Essay on Curfews as a Means of Keeping Teens Out of Trouble

Can Curfews Keep Teens Out of Trouble? Teens today are under tremendous pressure from all sides. On one side, there is pressure at school to perform well in their academics. As they go higher up the classes, subjects become more difficult and they need to spend more and more time studying to get good grades. On the other side, they have peer pressure that forces them to become accepted in their group of friends. Here again, the pressures can either be positive or negative depending on the type of group that they choose to hang out with. Some groups are performance-oriented and only those who study well are allowed to enter them. Others are fun loving and require those in the group to have a good time, all the time. Parents need to be aware of friends that their children have at school. They should also be aware of kids that their children choose to become friends with. Kids often are ignorant of many of the pitfalls of choosing the wrong group. Parents can invite friends of their children to their house so that they could get to know them better and see if they are the right ones for their kids. When parents show interest in their kids in this way, the kids also begin to share all their problems and apprehensions more openly with their parents. Communication is the key to a good relationship. Parents also need to set a time limit for the kids to return home based on their age. Curfews can indeed keep teens out of trouble. It is generally not very safe for teens to be out at night on their own. Parents can prevent many problems by requiring their children to return home early, especially if they are too young.

Ford Motor Vep - 4377 Words

Corporate Finance Case Study 1 Butler Lumber Company 王金明 1101289036 æ Å"é› ªÃ¥ · 1101289033 æ Å"金é ¹  1101289039 å‘ ¨ æ  ¨ 1101289040 Abstract In this report, we study the case of Butler Lumber Company and analyze the financing problem it was confronted. In the first part, we give a brief description of the company, including the development process, equity structure, several important financial ratios which shows the basic conditions of the firm. Then we talk about the dilemma the company was facing and give some questions concerned that will be worked out in the later analysis. In the second part, all of the company’s financial ratios are taken into consideration in order to analyze the financial condition. At first we will discuss the company’s†¦show more content†¦1.3 A Glance at Significant Resumes amp; Facts Here we list several important facts found in the main body of the case for further use in the later analysis. 1) Despite the rapid growth in its business , positive expect in sales in the future and good profits, the company had experienced a shortage of cash to expand business. 2) The company’s current maximum loan was as much as $250,000 with SN Bank with the request of securing with its real property. 3) The NN bank might extend a line of credit to BLC up to amount of $465,000 at an interest rate of prime plus 2%. 4) BLC obtained rapid increase in sales during 1989 – 1991. 5) The six months of April to September accounted for 55% of annual sales. 6) No sales representatives were employed, and orders were taken by phone. 7) MB had not wasted his money in disproportionate plant investment. 8) MB gave attention to control his operating expenses, had personal control over every feature of his business and had little to offer in security for the loan. 9) The NN bank ga ve attention to the debt position and current ratio of business, and expected to reach sales of $3.6 million in 1991 10) The supplier provided for a discount of 2% for payments made within 10 days of the invoice date. 11) During the last 2 years MB had taken very few purchase discounts because of the shortage of funds. 12)Show MoreRelatedFord Motor Vep4363 Words   |  18 PagesCorporate Finance Case Study 1 Butler Lumber Company 王金明 1101289036 æ Å"é› ªÃ¥ · 1101289033 æ Å"金é ¹  1101289039 å‘ ¨ æ  ¨ 1101289040 Abstract In this report, we study the case of Butler Lumber Company and analyze the financing problem it was confronted. In the first part, we give a brief description of the company, including the development process, equity structure, several important financial ratios which shows the basic conditions of the firm. Then we talk about the dilemma the company was facing and give someRead MoreFord Company Analysis873 Words   |  4 PagesCase Study: Ford Motor Company’s VEP Question 1 Go ahead with the Value Enhancement Plan The feature of having both cash and new share options makes the VEP have its strengths and makes an excellence choice for Ford Motor Company. The cash option solves the problem of Ford having massive amounts of extra cash. Since Ford has no profitable activities for the extensive amounts of cash, returning the excess cash to shareholders allows them to make profitable investments. Different from aRead MoreEssay Ford Motor Company Memo2066 Words   |  9 PagesShareholder Value Enhancement Plan (VEP) Evaluation Ford Motor Company Ford Motor Company is an American automaker, it is the worlds fifth largest automaker based on worldwide vehicle sales. Its headquarters are based in Dearborn, Michigan, which is a suburb in Detroit. Henry Ford founded Ford Motor Company on June 16, 1903 and it became one of the largest and most profitable companies in the world, as well as being one of the few to survive the Great Depression. Ford Company is the largest family-controlledRead MoreEssay on Ford value enhacement plan2099 Words   |  9 Pages Ford Value Enhancement Plan (VEP) In April 2000, Ford Motor Co. announced a shareholder Value Enhancement Plan (VEP) to significantly recapitalize the firms ownership structure. Ford had accumulated $23 billion in cash reserves and under the VEP would return as much as $10 billion of this cash to shareholders. In exchange for each share currently held, the plan would give stockholders one new share plus the choice of receiving $20 in either cash or additional new Ford common shares. ShareholdersRead MoreFord Motor Company1787 Words   |  8 PagesFord Motor Company’s Value Enhancement 1. Does Ford have too much cash? The amount of cash that Ford is carrying on its balance sheet is too much considering that additional money not used for the advancement of the company belongs to the owners of the firm, the shareholders. Having too much cash on its balance sheet will be a disincentive to Ford’s employees who consequently will feel not feel an urgency to perform and add value to the company. Notwithstanding the fact that the companyRead MoreFord Motor Company Case1250 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Ford Motor Company Case 1. Does Ford have too much cash? 2. How does VEP work? 3. What are the alternatives for distributing cash? 4. What problems is the VEP plan designed to solve? 5. As a shareholder, how would you approve the VEP? Would you elect cash or stock? Q.1) Does Ford have too much cash? Exhibit 6, 8, and 9 (figures in $ millions) provides selected balance sheet items for Ford, General Motors, and DaimlerChrylser. The given information indicates that Ford carries the highest amountRead MoreFord Motor And Value Enhancement Plan1132 Words   |  5 PagesFord Motor and Value Enhancement Plan Ford Motor announced its value enhancement plan (VEP) in 2000 to restructure its ownership. With the new VEP, Ford aimed to pay $10 billion cash back to its shareholders. Basically, the VEP provided all the existing shareholders, including the family and common shareholders, a proposal to exchange their shares one-for-one for new shares accompanying with an additional option of ei-ther achieving $20 per share or equivalent extra new shares based on the Ford’sRead MoreFord Motor Company964 Words   |  4 PagesCase 2: Ford Motor Company’s Value Enhancement Plan | 1. Does Ford have too much cash? For this question, we need some measurement of liquidity to compare the turnover rate and reservation of cash for Ford, GM, Chrysler and compare those measurements in different years to see if Ford have too much liquidity which means too much cash. Quick ratio is liquidity measurement which is a variant of the current ratio. It focuses on quick assets, which are those assets likely to be converted to cashRead MoreFord Motor1036 Words   |  5 PagesCase problem : Ford Motor Company’s Value Enhancement Plan Group 4 : Annie , Duong Boi Ngoc , Jussi , Michael Q1. Does Ford have too much cash? Why did Ford choose to accumulate so much cash? And why is Ford distributing a large amount of cash now? (1) To check whether Ford has too much cash, we have to calculate the cash ratio. But the data we have is not complete, we cannot find out that ratio. Instead, we calculate the cash turnover ratio to check whether Ford has excess cash. CashRead MoreFord Case4790 Words   |  20 PagesFinance Homework Whoever Pocketed Value From VEP? Teamï ¼Å¡ Dong Nan 1081209045 Gu Chengzong 1081209020 Li Hongke　 1081209050 Lu Linlin 1081209031 Lu Yao 1081209043 March 2009 Abstract Excessive cash and undervalued stock price forced Ford to conceive an unprecedented cash payout system - Value Enhancement Plan in 2000. For a dual-stock-structure company, this recapitalization did favor much Ford family which held the dominant voting power by giving

