Arundel Partners Essay Example

Arundel Partners Essay Case Write-Up: Arundel Partners 15. 415 Finance Theory Section B, Oysters Arundel Partners: The Sequel Project With the purchase of sequel rights, what Arundel is achieving is to have a call option on the revenue that each movie brings. This helps to remove the uncertainty and risks associated with producing a movie, especially with regard to moviegoers’ taste. With the sequel right, Arundel will only exercise this option to produce a sequel if the first movie proved to be popular and the sequel is hence predicted to bring in profits.This provides downside protection, as huge losses (due to high production costs) associated with a failed movie will be avoided. Arundel plans to agree on the number of films and price per film before either the studio or itself knows which films would be produced. This prevents the studio from increasing the price of the sequel right if it predicts that a particular movie will be a hit. Thus, Arundel is aiming to earn handsome profits from movies that eventually turn out to be a hit, since it would have paid a relatively low price for the call option on the movie.This is an important point as Arundel’s profitability heavily relies on how much it has to pay for the sequel rights. Although most of the movies will not have profitable sequels (hence rendering the option’s payoff as zero), the few hit movies will bring about a huge payoff such that overall, Arundel predicts to profit from this idea. If we use straight PV analysis of all the movies, by using the PV of Inflow at Yr4 and PV of Negative cost at Yr3, we can calculate the NPV of each movie at Yr0.Since the total NPV for all 6 studios is negative, we will not purchase all the sequel rights if we use this simple NPV analysis. However, MCA Universal and TCFOX have positive NPV’s and hence we are willing to pay up to $4. 47M for each sequel of MCA Universal and $6. 08M for each sequel of The Walt Disney Company. Sl. | Studio| PV Inflow @ T=4| PV Negat ive Cost @ T=3| NPV @Yr 0| Number of Movies| Cost of each Sequel Right| 1| MCA Universal| 450. 3| 311. 9| 62. 65| 14| 4. 47| 2| Paramount Pictures| 202. 7| 246. 7| (46. 74)| 10| (4. 67)| 3| Sony Pictures Entertainment| 444. 1| 764. | (260. 38)| 34| (7. 66)| 4| Twentieth Century FOX| 186. 2| 241. 1| (53. 14)| 11| (4. 83)| 5| Warner Brothers| 458. 4| 421. 7| (9. 68)| 19| (0. 51)| 6| The Walt Disney Company| 393. 5| 255. 3| 66. 91| 11| 6. 08| | Total| 2135. 2| 2241. 3| (240. 38)| 99| | However if we consider that Arundel has the choice whether to exercise the right, we realise that Arundel will only produce the sequels with positive NPV. With this analysis, the idea of buying the sequels can be profitable for the industry as a whole and for each studio (the level at which the contract will be negotiated).The cost of each sequel rights for each studio is provided in the below table: Sl| Studio/Movie Title| PV Inflow @ T=4| PV Negative Cost @ T=3| NPV of +ive Return Projects @ Yr0| Numbe r of Movies| Cost of each Sequel Right| 1| MCA Universal| 450. 3| 311. 9| 92. 08| 14| 6. 58| 2| Paramount Pictures| 202. 7| 246. 7| 26. 33| 10| 2. 63| 3| Sony Pictures Entertainment| 444. 1| 764. 6| 96. 92| 34| 2. 85| 4| Twentieth Century FOX| 186. 2| 241. 1| 19. 20| 11| 1. 75| 5| Warner Brothers| 458. 4| 421. 7| 137. 21| 19| 7. 22| 6| The Walt Disney Company| 393. 5| 255. 3| 111. 42| 11| 10. 13| | Total| 2135. | 2241. 3| 483. 17| 99| | Black-Scholes Option Value | | | | Input Data| Â  | Â  | Stock Price now (P)| | 13. 55| Exercise Price of Option (EX)| | 22. 6| Number of periods to Exercise in years (t)| | 3| Compounded Risk-Free Interest Rate (rf)| | 12. 36%| Standard Deviation (annualized | Â  | 121. 00%| Output Data| Â  | Â  | Present Value of Exercise Price (PV(EX))| | 15. 5981| ?*t^. 5| | 2. 0958| d1| | 0. 9808| d2| | -1. 1150| Delta N(d1) Normal Cumulative Density Function| | 0. 8367| Bank Loan N(d2)*PV(EX)| Â  | 2. 0656| Value of Call| Â  | 9. 2728| To price the sequ el right, we can treat it as a call option.The company will not exercise the sequel right if they predict that the sequel will not be profitable based on the first movies’ performances. The downside of the investment is removed when we purchase the sequel right. To get an estimate of the call price, we use the average of PV of net inflows as the underlying asset, PV of negative costs as exercise price, standard deviation of return as volatility, and 1992 T-bill rate as the risk free rate. After plugging in these numbers into the Black-Scholes formula, we calculated that the average cost for a sequel option should be 9. 728. The main assumption we are making here is that our call option (sequel right) is for an average movie (i. e. if we decide to buy the right, we are willing to pay an average call option price of 9. 2728 for each movie regardless of the studio it is produced from). However, in reality, the company will be negotiating the prices of the sequel rights with each studio. Thus, the quoted price we will get from each studio can be quite different from the overall average price we calculated since each studio’s expected performance is different from one another.The volatility we used is the industry volatility approximated from the standard deviation of returns from 99 movies’ sequel. When we are evaluating a quoted price of a sequel right, 9. 2728 will be a good bench mark. According to our simple NPV analysis, we would reject the idea of purchasing sequel rights since the NPV value is negative overall. However, if we consider the sequel right as a call option, we see that there is a fair price for each sequel rights. Hence, on average, for any studio quoting less than or equals to 9. 2728 per movie, it is profitable to enter the sequel deal with the studio.

