A Wireless Communication

5G is a wireless communication and it is updated version from 4G, but it has higher speed reach to 10Gbps. : 1GThe first generation appeared in the early 1980s. Its data rate is 4.2 kbps. It has a lot of flaws Like :Store and listen to voice calls through a third party[1].: 2GThe second generation emerged in the late 1990s. Its data rate reaches 64 kbps. It has many features such as: long battery life for low-power radio signals and many services such as SMS and e-mail[1].:3GThis generation emerged in late 2000. It transmits data at up to 2 Mbps. It has been improved in an unconventional way to maintain and provide quality services. One of its advantages is that it has many amenities such as global roaming and sound quality but requires more power compared to the second generation[1].3.75G:LTE and the worldwide microwave interface Access (WIMAX) is the future of mobile data services. LTE and WIMAX constant has the ability to providing facilities for a large number of users to access a wide range of high speed services Such as on-demand video, and peer-to-peer file sharing Composite Web Services. It also allows operators to manage their network in a very homogeneous manner and provide better coverage while improving it to perform at a lower cost[1].4G:The fourth generation is generally referred to as the scion of 3G and second generation standards. It transfers amenities such as voice, data, and multimedia to subscribersEverywhere and at higher data rates than in previous generations[1].What is 5G ?5G is a combination or amalgamation of all previous Generations that are 2G, 3G, 4G and Wi-Fi with higher capabilities in terms of coverage and reliability. It converges these technologies to increase number of devices and calls and promises in providing higher coverage, availability and M2M service[2].

Assignment About Wal-Mart Essay

Wal-Mart claims that it benefits local communities when it enters a new area. Evaluate this claim, referring to textual and audio-visual information that you have encountered. Introduction Nowadays, Wal-Mart is quite common in our daily life and it also impacts us unconsciously, such as the shopping habits. Although this global chain supermarket asserts that they bring positive effect on the area where they located in and commissioned the consulting firm Global Insight to write a report in order to prove their point, some people still distrust it. For example, Jared Bernstein and L. Josh Bivens had composed a brief named â€Å"The Wal-Mart debate a false choice between prices and wages† in 2006 to doubt the Wal-Mart’s claim. Moreover, Irwin, E.G., and Clark, J’s research about the local costs and benefits of Wal-Mart is also supply some evidence. In this essay, I will describe the real Wal-Mart from the Bernstein’s study. Firstly, I will summarise the Wal-Mart effect to customers. Then I’ll move on to compare the advantages and disadvantages of working as a Wal-Mart’s employee. Thirdly, I’ll analyse the Wal-Mart effect to the environment around it. At last, I tend to make a conclusion about whether this Global Company did like what it said. Customers As the biggest beneficiaries of Wal-Mart’s low price, whether we shoppers enjoy the best service? It can be seen clearly that because of the wide ranged goods and low price of stuff, we can buy all the products which we want in â€Å"one-stop shopping† and spent lower money to living better live, and consumers even can save about 25 percent of their food budget alone in this store (Hausman & Liebtag, 2005, p113). Meanwhile, the shop which located in the fringe of towns is not only can change citizen’s shopping habits from shopping in city center to countryside, but also convenient for the people who living in more rural areas (Irwin, E. G., & Clark, 2006, p113). However, the customer service at Wal-Mart is lower than small, more specialized shops, such as put songs with potentially offensive lyrics into sanitized versions of songs area (Bianco & Zellner, 2003 p113). As a result, although Wal-Mart tries to satisfied shoppers from the prices of products, the customer service should be improved. Employees According to Jared’s report, working in Wal-Mart is not an enjoyable job. Obviously, when Wal-Mart enters a new area, it prepares employment opportunity for those who are unemployed. However, the wages for Wal-Mart retail workers ($10.11/hour) are lower than the average for large shops. (Dube & Jacobs, 2004; Hopkins, 2003; Bianco & Zellner, 2003, p114). They also have to face the undesirable working environment, such as overtime work without any pay, gender discrimination (Irwin, E. G., & Clark, 2006, p114) and lack health insurance. As a result, the employees in Wal-Mart employees need more healthcare assistance programs compare with the other large supermarket workers ((Dube & Jacobs, 2004, p114). Environment In fact, when Wal-Mart comes into a new area, it not only impacts the local natural environment, but also affects the community, such as the local business, inhabitants, and local government. At best, Wal-Mart can improve the sales of the local restaurants and bring advantages to complementary shops in this area (Stone, 1997, p115). However, the drainage problems and traffic problem which caused by Wal-Mart cannot be ignored. Irwin described that Wal-Mart paid $5.5 million and $3.1 million in 2001 and 2004 respectively because of illegal use of water. On the other hand, the low price would make local people prefer to go to the Wal-Mart instead of the other local retail shops, which severely harm to these shops’ business, such as florists, drugstores and card and gifts store (Irwin, 2006, p115). At last, because of the low wages and benefits those Wal-Mart employees earned, the local government and the tax-payer have to pay more for public assistance programs like healthcare, housing, food stamps, and subsidized school lunches (Dube & Jacobs, 2003, p116) Conclusion Obviously, there are negative effect and positive effect with the opening of Wal-Mart, and the disadvantages and advantages are distributed in customers, employees and environment. The winner, customers, can enjoy Wal-Mart’s low prices and the losers are local retail business because they can’t compete with this Global Company. Moreover, the communities are also impacted on local employment opportunities, potential increase in poverty and traffic congestion. References Jared. B & L.J.B (2006). THE WAL-MART DEVATE A False Choice Between Prices and Wages. Applied Economic Policy Institute. Irwin, E. G., & Clark, J (2006). The local costs and benefits of Wal-Mart. The Ohio State University, Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics.

Kal Gourav Madhusudan Das

Utkal Gourav Madhusudan Das [pic] Madhusudan Das popularly known as Utkal Gourav, was born on 28th April 1848 in the village of Satyabhamapur, 20 kms away from Cuttack, Odisha. His father’s name was Choudhury Raghunath Das and his mother’s name was Parbati Debi. He had two older sisters and a younger brother named Gopalballabh. Madhusudan Das had his primary education in the village high school learning all subjects including Persian. After his primary education he went to Cuttack High School (later known as Ravenshaw Collegiate School) and completed his secondary education.Later he went to Calcutta (now known as Kolkata) to pursue his MA and BL degrees. He stayed there for fifteen years and then returned to Cuttack and started his legal practice. He was the first Odia to get the Degree of M. A. B. L. from Calcutta University. He was not only a lawyer but he was also a social reformer and a patriot. He worked hard for the social, political and economical upliftment of t he people of Eastern India. He was the founder of â€Å"Utkal Sammilani† which brought the revolution in the social development of Odisha.He gave away all his earnings generously for the higher education of poor children. He became a popular person among the Odia peoples. Many common people of Odisha called him as â€Å"Madhu Babu†. He was an admirable personality holding many high positions and honours in his entire life span. During the British rule Odisha was divided into four different States. To bring Odisha under one independent rule, he organised â€Å"Utkal Samilani† in the year 1903 and started a revolution called â€Å"Desha Mishrana Andolan†, that resulted in the emergence of Odisha as a new State.Apart from this he was also a writer and has written many famous articles and poems in both Odia and English language. The famous poems of Madhusudan Das are â€Å"Jati Itihash†, â€Å"Utkal Santan†, â€Å"Jananira Ukti† etc. Deat h Utkal Gourav Madhusudan Das died at the age of 85, on 4th February 1934. He till the last moments of his life dedicated himself for Odisha. His immense contribution towards the State and Nation would be admired forever and he will continue to remain as a source of motivation for the younger generations to come.

Business Strategy - merger and acquisition Essay

Business Strategy - merger and acquisition - Essay Example On the other hand, increased competition is likely to persuade firms to explore various channel alternatives available to them in an attempt to extend their coverage. For Able Corporation, identification of new opportunities may or may not mean their giving up their traditional lines of distribution. Much depends on whether the new system is seen as being innovative. If the firm sees potential benefits accruing from adopting a distribution system which does not fit with those currently used by competing firms in the market, it is likely that they will test these in conjunction with the tried and tested methods currently under use. Mergers and acquisition policy is undoubtedly the most radical growth strategy open to management in that it represents a deliberate attempt to change the nature of the business. Acquisition policy can be further classified into backward, forward and horizontal integration. Acquisition policy occurs when the new business is related in some way to the old on e. Firms have sought to gain greater control over the source of raw materials or the supply of components by some form of backward integration. The main strategy for Able Corporation is to improve its market position and increase market share based on the strategy developed by the President. The new strategy is a logical development of the solutions and corporate vision adopted by the President. Today, Able Corporation needs a strong partner to compete on the market and Walden International will help it to increase market share and remain competitive (Bridges 2003). The second step is to show financial and business opportunities proposed by the merger with Walden International. Investment decisions should be carefully examined by both firms because investment are long run decisions where consumption and investment alternatives are balanced overtime. There are many similarities between short-run and long-run decision making, for example, the choice between alternatives, the need to consider future costs and revenues and the importance of incremental changes in costs and revenues but there is the additional requirement for investment decisions that, because of the time scale involved, the time value of the money invested must be considered. The time scale also makes the consideration of uncertainty and inflation of even greater importance than when considering short-term decisions. That is why the strategic investment planning process is a series of logical steps that have to be worked through in order to arrive at a logical 'common format' for th e implementation of strategy and marketing plan (Sterman, 2000). Taking into account financial statements of Able Corporation it is evident that the company cannot "capture greater share in the two growing segments of the power tool market" without strong business partner. Also, it is important to take into account that "top management has come to realize that it seriously miscalculated the underlying financial health and market position of Able Corporation" (case study). The third step is to persuade the President that the super-ordinate goal of most businesses is survival and this may only be achieved by pursuing strategies of growth. While it is difficult to

