tries to show off to visitors and family/ friends. Obsessed with material goods & values as well as appearances. Centre of attention. Speaks freely & says what she thinks about others, unaware of others feelings. Richard- Does as he is told, also finds Hyacinth dominating and overpowering. Puts her before his job although it should be the other way round, he finds it difficult to say no to her. Highly sarcastic. Elizabeth- She does not like Hyacinth and is very nervous around her- does not want to do or say the wrong thing. Discusses Hyacinth with her Husband- make jokes and dislike her, particularly Emmet. Daisy- Poor appearance, obviously no money. Tries to do & say the right thing for Hyacinth, like Elizabeth, very nervous around her. Daisy's husband- Very poor appearance, unaware or not bothered. Dislikes Hyacinth. However is not that uncomfortable around her- tries to take biscuits from tin. Again, as with Richard, dry & sarcastic humour. Other Notes: more than gender issues- family & social as well. Hyacinth is centre of attention for all wrong reasons. Hyacinth and Richard have different values in life (far more material) to Daisy and her husband. Conclusion. I conclude that representation of gender is a major part of these two sitcoms. In absolutely fabulous, gender representation is used to make comical situations of women, but underneath, there is a moral and it is saying this is how women are and have ended up but that not all end up this way. It is showing the viewer how women can be, although this is a highly exaggerated situation, I'm sure many can relate to, or know somebody who relates to at least one of the characters in the show. It focus more on gender representation between family and close friends. However, Keeping Up Appearances focuses more on the gender representation and its comical values between relatives and neighbours from different social classes. Again, as with Ab Fab, it mostly features women and the comical features between them, and men play a smaller role.

Striving for Personal Success

Striving for Personal Success University of Phoenix Gen 200 Eleanor Roosevelt once said, â€Å"In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility† (Goodreads Inc. , 2013). Although life can be a major deterrent on success, it also can be one factor in obtaining college success. The personal responsibility a student holds is based on their motivation and self- sacrifices.Success in life and in college can only be measures by the hard work, drive, and dedication. Personal responsibility is defined as relating or pertaining to oneself and the state of responsibility as moral, legal, or mental accountability (Merriam-Webster, Incorporated, 2013). One way of applying personal responsibility in a student's life is to continue to push the limits that other people have placed on them and pushing those boundaries to the max. With huge success can come countless opportunities, th rough these opportunities comes dedication and challenges.It is in how each person deals with those dedication and challenges that makes the sacrifices worth everything. When the idea of quitting occurs is when an individual must lean on his or her support systems to pull them through that state of mind. It is family, friends, and amazing instructors who can be the factors between persevering through the hard times and giving up. The question a student will then have to face is, what is most important to that person? By fguring out that question and realize the time and dedication that has already been applied would be a waste.At this final point the individual has to find the motivation and drive to re light that fire under them and ontinue to strive on. It is that personal responsibility of holding oneself accountable for the hard work that will lead that person to college success. Personal responsibility is a factor in achieving success in life and in college, but personal respon sibility also can be a hinder. By being a college student people not only have dedication to their schoolwork, but also their outside school, such as family, friends, and a Job.The struggle is trying to find that balance needed to succeed in all fields. Alexandra Escobar said, â€Å"Professional women often struggle as they try to alance their work and personal roles, while still trying to grow in both,† she currently holds a master's degree in education and holds a chair for the College of Education at University of Phoenix South Florida Campus (â€Å"How women in business can â€Å"lean in†,† personal roles, but as shown through her degree and position held in her college now the success for a degree is possible.The major factor is time management. Every person must learn to create time for what matters, whether that is to wake up an hour earlier or turn the television off to complete that one assignment. 0. 1. Simpson once said, â€Å"The day you take comple te responsibility for yourself, the day you stop making any excuses that is the day you start to the top† ([email  protected], 2001). If this degree and college success is what matters, that person will find a way to make it work, or that person will find a way to make excuses.The main question every person must ask themselves is success at this very moment more important than success for growth that can better one's future or not? Personal responsibility and college success are proving to be one and the same. Success in college and in life can only be achieved by one's own self-sacrifice and elf-dedication. Winston Churchill once said, â€Å"The price of greatness is responsibility' ([email  protected], 2001). Winston Churchill is right.It is the self-sacrifice of choosing to miss out on social events, school events, or pull extra work hours so that person can finish his or her assignments needed to succeed in their classes. The self-dedication will need to be applied to obtain such greatness. By applying self- dedication and personal sacrifices one is allowing themself to grow in personal success. Each hurdle completed in their college Journey is another step closer to obtain ollege success as well as being able to apply the knowledge obtained into their lifestyle and in return gain success in the workforce.It is each individual's personal responsibility to apply what is being learned in and out of the classroom through their college Journey that will truly allow them to have the greatest form of college success. An educational success will be obtained by a college degree, but also a workforce knowledge and personal growth that can be achieved only by experiencing that balancing act between personal responsibility and college success. In conclusion, personal responsibility is the key to success. Success is also determined by self-sacrifice and self-dedication.

