Thursday, January 30, 2020

Trading Strategies Essay Example for Free

Trading Strategies Essay The Dutch Tulip Boom (1636-1637) The tulips, a beautiful flower usually associated with the Netherlands are flowers that have a very notorious economic history in that country. The tulip is not a native Dutch flower. Like many other products in western Europe, such as the potato and tobacco, tulips came to the Netherlands from another part of the world. Tulip was introduced to the Dutch on the year 1593. It was said that the tulip was first seen by Europeans in Turkey. Scholars now believe that the Turks had been cultivating tulips as early as AD 1000(Sykes, T. (2003),‘Tulips from Amsterdam). Most of these tulips probably originated in areas around the Black Sea, in the Crimea, and in the steppes to the north of the Caucasus. Back then it used to command a very steep price which could be amounting to a small fortune, today the said flowers are available at modest prices. When the Tulip was first introduced to Holland, tulip ownership was primarily limited to wealthy nobles and scholars. Antwerp, Brussels, Augsburg, Paris, and Prague are among some of the cities where such tulips first began to circulate. The exorbitant price as well as the great demand for this commodity gave rise to an extraordinary event in Dutch history – The Tulip boom of   1636 – 1637. The Tulip Boom was an economic phenomenon which   took place on the year 1636. This craze lasted for a year. (McGuigan, B. (2007), ‘What is a Tulip Craze?’, Conjecture Corporation) The cause of the said phenomena was the sudden surge of the demand for tulip flowers and bulbs. The Tulip was prized back then for its rarity, beauty and because of the fact that it takes around 7 years to grow a tulip seed into a bulb. It was said that a reasonable purchase price for an ordinary   single tulip-bulb of the Viceroy variety consists of: â€Å"two [loads] of wheat and four of rye, four fat oxen, eight pigs, a dozen sheep, two ox heads of wine, four tons of butter, a thousand pounds of cheese, a bed, some clothing and a silver beaker. This price roughly estimated to be amounting to   2,500 guilders (Dutch Currency) is of course ridiculously exorbitant nowadays considering that it is only for a piece of bulb which does not even guarantee that it will produce a flower. The said price however during those days   is deemed a Fair and reasonable† purchase price   for an ordinary tulip bulb. Rarer species during the height of the Dutch ‘tulip mania’ in the seventeenth century would be double or triple that price, a Semper Augustus, considered to be even more precious than the Viceroy tulip, could bring in close to 6,000 guilders. (Schulman, B. (2007), ‘Tulip’, The Regents of Minnesota University) Eventually, some tulips were sold at the rate of a single bulb for the value of a house, and lots of bulbs were exchanged for large estates. Tulips became a commodity on the Dutch stock exchanges, allowing people who weren’t cultivators or traders to try to take advantage of this boom. It was noted that many people began putting enormous amounts of wealth into speculation on the tulip market — in extreme cases, even their entire savings or properties. The Tulip craze reached a fevered pitch in the year 1636, which witnessed a lot of   money pouring into the market, as well as speculation on tulip futures offered by traders who had not yet planted bulbs. At around 1637, the market became saturated with the said product, and some traders began to sell, often in large amounts. This caused panic on the so called tulip merchants making them want to sell their tulips immediately even up to the point   of selling cheap. Needless to say the said   speculation caused an enormous downturn. As a   result the   tulip craze ruined many thousands of people financially, as tulip bulbs that had been purchased for the price of a great estate were nearly devalued overnight to the price of common onions. To stop the economy from plummeting and because of the fact that   tulip prices and the practice of tulip speculation became so excessive and frenzied the States of   Holland passed a statute curbing such extremes in the year 1637. (Jones, S. ((2005), ‘House Prices Tulip Mania A lesson from History !’) II.  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Current Global Mining Resources Boom As of the present, Mining companies are in the midst of an immense economic boom, accompanied with high levels of demand and   an above average boost in revenue and profits. It is apparent that   the Global   demand for metals is closely related to global GDP, although rapidly expanding economies tend to have a higher intensity of use of some metals, particularly steels, than advanced countries (Mandaro, L(2006).   ‘Joy Global: No end to mining boom in sight’,). Many analysts believe that the current peaks may represent long-term strength in the market, driven largely by the economic engines of China and India. The rapid growth of   Chinese and Indian economies seem to have been inversely affected by   the   growth of Western economies. The advancement being enjoyed by the two countries is showing   no signs of imminent slump or stagnation. The said Phenomenal levels of this demand were not expected nor anticipated(Achieving High Performance in Mining: Winning Today, Succeeding Tomorrow (1996-2007). The mining industry may not have the same nature of cycles as typically perceived by investors, but the current level of high metals prices appears to be holding up and the predicted peak keeps on moving. Amidst the apparent boom   which the mining sector is experiencing presently, some measures still need to   be implemented   by the   executives of the mining sectors to focus on the opportunities that todays high commodity prices present, it is apparent that the mining sector needs to keep an eye on significant challenges that lie beyond the current boom to achieve high performance. It is a known fact that   although   prices are not likely to drop to the lows which occurred a few years back, the said prices   are likely to fluctuate and fall below todays levels. This assessment is considered accurate given the number of players globally, there is a high risk of investing in future excess capacity. Production costs are skyrocketing, especially energy and input material costs, these variables seem to have diminished the positive effects   the benefits of the commodity boom has in store for the mining industry. In a global industry, commodity price and currency volatility have the potential to erode the benefits coming from the profits being enjoyed by the Mining industry (Ernst Young.(2006) ‘A Timely Opportunity for Private Equity?’). Todays strong market gives companies an opportunity to invest in preparing to meet those challenges. Mining companies need to plan for a potential downturn as well as for continued high demand. In short, they need to balance the ability to exploit todays boom times with well-founded strategies that will continue to deliver value to shareholders in the post-boom period. They also must pay close attention to a range of issues to drive the triple bottom line and focus not only on economic results, but also on the social and environmental impact of their operations. In an era of global competition, mining companies must constantly look for ways to improve those operations, mostly by applying modern technology on the mining equipments used from mines to concentrators to smelters (Ernst Young.