FINANCIAL AND MANAGERIAL ACCOUNTING Research Paper

FINANCIAL AND MANAGERIAL ACCOUNTING - Research Paper Example This can be done using capital budgeting techniques like Net present Value, Internal rate of return, Payback period etc (Murray State University, n.d.). The future cash flows are discounted using the required rate of return to see if the project is profitable i.e. it gives ‘value for money’. Only if the project has a net positive cash flow i.e. there is a gain even after paying for the cost associated with the project, it is worth investing. The strategic planning involves integration of a company’s decisions with respect to future business activities which include capital investments and operational activities. The operational requirements can be evaluated by perusing the budget requirements (Sagner, p.114). With regard to the city project the operational requirement will require an adherence to the federal standards. This will help in raising the amount of total funds allocated towards the city project from the current level of $10 million to $20 million. A stra tegic plan involves using the set budget in the most efficient manner so that all the infrastructural needs of the city are taken care of, providing various economic incentives to the new private companies etc. This can be in the form of tax waiver for the first 10 or 15 years; giving funds at cheap interest rates; relaxing the regulatory norms so that the businesses can focus their attention only on the work related activities without having to bother about clearances from various bodies. However, this does not come for free as this will require setting up adequate departments to facilitate cordial operating conditions for the new businesses and fast-tracking certain activities. All this will require funds and so it is important that a proper plan is drawn as to assess the amount of cost that will go towards such activities. Besides it is important to assess the net impact of these investments from the financial as well as social point of view. Thesis Statement- The budgeted amount has to be spent in a way that it can result in an all around development and growth of the city. The local authority plans to allot this amount for infrastructure development, educational programs, creation of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) etc. Allocation for infrastructure development The population of the city is not very high. The city is distantly located from the country capital. The infrastructure of the city is not very developed which is perhaps the main reason that the city lacks a business set-up. To make the city attractive to the business community it is important that suitable infrastructure is in place. In the absence of this the business may not be able to function smoothly. A well laid down road and rail services helps in connecting the remotest corners with important business locations in other parts of the country. Only if a business finds the infrastructural facilities in a city to be proper they invest otherwise they may not take the initiative. In some cases bi g business houses form an alliance with the local government to develop the necessary infrastructure. But this may not be feasible for small private companies as they have limited resources. In this case the local

History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 52

History - Essay Example are summoned to value initiative and responsibility by acknowledging the significance of courage in order to be willing to acquire understanding as a means to it. Otherwise, Kant stressed as well that, people who think themselves capable find it rather an advantage to their ends to obtain guardianship for those who become weakened either by cowardice or indolence. Further implications for the westerners include improved state of civilized affairs via public education, abolition of social classes that originally discriminated the educated from the uneducated, and cultural gain. Moreover, by virtue of enlightenment, people of the West would be taught an approach to communication that quite reduces involvement to prejudice while they could be disposed, however, to greater degree of individualism as a consequence. To achieve enlightenment according to Kant, nevertheless, they must learn to be ‘free’, for freedom apparently coincides with the power of

Transaction Cost Economics and Evolutionary Theories. Compare and Essay

Transaction Cost Economics and Evolutionary Theories. Compare and Contrast. (See Assignment Criteria) - Essay Example Management accounting is concerned in identification and provision of financial and economic information to managers within the organisation to enable them make proper decisions, maintain control over business operations, monitor budgets and profit performance and direct the organisation to success in the future.1 Management accounting is crucial for planning and the process of problem solving such as determining the most cost effective method of production, it is also important in that it involves the development of budgets that help in the forecasting on future production cost and levels of production and profits. Management accounting involves the preparation of budgets that aid in planning, coordination of the activities of various departments, budgets provide a means of communicating the organisations goals and plans, they act as motivation tools and they act as a tool of control where actual and activities are compared with the budget and any deviations are investigated and corrective actions undertaken. Transaction cost economics studies organisations in a way that different institutional arrangements are considered alternative ways of organising economic activities.3Transaction cost economics explains why certain transactions are associated with a certain form of organisation whereas other transactions are associated with other forms of organisation; specific institutional arrangements are chosen to govern specific transactions because they offer distinct sets of control devices which other forms do not offer, therefore institutional forms differ in their ability to solve problems and the form of control they offer.4 Evolutionary theory also referred to as the old institutional economics as Foss (1994) defined it, this theory tends to investigate the possibility of transforming the already existing structures of organisations, therefore the evolutionary theory observes organisation forms as having emerged from the already existing

(A BIG CITY) traffic congestion Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

(A BIG CITY) traffic congestion - Term Paper Example In cases where the traffic congestion proves to be a major liability, the government then has to come in and devise a strategy that will reduce the traffic congestion within the city or country. In some cities, their governments have done a remarkable job in reducing traffic congestion in their cities. It would be great if there were a situation where the government succeeded in dealing with this problem of traffic congestion. Unfortunately, there is still work to be done in other major cities. A good example of a city that still has traffic congestion problems is Los Angeles in the United States. The city of Los Angeles is one of the major cities in the world that is experiencing traffic congestion. With most people going to work by vehicles, the traffic congestion for most individuals leads to a loss of about 59 hours per year t commuters as they sit in traffic. It was mainly because of industrialization and development in this region, which led to many people migrating to Los Angeles. These factors created job opportunities for many people as well as a chance to live in a progressing area. People wanted to move closer to work, which led to the existence of a large population in Los Angeles. Most of the trips made along this area have a lot to do with work. For most people, they find it more convenient to own a personal vehicle, which will enable them have the luxury and comfort of driving themselves to work or wherever they are needed. It however also includes women who are going for shopping or dropping off their children at daycares. As a result, just about everyone in t his city is affected by the traffic congestion conditions surrounding them. As a result of this severe condition of traffic congestion in Los Angeles, there are several methods of reducing the severity of the situation. These include the government and the occupants of this major city. The government can revisit the structure of the road systems in Los Angeles and develop a different

Theme and Narrative Elements in the Short Story Research Paper - 1

Theme and Narrative Elements in the Short Story - Research Paper Example Thus, Eudora Welty abruptly and effectively introduces the time of year (December) and the geographic location (the South) at the beginning section of the story, apart from identifying the main character, an old Negro woman (Phoenix Jackson). Setting plays a crucial role in Welty’s â€Å"A Worn Path† as it is effective in stimulating the reader’s imagination at the initial stage of the story. In fact, the opening five paragraphs of the story offer an introduction to the setting and the readers are carried away to the world of the narrative. â€Å"It was December—a bright frozen day in the early morning. Far out in the country there was an old Negro woman with her head tied red rag, coming along a path through the pinewoods. Her name was Phoenix Jackson.† (Welty, 1941). This is the way the author opens her story and a detailed description of the character follows in the succeeding sections. It is important to recognize that the setting of the story i s a rural, a cold, early morning in December in the South. A careful analysis of the setting of the story confirms that the storywriter effectively puts boundaries around the action when she introduces the South as the geographic location and December as the time of year in which the action occurs.

Alhajry English Unit 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Alhajry English Unit 4 - Essay Example Additionally, people get jobs but still prefer to further their education without inconveniencing their employers. Online learning thus comes in handy to such group of learners who tailor their timetable to their convenience (Wyldeck 22). The current increase in online learning has had myriad effects on both the learners and the learning institutions. Currently, universities strive to diversify their course and have online learning capabilities in a bid to tap on the global market. Additionally, learners have more convenience as they overcome some of the challenges previously presented by the need to travel to schools and classes in order to attend classes. They cut on costs but still obtain the same quality education (Wood 61). Part II: Contrast Online schools thus refer to schools that offer their services over the internet. Such schools have several similarities and differences with the traditional schools where learners would have to confirm their physical attendance. In both the schools, teachers have a definite curriculum that guides the nature of every course. The curriculum provides the concepts taught, the mode of teaching, the type of assessment and the duration of the course. The curriculum is therefore a fundamental tool in schools that helps facilitate the teaching and learning process. Additionally, in both cases, there are the learners and the teachers and the two maintain an effective interaction that improves both the learning and teaching process. Among the underlying differences between the two is that online schools do not require a physical address and physical classrooms since the teachers interact with their learners from different regions. The teachers thus interact with their students on the internet through video conferencing and share study materials through electronic mail services offered by service providers on the internet. The interaction among learners and their teachers is more intense in the traditional schools since the two h ave unlimited access of each other. Online schools on the other hand restrict interactions among the parties since they incur connection charges that may be costly depending on the prevailing policies in the different countries. Part III: Define I am an introvert, a personality feature that has caused me several opportunities since people do not understand me easily. Introverts are people who do not socialize easily with others. Unlike extroverts who would easily interact with others, introverts would always seek to win the trust of their colleagues before they begin constructive interactions. Extroverts therefore maintain smaller social circles but base heir interactions and social circles of trust and mutual understanding. As an extrovert, I demand a lot of attention from my peer. Unfortunately, not everyone I interact with will always have the patience to develop a relationship capable of developing trust (Upi?ts 11). Extroverts are not weak as commonly perceived given their with drawn personality, such people may exhibit shyness but they have strong personalities and often make good communicators. The personality trait results from the upbringing of an individual and may often depict low self-esteem. Parents should therefore develop their children from younger age by exposing them to

Tools of Monetary Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Tools of Monetary Policy - Essay Example We consider these one by one in what follows. i) The required reserve ratio To understand the operational mechanism of this particular monetary policy tool, it is imperative to understand what the monetary base of an economy is. Essentially, the monetary base of an economy is defined as being the sum total of all cash holdings and reserves in the economy, i.e., the monetary base MB = C+R where C = currency/checkable deposits and R = total reserves. Further, R = RR+ER where RR is the required reserves and ER is the excess reserves. Required reserves are determined through the required reserve ratio (r) which is set by the central bank. The central bank sets the ratio of total deposits that commercial banks and other financial lending institutions have to hold as reserves. The excess reserves are the reserve holdings maintained by these banks for liquidity concerns or prudence over and above the stipulated required reserve holdings. The required reserve ratio is the policy tool by regu lating which the central bank can control the amount of excess reserves and thus loanable funds of the banks. Thus by controlling these reserves the money supply in the economy can be regulated. If the central bank intends to undertake expansionary monetary policy it can do so by relaxing the reserve requirement and consequentially increasing the amount of loans that can be made in the economy. If on the other hand it needs to conduct contractionary monetary policy, it can do so by making the reserve requirement more stringent. ii) The discount policy The discount rate is one of the monetary policy tools of the central bank of an economy. It is the rate of interest that the central bank charges for short term loans that it forwards to other banks that require such loans to cover shortages in their liquidity requirements. Discount policy affects the money supply of an economy through two channels: first, by affecting the discount rate on loans and thus in turn affecting the amount of loans indirectly and secondly, by altering the amounts of the short term loans directly. In case of the first channel, that is changing the discount rate, this may or may not have an impact on money supply depending on the position of the demand for reserves (RD). The effect of increasing the discount rate on the money supply is shown below in diagram 1. In part (a), the demand for reserves is not high enough and as a result there are no changes in the equilibrium reserve holdings. In part (b) there is a high demand for reserves and as a consequence, there is a decline in the equilibrium reserve holdings. Figure 1: Impact of increases in the discount rate In the diagram above, there is an increase in the discount rate from to . Consequentially the supply of reserves schedule rises from to . However, observe that in part (a) the demand for reserves are lower than in part (b). In particular the demand for reserves schedule is not high enough in part (a) to substantiate any efficacy o f increasing the discount rate. In fact in such a scenario, a decline in the discount rate could have an impact by increasing the equilibrium reserve holdings if the rate is lowered below the bank rate. However, this will make sense if the resulting effect of increased money supply is the desired result. As a result, albeit the increase in the discount rate leads to a rise in the supply of reserves, there is no change in the equilibri

