Its All about Jazz Fusion free essay sample

Its All about Jazz Fusion BY Jackie Its All About Jazz Fusion Of the Jazz styles studied In this module, I prefer jazz-rock-fusion. I enjoy listening to this style of jazz because it creates a rock mood by its different melodies, complex rhythms, tones and harmonies. Jazz -fusion, melds rock rhythms and the use of electronic instruments with collective improvisation (Ferris). Jazz music in general is mostly improvised music, so its melody is an interesting element to its listeners. I feel that being a jazz musician has to be complicating.There are so many, extreme ranges In volume, rapid shifts In meter, tempo and mood, In Jazz-fusion (Ferns). Therefore. These musicians are creating art every time he or she plays. After listening to some of the jazz-fusion music clips, it is hard for me to tell that they are all apart of the same genre. This makes me prefer this style of jazz even more because listening to the same pieces of music sounds different even if the same musicians play it. We will write a custom essay sample on Its All about Jazz Fusion or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Whereas in popular music, the same melody is repeated constantly with little or no variations.Another reason why I prefer Jazz-fusion style Is because a lot of people cant listen to a type of music if there are no lyrics. I appreciate the listeners that can listen to instrumental music because not a lot of people can. I feel that most popular artists are usually singers because they are the ones who sing the melody, while the other instruments are Just heard in the background. Jazz-fusion music is not appreciated by a lot of listeners because they think its Just background music. I have a deferent outlook as a listener of the Jazz-fusion style.I know there are multiple melodies, rhythms, harmonies, and tones In this style of music, but I can still appreciate how It Is played. The aesthetic notes that are being played by the different instruments are the lyrics in my mind. You do not need words to be sung by a singer in a song for you to have your mood set by a genre of music. All music makes one feel a certain way when they listen to it depending on the tones, type of scales and melodies that are being played. An artist that I like to believe Is the face of Jazz-fusion styled music Is Miles Davis.I have listened to a lot of his songs from his On the Corner album and I find him to be one the greatest jazz-fusion artist. His improvisation talent amazes me. Some of the songs that Ive listened to from his On the Corner album, I found to have some peculiar timbre from some of the instruments. According to Americas Musical Landscape text, The album features an amazing array of instruments, including an Indian sitar, and a rock (funky) drumbeat (Ferris). His creativity of the jazz-fusion music made me look at this style of Jazz from a new perspective.I know that Jazz- rock-fusion Is not limited to Just some rock and rhythm and blues being thrown together to create music but it is a work of art that can be turned to funk like Miles Davis has shown which has inspired other musicians to do as well. I feel that jazz- rock-fusion is the style that is likely to have the most influence on future musicians. Every style of music is always evolving but I feel that jazz-fusion would have the largest impact on future musicians because a lot of the sounds are electronic like entities to evolve, as musicians explore new technology and world sounds (Ferris).Without technology, the music that is being played today would not be alive. Future musicians goals are to be popular. To achieve their goals, they have to be apart of the digital trend and use electronics to create the background in todays music. The electric sounds of a synthesizer, organ, guitars, drums, etc. Have all evolved from somewhere, someone, or something. Hence, why I feel that Jazz-rock-fusion is likely to have the most influence on future musicians. No other style of Jazz has the monuments to create contemporary music like Jazz-rock-fusion does.In conclusion, I prefer to listen to Jazz-rock fusion. Its melodies are beautiful and unpredictable. The improvisation that was used to create this amazing style of music is incredible. Miles Davis kept this style of music alive and that is why the instruments that are used in jazz-fusion are timeless. Music being made today uses instruments that have evolved from the Jazz-fusion style and this is why I feel it is appropriate to say that this style of music has the most influence on future musicians.

driving force; the road of adulthood

driving force; the road of adulthood The Driving Force: Road to AdulthoodI was excited rather than anything but nervous when about to drive for the first time, but that all changed as soon as I was about to get in the car. It was Sunday, the morning after I had just gotten my permit. Today was the day I was going to go driving for the first time. My parents and I had woken up extra early so there wouldn't be a lot of cars on the road. The sun had just woken up, the sky was a stunning light orange color and you could hear the birds singing. That day I woke up with exhilaration because I was eager to drive for the first time. The car I was going to drive was my mom's black colored Honda Accord. My Parents and I got in the car and my dad sat in the passenger seat while my mom sat in the back.custom car, shot at local car show/swap meetWhen I first sat in the car it felt a bit bizarre because I was not used to sitting in the driver's seat. In the car there were a lot of odd-looking buttons I had never used before. I felt li ke a pilot who had no idea what all the buttons in a plane meant, so my dad and I took a good fifteen minutes going through all the functions of the car and adjusting the seat and mirrors.Finally after all that commotion I put the keys in the car and started the car, and all of a sudden a wave of fear hit me like a whirling tornado. I got tensed all of a sudden. I was just excited to go drive a few seconds ago but as soon as I turned the car on I got tremendously nervous.

