A Whisper of Aids Rhetorical Analysis Paper

Shayan Momin Momin 1 Mr. Pople AP English III, Period 7 12 October 2012 Rhetorical Analysis of â€Å"A Whisper of AIDS† In 1891, Voltairine de Cleyre wrote The Philosophy of Selfishness and Metaphysical Ethics, critiquing the selfish and egoistic mindset of society. This same mindset is critiqued by Mary Fisher in â€Å"A Whisper of AIDS†. She uses rationally emotional rhetoric in order to criticize this â€Å"self-ism† that exists in the world. Fisher begins by speaking of the non-existent impacts of movements that have attempted to raise awareness about AIDS.She utilizes the word â€Å"despite† in consecutive phrases to show that â€Å"despite science and research† and â€Å"good intentions†, nothing significant has occurred because â€Å"the epidemic is [still] winning†. Through her usage of repetition, it is inferable that society has ignored these efforts due to the way of thinking that was scorched by de Cleyre. This ignorance fr om the public reveals how deeply rooted this â€Å"self-ism† is in our society. And to extend her point even further, she says that the â€Å"White House† has attempted to try to raise awareness about AIDS.Her reference to the government further exposes the stubbornness of society to change their selfish way of life. She tries to say that even with the government pushing for this cause, the public still refuses to take action. But even the government isn’t doing much. Fisher mentions the â€Å"campaign slogans† and â€Å"hopeful promises† that were made by the government with a sarcastic tone. This implies that the speaker believes that even our federal government has a mindset of selfishness. But this is only the beginning of her attack on society. Momin 2She goes on to blame society for the magnitude of the virus’s impacts. She says that by ignoring the virus and the people affected by it, society has â€Å"helped [the virus] along† and that we â€Å"have killed each other with our ignorance, our prejudice, and our silence†. Her usage of a list explains in what ways society has committed such a crime. And all of this is due to the existence of a mindset that promotes self-centration, a mindset that calls for the ignorance of all others who coexist with you. The connotation of â€Å"killed† has a double effect.First, its negative connotation creates an image in one’s head of a mob of people destroying one another. It represents how severe the aftermath of the virus has been. The second effect, one that is deeper, and somewhat hidden, is that the word â€Å"killed† implies the killing of open-mindedness and selflessness. It shows how people hurt each other, knock each other down, and even kill each other for their own selfish desires. In this case, society has ignored the AIDS virus because they have the thought that â€Å"If I don’t have it, I shouldn’t care about itâ € .This kind of thinking has lay ruin for the victims of this virus, who have been hurt even more due to the ignorance of society towards such a major problem. Fisher refers to empirics in order to prove the detrimental effects of having a selfish society. She speaks of how her grandfather had heard the Pastor Niemoeller say that when â€Å"[the Nazis] came after the Jews†, he didn’t protest because he wasn’t a Jew. When the Nazis â€Å"came after the Trade Unionists†, the pastor did not protest because he wasn’t a Trade Unionist. But when the Nazis â€Å"came after [the pastor]†, â€Å"there was no one left to protest†.The parallelism used here helps to better define the impacts of a self-minded society, supporting the speaker’s main purpose which is to critique the â€Å"self-ism† that exists today. This quote is significant in another way as well. The way the pastor reacted to the Nazi invasion is the same way peop le are reacting Momin 3 to the AIDS and HIV virus. They are mirror reflections of each other. It shows that people will only learn when they are victimized. When this happened to the pastor, he then realized his mistake. But in this case, if people will only learn through victimization, the result would be catastrophic.Fisher says how â€Å"a million† are infected now; if this is what is to happen, billions will be exposed to the virus. Through this foreshadowing, the author is able to convince the reader that self-centration will lead to our demise. Unless we become aware. Mary Fisher’s critiquing of society’s selfishness and self-mindedness makes the reader aware of the dangers of having such a mindset. Her purpose is to point out that in order to help raise awareness of HIV; we must first rid ourselves of such a malignant way of thinking.

Mobile phones. Essay

Starting Point: Communication methods (25 minutes) Use your textbook or the resources on Student Portal or the Internet to help you research these topics. The first one has been done for you so you can see the level of detail expected. http://www. enkivillage. com/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-mobile-phones. html https://www. google. co. uk/search? q=teact+ict+advnat%5Cges+of+mobile+phones&sourceid=ie7&rls=com. microsoft:en-GB:IE-Address&ie=&oe=&surl=1&safe=active&gws_rd=ssl Method Of communication What is it? Benefits/advantages Drawbacks/disadvantages Mobile phones. Hand-help device for making calls, texting, listen to music, surf web, email   Portable so the communication is easy Can be contacted anytime / You are always connected   There are multiply uses   Security – children feel safer as they can easily contact their parents   In emergency situations , help can be reached You can call people anywhere on the planet   No specialist equipment is needed.   Cause accidents as they are a distraction for example driving Disturb other people   Might be inference so the quality of the call can be poor.   You can’t see body language so a lot of non verbal communication is lost. Its hard to make a record of what’s being said , things may get forgotten or misinterpreted SMS (texting) Texts are sent from one mobile phone to another. It is a quick and convenient way of sending a short message to someone . Sending messages, images, videos and sound clips between devices. Can send them at any time, day or night   Good for informal messages Good for helping friends and family keep in touch   Only short messages can be sent Needs basic typing skills Text speak spills over into written school work and formal communication.   Fast   Cheap No internet needed. Instant Messaging (IM) A system for exchanging typed electronic messages instantly via the Internet or a cellular network, using a shared software application on a personal computer or mobile device. Conversations happen in real time .   You can add video using webcams or add a mic rather than talking . This helps show that the person you’re talking to is genuine.   Useful for customer support Internet is needed There’s no time to reflect on the message before sending   There’s a lot of ads , you have to pay extra to remove ads Anyone can send you a message Chat rooms. An area on the Internet or other computer network where users can communicate, typically one dedicated to a particular topic.   Gives the ability to chat to more than one person at the same time Extremely useful for gamers where there are hundreds of players You can also private message people   People can fake their identity   Cyber bullying can occur Fax A system that normally uses telephone lines to send images of documents to others .   Good for places where security and legal issues are importan Fair inexpensive   Simple to use and require very little training. As long as the machine is on , messages can be received day and night   No specialist installation/ cabling needed because it uses the existing telephone line   No immediate response   You might dial wrong number and sent important document to someone else   If the machine is busy , the fax will not be delivered. The quality is often poor and might have some of the smaller details   You need to buy ink , the machine and paper Social networking A place where people of the same interests or backgrounds can communication .   Keep in contact with old friends Free   You can make new friends. Cyberbullying can occur Discrimination can occur People may be able to find out personal details   Its time consuming   People can easily lie about who they are   You need internet Weblogs A place where people can write down their activities on a website for others to read giving a commentary on their life . There can be photos / videos but are mainly text based.   Can easily be viewed / updated from any device that connects to the internet .   Allows you to express your thoughts   Easy to set up , little technical knowledge needed   There’s millions of blogs to read from   You can leave comments on blogs.

Department of Defense

1) The United States Government is striving to have an open, but secure border. What would be the consequences/impact to the United States if the border was suddenly made less open and more secure? Rallies throughout the country in protest against a new house bill that would criminalize those that help illegal immigrants advance in any way, have created a new hype about opinions on immigration. In a May 3 Voice of America article, â€Å"Immigration Issues Create Sharp Political Divide in US,† one protestor in Orlando declared his testimony. â€Å"We are not criminals, we are mostly people who come to work and come to stay here.We work.. † Many have argued the idea that without these workers made medial, yet important jobs would be vacant. The impact of â€Å"sending back† nearly 11 million people to their home country will be just as impactful on the American economy and way of life. Within the article, one retired U. S. Army Colonel Al Rodriguez spoke out. He he ads a group of Hispanic Americans that opposes illegal immigration. â€Å"We understand the important contribution immigrants have made to the economy and the industry of this great nation,† said Rodriguez, â€Å"but the difference is that we and millions of others like us did it legally.We are all here today to tell those illegal protesters, ‘you do not speak for me. ’† Honestly, if the borders were made less open, the United States would have to recover from a mass amount of job vacancies. While many feel there are plenty of unemployed legal citizens who could take these jobs, the reality is that most would not do these jobs for the pay that would be provided for them. 2) Should the `need to know` be replaced by the `need to share` as stated in the 9/11 Commission Report? Why or why not? Fully explain your position.Ultimately, the biggest issue with this topic considers the administration’s idea of security. They believe that by not saying anythin g protects the whole, in a more secure fashion, when in turn, this just creates more fear and less education. The need to know is very important especially considering homeland security. However, after 9/11, it was reported that the ‘need to share’ was far more important. As stated in the Commission Report, â€Å"The U. S. government has access to a vast amount of information. But it has a weak system for processing and using what it has.The system of â€Å"need to know† should be replaced by a system of â€Å"need to share. † But why? The largest argument includes the idea that the President has a large following of those who believe in his protection idea. I believe that the American people will trust in their leader a great deal more if they are allowed to be educated on issues that concern them and their country. In specific, many people I know, have stated that their distrust lies within the concept of not being trusted as a citizen to know things go ing on around them. The road is a two way street.This has created a great divide between administration and citizens, which has led to the lowest approval rating of a President in history. 3) What is the role of the Department of Defense in border and coastal security? What is the DOD relationship with the Department of Homeland Security? How does DoD support civil authorities? On the Department of Defense’s official website, they describe themselves as ‘America’s oldest, largest, busiest and most successful company. Their ultimate job is to protect the security of the nation in anyway they can. Their role includes great efforts in protecting the nation’s border.After 9/11, their jobs have seemed to be more heightened with a larger effort against terrorism and terrorism practices within the country. The near 5. 3 million employed government department works within nearly 146 countries to ensure the safety of the U. S. and these countries. They use spy effo rts to search for those that could threaten our security. Ultimately, they are Uncle Sam’s protectors whom attempt to create a â€Å"norm† of American living. The Department of Homeland Security work directly with the DoD to organize efforts to catch those that may be scheming up terrorist attack within the country.

