Pygmalion and its characters essays

Pygmalion and its characters essays Choose a character and analyze the standards of the fictional society in which the character exists; how the character is affected by and responds to those standards; and how the characters reactions develop meaning in the work. "Pygmalion," a play by Bernard Shaw, is a mixture of a romantic comedy and a satire in which the main character, Eliza Doolittle, is judged only based on her English dialect. Shaws play makes fun of a society that evaluates its citizens on their particular dialect rather than their character. As a result, Eliza is forced into the metamorphosis from a common flower girl into a lady. In the opening scene of Act One, Eliza has to fend for herself and vehemently asserts the virtue and sacredness of her character, which society fails to recognize. In this scene, the note taker, who will later be identified as Henry Higgins, repeats exactly what Eliza says: Cheer ap, Keptin; nbaw ya flahr orf a pore gel. At this point, he realizes she is from Lisson Grove, a less-than-wealthy area of England. Furthermore, Shaw foreshadows the importance for Eliza to improve her speech if she wishes to get ahead in life. In other words, she will spend the rest of her life as a flower girl, even though her character may be more upstanding than that of a duchess. Even in this pathetic state Eliza is not totally depraved. She is self-sufficient and capable of earning her living by selling flowers. She exhibits cleverness and a degree of resourcefulness to get the maximum value possible for her flowers. She even has enough self-respect and pride to defend her honor when, as a flower girl, she feels she is being accused of trying to molest a gentleman. Though still preoccupied with her wounded feelings because the note taker was writing down her words, she says, Hes no right to take away my character. My character is the same to me as any ladys. This statement is ...

The Miranda Warning

The Miranda Warning Since the landmark Supreme Court ruling in Miranda v. Arizona in 1966, it has become the practice of police investigators to read suspects their rights or  give them the Miranda warning before questioning them while in custody. Many times, police give the Miranda warning warning suspects they have the right to remain silent as soon as they are placed under arrest, to make sure the warning is not overlooked later by detectives or investigators. The Standard Miranda Warning: You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to  speak to an attorney, and to have an attorney present during any questioning. If you cannot afford a lawyer, one will be provided for you at government expense. Sometimes suspects are given a more detailed Miranda warning, designed to cover all contingencies that a suspect might encounter while in police custody. Suspects may be asked to sign a statement acknowledging they understand the following: Detailed Miranda Warning: You have the right to remain silent and refuse to answer questions. Do you understand? Anything you do say may be used against you in a court of law. Do you understand? You have the right to consult an attorney before speaking to the police and to have an attorney present during questioning now or in the future. Do you understand? If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you before any questioning if you wish. Do you understand? If you decide to answer questions now without an attorney present, you will still have the right to stop answering at any time until you talk to an attorney. Do you understand? Knowing and understanding your rights as I have explained them to you, are you willing to answer my questions without an attorney present? What it All Means - FAQ About the Miranda Warning: When should the police read you your Miranda rights? You can be handcuffed, searched and arrested without being Mirandized. The only time the police are required to read you your rights is when they decide to interrogate you. The law is designed to protect people from self-incrimination under interrogation. It is not meant to establish that you are under arrest. It also means that any statement that you make including a confession, before being Mirandized, can be used against you in court, if the police can prove that they were not intending on interrogating you at the time that you made the statements. Example: Casey Anthony Murder Case Casey Anthony was charged with first-degree murder of her daughter. During her trial, her attorney tried to get statements that she made to family members, friends, and the police, suppressed because she had not been read her Miranda rights before making the statements.  The judge denied the motion to suppress the evidence, stating that at the time of the statements, Anthony was not a suspect.   You have the right to remain silent. Take this sentence at face value. It means that you can remain silent when police question you. It is your right, and if you ask any good attorney, they will recommend that you use it- and remain silent. However, you are required to state honestly, your name, address, and whatever other information is required by state law. Anything you do say may be used against you in a court of law. This goes back to the first line of the Miranda warning and why you want to use it. This line explains that if you do start talking, anything you say will (not can) likely be used against you when it is time to go to court. You have the right to an attorney. If you are being questioned by the police, or even before questioning, you have the right to request an attorney be present before you make any statements. But you must clearly say the words, that you want an attorney and that you will remain silent until you get one. Saying, I think I need an attorney, or I heard I should get an attorney, is not clearing defining your position. Once you state that you want an attorney present, all questioning has to stop until your attorney arrives.  Also, once you clearly state that you want an attorney, stop talking. Do not discuss the situation, or even participate in idle chit-chat, otherwise, it could be interpreted as you have willingly revoked (cancelled) your request to have an attorney present. It is like opening the proverbial can of worms. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you. If you cannot afford an attorney, an attorney will be appointed to you. If you have requested an attorney, it is also important to be patient. It may take some time to get an attorney for you, but one will come. What if you wave your right to have an attorney present? It is your right to wave the right to have an attorney present during police questioning. It is also your right to change your mind. All that is required is that at any point, before, during or after an interrogation, that you state clearly that you want an attorney and will not answer questions until one is present. At whatever point that you say it, questioning should stop until your attorney arrives. However,  anything that you said before the request can be used against you in court. Exceptions to the Miranda Rule There are three situations when there may be exceptions to the ruling: When the police ask you to provide information such as your name, address, age, date of birth, and employment, you are required to answer those types of questions honestly.When it is considered a matter of public safety or when the public could face imminent danger, a suspect may still be questioned by police, even when they have invoked their right to remain silent.  If a suspect talks to a jailhouse snitch, their statements can be used against them in a court of law, even if they have not yet been Mirandized. See Also: History of Miranda Rights