(2006) ‘A Timely Opportunity for Private Equity?’). III. The New York Stocks Exchange Commission (NYSE) Stock exchange transactions are basically transactions that involve the day to day activities of brokers and dealers. These individuals facilitate the buying and selling of financial assets. Brokers execute trades on behalf of clients and receive commissions and fees in exchange for matching buyers and sellers. Dealers, on the other hand, buy and sell from their own portfolios (Stock Exchange(2007)) Microsoft MSN Encyclopedia Encarta) .They earn income by selling a financial instrument at a price that is greater than the price the dealer paid for the instrument. Some exchange participants perform both roles. The said transactions occur frequently nowadays and is governed primarily by Stock exchange commissions, the most noted of these organizations would probably be the New York Stocks Exchange Commission.   The New York Stocks Exchange Commission is the worlds largest marketplace for securities. It was   organized back in 1792 by a group of stockbrokers who wanted a more orderly way to sell and buy company stocks (The New York Stock Exchange) (2007),   Encyclopedia Britannica Online). The New York Stock exchange was formerly located at number 40 Wall Street in New York City, But As the said establishment grew it was   later moved into what is currently the New York Stock Exchange Building. Membership was   limited to 1,366 since 1953, and is obtained by purchasing a seat from a current   existing member. Major stock exchanges in the United States include the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the American Stock Exchange (AMEX), both in New York City. The NYSE is   operated by a board of directors, whose primary role is to   list down   securities, to set policies and to supervise the stock exchange and its member activities. Another important function of the NYSE is to oversee the transfer of members seats on the Exchange, which would involve judging whether a potential applicant is qualified to be a specialist. Stock exchanges perform important roles in national economies (New York Stock Exchange – NYSE (2007), Investopedia). Most importantly, they encourage investment by providing places for buyers and sellers to trade securities. This investment, in turn, enables corporations to obtain funds to expand their businesses. The Stock market, is of course the mirror of the current economic situation of a country. The NYSE, being the largest of them all,   would of course imply that any fluctuation occurring in the NYSE stock market   would of course mirror the   economic situation of the U.S. This would best be illustrated by the economic turmoil experienced by the said country on the year 1929. It was an event remembered by many because of a lot of unseemly things happened within a blink of an eye. In the 1920s, things were really rocking in the US and around the world. The rapid increase in industrialization was fueling growth in the economy, and technology improvements had the leading economists believing that the up rise would continue. The enormous amount of unsecured consumer debt created by this speculation left the stock market essentially off-balance. It was on the 24th of October 1929, when   the stock prices began to fall and brokers began to sell. By noon of the same day, millions of shares had been sold. The selling frenzy continued all afternoon. Before the close of the day, 13 million shares had been traded and the market dropped an estimated amount of four billion dollars. Many investors, tried to even things up, and as a course of action they invested their life savings, mortgaged their homes, and cashed in safer investments such as treasury bonds and bank accounts. After some time the realization of what had happened began to sink in, and a full-blown panic ensued. People who had invested their entire life savings during the boom became destitute. Many of the banks which had speculated heavily with their deposits were wiped out by the falling prices, and these bank failures sparked a run on the banking system. As a result many banks and businesses were forced to close. Each failed bank, factory, business, and investor contributed to the downward spiral that would drag the world into the Great Depression. Five days later, the worst possible scenario took place. On that day, over 16 million shares of stock were sold and the market fell over 14 billion dollars. By comparison, the entire budget of the U.S. Government that year was three billion dollars. In one day, the United States lost more capital than it had spent in all of World War I. And so it came to pass that thousands of investors many of them ordinary working people, were financially ruined. By the end of that   year, stock values had dropped by fifteen billion dollars (The Crash,   NYC Architecture. Retrieved August 29, 2007). Bibliography    The Dutch Tulip Boom Schulman, B. (2007), ‘Tulip’, The Regents of Minnesota University, Retrieved August 28, 2007   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     http://bell.lib.umn.edu/Products/tulips.html McGuigan, B. (2007), ‘What is a Tulip Craze?’, Conjecture Corporation,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Retrieved August 28, 2007   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-tulip-craze.htm Jones, S. ((2005), ‘House Prices Tulip Mania A lesson from History !’   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Retrieved August 28, 2007   http://www.marketoracle.co.uk/Article18.html Sykes, T. (2003), ‘Tulips from Amsterdam’, Retrieved August 27, 2007 http://www.rba.gov.au/PublicationsAndResearch/Conferences/2003/Sykes.pdf The Current Global Mining Resources Boom Mandaro, L(2006).   ‘Joy Global: No end to mining boom in sight’, Marketwatch Retrieved August 29, 2007 http://www.marketwatch.com/News/Story/5VZZZjDn3fVvlBkkp9z78Ht Achieving High Performance in Mining: Winning Today, Succeeding Tomorrow (1996-2007),   Accenture, Retrieved August 29, 2007. http://www.accenture.com/Global/Services/By_Industry/Mining/R_and_I/WinningTodaySucceedingTomorrow.htm Ernst Young.(2006) ‘A Timely Opportunity for Private Equity?’ Ernst Young Global.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Retrieved August 29, 2007. http://www.ey.com/global/content.nsf/International/Mining_Private_Equity The New York Stocks Exchange Commission The New York Stock Exchange (2007),   Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Retrieved August 29, 2007.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9055541/New-York-Stock-Exchange New York Stock Exchange – NYSE (2007), Investopedia   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Retrieved August 29, 2007   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.investopedia.com/terms/n/nyse.asp The Crash,   NYC Architecture. Retrieved August 29, 2007   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.nyc-architecture.com/LM/LM036-NEWYORKSTOCK EXCHANGE.htm Stock Exchange(2007), Microsoft MSN Encyclopedia Encarta. Retrieved August 29, 2007   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761560145/Stock_Exchange.html Gongloff, M. ‘Attacks could hit economy’. CNN Money. Retrieved August 30, 2007   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://money.cnn.com/2001/09/11/economy/wtc_econ/

