Descriptive Essay - Original Writing - 1287 Words

In the morning, Caireann woke me up. She stood above my bed, shaking my shoulder. I opened my eyes, looking at her. Then I looked across the room to her empty bed. Andy s empty bed sat in the corner. I swallowed, climbing out of bed. Sleep well? Caireann asked me, starting out the door. Yeah, I said, going over to our small dresser. I had the bottom two drawers. Andy had the middle two, and Caireann had the top. I pulled open the drawers, pulling on a colorful tank top and a gray pair of shorts. Soon, I was out in the kitchen with Caireann, sipping water from a cup, and eating a banana. It was a normal breakfast, and I was soon finished. Do you want me to walk with you to the orchards? Caireann asked me. Laney called a meeting in an hour, but I don t have anything to do until then. It s a miracle, Laney normally would want us in hours ago. I might go over to Soil after and check on that stuff. Sure, I grinned, putting my banana peel in the compost bin. I quickly began to wash out my cup, and put it in the cabinet with the rest of our dishes. I just need to go grab my hat, then I ll be ready. I ll be here, Caireann said, walking over to the door and glancing out the window. I hurried into the bedroom and grabbed my hat from the table. Then I was back out in the kitchen, standing by Caireann. Ready? she asked me. She placed her gentle hand on the doorknob and pushed down so it turned 90 degrees, pushing open the flimsy scrapShow MoreRelatedDescriptive Essay - Original Writing1110 Words   |  5 PagesI don’t know how I got to where I am, but I’m here now, and I have to win if I want to live. I am in a game, and in order to live, I have to escape. That’s the thing, though: I don’t know how to escape. I was running for my life around this old house that looked like it came straight out of a horror movie. I doubled over and held my head in pain as I saw the static, which meant it was coming. I was being chased by what lo oked like a person but in no way acted like one. Just as it was about to appearRead MoreDescriptive Essay - Original Writing1102 Words   |  5 PagesIt is on days like this when we stop to think about our life. Small drops of rain begin to dapple the cobblestone pavement as people whip out their umbrellas for cover. I continue sauntering down the busy street, relishing the feeling of a light shower. Moving with the mass of pedestrians, I stop at a crosswalk where I wait for the stoplight to turn green. A flower shop employee across the street scurries to bring in the numerous bouquets and close the doors as rain starts rolling down the displayRead MoreDescriptive Essay - Original Writing914 Words   |  4 PagesDreamy I thought. Standing on the corner is a young guy with a smile. I see him here almost every day, so I linger for a while. He tells me his name, and I tell him mine. I m Ester, what s your name? I enquired. My names David .,He replied. We end up talking for a whi le and I asked him if he had ever left this city. He tells me of all these stories of the places where he s been, the distant lakes and mountains, and in valleys oh so green. I can see it in his eyes, he really has beenRead MoreDescriptive Essay - Original Writing974 Words   |  4 Pages I was used to moving round, having a mother who liked to travel more than making roots was something I had gotten used to. Still, I had never gotten used to the loneliness of an empty house when she was out exploring, or the feeling of leaving behind someone who could have meant something to me. Our most recent move was Oregon. It was pretty, and I didn’t mind it, but it was much different than Florida. Not only was it opposite sides of the country, it felt as if it were opposite worlds. InRead MoreDescriptive Essay - Original Writing1012 Words   |  5 Pageshave plenty of time in the next month to think about my feeling in regards to Kendrick. I needed to finish up the article and get it off to my editor. I should be able to get it done by tonight and send an email in the morning. I was thinking of writing my next article about the sea life around the Scottish coast. Since our salmon dinner last evening I thought I would do a piece about the commercial salmon farming that began in Scotland in 1969. In 2002 over 145,000 metric tons of farmed AtlanticRead MoreDescriptive Essay - Original Writing1561 Words   |  7 PagesThere’s something I need to say and what follows may not be something that you’d expect, it won’t be heartening or uplifting. If you remember today, I told you about going somewhere I wanted to go to†¦ I’m not sure if you believed and accepted what I now confess as untrue; it is partly. I needed to pull away emo tionally†¦ from you. You must have had fathomed that some degree of formality had seeped between us. Born of habit, formulaic greetings had become a routine. You presume that I’m a close friendRead MoreDescriptive Essay - Original Writing1387 Words   |  6 PagesI was wearing a beautiful blue dress with sapphire gems all around the chest area as I entered the ball with Ciel and Sebastian. I took a good look around here, the hallway was lined with gold. There was a servant ready to escort us to the ball room. Hello, come this way. He said, walking forward. Wow, this place is so fancy! I exclaimed, looking around. It s fake gold. Ciel bluntly replied, bringing my hopes down. I sighed. Ciel sounded like he wasn t in a very good mood. Ciel, lightenRead MoreDescriptive Essay - Original Writing1345 Words   |  6 PagesLater that night, I was behind the wheel of my G-Wagon with Melissa in the passenger seat. She didn’t feel like driving since she was on the road all day and I understood so I didn’t mind when she asked me to. I had been tight-lipped. She kept eyeballing me as if she detected that something was bothering me but I just kept singing to my India Arie as if I was carefree. â€Å"So are you going to tell me what’s going on or no† Melissa said disrupting my own personal concert. I stopped singing and tookRead MoreDescriptive Essay - Original Writing1085 Words   |  5 PagesI WAS SITTING IN a taxi, wondering if I had overdressed for the evening, when I looked out the window and saw Mom rooting through a Dumpster. It was just after dark. A blustery March wind whipped the steam coming out of the manholes, and people hurried along the sidewalks with their collars turned up. I was stuck in traffic two blocks from the party where I was heading. Mom stood fifteen feet away. She had tied rags around her shoulders to keep out the spring chill and was picking through the trashRead MoreDescriptive Essay - Original Writing930 Words   |  4 PagesI couldn’t imagine that I would have ever seen a tractor flying through the air, let alone a tractor landing just inches away from the room where my family was taking shelter. All of those childhood memories just gone just like that. My little sister Harper was crying to my mother saying â€Å"Mommy Mommy can it stop can it stop?† she wailed. I know this might seem crazy but that moment it just felt like time paused. And then my mother was crying to my father saying â€Å"Honey we lost her!† my mother cried

Paternal Love In Cormac Mccarthys The Road - 1611 Words

The Theme Analysis Essay on The Road: Paternal Love In order for a child to live in a complete and happy family, the paternal love plays a major role in a child’s life, especially the love of a father which is as much important as a mother’s love. Moreover, a father’s love is one of the greatest influences on the child’s personality development throughout his/her life. A father’s love brings a sense of protection of security in a child. In the novel The Road, Cormac McCarthy present the great example of paternal love. The novel deals with a post-apocalyptic story about an unnamed man and his unnamed child as they move toward the south to find a better place to live after the catastrophic event. The son is the only reason for the father†¦show more content†¦The boy asks the man, â€Å"Can I ask you something? Yes. Of course you can. What would you do if I died? If you died I would want to die too. So you could be with me? Yes. So I could be with you. Okay† (10-11). McCarthy points out that the man’s love for his son is what makes the man want to survive in the post-apocalyptic world. In the novel, before attempting suicide, the man’s wife criticizes him for using the boy as a reason to survive. The wife tells the man â€Å"The only thing I can tell you is that you wont survive for youself† (57). The quote explains that in the world, where landscapes devastated by fire, the weather conditions are getting harsh, the town and houses are abandoned, little food, no supplies, and no shelter left, no want to live there, but the man wants to continue living the life, so he can always be with his son. In addition, the reader sees that the man’s love for his son make him do anything to ensure the security and protection of his son. McCarthy writes, â€Å"He dove and grabbed the boy and rolled and came up holding him against his chest with the knife at his throat. The man had already dropped to the ground and he swung with him and leveled the pistol and fired from a two-handed position balanced on both knees at a distance of six feet. The man fell back instantly and lay with blood bubbling from the hole in his forehead† (66). The quote shows the reader that the man kills the gang member who has threatened theShow MoreRelatedEssay on Father and Son in The Road and The Pursuit of Happyness1380 Words   |  6 Pagesstruggles of their everyday lives. Cormac McCarthy’s The Road and Gabriele Muccino’s The Pursuit of Happyness both depict a story between a father and son using each other as a means of survival when faced with adversity. When placed in a tough situation father and son must create a symbiotic relationship in order to survive. Upon the duo of father and son can creating a symbiotic relationship, it will result in a mutual dependency on each other. This theme of paternal love is omnipresent given the bondRead MoreThe Road By Cormac Mccarthy240 5 Words   |  10 Pages2016 The Road by Cormac McCarthy and its View of Parental Love and Hope in a Post-Apocalyptic World The boy s father tells him My job is to take care of you. I was appointed to do that by God. I will kill anyone who touches you. Do you understand? (McCarthy The Road) this sends such a powerful message about instinct, hope, and paternal love. These words so passionately from the lips of the father perfectly describes Cormac McCarthy s story of The Road and the power a father s love surpassesRead MoreThe Road By Cormac Mccarthy2062 Words   |  9 PagesReid Norberg Period 3 3/18/16 2016 AP Lodestar 1. Title: The Road Author: Cormac McCarthy Date of Publication: 2006 Genre: Post- apocalyptic fiction 2. The Road is a novel written by American author Cormac McCarthy. Although born in the North East, McCarthy was driven to the South West later in his life where he has since based most of his novels, including The Road. The Road tells a story of a man and his son in post apocalyptic America where the weather is winter-like and the ground is