Economic Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Economic - Research Paper Example Australia remains one of the two countries found in the Asian region with the AAA credit rating. The country’s foreign as well as local currency ratings have remained stable for a long time and this has played a huge role in its AAA rating. It has a very resilient economy and a high government financial capability and strength. These two factors give the country’s economy a low susceptibility to risks and volatility (Pettinger par 7). Based on the nation’s size, diversification, and performance, it has been classified as a country with a strong economy. It does not have significant natural resources but this has been compensated by the well-developed manufacturing and service sector. Australia’s economy has a very favorable long term growth prospects and the diversified economy has helped in reducing the levels of event risks. Denmark is also given AAA credit ratings. The country’s economy is said to be among the most stable in the world. It has a mixed economy that relies on both the available natural resources and the well-developed manufacturing and service sector. Its pharmaceutical industry plays a very huge role in ensuring that the economy grows and remains stable. The maritime industry is also well developed. The third country is Canada. Canada’s ranking has been heavily linked to the trade that takes place between the country and the United States of America. According to Monaghan, more than half of Canada’s exports end up in the United States (par5). It has a well-developed automotive and Service sectors with its banks being ranked amongst the most profitable and stable in the whole world. The coming up of technology firms in various cities has also boosted the economy. Germany has been able to maintain its AAA credit ratings for some times now. Despite the effect of the Euro crisis which almost challenged its rating, the economy remains stable with a high government financial strength. It has a well-built automotive

Police science Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Police science - Essay Example M.J. Stephey, De-Criminalizing Mental Illness, Time Inc.) It is also a know fact that, most police officers do not enjoy working with what used to called "mentals". Most prefer to avoid dealing with mental health and psychological emergencies. Up until 1996, Oregon law enforcement recruits were trained in the academy to think of people in "colorful" terms such as "criminals", "know it all's", "busy bodies", and "mentals." The FBI used to train recruits to think of people in terms of "criminals", "crusaders" and "crazies". This use of language has been changed as well. (Michael G. Conner, Use Of Police And 911 For Mental Health And Psychological Emergencies) Mike, has experienced this first-hand, he is 31 years old and suffers from schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and depression. Since Mike was 17 years old, the Los Angeles native has been repeatedly arrested during psychosis for nuisance crimes like disturbing the peace, only to serve his time, fall off his medication and get arrested again. On three separate occasions, his hallucinations were so severe he tried to commit suicide by provoking the police to shoot him. Though he is receiving treatment, rising health care costs and declining federal help mean Mike will likely end up in jail again. (M.J. Stephey, De-Criminalizing Mental Illness, Time Inc.) For example, ninety two percent of the San Francisco police force is not trained to recognize a mental health episode. In fact, the San Francisco Police Department fought fiercely for years against any notion of police crisis intervention training. The San Francisco Police Department was never clear on specific reasons why police crisis intervention training was needed. The Department simply did not think training to recognize mental health episodes was necessary, even though one out of every four persons officers come in contact with a person that suffers with mental illness. In fact, a person who has a mental episode has a better chance of winning the Super Lottery than having a police officer dispatched to the scene of the episode because only 24 police out of 2,200 San Francisco Police Officers have completed the training program that was shoved down the throat of the Department by the Board of Supervisors. (Kaponda, July 2001, POOR Magazine) Impact of Hurricane Katrina: - Mental health problems soared after Hurricane Katrina, while New Orleans's ability to handle them plummeted, creating a crisis so acute that police officers say they take some disturbed people to a destination of last resort: jail. Due to the storm damage, only two of New Orleans' eleven hospitals are fully functioning. What's more, one of the closed facilities is the sprawling Charity Hospital, which police officers had relied on to drop off people at any hour. James Arey, a psychologist who commands the police crisis negotiation team says that, "You knew they were safe. You knew they would get the care they needed. You don't know either of those things now. People who need medication can't find it or can't afford it, and the storm's aftermath has made life more stressful, as well. Life is hard in this town now." A federally funded study published in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization found that mental health problems in the region roughly doubled in the months after Katrina, to 11.3 percent. Take the example of

Developing a care pathway for patients with fractured neck of femur Essay

Developing a care pathway for patients with fractured neck of femur - Essay Example The study is done in St. Vincent Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria in October 1, 1997 to November 30, 1998. It has 111 patients with 80 women and 31 men with mean age of 81 years old. They have found that a proactive multidisciplinary approach can reduce the length of stay. The study also shows that early intervention is another way to reduce the stay in the hospital therefore the risk of having complications brought about by the longer stay in the hospital has lessen. St. Vincent Hospital includes patients with language and cognitive difficulties. Since not all of their population does not speak English. They believed that the inclusion would test the efficacy of clinical pathways in the delivery of multidisciplinary care. Also during the study they found no significant clinical difference in time of mobilization or complication or readmission rates. Possible explanation includes the frequent existence of unstable and often untreated premorbid conditions in patients with fractured neck of femur, which requires attention during their acute admission. In contrast, patients undergoing elective joint replacement have the benefit of preadmission assessment clinics which may resolve expected medical, allied health or discharge issues before admission.. ( Choong , Langford, Dowsey, Santamaria 2000 ) The report of the South Tyneside health Care Trust in 2003 whi... The pathway starts at the waiting after the Triage to see the A&E doctor, which could be up to an hour since patient with these case are given low priority. Another hour of waiting for the X-ray department since they could handle one patient at a time. The next wait would be for the porter staff to come to take the patient to the X-ray Department and again, once the X-rays have been taken, another one to bring the patient back to A&E. The films had then to be interpreted by the A&E doctor, who may not have been immediately available. Once the diagnosis has been made, the orthopedic doctor on duty had to see the patient and the transfer to the ward again another wait for the porter. They want to make the pathway much easier for the patient they make a study and make necessary adjustment to lessen the waiting time. The changes were made, on arrival the patient is seen by a senior A&E nurse who has undergone appropriate training. The nurse assess the patient's need for analgesia and adm inister it according to protocol. The A&E Nurse fills out the X-ray request form and contacts the X-ray Department. The Bed Coordinator is contracted and warned of the portable need for an orthopedic bed. The patient is offered the use of a cordless telephone to contact relatives and or neighbors. The patient is taken to the X-ray department and the films taken. Once the radiographer made necessary impression the radiographer notifies the A&E. Since the patient will take only for a few minutes in the x-ray department the porters will wait for her and take the patient directly to the orthopedic ward. If no fracture is seen, the patient is returned to A&E for further assessment. The

Starbucks Coffee and Farmer Equity Program (C.A.F.E.) Essay

Starbucks Coffee and Farmer Equity Program (C.A.F.E.) - Essay Example According to the research findings, Starbucks has not been left behind and has also joined the campaign to make the livelihood of the people better through the Starbucks Coffee and Farmer Equity Program (C.A.F.E.) practices program. Environmental care and sustainability form the basis of a positive society, a fact clearly reflected through C.A.F.E. This program ensures that the coffee firm outsources its raw materials in a sustainable way that safeguards the lives of the farmers and the environment. Through this program, Starbucks gives back to the community through developing their lives and making them self-reliant and empowered. However, this program does not work in isolation. The initiative works in similar dynamics like the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) initiative in two main dimensions. First, they both empower civil organizations in regulating the activities of their jurisdictive organizations. More so, they help in achieving line sustainability missions for the people in their areas of operation. This paper compares the two initiatives in terms of the two main areas of similarity in order to know their effectiveness. Both initiatives have hugely empowered the civil groups as regulators in their social responsibility plans. First, they have done so by outsourcing some of the services from the civil groups. Starbucks, for example, has outsourced the carbon sustainability area to SCS Global, which sets the standard for their carbon sustainability limits. SCS Global is also tasked with setting the standards for other sustainability initiatives that are undertaken by Starbucks in order to ensure that the organization is acting within correct limits of sustainability. On the other hand, according to Dacy, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) has outsourced their initiatives to social groups in the United Kingdom that deal with forest initiatives and school in order for them to help in regulating the level of sustainability that they push into the forestry. Fo rest Stewardship Council (FSC) has also outsourced to government-sponsored forest rehabilitation centers to enhance the scope of sustainability of the initiative.

Career Field Analysis-Top Executive Research Paper

Career Field Analysis-Top Executive - Research Paper Example Fourthly, the executive consults with other executives, staff, and board members on issues that involve general operations. Lastly, negotiate or approve contracts and agreement, and appoint department heads and managers (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2012). Typical Career Path Most positions for top executives are filled via promotion of lower level and experienced managers when openings occur with most promoted from the organization itself. It is possible, in such industries as transportation or retail trade, for those lacking University degrees to become managers by working their way up (Shea, 2010). Upward advancement can be sped up by taking part in training programs within the company to gain more knowledge in operations and policy. The manager can also help their career towards top executive positions by familiarizing themselves with management techniques in programs, which are sponsored by various trade associations and the industry. Executive development programs can also facil itate the promotion of managers to higher executive positions, for managers with experience in fields such as engineering and accounting. Advancement to top executive positions, for instance executive vice president, can occur for general managers if they take up a similar position in other firms or their own firms. Executive officers also often gain board membership at one firm or more or even as chair of the director board. Finally, a top executive may form their own firms or take up independent consultant jobs (Shea, 2010). Trends The career of top executive positions has evolved because of changes in the management structure, age, and size of companies. Compared to 1980, only 20% of companies that were in the Fortune 100 list were still in it in 2010 (Shea, 2010). This highlights the shift to a service economy in the US. The rise of the financial service sector and a corresponding drop in the manufacturing sector is especially striking. There is also a flattening of corporate hi erarchies with significant change in distribution of job responsibility among executive positions between 1980 and 2010Most companies now have 3 tiers, i.e. VP level, EVP level, and CEO. Middle and top tier positions declined by 5% and 6% respectively with lower tier positions expanding by 10%, which supports the idea of corporate hierarchy flattening (Shea, 2010). Salary Information In the American economy, top executives earn among the highest salaries. Salary levels, however, vary with the level of responsibility, location, size, and type of the company, and length of service. In May 2011, the average annual earnings for operations and general managers were $77,200. The median 50% earned from $52,000 and $118,000 (Forbes & Piercy, 2011). Earnings between operations and general executives vary significantly based on specific responsibility. Median earnings per year for industries that had a high representation for operations and general executives in May 2011 were; Computer system s design and related services $117,730 Management of companies and enterprises $99,670 Building equipment contractors $83,080 Depository credit intermediation $76,060 Local government $68,590 Chief executive Earnings ranged around $140, 400 in 2010 with salaries varying by industry and level and type of responsibility. Executives in non-profit sectors ranged from lows of $88,006 and $700,000, as well as dividends, stock options and other

