Evolution of Health Care Policy Essay

This chapter discusses the political and economic aspects that have taken both Canada and the US in different paths which is ultimately shaped by the organization and delivery of care with its recent restructuring efforts. The US health care system is a system of private health insurance where most of the population gets benefits through employment or other benefit plans such as those for veterans. There is public health insurance for those on social security called Medicare and those that require social assistance called Medicaid. But, 45 million people are still uninsured and millions are underinsured. Unlike the US, Canada has a universal system of public health insurance where contracts with private non-profit health care institutions such as hospitals and health practitioners deliver care. The national health insurance represents a sense of clarity between â€Å"free market† liberalism and the â€Å"planned economy† socialism. Public financing is considered the optimal form of health care financing due to the fact that insurance is affordable to all citizens no matter how ill, effective cost control over health care services, and there’s universal coverage. With such a system, those that are healthy that do not need many treatments support those that require health care service which ultimately offer good cost control and good equity. Canada and the US have different perspectives in access to their pharmaceuticals. Canada has a public health insurance where people over the age of 65 and those on social assistance are covered. Unlike Quebec that has a drug benefit program for everyone, Ontario has created programs to those that have a large amount of drug costs and the rest of the population has access through private insurance through employment. This causes issues with those that are in low paying or have part-time jobs. Pharmaceuticals here in Canada are regulated by the Patented Medicines Prices Review Board unlike in the US. However, access to medicines for the treatment of cancer is getting more and more expensive and only few that are covered. This material is consistent with what I believed prior to this course with some new knowledge attained. It’s great to look at our health care in depth. As of right now since I just started back at York University this summer, I did not have any health benefits for quite some times so I avoid going to the doctor’s and getting medication because as a student I cannot afford it. If people like myself have better access to coverage, a number of health issues could be avoided. I appreciate what Obama administration is implementing so that the uninsured have access to health care as well.

Impact Of Globalization And Gaming Anthropology Essay

Video game franchise has taken the universe by storm. It is design to trip human emotion by fulfilling one demand to kill, venting of defeat and choler. Video gambling is used to de-stress, educate and kill clip. Peoples would pass 100s of dollars in the gambling sector and this has make bet oning the primary platform of amusement and life style.1.2 Impact of globalisation and gamblingThe media has played the primary leader in re-shaping our hereafter by forming images on how things should be. Images shown on advertizement, commercials, the screens of magazine and newspaper prove to hold impact and stir up involvement among consumers. Thus, doing media ingestions as a signifier of manual for Life – A usher to populate your life Here, I am doing a typical connexion between the influences of the video game market, game production gross revenues, game demograph and planetary civilization. The major and taking participants in the gambling industry would be the U.S and Japan. Business competition has stir up due to many other states eager to acquire involve and follow the footfall of both large participants. This shows how of import picture gambling industry has become and how it conquers the centre phase of globalisation. It is predicted to posses a immense growing in approaching old ages. Statistics shows a steady yet gradual growing in the gambling sector from the twelvemonth 2002 – 2007 ( image 1.1 ) , catching other media market such as movie and music. Leading franchise, Mario, created in Japan, has yield over 200 games since original release day of the month back in 1981. Mario has so become the official mascot of Nintendo. With aid from the media, everyone from every corner of the universe will cognize who or what is Mario. It has turned itself planetary by its iconic representation of video game. A side from proficient statistics, market has showed typical tendencies. It is obvious how our male opposite number dominant the gambling market but what is more startling is the growing and impact of misss and adult female demoing involvement to this market over the recent old ages. ( Image 1.2 ) In late November, president of Nintendo America, Reggie Fils-Aime presented several informations points sketching the current gender dislocation of console drama in the U.S. Reggie estimations there are 45 million people playing video games as the primary participants in the U.S. Of those, Nintendo is gauging 26 % are female, or approximately 11.7 million. – Wanda Meloni, Gamasutra Factors such as on-line gambling and Personal computer gambling are the cardinal subscriber, particularly with the being of societal networking site such as Twitter and Facebook, Apart from your ordinary 2D-Planes of your computing machine screen, bet oning console took a spring in supplying both sharing and societal networking into their plans. Sharing films, images, music and gambling has ne'er been a zephyr while making it in the comfort of your ain life room. Such experiences have turn into a lifestyle and morphed itself into a planetary civilization. With tool like the Internet, people from all over the universe are able to pass on, portion and larn other civilizations. That is how the being of game production providing to certain civilization and state originate. It is apparent on the gambling box art. ( Image 1.3 )1.2 IssueDespite these positive activities stir up by the gambling market, there are still jobs that need to be addressed. Base on the research I have undergone, it is apparent how gamers or consumers are non cognizant of the approaching games. Surveies that I have done showed about 80 per centum of gamers surveyed are non cognizant of the latest games that are on gross revenues. ( Image 1.4 ) Ad of the games has proved to be unsuccessful. Alas, most consumers who were surveyed claimed they found out about new games releases through word of oral cavity or the Internet. Website such as Gamespot will demo hebdomadal game releases. ( Image 1.5 )2. Bet oning ExperienceYour bosom is crushing out of control ; your custodies are covered in blood, your eyes gazing directly at him, with your finger on the trigger. This is your concluding base, should you open fire? But he is a human being? Will he kill you? Or is this all a dream? The deafening sound of silence abrupt the surrounding, now its putting to death or be killed. You pull the trigger. He lay before you, dead. Before you know it, he easy fades into the background. He disappears. A typical scenario for every gamer who plays combat war game. The lone difference between world and practical world is the vacillation to kill a individual in a game. Virtual world has set emotions broad apart from world. One is more likely to kill a individual in a game comparison to a existent life event. Why has gambling eradicate every emotion in a individual when it comes to killing another participant? Well, the account is simple. No 1 dies in a game. Virtual world is design in a manner that it will feed off most of our emotions without us worrying what are the effects. Unlike world, bet oning allows participants to deliver back their error by re-starting the game. It fascinates me how game design has the ability to make antic ocular effects ; immersive artworks and beautiful environment that consumed one and allow gamers populate their character through computing machine games. Amazing how this planar bring forthing image Lashkar-e-Taiba users escape world and allow them populate a pseudo character. How or what about this traveling images allow us, gamers, experience this out of organic structure experience? How can something that is non physical enable and go forth a memorable marker of its beings in our head.2.1 Case StudyVirtual Guggenheim Museum designed Asymptote has designed a physical practical universe in a infinite. Challenged to interrupt free from the standard web site layout, Guggenheim requested a practical infinite to congratulate its striking New York Museum. Debut as â€Å" a perfect loanblend of electronic infinite and physical infinite † , Hani Rashid claims â€Å" practical infinites are designed with the same attending to detail as existent physical edifices † . The design inspiration comes from the thought of 3-dimensional spacial travelable infinite on the Internet and real-time synergistic elements located at assorted Guggenheim locations. Guggenheim Virtual Museum will be the first practical edifice of the twenty-first century to to the full demo the dealingss of art, infinite, commercialism and architecture. This practical museum will be an ideal infinite to convey art and experience through synergistic digital medium. Component such as the sound, image and dynamic fluid environment unlike any physical infinite are able to react to the way of the user without impeding its contents. As highlighted in image 2.2 and 2.3, galleries construction are wire-framed to underscore on transparence and opacity. This motion is base on where the viewing audiences move in the infinite Ultimately, designers think spatially and where there ‘s a spacial issue we ‘re the 1s trained historically to calculate out how to do people understand and experience the emotional, physical and artistic side of a infinite – Hani Rashid3. Planing Virtual World to RealityTime and infinite does non be in a game. Distance can non be measured and mass can non be weighed. The physical manifestation exists merely if we perceive it. Virtual world is a warped infinite. Through this, I am inspired to plan a lasting exhibition infinite in relation to the bet oning rhythm of life and decease. It is base on the dynamic motion in a game and sing planar visuals into 3-dimensional. This infinite will turn to the issue that was mentioned before ; Promoting and making consciousness to new game releases to the mass. Base on the definition of Utopia, both life and dead infinites will to the full exemplify the place of cloud nine. Some see decease as a Eden while other sees fear in decease. Imagine walking through a infinite that to the full depicts decease as a signifier of Utopia, a Eden and an unforsaken universe that detach itself from world. Walking through a dark narrow transition with nil but the shimmering star that brightens your manner. A journey cipher has of all time experience. A psychological journey that let users see decease in both euphoric and scaring province, far from tranquility. It is a fleeting journey that makes users of the infinite ponder and reflect upon their ain wellbeing The design attack is divided into three primary journey, world, life and decease. World is design to be grounded to the land in which illustrates how our lives are tie down to our beliefs. Life is depicted to be vibrating in between decease. While decease is describe as the reply to our full inquiry in life and world that were left unreciprocated. Death infinite is design to overview the whole infinite. Designs utilizing three manner planes, the planes are a representation of life, decease and world. It consist of lines overlapping each other, picturing how life, decease and world overlapping each other to organize and make dimensions, deepness, gravitation and volumes. All this planes will unify into one nucleus country that illustrates the gambling rhythm. The different hierarchy of infinites and planes creates a weaving journey that makes users move in and out of infinites.3.1 Life and Death Cycle Through DesignThe journey begins with two entrywaies that were place base on the human traffic waies. ( Image 4.1 ) As you walk through the narrow way of the dimly lighted surrounding, you are greeted by this monolithic, countrified metallic construction that seemed to be vibrating. Struck with wonder, you ca n't assist but to venture into this foreign, alienated infinite that awaits you. As you walk in through the narrow tunnel, you could hear the surrounding of the environment starts to hush down. Suddenly, the pleasant sound of silence hits you, the idea of a broken clock gives birth to tranquility and an flight from world you ‘ve been waiting for. It feels as if you are in a different universe where clip does non be. A long flight of glass stairway awaits you on the other terminal of the tunnel. ( Image 4.2 ) With unstable picking on the stairss, you climb the flight of stepss inquiring where it will take you excessively. The sight of the stairway seems eternal. You ne'er know what it is like to walk on glass. It feels as if you ‘re vibrating on the glass stairway as you see stranger mounting the stairway on the other side of the glass wall. ( Image 4.3 ) You stop mid-way through the journey as you feel the passage of infinite varies from where you were from. The environing becomes vast as you see the exterior environment of the infinite. Travel further up, you be greeted with a dark narrow infinite. You question your surrounding and it eventually struck you that you ‘re in a gambling environment. The metal countrified wall, the visible radiations, the intense bold feeling you get from the dimly lighted infinite that is clothed with pierced metal walls makes you experience as if you ‘re in a combat scientific discipline fiction game. From the perforated wall, you could see the people outside the infinite. Alas, the people from the other side of the wall could non see what is go oning in the infinite. As you bask into the environment and take a new control of your journey, you see another stairway. Wondering where it will travel, you decide to take the opportunity and continue down the stairss. As you place your terms, one pes at a clip, you realised you are detached from the pervious infinite. You are back to world. ( Image 4.5 ) It feels as if you ‘re taking a interruption from an alter world infinite and the determination for you to plunge back into gambling or acquire back to world is left unreciprocated in this infinite you are presently at. As you explore the infinite, you stumble upon another stairway hidden behind this monolithic construction, taking you to the land floor. You decide to continue down the stairway. You are back to world and continue on with your day-to-day life.4. DecisionAssorted positions on impact of globalisation and gambling have been presented. It shows how gaming can alter 1s civilization and behavior but finally, the bet oning experience one indulge in is nil comparison to world. It helps get away world for that spur minute. This Lashkar-e-Taiba one rejuvenate themselves and go on on with life, merely like how bet oning enable us to re-start a game when we failed to finish certain undertaking. This design will assist to make consciousness of the being of gambling and its impact on a physical base. Therefore, helps both gamers and production companies set up a more outstanding relationship with its consumers. It is non the feeling ; it is the experience that counts.