Monday, January 27, 2020

Mineral Mapping of the Chitradurga Schist Belt

Mineral Mapping of the Chitradurga Schist Belt Mineral mapping of the Chitradurga Schist Belt: A remote sensing approach to delineate potential resources Introduction: The Optimum utilization of natural resources is major and important objective of a Country. However the Policy makers making decisions about allocating land use to reach the competing demands sources the reliable information of these natural resources very important prerequisite as it enables decision- making agencies to estimate prospective benefits from different uses of the land and prioritize them based on social and economic needs of the society. It is easy to map the surface exposed spatial data such as water body, soil, forests etc where as other natural resources such mineral deposits occur below the land surface and cannot map directly, but it possible to map mineral potential zones. For many developing countries, however, there is a general lack of geoexploration data required for a reliable and comprehensive nationwide mineral potential assessment and classification. This lack of geoexploration data and nationwide comprehensive mineral potential assessment and classification have brought about conflicts and competing demands between land-uses that permit mineral resources development and those that promote protection of ecosystems (Domingo, 1993). The mineral potential assessment and classification of an area is critical for land-use policymaking so that prospective land is not alienated from mineral resources development in the future (McCammon and Briskey, 1992; McLaren, 1992). In order to achieve mineral potential assessment and classification despite the lack or incompleteness of systematic and comprehensive geoexploration datasets alternative methodologies are needed. The term ‘mineralization’ refers to the collective geological processes that lead to the formation of mineral deposits (Bateman, 1951b) The term ‘mineral potential’ describes the possibility of the presence of mineral deposits or mineralization. Mineral potential assessment or classification is a multi-stage activity with the ultimate objective of delineating mineralised zones that can be exploited under prevailing economic conditions (Reeves et al., 1990). Mineral potential assessment or classification is a multi-stage activity with the ultimate objective of delineating mineralized zones that can be exploited under prevailing economic conditions (Reeves et al., 1990). Ideally, during each stage, multivariate and multi-source geoexploration datasets are used to guide the succeeding stages of mineral potential assessment and classification. At the small and medium-scale stage (i.e., regional to district scale ranging from 1:50,000 to 1:100,000), for example, the geoexploration datasets required should be derived from geological, geophysical and geochemical surveys. The increasing need to integrate geoexploration datasets arises from the fact that the easily-recognized mineral deposits have long been known and that more evidences and advanced methods are necessary to accurately assess and classify the mineral potential of a particular area (Bonham-Carter, 1997; Chinn and Ascough, 1997; Raines, 1997; Pan and Harris, 2000). Mineral potential, as used in this research, is the set of characteristics attributed to a particular area that describes the probability for the presence of mineral deposits or existence of mineralization. Factors affecting economic viability of mineral deposits are not considered in this definition because the geological and mineral deposit data that are available are insufficient to determine sizes and grades of mineral deposits. Mineral potential is determined by how well the geological and mineral deposit data fit established mineral deposit models and existing knowledge about the mineralization of a particular area. Mineral potential statements that arise from this research are estimates, rather than facts, because of the dynamic and variable nature of geological knowledge and the mineral exploration environment. It is, however, of prime importance that these statements establish the potential for the discovery of mineral deposits. The geologically-constrained predictive mineral potential maps generated in this research are based on two factors: favourability and validity. Favourability is determined by integration of geological variables that are considered essential for mineral occurrence. Validity is determined by how well the predictive models delineate correctly known mineral deposits that were not used to generate the models. These two factors are important for assessing the efficacy of the methodologies developed for geologically-constrained predictive mapping of mineral potential. Mineral deposits, whether metalliferous or non-metalliferous, are accumulations or con- centrations of one or more useful substances that are for the most part sparsely distributed in the Earth’s crust (Bateman, 1951a). The geological processes that lead to the formation of mineral deposits are collectively called mineralization (Bateman, 1951b). The term ‘mineral potential’ describes the possibility of the presence of mineral deposits or mineralization. Mineral potential does not take into account economic factors such as deposit grade, tonnage, physical, chemical and mineralogical characteristics, nature and thickness of overburden, availability of man power and technology, market demand, etc., as these are typically unknown during mineral potential mapping. Mineral potential mapping of an area involves demarcation of potentially mineralized zones based on geologic features that exhibit significant spatial association with target mineral deposits. These features, which are termed recognition criteria, are spatial features indicative of various genetic earth processes that acted conjunctively to form the deposits in the area. Recognition criteria are sometimes directly observable; more often, their presence is inferred from their responses in various spatial datasets, which are appropriately processed to enhance and extract the recognition criteria to obtain evidential or predictor maps. Remote sensing, as a direct adjunct to field, lithologic and structural mapping, and more recently, GIS have played an important role in the study of mineralized areas. A review on the application of remote sensing in mineral resource mapping is attempted here. It involves understanding the application of remote sensing in lithologic, structural and alteration mapping. Remote sensing becomes an important tool for locating mineral deposits, in its own right, when the primary and secondary processes of mineralization result in the