Exchange and markets Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Exchange and markets - Term Paper Example It is very difficult to maintain these macro-economic objectives and at times they are even in conflict of each other. (Sloman, 670) Exchange rates fluctuations are a major reason for balance of payment fluctuations. Before we understand the system of exchange rates we need to understand the method of balance of payments. Balance of payments means a record of all transactions made between one particular country and all other countries  during a  specified period of time (www.investopedia.com). BOP  compares the dollar difference of the amount of exports and imports, which includes all financial exports and imports. A negative balance of payments means that more money is flowing out of the country than coming in, and a positive BOP means that more money is coming into the country. Balance of Payment can be said as a huge accounts book for the country. It also acts as an indicator of political and economic stability. A positive BOP may mean that the country’s functioning i s going in a positive direction with foreign investment and funds coming in and limited resources in the form of cash going out. What are nominal exchange rates? Nominal exchange rate is simply the rate at which one currency is exchanged for other. This may mean for example it is quoted that one dollar is equal to 0.6 of a pound sterling. This may mean that the nominal exchange rate of a dollar to the pound is $1= 0.6 pound. Changes in the nominal exchange rates between two countries will have an effect on all the transaction prices of goods bought and sold between those two countries. This means that it is extremely important for these rates to be stables as these are bilateral rates (Bamford et al, 115). In a free market the exchange rate is determined by the market forces of demand and supply. This is quite similar to the determination of all other prices because where the supply and demand curves meet that is the market rate of the currency. For this lets consider the market pri ce of Euros against dollars. The demand for euro will be a downward sloping demand curve. This is because when the price of euro is high in terms of US dollar, then the euro zone goods and services are expensive to US customers. This means that they will have to may more dollars in exchange for euros. This will result in a low demand for euro zone goods and services in the US. Thus few pounds are demanded on the foreign exchange market. As the value of the euro falls against the dollar US customers are able to get more pounds thereby increasing the demand of pounds on the foreign exchange market (Bamford et al, 117). The supply curve of Euro is upward sloping. When the Euro is low against the Dollar, then US goods are expensive in the Euro Zone and as a result less Euros are supplied in the market to buy US goods. On the other hand if the value of the Euro rises then US goods will become cheaper allowing more people in the Euro zone to buy these goods and rising the supply of Euros. Where these demand and supply curves meet the market exchange rate of Euro against Dollar is determined as shorn in the diagram below. ( Diagram taken from Determination of Exchange Rates, http://media.wiley.com/product_data/excerpt/73/EHEP0006/EHEP000673-2.pdf). At all prices above the equilibrium exchange rate the Euros supplied will be greater than the Euros demanded and vice versa. Any changes in the supply or demand of a currency will result in a depreciation or appreciation of the