Rights of Women and Girls Equality Before the Law Free Smaple

Question: Discuss about facts about asylum, violence against the women and girls in UK and discrimination in the work? Answer: Introduction Equality before the Law, or in other words equality in the eyes of the law states that principle under which all the people are equal in the eyes of the law. According to Article 7 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, every person is equal in the eyes of the law. No discrimination will be there for any individual. Equal protection is available for every person. It does not matter what region, caste, or creed they belong. Every single person is equal in the eyes of the law. One of the main principles of liberalism is the equality before the law. The law does not give protection to the people based on their standard that is whether they are rich or poor, living in a bungalow or under the bridge. Equal protection and rights are available for every section of the people. Equal rights are available for every single person. Discussion: On the other hand, there are certain circumstances where equality is not shown. The most importantly the asylum seekers if they get the facilities as a non-citizen in U.K or not. If a person is at a threat of being persecuted in their own country, they may go to any other country or abroad to be settled for work (Allsopp and Phillimore 2014). Granting of asylum means giving a person the permission to remain in any other country due to the threat of persecution. Whereas in the terms of law, a person who had requested for asylum in the UK and were waiting for getting the decision of that application, is called an Asylum Seeker (Benenson 2013). Therefore, the person who has received a positive response on the claim he or she had made is called a refugee (Blinder 2014). The right of claiming asylum is in the International Law. It is the duty of the Government to provide protection to the people who completed the criteria for the asylum seekers. The United States has signed those Internat ional Laws and, therefore, they are a part of the United Kingdom Legislation. There are also some Asylum Seekers who enter the country illegally. However, once applied for Asylum will no longer be termed illegal. If a person wants protection, he or she has to stay in UK for getting a decision on their claim (Girma et.al 2014). Facts about Asylum: Asylum Seekers and the Refugees are the citizens abide by the law that is the maximum numbers of people are the law-binding people- There is always a fear among the people about the police. If they face any kind of harassment, they have a fear of reporting to the policy (Blinder 2014). They have the fear of being arrested, as they are not the citizens (Haith-Cooper and Bradshaw 2013). They might be put behind the bars and may be deported (Refugee Action Report on Destructive Asylum seekers 2006). In the National and the International laws, there are several distinctions made between the asylum seekers and the refugees, between the legal and illegal economic growths, travellers and minority citizens (Sheehan 2013). On the other hand, the officers who are in the charge of immigration have the power to hold the asylum seekers in spite of the fact that they had not done any kind of crime. The refugees make a huge contribution to the UK- The immigrant, which includes the refugees, in compare to the UK born counterparts, pays more into the public purse. Around 1200 qualified medical refugees are being recorded on the British Medical Associations Database. Therefore, in order to support such refugees doctors to practise in UK, a cost of 25000 had been estimated. On the other hand, in order to train a new doctor, that also costs between 2000, 000 and 250,000. The asylum seekers children give a very positive contribution to the schools, which are across the country. The Asylum Seekers are looking for a safety place- in UK, there is nothing as illegal or bogus Asylum seeker. Under the International Law, every person has the right to claim for Asylum in any of the country that has signed the 1951 Convention and can remain in that country until the claim got approved or disapproved. There is no notion in the International Law that the refugees must claim Asylum to the first country they reach. The European Regulation also states the country like Europe can return an adult Asylum Seeker to the very first country they have reached. Therefore, there are several inequalities in the legal system. All such are because of some of the incidents, which the asylum seekers had faced. Gender Equality is one of the important facts that the UK remains to strive towards, but the opportunity given to the women is still not clear. There always remains a lack of the vital role for the women in the economy. Violence against the Women and Girls in UK: In the country like the United Kingdom on an average two women are being killed either by their violent partners (Boudet et. al 2013). The black and the migrated women in UK experience a lot of domestic Homicide. Over three million women and girls of UK experience many kinds of violence each year like stalking, rape, domestic Violence and many more (Fagan et. al 2012). Out of three girls, at least, one girl had faced sexual touching in school. An Average of 60,000 women in England and in the Wales had the topic to Female Genital Mutilation (FGN) and out of that, 24,000 girls were in danger in 2007(Karamessini and Rubery 2013). Women and Work difference in the pay gap: It was estimated that a mother who is working is not present most of the time at the workplace, and so there is a reduction in the wages. At least, there is always a reduction of 5% from the actual. Through the survey, it had been found that 70% of the people in the minimum job wages are women Discrimination in the work: Out of 100 companies, only 17% of the Board of Directors is women. On an average 30,000 of the women are being sacked because of their pregnant matter and their promotions are being passed to other because of this fact. It was also found that the UK would gain up to 23 billion if they apply the skills of the women in their business or any other sectors. Womens right, which includes the right to get free from the any kind of discrimination, are generally the basic human rights that the government have the right to protect(Roberts 2013). The Human Rights of Women, which includes the equality, which should not be discriminated. In 2010 a new Equality Act which brings together series of legislation into a single act, which focuses, to the protection of the women and opportunity for all. This includes giving proper fields of working with the women, which results in employment. The discrimination of the women in the private clubs. The protection of pregnant women should also be seen. Recommendation: There should always be equal rights and laws available for both men and women. The government should not make any discrimination between the men and women(McKay et.al 2013). Proper grounds of employment should be given to the women. The law should be prepared in such a way that the women should get all the opportunities keeping all their problems aside. The law should give protection to the women who are sexually harassed or had been stalked. Strict rules should be prepared for the persons who had committed such crimes. Through the surveys of UK, it was found that taking the decisions of the women in the work leads to profit. They are the stairs to get success in the field of work. Conclusion: In the eyes of Law, everyone should be equal. The law must work for the people. Like the problem of unemployment should be solved. If the youth of the country are not getting proper fields of working, then how the country economy will be improved. There must be new fields where the freshers can work. No discrimination should be made on the ground of caste, creed, sex and religion. On the other hand, equal opportunities should also be given to the women of the society. There must be the same field given to the women like the men. Discrimination should not be made. It was found throughout the survey that the companies had gained profits when they taken the decisions and the work of the women. There must be equal rights in the companies for both the men and women. The law does not believe in inequality. References: Allsopp, J., Sigona, N. and Phillimore, J., 2014.Poverty among refugees and asylum seekers in the UK: An evidence and policy review(No. 1). IRiS Working Paper Series. Benenson, J.F., 2013. The development of human female competition: allies and adversaries.Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London B: Biological Sciences,368(1631), p.20130079. Blinder, S., 2014. Migration to the UK: Asylum.Migration Observatory Briefings.) Oxford: COMPAS. Boudet, A.M.M., Petesch, P., Turk, C. and Thumala, A., 2013.On norms and agency: Conversations about gender equality with women and men in 20 countries. World Bank Publications. Fagan, C., Menndez, M.G. and Ansn, S.G. eds., 2012.Women on corporate boards and in top management: European trends and policy. Palgrave Macmillan. Girma, M., Radice, S., Tsangarides, N. and Walter, N., 2014. Detained: Women asylum seekers locked up in the UK.Women for Refugee Women Haith-Cooper, M. and Bradshaw, G., 2013. Meeting the health and social needs of pregnant asylum seekers; midwifery students perspectives. Part 3; The pregnant woman within the global context; an inclusive model for midwifery education to address the needs of recently arrived migrant women in the UK. Haith-Cooper, M., 2014. An evaluation of a family health programme for newly arrived asylum seekers living in an initial accommodation centre in Northern England Karamessini, M. and Rubery, J., 2013.Women and austerity: The economic crisis and the future for gender equality(Vol. 11). Routledge McKay, A., Campbell, J., Thomson, E. and Ross, S., 2013. Economic recession and recovery in the UK: What's gender got to do with it?.Feminist Economics,19(3), pp.108-123. Roberts, H., 2013.Doing feminist research. Routledge. Sheehan, K., 2013. Support for asylum seekers in Ireland 2013 survey results

Three Temperature Scales Essays - Temperature, Thermodynamics

Three Temperature Scales There are three temperature scales. Most people are familiar with either the Fahrenheit or the Celsius scales, with temperatures measured in degrees Fahrenheit (? F) or degrees Celsius (? C) respectively. On the Fahrenheit scale, water freezes at a temperature of 32? Fahrenheit and boils at 212? F. Absolute zero on this scale is not at 0? Fahrenheit, but rather at -459? Fahrenheit. The Celsius scale sets the freezing point of water at 0? Celsius and the boiling point at 100? Celsius. On the Celsius scale, absolute zero corresponds to a temperature of -273? Celsius. Scientists - especially those who study what happens to things when they become very, very cold - commonly use the Kelvin scale, with temperatures measured in Kelvin (K). This scale uses the same temperature steps as the Celsius scale, but is shifted downward. On this scale, water freezes at 273 K and boils at 373 K. Only on the Kelvin temperature scale does absolute zero actually fall at 0 K.

Character Analysis Ricky in American Beauty Essay Example

Character Analysis Ricky in American Beauty Essay Example Character Analysis Ricky in American Beauty Paper Character Analysis Ricky in American Beauty Paper Essay Topic: American Beauty Film Where is the beauty in a plastic bag, a deceased bird, a dead person? Strange questions you may think if you havent seen the film American Beauty but it is one persons obsession with beauty that creates a fascination and a particular attraction towards it that makes it all comprehensible. Ricky Fitz, the new next door neighbour to the troubled Burnham family, adds a new dimension to their mundane lives, in some cases simplifying their situation and in other cases, complicating it. Ricky is generally a very interesting character that really captures an audience and entices them to look at life from another angle. He has a poor, harmful family relationship that he looks to escape from through change, a characteristic of all the characters in the film. He shares a sensual and physical relationship with the girl next door, Jane, whilst he also has a strong relationship with her father, Lester, a some what complacent and immature character. It is Rickys vision of beauty though, that really makes him stand out and makes him so quizzical. Ricky is generally a very insightful person, curious and up front. He is very honest about his feelings and his past, illustrated many times, but particularly when Jane asked him why he was sent to a mental institution and he was able to answer calmly and confidently. He dresses in a very specific way which is ordered and neat, described by another character, Angela, as a bible salesman. This is understandable due to the regimented life he lived, ruled by an ex-army officer, his father. His house is very symmetrical and cold, a symbol of the lack of connection between family members. Everything in the house is in perfect order and very clean; the slightest thing out of place would have been recognised suggested by the situation when Rickys father was able to work out that Ricky had been in his room, violently reacting. His bedroom is very orderly, clothes neatly folded and shelves stacked very neatly. His room expresses no colour or warmth, it is just an imperfect and futile room. Emotionally, Ricky comes across as strong, saying, I dont get scared but was institutionalised for losing control and being pushed over the edge. Everything bad about Rickys character could be blamed on the morose state of his family relationship. It is worth contemplating that if Ricky didnt get out when he did he could have turned out like his mother, an abused, reclusive person. As a result she was always on edge and couldnt relax around her husband. Ricky was abused by his father, but obviously not to the extent of his mother. We know this by the two scenes when he was physically assaulted by his father, yet he just accepted it. The family is a picture of dysfunction, illustrated by the scene when they are all sitting on the couch and the mother is trying to face the other way and avoid confrontation, the father is sitting upright, trying to act as the boss and Ricky on the other end absorbing the awkward silence of the moment. Ricky is eighteen and yet his father still does not know how to act around him or hold a proper conversation with him. There is also no trust between father and son depicted by the scene when Ricky had supply a urine sample yet he deceived his father by giving him a false supply. It is like his father saw his role, solely to teach Ricky structure and discipline. When Ricky eventually leaves, although a touching moment, there is no real emotion shown, he was not sad to leave. Ricky found a rare and hidden beauty in Jane, the girl from the adjacent house. To the average person, Jane is portrayed as a confused, unattractive and depressed person. However Ricky sees a form of beauty that we cant, attracting the two toward each other. Jane is strangely comforted by the attention of being filmed by Ricky making her curious about what he found interest about her. She even believes that she is unattractive portrayed by her interested in plastic surgery. Ricky remains totally focussed on Jane. He sees that no other girl has this kind of beauty that she has represented by his filming when he avoids the stereotypical beauty in Angela and zooms in on Janes reflection in the mirror. The development of their relationship allows Jane to open up and become more honest to herself and others; she starts to develop some of the personal traits of Ricky. A good example of this is when she stands up to her father and tells him that she is embarrassed by the way he acts when Angela is staying over. Something that she wouldnt have done before she met Ricky. Despite growing in similarity, when they contemplated a life away from home, their differences become obvious as Jane still feels for her family despite not sharing a great relationship with them. Lester Burnham, a casual and unenthusiastic character, is almost brought to life and re-ignited by Ricky. Arguably it was the beauty of Angela that was responsible for the rebirth but his encounter with Ricky gave him confidence and mental strength to change depicted through the party scene when Ricky calmly and boldly quit his job, an issue that most of us would have a lot of trouble doing. Lester responded by say, You have just become my personal hero, so impressed by his actions. It was the turning point in Lesters stupid little life when he started to take responsibility for his actions and do something about his mundane life. He became more assured and gained a belief in himself that he had never had before. We can draw this conclusion due to his actions, such as buying a car he had always wanted, quit his job and started to work out. The two share a close relationship but not as close as Rickys dad thinks. It is this misunderstanding that brings about Lesters death. Therefore it is arguable to say that the relationship had a positive and negative effect for Lester. Ricky does not see beauty in a rose, perfection, or a slim blonde but in obscure, natural elements. He describes beauty as though God is looking at you. The most beautiful thing he has ever filmed was a plastic bag, describing the electricity in it and that this bag was just dancing with me. To us the bag is just swirling around in the air, but Ricky can see the beauty in the lovely transient movement of the bag. Earlier in the film Jane and Angela caught him filming a dead bird. To him this was another form of beauty as was Lesters dead body, with his head resting on the table, blood streaming from his head. It makes Ricky happy to think that Lester was now free and contented. It seems that the seductive beauty that Ricky sees is the only thing that is capable of making him drop his guard and show any sort of emotion. Teeming with tears, he explains, Sometimes there is so much beauty in the world that I feel I cant take it. It is just evidence that beauty has such a great impact on people, even the most mentally strong.

Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, 1911

Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, 1911 What Was the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire? On March 25, 1911, a fire broke out at  the Triangle Shirtwaist Company factory in New York City. The 500 workers (who were mostly young women)  located on the eighth, ninth, and tenth floors of the Asch building did everything they could to escape, but the poor conditions, locked doors, and faulty fire escape caused 146 to die in the fire. The large number of deaths in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire exposed the dangerous conditions in high-rise factories and prompted the creation of new building, fire, and safety codes around the United States. The Triangle Shirtwaist Company The Triangle Shirtwaist Company was owned by Max Blanck and Isaac Harris. Both men had emigrated from Russia as young men, met in the United States, and by 1900 had a little shop together on Woodster Street they named the Triangle Shirtwaist Company. Growing quickly, they moved their business into the ninth floor of the new, ten-story Asch Building (now known as  New York Universitys  Brown Building) on the corner of Washington Place and Greene Street in New York City. They later expanded into the eighth floor and then the tenth floor. By 1911, the Triangle Waist Company was one of the largest blouse makers in New York City. They specialized in making shirtwaists, the very popular womens blouse that had a tight waist and puffy sleeves. The Triangle Shirtwaist Company had made Blanck and Harris rich, largely because they exploited their workers. Poor Working Conditions Approximately 500 people, mostly immigrant women, worked at the Triangle Shirtwaist Companys factory in the Asch Building. They worked long hours, six days a week, in cramped quarters and were paid low wages. Many of the workers were young, some only age 13 or 14. In 1909, shirtwaist factory workers from around the city went on strike for an increase in pay, shorter work week, and the recognition of a union. Though many of the other shirtwaist companies eventually agreed to the strikers demands, the Triangle Shirtwaist Company owners never did. Conditions at the Triangle Shirtwaist Company factory remained poor. A Fire Starts On Saturday, March 25, 1911, a fire started on the eighth floor. Work had ended at 4:30 p.m. that day and most of the workers were gathering their belongings and their paychecks when a cutter noticed a small fire had started in his scrap bin. No one is sure what exactly started the fire, but a fire marshal later thought a cigarette butt had possibly gotten tossed into the bin. Nearly everything in the room was flammable: hundreds of pounds of cotton scraps, tissue paper patterns, and wooden tables. Several workers threw pails of water on the fire, but it quickly grew out of control. Workers then tried to use the fire hoses that were available on each floor, for one last attempt to put out the fire; however, when they turned the water valve on, no water came out. A woman on the eighth floor tried to call the ninth and tenth floors to warn them. Only the tenth floor received the message; those on the ninth floor didnt know about the fire until it was upon them. Desperately Trying to Escape Everyone rushed to escape the fire. Some ran to the four elevators. Built to carry a maximum of 15 people each, they quickly filled with 30. There wasnt time for many trips to the bottom and back up before the fire reached the elevator shafts as well. Others ran to the fire escape. Though about 20 reached the bottom successfully, about 25 others died when the fire escape buckled and collapsed. Many on the tenth floor, including Blanck and Harris, made it safely to the roof and then were helped to nearby buildings. Many on the eighth and ninth floors were stuck. The elevators were no longer available, the fire escape had collapsed, and the doors to the hallways were locked (company policy). Many workers headed to the windows. At 4:45 p.m., the fire department was alerted to the fire. They rushed to the scene, raised their ladder, but it only reached to the sixth floor. Those on the window ledges started jumping. 146 Dead The fire was put out in half an hour, but it was not soon enough. Of the 500 employees, 146 were dead. The bodies were taken to a covered pier on Twenty-Sixth Street, near the East River. Thousands of people lined up to identify the bodies of loved ones. After a week, all but seven were identified. Many people searched for someone to blame. The Triangle Shirtwaist Company owners, Blanck and Harris, were tried for manslaughter, but were found not guilty. The fire and the large number of deaths exposed the hazardous conditions and fire danger that was ubiquitous in these high-rise factories. Shortly after the Triangle fire, New York City passed a large number of fire, safety, and building codes and created stiff penalties for non-compliance. Other cities followed New Yorks example.

Impact of Evangelism on the U.S. Politics Research Paper

Impact of Evangelism on the U.S. Politics - Research Paper Example The relationship between the church and the state has always been a tumultuous one and this relationship was carried on into the New World. Whilst evangelism is concerned with spreading the â€Å"good news† and proper ideals congruent to the Christian religion, its influence to American politics has been a positive one in which religion has long defended the values and norms of American democracy. Evangelism is a term mainly used by Protestants. Since Protestantism reigned at America’s founding, its impact on the politics of the nation is immense. When America was still young, Presbyterians, New England Congregationalist and Anglicans held a predominant position in the young’s country religion, social and political affairs. However, over time, the Methodist Episcopal Church grew at a very fast rate introducing new ideas and new methods in spreading the gospel. Methodism in the country embraced competition, pluralism and marketing of religion in every sphere of li fe (Cromartie 4). Evangelism was adopted by Methodist and soon different religions adopted this mode of preaching in order to survive in the new competitive religious environment. American Culture-Secular and religious Ever since the English settlement, Americans have always considered themselves as part of the great stream of salvation (Lambert 17). In the New World, the settlers were totally engrossed in their mission to complete the protestant reformation. The early experiences and victories of European settlers in America extended and strengthened the idea of Americans as God’s chosen people. The Protestants who settled in British North America were very diverse. People all over Europe sailed to America to escape the Catholic persecution in the 17th century. Dissenters from England, Lutherans and Calvinist from the Rhineland and Switzerland, Quakers and Anabaptists from different corners of Eastern Europe all flooded America for a better future (Lambert 18). North America turned to become a home and a refuge for individuals who covered the full spectrum of Protestantism. When the Puritans arrived, the new world was not only a refuge where they could practice their religion freely, they also considered in the Promised Land in which they could build a new covenant undisturbed by the corruption in the old world (Fowler 3). They named their mission â€Å"an errand in the wilderness† and considered it as divined by God. Americans have long carried out the puritan legacies by performing special missions and destinies. When the protestants arrived in the country, they embarked on setting up a different system of government and religion than that they had lived through. Due to previous dealings with the Roman Catholic Church, the new settlers craved religious freedom and a differentiation between church and state (Lambert 21). The Declaration of Independence in 1776 drafted by Thomas Jefferson was highly influenced by both the Protestant religion and from the Enlightenment (Lambert 23). Jefferson proclaimed that the country was forged by free individuals who were possessed several rights conferred to them by the creator. By acknowledging this, America foundation was thus based on religious freedom and politics in the country would be thus closely interlinked with religion. Although religion was quite important to the country, several important issues were raised by the evangelical movement. The first issue was the role that religion should play within American public

The Cold War and U.S Diplomacy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

The Cold War and U.S Diplomacy - Research Paper Example Strait of Hormuz forms a bottleneck at the Persian Gulf, therefore, a strategic position to control the oil flow from the region. The Afghanistan invasion brought the Soviet Union in close proximity to the Strait of Hormuz, which could have been accessed through an invasion of Iran. Soviet actions posed threat to the stability of the entire region. The US along with other countries were dependant on the oil for the functioning of their economies. The supply was also crucial for the military to maintain its operational capabilities. Saudi Arabia, therefore, was assured of security by the US from communist adversaries.   Iran was a key ally in the region to guard against the spread of communism. Iran and Saudi Arabia were given aid to counter the Soviet Union and ensure stability in the region. The Iranian revolution in 1979 complicated the situation; therefore, a new doctrine had the to be formulated. The exclusion of Iran demanded a doctrine to present suitable threat to guard agai nst the spread of Soviets in the region and to find a reliable replacement for supply of oil to the US.   President Carter’s doctrine was a paradigm shift from previous doctrines of President Truman, Eisenhower, and Nixon. It was aimed to make clear the importance of the Persian Gulf as key vital interest. The doctrine made clear that any effort by the hostile power to block the flow of oil from the Persian Gulf would be considered an attack on US vital interest and would be dealt with military force.  