formation of spectral anomalies. Reconnaissance lithologic mapping is usually the first step of mineral resource mapping. This is complimented with structural mapping, as mineral deposits usually occur along or adjacent to geologic structures, and alteration mapping, as mineral deposits are commonly associated with hydrothermal alteration of the surrounding rocks. In addition to these, understanding the use of hyperspectral remote sensing is crucial as hypers pectral data can help identify and thematically map regions of exploration interest by using the distinct absorption features of most minerals. Finally coming to the exploration stage, GIS forms the perfect tool in integrating and analyzing various georeferenced geoscience data in selecting the best sites of mineral deposits or rather good candidates for further exploration. Spectral identification of potential areas of hydrothermal alteration minerals is a common application of remote sensing to mineral exploration. The extraction of spectral information related to this type of target from Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) imagery has been achieved through the use of image processing techniques such as band ratioing and principal component analysis (PCA) (Sabine 1999). With the limited spectral resolution provided by Landsat TM, alteration mapping has been restricted to the detection of areas where alteration processes are likely to have occurred—the TM visible and near-infrared (VNIR) and shortwave infrared (SWIR) bands are only able to discriminate areas rich in iron oxides/hydroxides and clay and carbonate minerals, respectively. When one collects multivariate data in some field of application a redundancy effect often arises because of covariation between variables. An interesting issue in reduction of dimensionality of the data is the desire to obtain simplicity for better understanding, visualizing and interpreting the data on the one hand, and the desire to retain sufficient detail for adequate representation on the other hand. E.g. a remote sensing device typically measures the emitted intensity at a number of discrete wavelengths or wavelength intervals for each element in a regular grid. This â€Å"repetition† of the measurement at different wavelengths induces a high degree of redundancy in the dataset. This can be used for noise reduction and data compression. A traditional method used in this context is the celebrated principal components transformation. This is a pixel-wise operation that does not take the spatial nature of image data into account. Also, principal components will not always produce components that show decreasing image quality with increasing component number. It is perfectly imaginable that certain types of noise have higher variance than certain types of signal components. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is a mathematical technique for reducing the dimensionality of a data set (Jackson, 1983). Because digital remote sensing images are numeric, their dimensionality can be reduced using this technique. In multi-band remote sensing images, the bands are the original variables. Some of the original bands may be highly correlated and, to save on data storage space and computing time, such bands could be combined into new, less correlated eigen images by PCA. In addition to its use in this way, PCA can be used as a change detection technique in remote sensing (Jensen, 1986; Fung and LeDrew, 1987; Muchoney and Haack, 1994). Principally, there are two ways in which PCA can be used in change detection (Jensen, 1986; Muchoney and Haack, 1994): 1. Independent data transformation analysis in which multitemporal image data sets are spectrally enhanced separately using PCA. Each image is then separately classified for use in post classification change detection. 2. Merged data transformation in which all the bands from the n dimensional multitemporal image data set are registered and treated as a single N dimensional data set as input to the PCA (where n is the number of bands per image, N = n x the number of image dates). Approach two is applied in this work, which assessed wetland change on the Kafue Flats in Zambia. The aim was to assess the potentials and limitations of using PCA for change detection on this heterogeneous land cover scene. Whereas the methodology is not new and has been demonstrated elsewhere (e.g. Fung and LeDrew, 1987), this is yet another example demonstrating its use. Computationally, three steps are involved in the principal component transformation (Eklundh and Singh, 1993). The first is the calculation of a covariance or correlation matrix using the input data sets, the second is the calculation of eigen values and eigen vectors, and the third is the calculation of principal components. The principal components calculated using the covariance matrix are referred to as unstandardized principal components, and those calculated using the correlation matrix are referred to as standardized principal components (Eklundh and Singh, 1993; ERDAS Inc., 1994). The use of a correlation matrix, in calculating principal components, implies scaling of the axes so that each feature has unit variance. This normalisation process prevents certain features from dominating the analysis because of their large numerical values. Because unstandardized PCA preserves the dynamic range of the original data in the analysis, it was employed in this work in preference over standardized PCA. Broad band remote sensing systems, such as the Landsat Multispectral Scanner (MSS, 4 bands) and Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM, 7 bands), Drastically under sample the information content available from a reflectance spectrum by making only a few measurements in spectral bands up to several hundred nanometers wide. Imaging spectrometers, on the other hand, a sample at close intervals (bands on the order of tens of nanometers wide) and have a sufficient number of spectral bands to allow construction of spectra that closely resemble those measured on the laboratory instruments. Imaging spectrometry is defined as ‘the simultaneous acquision of images in many narrow, contiguous spectral bands’ ( Goetz et al., 1985). Analysis of imaging spectrometer data allows data allows extraction of detailed spectrum for each picture element (pixel) of the image. High spectral resolution reflectance spectra collected by imaging spectrometers allow direct identification ( and in some instances . Abundance determinations) of individual materials based upon their reflectance characteristics including minerals( Goetz et al., 1985: Lang et al., 1987: Pieters 1994: Clark et al., 1996: Board man and Huntington, 1996: Crowley and Zimbelman,1996),