User Interfaces Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

User Interfaces - Assignment Example As an operator settles on the kind of interface to use they should endeavor to make it easy, enjoyable and efficient. There are three main types of user interfaces including web based interface, which requires for the user to accept the input and provide the output, the command line interface where the user offers inputs by typing command strings and the system provides output and the graphical user interface whereby the user gives commands through the selection and clicking on icons that are displayed on the screen (Mandel, 1997). In the past, computer software was designed without considering the end users of the same. Today, it is becoming increasingly important to consider them otherwise it may not offer much help, as users interact more frequently with them. Graphic user interface usually relies more on the mouse. It is for example, the type of interface that is used in any version of the Windows Operating System. It is mainly used because it requires less expert knowledge to use and it is very easy to navigate, for instance it is possible for one to look through the folders and files in it quickly (Wilson, 2012). It is mainly disadvantaged because it has fewer options as compared to other interfaces, and it has fewer options for customization. It is not very easy to use only one button for many variations (Mandel, 1997). Graphic user interfaces are very common in modern computing. Touch screens are models of the same that replace the mouse. The web based user interface is the one used to foster the interaction between the user and software that is running on a web server. It is the web browser and web page that it has downloaded and then rendered (Mandel, 1997). It can also be defined as a programming connection to the internet. It contains features such as multiuser or concurrent access and granular administration. Users are able to log on to and to navigate through web browsers such as

International business article Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

International business article - Assignment Example Last June Bharti Aitel, India’s largest mobile provider, paid $9 billion to acquire the cellular operations of Kuwait Zain. One of the reasons for the acquisitions of African companies is that compared to India the valuation of these companies are much more attractive. â€Å"The Indians view Africa as a place they can where they can replicate the low-cost, high efficiency business model they have honed at home† (Srivastava & Subramaniam). Africa has a lot of people that are eager to buy consumer goods. Consumer spending in Africa will double in the next decade to reach $1.8 trillion by the year 2020. The African people have been deprived of basic consumer goods for a long time and they are eager to increase participation in the consumer markets. Indian companies visualize Africa as a place they can continue to achieve growth due to the fact that business activity is slowing down at home. Indian companies also want to take advantage of the lower regulatory requirement av ailable for investors in Africa. The article mentions a lot of the advantages that the African continent represents for India businesses. It seems as if the Indian business people want to exploit the African market in order to improve their sales numbers and profitability. Africa is one of the poorest regions in the entire world particularly the Sub-Saharan African region. The article was a bit one side as far as illustrating the advantages that Africa offered to India and not letting the reader know how Africa is going to benefit from the Indian involvement in Africa. Some of the large acquisitions mentioned in the article made a lot of sense from a business standpoint. Due to the fact that Africa has very poor infrastructure landlines are barely available. Most Africans that desire to communicate with each other must utilize mobile technology. It would be smart the African mobile company to offer prepaid mobile services since they are cheaper to acquire which increases the amount