‘Of Mice and Men’ by John Steinbeck Essay Example for Free

‘Of Mice and Men’ by John Steinbeck Essay ‘Of Mice and Men’ is written by John Steinbeck. The novel is set in the 1930s during the great depression in California. The two protagonist characters, George and Lennie are farm workers who have a dream of one-day owning their own ranch. They find work in a ranch near Soledad, after escaping from Weed because of George’s incident. They are met by different characters on the farm that all have a dream. To be lonely means to lack friends or companionship and to feel isolated. Most of the characters are lonely and the only thing that keeps them alive is their dreams. Some of the loneliest characters they meet are Candy, an old man with only one hand, Crooks, a black cripple and Curley’s Wife, a woman who has no identity, she is lonely even though she is married. Although they are all on the ranch together, they are lonely because of who they are and their history. ‘Of Mice and Men’ is an emotional story with many different themes and characters. Steinbeck presents Curley’s wife as the only women in the ranch and because she doesn’t have a name it shows that she is not important and she is someone’s belonging. The first time you hear about Curley’s wife is when candy describes her to George. Candy uses expression such as â€Å"she got the eye† and goes on to describe her as looking at other man because of this they call her a â€Å"tart†. Through Candy’s words, we could develop an initial perception of Curley’s wife as Flirty and even promiscuous. This manipulates us by leading us into having a negative view of her. Her first appearance in the Novel focuses on her appearance. The way she acts, the way she looks and the way she speaks with others. The first sentence about her was â€Å"the rectangle of sunshine in the doorway cut off† this shows how she stands there to get attention and get noticed by the ranchers. This make us think as a reader in other way she stood in that certain place because she knows that they will look at her. Her physical appearance of â€Å"full†, â€Å"rough lips† and â€Å"wide-spaced eyes†,† Heavily made up† and â€Å"her fingernails were red† this shows how see got the natural shape on an actor. The â€Å"heavily made up† this shows that she want to make herself look attractive so the ranchers will look at her and feel love in her. The colour â€Å"red† shows that it’s a symbol of danger and on the other side the thick bright colours stands out from other things so this can make herself get noticed by others that is all she wanted. George seems to believe Candy he says to Lennie â€Å"don’t you even take a look at that bitch† this shows the feelings that George got towards Curley’s wife. She is lonely â€Å"stands there looking in† which shows she nothing to do and because of her loneliness she wanted to be loved by others so she acts like she is flirting. They say she is a â€Å"flirty† but it is the only way she knows how to get attention.

River Pattern Classification System

River Pattern Classification System Abstract A new empirical river pattern classification system is established based on the generalization of the famous Darcy-Weisbach equation. A parameter ψ for representing river shape is derived and defined as the river pattern discriminant criteria. After transformation, the discriminant thresholds are expressed as dimensionless form relating the resistance factor to the relative roughness factor of the channel, which reflect the channel slope, sediment size, bank strength and channel geometry integrated. Adopting the most promising discriminant mode that combines both regime theory and linear stability theory, a threshold function is used to separate single-thread channels (including straight and meandering) from multi-thread channels, and another one is employed to distinguish stable and unstable multi-thread channels (i.e., anabranching and braided) in this paper. A novel bank strength impact factor (ÃŽ ¼) is proposed herein and turns out to be rather representative. Some channel pat terns are redefined using this method and proved to be reasonable enough. Analysis of various data sets reveals that riparian vegetation condition is a sensitive part of this classification system, in particular for single-thread channels, but not braided channels, because overlarge width-depth ratio(W/d) would have strongly weaken this impact. Moreover, we support that transient anabranching or braiding pattern could also occur in single-thread typical zone following external disturbance, but would eventually go back dynamic equilibrium state. Despite some construction mechanism shortcomings, our discriminant method is supported by the selected existing data sets and could effectively distinguish three distinct types of channels by just a few hydrodynamic parameters. Keywords: river pattern; Darcy-Weisbach equation; river shape; bank strength 1 Introduction River pattern reveals the physical geometry and dynamic behavioral process of a river system (Schumm, 1985; Nanson and Knighton, 1996). It is well understood that an alluvial channel could adjust itself to the ever-changing water flow and sediment conditions. Thus river patterns could exhibit a series of continuous variations, described as straight, meandering and braided patterns in tradition (Leopold and Wolman, 1957). It is pretty necessary to distinguish several distinct types of channels for better understanding the consistent changing progresses of river channels in different environment conditions. Numerous classification schemes using discriminant functions have been proposed, based on a set of typical properties, such as discharge, channel slope, width-depth ratio, sediment grain size, etc. Noteworthy is that the still least well-known multi-thread river pattern, anabranching pattern, has been attracting considerable attention (e.g., Schumm, 1981, 1985; Nanson and Knighton, 1996; Wende and Nanson, 1998; Tooth and Nanson, 1999; Burge, 2006; Eaton et al., 2010; Kleinhans and van den Berg, 2011). It makes great contribution to the diversity of river systems (Wende and Nanson, 1998). Then based on tradition, following the popular discriminant mode and developing a novel river pattern discriminant method comprise the focus of this paper, and lead to the capture of different channel patterns, including single-thread, anabranching and braided. Many early empirical attempts used Leopold and Wolman (1957)’s method as base model, to improve understanding quantitative process of rive pattern transformation. Most of them focused on the critical discharge to construct discriminant function, later also included critical channel slope and bed grain size (Henderson, 1963; Millar, 2000). For a given bankfull discharge, braided usually corresponds to increased slope, while which in turn usually result in stronger sand transport rate, increased bank erosion and coarser bed surface sediment (Eaton et al., 2010). Due to powerful impediment that almost all channel properties have been varying desultorystrickly or methodically with flow progression downstream, some newly threshold schemes successively appear on related research hotspot topics, of which critical specific stream power(Nanson and Croke, 1992; Van den Berg, 1995; Lewin and Brewer, 2001; Petit et al., 2005) is outstanding. It can be viewed as a potential status with max imum flow energy and minimum sinuosity condition (Van den Berg, 1995). The classification between braided and meandering channels with high sinuosity in unconfined alluvial floodplains is well acceptable. But the argument about it also exists all the while. Lewin and Brewer (2001) argued that the analysis of potential bankfull stream power and grain size by Van den Berg (1995) is virtually ineffective; the classification of river pattern should not be limited to obtain an all-sided discriminant method, but the thresholds integrated with patterning process domain. Petit et al. (2005) conducted experiments on different sized rivers and concluded that critical specific stream power is the smallest for the largest river, while turns to the higher value in intermediate rivers, then becomes the highest in head water streams. The reasons are down to the bedform’s larger resistance that consumes energy for bedload transport. Recently, Kleinhans (2010) emphasized that channel pattern is directly bound up with the presence of bars. Then, Kleinhans and van den Berg (2011) combined the empirical stream power-based discrimination method and a physics-based bar pattern prediction method to undertake bold exploration about the underlying reasons of different river channel patterns. It was found that the range of specific potential stream power is rather narrow in gravel-bed meandering channel due to nonlinearity of sediment transport; anabranching channel is irrelevant to stream power but subject to additional factors such as bank strength, lateral confinement, avulsion, and vertical morphodynamics change; river pattern can actually be defined by bar pattern, channel division number, and bifurcation condition. The features common in empirical methods are that more is based on statistical correlation derivation, less to clearly expound inherent processes for discriminating river pattern. These models may really be questioned about application to broader scope, due to original data restrictions. Considering the shortcomings, many researchers have been contributing to develop physically based theories, and explore the relationship variables controlling river evolution process and pattern. Leading theories are regime theory and linear stability models. Rational regime model is developed for predicting reach-averaged channel pattern response to the controlled environment variables in equilibrium, such as width-depth ratio, relative roughness and channel slope (Eaton et al., 2004). This concept employs optimization theory to achieve relative stability of the fluvial system by assessing the resistance and energy expenditure, meanwhile adjusting channel geometry to given flow conditions (Valentine et al., 2001; Huang et al., 2004). It has been proved much more successful than statistical empirical equations in predicting the variation of width and slope along downstream area and helping understanding the influence of bank stability on channel geometry (Chew and Ashmore, 2001; Millar and Eaton, 2011). While, linear stability models are used for discriminating river pattern which based on physically morphodynamic equations. This theory explains that meandering is formed along with bend instability from planimetric perturbation (van Dijk et al., 2012). As perturbation propagates downstream, pattern transition towards braided occurs associated with multiple bars. In addition, this theoretical method could predict the threshold that bifurcation occurs by width-depth ratio (W/d) (Parsons et al., 2007; Crosato and Mosselman, 2009). A significant disadvantage in this theory is that we cannot establish a typical relationship about channel geometries, such as slope with discharge and sediment size, only if the channel dimensions have been obtained (Eaton et al., 2010). However, when combining regime theory with linear stability models, means that morphodynamic condition and fluvial system stability are together considered to describe pattern transition progress, has recently been given particular attention, represented by Eaton (Eaton and Church, 2004; Eaton, 2006; Eaton et al., 2004, 2010). In this paper, we attempt to develop a physical based classification system combining regime theory and linear stability theory, just like Eaton et al. (2010). A threshold could be used to distinguish single-thread and stable multi-thread channels, and another one could be used to distinguish stable and unstable multi-thread channels, from a stability perspective. However, when rereading the original work by Eaton et al. (2010), some limitations of subjectivity becomes clear that a threshold value of W/d =50 originally recommended for discriminating braided channels was employed to derive bifurcation criteria, and the number of channel divisions exceeding four was subjectively assumed as the beginning of system instability. We hold that this treatment should be regarded warily due to lack of absolute objective stability or instability criterion in fact. We turn in another new way. The famous Darcy-Weisbach equation (Weisbach, 1848; Darcy, 1857) is generalized from artificial rectangular channel case to natural alluvial channel cases and expressed as functions of assumed river shape parameter, resistance factor and relative roughness factor. A relevant scatter diagram reveals that several typical channel patterns correspond to differentiable distribution mode. Based on strictly fitting, river shape parameter is determined and defined as river pattern discrimination criterion. After transformation, we develop a new dimensionless style threshold for distinguishing different river patterns. Then the classification system based on two dimensionless threshold equations is established. However, it is also, by necessary, practically restricted to certain subjectivity, especially the judgment of system instability. Considering the data fitting dependency, this method may be better treated as an empirical method.

