Mobile Phone Addiction is getting severe free essay sample

Introduction Mobile phone addiction is getting severe amongst the teenagers in Malaysia. Syed and Nurullah (2009) opine that after the introduction of the prepaid services and the subsidization of handsets, mobile phone communication in Malaysia picked up at a fast pace. Pre-teens (10 to 13 years of age) and teens (13 to 18 years of age) together constituted about 20. 5% of the total user base in Malaysia in 2006, which is a sharp rise from 13. 1% in 2005. For instance, it is not an uncommon sight in Malaysia to find teenagers ‘thumbing’ their handheld devices in urban public spaces oblivious to the rest of the living world around them, experiencing a new way to express identity; rooted in and giving rise to a new sub-culture with its own norms, values and patterns of behaviour. This sub-culture is, in many ways comparable to that of other societies such as those in Western Europe since it can be argued that there is a limited number of responses that technology can generate in any given society, and that specific cultural variation alter slightly the patterns of usage. We will write a custom essay sample on Mobile Phone Addiction is getting severe or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Causes of Mobile Phone Addiction Cell phones are used in public and play a vital role in young adults’ social lives. Many young adults view their cell phones as essential to their happiness. Cell phone companies customize the look of the phone and sound to make cell phone an integral part of many young adults-self-identities, cell phones has become an accessory to their outfit, owning a new gadget would bring pride to the young adults (Takaoet, 2009). Cell phones, along with a myriad of other consumer products are desired possessions the purchase of which goes well beyond the practical aspects of the products themselves. Especially in youth and young adults, cell phones are a source of status and a natural outgrowth of a materialistic desire to own, display and use that could enhance their self-esteem and image (Katz Sugiyama, 2005). Solutions Some of the recommended solutions to the problem are, track your mobile phone usage by jotting down in a notepad the amount of time you spend using your phone and keep the journal for a week, then review the amount of time you are spending on each activity (Grohol, 2007). Turn off your mobile phone and try setting a deadline every evening for a time to retire the technology, and try not to use it again until the next morning. Grohol (2007) said, â€Å"By turning it off, you’re taking back conscious control of your life and this little piece of technology. Mobile phone users must understand that technology improves our life, not affecting our lives. If technology is creating stress and anxiety then one might have a backwards relationship with technology (Grohol, 2007) Conclusion Mobile phone addiction could threaten the very fabric of the society. Hisao Ishii (2009) said , Genuine conversation will be driven out by superficial communication, in which the act of contacting one another is all that matters, leading to a deterioration in the quality of relationships. † Mobile phone addiction is affecting human relationship, efforts have to be taken to solve this problem, Grohol (2007) said:â€Å" the more you keep track of the time you spend using your cell phone, the better you’ll be able to control it. † It is time for teenagers to set apart themselves from their mobile phones. If serious efforts are taken into action, in the future mobile phone addiction will not be a problem to teenagers in Malaysia. (495 words) References

Job Search Myth You Don’t Need a Cover Letter

Job Search Myth You Don’t Need a Cover Letter Just about every client I work with lately brings up the rumor they’ve heard that no one reads cover letters anymore.   This rumor is ONLY a rumor and if you take action based on it, you will shoot yourself in the foot in your job search. In a recent article posted on Work Coach Cafe, â€Å"15 Job Search Tips from a Guy Who Just Got a Job,† a successful job seeker named John relates how the CEO of a company personally reached out to him to thank him for sending a cover letter!   In fact, John was the ONLY candidate to send a cover letter, most likely because everyone else believed the rumor that cover letters never get read.   John made an impression. This topic is also covered on Great Resumes Fast in â€Å"Cover Letters: Does Anybody Read Those Anymore?† The author points out that the cover letter is your opportunity to show genuine interest and to make a case that you are specifically qualified for this job. Why would you tailor your resume to a job and then write a generic cover letter?   If you are truly interested in a position, it is worth your time to write a unique letter to the company about who you are and why you would make a difference for that company.   Do not write a generic cover letter and send it along with a generic or somewhat tailored resume to zillions of job listings, hoping that you‘ll somehow win the numbers game. That is NOT the way to get a job! Instead, begin building a relationship right from the start with the company that might be your future employer.   Imagine yourself in this job and write down what you will bring to the position.   Sell yourself. Anyone can spot a cover letter that is really just a mail merge.   Remember†¦Ã‚   you are a human being and, if you get past the computer scanners, so is the person who reads your cover letter.   By writing a custom letter, you reveal your humanity and respect the humanity of the HR person or hiring manager.   If you begin early to develop a relationship with that person, you are in great shape to be asked for an interview. For help with a great cover letter and resume, contact The Essay Expert. 😉 ~ Ronnie Ann Log in to Reply