Recent Salary top ups Controversies in Ireland Essay Example for Free

Recent Salary top ups Controversies in Ireland Essay Of late, the issue concerning salary has been very controversial in Ireland. Early this year, some controversies relating to salary top-ups at charities have erupted in Ireland leading to a total damage threatening the sector. As a result of these controversies, few issues which are hazardous to the sector have emerged. Researchers and stakeholders have been worried by issues such as duration and the extent to which these issues will last and their relative impacts to various charities. There are some charities in the country specifically identified as donations or other funding sources that are used in improving executives’ salaries. As a result of these issues, majority of innocent bystanders are likely to experience a negative impact based on guilt by association. The question that majority are asking themselves is, what the future holds and how they can improve it. The research paper is mainly structured into two main categories that are used in describing the structure of the project. The first part involves the research part of the project. While the second part captures the application involving techniques and the methods used when carrying out the research. However, the first part enhances the researcher’s understanding on the recent controversies relating to salary top-ups at charities in Ireland and the emerging issues. It comprises of research definition, strategy, design and methodology used to provide a clear understanding of the report. The second part covers the broader part of the report taking the application approach. This part includes the sampling methods applied, instruments used in the research, the proposed data analysis techniques, the budget and timeline for the research estimates. Since the start of the year 2014 and slightly there before, the issue relating to top-ups salary controversy has rampantly emerged in Ireland. The issue concerning the recent controversies made majority of Irish people to become less likely to donate to charity. This is according to the latest report of Ipsos, Irish times and MRBI opinion poll. The poll also discovered that voting age population brought a total opposition. They are opposing the practice of using donations in paying top-ups of the executives’ salaries in the charity sector (Scarrow 2009: pp.193-210). The Irish government discovered that this move will negatively affect the sector and cause a negative experience to the innocent bystanders. Majority of citizens are unwilling to support the sector and thus threatening to cancel their donations. The call for yhe research project was to address the issue and discover its future prosperity and strategize on how to improve it. 1. Research definition                     Research comprises of an undertaken creative work on a systematic basis with an aim of increasing the stock of knowledge (Valbuena 2009: p.27). It includes the knowledge of a given scenario, society and culture, and the use of such knowledge to devise new applications. It is used to confirm or establish facts, reaffirm the previous work results, solve existing or new problems and support theorems. A research project can take the form of an expansion on past field work. Research takes different forms such as scientific research, research in the humanities, and artistic research. Scientific research involves application of scientific methods to harness curiosity. It gives scientific theories and information that explains properties and the nature of a given scenario. Research concerned with humanities involves methods such as semiotics and hermeneutics. It a form of research that explores details and issues surrounding a scenario, but not searching for an ultimate correct answer to a question. Artistic research also referred to as ‘practice-based research’ takes form when creative work is put into consideration both the research object and the research itself. The recent controversies in Ireland concerning salary top-ups are humanitarian issues. Research in the humanities is the best form of research used as it entails details and issues surrounding a scenario, but not giving a specific answer to a question. Other methods were excluded on the basis that they are not based on exploring a scenario. Through the research carried out, it was discovered that 96% of the respondents opposed the use of donations to top-up the salaries of the executives. The remaining had different stands as 2% felt it was acceptable while the other 2% had no opinion. The research spanned all regions, classes and party affiliations. On the issue concerning charity, 69% withdrew their likelihood of donating, 23% argued that it will make no difference, 4% found the question irrelevant as they do not contribute and 4% had no opinion. There was a similar response from people in all regions, classes, and supporters of groupings and political parties. The research was con ducted for two days using a representative sample of 1,000 voters from all constituencies. 1.1 Drop in donations                     The research confirmed that Ireland fundraising professionals were claiming that there was a drop of 40% in the charity donations. This was as a result of top-up payments controversy (Harvey 2012: pp.2008-2012). The umbrella professional fundraisers group claimed that they were constantly receiving phone calls from people who wanted to cancel their donations. Anne Hanniffy the HSE Chief Executive Officer, argued that salaries top-ups using donations was having a devastating effect on the sector. She claimed that revelations were a â€Å"million miles† from experiences and activities of most organizations, but it revealed that all charities were tarred using the same brush. This scenario brings the most serious period that the Irish non-profit sector is facing. Organizations are extremely concerned that people who are least able to survive without their support like disabled people, sick children and needy families will be most affected by the existing crisis. Despite the organizational opinions concerning the existing crisis of salary top-ups, Health Service Executives (HSE) and other organizations called upon the government to address the issue (Moran 2012: pp.137-147). Mr. Bell also warned the government that if this issue of pay top-ups was not addressed on equitable basis, it would bring a lot of challenges when trying to address different reforms. Different arguments has risen in Ireland concerning the controversial issue of salary top-ups using donations. The head of Ireland fundraising claimed that HSE used just a small portion of charities to meet its executives salary. She argued that top-up payments were not an issue as they totally relied on fundraising. She also claimed that it was difficult to reveal whether the recent surrounding controversy will have an effect to the sector. Central Remedial Clinic (CRC) confirmed that they have been recently using public donations to top-up their executives’ salaries. They are given financial support by a separate company known as supporters and friends of Central Remedial Clinic. 2. Research strategy                     A research strategy refers to a plan of action that gives direction to a person’s effort, thus enabling one to conduct a systematic research (Denzin 2010: pp.1-28). It involves discovering new ideas, thinking actively concerning the ideas and working with them. On a research strategy, a researcher may use the existing information and draw up his or her own conclusions, integrate and synthesize original ideas concerning the current scenario. Research strategies are of different forms such as non experimental that has no explicit manipulation, and experimental which manipulates some factors of a given issue. The Irish scenario applies experimental strategy as there are some factors surrounding the situation. They need to be manipulated and come with solutions to the existing issues. Non experimental is excluded on the basis that it does not allow factor manipulation. In a labor party national conference held at Killarney, social protection minis ter’s daughter Ms Burton revealed that donated funds used by CRC to top-up salaries was â€Å"extremely disturbing† (Edwards 2009: pp.595-615). During the meeting, Ms Burton demanded some issues to be made clear. Some of the issues to be manipulated include organizations to come out and clarify the disclosed issues, CRC to provide its fundraising details and their addition sources of income, lastly CRC was expected to give an account of how they have spent that money. She also emphasized that the public needed an assurance that their money generously donated to charities were used for the correct purpose. The internal audit carried out last year concerning HSE revealed that almost â‚ ¬250, 000 was spent annually (Crilly 2013: p.8). The money was used to cater for allowances of six senior executives, in addition to their state-funded salaries. These allowances utilized by the CRC were termed as unauthorized and that they have breached the pay policy of the public sector. The clinic has also been accused of misusing the funds donated to vulnerable adults and children. The company had â‚ ¬ 14 million in total funds at the end of year 2011 when it stopped giving services to the less privileged in the society. Instead of directing the money to the children and adult care, the clinic invested the money on capital projects. On the issue regarding salaries of the senior organizational members, the clinic revealed that since 2009, they agreed with HSE to increase the salaries of 9 individuals at the management level. 