Predictability of Earnings and Reversion of Profitability

Predictability of Earnings and Reversion of Profitability 1. INTRODUCTION, RESEARCH QUESTION AND CONTRIBUTION In a competitive environment, economists say there is a mean reversion of profitability. Mean reversion of profitability infers that variation in profitability and earnings can be predicted. Although there are some literatures making an effort to find prediction in profitability and earnings, the findings somewhat cannot fully explain those variations. Early researches (Beaver 1970; Brooks and Buckmaster 1976; and Lookabill 1976) did not test the prediction formally. When there were formal tests, models were mostly time-series and identified only companies with long-earning histories (20 years). This approach causes the issue that long-term survivors might not represent all the firms. Furthermore, 20 years of data on earnings is an inaccurate estimation of the time-series model. Thus, the results found are statistically weak (Lev 1969; Freeman, Ohlson, and Penman 1982). There are some later researches attempting to identify those variations as well. Freeman et al (1982), Collins and Kothari (1989), Easton and Zmijewski (1989), Ou and Penman (1989), Elgers and Lo (1994) and Basu (1997) found that cross-sectional tests constructed more consistent evidence of predictability. However, Elgers and Lo (1994) found the unrealistic assumption that there is no correlation among companies due to changes in earnings and profitability. Moreover, most existing literatures do not investigate connection of the predictability of profitability and that of earnings. Contrastingly, like Freeman et al. (1982) and Lev (1983), this research paper is to answer the question: Is much of what is predictable about earnings due to the mean reversion of profitability? The result confirms the answer to question is yes. Those results are applicable to the real world. Therefore, the main contribution is the confirmation of economists presumption that there is a mean reversion of profitability in a competitive environment. 2. Data and methodology 2.1 A First-Pass Partial Adjustment Model for Profitability This test uses a simple cross-section partial adjustment regression in profitability changing for each year t from 1964 to 1995. This regression from t to t+1 is as followed   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   (1a)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚   (1b) where is total book assets of firm at the end of year t,is earnings before interest,is profitability measure, is expected value of profitability measure, is profitability change from year t to t+1 and is the profitability deviation from the expected value.   Ã‚  Ã‚   The paper uses a two-step method to identify equation (1). After doing regression to investigate differences in expected profitability among companies, the fitted values from the first-step regression are used as the proxy for in the cross-section regression.   Ã‚  Ã‚   In the first-stage regression, (dividends to book value of equity at the end of year t) is used as proxy for expected profitability, (dummy variable to capture nonlinear relationship of dividends and expected profitability) and (market-to-book ratio to find variation of expected profitability which cannot find by dividend determinants. In the cross-section regression, in (1) is the fitted value from the first-stage regression.   Ã‚  Ã‚   (2)   Ã‚  Ã‚   Due to the high regulation during the sample period (1964-1995), financial companies and utilities are omitted. This paper considers only the firms with more than $10 million assets and more than $5 million book equity. With these exclusions, 2,343 companies per year are taken into account. The interpretation is based on the average slopes and the time-series standard errors of the average slopes. However, with only 33 slope observation from 1964 to 1995, the estimation of autocorrelation is inaccurate. Therefore, this paper uses a less strict approach with t-statistics requirement of about 2.8 rather than the common 2.0. 2.2 A Nonlinear Partial Adjustment Model for Profitability This test is developed to investigate whether there is comparable nonlinearity in profitability characteristics with the hypothesis that the mean reversion of profitability results in the predictability of earnings. The nonlinear partial adjustment model equation is expanded from equation (1). (3)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   where is the negative deviations of profitability from expected values, is the squared negative deviations, is the squared positive deviations, is negative changes in profitability, is squared negative changes and is squared positive changes. , and are to capture the nonlinearity in the mean reversion of profitability and , and are to capture the nonlinearity in the profitability changes autocorrelation. 2.3 Predicting Earnings Freeman et al. (1982) and Lev (1983) argue that the competition causes mean reversion of profitability. This paper inspects the predictable changes in earnings and how much of the predictability brings the nonlinearity of mean reversion in profitability. The dependent variable is change in earnings, . The regression of change in earnings is (4)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   where is negative changes in earnings, is squared negative changes in earnings and is squared positive changes in earnings. , and are to capture the nonlinearity in the earning changes autocorrelation. 3. results 3.1 A First-Pass Partial Adjustment Model for Profitability The negative slope of implies that there is a nonlinear relationship of dividends and profitability. The significant positive slope of confirms the hypothesis that market-to-book ratio investigates variation of expected profitability which cannot find by dividend determinants.

French Revolution Essay -- essays research papers fc

Why was there a French Revolution? Between, 1789  ¡V 1799, many events occurred in France that caused an outbreak within the people thus leading to a revolution. This culminated in the France becoming a democratic government. This essay will argue that the resentment of absolute government, financial difficulties, the famine, rise of philosophes and the ongoing feud between the estates are all the major causes of why there was a revolution in France. Firstly before going into the topic, the word  ¡Ã‚ §revolution ¡Ã‚ ¨ must be defined.  ¡Ã‚ §A revolution is a relatively sudden and absolutely huge change. This may be a change in the social or political institutions over a relatively short period of time, or a major change in its culture or economy . ¡Ã‚ ¨ In eighteenth-century France, as we have seen, the philosophes came forward and gave their views, which were taken seriously by the public. The views of the philosophes contrasted from teaching maths to teaching about how the world was created. France was in desperate need for help with the country in deep financial trouble and much controversy over the monarchy yet the philosophes were anything but revolutionaries, as they never tried to force one . This is because they did not intend to create harm but to give the people French new ideas on topics. The enlightenment was an intellectual establishment . Diderot's Encyclopedia, banned in the 1750s, was reprinted in a less expensive format with government approval in the 1770s. Among the younger generation, the great cultural hero was Rousseau whose Confessions caused a sensation within the public and changed their minds to free thinking by writing books that were very appealing to the people. These books taught people of different ideas. From this, we can see the beliefs of the philosophes were a main factor in the cause of the French revolution. Eighteenth century France was an absolute monarchy , mainly because of the effort of Louis XIV. The French king had absolute control over all aspects of French political, social, and economic structures. The Estates General, which was a representative institution in that it was composed of representatives from each of the Three Estates, was the only voice the people of France had ever had. The king could do whatever he wanted without being asked as the punishments were severe if anyone complained. An example is the change of the r... ...sentment of absolute government, financial difficulties, the famine, rise of philosophes and the ongoing feud between the estates which all culminated in France having a revolution and becoming a democratic government. Bibliography „h http://www.historyguide.org/intellect/lecture12a.html; accessed on 19/4/05, 17/4/05, Title The French Revolution: The Moderate Stage, 1789-1792; author  ¡V Steven Kreis „h http://jon.plainculture.com/archives/the-french-revolution/; accessed on 12/4/05, Title - Causes and Effects of the French Revolution, author unknown „h http://www.people.memphis.edu/~kenichls/1302FrenchRevolution.html; accessed on 16/4/05; Title - The Causes of the French Revolution; author - unknown „h http://www.historyguide.org/intellect/lecture13a.html; accessed on 19/4/05, 17/4/05, Title The French Revolution: The Radical Stage, 1792-1794, author  ¡V Steven Kreis „h http://campus.northpark.edu/history/WebChron/WestEurope/FrenchRev.html accessed on 17/4/05, 18/4/05; Title  ¡V The French Revolution; Author - David W. Koeller „h Encyclopedia Americana volume 12; accessed on 15/4/05, Published in New York, Published in 1970; Title  ¡V French Revolution; Author - Unknown

Canada :: essays papers

Canada This ISP is is about my views on the Canadian Constitution and what I think needs to be changed in it. Some topics I have chose to discus, which I think need to be changed ar ones such as the notwithstanding claws and it's disadvantages, as well as the discanct society claws and it's disadvantages as well as what effects it has on the Canadian socity. I will also discuis the effects and disadvantages of what the appontiment of the suprem court judges. The supreme court of Canada is yhe higest court in Canada. The role of the suprem court is to hear cases which have been heard in provincal court and have been appeled to the supreme court for futher ruling. The court also hears cases which deal with constutitionl law and cases that deal with criminal and civil cases. In appointing judges for the supreme court a process of elimination is used by going through all of the provincal lawers untill one is found who is thought to be fit for the possition. Judges manitain officewith good behavoruntill age 75 and can only be removed by the Governal general of Canada with addvess from the senate and house of commons. The Supreme Court is also a general court of appeal for criminal cases. In theory any citizen may come before the Supreme Court to plead his own case, but such instances are rare. In criminal cases the court will hear appeals if an acquittal has been set aside or if there has been a dissenting judgement in a provincial Court of Appeal on a question of law. A guilty verdict in a case of first-degree murder may automatically be appealed to the Supreme Court. If it first grants leave to appeal, the court may also hear appeals on questions of law arising from summary convictions or indictable offences. In civil cases appeals may only be presented with the prior permission of the court; such permission is granted when the court believes that the case raises a question of public importance or an important issue of law or of mixed law and fact that ought to be decided by the court in the national interest. In about 75% of its cases, the court explains its reasoning along with its decision. In about 56% of these cases, it has upheld the decision of the lower court. Normally the justices go into conference immediately after the argument of a case, review its elements and compare their opinions. One of the justices drafts the court's judgement. If, after receiving and reading this judgement, his colleagues disagree with it, there may be Canada :: essays papers Canada This ISP is is about my views on the Canadian Constitution and what I think needs to be changed in it. Some topics I have chose to discus, which I think need to be changed ar ones such as the notwithstanding claws and it's disadvantages, as well as the discanct society claws and it's disadvantages as well as what effects it has on the Canadian socity. I will also discuis the effects and disadvantages of what the appontiment of the suprem court judges. The supreme court of Canada is yhe higest court in Canada. The role of the suprem court is to hear cases which have been heard in provincal court and have been appeled to the supreme court for futher ruling. The court also hears cases which deal with constutitionl law and cases that deal with criminal and civil cases. In appointing judges for the supreme court a process of elimination is used by going through all of the provincal lawers untill one is found who is thought to be fit for the possition. Judges manitain officewith good behavoruntill age 75 and can only be removed by the Governal general of Canada with addvess from the senate and house of commons. The Supreme Court is also a general court of appeal for criminal cases. In theory any citizen may come before the Supreme Court to plead his own case, but such instances are rare. In criminal cases the court will hear appeals if an acquittal has been set aside or if there has been a dissenting judgement in a provincial Court of Appeal on a question of law. A guilty verdict in a case of first-degree murder may automatically be appealed to the Supreme Court. If it first grants leave to appeal, the court may also hear appeals on questions of law arising from summary convictions or indictable offences. In civil cases appeals may only be presented with the prior permission of the court; such permission is granted when the court believes that the case raises a question of public importance or an important issue of law or of mixed law and fact that ought to be decided by the court in the national interest. In about 75% of its cases, the court explains its reasoning along with its decision. In about 56% of these cases, it has upheld the decision of the lower court. Normally the justices go into conference immediately after the argument of a case, review its elements and compare their opinions. One of the justices drafts the court's judgement. If, after receiving and reading this judgement, his colleagues disagree with it, there may be

Dr King vs Dalai Lama

Upon comparing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Dalai Lama it becomes apparent that the two share many similar doctrines and beliefs. Although they come from two totally different backgrounds it seems as though their overall goals and dreams coincide. The most striking similarity is that both men advocated/advocate for peace and nonviolent solutions to problems. While they may have approached matters differently the goal was the same. Analyzing both men one begins to see that they are admired by so many people because of their philosophies. Dr. King said, â€Å"†¦ the nonviolent resister does not seek to humiliate or defeat the opponent but to win his friendship and understanding. † In comparison, Dalai Lama said, â€Å"Real peace is not just the absence of violence or war†¦. A mere absence of war is not genuine lasting world peace. Peace must develop on mutual trust. † Looking at only these two quotes one can see the likeness of thought the two men shared. Dr. King crusaded for civil rights for African Americans, while Dalai Lama is an advocate for the liberation of Tibet. In both situations oppression is/was trying to be wiped out, due to environment and upbringing there are contrasts in the facets the men explored to achieve their goals. Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyasto, was born July 6th 1935 in Takster, Amdo in northeastern Tibet. He came from humble beginnings in farming village and lived with his family in a small hamlet. At the age of two he was deemed the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama and his education began at age six. Studying logic, Tibetan art and culture, Sanskrit, medicine, and Buddhist philosophy Dalai Lama proved to be a good student. At the age of twenty three he took his final exam and passed with flying colors, he received multiple honours and received the Geshe Lharampa degree in Leadership responsibilities (This is the highest degree in Tibet and is equivalent to a doctorate). Dr. King was born January 15th 1929 in Atlanta Georgia to Martin Luther King Sr. and Alberta Williams King.