Wednesday, January 22, 2020

the old man and the sea Essay -- essays research papers

The Old Man and the Sea   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the timeless novel The Old Man and the Sea, the hero is undoubtedly the old man, Santiago, whom us as readers become very acquainted with. Santiago is a hard-worker and perseveres through every problem nature brings to him. He is in the midst of a horrendous fishing drought, during which the townspeople laugh and ridicule him. Santiago just lets the criticism pass him by because he is confident that the fish of his lifetime is coming soon. In a sense, Santiago represents the ideas of honor and pride. He is also a hero to a young boy named Manolin who conveys the image that the old man is whom he would rather live and spend time with rather than his biological father.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Santiago has many noteworthy character traits. He possesses a very strong sense of pride that will not allow him to give up on fishing even after eighty-four days without a single fish. He is also virtuous in that no matter what happens to him, he will not make up excuses or false accounts in an attempt to cover up his bad luck. He is also very unselfish for the reason that he never looks down on the boy or treats him unfairly. Everything they accomplish together, Manolin is given credit for, which I found unusual because more often than not, old men will try to hoard their achievements to try and hold on to their glory days. Instead, Santiago is trying to...

Sunday, January 19, 2020

Pocahontas: A Great American Myth Essay -- Native Americans History Es

Pocahontas: A Great American Myth John Smith's tales of the Indian princess, Pocahontas, have, over time, encouraged the evolution of a great American myth. According to this myth, which is common knowledge to most Americans, Pocahontas saved Smith from being killed by her father and his warriors and then fell in love with John Smith. Some versions of the myth popular among Americans include the marriage of Smith and Pocahontas. Although no one can be sure of exactly what happened almost four-hundred years ago, most historians agree that the myth is incorrect. Pocahontas did not save John Smith's life from "savages" and never showed any affection for him. The events of her life differ greatly from the myth Americans have created. Historians, such as Nancy Egloff, of the Jamestown settlement, believe Smith created the story of his attempted murder to gain fame (Vincent 1). Our sole evidence that Pocahontas saved Smith's life comes from his story in The General History of Virginia, New England, and the Summer Isles (1624), but this may not be a reliable source. According to Smith, he was captured by Indians, taken to their chief, Powhatan, and was to be killed, but Pocahontas, Powhatan's daughter, saved his life (111). John Smith was captured by the Indians, but whether he was to be killed by them in the ceremony which he describes in The General History of Virginia is not certain. Smith describes a scene where all of the Indians gather around him, place his head on a stone, and Pocahontas lays her head on top of his to save him from being clubbed to death (111). Historians believe that this was not an attempt to "beat out his brains," as Smith describes (111), but rather an adoption ceremony. The Indians merely welcomed Smith into the tribe, for after the ceremony, Chief Powhatan named him his son, which Smith also describes in his General History, but attributes his acceptance to Pocahontas' love for Englishmen. This ceremony was actually a traditional ritual of the tribe, and Pocahontas played a designated role in that ritual (Chief Crazy Horse). She accepted Smith as her brother in the ritual, while Smith believed she saved his life from ruthless savages. Smith may have misinterpreted an Indian ritual, or he may have romanticized the story to gain fame, which many believe was typical of him. Some believe Smith's captivity may never have occurred... ...ey's further dramatization of the myth: It is unfortunate that this sad story, which Euro-Americans should find embarrassing, Disney makes "entertainment" and perpetuates a dishonest and self-serving myth at the expense of the Powhatan Nation. (3) Perhaps we, as Americans, enjoy this romantic tale of Indians and Europeans, our ancestors, uniting. We therefore continue to relay this obstruction of the truth from generation to generation, until the truth is no longer recognizable. Works Cited "Pocahontas." Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities. Online. Internet. January 24, 1998. Available at http: //www.apva.org /history/ pocahont.html. "John Smith." The Norton Anthology of American Literature. Baym, Nina et. all. 4th ed. Vol. 1. New York: Norton, 1994. 111. Chief Roy Crazy Horse. "Pocahontas Myth." Powhatan Nation. Online. Internet. January 24, 1998. Available http://www.powhatan.org/pocc.html. "Pocahontas." Columbia Concise Encyclopedia: Microsoft Bookshelf. Microsoft Corporation: 1993. 1. Vincent, Mal. "Preview: the historical Pocahontas." Online. Internet. 24 Jan. 1998. Available http://www.pilotonline.com/movies/mv0620his.html