Trump Election on the Australian Mining Industry - MyAssignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theTrump Election on the Australian Mining Industry. Answer: In November 2016, the US voted in Donald Trump as their president-elect. This brought in many expectations the world over. The effects of Trumps election could have an impact on the mining industry in Australia bearing in mind that Australia is a major trade partner with the US. Trade between the two countries has benefited Australia tremendously because it has opened the market for Australian products. Australia is now able to sell more of its products in the US and as well get better goods from the US. International trade has been instrumental in earning foreign exchange that assists the Australian dollar to be stable in the international market. Trade between these two countries was made easy when the Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement (AUSFTA) was put in place in January 2005(Australia. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade., 2006). This agreement offers Australia the chance to trade with the US and hence opening up bigger opportunities for Australian products to reach the worlds largest market in terms of consumption. The AUSFTA draws the attention of the US to Australia as an attractive innovative and an important global partner to the US. It is characterised by reduced tariffs, increased quotas, and easing of some of the market restrictions that were initially imposed between these two countries. Therefore, changes in the US due to the Tump presidency will also affect how industries in Australia operate. Australia has a vast wealth in mineral deposits making it one of the worlds major producers of mineral products. These products include copper, gold, aluminium, iron, zinc, coal, and mineral sands. In addition to the direct production and exportation of minerals and ore, Australia plays a major role in the development of mining services, equipment and technology. The Australian mining industry is one of the major industries in the economy contributing about 6-7% of the GDP. It generates about 54% of the total goods and services produced each year. Over 200,000 people are employed directly in the industry with another 600,000 indirectly in support industries. Being one of the major players in the economy, changes in the US will directly or indirectly influence the way the industry will operate. Before ascending to the presidency, Donald Trump was an investor and entrepreneur who always advocates for low-interest rates. During the time that he has become president, he has doubled down on his low-interest rate policy arguing that higher interest rates are a disaster to the economy. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, he favoured low-interest rates in a bid to keep the US dollar down (Gerard Baker, 2017). Interest rates are a monetary policy tool. They are usually set by the central bank of an economy so as to control the levels of unemployment and inflation. Changes in the monetary policy will affect both the prices and income aspects of the economy. These form the income and substitution effects(Abel, et al., 2015). Trumps administration advocates for an expansionary monetary policy, which involves increasing liquidity in the US economy by lowering the real interest rates. As the real interest rates are reduced, domestic financial and capital assets will earn lower returns hence investors will shy away from putting their money in them. Domestic investors in the US will shift to invest in other foreign countries. This is where the Australian mining industry could benefit from foreign direct investments. Companies such as Whitehaven Coal and Rio Tinto that are listed in the stock market will end up getting investors from the US. Furthermore, reduction in domestic investment in the US by both the citizens and foreigners will reduce the demand for the US dollar and increase the demand for the Australian dollar. This will ease the exchange rate between the two currencies and improve the balance of payment. Australian mineral exports to the US will become relatively more expensive compared to the other commodities imported from the US. This has the net effect of improving Australias balance of trade in relation to the US. Trump administrations stance on an easy expansionary monetary policy means that will be more economic activity in the US economy due to increased liquidity. Low-interest rates associated with an expansionary monetary policy tends to increase GDP of the US economy that will, in turn, increase the demand for imports into the US. Bilateral trade between the US and Australia will make it easy to export mineral products such as iron and aluminium ores that have demand in the US. The increase in export of mineral products to the US will necessitate the exchange of US dollars to Australian dollars used in the purchase of Australian exports. This implies that there will be an increased demand for the Australian dollar and the exchange rate for the US dollar will reduce. In summary, Trump's election as the US president may work for to better the Australian mining industry and the economy of Australia in general. This will remain so if the administration and the Federal Reserve Bank of America keep favouring the expansionary monetary policy that President Trump advocates for. References ABEL, A. B., BERNANKE, B., CROUSHORE, D. D. (2017).Macroeconomics. AUSTRALIA. (2006).AUSFTA in action: the Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement (AUSFTA) : fast facts. Canberra, Dept of Foreign Affairs and Trade. DORNBUSCH, R., FISCHER, S., STARTZ, R. (2014).Macroeconomics. New York, McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Gerard Baker, C. (2017).Trump Says Dollar Getting Too Strong, Wont Label China a Currency Manipulator. [online] WSJ. Available at: https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-says-dollar-getting-too-strong-wont-label-china-currency-manipulator-1492024312 [Accessed 23 May 2017]. Hankin, A. (2017).President Trump's Many Stances on Monetary Policy. [online] Investopedia. Available at: https://www.investopedia.com/news/president-trumps-many-stances-monetary-policy/ [Accessed 23 May 2017]. HESTER, D. D. (2008).The evolution of monetary policy and banking in the US. Berlin, Springer.

Rayamaya Essays - Indian Philosophy, Spiritual Practice,

Rayamaya Krishna was born 5,520 years ago. Before Krishna's birth there was a prophecy in relation to Kansa, a tyrannical king, that the eighth child of Kansa's sister would be the cause of his death. It happened that this child was Krishna, the son of Devaki and Vasudeva, born in a prison at Mathura. His childhood was spent in Gokul and Vrindavan with Yashoda and Nanda. The central theme of Krishna's life was not destruction of the wicked or protection of the pious. The relationship between the individual and God is not the relationship of the pious and the wicked. Wickedness is a personality trait or tendency. Interaction with the divine power happens in another dimension where wickedness is overcome by continuous remembrance and thinking of God. Even Kansa, who was wicked, did nothing but think and dream about Krishna from the time of the prophecy till the time of his death. Whether the remembrance was due to fear or affection is not important, but the thought process was ongoing and constant. The relationship that an individual has with God transcends their wicked and pious nature. Wickedness and piousness are external expressions of human personality, but the thought and remembrance which is continuous, ongoing and unbroken indicates the awareness and the relationship that one has with the higher power, with God. The focus of Krishna's life was the establishment of dharma. Dharma is identified as a purushartha. Dharma is not a belief, a concept or a religion; dharma is action, effort. This action and effort should lead one to experiencing the divine nature that is dormant in every being. Krishna wanted to establish this concept of dharma right from the time he became self-aware. In the festival of Ganga Dashahara, the women float candles or deepaks on the river as a form of worship. There is a story that when Krishna was very young he accompanied his mother, Yashoda, to the banks of the river to observe this ritual. When he saw people floating little candles on the river, he entered the water himself and every time a deepak or candle floated by he would pick it up and put it on the riverbank. When his mother asked him what he was doing, he replied, Mother, all the candles that come near me I pick up and put on the shore. My little hands can't reach the candles that are in midstream or near the other shore, but any deepak that floats towards me I pick up and put on the shore. Deepaks or lights represent the individual souls who are floating in this stream of samsara. Those who are too far away go unattended, but those souls which float towards the godly nature are immediately picked up and saved. Coming close to the proximity of the Divine is the purpose of dharma, nothing more. Teachings that can bring us closer to God change from age to age, from civilization to civilization. In Satya Yuga, the method was tapasya. In this age, known as Kali Yuga, Buddha, Mahavir, Christ, all the saints and sages, have said that the form of religion should be love and compassion. Being compassionate, loving and kind towards others was the teaching of these sages for this age. In the times of Krishna and Rama, when there was affluence everywhere, when there was no rampant poverty, when adherence to dharma was an integral part of the human act, there was no confusion. Krishna, and the teachings of Krishna, speaks about accepting and realizing action. This idea is the underlying philosophy of life as practiced in those times. In the Bhagavad Gita, emphasis was given to acceptance, performance and realization of actions. It is also said that knowledge of action, knowledge of human participation in life, in this creation, understanding the role that each human being has to play, is a very secret subject that has never been revealed before. But it is only through perfection in action that one can improve the quality of life. This belief holds true even today. All the masters, after they have attained the highest realization, have involved themselves in hard karma. Buddha, after attaining nirvana, plunged himself into karma. He did not isolate himself from the world. When

Free Essays on The Best Thing

6:02 a.m., Saturday morning. It’s early but my eyes crack open slightly and I roll underneath my covers. I stretch my arms and legs, making loud groans as my body twists and turns. Half awake, my legs drag me to the window and I pull up the shades. Blinded by the morning light, my fingers feel for the window locks and unlock them. As I pull open the window the cold, winter air fills my room. I shiver, hugging myself to hold in the warmth. My eyes finally adjust and a smile creeps across my face. Winter’s first snow has arrived. I take one last whiff of the morning air and shut my window gently. Everyone is still sleeping, enjoying the comforting warmth of their beds. However, I am wide awake and excited. Slowly, I strip off my pajamas and pull on a first layer of clothing. Heading to the kitchen, I start my parents’ coffee and slide a tray of biscuits into the oven. It won’t be long before everyone is awake. Lightly tiptoeing to the closet and opening the door soundlessly, I rummage through the mess. At last I spot the bag. All the way in the back closet it sits and has been sitting since last winter. I notice my mother as usual, has clearly labeled the outside â€Å"Winter Stuff† and folded all the contents. With a bit of excitement, I tip the bag upside down letting the insides pile onto the floor. Sorting through the items one by one, I separate them into each family member’s belongings. The smell of biscuits has filled the kitchen and is slowly making its way to the bedrooms. It won’t be much longer now. A rustling sounds from my parents’ room and then a creak from the bed. A single grunt escapes my dad’s mouth and his footsteps begin. Scratching his head, he enters the kitchen. He notices the biscuits and the mess I’ve made on the floor. He chuckles softly and smiles at me. One by one they wake up and enter the kitchen looking slightly dazed and confused. They catch a glimpse of what I have ... Free Essays on The Best Thing Free Essays on The Best Thing 6:02 a.m., Saturday morning. It’s early but my eyes crack open slightly and I roll underneath my covers. I stretch my arms and legs, making loud groans as my body twists and turns. Half awake, my legs drag me to the window and I pull up the shades. Blinded by the morning light, my fingers feel for the window locks and unlock them. As I pull open the window the cold, winter air fills my room. I shiver, hugging myself to hold in the warmth. My eyes finally adjust and a smile creeps across my face. Winter’s first snow has arrived. I take one last whiff of the morning air and shut my window gently. Everyone is still sleeping, enjoying the comforting warmth of their beds. However, I am wide awake and excited. Slowly, I strip off my pajamas and pull on a first layer of clothing. Heading to the kitchen, I start my parents’ coffee and slide a tray of biscuits into the oven. It won’t be long before everyone is awake. Lightly tiptoeing to the closet and opening the door soundlessly, I rummage through the mess. At last I spot the bag. All the way in the back closet it sits and has been sitting since last winter. I notice my mother as usual, has clearly labeled the outside â€Å"Winter Stuff† and folded all the contents. With a bit of excitement, I tip the bag upside down letting the insides pile onto the floor. Sorting through the items one by one, I separate them into each family member’s belongings. The smell of biscuits has filled the kitchen and is slowly making its way to the bedrooms. It won’t be much longer now. A rustling sounds from my parents’ room and then a creak from the bed. A single grunt escapes my dad’s mouth and his footsteps begin. Scratching his head, he enters the kitchen. He notices the biscuits and the mess I’ve made on the floor. He chuckles softly and smiles at me. One by one they wake up and enter the kitchen looking slightly dazed and confused. They catch a glimpse of what I have ...

