Essay On Biofeedback Technology - 853 Words

Innovations in biofeedback technology provide the unique opportunity for dynamic and visual intervention of articulatory disorders, especially in cases where the target sound is hard to describe or see. One of the primary modes of this visual biofeedback is electropalatography (EPG), which provides information about tongue-hard palate contact points through sensors integrated in a custom-made artificial palate moulded to fit against a speakers hard palate. EPG intervention has been previously investigated in its efficacy in remediating persistent misarticulations and found to have short-term benefits for children and adolescents who are profoundly deaf or hard of hearing (Bacsfalvi, Bernhardt, and Gick, 2003; Bacsfalvi, Bernhardt, and†¦show more content†¦Established long term benefit would be strong support in adopting EPG intervention into mainstream therapy methodology. In addition, there is the barrier of cost. Since, the intervention equipment itself is not easily obtained by speech pathologists, a strong evidence base with more large scale randomized studies is necessary to justify the cost of this intervention method. Currently, many of the studies examining this method of intervention are comprised of a small case series or a single case study due to the wide variation in articulatory errors assessed by this method of therapy. It is generally accepted that it is difficult to stereotype the articulatory patterns of deaf and hard of hearing individuals, due to the wide range of variability in segmental production between and within speakers of normal hearing (Vuckovich, M. 2006). For this reason, this intervention method has largely been evaluated via case series. However, adjusting targets to examine a more comprehensive battery of sounds would allow for a larger sample size and randomized design. It has yet to be investigated if individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing need continued practice with electropalatography technology in order to establish long term generalization of articulatory patterns. It would be crucial to determine production improvements of treatment targets, generalization targets, as wellShow MoreRelatedThe Implementation of Office Automation System: Positive and Negative Impacts1262 Words   |  5 PagesModel Analysis Essay Introduction With factory and farm work revolutionizing the world economy, Office Automation Systems have influenced the white-collar job and changed the society. We have seen both positive and negative impacts attributed to the new system. Therefore, it is incumbent on people to guide and understand the change process to effect positive impacts. Office Automation Systems has unquestionably had impacts on all office employees (Daft Marcic, 2009). 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Decision Making; Medicaid Cuts - 1255 Words

Decision Making: Medicaid budget cuts An emergency manager’s meeting was called this morning to announce the 2009 fiscal budget cut’s starting June 1, 2009. The North Carolina Department of Health and Hospitals has cut Medicaid payments for hospital services by 15 % to reduce the state s budget deficit.These budget changes will directly affect private insurers with significant focus on the Medicaid recipients in the rural low income population located in Eastern North Carolina. During this called meeting a manager mentioned the Informed Decision Toolbox, she read about in an article for her graduate program. This article mentions steps or processes to help decide which services could be eliminated or introduced to continue to provide†¦show more content†¦Evaluate the decisions and outcomes by continuously reviewing the data and develop measureable goals. Since implementing the services provided by the clinic the organizational budget should be reduced by 15 % before the next fiscal year. Having bu y in from the community to support services the clinic has eliminated from the operating budget will be a win-win situation for all involve. In step 4, applying the Informed Decision toolkit to the changes implemented during the adjustment to the budget. Steps three and four are similar in the approach of evaluating the progress of the decision and measuring the goals. An option to assistance with budget changes is allowing healthcare providers to practice in clinic; service for space option. The idea of this option, is allowing medical providers practice clinic which is fully operational while caring for Medicaid patients with simple needs. Medicaid recipients will receive health screening such as a diabetes and hypertension. Another win -win situation, decrease emergency room visit for Medicaid patients and medical provider will eliminate healthcare facility overhead cost due to service for space agreement. Determining if the progress will work or if more research in the validity is needed is the next step of the IDT. Putting the decision to work for the manager or the policymaker is step 5. Rundall states, â€Å"Actionability questions include whetherShow MoreRelatedDecision Making in Health Care1528 Words   |  7 Pagescare providers. Budget cuts are not just a speculation but are a reality. Decision-making to provide quality patient care with less money is a challenge at best. Health care management decisions are made daily and these affect many patients both positively, and negatively. Texas state department budgets are continuing to become leaner, and the Medicaid population seems to be continually growing. 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This should save money and pay what is owed to Medicaid-CMS† (Miller, personal communication July, 2nd, 2017). However on problematic billing issue with Medicaid, the Omaha World Herald article mentions, â€Å"it’s more instability to a system that’sRead MoreDecision Making Case Study1281 Words   |  6 PagesDecision-Making Case Study HCS/514 Decision-Making Case Study The current state of the economy has had a significant impact on health care across the country. Recipients of Medicaid services have especially been hit hard in the health care arena with budget cuts and reduced services. The Maricopa County Clinic is not different when it comes to budget cuts. The department providing outpatient services to Medicaid clients has received a 15% budget cut. The current budget constraintRead MoreThe Oregon Health Services Commission1647 Words   |  7 PagesCommission addressed budget cuts in 1990 by proposing a list of Medicaid services. 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The majority of the revenue that goes to the General Fund is obtained by tax revenue such as the insurance taxes Alabama collects. The two biggest expenses within the General Fund are Medicaid and the Department of Corrections. Overall, the General Fund receives roughly 15 percent of Alabama’s total appropriations yearly, with Medicaid taking roughly 35 percent and the Department of Corrections taking an estimated 22 percent. In 2014, Medicaid cost the

Being There For You free essay sample

You have been the unshakeable fortress, the endless source of support and self strength, my only source of inspiration. During my tough years, you have always been there to pick me up when I fell, always there to push me through difficult situations, and to stabilize me when my balance faltered. You taught me from right and wrong; you taught me how to pick myself up and to not feel sorry for myself, to work with what I have instead of thinking about what I don’t have. You pushed me to the limit and you made me believe in myself. From the days I sprinted to your room in the middle of the night running away from my endless nightmares, to the night I had my first girlfriend. From all those nights you laid in bed with me narrating all of your childhood stories to the night I went away for boarding school, always your support has been endless continuous and persistent and for that I am eternally thankful. We will write a custom essay sample on Being There For You or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Thanks to you, I have been able to move on with my life, taking risks, and pushing through pains, because I know you are always going to be there when I fall. Now grandpa is gone and it is my turn. For the first time I saw him cry, it was like watching an impenetrable fortress to crack and fall into pieces like watching an ancient tree to fall out from it’s roots. The shock left me speechless, I ran out of words to say, things to do or think about, because no matter what I say it wouldn’t make the pain and grief go away. Experiencing this conglomerate of emotions left me restless making me feel like my feet were glued to the ground disabling me from any attempt of motion. During the ceremony I truly did not know what to expect, sitting in the first row with my cousin Diego helped me avoid all those familiar faces that at some point were going to turn awkward. The priest began the ceremony speaking beautifully about grandpa and all my mind focused on was my dad. The priest came down from the podium going down the stairs he approached the front row, where my dad, aunts and uncles were sitting, as he came down he grabbed the picture of my grandpa that was sitting on top of his ashes. At that point I was able to see how my dad’s shoulders and chest shrugged and contracted when the priest turned around the picture revealing the picture on the back. It was a picture of â€Å" Tita† my dead grandmother who I did not get the privilege to meet for she died 20 years ago. Seeing my dad’s approach in the ceremony inspired me greatly. The way he handled himself during the funeral displayed a great deal of self restrain and inner strength by e nduring the entire ceremony. As the ceremony proceeded it came to the last part, the end of the funeral, but before it was over my dad had elaborated a small speech, a closing speech about my grandpa. People can think what ever they want about procrastinating and the quality of are when done at the last minute, but it was understood by everybody that no one, had ever summarized the life of a great individual so beautifully, detailed and concrete on a napkin. The words that came out of my dad’s mouth made my grandpa’s spirit to arise from his ashes and fall into our hearts becoming immortal; he described 88 years of hard and unceasing work. 88 years of feeding and providing for 12 children, providing them with all the opportunities in within his possibilities, making sure all his children grew up to be honest and humble individuals who knew how to live, a life of righteousness and tenacity. It is a strange feeling to have to switch roles with someone like your dad, and become his back support, but to me there is no greater feeling than being needed for your family and being able to be there for them whenever and wherever. The passing away of â€Å" tito† my grandpa left me with a lot of questions but also with some answers about life and death. I learnt that giants also hurt, that giants also need someone to lean on to, someone where they can find shelter and strength.

