Wide Sargasso Sea and The Color Purple Essay examples -- essays resear

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Problems, along with misery, become apart of life whether you’re willing to accept it or not. For those who have accepted such troubles, have also learned to cope with it one way or another. Antoinette’s character in â€Å"Wide Sargasso Sea† and Celie’s character in â€Å"The Color Purple† have both experienced problems with depression, loneliness, violence, inferiority, racism, and self-identity. It is important for such characters as Antoinette and Celie to express their emotions and have a method of working out there issues.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the novel â€Å"Wide Sargasso Sea† by Jean Rhys, the character Antoinette is left mainly to her own free will as a child with no friends and relied on herself to find out that there is a world that can be both peaceful and horrifying. In the first part of the novel, we witness Antoinette’s childhood memories. She remembers the racial tensions and disapproval of white Jamaican women because they were not like â€Å"real white people†, wearing French Caribbean fashions. The white people also feared revenge of the ex- black slaves who follow Antoinette and called her â€Å"white cockroach†. Accepted by neither white nor black society, Antoinette feels great shame and left out. Having witnessed her home burnt down by the ex-slaves, the death of her brother Pierre, and her mother falling ill and mad, Antoinette had to go through it alone and begins to talk to herself for comfort. Being rejected by her mother and every...

Blaine Kitchenware

rP os t 4040 OCTOBER 8, 2009 TIMOTHY LUEHRMAN JOEL HEILPRIN op yo Blaine Kitchenware, Inc. : Capital Structure On April 27, 2007, Victor Dubinski, CEO of Blaine Kitchenware, Inc. (BKI), sat in his office reflecting on a meeting he had had with an investment banker earlier in the week. The banker, whom Dubinski had known for years, asked for the meeting after a group of private equity investors made discreet inquiries about a possible acquisition of Blaine. Although Blaine was a public company, a majority of its shares were controlled by family members descended from the firm’s founders together with various family trusts.Family interests were strongly represented on the board of directors as well. Dubinski knew the family had no current interest in selling—on the contrary, Blaine was interested in acquiring other companies in the kitchen appliances space—so this overture, like a few others before it, would be politely rebuffed. No tC Nevertheless, Dubinski was st ruck by the banker’s assertion that a private equity buyer could â€Å"unlock† value inherent in Blaine’s strong operations and balance sheet. Using cash on Blaine’s balance sheet and new borrowings, a rivate equity firm could purchase all of Blaine’s outstanding shares at a price higher than $16. 25 per share, its current stock price. It would then repay the debt over time using the company’s future earnings. When the banker pointed out that BKI itself could do the same thing—borrow money to buy back its own shares—Dubinski had asked, â€Å"But why would we do that? † The banker’s response was blunt: â€Å"Because you’re over-liquid and under-levered. Your shareholders are paying a price for that. † In the days since the meeting, Dubinski’s thoughts kept returning to a share repurchase.How many shares could be bought? At what price? Would it sap Blaine’s financial strength? Or prevent it from making future acquisitions? Blaine Kitchenware’s Business Do Blaine Kitchenware was a mid-sized producer of branded small appliances primarily used in residential kitchens. Originally founded as The Blaine Electrical Apparatus Company in 1927, it produced then-novel electric home appliances, such as irons, vacuum cleaners, waffle irons, and cream separators, which were touted as modern, clean, and easier to use than counterparts fueled by oil, coal, gas, or by hand.By 2006, the company’s products consisted of a wide range of small kitchen appliances used for food and beverage preparation and for cooking, including several branded lines of deep fryers, griddles, waffle irons, toasters, small ovens, blenders, mixers, pressure cookers, steamers, slow cookers, shredders and slicers, and coffee makers. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ HBS Professor Timothy A. Luehrman and Illinois Instit ute of Technology Adjunct Finance Professor Joel L.Heilprin prepared this case solely as a basis for class discussion and not as an endorsement, a source of primary data, or an illustration of effective or ineffective management. This case, though based on real events, is fictionalized, and any resemblance to actual persons or entities is coincidental. There are occasional references to actual companies in the narration. Copyright  © 2009 President and Fellows of Harvard College. To order copies or request permission to reproduce materials, call 1-800-545-7685, write Harvard Business Publishing, Boston, MA 02163, or go to http://www. bsp. harvard. edu. This publication may not be digitized, photocopied, or otherwise reproduced, posted, or transmitted, without the permission of Harvard Business School. This document is authorized for use only by Atul Singh at JRE Group of Institutions until June 2013. Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. [email  protected] harvard. edu or 617. 783. 7860. rP os t 4040 | Blaine Kitchenware, Inc. : Capital Structure Blaine had just under 10% of the $2. 3 billion U. S. market for small kitchen appliances.For the period 2003–2006 the industry posted modest annual unit sales growth of 2% despite positive market conditions including a strong housing market, growth in affluent householders, and product innovations. Competition from inexpensive imports and aggressive pricing by mass merchandisers limited industry dollar volume growth to just 3. 