Health care Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Health care Management - Essay Example According to the study it is very important to evaluate whether the suggested strategies and action plans fall within the SMART category or not. It is one of the most common and efficient test for evaluating the feasibility and efficiency of any strategy or plan. In the current report, the strategies and outcomes are specific so that they pass every criteria of SMART test. The strategies identified after literature surveys are simple, easy to understand and very detailed, where a step by step approach is used for identification of the underlying issue to implementation of the appropriate solution.  From this paper it is clear that  there can be many definitions for healthcare. However, the characteristics differ with respect to its various stakeholders as well as its application in various perspectives. Health care can be described as the treatment, diagnosis as well as prevention of illness, disease, injury or other mental and physical impairments occurring in human beings. It i s practiced and offered by professionals and practitioners in optometry, medicine, pharmacy, nursing, allied health as well as other health care services.  Other important attributes which can be associated with quality healthcare are ensuring support and safety in the environment, reducing morbidity and mortality and overall improvement in the value of life as well as functional health condition of patients.... Health care can be described as the treatment, diagnosis as well as prevention of illness, disease, injury or other mental and physical impairments occurring in human beings. It is practiced and offered by professionals and practitioners in optometry, medicine, pharmacy, nursing, allied health as well as other health care services (Bacon, 2001). Other important attributes which can be associated with quality healthcare are ensuring support and safety in the environment, reducing morbidity and mortality and overall improvement in the value of life as well as functional heal th condition of patients (Senge and Kaeufer, 2001). Figure 1 Matrix for Healthcare (Source: Schofield, 2009). The above diagram very aptly represents healthcare management at its best. Few of the basic questions like, what and how, provide the health professionals with exact answers to their issues. In order to describe an appropriate and effective health care system, the entire process can be divided into three stages; structure, process and outcome. Structure involves features like, determining number and type of healthcare personnel, type and age of equipments as well as other facilities required for service delivery and organisational aspects such as, committee structures (Mullins, 2010). Characteristics like, safety and coverage, can also be related to structure. The next stage is process which includes activities involving receiving and providing care. It might include aspects of process indicators such as, continuity, timeliness as well as patient compliance. The third stage is outcome which includes the result of the structure and process.

Class and Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares Essay

Class and Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares - Essay Example Gordon Ramsay’s Ramsay’s Kitchen has already transcended beyond cooking and good taste. Gordon Ramsay’s success became a gauge and to a certain extent a barometer of the desirable values that society should emulate. Ramsay’s values for example such as hard work and neoliberal individualism was idealized that even his less than ideal characteristics became part of the acceptable culinary identity. As a show, Ramsay’s Kitchen has to provide entertainment value to its audience for the show to remain relevant but the manner it provides entertainment triggers extreme reactions due to Ramsay’s unorthodox and outrageous approach to entertain its audience. The jokes employed by the show may have served its purpose to elicit emotional response from its audience but it also creates class distinction as those who are not able to contend with the swagger of the jokes of Ramsay are often relegated to as low class. Even the structure of the show where apprentices are supposed to be students became a symbol of class distinction as they became subservient to the chef and therefore are subjected to classist derision affirming the power and superiority of Ramsay in culinary world not only in terms of culinary competence but also in employing power in the totem pole of chefs. This extends to language where power seems to provide license to the Ramsay show where swear words did not only become an expression of disgust but also an expression of superiority and power. Class differences also extended to gender as Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares represents the value of male dominated society as the show embodies the middle-class male dominated masculinity. But this may be necessary as most of its audience are composed of middle class where it derives not only its ratings but also its significance as its values are reflective of the middle