Compare and Contrast Yakuza and the Triads

Crime in Japan also involves the Yakuza and the Triads. There are similarities between the Yakuza and the Triads. On the other hand, there are differences between the Yakuza and the Triads. the following paragraphs explain in detail the similarities and differences between the two organized crime groups. BODY: Similarities between the Yakuza and the Triads Both the Yakuza and the Triad were formed under a â€Å"family† styled program. The Yakuza was organized under a family relationship. The Yakuza is sometimes described as the Japanese mafia. The Mafia had a Godfather at the top and the other members of Yakuza are called brothers or children. The Yakuza goes even deeper with the implementation of the unique Japanese relationship described as â€Å"father role and a child role†. In the Yakuza, the ‘father' gives advice to the members in terms of protection and help. In answer, the members of the Yakuza group pledge unswerving loyalty to the Yakuza leader. The Yakuza member is called a Kobun. The Yakuza environment is filled with trust, loyalty and obedience to the Yakuza organization. The new members are expected to act as shields for their leaders by staying at the front in case of battles, conflicts with the law or otherwise. It is customary for the new members to take the blame and even go to jail for the oyabun's (leader's) crime. Likewise, the Triad members must support each other in times of good and in times of bad. This is how the real family works. Clearly, Both the Yakuza and the Triad were formed under a â€Å"family† styled program. Further, both the triads and Yakuza implement formal ceremonies to accept a new member. The Yakuza members drink a cup of sake to formalize entering into the blood connection between the ‘godfather' and the other members of the group. This is known as the oyabun -kobun or leader – follower relationship. The Yakuza ceremony is done in front of the Japanese god Shinto. The Triads also accept their new recruits in a ceremony characterized by the killing of a rooster, drawing blood from the new recruit's fingers and the new recruit's skin to symbolize a new blood relationship among its leaders and members . Evidently, both the triads and Yakuza implement formal ceremonies to accept a new member. Furthermore, both groups are characterized by a fraternal brotherhood. Each member of both groups support their leaders with their lives. Some people join the Yakuza or the triad because there is power in numbers. Both groups are engaged in illegal activities like guns, drugs as well as women trafficking . Surely, both groups are characterized by a fraternal brotherhood. Differences between the Yakuza and the Triads on the Other Hand. The Chinese Triad members in Hong Kong help each other in times of need in a less serious way than the Yakuza brotherhood. The Triad members are less strict in terms of organizational discipline than the Yakuza society. Not all Triad members are gangsters. Likewise, not all gangsters are triad members. Small Triad groups give undying loyalty to their leader. The members of the triad do favors for one another and engage in criminal activities together in a less formal relationship. On the other hand, the Yakuza members are bound by their pledge to protect the leader and implement the Yakuza laws to the letter. Undoubtedly, the Chinese triad members in Hong Kong help each other in times of need in a less serious way than the Yakuza brotherhood. In addition, the Yakuza is larger than the Triads. Today, there are more than eighty thousand Yakuza members around the world. Some Politicians in Japan hire Yakuza members to keep their political opponents at bay. The Yakuza owned nightclubs in China to real estate properties in New York. The Yakuza developed companies by rigging the juicy bidding processes to win many construction projects. Later, the Yakuza diversified its activities during the unprofitable economic bubble burst in the 1990s. The Yakuza racked up billions of U. S. dollars from loans that the banks could not recover during the bubble. The Yakuza has the money to hire the best lawyers and as many lawyers as it wants in order to pile up their winning streak many of their cases filed in the Japanese courts. The Yakuza has been spread its choke hold into many other countries including the United States. Over seven hundred forty offices were controlled by the Yakuza in the busy Tokyo scene . The Triad only operated in Hong Kong with its outstretched arms influencing its neighbors. Unquestionably, the Yakuza is larger than the Triads. Plus, the Yakuza originally operated in Japan whereas the Triad has been operating for more than one hundred fifty years in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong triad (now a province of China) is known as the Chinese Mafia. Today, the Triad is highly organized and has spread under a centralized underworld organization where it holds excessive criminal influence over Hong Kong and other other countries. Definitely, the Yakuza originally operated in Japan whereas the Triad has been operating for more than one hundred fifty years in Hong Kong. The Yakuza started out as a criminal organization whereas the Triad was founded one hundred fifty years ago as a legal organization. The Triad was established originally as a mutual aid association with the end in mind of resolving peacefully conflicts the migratory differences among the different groups in the southern regions of Fujian province in China during the eighteenth century. The Chinese triad are bound by their paramount subculture that involves powerful patriotism and unquestionable righteousness. Later, these subcultures were rooted out so that the new subculture of loyalty to the triad group and brotherhood would be wedged into the hearts of the triad members. currently, patriotism has been set to the burner because the triad had dropped down to its current criminal gang activities . On the other hand, the Yakuza started as a crime -engaging organization. The Yakuza continues to be a crime -engaging organization. Obviously, the Yakuza started out as a criminal organization whereas the Triad was founded one hundred fifty years ago as a legal organization. CONCLUSION: Crime in Japan also involves the Yakuza and the Triads. There are similarities between the Yakuza and the Triads. Both the Yakuza and the Triad were formed under a â€Å"family† styled program. Further, both the triads and Yakuza implement formal ceremonies to accept a new member. Furthermore, both groups are characterized by a fraternal brotherhood of lawlessness. On the other hand, there are differences between the Yakuza and the Triads. The Chinese triad of Hong Kong help each other in times of need in a less serious way than the Yakuza brotherhood. In addition, the Yakuza is larger than the Triads. Plus, the Yakuza originally operated in Japan whereas the Triad has been operating for more than one hundred fifty years in Hong Kong. The Yakuza started out as a criminal organization whereas the Triad was founded one hundred fifty years ago as a legal organization. Conclusively, there are similarities and differences between the Yakuza and the Triad. Works Cited Chu, Yiu Kong. The Triads as Business. London: Routledge, 2000. Gilmer, Lillian Roe. â€Å"Japan's Communications Interception Act: Unconstitutional Invasion of Privacy or Necessary Tool?.† Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law 35.3 (2002): 893+ Hill, Peter B. E. The Japanese Mafia: Yakuza, Law, and the State. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2003. Kaplan, David E., and Alec Dubro. Yakuza: Japan's Criminal Underworld. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2003.

Childbirth and Different Bursting Emotions

The miracle of life is the single most experience that every woman will remember in her lifetime. Almost every detail of the whole process can be definitely recalled by the mother, no matter how long it had happened. Every woman may have their own unique story of the parturition in every child she may have. But one thing is for sure, this amazing event is life changing, both an ending and a beginning. It marks the impending end of gestation and the start of a new family structure. The labor process is a time of different bursting emotions. There is the excitement of seeing the baby for the first time; fear of what might occur during the culmination of pregnancy and the unforgettable, excruciating, agonizing pain of contractions. The transition of events is very hard, long and rewarding all at the same time. Giving birth has been divided into three stages. The first stage of dilatation is the beginning of true labor contractions and ending when cervix becomes fully dilated. The progress and length of this stage varies from every woman to another. But definitely, the pain goes incredible as the contractions started coming closer and closer together. The mother may experience feelings of helplessness, restless, irritable, anxious and even out of control as contractions become stronger. The second stage is from descent to the birth of the newborn. This is the bittersweet part from the entire horrible aches that had transpired. This is the long awaited moment when you finally meet the precious one, actually touching his or her tiny hands and giving her warmth with your own bosom. I would like compare this journey into zealously unwrapping a huge special package that no matter how you have known what is inside of the gift; one will still be caught in awe upon laying eyes of the presence. The feeling is better than receiving that first I love you from someone you fell in love with. Lastly, from the time the baby is born until following the delivery of the placenta. There will be a sudden gush of blood. The placenta separates first at edge and delivers with maternal surface evidence. Now, the roller coaster drive of pregnancy ends. Labor normally launch when a fetus is sufficiently mature to cope with extra uterine life, yet not too large to cause mechanical difficulties in delivery. In some instances, labor initiates before the fetus is mature. On the other hand, labor may be delayed until the fetus and the placenta have both passed beyond the optimum point for birth and this is now termed post mature birth. In fact, some women need to be induced with medications to start or hasten labor. If all interventions fail, the mother must deliver her child without expulsion and must immediately need to submit to cesarean section, or surgical removal of a child, instead of having the baby pass through the birth canal. In summary, it can be said that while there is a general expected trend in the way each child birth will go, there is really no predicting the outcome for each individual mom. In fact, the only predictable factor of parturition may be variance. Inevitably, even how thoroughly science can explain the process of pregnancy until the expulsion of the newborn; it always feels surreal and marvelous how a person can bestow another life from her.