5% annually over that same period. Historically, the industry had been fragmented, but it had recently experienced some consolidation that many participants expected to continue. In recent years, Blaine had been expanding into foreign markets.Nevertheless in 2006, 65% of its revenue was generated from shipments to U. S. wholesalers and retailers, with the balance coming from sales to Canada, Europe, and Central and South America. The company shipped approximately 14 mill ion units a year. op yo There were three major segments in the small kitchen appliance industry: food preparation appliances, cooking appliances, and beverage-making appliances. Blaine produced product for all three, but the majority of its revenues came from cooking appliances and food preparation appliances.Its market share of beverage-making appliances was only 2%. Most of BKI’s appliances retailed at medium price points, at or just below products offered by the best-known national brands. BKI’s market research consistently showed that the Blaine brand was well-known and well-regarded by consumers. It was associated somewhat with â€Å"nostalgia† and the creation of â€Å"familiar, wholesome dishes. † tC Recently, Blaine had introduced some goods with â€Å"smart† technology features and sleeker styling, targeting higher-end consumers and intended to compete at higher price points.This strategy was in response to increased competition from Asian imports and private label product. The majority of BKI’s products were distributed via a network of wholesalers, which supplied mass merchandisers and department stores, but its upper-tier products were sold directly to specialty retailers and catalogue companies. Regardless of the distribution channel, BKI offered consumers standard warranty terms of 90 days to one year, depending on the appliance. No Blaine’s monthly sales reached a seasonal peak during October and November as retailers increased stock in anticipation of the holiday season.A smaller peak occurred in May and June, coinciding with Mother’s Day, a summer surge in weddings, and the seasonal peak in home purchases. Historically, sales of Blaine appliances had been cyclical as well, tending to track overall macroeconomic activity. This also was the case for the industry as a whole; in particular, changes in appliance sales were correlated with changes in housing sales and in home renovation and hou sehold formation. BKI owned and operated a small factory in Minnesota that produced cast iron parts with specialty coatings for certain of its cookware offerings.Otherwise, however, Blaine, like most companies in the appliance industry, outsourced its production. In 2006 BKI had suppliers and contract manufacturers in China, Vietnam, Canada, and Mexico. Do Victor Dubinski was a great-grandson of one of the founders. An engineer by training, Dubinski served in the U. S. Navy after graduating from college in 1970. After his discharge, he worked for a large aerospace and defense contractor until joining the family business in 1981 as head of operations. He was elected to the board of directors in 1988 and became Blaine’s CEO in 1992, succeeding his uncle.Under Dubinski’s leadership, Blaine operated much as it always had, with three notable exceptions. First, the company completed an IPO in 1994. This provided a measure of liquidity for certain of the founders’ desc endants who, collectively, owned 62% of the outstanding shares 2 BRIEFCASES | HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL This document is authorized for use only by Atul Singh at JRE Group of Institutions until June 2013. Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. [email  protected] harvard. edu or 617. 783. 7860. rP os t Blaine Kitchenware, Inc. : Capital Structure | 4040 ollowing the IPO. Second, beginning in the 1990s, Blaine gradually moved its production abroad. The company began by taking advantage of NAFTA, engaging suppliers and performing some manufacturing in Mexico. By 2003, BKI also had established relationships with several Asian manufacturers, and the large majority of its production took place outside the United States. Finally, BKI had undertaken a strategy focused on rounding out and complementing its product offerings by acquiring small independent manufacturers or the kitchen appliance product lines of large diversified manufacturers.The company carefully followed changes in customer purchasing behavior and market trends. Victor Dubinski and the board were eager to continue what they believed had been a fruitful strategy. The company was particularly keen to increase its presence in the beverage appliance segment, which demonstrated the strongest growth and where BKI was weakest. Thus far, all acquisitions had been for cash or BKI stock. op yo Financial Performance During the year ended December 31, 2006, Blaine earned net income of $53. 6 million on revenue of $342 million.Exhibits 1 and 2 present the company’s recent financial statements. Approximately 85% of Blaine’s revenue and 80% of its operating income came from the sale of mid-tier products, with the line of higher-end goods accounting for the remainder. The company’s 2006 EBITDA margin of nearly 22% was among the strongest within the peer group shown in Exhibit 3. Despite its recent shift toward higher-end product lines, Blaine’s operating margins had decreased s lightly over the last three years. Margins declined due to integration costs and inventory write-downs associated with recent acquisitions.Now that integration activities were completed, BKI executives expected the firm to achieve operating margins at least as high as its historical margins. tC The U. S. industry as a whole faced considerable pressure from imports and private label products, as well as a shift in consumer purchasing preferences favoring larger, â€Å"big box† retailers. In response, some of Blaine’s more aggressive rivals were cutting prices to maintain sales growth. Blaine had not followed suit and its organic revenue growth had suffered in recent years, as some of its core products lost market share.Growth in Blaine’s top line was attributable almost exclusively to acquisitions. No Despite the company’s profitability, returns to shareholders had been somewhat below average. Blaine’s return on equity (ROE), shown below, was signif icantly below that of its publicly traded peers. 1 Moreover, its earnings per share had fallen significantly since 2004, partly due to dilutive acquisitions. Companies 2006 ROE Do Home & Hearth Design AutoTech Appliances XQL Corp. Bunkerhill Incorporated EasyLiving Systems Mean 11. 3% 43. 1% 19. 5% 41. 7% 13. 9% 25. 9%Median 19. 5% Blaine 11. 