3. Research methodology and design                     Methodology refers to a systematic, theoretical analysis of the applied methods to a field of study (Eiben 2012: pp.582-587). It, typically and encompasses concepts like theoretical model, paradigm, phases and qualitative or quantitative techniques. It is not set to provide solutions but to provide a theoretical underpinning for elaborating the best method can be used. On the other hand, research design is the overall strategy chosen to integrate different study components in a logical and a coherent way (Parahoo 2010: p.142). It ensures effective ways of addressing the research problem. It is the blueprint for the measurement, collection and data analysis. Research design is broadly categorized into descriptive research, exploratory research, Qualitative research and non-experimental research. 3.1 Exploratory research                     Polit et al (2011: p.19) argued that explorative research is carried out when investigating a new area or when a little information is known about the area of interest. It is used to investigate nature of a phenomenon and other related factors. 3.2 Descriptive research                     According to Grove and Burns (2009: p.201), it is a form of research designed to reveal a picture of a given scenario as it happens naturally. It can be used to justify recent practices, make judgments and develop theories. 3.3 Qualitative research                     According to Grove and Burns (2009: p.19), it is a systematic subjective approach applied to describe situations and life experiences. It is also a form of social enquiry focusing on how people make and interpret sense of their experience and their living world. 3.4 Non-experimental research                     It is used in studies with an aim of describing a situation where it is unethical for independent variables to be manipulated (Polit 2009: p.178). It is a suitable research of studying people in nursing sector. The research project concerning the recent scenario in Ireland applied exploratory research. It is used by researchers when they want to produce hypotheses of what is happening in a situation. The recent controversies concerning salary top-up in Ireland needs to be explored. This will minimize the existing misappropriation of funds between organizations and their senior management. Some of the organizations like CRC have been misusing donations contributed to help vulnerable people in the society to other projects. The other research designs were excluded by the fact that the scenario required exploration but not coming up with a specific answer. 4. Sampling methods                     They are classified as either non probability or probability. In a probability case, each item of the population has a non-zero probability of being selected. It involves random sampling, stratified sampling, and systematic sampling. Non probability sampling includes convenience sampling, judgment sampling, snowball sampling and quota sampling. The research based on the recent controversies in Ireland took a stratified sampling. In this form, a subset of population is selected who are believed to have at least one characteristic in common. The research was carried out in specific areas where people with similar characteristics are expected to disclose certain information. For instance, in the labor party national conference held at Killarney, CRC senior management were ordered to disclose their sources of finance and money obtained through donations. They were also to give an account of how they have spent that money. Other alternatives were excluded as the scenario involved a specific group but not the whole population. 5. Instruments used in the research                     An instrument refers to a generic term used by researchers for a measurement device that may be in form of a test, survey, questionnaire, interview, a set of guidelines for observation, or a research tool (Voss 2012: pp.195-219). In the Ireland scenario of salaries top-ups controversies, some different research instruments have been put into consideration. During the background research, questionnaires and interview were applied when obtaining people’s opinions concerning the recent issue. An interview was also carried out when CRC senior management was requested to give an account of how they have spent donated money. 6. Proposed techniques in data analysis                     Data analysis refers to a process of cleaning, inspecting, transforming, and data modeling. This is carried out with an aim of discovering useful information, coming up with conclusions, and supporting the process of decision making (Gorski 2009: p.759). It is a multiple approaches and facets, encompassing different techniques under a variety of names. Data analysis is done using two major techniques namely univariate and multivariate analysis. Multivariate analysis is the proposed technique for the research project. This technique gives a wider variety of opinions as it involves multiple measurements. Univariate is excluded on the bases that it is focused on a single variable and the research involves different variables. 7. Estimated budget and timeline for the research                     Every research project needs to be economical and timely. The above research is estimated to take at least 3-4months. This will facilitate quick actions being taken to address the issues surrounding the charity sector before it collapses. The project will be more economical considering the existing financial issues in the countries. Considering all matters at hand, the project has an estimated budget of â‚ ¬1.2 million. In conclusion, the recent controversies in Ireland need to be addressed urgently before the whole charity sector collapses. Research has revealed that majority of the Irish citizens are unwilling to continue supporting the sector. The move to top-up executives’ salaries has made people to lose hope with the sector. Many organizations such as CRC have taken the advantage of the issue to divert vulnerable money to capital projects. A global humanitarian assistance report of July 2010 ranked the country as the fourth most generous in per citizen donations. To maintain this, the government needs to take substantive actions to solve the problem. References Eiben, G. M., Hammond, S., Schaw, C. (2012). Research methods in psychology. London: Sage Publications. Valbuena, J., Shaver, P. R. (2009). Handbook of attachment: theory, research, and clinical applications (2nd ed.). New York: Guilford Press. Parahoo, W. K. (2010). E-learning by design (2nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer. Mann, T. (2010). The Oxford guide to library research (3rd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. Denzin, R., Kumar, R. (2010). The long view from Delhi: to define the Indian grand strategy for foreign policy. New Delhi: Academic Foundation in association with Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations. Northern Ireland;. (2009). London: Labour Party. Symposium programme. (2011). Dublin: Central Remedial Clinic. Harvey, C. H. (2012). The act for the more effectual application of charitable donations and bequests in Ireland: (7 8 Victoria, cap. xcvii) : with explanatory notes on the several sections. London: J.W. Parker. Voss, B. G. (2012). Discourse as a normative instrument analysis of mental illness on a disability services discussion list. Columbia, Mo.: University of Missouri-Columbia. Gorski, W. L. (2009). Microsoft ® Excel Data Analysis and Business Modeling. New York: OReilly Media, Inc. Grove, E. Burn, R . (2009). Adventures in social research: data analysis using IBM SPSS statistics (7th ed.). Los Angeles: Pine Forge Press. Polit et al. (2011). Collaborative interdisciplinary team teaching in Japan a study of practitioner and student perspectives. Australia: Macquarie University. Source document