Campus friends report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Campus friends report - Essay Example he also discovered her good mastery of the English language in elementary school and high school that influenced her to take a major in public relations. My campus friend settled on public relations after weighing many other courses that deal with effective communication. She had at some point opted for journalism but did not like the idea of appearing on the television screen every day. She is always shy and felt that she would have difficulties interacting with her television audience. The other reason that made her not to major in journalism is that she did not want to be feared in the social environment as a celebrity. She prefers leading a simple life with little recognition. As I have come to learn her, she likes helping others even when there is no guarantee of other people helping her back. This justified to me her claim that she never wants to be publicly recognized for things she has done. One of the career goals for my campus friend is working in a reputable organization that recognizes and respects social and cultural diversity. She hopes that the major qualifies her to serve as a public relations manager and ascend to the senior managerial position. At the same time, she claims to have a passion for being a Chief Executive Officer for a popular organization. She does not like being employed but prefers to use employment as an avenue to rise to self-employment. Another career goal that my campus friend reported having is establishing her own company in the future and being her own boss. She believed that a public relation major was important to enable her deal with her employees efficiently and incorporate cultural diversity in the organization. She narrated to me how globalization has turned the world into a small village where everyone needs to learn to cope with people of different ideological and cultural backgrounds. For the duration that I stayed with her, the major interest that she demonstrated is socialization and sharing stories about

Critical Evaluation of Descartes Principle of Proofs of Existence of Essay - 94

Critical Evaluation of Descartes Principle of Proofs of Existence of God - Essay Example Descartes studies about God were to show that God is not a deceiver, and he aims to bring a clear perception in our minds. In his ontological arguments, Descartes gives two arguments about the existence of God. He sets to prove the existence of God in these two arguments. In his first argument, Descartes states that God is a perfect being and that to exist than not to exist is the perfect thing and God must therefore exist. These were properly based on his early dreams and he set out to document them. The Descartes second argument is the most complex of the two. In his publications, he distinctively sets out two forms of reality. In believing that his thoughts were innate, Descartes thought that his perceptions and the way he sees God should not be objected. He points out that God is an infinite being and that reality come in the forms of infinite, modal and finite. Descartes sees God as existing in infinite reality. He further asserts that all substances by virtue of their existence posses’ finite formal reality and that all ideas that occur in any phase of thought posses the modal form of reality. Ideas, as he puts that have a form of reality which, when they are put in relation to the objects that they represent must have an objective form of reality. He further points out that these objective realities are of three forms, which mirror the formal realities dependent on the amount of reality contained in the object that those ideas represent. Basing his ideas on objective reality, Descartes argues using his inner reasoning that God is an objective finite being. He further bases his ideas on inner logical thoughts to state that something can come from nothing. On this basis, Descartes arrived at two major principles: One of the attacks on the philosophy of Descartes about God concerns the use of God in order to justify distinctions in his idea of perceptions.

The Self and Nature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Self and Nature - Essay Example As a result, it has led to the destruction of nature which has severe impacts on the persons. A good example is the case of global warming. In the previous years, people had not exploited nature and thus such problems were not in existence. Due to the increased population and the greed of persons, more and more harm on nature has been conducted. Despite this, there are various persons who have great interest in the conservation of nature. This has been facilitated by various communities to their capacity. Thus persons should take community into consideration while undertaking their duties. Currently, Wildlife has been replaced by persons who deforest land and use it for irrigation and thus use chemicals which have negative effects on animals and air. There are various nature resources that have become extinct due to the exploitation. It is evident that recovering destroyed nature back to its original features after destruction is mostly impossible and if possible, takes a lot of time and resources. This is evident in the various efforts employed by the Chinese government in trying to provide water to its large population. Despite it constructing some of the world’s largest dams and canal, it has been of great cost which would not have been incurred if nature was put in front of self-interest. As a result it is very necessary to ensure that it is well conserved because it will be of help not only to the current generation but for generations to come. The community plays a significant role in addressing various issues such as nature and self. This is mainly because many members of a community share common interests and thus could have influence on its members with differing opinions. As a result, they play a significant role in educating people about self and nature (Orr 134). Proper understanding of nature is very essential in ensuring that members of a community make proper judgment in regard to nature. For example, there are various organisms that survi ve in extreme conditions. Any alterations in environment render their existence hard. Due to increased world population, nature has been left at risk from exploitation. As a result, various institutions have devised methods to try and control reproduction rate. In most cases, people are only considerate about short term benefits reaped from an activity contrally to the interests of communities which are mostly long term. This has posed even threat to some of the most valuable natural resources such as water and food. Thus proper understanding of self and nature is necessary for people to know whatever fits them most. Currently most persons from developing countries are self-centered with nature coming as a last consideration in their undertaking. It is evident that such people have been moving to the west and as such could have an impact on them. Most of these natural resources exploited are limited in their supply. As a result, massive extraction could only be beneficial to persons only for a short period of time but have adverse effects in the long run (Ridley 157). Despite the challenges faced by nature, it is not completely exploited. As a result, combined efforts by communities, governments, private sectors and science and technology will be of great help in its conservation. Currently, various non-governmental organizations have been in the forefront of ensuring that no

Chemical Dependency Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Chemical Dependency - Research Paper Example In 2009, people between 18 and 25 had the highest levels of drug use; 21.2 percent, which is driven by the increased consumption of marijuana. Forty-two percent of those between 18 and 25; 36.3 percent among the adults between 26 and34 and among 19.2 percent of those beyond 35 years reported to be binge drinkers (UDHHS, 2010). Among the adults that were dependent on alcohol consumption, the consumption medical drugs without prescription and the use of illicit drugs was higher. Determinants of substance Abuse Different biological, environmental, social, genetic and psychological factors are linked to the increasing levels of substance abuse. The factors determining alcohol consumption include race, gender, age, ethnicity, income levels, sexual orientation and educational attainment (CDC, 2011). The abuse of drugs and other substances is strongly determined by household, interpersonal and community dynamics (CDC, 2011). Among the major influencers of drug and substance abuse are social networks, family and peer pressure, especially among adolescents. For example, different studies show that marijuana consumption was triggered by interacting with siblings and friends that take them. The in-depth understanding of these factors will form key areas in countering drug and substance abuse in America as well as elsewhere (Galea, Nandi & Vlahov, 2004). Indirect and direct financial costs Drug abuse is a principle public health problem, which impacts the society at multiple levels. Directly or indirectly, all human communities are affected by drug use and abuse, particularly at the family level. Approximate costs of substance abuse for the US Source: (NIDA, n.d) Substance abuse costs USD 484 billion every year. These figures compare, to a large extent, to the costs incurred during the fight to deal with chronic diseases. Diabetes costs USD 131.7 and Cancer takes about USD 171.6 billion in a year (NIDA, N.D). Drug abuse as major cause for the public health problems America ns view drug abuse as a principal cause of health problems. For example, tobacco contributes about 11-30 percent of cancer deaths (NIDA, n.d). The abuse of tobacco, MDMA, cocaine, steroids and amphetamines contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease. Tobacco contributes about 30 percent of heart disease cases every year. In relation with the increasing spread of HIV/AIDS, 30.3 percent of the infection rates reported in 2000 (11,635) and hepatitis infections resulted from injection drug consumption. About 50 percent of the AIDS cases among children (4700 in 2002) were reportedly caused by the use of injection drug administration by the mother, or through sexual intercourse between the mother and a person infected through the channel (NIDA, n.d). Other indirect costs of substance abuse include drugged drinking, which constitutes between 10 and 22 percent of road crashes; violence, where among the people arrested for crimes like assault, theft and homicide, many were under the influence of illicit substances during the time of crime and arrest. Substance abuse is related to the acquisition of different consequences, including injuries, illness, and death – particularly following the consumption of alcohol, tobacco or other addictive drugs. During 2000, about 460,000 deaths could be traced to smoking and the abuse of drugs (NIDA, n.d). Psychological and physical

Legal compliance and negotiations skills Assignment - 3

Legal compliance and negotiations skills - Assignment Example Settlement may significantly affect the tax liability of the plaintiff hence its disadvantage. It is also worth noting the potential of the defendant playing hard ball. This may compromise the agreement and provoke further misunderstanding. Besides, it still involves a lawyer who has to be paid hence partial gain from the compensation accrued to the plaintiff. The mediator is always non-partisan and likely to work on acceptable socio-economic and political principles to facilitate mutual understanding between the parties to the dispute. Besides, mediation involves in-depth understanding of underlying factors that may have led to the dispute and make effort to negotiate in respect of the same (Guasco & Robinson, 2007). In that regard, it facilitates truth justice and reconciliation for sustained peace. It is also worth to consider mediation due to its independence from the politics of majority influence hence emphasizes truth and honesty. Despite the overriding preference of mediation in conflict resolution, it lacks judicial support and either of the party may easily opt out thereby stalling the reconciliation process. The mediation team is not secured by the law but acts on voluntary basis and this gives the parties to the dispute leverage to determine their own interest. Mediation is time consuming as it relies on mutual consensus between the parties which may take time to achieve hence prolonged resolution period. This is a dispute resolution tactic that is applicable in the event couples fail to reach agreement through other options like mediation or negotiation and are still interested in out of court settlement. It has advantage in the sense that one can choose an arbitrator in line with the personal lawyer’s recommendation. This will offer the best outcome and deliver quasi-legal ruling. It also saves time by setting strict arbitration process deadline (Guasco & Robinson, 2007). This is made

China as a single party state Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