Describe how you developed your skills in the use of digital technology Essay

Describe how you developed your skills in the use of digital technology for media production contributed to your creative decision making. Refer to a range of examples and show how these skills developed over time. Digital technologies were a crucial part of both of my productions; using digital technologies has also extremely developed over time and you can see a significant change in the A2 music video production as the piece was greatly developed in terms of technology and creativity. In the production stage of our AS piece we have used a Cannon DSLR camera in filming of our entire production. It was extremely helpful as it was easy to use, portable but also a major advantage of it was that it allowed us to an instant playback to aid our creative decision making. We did not use this feature enough in AS. However once we returned to produce our A2 music video, I have made sure that we checked all the footage at the location so we could immediately reshoot the scenes that weren’t good enough at the location, which also saved us time in going back into the location to redo it all. In our A2 production we have used the same camera (Cannon DSLR) due to a convenience of the camera and the high quality footage it was producing, it was portable, easy to use and easy to set up. Considering our filming had to take place in six different location it was very convenient to use that camera. However, we wanted to enhance our A2 production with other filming technologies in other to enhance our creative decision making, so therefore we decided to use JVC HDV 720p studio camera for our performance part. However we decided not to use it at the end due to the quality difference between the DSLR and the studio camera. That way we only used a footage from the DSLR, however the use of JVC HDV 720p gave us some practice using the high quality studio camera and also gave us an opportunity to explore different filming equipment, which also has played a part on our creative decision making. Our skills in audio technology we not well utilized at A2 as we were required  to create a music video for a contemporary artist. However, the use of Final Cut Pro allowed us to change the volume levels throughout the music video where needed (e.g. the volume levels were used at the start of the music video were we decided to fade the music in to slowly and nicely flow into the music video, and we have also used it at the end to fade out the audio.) Our competence with Final Cut Pro this year has enabled us to be more ambitious in terms of editing and as a result end up with more creative and individual piece. According to Goodwin, each genre of music has certain conventions that their associated videos should comply to. We have noticed, whilst studying and researching into our genre and the artists a common trend of cutting to the beat. We employed use of excessive jump cuts within the narrative in order to underline the feelings of the protagonist, which was also another example of complying with theorist’s ideology using digital technology in order to develop our creative decision making. Although out skills in Garage Band were not as fully utilized at A2 as they were at AS, were we used Garage Band to create a score. However, in most recent production of our music video I was required to use Photoshop in order to create a digipak and a poster. In order to be more creative instead of using the screenshots taken out of the video, I have decided to organize a separate photo-shoot, were I went out and took photographs myself using DLSR camera again, in order to get the high quality pictures. The fact that I also do Photography as one of my A-levels gave me an advantage of organizing a photo-shoot and also using Photoshop as my editing tool. Photoshop was definitely a software, which played a big part in using a digital technologies and the skills used in that department have definitely enhanced the creative decision making.

Arabian Nights Proposal

Professor Burton Exploring Literature 29 September 2014 The Thousand-and-Third Night's Tale Proposal Main Idea Plants. Vegetation. Trees. Shrubs. Branches. Fruits. Blossoms. Sustenance. Nourishment. Floral serve as the main inspiration for what I wish to write about for this assignment. In The Arabian Nights most of the geography is set in Middle Eastern lands. I took it upon myself to research the green life that is geologically present there and became inspired by what these plants may metaphorically represent.As I studied the information of foliage, it was apparent that I was not the only person interested in utilizing these organisms for storytelling purposes. Many poets and authors have used the plants mentioned below in their works. I also wish to Join this literary group who has extracted inspiration from these terrestrial beings for what may – hopefully – be a decent tale I create. However, it is the plant below that serves as my muse: 1) The Halcyon Persecute a ) Halcyon persecute: A plant that â€Å"has a stout rugged stem and light grey bark, rowing up to 4. -5 meters in height. It lacks large foliage-type leaves; in fact, its leaves have retrogressed as succulent branches. The plant is found in sand hills, deserts and sand ridges, where it often forms pure stands, with an average density up to 400-500 trees a hectare. The white Saul is a hardy tree that can grow in nutritionally poor soil and can tolerate drought. The tree is in leaf all year, and flowers in May-June† (http://en. Wisped. Org/wick/Halcyon_persecute). ) The ententes I highlighted are what first brought my attention to this particular plant. It is not the most physically appealing shrub there is – but being an English student – I have learned to dig deeper beneath the surface of a given topic. In this case, I imagine a tale about a farming community that is facing the ever-growing problem of a growing population. This is not the only situation this mun icipal has to face but it is the most troubling. Their community leader takes it upon himself to make the journey to the Kings palace miles away.The leader instantly notices the major societal differences when he arrives at the Kings palace. The wealthy elite sneer at his agricultural occupation and rustic mannerisms. In total Arabian Nights fashion, the King and his posse learn a thing or two from an unsuspected â€Å"simpleton. † it) The picture to the left speaks of the plants' classifications. I wish to designate the scientific names as labels for the royal families, the kingdom, certain communities, etc. Maybe even for ranks in society†¦ Arabian Nights Proposal By electorate 7

Sociology research Paper and Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Sociology research Paper and Questions - Essay Example rime, this study proposes to examine whether increasing crime can in fact be attributed to race, or whether there may be other factors that could explain the explosion in crime. People belonging to ethnic minorities had long complained of racial profiling by law enforcement personnel, which is often the cause of feelings of resentment, hurt and an increasing loss of trust in the police among members of racial minorities. But Kleinig and Risse (2007) have discussed racial profiling in the context of the September 11, attacks, and detailed the results of a study that appeared to justify the evils of racial profiling as an efficient law enforcement strategy. The reason was because it was based upon the underlying belief that members of certain groups appear to possess a greater tendency to commit crimes and police can curb crime by adopting harsher measures against members of such minority groups. Based upon the findings of this study, an argument is offered that racial profiling is attributable to pre existing racism, hence profiling only expresses that racism rather than perpetuating it. Another argument offered is that the benefits of profiling and benefits provided by Government to the minorities far outweigh the harmful effects. Huff (2007) reports on an extensive ethnographic study that was carried out among police officers to examine their attitudes towards gang related crimes, their reasons for wanting to be assigned to units fighting against gang related crimes and how gang units are managed. Although this was an exhaustive study utilizing multiple data sources, it was limited by the selection of four primarily southwestern cities with a higher incidence of Hispanics. The study found that officers feel more independent while functioning in gang units but there was also clear evidence of racial profiling against the minorities. Graham and Lowery (2007) examined the problem of racial profiling from another perspective – the working of the criminal justice

Argument Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Argument - Essay Example Although many prefer to practice premarital cohabitation, some sectors who are conservative within the society view premarital cohabitation as abominable. This is because of the consequences it brings. To them cohabitation causes confusion among younger generations and other people. They find the value of marriage and marriage certificate for granted. Marriage becomes a matter of ceremony without importance because they do not exactly know what constitutes marriage. However, some people find marriage as not the sole criterion of confusion among younger groups when considering the relationship of couples. In fact, youth who comes from a family whose parents are married but quarrel most of the time are more confused. Younger generations who understand the goal of premarital cohabitation may find it not confusing and may consider it a better option of marriage. This idea is supported in the article of Budinski & Trovato (72) where they made it clear that cohabitation is a viable alterna tive for marriage especially to those who do not have the confidence in entering a long term marriage just yet. They further stated that when couples cohabit, components of marriage are present like sharing of home, sexual intimacy, childbearing, and economic resources. With this, the couple may live like husband and wife just the same where they can enjoy playing their role as partners and parents. Individuals of any age who understand this purpose may consider premarital cohabitation as a springboard to marriage. Thus this does not post confusion. People who are against living together before marriage or premarital cohabitation claim that entering such situation may result in habitually changing their partners and are observed to be having difficulty finding a lifelong partner. This practice gives a belief that repeated cohabitation would be a predictor for future marriage failures as a result of weeding out process. Through selection, the person may change partner every now and t hen. However, observation shows that cohabiters and non cohabiters experience divorce at almost the same rate. In the study of Bruderl and company (1), they explained that it is not the cohabitation that increases the chance of couple’s separation but rather mismatches of some psychological traits. Once the mismatch traits are detected, it is likely that the person is going to weed out those incompatible traits resulting in an improved experience which makes the next relationship a success. This is evident among couples who were recently questioned in their answers that they are improving their chances of success in their marital relationship with their experience thus the prevalence of separation or divorce is reduced in the subsequent relationship. A large number of people especially Muslims believe that the practice of premarital cohabitation is better because it ensures stronger compatibility and commitment of couples. To be compatible needs adjustment to each other. Perh aps the way couples do this would be to live together. Couples have to be close together to really observe the way each lives. Doing this could help couples find out if they could bear each other without too much tension, quarrels and other problems. If they find out that they are comfortable with each other’s lifestyle, then they may consider marriage. However, if they are not, then it would be easy for them to just break apart because of the absence of legal paper works and commitment. Taxes would be easier to handle

Alberta Tar Sands Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Alberta Tar Sands - Essay Example The resulting oil is piped to refineries. This initial process of tar sand extraction is approximated to result in gasoline that carries at least five times more carbon dioxide than would usual crude oil production. According to the Canada National Energy Board, engineering advancements are predicted to decrease this extensive carbon dioxide emission. As shown in the graphic, the remaining 80 percent of the sands are too deep to be excavated, therefore, steam is injected into these deeper oil sands, loosening the bitumen and allowing producers to draw it upward. The process was known as "steam-assisted gravity drainage." It is believed to be more efficient than the "truck and steam" method. Even though producers recycle much of their water, about one barrel of water is lost for each barrel of oil collected. Developers are required to repair and restore oil sand mining sites to at least the corresponding amount of their preceding biological efficiency, including revegetation and drain age restoration (Laumer). Alberta Energy supports the accountable improvement of these extensive deposits through planning and cooperation with government, industry and communities to guarantee a viable royalty system that is attractive to investors, suitable regulations and ecological safeguard and the administration of Crown rights to oil sands while considering several barriers such as higher industrial threat and higher investment expenditures, which are experienced by oil sands developers ("Oil Sands"). Alberta's oil sands industry is the product of multi-billion-dollar ventures in infrastructure and technology needed to expand the non-conventional resource. In 2006, in accordance with the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP), production outlay in Alberta's oil sands totaled more or less $14 billion. Yearly oil sands production is developing progressively as the industry matures. Output of marketable oil sands production raised to1.126 millionbarrels per day (bbl/d) in 2006. Foreseeing in 2020, this level of production could reach 3 million barrels per day. In the year 2030, it could possibly be producing 5 million barrels per day. This scale of productivity would sustain the development of other major industries and witness Alberta become a Global Energy Leader ("Oil Sands"). Alberta's development of oil sands resources symbolizes a victory of industrial modernization. Through the years, government and industry have worked jointly to discover innovative and profitable means to develop and mine oil sands. Extensive research on energy is more essential today than ever before. Working through the Alberta Energy Research Institute, the Alberta government is dedicated to a mutual approach to encourage the latest technology and improvement programs that will decrease the impact of greenhouse gases and other emissions, and lessen the consumption of water and gas ("Oil Sands"). However, amidst all the benefits, risks eventually surfaced. Recently, the Environmental Defense released a new report on the Alberta Oil Sands, calling it "the most destructive project on Earth". Listed below are some facts: -Oil sands mining is permitted to use two times the amount of fresh water which is