A Comparison between Billy Liar and Shirley Valentine Essay -- Drama

A Comparison between Billy Liar and Shirley Valentine I have just been studying Billy Liar and performing it as part of my mock scripted drama GCSE, and have been asked to compare this theatre script to the film script of Shirley Valentine. I have already given the first difference between these two scripts; one is a theatre script and the other is designed specifically for the big screen. Billy Liar was originally a novel written by Keith Waterhouse, who with the help of Willis Hall made it into a theatre script in the 1960's. Billy is an imaginative youth who is fighting to get out of his complacent, clichà ©-ridden background. He was born and brought up in a town in Yorkshire and lives with his father, Geoffrey, mother, Alice, and grandmother, Florence. Billy has three girlfriends, Rita, Barbara and Liz, but he only shows genuine affection and feelings towards Liz. Billy is always fantasising and making up things which earns him the label 'liar'. At the end of the play Billy decides to leave his home and follow Liz to London but as we find out in the last scene he 'chickens' out and returns to the home he so desperately wants to escape. Shirley Valentine on the other hand was written as a film script, by the author Willy Russell in the 1980's, but the story is very similar to that of Billy Liar. Shirley is a housewife and mother to two grown up children. Her husband Joe is very insensitive and unaffectionate. Shirley's best friend Jane invites Shi...

Complete monopoly Essay

Today, many firms are enjoying a monopoly of their products/services in the market. Monopoly may be defined as the complete control over a commodity enjoyed by a particular company in the market. There will be only a solo manufacturer or provider of the commodity and customers have to depend on them whenever there is a demand since there are no substitutes available. As a result, such a manufacturer can have an absolute control over the price as well as quantity available in the market. Another benefit enjoyed by the monopolies are that they do not face any risk of an opponent entering the market. In order to establish complete monopoly, usually companies take care of the following things: 1. They acquire the complete control over the key raw materials required for manufacturing the product. 2. They may acquire a patent in order to be the solo manufacturers or providers of the product or service. 3. They acquire the technical and productive efficiency to meet the market demand for their commodity. Usually a commodity produced by the monopolies will be manufactured in fewer quantities only and their cost may be higher. Since there is no market competition, the advantages are mostly enjoyed by the manufacturers. Little are the benefits obtained by the consumers, since they have no choice when a demand arises. FEATURES OF MONOPOLY The following are the main features of a monopoly market: 1. In a monopoly, there is a solo manufacturer or provider of a commodity. So all the demands in the market are to be met by this single vendor. 2. Highest benefits are enjoyed by the solo manufacturer. 3. The price, quantity as well as the quality of the commodity is the absolute decision of the manufacturer. Normally, commodities available in a monopoly market will have a higher price. 4. There is no competition or substitutes in a monopoly market. Even if a competitor wants to enter a market, it is a very difficult task. TYPES OF MONOPOLY There are various types of monopoly prevailing in the market. Various classifications have been made based on different criteria. This section checks in detail the classifications: 1. Based on ownership a. Public Monopoly: In a public monopoly, the product/service is provided and controlled by the Government of the country. Unlike other monopolies, public monopoly does not depend upon maximizing profit theory. Rather it is concentrated on the benefits of the people. For example, the Oil Industry in Abudhabi is the monopoly of ADNOC. There are no competitors to ADNOC and still gasoline is provided to the residents at a reasonable price. b. Private Monopoly: In strong contrast to public monopoly, in the case of private monopoly, the product/service is provided and controlled by private firm or an individual. Their main concentration will be on maximizing the profit and hence such commodities will have a higher price. For example, the diamond manufacturers De Beers enjoyed a complete monopoly over the market for about 100 years. In a drive to achieve maximum profits, they created a false impression that the diamond supply was becoming limited and hence increased the rates which mounted up their profits. 2. Based on the price a. Simple Monopoly: In the case of simple monopoly, the price of a product/commodity is the same regardless of the customers. Usually it has control in a particular market only. For example, the water supply in Abu-Dhabi is taken care of by ADWEA. The price charged is the same across the emirate indicating a simple monopoly. b. Discriminating Monopoly: In the case of a discriminating monopoly, the price is discriminated according to the customers. Such a commodity will have different prices in different regions. Normally, such a firm has control in various markets. For example, the cost of Mercedes Benz car is different in different countries of the world. In Germany, where it is manufactured, it is usually sold at a relatively lower price. In UAE, the price is higher than that in Germany. In India, the price is higher than that in UAE. 3. Based on competition level a. Perfect Monopoly: In perfect monopoly, there is absolutely no threat from any competitors. Such firms enjoy complete control without the fear of any competitor entering the market. This is the most ideal case and is difficult to be established in realty. b. Imperfect Monopoly: In imperfect monopoly, there is no competitor in appearance. But the company may be in the fear of an opponent entering the market in the near future. As the name indicates, the seller do not enjoy the complete features of an ideal monopoly because there is a threat of competition. For example, until recently Etisalat enjoyed the monopoly of telecommunications and internet services in the UAE. But with the entry of du, Etisalat is facing an imperfect monopoly as du is widening its service to all the realms of Etisalat. 4. Based on how the monopoly is achieved. a. Legal Monopoly: Legal monopoly is usually the monopoly acquired by a firm by legal procedures with the sanction from the Government. Copyrights, trademarks, patents etc are legal tools for obtaining monopoly over a product or service. For example, the company Telstra acquired a legal monopoly over providing telecommunications service in Australia. b. Natural Monopoly: Natural Monopoly is the monopoly obtained naturally without any legal procedures. Such a monopoly is obtained due to the advantage of good-will, plentiful resources, good site etc. For example, Middle East enjoys a natural monopoly over the gasoline resources in the area. CONCLUSION Although many firms enjoy a monopoly over their products, seldom do such regulations benefit the customers, except for the case of public monopoly. Since there no competitions, the competitive advantage is also denied to the customers and mostly they are forced to buy the product despite their hesitation. However, monopoly is most enjoyed by the firms exercising it. REFERENCES 1. Goodwin, Nelson, Ackerman, Weissskopf. (2009). ‘Microeconomics’, 2nd edition.