Kinship free essay sample

This paper investigates the phenomenon of borrowing of the kinship terms from one language to another. The languages under inquiry are Punjabi and Urdu in an area where both the languages are spoken as the major languages. It is natural for languages to adopt words from other languages due to their contact with each other. The paper explores the contact situation of Urdu and Punjabi with particular focus on the phenomenon of the borrowing of the kinship terms. In order to investigate the matter quantitatively ten subjects were selected, whose first language (L1) was Punjabi. A questionnaire was made containing kinship terms of Urdu language and the subject knowledge of the Punjabi kinship terms was checked. In a community where the speakers are bilinguals with Punjabi and Urdu languages, the study shows that Urdu kinship terms are preferred over Punjabi kinship terms to such an extent that the speakers use Urdu kinship terms even when they speak their mother tongue, namely, Punjabi. We will write a custom essay sample on Kinship or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Introduction: Kinship is one of the universals in human society and therefore plays an important role in both the regulation of behavior and the formation of social groups. Kinship systems depend on the social recognition and cultural implementation of relationships derived from descent and marriage and normally involve a set of kinship terms and an associated set of behavioral patterns and attitudes which, together, make up a systematic whole. All societies distinguish various categories of relation-ship by descent or consanguinity, and most societies distinguish relationships by marriage or affinity as well. Although dictionary definitions differentiate these relationships, it is convenient to extend the term â€Å"kinship† to cover both kinds. The resulting network of social relations may constitute almost the whole social structure in some of the simpler societies or be a relatively small part of a highly complex structure, as in modern industrial societies. In either case, however, the system of kin-ship and marriage plays an important role in maintaining group cohesion and solidarity and in orienting the individual members to the social maze. The use of the term â€Å"system† implies that there is a complex relation of interdependence between the component parts: the social categories and the associated rights and duties. Lexical borrowing can be defined as the adoption of individual words from another language. It happens when two languages are in contact and one language borrows lexical items from the other language. Borrowing is the process which requires language contact. It means there should be at least a certain degree of bilingualism for some people with the donor language and the recipient language. In this study the donor language is Urdu and the recipient language is Punjabi and the lexical items which are analyzed are the kinship terms. Objectives: The paper aims to: ?Compare the Urdu and Punjabi kinship terms. ?Explore the borrowing of the kinship terms when the speakers of a community use Urdu and Punjabi languages. ? language Investigate the influence of Urdu on Punjabi in urban areas with particular focus on the kinship terms. Punjabi Language: The Punjabi language is a member of the Indo-Aryan subdivision of the Indo-European family. It is spoken by more than 100 million people in Punjab (in Pakistan and north western India). Over 44% of Pakistanis learn it as their first language and about 70% of Pakistanis can understand it. Kinship Terminology in Punjabi and Urdu: The kinship terminology in both the Punjabi and Urdu languages is very extensive and specific. The system makes crucial reference to three parameters: age, consanguinity (relation by blood or marriage) and laterality (relation on the mother’s side or father’s side). As a result, instead of general terms as „uncle? or „aunt? , highly specific terms are used. English-speaking people do not distinguish linguistically between uncle „father’s brother? , „mother’s brother? , „father’s sister’s husband? , „mother’s sister’s husband? , but Punjabi and Urdu languages do distinguish between all of these different relationships. The assumption is that this differential linguistic labeling reflects differences in the structures of different societies and in the roles and behavior which are expected of individuals having particular relationships with one another (Trudgill 1992). Table 1: Urdu and Punjabi kinship terms Urdu TermPunjabi Term AbbuAbbu/Abba AmmiAmmi/Amma BetaPutar BetiDhee Bara BhaiLala/Veer/bhra Chota BhaiKaka/Nikka BehanBhain DadaDada/Baba DadiDadi/Wade amma NanaNana NaniNani ShoharKhasam/Karwala/Banda BiviKarwali/Budhi DulhaLara/Nadha/Ghabru DulhanWohti/Lari TayaBaba/Taya/wade Abbu TayeeBabi/Tayee/wade Amma ChachaChachu ChachiChachi PhuphaPhupher PhuphiPhupho KhaluKhalu/Maasser KhalaaMaasee/khala MamuMama/Mamu MamaniMami BhabhiBharjayee BhatijaPatriya/Bhatriya BhatijiPatri/Bhatri BhanjaBharyya/Bhanja/Panewa BhanjiBharyye/Bhanji/panewee BehnoyeeaBhanuja/Bharwiyya SalaSala SaleharSalehar SaliSali SandhuSandha/Sandhu NandNinnan JaithJaith JaithaniaJaithani DewarDeor DewaraniDarani DamadJawayee BahuNoo Pota Potra PotiPotri DotaDotra DotiDotria SuserSora SaasSas Population: Ten respondents were selected randomly whose first language (L1) was Punjabi and who were residing in the urban and rural areas of Sargodha. Sargodha is a multi-cultural city where Punjabi and Urdu are the major languages. Procedure: A questionnaire was made consisting of 50 vocabulary items i. e. Urdu kinship terms. The respondents were asked to write down the equivalent Punjabi terms as well as the terms that they use when they speak Punjabi. Results and Analysis of the Data: The respondents proficiency as well as their usage of Punjabi kinship terms was checked by the questionnaire and the results were found as follows: Total number of respondents: 10 First Language (L1) of the respondents: Punjabi Table 2: Results of the Questionnaire Urdu Kinship TermNumber %age of the respondents who knew equivalent Punjabi termNumber %age of the respondents who reported that they use Punjabi term when they speak Punjabi Abbu10(100%)3(30%) Ammi9(90%)5(50%) Beta10(100%)8(80%) Beti10(100%)7(70%) Bhai9(90%)7(70%) Behan7(70%)3(30%) Shohar8(80%)4(40%) Bivi9(90%)3(30%) Dulha 7(70%)2(20%) Dulhan8(80%)4(40%) Phupha9(90%)2(20%) Khalu8(80%)1(10%) Khala10(100%) 2(20%) Mamu10(100%)1(10%) Mamani10(100%) 4(40%) Bhabhi9(90%)3(30%) Behnoyee8(80%)2(20%) Nand9(90%)4(40%) Dewar7(70%)1(10%) Dewarani8(80%)2(20%) Bahu10(100%)5(50%) Pota9(90%)3(30%) Dota10(100%)3(30%) Susser10(100%)2(20%) Damad7(70%)4(40%) Average values9(90%)3(30%) The data show that nine out of total ten respondents which become 90% of the total population under investigation know the Punjabi kinship terms. 10% of the population does not know the Punjabi kinship terms at all. As for the usage of Punjabi kinship terms, only 30% of the population (only three out of ten) uses Punjabi kinship terms while speaking Punjabi. They prefer Urdu kinship terms even when they speak Punjabi. Discussion: The literature reviewed and the data collected show that the Punjabi language is clearly borrowing kinship terms from the Urdu language where the two languages are spoken in the same area. People with Urdu and Punjabi bilingualism prefer Urdu kinship terms even when they speak Punjabi. Their first language (L1) is Punjabi, the data show that 10% of the population does not know the Punjabi kinship terms at all. This population knows only Urdu kinship terminology. Out of the 90% population who knows the Punjabi kinship terms, only 30% uses Punjabi kinship terms while speaking Punjabi. Most of the respondents reported that they prefer Urdu kinship terms even when they speak Punjabi. The summary of kinship terms (Table 1) shows that most of the kinship terms of Urdu and Punjabi are similar; yet there are some differences. The Punjabi language is a member of the Indo-Aryan subdivision of the Indo-European language family. Over 44% of Pakistanis learn it as their first language. Urdu was formed around the 1600? s in Central Asia. It has borrowed numerous linguistic items from Perso-Arabic and Indo-Aryan languages. So in the course of its development Urdu might have borrowed kinship terms from Punjabi with some changes due to its different phonological system. Now it is surprising that Punjabi is borrowing the kinship terms back from Urdu exactly in the same way as they are used in Urdu because Urdu is enjoying more prestige than Punjabi. Conclusion: The study shows that the Urdu kinship terms are preferred over Punjabi kinship terms to such an extent that the speakers use Urdu kinship terms even when they speak in their mother tongue i. e. Punjabi. Some of the Punjabi speakers have even lost their L1 kinship terms. The paper highlights the phenomenon of borrowing of kinship terms in urban areas from comparatively high prestige language i. e. Urdu to low prestige language i. e. Punjabi. It shows that the Punjabi speakers living in urban areas could not fully retain their L1 kinship terms and adopted the Urdu kinship terms. The study also highlights the phenomenon of lexical borrowing as one of the potential factors involved in the change of lexicon of a language in language contact situations.