Employability after Graduation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Employability after Graduation - Essay Example How my plans fit with the comments within the context of the current labor market In making career plans for employability, it is important to consider the context of current labor market trends. Some of these trends have well being discussed by Brown et al (2002) in their article. In the first place, my theme of focusing on labour demanding-but-supply inadequate career choice is certainly in the right direction as Brown et al (2002) posit that graduates employability much rests with â€Å"whether they find employment will depend on whether there are other more qualified or experienced people looking for the same kinds of work†. Demand and supply of labor market have been an issue for a very long time and it is an open secret that some career courses studied at the university open learners to more readily available jobs than others. In a career with ready-made job openings, it is common to see employers and entrepreneurs at graduation ceremonies only to chase after graduates. In simple terms, some courses studied at the university makes graduates more employable than others if we want to believe in how Brown et al (2002) put the definition of employability saying employability has to do with â€Å"relative chances of finding and maintaining different kinds of employment†. To this effect, my decision to study to be a web designer was in the right direction. This is because the influence and power of the internet are gaining so much grounds in the business world today that almost every company is looking for a way to go electronic via the internet. This has called for the mad rush of web designers. Supporting this notion, the Business.Com states that â€Å"all companies need web design†, which means that there are usually more jobs than graduates. In the second place, my plan of being a measure of standard among colleagues with the same qualification is in line with the relative dimension as discussed by Brown et al (2002) in their article. A ccording to Brown et al (2002), â€Å"Employability not only depends on fulfilling the requirements of a specific job but also on how one stands relative to others within a hierarchy of job seekers.† This means that a student or graduate with a meaningful sense of securing employment or becoming employable must have a plan or orientation that sets him above other contenders in the search for a job. As Hirsch (1977) suggests, ‘If everyone stands on tiptoe, no one sees better’ (p.5). This means that as much as others are standing on tip-toe, there should be an effort to stand taller than all the others. There is a common saying that if all people are sitting, strive to stand and if all people are standing, strive to stand out; but if all people are standing out, try to be the standard.  Ã‚  

Issues in Contemporary media and cultural studies(Journal) Essay

Issues in Contemporary media and cultural studies(Journal) - Essay Example Hacking can be dated back to 1978 in the earlier days of Bell Telephone Companies, where earliest mischief’s of application of modern community were experienced. However, at the moment it was not known as hacking. This paper aptly examines the theoretical and contextual perspective of hacking. It also examines the comparison of various types of hacking and evaluation with their interpretations. It further examines the social and political hacking of media. Hacking comes with different and conflicting definitions. For the purpose of this paper, Hacking is defined to â€Å"unauthorized access to a computer network† (Kumar, 2012, P.1). Hacking can also be defined as the use of various software methodologies using programming experimentation to achieve intended ill gain. According to Kumar (2012), hacking can be stated as unauthorized intrusion; hence the act of gaining access to a computer network with an absence of legal authority. The person who performs the act is a hacker. However, it must be noted that not all hackers are bad (Kumar, 2012), since the government and some huge companies use hackers to maintain their computer network security in order (Rogers 1994).Computer intrusion is regarded as unethical act (Doss, Smith &Yurcik, 2001), and there are laws that have been passed for purposes of prosecuting such acts (Spafford, 1992, p.7), hence it is regarded that once an individual uses his hacking ability to perpetrate a cri me, he is deemed as a criminal (Doss, Smith &Yurcik, 2001). Numerous debates have sparked off in matters regarding to ethical hacking and crime intrusion (Doss, Smith &Yurcik, 2001, p.54). Ethical intrusion is associated with ethical hackers who tend to utilize their knowledge in hacking to improve the system (Doss, Smith &Yurcik, 2001). Conversely, illegal hacking has continued to enjoy triumph celebration from hacking community. According to Leeson, hacking has a long

The Role of PsychiatricNurse Practitioner Essay

The Role of PsychiatricNurse Practitioner - Essay Example However, after liberalization of advanced nurses, some of the researches have revealed that this carder of nurses are being underutilized especially within the realism of mental health. The area that they cover is wide since they are based in the communities where the mental disease burden is notable. The following are the prescribed area of services that the nurses they offer in the community. The role ranges across from admission to discharge and comprehensive pharmacotherapy that is involved. On admission, the advanced practice psychiatric mental health nurse, evaluates the patient’s status. This helps the nurse to know whether the patient is for the admission or discharge on evaluation. The other role is taking overnight calls and coverage when there is shortage of psychiatrist. More importantly, it’s the ability of this nurses to perfume extensive diagnostic skills and come up with psychiatric and mental disorders with precision of psychiatrists that are perfect. Such competencies are developed during their preparation and education which they undertake role plays in order to have a clear understanding of their environment from all angles (Hubbard, 2014). More so, they carry out interventions and implementation of the treatment plans for a caseload patients that are under isolations. Such interventions includes psychopharmacology, individual family or gr oup psychotherapy. They have the ability of covering on emergence psychiatric patient. Muxworthy and Bowllan (2007), the realization of knowledge that nurses with advanced credential are needed is paramount since the medical field is overarched by the physicians who are less than the disease. Nursing profession is slowly being revolutionized and the dominance is slowly being suppressed by the increased disease burden and the capacity of nurses to perform at advanced levels. The disease burden of the mentally patients is rising due to a number of factors such as substance abuse,

Essays for Social Networks Essay Example for Free

Essays for Social Networks Essay Through her Amigas: Fifteen Candles novel, author Veronica Chambers demonstrates a picture of perfect unity that enables a group of friends to achieve otherwise insurmountable feats. Such exhilarating togetherness urges the involved parties Gaz, Alicia Cruz, Jamie, and Carmen to selflessly work towards ensuring that their colleague Sarita succeeds in her endeavors. It happens that Cruz encounters Sarita while the former is undergoing her internship. On learning that Sarita is about to celebrate her quincenera the customary fifteenth-birthday coming-of-age party, Cruz willingly offers to help her newfound friend. Consequently, Cruz mobilizes her three friends to assist in organizing Sarita’s party. Through the novel, Chambers explores Cruz impeccable networking skills coupled with her , as well as her three friends’ – utter unselfishness as the four work to make Sarita’s quincenera a vibrant success. For instance, Cruz is depicted to be a very experienced networking agent owing to the speed and precision with which she mobilizes her 3 friends to assist in executing Sarita’s party. To illustrate, after learning of Sarita’s upcoming quincenera, Cruz sets out to inform and persuade her friends to join in this cause. Soon, three friends are working hand-in-hand with both Cruz and Sarita to make the party a resounding success. Through this acts, the four friends demonstrate commendable unselfishness. This is because, although Sarita is relatively new to them, the 4 individuals wholeheartedly dedicate themselves to her cause. Cruz is the most notable unselfish individual because she momentarily sets aside her preoccupation with a just-begun prestigious internship program to give her undivided attention to Sarita’s party. In conclusion, from Chamber’s novel, the selfless nature and commendable unity that Cruz and her 3 friends demonstrate is evident. Thanks to Cruz’s excellent networking skills, the quartet quickly gangs up to aid Sarita in her party preparations. The Secret River by Kate Grenville A man’s undying determination for independence Through her The Secret River novel, author Kate Grenville describes the character called William Thornhill as depicting an endless quest to achieve autonomy. This autonomy is best explained by Thornhill’s desire to be free from poverty that has haunted him all his entire life. For example, a close examination of this character’s troubled life shows that he has endured extreme hardships. To illustrate, Thornhill has been rendered a petty thief due to the poverty that surrounds him. The man has to provide for himself as well as his family despite the shockingly little income that he manages to salvage. He thus engages in acts of petty theft so as to make ends meet. For this socially unacceptable behavior, Thornhill is apprehended, tried, and handed a life sentence that is soon reduced to the requirement that the convict spends his remaining days in Australia’s New South Wales region. Once in Australia, Thornhill demonstrates his true and noble intentions away from the troubles back in London. For example, the convict tries as much as possible to avoid engaging in any type of confrontations with the native Black residents in his new home. In addition, Thornhill strives to acquire and own land that would enable him exercises self-determination besides acquiring other possessions. Through such actions, Thornhill demonstrates that he desires to lead a quiet and peaceful life free from unnecessary troubles. Further, the character has a keen desire to be free from the yoke of poverty that formerly detained him. Grenville thus explores the character’s true identity and inherent peaceful nature. In conclusion, through The Secret River novel, Grenville traces Thornhill’s life history, showing that the character is intrinsically a peaceful and honest individual. For instance, the author shows that extreme circumstances have made Thornhill a dishonest person. Consequently, after being brought to Australia free from London’s hardships, Thornhill demonstrates love for peace and a desire to exercise self-determination. Argumentative essay: Money can break people According to an age-old saying ‘money makes humans mad’. This is especially true if persons allow their insatiable desire for money and associated riches to cloud their reasoning capacities. Consequently, such persons become captive to the allure of money and the associated perils. To name just one negative consequence of this habit, an uncontrolled desire to have more money can make one lose sight of more important things in life such as one’s family. The consequences that result from an inhibited pursuit of money and wealth are usually very disastrous. For example, one may have their marriage or even an entire family disintegrating beyond repair in case the central figure takes to a ridiculous search for money. Examining the very rationale behind one’s pursuit of money shows that an unbridled search for wealth can have consequences that amount to the metaphorical breaking of the person who depicts such a habit. To illustrate, it is obvious that one looks for money so as to acquire life’s necessities, thus making life enjoyable. Further, since no man is an island, every person desires to have pleasant company. Such wholesome companionship is mostly attained in a family setup. The concept of someone losing the very family which, coupled with wealth, would make their lives complete as they search for money thus constitutes a metaphorical breaking of someone. It is thus accurate to say that money breaks people. In conclusion, the ‘money breaks people’ statement takes shape when someone loses their family due to their insatiable greed fore more riches. This is because, the persons have lost one of the most important entities that can help actualize their enjoyment in the so-acquired riches.