The Chinese National Anthem

The Chinese National Anthem The official national anthem of China is titled, March of the Volunteers (ä ¹â€°Ã¥â€¹â€¡Ã¥â€ â€ºÃ¨ ¿â€ºÃ¨ ¡Å'æ› ², yà ¬yÇ’ngjÃ… «n jà ¬nxà ­ngqÇ”). It was written in 1935 by the poet and playwright, Tian Han, and the composer, Nie Er. Origins The song  honors soldiers and revolutionaries who fought the Japanese in northeast China in the 1930s. It was originally written as a theme song to a popular propaganda play and movie that encouraged the Chinese people to resist the Japanese invasion. Both Tian Han and Nie Er were active in the resistance. Nie Er was influenced by popular revolutionary songs at the time, including The Internationale. He drowned in 1935. Becoming the Chinese National Anthem Following the Chinese Communist Partys victory in the civil war in 1949, a committee was set up to decide on a national anthem. There were nearly 7,000 entries, but an early favorite was March of the Volunteers. It was adopted as the provisional national anthem on September 27, 1949. Anthem Banned Years later during the political turmoil of the Cultural Revolution, Tian Han was jailed and subsequently died in 1968. As a result, March of the Volunteers became a banned song. In its place, many used The East is Red, which was a popular Communist song at the time. Restoration March of the Volunteers was eventually restored as the Chinese national anthem in 1978, but with different lyrics that specifically praised the Communist Party and Mao Zedong. After the death of Mao and the liberalization of the Chinese economy, Tian Hans original version was restored by the National Peoples Congress in 1982. The Chinese anthem was played in Hong Kong for the first time in the 1997 handover of British control of Hong Kong to China, and in the 1999 handover of Portuguese control of Macao to China. They were subsequently adopted as the national anthems in Hong Kong and Macao. For many years until the 1990s, the song was banned in Taiwan. In 2004, the Chinese constitution was officially amended to include March of the Volunteers as its official anthem. Lyrics of the Chinese National Anthem è µ ·Ã¦  ¥Ã¤ ¸ Ã¦â€ž ¿Ã¥ Å¡Ã¥ ¥ ´Ã©Å¡ ¶Ã§Å¡â€žÃ¤ º ºÃ¤ » ¬ Stand up! Those who are unwilling to become slaves! 把我ä » ¬Ã§Å¡â€žÃ¨ ¡â‚¬Ã¨â€šâ€°Ã§ ­â€˜Ã¦Ë† Ã¦Ë†â€˜Ã¤ » ¬Ã¦â€" °Ã§Å¡â€žÃ©â€¢ ¿Ã¥Å¸Å½! Take our flesh, and build it to become a new Great Wall! ä ¸ ­Ã¥ Å½Ã¦ °â€˜Ã¦â€" Ã¥Ë† °Ã¤ ºâ€ Ã¦Å"ی  ±Ã©â„¢ ©Ã§Å¡â€žÃ¦â€" ¶Ã¥â‚¬â„¢ The Chinese people have reached a most dangerous time, æ ¯ Ã¤ ¸ ªÃ¤ º ºÃ¨ ¢ «Ã¨ ¿ «Ã§ â‚¬Ã¥ â€˜Ã¥â€¡ ºÃ¦Å"ی Å½Ã§Å¡â€žÃ¥  ¼Ã¥ £ °Ã£â‚¬â€š Every person is being compelled to send issue a final roar. è µ ·Ã¦  ¥Ã¨ µ ·Ã¦  ¥Ã¨ µ ·Ã¦  ¥ Arise! Arise! Arise! 我ä » ¬Ã¤ ¸â€¡Ã¤ ¼â€"ä ¸â‚¬Ã¥ ¿Æ' We are millions with one heart, 冒ç â‚¬Ã¦â€¢Å'ä º ºÃ§Å¡â€žÃ§â€š ®Ã§  «Ã¥â€° Ã¨ ¿â€º Braving our enemy’s gunfire, march on! 冒ç â‚¬Ã¦â€¢Å'ä º ºÃ§Å¡â€žÃ§â€š ®Ã§  «Ã¥â€° Ã¨ ¿â€º! Braving our enemy’s gunfire, march on! å‰ Ã¨ ¿â€ºÃ¥â€° Ã¨ ¿â€ºÃ¨ ¿â€º! March on! March on! Charge!

Managed health care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Managed health care - Essay Example The patient’s confidentiality must be protected by the provider. A provider is liable for breach of patient’s confidentiality if they disclose confidential information related to the patient without their consent as required by the law (Roberts, 2000). When a managed care organization asks for the client’s personal information to make payment decisions, it may undermine the confidentiality of the patient (Wellspring Counseling, 2005). Providers should be careful in limiting the ability of the managed care organization to modify or amend the contract on its own. If it is possible, the provider is supposed to negotiate the amendment provision, which necessitates the consent of the concerned parties before any amendment is done (Roberts, 2000). Majority of the managed care contracts possess dispute resolution clauses. These clauses deal with the manner in which disputes associated with the agreement will be resolved by the entities. The dispute resolution process includes mediation, arbitration, and litigation in court (Roberts, 2000). The contract must indicate that the provider is not mandated to offer, â€Å"any services under the contract that it does not ordinarily and customarily provide to its patients who are not members of the contracting MCO and its affiliate plans† (Ziel, 1997). The concerned entities may consider adding a clause that particularly lists all the services provided by the MCO and the plans (Ziel, 1997). One of the key issues in quality assurance and utilization management is that providers can be subjected by the managed care organizations to utilization management procedures and policies, which are administered inconsistently and unjustly. There are cases where the providers are not even offered the copies of the policies (Roberts, 2000). A provider is supposed to think about its mandates under the agreement before the contract is

Franchising Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Franchising Marketing - Essay Example Franchising has been recognized as a successful business model leading to accelerated expansion of the new store with local control of the franchise owners assuring lesser financial risks with rewards associated with local ownership which requires lower level of supervision and economies of scale. "The most widely accepted definition of a franchise refers to a contractual relationship between a franchisee (usually taking form of a small business) and a franchisor (usually a larger business) in which the former agrees to produce or market a product or service in accordance with the blueprint devised by the franchisor"(Stanworth et al. 1995) Management Structures: Franchising is primarily defined in terms of the legal business agreement between two partners, the franchisor and the franchisee. The franchisor, who has previously established a market-tested business package of products or services, enters into a continuing contractual relationship with a number of franchisees, typically small business owners, who must operate their businesses according to the franchisor's specified format (Curran and Stanworth, 1983). The franchisor provides a proven method of operation, support, and advice on the setting up of the new franchisees, and also guarantees continuing support to the franchisee. In return, the franchisee pays a lump sum entrant fee and other charges for regular services (that is, royalty on sales, advertising fees, marketing levy) (Fulop and Forward, 1997). Franchising has been adopted a growth strategy for many firms in business with the advent of globalization. It is a different from other form of business. A f ranchise is a hybrid form of business characterized by complex contractual arrangements (Eisenhardt, 1989). Though many franchises operate between hybrid and the hierarchy (centralized or organizational) firm and incorporate both the franchised units as well as the company owned outlets (Brickley and Dark, 1987) In a hybrid operation, the franchisor monitors and controls the franchisee within the limits specified in the franchise agreement. In contrast, the franchisor operates company-owned outlets through his or her authority over a centralized bureaucracy or as a hierarchical organization. The resource scarcity theory and the agency theory explained the theory of franchising around the hybrid and hierarchy forms of franchise organization. Support for the agency theory as a rationale behind franchising was substantial. Research found that the franchisee motivation as an agent was perceived to be the most important strategy of the franchise firms (Oxenfelt and Kelly, 1968-69) while the capital advantage of franchising, which was proposed by the resource scarcity theory, had a low acknowledgement by the franchisors (Lillis, Narayana and Gilman, 1976). The franchisee's high motivation was probably derived from the nature of the franchise relationship. Franchising involves an exchange relationship between franchisor and franchisee which was sometimes described as a partnership or strategic alliance (Stanworth and Kaufmann, 1996). The franchisee is simply managing an outlet featuring the corporate strategy of the franchisor and to a certain extent possesses a degree of autonomy in managing the outlet (Dant and Gundlach, 1998). Unlike the company-owned manager, the franchisee enjoys more dependency in running the day-to-day business Franchisee and Franchisor: The

Analyse Noras character throughout the play Essay Example for Free

Analyse Noras character throughout the play Essay In A Dolls House Ibsens use of language reflects on the dramatic change we see in Noras character. Ibsen uses issues that arose during the 19th century to construct themes and most importantly build up characters, all with their own distinctive language. Noras character changes from the beginning of the play to the end and Ibsen does this with the use of her change in language. At the beginning of the play, Nora is still a child in many ways, listening at doors and guiltily eating forbidden sweets behind her husbands back. She has gone straight from her fathers house to her husbands, bringing along her nursemaid to emphasize the fact that shes never grown up. Shes also never developed a sense of self. Shes always accepted her fathers and her husbands opinions. And shes aware that Torvald would have no use for a wife who was his equal. But like many children, Nora knows how to manipulate Torvald by pouting or by performing for him. In the end, it is the truth about her marriage that awakens Nora. Although she may suspect that Torvald is a weak, petty man, she clings to the illusion that hes strong, that hell protect her from the consequences of her act. But at the moment of truth, he abandons her completely. She is shocked into reality and sees what a sham their relationship has been. She becomes aware that her father and her husband have seen her as a doll to be played with, a figure without opinion or will of her own; first a doll-child, then a doll-wife. She also realizes that she is treating her children the same way. Her whole life has been based on illusion rather than reality. When we first see Nora and Helmer together in the beginning of Act One she is Extravagant and we notice that she is financially reckless; Oh yes, Torvald, we can be a little extravagant now cant we? Just a tiny bit? Youre getting a big salary now, and youre going to make lots of money. She uses short phrases within a series of questions and exclamations: this shows her child-like behaviour. She is influenced by money, having no independence and always relying on Helmer, she doesnt understand the value of it. He gives her status. Nora has a Fast tempo whilst speaking; this shows her excitement and childlike behaviour, pooh. When talking to Helmer Nora is manipulative, she uses his nicknames on herself in order to please Helmer, squanderbird. She is scared of Helmer (as a father figure he may punish her), therefore accepting anything he says; Very well, Torvald. As you say. She is Flirtatious and plays with his coat buttons in order to get what she wants. Noras domination in the conversation with Mrs Linde and her use of repetition of the word I shows that she is in a sense showing off and trying to be superior in front of Miss Linde. We see this in Act One when she meets with Mrs Linde; I too have done something to be happy and proud about. It was I who saved Torvalds life. Nora is trying to gain respect from her friend by revealing a secret that she thinks will illustrate her practical side, showing that she is a supportive wife and has also had to face troubles. Years from now, when I am no longer pretty, Nora keeps the secret from her husband to maintain status quo. She will tell him in the future when she is no longer pretty and she will need to gain his respect through other means than playing games and dressing up. Ibsen uses Prosodic features: fast tempo, emotional; in order for us to know that that here Nora is erratic. In Noras two long speeches, on pages thirty six and thirty seven we learn more about her character through her use of language.