Ratio Analysis for Building Company

Ratio Analysis for Building Company Title: Ratio analysis for Bellway Company About Bellway plc The Bellway Group is one of the largest housebuilders in the U.K. It was established in 1946 by John T.Bells and his two sons[1].The Group’s operations are spread throughout the country. The key activities of the Group include: land acquisition, finance, planning, architecture, design, build management, marketing and customer service. Bellway builds low-cost homes and apartment blocks on disused or abandoned sites. Position and Strategy Bellway sells around 6,000 houses every year and has till date provided more than 100,000 homes. The houses are designed, built and marketed by local teams operating from regional offices. These offices are managed and staffed by local people. The company employs about 2,000 people with varying expertise. Corporate Social Responsibility The Group has adopted five principles in their day-to-day operations to minimise the environmental effects of the building process and create sustainable communities: â€Å"Protection of the environment Prudent use of natural resources Creating environments that have the potential to add to economic growth and employment opportunities Social considerations that recognise the needs for a changing and advancing population The creation of communities that will endure and where people will aspire to live† Source: Bellway p.l.c. Annual Report Accounts 2007 The Group reports on these five principles in its Annual Report. Performance Overview of Bellway Group The housing industry has been facing challenging market conditions since the last few months. However the Chairman of the Group has made the following statement in the Annual Report of the Group for the year ended 31 July 2007. â€Å"Bellway has, yet again, produced a very good set of results for the year ended 31 July. The Group continues to deliver organic growth in volumes and earnings despite the challenging market conditions experienced by the housing industry over the last twelve months.† The present paper attempts to examine the reality of the statement by doing a ratio analysis to assess the financial health of the Group based on its Annual Reports for the year ended 31 July 2007. Performance Overview The key highlights of performance in the year ended July 2007 over the previous year are given in the table[2] below: In the next section a detailed analysis of the financial performance and health of the Group has been examined on the basis of: Performance Ratios Working Capital Efficiency Ratios Investment Ratios Financial Status Ratios PERFORMANCE RATIOS Return on capital employed (ROCE) Profit before Tax and Interest Payable = x 100 Total Assets less Current Liabilities * This is taken as equal to operating profit plus interest income The ROCE of the Group is around 22% in the year ended 2007. Despite a 6.5% increase in the Profit before Tax and Interest Payable in 2007, the ROCE stands at the same figure as in 2006. This only indicates that the net assets have also increased in the same proportion as profits. However, there has been no improvement in the efficiency in employing theses net assets to generate profits. Moreover, ROCE for the Group is lower than five year average ROCE achieved by builders over UK which stands at 25–30%[3]. Thus, the efficiency in employing net assets to generate profits for the Group is lower than the Industry average. Asset turnover Sales Turnover = Total Assets less Current Liabilities The asset turnover ratio of 1.165 indicates that a sale of  £1.165 is generated from each  £ invested in assets by the Group. This ratio has increased by around 3.6% in 2007 over 2006 which is a good sign. The increase is primarily due to an increase in total assets and also a corresponding increase in the sales turnover. Net profit margin Profit before Tax and Interest Payable = x 100 Sales turnover *This is taken as equal to operating profit plus interest income Despite the increase in profit before interest and taxes and also sales turnover, there is a slight decline in the net profit margin from 19.5% in the year ended 2006 to 19.1% in the year ended 2007. The decline indicates that proportionate increase in cost of operations has been higher than the increase in sales. Thus, there has been a decline in the efficiency of sales to generate profits. Gross profit margin Gross Profit = x 100 Sales turnover There has been a decrease in the gross profit margin of the Group by 0.6% despite the increase in sales revenue. The decline in the gross profit margin has been due to a larger increase in cost of sales as compared to corresponding increase in sales. Sales revenue has increased by 9.2% over 2006. The corresponding increase in cost of sales has been 9.9%. The decline in the gross profit margin also explains to certain extent the decline in net profit margin. WORKING CAPITAL EFFICIENCY RATIOS Inventories (or stock) turnover Stocks and Work in Progress = x 365 Purchases (or Cost of Sales) The housebuilding industry by its very nature has slow moving stock / inventory. In 2007, as compared to 2006, there has been a decline in the number of days the stock takes to be converted into sales. The stock is getting converted into sales in 538.65 days in 2007 as compared to 552.16 days. This is an improvement of around 2.4% over 2006. Trade receivables (or trade debtors) turnover Trade Debtors = x 365 Sales Turnover * All sales are assumed to be on credit Though it takes less than 1 week to collect receivables, the increase in the time taken to receive payments from customers must be examined carefully before it gets out of hands. An increasing ratio also indicates that the company is taking more time for collecting its payments. Thus, each  £1 of its sales revenue stays tied up in trade receivables for a longer period. Trade payables (or trade creditors) turnover Trade Creditors = x 365 Cost of Sales ** All purchases are assumed to be on credit There has been a decline in the average settlement period for trade creditors by almost 17%. This is not a good sign as trade credit is a type of free finance available to a company. A declining ratio indicates that suppliers in the year ended 2007 gave a lower credit period to the Group as compared to the previous year. This becomes a bigger cause of concern as the Stock Turnover ratio for the Group stands at a high figure. It may also have adverse implications for the Group’s liquidity position. INVESTMENT RATIOS Earnings per share (EPS) Profit before Ordinary Dividend = No. of Ordinary Shares in issue EPS reflects upon share performance. Thus EPS trend of the Group highlights the investment potential of its shares. It also highlights the possibility that the company will pay a dividend[8]. There has been a 6.2% growth in the diluted EPS of the Group in the year ended 2007 as compared to 2006. This indicates that the potential of the shares of the Group is growing. This increase in EPS is primarily due to an increase in the profits with no corresponding increase in tax rates. Price earnings ratio(PE) Market Value per Share = Earning per share In general, if the PE ratio of a company is high