MEMO Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

MEMO - Assignment Example FICO scores are reviewed by almost all lender agencies in America, before they arrive at credit decisions to offer their customers credit. For that reason, through the proper usage and incorporation of the scores, as a banker, you will be able to avoid customers with poor credit history, which will improve the financial performance of Fidelity bank. Overview of the main Fico Scores The FICO scores of customers will take into account, five main information categories that relate to the customer’s credit profile. When using FICO scores to determine the customers that can be offered loans, the chart given below displays the comparative weight offered to the different score areas. The 5 main areas featured in FICO scoring and their relative weight The review of the different ingredients of the FICO scores 1. Payment history The payment history of the customer contributes about 35 percent of their FICO score. The information reflects their information on different financial account s and areas. The different accounts reflected through the information include Credit card worth and standing, for cards like MasterCard, Visa, Discover and American Express. The second accounts featured are retail accounts, where the customer’s financial operations reflect the credit collected from outlets where they do business – showing the credit cards used at departmental stores, and the credit history maintained. The third account reflected is installment loans, where regular reimbursements for loans like mortgages or car loans are reflected. The fourth account reflected through the payment history is finance company records. Additionally, collection items and public records are reflected, giving information on events like foreclosures, bankruptcies, wage attachments, lawsuits, judgment and liens. Lastly, this score area gives information on the accounts that don’t show late payments, and whose financial obligations are met as agreed upon. From the informat ion captured about the different accounts and fields named before, you will use your judgment to verify whether the given customer has shown a history of repaying loans and whether their financial standing warrants the loan they are asking for. Therefore; based on the information captured, you will only offer credit to a customer with a favorable credit history and avoid those with poor payment history, because a poor history shows that they are more likely to give problems when repaying the credit. 2. The second area where you need to pay much attention is the field of the amounts owed. This information reflects about 30 percent of a customer’s FICO scores, which indicates their level of indebtedness. The areas reflected by this variable include the amounts owed for the different accounts held by the customer, the amounts apportioned to different account types, the balances from different account types, the proportion of the credit consumed through credit cards among other c redit accounts and how much the customer is yet to pay, on different loan amounts. Through the review of this score area, as bankers you will determine the level of debt that the customer has collected, which can influence their ability and their pattern of loan repayment. For example, from the case of a customer who has used larger proportions of their

Marketing & Entrepreneurship Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Marketing & Entrepreneurship - Coursework Example After the contract, his share stock rose from 16 dollars to 160 dollars in just few days. In 1974, Perot came to the attention of the press when he was said to have been the biggest loser in New York stock exchange when his shares drastically dropped. He however did not lose hope in his activities. He organized and sponsored the rescue of those that were involved in the revolution in Iran. The loss of power by Steve Jobs in Apple market affected Perot much as he was a main investor in the Apple Company. He continued with inspiration of achieving his goals with consideration of the financial status in which his family was. In the life of Ross Perot, he attained many honors due to his hard work and determination. He had the belief in integrity and honesty as being important in success. These are the cores that drove his business in achieving the set objectives. Additionally, he considered history when formulating the strategies; this made his business lead to success. According to the study on the life of Ross Perot, startup influences entrepreneur are born and others are made. With influences that occur in the childhood times, people develop traits which encourage them to be entrepreneurs later in their lives. The traits are shaped up through the experiences that they have history and the environment that one lives. In Ross Perot situation, he was influenced to develop an entrepreneurship due to the fact that his parents were just involved as brokers in Cotton contracts and the recession situation the country was during revolution. Perot involvement in entrepreneurship was due to personal character tr aits. He was also influenced to entrepreneurship due to need for independence, situational factors brought about by sudden unemployment and economic downturn that occurred in Iran. He was also influenced by antecedent influences with teachers in his family liniage and previous employment managerial experiences. There is a link that

An essay about Children of a Lesser God film Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

An about Children of a Lesser God film - Essay Example A typical example of some of these basic characteristics is the influence of gender in communication. Gamble and Gamble (2007) in their book The Gender Communication Connection bring out some of the very peculiar gender characteristic concepts of communication. Interestingly, some of the core concepts in the books are also reflected in the film Children of Lesser God. Below are some of the discussions on the key concepts discussed in chapter five (5) of the book. One of the major concepts tackled by Gamble and Gamble (2007) is the issue of perception process. It is said that perception generally refers to how we see other people from our own point of view (Huggai, 2009). This is very much application in communication and influences communication greatly because â€Å"the way that you see people will greatly determine how you interact with them and what you will get from them† (Brewster, 2012). This means that perception has the power to start communication, sustain communication, as well as influence the input and outcome of a given communication. NOVA (2005) identifies three major processes in the perception process. These are selection, organization and interpretation. Gamble and Gamble (2007) adds a fourth dimension and this dimension is response. The most important fact however is that Gamble and Gamble (2007) looks at the perception process from a gender point of view, where they make it clear that men and women certainly have di fferent styles and approaches to reacting to the perception process and thus have different ways of listening. Hesper Anderson and Mark Medoff give a well illustrated format in the differences pointed by Gamble and Gamble (2007) are displayed by men and women in the film Children of Lesser God. In the film –as highlighted in the book, we see a very vast difference between how men and women perceive communication. This difference is further consolidated by the fact that even though the female role was being played by

1. Discuss the significance of Valley Forge Essay

1. Discuss the significance of Valley Forge - Essay Example Conditions in the Valley Forge were poor and inhumane. Many men suffered hunger, cold, and diseases, and eventually many of them died2. Amid the underlying challenges in the valley, the troops, under the command of General Washington, stayed committed to their goal. It is this persistence and resilience that would eventually make the American Revolution a dream-come-true. The course of liberty remained true and alive in their hearts. The continental army’s immense suffering in the Valley Forge kept them expectant that things would get better. Against all odds, Valley Forge provided the troops with an opportunity to train, reorganize, and get ready to face the British. The army had eventually secured help and support that allowed it to embark to the revolutionary pursuit. In this respect, Valley Forge was a defining factor of the course that American Revolution would take after June, 1778. Essentially, Valley Forge had taught the troops that what awaited them was not a walk in the park. In conclusion, the success of the American Revolution was partially attributed to Valley Forge. Even though troops had suffered and died in the valley, the dream of a liberal America remained alive. North American break off the British Empire received a vital boost from the mature army that emerged from Valley Forge. Suffering, sacrifice, freedom, and liberty characterized the Valley Forge troop activity in the light of the American

How does the Saint Leo core value of Respect relate to the Essay

How does the Saint Leo core value of Respect relate to the socio-cultural impacts of tourism - Essay Example It is interesting to me that a few weeks after the bombing of a Coptic church in Alexandria, the uprising broke in Cairo (Stack 2011). A suicide bomber attacked Saints Church as parishioners were leaving after Midnight Mass on New Year’s Eve, killing 21 and wounding more than 100; on Sunday morning, there were demonstrations in the streets of both Alexandria and Cairo, perhaps a precursor of what was to come less than a month later. Shortly after the uprising began on January 25, The Washington Post (Boorstein 2011) speculated about how it would affect Egypt’s minority Coptic Christians, but like most in the media, made no connection to the church bombing. They did state, however, that concern for the Copts were due to attacks on churches in Egypt and other parts of the Middle East like Iraq. The Washington Post reported that Coptic Christians in the U.S. was â€Å"terrified† about the prospect of an Islamist-controlled government in Egypt. 2. Background The Wash ington Post, when reporting on the concerns expressed for the Coptic Christians in Egypt, used the word â€Å"terrified,† an interesting word for a â€Å"non-biased† source to use. Later on, the article downplays the concern. It quotes Joel Hunter, â€Å"an evangelical pastor of a Florida megachurch,† who stated that many younger American Christians â€Å"see the protests as something to celebrate†¦and older, more politically conservative Christians tend to be more skeptical of Islam generally and are worried about how a new Egyptian government will treat Israel.† This statement, however, demonstrates a misunderstanding about the history of the persecution of Christians in the Middle East. The New Years Eve church bombing was not an isolated occurrence. 90% of Christians in Egypt, which are a significant minority (between 5% and 18%), are Coptic, but although it is the largest concentration of Christians in the Middle East (about 7,000), thousands ha ve either left the country or moved to larger cities in Egypt due to the intense persecution. In addition, the Egyptian government has been slow to prosecute crimes against Christians; one of the complaints after the New Year’s Eve bombing was the inaction of law enforcement officials (Von Mittelstaedt 2010). In the American press, however, these events are rarely reported, and if they are, as in the case of the New Year’s Eve bombings, their importance is downplayed. The truth is that although there are 2.2 billion Christians in the world today, 100 million of them live in places where they are threatened or persecuted, and in many areas of the Arab world, brutally. Bishop Margot Klassman, head of the Protestant Church in Germany until last year, has stated that Christians are the most frequently persecuted group in the world (Von Mittelstaedt 2010). The American press seems to find that hard to believe, or at least that is what their lack of reporting about the hundr eds of cases of persecutions against Christian each year seems to indicate. 3. Analysis Newspapers like The Washington Post are supposed to be non-biased, but it is clear from the evaluation of just one article that American reporters have neither the perspective nor the historical knowledge about religion, especially religion in other parts of the world. The writer of The Washington Post article’s use of words, like â€Å"frightened† and â€Å"apprehensive† clearly demonstrate the press’ bias against religion, especially against Christianity. It was as if the writer was saying that older, more