Japanese language patterns differ from American English patterns

Japanese language patterns differ from American English patterns Free Online Research Papers Title: Japanese language patterns differ from American English patterns The Japanese language has a different word order from English. English, as we know, is a subject-verb-object language. While there are some exceptions to this structure (One swallow does not a summer make; Great oaks from little acorns grow.), most spoken and written utterances follow this pattern. Japanese, however, has a different word order: subject-object-verb. If I were to ask someone how they were, I would say, â€Å"Kenki, desska?† Literally translated, this utterance would be rendered as â€Å"(You) well are?† This difference in word order makes Japanese for Americans a more challenging language to learn than, say, Spanish which hews to virtually the same underlying structure as English. Japanese has a few other differences worth mentioning here. Japanese is basically a syllable-timed language. In other words, syllables in Japanese generally get the same amount of stress. English is a stress-timed language. Syllables get unequal stress within words and certain words get less stress than others. Function words (articles, prepositions) in English get less stress generally. The Japanese language lacks articles and prepositions get the same amount of stress as other words within an utterance. Research Papers on Japanese language patterns differ from American English patterns19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraHip-Hop is ArtQuebec and CanadaAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeThree Concepts of PsychodynamicStandardized TestingPETSTEL analysis of IndiaMind Travel

Biography of Elvis Presley, the King of Rock n Roll

Biography of Elvis Presley, the King of Rock 'n' Roll Elvis Presley (Jan. 8, 1935–Aug 16, 1977) was a singer, actor, and cultural icon of the 20th century. Presley sold more than 1 billion records and made 33 movies, but his cultural impact far exceeds even those numbers. Fast Facts: Elvis Presley Known For: A rock n roll iconAlso Known As: The King of Rock n RollBorn: Jan. 8, 1935 in Tupelo, MississippiParents: Gladys and Vernon PresleyDied: Aug 16, 1977 in Memphis, TennesseeSongs: Love Me Tender, Hound Dog, Heartbreak Hotel, Jailhouse Rock, Can’t Help Falling in LoveMovies: Kid Galahad, Blue Hawaii, Jailhouse Rock, King CreoleSpouse: Priscilla Beaulieu PresleyChildren: Lisa Marie PresleyNotable Quote: Rock n roll music, if you like it, if you feel it, you cant help but move to it. Thats what happens to me. I cant help it. Early Life Elvis Presley was born to Gladys and Vernon Presley in the couples two-room house in Tupelo, Mississippi, following a difficult delivery. Presleys twin brother, Jessie Garon, was stillborn, and Gladys was so ill from the birth that she was taken to the hospital. She wasnt able to have more children. Gladys Presley doted on her sandy-haired, blue-eyed son and worked hard to keep her family together. She struggled when her husband was sentenced to three years in the Mississippi state penitentiary, also known as Parchman Farm, for forgery after changing the amount on a check. With him in prison, Gladys couldnt earn enough to keep the house, so she and her 3-year-old moved in with relatives, the first of many moves for the family. Learning Music Since they moved often, only two things were consistent in Presleys childhood: his parents and music. With his parents usually at work, Presley found music wherever he could. He listened to music in church and taught himself to play the church piano. When Presley was 8, he often hung out at the local radio station. For his 11th birthday, his parents gave him a guitar. By high school, his family had moved to Memphis, Tennessee. Although Presley joined R.O.T.C., played football, and worked as an usher at a movie theater, his activities didnt stop other students from picking on him. Presley was different. He dyed his hair black and wore it in a style that made him look more like a comic book character than other kids in his school. So he surrounded himself with music, listening to the radio and buying records. After the family moved to Lauderdale Courts, an apartment complex, he often played with other aspiring musicians who lived there. Although segregation was still a fact in the south, Presley crossed the color line and listened to African-American artists such as B.B. King. He often visited Beale Street in the African-American section of town to watch black musicians play. Big Break By the time Presley graduated from high school, he could sing in various styles, from hillbilly to gospel. He also had a style of singing and moving that was all his own. He had combined what he saw and heard into a unique new sound. The first to realize this was Sam Phillips at Sun Records. After spending the year after high school working a day job and playing at small clubs at night, Presley received a call from Sun Records on June 6, 1954. Phillips wanted Presley to sing a new song. When that didnt work out, he set Presley up with guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black. After a month of practicing, they recorded Thats All Right (Mama). Phillips convinced a friend to play it on the radio, and it was an instant hit. Moore, Black, and drummer D.J. Fontana continued to back Presley on dozens of legendary rock n roll songs over the next decade. Presley quickly built an audience. On Aug. 15, 1954, he signed with Sun Records for four albums. He then began making appearances on popular radio shows such as Grand Ole Opry and Louisiana Hayride. Presley was so successful on Hayride that he was hired to perform