The increase in demand of complementary therapies health essay

The increase in demand of complementary therapies health essay The purposed purpose of this study is to explore nursing students perception on the use of non-pharmacological treatment for pain in the hospital setting. The study will also explore the types of complementary therapies used to alleviate pain at the main local government run, general hospital, assessing nursing students knowledge and perception on complementary and their use and to identify possible benefits and contraindications in the use of complementary therapies. The proposed quantitative research will be used as data collection through a self administered questionnaire. Table of Contents Page Title Page i Abstract 2 Table of Contents 3 List of tables 5 1. Introduction 6 2. Background to the study 2.1 Definition of Complementary and Alternative therapies 7 2.2 Defining Acupuncture 9 2.3 Types of Acupuncture Techniques 9 2.4 Mechanisms of Action of Acupuncture 10 2.5 Clinical Applications and Efficacy 10 2.5 Research Issues 12 3. The Research Method 3.1 Aim and Objectives 13 3.2 The Research Design 13 3.3 The Population 13 3.4 Sampling Technique 14 3.5 Method of Data Collection 15 3.6 Research Tool 15 3.7 Data Analysis 15 4. Ethical Consideration 16 Reference List 17 Time Scale and Budget 18 List of tables Page Table 1: List of Complementary Therapies 8 Table 2: Contraindications to the use of acupuncture 11 Table 3: Adverse effects of acupuncture 12 Introduction Complementary Therapies have established a place in health care and have developed rapidly over the past ten years in terms of recognition, acceptance and use (Peters et al, 2002). Integrating complementary therapies with conventional medicine presents a challenge to all sectors of health care, but specifically to nurses who are at the forefront of providing patient care, health education and information (Chu and Wallis, 2007).The review of the proposed study identifies a number of these therapies but it explores only one in particular; analyzing its prevalence and use, and exploring its perceived efficacy and safety and nursing students attitudes towards it. Pertinent research and reviewing of articles for this review were sought from within the Faculty of Health Sciences and Medical School Library, using Cumulative Index of nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), EBSCO host and Medline and the University of Dublin website. Dissertation abstracts, and books that were relevant to the subject were also examined. Keywords utilized for searches included complementary, therapies, alternative, attitudes, nursing students, acupuncture, pain management. Due to the increase in demand of complementary therapies, numerous articles have been written on the subject throughout the years, especially in the last decade. The amount of research available varies depending on the therapy in question. Very few local studies were encountered regarding complementary therapies, as a matter of fact, at the main local government run, general hospital, only one type of complementary therapy is acknowledged. Background to the study 2.1 Definition of Complementary and Alternative therapies Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) encompasses a wide range of therapeutic procedures and philosophies that are not traditionally viewed to be part of conventional medicine (Smith, G.D, 2009) The Cochrane Complementary Medicine Field within the Cochrane Library defines complementary therapies as a broad domain of healing resources that comprises all the healthcare systems and practices their accompanying theories and beliefs. The World Health Organization defined Complementary Alternative Modalities (CAM) as a comprehensive term used to refer to both traditional medical systems such as Traditional Chinese Medicine, Indian ayurveda and Arabic unami medicine and to various forms of native medicine (WHO, 2004) Thus, the words complementary and alternative can, and often do, refer to the same therapy, product, or practitioner. It is the context of use that changes an alternative therapy into a complementary one. The term describes health care practices such as those shown in Table 1. Table 1: List of Complementary Therapies (Alphabetical order) Acupressure (Shiatsu) Colonic hydrotherapy Iridology PIP Scans Acupuncture Colour therapy Juice Therapy Raw Vegetable Juice Therapy Alexander technique Counselling Kinesiology Reflexology Allergy testing Craniosacral Therapy Light therapy Reiki Aromatherapy Dream Therapy Light Touch therapy Rolfing Art therapy Eye Movement Desensitization    ReprocessingEMDR Magnotherapy Shiatsu (Acupressure) Auricular Acupuncture Exercise Marma therapy Spiritual counselling Australian Flower Essences therapy Guided Imagery Massage therapy Stress management Autogenics Healing Medical Herbalism Swimming therapy Ayurvedic medicine Health Clubs Meta-Aromatherapy Tai Chi Bach Flower remedies Health Screening Microwave Resonance therapy TENS therapy Bee Venom therapy Herbal medicine Music therapy T.C.M. Traditional Chinese Medicine Bowen Technique Homoeopathy Naturopathy Transcendental Meditation Biofeedback Humour Nutritional therapy Tragerwork Chelation Therapy Hydrotherapy Osteopathy Vegetable Juice Therapy Chiropractic Hypnotherapy Oxygen therapy Yoga Chinese Herbal Medicine (T.C.M.) Indian Head Massage Panchakarma therapy 2.2 Defining Acupuncture Acupuncture is a complementary therapy that is being increasingly used in the day-to-day management of pain. It originated in China, over 3000 years ago and is practiced worldwide (Wilkinson, J. Faleiro, R., 2007). Locally, in the main local government run, general hospital, Acupuncture is the only complementary therapy to be officially used in alleviating physical pain. Other therapies such as Exercise, Counseling, Music Therapy and others are used for various other reasons in combination with conventional medicine. Acupuncture involves the insertion of fine sterilized needles through the skin at specific point (called acupoints) and is one of the key components in traditional Chinese medicine (Chen, L., 2005). A major assumption is Traditional Chinese Medicine is that health is achieved by maintaining the body in a balanced state and that disease is as a result of an internal imbalance of yin and yang (Wilkinson, J. Faleiro, R., 2007). There are five main techniques practiced. Dry needling is probably the most common but electro acupuncture (EA) possesses the most promising research endorsement. 2.3 Types of Acupuncture Techniques Moxibustion Moxibustion involves the burning of mugwort, a small, spongy herb, to facilitate healing. It is applied onto the needle over the acupoints. Laser acupuncture A fine low-energy laser beam is directed onto the acupoint. Acupressure In Acupressure, pressure is used to stimulate the acupoints. This can be in the form of a bracelet or strap. Such method is commonly used to alleviate motion sickness. 2.4 Mechanisms of Action of Acupuncture Alan K. Halperin, M.D in his article Acupuncture in Pain Management writes that according to Chinese acupuncture theory, there are over 300 acupunture points on the body that connect to 12 principal and 8 secondary pathways called meridians. These pathways conduct energy force, Qi throughout the entire body. Health is maintained by the unobstructed flow of Qi that regulates the physical, mental and spiritual balance. In addition, the opposing forces of yin and yang regulate all organs. When the entire system is in balance, optimal health occurs. Disease occurs when there are obstructions to the flow of Qi, deficient or axcessive Qi, or when there is an imbalance of yin and yang. 2.5 Clinical Applications and Efficacy Research shows that Acupuncture can be used in virtually any medical condition, but most Americans use it for pain control (Halperin, 2005). Such pain controls are for osteoarthritis, headache, chronic neck and lower back pain. Studies conducted on the subject also revealed that the mentioned complementary therapy is often seen as a last resort for pain relief. This creates adverse selection bias, leaving acupuncture as an option only for those patients who fail to respond to all other methods and can create unrealistic expectations from patients (Wilkinson, J. Faleiro, R., 2007). There are also many pain conditions which have demonstrated improvement with acupuncture. These include: lateral epicondylitis, peripheral neuropathy, temporomandibular disorders, phantom limb pain, chronic pelvic pain, irritable bowel syndrome and Crohns Disease. Literature shows that although acupuncture has gained much professional recognition, its applications and over all efficacies remains a subject of debate (Chen, 2005). Even so, the risk of serious events associated with acupuncture treatments is quite low (Halperin, 2005). The National Institute of Health (NIH) consensus panel on acupuncture in the United States states that the documented occurrence of adverse events in the practice of acupuncture is extremely low. Nevertheless, Acupuncture is technically an invasive procedure with the most common reported complication being bruising or bleeding at the needle insertion site, followed by the transient vasovagal response. Other complications might include; infection, dermatitis, and broken needle fragments. In some cases contraindications and adverse effects listed in Table 2 and Table 3 might occur: Table 2: Contraindications to the use of acupuncture Absolute Contraindications Relative Contraindications Needle Phobia Pregnancy avoid any points known to stimulate uterine contractility Severe bleeding diathesis Points over nipples, umbilicus, and major vessels are forbidden by conventional texts Inability to remain still for treatment Point over infant fontanel Systemic Sepsis Application during menses (less effective) Unco-operative hallucinating, delusions, etc. If patient is on corticosteroids, benzodiazepines, or narcosis (less effective) Cellulitis Anticoagulant drugs Burns Ulceration EA do not apply over heart or brain. Do not apply in region of pacemaker or implanted medical pump. Table 3: Adverse effects of acupuncture Pneumothorax Local pain Cardiac tamponade Bruising Neurovascular damage Bleeding Infection Hematoma formation Metal allergy 2.6 Research Issues Little research was found with regards to nursing students perception on Complementary Therapies. Moreover on Acupuncture and its use in pain management. It is proposed that the this aspect should be explored more in detail by conducting a small-scale research study on the subject. Two separate studies were conducted addressing nursing students knowledge and attitudes on Complementary Therapies. One of which was a quantitative study conducted in Britain and it investigated the use of CAM in cancer and palliative care and another study was conducted in southern Taiwan exploring student nurses knowledge, attitude and behavior toward Chinese Medicine. More medical research than nursing research exists in complementary therapies, mainly in randomized-controlled trials. However, this field is still poorly researched compares with conventional medicine (Nahin Straus, 2001). The Research Method 3.1 Aim of the study The proposed aim of this study is to explore nursing students perception on the use of non-pharmacological treatment for pain in the hospital setting. 3.2 The Objectives of the study The proposed objectives of this study are to: Identify the types of complementary and alternative therapies used to alleviate pain at the local government run, general hospital (Mater Dei Hospital). Identify nursing students knowledge and perception on complementary and alternative therapies and their use. Identify possible benefits and contraindications in the use of complementary therapies. 3.3 The Research Design It is proposed that a quantitative research approach is used for the purpose of this study. This means in quantitative research your aim is to determine the relationship between one thing (an independent variable) and another (a dependent or outcome variable) in a population. Quantitative research designs are either descriptive (subjects usually measured once) or experimental (subjects measured before and after a treatment). A descriptive study establishes only associations between variables (Hopkins, 2000). It is also proposed to use a descriptive approach; Descriptive research design is a scientific method which involves observing and describing the behavior of a subject without influencing it in any way. This is so as to explore nursing students own perceptions, views and knowledge on the subject. The research setting is the physical location and conditions in which data collection takes place in a study (Polit and Beck, 2006). It is proposed that for the purpose of this study, the leading government run hospital in Malta which hosts the Faculty of Health Sciences lecture rooms will be chosen as the research location for the completion of this study. 3.4 The Population and Sampling Technique According to Cormack (2000), Target Population refers to all of the people that the researcher wishes to include in his / her study. The proposed population of this study will be student nurses following an undergraduate course in Nursing Studies. The target population will be second year Diploma and Degree in Nursing Studies students within the Faculty of Health Sciences. Sampling is the portion of the defined population who are selected by the researcher to participate in the study in order to collect data. The researcher strives to get data from the sample which will reflect all the characteristics of that population (Cormack, 2000). The participants have to fulfill all of the inclusion criteria, where candidates are proposed to be: Full time student nurses following an undergraduate course at the Faculty of Health Sciences 20 years of age and older Second year student Be willing to participate in the study The exclusion criteria will be candidates who: Students who refuse to participate in the study Younger than 20 years of age 3.5 Method of Data Collection Data collection in quantitative studies may be achieved by various methods such as questionnaires, interviews and observations (Polit and Beck, 2006). A questionnaire may be considered as the most appropriate tool for data collection, since it offers the possibility of complete anonymity. A questionnaire helps to avoid bias which can happen in the presence of the interviewer, by reflecting the participants reaction to the interviewer (Polit and Beck, 2006). As the method of choice for data collection is not yet ready, it is proposed that a self-administered with close and open ended questions questionnaire be utilized; requiring a yes or no answer or completion of a question. 3.6 Research Tool The research tool for this study is yet to be provided. It will be developed by the novice researcher and based on the aim and objectives of the study. 3.7 Data Analysis Results of the findings will be presented either in the form of graphs or pie charts. Ethical Considerations Consent to carry out the research will be sought and obtained from the University of Malta Research Ethics Committee and the Faculty of Health Sciences Dissertation Panel. In order to ensure that participants of the study would not be subject to any harm, anonymity will be held throughout the study. In order to maintain privacy, for those participant who dont wish to complete the questionnaire in the presence of piers; a self addressed enveloped will be give incurring any expenses from the participant. Participants may also abstain from taking part in the study. A participation letter will be handed, explaining the nature of the study to the participants. Since the researcher might know any participant, a blank envelope will be handed.