Tuesday, January 14, 2020

Case Analysis: Vasant Scribes

CASE ANALYSIS VASANT SCRIBES Kamia -D10007 Ramanjot- D10016 Tushar-D10025 BATCH EX-PGP (2010-13 ) The case talks about a medical transcription company, Vasant Scribes and the challenges faced by it in terms of growth. The revenues and company had stagnated and had tried various methods to diversify into higher value added areas of medical billing & marketing analytics that hadn't worked. The case highlights the steps that were taken and the options available ahead. Case Facts Vasant Chemicals Limited was the flagship company of the Vasant Group.After Being in the bulk chemical category for about 25 years, Mr. Chowdary, MD wanted to move into a new economy business. Vasant Scribes Ltd was the outcome of a Brainstorming by the promoter of Vasant Scribes, who had a desire to make a foray Into the IT services sector. With the help of consultants and internal reviews, the group Narrowed down on Medical transcription services as the main focus area to enter the Services business. Vasant Sc ribes transcribed about 100,000 lines of transcription per day. It had about 320 employees spread over 3 locations in Hyderabad.The Company also outsourced Some transcription work to franchisees in Vijayawada, Coimbatore and Kolkata. Phase 1: Initial years and growth pangs (1999-2001) The key challenges that the company faced during this phase were: 1. Establishing credibility in the US transcription market 2. Winning its first clients 3. Managing manpower and maintaining a redundant work-force. Phase 2: The years of rapid growth (2001-2004) In 2001, the company initiated a number of measures to improve marketing efforts, Including engaging the services of a US telemarketing services company.This strategy started showing results in the second half of the 2001. At the same time, the efforts in establishing a US based subsidiary and sending the COO to the US started paying off. Some of the key achievements of the company in this phase were as follows: This account catapulted Vasant Sc ribes from a small company to a Medium sized company 1. Wins of some medium sized clinic accounts. Most of the initial clients were a result of doorto-door campaigns. Subsequent wins were a result of references from these clients. 2. Winning a large account due to previous relationship and experience with the client. . Establishing sub-contractors in order to increase capacities without risk of redundant manpower. 1|Page Diversification Dilemma The idea to diversify was fueled by the desire to continue to grow rapidly while at the same time not exposing the company to the risks of continuing to operate in a single sector. There have been continuing discussions amongst industry players about the changing face of medical transcription including the role of technology. Some of the key areas that were considered for diversification included: ? ppraisal transcription (being similar in nature to medical transcription) ? medical billing and coding (being a natural forward integration into a high-end Outsourcing business) ? legal transcription/outsourcing (unrelated business) ? voice mail transcription (being a natural extension to medical transcription) ? marketing analytics (unrelated business) Phase 3: Challenges of diversification (2005-2007) Pursue medical billing business. It was viewed as a natural forward integration of existing medical transcription business. The medical billing ervices were offered under a different brand name of Vantage billing services to distinguish it from Vasant Scribes, which had already gained repute as a medical transcription client. Medical billing industry ? ? ? ? Medical billing process were more complex, sophisticated technological support Risky affair High level of negotiation (CFO level involvement in contract ) Fragmented Industry Marketing Analytics business overview The job of a service provider was therefore twofold to demonstrate that they had the capabilities and to show the potential client that there was a need. e make say, $1 per person per hour, we make $5 per person per hour in the case of medical billing and nearly four times as much in marketing analytics. We believe that the company must Continue to grow on the value chain for growth and survival. † Vasant Scribes Today With the issue of continued sustenance in medical transcription temporarily put away, the company was now gripped with the challenges of growing the medical billing and Marketing analytics businesses. 2|Page Some of the key issues before the management were OR Problem statement 1.Should the company continue to pursue the medical billing business? If so, How should it attempt to grow it? In the past, the company had looked at Potential acquisition of companies to gain initial credibility. Should the company pursue this option? Or, alternately, should the company look to tie-up with a reputed medical billing company in the US (essentially repeat the same trick as with medical transcription)? 2. Should the company continue to look to grow in marketing analytics, or Should it temporarily defer the plans until the establishment of the medical?Billing business? If the company were to aggressively pursue the marketing Analytics business, what should be the strategy? 3. Finally, since medical transcription had become a very large and profitable Business, should the company concentrate all its energies on this, and deemphasize The growth and diversification plans? Analysis 1) Yes they should pursue medical business only as a short term goal (as a variance) till the MTs business boom up, it should continue to do business with the US medical billing companies for contractual business. ) Market analytics is very lucrative business but requires more deployment of Resources in the form of talent manpower, continues technological upgrade, knowledge hunting, Market analytics cover the scope of Business intelligence and analytic tools, Data warehousing platform software, Performance management and analytic applica tions which was very new to Vasant scribes . Manpower hired for Business could be used in Market analytics expansion scope. They should study the markets & gather the resources to enter the analytics’ market meanwhile continue with the MTs & Medical billing business.They should adopt GO TO MARKET STRATEGIES that depend on ever finer segmentation of target audiences by industry, region & organization size. The momentum, Diversity & size is huge in business analytics market annually 3) Vasant Scribe should deemphasize the growth in Medical billing services & should focus on MTS & Market analytics service, MTs would be have volume business & Market analytics concentrated on high margin, the scope explore by Nasscom reviled big revenues generation source for Indian IT companies due to weaker going US employment. Thus creating win-win situation for both (US & INDIA CO) . 3|Page

