My Future Essays - Finance, Master Of Business Administration

My Future I like options, I like security, and I like power. With these wants, I knew at a very early age that I would enter business and thus I attended a college that specializes in the subject. In my first position out of school, I was hired by Dunhill Equities as a cold-caller. After several weeks of being hung up on by angry prospects, I decided that this career path would not lead me to success. I then moved within the firm to a position as sales assistant. While this was by no means my dream job, I learned a tremendous amount about business, and I gained useful exposure to the world of finance. Unfortunately, the company hit a period of instability, and after ten months I transferred with my boss to Coleman & Company. Thirteen months later, that company also began to fail, and I began to search for another path to advancement. With two strikes against me, I hit a home run and was hired by Sanford Bernstein into a challenging job with limitless opportunity for growth. After almost three years at Bernstein, I am once again seeking career advancement. My education and work experience have provided me with an excellent introduction to business, and they have sparked my interest in finance. Taking into consideration my foundation and my interests, graduate business school is the next logical step. At this point in my life, I consider a Stern MBA to be necessary since I need to gain a broader understanding of finance and to sharpen my analytical skills in order to be successful in corporate finance. Stern' s MBA program will allow me to concentrate in finance, strengthen my global business perspective, and provide me with the opportunity to study with and learn from people with varied backgrounds. The school' s location in the financial capital of the world and in one of the most diverse cities in the world also suits me perfectly. Aside from advancing my career, I would also like to develop personally. In college I did not join many clubs or organizations, and I did not participate in sports. Instead, I spent all my time studying, working, or dealing with family issues. Having been away from home and living in New York City for four years, I feel the need to make a name for myself and to develop a meaningful social life. I want to take advantage of the many benefits that extracurricular activities offer, and I want to be involved in the Stern community. Upon graduation from the Stern School, I will seek a position as an associate within the corporate finance department of a large, Wall Street, investment-banking firm. In three to five years, once I have become adept in financial analyses, drafting prospectuses, preparing business presentations and other financial advisory work, I will move into a senior associate position. Here I will develop my abilities to anticipate client needs and to engineer solutions that address these needs. In approximately 10 years, I will have the experience necessary to take on upper-level management responsibilities. Acceptance Essays

Free Essays on John Mccain

John McCain’s 2000 Presidential Campaign Senator John McCain gave a powerful speech today for the Reagan Republican Party. He proclaimed he was the better candidate. He said â€Å"I will not padlock the Republican Party, and surrender the future of our nation to Speaker Gephardt and President Al Gore. He stood firm in his beliefs and brought strength to conservatives around the nation. He proclaimed that he will restore faith in those who have lost faith in the Republican Party. Evangelical leaders such as Chuck Colson and James Dobson were among praise but Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell were revengefully attacked within the speech. The speech continued with religious views and tells a short story of how he belongs to a faith that â€Å"unites and never divides.† He wants to restore the people’s trust in the government and their pride in public service. He is â€Å"building a new Republican majority, a majority to serve the values that have long defined our party and made our county great.† He feels that no fear should be bestowed upon him because he will â€Å"honor his obligations to the old and young.† Although he is strongly Republican later in his speech he mentions that he would first cut taxes for those who need it most. He ends his speech with â€Å"Join us, and welcome anyone of good faith to our ranks. We should be- we must be- a party as big as the country we serve.†... Free Essays on John Mccain Free Essays on John Mccain John McCain’s 2000 Presidential Campaign Senator John McCain gave a powerful speech today for the Reagan Republican Party. He proclaimed he was the better candidate. He said â€Å"I will not padlock the Republican Party, and surrender the future of our nation to Speaker Gephardt and President Al Gore. He stood firm in his beliefs and brought strength to conservatives around the nation. He proclaimed that he will restore faith in those who have lost faith in the Republican Party. Evangelical leaders such as Chuck Colson and James Dobson were among praise but Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell were revengefully attacked within the speech. The speech continued with religious views and tells a short story of how he belongs to a faith that â€Å"unites and never divides.† He wants to restore the people’s trust in the government and their pride in public service. He is â€Å"building a new Republican majority, a majority to serve the values that have long defined our party and made our county great.† He feels that no fear should be bestowed upon him because he will â€Å"honor his obligations to the old and young.† Although he is strongly Republican later in his speech he mentions that he would first cut taxes for those who need it most. He ends his speech with â€Å"Join us, and welcome anyone of good faith to our ranks. We should be- we must be- a party as big as the country we serve.†...

Progressive era through the great depression Assignment

Progressive era through the great depression - Assignment Example Another major turning point was the Depression and the Unemployment that occurred in the late 1920’s after the Great Depression; this period was characterized by extreme economic crises and high rates of unemployment. At this time several factories were shut down and many workers were laid off. Discussion 2 The two historical turning points discussed above led to several economic, social and political facets whose effects are still faced by the current American Society. To begin with, the rise of the social movements specifically the Labor Movements that were propagated by the Muckrakers who exposed the Corruption, poor working conditions and lack of respect to human rights that were experienced at working places. In this respect, various groups of activist were forced to take several actions geared to towards opposing the poor working conditions and the corruption at the work places. ... ded with proper remunerations and proper working conditions; such labor laws are currently still practiced to promote proper working conditions and promote proper employee-employer relationships. The Second pertinent turning point in the history of the American Society in the progressive era through the Great depression was the unemployment and the depression that led to an extreme economic crises featured by closing of factories, over-production and high levels of unemployment. This also occurred in the early to the late 1920’s; the crash of the stock market in 1929 in the USA which caused a drastic reduction in economic growth of the nation; workers and farmers were also faced with conditions of low income. Several organizations such as the Robert La Follett’s and the Wisconsin made various attempts to formulate strategies to enable the society to enable the society to cope up with the deteriorating economy; however, their efforts were fruitless (Wisconsin University 2008). In the Mid 1930’s the then United States’ President Roosevelt formulated the New Deal policy and the unemployment bill that was developed by the Harold Groves as an economic model succeeded in improving the economic status. These models together with the current economic models have facilitated the relative stability in the current economic status in the American Society. Discussion 3 The late 1980’s through the 1920’s saw the rise of several women empowerment movements and social groups for instance: The Women Suffrage Movement, Women and Peace Movement, Legacy of Women in the Progressive and the Status of Women. All these groups were focused towards empowering women; the American Society during the progressive era was characterized by the perception that women were the Moral Guardian