China as a single party state - Assignment Example However, just like with any other single party states, the party has been under some sharp criticisms over dictatorship resulting in industrial strife among civil servants and opposition from activists â€Å"AS WITNESSED IN THE STREETS OF HONG KONG WHEN MARAUDING YOUTHS TOOK TO THE STREETS PROTESTING WHAT THEY TERMED OPRESSIVE LEADERSHIP† (Bruce 19). China has had several political lapses that have resulted in weaker policies therefore higher levels of environmental degradation, unemployment and popular dissatisfaction with the local government among others. The party has a pyramid structure of governance with the base of the pyramid having more people but arguably lesser authority. Through such a structure, the party incorporates everyone into a single party affair through â€Å"REPRESENTATION ACHIEVED THROUGH PERIODIC ELECTIO OF PARTY DELEGATES† (Peter 16). At the base are citizens, every Chinese is a member of the political party since it is the sole government in th e country. The citizens elect their representatives also referred to as delegates. These come from all the provinces of the country and are directly involved in the operations of the party thus the operations of the country as the central government From the delegates, a number of commissions arise and from the commissions a secretariat is formed. This way, a self-sustaining pyramid arises since every progressive stage narrows down the number of people in it but increases in authority and command. At the apex of the pyramid sits the secretary general of the party. He serves as the mouth piece of the party and communicates the important decisions made by the secretariat. In multiparty societies such as the United States of America, this figure serves as the presidency with all the executive powers and privileges. As a society changes, so should its leaders. China has stuck to the old class of leaders through its imperial presidency that has always been predetermined even before elect ions. In a way, the ridicule to democracy expressed by the Chinese leaders has contributed to the problems the country faces today. In a single party state, the problems and infightings in the political party automatically become problems of governance. This has been the case in China resulting to indiscriminate treatment of a particular group of people specifically targeted for their express portrayal of their opposition. Just as the name hints, the Chinese Communist Party ascribes to the policies of communism. This political ideology advocates for a collective production and communal sharing of the natural resources. John (36) asserts that â€Å"BUREUCRACY OF THE COUNTRY STRIFLES INNITIATIVES AND PROMOTES MEDIOCRITY†. Communism is viewed as irrelevant in the modern society where private life and private property is a reality. This makes some of the ideologies of the party inapplicable today and has contributed to the high rate of corruption of some of the Chinese elite. Bec ause of the doctrines of communism, China faced a number of sanctions especially from the western countries such as Britain and some of her neighbors such as Japan. Some of these sanctions sill affect the country’s economy. The close relationship between the political party and the government in single party state results in effective decision making, the operations of a country rely heavily on the constitution. A single party society lacks a number of watch dogs to the constitution, which results in the ruling class mutilating the document to suit their personal interest. Minxin (16) explains that â€Å" A CHINESE BORN AFTER 1980 HAVE LOWER LEVELS OF TRUST ON THE GOVERNMNT, A RESULT OF WEAK COMMUNICATION

Academic Honesty, Who is responsible the student the teachers or the Essay

Academic Honesty, Who is responsible the student the teachers or the admission - Essay Example    According to McCabe, in his essay â€Å"it takes a village,† he considered the problem in African tribal way that it is the responsibility of the society or village to raise a child. Therefore, he argued that it should be the responsibility of the whole campus community including the administrators, the students, and the faculty to shape and effectively educate a student by employing simple strategies to reduce cheating, â€Å"†¦I would argue†¦it takes the whole campus community†¦.to reduce cheating.†. The main issue that he addresses is to enable the institutions, to find innovative ways of using academic integrity as a constructive way of developing more responsible students and citizens. McCabe further argued that in order to enable the students develop honesty and positive behaviour towards education, the entire body of the students, administration and faculty ought to work together to achieve the goal set. â€Å"†¦the village, communityâ⠂¬ ¦actively works together to achieve this goal†¦Ã¢â‚¬  In order to work actively, each body plays an important role in ensuring that the students are well developed in academic matters and reduce cheating actions among them (Choong, and Bob 98). As for teachers, they are expected to teach students moral values and share their responsibility with the students especially during consultations. Students are expected to discover their talents and ability in academic matters. Teachers are therefore helpful in improving the climate of academic honesty in their institutions. Similarly, the administration also plays a role in ensuring that academic integrity has improved in the community. The administration looks out at the roles of both teachers and students in enabling academic honesty in the community and they punish the students involved in dishonesty or cheating. Additionally, students also play a role of their own. For instance, students are expected to

Appendix dorder - completed Essay Example for Free

Appendix dorder completed Essay 1. The exporter harbors some degree of anxiety because fluctuations in the exchange rate affect the real value of the currency used in trading. This might result in the exporter losing some money at the end of the day if the value of the currency falls. 2. The exporter can protect itself in the following ways: Hedging (Forward Exchange Market Hedge, Currency Options Hedges, Credit or Money Market Hedge), Acceleration or Delay of Payment, Exposure Netting and Price Adjustments. 3. The money market hedge involves borrowing money. This is based on a premise that the importer would pay for the goods bought at a certain date in the future. The exporter borrows the equivalent of the cost price of the goods being sold from a bank in the importer’s country, on the date of selling of the goods. He immediately converts this money to the currency in his own country, giving him the real value of the goods he sold. When the importer eventually pays him, he would use the money to settle the loan he got from the bank in the importer’s country. However, the exporter must make judicious use of the loan he got. He must invest it in his own country. Moreover, this depends on the prevailing interest rates in both the importer and exporter’s countries. The cost of might be too high if the interest rate is high in the importer’s country is higher than the amount the exporter con earn in his own country. 4. Acceleration or delay in payments is so important for international companies. The international company can use these as tools. These are tools that the International Company (IC) can use to protect itself against unwarranted losses arising as a result of fluctuations in the exchange rate market. The dynamics of the money market affects the IC but not these other small companies. 5. In this type of exposure netting, I would consider a strong currency and a weak currency. I would buy more of the strong currency hoping that the strength of that currency would balance out the weakness of the other currency. 6. The price adjustment device is important to the international company in the sense that he can use these instruments to protect himself (or herself) from the uncertainties of fluctuating exchange rates more importantly when an exporter is dealing with a customer in a country that has a weak currency. However, this must be done within legal limits. 7. They are important because as long as these gains or loses are accounting entries, they count against the importer / exporter if loses arise and the gains mean that more money is made eventually. 8. Yes, the parallel loan is a form of swap. The parallel loan involves two parent companies in different countries lending money to the subsidiary company of the other. The aim of this swap is to get the loan to the subsidiary company in the other country, in the currency of the subsidiary company. By so doing, the capital market is completely sidelined and no money is lost to the process of buying foreign currency. This loan swap in flexible because if it does not need guarantee from the parent company. If one of the companies defaults in payment, the other can withhold the payment. Also, it can involve more than two companies at the same time. 9. Countertrade is a type of transaction in which a buyer pays for the goods bought rather than in cash. It comes in various forms namely: Counterpurchase, Compensation, Barter, Switch, Offset and Clearing Account. A seller still decides to sell to a buyer who has no money as long as the seller can provide alternate means of payment though the above methods. In the long run, the seller still gets the value for his sales. 10. Inspection of the goods either at the point of manufacture or before they are exported from the developing country. This inspection is carried out by a trusted independent organization. Guarantee by banks is another way. By this, the bank guaranties the quality and delivery of the good from a bank in the developing country. With this, the bank supervises the process of manufacturing the goods, up to the point of packaging. By so doing, the bank does not have to pay for damages in when the contractual agreement is broken because there is a breach in the quality of the foods delivered. Reference Ball, D. A. , McCulloch, W. H. Jr. , Frantz, P. L. , Geringer, J. M. , Minor, M. S. (2006). International business: The challenge of global competition (10th ed. ). New York: McGraw-Hill.