Saturday, January 11, 2020

Index Numbers of Commodity Prices and Industries

Index Numbers of Commodity Prices and Industries In India index numbers are constructed for a wide range of economic subjects and their use is constantly increasing. The construction of index numbers started in India as early as the last quarter of 19th century. The main use of index numbers is to facilitate the assessment of average changes over the years with regard to wide range of economic activities. Many official and non-official agencies compile and publish index numbers of various kind. Index number of industrial production The Index Number of Industrial production was first compiled by the Office of theEconomic Adviser to the Government of India with base 1937 = 100. The index has been revised from time to time with respect to the base year, the basis of weighing and the coverage of items. The current index number is with base 1970 = 100 and the items covered are divided into four groups, viz. , i. Basic industries, it. Capital goods industries, iii. Intermediate goods indus tries and ‘v. Consumer goods industries. Index numbers of commodity prices Index Number of commodity prices may be broadly classified as index number of wholesale prices and index number of retail prices. ) Index number of wholesale prices- The wholesale price index number are of two types: i. The general purpose index is constructed with a view to reflect the changes taking place in the general price level; hence it includes a large number of commodities. i'. A sensitive index on the other hand serves as an indicator of the movements of the general price levels and it includes only few important commodities which generally react quickly to the market trends. The current index number of wholesale prices has 1970-71 as the base year. (b) Index number of retail prices- The chief retail price index numbers ompiled in India are i.Labour bureau index number of retail prices for urban centres and it. Labour bureau index number of retail prices for rural centres. The Labour Bureau, M inistry of Labour, Government of India, compiles and publishes the index number of retail prices for 18 selected urban centres and 11 selected rural centres in various parts of the country on monthly basis. The index number initially had 1944 as the base. Now the construction of this index number is discontinued and it is replaced by simple price relatives of certain selected articles of consumption ith the calendar year 1960 as base year. c) Consumer price index numbers- The consumer price index number compiled and published by the Labour Bureau are important indicators of the changing economic situation in the country. At all India level three different series of consumer price index numbers are compiled. They are: i. Consumer price index of industrial workers, it. Consumer price index for non-manual employees and iii. Consumer price index for agricultural labourers. http://classofl . com/homework-help/statistics-homework-help/

Monday, January 6, 2020

Sentinel City Community Windshield Survey Essay - 1811 Words

Sentinel City Community Windshield Survey H’Linh Kay American Sentinel University Sentinel City Community Windshield Survey A community is defined as a group of people who live in the same area, where they interact with each other and share common interests, beliefs, needs, resources, and environment (Harkness, amp; DeMarco, 2016, p. 189). The windshield survey is a personal collection of observed data while walking or driving a car or using public transportation in the community. The purpose of this assignment is to complete a virtual experience of Sentinel City. During a tour, the primary focus will assess the core of Sentinel City community environment through windshield survey method, which identifies the community dynamics†¦show more content†¦There are adults and teenagers walking along the sidewalks and socializing in the outdoor eating areas. Traveling further into the area, some buildings’ outer walls have graffiti. Toward downtown, the roads show sign of age and ware with some cracks that need repair. There are some trash bags outside of the older buildings with dumpsters c lose by the main road. Just outside of Casper Park District, the bus continues toward Industrial Heights neighborhood, which has 38,855 population and predominately 46.8% Latino and 13.1 % African American with average household income of $24,672. The community consist of old buildings and there are more graffiti on outer walls. There are adults and teenagers walking along the street, where some appears to be heading toward an old â€Å"Grocery Store† or â€Å"Downtown Store†. Throughout the area, the roads are dirty with cracks and debris. There are many trash bags outside the building or dumpsters, and close to the sidewalks. On West Main Street, there are many children in playground within the Industrial Heights Elementary school. A police officer walks the students from the bus drop-offs toward the school. Further out of the school area on Elm Street, there is a broken car on the roadside, another vehicle burning and a firetruck heading toward it. A police patrol car is on Stephen sShow MoreRelatedEssay On Community Based Assessment1349 Words   |  6 Pages Community Based Assessment Holly Crawford Western Governors University Sentinel City Demographics Assessment   Ã‚  Ã‚   Sentinel City is a large community with a population of 634,265, which is comparable to Las Vegas, Nevada’s population of 632,912, (2016 Census).   There are many different ethnic groups within the community.   The white population makes up 80.6%, black makes up 10.4%, Indian makes up 2% and Asian makes up 3.7%, with two or more races making up 3.1%.   Within, Sentinel City , thereRead MoreAnalysis Of Sentinel City1454 Words   |  6 Pages Sentinel City offers various community services throughout the city. The health clinic offers women sexually transmitted diseases services, birth control, and pregnancy tests (Sentinel, 2017). In City Hall the following services are offered to all residents, childcare services, head start, adoption programs, healthcare assistance, and WIC (Sentinel, 2017). Government programs are also available to the elderly populations, such as assisted living, nursing homes, meals on wheels, and serviceRead MoreNightingale Squa re, Nightingale Square, Acer Tech District, And Industrial Heights1130 Words   |  5 PagesSentinel City is divided into four neighborhoods Nightingale Square, Acer Tech Center, Casper Park District, and Industrial Heights for a total population of 634,265 and a median household income of $49,091. Nightingale Square has a population of 103,974 with 81.3% White and 3.7% Hispanic or Latino. The median household income of Nightingale Square is $269,550 per year and 0.7% is non-insured. Acer Tech Center has a population of 168,390 with 70.2% White and 13.7% Hispanic or Latino. The average