Identity in House Made of Dawn Essay -- House Made of Dawn Essays

Identity in House Made of Dawn       In 1969 N. Scott Momaday won the Pulitzer Prize for his phenomenal work, House Made of Dawn.   The novel addresses the issue of identity, how it can be lost as well as recovered.   Momaday offers insightful methods of recovering or attaining one's identity. Momaday once made the following now famous statement:    We are what we imagine.   Our very existence consists in our imagination of ourselves.   Our best destiny is to imagine, at least, completely, who and what, and that we are.   The greatest tragedy that can befall us is to go unimagined (Owens, 93).    For Momaday, imagination is the key to identity, and it is this key that Momaday offers as a solution to the problem of identity in House Made of Dawn.   Momaday's protagonist, Abel, cannot imagine who he is.   In chronicling Abel's effort to regain his ability to imagine, Momaday offers inextricably intertwined methods to regain one's 'imagination'.      Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The prologue of House Made of Dawn begins with the word 'Dypaloh'. This word signals a shift into the Native American oral tradition. Traditionally, storytelling have definite responsibilities.   According to Louis Owens in Other Destinies, the responsibilities are:   "to tell us who we are and where we come from, make us whole and heal us, to integrate us fully within the world in which we live and make that world inhabitable, to compel order and reality" (93).   In defining the responsibilities of storytelling, Owens also gives a description of the 'identified individual', one who has a strong sense of identity and is fully self-imagined.   The identified individual knows were he is from and where he is going.   He is not fragmented, and k... ...motion.   Running is perseverance.   Running is believing that identity can be recovered.   If Abel did not believe it possible to find his proper place, he would already by lost, stagnant, still waiting.   Running is action.   Stories are also action.   They are inherently active in passing on crucial knowledge.   A story that is not told, that is not related, can have no meaning.   Stories show the proper order of reality.   Both running and stories are crucial elements in Abel's recovering his identity.   The things they represent, motion, perseverance, order, and knowledge, are crucial in anyone's quest for identity, not just Native peoples, but the people of the human race. Works Cited: Momaday, N. Scott.   House Made of Dawn. New York: Harper and Row, 1968. Owens, Louis.   Other Destinies. Univ. of Oklahoma Press: Norman and London, 1992

Childhood Obesity Essay

What is making the next generation fat? Just a decade or so ago the debate of childhood obesity was not even a matter to be discussed. Our grandparents never even questioned the weight of their children. Their children, our parents, ate healthy foods at the family dining table and played outside all day long, but the subject of childhood obesity has gained quite a bit of interest since those days. With the ever so growing popularity of fast foods, the introduction of Play station and Xbox games and the more demanding careers of today’s parents, the overdevelopment of both urban and suburban areas our kids are living sedentary lives and are becoming very overweight. The epidemic of childhood obesity is rapidly rising in America. The number of children who are now overweight has tripled since 1980 and the prevalence of obesity in younger children has more than doubled. Overall, approximately 17% or 12.5 million of the children in the United States between the ages of 2 and 19 are already obese (_C_ _enters for Disease Control and Prevention_ _, 2012_). This finding is very disturbing to many Americans and has caused many debates on who is responsible for this rising epidemic and how can we control it. Childhood obesity is measured by the body mass index (BMI). The BMI is calculated using a child’s height and weight. BMI does not measure body fat directly, but it is a reasonable indicator of body fatness for most children. A child’s weight status is determined using an age and sex specific percentile for BMI rather than the normal BMI categories which are used to determine an adult BMI. These are used because a child’s body composition varies as they age and also varies between boys and girls. Overweight in a child is defined as a BMI at or above the 85th percentile and lower than the 95th percentile for children of the same age and sex.  Obesity in a child is defined as a BMI at or above the 95th percentile for children of the same age and sex. The causes of childhood obesity are multi-factorial. Obesity in children is caused by a lack of physical activity, unhealthy eating habits, media and marketing campaigns, adverse family conditions, stress and the avai lability of technology. Most Americans agree that childhood obesity is more prevalent today than ever before. If you look into the bedroom of an average American child you find video games, a computer, usually a television and possibly some other electronic gadgets. Today American children have access to just about anything they could ever want. They just ask and most parents will buy them whatever they want. If you looked into the same child’s room thirty or forty years ago you would have probably found baby dolls, toy trucks and probably even some books. You would have found the neighborhood children outside playing in the kickball or hide and seek in the yard. Children played outside from sun up to sun down. The playing of these physical activities outside has unfortunately been replaced by the inactive high tech toys of today. The kick ball and hide and seek games of thirty years ago have now been replaced with games being played on the Play Station, Xbox or Wii. It is estimated that children in the United States are spending at least twenty five percent of their waking hours watching television and statistically children who watch the most hours of television have the highest incidence of obesity. If you take another look inside the house of 30 years ago you would find a dad who went to work every day and a mom who stayed home to tend to the household duties and the children. With the rising cost of our day to day living expenses in America, most homes now must have both dad and mom working full time to make ends meet. Over the last two decades there has been an increase in the number of dual income families as more women have entered the workforce and more women become the sole supporter for their single parent family. This new way of living has caused American children to eat whatever is convenient for mom or dad to fix or for some children to eat whatever is easiest for them to fix for themselves. Constraints on time has made working parents rely more heavily on prepared, processed, and fast  foods, which are generally high calorie, high fat, and low in nutritional content. Usually these â€Å"easy† meals come in greasy bags from fast food establishments or in plastic wrappers within a frozen cardboard box and have to be cooked in the microwave before eating. In some homes the stove never even gets warm from preparing a meal more than once a week. These â€Å"easy† meals are contributing to the growing epidemic of childhood obesity. Today’s youth are considered the most inactive generation in history and the marketers of fast food have taken full advantage of it. American children are exposed to some 40,000 or more food advertisements per year. (_U.S. D_ _ept. of Health & Human Services_ _, 2011_). Most of these advertisements promote fast food. Therefore, the expanding fast-food industry is another cause for the rising childhood obesity epidemic. Fast food companies like McDonald’s or Burger King are not only selling their food, but also have a way of marketing which is not fair to consumers. Most fast food restaurants offer a toy together with a children’s meal. Usually the toy is from a popular new movie or television show so it is very appealing to children. Children are stimulated to eat junk food because they know they will be rewarded with a toy. Psychological issues and stress are said to cause obesity in adults, but they both can cause obesity in children as well. Some children have a difficult time dealing with stress, so they use food to comfort them when they feel unsure of things. Like adults, they too use food as a comfort when they feel, bored, anxious or angry. Children in the past did not have to worry so much about parents being divorced and remarried, mothers that worked long hours or fathers that traveled for most of the week. Today’s economy has put financial strain on parents and children cannot help but to hear and feel the results of these tough economic times. The children of this generation are all too familiar with all of these situations. Each child has to contend with different factors in their lives and they too turn to food as a solution. Our environment too has an effect on the growing number of obese children. Experts are now looking to at our environment as a cause of the rapid  increase of obesity in children in the United States. In urban and suburban areas the overdeveloped environment can create obstacles for children to stay physically active. In urban areas the space for outdoor recreation can be scarce, which prevents kids from having a protected place to play. Neighborhood crime, lack of street lighting and busy traffic can impede children from being able to run and play or ride bicycles as a means of daily exercise. In the suburban areas, the evolution of ‘sprawl’ can prevent children from walking or biking and contributes to the great amount of dependence on using motor vehicles to get around. Suburban neighborhoods too lack resources for physical recreation and many suburban neighborhoods do not include sidewalks. Genetics and DNA are also contributing factors in the causes of childhood obesity. A group of British researchers checked the DNA of 300 children who were overweight. They looked for extra copies or deletions of DNA segments. They found evidence that a deletion of DNA may promote obesity. The deletion of chromosome 16 is thought to cause obesity in children because it removes a gene that the brain needs to respond to the appetite controlling hormone leptin. Children with a chromosome 16 deletion appear to have a very strong drive to eat. These children are very, very hungry and always want to eat. (_British Medical Association, 2005_) This very slim chance may be the only cause that we cannot change. Unfortunately, some children are destined to obesity. These children are born with the genes that cause them to put on weight more easily and quicker than other children. These children end up storing the fat more easily than other children. There is not anything these children can do about their genes. Despite the strong influence that genetics can have on the epidemic of childhood obesity, studies show that our genetic makeup has not changed dramatically over the last couple of generations. Therefore the increases and prevalence of childhood obesity has to be mostly from other behavioral and environmental factors, not genetics. There are a number of root causes of obesity in the children of the United States. Selecting one or two main causes is next to impossible because the potential influences are multiple and intertwined. With the contributing factors of technology, family structure, advertising, stress and our  physical environment we are making the next generation fat. We can make small changes that will have a significant impact on the issue of childhood obesity. Parents and caregivers can encourage children to adopt healthy eating habits and be more physically active. We need to focus on overall good health, not necessarily a certain goal weight. We should teach and model healthy and positive attitudes toward food and physical activity. We should establish daily meal and snack times, and eat together as families as much as possible. When we shop for groceries we should purchase foods that will give children a wide variety of healthful foods to choose from. We should try to plan meals and serve them in sensible portions. Allowing children to â€Å"scoop† their own food can promote them eating in unhealthy amounts. These are just a few ideas of small change that can make a huge difference. We also need to promote exercise as much as possible. Having children walk to school when distance and safety allows is great exercise. Children should be encouraged to play outdoor games rather than just be allowed to sit in front of the television. There are plenty of activities that our children can do to get exercise. Remember even household chores like raking leaves or running the vacuum cleaner constitute as exercise. Washing the car on a hot summer day can be fun while they are getting exercise. Some children will jump at the chance to earn a few bucks. Children can be rewarded with a few dollars and they will never know they are being bribed into getting some exercise. Eating out is another place to be mindful of our decisions. When eating out is it important to be conscious of our food choices and try to keep healthy eating in mind. Lots of fast food places now offer healthy alternatives. The obesity issue is prevalent in the next generation, but it is not too late for us to work together to reverse this epidemic. REFERENCES British Medical Association, June 2005. _Preventing Childhood Obesity._ London: British Library Catalog. Centers for Disease Control, July 16, 2012, _Overweight and Obesity_. Retrieved from: http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/childhood.html Ford-Martin, Paula. _(2005) The Everything Parent’s Guide to the Overweight Child._ Massachusetts: Adams Media Hassink, Sandra G, MD, FAAP. (2006) A _Parent’s Guide to Childhood Obesity._ United States: American Academy of Pediatrics. Herscher, Elaine, Woolston, Chris and Tartamella, Lisa. (2004) _Generation Extra Large._ New York, New York: Basic Books. Ludwig, David, MD, Ph.D. (2007) _Ending the Food Fight._ New York: Houghton Mifflin Co. Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne, Ph.D. (2005) â€Å"I’m Like, So Fat!† New York: The Guilford Press U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, April 19, 2011, _Childhood Obesity._ Retrieved from: http://www.hhs.gov