Astronomy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 7

Astronomy - Essay Example Agnostic individuals do not believe a higher power created the universe. The Big Bang Theory is given as evidence that the Earth and surrounding galaxies were created due to pure science. Hydrogen and helium combined to enact an explosion that after of billions of years created Earth and intelligent life. The agnostic individual also believes that this is Earth’s springtime, when considered in terms of seasons. Everything eventually dies, including the Earth and Sun. It might take billions of years, but the universe will keep dying and renewing at only a predictable rate. Agnostics believe in science due to the provability. The do not believe in a higher power due to lack of proof. Atheists believe no higher power exists. The universe was the results of trivial consequence of cosmic evolution. The stars, moon, planets, and so forth were all created by accident. Human evolution is also considered a lucky fluke by Atheists. No omniscient being could have created the Earth, because the scientific proof shows otherwise. Unlike the agnostic that does not believe because lack of evidence, Atheists believes no higher power ever existed. The astronomy findings and other science are often touted as proof of their beliefs. Intelligent Design is the new compromise that Christians, Islam, Judaism, and even Eastern religions have made about a higher power creating the universe. Basically an Intelligent Design example is of building blocks. When an individual take building blocks with the alphabet or numbers and throw them on the floor, rarely if any design can be determined. The universe is too complex for it to have left to chance. Evolution, according to Intelligent Design, would never occur without being manipulated by a higher power. Christians, Muslims, and Jews believe that God created the universe in six days. Adam and Eve mentioned in these religious texts. These individuals will not even consider astronomy due to the conflict with their belief. Religious

Nike strategic fit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Nike strategic fit - Essay Example Nike aspires to serve the human potential through sports - as the company states, "We feel lucky to have a genuine, altruistic reason to be: the service of human potential. That's the great benefit of sports, and we're glad to be in the middle of it."2 Kotler (1974) states that, 'an individual's beliefs or conceptions about what is desirable, good or bad - forms the value system.' In today's competitive environment such a value system plays a crucial role not only in satisfying customer needs but in taking on the competition as well. A company can acquire competitive advantage on its rivals on account of marketing efforts, brand building, value creation, innovation, operational efficiencies etc. but more important is to sustain the leading edge. Value creation forms the core component for sustaining the competitive advantage. Mele and Colurci (2006) provide distinctive paradigms for value as such.