The Iberian Lynx: Habitat, Features and Endangerment

The Iberian Lynx: Habitat, Features and Endangerment Josue Flanquin The Fate of the Iberian Lynx Among the many carnivore species that exist in Europe, the Iberian lynx and the European mink-Mustela lutreola are the only two indigenous species of the continent. In 1992, after series of careful observations and head count by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Iberian Lynx was quickly considered â€Å"critically endangered,† to see one of them go extinct is inacceptable. Despite the many researches, money and time spent in their protection and conservation, yet not much improvement has been shown in their survival. The Iberian lynx, also known as lynx of Spain and as lynx pardinus, will be the first member of the feline species to go extinct since the extinction of the Saber-toothed tiger 10,000 years ago. Being part of the wildcat family, the lynx pardinus displays many of their characteristics including long legs, ruff beard-like fur and tufted ears but unlike many other wildcats, the Iberian lynx coat is spotted, colored and shorter. Geographical Range The Iberian Lynx is known to be a native of Spain and Portugal, mainly in the Southern of the Iberian Peninsula. It is thought that before, they were well-spread all over the area, however, about a century and a half ago, their range has diminish tremendously. Before, their presence was known to be noticeable mainly in the south but also in some northern part of the area. Rapidly within fifty years they started to become extinct in the north Iberian region and an intense decline in density also began to ravage the south. From 1960 to 1990, the decline had become more extreme, and more prominent in south Spain and Portugal with about 80% with only 2% of their previous original range remained occupied. (Ferreras, et al., 2004) Two surveys were published, one in 1988 and the other in 2008. The first one estimated there were in a very fragmented range, about 800 to 1100 Iberian lynxes (adult) living in nine populations. And the other survey that was done in the more recent years has shown a much lower estimated head count to confirm that their presence were only spotted in the southwestern region of the Iberian peninsula. The total estimated number of Iberian lynx spotted and reported was between 475 to 680 Iberian lynxes living in five populations instead of nine populations as previously reported. In order to protect them, they are being kept in the Donana National Park. The species used to be very common in Portugal, but now its thought to be extirpated since their presence was last reported in January 1992. (Delibes, et al., 2000; Ferreras, et al., 2004) Habitat Like many wild felids, the Iberian lynx requires a wide range of terrains, especially below 1300 meters that contain mosaic of closed scrubland that is scattered among open patches of grassland. The reasons for choosing such landscapes are because it provides a great balance between wide-open space and shrub cover. Mostly, lynxes use scrubland as shelter and breeding while other areas that are not totally covered tend to become a shelter for their prey, more specifically their mainstay pray the European Rabbits, also know as Oryctolagus Cuniculus, which is very prominent in these locations. Unfortunately beside the many suitable habitat locations that are available, the species have been extinct from those areas presumably due to the low availability of their main prey (Ferreras et al., 2004). One of the features observed from felids is that they are very solitary and depend on a distributed demographic structure among populations where inbreeding is avoided. This requires passages b etween areas that meet the criteria of the suitable territory. Those passages allow the lynx to look for new habitats outside of the given endemic territory that fits their living condition. (Pedro Sarmento, et al., 2008) Physical Description The Felidae family has many other lynx species in their genus that includes the Canadian lynx (Lynx Canadensis), the Eurasian lynx and the Bobcat (Lynx rufus). The common family traits explain their resemblance and relativeness to each other, for example, although they are very similar in size as the Canadian lynx and the Bobcat lynx but yet smaller than the Eurasian lynx and black shorted-tipped tails. However, the Iberian lynx has some unique features of their own; they have small heads and flat faces, black tufted ears and jowls-bearded appearance and tawny pelage. Those differences have been used recently in the configuration and characterization of their size, shape and intensity of those distinctions in order to determine the degree of diversity genetically within the species. (Beltrà ¡n and Delibes, 1993; Cope, 1879; Delibes, et al., 2000; Meachen-Samuels and Van Valkenburgh, 2009) The mortality rate of the Iberian lynx is higher than their reproduction rate. According to a s tudy led by Delibes, et al 2000, 40% of their mortality happens while scattered over the land. The lifespan of the species and their longevity of captive individual are unknown. The oldest Iberian lynx as of date died at 13 years of age. The Iberian lynx has a straighten-reduced skull, small muzzles; long jaws that give each bite the â€Å"force of a smaller canines.† Those features are very beneficial adaptations for the Iberian lynx, they help them in catching small, fast prey and also enable them with the ability to kill their target with a single bite in the posterior region of the neck in order to puncture and damage the prey’s spinal cord, as opposed to suffocating bite practice by larger lynx. (Cope, 1879; Beltran and Delibes, 1993; Meachen-Samuels and Valkenburgh, 2009) Reproduction The Iberian lynx is known to be a monogamous polygynous species when observed in the Donana National Park, a close-up metapopulation at its carrying capacity density. With the total availability of suitable territories diminishing, Intrasexual interaction has become very competitive, resulting in the male Iberian lynx to have smaller territories that can be easily defended against other surrounding rivals looking for mates. Therefore, such circumstance turns the Iberian lynx to become more of a monogamy community since the males are forced to put all their strength on defending avoiding access to a particular, exclusive single female of that community. The Iberian lynx often reach sexual maturity within a period of nine months to a year after birth. Though even after sexual maturity the females will not breed until they have secured a set territory of their own. After maturity mating is always the next step, given the fact that females’ estrus peak is in January so breeding us ually happens from January to July since it is the only time that the males and females interact. Although males’ territories might overlap with those of the females’, aggressive interaction over mating right is uncommon; however the prominence of the population dictates the fluctuation rates of aggressive intrasexual, the higher the density rate, the higher the population rate will be and vice versa. (Fernà ¡ndez, et al., 2003) Food Habit The Iberian Lynx is a specialized feeder, its diet consist of 80%-100% Oryctolagus cunicuus. One adult Iberian lynx requires between 700 and 1100 kilocalories per day in order to gain the approximate amount of energy needed to function. By consuming their primary prey, the European rabbit. the Iberian lynx get that amount of energy from one single rabbit. One can imagine that an adult female with younger lynxes will require up to three rabbits per day. Because of their distinctive diet, it makes impossible or hardly do they show geographic variation. Threat to their Survival The Iberian lynx species has made it on the top of the red list of critically endangered species facing extinction, according to the IUNC. Many argument and debates are circulating over who or what is responsible for the Iberian lynx decline with barely 150 left in the Iberian Peninsula (see table 1). The three main cause of their death include but not limited to the decline in the Rabbit population, human hunting and human fragmentation. The rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus, is wild invasive animal. This rabbit has been flagged as nearly endangered species in the IUNC red list due to the disease myxomatosis, habitat loss and human-induced mortality (Smith and Boyer 2008). Many Spaniards enjoy hunting. It is part of their way of life also their a way to make a living. Although the government of Spain and Portugal, both have passed laws that prohibits the hunting of the Iberian lynx, many locals still continue those habits. They would hunt them in order to used get their skin to directly sell them in the black market or to use them to make fur coats. Another main threat to the survival of the Iberian lynx is land fragmentation. During the beginning the 20th century when everything including culture start to get influenced by the western world, many rich companies moved to Spain due to low tax or free tax deal. The government allows big companies such as lumber industries to use portions of the iberian lynx habitat to be converted as stands for timbers, or also they have allowed the construction and development of tower-buildings, roads and highways, shopping malls and modern recreational public parks, invading huge part of the forest’s ecosystem and damaging the lynxes’ native habitat. Part of the life cycle of an Iberian lynx is â€Å"inter-population dispersal,† they use habitat corridors as passage, so with new roads being built that also take its toll on the species. Among the many different researches out there, there have not been enough evidence supporting the idea that human fragmentation as the main cause of death. However, according to â€Å"Delibes, et al., 2000,† most recent mortalities have been reported to be human induced which includes traffic collisions from roads, illegal hunting (5% annually), caught in traps (6% annually), and forest fires. Therefore according to the IUNC 2006, the rabbit’s decline remains the primary cause of death and extinction of the Iberian lynx. http://ge09d-geography-2010.wikispaces.com/file/view/Decline_in_Iberian_Lynx_Numbers_2.1.png/123004189/Decline_in_Iberian_Lynx_Numbers_2.1.pn Conservation Status The Iberian lynx is the most threatened species in Europe. This carnivore has fewer than 200 breeding individuals left. They have suffered not only a huge decline in their population rate and a decline in their prey’s availability but also a massive lost of range contraction. The preservation of this species requires immediate intervention from both government, Spain and Portugal accordingly, in order for it to be successful. Many captive breeding programs have begun but little is known about their success and may need to be thoroughly investigated. The inability of the species to disperse due to habitat fragmentation, has led to their isolation. Habitat fragmentation includes road construction, urban development, agriculture and elimination of corridors. Inter-population dispersal is very important in the species’ life cycle; to disperse they use habitat corridors. Another important step that need to be taken into consideration is the restoration of habitat corridors, their protection is important in the recovery of the iberian lynx, if we need re-establish successful inter-population connectivity Pedro Sarmento, et al., 2008). Furthermore, poaching remains on the list as one of the main threat of death of the Iberian lynx with 5% of annual mortality. Spain government in 1973 and Portugal in 1974 have long passed laws prohibiting exploitation and trade of the Iberian lynx by humans, because such activities are kept secret, sensitivity program has been put in place to inform the locals not to partake in such activities and report them. (Beltrà ¡n and Delibes, 1993) Citations Smith, A.T. Boyer, A.F. 2008. Oryctolagus cuniculus. In: IUCN 2013. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Francisco Palomares, Miguel Delibes, Eloy Revilla, Javier Calzada and Jose Marà ­a Fedriani, Wildlife Monographs No. 148, Spatial Ecology of Iberian Lynx and Abundance of European Rabbits in Southwestern Spain (Oct., 2001) GIL-Sà NCHEZ J, MCCAIN E. Former range and decline of the Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) reconstructed using verified records.Journal Of Mammalogy[serial online]. October 2011;92(5) Sunquist, M. and Sunquist, F. (2002) Wild Cats of the World. The University of ChicagoSunquist, M. and Sunquist, F. (2002) Wild Cats of the World. The University of Chicago F. palomares, vegetation Structure and Prey Abundance Requirements of the Iberian Lynx: Implications for the Design of Reserves and Corridors Journal of Applied Ecology Vol. 38, No. 1 (Feb., 2001), pp. 9-18 JESUS M. PEREZ, The dilemma of conserving parasites: the case of Felicola (Lorisicola) isidoroi (Phthiraptera: Trichodectidae) and its host, the endangered Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) Insect Conservation and Diversity (2013) Carlos Carroll and Dale G. Miquelle, Spatial Viability Analysis of Amur Tiger Panthera tigris altaica in the Russian Far East: The Role of Protected Areas and Landscape Matrix in Population Persistence Journal of Applied Ecology vol 43 Ferreras, P., Gaona, P., Palomares, F. and Delibes, M. (2001), Restore habitat or reduce mortality? Implications from a population viability analysis of the Iberian lynx. Animal Conservation, 4:265–274. Palma, L., Beja, P. and Rodrigues, M. (1999), The use of sighting data to analyse Iberian lynx habitat and distribution. Journal of Applied Ecology J. Torres, R. Garcà ­a-Perea, J. Gisbert and C. Feliu (1998). Helminth fauna of the Iberian lynx, Lynx pardinus. Journal of Helminthology, 72, pp 221-226. Meli ML, Cattori V, Martà ­nez F, Là ³pez G, Vargas A, et al. (2009) Feline Leukemia Virus and Other Pathogens as Important Threats to the Survival of the Critically Endangered Iberian Lynx (Lynx pardinus).

Neurobiology of Human Sexuality :: Biology Essays Research Papers

Neurobiology of Human Sexuality Human sexuality is a topic that has been taboo for many centuries. The orgasm, for example, is one aspect of sexuality that has been overlooked. In particular, the female orgasm is an important function to address because it's a subject that has been socially steeped in silence and shame, and is directly connected to female health in general. Not many people are willing to admit, that orgasms actually benefit a woman physically and psychologically in many ways (i.e. easing menstrual cramps to alleviate stress). One mystery about the female orgasm is why some women "fake" orgasms during sexual activity. One thing that is for sure, is that even though the male orgasm is reached quicker, the female orgasm is capable of repeated pleasure. Why do so many women have difficulty experiencing an orgasm and why do men climax so fast? Interestingly enough, most women will confess that their partners do not give them orgasm. Instead, they allow themselves to have orgasms. Not only that, but they can have a variety of different types of orgasms at the same time. (i.e. clitoral orgasms, G-spot orgasms, vaginal orgasms, ejaculatory orgasms, blended orgasms, etc). Men will comment for example, that the scent of a woman is what drives them crazy during sexual activity and makes them unable to hold the sensation for long. So do women have more control over physical pleasure in the brain than men? How do sexual problems happen in the brain? There is a combination of things that come in effect when it comes to an orgasm in the brain. Neurotransmitters, and neuro-peptides for example, are heavily involved in the sexual response. To reach an orgasm, the central nervous system sends orders to the heart, so that it pumps faster, sending blood to oxygenate the increase of blood flow in muscles involved in sexual activity. Nitric oxide, serotonin, dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine, are just a few of the neurotransmitters and neuro-peptides involved in sexual activity. Nitric oxide (NO) plays a critical role in both male and female sexuality. In penile erections, NO stimulates the release of guanylate cyclase, which, in turn, converts GTP to cGMP and produces relaxation of smooth muscles and increased blood flow into the penis. This information is used in the popular drug sildenafil (ViagraTM) that inhibits the metabolism of cGMP to prolong the effects of the erection. (1) Serotonin's role in sexual function is that of constriction of smooth muscles in the genitals, and peripheral nerve function.