Rap Music on the Younger Generation Today Essay Example

The Effects of Hip Hop/Rap Music on the Younger Generation Today Essay Example The Effects of Hip Hop/Rap Music on the Younger Generation Today Essay The Effects of Hip Hop/Rap Music on the Younger Generation Today Essay The Effects of hip hop/rap Music on The Younger Generation Today The dynamic era of hip hop emerged in the 1970s through the streets of Bronx, New York City. Now twenty five years old and still counting, the world of hip hop is at a new level. Lil’ Wayne, Kanye West, Rick Ross, 2 Chainz, and Plies are just some of today’s biggest icons in the world of hip hop. Having record hitting tracks that jump off the charts, these rappers are definitely the image the younger generation looks up to. Though, having these amazing tracks, these same iconic figures are said to be the cause of our teenagers heading down the road of destruction. The effects of these lyrics on the teenage society are said to provoke violence, foul language, and enhanced sexual behavior. To begin, the effect of hip hop or rap music on the younger generation today has encouraged youth to become more violent and aggressive. Ever since the rise of rap music, teens have been turning to music to help solve their problems. However, this music cannot be helpful but very destructive. Encouraging raging acts of violence, these lyrics influence and damage the minds of children, teens and young adults. For instance, rapper Plies states, â€Å"Dont tell me shit about what them niggas said, Them niggas just raping, Fuck niggas be bluffing, Killers make shit happen,† in his track called Naan Nigga. The breakdown of these lyrics: It does not matter what another individual states about one, if a person is â€Å"real† one must make violent actions to prove your point in life. The effect of teens listening to music like this is shown in and out of school. More and more students are being arrested and taken to juvenile detention centers due to fighting or bringing weapons to school. For example, my junior year, a student brought a knife to school to threaten another student. During their verbal altercation in the courtyard, the student carrying the knife kept repeating, â€Å"Nigga I’m real, I’ll slit yo throat from ear to ear for talking shit,† while swaying the knife from left to right. In my opinion, this raging act of violence was definitely influence by the anger of music that is being listened to. Another effect from rap music is the usage of foul language. Hip hop music often carries with it a swagger, and way of expression that represents an aggressive culture. Rap lyrics in particular, most often carry the same type of theme and language, and mostly degrading to women and other things. Either way, it introduces teenagers who would have never been exposed to such grammar as the way of life and how to speak slang. From my own experience, I have definitely realized that rap music is not only targeting teens, but also children. For example, my six year old cousin was written up in school for rapping a Nikki Minaj song called â€Å"I Beez in the Trap† during school. She kept repeating the first three lines of the song, â€Å"Bitches aint shit and they ain’t saying nothing. A hundred mothafuckas can’t tell me nothing. I beez in the trap, be-beez in the trap. † Not understanding these lyrics at all, my cousin was only repeating what was seen and heard on the television and radio. For teens and even younger children listening to hip-hop music and watching hip-hop videos day and night, committing the lyrics to memory, the musics language is adopted to one’s way of expression. Finally, the effect of hip hop or rap music influences enhanced sexual behavior. Watching various music videos with sexy bikini models flaunting and moving all lower bodily assets (hip, thighs, and buttocks) to every beat would not only entice an adult man, but also a teenage boy wanting all the same situations himself. Also, teenage girls who watch these same hip-hop video images take on the viewpoints they present of women as their own image. Whether that image is of women being used as objects or to be desired by many. This sexual mindset is believed to lead to increasing unplanned pregnancies and sexually-transmitted diseases among teens. All in all, hip hop music today has a major effect on teenagers. Lyrics containing violence, foul language, and enhanced sexual behaviors definitely encourages the younger generation to portray the same image. Although, it is not the youth’s fault, it is the content that the music contains. Rap music should not be prohibited, but one must be mindful and watch one’s actions.

Purchasing Power ParityBig Mac Index Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Purchasing Power ParityBig Mac Index - Essay Example The purchasing power parity or the PPP is also loosely explained as the Big Mac index, as introduced by The Economist in the mid-1980s. In the absolute definition of PPP, the Big Mac, a consumer good sold in practically every part of the world, takes the place of the commodity basket. Using this route gives a more simplistic definition of the theory. Therefore, a Big Mac being sold in the United States must have the same price as Big Mac sold in Australia, for example. Looking at PPP with a monetary approach to the exchange rate will show the behavior of exchange rate in the long run, in terms of the supply of and demand for money. An increase in the national interest rate results in the depreciation of the national currency. Likewise, an appreciation of the country's currency will be resulted by a decrease in the national interest rate. However, recent data cannot fully support the theory of the purchasing power parity and the law of one price. In the real world, there are trade barriers, free competition, and differences in price levels in different countries, giving rise to difficulty in testing the PPP through government-published price indexes. There are also certain products and services that have consequently become non-tradable goods because of steep international transport costs. The PPP can also be viewed as a country's real exchange rate, wherein a foreign commodity basket is valuated in terms of a domestic commodity basket. Having all other factors equal, a country's local currency will undergo a long-run appreciation vis--vis foreign currencies, an ensuing scenario when the world demand for this particular country's output increases. The more common notion of purchasing power parity must be distinguished from a related theory known as relative purchasing power parity, wherein the relationship between the relative inflation rates of two countries and the change in the exchange rates of their currencies comes into play. An exchange rate that is determined by purchasing power parity gives rise to an equalization of the purchasing power of different currencies in a particular home country. Despite the fluctuations in the market exchange rates, PPP exchange rates are reflected in the long run. However, the difference between the market exchange rates and the PPP exchange rates can be somewhat significant. See this example: The World Bank's World Development Indicators 2005 estimates that one United States dollar is equivalent to approximately 1.8 Chinese yuan by purchasing power parity in 2003. However, based on nominal exchange rates, one U.S. dollar is currently equal to 7.9 yuan. This discrepancy has large implications; for instance, GDP per capita in the People's Republic of China is about US$1,800, while on a PPP basis it is about US$7,204. This is frequently misused to assert that China is the world's second largest economy, but such a calculation would be invalid under the PPP theory. At the oth er extreme, Japan's nominal GDP per capita is around US$37,600, but its PPP figure is only US$30,615. The proper estimation of purchasing power parity is made difficult because there is no uniform price level. Also, different people in different countries have varying commodity baskets,