Functions of Investment Banks

Functions of Investment Banks A Critical Discussion of the Major Functions  Performed by Investment Banks. Glossary (Jump to) Abstract   Chapter 1 –The Major Functions of Investment Banks   Summary Bills of Exchange   Corporate Finance Investment Management   Chapter 2 – Conclusions and Recommendations Bibliography Abstract Investment banks evolved as a result of lucrative merchant centers located in the north of Italy, Belgium as well as Holland from the 17th through 19th centuries. During that period Europe’s most influential merchant families moved to the United Kingdom as it was becoming the merchant and banking center of the region. Said list included the Barings, Rothchilds, and Warburg families and their interests (Kuhn, Robert. 1990)[1]. Developments in the United States resulted in that country becoming the center of financial activity in the late 20th century and saw the rise of JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs Merrill Lynch and Morgan Staley joining the ranks of the older investment powers (Carosso, 1970)[2]. Investment banking represents a broad spectrum of financial services that are dispensed by various specialists in conjunction with global investment banks. The services performed by these institutions includes (Lott, 2001)[3]: Underwriting, Distribution, The maintenance of markets in bonds, shares and securities issued by public entities and businesses, as well as Other services In contrast to the services provided by commercial banks, where the principle functions are to accept deposits and make loans to consumers and business on a short-term basis, investment banks engage in four important functions (Lott, 2001)[4]: Assist in the arrangement for the provision of funds to corporations and governments through underwriting as well as distributing new securities issues, Maintenance of markets for securities through the trading and execution of orders for secondary market transactions, Administer advice with respect to the purchase, sale and issuance of securities as well as other financial areas, The creation and management of varied investment vehicles. In addition to the foregoing, investment banks also perform a number of other important transactions and functions that are the subject of discussion in this paper. Chapter 1 –The Major Functions of Investment Banks 1.1 Summary Investment banking consists of a broad array of financial transactions. Some of the more familiar are (Lott, 2001)[5]: Underwriting, Syndication, Corporate Demand Capital Tenders and, Investment banking functions It is this last area that shall for the basis for examination. Bills of Exchange (Williamson, 1988)[6] These are independent instruments of debt that carry the signature of the customer (debtor). In summary, it is an order that directs a specific sum is to be paid to a specific individual. This instrument safeguards that a bill is accepted so that control is not lost of the item(s) involved. A ‘bill of exchange’ contains a stated date of payment that must be concluded on that date irrespective of any disputes concerning the item named. There are legal measures to prevent payment, termed ‘non-honoring’, which are subject to differing rules depending upon the country involved. Corporate Finance (Williamson, 1988)[7] This aspect of investment banking represents a specific finance area that deals with corporate financial decisions as well as the tools and analysis formulas and processes utilized to arrive at these decisions. It is divided into ‘short-term’ and ‘long-term’ techniques and decisions whereby the objective is to enhance corporate value through ensuring the ‘return on capital’ is more than the ‘cost of capital’. The equation rests on a conservative application of risks. Corporate finance is related to managerial finance, although the latter is larger in scope as it entails financial techniques that are possible in all business forms, whether they are corporate or non-corporate. IPO’s (efmoody, 2005)[8] Termed ‘Initial Public Offerings’, IPO’s represent the beginning of a publicly listed company and as such those investors whom are in position at this stage are poised to reap almost immediate gains if the stock rises on opening day. Similarly, these same investors stand to lose money if the opening price drops substantially. During the last few years the offering prices have tended to average out as being overpriced. This is borne out by the fact that the closing price, on average, the day of opening generated an annual return of just 2%. In terms of profitability, IPO’s generate large fees for the participating firms and represent the most profitable underwriting area. Fees generally average seven percent (7%). After the various splits between managing underwriters, brokerage firms, law firms and staff the profit hovers in the 34% through 40% range. This service is a cornerstone in aiding firms to float securities needed to expand or underwrite operations and as such represents one of the more important functions performed by investment banks. Rights Issues (Constantinides et al, 2002)[9] These are equity issues whereby shareholders of record have the right to purchase new shares that have a fixed exercise price. Mergers Acquisitions (Allen et al, 2000)[10] Investment banks act in the capacity as advisors in merger and acquisition deals. In working with both the target(s) of acquisition as well as the acquirer(s), investment banks provide their information expertise to help arrive at the ‘reservation price’. They also calculate the potential for gains and the risks in the transaction. And while investment banks have a vested interest in these deals, their pragmatism is an effective counter weight in maintaining a balance between undervaluing and overvaluing. Operating under banking regulations, investment banks represent a sort of intermediary that engenders public trust in the legitimacy of the transaction and is a part of a system that represent checks and balances over these types of transactions. Commercial banks might have potential conflicts of interest in these types of deals, so even while they have recently taken on this role, the majority of these transactions are still funneled through investment banks. Investment Management (Williamson, 1988)[11] As the term implies, investment management is also known as portfolio management as well as money management. It is a segment of investment analysis that examines the management of money relating to securities purchases as well as their sale. High Net Worth Individuals (Williamson, 1988)[12] Investment banking services for individuals of high net worth has been a long standing feature for an elite group whose banking investment needs exceed the capabilities of commercial banks and traditional specialists. The complex variable regarding the client’s return targets and relative degrees of risk along with long as well as short-term requirements represent specialized analysis. The resources of an investment bank are suited to meet the demanding requirements of these types of individuals as well as confidentiality. The extremely sophisticated variables comprising recommendations and placement in various instruments are crafted to fit an approved plan of action. Because high net worth individuals have access to their own channels of information, the demands of these types of clients in terms of sophistication requires the resources of a specialized institution. Corporations (Williamson, 1988)[13] The investment management of corporations entails handling a number of asset management areas. As is the case with high net worth individuals, it entails an extensive analysis of the goals and objectives desired as well as the cash availability requirements for specific periods of time. The preceding represents a valuable service as a result of the high level contacts and access to specialized information, opportunities and rates of return with moderate risk that investment banks can avail themselves of. Pension Funds (Williamson, 1988)[14] These funds represent extremely large sums that require placement in investment avenues that contain high degrees of safety as well as meeting return rates in established parameters. The important nature of these retirement funds requires an institution to pay close attention to risk avoidance as well as any potential changes and shifts in the market that could potentially affect the money in the Fund. Mutual Funds (Williamson, 1988)[15] In terms of mutual funds, there are literally hundreds of fund types to select from as a result of the classifications within this group. One particular type of fund which investment banks have an advantage over commercial banks is in hedge funds. These types of funds are unregulated and usually governed by unconventional strategies. Hedge funds trade in equities, money markets and bonds and offer yields as well as risks that exceed traditional long stock and bond methodologies. The secretive nature of these funds and the fact that they cater to institutions, corporations and high net worth individuals only is within the purview of investment banks. The mutual fund classifications contains a number of differing types, these are as follows: Objective Oriented Growth This type is structured so that it appreciates in value over time by investing principally in the common stock of companies that have shown or are showing a high growth potential. Income These are structured to generate dividends on a regular basis as the priority, with growth in value as the secondary selection criteria. Balanced These funds are a balance between growth and income funds thereby providing investors with dividend payouts while the fund appreciates in value as a result of the growth in the corporations selected. Market Oriented Specialized Through limiting holdings in one industry sector these ‘sector growth’ funds place their emphasis on one industry classification. The preceding entails risks if that classification or segments of that classification perform poorly. The reverse is also true if the sector experiences growth. Bond Funds These tend to be conservative investments, principally in debt securities, with the objective of providing income while preserving capital. The focus is similar to Income Funds, which is the payment of dividends. Municipal These types of bonds can be either short or long term and represent state and or local government issuances. Corporate These funds are composed of bond issuances by corporations and are guaranteed by companies to pay out both interest as well as principle. Zero-coupon These are bonds that are sold to investors at a discount and payout only on the maturity of the face value. Because the investor purchased these at a discount, the face value represents the gain. International These are composed of the debt securities of corporations and governments located in other nations. As some countries pay higher rates, the gains can be interesting depending upon currency fluctuations and conversion rates. Convertible Securities These funds invest in securities (debt) that permit conversion of their bonds into stock. The objective is the preservation of capital yielding growth and income. Money Market Money market funds invest in the short-term obligations, debt, of both governments and corporations and are structured by and large to permit smaller investors to participate for amounts starting at approximately $500, depending upon the fund. Without the fund, direct participation requires increments of $10,000. The pooled sums are then invested and managed. Multifunds This type of fund invests in the performance of other types of mutual funds. All Weather These are designed to weather all types of business and economic phases. Emerging Growth These types of mutual funds invest in companies with high growth potential. Precious Metals As the name indicates, these are funds that take positions in various types of valuable metals. Green A newer category within this classification, Green Funds select growth companies that have a record of being responsive on environmental issues and adhere to policies within that arena. Chapter 2 – Conclusions Investment banks serve a valuable purpose in financial and business markets through their handling of public offerings (IPO’s) and private placements. These functions help corporations with their liquidity requirements and the issuance of securities. As investment banks can sell stock in an IPO as well as secondary offering and private placements they represent a centralized location that is able to fill the needs of corporations, governmental entities and high net worth individuals. The decades, and in some cases centuries of participation in high level finance has resulted in connections within finance arenas whereby investment banks maintain ties and associations at participation levels that are beyond commercial banks. In addition, this sector represents the top of the talent pool in finance, thus the intelligence factor exceeds the personnel employed in commercial banking. Because investment banks are primarily paid on a success basis, their commitment to the deals is higher and so are the monetary rewards. Typically, the compensation in the industry ranges 50 through 60% of profits paid out to partners and employees. Investment banking executives, analysts, junior bankers and junior partners generally earn twice their commercial bank counterparts as their jobs entail making money for the firm as well as performance reviews for themselves. The high pressure and performance nature of these positions means only the brightest in their fields work in this sector, thus the reason for investment banks receiving the biggest and the best of deals in all of the service function areas mentioned above. The preceding emphasis on profits, earnings, fees and performance might seem like a focus on greed, however it is geared to bring out the best, through competition among firms, which benefits investors, the general public and the economies of the countries in which these firms operate. Bibliography Allen, Linda, Jagtiani, Julapa, Sauders, Anthony. The Role of Bank Advisors in Mergers and Acquisitions. Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, Supervision and Regulation. Carosso, Vincent. 1970. Investment Banking in America, A History. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA. ISBN: 0674465741 Constantinides, George, Harris, Milton, Stulz, Rene. 2002. Investment Banking and Securities Issuance. Handbook of the Economics of Finance. ISBN: 0444513639 efmoody.com. 2005. IPO’s. http://www.efmoody.com/investments/ipos.html Kuhn, Robert. 1990. The Library of Investment Banking. Dow-Jones Irwin, Homewood, IL. ISBN: 1556232993 Lott, Tom. 2001. Vault Career Guide to Investment Banking. Vault. ISBN: 1581311338 Williamson, Peter. 1988. The Investment Banking Handbook. John Wiley Sons. ISBN: 0471815624 1 Footnotes [1] Kuhn, Robert. 1990. The Library of Investment Banking. Dow-Jones Irwin, Homewood, IL. ISBN: 1556232993 [2] Carosso, Vincent. 1970. Investment Banking in America, A History. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA. ISBN: 0674465741 [3] Lott, Tom. 2001. Vault Career Guide to Investment Banking. Vault. ISBN: 1581311338 [4] Ibid [5] Lott, Tom. 2001. Vault Career Guide to Investment Banking. Vault. ISBN: 1581311338 [6] Williamson, Peter. 1988. The Investment Banking Handbook. John Wiley Sons. ISBN: 0471815624 [7] Ibid [8] efmoody.com. 2005. IPO’s. http://www.efmoody.com/investments/ipos.html [9] Constantinides, George, Harris, Milton, Stulz, Rene. 2002. Investment Banking and Securities Issuance. Handbook of the Economics of Finance. ISBN: 0444513639 [10] Allen, Linda, Jagtiani, Julapa, Sauders, Anthony. The Role of Bank Advisors in Mergers and Acquisitions. Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, Supervision and Regulation. [11] Williamson, Peter. 1988. The Investment Banking Handbook. John Wiley Sons. ISBN: 0471815624 [12] Ibid [13] Ibid [14] Williamson, Peter. 1988. The Investment Banking Handbook. John Wiley Sons. ISBN: 0471815624 [15] Ibid