Gender Equity Issues in Antigone Essay

In our present day, many believe they should be treated fairly regardless of their race, religious beliefs, or gender. When gender equity is put on the table as the main discussion we may find women to have more aggressive opinions and views rather than men. Some will suggest this is due to the thousands of years women have been limited to certain rights that men are so freely able to obtain. Greek men are born and viewed as the superior being while women face limits on their freedom and justice. They are, however, given restrictive rules and laws that do not apply equally to their counterpart. According to one analysis of Antigone, â€Å"women individuality were violated and hidden while they were subjugated by a man’s desire†(Karim, 2012). In Antigone, Sophocles changes the script of many before him, as he displays his main character, Antigone, a courageous and respectful woman, who has great beliefs in the Gods. Antigone is quick to put her family before the law as she goes against the king’s order. Antigone can be looked upon as a great leader of society except there’s one problem; she is a woman which has great effects on the actions she wishes to take. Even though Ismene, Antigone’s sister, understands her decision she goes along with the king’s order to keep from disobeying the law. Antigone feels that the king, Creon, is being unjust when he doesn’t allow her to give her brother, Polynices, a proper burial. Creon becomes devastated when he finds out that it’s a woman who has publicly defied him. â€Å"There are factors, such as, catastrophes, wars, and events that have effects on the culture, history, and politics of one society. However, sometimes domestic issues can also cause great debate and reflect large concerns governing society and culture† (Rokem, 2006). Antigone’s rebellious act upset gender roles and threaten the Greek culture. Women in the Greek Society In Ancient Greece it was very common for men to have a dominant role. Men were highly involved in politics and it was very rare to see women engage in jobs that were thought to be more suited for men. Women stayed in the home and if they worked they normally held jobs as maids or servants. Men looked for wives who didn’t speak much but instead kept to their cleaning, weaving, and caring for the children. Women were forbidden to go against the beliefs of men and if they spoke out against a man then harsh consequences would follow. The Consequences Antigone Will Bare In Sophocles’, Antigone, Creon sees Antigone as a threat to his society. He hates that a woman is going against his first order as king. He makes it clear that Polynices is not to be buried but will remain on the field of battle to rot. When Antigone, a woman, buries her brother, Polynices, Creon is devastated. Creon feels Antigone is trying to rule over him. She is thought of as disobeying Creon and the law he has set forth. He wants to make an example of her and punish her for going against his law and his gender role. Creon: The Male Role Throughout the play, Antigone, Creon displays his feeling of women time after time. He doesn’t hold back his beliefs that men are dominant and should never be over powered by any woman. Creon states to Antigone, â€Å"while I live, no woman shall rule me† (Sophocles, Jebb trans). Creon feels that Antigone is out of order by defying him. He hates that Antigone is breaking the law but he also hates the fact that as a woman she is going against him. Creon Creon: The Male Role doesn’t care that his son, Haemon, has asked Antigone to marry him. Once Antigone breaks the law and confesses her beliefs to him, Creon will not approve of her as a wife for his son. He has to terminate her womanly courage and sentence her to death. Many women in the kingdom probably felt the same as Antigone but they dare not express them to a man. Ismene even felt that Antigone was being treated unjustly but she remained in her woman role and would not stand with Antigone. At one point she couldn’t understand why Antigone was reacting in such an unlawful way. Ismene Beliefs as a Woman Many readers may feel that Ismene was nothing more than a coward. Some may ask how she could stand by and allow someone to disrespect her dead brother. Unfortunately, Ismene beliefs and actions were those of many women in their society. It was expected of Ismene, as a woman, to follow the word of man and his law. Ismene is willing to defy the Gods in order to respect the laws of man. She is afraid of Creon and she allows herself to be governed by him. She is like all other women in her society who know their boundaries. Ismene kept her inner thoughts to herself. She was upset that no one else in the town would not stand and support Antigone’s decision. Ismene displays her feelings of being a woman to Antigone as she says, â€Å"Nay we must remember, first, that we are born women, as who should not strive with men; next, that we are ruled of the stronger, so that we must obey in these things† (Sophocles, Jebb trans). Ismene beliefs are common in comparison to other women in her society but Antigone was not going to stand by and allow men to defy the Gods, even if it meant death for her. A Courageous Woman The character, Antigone, was an interesting and dynamic role due to her personal traits. Antigone held her personal convictions tightly and her beliefs in the Gods tighter. She held her allegiance first to the gods rather than to the mortal institutions of man. Antigone was not just a rebellious role but was much different than other docile women of her day. Despite being a woman, Antigone is not afraid of disobeying Creon’s law nor is she afraid to tell Creon how she has no respect for him. Antigone was being punished for following the Gods which were of higher statue than Creon’s law. She stated, â€Å"I have longer to please the dead than please the living her: in the kingdom down below, I’ll lie forever. Do as you please and dishonor the laws the gods hold in honor† (Sophocles, Jebb trans). She will not defy the Gods to please Creon and takes her death sentence lightly. Creon hates that Antigone won’t go against her beliefs. She knows she is being used as an example to show other women how to not act. It takes the Gods to interrupt Creon’s death sentence to Antigone. Unfortunately, it comes too late and before Creon can release Antigone she has already taken her own life. Thoughts of Antigone Antigone is a reminder of how women were mistreated in previous societies. Even though the play ends tragically, Antigone will never be forgotten as a woman who stood up close to her beliefs regardless if she was cast away by an authoritive male figure. She didn’t care if she had to stand alone but she was willing to die rather than obey man’s law and dishonor the Gods. Karim (2012) suggests, â€Å"routine fundamental subject of burial of the dead created conflict relative to law, religion, and culture. It also generated critical debate on a woman’s status. † Thoughts of Antigone Antigone was a role model to other women because she remained true to her religion by going against the culture and law of her society.

The Notion of Nation essays

The Notion of Nation essays The word "nation" may mean differing things to divergent people. To most Americans, the word means a democracy where freedom reigns and patriotism is still strong. In a democratic nation, success is open to just about anyone with new ideas. Dictionary.com defines the word as "A relatively large group of people organized under a single, usually independent government; a country." However, just a glimpse at the nations who comprise the United Nations show just how loose that definition can be. Some of the "member states" include Iran, Iraq, China, Viet Nam, and the United States. Clearly, there are very differing forms of government and national loyalties at work in each of these countries, and yet they are all known as nations. When the term nation first came into use, it seemed to represent nations that had gained their independence, or had formed common bonds to create a larger nation-state, such as the colonial United States, or the early Grecian nation-state, also known as an empire at first. It seems nations can bring out the best in their people, but that is not always the case. Some nations gain freedoms for their people, while others repress their people. An important part of any nation are the people who share it, for they bring their own collective pride and patriotism to their nation, and they can make it strong, or bring it down. Clearly, the most successful nations understand how to blend government with the people's wishes and concerns. Not all nations handle this effectively, and this is why there seems to be so much turmoil in the world. Nations cannot always agree on themselves and their needs, and so they cannot communicate these needs with the nations surrounding them. Nationalism is a strong feeling of national pride, and the strongest nations cultivate this pride, while still managing to work effectively with the other nations of the world....

Top 12 Most Useful Apps for Busy Professionals

Top 12 Most Useful Apps for Busy Professionals We’re all attached to our smartphones all the time. Why not make the most of them? Here are the 12 most useful  apps for professionals in the know and on the go. You’ll probably wonder how you ever got through your worklife without them. 1. PocketWho has time to read all the articles from Twitter and Facebook that we want to, on the fly? Pocket lets you save content for future reads, from multiple programs. And the content is available offline for subway or airplane reading.2. TrelloTrello is a project management app which makes team collaboration a snap. Brainstorm, allocate tasks, and monitor checklists all from the app.3. TeuxDeuxThis iOS-only app is the to-do list for the ages. Mark things off with a snap and be sure that unfinished tasks will roll over to the next day.4. TurboScanTake a picture of a document with your phone and turn it into a JPG or a PDF. You can stop hoarding receipts and unnecessary paperwork and digitize your files in a snap.5. LastPassStore all of your passwords (securely) in one place- especially the ones that require you to change them every 60 days.6. 30/3030/30(iOS only) helps you focus and tune out distractions by setting a timer for you to work on one task at a time. Tune out all the outside noise and the distraction of being pulled in multiple directions.7. DoodleGive up the endless scheduling email chain. Doodle let’s participants set their availability and then it comes up with meeting times that everyone can make. Easy.8. SwiftKeyFree yourself from cringeworthy autocorrects. This app replaces your keyboard with one that will adapt to your particular typing quirks. You’ll type faster and typos won’t end up grotesquely out of context.9. SignEasyForget printing, signing, scanning. SignEasy helps you e-sign documents (PDF or Word) wherever you are.10. CircaGet the day’s leading news headlines in a quick and easy format so you can catch up over coffee breaks and at lunch and still be in the know.11. VenmoDon’t be the jerk at the dinner party with no cash and no Venmo. Or the one who can’t contribute to the boss’s holiday gift on the fly. Send money to anyone with the app- instantly and securely.12. MintMonitor your bank accounts, your spending patterns, pay your bills on time, and set a budget you can keep.