Week 2 response papers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Week 2 response papers - Essay Example sidering that controlling people’s values and temperance is difficult, this may not be the ultimate solution to the current and impending environmental problems. In agreement with the student post, teaching people and making them aware of the consequences of their actions can play a lot in changing people’s negative behavior. As the student notes, people may end up being less wasteful as they understand the kind of situation that may result due to their actions or inactions. While laws help in bringing sanity, they alone too reduce people’s freedoms as noted by the student. A world with numerous freedoms taken away is not a healthy world in my personal view. The world would indeed be a better place if sustainability was upheld without necessarily imposing prohibitions or restrictions to such things as procreation as noted by Dasgupta (2007). As suggested b the student, it would be a noble idea to start teaching people about the issues of sustainability and environmental conservation at a tender age, giving them the opportunity to make informed choices about their preferences and actions. The second student has presented very strong and interesting ideas. The notion that there are already too many laws, regulations and prohibitions is only the truth. However, these laws are broken every so often; even by the very same people who enact them, in some cases. Furthermore, individual freedoms are reduced or altogether abolished with almost every single law that is enacted. Considering the above facts, education seems to be a better option in dealing with issues related to sustainability. When people are educated, they are in a better position to use their common senses to solve or avoid problems (Heal, 2009). Yet another commendable suggestion by the student is the idea that experimental tests should not be conducted in the atmosphere but under simulated conditions. It is common for scientists to simulate how things would work under certain circumstances

Answer two questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Answer two questions - Essay Example Every individual has the decision to make with regard to the receiving the grace of God. For example we have a choice to receive or reject Jesus Christ. There are two doctrines that seek to expound the responsibility of God and man in the issue of salvation. According to Arminiasm, salvation is received through the efforts of both man and God. Mans response is therefore the main factor, because he has freewill. Therefore the provision of salvation is not for everyman (Picirilli 482). Man is the determining factor towards the gift of salvation. For example, God saved Adam but man still resisted his grace. According to the doctrine of Calvinism, salvation is determined by the power of God. God therefore determines who will receive salvation. Both are summed up in five points. Calvinism looks as atonement being unlimited and Arminism vice versa. The number of Christian denominations, in the United States are numerous, among them Lutheran, Evangelical, Orthodox among many others. Most Christian professes to love one another yet they cannot stand the ideals of others. Religious tolerance is an important aspect both to the believer and to the community because lack of tolerance leads to misunderstanding among the community who discriminate and ignore others who does not have the same common views and background. Majority of people do not know that religious tolerance promotes respect and understanding among different believers. In the world, all the big religions share the same basic rule, the culture as our golden rule, that promotes the concept of do onto others as you would like them do onto you. According to my views, this is a major teaching that demonstrates that these religions are not different from others much. In an example, Islamic tells us that Ishmael, who was Abraham’s son, was the patriarch of the Islamic religion. Jews also believes that Abraham’s son Isaac was their patriarch as he was a Jew like Abraham and so helped in spreading the Jewish