Neo Realism Of Pather Panchali Film Studies Essay

Neo Realism Of Pather Panchali Film Studies Essay The Bengali feature film Pather Panchali or Song of The Road in English was directed by Satyajit Ray and released in 1955. It was considered a landmark in the field of Indian as well as world cinema. Although it was director Rays debut effort it went on to win critical and popular acclaim from all around the world. The path breaking movie was also instrumental in winning the Best Human Document award at the Cannes Film Festival of 1956. Satyajit Ray had his first truck with neo-realism as far back as 1949, when Jean Renoir the famous director from France came to Calcutta to make the film The River. The neo-realistic influence that is apparent in most of his movies came from this association with the famed movie maker as also from the neo-realistic propensities of the then prevailing Italian cinema (Ruberto. L, Wilson. E Kristi. M 2007). Ray happened to take the famous director to various potential locations in the Bengal countryside. Later he went to London on official business. During the short time he was in London, Ray saw myriads of movies and seeing the film Bicycle Thieves made so profound an impression on him that he decided to be a movie maker, then and there (Robinson, 2003). Pather Panchali is considered to be neo-realist in its implications. The main reason for describing the movie as neo-realistic was the fact that it was filmed not long after the II World War when neo-realism held sway in most of Europe. What made the critics tack the label of neo-realism to Rays movie? Ray chose mostly natural locations while shooting Pather Panchali. He wanted the backdrop of each shot to speak for itself. Also, he totally refrained from the artificially exaggerated practices and gestures of the popular cinema prevailing in India. The movie is said to have amply demonstrated some affiliations with the traditions narration, representation as well as musical address prevailing in earlier times in an effort to articulate in an Indian identity of the day following independence (Vasudevan, 2000). In an attempt to dissociate himself and his creations from the commercial movies emanating from Bollywood, Satyajit Ray stated, The differences appear to emerge from evaluating the status of the narrative form through which the real would be articulated, through what means of representation, styles of acting, aesthetic strategies the real would be invoked. Here the popular compendium studio shooting, melodramatic, externalized forms for the representation of character psychol ogy, non- or intermittently continuous forms of cutting, diversionary story lines, performance sequences was not acceptable within the emergent artistic canon, for they undermined plausibility and a desirable regime of verisimilitude (Ray, 1976). Pather Panchali possessed all the essential characteristics of neo-realism as proposed by the great Italian movie maker Zabattini. The neo-realistic theory lays down the dictum that the filmmaker should not ever impose his own individual interpretation on the movie that he is making and should always remain a passive observer of the reality that he happens to be creating. It does not matter whether he is depicting misery or prosperity, the movie maker should always uphold the utmost objectivity, by subordinating logic to action at all times. Although, even the staunchest of the neo-realists were utterly unable to attain such total objectivity for the simple reason that the subjective element always had a tendency to creep into any artistic creation, they never stopped from trying to achieve it. The same thing holds true for Satyajit Ray when he made his debut film Pather Panchali. In fact Ray was virtually unable to keep the subjective element out of his movie. But he never made comments on his actions, characters or situations. He never pitches hints at his audience and never tells them just what to think and feel. At the same time he was not at all apprehensive about taking the appropriate stances. This is because he was predisposed not to his characters but to the drama of life itself. He had his own ways to suffuse life on to the screen in order to impart a shimmer of hope to all his characters. Pather Panchali and Bollywood movies : A contrast Bollywood movies are a far cry from the realism and objectivity of Rays movies When comparing and contrasting a Satyajit Ray movie to any Bollywood movie, there is nothing much to compare but there is a lot to contrast. The only factor a movie like Pather Panchali has in common with a Bollywood movie is that both are shot in India and is about life in India. The similarity ends there. While Rays movies are predominantly realistic, there is nothing even remotely realistic about Bollywood films. To make matters worse, Satyajit Rays art films received their due recognition from the cognoscenti and welcomed with open hands within the ambit of world cinema. Evidently, Rays movies were in stark contrast to the populist fare dished out to the masses. This further discouraged any scholarly discussion of Bollywood movies within cinematic and media study circles. Madhava Prasad (2003) a film scholar wonders about the significance of the term Bollywood (2003). It might be that being imitative Bollywood cinema needs to be rechristened to emphasize this derivativeness. In another context, Gokulsingh et al states that whereas Hollywood filmmakers strove to conceal the constructed nature of their work so that the realistic narrative was wholly dominant, Indian filmmakers made no attempt to conceal the fact that what was shown on the screen was a creation, an illusion, a fiction. Genre While movies like Pather Panchali comes under the genre of art cinema or parallel cinema, Bollywood movies come under the genre of Masala meaning a mixture of hot spices. The main characteristic of the Masala genre is the song and dance sequences, a critical factor in defining the particular genre. But audiences that invest social realism into cinema find it difficult to accept the genre as they are extraneous constructions of the real (Dudrah, 2002). It might be interesting to note that the term Bollywood does not signify Indian cinema as a whole but is confined to those movies emanating from Mumbai, the erstwhile Bombay (Corliss, 1996). Budget Any film begins with a budget which in turn necessitates financial backing. Another factor that delineates Pather Panchali and Bollywood movies is the matter of budgeting. Pather Panchali was shot with the meager budget of $3000 while Bollywood spends incredible amounts to make musical extravaganzas. Even a single dance scene from a Bollywood movie costs tens of thousands of dollars. Satyajit Ray could not afford even what to a Bollywood producer is an insignificant sum. The government of Rays home state contributed the lions share of the production costs of Pather Panchali. This never happens with Bollywood films. Film distributors around India are standing ready to advance princely amounts of cash to a masala movie emanating from Bolllywood. Monroe Wheeler, the then head of the prestigious Museum of Modern Art was greatly impressed with high levels of quality prevalent in Pather Panchali although what he saw at the time of his visit to Calcutta in 1954 was an incomplete footage. La ter Wheeler asked John Huston, the American movie director who was on a visit to Calcutta to look into the progress Rays debut movie. At Hustons favorable feedback, the Museum of Modern Art provided Ray with additional funds. Still three years had elapsed before the movie went into post-production (Mehta, 1998). Screenplay The screenplay for Pather Panchali was based on the Bengali novel of the same title by the popular novelist Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay. The novel was about the simple lives of people inhabiting the Bengal countryside of the period. Such a theme is generally anathema to Bollywood