Finance and Short Term Debt

EncanaCost of Capital Before calculating the cost of capital I'll calculate cost of equity and cost of dept and capital structure for ENCANA: 1 Cost of Debt: ENCANA cost of debt included cost on short term debt , long term debt and publicity traded interest amount 1. 1 Short term Debt: Short term obligations (Ex. 1) = $ 1425 million Interest Rate (Ex. 1) = 3. 52% Total amount for short term debt interest = 1425 ? 3. 52% = 50. 16 million 1. 2 Long term Debt: Other long term liabilities (Ex. 1) = $1278 Interest rate (Prime rate charged) = 5. 25%Total amount for long term debt interest = 1278 ? 5. 25% = 67. 095 million 1. 3 Publicity traded: Publicity traded interest = total interest – (short term debt interest amount + long term debt interest amount) Publicity traded interest = 524 – ( 50. 16 + 67. 095) = 406. 75 million Interest rate on publicity traded = Publicity traded interest ? L. T debt on publicity traded Interest rate on publicity traded = 406. 75 ? 5351 = 7. 6% Cost on debt = Weight of long term debt ? Rate of interest on L. T debt + Weight of short term debt ? Rate of interest on S.T debt + Weight of publicity traded ? rate of interest on publicity traded = 1278/8054* ? 5. 25 + 1425/8054 ? 3. 52 + 5351/8054 ? 7. 60 = 0. 833 + 0. 622 + 5. 049 = 6. 5% *The amount $8054 is total amount of debt given in Exhibit 3 1. 4 Determining Tax rate: Tax rate for ENCANA can be determined as follow: Tax Rate= T= Net earnings before interest and tax ? tax expense T= 1260 ? 4089 = 30. 81% 1. 5 Cost of debt after tax: Cost of debt after tax = cost of debt before tax (1- Tax Rate) Cost of debt after tax = 6. 5% ( 1- 30. 81%) = 4. % ==; rate of debt (rd) 2 Cost of equity: There are following two ways to calculate ENCANA's cost of equity : 1. Using SML equation 2. Calculating cost of equity by dividend growth model 2. 1 Calculation of cost of equity for ENCANA by using SML equation: rs = r* + MRP (b) r* = 4. 20 % (Govt. long Term Treasury Bills) rm = 13. 9% (S &P arithmetic average return) MRP = rm – r = 13. 9-4. 20 = 9. 7 Beta = 1. 27 rs = 4. 20 + 9. 7 *1. 27 rs = 16. 519 % 2. 1 Calculation of cost of equity for ENCANA by using dividend growth model: rs = (D1/ Po – F) + gWhere: D1= next year dividend Po = current price of share in market F = Floatation Cost Growth from past data: Year | Dividend per share | Growth * | 2002 | 0. 2 | | 2003 | 0. 15 | -25% | 2004 | 0. 2 | 33. 3% | 2005 | 0. 28 | 40% | *Growth rate is calculated as: 0. 15/0. 2= 0. 75-1 = -0. 25? 100 =-25% 0. 2/0. 15= 1. 33-1= 0. 33 ? 100 = 33. 3% 0. 28/0. 2= 1. 4-1 =0. 4 ? 100 = 40% Average Growth= -25 + 33. 3 + 40 = 16. 1% rs = (Do (1+ g) / Po – F) + g rs = 0. 28 (1+0. 1611) / 56. 75 (1- 0. 05) + 0. 1611 rs = 0. 25108/53. 9125 +0. 1611 rs = 16. 713% Average rs = (16. 713+16. 519)/2 = 16. 616% WACC: The WACC equation  is the cost of each capital component  multiplied by its proportional weight and then summing:   WACC = rD  (1-  Tc  )*(  Dà ‚  /  V  )+  rE  *(  E  /  V  ) Where, Re = cost of equity Rd = cost of debt E = market value of the firm's equity D =  market value of the firm's debt V = Total Capital = E + D E/V = we = percentage of financing by equity D/V = wd= percentage of financing by debt T =  corporate tax rate By putting Values:Total Equity= E = no of shares * price of shares = 854. 9 * 56. 75 = $48515. 575 million Total Capital = Equity + Debt = 48515. 575+ 8054 = $56596. 575 Million WACC = wd * rd + we * re = 8054/56596. 575 * 4. 5 + 48515. 575/56596. 575 * 16. 616 = 0. 6404 + 14. 2436 = 14. 884% ENCANA should accept this project which will give a return of more than 14. 884%, because ENCANA has to pay their investors a return of 14. 884 and this will also generate profit which can be utilized as retained earnings and increase growth of its dividend.