Importance of Physical Activity Essay

Importance of Physical Activity Essay Introduction Physical activity is an important determinant of health. Its fundamental role in energy balance and weight control and in decreasing the risks of coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, colon cancer, breast cancer, and depression is widely known. But in this fast paced life, people hardly incorporate physical activity in their daily routine. Non communicable diseases have, as a result been on the rise across the world. Even Mauritius have not been spared from this growing concern on diseases. Undeniably, compared to the past, the health of Mauritians has bettered given that now more facilities are available to combat once mortal diseases. Lifespan has increased as a result and the trend is there are more people as from 65 years old with the balance tipping in favour of the female population. The main problem that Mauritius faces nowadays is in terms of non communicable diseases. The new life trend now leads to other complications like diabetes, hypertension, kidney failure, heart problems, smoke and alcohol related problems. Literature review Physical activity is defined as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure.(WHO,2013) Regular moderate intensity physical activity is beneficial to health. For instance, it can reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, colon and breast cancer, and depression. Other benefits include low risk of hip and vertebral fracture and weight control. Types of Physical Activity Aerobic, muscle-strengthening, bone-strengthening, and stretching are the four main types of physical activity. Aerobic Activity Aerobic activity benefits the heart and lungs. Large muscles, such as those in your arms and legs are used the most. Running, swimming, walking, biking, dancing, and doing jumping jacks are examples of aerobic activity. Aerobic activity also is also known as endurance activity. Aerobic activity increases heart rate. The person also breathes harder during this type of activity. Over time, regular aerobic activity makes the heart and lungs stronger and able to work better. Muscle-strengthening activity Muscle-strengthening activities improve the strength, power, and endurance of muscles. Performing pushups and situps, lifting weights, climbing stairs, and digging in the garden are examples of muscle-strengthening activities. During bone-strengthening activities, muscles push against the bones as the feet, legs, or arms support the bodys weight. This helps to strengthen the bones. Running, walking, jumping rope, and lifting weights are examples of bone-strengthening activities. Muscle-strengthening and bone-strengthening activities also can be aerobic if they make the heart and lungs work harder than usual. For example, running is both an aerobic and a bone-strengthening activity. Stretching improves flexibility and ability to fully move the joints. Touching one’s toes, doing side stretches and yoga exercises are examples of stretching. (AHA,2013) Levels of Intensity in Aerobic Activity Aerobic activity can be performed with light, moderate, or vigorous intensity. Moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic activity is better for the heart than light-intensity activity. However, even light-intensity activity is better than no activity at all. The level of intensity depends on how hard you have to work to do the activity. People who are less fit usually have to work harder to do an activity than people who are more fit. Therefore, what is light-intensity activity for one person may be moderate-intensity for another. Light- and Moderate-Intensity Activities Light-intensity activities are common daily tasks that do not require much effort. Moderate-intensity activities make the heart, lungs, and muscles work harder than usual. On a scale of 0 to 10, moderate-intensity activity is given a score of 5 or 6. It causes noticeable increases in breathing and heart rate. Vigorous-Intensity Activities On a scale of 0 to 10, vigorous-intensity activity is a 7 or 8. A person doing vigorous-intensity activity cant say more than a few words without stopping for a breath. Examples of Aerobic Activities Below are examples of aerobic activities. Depending on your level of fitness, they can be light, moderate, or vigorous in intensity: Gardening, such as digging or hoeing that causes your heart rate to go up Walking, hiking, jogging, and running Water aerobics or swimming laps Biking, skateboarding, rollerblading, and jumping rope Ballroom dancing and aerobic dancing Tennis, soccer, hockey, and basketball In the present era, many technological advances and conveniences have made our life easier and less active. But there are other factors that affect participation in physical exercise. For instance, transportation, social capital, and time barriers independently contribute to low levels of physical activity. (Zlot et al., 2006). Physical activity is highly recommended among adults and those aged 18–64 years old should do at least 150 minutes of moderately intense physical activity throughout the week or at least 75 minutes of vigorous- activity throughout the week or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous activity.(WHO,2013). Unfortunately, according to the Mauritius non-communicable diseases survey 2009, only 16.5% of Mauritians (10.9% of women and 23.2%of men) undertook sufficient vigorous or moderate physical activity to meet national guidelines, that is, 150 minutes of activity per week. 56% (65.8% of women and 45.7% of men) reported doing no moderate or vigorous leisure time physical activity at all. In line with the NCD survey 2009, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes aged 20-74 years was 21.3%: 21.9% in men and 20.6% in women in Mauritius. The prevalence of hypertension was 37.9%: 35.4% for women and 40.5% for men. The age and gender standardised prevalence of obesity was 16.0%: 11.3% in men and 20.5% in women (Mauritian adult population aged 25 -74 years). Comparing those results with the NCD 2004, the preliminary results of the 2004 NCD Survey indicate that the age-standardised prevalence of diabetes in the Mauritian population aged 20-74 years was 15.0% (15.0% among male, 15.1% among female). The prevalence of hypertension in 2004 in participants aged 20-74 years (standardized on the Census year 2000 population) was 24.2% in males, 22.8% in females and 23.1% in both sexes. In 2004, the age-standardised prevalence of obesity in adults aged 20-74 years was 5.6% among males and 13.7% among females, giving an overall prevalence of 10.3%. On one side, adults do not perform enough physical activity, on the other side, type 2 diabetes; hypertension and obesity are on the rise in Mauritius. Importance of physical activity Benefits of physical activity are widely recognised. Physical activity improves the cardiovascular and respiratory system On a regular basis, moderate- and vigorous-intensity physical activity strengthens the heart muscle. The hearts ability to pump blood to lungs and throughout your body is improved. oxygen levels in your blood rise as more blood flows to your muscles. Capillaries also widen. This allows them to deliver more oxygen to your body and carry away waste products. Physical Activity Reduces Coronary Heart Disease Risk Factors(CHD) On a regular basis, moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic activity can lower risk for CHD. CHD is a condition in which plaque builds up inside the coronary arteries. These arteries supply heart muscle with oxygen-rich blood. Plaque narrows the arteries and decreases blood flow to heart muscle. Eventually, an area of plaque can rupture . A blood clot can form on the surface of the plaque. As the clot becomes large enough, it can mostly or completely block blood flow through a coronary artery. A heart attack can result. Certain traits, conditions, or habits may increase the risk for CHD. Physical activity can help control some of these risk factors because it: Can decrease blood pressure and triglyceride levels Can raise HDL cholesterol levels. Maintain blood glucose and insulin levels, which lowers your risk for type 2 diabetes. Decreases levels of C-reactive protein (CRP). This protein is a sign of inflammation. High levels of CRP may suggest an increased risk for CHD. Helps reduce overweight and obesity when combined with a reduced-calorie diet. Physical activity also helps in maintaining a healthy weight over time Can help people to quit smoking. Smoking is a major risk factor for CHD. Inactive people are nearly twice as likely to develop CHD as people who are physically active. According to studies, inactivity is a major risk factor for CHD, just like high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and smoking. Physical Activity Reduces Heart Attack Risk For people who have CHD, aerobic activity done regularly improves the function of the heart. It also decreases the risk of a second heart attack in people who already have had heart attacks. Vigorous aerobic activity may not be safe for people who have CHD. Physical activity boosts mental wellness Tension, anxiety, depression and anger are relieved by performing physical activity Exercise increases the flow of oxygen which directly affects the brain. Your mental acuity and memory can be improved with physical activity. Physical activity improves physical wellness. Stronger immunity It enhances your immune system and decreases the risk of developing diseases such as cancer and heart disease. Reduced risk factors Becoming more active can lower your blood pressure by as much as 4 to 9 mm Hg. Thats the same reduction in blood pressure delivered by some antihypertensive medications. Physical activity can also boost your levels of good cholesterol. Recommendations of physical activity AHA Recommendation At least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity at least 5 days per week for a total of 150 OR At least 25 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity at least 3 days per week for a total of 75; or a combination of the two AND Moderate to high intensity muscle-strengthening activity at least 2 or more days per week for additional health benefits. Physical inactivity Physical inactivity has been identified as the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality causing an estimated 3.2 million deaths globally Globally, six percent of deaths are attributed to physical inactivity. This follows high blood pressure (13%), tobacco use (9%) and is equal to high blood glucose (6%). Moreover, physical inactivity is the main cause for approximately 21–25% of breast and colon cancers, 27% of diabetes and 30% of ischaemic heart disease burden. (WHO) Physical inactivity Globally, around 31% of adults aged 15 and over were insufficiently active in 2008 (men 28% and women 34%). Approximately 3.2 million deaths each year are attributable to insufficient physical activity. In 2008, prevalence of insufficient physical activity was highest in the WHO Region of the Americas and the Eastern Mediterranean Region. In both these regions, almost 50% of women were insufficiently active, while the prevalence for men was 40% in the Americas and 36% in Eastern Mediterranean. The South East Asian Region showed the lowest percentages (15% for men and 19% for women). In all WHO Regions, men were more active than women, with the biggest difference in prevalence between the two sexes in Eastern Mediterranean. This was also the case in nearly every countrhttp://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/factsheet_inactivity/en/y. Physical inactivity and cardiovascular disease The increasing urbanization and mechanization of the world has reduced our levels of physical activity. The World Health Organization believes that more than 60% of the global population is not sufficiently active. If you are physically active you will increase your life span, regardless of any adverse inherited factors. Physical activity, at any age, protects against a multitude of chronic health problems including many forms of cardiovascular disease. Physical activity protects you by regulating your weight and improving your body’s use of insulin. Being active is beneficial for your blood pressure, blood lipid levels, blood glucose levels, blood clotting factors, the health of your blood vessels and inflammation, which is powerful promoter of cardiovascular disease. Studies show that doing more than 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) of moderate physical activity or an hour of vigorous physical activity every week will reduce your risk of coronary heart disease by about 30%. The consequences of physical inactivity are staggering. More of us are overweight. Adult (and childhood) obesity/overweight level continues to increase: 68% of all Adults are obese or overweight. It is more difficult today to create an active lifestyle. People are less active due to technology and better mass transportation. Sedentary jobs have increased 83% since 1950; Physically active jobs now make up only about 25% of our workforce. That is 50% less than 1950. Our average work week is longer. Americans work 47 hours a week 164 more hours a year than 20 years ago. Extra weight costs us physically and financially. Obesity costs American companies $225.8B per year in health-related productivity losses. The average healthcare cost exceeds $3,000 per person annually. An obese employee costs employer additional $460 to $2,500 in medical costs and sick days per year There are previous studies that have been carried out to assess the views of high school students towards physical activity. In 2010 according to the study carried out by Lovell among non-exercising female students in the United Kingdom, that the greatest perceived benefit from exercise was physical performance followed by the benefits of psychological outlook, preventive health, life enhancement, and then social interaction. The greatest perceived barrier to exercise was physical exertion, which was rated significantly higher than time expenditure, exercise milieu, and family discouragement barriers. Another study was carried by Daskapan in 2006 targetting Turkish university students. Current exercise habits and perceived barriers to physical activity were assessed in the sample. Using a Likert Type scale, participants responded an instrument with 12 items representing barriers to physical activity. Mean scores were computed. External barriers were more important than internal barriers. Lack of time due to busy lesson schedule, My parents give academic success priority over exercise. and lack of time due to responsibilities related to the family and social environment were most cited items for physical activity barriers. In 1999, Allison carried out a study to assess the perceived barriers to physical activity among high school students in Metropolitan school in Toronto. Results showed that time constraints due to school work, other interests, and family activities were three of the four barriers considered most important. Female students had more perceived barriers than the male students towards physical activity. Two empirically distinct and theoretically meaningful factors emerged from the analysis—perceived internal barriers and perceived external barriers. Perceived internal barriers were predictive of physical activity in overall activity and outside of school activity. Perceived external barriers were predictive of overall physical activity and other school activity, but in the direction opposite of that hypothesized. It was concluded that perceived barriers may be predictive of physical activity participation among high school students only under specific conditions. Till date, no study has been carried out in Mauritius among the young population. To combat the rise in non-communicable diseases plaguing Mauritius, it is essential to identify the factors that are preventing young adults, especially the future graduates of our country, from adhering to the national guidelines of 150 minutes physical activity per week. On the same wavelength, the aim of this study is to identify the barriers that influence the students in participating in physical exercise. Findings from the current study will help to investigate the students’ motives for physical exercise and the challenges they face in taking part in regular physical exercise. The findings can assist policy makers, to design effective health strategies in promoting physical exercise at the level of the university.