directors. Again, the scripts of Bollywood movies tend to be involved, complicated and resemble the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle that somehow come together at the very end. In contrast Pather Panchali did not have even a whole script (Robinson, 2003) as it was solely based on Rays notes and drawings. His theme was simple enough with seemingly random sequences of trivial as well as significant sequences pieced together, a practice that is foreign to the mindset of Bollywood movie directors. Rather than dishing out a fare to assist the moviegoers to escape from the harsh realities of life even it is for a few hours as is the case with Bollywood movies, Ray wanted the script à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦to retain some of the ra mbling quality of the novel because that in itself contained a clue to the feel of authenticity: life in a poor Bengali village does ramble (Ray, 1976). Quite unlike a Satyajit Ray movie, a bollywood film is replete with a plot that is extremely melodramatic in its connotations. Most of such movies follow a regular formula with ingredients that is often mindblogging to a serious movie goer. Such formulae is replete with love triangles, family ties, irate parents, corrupt politicians, conniving villains, kidnappers, golden hearted prostitutes, siblings long lost, sudden reversals of fortune, impossible coincidences and what not. Musical score The musical score consisting of Pather Panchali was prepared by the sitar maestro Ravi Shankar who at that time was at the initial stage of his musical development (Lavezzoli 2006). The background score, in the best tradition of Indian classical music, was something that was truly plaintive and exhilarating (Hoberman, 1995). A sound track that was based on the ragas of classical music and did not contain any songs to portray dance sequences was singularly at variance with the inane capers of Bollywood and something that was happening for the first time in the annals of Indian cinema. A Bollywood movie is an epitome of mediocrity with nothing to relate it with life as lived in India. The main emphasis is on musicals consisting of catchy tunes and words accompanied by a series of song-and-dance sequences. Even the theatricl trailers made to promote a movie have their emphasis on song and dance scenes The standard of a movie is based on mainly on the quality of the songs it features. In fact one major factor of movie promotion with Indian commercial movies in general is to release the songs that a movie contains far ahead of its release. A Satyajit Ray movie appeals to the filmgoer for the aesethetic sense it imparts. To see Pather Panchali was to have what MSN Carta defined as a cerebral experience (MSN Encarta).To understand such films the audience should have a sound notion of what a true movie should be as also expect them to be of a high standard. But it is not at all so in the case of Bollywood movies. Plagiarism in Bollywood Movies Bollywood script writers and music composers have a tendency to plagiarize from western sources and from Bengali and Malayalam movies of India which are of a comparatively high standard. Plot lines, ideas, tunes as well as riffs are fair game for Bollywood (Ayres Oldenburg, 2005). In the past Bollywood could get away with impunity as the movies were largely unknown to non-Indian viewers with the result that none had the faintest notion that ones materials was beeing plagiarized (Dudrah, 2002). Well known Bollywood Director Vikram Bhatt put it succinctly when he remarked Financially, I would be more secure knowing that a particular piece of work has already done well at the box office. Copying is endemic everywhere in India. Our TV shows are adaptations of American programmes. We want their films, their cars, their planes, their diet cokes and also their attitude. The American way of life is creeping into our culture. and also If you hide the source, youre a genius. Theres no such th ing as originality in the creative sphere. However some copyright violations were indeed resulted in litigation. For instance the Bollywood movies Zinda in 2005 and Partner in 2007 were taken to court for having plagiarized from the Hollywood movies Oldboy and Hitch respectively. Accolades Another point to note is that Rays films remains an important part of world cinema and he has received more accolade than any other Indian moviemaker. Noted critic Basil Wright made this comment after viewing Pather Panchali for the first time: I have never forgotten the private projection room at the British Film Institute during which I experienced the shock of recognition and excitement when, unexpectedly, one is suddenly exposed to a new and incontrovertible work of art (Chapman, 2003). For instance the noted film critic Constantine Santas opined that Ray developed a distinctive style of film-making (Santas, 2002). Moti Gokulsing and Wimal Dissanayake stated that the basis of Rays works is comprised of strong humanism and visual lyricism (Gokulsing Dissanayake, 2004). Roy had the singular honor of establishing himself as an auteur of cinema with his very first movie (Santas 2002). In contrast no Bollywood film has ever won an international award, won any critical claim or even special mention from anywhere in the world except in those pulp magazines singing paeans to the movie moguls of Bollywood and their mediocre creations; this in spite of the fact that Bollywood churns out more movies per annum than any other country in the world. Although Bollywood movies are immensely popular with India and Indians living abroad, many South Asians eye them with derision labeling them as maudlin and unrealistic. To quote Edward Johnsons aside as he was commenting on the film posters of Bollywood movies, Indian cinema has a reputation in the West founded more on myth than reality. Art directors such as Satyajit Ray are given fulsome praise whilst the majority of commercial cinema receives nothing but ridicule and the entire industry is pilloried as specious drossà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦(Johnson, 1987:2). Even scholarship in India which, at times, was dismissive of popular films as Technicolor fantasies catering to the masses. To them Bollywood movies were characterized by dance and music, melodramatic content, lavish production procedures and over emphasis on spectacles and stars. And this is why Bollywood films have attained box-office success and raving audiences within India as also globally and not because of aesthetic excellence or on any grounds of merit. . The evolution of Bollywood Cinema with its constant interruptions of dance and song sequences is cited as a critical feature distinguishing it from other cinemas (Gopalan 2002); it is often also cited as an impediment to serious cinema as well Bollywood apologists complain that their movies are evaluated in the glum shadow of European cinematic forms, epistemologies and aesthetics and that in the confines of these rubrics Bollywood movies become poor imitations of art, exhibiting a total lack of realism of any sort and so remain shallow spectacles of fanatastic settings and music. Conclusion In the latter half of the 20th century filmmakers as well as screen writers of a serious mien became frustrated with the then prevailing musical movies. They wanted to reverse this trend and take the Indian movie to a higher and saner realm. They wanted to develop an altogether new genre of movies that portrayed reality from an aesthetic perspective (Roy, 2008) and not mediocre escapist fare. The pioneering efforts of Satyajit Roy gave birth to a number of highly aesthetic and unforgettable movies from avant garde directors like Mrinal Sen, Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Shyam Benegal and Girish Kasaravalli. And while it lasted no good thing lasts for long it was a real relief from the artifice universally distributed from the gaudy sets of Bollywood.