Globalization and Its Different Faces Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Globalization and Its Different Faces - Essay Example This essay discusses that there is a stark difference in the quality of life of people in the developed countries compared to those from the developing countries. Human rights also become negated more in developing countries in the hopes of churning out cheap goods for the consumers of the developed countries. The economies of these countries will not stay afloat without the other but the gap should be less and not increasing as it is due to globalization.In conclusion, this is truly sad considering that we enjoy cheap yet good quality goods here in the US at the expense of the rights of people in poverty-stricken countries. I am not in favor of this practice and I hope that much more will open their eyes in response to the abuses that globalization brings. And in my opinion, globalization brings great benefits if used and managed wisely, but if we let a few people benefit from it, then globalization will be a tool for inflicting greater abuses against our fellow men. Being interconn ected and interdependent on other nations is a good thing because there are more opportunities to build each other up this way. I just hope that everyone, whether from a developed or developing country would choose to see all aspects of globalization and make personal commitments to using their influence to institute change in the current system. Globalization should not be judged according to one face only. One should see the whole picture to get to know if globalization is truly beneficial or not.

The Sustainability of Extreme Sports as Businesses in Todays Society Research Paper

The Sustainability of Extreme Sports as Businesses in Todays Society - Research Paper Example For the extreme sports, there are no specific market boundaries and hence the market segment for these sports cannot be measured. It has been assumed that the market segment for extreme sports holds approximately 5 percent of the market for adventure trips (â€Å"Extreme Sports† 34). In the present times, extreme sports have a significant role to play in business and the sportspersons are being utilized for the purpose of marketing of different products. Extreme sports in marketing are more common among the youth. Considering the leisure market in the United States and other countries across the world, the use of extreme sports in businesses has been found to be increasing particularly targeting the youth who are the usual viewers of sports and sports-related programs on television. However although there are regular viewers of the extreme sports and hence products can be well marketed with the use of such sports, yet the sustainability of the extreme sports in businesses cann ot be realized. It has been observed that the viewers of such extreme sports are in most cases fickle minded that make them suspect the conventional methods of marketing and they are also more concerned about their status. All these factors make it difficult for the marketers creating challenges for their successful marketing approaches (Summers, Morgan and Summers 30). Aim and Objectives of the Research: Aim: The aim of the research is to focus on the use of extreme sports in businesses trying to determine the sustainability of the extreme sports in business in the near future. Objectives: Considering the above aim of the study, the following objectives have been decided: To understand the use of extreme sports for the purpose of businesses. To learn about the implications of the use of extreme sports in marketing on the prospective or targeted consumers. To determine the sustainability of the use of extreme sports in businesses in the near future. Literature Review: The concept of extreme sports has become highly significant and popular in the recent times with more and more individuals trying to take part in sports that are highly risky. These include the risky activities undertaken by the body in order to perform sports (Estivalet and Brisson 552). As Heggie and Caine (2) mentioned in their studies, the extreme sports have become a very important part of the lives of the Americans in particular who consider these sports as an option for recreation and athletics. Different sports that are included in the definition of extreme sports are motorcycle racing, rock climbing, and base jumping (Heggie and Caine 2). The popularity of extreme sports has increased in the recent times with new clubs and associations being developed. Television programs, magazines, and pages on the web are also been developed considering the growing attractiveness of extreme sports (Estivalet and Brisson 552). One of the most important reasons owing to which people are more attracted t owards extreme sports is that the participants do not have to follow the strict rules and regulations that are otherwise associated with other sports in general. However, in the present times, commercialization and standardization of extreme sports have also been considered proving it to be inopportune for such participants (Madigan and Delaney 47).  Ã‚  