every Saturday for a year. He quit his job and toured the south during the week, playing anywhere there was a paying audience, then returned to Shreveport, Louisiana, every Saturday for Hayride. High school and college students went wild for Presley, screaming and cheering and mobbing him backstage. He put his soul into every performance and moved his body- a lot. Presley gyrated his hips, jiggled his legs, and fell to his knees on the floor. Adults thought he was lewd and suggestive; teenagers loved him. As Presleys popularity soared, he hired Colonel Tom Parker as his manager. In some ways, Parker took advantage of Presley, including taking a generous cut of his proceeds, but he steered Presley to mega-stardom. Stardom Presleys popularity soon became more than Sun Records could handle, so Phillips sold Presleys contract to RCA Victor for $35,000, more than any record company had ever paid for a singer. To further boost Presleys popularity, Parker put him on television. On Jan. 28, 1956, Presley made his first television appearance on Stage Show, followed by appearances on The Milton Berle Show, The Steve Allen Show, and The Ed Sullivan Show. In March 1956, Parker arranged an audition with Presley at Paramount studios. Studio executives liked Presley so much that they signed him to do his first movie, Love Me Tender (1956), with an option for six more. Two weeks after his audition, Presley received his first gold record for Heartbreak Hotel, which had sold 1 million copies. Presleys popularity was skyrocketing and money was flowing. He bought his mother the house he had promised her and in March 1957, he purchased Graceland- a mansion with 13 acres of land- for $102,500. He then had the entire mansion remodeled to his tastes. Army Just as it seemed like everything Presley touched turned to gold, on Dec. 20, 1957, he received a draft notice. Presley could have been excused from military service, but he chose to enter the Army as a regular soldier. He was stationed in Germany. With a nearly two-year hiatus from his career, many people, including Presley, wondered if the world would forget him. But Parker worked hard to keep Presleys name and image before the public, succeeding so well that some said Presley was as popular after his military experience as before it. While Presley was in the Army, two major personal events occurred. The first was the death of his mother, which devastated him. The second was meeting and dating 14-year-old Priscilla Beaulieu, whose father was also stationed in Germany. They married eight years later, on May 1, 1967, and had one child, a daughter named Lisa Marie Presley, on Feb. 1, 1968. Movies Following Presleys discharge in 1960, he launched into recording songs and making movies. It had become obvious to Parker and others that anything bearing Presleys name would make money, so Presley was pushed to make movies in quantity rather than quality. His most successful movie,  Blue Hawaii (1961), became a template for many that followed. He grew increasingly upset about the poor quality of his movies and songs. From 1960 until 1968, Presley made few public appearances, focusing on making movies. In all, he made 33 movies. Comeback While Presley was busy making movies, other musicians took the stage, some of whom, including the  Beatles, sold lots of records and threatened to make Presley share his title of King of Rock n Roll,- if not steal it. Presley had to do something to keep his crown. In December 1968, he dressed in black leather and made an hour-long television special titled  Elvis. Calm, sexy, and humorous, he wowed the crowd. The comeback special energized Presley. He returned to recording songs and doing live performances. In July 1969, Parker booked Presley at the largest venue in Las Vegas, the new International Hotel. His shows were huge successes and the hotel booked Presley for four weeks a year through 1974. The rest of the year he toured. Health Since he became popular, Presley had worked at breakneck speed, recording songs, making movies, and giving concerts with little to no rest. To maintain that pace, he started taking prescription drugs. By the early 1970s, continued drug use had begun to cause problems. Presley started having severe mood swings with aggressive and erratic behavior, and he gained a lot of weight. Presley and Priscilla had grown apart, and in January 1973, they divorced. His drug addiction became worse; he was hospitalized several times for overdoses and other health problems. His performances began to suffer; on many occasions, he mumbled through songs. Death On Aug. 16, 1977, Presleys girlfriend Ginger Alden found  him  on the bathroom floor at Graceland. He wasnt breathing. He was taken to the hospital, but doctors were unable to resuscitate him and he was pronounced dead at 42. His death initially was attributed to cardiac arrhythmia, but the cause later was changed to a lethal mix of prescription drugs.   Legacy Elvis Presley was one of the few artists to become known worldwide by just his first name and whose talent and accomplishments made him pop culture royalty. His fame has endured. Twenty-five years after his death, RCA released an album of his No.1 records, titled  ELV1S: 30 #1 Hits. The album debuted at No. 1 on the charts, selling half a million copies in its first week. Having an album debut atop the U.S. charts was something Presley hadnt accomplished while he was alive. It opened at No. 1 in 16 other countries, including Canada, France, the United Kingdom, Argentina, and the United Arab Emirates. Sources Forever Elvis. Legacy.com.The Legacy of Elvis Presley. HowStuffWorks.Kreps, Daniel. â€Å"Scotty Moore, Elvis Presley Guitarist, Dead at 84.† Rolling Stone, 25 June 2018.