Affirmative Action Essay -- Politics, Public Policy

According to Newman, affirmative action is a â€Å"program designed to seek out members of minority groups for positions from which they had previously been excluded, thereby seeking to overcome some institutional racism† (Newman, 536). Affirmative action made its debut with a piece of legislature passed by President Lyndon Johnson in 1964 and continues to this day. However, the concept of affirmative action is a controversial issue that continues to be hotly debated. Affirmative action policies are passionately debated by everyone from educators and politicians to ordinary citizens, all who hold differing opinions on both the necessity and validity of the policies. There is no doubt affirmative action is an emotional topic and deals with the sensitive subjective of race, therefore people’s reactions to it are going to be strongly influenced by their own race and person experiences. One group who may support affirmative action are educators. Especially, those who work with poorer minority students and see the obstacles they have to overcome in order to finally get ahead and attend college, unlike their parents. To these educators affirmative action may be seen as a sign of hope for bright, determined minorities. Politicians too may support affirmative action if it is in their political interest to do so. If a politician is running for office in an area with a large minority population that is not well off they would likely support affirmati ve action to gain the votes of the citizens. However, if a politician represented an area that is for the most part racist and unwilling to give opportunities to minorities, politicians will probably reject the idea of affirmative action. In the case of politicians it seems likely their decisions wo... ...uch as â€Å"socioeconomic status, first-generation college status, geographic residency,† or the hardships students have overcome (â€Å"UD.gov†). These factors while not race based would likely ensure a fair amount of minorities were represented. Until institutions and organizations in the United States can choose applicants without bias and minorities have overcome the socioeconomic disadvantages they face, it will be necessary to maintain some form of forced equality, which is what affirmative action provides. Works Cited "GUIDANCE ON THE VOLUNTARY USE OF RACE TO ACHIEVE DIVERSITY IN POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION." UD.gov. U.S. Department of Education, 02 Dec 2011. Web. . Newman, David M. Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday Life. 8 ed. Los Angeles: Pine Forge Press, 2010. Print.

Belize Commercial Free Zone

The Commercial Free Zone [pic] Sign to entrance to CFZ [pic] Map layout of CFZ [pic] Plazas, Company Stores & Shoppers inside ‘The Zone. ‘ CRS104-2 Group # 7/ D Research Question: Identify an industry or economic area with in your country where taxation and protection as been removed and look at the condition of it with in your country in terms of: 1. has it worsen or improve 2. variety of choice ( no specification of products made) 3. price of goods ( no indication of the prices of goods) 4. overall employment 5. quality (no indication of the quality of goods) 6. government revenue 7. ocal industry A Brief over View of the Commercial Free Zone or CFZ The Commercial Free Zone is one of Belize’s many Offshore Companies or industries used to attract foreign investors from all over the world to increase Belize’s economy and northern economy. Belize's legislation defines CFZ as â€Å"a geographic area in Belize designated outside national customs territory and duly restricted by controlled access, wherein the benefits created shall apply to a complex of industries. † The CFZ boarders Mexico’s South Eastern border and allows investors to directly access Mexico’s high end consumer market.Corozal’s Commercial Free Zone is under the management of the Commercial Free Zone Management Agency (CFZMA) and is headed by the Chief Executive Officer under a Board of Directors within the Zone. The Commercial Free Zone (CFZ) was established under the Corozal Commercial Free Zone Act of 1994 and was in place by 1997. The FZA is the most modern laws governing Free Zones in Belize. Business entrepreneurs are offered insane tax free business opportunities. Businesses there are free of foreign exchange restrictions and benefits such as duty exemptions and tax holidays.Goods imported or exported are exempt from any duties, quotas, stamp duties and revenue replacement duties. Income tax on Commercial Free Zone businesses is usually c harged between 2% and 8%. Businessmen’s rates can be reduced up to 2% through tax credits by employing Belizean workers. The Zone provides a variety of facilities for activities such as manufacturing, processing, warehousing, packaging and distribution of goods and services. This allows the businessmen today to manufacture, import, export, distribute fuel, and to offer retail or wholesales to Mexico and many other international clients.By doing so, they are also offered access to dock ships at ports in Belize and direct export by sea, air, land and entry into national customs territory. Today the Zone under gone vast improvement since then and continues to do. What started out first as a private sector with a great struggle to attract investors began to