0% 1 ROE is computed here as net income divided by end-of-period book equity. HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL | BRIEFCASES This document is authorized for use only by Atul Singh at JRE Group of Institutions until June 2013. Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. [email  protected] harvard. edu or 617. 783. 7860. 3 rP os t 4040 | Blaine Kitchenware, Inc. : Capital Structure During 2004–2006, compounded annual returns for BKI shareholders, including dividends and stock price appreciation, were approximately 11% per year.This was higher than the S&P 500, which returned approximately 10% per year. However, it was well below the 16% an nual compounded return earned by shareholders of Blaine’s peer group during the same period. Financial Policies op yo Blaine’s financial posture was conservative and very much in keeping with BKI’s long-standing practice and, indeed, with its management style generally. Only twice in its history had the company borrowed beyond seasonal working capital needs. The first time was during World War II, when it borrowed from the U. S. government to retool several factories for war production.The second time was during the first oil shock of the 1970s. On both occasions the debt was repaid as quickly as possible. At the end of 2006, Blaine’s balance sheet was the strongest in the industry. Not only was it debtfree, but the company also held $231 million in cash and securities at the end of 2006, down from $286 million two years earlier. Given such substantial liquidity, Blaine had terminated in 2002 a revolving credit agreement designed to provide standby credit for seasonal needs; the CFO argued that the fees were a waste of money and Dubinski agreed.In recent years the company’s largest uses of cash had been common dividends and cash consideration paid in various acquisitions. Dividends per share had risen only modestly during 2004–2006; however, as the company issued new shares in connection with some of its acquisitions, the number of shares outstanding climbed, and the payout ratio rose significantly, to more than 50% in 2006. tC 2004 $ 53,112 $ 18,589 41,309 $ 1. 29 $ 0. 45 35. 0% 2005 $ 52,435 $ 22,871 48,970 $ 1. 07 $ 0. 47 43. 6% 2006 $ 53,630 $ 28,345 59,052 $ 0. 91 $ 0. 48 52. 9% No Net income Dividends Average shares outstanding Earnings per shareDividend per share Payout ratio Do The next largest use of funds was capital expenditures, which were modest due to Blaine’s extensive outsourcing of its manufacturing. Average capital expenditures during the past three years were just over $10 million per year. Wh ile they were expected to remain modest, future expenditures would be driven in part by the extent and nature of Blaine’s future acquisitions. In recent years, after-tax cash generated from operations had been more than four times average capital expenditures and rising, as shown in the table below. 4 2004 EBITDA Less: Taxes After-Tax Operating Cash Flow 2005 69,370 24,989 44,380 $ 68,895 24,303 44,592 2006 $ 73,860 23,821 50,039 AVG. 46,337 BRIEFCASES | HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL This document is authorized for use only by Atul Singh at JRE Group of Institutions until June 2013. Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. [email  protected] harvard. edu or 617. 783. 7860. Reassessing Financial Policies in 2007 rP os t Blaine Kitchenware, Inc. : Capital Structure | 4040 In 2007 Blaine planned to continue its policy of holding prices firm in the face of competitive pressures. Consequently, its managers were expecting top line growth of only 3% for fiscal year 2007.Howev er, this growth rate assumed no acquisitions would be made in 2007, unlike the previous two years. While the board remained receptive to opportunities, Dubinski and his team had no target in mind as yet at the end of April. op yo As he reflected on the possibility of repurchasing stock, Dubinski understood that he could consider such a move only in conjunction with all of BKI’s financial policies: its liquidity, capital structure, dividend policy, ownership structure, and acquisition plans. In addition, he wondered about timing. Blaine’s stock price was not far off its all-time high, yet its performance clearly lagged that of its peers.A summary of contemporaneous financial market information is provided in Exhibit 4. Dubinski had begun to suspect that family members on the board would welcome some of the possible effects of a large share repurchase. Assuming that family members held on to their shares, their percentage ownership of Blaine would rise, reversing a downw ard trend dating from BKI’s IPO. It also would give the board more flexibility in setting future dividends per share. Both Dubinski and the board knew that the recent trend in BKI’s payout ratio was unsustainable and that this concerned some family members.Do No tC On the other hand, a large repurchase might be unpopular if it forced Blaine to give up its war chest and/or discontinue its acquisition activity. Perhaps even more unsettling, it would cause Blaine to borrow money. The company would be paying significant interest expense for only the third time in its history. As Dubinski turned his chair to face the window, he glanced at the framed photo behind his desk of his great grandfather, Marcus Blaine, demonstrating the company’s first cream separator—its best-selling product during Blaine’s first decade.A real Blaine Electrical Cream Separator sat in a glass case in the corner; the last one had been manufactured in 1949. HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOO L | BRIEFCASES This document is authorized for use only by Atul Singh at JRE Group of Institutions until June 2013. Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. [email  protected] harvard. edu or 617. 783. 7860. 5 Exhibit 1 rP os t 4040 | Blaine Kitchenware, Inc. : Capital Structure Blaine Kitchenware, Inc. , Income Statements, years ended December 31, ($ in Thousands) Operating Results 2004 2005 2006 $291,940 204,265 Net Income Dividends 63,946 9,914 68,895 73,860 60,682 16,057 63,946 3,506 78,101 24,989 76,738 24,303 77,451 23,821 52,435 $ 22,871 53,630 $ 28,345 5. 5% 11. 