How much control do we have in shaping our own identities Essays

How much control do we have in shaping our own identities Essays How much control do we have in shaping our own identities Essay How much control do we have in shaping our own identities Essay Essay Topic: Sociology The amount of control we have over shaping our own identities brings about a tension between the personal and the social and thus between structure and agency. I will explore these tensions in the context of social constraints such as migration, ethnic diversity, gender and occupation. Firstly there is the question of how identities are formed and what processes this involves. To identify ourselves we actively do so by finding similarities, feelings of belonging and perhaps making a statement to the rest of the world that this is who I am. We mark these similarities and differences with vices such as symbols (badges, emblems) and representations. This would appear that we have some degree of agency in forming our identities. There is also the fact that the social groups, symbols and representations are socially constructed bringing us back to structure and providing a link between the personal and the social, who we think we are and how others see us. Louise Althussers theory of interpellation (in Woodward et al., 2004, pg. 19) is interesting when considering this link between the personal and the social. Althusser argues that people are recruited into identities especially via the media in a process which people liken themselves to portrayed images thinking hey thats me. Althusser recognises that this may happen consciously or unconsciously obscuring the amount of control which we think we may have over constructing our identities. Lets consider gender, what bearing does this have upon how we identify ourselves. It would be obvious to say that we are divided as either men or women by our genitalia, but how are we categorized socially. Is it acceptable for women to take up male occupations, sports and vice versa? It seems we may be influenced or constrained by social stereotypes and biological factors. In contemporary society there are now challenges to the biological constraints of gender where it is possible to change ones sex. Though the liberty this provides for some feeling as though they have been brought into the world in the wrong bodily vehicle, they face the constraint of their own birth certificate which cannot be changed. Surely the latter process would be far less complicated; however, such constraints could prevent someone marrying, being a mother or father, and cause some embarrassment at the passport office. Occupation also plays a part in our construction of identity; people often ask what you do for a living giving them an insight into what kind of person you are and if they identify with that. So how much control do we have? One of the factors to consider here would be class as that would have some degree of influence over the education we receive enabling us to gain good employment opportunities. It is argued that with the deterioration of public education, also health care, transport and housing, the people who cant afford to go private become trapped in poverty (in Mackintosh and Mooney et al., 2004, pg. 109). It also appears that the collective identity of class is shifting towards a more individual identity expressed through consumption and lifestyle. The degree to which we can express ourselves in this way is heavily constrained by money, which if stuck in a poverty trap which exists through structure, there are definite limitations on agency. The UK today is a multi ethnic society bearing constraints such as racism. Although it is not accepted to be racist, does it still exist and are there racial constraints in employment, education and housing? How we form our identities in this context is relative, again by marking similarities and differences. The experience of being black for example can only be experienced in relation to whiteness. Therefore a diversity of ethnic identities may be experienced depending upon which context you find yourself in. Finally, how can we challenge these constraints? In relation to ethnicity there was the Black Power movement in the 60s. Slogans such as black is beautiful sought to make being black positive rather than less powerful in relation to being white. Also movements such as gay and lesbian rights, womens rights etc focused on making these positive statements of identity. This challenges how these groups are seen and how we think about them. Therefore through collective action it is possible to exert some element of control in changing socially constructed concepts.