Buyer behavior Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Buyer behavior - Essay Example This refers to a relationship between individual and the collectivity prevailing in a certain society (Hirchman, 1983, 197).   It is exhibited by the manner in which people live together and are intimately linked to the norms of the society. The concepts of individualism explain societies where their loose ties between people. In such a society, everyone is expected to look after himself or herself and/or the immediate family. The concept of collectivism refers to societies where people are integrated into strong groups in which people protect each other in exchange for unquestionable loyalty.The consumers behaviors attributed to individualism-collectivism pertains to the behavior of persons in a given group, relationships with others and perception of themselves vis a vis others. These consumer behaviors are the influence by reference groups, self-concept, and information sharing, ethnocentrism and opinion leadership.Reference Groups A reference group takes the form of an actual o r imaginary group or individual born of the existence of significant relevance upon individuals’ aspirations, evaluation and behavior (Park and Lessig). Witt (1970) defines reference group as a group taken as a frame by an individual in evaluating himself/herself and formation of attitude. Three means are known through which behavior can be influenced; value expressive, informational and utilitarian (Park and Lessig 1977).The reference group extent depends on a group’s behavior and identity. It is reasonable to think of a possibility.... m and Collectivism and their Consumer Behaviors effects This refers to a relationship between individual and the collectivity prevailing in a certain society (Hirchman, 1983, 197). It is exhibited by the manner in which people live together and are intimately linked to the norms of the society. The concepts of individualism explain societies where their loose ties between people. In such a society, everyone is expected to look after himself or herself and/or the immediate family. The concept of collectivism refers to societies where people are integrated into strong groups in which people protect each other in exchange for unquestionable loyalty. The consumers behaviors attributed to individualism-collectivism pertains to the behavior of persons in a given group, relationships with others and perception of themselves vis a vis others. These consumer behaviors are the influence by reference groups, self-concept, and information sharing, ethnocentrism and opinion leadership. Reference Groups A reference group takes the form of an actual or imaginary group or individual born of the existence of significant relevance upon individuals’ aspirations, evaluation and behavior (Park and Lessig). Witt (1970) defines reference group as a group taken as a frame by an individual in evaluating himself/herself and formation of attitude. Three means are known through which behavior can be influenced; value expressive, informational and utilitarian (Park and Lessig 1977). The reference group extent depends on a group’s behavior and identity. It is reasonable to think of a possibility of the existence of interpersonal influence brought about by individualism and collectivism, on the consumption behavior. A study by Shaw (1971) on the effects of individual interactions and