Workout World problem Essay Example for Free

Workout World problem Essay Fourth, independent owners do not follow a unified working time of seven in the morning to seven in the afternoon. Some operates on this working but do not. It creates so much confusion. Fifth, the strength of teamwork is gone. The central problem is the â€Å"huge bureaucracy developing and this is having negative effect on members and potential customers due to inconsistencies that have arisen across different services offered by Workout World. Before I offer solution or option and recommendation, it is quite important to understand what bureaucracy is. Nicos P. Monzelis said that â€Å"typical administrative apparatus corresponding to the legal type of domination is called bureaucracy† (Monzelis, p. 17). In other words, bureaucracy is a legal type of domination. Monzelis noted that term bureaucracy, especially in political writings often implies an abuse of power, a situation where officials have more power than is necessary for the performance of their tasks (p. 26). Going back to the Workout World problem, based on the concept given by Monzelis, we can analyze in detail the problem. First, bureaucracy is a legal domination. The independent owners of the four other business departments of the Workout World is clearly exerting domination as they already doing business in the name of Workout World independent to the general goals and policies of Workout World under the management of Peter Watson. Their staff were no longer cooperating or contributing towards the main objectives of the Workout World. Second, owners of independent sports department are now exerting more power than is necessary for their performance as they initiate moves that runs counter to the general goals of Workout World. That is collective promotion of the Workout World not independent promotion as this creates conflict and confusion on customers. In order for Peter Watson to cope or address the problem, he has to have enormous power and influence. Jeffrey Pfeffer noted the result of the survey conducted by Canadian business school, that â€Å"interdepartmental coordination, promotion and transfer decisions, and decisions about facilities and equipment allocation†¦ to be highly involve with power† (p. 35). Pfeffer emphasized that â€Å"to be successful in getting things done in organizations, it is critical that you be able to diagnose the relative power of the various participants and comprehend the patterns of interdependence† (p. 49). It means Peter Watson must carefully analyze the present situation, the strength and weakness of the independent departments, as the saying goes â€Å"to know your enemy is to win half of the battle. But where does power come? Pfeffer pointed out that â€Å"power comes from being in the right place† (p. 49). Pfeffer gave three good position to acquire power: (1) control over resources such as budgets, physical facilities, and position that can be used to cultivate allies and supporters; (2) control over or extensive access to information – about the organization’s activities, about the preferences and judgments of others, about what is going on, and who is doing it, and (3) formal authority. The Principles of Organizational Structure Helmy H. Baligh offer the concept of organization in the effort made by two persons to do some great task. Baligh said, â€Å"An organization structure would have a set of two people, and one or two decisions to be made† (Baligh, p. 2). Baligh pointed out that â€Å"while they were in the process of doing what they have decided to do, they were an organization† (p. 2). Baligh said, they were people who are connected by decision rules that they make for one another to use to determine what they are to decide or do. He noted that â€Å"together, the people and the rules that connected their decisions were an organization structure which determines what was to get done† (p. 2). Maria Burke noted that it is important to take into consideration the cultural context of an organization in order to establish a well-sounded communication. He emphasized the role of culture and its impact in the development of management system which is significant in the structure of an organization (p. 678).

Amen: Does Prayer Play An Important Role In Our Lives Today? :: essays research papers

Amen: Does Prayer Play An Important Role In Our Lives Today?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Does prayer play an important role in our lives today? The minority would say no and that prayer shouldn't ever have played an important role in our society. But, the simple fact of the matter is that for hundreds of years, prayer in school has been encouraged by both society and government. In recent years, it has been established that prayer in schools has led to a steady moral decline. Morals must be taught, in school and at home, and they cannot be properly taught without religion as a much needed stepping stone.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Our government was based upon religious beliefs from the very beginning. The Declaration of Independence says: â€Å"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by God with certain unalienable rights. . .† Certainly, it talks about God, creations, God-given moral rights, the providence of God, and the final Day of Judgment-all of which are religious teachings. And school prayer has been an important part of our religious experience from the very beginning.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Our very First Amendment didn't separate God and government but actually encouraged religion. It reads: â€Å"Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion, nor prohibit the free exercise thereof,† (Encarta 96). The first part simply says that the federal government cannot establish one religion for all of the people. The simple idea of everyone in our nation being limited to one form of religion is inconceivable. The second section insists that the government should do nothing to discourage religion. But forbidding prayer in schools discourages religion, doesn't it?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Early congressional actions encouraged religion in public schools. For example, the Northwest Treaty (1787 and 1789) declared: â€Å"Religion, morality, and knowledge being necessary for good government and the happiness of mankind, schools, and the means of learning shall forever be encouraged† (Encarta 96). By seeing this, religion, which includes prayer, was deemed to be necessary. Congress has prayed at the opening of every session since the very beginning. By acknowledging these facts we ask the simple question, â€Å" If the government can pray in their sessions, why can't the governed pray in their (school) sessions?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Public schools had prayer for nearly 200 years before the Supreme Court ruled that state-mandated class prayers were unconstitutional in Engel vs. Vitale in 1962 (Buckley 70). How could this trail have such a huge impact on our nation and ultimately alter how we perceive our constitution? The fact that prayer was practiced for nearly 200 years alone establishes it by example as a

Flow of Silver

In the mid sixteenth century a silver mine located at Potosi, South America was formed. This silver mine was one of the few major silver mines in the world, the others located in Northern Central America and Southern Japan. This certain mine was known for its distinctive rich black flint. Extensive excavation required more than three-thousand Indians to work away with picks and hammers to break up the ore and bring It up to the surface. Just after refining the ore, the silver Is shipped to Spain then from Spain to India, China, East Indies, Great Britain, and Imperial Russia.But all this only happened after the Spanish took over the city and put the Indians on silver mining overdrive. According to the Spanish royal records thirty-six million silver coins have been taken out of the mine since the Invasion. Meanwhile In Spain, the high process ruined Spain as prices attracted Asian commodities with silver currency flowing out nonstop to pay for them. The constant flow of silver from Po tosi made the Spanish very blind with their riches.Once the silver from Potosi was gone Spanish economy would plummet. Aslan Trading ships where so common that some Spanish oads where paved with the extra granite cobblestones taken out of the Chinese trading ships' ballast to compensate for the massive weights from the sheer load of silver. Silver economy was almost the complete opposite in the Chinese areas, for the need of silver was there, and there In large quantities. It Just seems that way because of the lack of an actual metal currency. The venerable elders of my home district explain that the reason grain is cheap despite poor harvests in recent years is due entirely to the scarcity of silver coin. † This is a quote from a report given to the Emperor from a Ming dynasty official. Basically since the Chinese national government uses silver as tax payment and gives little back Into the Chinese economy cycle. Because of this, Chinese citizens are very wise with their smal l amount of funds. Spain wasn't the only place China imported silver from.Importations from Japan where there also, but not in quantities as large as Spain. Japanese silver Is mined from South Japan then shipped to China, India, and mainly Portugal. Japan doesn't ship directly to Portugal. What happens is that Portugal sends their trading ships sail over to Macao, China carrying their cargo of silk, gold, erfume, and porcelain. Then they sail over toJapan where they returned with, to the Portugal's surprise, six-hundred thousand coins worth of Japanese silver, The Portuguese use this in their favor in china.They do so by feeding Japan's silver to China to get what they want. Bring Japan resources and get silver. Bring the silver over to China to get resources and luxury goods. Bring the luxury goods back to Portugal, and the resources over toJapan. Which brings the focus back to China, Ming dynasty to be exact. Ming dynasty dye shops would allow their customers to have onsiderable a mounts of cloth and silk dyed right before deciding the actual costs of said dye.This used to be paid in rice, wheat, soybeans, or fowl, but during the dynasty everything from tools to cattle was paid In silver coins. Also, speaking of silk, Chinese officials have realized how much silver the Spanish have In relation to how much they trade for. So they did an experiment. China sent trading ships with equal amounts of goods to Luzon, located in the Philippines, and Spain. To their slight surprlse tney return Trom tne pnlllpplnes almost trlple wnat tney usually recelve Trom rading to Spain.Plus, they will also accept most native Chinese fruit, porcelain pottery, and sugar. Then there's Europe, Europe also trades with Asia. Sadly, they draw nothing of actual use, yet they pay them in valuables such as gold and silver, these commodities never return. The luxury of Asian spices have tainted the Europe population, most of them think of it as a necessary ingredient. Because of the pleasure that Asian products bring to all of Europe, including the colonies, and also to the Spaniards in America, Breaking up the trade was never a favorable idea for England.