Learning Journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Learning Journal - Essay Example † Also, the paper will reflect on the project, world of different project, and how it relate to the topics learnt in the course of non profit organization and non government organization. This paper will also give insight on how the world of difference project supported by Vodafone foundation has benefited the local communities. As reported by the Ghana News Agency on 10 November, 2011, the world of difference project spearheaded by the Vodafone Foundation is yet again seeing the light of the day. The project was designed in the year 2010 with an aim of â€Å"positively impacting the lives of less privileged communities and individuals by leveraging on individual and corporate philanthropy.† Non government organization and professionals have been in the forefront of realizing the dreams and spirit of the project. This year, the project received 500 applications of which 50 applicants were successful and have been inducted. The project involves professionals, intellectuals and expert who normally are attached to work in non government organization for a period of two months and given a monthly allowance of between â€Å"GH ¢ 1,000 to GH ¢ 2,000.† According to the Ghana News Agency, the project has greatly benefitted the community. Looking at the driving forces for the development of the world of difference project and the design of the world of difference project implemented by Vodafone Foundation, it resonates and relates well with the aspects learnt in the course, non government organization and non profit organization. In the above article by the Ghana News Agency, it is implied that most non profit organization and non government organization are dependent on donor funding which include: grants, government contribution, corporate institution support and individual donation. Getting funding is always a great challenge. In case an organization secures funding, many conditions are always attached to it with fund utilization limited to budget lines. Also the