The Jacksonian Era Essay -- American History, Politics

Whether people admired Andrew Jackson’s policies and decisions as president or did not; they can all agree that the two most important economic conflicts during the Jacksonian Era were the Bank War conflict and the Specie Circular Panic of 1837. The Jacksonian Era by Remini, should be renamed The Jacksonian Economy because the outcomes of these two conflicts were what made America’s economy today. In describing these two conflicts, Remini showed how Americas learned the hard way of what to do and not do in order to have a successful economy. The Bank War was important because it proved that the nation’s finances could not be trusted in the hands of one man. Jackson believed this to be true and fought to change it. He believed that the Second Bank of the United States was unconstitutional and that it posed a serious threat to the American economy. On the other hand, this American System which was inspired by Alexandria Hamilton, Henry Clay, and lead by Nicholas Bi ddle was meant to modernize the nation’s economy. Both sides of the Bank War would not back down, which lead to Jackson eventually closing down all banks because he believed they were devices to cheat common people. The other most important conflict which played a role in Jacksonina Era was the Panic of 1837. This was the most serious depression the young nation had seen yet. The economy suffered in a number of ways such as large debts, an unfavorable balance of trade as imports had exceeded exports which resulted in a loss of specie; and several crops failures had also taken place in 1837. Both conflict had enormous impacts on America’s economy and had many repercussions. The first important economic conflict that Remini presented was Jackson’s war against the Bank of the... ... passage of the Federal Reserve System. (P-40) Even though the Panic of 1837 had an impact worldwide, overall the Bank Wars had the most influential and long lasting effects on the United States.The Jacksonian Era was a trial and error period for the nation’s economy. Whether people admired Andrew Jackson’s policies and decisions as president or did not; they can all agree that the two most important economic conflicts during the Jacksonian Era were the Bank War conflict and the Specie Circular Panic of 1837. Both conflicts taught a life lesson of what to steer away from in order to achieve the American dream. Remini’s The Jacksonian Era taught economic and financial history by exploring the explanation and causes of the Bank War and Panic of 1837. For without the knowledge of these two conflicts, America would not know how its economy survived in the first place.