The Golden Lily Chapter 13

THE DAY OF THE DANCE, I seriously considered going back to the costume store and buying the flammable white costume. Lia's dress was†¦ a bit more than I had expected. She had done a fair job copying the chiton style worn in ancient Greece, I'd give her that. The dress was sleeveless, pinned at my shoulders to drape into a neckline lower than I was comfortable with. The dress was floor length, and she'd somehow nailed my height perfectly without measuring me. That was where the historical resemblance ended. The material was some sort of silky, flowing fabric that draped around me and showed my figure better than you'd expect a dress like that to manage. Whatever the material was, it was nothing the Greeks could have produced, and it was†¦ red. I couldn't remember the last time I'd worn red. Maybe when I was a child. Sure, the Amberwood uniform variations sometimes had burgundy in them, but it was a subdued shade. This was a brilliant, flaming scarlet. I never wore colors that intense. I didn't like the attention they attracted. Amplifying it was the amount of gold she'd worked into the dress. Gold thread danced along the edge of the red fabric, glittering in the light. The belt was golden too – and not the cheap plastic of the costume's. The pins holding the dress were gold (or at least some high quality metal that appeared gold), as were the accessories she'd provided: a necklace and earrings made of little coins. She'd even given me a gold comb with little red crystals on it. I tried it on in my dorm room and stared at the glittering, red display I made. â€Å"No,† I said aloud. Someone knocked at my door, and I grimaced. It would take forever to change out of the elaborate dress, so I had no choice but to answer in costume. Fortunately, it was Jill. Her mouth opened to speak and then just hung there in silence when she saw me. â€Å"I know,† I said. â€Å"It's ridiculous.† She recovered herself a few seconds later. â€Å"No†¦ no! It's amazing. Oh my God.† I hurried her into the room before our classmates could see me. She was also dressed for the dance, in a fairy confection of pale blue gauzy material that looked perfect on her willowy Moroi frame. â€Å"It's red,† I told her. In case it wasn't obvious, I added: â€Å"I never wear red.† â€Å"I know,† she said, wide-eyed. â€Å"But you should. It looks amazing on you. You should burn all your gray and brown clothes.† I shook my head. â€Å"I can't wear this. If we leave now, there's still time to go by the costume store and get something else.† Jill shook off her awed state and took on an adamant, fierce look that seemed kind of extreme for the situation. â€Å"No. Absolutely not. You are wearing that. It's going to blow your boyfriend away. And you should put on a little more makeup – I know, I know. You don't like anything crazy, but just darken the eyeliner and put on some lipstick. Just a little. You've got to match the dress's intensity.† â€Å"You see? Already this color is causing problems.† She wouldn't back down. â€Å"It'll take like a minute. And that's all we've got. If we don't leave soon, we're going to be late. Your boyfriend's always early, right?† I didn't answer right away. She had me there. Brayden was always early, and as much as the costume pained me, I couldn't stand the thought of making him wait – especially since he wouldn't be able to get into the dance without an Amberwood student. â€Å"Fine,† I said, with a sigh. â€Å"Let's go.† Jill grinned triumphantly. â€Å"But first – the makeup.† I conceded to the makeup and then, at the last minute, added my cross necklace. It didn't go with the theme and was instantly swallowed by the more flamboyant gold jewelry, but it made me feel better. It was a piece of normality. When we finally left, we found Eddie waiting for us in the lobby. He was dressed in normal clothes, his only nod to Halloween being a plain white half-mask that reminded me of the Phantom of the Opera. I was half-tempted to ask if he had a second one so that I could do a quick wardrobe change and just go masked. He jumped up from his chair, his face going dreamy when he saw Jill in her blue, ethereal glory. Honestly, how could no one else see how crazy he was about her? It was so painfully obvious. He drank her in with his eyes, looking as though he might swoon then and there. Then, he flicked his gaze over to me and did a double-take. His expression wasn't lovestruck so much as dumbfounded. â€Å"I know, I know.† I could already see tonight's pattern forming. â€Å"It's red. I never wear red.† â€Å"You should,† he said, echoing Jill. He glanced between her and me then shook his head. â€Å"Too bad we're ‘related.' I'd ask you guys to dance. Seeing as my cousin already wants to go out with me, though, I suppose we shouldn't start any more rumors.† â€Å"Poor Angeline,† said Jill, as we walked out to my car. â€Å"She really wanted to go.† â€Å"Seeing as there'll be speakers there, it's probably best she doesn't,† I said. Eddie paused when we reached Latte. â€Å"Can I drive? I feel like I should be a chauffeur tonight. You guys look like royalty.† He grinned at Jill. â€Å"Well, you're always royalty.† He opened one of the back doors and actually swept her a bow. â€Å"After you, milady. I'm here to serve.† Practical, stoic Eddie was rarely given to such dramatic shows, and I could tell it caught Jill off guard. â€Å"Th-thank you,† she said, getting into the backseat. He helped her tuck her skirt inside, and she regarded him wonderingly, like she'd never noticed him before. After that, I could hardly deny his request and gave him the keys. The Halloween dance was being held at a very pretty hall adjacent to some botanical gardens. Eddie and I had checked it out this week so that he could determine its safety. Micah was meeting Jill there, though for different reasons than Brayden meeting me. Supervised buses were shuttling most students from the school to the dance. Upperclassmen like Eddie and me were allowed to take our own transportation, along with family like Jill. No one would technically know if Micah dropped her off later, but for now, she could only leave campus in the family carpool. â€Å"I hope I'm ready for this,† I muttered, as we pulled into the parking lot. The dress had distracted me so much that I hadn't had time to ruminate over my other concern: going to a dance. All my old social anxieties returned. What did I do? What was normal here? I hadn't had the nerve to ask any of my friends. â€Å"You'll be fine,† said Eddie. â€Å"Your boyfriend and Micah will both be speechless.† I unfastened my seatbelt. â€Å"That's the third time I've heard ‘your boyfriend.' What's going on with that? Why won't anyone say Brayden's name?† Neither of them answered right away. Finally, Jill said sheepishly, â€Å"Because none of us can remember it.† â€Å"Oh, come on! I'd expect that from Adrian but not you guys. It's not that weird of a name.† â€Å"No,† admitted Eddie. â€Å"But there's just something so†¦ I don't know. Unmemorable about him. I'm glad he makes you happy, but I just start to tune out whenever he talks.† â€Å"I can't believe this,† I said. Brayden was waiting out front for us, no doubt having been there for at least ten minutes. My stomach fluttered as he looked me over from head to toe. He didn't comment, though his eyes widened a bit. Was that good or bad? I flashed my student ID to get him in the door, and Jill almost immediately joined Micah. Eddie's brief romantic flare was gone as he shifted into business mode. A brief look of pain crossed his face, disappearing as quickly as it had appeared. I touched his arm. â€Å"You going to be okay?† I asked softly. He smiled back. â€Å"I'll be fine. Just have fun.† He walked away, soon melting into the crowd of students. That left me alone with Brayden. Silence fell between us, which wasn't uncommon. It sometimes took us a few minutes to warm up and get the conversation going. â€Å"So,† he said, as we walked further inside. â€Å"You have a DJ. I wondered if it'd be that or a live band.† â€Å"Our school just had a bad experience with a live band,† I said, thinking of Angeline. Brayden didn't press for details and instead gazed around at the decor. Fake cobwebs and twinkling lights were strewn near the ceiling. Paper skeletons and witches hung on the walls. Over on a far table, students were scooping punch out of a giant plastic cauldron. â€Å"Amazing, isn't it?† said Brayden. â€Å"How a pagan Celtic holiday has become such a commercial event.† I nodded. â€Å"And a very secular one. Well, aside from attempts to merge it into All Saints Day.† He smiled at me. I smiled back. We were safely in familiar academic territory. â€Å"You want to check out the punch?† I asked. Some fast, bass-heavy song was on, drawing lots of people to the dance floor. Fast dancing wasn't really my style. I didn't know Brayden's take and was afraid he might want to join in. â€Å"Sure,† he said, looking relieved to have a purpose. Something told me he'd been to as many dances as I had: none. The punch provided us with a reason to discuss sugar vs. artificial sweeteners, but my heart wasn't into it. I was too concerned about something else. Brayden hadn't said one word about my dress, and it was filling me with anxiety. Was he as shocked by it as I had been? Was he politely holding back his true thoughts? I could hardly expect compliments if I wasn't giving them, so I decided to take the plunge. â€Å"Your costume's great,† I said. â€Å"That's from the theatrical company, right?† â€Å"Yes.† He glanced down and smoothed out the folds of his tunic. â€Å"Not entirely accurate, of course, but it'll do.† The tunic was knee-length, pinned on one shoulder, and made of very light, off-white wool. He had a woolen cape over it dyed in a dark brown that was accurate to the time period. Even with the cape, a fair amount of his arms and chest were exposed, showing a runner's body with a lightly muscled build. I'd always thought he was cute, but it wasn't until this moment I realized he might actually be hot. I expected that to trigger a stronger feeling in me, but it didn't. He was waiting for me to say something. â€Å"Mine's not entirely, um, accurate either.† Brayden studied the red dress in a very clinical way. â€Å"No,† he agreed. â€Å"Not at all. Well, the cut's not that far off, I suppose.† He thought for several moments more. â€Å"But I still think it's very pretty on you.† I relaxed a little. Coming from him, â€Å"very pretty† was high praise. While he often had a lot to say about every other topic, he was thrifty with words when it came to emotions. I shouldn't have expected anything more than a simple statement of facts, so this was a big deal. â€Å"Whoa, Melbourne. Where have you been hiding?† Trey strolled over to us and began liberally filling a cup with the fluorescent green punch. â€Å"You look badass. And hot.† He shot Brayden an apologetic look. â€Å"Don't take that the wrong way. Just telling it like it is.† â€Å"Understood,† said Brayden. I couldn't help a smile. Trey had been behaving weirdly around me for the last day or so, and it was nice to see him back to usual form. Trey gave me another admiring look and then turned back to Brayden. â€Å"Hey, check it out. We both went for togas. Romans rule!† He held up a hand to high-five Brayden but didn't receive it. â€Å"This is a Greek chiton,† Brayden explained patiently. He studied Trey's homemade toga, which looked suspiciously like it had been made from a bed sheet. â€Å"That's, um, not.† â€Å"Greek, Roman.† Trey shrugged. â€Å"What's the difference?† Brayden opened his mouth, and I knew he was about to explain exactly what the difference was. I quickly rushed in. â€Å"Yours looks good on you,† I told Trey. â€Å"Looks like all those hours of weight training paid off – and I finally get to see the tattoo.† Like Brayden's, Trey's tunic was draped over one shoulder, giving a glimpse of his lower back. Trey, like half the school, had a tattoo. But unlike the rest, his hadn't been part of the high-inducing, sinister vampire blood ones that had swept the student body. Trey's was a sun with highly stylized rays. It had been done in normal, dark blue tattoo ink. Eddie had told me about it, but I'd never gotten a look at it before, seeing as Trey didn't really go shirtless around me. Some of Trey's enthusiasm dimmed, and he turned slightly, keeping his back away from us. â€Å"Well, it's pretty softcore compared to yours. Nice to see it out again, by the way.† I absentmindedly touched my cheek. I usually covered the golden lily with makeup at school, but I figured here at the dance, I could claim it as part of the costume if any teachers grilled me about the dress code. Another fast song came on, and Trey brightened again. â€Å"Time to show off my moves. You guys coming? Or are you going to supervise the punch all night?† â€Å"I don't really do fast dancing,† said Brayden. I nearly sagged in relief. â€Å"Me either,† I said. Trey gave us a rueful smile before heading out. â€Å"Color me surprised.† Brayden and I spent a good deal of that evening by the punch, actually, continuing our discussion of Halloween's origins and the larger subjugation of pagan holidays. Friends of mine came by occasionally, and Kristin and Julia in particular couldn't stop gushing about my dress. Every so often, I'd also catch a glimpse of Eddie patrolling the crowds, silently and covertly. Maybe he should've been a ghost. He was almost always within sight of Jill and Micah but focusing on guardian mode seemed to have saved him from pining over her too much. Both Brayden and I stopped talking when a slow song finally came on. We tensed and then exchanged glances, knowing what was coming. â€Å"Okay,† he said. â€Å"We can only avoid this for so long.† I nearly burst out laughing, and he answered with a small smile. He too was fully aware of our social ineptitude. Somehow, that was comforting. â€Å"Now or never,† I agreed. We walked over to the dance floor, joining other couples locked in embraces. Calling what most of them were doing â€Å"dancing† was kind of a stretch. Most were just kind of stiffly rocking and rotating around. A few were simply using the opportunity to plaster themselves all over each other and make out. They were quickly pulled apart by chaperones. I took hold of one of Brayden's hands, and he rested his other on my hip. Aside from the kiss, this was probably the most intimate contact we'd had so far. There were still a few inches between us, but I couldn't help but be overwhelmed at the change to my normal personal space boundaries. I reminded myself that I liked and trusted Brayden and that there was nothing weird about this. As usual, I didn't feel surrounded in hearts or rainbows, but I didn't feel threatened either. Attempting to shift my thoughts from our closeness, I listened to the song and immediately got a feel for its count. About a minute into the song, Brayden realized what I was doing. â€Å"You†¦ you can dance,† he said in amazement. I looked up at him in surprise. â€Å"Of course.† I was hardly sweeping across the floor in some grand ballroom waltz, but all of my movements were timed to the song's beats. I couldn't really imagine how else you would dance. Brayden, meanwhile, was only one step removed from the rigid movements of most of the other couples. â€Å"It's not hard,† I added. â€Å"It's just kind of mathematical.† Once I put it into those terms, Brayden got on board. He was a quick study and counted off the beats with me. Before long, we looked as though we'd been taking dance lessons forever. Even more surprising, I glanced up at him once, expecting to see him concentrating and counting. Instead, he was regarding me with a soft expression†¦ an affectionate one, even. Flushing, I looked away. Amazingly, the smell of coffee still clung to him, even though he hadn't worked today. Maybe no amount of showering could get rid of that scent. Yet, as much as I loved eau de coffee, I found myself thinking of the way Adrian's cologne had smelled at Wolfe's. When the next fast song came on, Brayden and I took a break, and he excused himself to go talk to the DJ. When he returned, he refused to explain his mysterious errand, but he seemed supremely pleased with himself. Another slow song soon followed, and we headed back to the dance floor. And for once, conversation between us stilled. It was enough to just dance for a while. This is what it's like to lead a simple life, I thought. This is what people my age do. No grand machinations or fights between good and – â€Å"Sydney?† Jill was standing beside us – a worried expression on her face. My inner alarms immediately went off, wondering what had caused such a sudden change from her happy, carefree attitude earlier. â€Å"What's wrong?† I asked. My first fear was for Adrian, that she'd sensed something through the bond. I shook the thought. I needed to be worrying about Moroi assassins, not his well-being. Jill said nothing but simply nodded toward the punch table, almost exactly where Brayden and I had been earlier. Trey was back, talking animatedly to a girl in a Venetian mask. The mask was beautiful – an icy blue, decorated with silver leaves and flowers. The mask was also familiar. Jill had worn it in Lia's runway show and had been allowed to keep it. Equally familiar was this masked girl's outfit, a threadbare shirt and ragged jean shorts – â€Å"No,† I said, recognizing the long, strawberry blonde hair. â€Å"Angeline. How did she get here? Never mind.† There were any number of people she could have sneaked here with. The chaperones probably wouldn't have noticed her on a shuttle bus. â€Å"We have to get her out of here. If she's caught, she'll be expelled for sure.† â€Å"The mask does hide her features,† Jill pointed out. â€Å"Maybe no one will notice.† â€Å"Mrs. Weathers will,† I said, sighing. â€Å"That woman's got a sixth sense for – oh. Too late.† Mrs. Weathers was chaperoning on the other side of the room, but her eagle eyes missed nothing. Peering over the crowded dance floor, I saw her begin making her way toward the punch. I didn't think she'd made a positive ID on Angeline yet, but her suspicions were definitely raised. â€Å"What's wrong?† asked Brayden, glancing between Jill and me. No doubt we wore mirrored expressions of dismay. â€Å"Our cousin's about to get in some serious trouble,† I said. â€Å"We have to do something.† Jill's eyes were wide and anxious. â€Å"We have to get her out of here.† â€Å"How?† I exclaimed. Mrs. Weathers had reached the refreshments table, just as Trey and Angeline began walking toward the dance floor. I saw her start to go after them, but Mrs. Weathers didn't get very far – because the punch bowl suddenly exploded. Well, not the bowl itself. The punch inside exploded, spraying out in a spectacular shower of bright green liquid. There were shrieks as several nearby people got splashed, but it was Mrs. Weathers who took the brunt of it. I heard a sharp intake of breath from Brayden. â€Å"How in the world did that happen? That must have – Sydney? I'd cried out and jerked a few feet away, knowing exactly what had caused that bowl to explode. Brayden assumed my reaction was fear of injury. â€Å"It's okay,† he said. â€Å"We're too far away for any glass to be over here.† Immediately, I looked at Jill. She gave me a small, helpless shrug that said, Well, what else was I supposed to do? My usual reaction to Moroi magic was disgust and fear. Tonight, shock and dismay were there too. We didn't need attention drawn to us. True, no one knew or would even guess that Jill had used vampire water magic to create the punch distraction, but it didn't matter. I didn't want any word of weird, unexplainable phenomena leaking out of Amberwood. We needed to stay under the radar. â€Å"Are you okay?† Eddie had suddenly appeared by our side – or rather, Jill's side. â€Å"What happened?† He wasn't even looking at the punch. His focus was all on Jill, and just like earlier, she actually seemed to notice it. Brayden was the one who answered, his eyes alight with intellectual curiosity as he watched teachers scurry and try to clean up the mess. â€Å"Some sort of chemical reaction, if I had to guess. Could be as simple as using baking soda. Or maybe some kind of mechanical device?† I gave Eddie a pointed look. â€Å"It was a prank,† I said. â€Å"Anyone could've done it.† Eddie looked at me, then looked back at Jill. He gave a slow nod. â€Å"I see. We should get you out of here,† he told her. â€Å"You never know what – â€Å" â€Å"No, no,† I said. â€Å"Get Angeline out of here.† â€Å"Angeline?† Eddie's face registered disbelief. â€Å"But how†¦?† I directed him toward where she stood with Trey on the dance floor. They, like many others, were staring at the aftermath of the punch explosion with wonder. â€Å"I don't know how she got here,† I said. â€Å"It's irrelevant. She needs to leave. Mrs. Weathers nearly caught her.† A knowing glint flashed in Eddie's eyes. â€Å"But the punch distracted her?† â€Å"Yes.† His attention fell back on Jill, and he smiled. â€Å"Convenient timing.† She smiled back. â€Å"I guess we got lucky this time.† Their gazes locked, and it was almost a shame to interrupt. â€Å"Go,† I told Eddie. â€Å"Get Angeline.† He cast one last look at Jill and then jumped into action. I couldn't hear the conversation as he spoke with Angeline and Trey, but the look on his face would accept no arguments. I could see Trey yielding to family authority, and after a few more arguments, Angeline gave in as well. Eddie quickly escorted her out, and to my relief, neither Mrs. Weathers nor anyone else seemed to notice. â€Å"Jill,† I said. â€Å"It might be best if you and Micah leave early. You don't have to go right this second†¦ but soon.† Jill nodded, face sad. â€Å"I understand.† Even if no one would connect her to this, it was best if she wasn't around. Already, I could see people gathering at the table and, like Brayden, trying to figure out what could have caused such a phenomenon. She vanished into the crowd. Brayden finally looked away from the spectacle. He started to say something to me and then suddenly jerked his head toward the DJ. â€Å"Oh no,† he said, face crestfallen. â€Å"What?† I asked, half-expecting the DJ's table to collapse or a speaker to catch on fire. â€Å"This song. I requested it for you†¦ but it's almost over.† I tilted my head to listen. I didn't know the song, but it was slow and romantic and made me feel†¦ well, kind of guilty. Here it was, a sentimental gesture from Brayden, ruined by my â€Å"family's† wacky hijinks. I caught hold of his hand. â€Å"Well, it's not over yet. Come on.† We were able to dance to the last minute of it, but it was clear that Brayden was disappointed. I wanted to make it up to him somehow and, in spite of everything that had happened, still have the normal high school dance experience I'd wanted. â€Å"The night's young,† I teased. â€Å"I'll go request one for you, and then you can try to guess when it comes on.† Considering I didn't listen to the radio, it probably wouldn't be that hard to guess. I made the request and then joined Brayden for another slow song. I was still a little anxious about what had happened earlier but told myself all was well now. Jill had left. Eddie had taken care of Angeline. All I had to do was relax and – A vibration startled me as I danced. I was wearing a tiny, red dress purse over my shoulder. It was lost in the folds of my gown, but the buzz of my cell phone was unmistakable. Apologizing to Brayden, I stopped dancing to check the message. It was from Adrian: We need 2 talk. Great, I thought as my heart sank. Could this night be any more of a disaster? I texted back: I'm busy. His response: I'll be fast. I'm close by. A feeling of dread crept over me: How close? The response was about as bad as I could expect: The parking lot.