1% op yo Earnings Before Tax Less: Taxes 60,682 8,213 53,112 $ 18,589 EBIT Plus: Other Income (expense) 92,458 28,512 62,383 15,719 EBITDA 87,731 27,049 69,370 Operating Income Plus: Depreciation & Amortization $342,251 249,794 62,383 6,987 Gross Profit Less: Selling, General & Administrative $307,964 220,234 87,676 25,293 Revenue Less: Cost of Goods Sold Margins Revenue Growth 3. 2% Gross Margin 30. 0% 28. 5% 27. 0% 21. 4% 19. 7% 18. 7% 23. 8% 22. 4% 21. 6% 32. 0% 31. 7% 30. 8% Net Income Margin 18. 2% 17. 0% 15. 7% Dividend payout ratio 5. 0% 43. 6% 52. 9% EBIT Margin EBITDA Margin Blaine's future tax rate was expected to rise to the statutory rate of 40%. Do No a. tC Effective Tax Ratea 6 BRIEFCASES | HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL This document is authorized for use only by Atul Singh at JRE Group of Institutions until June 2013. Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. [email  protected] harvard. edu or 617. 783. 7860. Exhibit 2 rP os t Blaine Kitchenware, Inc. : Capital Structure | 4040 Blaine Kitchenware, Inc. Balance Sheets, December 31, ($ in Thousands) Assets 2004 Cash & Cash Equivalents 2005 2006 $ 67,391 Goodwill Other Assets Total Assets p yo Property, Plant & Equipment 48,780 49,728 54,874 3,871 5,157 376,351 Total Current Assets 43,235 2,586 Other Current Assets 164,309 47,262 Inventory $ 66,557 196,763 40,709 Accounts Receivable $ 70,853 218,403 Marketable Sec urities 364,449 339,678 99,402 138,546 174,321 8,134 20,439 38,281 13,331 27,394 39,973 $497,217 $550,829 $592,253 $ 26,106 $ 28,589 $ 31,936 22,605 24,921 27,761 14,225 17,196 16,884 62,935 70,705 76,581 1,794 3,151 4,814 15,111 18,434 22,495 79,840 92,290 103,890 Liabilities & Shareholders' Equity Accounts Payable Accrued Liabilities Taxes Payable Total Current Liabilities Other liabilitiesDeferred Taxes tC Total Liabilities Shareholders' Equity Total Liabilities & Shareholders' Equity 458,538 488,363 $550,829 $592,253 Many items in BKI’s historical balance sheets (e. g. , Property, Plant & Equipment) have been affected by the firm’s acquisitions. Do No Note: 417,377 $497,217 HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL | BRIEFCASES This document is authorized for use only by Atul Singh at JRE Group of Institutions until June 2013. Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. [email  protected] harvard. edu or 617. 783. 7860. 7 This document is authorized for use only by Atul Si ngh at JRE Group of Institutions until June 2013.Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. [email  protected] harvard. edu or 617. 783. 7860. 45. 18% 31. 12% Net Debt/Equity Net Debt/Enterprise Value b. Net debt is total long-term and short-term debt less excess cash. a. Net working capital excludes cash and securities. 1. 91x 10. 56x 9. 46x 1. 63x 1. 03 776,427 $1,127,226 $ 350,798 372,293 475,377 LTM Trading Multiples MVIC/Revenue MVIC/EBIT MVIC/EBITDA Market/Book equity Equity beta Market capitalization Enterprise value (MVIC) Net debtb Total debt Book equity $ 21,495 54,316 900,803 $ 976,613 31. 74% 24. 10% 1. 02x 7. 35x 6. 03x 4. 26x 1. 24 17. 97% 15. 23% 1. 5x 8. 65x 7. 84x 2. 51x 0. 96 5,290,145 $6,240,947 $ 950,802 972,227 2,109,400 $ 21,425 353,691 3,322,837 $3,697,952 $4,313,300 721,297 796,497 $ 412,307 XQL Corp. -15. 47% -18. 31% 1. 87x 18. 05x 15. 15x 4. 41x 0. 67 418,749 $ 353,949 $ (64,800) 177,302 94,919 $ 242,102 21,220 68,788 $ 332,110 $ 188,955 19,613 23,356 $ 13,173 EasyLiving Systems 4040 -8- -24. 06% -31. 68% 2. 13x 11. 40x 9. 87x 1. 96x 0. 56 959,596 $ 728,730 $(230,866) 488,363 $ 230,866 32,231 174,321 $ 592,253 $ 342,251 63,946 73,860 $ 53,630 Blaine Kitchenware rP os t 6. 01% 5. 67% 1. 14x 7. 42x 6. 88x 4. 93x 0. 92 3,962,780 $4,200,836 $ 238,056 391,736 04,400 $ 153,680 334,804 815,304 $1,303,788 $3,671,100 566,099 610,399 $ 335,073 Bunkerhill, Inc. op yo 13,978,375 $18,415,689 $4,437,314 4,973,413 3,283,000 $ 536,099 1,247,520 7,463,564 $9,247,183 $18,080,000 2,505,200 3,055,200 $1,416,012 AutoTech Appliances tC No $ 589,747 106,763 119,190 $ 53,698 Home & Hearth Design Selected Operating and Financial Data for Public Kitchenware Producers, 12 months ended December 31, 2006, ($ in Thousands) Cash & securities Net working capitala Net fixed assets Total assets Revenue EBIT EBITDA Net income Exhibit 3 Do Exhibit 4 rP os t Blaine Kitchenware, Inc. : Capital Structure | 4040Contemporaneous Capital Market Data (April 21, 2007 ) Yields on U. S. Treasury Securities Maturity 30 days 60 days 90 days 1 year 5 years 10 years 20 years 30 years op yo 4. 55% 4. 73% 4. 91% 4. 90% 4. 91% 5. 02% 5. 26% 5. 10% Default spread 0. 86% 1. 02% 1. 33% 1. 70% 2. 86% 3. 92% Do No tC Seasoned corporate bond yields Moody's Aaa 5. 88% Aa 6. 04% A 6. 35% Baa 6. 72% Ba 7. 88% B 8. 94% HARVARD BUSINESS PUBLISHING | BRIEFCASES This document is authorized for use only by Atul Singh at JRE Group of Institutions until June 2013. Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. [email  protected] harvard. edu or 617. 783. 7860. 9

Disorder and Symptoms Anorexia Nervosa - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 4 Words: 1204 Downloads: 6 Date added: 2019/08/16 Category Health Essay Level High school Tags: Anorexia Nervosa Essay Did you like this example? Psychological Disorder and Symptoms: Anorexia Nervosa is a disorder classified by extreme weight loss that is not appropriate for the adolescents or adults age. Individuals with this disorder typically display an intense fear of gaining weight or of becoming fat (American Psychiatric Association). Individuals not only fear weight gain when being at target level BMI but also when skinny. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Disorder and Symptoms Anorexia Nervosa" essay for you Create order Weight loss can be an achievement for the individual and weight gain can be a failure for the individual. Often times the individual weighs themselves frequently to check weight and focuses on their body in the mirror to see which areas are fat on their body. These individuals realize that they are skinny but dont realize the extremes they are going to, medically in order to have the body they want (American Psychiatric Association).Symptoms that people generally have with Anorexia Nervosa are; decreased number of calories they should be taking in and reduction of food that they would usually eat. Some more severe symptoms are excessive exercising, purging either by vomiting or with laxative or binge eating. Not only are there physical symptoms that these individuals go through but there are mental ones too. These individuals are in denial of their weight loss and hardly ever complain about it. Problems with weight loss normally come up by the family when they realize how malnourishe d the family member is. An individual with this disorder relies heavily on self-esteem based off of what their distorted body shape looks like and the weight they have lost (American Psychiatric Association). Individuals that have severe symptoms often have bouts of depressive moods, isolate themselves socially and can become irritable. An individual with severe symptoms can also be concerned with eating in public, controlling their environment, and might look emotionally drained. Individuals might also turn to abusing drugs, medications, or alcohol in order to achieve weight loss target. Gender-Related Information: Specifically, what gender this disorder mostly occurs in which is more than 90% are white females and 25% are white males (Wing). The age of onset in individuals with this disorder is prior to 25 and symptoms are generally manifested by 25 to 30 years of age. However, this disorder is rising in young adolescents between the ages of 16-17 so precise statistics are hard to distinguish (Bemis).Etiology of this disorder comes from multiple aspects of the individuals life. There are several different factors that can impact this disorder. According to Kelly Bemis, there have been many clinical reports that have stated that anorexic behavior is first manifested in response to new situations for which existing skills seem inadequate; for example, entering college, marriage, or puberty itself.However, there are also four factors that impact the manifestation of symptoms as well. The first one is the biological dimension which involves being overweight, hormonal differences with puberty and n eurological factors. The second one is the psychological dimension which involves individuals being dissatisfied with their body image or having low self-esteem, lack of control, physical or sexual abuse as a child. The third one is the social dimension which impacts the individuals attitude based off of parents comments or interactions with their childs weight gain or with mothers who are concerned with their childs weight gain. Also, it could stem from being bullied when they were a child due to how much they weighed or they could experience peer pressure of other individuals who are watching their weight or taking laxatives to get rid of their food to have the perfect body. The last impact is the sociocultural dimension which involves social comparison with other people, comparison with females or males on the television and cultural definition of beauty (Wing). Treatment and Interventions: Anorexia Nervosa has one of the highest mortality rates of any mental disorder, and data suggests that early improvement- both early treatment response as well as the recovery within a window of several years- are crucial prognostic indicators according to Heather Thompson-Brenner.Family therapy is just one of the therapies that can be used in treatment for Anorexia. Family therapists core focus is to involve the family and help them to understand that this is not just a problem but a disease for the individual. During this period the therapist helps the individual and the family to understand and work together to help the individual be a healthier person again. Some of the steps include creating a meal plan, helping the child succeed in eating by sitting there until their plate is finished, and not criticizing the child for their eating habits anymore. This therapy has been incredibly successful according to the study done by Leanna Isserlin and Jennifer Couturier.In this study, the therapist is centered completely on therapeutic alliance with the client and his or her family during the treatment. Treatment consists of the family members, the therapist, and the client to a line with each other in order to help the client feel safe and secure in their home environment. The alliance was measured by using the System for Observing Family Therapy Alliances Scale. The results were that clients that gained 85% of their ideal body weight at the end of the treatment had parents who showed a stronger therapeutic alliance with the therapist and adolescent during the treatment time. Overall, family-based treatment is best when the family member, client, and therapist all strive for a common goal which is to help the client be happy and healthy again (Isserlin). Additional Research: If I had more time to research this topic I would dive deeper into the psychodynamics of women and mens brains when having this disorder. I think it would be interesting to understand the differences between what a woman thinks with disease and what a man think with this disease. Women nowadays are so focused on the perfect body or trying to mirror their body off of a character on a tv show or a celebrity in a magazine. It just interests me what men think; do they compare themselves to other men around them or do they focus on only their body. Obviously, men are either good at hiding eating disorders or they just dont have enough records to prove that men are highly susceptible to Anorexia as well. I find it fascinating that the numbers of male and female differ so drastically when dealing with eating disorders. All in all, I would want to delve into the aspects that a man goes through with anorexia to help me understand how men differ from women with anorexia. Summary: Anorexia Nervosa is a disorder that is classified by extreme weight loss that an individual is doing to themselves. Symptoms can vary between subtypes but they all focus on food whether the individual is forcing the food out of there body or starving themselves from the food. Etiology of Anorexia revolves around four main aspects that all involve either how the person sees themselves in society or how society sees them. Treatment for Anorexia is best through therapy whether its psychotherapy, individual therapy, or family-based therapy. They all provide an environment for the individual to understand that they have a problem. Overall, Anorexia is a serious disorder that should be treated promptly to help the individual be happy and healthy.