Critically Discuss the Suitability, Feasibility and Acceptability of Essay

Critically Discuss the Suitability, Feasibility and Acceptability of the International Strategy of Amazon.com Organisation - Essay Example Amazon.Com has been one of the initial companies to sell goods over the web. The company was founded by Jeff Bezos in 1994, and launched to the worldwide market in 1995. Initially, the company started as an online bookstore and then rapidly broadened into different divisions such as Video Home System tapes and DVDs, music CDs, software, video games, electronic goods, toys, furniture and clothing as well as food items. Amazon considers its existence as entirely customer-centric business, which is focused on their company statement or the value of the organisation. The organisational value of Amazon is guided by certain leadership principles. These principles include customer obsession which intends to consider at the centre-stage for each and every customer who visit their online retail site. Furthermore, the company’s ownership is also a valuable component for its progression for the long-term. The organisational values also consider sustaining utmost standards of the offering s and to hire as well as develop the best possible talents within the organisation. (Amazon. Com Inc., 2012). The main objective of this report is to analyse the international strategic plans of Amazon and to discuss the appropriateness, practicability as well as the adequacy of international strategies implemented by Amazon. The Strategy of Amazon in the International Business The notion of business strategy is concerned with the marketing of products and/or services as well as it also involves decision making about economic aspects, human resource strategies, manufacturing and operations along with certain other business components. The main purpose of a strategic business plan in an organisation is to set the direction of the business and to provide the company a set structure so that the products or the services it provides can meet the selected business objectives or the goals of the organisation (Open Office, 2004). The e-marketing plan provides a wide road map for the success of an e-business organisation such as Amazon. It is necessary to create a spontaneo us overview of a good market plan which ensures a complete understanding of the e-business model. E-business model describes the architecture of information delivery along with its available products and services as well as the complete picture of sources of revenues (Embellix Software, 2000). Marketing management is a very necessary aspect because the business of Amazon operates in hostile and altering multifarious environment. The ability of a business to achieve profitable sales is impacted by a large number of environmental factors. Marketing plan is useful in a business which assists to recognise a source of competitive advantage, enables to commit to a strategy, get the resources needed to invest in the business, as well as to measure the performance of the business in a particular environment (Serrat, 2008). There are certain strategic levels which are needed to be analysed for understanding the international strategy of Amazon and their appropriateness, practicability and ad equacy. Market Development Level With regard to the corporate objectives of an organisation, marketing planning provides an important framework. In relation to marketing planning, market development plays a crucial part in an organisation’s international strategy (Embellix Software, 2000). In this context, for market development, Amazon has acquired a specific growth prospect, advantages and cost effectiveness through their e-tailing

Significant life changing moment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Significant life changing moment - Essay Example e, entire fate gets changed from even very small changes in life, in this discussion I would tell you what turning points my life took and how I changed my self entirely. I was born in a lower class family with so many problems and I saw my parents fighting all the time with no mercy, both of my parents were quite opposite to each other and they had no match, still I wonder why God made such a terrible match, but now I realize that it all happened because God was willing me to get birth from that couple, I was never comfortable as a child, though I was the only one to take birth and had no one around except my parents, as a kid I never gained attention of my parents because of numerous reasons, firstly my father who was a sports person, used to have very less earning and what ever he used to earn he never gave it to me and my mother, this was the first clash between my parents, secondly my mother also had to do part time jobs in order to support me and herself, so there was no way to get individual attention from either of my parents, life was never easy for me, I still remember when I used to walk and visualize all the happenings of my life at an ea rly age, I tried my level best to bring my parents closer but was failed each time, may be because they were also never comfortable with each other and also they never thought of sacrificing their lives for me and one day they both got apart forever, I was five when they got divorced, it was decided that I would live with my mother as my father was never willing to keep me and that is what exactly happened, â€Å"Modern childhood is often portrayed in terms of enhanced democratic relationships between parents and children, with the assumption that childrens negotiating power has increased over time†(Jensen, 1: 2003). My father was a strange person and he was said to be psychotic by my mother in which she was quite true, my father remarried to his old time friend who was a nurse at some hospital but he was again a

Marriage and family Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Marriage and family - Essay Example Indeed, the pain of a bereaved would not heal overnight. It takes a lot of time and courage; some may take months while others wait for years to cope up with their loss. But what is important is to try to look at life on a different perspective, and that means moving on. According to experts, the best way to cope up with grief is to connect with other people; knowing that there are people who understand and care for you may lessen the pain. Oftentimes, when the pain is taking time to heal, it is advisable to go to a therapist; they can help a bereaved surpass intense emotions. In the case of therapists, the challenge is not to â€Å"treat† patients but allow them to let loose of their burdens. For children who lost their parents, the goal is to inculcate in them that moving on does not mean detaching and forgetting rather accepting and starting a new life and commitment in two different worlds. It is also referred by Carol Crandall in her book, In a Time to Grieve: Mediations for Healing after the Death of a Loved One (1994) as "You don't heal from the loss of a loved one because time passes; you heal because of what you do with the time".