Human Cloning essays

Human Cloning essays Imagine a world without cancer, leukemia, baldness, kidney failure, heart disease, Alzheimers, Parkinsons, and dozens of other diseases. No couple would be infertile, and gay people could have children of their own. No more endangered species would be announced, and ones that are already endangered would have their population increased to a safe level. This is a world of human cloning. All of these things and more would be possible if humans were able to create genetic copies of other humans. If you think cloning humans is nothing but science fiction, and is hundreds of years away, you are greatly mistaken. It is likely that by the year 2005 we will have the first successfully cloned human baby. Scientists have already cloned other mammals, the first being Dolly, the sheep, and tadpoles were successfully cloned by John Gurdon during the 1970s. Cloning is no longer in the future, but very much in the present. Cloning is a developing procedure in which a genetic copy is made from an existing organism. Cloning humans takes a specific procedure called somatic cell nuclear transfer. Many myths surround the idea of cloning people. There are numerous benefits and reasons to clone human beings, but there are also many detractors. There is a lot of information about cloning out there, starting with the cloning procedure. Various ways to clone organisms exist, but the procedure that humans will probably be cloned by is called somatic sell nuclear transfer. Somatic cell nuclear transfer starts with an egg donor. The donor is just a carrier and has no relation to the clone whatsoever. A doctor then extracts the egg from the donor and further extracts the nucleus from the egg, creating an egg without a nucleus. Then, a cell is taken from the person to be cloned. This can be any cell which contains DNA. It can be taken from hair, skin, et cetera. This cell is then electronically fused with the egg that is mis...