How To Use Si, the Word for If in Spanish

How To Use Si, the Word for If in Spanish Usually, if and its Spanish equivalent, si, are used to form what are known as conditional sentences. Although the rules of Spanish grammar for conditional sentences can get complex, in the vast majority of cases the main thing you need to know is which verb tense to use after si. Verb Tense in Spanish If Sentences The first thing is to remember that except in very rare cases, si is never followed by a verb in the present-tense subjunctive mood. That said, there are basically two types of si clauses that become part of a sentence: Sentences in which the condition is likely or reasonably likely. This is known grammatically as an open condition. For example, in the clause si llueve (if it rains), rain is seen as a distinct possibility.Sentences in which the condition is contrary to fact or is unlikely. For example, the clause si lloviera can be translated as if it were to rain. Note the difference in meaning from the example above; in this case, while rain is a possibility, it is seen as unlikely. An example of a contrary-to-fact condition is a clause such as si yo fuera rico, if I were rich. Grammatically, contrary-to-fact and unlikely conditions are treated the same way. The correct verb tense following si can be observed in the above examples. In open conditions, conditions where the possibility is reasonably likely, si is followed by the present indicative tense (the most common tense, probably the first one you learned as a Spanish student). If the condition is unlikely or false, a past subjunctive (usually the imperfect subjunctive) is used. This is the case even when the condition is something that refers to the present. In Spanish, as in English, the si clause can either precede or follow the rest of the sentence. Thus a sentence such as si llueve voy de compras (if it rains Im going shopping) is the equivalent of voy de compras si llueve (Im going shopping if it rains). Sample Sentences Using Si Here are some examples of open conditions: Si tengo dinero, me irà © de viaje. (If I have money, Ill go on a trip. The fact of having money is seen as reasonably likely.)Si la casa es usada, le aconsejamos que un profesional la inspeccione. (If the house is used, we advise that you have a professional inspect it. A sentence like this might be used in giving advice, where the condition here is seen as a real possibility.)Si lo quieres,  ¡pà ­delo! (If you want it, ask for it!)Van a salir si el presidente y los otros ladrones ganan las elecciones. (They are going to leave if the president and the other thieves win the elections.)Si sales, salgo tambià ©n. (If you leave, Im leaving too.)Si gana Sam, voy a llorar. (If Sam wins, Ill cry.) Here are some examples of unlikely or contrary-to-fact conditions: Si yo fuera tà º, tomarà ­a una responsabilidad propia. (If I were you, I would take appropriate responsibility. There is no possibility that I will become you.)Si yo tuviera dinero, irà ­a al cine. (If I had the money, I would go to the movies. The speaker is saying she doesnt have the money. If the present tense were used, si tengo dinero, she would be saying there is a reasonable likelihood of having money.)Mi hermana irà ­a muchas veces a la playa si supiera nadar. (My sister would go to the beach often if she knew how to swim.)Si ella hubiera tenido dinero, habrà ­a ido al cine. (If she had had the money, she would have gone to the movies.)Si ganara Sam, llorarà ­a. (If Sam were to win, Id cry.) A Quick Note About Writing The word si should not be confused with sà ­, a common word of affirmation, often translated as yes. The latter word is always spelled with a written or orthographic accent to distinguish the two, although they are pronounced identically. Key Takeaways When si (meaning if) is followed by a verb, the verb is in the present indicative if the condition stated is true or probable.When si is followed by a verb, the verb is in a past subjunctive if the condition stated is false or improbable.The past subjunctive is used for improbabilities even if the condition stated is one that applies to the present time.

Financial Markets and Institutions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Financial Markets and Institutions - Essay Example Financial intermediaries have played a major role the development and growth of the world’s economy. The financial institutions such as banks and other financial institutions such as microfinance institutions, investment ventures, and Sacco’s provide funds for the development of businesses operations. The Financial intermediaries help investors to save to improve their living conditions. For example, finance institutions give loans to small enterprises and individuals who make take less risky loans but give high returns in terms of interest rates. These returns are used to provide loans for other investors. Banks and credit unions take money that has been saved and use the money to give loans to investors; mutual funds take contributions from a group of investors and invest in a high investment requiring assets which individual investors would not have been able to invest in alone thereby spreading the risk. Financial intermediaries that encourage savings include retire ment benefits institutions, housing finance institutions, insurance companies, and mutual funds where members of the public are encouraged to save for their old ages, investment purposes, and better housing. In a country where a culture of savings and borrowing is encouraged there is a significant change in the living standards of the citizens leading to development and growth of the country’s economy in general. The financial institutions encourage savings while using those savings to lend out to the individuals or the organizations that want to borrow money to invest. Financial intermediaries receiving capital from those willing to invest and in turn disbursing it to those willing to borrow capital achieve this. Allen and Santomero (1999, pp. 1-42) reported that financial intermediaries play a role in providing an avenue for organizations to access the financial markets. Financial intermediaries have been known to undertake underwriting and acting as agents to the stock exc hange. When financial intermediaries undertake underwriting they are able to market the shares and other instruments on behalf of their clients as well as advise their clients on the best offer that they can attain maximum capital. The Financial intermediaries provide a channel to the financial market to their clients through underwriting. Financial intermediaries also play a role in providing credible information to their clients. The Financial intermediaries are able to represent their clients in the market by providing consultative services about the stock market. Most banks in the twenty first century have formed a different department that deals with stock market consultative services. The financial intermediary investigates for the best possible investment venture for its clients both individuals and organizations. This accrues a fee to the clients who pays the financial intermediary for the services offered (Allen & Santomero 1999, pp. 1-42). Consequently, Allen and Santomero (1999, pp. 1-42) documented that financial intermediaries reduce the lending risks upon utilizing its lending services. There are many syndicates and pyramids in the economy who want to exploit individuals and organizations by providing loans at very high rates. The financial intermediaries have been created by law and are governed by the government through the central bank. The law ensures that all financial intermediaries use a lending rate that does not exploit the members of