it implies that investors are optimistic about the company’s future and are expectinghigher earningsgrowthin the future compared to companies with alower PE. However, the ratio can only be interpreted appropriately when compared to historical PE ratio or industry benchmarks. Group’s historical PE ratio The PE ratio for the Group has been constant over the previous two years. The ratio needs to be examined in light of the deteriorating industry scenario over the last two months. The PE ratio calculated above may not hold true today and would have declined substantially. This is because housebuilding is a cyclical business where earnings fall exponentially as sales prices decline. Recent times have seen a substantial decline in sale prices. If the PE is calculated at the share price of 713.5p[9] as on 25 April 2008, assuming earnings to be constant at 31 July 2007 level, it will be only 4.9. Thus, actual PE will be lower. Industry average The following diagram[10] highlights the PE ratios of 8 leading housebuilders in UK as on 21 July 2007. The diagram clearly indicates that Bellway is towards the lower end of the selected companies in the industry UK with regard to its PE ratio Dividend yield Latest Annual Dividends = x 100 Current market share price The dividend yield at the current price as on 25 April 2008 = (43.125 / 713.5) % = 6% However, the market price of shares for the Group is much lower than it was a year ago. Historically, the dividend yield has been as indicated in the table below: Dividend cover Profit on ordinary activities after taxation = Ordinary Dividend The dividend cover has fallen despite the fact that the profits have increased. A declining trend makes dividend less secure. However it is not a cause of concern for the Group as the dividend cover is much better than many other companies in the industry. For example, housebuilder Persimmon has cover of 2.69[11]. Thus, if the Group has a cover of more than 3, it could maintain its payout more than thrice over. Return on equity (ROE) Profit on ordinary activities after taxation = x 100 Equity shareholders’ funds The Group shows a decline in this ratio in 2007 over 2006. The decline may be primarily due to increase in equity shareholders’ funds. FINANCIAL STATUS RATIOS Working capital ratio (WCR) Current Assets = Current liabilities The accepted norm for the WCR ratio is that current assets should be double the current liabilities. However, the norm varies with industry. In the case of the Group the ratio has declined but it is higher than the accepted norm. However, a closer analysis indicates that the Group faces a liquidity crisis. A close examination of the current assets indicates that inventories constitute more than 95% of the current assets. This, added to a high stock turnover ratio, will not let the Group meet its current obligations. A clearer picture of the liquidity is provided by the Quick Asset ratio. Quick assets ratio (QAR) Current Assets Stocks = Current liabilities The norm for this ratio is 1: 1. However, it again varies from business to business. The ratio is far below the norm. In other words, the Group has no way of covering up its current obligations. This is a cause of concern and can lead to survival problems also if the condition persists. Gearing Long-term Debt + Preference Shares = Total Assets less Current Liabilities *These include preference shares of  £20,000,000 in both the years The gearing or dependence on debt has decreased by about 7% for the Group. Thus, there has been a decline in the Group’s risk as lesser amount is committed for periodic interest and repayment commitments. This is especially welcome in the time of deteriorating housing market conditions. Interest cover Profit before Tax and Interest Payable = Interest payable Despite the decline in gearing, the Group’s interest cover for the year ended 31 July 2007 also shows a slight decline. The decrease in interest cover from last year is due to a higher increase in net interest payable than increase in profit before tax and interest. Conclusion: To conclude it can be said that Bellway has performed well in the year ended July 2007 over 2006 in terms of profitability as well as increased sales. However, it faces a major short-term liquidity crisis. This is a cause of concern as the UKs housebuilding industry, in general, is expected to be facing more difficult times ahead due to credit crunch and declining consumer demand. References: Atrill Peter McLaney Eddie, Financial Accounting for Decision Makers, 5th ed. 2008 , FT Prentice Hall Barker Review Interim Report, The Housebuilding Industry, accessed from http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/2/9/barkerreview_interim_chapters4to6.pdf Bellway p.l.c. Annual Report Accounts 2007 Elliott B. and J. Elliott, Financial Accounting and Reporting, 11th ed. 2007, FT Prentice Hall HIFIC Barnard Report, Future Trends in Timber Construction and Implications for HIE Region, accessed from www.forestryscotland.com/pages/download2.asp?file=attachments/HIFIC_Forres%2007_Barnard.pdf Steed, Alison, Five ‘safe’ shares for hard times, The Sunday Times 20 April, 2008 Team Limited, The Cartel- Like Industry, accessed from http://www.teamlimited.co.uk/Assets/pdf/Building-Barriers.pdf Yahoo finance, accessed from http://finance.yahoo.com/q/pr?s=BWY.L Hemscott website accessed from www.hemscott.com Brief: 209439Page 1 of 13 [1] Source: http://finance.yahoo.com/q/pr?s=BWY.L [2] Source: Bellway p.l.c. Annual Report Accounts 2007 [3] HIFIC Barnard Report, Future Trends in Timber Construction and Implications for HIE Region, accessed from www.forestryscotland.com/pages/download2.asp?file=attachments/HIFIC_Forres 07_Barnard.pdf [4] Ideally average stock and work in progress figures should be taken for calculating the ratio as they give more accurate ratios as average inventory accounts for any seasonality effects on the ratio. However, in the case of house building industry seasonality effect is not there. Moreover due to non-availability of 2005 figures, end of the year figures are used. . [5] Ideally average trade debtors figures should be taken for calculating the ratio as they give more accurate ratios. However, due to non-availability of 2005 figures, end of the year figures are used.. Trade receivables do not include other receivables not arising from sales (Refer Note 13 of Bellway Annual Report pp 68) [6] Ideally average trade creditors’ figures should be taken for calculating the ratio as they give more accurate ratios. However, due to non-availability of 2005 figures, end of the year figures are used. Trade payables do not include other payables not arising from purchases (Refer Note 15 of Bellway Annual Report pp 69) [7] Diluted EPS is based on the total outstanding shares after all Options and awards have been exercised. [8] EPS only indicates the possibility of a dividend. However, dividend decision is a corporate decision and there is no rule of thumb regarding its size and frequency. [9] http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=BWY.L [10] Based on PE ratios published on 21 July 2007 by www.hemscott.com [11] Steed, Alison, The Sunday Times, 20 April 2008