Fast food Essay Example for Free

Fast food Essay 1 Departm ent of Clinical Biochem istry , Gentofte Hospital Univ ersity of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denm ark of Hum an Nutrition, Centre for Adv anced Food Studies, Faculty of Life Sciences, Univ ersity of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denm ark 2 Departm ent Correspondence: A Astrup, Departm ent of Hum an Nutrition, RVA Univ ersity , 1 9 58 Frederiksberg C, Denm ark. Em ail: ast @kvl. dk Abstract. Although nutrition experts might be able to navigate the menus of fast-food restaurant chains, and based on the nutritional information, compose apparently healthy meals, there are still many reasons why frequent fast-food consumption at most chains is unhealthy and contributes to weight gain, obesity, type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease. Fast food generally has a high-energy density, which, together with large portion sizes, induces over consumption of calories. In addition, we have found it to be a myth that the typical fast-food meal is the same worldwide. Chemical analyses of 74 samples of fast-food menus consisting of French fries and fried chicken (nuggets/hot wings) bought in McDonalds and KFC outlets in 35 countries in 2005–2006 showed that the total fat content of the same menu varies from 41 to 65 g at McDonalds and from 42 to 74 g at KFC. In addition, fast food from major chains in most countries still contains unacceptably high levels of industrially produced trans-fatty acids (IP-TFA). IP-TFA have powerful biological effects and may contribute to increased weight gain, abdominal obesity, type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease. The food quality and portion size need to be improved before it is safe to eat frequently at most fast-food chains. Key words: trans-fat t y acids, fast food, energy densit y Introduction In the documentary film Super Size Me, the character Mr Spurlock ate McDonalds food three times a day for 30 days and gained 11 kg. It is quite obvious that one can purposely overeat on almost any diet, but the film raises the question of whether fast food poses a special health risk. To what extent this behaviour is a realistic trait in the general population, and to what extent fast-food consumption contributes to obesity and other morbidities such as type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease, is still debatable. Before drawing any conclusion as to whether there are causal links between intake of fast foods and disease, ideally randomised trials should be conducted to provide robust evidence on this issue. However, it is highly unlikely that such trials comparing frequent and infrequent fast-food consumption will ever be carried out. We therefore have to rely on observational epidemiology and on mechanistic studies. www. nature. com/ijo/journal/v31/n6/full/0803616a. html 1/5 1/3/14 International Journal of Obesity Fast food: unfriendly and unhealthy Epidemiological studies A number of observational studies have assessed the association between frequent fast-food intake and weight gain. The American population study Cardia suggests that frequent fastfood consumption is positively associated with weight gain and risk of insulin resistance over 15 years. Individuals who had meals at fast-food restaurants more than two times a week gained 4. 5 kg more weight and had a 104% greater increase in insulin resistance, at both baseline and follow-up, than individuals who ate less than one fast-food meal per week. 1 This study was the first long-term project to find that people who frequently expose themselves to fast foods are at increased risk of weight gain over time and of developing type 2 diabetes. The study had several limitations such as the population size of only 3000 individuals and the fact that self-reported information about diet, physical activity and other lifestyle factors has inherent measurement errors. These factors, however, would normally tend to underestimate the strength of the identified associations. Other observational studies have to some extent supported the existence of a causal link. However, observational studies cannot prove that the association between fast-food consumption and weight gain is causal. It remains possible that frequent fast-food consumption is simply a marker for a generally unhealthy lifestyle (e. g. , less restrained eating behaviour, fatty and sweet food preferences, and a sedentary lifestyle), factors which are the real culprits in weight gain and in the increased risk of diabetes. Although every effort is made to adjust for potential confounders, one cannot adjust for unmeasured or unmeasurable lifestyle factors. Mechanisms by which fast food can be obesogenic Portion size. Despite the above-mentioned limitations in epidemiological observational studies, most of us would accept that the link between intake of fast foods and weight gain is causal because there are several mechanisms whereby fast foods could produce weight gain. At least two important features of fast food could explain why fast food is fattening, namely, large portion sizes and high-energy density. It is well established that the bigger the portion size, the more we consume. 2 Portion sizes of burgers, fried potatoes, pizzas, and soft drinks at fast-food outlets have all increased 2–5-fold over the last 50 years. 3 Energy density In addition to large portion sizes, fast food is also characterised by high-energy density, that is high energy-content/food-weight ratio. The energy density of the entire menu at fast-food outlets is typically 1100 kJ/100 g. 4 This is 65% higher than the average British diet ( 670 kJ/100 g) and more than twice the energy density of recommended healthy diets ( 525 kJ/100 g). Humans have only a weak innate ability to recognise foods with high-energy density and to downregulate the bulk eaten to meet energy requirements appropriately. 4 Industrially produced trans fat. French fries and fried meat from fast-food outlets contain high amounts of industrially produced trans-fatty acids. Trans fats are fats in margarines, spreads, and frying oils, produced by industrial hardening of vegetable or marine oils, to make the product more stable and robust for handling and storage. The hardening results in the creation of a so-called trans double bonds in the fatty acids of the lipids, in contrast to the normally occurring cis double bonds. This increases the melting points of the fats, thereby increasing shelf-life. Trans-fatty www. nature.com/ijo/journal/v31/n6/full/0803616a. html 2/5 1/3/14 International Journal of Obesity Fast food: unfriendly and unhealthy acids are also found naturally in meat from ruminants and in dairy products, but not nearly to the same extent as in industrially produced trans fat (up to 5%, as compared to up to 60% in fats), and not of the same types as in IP-TFA. In a worldwide study of the content of IP-TFA in fast foods, biscuits, and snacks, we found contents of IP-TFA ranging up to 50% of the fat in the products, enabling consumers to ingest 36 g of IP-TFA in a single meal in the US. 5 A daily intake of 5 g trans fat, corresponding to 2 energy percent, is associated with an approximately 30% increase in CHD risk. 6 Observational studies have found that a high intake of IP-TFA is stronger associated to the risk of weight gain and gain in abdominal fatness than to the intake of other fat sources. 7 Although unaccounted residual confounding cannot be ruled out, other sources of research support that the relationship is causal. First, IP-TFA serves as ligands for the PPAR- system and can exert a biological effect that promotes abdominal obesity. 6 Second, a recently reported long-term randomised trial in monkeys delivers robust evidence that IP-TFA induces weight gain and abdominal obesity. Kavanagh et al. 8 reported their findings at the 66th ADA meeting in Washington, D. C. For over 6 years monkeys were fed two different isocaloric, western-style diets that contained either 8% of their calories from trans fat or the same amount of fat calories as cis-monounsaturated fat. After 6 years, the IP-TFA fed monkeys had gained 7. 2% in body weight, compared to a 1. 8% increase in body weight in monkeys fed with cis-monounsaturated fats. CT scans showed that the monkeys on the trans-fat diet had deposited 30% more abdominal fat than the monkeys on the cismonounsaturated fat diet. Taken together these studies suggest that IP-TFA is obesity promoting, and that they particularly facilitate the deposition of the harmful abdominal fat associated with CHD. These findings can contribute to explaining why high intakes of IP-TFA may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. 9 Fat content in fast-food menus To select more healthy choices at the fast-food restaurants, nutritional labelling must be both available and accurate. While most chains provide nutritional information about total calories, calories from macronutrients, and fibre content of their products, we do not think that the average consumer who eats at a fast-food chain has the time or ability to make a reasonable estimate of health consequences of such meals or their contribution to the days caloric intake. The results of our analyses of total fat and trans fat in 74 French fries and fried chicken (nuggets/hot wings) samples bought in McDonalds and KFC outlets in 35 countries during 2005–2006 are given in Figure 1. The figures represent the total fat and trans fat content in 160 g of chicken meat and 171 g of French fries, corresponding to a large serving at an American McDonalds outlet. In these meals the total fat content varies from 41 to 65 g at McDonalds and from 42 to 74 g at KFC; the trans fat content varies from 0. 3 to 10. 2 and 0. 3 to 24 g, respectively. The differences in total fat content can – at least in part – be due to local taste preferences, but this is not the case for trans fat, which does not add a special flavour to the food. The results show that the same product, by the same provider, can vary in fat calorie content by more than 40%, and in trans fat content by several orders of magnitude. This demonstrates that the same product, unknown to the consumer, can vary substantially in its compliance with recommendations for healthy food. Figure 1. The entire length of the bar (both colours included) indicates the am ounts of total fat in a large fast-food m eal consisting of 1 7 1 g French fries and 1 6 0 g chicken nuggets. The darker colour indicates the am ounts of industrially produced trans fat. The v alues in parenthesis are the am ounts of trans fat as a percentage of total fat. www. nature. com/ijo/journal/v31/n6/full/0803616a. html 3/5 1/3/14 International Journal of Obesity Fast food: unfriendly and unhealthy Full figure and legend (305K) Conclusions Fast-food restaurant chains may argue that the evidence linking their products to the supersizing of their customers is too weak. But should not the customer be given the benefit of the doubt? Appropriate actions would include reducing portions to normal sizes, eliminating industrially produced trans fat, and selling burgers of lean meat, whole grain bread/buns, fatreduced mayonnaise, more vegetables, lower-fat fried potatoes, reduced-sugar soft drinks, etc. Moreover, reliable nutritional information should be given by the chains, which requires better standardisation of the foods used. 10 Although these measures may raise prices, such changes in fast-food meals would have no adverse health effects but quite the opposite! References 1. Pereira MA, Kartashov AI, Ebbeling CB, Van Horn L, Slattery ML, Jacobs Jr DR et al. Fast-food habits, weight gain, and insulin resistance (the CARDIA study): 15-year prospective analysis. Lancet 2005; 365: 36–42. | Article | PubMed | ISI | 2. Diliberti N, Bordi PL, Conklin MT, Roe LS, Rolls BJ. Increased portion size leads to increased energy intake in a restaurant meal. Obes Res 2004; 12: 562– 568. | PubMed | 3. Young LR, Nestle M. Expanding portion sizes in the US marketplace: implications for nutrition counseling. J Am Diet Assoc 2003; 103: 231–234. | Article | PubMed | ISI | 4. Prentice AM, Jebb SA. Fast foods, energy density and obesity: a possible mechanistic link. Obes Rev 2003; 4: 187–194. | Article | PubMed | ChemPort | 5. Stender S, Dyerberg J, Bysted A, Leth T, Astrup A. A trans world journey. Atheroscl Suppl 2006; 7: 47–52. | Article | 6. Mozaffarian D, Katan MB, Ascherio A, Stampfer MJ, Willett WC. Trans fatty acids and cardiovascular disease. N Engl J Med 2006; 354: 1601– 1613. | Article | PubMed | ChemPort | 7. Koh-Banerjee P, Chu NF, Spiegelman D, Rosner B, Colditz G, Willett W et al. Prospective study of the association of changes in dietary intake, physical activity, alcohol consumption, and smoking with 9-y gain in waist circumference among 16 587 US men. Am J Clin Nutr 2003; 78: 719–727. | PubMed | ISI | ChemPort | 8. Kavanagh K, Jones K, Sawyer J, Kelly K, Wagner JD, Rudel LL. Trans fat diet induces insulin resistance in monkeys. Diabetes Care 2006. Proceedings of 66th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association: Abstract 328-OR. www. nature. com/ijo/journal/v31/n6/full/0803616a. html 4/5 1/3/14 International Journal of Obesity Fast food: unfriendly and unhealthy 9. Salmeron J, Hu FB, Manson JE, Stampfer MJ, Colditz GA, Rimm EB et al. Dietary fat intake and risk of type 2 diabetes in women. Am J Clin Nutr 2001; 73: 1019– 1026. | PubMed | ChemPort | 10. Astrup A. Super-sized and diabetic by frequent fast-food consumption? Lancet 2005; 365: 4–5. | Article | PubMed | Acknowledgements SS and JD declare no conflict of interest. AA is medical advisor for Weight Watchers, and is member of several advisory boards for food producers. The Department of Human Nutrition receives/has received research funding from over 50 Danish and international food companies. Otherwise, I declare no conflict of interest. International Journal of Obesity This journal is a m em ber of and subscribes to the principles of the Commit t ee on Publicat ion Et hics. ISSN 03 07 -056 5 EISSN 1 4 7 6 -54 9 7 About NPG Privacy policy Nat urejobs Cont act NPG Accessibilit y st at ement Use of cookies Legal not ice Nat ure Asia Nat ure Educat ion Help Terms RSS web feeds Search: go  © 2 0 1 4 Na t u r e Pu blish in g Gr ou p, a div ision of Ma cm illa n Pu blish er s Lim it ed. A ll Rig h t s Reser v ed. pa r t n er of A GORA , HINA RI, OA RE, INA SP, ORCID, Cr ossRef a n d COUNT ER www. nature. com/ijo/journal/v31/n6/full/0803616a. html 5/5.