Note On Development Of Waqf Land Economics Essay

Note On Development Of Waqf Land Economics Essay Introduction 1. There is no doubt that the existence of waqf since the time of the prophet s.a.w is meant for the humans to do good deeds for the society and should benefit the Muslims. Waqf or endowment has been embodied in Islam as one of the good deeds in which the spiritual deed rewarded by Allah with 70 times returns.  [1]  In another verse, the act of philanthropy by disposing out property as an act of charity is encouraged in Islam.  [2]  From economic point of view, waqf is a powerful mechanism in developing the nation in form of charitable instruments which is very unique and beneficial for poverty alleviation programmes. 2. In Islamic tradition waqf is very important. Its potential in future development should not be underestimated. The average rate of return on investments made in developing waqf properties came to a minimum of 20-25% (Rashid, 2012)  [3]  . Besides religious purposes, waqf land has also been used for infrastructure development, education sector, healthcare and public amenities. For example, among the prominent education institutions that were founded and maintained using waqf lands are the Al-Azhar University in Egypt, University of Cordova in Spain, Universitas Islam Indonesia in Jogjakarta, Indonesia  [4]  and AlBukhary International University in Malaysia. While in the healthcare sector, the hospital (Al Noori Hospital) in Damascus and clinics (Klinik Nur) in Malaysia.  [5]   Review of Development in Waqf 3. Recently, there is an increasing interest in reviving the waqf institutions. Several international conferences on waqf have been held in recent years (i.e. Harvard, 2006, 2008; South Africa, 2007; Singapore, 2008; Kuwait, 2008; Iran, 2008, Malaysia, 2010).  [6]  These conferences and seminars have discussed how waqf institutions have been revived by means of interviewing relevant authorities and conducting surveys on waqf land rules and regulations in many parts of the Muslim world. Box 1 provides the example development of waqf lands and properties in Malaysia and Singapore. However, despite various efforts by the governments to enhance the benefits, the utilization of waqf lands is still not being optimized and in fact there are a lot undeveloped waqf lands which have potential to be invested through various instruments. 4. From the perspective of research, the literatures discussed the different usage of Islamic modes of investment for waqf institutions (Kahf, 1998; Hasan and Abdullah, 2008). There are also a few literatures dedicated to the topics of waqf land development. Most of these have discussed the historic development of these lands and their legal aspects (Perai, 2005; Hasan and Abdullah, 2008). There are writings that have classified waqf lands according to how they have been used, for example agriculture, construction, mosques, cemeteries, etc. (MAIS, 2008). There is, limited literature that has categorized waqf lands according to their strategic locations and uses let alone matching them with Islamic investment modes (Noor and Mohamed, 2009). 5. There is no recent news of any worth-mentioning waqf development project except in Malaysia during the last two years (20 major and 70 minor waqf projects have been completed, worth over US$100 million)  [7]  . On the other hand, the number of properties sponsored by the Awqf Properties Investment Fund of IDB (APIF) was not up to the mark. During 2002-03 only 8 projects were developed, while 7 projects in 2009 and 5 projects in 2010. The distribution of dividend from the funds was relatively low at only 2.5% compared to Harta Tanah PNB Trust in Malaysia at 6-7% of income distribution annually  [8]  . In addition, World Waqf Foundation has been very inactive as there is no publication from the foundation since 2004. Box 1. Development of Waqf Lands in Malaysia and Singapore The development of waqf in Malaysia and Singapore especially land is fundamentally aimed at generating more income to waqf institution that could be benefited by the beneficiaries. In the context of Malaysia, there are over 35,727 hectares of registered waqf lands in which may be invested to benefit the Muslims society.[1] One of the recent large scale investments of waqf land in Malaysia was initiated by the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council together with Tabung Haji, TH Technologies Sdn. Bhd. and Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad involving a project for the construction of a 34-storey building at a cost of RM151 million. Regardless of this development, it is observed however that the utilization of waqf lands is still not being optimized and in fact there are a lot undeveloped waqf lands which have potential to be invested through various instruments. There are various model of investments of waqf land could be adopted by the waqf authority either they are depending on funding from the federal or state government or statutory bodies or financial institutions. The utmost important is that the ability of the waqf institution to choose the most appropriate and suitable methods of financial schemes for any of its investment project. In Malaysia, the instruments of investment of waqf land namely debt-based instrument, equity-based instruments, self-finance instrument and Islamic securities instruments. However, the existing waqf lands have not been strategically categorized and the modes of Islamic investments have been used arbitrarily. In the case Singapore, although many waqf were still managed by the private trustees, all awqaf created are vested in Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS) and required to be registered in MUIS. The effective and efficient management of waqf assets and properties by MUIS had enabled waqf revenue to increase exponentially. MUIS also adopted joint venture and partnering approach to develop waqf properties (i.e a S$28 million development of the 20 units of massionette and selling for 99 years lease). This approach and method proved to be an effective way to develop waqf properties, particularly with property prices spiraling upwards and land scarce Singapore. There are many creative solutions in the development of waqf properties. In current properties investment, Real Estate Investment Trust (REITs) instrument is a popular route to owning properties as the structure highly appeals to the investors. MUIS has creatively made an internal REITs for its waqf properties (i.e the purchase of a 6-storey office building with a pool of waqf properties). As at 2006, MUIS manages waqf properties and assets worth about S$341 million.[2] As far as financial resources are concerned, cash waqf scheme and modern financial mode of Sukuk Musharaka bond have been introduced to fund waqf development activities. [1] According to a survey conducted by Jabatan Agama Islam Malaysia (JAKIM) in 2000. [2] WAREES PTE LTD (2007). Source: MUIS (2006), Hassan and Abdullah (2008). Binding Constraints to Development of Waqf Land 6. In practice, a wide range of applications of the waqf idea have emerged over time and space, including for purposes of markets, guilds and other civic endowments, usually under the administration of a mutawali, as well as for mosques, schools, cemeteries, housing for the poor and general welfare. In this respect, waqf occupies the ambivalent zone of many charities and philanthropists along with other institutions. However, significant issues facing waqf institutions need to overcome when it comes to process of developing the waqf lands. For instance, the waqf administration is accused of giving less than impartial and just decisions and complaints of bribery against the waqf officials are not uncommon.  [9]  There are also many examples of disputed waqf lands that now in the process of court hearing around the Muslim world. 