Strengths And Weaknesses Of Etisalat

Strengths And Weaknesses Of Etisalat Emirates Telecommunication Corporation Etisalat was founded in 1976 as a joint-stock company between International Aeradio Limited, a British Company, and local partners. In 1983 the ownership structure changed United Arab Emirates government held a 60% share in the company and the remaining 40% were publicly traded. In 1991 the UAE central government issued Federal Law No. 1, which gave the corporation the right to provide the telecommunications wired and wireless services in the country and between UAE and other countries. It also gave the firm the right to issue licenses for owning, importing, manufacturing, using or operating telecommunication equipment. This practically gave Etisalat both regulatory and control powers, which completed the monopoly of the telecom giant in the UAE. In order to safeguard the countrys economic development, the law made provisions for the development of the telecommunication sector in the country. The increase of exchange lines from 36,000 in 1976 to more than 737,000 in 1998 was one of the important indicators of Etisalat networks growth and development. An important milestone was Etisalats commencement of international operations in January 2001, when under the brand name of Ufone it started operating out of Islamabad. Today Etisalat stands 140th among the Financial Times Top 500 Corporations in the world in terms of market capitalization, and is ranked by The Middle East magazine as the 6th largest company in the Middle East in terms of capitalization and revenues. The Corporation is the largest contributor outside the oil sector to development programmes of the UAE Federal Etisalat has also won accolades from across the region for its nationalization programme Etisalat Building in Abu Dhabi, UAE In addition to its telecommunication services provider and carrier units, Etisalat incorporates a number of additional non-telecom business units under the umbrella of Etisalat Services Holding LLC. These units support the companys operations and even provide services to other operators and organizations, namely: training and consultancy services(Etisalat Academy, SIM/smart card manufacturing and payment solutions (Ebtikar), data clearing house services (EDCH), peering/voice and data transit (Emirates Internet Exchange EMIX), call center Etisalat is a major investor in Thuraya (34.5%), a satellite geo-mobile communication systems provider. In 2006 Etisalat started a major restructuring program that resulted in the de-merger of many of its non-core business units operating under the telecoms centralized and direct management; core services were consolidated and streamlined, reflecting the companys shift from a technology-driven telecom to a customer-focused services provider. As part of the program, Etisalat has launched a re-branding campaign, releasing a new corporate logo and identity in May 2006. The restructuring culminated in the incorporation of Etisalat Services Holding LLC, which as of 2008 oversees the operation of Etisalats non-telecom business units with huge success stories . Etisalat International Investments Etisalat International Investments is the business unit of Etisalat that operates outside the UAE and manages the corporations stakes in telecommunications carriers in Afghanistan, Benin, Burkina Faso, the Central African Republic, Gabon, India, Indonesia, Iran, the Ivory Coast, Egypt, Niger, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. The International Investments unit also manages Etisalats minor stakes in other telecommunications services providers, such as Sudatel (a mobile, fixed and Internet services provider in Sudan), and Qtel (Qatar-based telecommunications services provider). Mobily Saudi Arabia One of Etisalats first international investments was the bid to become the second mobile services operator in Saudi Arabia. Etihad Etisalat, a consortium led by Etisalat, won the 2G GSM license by offering USD $3.25 billion. Currently operating under the brand name Mobily, Etihad Etisalat offers Saudi Arabia subscribers conventional and 3.5G mobile telephony services, and has floated shares on the Saudi stock market. PTCL Pakistan Among the acquisitions of Etisalat in 2005 was a 26% management stake in Pakistan Telecommunications (PTCL) that was put on sale by the Government of Pakistan as part of a large privatization initiative. In order to outbid competitors (which included Singapore Telecommunications and China Mobile), Etisalat offered USD $2.56 billion for the stake. According to some analysts, the telecom has overpaid, as the bid went far beyond the estimated USD $2 billion value of the package. Etisalat Egypt In July 2006, a consortium led by Etisalat was granted the rights to develop Egypts third mobile network, with a winning bid of 16.7 billion Egyptian pounds (EUR à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬2.29 billion euro). The venture, Etisalat Egypt, competes with existing service providers Vodafone and Mobinil. On September 12, 2006, it was announced that the network would be built by Ericsson of Sweden, and Huawei of China, at a cost of approximately USD $1.2 billion. In 2007, at the Comms MEA Awards ceremony Etisalat was presented with the Best New Entrant award for its Egyptian operations. Award winners were selected by a panel of experts from KPMG, the Arab Advisors Group and Oliver Wyman, Dubai. Canar Sudan Etisalat is one of the founding partner companies of Canar Telecom, a fixed-line telecom services operator. In September 2007 Etisalat has raised its stake in Canar from 37% to 82% at an estimated cost of AED 584.17 million (USD $159 million). Canar was launched on November 27, 2005. The operator is reported to use NGN and Wireless Local Loop (WLL) technologies for its voice, data, internet and multimedia services. Canar is one of the first operators in Africa to use an NGN network core. EMTS Nigeria Etisalat signed an agreement to acquire 40% of and manage Emerging Markets Telecommunications Services, Nigerias fifth GSM operator. It is now operating with about 5 million Subscribers, and recently signed an agreement with Main One cable company to launch one of the first major broadband service in Nigeria. Zantel Tanzania In January 1999, Etisalat acquired a stake in Zanzibar Telecom (a Tanzania-based mobile operator) for USD $2.4 million (AED 8.8 million) and has subsequently increased the stake by 17% in July 2007. Since then, Zantel has introduced telcom services that are typical for the African region, such as mobile banking services for customers without access to banking facilities (Zpesa Mobile Banking). Atlantique Telecom/Moov West Africa In Africa, Etisalat acquired 50% of Atlantique Telecoms shares in April 2005. Based in the Ivory Coast, AT owns mobile operators in Benin, Burkina Faso, Togo, Niger, Central African Republic, Gabon and Ivory Coast. In 2007, Etisalat increased its shares in AT to 70% and again in May 2008, to 82%. AT group subscribers totaled 2.9 million at the end of 2007, which is a 107% increase from the previous year. Ivory Coast: Moov, is currently Ivory Coasts third-largest cell-phone operator with a 1.5 million customer base. In 2008 Moov Ivory Coast introduced the first nationwide cell-phone coverage, based on Thuraya satellite access technology. It is the first time that such a service has been offered in sub-Saharan Africa, outside South Africa. It was expected that the expanded coverage introduced by the satellite service would help boost Moovs customer base and even overtake France Telecoms unit Orange as the top telecom services provider in the country. Benin: Etisalat operates in Benin under the Moov brand. On 24 October 2007 the government of Benin has reassigned Telecels operating license to Etisalat. In February 2008, His Excellency Dr. Boni Yayi, President of Benin, honoured Etisalat chairman, Mohammad Hassan Omran during a ceremony to celebrate Etisalats efforts in developing and promoting the telecommunications sector in Benin. XL Axiata Indonesia Indonesia-based mobile services operator PT XL Axiata (formerly PT Excelcomindo Pratama) is Etisalats first acquisition in the Far East. In December 2007 Etisalat took a 15.97% stake after paying USD $438 million (AED 1.6 billion). At the time of the acquisition XL had 15 million mobile subscribers. Etisalat Afghanistan Etisalat Afghanistan is a newly established GSM operator, 100% owned by Etisalat. It was established in May 2006 after the UAE telecom won the license to operate the fourth mobile services provider in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. Etisalats bid for the license was USD $1.2 billion (AED 4.4 billion) and services were launched in August 2007. Etisalat Afghanistan operates out of Kabul and as of March 3, 2010, the company has achieved 24 per cent market share in 27 provinces of Afghanistan. Etisalat Sri Lanka Etisalat acquired the Sri Lankan Operation of Millicom International Cellular (MIC), Tigo (Sri Lanka) on 16 October 2009. The acquisition was completed with a total enterprise value of 207 Million US$, out of which 155 Million US$ was in cash. Tigo (Sri Lanka) under the then brand name CELLTEL started operations in June 1989 on a Motorola TACS system and was the first cellular operator in Sri Lanka as well as South Asia. In January 2007, Millicom replaced the local CELLTEL brand with Tigo, their international brand. In February 2010, Tigo was rebranded as Etisalat. It competes with international operators like Dialog Telekom (Telekom Malaysia), Mobitel (Sri Lanka Telecom), Hutch (Hutchison) and Airtel (Bharti Airtel), using technologies GSM/EDGE and hopes to launch UMTS/HSDPA services over 900/1800 and 2100 MHz in 2011. Etisalat India In 2009 Etisalat has announced that its Indian unit, erstwhile Swan Telecom (owned by Dynamix Balwas Realty and Reliance Communications), headquartered in Mumbai, is renamed to Etisalat DB Telecom India Pvt. Ltd Telecom Renamed Etisalat Telecom India Pvt. Ltd. The business unit has been awarded Unified Services Access License in 15 circles Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Mumbai, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu (including Chennai), Uttar Pradesh (East), Uttar Pradesh (West), Madhya Pradesh and Bihar. In April 2010 Etisalat began signal testing in Chennai [IND 922], Delhi NCR [IND 913], Maharashtra Goa [IND 919], Mumbai [IND 916] and Gujarat[IND 914]. In May 2010, Etisalat was in talks to buy 25% stake in Reliance Communications, but the deal was not finalised. In 2010, following the $39 billion 2G spectrum scam, Etisalat DB, the Indian subsidiary of the company, was stopped from buying a stake in a Chennai-based company due to objections raised by the Indias home ministry(MHA). Etisalat DB was not allowed to buy back the 5.27 per cent stake held by Chennai-based Genex Exim Ventures since the home ministry raised objections based largely on security concerns. The MHA had pointed out four issues that needed to be resolved before allowing the company to come into Etisalat DB, a company that got scarce 2G spectrum at allegedly throwaway prices, First, vice-chairman Shahid Balwa should not be involved in the operations of the company in any capacity, because of his connections with underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, second, the MHA raised objections about the commercial relationship between the Dubai-based Etisalat Group and Chinas Huawei. The MHA suspects, Huawei has links with Chinas Peoples Liberation Army the countrys military organization of all land, sea, strategic missile and air forces and has the capacity to manipulate equipment supply, third, it raised objections about Etisalats presence in Pakistan and its connection with Pakistans intelligence agency ISI. Etisalat owns a 26% stake in Pakistan Telecommunications and has a subscriber base of 3 million in Afghanistan and fourth, the MHA has also expressed concerns about the telecom surveillance software Etisalat had used in a Blackberry service it had introduced in the UAE and recommended that the company should not be allowed to offer Blackberry services in India. b) Social; technological: Etisalat Etisalat UAE is headquartered in Abu Dhabi and includes three regional offices Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Northern Emirates. Etisalat Company is owned by the UAE government and it is stipulated law that state, with seven out of 11 of the Board of Directors being government representatives, including the Chairman. Abu Dhabi Region Key positions: Etisalat Chairman: Mohamed Hassan Omran Etisalat A/CEO: Nasser Bin Abood Senior Vice President Marketing: Khalifa Al Forah Al Shamsi Group Senior Vice President corporate Communications: Ahmed Bin Ali Corporate Governance The General Assembly The General Assembly is composed of all shareholders of the Corporation. The General Assembly is entrusted with approving the Boards Annual Report on the Corporations activities and financial position during the preceding financial year. The Assembly is also entrusted with approving the report of the external auditors, discussing and approving the balance sheet and the profit and loss account for the previous financial year, appointing external auditors and approving the Boards recommendations regarding the allocation of profit. The General Assembly exercises all powers of the Corporation within the limits of the law and the Articles of Association. The Board of Directors The Emirates Telecommunications Corporation (Etisalat) is managed by a Board of Directors presided over by the Chairman and consists of eleven members, including the Chairman, seven of whom are appointed by Presidential Decree to represent the Federal Government of the United Arab Emirates, and the remaining Four elected by the 40% non-government shareholders of the Corporation. The term of the Board of Directors is three years, as applicable to each group of members according to the date of their appointment or election. The Board of Directors carries out the Corporations business and for that purpose, exercises all powers of the Corporation, except those reserved by Law or the Articles of Association for the General Assembly of the Corporation. The Executive Committee The Executive Committee is appointed by the Board of Directors in accordance with Section 20 of the Articles of Association. It is empowered to take decisions on behalf of the Board and/ or to make certain recommendations to it concerning particular matters. The Executive Committees functions and powers include organizational matters of the Corporation (such as overseeing statutory, organizational and employment matters and Corporate performance), planning and development (overseeing development plans and projects, and approval of the budget prior to submission to the Board), operations (reviews efficiency of service and lays down policies concerning investments of surplus funds), projects (sets the terms for the project agreements, approves relevant tenders over AED 50 million, and approves project overruns and variations over AED 10 million), procurement (approves purchases over AED 50 million), and investments (including international Investments and expansion projects). The Audit Committee Communicate Entertain Inform c) Internet services The number of Etisalats Internet subscribers reportedly stands at 1.02 million.