What Products Were Made from Whales in the 1800s

We all know that men set forth in sailing ships and risked their lives to harpoon whales on the open seas throughout the 1800s. And while Moby Dick and other tales have made whaling stories immortal, people today generally dont appreciate that the whalers were part of a well-organized industry. The ships that set out from ports in New England roamed as far as the Pacific in hunt of specific species of whales. Adventure may have been the draw for some whalers, but for the captains who owned whaling ships, and the investors which financed voyages, there was a considerable monetary payoff. The gigantic carcasses of whales were chopped and boiled down and turned into products such as the fine oil needed to lubricate increasing advanced machine tools. And beyond the oil derived from whales, even their bones, in an era before the invention of plastic, was used to make a wide variety of consumer goods. In short, whales were a valuable natural resource the same as wood, minerals, or petroleum we now pump from the ground. Oil From Whale’s Blubber Oil was the main product sought from whales, and it was used to lubricate machinery and to provide illumination by burning it in lamps. When a whale was killed, it was towed to the ship and its blubber, the thick insulating fat under its skin, would be peeled and cut from its carcass in a process known as â€Å"flensing.† The blubber was minced into chunks and boiled in large vats on board the whaling ship, producing oil. The oil taken from whale blubber was packaged in casks and transported back to the whaling ship’s home port (such as New Bedford, Massachusetts, the busiest American whaling port in the mid-1800s). From the ports it would be sold and transported across the country and would find its way into a huge variety of products. Whale oil, in addition to be used for lubrication and illumination, was also used to manufacture soaps, paint, and varnish. Whale oil was also utilized in some processes used to manufacture textiles and rope. Spermaceti, a Highly Regarded Oil A peculiar oil found in the head of the sperm whale, spermaceti, was highly prized. The oil was waxy, and was commonly used in making candles. In fact, candles made of spermaceti were considered the best in the world, producing a bright clear flame without an excess of smoke. Spermaceti was also used, distilled in liquid form, as an oil to fuel lamps. The main American whaling port, New Bedford, Massachusetts, was thus known as The City That Lit the World. When John Adams was the ambassador to Great Britain before serving as president he recorded in his diary a conversation about spermaceti he had with the British Prime Minister William Pitt. Adams, keen to promote the New England whaling industry, was trying to convince the British to import spermaceti sold by American whalers, which the British could use to fuel street lamps. The British were not interested. In his diary, Adams wrote that he told Pitt, â€Å"the fat of the spermaceti whale gives the clearest and most beautiful flame of any substance that is known in nature, and we are surprised you prefer darkness, and consequent robberies, burglaries, and murders in your streets to receiving as a remittance our spermaceti oil.† Despite the failed sales pitch John Adams made in the late 1700s, the American whaling industry boomed in the early to mid-1800s. And spermaceti was a major component of that success. Spermaceti could be refined into a lubricant that was ideal for precision machinery. The machine tools that made the growth of industry possible in the United States were lubricated, and essentially made possible, by oil derived from spermaceti. Baleen, or Whalebone The bones and teeth of various species of whales were used in a number of products, many of them common implements in a 19th century household. Whales are said to have produced â€Å"the plastic of the 1800s.† The bone of the whale which was most commonly used wasn’t technically a bone, it was baleen, a hard material arrayed in large plates, like gigantic combs, in the mouths of some species of whales. The purpose of the baleen is to act as a sieve, catching tiny organisms in sea water, which the whale consumes as food. As baleen was tough yet flexible, it could be used in a number of practical applications. And it became commonly known as whalebone. Perhaps the most common use of whalebone was in the manufacture of corsets, which fashionable ladies in the 1800s wore to compress their waistlines. One typical corset advertisement from the 1800s proudly proclaims, â€Å"Real Whalebone Only Used.† Whalebone was also used for collar stays, buggy whips, and toys. Its remarkable flexibility even caused it to be used as the springs in early typewriters. The comparison to plastic is apt. Think of common items which today might be made of plastic, and its likely that similar items in the 1800s would have been made of whalebone. Baleen whales do not have teeth. But the teeth of other whales, such as the sperm whale, would be used as ivory in such products as chess pieces, piano keys, or the handles of walking sticks. Pieces of scrimshaw, or carved whales teeth, would probably be the best remembered use of whales teeth. However, the carved teeth were created to pass the time on whaling voyages and were never a mass production item. Their relative rarity, of course, is why genuine pieces of 19th century scrimshaw are considered to be valuable collectibles today.

Historical Conflict Between Palestine And Israel - 1176 Words

On the 13th of September, 1993, a seldom moment between Israeli Prime Minister, Yitzhak Rabin and Palestinian Liberation Organisation Chairman, Yasser Arafat marked a context in history. The Oslo Peace Accords had been written and signed by the two leaders – the newly found peace, marked with a single handshake. Unfortunately, this ideal of a non-violent and diplomatic future did not prevail. The peace process between Palestine and Israel failed due to the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin, subsequent to the handshake signalling the agreement. The continuity of this conflict initially caused by sovereignty and ultranationalism, has resulted in a current inability for both Palestine and Israel to come to terms with an agreeable, nonviolent, two state solution. The historical conflict between Palestine and Israel, the significance of the handshake, reactions, Rabin’s assassination and effects, as well as the current situation between Palestine and Israel will be discussed in order to account for the failure of the peace process. Firstly, the historical conflict between Palestine and Israel is both complex and extensive. In 1882, the Zionist movement sought to identify a place whereby Jewish people could create settlements. To the Jewish, Palestine appeared as the most optimal and logical place as it holds the site of Jewish Origin – Jerusalem. During the diaspora of World War 2, an increase in Jewish migration to Palestine created consciousness for the Palestinians. PreludingShow MoreRelatedIsrael Palestine Panel Reflection Paper852 Words   |  4 Pages Israel-Palestine Panel Reflection I grew up in a world with little insight into the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. 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As a center for the worlds three major religions, with a history of political divisions and borders, as well as historical claims to the territory, it calls for a peaceful coexistence and sensitive diplomacy which will enable an accepted agreement. Jerusalem is a prize which, for thousands of years, has been fought over. Israeli’s and Palestinians live side-by-side inRead MoreThe Palestinian Conflict Of The Middle East1654 Words   |  7 PagesIsraeli-Palestinian Conflict The creation of two sovereign states is the only possibility of a peaceful end to the conflict over historical Palestine in the Middle East. To achieve this, a third-party must offer enough incentive to both the Arabic and Jewish states and create a sovereign Palestinian state. This is not a very probable outcome, as the conflict is rooted in the peoples’ traditions and beliefs making it much harder to compromise. 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Conscious Efforts Equate to Saving Lives Free Essays