Struggles for Equality under the AIAW/NCAA Merger :: Women Athelets Sports

Struggles for Equality under the AIAW/NCAA Merger In any movement by a marginalized social group to gain equal rights and recognition, there are always several factions with differing opinions of the best way to achieve the common goal. There are those who choose to work within the rules of the system as is it is already structured by the dominant social group, and there are those who choose to create their own branch, rewriting the rules to represent their own philosophies. Historically, women's athletics have been led by the second camp; by women who demanded a philosophy of sport with a vision unique from that of men?s athletics. Women's athletics remained, much like women as a social group, in its own separate sphere, leading its own organizational structure. But as the women's sphere was de-mystified (Spears, 1978) in the mid twentieth century, autonomous organizational structures were absorbed under the umbrella of formerly exclusively male athletics. This is the case as illustrated by the merger of the AIAW and the NCAA. On the surface, it may appear that full official inclusion of women's athletics into the structure of the patriarchy would bring primarily positive results such as increased funding and greater access to facilities. However, the present, past, and future ramifications of the merger are tangled in a web of political and social significance that is not so simple to label as all positive or all negative for the advancement of women's athletics and Feminism at large. I will briefly trace the history that led to the creation of the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) as described by Joan Hult in 'The Story of Women's Athletics: Manipulating a Dream 1890-1985,' and then examine some of the pros and cons of the AIAW's 1981 merger with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Hult explains that in the era between 1890-1920, women physical educators were a tightly knit, dedicated group committed to a tradition of restricted competition, self-governance, and a feminine approach to individual and team sports. They believed that all girls and women should have the opportunity to participate and enjoy sport, not only the talented elite as in the competition-driven male philosophical structure (87). Play-days and sport-days with emphasis on team building games were a means of perpetuating an image of an ideal American female athlete: feminine, beautiful, strong, yet always 'aware of her delicate reproductive system' (89). Seventy-five years later, though much had changed, the AIAW still adhered to a more fundamental interpretation of the original philosophy of women's athletics. Struggles for Equality under the AIAW/NCAA Merger :: Women Athelets Sports Struggles for Equality under the AIAW/NCAA Merger In any movement by a marginalized social group to gain equal rights and recognition, there are always several factions with differing opinions of the best way to achieve the common goal. There are those who choose to work within the rules of the system as is it is already structured by the dominant social group, and there are those who choose to create their own branch, rewriting the rules to represent their own philosophies. Historically, women's athletics have been led by the second camp; by women who demanded a philosophy of sport with a vision unique from that of men?s athletics. Women's athletics remained, much like women as a social group, in its own separate sphere, leading its own organizational structure. But as the women's sphere was de-mystified (Spears, 1978) in the mid twentieth century, autonomous organizational structures were absorbed under the umbrella of formerly exclusively male athletics. This is the case as illustrated by the merger of the AIAW and the NCAA. On the surface, it may appear that full official inclusion of women's athletics into the structure of the patriarchy would bring primarily positive results such as increased funding and greater access to facilities. However, the present, past, and future ramifications of the merger are tangled in a web of political and social significance that is not so simple to label as all positive or all negative for the advancement of women's athletics and Feminism at large. I will briefly trace the history that led to the creation of the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) as described by Joan Hult in 'The Story of Women's Athletics: Manipulating a Dream 1890-1985,' and then examine some of the pros and cons of the AIAW's 1981 merger with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Hult explains that in the era between 1890-1920, women physical educators were a tightly knit, dedicated group committed to a tradition of restricted competition, self-governance, and a feminine approach to individual and team sports. They believed that all girls and women should have the opportunity to participate and enjoy sport, not only the talented elite as in the competition-driven male philosophical structure (87). Play-days and sport-days with emphasis on team building games were a means of perpetuating an image of an ideal American female athlete: feminine, beautiful, strong, yet always 'aware of her delicate reproductive system' (89). Seventy-five years later, though much had changed, the AIAW still adhered to a more fundamental interpretation of the original philosophy of women's athletics.

Music is the Only Universal Language Essay -- Exploratory Essays Resea

Music is the Only Universal Language When people think of the term literacy, they most commonly define it as the ability to read and write, in the verbal sense. But there is a wide range of literacy apart from that, which also requires mastering a set of crucial skills. One such example is musical literacy, which is the ability to read, write, or appreciate music. Musical literacy is not all that different from the verbal kind. Leonard G. Ratner, when speaking of 18th and 19th century music, writes "Both language and music had their vocabulary, syntax, and arrangement of formal structures, subsumed under the title Rhetoric" (xiv). In other words, music, like language, is based on its own set of learned rules, and both serve as a form of communication. But what exactly does it mean to be musically literate? One example is the ability to look at a piece of music and know how its components fit together, such as scales, key signatures, crescendos, and other parts. This is known as sight-reading, where people play an unfamiliar piece of music at first glance, because they understand counting and basic underlying principles. But musical literacy also has a wider definition. Listening to a symphony, playing a musical instrument, or even humming along to a song on the radio all show a general understanding of musical principles. Once an individual obtains this understanding, doors are opened. That person can appreciate music on a more complex level, and musical literacy adds to a well-rounded personality and view of the world. Once people actually understand what is going on behind music, they gain a newer appreciation of its sounds. On a personal note, I have played the piano for about 8 years, and it has opened doors for... ...s of ability. Music can be used to express everything from emotions to political opinions. It uniquely soothes us when we are unhappy, and echoes our highest spirits. Simply put, the world would be an emptier place without literacy to translate those feelings into a language that everyone understands. Overall, music is unique by its duality. Different forms are partial to a particular culture or time period, but every form can reach people all over the world and throughout time. To be literate musically is to spread thoughts and expression, and sometimes those musical ideas weigh more heavily than language can. Music serves as a bridge between generations, societies, and opinions, and without literacy, the world would be a much more restrictive place. WORKS CITED Ratner, Leonard G. Classic Music: Expression, form, and Style. London: Schirmer Books, 1980.

The Beneatha’s Dreams

Hansberry's play â€Å"A Raisin in the Sun† is the story of the Youngers, a poor African- American family in the 1940s. All of the Youngers have important dreams that they wish to realize but due to their economic status and the abundant racism of the time, and they are forced to put aside these dreams. However, due to the insurance money from â€Å"Big Walter†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœs death, they have a chance to overcome these obstacles and achieve their dreams. Beneatha is a good example of a character whose dreams have been deferred. Beneatha dreams of being a doctor and throughout the play, struggles to determine her identity as a well-educated black woman. Beneatha is a collage student and is obviously the best educated member of the Younger family. Her education is very important to her and she hopes to one day become a doctor. Beneatha believes in education as a means to understanding and self-fulfillment through knowledge and wisdom. It was rare at this time to find a poor well-educated black woman with such high ambitions. Beneatha took pride in this fact and often flaunted her intelligence to her family. Mama, knowing how much her education meant to her, instructed Walter to save $3000 for Beneatha's medical schooling. When it was discovered that Walter had invested the money in his liquor store scheme and Willy had run off with all the money, Beneatha was devastated. She had lost all hope and even though her spirits may have been lifted after her talk with Asagai in act III and the chance to move into a new house, it seems that Beneatha will never realize this dream. Another major dream that Beneatha wants is to have her own identity. In the play she does this by trying to gain a better grasp on her cultural identity as an African-American. The rest of her family, after living in America for five generations, seem out of touch with their African heritage, so Beneatha turns to Asagai, a native Nigerian, to see if he can supply the lost part of herself. Beneatha dresses in Nigerian garb, dances to African music, and lets her hair grow naturally in an attempt to become more African. Beneatha does this in part because she sincerely wants to identify herself as an Africa-American but she also does it in protest of what she calls an â€Å"oppressive† white culture. Beneatha also dreamed of overcoming not only the prejudice against blacks, but also the prejudice against women. In the 1940s, it was common belief that a woman's place was at home and it was very rare for any woman to become a doctor. Even Walter suggests that she become a nurse, a traditionally woman's job, instead. Beneatha was an early feminist and did not take the traditionally submissive role of a woman. Instead, she spoke up against anything she perceived as an injustice. She became particularly passionate about freeing the Africans from French and English colonizers after talking to Asagai. In the play â€Å"A Raisin in the Sun,† all of the main characters were guided by their dreams, and the same is true for Beneatha. In the play, Beneatha struggles to create her own identity while battling against the abundant prejudice of the day. While she partially succeeds at creating her own identity, her dreams of becoming a doctor fall short when Walter losses the necessary money. However, Beneatha is a strong, intelligent woman and will most likely succeed later in life.