pay off due to the involvement of the few businessmen’s determination and dedication. First there were a few companies that only imported and exported their merchandise, then one or two retail stores, and then there was the addition of a SHELL gasoline station.This then offered the Mexicans an economical and better quality fuel than Mexico’s state-run fuel company PEMEX offered. Mexicans then began to invest in the Zone and brought with them numerous stores which offered investors and consumers everything from a more active store location to batteries. Benefits that Foreign Investors Receive from CFZ The following is an extended list of benefits that Investors receive: 1. no restrictions on foreign exchange out of or within a CFZ, including the sale of foreign currency or the transfer of foreign exchange; 2. noGovernment charges and taxes on foreign currency use within a CFZ; 3. all merchandise, articles and goods that enter a CFZ for commercial purposes are exempt from import duties, revenue replacement and stamp duties; 4. all fuel and goods, including buildings materials, equipment, furniture, supplies, etc. , needed for the functioning of a CFZ business are exempt from all duties and ta xes; 5. A Social fee of 1. 5% is charged on all goods and services imported into the CFZ, except for fuel (on fuel it makes 10%); 6. no quotas for imports and exports; 7. t is possible to open an account in any currency with a duly registered bank of CFZ business choice located in the CFZ; 8. no import or export license is required for imports or exports; 9. imports and exports are exempt from all custom duties, consumption and excise taxes, and export duties; 10. During the first 5-year period of business functioning in a CFZ, it is exempt from income tax, or capital gains tax, or any new corporate tax levied by the Government of Belize; any dividends paid by this business are exempt from tax for the first 20-year period of its operation; 11.The loss incurred over the 5years' tax holiday by a CFZ business may be carried forward and deducted against profits in the 3 years after the tax holiday period; 12. Any proceeds from the sale of stock or other ownership interest in a CFZ busin ess are exempt from the above-mentioned tax. Employment, Government Revenue, CFZ Current State of Being and Effects on the Belizean Economy Employment The main industry in Northern Belize that provides over six thousand families with income is the sugar industry.The other main industry which does so is CFZ. By 2003 there were over 400 businesses. Now there are about 700 which are offering employment to over 3000 Belizeans. Government Revenue 1. In 2004, CFZ brought in $274 million in economic activity annually of which the Government charged income tax as the five year mark had passed in 2002. 2. CFZ Christmas sales were approximately 50 percent lower than 2004 in 2008 CFZ Current State of Being Investors are losing confidence in the Belizean economy as: 1. There is less economic activity in the zone.This has left investors who have built million dollar shopping plazas unable to meet financial commitment. As a result, half of the facilities have now become vacant. 2. The Chetumal Ch amber of Commerce consistently pressures the Mexican Federal government to hinder Mexicans from purchasing at CFZ. 3. Before the Belize Bank and Atlantic Bank have been depositing pesos from the Free Zone in banks in Chetumal. Now Mexican banks are refusing to accept pesos deposited at CFZ due to money laundering concerns. Investors are then forced to keep large sums of pesos which posses the risk of theft.As a result the risk of excess pesos forcing the Market is eminent causing investors to sell excess pesos to local currency dealers at a loss due to Mexico’s unstable exchange rate. 4. The Central Bank has lost its account with HSBC (an international bank which used to process the millions of US dollars in cash) this is due to US anti-money-laundering banking regulations. There are periods when commercial banks in CFZ have not been freely taking the US dollars for the past three weeks. As a result, there have been several U. S. dollar freezes at CFZ in 2002, 2009, 2010.This is a very serious matter as it posses a possible treat to place CFZ activities on halt permanently if no resolution is provided. Hence anywhere up to over 17 million US dollars would be left to sits in a vault in Belize unprocessed. Effects on the Belizean Economy Consequences: 1. In 2008, Imports also fell by 38. 9 percent to a new low of $114. 5 million due to losses in the global economy . When economic activity fell to 50% in the Christmas of 2008; it caused the Belizean economy to decline. This is due to the fact that the industry is earning less; less income is being gained by the government through income tax.As a result Commercial activity continues to decline. 2. CFZ income is dependent on foreign currency, especially so US currency. Any change in the U. S economy directly affects us. Also since investors are all foreign, and not local, they can leave at any point in time, and will provided that there is persistent decline in economic activity or U. S Dollar Freezes or whe never financial responsibilities cannot be meet. 3. As a result of businesses closing their shutters permanently thousands of Belizeans are left unemployed. 4. Belizean economy then continues to decline.