Livery cab driver killings — the challenge that New York City had to combat and a situation that allowed authorities to prove that they were doing their job. The killing of livery cab drivers was a time that united the people of New York (Rashbaum, 2000). Livery cab driver killings had been a major problem in New York for over 30 years. We will write a custom essay sample on Conscious Efforts Equate to Saving Lives or any similar topic only for you Order Now Every year, policemen and the government had to deal with countless investigations to provide justice for dozens of killed drivers each year. Not only were the livery cab drivers killed — they were also robbed (Rashbaum, 2000). The people who had enough means and power to do something about it, like the government and the New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers, did something about it, and here are as follows: The New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers led by Fernando A. Mateo employed several safety measures to reduce livery cab driver killings. Mateo and his subordinates obliged all livery cab drivers to put bulletproof partitions inside the livery cabs. Because of this, the livery cab drivers were divided into parts where the livery cab driver was protected from his passenger who may have been a potential robber or murderer, through a wall or divider. While the wall or divider, or what the federation technically terms as partition, can prevent robbery, it obviously may not keep the livery cab drivers from murder at all since bullets can pass through walls. This possibility was a major concern of the New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers. To counterattack what was left of the problem, the federation ordered livery cab drivers to use bulletproof partitions. Bulletproof material prevented the livery cab drivers from getting shot. To further make this protective measure effective, livery cab drivers were ordered to close the partitions all the time. While it was true bulletproof material was used as a shield from gun shots and other means of killing, these partitions still made a driver susceptible to killing once it is left open. The use of surveillance cameras was also ordered by the city and the federation. Through this, a livery cab driver was given the chance to put another eye at the passenger’s area. The driver can readily see the potential harms a passenger may do even before he does it. A passenger, for example, who releases a gun from his bag, will be readily seen by the driver. The time the potential murderer is releasing a gun is also the time a driver can call the police or employ other preventive measures to protect his own life. That time, every time a driver became suspicious of a passenger, he can readily report it to the policemen who were monitoring him through a secret alarm system. The city’s mayor, Rudolph W. Giuliani, showed his support for these safety measures by providing each livery cab driver with enough financial assistance. The city released $5 million worth of protection equipment. Each livery cab driver in New York City was given $325. This amount of money served as an assistance to pay for the needed equipment like partitions and bulletproofing. Surveillance cameras cost $700. This means that the city paid for half the total expense of a driver for one surveillance camera. If a driver chose to put up a partition inside his livery cab, then he may put up one which cost $275 on the average. The city, together with the New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers, employed other preventive and protective measures without the use of material things. The city revised its law regarding the punishment for liver cab driver killers and robbers. Tougher sanction was applied in which another two to three years were added to the years a convict will have to spend in jail. Police decoy was also widely used. This was another preventive and protective measure to investigate murder and robbery cases more efficiently. With the use of police decoy, an officer pretended to be a livery cab driver. He went around the neighborhood to get passengers and picked up their fares. This was an effective step since robbery and murder reduced from 2,000 to 455 cases. The efficient investigation allowed for this impressive change in the statistics. Aside from police decoys who served as patrols, protection was maximized especially when livery cab drivers were required to stop at areas where there were police officers. These officers obliged drivers to pull over to see their current condition. The police officers ensure the safety and protection of drivers by checking the passengers. Police officers were able to prevent 50 possible livery cab driver killings by spotting 50 passengers with guns. Such intense conscious effort caused very pronounced victory than expected. Before 2000, no single year has passed without dozens of livery cab drivers being killed. When these aforementioned measures were employed, the year came when no single case of livery cab driver killing or robbery was reported. With this change in statistics, the New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers and the government of New York City proved that with efficient action, achieving a goal becomes possible. Because of this, the federation and the city became more inspired with employing more measures to totally alleviate killings so that such victory won’t last for only a year. To maintain positive changes, the federation and the government worked hand in hand to put up tracking systems for the drivers. This way, the drivers were always monitored. The police tracked down the whereabouts of every livery cab driver. Adolfo Carrion, Jr., New York City’s councilman, was willing to co-sponsor this to further improve livery cab driver killings. In 2000, statistics dramatically changed from drastic to impressive when it comes to cases of killings. Every livery cab driver did not just begin to feel safer and more secured with his job — his children and wife patiently waiting at home were finally able to sleep soundly at night. All they needed to wait for was a goodnight kiss from their father. References: Michaelluo. (2004). Police Measures Avert Livery Cab Killings. New York Times. Retrieved December 1, 2007, from http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/07/nyregion/07livery.html ?ei=5007en=f4b0e5806c7261cex=1391576400adxnnl=1partner= USERLANDadxnnlx=11143479799ScWbxozk+DIlE+9e5ddS Rashbaum, W. K. (2000). After Deaths, City Plans Millions for Livery Cab Safety. The New York Times. Retrieved December 1, 2007 from http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html ?res=950CE2DA1631F936A25757C0A9669C8B63 Â   Â   Â   How to cite Conscious Efforts Equate to Saving Lives, Essay examples