7. The binding constraints faced by the development of waqf land, among others are: i) unregistered waqf lands without land titles registered in the name of the waqf authority, the land cannot be developed and they remain undeveloped; ii) unexplore option of Istibdal on non-prime land or sale Istibdal or substitution would be a suitable alternative to non prime land being exchanged for prime or more suitable lands for identified development initiatives or refurbishment; iii) waqf on leasehold land and properties classified as national heritage waqf authority may encounter obstacles developing waqf land that are leasehold (till lease expires) or classify under the category of national heritage under the auspices of respective local authority; iv) legal framework to understand different legal frameworks of waqf administration and waqf matters; and v) security for financing route for project financing, the concept of waqf may not allow exceeding to the requirement for land becoming collateral which is a basis for financing. 8. In term of waqf institutions, it is undoubtedly unsatisfactory. In many areas, there has been a devastating evidences of awqaf. The awqaf institutions are not given proper attention and therefore, vast awqaf properties are ill-managed. The inevitable consequence is much dilapidation and disrepair. Even the best wqaf buildings, with tremendous commercial potential, are not getting basic repairs and maintenance (Ahmad and Khan, 1998). Indeed there is a general feeling that waqf properties of the highest quality, is now some sort of cheap commodity, available in the commercial market. On top of which the virtual collapse of institution of awqaf has resulted in a vacuum which, in most Muslim countries have failed to fill in the gap. The reasons for this include: i) poor legislative framework; ii) administrative lapses; iii) lack of political will; iv) indifferent attitude of the management committee of the awqaf; v) lack of funding; and vi) lack of honesty and integrity. Proposed Framework for Waqf Land Development 9. There are vast un-managed assets of awqaf in the world where Muslims also represent a huge amount of social wealth. In the development process, these can be combined to produce necessary facility of social services especially for the poor people (Bellhachmi, 2004). The institution of awqaf could play a better role in the process of social and economic development. In order to achieve this stage, there is a need to give special attention to the development of the vast under-used awqaf properties to reactivate its functions and ability to provide those important services they used to carry out in the past. One of the major problems in relation to reviving awqaf is a lack of funds for regenerating the productivity of the waqf land/properties as well as other moveable and immovable assets. 10. The intended development of waqf lands/properties may be either for the purposes of revivification or advanced in the sense of investment. There are several mode of financing can be employed for development of awqaf lands such as issuing output share, partnership share, leasing etc. Sabit (2006) has divided the development of waqf assets into three (3) main methods: i) credit based finance; ii) joint venture or equity and income sharing; and iii) self-financing. The combination of these three methods of financing or two of them may also necessary based on the requirements of the waqf assets. 11. Based on the recent studies and practices, this study proposes for establishment of waqf assets as an offer of alternative investment through the issuance of sukuk, complemented by cash waqf fund. In order to develop awqaf projects, creating cash waqf fund (i.e Malaysia and Singapore) and sukuk mode of finance (Singapore) will build up trust between investors, depositors and the awqaf institutions for enhancing the financial benefit. It is expected that these two sources of Islamic investment funds will allow the Muslim ummah to invoke waqf contributors motives by financing into the awqaf projects so as to fulfill the objectivities of the awqaf. The details of these two sources of funding for the development of awqaf institutions are discussed below: Before undertaking the development of waqf lands, IDB needs to fulfil three basic requirements: i) develop a co-ordination mechanism between IDB and waqf authority for the purpose of compiling waqf lands information; ii) identify and profile strategic waqf lands for the purpose of commercial activities (i.e hospitals, educational and training institutions, real estate); and iii) form a potential partnership in the form of SPV- IDB as a partner (sharik) with the potential waqf authority to undertake specific waqf projects/investments. Many wqaf institutions simply do not have the funds to develop new capacity while keeping their existing work going on. Waqf assets, through the issuance of sukuk (Islamic bond), offer an alternative investment. Most important point is that sukuk as a product is linked the returns and cash flows of the financing to the assets purchased, or the returns generated from an asset purchased. Therefore, sukuk can be used as a tool to finance for development of the waqf properties. The main objective is to provide long-term support with a focus on building capabilities and showing results. There are several types of sukuk but two, ijara sukuk and musharakah sukuk, are most popular in the real estate financing and for creating funds for construction of new complexes. The development of waqf assets through the issuance of sukuk may be most suitable by using the musharakah financing principle, due to three elements: i) it represents new source of funds on basis of profit and loss-sharing; ii) it is vital to developing awqaf lands; and iii) there is a great deal of surplus cash sitting in Islamic financial institutions. Figure 1. Illustration for Waqf Land Development Source: authors illustration Figure 1 summarizes the cycle for waqf land development via sukuk. The waqf management board creates a musharakah venture. Waqf management board also will also appoint a Waqf Asset Manager as an agent to develop the land. In order to mobilise the fund through musharakah sukuk the following mechanics can be employed  [10]  : i) the waqf asset manager and special purpose vehicle (SPV) enter into a musharakah venture to develop waqf land for a period with pre-determine profit sharing; ii) the waqf asset manager enters into a two-year forward lease agreement with construction company; iii) on behalf of the waqf management board, waqf asset manager contributes land to the musharakah venture; and iv) the SPV contributes cash as capital to build commercial building on the waqf land. The musharakah sukuk can be complemented by cash waqf fund. Cash waqf has become increasingly popular among Muslim, particularly because of its flexibility, which allows distribution of the waqfs potential benefit to be benefited by the poor. Cash waqf fund may be opened for soliciting cash waqf with the intention to support services to mankind in the name of God. The donors (waqifs) of this fund will give their cash money for the purpose of financing the development of awqaf land/building/properties. The waqf mutawalli will manage this fund and the fund will be utilized for providing revolving loans for development of awqaf properties. This loans that are payable to the fund, to be utilized again for financing other awqaf properties. Conclusion 12. This note examines briefly the nature of waqf land development, review recent literature and practices on waqf land development and propose a solution to undertake waqf land development for ISFD. The development of waqf lands is an important milestone for ISFD given the fact that there are large amount of undeveloped and ill-managed waqf lands in the Muslim world. By providing the expertise on enhancing the awqf institutions and develop waqf land in member countries, it is expected from this undertaking that the institution of awqaf could play a better role in the process of social and economic development but also generate additional source of income for ISFD to combat poverty in member countries. This note proposes ISFD to consider undertaking waqf land development through the issuance of sukuk and developing cash waqf fund together with member countries.