Free Essays on The Library Card

Responding to Reading In the story, â€Å"The library Card,† Richard Wright took one step closer to achieving the American dream. However, in order to fully understand how he did so, one must first understand exactly what the American Dream is. I asked a few of my closest friends what their best definition of the American Dream was. They all came up with fairly similar answers to this question. The American Dream is having a good job, good family, and just pretty much well off. It is being wealthy and the best at what you do. It is being knowledgeable. The books that Richard Wright tried so desperately to attain helped him to get a better handle on the American dream. If Richard Wright had never read those books, chances are, he would never have made the effort to pick up his life and move it along. Upon reading Mencken and other great authors, he found out more about why white people acted the way that they had. He had a better grasp on why they treated him the way that they had. Wright then became more knowledgeable. In order to attain the American dream, you must have knowledge because knowledge is power. The books that Wright read introduced new obstacles in his life. The major one that he had to overcome was the fact that he knew what people thought of him, yet he was still unable to say anything about it. He had to live his life the exact same way and it killed him inside. He longed to say something to the white men, but knew better. Sometimes, silence kills. In this case, it was a huge obstacle that Richard Wright may never have overcome.... Free Essays on The Library Card Free Essays on The Library Card Responding to Reading In the story, â€Å"The library Card,† Richard Wright took one step closer to achieving the American dream. However, in order to fully understand how he did so, one must first understand exactly what the American Dream is. I asked a few of my closest friends what their best definition of the American Dream was. They all came up with fairly similar answers to this question. The American Dream is having a good job, good family, and just pretty much well off. It is being wealthy and the best at what you do. It is being knowledgeable. The books that Richard Wright tried so desperately to attain helped him to get a better handle on the American dream. If Richard Wright had never read those books, chances are, he would never have made the effort to pick up his life and move it along. Upon reading Mencken and other great authors, he found out more about why white people acted the way that they had. He had a better grasp on why they treated him the way that they had. Wright then became more knowledgeable. In order to attain the American dream, you must have knowledge because knowledge is power. The books that Wright read introduced new obstacles in his life. The major one that he had to overcome was the fact that he knew what people thought of him, yet he was still unable to say anything about it. He had to live his life the exact same way and it killed him inside. He longed to say something to the white men, but knew better. Sometimes, silence kills. In this case, it was a huge obstacle that Richard Wright may never have overcome....