Juvenile Justice Essay

Morals usually are the guiding principles in just about everybody’s life. Humans generally tend to do what is considered to be â€Å"right† and astray from what is â€Å"wrong†, but in some cases, people choose to do what is considered â€Å"wrong†. However, people believe that children should be dealt with much more lightly because they’re not adults yet. On the other hand, I disagree that children should be exempt from punishment, and I fully agree with the four justices that believe a child who commits a heinous crime should be punished with a prison sentence of life without parole. The eighth amendment bans cruel and unusual punishment to protect its citizens. If a child commits a murder and goes unpunished, is that not a cruel punishment for the victim’s family? In Jennifer Jenkins’ â€Å"On Punishment and Teen Killers†, she states that there is: â€Å"no regard to the impact on victims’ families†(10). The jus tice system is not doing its job if it is not getting justice for the victim’s family. Therefore it would be unconstitutional for the law to not punish the criminal for their heinous crime. Additionally, there have been researches and studies conducted in order to answer why teenagers act the way they do. Research shows that the brain is the very reason for these children’s actions. In Paul Thompson’s article â€Å"Startling Finds on Teenage Brains†, he claims, â€Å"massive loss of brain tissue loss occurs in the teen years† and that it is, â€Å"only being lost in the areas controlling impulses, risk-taking, and self-control†(7). This may explain why children act in this horrific manner, but it does not give them an excuse to commit crime. A rebuttal to Thompson’s claim of defense would be Marjie Lundstrom’s article â€Å"Kids are Kids-Until They Commit Crimes†, when it points out: â€Å"they’re only kids. That is, until they foul up. Until they commit crimes†(4-5). Kids are kids until they choose to make an â€Å"adult decision† and commit a serious crime. Whether the criminal is eleven or seventeen, they are making a conscious decision to engage in a crime. Based on the premise that morals do not substantially change from young adulthood to adulthood, the offender should know that their crime is wrong. Thus, the punishment should be mandatory as a result of the offender’s actions. Children should pay their dues, even if that means life in prison without parole. If crime is dealt with lightly now, it will only get worse as time progresses. A wise and responsible decision needs to be made so that society can have a more safe and secure future.