High Stakes :: essays research papers

High Stakes   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Presently, America is experiencing a gambling boom. Everywhere you look there’s at least one advertisement involving gambling. Whether it’s a new Las Vegas hotel or a one-dollar scratcher, it seems to catch people’s eyes. Although it may look like a lot of glam and hype, there’s a dark side to the gambling industry, one people overlook the harsh consequences of. The gambling industry grasps a hold of everyone’s attention. Lotteries appeal to the low economic levels of society as a way to change their lives forever. One pull of the lever on a slot machine can make you an instant millionaire. On the flip side, there are those who gamble for excitement and entertainment reasons. They create a lifestyle of risk taking and chance, often ending up with making the wrong decisions. Most People like the thrill of sitting down in front of a slot machine and pulling the lever in hopes of winning a bundle. The opportunities are endless. So, what does the gambling tell us? A dollar and a dream, that’s all it takes. The gambling industry has grabbed a hold on our society. Roughly three quarters of all Americans gamble. Presently, 48 out of 50 states allow one or more forms of legalized gambling. Sure, the government is going to support gambling, but not without getting a healthy share of the profits. They use political smoke screening. What most Americans don’t know is that promotions and advertisements are producing such small amounts of proceeds that it yields very little funding to public projects. Politicians say that by legalizing gambling, we reduce illegal gambling and organized crime. What its actually doing is enlarging the pool of bettors. Even though casinos have created a number of jobs, the cost to society is greater than the benefits. People are arguing that the jobs created by casinos are low paying and offer little opportunity for the worker in progress. Furthermore, the creation of these casino jobs has taken away jobs from other areas of the economy. Restaurants near casinos are being forced out of business by the cheap buffets that casinos offer, to draw people in.

Life Cycle Stages Essay

There are four stages in the financial life cycle of an individual. The accumulation, saving, pre-retirement and retirement stages. Judging from the financial ratios of Winston and Yvonne, we concluded that Winston and Yvonne are in stage 2: the savings stage of the financial life cycle phase. This stage of the life cycle is usually characterized by the increase of assets, net worth and the decline in the use of debts, as by this stage Winston and Yvonne have already accumulated more assets over the years and would seek to protect their wealth and priorities and at the same time seek to be more risk adverse than before. People in this stage are usually concerned in saving for the future like children’s education, retirement etc. As the savings Ratio can be easily explained by the amount of money a person saves as a percentage of their total income. The level of savings as a percentage of Winston’s and Yvonne’s income is 60.41% as calculated is expected of the cou ple in their mid 30s falling in this stage of the life cycle as it portrayed high savings planning for the future of their children’s education. In the savings stage of the life cycle, we could expect an increase in net worth and assets as those had been accumulated before reaching conservation phases in that cycle. The increase in assets meant that Winston and Yvonne have a relatively high net worth as calculated at 74.51%. As Winston and Yvonne have a relatively high net worth ratio, their financial solvency is lower as most of their funds are being tied up with their fixed assets and their high net worth ratio also showed that their investments and commitments are being funded by debts and trade payables that are not proportionate. Winston and Yvonne might also face problems such as liquidity problems as their high ratio meant that they do not have immediate access to their cash. Therefore any decline in value of their investments or in any aspect that is relevant to their assets would cause them to have the inability to pay back their debt, thus lead to bankruptcy. Winston and Yvonne should seek to lower their net worth ratio by diversifying their funds in lesser fixed assets like property, home contents and education funds as lowering the ratio of their net worth would help them have more f inancial flexibility and ability to meet their financial payment obligations. http://smallbusiness.chron.com/interpret-assetstonetworth-ratios-57281.html. http://www.accountingtools.com/net-worth-ratio. As Winston and Yvonne are in their wealth protection phase, we explained that there would be an indication of a high net worth and a decrease in the use of debts. The debt Service ratio is the monthly debt commitments in comparison to total income and expressed in a percentage. In other words it is the ratio of the ability to repay loans over a period of time. If a debt service ratio is too high it would mean that one is too highly leveraged and has a high amount of loan and in the long run might run into difficulties in repaying off the loan commitment in the future. In this stage we expected financial prudence and a high risk adversity. The low debt service ratio of Winston and Yvonne at 14.21% indicated the low dependability on debt and increases their ability to service their debt, reducing the risk of them not being able to continue going in the long run. This could be expected of them as they are seeking to save for the future and make sure that they are able to service their l iabilities in the long run and not exhausted halfway through by limiting their commitments and slowly getting a debt free approach when it comes to their retirement. http://www.e-conomic.co.uk/accountingsystem/glossary/debt-ratio.