[42] Some of the Internet services for home users that Etisalat offers include: 3G Mobile Internet access Broadband Internet services (Al Shamil[43] and eLife[44]) Prepaid and post-paid dialup Internet access Etisalat also operates iZone, a system of Wi-FI hotspots in central locations, such as shopping malls, restaurants, and sheesha cafes. iZone can be accessed by either purchasing prepaid cards (AED 15/hour, USD $4.5/hour), or if using an existing account with the operator (AED 3/hour for dial-up account holders, or AED 10/hour for broadband users). Dial-up and ISDN Internet access services are billed by the hour, whereas the domestic and residential cable and DSL connections have a fixed monthly rate depending on speed. Other Internet links, aimed at business users, have traffic utilization plans and relatively high rates when exceeding the allocated bandwidth quota. This has caused bad publicity for Etisalat and is a major source of criticism. Internet censorship Page Blocked Notice Etisalat operates an Internet content filtering system that blocks access to web resources. The web resources are claimed to be controversial or offensive (i.e. sexually explicit content, certain political and religious websites, anonymizers and proxies) or harmful (i.e. numeric IP addresses, known phishing or malicious websites, botnet command servers). The use of content filtering is mandated by the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) of the United Arab Emirates. The type of content that is restricted by Etisalat includes: Pornography, nudity and sexually explicit content. The entire Israel country code top-level domain (.il) Certain media-sharing websites Anti-Islamic websites. Websites criticizing the United Arab Emirates (such as UAEprison and Arab Times) Anonymous proxy sites (such as vtunnel, pzeg, etc.), Gay and Lesbian Rights websites (such as Gaydar, Mogenic etc.) Numerical IP address links (for example, http://10.11.1.1/),Voice over IP services providers websites (such as Skype, Vonage) There are claims that Etisalat breaks the rules of net neutrality by throttling peer-to-peer, gaming and other types of network traffic in order to reduce the load on its oversubscribed international links. The effect of this interference is most noticeable during weekends or periods of high network use. The overall efficiency of the country-wide content filtering is unclear, as many of the technologically savvy users have discovered tools and methods to bypass the content filter, such as using Tor. BlackBerry In July 2009, Etisalat pushed an update to BlackBerry devices operating on the telecoms national network, citing performance improvements. However, it was later discovered that the update contained eavesdropping software, developed by the US-based software development company SS8, which specializes in electronic surveillance. It is reported that the software enabled the company to monitor and forward communications on BlackBerry devices to their servers.[48][49] Research in Motion, BlackBerrys developer, acknowledged[50] that the patch was a form of spyware, and issued a removal patch on July 20. On December 27, 2009, both Etisalat and Du (telco) have been mandated by the UAE telecom regulator to start filtering BlackBerry users web access and block illegal content. Due to concerns with the security and the provisioning of legal interception for Blackberry non-voice services, on 1 Aug 2010, the Telecommunication Regularity Authority of the UAE instructed Etisalat that all Blackberry e-mail, internet and messenger functions must be suspended on 1 Oct 2010 d) The Operating Structure of the Corporation In 2009 Etisalat implemented a group structure to manage its international expansion strategy, protect value from the Corporations United Arab Emirates operations, secure value creation from its seventeen international operations, and to gain the trust of its stakeholders by putting in place a solid structure and governance and adherence to best practices. At the level of the United Arab Emirates, the Group organization structure features two autonomous Operating Units: Etisalat UAE Unit (which is entrusted with provisioning Licensed Telecom Services in the United Arab Emirates);and the Etisalat Services Unit (a wholly owned holding company entrusted with providing certain non-core, non-telecom services to the Corporation, as well as to third parties). The Group exercises and sets its various activities and responsibilities and sets its key corporate policies, prepares plans, and monitors the operational and financial performance of its operating companies, and reports the same to the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee on a regular basis. e) Consolidated income statement before the year ended 31 December 2009 Consolidated statement of comprehensive income a) DU History The Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (EITC) is a telecommunications company in the United Arab Emirates. Although Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company is its legal name, it was commercially rebranded as du in February 2006. The company has invested AED 2.4 billion in 2009 and added 1 million active mobile subscribers in 2009, bringing its subscriber base to 3.48 million. du offers fixed and mobile telephony, broadband connectivity and IPTV services to individuals, homes and businesses, and carrier services for businesses. On February 11, 2007, du launched its own mobile service with call tariffs almost identical to those of Etisalat, thus eliminating any possibility of price competition between the two providers. Subscribers to du mobile services can be identified by the dialing prefix 055 b) Social; technological: DU Chief Executive Officer Osman Sultan Chief Financial Officer Mark Shuttleworth Chief Commercial Officer Farid Faraidooni Chief Technology Officer Yatinder Mahajan Chief Human Resources and Corporate Services Officer Fahad Al Hassawi Chief Strategy and Investments Officer Raghu Venkataraman Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Ananda Bose du is committed to operating according to global best-practice throughout all aspects of its business. While the company has continued to achieve exceptional results, the world has witnessed significant challenges against a backdrop of the financial crisis. The need for commitment to good governance has never been greater. du has operated under a strong corporate governance culture, since the company was founded. The board of directors Leading our corporate governance efforts is a Board of nine Directors, chaired by Ahmad Bin Byat, which meets on a quarterly basis. Meetings are structured to allow open discussion. All directors participate in discussing the strategy, trading and financial performance and risk management of the Company. In line with ESCA and international guidelines, the roles of Chairman and Chief Executive du board and committees In addition, the company has a number of Board Committees, including the Audit Compliance Committee, Remuneration and Nomination Committee, and an Investment Committee, which are responsible for monitoring, reviewing and making recommendations for their respective areas. audit compliance committee The Audit Compliance Committee consists of three directors and meets quarterly. The internal audit function of du has a direct reporting line into the Audit Compliance Committee. This committee is responsible for reviewing dus results and financial statements, reviewing the activities of internal auditors and monitoring compliance with statutory requirements. Audit compliance committee members: Ziad Galadari (Chairman) Younis Al Khoori Fadel Al Ali Remuneration and nomination committee The Remuneration and Nomination Committee meets as required and consists of three directors and is responsible for the assessment and recommendation of policy on executive remuneration and packages for individual executive directors. Remuneration and nomination committee members: Waleed Al Muhairi (Chairman) Abdulhamid Saeed Abdulla Al Shamsi Investment committee The investment committee, which is not an ESCA requirement, consists of four directors. Its main function is to evaluate the companys investment plans to ensure that shareholders will see an appropriate return on investment. It meets a minimum of four times per year. Investment committee members: Eissa Al Suwaidi (Chairman) Ahmad Bin Byat Jassem Al Zaabi Fadel Al Ali c) Key management decisions -DU Censorship: Unlawful websites Users who tried to access a blocked web page were initially redirected to dus first block page. As rendered in the Opera web browser In March 2008, Du began selectively blocking VOIP traffic, preventing customers from using the computer-to-phone functionality of VOIP systems. The blocking is justified on the grounds that computer-to-phone VOIP services are illegal under UAE telecom law. Both of the telecoms providers in the UAE derive a large proportion of their income from expatriates making expensive international calls to their home countries. However, a specific exemption in the telecom law permits the use of VOIP for computer-to-computer calls, and so it is still possible to access VOIP websites, download VOIP software, set up accounts and use the software to make computer-to-computer calls, both audio and video. If a computer-to-phone call is attempted, it will typically fail to connect unless a VPN is used (see below). On April 14, 2008, du started instituting the same widespread censorship of the web that has been practiced by Etisalat for some years. Any attempt to access content deemed inappropriate by the UAE censor results in a blocked page. As well as pornography, blocking includes blogs, forums and news articles that are critical of the UAE, as well as a proportion of sites that seem to be accidentally blocked as they have no obviously In March 2008, Du began selectively blocking VOIP traffic, preventing customers from using the computer-to-phone functionality of VOIP systems. The blocking is justified on the grounds that computer-to-phone VOIP services are illegal under UAE telecom law. Both of the telecoms providers in the UAE derive a large proportion of their income from expatriates making expensive international calls to their home countries. However, a specific exemption in the telecom law permits the use of VOIP for computer-to-computer calls, and so it is still possible to access VOIP websites, download VOIP software, set up accounts and use the software to make computer-to-computer calls, both audio and video. If a computer-to-phone call is attempted, it will typically fail to connect unless a VPN is used (see below). On April 14, 2008, du started instituting the same widespread censorship of the web that has been practised by Etisalat for some years. Any attempt to access content deemed inappropriate by the UAE censor results in a blocked page. As well as pornography, blocking includes blogs, forums and news articles that are critical of the UAE, as well as a proportion of sites that seem to be accidentally blocked as they have no obviously controversial content. d) Operational changes-DU Achieved record revenues of AED5.3 billion and profits of AED528 million in 2009 Added over 1 million active mobile subscribers, bringing total to 3.5 million at year end Exceeded mobile market share target, reaching 32% in third year of operation Invested AED2.4 billion on network and infrastructure development in 2009 to enhance capacity and coverage Continued to provide innovation, value for money and performance to all our customers Well positioned to achieve long term growth and sustainable profitability Listed on the Dubai Financial Market (DFM) under the ticker code: du Date of listing: 22nd April 2006 Net profit at 31st December 2009: AED528mln Earnings per share: 0.066 du is an integrated telecom service provider, offering customers throughout the UAE the best in quality, innovation, and competitive pricing. During 2009 it added more than 1 million active mobile subscribers, proving that we have established ourselves as the operator of choice for the majority of new subscribers in the UAE market. DU offered fixed and mobile telephony, broadband connectivity and IPTV services to individuals, homes and businesses, and carrier services for businesses. du is a rapidly-growing enterprise, with close to 2,000 staff, from over 60 countries, working to enhance and expand our range of service offerings. This wide variety of personnel allows us to mirror the rich cultural diversity of our nation, while being able to serve our customers in a number of different languages. Over 50% of senior management team and customer-facing staff are UAE nationals. Du is committed to provide opportunities for quality talent in a cosmopolitan working environment. e) Financial -DU Full Year 2010 results analysis Revenue Growth (AED Millions) Mobile Fixed Subscriber Growth (Thousands) Press Release du Announces Full Year 2010 Results Revenues exceed AED 7 billion with a 32% increase for the full year 2010 Net profit before royalty exceeds AED 1.2 billion with a 132% increase Dubai, 3 March 2011 Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company PJSC (du) today announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year 2010, showing record revenues, and continued healthy customer additions. Highlights for the full year 2010: 856,000 net active1 mobile customers added during the year, taking the total at yearend to 4.3 million. Revenues reached AED 7,074 million, a 32% increase versus 2009 (AED 5,339 million). Gross margin grew by 31% year on year to AED 4,601 million versus 2009 (AED 3,507million). EBITDA2 grew 90% to AED 2,018 million versus 2009 (AED 1,064 million). Net profit before royalty increased by 132% year on year to AED 1,226 million versus2009 (AED 528 million). Net profit after royalty increased to AED 1,310 million from AED 264 million in 2009,following the announcement by UAE Federal Government that the royalty rate for the Company commences from 1 January 2010 and that royalty rate for the year ended 31December 2010 is 15%.3million). Task 3 Etisalat STRENGTHS Etisalat is a monopoly shared by DU in telecommunications which allows no competition whereby maximizing profits Emirates Telecommunications Corporation (Etisalat) is majority-owned by the Ministry of Communications (60%), with the remaining shares publicly-traded on the national stock exchange and held by UAE nationals. This report outlines the companys recent activities and corporate strategy Etisalat is a company established worldwide Etisalat is well developed company with wider penetration in UAE Etisalat weakness Etisalat investments globally is not direct hence they dont have direct control over these investments; hence they only get dividends which means they are a passive player not an active player. This will limit etisalats growth to advance in terms of commercials Etisalat is a monopoly