The 54 Best Engineering Scholarships

The 54 Best Engineering Scholarships SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Do you have the brains and passion to become an engineer, but are worried about the cost of the education? The following list of scholarships will show you that you have nothing to fear. Students of all backgrounds will find that there is an engineering scholarship out there for students like them that will help to make that seemingly unaffordable education slightly more palatable. Read on to see what engineering scholarships you may be eligible for! There are hundreds of engineering scholarships out there. Many are aimed at certain students- those interested in a particular school, of a certain ethnic background, or a specific gender. As you can see, students from all walks of life are interested in pursuing degrees and careers in engineering. Not only can a degree in engineering lead you into a high-paying job after graduation, but these degrees help place you and the country at the forefront of technological innovations. Because of this, there are many engineering scholarships available, sponsored both by private organizations and the national government. The scholarships on this list are aimed at graduating high school seniors and college undergraduates. They are also aimed at US citizens or permanent residents, and are open to almost all students studying engineering in accredited programs, with the main restrictions being location and grade level. There are many other engineering scholarships available that are specifically targeted at underrepresented groups in this field, such as women, minorities, and international students- but they won’t be found on this list. We will create separate lists later for those specific categories. In this article, I will cover many of the prominent engineering scholarships, as well as others that you may not have heard of before. You'll find them in the following categories: General Engineering Scholarships Mechanical Engineering Scholarships Civil Engineering Scholarships Aerospace Engineering Scholarships Nuclear Engineering Scholarships Keep in mind that this list is not comprehensive. There are hundreds of engineering and STEM scholarships out there. If you still don’t see one on this list that seems right for you, don’t despair. Try searching for what you're looking for- there is a good chance that it’s out there! Engineering Scholarships for High School Students High school is a great time to start working on getting financially prepared for college. While many of the scholarships listed below are only for students who have already started their degrees, a number of them are open to high school seniors who know they want to focus on engineering. The scholarships that are marked with an asterisk (*) are open for applications by high school students. General Engineering Scholarships These scholarships usually stipulate that you need to be in an engineering or related degree (like information technology), but do not specify what field of engineering you need to be in to be eligible. Astronaut Scholarship Foundation Students must be nominated by faculty for this $10,000 award. Students must be majoring in engineering, natural or applied sciences, or math, and intend to do research or get an advanced degree after graduation. Students should be at least undergraduate sophomores who have done lab work and research, and have excellent grades. They should also show initiative, creativity, and excellent in their field of choice. You do NOT need to be planning on becoming an astronaut. Students must be attending one of the following schools: Brown University, Clemson University, Florida Institute of Technology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Harvey Mudd College, Louisiana State University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Miami University of Ohio, North Carolina State University, North Dakota State University, Ohio State University, Pennsylvania State University, Purdue University, Syracuse University, Texas AM University, Tufts University, University of Arizona, University of Central Florida, University of Chicago, University of Colorado, University of Kansas, University of Kentucky, University of Michigan, University of Minnesota, University of Oklahoma, University of Rochester, University of Southern California, University of Texas at Austin, University of Virginia, University of Washington, University of Wisconsin, or Washington University in St. Louis. ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers) Scholarships ASHRAE awards several scholarships to students studying engineering degrees that could lead to work in the heating, air conditioning, ventilation, or refrigeration fields, at many grade levels. Students have to submit one application and they will be considered for the scholarships they are eligible for. To be eligible you should have a GPA of at least 3.0 and be in the top 30% of your class, and be enrolled in or planning to enroll in an accredited engineering program. The application includes a cover letter, statement about your finances, essays, three letters of recommendation, and ASHRAE student membership. *High School Senior Scholarship: $3,000 non-renewable. Deadline: May 1st. Undergraduate Engineering Scholarships: Deadline November 15th. Includes two $10,000 scholarships, eight $5,000 scholarships, and one $3,000 scholarship. ASHRAE Region IV Chapter (Including students in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia): $5,000. Deadline December 1st. ASHRAE Region III Chapter (Including students in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington D.C.): $3,000. Deadline November 15th. ASHRAE Region VIII Chapter (Including students in Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, and Mexico): $3,000. Deadline November 15th. ASCO Numatics Industrial Automation Engineering Scholarship Two $5,000 scholarships will be awarded to engineering students based on their potential for leadership and making a difference in the engineering and automation professions, particularly related to the application of fluid control and fluid power technologies. Students must have completed their sophomore year in college and winners are not eligible for future scholarships. The application deadline and procedure changes every year. *BMW/SAE Engineering Scholarship This annual scholarship is provided by BMW. You must be a US resident, with a GPA of 3.75 or higher and have scores in the 90th percentile or above on both the Math and Critical Reading sections of the SAT or ACT. You must be pursuing an engineering or related science degree. One recipient each year will receive $1,500. The prize can be renewed for up to three additional years for a total of $6,000. The deadline is January 15th. David Hermance Hybrid Technologies Scholarship This scholarship is available to college sophomores who are pursuing an engineering or related degree, and who have a GPA of 3.5 or better. The application deadline is February 15th. *Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies Scholarship Current high school seniors who have a GPA of 3.0 or above and have scores in or above the 90th percentile on the SAT or ACT are eligible for this scholarship. You should be planning to pursue a BA or AA in engineering or technology, and you should be a past or present student of a Ford Next Generation Learning Community, or a past or present student of an afterschool, weekend, summer or college or Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies program. There’s no need to apply- if you’re eligible, you’ll by selected by your Ford Next Generation Learning Community. Recipients will be selected and notified by the end of June. One $5,000 award is given every year. *Edward D. Hendrickson Engineering Scholarship In order to be eligible for this scholarship, you should be a US resident with a GPA of at least 3.75 and SAT or ACT scores in the 90th percentile or above. You’ll also have to be pursuing an engineering or related science degree. One student will be awarded $5,000 every year, and the awards are renewable for 3 more years for a total of $20,000. Applications are due on January 15th. *Donald and Barbara Mozley Scholarship This scholarship is open to high school seniors as well as college students pursuing degrees in engineering. You should have a GPA of 3.5 or better, SAT math score of 600 or above and critical reading of 550 or above, or an ACT composite score of 27 or above. You’ll also need to be able to show financial need through a completed FAFSA form, and have a letter of recommendation. Up to seven awards of $5,000 per year will be granted. You are eligible to win the award more than one year, but you will have to re-apply each time. The deadline is January 15th. *Han P. Loewen Scholarship The American Nuclear Society awards this $2,000 scholarship to a high school senior or college freshman or sophomore who is enrolled in a STEM degree. You will have to submit an essay about your leadership qualities and how you help others to meet their goals. You will need to be a member of the ANS in order to be eligible for this award. The application deadline is Feburay 1st. *The Maintenance Council of American Trucking Associations Donald D. Dawson Technical Scholarship Applicants should be US Residents with a GPA of at least 3.25 (high school) or 3.0 (students transferring from accredited 4-year universities) or 3.5 (students transferring from technical/vocational schools) who are going to pursue degrees in engineering or a related science. You should also have an SAT math score of 600 or above and critical reading score of 550 or above, or a composite ACT score of 27 or above. One award of $1,500 will be granted every year. The deadline is January 15th. Professional Engineers in Industry Scholarship Application Applicants for this award must be sponsored by a member of the National Society of Professional Engineers, and preference will be given to children, relatives, and dependents of NSPE members. You should have completed at least two semesters of an undergraduate engineering program before you apply. *Fred M. Young Sr. Engineering Scholarship This scholarship is for students pursuing engineering degrees who have a GPA of 3.75 or better and at least 90th percentile scores on the SAT or ACT. One scholarship of $1,000 per year. It is renewable for up to three years, for a total of $4,000. Deadline is January 15th. *Tau Beta Pi Scholarship This scholarship is for high school seniors who are US residents who have a GPA of 3.75 or higher, and scores in at least the 90th percentile on either the SAT or ACT. They should be pursuing degrees in engineering or a related science. Six scholarships will be given each year that are worth $1,000. The deadline is January 15th. Rocky Mountain Coal Mining Institute Engineering/Geology Scholarship College sophomores and juniors are eligible for this scholarship. You should be a US