Salem Witch Trial and How it Relates to Government essays

Salem Witch Trial and How it Relates to Government essays In 1692, the Massachusetts Bay Colony was the site of a major historical event. This infamous event, the Salem Witch Trials, was a major injustice in America's history. Once the accusations started, all Hell broke lose. By the time the trials were over, nineteen people and two dogs were hanged, and one man was pressed. Of the 150 people imprisoned, fifty-five of them had confessed to witchcraft. To begin to understand how civilized people could act in such barbaric ways, one needs to know some background information about the village and its citizens. The people who lived in Salem Village were Puritans. They followed and interpreted the Bible literally, and without question. As many people know, the Bible states, "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live" (Exodus 22.18). To the Puritans, this meant that if there was a witch, they had an obligation to kill him/her. Also, the people of Salem, like the people of Europe, believed that witches existed and that many of them were evil. People believed in witchcraft, even when it contradicted scientific evidence proving that it did not exist. It is important to note that the magic that was "evil" was black magic, or magic that was used maliciously against another. Black magic witches were believed to have "entered into 'covenants' with the Devil". White magic, which was used for good luck charms and fortune telling, was not banned. Another important point about this particular village was the events that led up to 1692. In 1684, their charter, the Massachusetts Bay charter, was revoked. In 1688, there were many attacks from the Indians and the French. There were also other bewitchings. That same year, Reverend Cotton Mather cured the Goodwin children after a witch "bewitched them". The old woman who confessed to the crime was subsequently hanged. In early 1692, a major earthquake in Jamaica killed 1700 people. With all these occurrences, it is no wonder how the people of Salem Village jump...

Vocabulary Word Groups - The Mind

Vocabulary Word Groups - The Mind The Mind The words below are some of the most important used when talking about the mind and mental processes. Youll find an example sentence for each word to help provide context.Once youve learned the use of these words, create a mind-map to help you remember the vocabulary in a creative way. Write a short paragraph to help you start using your new vocabulary. The Mind - Verbs analyze You should analyze the situation very carefully. calculate Can you calculate large sums in your head? forget Dont forget to take your computer with you. infer I inferred that she wasnt feeling well from your conversation. memorize Ive memorized many long roles in my love. realize She finally realized that the answer was sitting right in front of her nose! recognize Peter recognized his friend from college. remember Anna remembered to telephone Bob yesterday. work out The Mind - Adjectives articulate Articulate people impress others with their use of words. brainy I have a brainy cousin who is an engineer for a company that makes airplanes. bright Here child is very bright. Shell go far. gifted George is a gifted pianist. Hell make you cry! imaginative If youre an imaginative person, you might write a book, or paint a picture. intelligent Ive had the honor to teach many intelligent people in my life. The Mind - Other Related Words brain The brain is a very sensitive organ. emotion Some people think its best to not show any emotion. Theyre crazy. genius Have you ever met a true genius? Its rather humbling. idea Tom had a great idea last week. Lets ask him. intellect Use your intellect to solve the problem Mr. Holmes. knowledge He has a wide knowledge of birds in North America. logic Mr. Spock was famous for his use of logic. memory I have a vague memory of that day. Remind me of what happened. mind Focus your mind and lets begin class. skill Verbal skills are an important party of his job. talent She has an incredible talent for music. thought I had a thought about the project. Can we talk? virtuoso The virtuoso played Liszt excellently. More Word Groups The BodyCelebrationsClothesCrime