Ten Interview Tips for Green Card, Visa Applicants

Ten Interview Tips for Green Card, Visa Applicants Many immigration cases, including requests for green cards and visas for spouses, require interviews with officials from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. How you handle the interview could determine whether you win or lose your case. Here are 10 tips for interview success: 1. Dress for the Occasion. It’s human nature that immigration officers will form an opinion about you by the way you look. You don’t need to rent a tuxedo, but dress as if this is an important day in your life because it should be. Don’t wear T-shirts, flip-flops, shorts or tight pants. Dress conservatively and look as if you’re ready for serious business. Go easy on the perfume or cologne, too. There’s no law that says you have to dress as if you’re going to church. But if you wouldn’t wear it to church, don’t wear it to your immigration interview. 2. Don’t Create Complications. Don’t bring items to the immigration center that may violate security or cause problems for guards using scanners at the door: pocket knives, pepper spray, bottles with liquids, large bags. 3. Show Up On Time. Arrive at your appointment early and ready to go. Being punctual shows that you care and that you appreciate the officer’s time. Get off to a good start by being where you’re supposed to be when you’re supposed to be there. It’s a good idea to come at least 20 minutes early. 4. Put Your Cell Phone Away. This is not the day to be taking calls or scrolling through Facebook. Some immigration buildings do not permit bringing cell phones inside anyway. Don’t annoy your immigration officer by having a cell phone ring during your interview. Turn it off. 5. Wait for Your Attorney. If you’ve hired an immigration lawyer to be there with you, wait until he or she arrives to start your interview. If an immigration officer wants you to do your interview before your attorney arrives, politely refuse. 6. Take a Deep Breath and Be Confident That You’ve Done Your Homework. You have done your homework, haven’t you? Preparation is the key to a successful interview. And preparation also helps reduce stress. If you need to bring forms or records with you, make sure you have them and make sure you know what they say. Know your case better than anybody else. 7. Listen to the Officer’s Instructions and Questions. Interview day can get tense and sometimes you can forget to do the simple things like listening. If you don’t understand a question, politely ask the officer to repeat it. Then thank the officer for repeating it. Take your time and think about your response. 8. Bring an Interpreter. If you need to bring an interpreter to help understanding English, bring someone who is fluent and trustworthy to interpret for you. Don’t let language be a barrier to your success. 9.Be Truthful and Direct at All Times. Don’t make up answers or tell the officer what you think he wants to hear. Don’t joke with the officer or try to be evasive. Don’t make sarcastic remarks - especially about legally sensitive matters, such as drug use, bigamy, criminal behavior or deportation. If you honestly don’t know the answer to a question, it is much better to say you don’t know than to be untruthful or defensive. If it’s a marriage visa case and you’re interviewing with your spouse, show that you’re comfortable with each other. Be prepared for questions that may be specific and somewhat intimate about each other. Above all, don’t argue with your spouse. 10. Be Yourself. USCIS officers are trained and experienced in detecting people who are trying to be deceptive. Stay true to yourself, be genuine and stay honest.

Terrorism the Future, and US Foreign Policy Assignment

Terrorism the Future, and US Foreign Policy - Assignment Example The United States of America, in their capacity as one of the most powerful and resourceful countries, should be the world leaders in the fight against terrorism. A prime example of a terrorist attack is the attack on the World Trade Centre, which was a catalyst in causing other countries to be concerned about the global security threat. It stands to reason therefore, that 9/11 was a catalyst in the implementation of strategies to combat terrorism in the USA and other countries. The USA took some major steps in protecting the world from terrorists and acts of terrorism which were affecting other parts of the world as well. The initial step taken by the USA in the fight against terrorism was to find the leader of the terrorists, in doing that the USA took decisive action by sending forces to Afghanistan by way of Pakistan to find the group responsible for the terrorist act against the USA. The USA deployed its forces to these countries from 1999 to 2010, as a part of their policy. The services of almost 136 countries were offered for this purpose. In the month of November 2002 in an international law enforcement effort resulted in the arrests of three thousand (3,000) terrorists in over one hundred (100) countries. According to the words of Raphael Perl in â€Å"Terrorism, the Future, and US Foreign Policy,† the author outlined the background as that of the US foreign policy, in 1995, when there were 23% of terrorists who acted against the US citizens or their property. The second step was when they searched the entire country and found terrorists belonging to a particular religious group called Al Qaida, whose group leader was the infamous Osama Bin Ladin, who is the leader of a worldwide group of terrorists. Author Raphael Perl, in his book â€Å"Terrorism, the Future, and US Foreign Policy† writes about conflicting goals and action plans. (1) To protect the people from terrorism, (2) Developing policies to fight against terrorism. The USA worked very hard to maintain world peace and was working really hard to develop anti-terrorism policies by bearing the two points outlined above in mind. For dealing with the current asymmetrical threat to global security, the author outlined both future and current threats and the capabilities of the USA as well as the opportunities which presented themselves. He also outlined how to improve the policies and systems in relation to global security both for the present and future. The USA was very instrumental in removing Saddam Hussein from being the ruler of Iraq and in so doing, gave the local residents of Iraq human rights, protection, and freedom. To summarize this, the USA which is one of the most powerful countries in the world has taken steps in order to maintain world peace. To address global security, the USA has sought the help of many countries who, in assisting the USA has also eliminated the threat of terrorism as well as the terrorists in their own countries.  

Public Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Public Law - Essay Example Conversely, the 1688 settlement between the incoming king and Parliament enshrined the independence of the judiciary under the Bill of Rights, however required them to implement the will of the Sovereign Parliament. However, the supremacy of Parliament itself has been attacked on limits of judicial review4. The 1688 settlement introduced checks and balances in restraint of autocratic power. Theoretically, the Crown, House of Commons and the House of Lords could not pass any legislation to support a course of action unless they were accepted by the other bodies involved. However, the gradual erosion of the power of the House of Lords means that there is effectively no check on the House of Commons5. For example, the executive clearly carries out legislative functions and a prime example is the Law Commission. Additionally, the judiciary obtain their power from the Crown and there is a distinct overlap of functions between the powers, which should be separated for the effective application of the separation of powers and the efficacy of Parliament as check on the executive6. This is further compounded by the fact that the Prime Minister and Cabinet ministers are Parliament members and part of the legislature and the Prime Minister is head of the executive. This obfuscation of the theoretical separation of powers has ramifications for the procedure of passing Acts of Parliament. Parliament is essentially the legislative section of the British political system. As such, through the executive Prime Minister and the Cabinet, Parliament sanctions executive sovereignty in a party governmental system. Theoretically Parliament is a policy influencing body, relying on the executive to formulate policy and reacts to it and therefore the party machine reinforces power of the executive to initiate policy. Parliament is not therefore involved in the policy making process and has minor powers of initiation. Whilst government controls Parliament the passing of an

In African American women who have delivered live infants, what is the Essay

In African American women who have delivered live infants, what is the effect of prenatal care, in comparison to no prenatal care, on infant mortality rates within the first year of life - Essay Example innovative service initiatives, and implementation of MCH programs, policy analysis topics, advocacy issues and professional development of medical and healthcare practitioners in the MCH area. As such, the Maternal and Child Health Journal is important because it can be used as a tool for practitioners, academicians and researchers in the areas of public health, gynecology, prenatal medicine, neonatology and obstetrics. The Maternal and Child Health Journal is sponsored by different organizations that include the Association of Teachers of Maternal and Child Health (ATMCH), Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP) and CityMatCH. The above description makes the Maternal and Child Health Journal an essential tool to which the group plans to submit the final manuscript. First, the journal is appropriate for the group because it covers the area of demography specifically in maternal and child health area. This makes it a specific journal that will be easier for the reader to find information on maternal and child health demographic issues. The group intends to carry out research on the effect of prenatal care, in comparison to no prenatal care, on infant mortality rates within the first year of life in African American women. Therefore, the topic of the research shows that it qualified to be published under the Maternal and Child Health Journal. Prior research into the group’s topic shows that African-Americans have 2.3 times the infant mortality rate compared to non-Hispanic whites. They are also four times likely to die as infants because of complications related to low birth weight compared to non-Hispanic white infants. It has also been shown that African Americans are 2.3 times more likely to begin prenatal care in their third trimester or not go for prenatal care at all compared to non-Hispanic white mothers (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2013). Compared to women from other racial/ ethnic groups in America, infants born to