Long Term Financing Paper Final

Running head: Long-Term Financing Long-Term Financing University of Phoenix Online Introduction to Finance and Accounting MMPBL-503 James R. Sullivan November 3, 2008 Long-Term Financing An established company is considering expanding its operations, and to achieve their business objectives, the company will require additional long-term capital financing. Long-term financing involves debt or equity instruments with greater than one-year maturities, and the cost of this long-term capital can be calculated using either the Capital Asset Pricing (CAPM) or Discounted Cash Flows (DCFM) Model. The organization will have to compare and contrast the Capital Asset Pricing Model with the Discounted Cash Flows Model. The skill of comparing and contrasting financial options will help evaluate and organize the debt/equity mix and dividend policy. The organization must then decide what type of long-term finance alternatives will most likely benefit. Capital Asset Pricing Model and the Discounted Cash Flows Model Capital Asset Pricing Model is a linear relationship between returns on individual stocks and stock market returns over time (Block & Hirt, 2005). One use of CAPM is to analyze the performance of mutual funds and other portfolios (CAPM, 2008). Although, more than one formula exists for the CAPM, the most common is referred to as the market risk premium model presented below (Block & Hirt, 2005): r = Rf + beta (Km – Rf) Where: r is the expected return rate on a security Rf = the risk free rate of return (cash) B = beta coefficient, or historical volatility of common stock relative to market index Km = is the return rate of the appropriate asset class The market risk premium formula assumes that the rate of return or premium demanded by investors is directly proportional to the perceived risk associated with the common stock. Beta measures the volatility of the security relative to the asset class. The equation is saying that investors require higher levels of expected returns to compensate them for higher expected risk. This formula can be thought as predicting a security’s behavior as a function of beta: CAPM says that if a person knows a security’s beta then they know the value of (r) that investors expect it to have (see graph below) (CAPM, 2008). [pic] More volatile stocks will have a beta coefficient greater than 1. 0, whereas less volatile stocks will have a beta less than 1. 0. If the risk free rate of return (Rf) and average market return (Km) are considered fixed, then the required rate of return for company stock can be calculated for the required rate of return. As an example, if the market risk premium (Km – Rf) is 6% and a risk free rate of return (Rf) is 4%, then the required rate of return would equal 10% for B = 1 and 16% for B = 2. The Discounted Cash Flow Model (DCFM) is another standard way of determining the cost of equity. It assumes that a firm’s current stock price is equal to the present (discounted) value of all expected future dividends from the investment (Utility Regulation, 2008). Modern financial theory contends that the price of a firm’s stock is the present value of the future cash flows discounted at an appropriate interest rate (Freeman & Gagne, 1992). To calculate the current stock value, calculate the present value of future dividends and growth in the value of the stock at some future date. The discount rate used for this present value calculation is the weighted average cost of capital for the firm. Both the CAPM and DCF models involve applying data from a single or group of companies, to evaluate the current stock value of a single company. CAPM is more objective and complicated, and requires more calculation and data from the market. DCF is more subjective and simplified. One such DCF assumption is that future dividends will grow forever at a constant rate. Since this assumption is not always true, the DCF method gives a more qualitative estimate of the cost of capital. Limitations of CAPM includes, model uncertainty, it is difficult to know for sure if the use of the model is theoretically correct. Input uncertainty, is another limitation, it is difficult to estimate the appropriate risk premiums accurately (CAPM limitations, 2008). Limitations of the DCF model include miss growth options, options to expand and options to redirect (DCFM, 2008). Debt/Equity Mix Debt/equity mix is a financing strategy used by companies to help fund the business or other investments. Most companies use a combination of both in order to ensure stability and to keep long-term cost down. Debt is the borrowing of money from other lenders such as finance companies and banks. â€Å"Corporate debt has increased dramatically in the last three decades. † (Block & Hirt, pg. 468) Other forms of debt include issuing bonds and leasing. Debt has become a common item on balance sheet for many companies, including those just starting out. Debt financing allows companies to finance without having to sell stock or bring in more partners. The major benefit for debt financing, unlike with equity financing, the owner retains full ownership of their business. Bringing in more partners or stockholders in a company causes the loss of primary ownership and possibly the loss of the reason the company was created. Equity is another form of financing. Equity is also used by large and small companies. Equity is financed by other people. With equity financing the initial owner/borrower has a greater risk of losing their company to the partners that have become involved. On the other hand the borrower in an equity finance loan has flexibility on repayment terms and the form of repayment (ie. cash, stock, bonds or services). However, most major corporations have a mixture of debt and equity with making sure they do not have to much leverage in either one. The formula for figuring out what a company’s debt-equity ratio is: (Block & Hirt) Debt/Equity Ratio = Total Liabilities Shareholders’ Equity Dividend Policy A company’s dividend policy is up to the company and the profits that are made. If the company is just starting out they may not want to pay dividends to their stockholders. A beginning company may want to reinvest any earnings that are made in order to help the company expand. â€Å"In choosing either to pay a dividend to stockholders or to reinvest the funds in the company, management’s first consideration is whether the firm will be able to earn a higher return for the stockholders† (Block & Hirt, pg. 547). When deciding on a dividend policy the stockholders preference must be considered. The stockholder may or may not want to receive dividends and may only have concern with the value of their investment at relinquishment time. If expanding a business the dividends that are normally sent out will possibly be lower to help cover the cost of expanding. The expansion may also cause the dividends to increase. Some investors care about he future earnings and the increase that may occur because of the expansion and earnings increase. Characteristics and Costs of Debt and Equity Instruments The purchasers of equity instruments have the rights to vote on issues, gain ownership and future earnings of the business. Examples of equity instruments are common stock, preferred stock and retained earnings. Ask Dr Econ, 2008) Common stock is a form of equity instruments, advantages are the common stockholders will share in the company’s profitability, does not have to repay investment, dividends, and the votes can influence management. The disadvantages of common stock, the vote may dilute the management’s interest in the corporation’s growth, and the non-management stockholders can increase in the vot ing power, and the maximum risk falls on the investor. (Raymond, 2002) The cost of common equity is important as â€Å"the ultimate ownership of the firm resides in common stock† (Block & Hirt, 2005). The cost of issuing new common stock is expressed as: Kn = D1 / (Po – F) + g D1 = First year common dividend, Po = Price of common stock, F = Flotation selling costs, g = Constant growth rate in earnings (Block & Hirt, 2005) Preferred stock is another form of equity instruments, advantages are stocks offers stipulated dividend on an annual or semi-annual basis, preference rights over common stock and dividend payments and liquidating distributions. The dividends can accrue at a certain rate and paid on a cumulative basis. The disadvantage â€Å"includes a subordination of dividends to be paid on common stock and limitations on the use of corporate fund to the extent that pre-established dividend payments. † (Raymond, 2002) The cost of issuing new preferred stock is: Kp = Dp ( Pp – F) Where Dp = Preferred dividend, Pp = price of preferred stock, and F = Flotation selling costs. (Block & Hirt, 2005) Retained earnings are equivalent to â€Å"past and present earnings of the firm minus previously distributed dividends† (Block & Hirt, 2005). In order to convince shareholders that earnings will equal larger dividends and equity later, it is important to calculate the present value of projected future cash flow. The equation for cost of retained earnings is equivalent to the cost of existing common stock Ke = D1 / Po + g This can be used to reacquire outstanding treasury stock at market price. The cost of retained earnings does not include the flotation or sales cost associated with new issues of common or preferred stock. (Block & Hirt, 2005) Debt instruments are requires a fixed payment with interest, examples are bonds, government or corporation and mortgages. Ask Dr Econ, 2008) Bondholders do not gain ownership, paid before other expenses, less risky and not entitle to future profits in the business. (Raymond, 2002). Disadvantages include potential restrictions on operations, limitations on the use of working capital† (Raymond, 2002). Bond financing includes the zero-coupon rate bond and the floating rate bond. T he cost of debt is measured by the after-tax cost of debt and must be calculated as follows: Kd = Yield (1 – t) where Yield = yield to maturity and t = tax rate The yield to maturity of a bond is dependent on a number of variables: annual interest payment, principal payment, bond price and years to maturity. The yield to maturity for a bond can be calculated using a bond table, or using the equation below: Y' = annual interest payment + (principal payment – bond price) / years to maturity) (Block & Hirt, 2005) Evaluation of Long-Term Financing Alternatives Organizations have several opportunities for  alternative long-term financing to help the organization expand and grow, raise capital depleted by inflation and to supplement insufficient funds generated internally by the organization. Debts for organizations have risen over the past three decades. Organizations are faced with the task of continuing to raise capital to cover the organization’s debts. Organizations can use bonds, stocks, leasing and other options as options for long-term financing Bonds Most large organizations use corporate bonds for long-term financing. â€Å"The bond agreement specifies such basic items as the par value, the coupon rate, and the maturity date† (Block & Hirt, 2005). The initial value of a bond is the bond’s par value or face value. The interest rate on the bond is the coupon rate. The fluctuation of interest rates in the market affect the coupon rate of the bond after the bond has been issued. The ending date in which repayment of the principal of the bond is due is the maturity date. The bond agreement or indenture is the legal document that covers the bond from issuance to repayment. Organizations can put up a secured bond offering such as a mortgage agreement, where specific assets are promised to bondholders should they default on the bond or choose an unsecured, or debenture bond offering which doesn’t specify a specific asset. Stocks Common stock is on way an organization can secure long-term equity financing. Common stock is issued at a price per share to relatives, friends and investors. The funds are used by the organization to help the organization grow. The organization can issued to stockholders as dividends to show a payback on the capital investment. The remaining funds after the organization pays out dividends become retained earnings for the organization and are reinvested back into the organization. Individuals who have ownership in the organization can hold preferred stock. Preferred stock holders are repaid first should the organization file for bankruptcy. Leasing Organizations can lease assets instead of financing them. Leasing can give an organization that is short on funds or is not credit worthy enough to borrow funds a way to obtain assets. Leasing an asset is generally more expensive than purchasing the asset. By leasing assets, the organization reduces cash outflow so they can use those funds for other ventures. Organizations can lease assets such as furniture, equipment and land. The organization can choose a Capital Lease agreement where the organization purchases the asset at the end of the lease period. Organizations in a higher tax bracket can take advantage of a depreciation write-off tax advantage by purchasing an asset and leasing the asset to another organization in a lower tax bracket. Other Alternatives Organizations can use Factoring to borrow capital. The factor generally charges higher interest rates than banks. Factors generally review credit history, but the organization may still be able to borrow due to the quality of the organization’s collateral rather than their project projections. Conclusion Expanding a company can be a big step and many plans must be laid out and consider before the final decision can be made. Cost is the biggest factor that must be considered when expanding. The second factor to consider is who or how the cost is going to be covered. Most companies consider there finance options. Financing option that should be considered include taking on more debt, issuing bonds, and selling stock. With these options the interest rate, the selling price of the stock and how much of the company they would like to give up all must be considered when choosing an option. The better option would be to do a mix of all of the financing options to keep the balance sheet leveled, and the company in good financial standing. References Ask Dr Econ. (2008) † Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco:What are the differences between debt and equity markets? † Retrieved October 31, 2008 from http://www. frbsf. org/education/activities/drecon/answerxml. cfm? selectedurl=/2005/0510. html Block, S. B. , & Hirt, G. A. , (2005). Foundations of Financial Management (11th ed. ). New York: McGraw-Hill. Capital Asset Pricing Model, (2008). Retrieved October 31, 2008, from http://www. moneychimp. com/glossary/capm/htm. Capital Asset Pricing Model