Abortion :: essays research papers

Abortion, which has been legal for over 23 years, is against the Constitution and the Supreme Court case that legalized, it should be overturned. In 1971 a pregnant single woman (Roe) brought a class action suit challenging the constitutionality of the Texas criminal abortion laws, which prohibited having or attempting an abortion except on medical advice for the purpose of saving the mother's life. This lawsuit was labeled Roe v. Wade. The Wade of Roe v. Wade was Henry Wade, one of the attorneys who argued the case for Texas. Roe v. Wade was first argued in the Supreme Court on December 13, 1971. Roe v. Wade was reargued October 11, 1972 and on January 22, 1973 Justice Blackmun delivered the opinion of the Court: "The [Supreme] Court declares the statutes void as vague and overbroadly infringing [the] plaintiff's ninth and fourteenth amendment rights." From then on an average of 4,100 abortions have been legally performed in this country daily. Abortion is defined by a decidedly objective source (the dictionary) as "a fatally premature expulsion of a fetus from the womb" (Webster 2). Abortions are performed in a variety of ways. The procedure depends on how long the woman has been pregnant and where she decides to have the abortion. The most common methods of abortion in the United States are: menstrual extraction, suction curettage, D&E, saline, prostaglandin, and hysterotomy. Menstrual extraction is a form of a suction curettage that doesn't use a curette and is sometimes performed even before a pregnancy test has confirmed pregnancy. A suction curettage is performed from six to 14 weeks after the "mother's" last period. A blunt suction tube is inserted into the uterus, which extracts the baby and the uterus lining. Then a narrow metal loop called a curette is used to scrape the walls of the uterus to make sure that it has been completely emptied. The saline method is used after the sixteenth week. It is an abortion where the baby is poisoned by a salt solution that is injected through the woman's abdomen into the amniotic sac. The baby is delivered, usually with an anesthetic that lessens the woman's pain to that of natural childbirth. Prostaglandin is used during the same timeframe as a saline abortion. Prostaglandin is a hormone that induces labor. In a prostaglandin abortion a synthetic version of the hormone is either injected into the amniotic sac or introduced as a vaginal suppository that causes violent labor and delivery of the baby, which is usually born alive because the drug doesn't kill it in the womb.

Jessica :: English Literature

Jessica Jessica Our Greatest Evil TKAMB Prejudice is just one of the many forms of evil found in the novel To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Prejudice is found everywhere, in the workplace, on the street, at school, everywhere. The novel takes place in a small town called Maycomb. The town is full of citizens who love to gossip and people who discriminate against others. The discrimination is not only against those of colour, but those of lower lass as well. They are most commonly found during the trial of Tom Robinson. Harper Lee presents prejudice as an extensive problem, most commonly in the form of social class, race, and behavior prejudice. A type of prejudice found in the novel To Kill A Mocking Bird would be social class. For example, the Ewell family is considered ‘white trash’. Mr. Ewell is someone â€Å"who will never change his ways,† (31) and will always be considered this way because of several reasons. Mr. Bob Ewell is a part of this WPA organization, a type of welfare program. Because he is the very first person to be kicked out of this program because of his laziness, it shows how much of a lower class he really is, and he is constantly bothered because of this. His several uneducated children never went to a full year of school, and worked long and hard on the farm. Another example would be the Cunningham family. â€Å"The Cunningham family never took anything they can’t pay back†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (20) And when they couldn’t pay back in money, they paid their debt back in anyway possible, whether it is labor, or nuts. The younger Cunningham, Walter, came for lunch at the Finchs’, and Scout bugged him about his unnatural usage of syrup when both Atticus and Calpurnia stopped her. Calpurnia made the comment â€Å"There’s some folk who don’t eat like up†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (24) The lack of availability of syrup caused him to pour syrup on food such as potatoes and meat. The Cunningham family is well known throughout the though of Maycomb, though they aren’t highly though of. Along with the Ewells’ and the Cunningham’s, Aunt Alexandra can also be used to explain social class prejudice in To Kill A Mockingbird. She feels that not only is she above everyone, because â€Å"†¦everyone in Maycomb, it seemed, had a streak: a Drinking Streak, a Gambling Streak, a Mean Streak†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ,(129) but Alexandra also feels that that is a better mother influence than Calpurnia, simply because she is white. This is proved throughout the novel beginning at chapter 13. She continually imposes Scout with rules and etiquette for behaving like a proper lady, because when she grows up, she’s not

Death Of A Planet Essay -- essays research papers fc

Death of a Planet Air pollution is a very big problem in the United States. A large part of air pollution comes from cars. The Environmental Protection Agency says, "The most polluting activity an average person does everyday is drive their car"(1 factsheet OMS-5). Most people probably aren't aware that they are polluting the environment. Maybe if everyone knew how serious this pollution problem is, they would find ways to reduce the pollution. Most pollution that is released by cars comes from the exhaust, mainly in the form of hydrocarbons(1 factsheet, OMS-5). Hydrocarbons are organic compounds ,a combination of two or more elements, that contain only carbon and hydrogen (2 factsheet, OMS-5). Hydrocarbons are released when fuel in the engine burns partially. When hydrocarbons come in contact with sunlight they form ground level ozone. Ground level ozone is a major ingredient in the formation of smog. Ground level ozone is responsible for irritating eyes, damaging lungs, and it complicating respiratory problems. Hydrocarbons aren't the only pollutants released through car exhaust. Two more pollutants released through car exhaust are carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide. The first reduces the flow of oxygen to the bloodstream, and could harm people with heart disease. Nitrogen oxide is formed when a car engine gets hot. It contains chemicals that aid in the formation of ground level ozone as well as acid rain (2 factsheet, OMS-5). Acid rain destroys the outsides of buildings, statues, etc. Acid rain can also contaminate drinking water, damage vegetation, and destroy sealife. These two pollutants are two of the most dangerous pollutants released through car exhaust. If these two pollutants were cut down just a little bit our planet would be a safer place to live. Carbon dioxide is another gas released through exhaust emissions. It isn't dangerous directly to humans, but it is considered to be a "green house gas." A "greenhouse gas" is a gas that is associated with global warming. Global warming is the gradual increase of temperature due to human activity. Certain gases, such as carbon dioxide, methane, and ozone allow radiation from the sun to break through the atmosphere and go to the earth's surface. Global w... ... recognized sooner than regular testing, done year by year. If the remote sensing devices are used people don't have to worry about their car being tested. They just have to get their car repaired when the device says it's polluting the environment. Air pollution caused by cars is a serious problem that can be reduced by average everyday people. If the citizens of earth don't act fast, and reduce the amount of pollution caused world wide, earth will be a horrible place to live. If something isn't done soon there might not be a place to live at all. Works Cited Brown, Lester R. The World Watch Reader: On Environmental Issues. NewYurk:Norton, 1991. 97-105. The Environmental Protection Agency. Automobiles and Ozone: Factsheet OMS-4. http://www.epa.gov/OMS WWW/04-ozone.htm. 1993. 4. The Environmental Protection Agency. Automobile Emission: An overiew: Factsheet OMS-5. http://www.epa.gov/OMS www/05-autos.htm. 1994. 1-5. The Environmental Protection Agency. Remote Sensing: A Supplemental Tool for Vehicle Emission Control: Factsheet OMS-15. http://www.epa.gov/OMS www/ 15- -remot.htm. 1993. 1-2.