Effect of Economic Factors on Stock Price

Effect of Economic Factors on Stock Price Effect Of Economic Factors On Stock Price With A Particular Reference To London Stock Exchange Introduction Its believed that an economic atmosphere is a major factor in determining the primary trend of a stock market. L H Beng (1998)The stock market, on the other hand, is often regarded as an effective and a reliable barometer of a countrys economy, and the stock prices are deemed as a reflection of future expectations concerning the economic well being of a country. Invariably, Stock, by its very nature, cannot be seen off as an independent entity from economic realities and performance. Consequently, it is of great interest to find out or examine the relationship between some economic variables and the pricing of stocks in the London stock exchange. This empirical study is carried out to examine the effect of economic factors on stock price with reference to FTSE100 price index of London stock Exchange. The main objective of the study is to examine some peculiarities or differences in terms of economic variables that influence stock prices in the London stock market. The effects of retail sales index, consumer price index and industrial production index (IPI) on stock prices shall be duly examined. The study makes use of regression model to analyze nine year (Jan. 2000 Nov. 2009) monthly data obtained on ftse100 price index and some identified explanatory variables among other numerous variables that could be identified to determine stock prices in any economy. Literature Review Series of empirical studies have been carried out on the effect or influence of economic variables on the stock price. P I Ojeaga V O Folajin (2009) showed in their study that stock price correlated with the price of industrial product and composite price index, also strongly related to the average naira dollar exchange, market capitalization, broad money supply and maximum lending rate in Nigeria economy. N F Chen, R Roll S A Ross (1986) argued that stock returns are exposed to systematic economic news, that they are priced in accordance with their exposures and that the news can be measured as innovations in state variables whose identification can be accomplished through simple and intuitive financial theory. The study was carried out with the use of efficient market theory and rational expectations inter temporal asset-pricing theory (Cox et al 1985). According to the study, industrial production and changes in risk premium have a great influence on the stock returns while index of oil price changes showed no effect on the asset pricing. Abeyratna G, Anirut P and David M P (2004) displayed empirically in their study that there is a long run equilibrium relationship between the stock prices and the rate of inflation, the money supply and the Treasury bill rate in an emerging market of South Asia. Mukherjee and Naka (1995) applied Johansens (1998) VECM to analyze the relationship between the Japanese Stock Market and exchange rate, inflation, money supply, real economic activity, long-term government bond rate, and call money rate. They concluded that a co integrating relation indeed existed and that stock prices contributed to this relation. R C Maysami, L C Howe and M A Hamzah (2004) concluded in their research study that Singapore stock market and the SES All-S Equities Property Index formed significant relationships with all macroeconomic variables identified, while the SES All-S Equities Finance Index and SES All-S Equities Hotel Index form significant relationships only with selected variables. Specifically, for the SES All-S Equities Finance Index, real economic activity and money supply were not significant, and in the case of SES All-S Equities Hotel Index, money supply, and short- and long-term interest rates were insignificant. Omran (2003) examined the impact of real interest rates as a key factor in the performance of the Egyptian stock market, both in terms of market activity and liquidity. The co integration analysis through error correction mechanisms (ECM) indicated significant long-run and short-run relationships between the variables, implying that real interest rates had an impact upon stock market performance. Maysami and Koh(2000) studied and found out that inflation, money supply growth, changes in short- and long-term interest rate and variations in exchange rate formed a co-integrating relation with changes in Singapores stock market levels. As revealed above, two variables (index of industrial production and consumer price index) out three highlighted variables have been tested by earlier researchers and the results showed a clear relationship with stock prices. In this study, the variables will be retested along side with retail sales index vis-a-viz London stock exchange. About The London Stock Exchange The London Stock exchange is the most important exchange in Europe and one of the largest in the world. It lists over 3000 Companies and with 350 of the companies coming from 50 different countries, the LSE is the most international of all exchanges. The London stock exchange is comprised of two different stock markets: the main market and the alternative investment market (AIM). The main market is solely for established companies with high performance, and the listing requirements are strict. Approximately 1,800 of the LSEs company listings trade on the main market, and the total market capitalization of 37 Billion. The LSE is completely electronic, but different shares are traded on different systems. Highly liquid shares are traded using SETS automated system on an order driven basis. This means that when a buy and sell price match, an order is automatically executed. For securities that trade less regularly, the London stock exchange implements the SEAQ system, where market makers keep the shares liquid. These market makers keep are required to hold shares of a specific company and set the bid and ask prices, ensuring that there is market for the stock. The LSE also has a new and growing exchange for equity derivatives called EDX London, created in 2003. In 2004, EDX traded an average of 382,599 contracts per day. It aim is to become the leading derivative market in the world (see http://www.advfn/stockexchanges/about/LSE/LondonStockExchange.html) Stock Market A stock market is a public market for the trading of company stock and derivatives at an agreed price; these are securities listed on a stock exchange as well as those on traded privately. The size of the world market was estimated at about $36.6 trillion US at the beginning of October 2008. The stocks are listed and traded on stock exchanges which are entities of a corporation or mutual organisation specialized in the business of bringing buyers and sellers of the organisation securities together. The stock market in the United States is NYSE while in Canada; it is the Toronto stock exchange. Major European examples of stock exchanges include London Stock Exchange, Paris Bourse, and the Deutche Borse. Asian examples include the Tokyo stock exchange, the Hong kong stock exchange, and Bombay stock exchange. In Latin America, there are such exchanges as the BMF Bovespa and BMV (see http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/stock_market). Securities A security is a fungible, negotiable instrument representing financial value. Securities are broadly categorized into debt security (such as banknotes, bonds and debentures) and equity securities, e.g., common stocks; and derivative contracts, such as forwards, futures, options and swaps. The company or other entity issuing the security is called the issuer (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/security_(finance)). Stock Market Index The movement of the prices in a market or sections of a market are captured in price indices called stock market indices of which there many, e.g. S P, the FTSE and the Euronext indices. Such indices are usually market capitalization weighted, with the weights reflecting the contribution of the stock to the index. The constituents of the index are reviewed frequently to include / exclude stocks in order to reflect the changing business environment (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/stock_market). Ftse 100 Index It is a share index of the 100 most highly capitalized UK Companies listed on the London Stock exchange. FTSE 100 companies represent about 81% of the market capitalization of the whole London Stock Exchange. Even though FTSE All share index is more comprehensive, the FTSE 100 is by far the widely used UK stock market indicator (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FTSE_100Index). Industrial Production Index (Ipi) The industrial production index is an economic indicator which measures real production output. It is expressed as a percentage of real output with base year. Production indexes are computed mainly as fisher indexes with the weights based on annual estimates of value added. This index, along with other industrial indexes and construction, accounts for the variation in national output over the duration of the business cycle (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/industrial_production_index). Consumer Price Index (Cpi) CPI is a measure estimating the average price of consumer goods and services purchased by households. A consumer price index measures a piece change for a constant market of goods and services from one period to the next within the same area (city, region, or nation). It is a price index determined by measuring the price of a standard group of goods meant to represent the typical market basket of a typical urban consumer. The percent change in the CPI is a measure estimating inflation (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/consumer_price_index). According to B Hobijn D Lagakos (2003) CPI is the benchmark measure of inflation. Retail Sales Index (Rsi) RSI is a monthly measurement of all goods sold by retailers based on a sampling of retail of retail stores of different types and sizes. The retail sales index is often taken as an indicator of consumer confidence. Many analysts choose to look at the figure ‘ex-auto (excluding the volatile car sales figure). It is thought that this number is a better measure of across-the-board purchasing trends. The report does not include money spent on services, so it represents less than half of total consumption during the month. However, even with these limitations the figures are closely watched as an indicator of the health of the economy (see http://www.investorword.com/5768/retail_sales_index.html). Data And Methodology Of The Research Data In this research work, the data used are monthly market index data from Jan. 2000 to Nov.2009. Secondary data were obtained from yahoo finance (FTSE 100 index) and Office for national statistics (consumer price index, industrial production index and retail sales index). November data were not captured in the regression result because, data available for industrial production index does not cover November (the last data released was in October 2009). Methodology The method adopted is multiple regression model to analyse the quantitative relationship between ftse100 index and three explanatory variables i.e. index of industrial production, consumer price index and retail sales index. According to Gray Koop (2006, 2008 2009) Regression quantifies the effect of an explanatory variable, X, on a dependent variable, Y. Hence, it measures the relationship between two variables. The relationship between Y and X is assumed to take the form, Y= ÃŽ ± + ÃŽ ²X, where ÃŽ ± is the intercept and ÃŽ ² is the slope of a straight line. This is called the regression line. The regression line is the best fitting line through an XY graph. No line will ever fit perfectly through all the points in an XY graph. The distance between each point and the line is called a residual. The ordinary least squares (OLS) estimator is the one which minimizes the sum of squared residuals and provides estimates of ÃŽ ± and ÃŽ ². Regression coefficient should be interpreted as marginal effects (i.e. as measures of the effect on Y of a small change in X. Thus, multiple regression model in this research work can be represented as Y=ÃŽ ±+ ÃŽ ²1X1 + ÃŽ ²2X2 + ÃŽ ²3X3 +ÃŽ µ Where Y = stock price (ftse100 index) ÃŽ ± = intercept ÃŽ ² = coefficient for the explanatory variables X1 = consumer price index X2 = index of industrial production X3 = retail sales index Ε = Error (residual) Therefore the estimated regression equation is thus: Y=ÃŽ ±+ÃŽ ²1X1+ÃŽ ²2X2+ ÃŽ ²3X3 The multiple regression correlation coefficient,R2, RY.X1X2X32=(Y-Y)2(Y-Y)2 This a measure of the proportion of variability explained by the regression relationship model or the regression equation. Roughly, this means R2 is the percentage at which the model explains the changes in the dependent variable based on the independent variables. The standard deviation is the range at which there is +/- error with a 95% confidence level. In order to gauge the accuracy of ÃŽ ± and ÃŽ ² estimates, the use of hypothesis testing on regression coefficients become very relevant at 95% confidence interval. This is given as Null hypothesis H0: ÃŽ ²1 = ÃŽ ²2 = ÃŽ ²3 = 0 Alternative hypothesis H1: ÃŽ ²1 ≠  ÃŽ ²2 = ÃŽ ²3 = 0 If the P-value is less than 5% (0.05) then t is ‘large and the conclusion is ÃŽ ² ≠  0. But, if the P-value is greater than 5% then t is ‘small which means ÃŽ ² = 0. Analysis Of Results Regression Statistics Multiple R 0.74673553 R Square 0.55761396 Adjusted R Square 0.54597222 Standard Error 588.751002 Observations 118 Source: Regression results The value of R (multiple Correlation coefficients) obtained for the data is 0.75 which lies between 0 and 1 indicating a positive relationship between stock price index and the selected economic variables (consumer price index, industrial production index and retail sales index). It is significant to note that out of all the possible economic indicators that affect stock prices, 56% of changes could be attributable to real production output, inflation and goods sold by retailers as shown by above regression results. Coefficients Standard Error t Stat P-value Intercept -37034.902 3685.920336 -10.0477 2.15E-17 CPI 318.608541 33.76303871 9.436607 5.716E-16 IPI 226.107972 20.48881882 11.03568 1.053E-19 RSI -131.07512 19.96271818 -6.566 1.598E-09 Source: Regression results Considering the model specification presented and utilizing the results obtained after running the data through Microsoft Excel 2007 the estimated regression model becomes; STOCK PRICES=-37034.90+318.61(CPI) +226.11(IPI)-131.08(RSI) The regression result above shows that there is a positive relationship between stock price and consumer price index (X1). This is in accordance with earlier expectation stated. Having P-value as 5.716E-16 i.e. its less than 5%. It means ÃŽ ²1 ≠  0; null hypothesis will be rejected while alternative hypothesis is accepted. This indicates that parameter estimate is statistically significant, meaning that consumer price index has relevant influence in explaining stock price. P-value for X2 is 1.053 Ãâ€" 10^-19 which is less than 0.05, this shows that the result is statically relevant, it means, index of industrial production has a positive relationship with stock price. Therefore, ÃŽ ² ≠  0; null hypothesis should be rejected and accept alternative hypothesis. The above regression result shows a positive relationship between stock prices and retails sales index considering the P-value of 1.598E-09 which is less than 0.05. Statically, it shows that parameter estimate is very relevant and that, retail sales index contribute meaningfully to stock price determination in London stock exchange. Consequently, ÃŽ ²3 ≠  0; null hypothesis must be rejected while accepting alternative hypothesis. Conclussion This study examined the effect of economic factors on stock price; the scope was limited to London stock exchange. As a result, FTSE 100 index was used as an independent variable while index of industrial production, consumer price index and retail sales index were examined as explanatory variables. It was deduced from the result of multiple regression model used that, there is a positive relationship between stock prices (as represented by FTSE 100 index) and the above listed economic variables most especially in the London stock Exchange. This by extension correlates with the results of some earlier researchers on the subject matter. In safe guarding stock prices in London stock exchange market, it becomes highly imperative and a major point of consideration for policy makers when trying to influence the economy through changes in economic variables such as the money supply, interest rates, or the exchange rate while aiming to correct economic ills such as inflation or unemployment to always access its multiplier effect which may inadvertently depress the stock market, and curtail capital formation which itself would lead to further slowdown of the economy. References Abeyratna G, Pisedtasalasai A Power D (2004), Macroeconomic influence on the stock market: evidence from an emerging market in South Asia. Journal of Emerging Market Finance 3(3), 85-304. ADVFN (2010), ‘London Stock Exchange, http://www.advfn/stockexchanges/about/LSE/LondonStockExchange.html (accessed 4 Jan 2010). Gray Koop (2006, 2008 2009), Analysis of financial data, West Sussex, Wiley. 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