The United States Coast Guard and National Defense Essay -- Missions o

The Coast Guard (CG) is the nation’s smallest armed service and most misunderstood armed service. Most Americans know the Coast Guard is the nation’s premiere lifesaving service. Some may even know that the Coast Guard is the nation’s oldest continuing sea going service. While the Coast Guard falls under the UCMJ just like the other four branches, and often works side by side with them especially the Navy; The Coast Guard is usually trained for a very different mission than their DOD counterparts in times of peace. This paper will shed light on the Coast Guard’s accomplishments and its sacrifices in its National Defense mission. The legal basis for the Coast Guard to operate as a military force is Title 14 of the United States Code, which states: "The Coast Guard as established January 28, 1915, shall be a military service and a branch of the armed forces of the United States at all times." Upon the declaration of war or when the President directs, the Coast Guard operates under the authority of the Department of the Navy.† The Coast Guard can trace its beginnings back August 4th 1790. On this date president George Washington, at the urging of Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton, ordered the building of ten ships. Those ten ships would be called the Revenue Cutter Service (RCS). The purpose of these ships was to enforce tariff regulations and bolster the coffers of the newly formed United States. It is the nation’s oldest continuing sea going service. These ships would be used to â€Å"cut off† smuggling in and out of the U.S. The term â€Å"cutter† is still used tod ay to describe any Coast Guard vessel 65’ or longer. The RCS was first pressed into service during the undeclared Quasi War with France in 1798-99. In 17... ...less and when it is called upon to fight it will transform from a law enforcement and humanitarian service to a fighting force to be reckoned with. Works Cited Cutler, Thomas J. Brown water, black berets: Coastal and riverine warfare in Vietnam. Naval Institute Press, 2000 Demographics of Active Duty U.S. Military http://www.statisticbrain.com/demographics-of-active-duty-u-s- military Kroll, C. Douglas. A Coast Guardsman’s History of the U.S. Coast Guard. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press 2010 Lagan, Christopher http://coastguard.dodlive.mil/2010/06/remembering-uscgc-escanaba-wpg-77/ Puller, Lewis B. Fortunate Son: The Autobiography of Lewis B. Puller, Jr. Grove Press, 2000 U.S. Army Center of Military History http://www.history.army.mil/moh/wwII-m-s.html#MUNRO U.S. Coast Guard’s Historian’s Office http://www.uscg.mil/history