Natural Disasters Bring Out the Best and Worst in People Essay Example

Natural Disasters Bring Out the Best and Worst in People Essay Example Natural Disasters Bring Out the Best and Worst in People Paper Natural Disasters Bring Out the Best and Worst in People Paper Essay Topic: A Woman Killed With Kindness Citizen Kane The media keep disaster in the forefront of our minds. TV, radio and the front pages of the press seem to revel in disaster because the public have a morbid curiosity in it, provided that it happens to other people. Disaster boosts TV ratings and sells newspapers. As we absorb the news of a famine, an earthquake, a hurricane, a tsunami, sometimes we tend to put ourselves in the position of the victims and wonder how we would react. In such situations, most people act instinctively, and what they do is more spontaneous than calculated. That spontaneity is usually the subconscious reflection of character, and because fife for most of us is lived on an even keel, how we behave in emergency is largely unpredictable, unless we have been previously conditioned to react in certain ways. The recent earthquake in Manner gave me a vivid example of two contrasting reactions to the same event. The house of a man received a direct hit from the earthquake which killed one of the daughters of the family. The father was a sincere Christian. He fell on his knees and prayed for the souls of the victims. The following day, what remained of his possessions lying round the shattered house were looted. This showed two very different reactions to disaster. Looting often follows the breakdown of law and order. It is never justifiable, but it may be less reprehensible in some circumstances than others. Some would disagree, but they are those who have never seen a disaster such as a famine. If my children were crying for food and I had the chance to steal a bag of flour to make bread for them, I think I would steal the flour. Would this action reflect the best or the worst in me? So what is it that governs our reaction during and after an emergency? The answer to that question is character. Character is governed by genetic structure, by upbringing and training, and by self-discipline, or its absence. If we react badly, we show cowardice, selfishness and indifference to the plight of others. If we react well, our conduct reflects the opposite of these failings. In the latter case, genetic history alone may govern our actions, but in most cases, people are poised between good and bad. It is then that external conditioning will tip the balance in one direction or the other. However, even more important than training is love, the kind which puts others first and helps us to forget self. This is relatively easy where our nearest and dearest are concerned, more difficult and perhaps more admirable where the others concerned have no emotional claim on us. The old Latin tag amour Vinci Omni, love conquers all things, is most germane to our reaction during disaster. There is also truth in the old Biblical saying Perfect love caste out fear. Natural disasters are the most devastating things that could occur in this era of globalization and it is true that it will bring the worst in some of us. Yet there were countless examples of bravery and unselfishness when en would help the wounded or engage hopeless odds with total disregard for their own survival. Some of these actions were recognized by the award of medals and decorations. Most were not. This was in some ways the most admirable product of this century. And whether the disaster is an earthquake or a hurricane, adversity tends to bring people together in a way that nothing else can. It goes without saying that the effectiveness of a service unit depends on the fact that every man knows he can depend on his colleague, whether he likes him or not. Whatever the disaster, the same spirit is seen in cost of the civilian population. People open their homes and hearts to each other, offer help, comfort and encouragement in a way which is never seen when life is easy and normal. The earthquake and tsunami that battered north-eastern Japan three weeks ago have put on display Some Of the nations finest features. Anyone who has spent time among survivors would surely agree this disaster has shown this nation at its best. Though the government response has inevitably been inadequate in some areas, relief efforts have been orderly and generally effective. And those much-maligned politicians eave at least managed to pause the feuding behind ruling parties and opposition groups that had threatened to derail next years government budget. Meanwhile, all along the north-eastern coast, people who have lost loved ones and homes have responded with uncomplaining restraint and self-discipline. It IS a measure of the high standards of social order Japanese set themselves that residents of the battered port of Fount recoil with dismay at rumors that four people have been arrested for stealing from ruined homes. I thought this was a good town, says one resident. Even mongo the rubble it is possible to hear neighbors greet each other and visitors with polite humor. Asked how victims can still laugh at a time like this, Mammas Mira, a fisheries co-operative chief from a village in coastal Sashimi, draws chuckles from his friends by answering: Every Japanese samurai! Historic accounts of the San Francisco earthquake demonstrate how the best in people are productively deployed from the moment the fires began to blaze. While the post-earthquake tremors continued to shake the ground beneath them, public servants working for institutions like the Post Office moored instructions to flee, and saved their own places of employment by skilful concentrated collective action. Some citizens, whose homes had been destroyed had begged, borrowed and stole food, coffee, tea and milk to set up impromptu cafes in the wreckage, which provided centers of contact and comfort for other survivors. They did this despite the officious pointless interference of military men who felt threatened by spontaneous action on the part of the citizen. Another good example how disasters bring out the best in people is the natural emergence of a volunteer corps. The natural emergence of volunteer forces in an emergency fits with the theory that those emergencies provide what prosperous routine times do not: a way to fulfill the basic human need for community identity. Some saw this side-effect of disaster as so important; they even described natural calamities as social utopias. Yes, people lose their homes, their businesses, their property and so much more. But at the same time they experience the kindness of strangers and the freedom that comes from the abandonment of possessions that they will never get to experience otherwise. These volunteer rescuers (who, statistically, tend to save more lives than do the emergency services) are disregarded by the media because media tends to arrive along with the official disaster responders; the police, military and corps Of engineers. Media have the habit Of relying On official sources for clear responses which carry more clout with the viewing public than the story of an unofficial volunteer rescuer. Media prefer the ordinary punter to be in victim mode, ideally weeping noisily over their loss. Chirrups volunteers dont fit easily in the traditional TV assister narrative. So we will see more pictures of residents in the flood- stricken areas looking at their destroyed possessions or queuing for water than we will see of them doing the rescue work they excelled in over the past few days. The image will be one of pathos and passivity, rather than euphoric coping. Mass media can cope with one individual showing boundless courage and resource because that individual can become an identifiable hero. Its not as good at capturing collective heroism, particularly when it takes unromantic forms like the making of hundreds of sandwiches. However, disasters like the Christopher earthquake can also bring out those seeking to exploit a tragedy. Two Japanese journalists were arrested overnight when they tried to break into hospital to interview victims. A man has been arrested for impersonating a building inspector and asking to see peoples valuables in a bid to steal from them. Sups Russell Gibson says police have received reports of individuals posing as CEQ staff asking about electronic items in homes. Cowardice accounts for most of peoples worst reactions to disaster. In fact few people, if any, are fearless. The earthquake that battered north-eastern Japan three weeks ago has also put on display some of the nations worst features. On the negative side, the natural disaster has brutally exposed the failings Of a nuclear power industry that many Japanese have for decades viewed with distrust. In doing so, it points at the high cost of the technological hubris and faith in construction as a solution to any social or economic problem that was a powerful strand in policymaking even before late prime minister Kaki Tanana in the sass set government the goal of remodeling he Japanese archipelago. That powerful earthquake and the huge tsunami it unleashed were undoubtedly a formidable double-whammy. But even a magnitude 9 quake hardly lies beyond the boundary of the Largest Conceivable Earthquake that Tepee claims its plants are designed to withstand. And while it will take time to establish all the links that make up the chain of disaster engulfing the Fuchsia plant, it is hard not to think that Tepees chronic problems with safety and disclosure could be factors in the current crisis. The crisis may end up taking a further toll on the tattered petition of Japanese politicians. It is they, after all, who have failed to protect the publics interest in a safe nuclear industry. And while the Democratic party-led governments short time in office means it can hardly be blamed for creating the crisis, Mr. Kane has hardly emerged as the kind of leader able to comfort and calm the nation at such a time. While, when disaster strikes, it is true that some people see opportunity to lend a helping hand for their fellow man or fellow Woman, Some folk see dollar signs written all over other peoples pain. Misery money remains a strong draw in our oral. People capitalize on human misery every day wars, unrests, earthquakes, floods, wildfires, storms, el onions, la minas, volcanoes, poverty, etc. Not all of us would react to disaster as we think. Self- preservation is the strongest natural impulse of all. Indifference to self has to be a very powerful counter-impulse if we are to be confident of behaving in the way we would hope. Or, to put it more crudely, we can pull together to do something about an earthquake, and feel good in the process, whereas negative equity and salary cuts leave us bailing for dear life on our own.