Toefl essay

China and his story is unrealistic. However, this is directly refuted by the teacher's claim that Marco Polo really did go on the trip to China as he said. To begin with, the reading suggests that all of the original accounts of his Journey is given in different language and version. It is written in Latin, Italy, and Old France but it contains all different details.The lecturer, however, contradicts this point by asserting that at first, when he was in Jail, his Jail fellow, which was romance novelist rote the first version in France, and Marco Polo later wrote own account in Italian, which is later translated in to Latin. Another point that article stresses is that Marco Polo fail to mention basic fact about China. He did not write about tea drinking or Great Wall. Also, he was unable to speak Chinese even though he lived In China for 17 years.On the other hand, the speaker asserts that he did not see common stuffs of China because he lived in different location. Mostly, Marco Polo lived in North, where tea was unable to see. For him, It was hard to see Great Wall cause it was not finished and separated In pieces. When Marco Polo left China the Great Wall was done. Thus, Kabuki Khan sent Persian Translator for Marco Polo, who was able to speak Persian.Therefore, he did not have to learn Chinese. Finally, the passage points out that Marco Polo's name Is not written In any of China's record. If he claim to know Kabuki Khan, who was the ruler, his name should be written In any of record. In contrast, this viewpoint Is rebutted by the lecturer's assertion that he was using Persian name. Also, he was not really Important enough to written In Chinese record. Toefl Essay TOEFL ESSAY RATING SCALE 6 An essay at this level – effectively addresses the writing task – is well organized and well developed – uses clearly appropriate details to support a thesis or illustrate ideas – displays consistent facility in the use of language – demonstrates syntactic variety and appropriate word choice 5 An essay at this level – may address some parts of the task more effectively than others – is generally well organized and developed – uses details to support a thesis or illustrate an idea – displays facility in use of the language – demonstrates some syntactic variety and range of vocabulary An essay at this level – addresses the writing task adequately but may slight parts of the task – is adequately organized and developed – use some details to support a thesis or illustrate an idea – demonstrate adequate but possibly inconsistent facility with syntax and usage â€⠀œ may contain some errors that occasionally obscure meaning CHECKING Content Is there a thesis statement or introduction? Is there a topic sentence for each paragraph? Are there supporting details for each topic statement? Is there conclusion? Clarity Are there run-on sentences or sentence fragments? Are there misplaced modifiers or dangling modifiers?Are the structures parallel? Are there transition words? Are the sentences and paragraphs cohesive? Punctuation and spelling Are the paragraphs indented? Are there punctuation marks such as periods at the end of each sentence? Do all sentences begin with capital letters? Are all words spelled correctly? General Writing Improvements Strategies 1. Writing is skill like playing tennis. You have to practice. There is a lot of extra work you can do on your own to help you become a better writer. Doing these activities, you’ll practice your writing, practice your penmanship, and practice forming opinions.To improve your writing, pay attention when you read. Notice how the author of your book organizes thoughts and expresses ideas. 4. Buy a notebook to record your thoughts and your writing. Don’t use this notebook for anything but writing practice. This notebook will be your private classroom. 5. Keep a journal. Record the events of a day. Tell what happened. Record what you think 6. When events happen, take notes. Later in the day reread your notes and turn them into sentences. Turn the sentences into paragraphs. 7. Write every day. Give yourself a gift of time.Spend five minutes a day writing, and do it faithfully everyday. Once a week, assign yourself a topic and write an essay in thirty minutes. 8. Go back over your writing frequently. The more you write, the better writer you will become. You may think of a better, or a different, way of expressing a thought. Use the blank page to experiment with different ways of expressing the same idea. 9. When you rewrite, imagine you are writing for a different audience. The first time you wrote for yourself. How would you change your writing if your friends were to read. Your teacher? Your mother? A stranger?Types of Essays There four essay types on the Computer-based TOEFL: |Agreeing or disagreeing |33% | |Stating a preference |34% | |Giving an explanation |22% | |Making an argument |11% |Identify the task If†¦ How†¦ In your opinion †¦ If you could change (something) what would you change? What is the best way to (do something)? What should be the main focus? Which of the following should you do? Which of the following is most important to you? What would you give to help someone? How would you do something? How would you do something/choose between two things? How will (something) affect (something else)? Describe †¦ Explain †¦ What do you consider most important: (list)? What have you learned by (doing something)? Why do you think (something happens)?What are the qualities of (something)? Choose an event and te ll why you enjoyed it. How ha (something) changed? Why is (something) important? How does (something) effect (something else)? How is (something) different? Some do this; others do that. Some say this; others say that. Which opinion do you agree with? In your opinion which is better? Which would you prefer? Would you prefer to†¦? Compare the advantages and disadvantages. Which is best for you? Compare these attitudes. How is (something) different from (another thing)? Stating your opinion Set phrases In my opinionAccording to me To my way of thinking In my view To me From my point of view It is my opinion that I believe I think It seems to me that It appears that To my mind In my opinion, university students must attend classes. According to me, one must change with the times. To me, there is nothing more important than good health. It is my opinion that one learns by example. It seems to me that a good neighbor is one who respects your privacy. It appears that all the informat ion one needs is available on computer. Verbs Agree Believe Guess Hope Imagine Infer Realize Suppose Think UnderstandAll in all All things considered Altogether As a rule Basically By and large Essentially For the most part Generally In general On the whole Overall All in all, it is better to learn from a teacher than on your own. As a rule, it is better for students to wear uniform to school. For the most part, countries are more alike than different. On the whole, higher education should be available for all. Adverbials Seemingly Conceivably Possibly Perhaps Maybe Probably Presumably Certainly Almost Doubtless No doubt Definitely Daily exercise definitely should be a part of every school day.Doubtless, helping a child to learn to read is important. Seemingly, playing games can teach us about life. Almost In a way More or less Practically So to speak For all intents an purposes To some extent Up to a point Adjectives Certain Convinced Positive Sure Time Before After Since Next Duri ng At the same time Then Always While Often Sometime Meanwhile Degree Most important Less important Basically First Second Subordinate Primarily Secondary Comparison and contrast To compare Similar to Correspondingly As Common in Similarly Resemble Just as Than Like, alike Almost the same asIn a like manner Also Either/or At the same time In the same way Neither/or To contrast differ from nevertheless more than although however even do unlike while yet otherwise different from in contrast to but still less than on the other hand instead Cause and effect So For this reason Since Thus As a result Due to Consequently Because, because of Although Explanation In other words As Such as To clarify Like For instance To explain That is To illustrate To paraphrase For example Namely Adding more information In addition moreover besides similarly furthermore also as well as what’s more