Gucci Brief

GUCCI GROUP N. V. (A) [pic] BUSINESS BRIEF Gucci is one of the most glittering names in the luxury world. The trademark of red-and-green striped webbing & GG logo became known worldwide. Gucci have $3 billion in hand to expand their business. By keeping in view this case study I suggest that Gucci should move towards multi-branding. Because Desole was confident that Gucci’s creative team would be able to recreate its magic at YSL. And the future of Gucci really lies with multi-brand groups. Gucci faced the challenges from LVMH. LVMH considered adding Gucci to his stable of brands but balked at the asking price of $350 million. So, Gucci is not secure if Gucci not acquire the multi-brands than, any other company may acquire it. Gucci retained deep roots in Italy, and it was a remarkably international company, even before becoming a multi-brand group. Gucci’s core customer was a wealthy, somewhat conservative & older woman. These customers are fashion & style oriented customers. Style oriented customers are more brand loyal than fashion-concious customers. When Gucci start multi-branding these customers are ready to buy these products with the brand of GUCCI. Gucci acquired Sanofi Beaute, it split into two companies YSL ready-to-wear and accessories, & YSL Beaute which managed the fragrance & cosmetics brands. The Sanofi Beaute transactions transformed Gucci into a multi-brand group with $3 billion in cash. It shows that multi-branding is profitable for Gucci. Because when Gucci provide the shoes and cosmetics with their own brand after acquiring the already existing powerful brands of these products. Gucci’s customers are more willing to buy these products. The future of Gucci is secure with the multi-brand group. It increases the profitability and market share of Gucci.

How to Handle College Long Distance Relationships

How to Handle College Long Distance Relationships You may have left your girlfriend or boyfriend back in your hometown while you went off to school. You both may have left your hometown to attend school in completely different parts of the country. You may even attend the same school, but one of you is studying abroad this semester. Whatever the situation, maintaining a long-distance relationship while in school can be quite a challenge. There are, however, some things you can do to make the experience a little easier for both of you (and your hearts!). Use Technology to Your Advantage There are countless ways to use technology to keep in touch with someone, which you were no doubt using before you arrived on campus. Text messaging, IM-ing, sending cell phone pictures, talking on the phone, sending emails, and using your videocam are only some of the ways you can help stay (and feel!) connected to your far-away partner. Make times with each other to meet up online, and view it like a date. Dont be late, dont forget, and try not to cancel. Try to Send Old-Fashioned Mail As simple as it may seem, getting a card, gift, or care package in the mail always brightens someones day. For partners who are separated by long distances, these little gestures and mementos can provide a physical connection of sorts. And besides, who doesnt like getting a cute card or cookies in the mail?! Make Sure to Visit It may be hard financially, logistically but visiting a partner who is away at school can be really important to maintaining your relationship. You can meet his or her new friends, see where he or she lives, take a tour of the campus, and just get a general feel for your partners new life. Plus, when you both are back at your regular places, you can picture more about your partners life when youre talking on the phone or chatting over the internet. Despite the distance, visiting also demonstrates your interest and commitment to your partner (and might be a great Spring Break idea). Pay Attention to the Details You may not want to spend the limited time you have with your partner talking about the details of your life, but these are often the most important things. Hearing about your weird Biology lab partner, the English professor you love, and how you cant get enough of the dining hall waffles are the things that make you you. Your partner will want to hear all about the details of your new life. So settle in for a long conversation about the things that seem most ridiculous, but that may just end up being the things that keep you together during your time away at school.

More Security Against the Rising Risk of Bioterrorism essays

More Security Against the Rising Risk of Bioterrorism essays One mans terrorist is another mans freedom fighter (Egendorf 12-13). These people, be them terrorist or freedom fighters, have, for many years, killed innocent men, women, and children for no reason. In recent years, biological weapons have taken terrorism to a whole new level. Not only can terrorists accomplish their deeds with even more stealth, but they can also kill thousands and even millions cheaply and painfully. Bioterrorism has been called a disease of modern society, a condition of life, an art, an unsurpassed weapon of psychological warfare, and an antithesis of democracy and the democratic spirit (Hyde Terrorists have relatively easy access to a range of sophisticated, off the shelf weapons technology that can be readily adapted to their operational needs (Hoffman). In September 1984, a non-state sponsored terrorist cult called the Rajneeshee from Oregon intentionally contaminated many salad bars in restaurants with salmonella bacteria. The incident resulted in 751 cases of enteritis, inflammation of the intestine (especially the small intestine), usually characterized by diarrhea, and 45 hospitalizations. This occurred just from a weak bacteria like salmonella. The threat of bioterrorism then died down for over a decade. Then in 1995, the radical Aum Shinrikyo cult of Japan attacked the subways of Japan by releasing a sarin gas that killed twelve and left thousands debilitated. This cult not only tried this, they had allegedly launched three unsuccessful biological attacks in Japan using Anthrax and botulin toxin, sendi...