Gamefowl Breeder

The establishment or â€Å"fixing† of such characteristics Is accomplished by repeated Infusions of those heartsickness without concern for genealogical purity or so called breed names. All which follows is merely an expansion and development of those principles. Throughout the following pages you will find the pronoun â€Å"l† used frequently. It Is strictly a style of writing. An informal conversation style, as If we were talking together, which makes for easier reading and clearer understanding.Definitely it is not a â€Å"know it all† attitude or any desire to pose as an authority. Rather it represents an honest expression of opinion based upon my own experiences. – Narragansett Chapter 1 The Uncertainties of Breeding The transmission of hereditary characteristics is beyond the comprehension of mankind. Our greatest scientists have identified, classified, named, and theorized upon the numerous factors involved, yet have never been able to create a livi ng organism or to predict with certainty what the various elements in combination would produce.Accordingly, it is no wonder that the most scientific practices result in failure, whereas an obscure and Improbable combination occasionally produces phenomenal results. An example of the latter comes to mind: (a) The Berg Blue Muffs which first were produced by a 16-year-old boy from a wild combination of game fowl. (b) The world's champion harness horse, Peter Manning, which was sired by an obscure young stallion mated to a slab sided mare which Warren Wright hitched to his wagon while delivering his yeast cakes. C) The Thomas W, Murphy family of â€Å"Abraham† fowl which resulted from a stolen nest mating of an unknown cook and a stray hen which hatched and raised her brood of chicks upon the grounds of Mr.. Murphy's neighbor, Abraham Strauss. Hence the name Abraham. These are but a few examples, no doubt you can enumerate many more. They are what I call â€Å"lottery ticketâ €  mating. You buy a lottery ticket for 50 cents and win a thousand dollars. Occasionally. But it can be done and has been done. It is the breeding practice followed by most cockers.Once in a great while they hit the jackpot, but 99% of the time they have to tear up the ticket and buy another one. From these examples you should recognize that there Is no sure fire formula for producing 100% winners. The most that we can hope to do is present a breeding system which on average will Improve your chances AT ruling above TTT level. 10 want extent you exceed sun bevel depends upon your personal qualifications of observation, selectivity and perseverance, remembering always that there are a hundred requirements for winning a cook fight, and a thousand ways to lose one.Breeding is only one of the many factors involved, but it is an important one, so lets see what we can do to improve our chances in that respect. Chapter 2 Things to Avoid I abhor the term PURE as applied to game fowl. In my 45 years experience I never found such to exist. Not genetically pure. You frequently hear reference to pure Hatch, or pure Keels, or pure Murphy. I knew intimately all three of these men during heir lifetimes yet never once did I ever hear one of them use the term pure when referring to his own or anyone else's fowl.They might say â€Å"this is what I call my number four yard, I've bred them together for several years along with their offspring, but they are coming small now and getting a bit fragile so I think next year I'll put another one of my socks in there to stiffen them up. † Or, â€Å"Walter sent me this cook which I've bred for a couple of years with good success. † But never † my pure No. 4 yard† or a â€Å"pure Keels cook. † They knew that such things did not exist, and never had existed, either on their yards or anyone else's.So many times people get a hen and a cook from a prominent breeder's yards and thereafter refer to them as p ure this, that or the other. That's crazy. The breeder himself, if he were honest, would not describe them in such terms. Just because both sides of the mating came from the same source does not make them pure. Far from it. Chances are that the prominent breeder has a dozen or more breeding yards on his place. Probably many of them are more or less related. Some may be inbred or lingered to a greater extent than the others. But it is a certainty that no two of them are the same, and not one of hem is pure.So how can the fowl you get from him be pure in the genetic sense and thereby be capable of transmitting characteristics with unfailing certainty? My great objection to the word pure is the harm it does to cockers who lean upon such erroneous term and rely upon those MIS-named fowl to transmit consistently the characteristics for which the family is noted. That's bad. Leads to all sorts of disappointments and loss of confidence. Breed Names Breed names are another one of my pet pee ves. People toss them around as if they were talking about some stable uniform substance like salt or sugar or soda.The truth is that such names so inaccurately describe the fowl being discussed as to be practically meaningless. A bird is referred to as being a pure Dad Glenn Whitehall, or a straight Albany, or an old-time Carney. The bird may be a good one, so far as that is concerned, but so far as his being what his name implied, it's dollars to doughnuts that the relationship does not exceed 10%. Here again the harm in using breed names is that it misleads others into thinking that they can procure the same good results as you have experienced simply by using a bird bearing the same breed name.The chances are that the two birds are not 5% related. For 32 years I was state distributor for Dodge automobiles. Upon countless occasions customers would come in and announce There's no need for you to give me a sales pitch, I know all about a Dodge. † So long as he was satisfied t here was no need to say witling, out ten truth was Tanat tender was not a nut, Dolt, Lemons, or engineering principle which was the same in this present Dodge as in the two or three he had owned previously. Only the name remained unchanged. The same situation exists in respect of breed names in game fowl.So, let's forget â€Å"breed names† and â€Å"purity† and examine the essential characteristics our brood fowl must possess, for such characteristics form a basis or foundation for this breeding system. Chapter 3 What to Look For Gameness Proper brood fowl must have many essential characteristics. Chief among them is that which commonly is called gameness. There has been so much written on this subject that I hate to mention it. All these three day tests, punishment tests, descriptive requirements have been worn threadbare. So I'll treat the subject here briefly and then drop it.If fowl do not measure up to my idea of gameness, I simply am not interested in them. Here it is: † An unquenchable determination to kill. † No matter what the conditions– ahead, behind, rattled, blinded, broken leg, no matter what. I want to see my brood cook ever and always trying to kill his opponent. All defensive fighting or â€Å"lying on his side, picking for an hour in a 120 degree sun† does not impress me at all. If he is not trying with all his heart every second to kill his opponent, regardless of all handicaps and circumstances, I Just am not interested. You can continue the discussion as long as you wish, but count me out.Proponents Let's start with the cook. Do you think with the acquisition of an ideal brood cook will be easy? Don't kid yourself. No matter how much money you spend, or how many high class events you attend, or how many top cockers you know, your chances of procuring an ideal brood cook on your first, second, or third attempt is very low. You could strike gold on your first claim, but the chances are that you will no t. But, don't give up. Persistence is one of the prime prerequisites of a successful breeder. In the first place the cook must be proponent. That is, he must be capable of passing along his own excellent qualities to his offspring.There is no way of determining whether or not a cook possesses this quality of proponents other than by trial and experience. No matter how marvelous a performer he is himself, if he does not pass along such qualities to his offspring he is of no value to you. I have seen countless instances, and probably you have too, where a fellow paid a big price for an outstanding performing cook only to have him produce nothing of merit. But because the fellow paid a big price for him he stuck with him year after year, and in the end it cost him many times the original price through using the worthless offspring.So be ever on the alert for this quality of proponents. A cook either has it or he hasn't. But if he does not have it, heave him right now. You can't change the situation, and you will only waste many years and much money by sticking by him, regardless of his source or price. The probabilities, and note that I say probabilities, for there is no certainty about it, are that a cook is more apt to be proponent if he is somewhat lingered or inbred rather tan Delving ten product AT a TLS cross. You wall nave to determine tens Trot ten man who bred him.Also you should ascertain if such cock's brothers, father, uncles on tot sides, etc. , If they did, your chances are improved. But if you find wide variations, where this fellow is merely an outstanding performer in a widely variable and commonplace family, you had better stop right there, for the probability of this guy reproducing himself is dim. Health Health. Robust, vigorous, teeming health. Big appetite. Easy mould. Ever aggressive. â€Å"Spring Busting Out All Over† type of health. It's one of the most important characteristics your brood cook can possess.Without it you are not go ing to be able to go very far in the breeding line before you break down. Peter Horrors use to pay more attention to a fowl's health record and that of his ancestors, and the conditions under which they where raised, than he did any other characteristic when selecting his brood stock. So give this feature great weight when selecting your own brood fowl. If you start out with some spindly, weak, thin feathered inbred â€Å"pure† cook of such and such a â€Å"breed name† you are not going to get very far. And the longer you stick with him the more time and money you are going to waste.Power More or less the same importance attaches to the feature of power. You can improve his quality by breeding to big strong brood hens, but each time you do it you are breeding away from the brood cook, thereby reducing his influence upon the line. Remember, what we are talking about now is the selection of a brood cook whose characteristics you wish to perpetuate. Accordingly, you shoul d start out with power as a prime prerequisite. It is a top requirement for a successful pit cook, so don't handicap yourself from the outset by selecting a brood cook which is deficient in this repeat.Cutting High on the list of priorities for a brood cook is that of cutting. If a cook does not have his quality I simply will not use him in the brood yard no matter how many other desirable qualifications he may possess. He may be healthy, game, strong as a bull, but if he is not a superior cutter I am not interested in using him in the brood yard. Butting is largely a matter of heel pinpointing a manner of striking. It is astonishing how many socks strike on the curve of the blade, or with their hocks or the bottom of their feet. Likewise, many socks never complete their stroke.They don't follow through. In baseball parlance they bunt, instead of swing. Their wings may make a great Mack which gives the erroneous impression of delivering a mighty blow, but their heels are bunting ins tead of swinging. Many times you will here someone say † now he is getting tired he will begin to cut. † And he does. But I always felt that such cutting was more the result of the adversary standing still or being immobile than it was of the first cook cutting better. In other words, he could hit a sitting duck but not one on the fly. I am not impressed by that sort of cutting.Any shooter can hit a tin can setting on a Thence post. I want ten Klan Tanat can â€Å"molten on ten TTYL. † It I for the eye to follow the movements of a cock's heels. At leas it is for me. But almost anyone can see the results of a blow. After each buckle or exchange of blows if you see that one cook appears to have shrunk about a pound, you can be sure that the opposing cook has done some effective cutting. â€Å"Look where he hits. † This is an obsession with me. If a cook does not look were he is hitting and strikes nothing, I want no part of him.So many socks have good leg act ion and strike properly but don't look were they are striking. They fan the air in all directions but hit nothing, wear themselves out and do no damage. On the other hand certain socks â€Å"draw a dead,† as gunners say, with every shot. If you are in the pit with him, or close by, you can see his eyes focus upon a certain portion his opponent's anatomy-head, breast, back- and strike within a quarter inch of where he is looking. It does not take many blows so directed to bring an opponent down. One such crack is more effective than a hundred wild failings in the air.Years ago old M. J. Bowen sent me a stag which had won seven times in short heels in his first season and was up for his eighth fight. I told M. J. To â€Å"cut it out† and send him to me, which he did. When the stag arrived I was gusted with him, long flat body, narrow shoulders, built Just like a duck. Nothing prepossessing about him. But when I sparred him I could see those beady eyes concentrate on a de finite spot every stroke he hit with marksmanship accuracy, and in no time at all he had my prize brood cook on the ropes. He taught me a lesson I have never forgotten.Weaknesses Rare is the cook which does not have a weakness of some sort. He may have a host of grand qualities, but if he has even one pronounced weakness his opponent is almost sure to find it and take advantage of it. The weakness could be any one of many: low- datedness, ducking,etc. You can breed out this weakness in time,but while doing so you are breeding out his good qualities as well. The result is that his influence in the line becomes lost entirely and you might Just as welling have started with him in the first place. You can't breed out the faults and remain the virtues.When one goes they all go. So in selecting your brood cook make sure he has no prominent weakness which you must get rid of. Chapter 4 Fighting Characteristics No two pope agree on how a cook should fight. Even after a fight is over they se ldom agree as to what enabled the one to win and caused the other to lose. One man is impressed by certain characteristics the other man by different ones entirely. The type of heel used causes further differences if opinion. Undoubtedly all of us are influenced by our early teachings. Subconsciously we remember what Uncle Ben or Old Man Smith told us years ago.Their teachings could be right or might well be wrong. I've seen men who've been fighting chickens for 60 years who were the poorest Judges of a cock's fighting form of anyone at pit side. Many times a man's wife sees more, is more realistic and factual, and is a far better Judge than the cocker himself. The latter is handicapped by prejudices and early teachings. The wife is not. She sees things as they are. Accordingly, it is vitally important for the cocker-breeder to develop a correct standard of fighting counterblasts AT Nils own. I T en does not ay tens – Tree Trot prejudice or sentiment- he is not going to get f ar.We have already discussed the important fighting characteristics of gameness, cutting, power, deliberate accurate striking, ability to remain punch, balance and the absence of any pronounced fighting weakness or fault. There are numerous features to be considered and evaluated. I call them my â€Å"check sit. † Before every mating season I go over them as they apply to each individual in the brood pens. They serve as reminders, for it is so easy to forget or overlook important requirements. 