Banyan Tree Essay

nominal advertising, still high level of scratch awargonness with lodges public relations and planetary merchandising programs. Faced the challenge of translating and maintaining the success of a corner Asian hospitality mark off into various commercialise segments on a global descale Innovative recessional product that could excessively bridge the greet gap in this market structure a asylum comprising individual villas with locally inspired architectural aim and positioned as a romantic and intimate meadowlark for guests Sanctuary for the senses. banyan steer verandah local culture and hereditary pattern and promoting bungalow Crafts, retail outlet showcasing natural crafts, flora closely with village cooperatives and not-for-profit craft trade agents. Marketing high-end travel magazines in identify markets public relations global marketing programs ( increment editorial c everyplaceage) few call wholesalers in severally targeted market agents spec ializing in exlusive opulence holidays targeted at wealthy customers social station in the Small Luxury Hotels and Leading Hotels of the building GDS cose BY ( testify global distribution organization used by travel abiders to crop airline, hotel, car lease and other distribution partners slightly the valet.Actively caring for the indispensable and human environment, revitalizing local communities, worked actively to preserve, protect, and promote the natural and human environments in which BYT resorts where set(p). Minimizing the impact on the environment yard Communities = planted trees, engage local communities, associates, guests to packet the causes of climate change and actions that can s dupe our collected carbon footprint. Green imperative form descent to further support community-based and environmental initiatives in the regions where it has a presence.The partnership believed in building profitable resorts that would benefit the adjoin environment a nd contribute to local economies through the creation of employment and community cultivation designs. Businesses with local farmers and traders by making it a microscope stage to purchase fresh reach from them.Community Relations Department was prune up to develop and manage community outreach programs. Seedling BTHRs formalized program which aimed to availyoung adults from local communities and motivate them and provide the means for completing their education to successfully enter the labor force as adults.Future openening city hotels and angsana hotels in Dubai and capital of the United Kingdom (angsana strike off in response to the regard for hotel operators in Asia that were keen to introduce watering place serve in their hotel, it is to a greater extent contemporaneous and affordable brand.Musem Shop by banyan tree tree joint partnetship with Singapors matter heritage board to showcase Asia rich and diverse cultural heritage through comical museum-inspired mer chandise.banian tree channelize Holdings (banian tree head) is an investment holding bon ton complex in managing and exploitation gift resorts, hotels and health clubs in the Asia Pacific. To date, the banian tree tree diagram classify manages and/or has ownership interests in close to 36 hotels and resorts, around 73 spas, 91 galleries and 3 golf courses in 28 countries The company ope range in Asia, Mexico and Morocco, New Zea primer coat, Africa, Dubai, and the UK. banyan tree steer operates through three seam segments hotel investment, berth gross revenue, and fee-based. 1 The hotel investments segment relates to hotel and restaurant motions. 2 The shoes sales segment comp climbings hotel residences, laguna situation sales and schooling make/site sales. Hotel residences job relates to the sale of hotel villas or suites which atomic number 18 part of hotel operations, to investors chthonic a compulsory lease endure scheme. Laguna station sales business rel ates to the tuition and sale of properties which ar standalone vacation homes in Laguna Phuket. tuition project/site sales relates to virtuous study land sales or maturement land sales which be fully or partially demonstrable with infrastructure. 3 The fee-based segment comprises the concern of hotels and resorts, the management of an asset-backed close club, the management of clannish-equity capital, the management and operation of spas, the sales of merchandise, the pro great deal of architectural and design work, the management and ownership of golf courses, and rental of retailoutlets and offices. The companys subsidiaries (dochterbedrijf) allow in banian tree diagram watering hole Bangkok, banian guide watering place Bintan, banyan maneuver Spa Ringha, banyan tree direct Spa Phuket, banian steer Sanya, and banian shoetree Macau, among others. banian direct Holdings (Banyan head) is engaged in the management and development of premium resorts, hotel s and spas. The companys key services conceive on the following. Hotel and restaurant operations Sale of hotel villas or suites Development and sale of properties Pure development land sales counselling of hotels and resorts wariness of an asset-backed destination club Management of private-equity stocks -Management and operation of spas Architectural and design services Management and ownership of golf courses rental of retail outlets and offices.The following companies are the major(ip)(ip) competitors of Banyan head Holdings limited central Plaza Hotel Public Company limit Four Seasons Hotels Inc Associated International Hotels Ltd In the old few yrs, such events risks as the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, bird flu, floods and riots in Thailand look at been voiceless on our industry, causing tourism as a whole to dry up in their wake. By comparison, economic recessions are part and parcel of the business cycle, which we are able to take in our whole st ep and counter with a variety of measures. During the year, the gentlemans gentleman remained mired in the European cr owned head debt crisis and American economic helplessness. Although these conditions affected our arrivals earlier from Europe, we were able to capitalise on the prospering Chinese market. At our four resorts in the Maldives, for example, the number of Chinese guests surpassed those from Europe. In our inveterate efforts to rebalance the Groups assets, we made the promise purchase of Banyan channelize Seychelles which gave rise to a net impart the goods. We similarly interchange and leased back Angsana Velavaru in January 2013. The intercrossed structure of this deal is a world-class for Banyan shoetree, and we are pleased with how it allows us to rebalance our portfolio while still participating in the profits from the operations of Angsana Velavaru.2012 with overall gross outgrowth 3% to S$338.4 million. ascribable to improved results from our hote l investments and fee-based businesses, as salutary as a higher(prenominal)(prenominal) contribution from end sales of property units. Group EBITDA was S$74.5 million, up 51% on the back of higher tax and a gain on thebargain purchase of Banyan shoetree Seychelles. This in turn resulted in PATMI increasing by 856% (S$14.9 million), tempered by higher finance be and income taxation expenses.HOTEL INVESTMENTSOur hotel investments delivered a stronger work in 2012, with Group-owned hotels broadsheet total revenue of S$187.7 million, up 15% from the previous year. This was due to the higher contribution from our Thai properties and the consolidation of revenue from Banyan channelize Seychelles from 2Q12 onwards. These gains were partially equilibrium by lower revenue from our Maldives properties as Banyan shoetree Vabbinfaru and Angsana Ihuru were temporarily closed in(p) for refurbishment. As a result of the append in revenue, EBITDA for this segment grew by a wellnessy 6 9% to S$36.6 million. piazza SALESRevenue from property sales was S$42.7 million. The 36% decrease was due to the sale of development sites in Lijiang, Yangshuo and Huangshan to our chinaware Fund in 2011. Excluding those transactions, revenue and EBITDA from property sales saw growth of 43% and 74% respectively, thanks to a higher contribution from completed sales of property units.FEE-BASEDTotal revenue from our fee-based businesses registered growth of 9% to reach S$108.0 million. This was attributable to an join on in fees from hotel management and architectural and inside(prenominal) design and other services. Accordingly, EBITDA for our fee-based businesses grew by 23%.2013 appears to be another challenging year for the global economy. We anticipate continued weakness in our European target markets. In Asia, which has been the worlds economic locomotive engine these past four years, growth is likely to moderate. Despite the cooling of Chinas economy, the tourism market bo th inbound and outbound is expected to continue to grow. The Chinese government is aggressively promoting domestic tourism as part of its schema to increase domestic consumption, thereby cushioning the backwardness in export manufacturing. Banyan channelises strong branding and quick expanding footprintin China forget position us to take wages of this trend. Our seven regional marketing offices in China leading be invaluable in enabling us to woo the vast potential of this market and to recruit awareness of our hotels with key accounts in China. Our dodging loss forward will complicate continuing with our asset rebalancing to unlock note value and deploy capital to more shiny markets. At the same time, we are exploring the supposition of extending the successful Fund feigning into other areas. In terms of growing especial(a) segments, we will be focusing on increasing income from our fee-based and property sales businesses. We have built the fee-based segment to a point where it now has an impetus of its own. On the property sales front, we plan to move into selling more primary and serviced residences.Primary residences low the Banyan steer brand,We will in any case be going forward with the judicature of a ordinal brand of residences to be wholly exchange and managed by us. instead than compete with local property developers, we will leverage our branding and design skills to market to a niche audience in China. We will also be going forward with the establishment of a third brand of residences to be wholly exchange and managed by us. Catering to an entirely young market of price-conscious buyers, these properties will be small in size yet deliver the quality and innovation that are hallmarks of Banyan corner.Strongly associated with our brand is the concept of a triple bottom line. In our involvement of economic, social and environmental success, we made major investments in resource conservation, provision and benchmarking , green and community efforts in 2012. Under the EarthCheck establishment of sustainability certification, we also planted in six-year a total to over 220,000 trees.Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts offer an intimate retreat run through featuring its signature blend of romance, rejuvenation and foreign sensuality. Our philosophy is based on providing a place for rejuvenation of the body, mind and head a Sanctuary for the Senses. Placing special accent on providing guests with a sense of place, each Banyan Tree property is knowing to fit into its natural surroundings, using indigenous materials as far as workable and reflecting the landscape and architecture of the destination. Pioneeringthe tropic tend spa concept with Asian health and beauty remedies passed down from generations, Banyan Tree Spa was created as the signature find in all Banyan Tree resorts, to complement the Sanctuary for the Senses wellness concept. With the furiousness on high service standards and consis tency, therapists are professionally trained at Banyan Tree Spa Academies in Phuket, Thailand, and Lijiang, China. The Banyan Tree Gallery supports local communities by exhibiting and retailing indigenous handicrafts, which are also found in the resorts. A quintessential highlight of the Banyan Tree experience, Banyan Tree Gallery aspires to recreate the unique Banyan Tree experience with its vast selection of Asian-style furnishings, Banyan Tree Spa collection, eco-friendly products, indigenous village handicrafts, ethnic clothes and gravelories, and objects dart.Banyan Tree Holdings Limited is a leading, multinational hospitality brand that manages and develops premium resorts, hotels and spas. Its innovative business model is based on seven business segments generating multiple income streams that is unique in itself inside the hospitality industry. This formula of developing and managing antonymous product offerings with in- mark talent makes it difficult for competitors to reproduction with the same level of success. Banyan Trees vertically compound business model comprises Hotel investment Banyan Tree owns and manages luxury hotels under its brands, as well as hotels that are managed by other world-class operators. Hotel management Banyan Tree additionally manages properties under the Banyan Tree and Angsana brands for other owners. cover Marketing Group Pte Ltd A company wholly owned by Banyan Tree Services, Canopy Marketing Group Pte Ltd provides high-level strategical insights on various global niche markets to drive top line performance of our diverse range of lifestyle products including hotels, resorts, spas, gallery, destination club and residential ownership. It has a full-suite of marketing capabilities specializing in the branding, marketing and promotion. Spa operations Banyan Tree Spa pioneered the tropical garden spa concept, and has since grown to over 60 outlets worldwide. Gallery operations The retail arm is consolidated under Ba nyan Tree Gallery, which comprises five brand segments located in over 70 stores worldwide. Hotel residences Hotel size up are primarily sold under the brand name Banyan Tree Residences.Property sales Properties that are not part of hotel operations are sold by our subsidiary company, Laguna Resorts and Hotels, and its subsidiaries, in Laguna Phuket. Design and other services Revenue from design services is acquire by Architrave, Banyan Trees in-house architectural arm. Other service fees entangle income from operating golf clubs. Real earth Hospitality Funds Banyan Tree Capital was set upto tap private equity and other sources of investments in line of battle to provide a cost effectual structure to fund the Groups future developments. With about 8,000 associates of over 50 nationalities, the diversity of its workforce is a key feature of the Group and helps to inspire its international outlook. To address its talent development needs, Banyan Tree entraped Banyan Tree Ma nagement honorary society (BTMA) in 2008. This centralised pedagogy facility located in Phuket, Thailand will train future Banyan Tree leaders needed to sustain organisational strength and to meet the demands of its rapid global growth. function of Banyan Trees vision has always been to grow into a global business, with a portfolio of properties strategically placed around the world. The Groups mission is inextricably intertwined with its commitment to corporate social right and sustainable growth, as it continues to expand globally.The launch of Banyan Tree Residences, which allows investors to buy their own signature villa, townhouse or apartment in Banyan Tree resorts. Banyan Tree Private Collection was launched to cater to the growing niche for destination club membership 2005 Marking the collections yearn awaited foray into China is Banyan Tree Ringha, in Yunnan. 2001 Banyan Tree established the Green Imperative Fund to formalise its corporate social obligation efforts. The Banyan Tree Spa Academy was set up to provide training for new therapists as well as research new treatment recipes and techniques. Banyan Tree Capital is a existent estate fund management company established by the Banyan Tree group, a renowned luxury hospitality company listed in Singapore, to focus on hospitality-based real estate investment. Banyan Tree Capital chevvys, develops and manages branded hospitality funds in key development markets of the Banyan Tree group. With a combination of fund management and asset development capabilities, Banyan Tree Capital leverages on the groups expertise in premium hospitality real estate development andmanagement to generate attractive investment returns for its investors. Banyan Tree Capital is headquartered in Singapore with offices in China and Vietnam. We have successfully achieved higher room rates than the existing market in locations such as Lijiang, the Maldives and Seychelles. We have also found that our iconic brands also help raise the value of the surrounding land.Our innovative city products combine all the iconic elements of our brand and differentiate developers within established, high cost city markets. We have the flexibility and capabilities to reconcile our model to various locations so as to maximize returns for the developer.As part of our strategy of enlarging our footprint in China, we will also be launching two more hotels in Shanghai and one in Tianjin, adding to our ever growing presence in various gateway cities. We are also employing our capabilities all across China, where large tracts of land are being developed into gated residences and luxury hotels offered to the Chinese elite.One of Banyan Trees prime concerns is its associates. We pride ourselves in providing high levels of service excellence and providing snub made training and career development programmes for our employees. No stone is left right-side-out(predicate) in regards to training and proper conception before a Banyan Tree is put into operation. Trained to the basic standards of 5 star hotels. Employees were empowered to exercise creative thinking and sensitivity although the strict administrative rules of the management. Employees were interpreted to and from work in air-conditioned buses, access to various amenities (good-quality canteens, medical services, childcare facilities).Banyan Tree is one of the worlds biggest and well known spa operators. Our levels of quality and service are unequaled and uncompromised. We are the only vertically integrated hospitality company with strong capabilities to take in charge and anticipate the challenges of master planning and developing an integrated resort. We are able to take a property from inception to legal transfer with efficiencies that is entirely brand specific. Ourin-house design team, Architrave, and project services team are passing involved in all phases of the development master planning, designing, developing and coordinating , to ensure developers a timely delivery of their asset.Being undergo developers, we are able to ensure that efficiencies and economies of scale are maximized along with guest experiences. Bintan, the Maldives and Phuket where the Angsana resort is positioned next to a Banyan Tree resort with shared back of house facilities. This model has allowed us to lower costs without cannibalizing rates, thereby boosting returns for our developers.