Difference between Data and Information as It Applies to Freeway Ford Essay - 4

Difference between Data and Information as It Applies to Freeway Ford - Essay Example The success of a managerial decision depends on the correct interpretation of data collected. Data has no value at all if it is not transformed to meaningful information. In this case Freeway Ford knows the purchase date and owner of every car it sells. In other words Freeway Ford has the data about the exact date and the actual purchaser of every car it sells. But they never tried to convert these data in to useful information. Normally people will go for new cars within a period of 3 to 4 years. Freeway Ford could have easily prepared a database with respect to the cars they sold based on the date. From this database they can contact their customers regularly at least once in 3 months or 6 months period to know about the functioning of their car and also about their future purchasing plans. Service is one of the core elements of every purchasing decision. Regular follow ups always attract customers and they will consider Freeway Ford once again when they think about purchasing a ne w car or exchanging their used car, if they receive proper service from Freeway Ford. A used car buyer will always be interested in knowing the previous history of the car for known problems and also any accidents it suffered previously. Freeway Ford has all these data, but they fail to convert them into information. Each vehicle has an identification number (VIN) and the insurance companies sending the repair and claim details every month and Freeway Ford could have easily created a database for each car based on the repair and claim details which will be useful to the customers. Freeway Ford can create a website which explains everything to the customers with respect to their used car selling activities. Each vehicle details must be provided in the website so that a buyer can access all the relevant information regarding the vehicle he was interested in, even if he is not at the Freeway Ford location using internet technologies. Even a laptop is enough for Freeway Ford to convince the purchasers regarding the previous history of their cars.  

Political World Leaders of World War II Research Paper

Political World Leaders of World War II - Research Paper Example The paper tells that both leaders have left significant different memories, one of which is the unforgettable holocaust initiated by Fuhrer Adolf Hitler and a successful giant leap of economic redemption of Singapore from a Third World country to become another Asian Tiger country within the three decades of Lee Kuan Yew’s rule. Each leader delivered significant changes that they now deserve to be called great icons in the history of world leaders. Adolf Hitler who was the reason for the outbreak of World War II and Lee Kuan Yew who transformed Singapore from a Third World country to another Asian Tiger country, have been chosen and juxtaposed to learn the similarities and contrasts of their qualities and styles as leaders as well as how their reigns brought impact to the world.   Credited to Hitler’s achievements were as follows: â€Å"awarded the Iron Cross, First Class in December 1914†; â€Å"annexation of Austria and Sudetenland†; wrote the book â⠂¬ËœMein Kampf’ where it was an anti-Semitic, anti-Communist diatribe outlining his strategy for remaking Germany and becoming a conquering power throughout Europe†. â€Å"By 1938 Hitler had made Germany the most powerful and feared country in Europe (and perhaps in the world)†. â€Å"Majority of the German people supported him because they saw during his early leadership to his credit how unemployment virtually disappeared, the rising prosperity of the masses, the new social institutions and the increase of German prestige in the 1930’s.’s. All these achievements of Hitler were unparalleled in the histories of other modern totalitarian dictatorship† (Hitler, A. 2011). On the other hand, achievements credited to Yew include: redemption of Singapore from a Third World Country to become an Asian Tiger country now aligned with other rich Asian countries like Japan, Hongkong, and Taiwan. Singapore is now an envy of many neighboring Asian countrie s. Of Lee Kuan Yew’s outstanding achievements in redeeming Singapore, eradication of corruption was best recognized and envied by many ASEAN nations because ‘Corruption’ has alwaysbeen considered a systemic problem commonly found and associated with Third World nations (underdeveloped countries) including most Asian countries. Other Yew’s achievements include the substantial â€Å"increase in the living standards (Loh,K. 2011)† in this country: â€Å"As Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew presided over an exponential increase in Singapore's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from US$704 million in 1960 to US$38 billion in 1990. This figure currently stands at US$222 billion, or over 300 times its level in 1960. Adjusting for cost of living differences, Singapore's GDP per capita was ranked 3rd