citizen and legal resident of Arizona, Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Texas, Utah, or Wyoming. You’ll need to be pursuing a degree in engineering or a mining-related field, and have an interest in Western coal as a career path. One award of $2,750 will be given to a student from each state listed (8 awards total). The award can be renewed for a second year. The application deadline is February 1st. SAE Long Term Member Sponsored Scholarship College juniors (who are engineering majors) who have been active supporters of SAE should apply for this award. Several $1,000 scholarships will be given every year. The application deadline is February 15th. William R. Kimel, P.E., Engineering Scholarship College juniors living and attending school in either Kansas or Missouri can apply for this scholarships. You should have a high GPA, internships and extracurricular activities, and honors or awards in engineering. You will have to submit an application form, resume, transcript, and two letters of recommendation, as well as an essay. The award is $2,500 and the deadline is March 1st. Paul H. Robbins, P.E., Honorary Scholarship Rising college juniors majoring in engineering are eligible for this award. You will need to be a member of the National Society of Professional Engineers, have a high GPA, internships and extracurricular involvement, honors and awards dating back to your senior year of high school, and be able to write a strong essay about what your engineering career goals are and how you arear going to achieve them. You will need to submit an application, transcript, resume, and two recommendation letters from professors. The deadline is March 1st. Awards are up to $10,000. The Steinman Scholarship The Steinman Scholarship is awarded to two rising juniors every year. You should have a high GPA, strong internships and extracurricular activities, and strong faculty recommendations. You will have to submit a completed application form, a resume of your activities and work experience, at least one recommendation letter (more is better), a transcript, and a 500-word essay on the importance of ethics in engineering. The awards are for $5,000 and the application deadline is March 1st. Yanmar Scholarship This scholarship is for college juniors who are getting an engineering degree and are taking courses related to the conservation of energy in transportation, agriculture, and construction, and power generation. They are particularly interested in research and study on internal combustion engines. Applicants will be judged on their academic performance, areas of study and research, awards, and leadership. One award of $1,000 will be given each year and may be renewed for one year. The application deadline is March 15th. *West Virginia Engineering, Science and Technology Scholarship Program This program is intended to help West Virginian students pursue careers in engineering. You should have a GPA of at least 3.0 from high school or your first two semesters in college, be enrolled or planning to enroll in an engineering or related science program. And agree to work full-time in an engineering job in West Virginia for at least one year per number of years you receive the award. Instead of work, you can also begin an engineering or science community service program. Students can win up to $3,000 per year. Mechanical Engineering Scholarships These scholarships are specifically for students who are getting a degree in mechanical engineering. *ASHRAE Scholarships for Mechanical Engineering ASHRAE awards several scholarships to students studying engineering degrees that could lead to work in the heating, air conditioning, ventilation, or refrigeration fields, at many grade levels. Students have to submit one application and they will be considered for the scholarships they are eligible for. To be eligible you should have a GPA of at least 3.0 and be in the top 30% of your class, and be enrolled in or planning to enroll in an accredited engineering program. The application includes a cover letter, statement about your finances, essays, three letters of recommendation, and ASHRAE student membership. The J. Richard Mehalick Scholarship is available for undergrad mechanical engineering students at the University of Pittsburgh. The award is $3,000 and the deadline is December 1st. The David C. J. Peters Scholarship is available to a full-time mechanical engineering undergraduate student at one of the following universities: CSU Chico, CSU San Diego, CSU Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, CSU Cal Maritime, CSU Long Beach, Pennsylvania State University, North Carolina State University, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (aka Virginia Tech), Clemson University, University of Nebraska at Lincoln or Omaha, University of Nevada at Las Vegas or Reno, Oklahoma State University, and University of Texas at Austin. The Minnesota, New Jersey, and Central New York ASHRAE Chapters each award $3,000 to an undergraduate mechanical engineering student within their geographical boundaries. The award is $5,000 and the deadline is November 15th. *Dan and Vicky Hancock Scholarship for Mechanical Engineering Excellence Applicants should be high school seniors or above who have a GPA of at least 3.5 and SAT mqath schore of 600, critical reading score of 500 or above, or ACT composite scores of 27 or above. You should be pursuing a mechanical engineering or related science degree. For the application you will need to include a completed FAFSA form and two letters of recommendation. One award of $5,500 will be given every year. You are eligible to win the award multiple years, but you will need to reapply each year. The deadline is March 15th. Ralph K. Hillquist Honorary SAE Scholarship College juniors who are studying mechanical engineering or an automotive-related engineering discipline can apply for this scholarships. They particularly are interested in students who show interest in areas related to noise and vibration, such as statics, dynamics, vibration, and physics. The award will be based on academic performance and leadership activities, as well as any special honors in the field. Every year an award of $1,000 will be given. The application deadline is March15th. *Lucy and Charles W. E. Clarke Scholarship This scholarship is for high school seniors who have been active on a FIRST FTC (tech challenge_ or FIRST FRC (robotics competition) team and are planning on enrolling in a mechanical engineering degree. Students will need to be nominated by an active ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) member. The application includes the nomination letter, a resume with your GPA and extra curricular activities, a transcript, evidence of financial need, and a letter of recommendation about your technical, creative, and leadership contributions to your FIRST team. Multiple awards of $5,000 will be given each year. The deadline is March 31st. Kenneth Andrew Roe Scholar This $13,000 scholarship is available to mechanical engineering students in their junior or senior year of college. Applicants must be members of ASME, and will be judged on their grades, character, leadership, integrity, and potential to contribute to the mechanical engineering profession. The deadline is March 1st. ASME Foundation Scholar This renewable scholarship is available to college sophomores, juniors, and seniors who are getting degrees in mechanical engineering and have a minimum GPA of 3.5. You will need a letter of recommendation from an ASME member, and you will need to maintain your GPA in order for the reward to be renewable. The deadline is March 1st. Garland Duncan Scholarship Up to two $5,000 awards will be given to mechanical engineering juniors or seniors who demonstrate financial need. Winners will be selected based on leadership, academic ability, and potential to contribute to the mechanical engineering field. The deadline is March 1st. Willis F. Thompson Memorial Scholarship This scholarship is awarded to a sophomore, junior, or senior mechanical engineering undergrad who is a member of ASME and is also able to demonstrate an interest in the field of power generation. Up to three winners will be given $4,500 based on their academic achievements and potential to contribute to the mechanical engineering profession. Melvin R. Green Scholarship This scholarship will be given to two students in their junior or senior year based on financial need. You should also show leadership, academic achievement, potential to contribute to the mechanical engineering field. Applicants will need to be ASME members. The award is for $4,000 and the application deadline is March 1st. American Electric Power Scholarship This scholarship is given to ASME members who are juniors or seniors in college. You should be abelt to show an interest in power engineering. Preference will be given to students who are studying in Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, or West Virginia. The award is for $4,000 and the application deadline is March 1st. William and Marijane E. Adams, Jr. Scholarship This scholarship is given to a sophomore, junior, or senior student who is a member of ASME and can demonstrate financial need. You should be attending college in California, Hawaii or Nevada, and have a special interest in product design and development. You will need a minimum GPA of 2.5. The award is for $3,000 and the deadline is March 1st. ASME Power Division Scholarship This scholarship is for a sophomore, junior or senior ASME member who is particularly interested in fuels, combustion, or the power industry. Students will be judged based on financial need, academic ability, and the potential to contribute to the mechanical engineering profession. The award is for $3,000 and the deadline is March 1st. F.W. Beichley Scholarship This scholarship is for a junior or senior ASME student. Students will be judged based on leadership, integrity, character, financial need, academic ability, and the potential to contribute to the mechanical engineering profession. The award is for $3,000 and the deadline is March 1st. Stephen T. Kugle Scholarship This scholarship is for a junior or senior ASME member who attends a public college in Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas (except for the University of Texas at Arlingon), Utah or Wyoming. Students will need to have at least a 3.0 GPA and be a US citizen by birth. The award is for $3,000 and the deadline is March 1st. Allen J. Baldwin Scholarship, Berna Lou Cartwright Scholarship, Sylvia W. Farny Scholarship, Agnes Malakate Kezios Scholarship, Charles B. Scharp Scholarship These scholarship are for a junior ASME student. These scholarships can only be used to fund the final (senior) year of studies. Up to ten awards total for $3,000 will be given and the deadline is March 1st. John Rice Memorial Scholarship ASME Metropolitan Section This scholarship is for a junior or senior ASME member who attends one