 Developing my Leadership Style Essay

Pressures on organizations are increasing; even in the Students’ Union where I work. There are growing needs to become more efficient, and to deliver success against strategic goals with shrinking resources. Quantitative analysis can measure performance outputs, and managers can make judgments using business information by qualitatively analyzing. Employees often represent the largest expense for organizations; therefore it is vital to monitor staff performance in order to recognize success and failure. Leaders can achieve little without the support of their followers. Flatter hierarchal structures are more prevalent in modern times; this means managers cannot expect blind allegiance. Engagement with followers is vital. Effective engagement must happen continuously. It is important not to limit the times of communication to employees. This can lead to misunderstandings of tasks and direction of work. For example, if I were to only talk to my team members on a one to one basis annually, it would be likely they would not be working on what I would ideally want to them to work on. It is useful to note however that some employees might not like too much engagement from a manager. They might feel like they are being monitored too much, and fear they are doing something wrong. They correct balance must be found. An important outcome of effective engagement is that team members can link their daily actions to the organization’s strategic plan. This will motivate individuals, as it will give them clear goals to work towards. To improve this in my team I could organize a mapping day where everyone links his or her work to the Students’ Union’s strategic plan. Some see a leader simply as an individual others follow, whereas others define leadership as organizing a group of people to achieve a common goal. Studies of leadership have produced theories about the different duties and traits of leaders. I am interested in leadership, as I would like to become a more effective manager. It is useful to understand the similarities and differences between a leader and a manager. Usually a manager is concerned with specific tasks such as budgets, projects, or organizing. Management does not always include a responsibility for people. Leadership, on the other hand, typically have bigger responsibilities than managers; for instance, creating new visions or forming new policies. Leadership always involves leading a group of people. There is a large overlap between leaders and managers. Both strong leaders and strong managers are skilled in keeping their teams focused by challenging individuals to perform strongly in line with objectives. Weak leaders and managers fail to engage with their teams; and so accept chaos and apathy. Leadership Styles It is important to recognize my own leadership style so I can be mindful of my weaknesses. One way to carry out the self-analysis is by using the ‘six specific scales for leadership’ table. The six scales are listed below along each row. Task Person Flexible Dogmatic De-centralised Centralised Reward Punishment The ‘means’ The ‘end’ Structured Organic Task / Person relates to if a manager is task focused or people focused. Task focused leaders emphasize the need to perform to achieve certain goals. A task directed leader would more likely portray an authoritarian style, or a top-down approach meaning they make most the decisions. This could improve efficiency, but lessen moral. On the other hand, person orientated leadership is a behavioral approach in which the motivation and well-being of the team are prioritized. These leaders may have a servant leadership philosophy where rather than giving orders they try to persuade people to work, and try hard themselves to serve the team. There is a risk a team may not function well with this untraditional style, or they could enjoy feeling more valued. Flexible / Dogmatic refers to if a leader will alter practices when a situation changes, or will strictly keep doing things they way they have always been done. A dogmatic leader would want their team to follow established procedures and would reject suggestions to do things differently. A flexible leader would be much more likely to use suggested ideas to modify the statue quo. De-centralised / Centralised is an issue all businesses face; are decisions made by senior managers, or made further down the hierarchy. De-centralised leadership gives an organization a flatter hierarchy, and as decisions are made closer to the customer; this can improve customer service. However a disadvantage of De-centralised leadership is decision-making is less holistically strategic. Centralised leadership makes it easier to implement overarching policies, and prevents people from working in silos. On the other hand, extra layers of bureaucracy are added and disengagement from the front line could lead to bad decisions. Reward / Punishment refers to how a manager chooses to motivate their staff. Do they positively reinforce positive behavior though rewards, or discourage undesirable behavior using punishments? Transactional leaders often reward employees for loyalty and good work. Authoritarian managers may be more likely to use punishments to encourage industry. The means / The end questions whether the method to reach a goal is the most important, or is the end result more critical. A values based leader will probably prioritize ‘the means’ over ‘the end.’ Whereas a leader driven by performance targets may only worry about ‘the end.’ Structured / organic refers to the culture a manager creates. A structured leader will favor bureaucratic structures, precision and strict subornation. On the other hand an organic manager will work to reduce hierarchical structures, and will highly value external knowledge. Different leaders prioritize the things on the scale differently. The scales are useful because a strong emphasis on one aspect suggests a weakness of another trait. If an honest self-analysis is carried out, a person will be made aware of their weaknesses. They can then plan strategies to strengthen the flaws. Own Style I am going to assess the effectiveness of my own leadership style by plotting my characteristics on the six-point scale. Task x Person Flexible x Dogmatic De-centralised x Centralised Reward x Punishment The ‘means’ x The ‘end’ Structured x Organic When I manage I almost wholly focus on the task completion, often at the expense of the welfare of my team. I am flexible in the way I strive to meet my goals as I am not averse to taking on board other people ideas; that also means I do not hold all the decision making power, (de-centralized). I am not the best at recognizing good behavior, as I have always thought people are being paid to do produce a high standard of work, I more typically penalize team members rather than reward them. Again my performance valued nature means I focus on the end rather than the means. Lastly, I prefer to follow a structured approach because it is easier to monitor individuals’ performance and is arguably more time efficient. This is not to the required standard for my job in the Students’ Union, steps will need to be put in place in order to improve. Implications I work as Students’ Union President. I have to manage my fellow full time officers, (the four Vice Presidents), and the seven part-time officers who volunteer their time to help students. An advantage of being a task based leader is that I can ensure deadlines are met, and jobs get completed by all members of the team, especially those who are not good at managing their time. On the other hand, staff wellbeing may be neglected causing retention and motivation problems. To become a better manager I need to find a way of both organizing the team while not forgetting to look after their welfare. It is important that I am flexible in my role as I am meant to represent the views of all BCU students. I would not be a popular student leader if I did not take into account all new ideas that students suggest to me. Also, as all of my projects involve working with the ever-changing student population, I could easily do something wrong if I did not keep gathering the most current student views. Constantly changing tactics though, does slow work progress; sometimes with time sensitive decisions I must push ahead with what I think is best. A way I could improve would be to define projects that it is appropriate to have a wider student input, and those projects that do not. Doing this would save time on some projects, which I could use to instigate better quality engagement with students on other projects. In regard to decision-making, I usually consult the whole team in our weekly meetings before a decision is made. I think it important to make the team feel empowered, especially the volunteers. I hope that giving others control of decisions gives them ownership of projects, so they are more motivated to work hard on them. However, consulting team members with things does slow things down; but I think it is worth it to make more informed decisions. I am not the best at rewarding my team. My ethos is that I expect team members to do a good job. I do reward individuals if they go above and beyond the call of duty. But, on many more occasions I have had to speak to people about why something is not quite up to scratch. I do have a tendency to focus on the end results rather than the journey there. I don’t mind how people reach their targets, as long as they do. I favor procedures; I like the team to follow the designed routes to get things done. This result of the self-analysis worries me. Forgetting to reward individuals will demotivate them. If I carry on doing this I could reach the stage where every time I pop into the communal office my team thinks I have come to highlight someone’s failure; this would be a big problem. I need to find a way to regularly reward hard working people. This will create a more positive environment, and people who are comfortable and happy will likely perform better. Adair proposed the Three Global Factors of leadership. The three factors are, determination to deliver, engagement with individuals, and engagement with teams. The three factors overlap, and are inter-related. Different leaders prioritiesprioritize the three factors differently. I certainly lean toward the ‘determination to deliver’ strand. By focusing on the task, the team may feel undervalued and pressured. Little communication may also mean individuals feel neglected or ignored. I must try to engagement more with individuals and teams to become a more balanced and effective leader. I should set aside time in my calendar to get to know people. This will let me know the best way to communicate the targets to them to motivate them. Spending time with people will also make it a lot easier for me to detect issues. For example, if I know that someone is unhappy, I can investigate why that is and take steps to improve things for them. Developing my Leadership Style After assessing my leadership style and evaluating the results I have produced an action plan to improve my management approach. Action Plan: Benefits of Action Plan Creating an action plan will help me maintain focus working towards goals that I have set to improve my leadership style. The goals relate to weaknesses, (such as prioritising the means and ignoring people), identified in the assessment of my style. The action plan will help ensure that actions and decisions are oriented toward accomplishing the specific goals. The action plan will help me gain self-esteem. Effective action plans contain small steps to achieve ambitions. As I succeed at each step of my plan, I will gain confidence in my ability to be successful and bring change. To create an action plan, I had to determine specific steps linked to the self analysis. The goals and steps are measurable so I am able to tell whether the goals have been met or not. The team will be heavily involved in the action plan. Hopefully this will help strengthen morale and the sense of unity. There are opportunities for team input. Team members who feel included in adaptations will be more motivated to follow through on actions toward achieving the goal because they will feel they partially own the goal. It is important to monitor, evaluate and adapt an action plan to sustain its effectiveness. I will periodically check that I am completing the actions I said I would take by keeping a record of the progress. Objectives should be investigated if they do not in keep with the timeframe defined. My team and myself can sit down and discuss reasons why the success criteria is not being fulfilled in the time predicted. Then the action plan could be reformed or work could be refocused to get things back on track. A More Effective Leader? Having completed this process, I feel confident I can become a more effective leader. For me, the self-analysis was the most important part. I tried my best to give honest answers. It was interesting linking back the findings to the preceding research I had done about leadership styles. I intend to use this Action Plan to complete the objectives I have set myself. I am sure it will strengthen the team I work in.