Legal and economic rights of Ancient Egyptian women Essay

Legal and economic rights of Ancient Egyptian women - Essay Example Any assets she brought into the home were under her control though her husband had use of them. Any property amassed during the marriage was governed by the husband but a share of it belonged to the wife. One third of the property went to her if the marriage ended or her husband died. The ability to reproduce offspring was a crucial aspect to every ancient Egyptian woman. One who was fertile was considered to be successful in the eyes of their husbands, family, friends, and society in general. If she was sterile and could not procreate most men sought divorce. They saw raising as many children as possible as a testament to their masculinity. However, as in modern society, adoption was the way to remedy the situation of infertility. Because of the shorter life expectancy and high birth rates in ancient Egypt, there were many orphaned children who sought homes and families. As in most legal cases in Egypt, women were afforded many property rights. All private property she brought into a marriage belonged to her in the event of divorce. She was entitled to inherit one third of all property purchased during the marriage upon the death of her husband. The remaining two thirds was allotted to the children and siblings of the deceased. She also had the ability to entrust her husbands property to her children or her siblings. On the flip side, she could also exclude her children from her personal and shared property. It could be awarded to certain children and omitted from others. Egyptian women entered into all kinds of contracts: marriage, divorce, property, and even self-enslavement to name a few. The latter was actually common amongst both men and women. To enter into... The proof that Egyptian women were entitled to this legal and economic independence was acquired during the Ptolemaic period. The Greeks ruled Egypt around 300 B.C. though each had their own separate laws and social economic traditions. To this kind of notoriety comes another type that is more like infamy. Some women became famous for being convicted of crimes. An example is a woman named Nesmut who committed robberies of royal tombs. One woman fled her district to avoid paying labor on her royal estate and was incarcerated at Thebes. Then there were the prostitutes and wives that were involved in the harem conspiracy of Ramesses III-they had their ears and noses cut off. Of course, the number of women’s crimes compared to men’s crimes is significantly smaller. These women were very brazen and they felt they could be equal to men in just about any endeavor they undertake whether heroic or dastardly. The stigma of Egyptian women in public was somewhat of a mixed bag. The y were free to go out in public as they worked out in fields and workshops. It was not necessary for them to wear a veil at this time. Ramesses III stated in one inscription that he enabled women the freedom of going where they wanted without the worry of danger. Another inscription was found with a less liberating tone. It denounced women who were traveling into town and were unknown and alone. They were supposedly irreverent and free with their sexuality. Although they had the legal freedom to travel, Egyptian social customs dissuaded that notion.

Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Sexual Harassment in the Workplace - Term Paper Example Methodology: The approach adopted is both qualitative and quantitative and primary and secondary sources have been used for research. A questionnaire was distributed to 50 participants in order to collect information about experiences concerning sexual harassment (either faced by them or witnessed). Findings and Inference: Majority of the respondents revealed that women, mostly low skilled ones are mainly exploited in different workplaces. Secondary research findings also support this. Hence it can be said from the evidence that sexual harassment is a major reason behind apprehensions towards work amongst women. Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Sexual Harassment or sexual annoyance in the Workplace is considered as a great concern for employees as well as for the employers of organizations and institutions across the globe. The Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) has been highly concerned about the occurrence of sexual harassment at workplace since its inception in 1975. Various c ases of sexual harassments are registered in local justice courts of countries across the globe. The emergence of the term called sexual harassment has been traced in North America back in mid 1970s. Sexual harassment has been defined by the following two ways: â€Å"Harassment related to sex.... The research seeks to answer the question ‘whether sexual harassment might be one of the reasons why people, especially women are apprehensive about joining an organization.’ Literature review: The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title VII of the act has been highly instrumental in providing greater amounts of opportunity and freedom for women in the workplace. The most important objective of the title has been to identify as well as to eradicate discriminatory employment practices. These aspects have been used in the act for the purpose of providing equal opportunities in respect to each and every aspect at the workplace. However, despite all these legal provisions for reducing the level of sexual harassment in different workplaces across the country, in actual practice this problem has not been solved at all. Even after four decades of these legislations and regulations, several instances of sexual harassments in public and private workplaces across the country are found. Various recent researches and findings suggest that near about 50 percent of women face one and/or more forms of sexual harassment(s) in their workplaces. A study on sexual harassment in American workplaces, which has been conducted by the National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center, revealed the fact that almost 10 million women in the country have faced different forms of sexual harassment in the workplace (Jackson and Newman, 706). There are various aspects which are called to comprise the set of most important reasons behind these evidences of sexual harassments in workplaces in the country. Among these aspects most important ones are socio-demographic aspects, the social contact and the spillover effect of sex-role. The socio-demographic profile of a worker reveals