Project Management Technique For Wal-Mart †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Project Management Technique For Wal-Mart. Answer: Introduction The project that is selected for the application of theproject management technique in this report is that of the development of the website for the Wal-Mart in their business that would be helping them to support the administration and the support of their talent resources. The Wal-Mart is American multinational companies that are famous for their retail business. They run large number of departments and also run a large number of warehouse stores. The company has over 200 million employees employed for their departments and also is one of the largest retailers of the world. The report is concerned with the stakeholders and the details of the stakeholders that are related to the project and are also associated with the project. Stakeholder Analysis For the analysis of the stakeholders to be done at first the identification of the stakeholders are to be done. The stakeholders list: INTERNAL EXTERNAL Affected by the Project Process Owner of the organization The project Manager of the project The employees involved in the project Project team Staffs of the company The software providers The domain providers The third party company Competitors Affected by the Project Result The workers of the company The sponsors of the company The human resource department of the company The stakeholder identification and the prioritization matrix: STAKEHOLDER: Owner STAKEHOLDER: Human Resource Department STAKEHOLDER: Project Manager STAKEHOLDER: Employees What is important to this Stake Holder The owner of the company has the most important requirement for this project. The project would help the owner of the company to manage the resources that are in place for the organization and ultimately help them to increase the efficiency of the company and reduce the cost for the company. The human resource would also feel the project to be of utmost importance for them as this would help them in managing the human resources of the company quite well. The project manager would be playing a very important role in the project as he would be working as the leader of the project. The employees are one of the most important stakeholders for this project as they would be interested in the appraisal and the evaluation from the websites. Power The owner of the company has the most power for the company and also has the ultimate say on the project. (10) The power of the human resource department would not be much but they would be the ones that would be affected by the implementation of the website.(5) The power of the project manager would be quite high but his power would not be the highest though. (8) The power of the employees would be the least for the project. (5) Interest The owner has the most interest on the project as the project would directly affect the business of the owner. (10) The interest of the human resource department would also be very high. (8) The interest of the project manager would be quite high but not same as that of the owner or the HR department. (7) The interest of the employees would be very high for the project. (10) Influence The owner would have a very small influence on the overall project but he would be having the ultimate say on the project. (5) The human resource department would not have much of an influence on the project. (5) The project manager would be having the most influence on the project and would be having the direct influence on the project. (10) The influence of the employees on the project would be low comparatively. (5) Impact The owner would be impacting on the project as he would be one taking ht e most important decisions in the project. (7) The impact of the human resource department on the project would be quite low. (5) The impact of the project manager on the project would be quite high. (8) The employees would be having a the most impact on the project as they would be responsible for the completion of the project on time and with the allotted budget.(10) Urgency The owner would be having the maximum urgency as the completion of the project would enable the owner to profit from the project. (8) Although, the urgency would not be as high as the owners but they would be having a high rate of urgency for the project to be completed. (8) The project manager would be having the equal amount of influence on the project as that of the owner and the HR department. (8) The urgency of the employees would also be the most for the project. (10) Legitimacy The owner is the most legitimate stakeholder in the project. (10) The legitimacy of the human resource department would be quite high. (7) The legitimacy for the project manager would be quite high on the project. (8) The employees would be having a variable legitimacy for the project. (5) Total 50 33 49 45 Priority: Although the owner would not have the maximum priority but he would be having sufficient amount of priority. The HR department has a high priority but not has high as the rest The project manager is second in the list of priorities. The priority of the employees for the project is also quite high for the project. The alternate breaks for the project stakeholder matrix are provided below: SATKEHOLDER INTEREST IN PROJECT PRIORITY SUPPORT/MIGRATION STRATEGIES Staffs of the company High interest Key Supports the project team The sponsors for the project High interest Key Provides the fund for the project. The software providers Low interest Other Provide the software support for the project The domain providers Low interest Other The domain providers would be provide the domain services for the project. The third party vendors Low interest Other The third party vendors would aid the project externally. Project decision making guide Project Method When The Decision of the Sponsor The sponsor decides the project is viable for funding or not. The Decision of the Owner The owner takes the important decisions for the project. The Decision of the Project Manager The project manger will take the immediate decisions for the project. The decisions of the employees The technicians would be taking the important decisions regarding the technicalities in the project. Stakeholder engagement assessment matrix Stakeholder engagement assessment matrix Stakeholders Unaware Resistance Neutral Supportive Leading Project manager C D Sponsor C D CEO C D Owner C D Communication Matrix Project communication plan Purpose Structure Methods Timing Discussing Project goal The existing organizational structure Meeting Conferences Email Weekly basis Setting of direction organizational structure Meeting Daily Cost management organizational structure Meeting Weekly Benefits of the project organizational structure Meeting Weekly Change management organizational structure Meeting Monthly Project meeting agenda Project team: Please fill Date: Please fill Time: Please fill Place: Please fill Purpose of the project documentation: The purpose for the discussion of the project is about the implementation of the website for the company so that they can evaluate the performances of the employees and can easily keep track of them. Topic for discussion: The discussions would be about the domain requirements of the website that is required by the company. Review agenda: The website that is to be implemented is to be reviewed. Summary: After the meeting was conducted the decision about the resource provider and the resource provider were discussed in the meeting and the providers were decided upon after the meeting. Meeting evaluation: The meeting would be conducted in the presences of the chairman headed by the CEO of the company. Issue to be discussed in the meeting Plus (+) Delta () The benefits of the website would be discussed. There are requirements for the expenses regarding the maintenance of the website. The benefits of the evaluation system would also be discussed. The evaluation system might also hamper the mentality of the company. Bibliography Fleming, Q.W. and Koppelman, J.M., 2016, December. Earned value project management. Project Management Institute. Heldman, K., 2015.PMPproject management professional exam deluxe study guide: updated for the 2015 Exam. John Wiley Sons. Kerzner, H., 2013.Project management: a systems approach to planning, scheduling, and controlling. John Wiley Sons. Larson, E.W. and Gray, C., 2013. Project Management: The Managerial Process with MS Project. McGraw-Hill. Leach, L.P., 2014.Critical chain project management. Artech House. Mir, F.A. and Pinnington, A.H., 2014. Exploring the value of project management: linking project management performance and project success.International journal of project management,32(2), pp.202-217. Schwalbe, K., 2015.Information technology project management. Cengage Learning. Turner, R., 2016.Gower handbook of project management. Routledge. Verzuh, E., 2015.The fast forward MBA in project management. John Wiley Sons. Walker, A., 2015.Project management in construction. John Wiley Sons.