of the following universities: City College/CUNY, College of Staten Island, Columbia University, Cooper Union, Manhattan College, NYC Technology College of City University, Polytechnic Institute of New York University, SUNY/Maritime College. Students will be judged based on academic ability, leadership, integrity, character, and the potential to contribute to the mechanical engineering profession. The award is for $3,000 and the deadline is March 1st. John Elsa Gracik Scholarship and ASME Foundation Hanlet Scholarship Up to 11 awards of $2,500 will be given to students who are freshmen, sophomores, juniors, or seniors pursuing degrees in mechanical engineering and are members of ASME. Students will be judged on academic ability, financial need, character, leadership, and potential contributions to the mechanical engineering profession. The application deadline is March 1st. Marcus N Bressler Memorial Scholarship This scholarship is for a junior or senior ASME member who is particularly interested in industries using or manufacturing pressure vessels and related components. Students will be judged based on academic ability, and the potential to contribute to the mechanical engineering profession. The award is for $2,500 and the deadline is March 1st. Frank Dorothy Miller Scholarship This scholarship is for a sophomore, junior or senior ASME members. Students will be judged based on character, integrity, leadership, academic ability, and the potential to contribute to the mechanical engineering profession. Up to two awards for $2,000 will be given, and the deadline is March 1st. Allen Rhodes Memorial Scholarship This scholarship is for a sophomore, junior or senior ASME member who is particularly interested in the oil and gas industry. Students will be judged based on academic ability and the potential to contribute to the mechanical engineering profession. Preference will be given to students who are enrolled at Villanova University. The award is for $2,000 and the deadline is March 1st. Civil Engineering Scholarships These scholarships are specifically for students interested in pursuing a career in civil engineering. Charles Tiney Memorial ASCE Student Chapter Scholarship College freshmen through seniors who are enrolled in a civil engineering or related program, and are also members of an ASCE Student Chapter, can apply for this award. You will have to turn in a completed application form, a personal statement about why the student should receive the award (including talking about financial need), a detailed financial plan, transcript, resume, and at least two letters of recommendation. The award amount varies annually. The deadline is March 1st. CI Construction Engineering Student Scholarship Available to students who are freshmen, sophomores, or juniors, and are enrolled in a civil engineering program with a concentration in construction engineering or construction management. Students should be members of either the Construction Institute or ASCE National, and be in good standing. You will need to submit transcripts as proof of good academic standing, as well as three reference letters either from professors or professional internships. You will be expected to write a statement about your professional goals after graduation, and also include a resume that highlights your professional, research, and leadership positions. The award is renewable for two years (a total of three years). The amount varies based on the funds available and the student’s financial circumstances. The deadline for applications is April 1st. Eugene C. Figg, Jr. Civil Engineering Scholarship This scholarship is available to college juniors or seniors who are enrolled in civil engineering degree programs and who are interested in bridge design and construction. You should be a student member of the American Society of Civil Engineers in good standing. You’ll have to complete an application, write a statement about your interest in bridge design, a financial statement about how you will use the award as well as an annual budget, official transcripts, a resume, and a minimum of two letters of recommendation. The award amount varies but is usually around $3,000. The deadline to apply is February 10th. John Lenard Civil Engineering Scholarship A maximum of two awards per year will be given to sophomore, junior, or senior college students who are focusing their engineering degrees around water supply or environmental engineering. You have to be majoring in civil engineering to be eligible, and also be a student member of the American Society of Civil Engineers. You will need to submit a completed application form, a personal statement detailing why you should receive the scholarship, including your financial need and plans for your education, an essay on how civil engineering can improve the environment, official transcripts, a resume, and at least two letters of recommendation. The amount of the award depends on available funds but is usually around $2,000. This scholarship is NOT renewable, but you may apply for and win it more than once. The deadline is February 10th. Lawrence W. and Francis W. Cox Scholarship College sophomores, juniors, and seniors who are in a civil engineering program can apply for this scholarship. You should be a student member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and be in good standing. You will have to submit a completed application form, along with a personal essay about why you want to become a civil engineer and how you have participated in the ASCE, a detailed annual budget, official transcripts, a resume, and a minimum of two sealed recommendation letters. The award amount varies. Though it is not renewable, you are able to apply for and win the scholarship more than once. The deadline is February 10th. Robert B. B. and Josephine N. Moorman Scholarship Another scholarship open to college sophomores, juniors, and seniors who are majoring in civil engineering, this award is given to one student annually and is not renewable. You will need to complete an application form, a personal essay of 500 words about why you want to become a civil engineer and your long-term goals, a detailed annual budget, transcripts, a resume, and two recommendation letters. The award is usually around $2,000. The application deadline is February 10th. Samuel Fletcher Tapman ASCE Student Chapter Scholarship This scholarship is awarded to a maximum of 12 students every year who are college sophomores, juniors, or seniors. You’ll need to be pursuing a degree in civil engineering, and be a member of your local ASCE student chapter in good standing. To apply you will have to fill out an application form, write a personal statement about why you should get the award and your plans for your education, a brief financial statement about how you will finance your education if you get the award, an official transcript, a resume, and at least two letters of recommendation. The awards are of $3,000. It’s not renewable but you can apply and win more than once. The deadline for applications is February 10th. Aerospace Engineering Scholarships If aerospace engineering is your thing, read on! Vertical Flight Foundation Scholarship This scholarship is for students who are in at least their second semester at an engineering school who are interested in a career in aircraft engineering. You will have to complete an application form (including a personal statement about your academics and interest in rotorcraft or VTOL engineering), and also send a resume, transcript, and at least one letter of recommendation. Several awards are given each year, ranging from $1,000 - $5,000. The application deadline is February 1st. AIAA Scholarships The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics gives out several scholarships every year for college students who have completed at least one semester of college in aerospace engineering or a related science. Applicants must have a GPA of 3.3 or higher, be AIAA student members, and have to use the scholarship for academic expenses. Rewards are not renewable, but students may apply for and win these scholarships multiple times. Students will be judged on their academic achievements, career goals (assessed in a 500-1000 word essay), three recommendation letters, and extracurricular activities. The deadline for these scholarships is January 31st. Wernher von Braun Scholarship: $5,000 George and Vicki Muellner Scholarship for Aerospace Engineering: $5,000 David and Catherine Thompson Space Technology Scholarship: $5,000 Space Transportation Scholarship: $1,500 Liquid Propulsion Scholarship: $2,500 Leatrice Gregory Pendray Scholarship: $1,500 Digital Avionics Scholarship: $2,000 *Olin E. Teague Scholarship The National Space Club offers this scholarship to encourage young people to pursue degrees in aerospace fields. High school seniors are eligible to apply. You will need to submit your high school transcript, at least one letter of recommendation, a statement about your academic plans that could lead to a career in aerospace sciences and technology, and a research paper at least 3 pages long. The award is for $4,000 and the application deadline is October 12th. Nuclear Engineering Scholarships *American Nuclear Society Incoming Freshman Scholarship This scholarship is for high school seniors who are going to enroll full-time in a nuclear engineering program. Consideration will be given to high school academics, freshman courses that you have chosen, letters of recommendation, and a 500-word essay. Four awards will be given of $1,000. The application deadline is February 1st. The Kent Hamlin Memorial Scholarship This scholarship is for students pursing an associate degree (2 year degree) and who are interested in the nuclear power industry. You should show an interest in and commitment to a career in the industry. NEED Scholarship Award for Community College and Trade School If you are currently in community college but are hoping to transfer to a four year university to study nuclear engineering, this scholarship is for you. Two awards of $2,000 will be given. The application deadline is February 1st. ANS Undergraduate Scholarships If you have completed at least one year of a nuclear engineering degree, you are eligible for several undergraduate scholarships offered by the ANS. ANS gives out over 20 scholarships of $2,000. The application deadline is February 1st. What's Next? Interested in getting a head start on some computer engineering before college? Learn about what the JavaScript TypeOf Function is and how it works here. Make sure that you stay on top of your high school GPA while taking rigorous classes to be considered for these kinds of scholarships. You should also know how to get a high score on the SAT and ACT to be eligible for these engineering scholarships. Also check out our list of full-ride scholarships for more ideas on how to fund your college education. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