Free sample - Cannabis. translation missing

Cannabis. CannabisAccording to Brown (1998), Cannabis can be defined as a genus among the flowering plants comprising of three recognized species namely, Cannabis indica, Cannabis ruderalis, and Cannabis sativa. The three classifications are autochthonous to South Asia, and Central Asia. Cannabis is a very unique plant that is used for a number of reasons, both positive and negative and its uses can affect the entire global society. Cannabis is known by a number of names, for instance, Marijuana, Grass, Attention Getter-weed, Dope, and Pot. For a number of years, there has been a stigma accompanying the Cannabis plant and it has been seen as an inherently evil plant by most of the people in any given society. Apparently, it is the use or misuse of the plant that is bad or good, and not the plant itself. Cannabis can be eaten, smoked, or drunk just like tea. If Cannabis is taken in low doses it can bring about a relaxed state of mood while higher doses of Cannabis may bring about euphoria. It has been clear that, not every individual sees positive consequences from cannabis, for instance, most of the novice users and the high dose steady users have experienced increased paranoia or anxiety. It has been found that the main active ingredient of cannabis called delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, affects processing of information as well as speed of response such that the activities that involve skilled responses like driving can be affected negatively (Nahas Latour, 1993).  Ã‚   Cannabis is a long-lasting hemp plant. Over many years, the cannabis plant has been used to manufacture a variety of products namely, pulp, seeds, and medicine. The Cannabis plant pulp has been used as fuel and as a raw material for making paper. The seed has been used in foods but the oil that is extracted from the seed can be utilized as a base for varnishes and paints. The leaves and blossoms of the hemp plant excrete a sticky resin which is usually used in a number of medicinal functions and in most cases for entertaining people as they abuse its use (Potter Joy 1998). Most consciousness-altering drugs comprise of both constructive and destructive effects. Apparently, people use drugs following their constructive effects but most of them are not aware of the possible destructive effects. Therefore, it is the ratio of the constructive to destructive effects that propels much of the debates regarding drugs. Some individuals perceive the use of Cannabis as a better option, while for other people the use of Cannabis is more casual. Just like all the other substances, there is a possible price that can be paid regarding the risks to one’s health (Brown, 1998). References Brown, D., (1998). Cannabis: the Genus Cannabis. Boca Raton: CRC Press. Potter, B., Joy, D. (1998). The Healing Magic of Cannabis. USA: Ronin Publishing. Nahas, G., Latour, C. (1993). Cannabis. Boca Raton: CRC Press.

Playtime- Modern Architecture in the future Paris Research Paper

Playtime- Modern Architecture in the future Paris - Research Paper Example Modern skyscrapers, glass apartment, glass buildings and the visit by the American tourist shows a great step Tati has taken to represent modern architecture in the modern Paris. The accidents that occur in the movie show that the people around are not used to the modern architect. Therefore, it is a new thing introduced. The film revolves about how human beings wander baffled by the cities and the architectures. The centre of intelligence resides behind the camera and not on a particular point of view2. Tati created the movie with the focus of creating a new Paris with repetitive housing projects and modern skyscrapers. By this, he virtually omitted traditional Paris except in one scene where there is a reflection of Arc de Triomphe in a window3. In addition, where a woman is walking in a glass building and the Eiffel tower is seen in the frameless glass door. This is seen in the travel bureau where modernist buildings of the world have posters that are identical. The relationship between the people and the modern architecture is put into question. What is the intermarriage between the two and how have people really appreciated it. Has the film industry really grown to accommodate the modern architect? The people in the movie seem to be fascinated y the modern architecture especially the American tourist who seem to be fascinated by the tall skyscrapers and the glass buildings. Among them is Barbara who at the end is given a square present to fit into her head. It is mostly observed that many of them forget the presence of the glass and end up causing accidents. An example is Hulot himself who bangs himself at the glass door. The film industry appreciates the modern architecture by the quality of the pictures it shows. The director used a 70mm high definition camera to film the movie and also in the evening at Hulots’ old friend house the movie is filmed from outside and from the neighborhood yet we can get clearly pictures4. The movie is one that

The Sales Plan for Ontela PicDeck Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Sales Plan for Ontela PicDeck - Essay Example Consumers also reflected increased affinity of sending photos through the use of electronic mails and also storing photos on the in the effective desktop which is enabled through the use of the PicDeck service. The major competitors for Ontela PicDeck can be evaluated to be like Eye-Fi and Transcend that offer technology solutions relating to data transfer in a wireless medium and also in the storage of the same in memory cards. It is observed that wireless technology companies like Eye-Fi and Transcend enable the collection of a large number of photos and thereby contribute in transferring the same to other devices based on the wireless medium and also through the use of the cloud interface. Eye-Fi and Transcend have viewed as the significant players in the wireless market ineffective transfers of a large number of photos from cameras to Smartphones and also from mobile devices to computers. It is observed that where Transcend tends to generate a 32 GB Wi-Fi card for around $72.45; Eye-Fi tends to generate a 16 GB Wi-Fi card for around $89.74. In terms of price and storage features, Transcend tends to be the most appealing product let alone the performance and technology competence of Eye- Fi. Technology offered by such companies contributes in effectively sharing the contents between the mobile phones and laptops and personal computers such that the same can be further shared through the use of electronic mails and social platforms like Facebook (Perlman 2013).