Marine Sniper essays

Marine Sniper essays The marine corps has many books of horrorendous battles, brave heroes, and all around awesome stories that help show why the corps is the most highly respectable and honorable branch of all the US armed services. Even though Marines fight as a team it's the indivdual marine who whens the battle. When the corps recongizes an individual for his accomplishments he gets craved into our history. Such as John Basilone, Dan Daly, And Archibald Henderson, they are just a few that come to mind first. But there are a few that hold a special spot in our hearts. One of these individuals is Gunnery Sgt. Carlos Hathcock. Carlos Hathcock was a Marine Sniper During the Vietnam War. He has accomplished 95 confirmed kills the highest to to date in Marine Corps history. Unlike the Army a Marine Sniper is a hunter, outdoorsmen, and marksmen. He earns each kill. The book I chose to right about is Marine Sniper By Charles Henderson. Carlos Hathcock was born in the country somewhere in Arkansas and was recruited at the recruiting station in Little Rock.He spent his days like most little boys when he was young getting dirty outside. With his dog and a .22 rifle he would hunt. Although it was not people he was hunting its hard to believe that it would not help him in the future not to mention his career. When he was seventeen he signed up for the marines. In the begining years of his first enlistment he found himself interested in the marine corps rifle team. Traveling around with the team he acquired many medals as well as prostege among the shooting comunity. Before leaving for Veitnam to help begin a scout sniper program he left back a wife and a son. Once in Vietnam Gunnery Sgt. Hathcock and Capt. Land trained marines in how to be snipers. Going out for at least a week at a time Hathcock and one other marine would go out and post themselves in a position that would hopefully bring them some action. On one oc casion a North vietnamesse ...

The origins and objectives of the Taliban's domestic policies while in Essay

The origins and objectives of the Taliban's domestic policies while in power in Afghanistan - Essay Example It can sometimes be understood to mean objections to western ideas, coupled with anti-American sentiments. A history of the Taliban in Afghanistan shall first be presented, along with a discussion of their rise to power in Afghanistan. Taliban’s ideologies on anti-modernism shall also be discussed, including the origins and objectives of these domestic policies in Afghanistan. Details on its anti-modernist goals and activities shall also be detailed in this discussion. The Taliban is an Islamic extremist group which took over Afghanistan’s government in 1996 until they were driven out by American forces in 2001 (Marsden, 2002, p. 124). This group has been considered a safe haven to the al-Qaeda terrorist group, assisting leader Osama bin Laden in his terrorist activities. This group has also set forth a rigid stance on Islamic Law while executing criminals and outlawing the education of women (Nolan, 2006, p. 19). The group has been out of Afghanistan for many years now, however it is still considered an influential group in Afghanistan, implementing policies which seek to undermine the US-supported government. Pakistan’s support for the group has limited the international efforts towards controlling these insurgents and ending their activities in Afghanistan (Nolan, 2006, p. 19). The US will eventually fully withdraw from the country by 2014 and since 2010, the US and Afghani government officials have been carrying out discussions o n conflict settlement. However, these talks have not sufficiently settled the Taliban issue in Afghanistan. The Afghan Mujahideen were associated with a group of tribal fighters whose only purpose or goal was to eliminate the Soviets, not so much to establish insurgent activities. The Mujahideen is considered a group of Afghans fighting against the PDPA and the Soviet troops; this group believed that they were involved in a holy war or a

Synecdohe, New York Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Synecdohe, New York - Movie Review Example The movie is also based on the unique trait of representing a whole story in the part of the movie Plot, Theme and Characterization The movie depicts the life of a theatre director, played by Philip Hoffman who suffers throughout his life in various physical ailments. However his condition deteriorated as her wife departs taking the daughter with her. Throughout the movie Caden depicts the inevitability of death and holds the idea that everyone around him is already dead. It is the philosophies of death that surrounds him thought in the movie. The film uniquely portrays the self-discovery of Caden in the movie. The transition stages of Caden have been vividly described in the movie. The movie describes the four stages of Caden where he identifies the destructiveness and the constructive nature present with him. In other portions of the movie Caden’s consciousness and the urge for his wife and family grows. Caden becomes aware of himself and the archetypal spirit within him. He also undertakes a critical analysis of himself through which he understands his ego and has a complete self realization. At the end of the move his quest for his self discovery ends and realizes the truth associated with his love and life. The self-realization of Caden depicted within the movie can be traced back to the Jungian philosophy which states the four stages of self realization which has been portrayed through Caden’s role in the movie Synecdoche, New York. In order to undergo the process of self-realization Caden decides to make a play based on his own life story. The technique of using the play in the movie was a unique element used for depicting the life story. In the movie Caden is portrayed to be in a myopic state of mind which provides the justification of using the play in order to analyze the series of events which went through his life. In the play composed by Caden, the role of Caden was played by Sammy, whose role was very influential in deciding the outc ome of the play. The role played by Sammy portrayed Caden’s life in the best possible way and at some point it appeared that he overtook the original life of Caden in the movie. The actor in the play also provided suggestion regarding his role play but Caden did not agree with him. Finally in the play, Caden hands over the responsibility of the direction to an actress and he steps into the shoes of the cleaning lady of her wife. Cadens decision to play the role of cleaning lady shows the passion of his love towards her wife. It illustrates Cadens viewpoint that in order to stay close with her wife he was also ready to be the cleaning lady. It also reflects Caden’s state of mind when Adele left him and highlights the desperateness within him to get his wife back in the later stage of his life. Caden also surrendered himself to his daughter and held him to be responsible for her dying condition. The movie reached its peak when Caden describes himself to be homosexual to his daughter and takes the burden of the entire disturbance which was there in his personal life with his wife. In the play another dramatization has been provided to highlight the theme of the movie. One of the characters in the play, Hazel is shown to purchase a house which has been on fire. At the initial stage Hazel was reluctant to purchase the house as she feared that it will be the cause of her death. Ultimately Hazel