UPS and TNT Express Business Model Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

UPS and TNT Express Business Model - Assignment Example Its market positioning among its competitors and the pricing criteria on the services and goods it trades on are the important factors of this element. United Parcel Services incorporation on this element regard on its business model can be contributed by its type of business and how it implements its business strategy.UPS incorporation is a business entity that engages primarily in delivering of packages and documents (Fairburn and Kay 1989). Also, in the recent periods, the firm has extended its service business to supply chain solutions that involves freight forwarding, customs brokerage, fulfillment, returns, financial transactions and even repairing services. The firm also, in extension offers less than truck transportation services where it is the leading provider in U.S market. The firm delivers to 6.1 million consignee worldwide, packages to 1.8 million shipping customers each day. Its supply chain services also, extend to clients in 175 countries (Libert and Samek 1997). The firm has invested in both ground and air network worldwide to offer its service deliveries to its customers under a single integrated pickup and delivery service structure. The firm has positioned itself in the market as the leading company by leading in technology development in order to improve service delivery among the global package delivery and supply chain management companies (Hubbard, 2001). The firm has a flexible scale of services and integrated solution that allows clients have an opportunity to choose the delivery service that will fulfill their intended requirement and the price they can afford from the variety of the services offered (Henry, 2002). The firm has invested a lot in equity branding by delivering quality services that are reliable and innovative products (Damodaran, 1997). This has been made successful through investing in employees by enabling them to have stock ownership in the firm. Thus, the employees dedicate their efforts in making the firm the best among the rest because they view the company as one of their own. TNT Express is involved in the service business of transferring documents and goods globally (Porter,1985). Service delivery is customer oriented because the clients are the one who selects the time and day when to pick up an order and when it should be delivered (Gropelli, 2006). The firms culture on being a robust and strong attitude and spirit of ‘can do’, has helped the employees in solving problems to carry out daily duties and responding to shareholders and the outside world of TNT Express. TNT Express positions itself in the market as the most admired delivery company by working on the core values of being a passionate company to its customers, people caring, keeping promises and working on mentality of I can do attitude. In order to achieve its values, the company has developed and implemented a TNT Express Integrity Program and an Introduced TNT Express Business Principles structures (Reish, 198 8). Thus, the acquisition of TNT express will raise the new firm performance in the parcel and document transfer industry competitively because of the combined synergy that will be realized by the merger idea. Synergy of the new firm will be realized due to the market competitive each of the firm have in their respective domestic markets. UPS Incorporation as the leading industry player in North America will enable TNT Express services to be implemented in North America as it has rich information on how to penetrate the domestic

3 English Assignments Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

3 English Assignments - Assignment Example Below examples of all five definitions, this will hopefully help everyone understand vectors. Scalars are quantities that can only be measured. Temperature and time are examples of a scalar. Examples of time being measured would be a child’s word per minute (wpm). Supposes Child X reads 118 wpm. The equation for this example would be: This equation states velocity equals 17 meters per second. That is the measurement of velocity, but velocity has another part. Velocity also has direction. To correctly state velocity one must state an object is travelling 17m/s South. The measurement of velocity is called speed. Thus velocity is made up of direction and speed. Velocity is a quantity that can be defined as a vector. Directions as defined in relation to vectors are as seen on a compass; North, South, West, and East. In order to be considered a vector, the object must be going a direction that can be seen on the compass. If an individual is unsure if a quantity qualifies as a scalar or vector, just question if the quantity is heading a direction that can be mapped on a compass like the one below. The compass is separated into 360 °. Right angles are between each direction (N,S,E,W). North and South are separated by 180 °. Thus vectors are given a specific direction. Examples can be written two ways: The easiest way to explain this concept is the 30 ° North of East is 30 ° of the arrow from the East sign to the North sign or 60 ° North to the East side. The directions are 90 ° for each four sections of the compass. Vectors are quantities that have measure and direction. A bicycle, ball, car, and other objects can be measured and follow a compass direction. Vectors are symbolized as arrows and points. Below is an example of a vector. Vectors are simply something that can be measured with direction that can be tracked on the compass. Vectors are extremely important in physics. Vectors can be â€Å"acceleration, force,

Extended commentary of During Wind and Rain by Thomas Hardy Essay Example for Free