1 . Quickness. I emphasize quickness as opposed to reckless and purposeless speed.Quickness takes a variety of forms: (a) Quick to take advantage of an opening or opportunity. (b) Quick to beat opponent to the punch and keep him off balance. (c) Quick to get a second lick in the same buckle. What boxers term the 1-2 punch Many times it is this second lick, delivered when the opponent is off balance or motionless, which does he damage. (d) Quick to kick instantly on both his own and his opponent's bill hold. This is both an offensive and defensive move. All long heel men are acutely aware of the importance of this characteristic, since a single failure could bring disaster. E) Quickness is largely a matter of reflexes which can be sharpened by conditioning, but it is also inherited, so be mindful of is existence. 2. Fight High. It is an advantage of a cook to fight over on top of his adversary rather than being underneath him at all times. This refers not merely to the opening break but throughout the battle. Some socks naturally fight high, others tend to fight low. The style is largely inherited, so watch out for it when selecting your brood cook. 3. Reaching Out. Some socks reach out in front of them with their blows much farther than others. Hose are usually the ones which are â€Å"in† first. At present I am breeding a cook, in preference to one of his many brothers, solely because he reaches out so far with his blows. I first noticed this while catchin g him when he was still ugly and wild. Overtime I attempted to grab him he hit me not on my hand but on my elbow. He really reached out every shot. He did the same thing in his battle. Dropped his man the first shot. One time I was fighting a main against Tom Murphy who was the finest judge of a cock's fighting style I ever knew.After the main (which I won 5-4) he said to me, â€Å"l thought that second cook you fought was the best bird of the day. † I felt complimented but at that time was in the prejudiced â€Å"beauty† stage and replied,†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ rather preferred my fourth cook. † He cast a withering eye at me such as a school teacher might use upon a second grader, and said,† You did! Well I didn't That second cook of yours broke high, head back, feet way out front. That's the kind that an kill you with one lick and that's Just what happened. † It occurred years ago, but it was a lesson I never forgot. I hope to pass it along to you.It's what I mean when I said â€Å"you must develop a standard of fighting characteristics of your own, free from prejudice and sentiment. † 4. Finishing. Some socks tend to loaf once they get in front. That's bad. It gives the opponent a chance to recuperate and to even up the battle with an effective blow of Nils own. Once a cook gets out Toronto en snouts Tallow up to Nils advantage. Nils Is t e time for him to show his killer instinct and put his opponent away then and there. One well known cocker put it this way,†Any cook which knocks his opponent down then lets him get away is no cook at all. That is the time for the top cook to become doubly bitter and revengeful. If he doesn't, well, you heard what the man said. 5. High Head Years ago low-headiness was a common fault among shorten socks of the northeast. The advent of fast heels and greater acquaintanceship with long heel fighting was pretty well eradicated that defect though you still see occasional evidence of its exis tence. It is a serious fault. Avoid it. 6. Fight. Tom Foley who ran the famous pit at 7 SST. Marry Eave. , Troy, N,Y. Use to wrap up all these qualifications by using a single word. â€Å"Dimmit all,† he would say,† they can FIGHT. By that he meant that the cook was pushing the battle all the way, aggressive at all times, lashing out with straight line shots, landing in perfect balance, ready instantly to shoot again, cutting every fly, â€Å"sharpshooters† he used to call them, constantly moving about , never allowing himself to be a standing target. â€Å"l want to see him be doing something all the time,† he used to say,† I don't care what it is, but I want to see him be doing something and not Just standing around waiting to get killed. Tom didn't give one whoop for pedigrees, breed names, color, conformation, or anything else. He wasn't even too fussy about gameness.He wanted a cook that could FIGHT. 7. See For Yourself. Before concluding this c hapter on Fighting Characteristics, let's go back to the initial statement which said,†No two people seem to agree as to how a cook should fight. † You are the breeder. You are the open who must make the initial selection of brood stock and likewise all the subsequent selections which equally careful discrimination. How skillfully you do this depends upon your own personal observations and judgment. But one thing is certain: you must absolutely see the fowl fight yourself. You can,t depend upon others. No two of them will see the bird or the fight the same way.If you accept the Judgment of everyone, Dick, and Harry you will end up with a Hodge-podgy which can't lick anything. You, yourself must be consistent and persevering in what you are trying to accomplish in the brood yard. In order for you to do this you must absolutely see the individuals perform yourself and pass judgment on their qualifications for fitting into your line. Time after time I have visited a breeder who pointed with pride to a certain cook and said,†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ am setting side this cook to breed then he would go on and on as to the marvelous qualities the cook has exhibited the battle as described by the trainer or handler.The breeder has not seen the fight. I had. I would not have accepted the cook as a gift; for breeding, fighting, or anything else. Wouldn't have him on the place. Yet the breeder, accepting someone else's word, was going to breed him! The breeder did not know that I had seen the fight, nor did I tell him. Why start an argument and lose friends? But it does show the absolute necessity for you yourself to see the cook in action and appraise his qualities according to your own standards. Deliberate Striking This is closely related to â€Å"Look where he hits. How many times have you been miles out In Toronto, to 20, Ana all Tanat when, Dang! Ana well -Loretta alternate snot NAS dropped you cold? This was no accident, it happens all the time. It shows the val ue of deliberate striking. Pay attention to it when selecting your brood cook. Holding His Punch In all probability you have seen a great big fine looking cook, shoulders on him like an All American tackle, legs as big as a turkey, strong enough to pull a plough, yet at the ND of a few fittings could not lift his legs two inches from the ground, let alone cut or strike anything. No condition† some peptides comments. That's not it at all. Chances are that his inferior looking opponent who is whaling the daylights out of him is not in nearly as good physical shape. The difference between the two is a matter of back muscles. The homely looking bird has them. The big fine looking cook which is built like Apollo does not. The latter may well be able to pull a plough, but if he does not have well developed back muscles he is not going to kick very long. Which reminds me of the All Pro football player who went to a dude ranch.At the end of a four hour horseback ride the little scrawn y wrangler hopped off as spry as could be. The football player Just sat there. He was so sore and tired that he could not dismount, and would have been unable to stand if he had. The difference between the two men was that the alternating had saddle muscles and the football player did not. He was helpless even though he could have squashed the wrangler with one hand. This matter of back muscles seems to be a hereditary trait. You can't develop them a great deal through exercise or feeding. A cook either has them or he doesn't.You may be able to improve the deficiency by breeding the cook to hens which are well endowed in this respect, but it is much better to start off with a cook which does not have such a deficiency. The only sure way to determine this important characteristic is to see him or his brothers in action. The trait seems to run in families. If one brother is good or bad in such respect, the other brothers are apt to be the same. Where this appears to be a hereditary tr ait it is especially important for you to be sure that your brood cook is well developed in this respect. Balance Proper balance is another characteristic of great importance.It, too, is hereditary. A cook must be a great cutter and all that even though ill balanced, but he could do the job a lot easier if he were balanced properly. Besides, his sons very probably would inherit the bad balance without the old man's skill in cutting. Proper balance's difficult to describe in words. It has to do with the position of the bird's legs with respect to his body, the shape of the body and it's weight distribution, and a lot of other things. A duck's legs are set on ideally for swimming, but not for walking or striking. That gives you an exaggerated example.You look at enough game socks long enough with this thought in mind and pretty soon you'll be able to see which ones are well balanced and which ones are not. Some families are far better balanced than others. A poorly balanced bird is ap t to fall on his tail or his nose after delivering a blow, or land in a heap which is worse. He is a sitting duck for a well- balanced bird. On the other hand a properly balanced bird will deliver his blow, land in perfect balance ready instantly to strike again or avoid his opponent's blow. One of ten greatest Dressers I ever Knew placed great store on tens Pensacola centralists.He call it â€Å"balance† and was ever and always referring to it. We use to poke fun at him by saying â€Å"balance† when he was not around, but he impressed the importance of this feature upon me, and I hope I can do the same for you. The only way you can procure â€Å"balance† is to breed for it. You can't change it by feed or exercise. A bird either has it or doesn't have it from day one for as long as he lives. So start out by seeing that your brood cook is properly balanced, for a deficiency in this respect is difficult to breed out of a family, Just as it is difficult to breed ou t low headiness or ducking. Size I don't like to breed from a big cook.About 5-4 for a cook in fighting trim or 4-14 for a stag is as large as I care to go. This matter of size is different for hens, bought we will go into that later. I want the cook to be full of action, cutting ability, and all the other pit qualities to be described later. But size is not a primary factor provided he is solidly built. As an example, right now I am breeding a cook which fought at 4-4 as a stag. He was full of action and cut. But I would not think of breeding his sister who was proportionally as small for a female. Youth vs. Age Especially in the brood yard. I am a great believer in youth.You hear about the â€Å"grand old hen† and the â€Å"great $10,000 cook,† but most of the time your best performers will come from young stock. Some people term it in the percentage. I have the utmost respect for proven old producers, but most of the time age is a handicap. Certain mating of cook an d hen will turn out phenomenal offspring. But even in this case I would rather have the produce of their early years than after they were â€Å"getting along. † I have had a few such mating myself which I kept together for several years. Probably longer than I should. But in every case the quality of their offspring dropped noticeably with each passing year.In my opinion more good families have been â€Å"lost' through endeavoring to perpetuate them through the use of old parents than from any other reason. Accordingly, if you are fortunate enough to locate a truly superior combination, plan to carry them on through the use of vigorous offspring of their earlier years rather than â€Å"breeding back† to the original individuals after they have gone by. This is particularly true of the hen. She may look and act like a pullet, but her reproductive apparatus has deteriorated, even though you can't see it. For some reason or another the cook seems to last longer so far as reproductive qualities are concerned.Many times he turns out good ones as long as he remains vigorous and fertile. But such is not the case with the hen. My grand mentor,old Balance, absolutely refused to breed a hen after her fourth year. This theory or practice will offend many old timers, and they can hurl a barrage of evidence at me. But you can believe them or believe me. This has been my experience. Many times in the past I have tried to â€Å"revive† famous old families by breeding to the Queen Bee of the dynasty. The grand old hen who was now a eager. One time Lenin Law sent me such a hen.Many of her sons had won at Orlando which at that time conducted the premier cocking event in America. I could scarcely believe my good fortune. Bred her the finest young cook that I owned. What GE A Duncan AT weaklings! I guess Law Knew want en was long when en gave her to me. Hopefully in time you will have occasion to do a certain amount of inbreeding or line breeding. I endeavor to avoid intensive consanguineous mating as far as possible, but in time it catches up with you. Under such circumstances carry on with the best specimens of your young stock in the family. The younger the better. Don't â€Å"go back† to your old worn out originals.This is contrary to general practice, but it is definitely my recommendation. Chapter 5 Physical Characteristics Many writings on breeding game socks begin, and end, with a description of the physical characteristics a good brood cook should possess. These writers consider such requirements of primary importance. In their opinion they rank first. With me they rank last. Championship performers in all sports come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. With me it is only the performance which counts. Physical heartsickness are important only insofar as they enable the individual to perform more easily and effectively.We are not breeding fowl for beauty contests or to win a ribbon at the County fair, we are breed ing them to win in the pit. There are certain physical characteristics, however, which enable a cook to perform more easily and effectively. They are no guarantee that the cook will do the Job, but only that he is not handicapped physically in such effort. We will discuss them here briefly in order that you may be on the lookout for them. Body Personally I prefer a well-rounded body, where the keel bone is relatively short from rent to back, and also short from top to bottom.Such confirmation usually makes for good balance, the value of which has been discussed previously. I don't go for these excessively broad shouldered heavy breasted type with all the weight out front. The â€Å"flat iron† type. Such confirmation is a handicap to a cock's ability to cut. He is apt to straddle with his blows, since he can't â€Å"close in† with his shots due to that heavy breast getting in his way. Rather, I prefer for him to be built like a football-more or less pointed at both ends . Station I like for a cook to be above average station, but not excessively so.The length should be in the thigh bone, not in the shank or scaly part. Length in the thigh enables him to â€Å"reach out† farther. Likewise a pronounced bend at the hock Joint is essential. Somehow or another it seems to help in the cutting department. I never saw a cook whose legs were straight up and down like a stork's which could cut much. If a cook is somewhat knock-kneed that is alright too. It's not pretty to look at, but nearly every knock-kneed cook is a cutter. Some people are real fussy about having a cock's heels set down close to his feet. Probably that is O. K. But I never paid much attention to it.Other things were more important. One thing which is essential is for his legs to be set on him properly so that he is in perfect balance. This usually means that his legs are set pretty well forward. One good Judge expressed the same thing in reverse by saying, â€Å"l like to see plen ty of body behind his legs. † The old guy got me to start looking at a cook in the same way. Actually it is easier to see the amount of body behind the body than it is to see if the hip Joint is set well to the front. At least it is for me. Another thing which you might look for is the way he walks. If he puts one foot