Friday, January 3, 2020

The Ethics Of Eating Meat Essay - 1504 Words

The Ethics of Eating Meat We are a nation of meat eaters. We are socialized from a young age to consume high levels of animal products. This deeply ingrained meat-eating tradition is a big part of the American standard diet. A visit to the local grocery store shows that there is no shortage of animal products. Isle by isle you see a plethora of meats, neatly packed and ready to be cooked, dairy products neatly shelved, and even candies that contain animal by-products. This is an omnivore’s utopia, allowing for a lifestyle that involves the overconsumption of meats and animal by-products. The rampant meat industry has managed to condition people to disassociate the meats in our grocery markets and the animals from which they came. Most people have become unaware omnivores, consuming whatever meats are available to them. This shift of moral degradation is evident in how we process and consume our meats. We have become a selfish society that values our own convenience and afforda bility of meat rather than the consideration of the animal. This begs the question, is eating meat inherently wrong and should we forbid meat consumption under any and all circumstances? To fully address this issue, we must first define the moral status of animals. So, are animals equal to humans in worth and value and should they receive similar treatment? In our country, the scarcity of food is not an issue of underdeveloped methods of agriculture, it is an issue of poverty. We have an abundance ofShow MoreRelatedThe Ethics Of Eating Meat967 Words   |  4 PagesEating meat is a fact of life that cannot be ignored. It is simply a part of the circle of life. However, unlike the animal kingdom, it is humans that question where to draw the ethical line of killing animals for food. Our ancestors more than likely never had to ponder the morality of killing animals. For them, killing animals was a means of survival. In many instances, it was eat or be eaten. Today, the industriali zation of farming and raising animals has changed the epicurean landscape. Read MoreThe Ethics of Eating Meat Essay663 Words   |  3 PagesMeat has been a staple food in the diet of mankind since the early ages of civilization. In the article â€Å"Is Any Meat Good to Eat?† by Sarah Boesveld, she interviews author Jonathan Safran to share his opinion on eating meat and factory farming. He believes that â€Å"...if [people] just ate according to the values they already have, then factory farming would disappear.† Whether or not people realize the sources from which meat in modern day society comes from, they cannot deny the fact that meat is delectableRead MoreThe Ethics Of Eating Meat : Eating Animals By Jonathan Safran Foer1056 Words   |  5 PagesWhile researching books for the major project, I stumbled upon a book over the ethics of eating meat: Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer, published on November 2, 2009. 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While studies are in the infancyRead MoreIs It Unethical And Eat Meat?1048 Words   |  5 PagesIs it unethical to eat meat? Essential Writing Skills Is it unethical to eat meat? With many different opinions on the matter, all views need to be considered when discussing and attempting to answer the question. Policies are put in place by institutions (Religious and governmental) that tell us what to eat, what not to eat and how much to eat. All these guidelines raises the question of whose ethics should hold president overall, and what factors do you use to determine this decision. HumankindRead MoreEthics : Ethics And Ethics1485 Words   |  6 Pages Ethics is a concept derived from an individual’s religion, philosophies or culture, forming a collection of moral principles carrying out the manner in which a person leads their life. In modern society philosophers divide ethical theories into three separate areas, meta-ethics, normative ethics and applied ethics. 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It is revealed that self discipline can motivate a person to make good choices. This assists a person to do the things ethically correct. It also makes a person more accountable for actions. The self discipline practice is a rigorous practice but it is very important for the ethics management. If the person is willing to eliminate harmful habits, certainly the ethicalRead MoreThe Two Principles Of A Basis Of Our Brain Capacity, Ability, And Preferences Of Life1698 Words   |  7 Pagesland is used to raise animals instead of crops â€Å"precious water and soil are lost, trees are cut down to make land for grazing or factory-farm sheds, and untreated animal wastes pollutes rivers and steams.† The Union Concerned Scientists even list meat eating as the second biggest environment hazard on Earth. This is because it takes more than one-third of foss il fuels to raise animals for food, one pig factory generates the same amount of waste as a city of 12,000 humans, and 87% of agricultural landRead More Should we all become vegetarians? Essay782 Words   |  4 Pagesthe number of people who reject eating meat is constantly increasing. In Britain, for instance, over 5 million people have done it so far. It is obviously connected with the recent animal diseases, but this tendency is likely to spread on the other regions of the world. However, it is not only a fashion or fear of illnesses. I myself became a vegetarian about 2 years ago, and I can see a number of reasons why people should stop eating meat. They are mainly of ethic, economic and health type. Those