Extended commentary of During Wind and Rain by Thomas Hardy Essay On the Title: An ambiguous and interesting choice of title, in that it is – as I will show – both incongruous with the tense (or time-scale) used in the poem and draws the reader’s attention to descriptions of the weather. The word â€Å"during† makes the weather conditions affect the present. However, the poem is mostly written in the historic present and many of the stanzas depict images of bright, pleasant days – not the â€Å"wind and rain† alluded to in the title. There is clearly an intentional discrepancy being orchestrated here by Hardy. Quote SLS: â€Å"Beware â€Å"during†, the incongruous preposition.† Overall Structure: Four stanzas of seven lines, with a very strange (but regular) rhyme scheme. Hardy uses a very odd structure indeed. The rhyme scheme utilised in the poem consists of: ABCBCDA. There are multiple effects of this: * The sixth line in the stanza breaks the poetic flow of the stanza, as it is the only line not to rhyme with another – hence acting like a mid-stanzaic volta. It draws attention to itself. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that the sixth line of every stanza breaks away from the theme of familial happiness painted in the previous five lines, and turns the subject to the contrasting theme of death. Observe the refrains used! * The drawn out â€Å"A† rhyme encompasses the entirety of each stanza. Given that the last line (about death) is linked to the first (about life), is Hardy trying to show the unavoidable connection of life and death? * Seven lines to each stanza perhaps represent a week, just as the four stanzas represent the seasons? Very poor allusion. Themes: Death, Family life, Time, The Seasons. Difficult Language Notes: â€Å"Blithely† means â€Å"happily†. First Stanza Notes: â€Å"They sing their dearest songs – He, she, all of them – yea, Treble and tenor and bass, And one to play; With the candles mooning each face Ah, no, the years O! How the sick leaves reel down in throngs!† This poem is one full of repetition and refrain. The general layout of each stanza, in terms of theme, organisation and repetition of certain lines, remains constant. Each stanza, for example, opens with an image of a family – presumably the same one throughout – in a place, or carrying out an action, in a unified and â€Å"happy† way. This stanza evokes a scene of the Victorian family gathered, singing, around a piano (â€Å"one to play†), as piano playing and â€Å"sing-a-long† was, of course, very common in Hardy’s time. Note how he only uses personal pronouns; distancing effect? Hardy goes to perhaps extreme lengths to show the family’s unity. On a critical note, one could criticise his rather inefficient use of the first four lines of this poem, but that is not our aim. Some analysis: * â€Å"They sing their dearest songs†. Note the use of a superlative adjective in â€Å"dearest†. It is the first of many. We may query its meaning; perhaps it indicates a certain reverence to familial attitude, both in Hardy and in the family itself. They are enjoying it! * â€Å"He, she, all of them.† Illustrates a togetherness within the family – one which (as Hardy will later comment upon) Death inevitably overcomes. The following line regarding the different musical voice (â€Å"Treble and tenor and bass†) illustrates a similar thing, but is used to point out that Death affects all elements of family, regardless of age. How very depressing – we’re only at line 3! Even better, he does this in all stanzas. * â€Å"– yea† Note use of colloquial (conversational) affirmative. Not only is it used to force the rhyme scheme, but it contrasts with the later â€Å"Ah, no†, which is negative. Hardy does this in all stanzas. Without jumping ahead, however, it is simply a friendly comment of approval. * â€Å"With the candles mooning each face† Night time scene. Interesting, seeing as it contrasts with the other images presented, which are all in bright daylight. * â€Å"Ah, no; the years O!† Thus we encounter the â€Å"inter-stanzaic volta†. Not only does the rhyme scheme depart from regularity (We label the sixth line in all stanzas the ‘D’ rhyme, as it is the only line not to have a rhyming companion). It signifies a departure from the pleasant theme of the unadulterated joy of family life, and an arrival at the theme of its death – or the fact that it is all going â€Å"to pass† eventually. As before mentioned, the â€Å"Ah, no;† contrasts with the previous affirmative. The actual sense of this line is rather obscure. We assume that Hardy is implicitly commenting on the fact that â€Å"the years† take away/ damage the family life – as they pass, so does the family and its happiness. â€Å"O!† is an ejaculation, expressing sadness or mourning for the family. * â€Å"How the sick leaves reel down in throngs!† Hardy furthers his ideas about death. Here is a line referring to the autumnal decay of life – leaves falling – and the way in which it precedes Death. Note how the leaves, when considered in â€Å"throngs†, may represent people? In the same way, a â€Å"reel† is a type of dance; is this (a slightly sick) dance of death? Unlikely, but we must remember that Hardy has no qualms with tragic irony. Second Stanza Notes: â€Å"They clear the creeping moss – Elders and juniors – aye, Making the pathways neat and the garden gay; And they build a shady seat Ah, no; the years, the years; See the white storm-birds wing across!† Once again, Hardy begins his stanza with an image of the family, this time in the garden – presumably in spring, as suggested by the fact that they are clearing the remains of winter (â€Å"the creeping moss†), whilst he describes the garden as â€Å"gay†. One can immediately recognise the structural similarities shared with the first stanza, as well as the meaning behind the â€Å"pleasant† image. * Note that Hardy now observes that both â€Å"Elders and juniors† participate – again, he differentiates between the different members of the family, but now uses the factor of age, as opposed to musical voices. This serves only to strengthen the original analysis; that unity may be visible and, indeed, enjoyable, but it is only fleeting in the face of Death. Lovely * Observe how the family’s actions are arranged around both â€Å"making the place neat/pretty† and around comfort. â€Å"Making pathways neat† and â€Å"building a shady seat† have only temporary effects upon happiness – the â€Å"moss† will grow back, the pathways will become untidy in time, when Winter (representing Death and decay) comes. Thus we find that Hardy is setting up, within his â€Å"pleasant† image, the backdrop upon which he wishes to point out that all happiness, joy – and life itself – is fleeting. * Or is it an image of the â€Å"futility of human endeavour† – the weather will erode the order imposed upon it, and ultimately Death will prevail? * On an aside: evidence for the scene being set in spring: if the seat is shady, then surely the sun must be out in broad daylight – not a symptom commonly associated with the Wintry illness! Ah, no; the years, the years; See the white storm-birds wing across! And yet, on cue, Hardy revives his alternative theme – this time with a slightly different D rhyme/phrase. The colloquial negative remains, but Hardy uses the echo of â€Å"the years† to emphasize the passage of time. He uses the same phrase in the fourth stanza, yet repeats the primary ejaculation in the third stanza (they alternate). The final line of the stanza is rather interesting. â€Å"Storm-birds† sound like mythical beasts – perhaps the extremity of phrase reflects that of Death? – yet they are most likely geese, flying away before Winter comes. It is not as disturbing an image as that of the leaves â€Å"reeling†, but it again points to the same idea. The use of strong verbs in all final lines in all stanza adds to their strength: â€Å"reel† in Stanza One, â€Å"wing† in the second, etc. â€Å"To wing† itself is an unusual choice, perhaps adding to a sense of the supernatural. Think back to â€Å"Neutral Tones† and the â€Å"ominous bird a-wing†. The verb has the same effect here. Third Stanza Notes: â€Å"They are blithely breakfasting all – Men and maidens – yea, Under the summer tree, With a glimpse of the bay, While pet fowl come to the knee Ah, no; the years O! And the rotten rose is ript from the wall.† Here Hardy is at last explicit about the season and its effects; much as Autumn and Winter are representative of Death and decay, spring and summer bear idyllic delights. In this stanza, we find ourselves in the latter. One cannot â€Å"overdo† the emphasis which Hardy applies to the seasons. He pictures human life as tragically linear, whilst comparing it to the inevitably cyclical seasons. In the end, the seasons – especially Winter – bring about the decay of a finite life. And yet, to begin with, this stanza suggests that the family are blissfully unaware of that fact. * Once again, we find the family in unity and happy – seeing as they are â€Å"blithely breakfasting† – suggesting a disregard for the potential decay and sadness. They appear to live in the happy present. * It has been suggested that the family have now grown up, seeing as they are now described as â€Å"Men and maidens† as opposed to â€Å"Elders and juniors†. Side point – no way to substantiate claim. Of course, now Hardy differentiates between them using sex – all the more differences which Death can overcome. * Allusions to an Arcadian ideal – a perfect landscape, full of happiness – are impossible to avoid. â€Å"Under the summer tree / With a glimpse of the bay†; it sounds more like Tuscany than Britain! Of course, Hardy is not that explicit. The â€Å"bay† may just as well be a bay tree, as much as a bit of coastland. Still, the image remains idyllic. And yet, â€Å"I [Death] am here†. * â€Å"The pet fowl† may represent a further source of happiness – domesticated or agricultural livestock have always been kept for the happiness of one’s stomach or one’s heart. Either will do. More human endeavour to be laid waste to by Death? Here, as usual, the poem breaks away and returns to the original ejaculation about the years passing. Note how the â€Å"O!† lengthens the line – it slows the reader down. Otherwise analysed above. The final image evocative of Death, however, is of our greatest interest: â€Å"The rotten rose is ript from the wall.† Again, an ambiguous phrase creates the sense of sickening mystery which Death itself possesses. Not only does the obvious alliteration of the â€Å"r† sound mount both the tension and force placed upon the final verb, but it also mirrors the ugly nature of the act itself. â€Å"Ript† is merely an archaic spelling of â€Å"ripped† – the sense is the same and bears the same strength. Yet who, or what, rips up the rose? Obviously, the image is representative of Death claiming a life; the verb suggests an unpleasant or untimely death. Quote SLS: â€Å"A complete severance from life†. Perhaps we can extrapolate this further to make a comment on the cruelty of Death in Hardy’s eyes? It may well be the wind. This would fit with the title, although we must still ponder the incongruous preposition, â€Å"during†. Perhaps the entire image is metaphorical, and Death is simply tearing a previously beautiful flower (â€Å"rotten† is probably representative of â€Å"old†) away from life? Fourth Stanza Notes: â€Å"They change to a high new house, He, she, all of them – aye, Clocks and carpets and chairs On the lawn all day, And the brightest things that are theirs Ah, no; the years, the years; Down their carved names the rain-drop ploughs.† Clearly the family have grown wealthier, to move house – and, it seems, they have moved quite literally â€Å"up† in the world, as it is a â€Å"high† one. One may question whether this stanza overly reflects upon the materialistic joys of the world. Maybe that is Hardy’s intention. I doubt, however, that this is an explicit attack upon those who value material objects; rather a memento mori, in that, despite the temporary pleasure of wealth and possessions, Death will always claim victory. Deeper analysis: * Note how we have returned to â€Å"He, she, all of them†. Have we come round in a full generational cycle? * The weather remains good, as the family display their possessions on the lawn, presumably as they either prepare to move them to the new house from the old, or simply before they have been properly installed. Clearly Hardy is using summer to represent joy and prosperity. * The language bears little complexity – hence little analysis! Is this done to reflect the simple, but enjoyable, pleasures of materialistic desires and good weather? * â€Å"Brightest things which are theirs†. Note another superlative. Relevance/ importance, other than to add emphasis? (Have previously analysed the secondary ejaculation. Now repeated.) The final image of the poem is possibly the most interesting, dramatic and explicit. â€Å"Down their carved names the rain-drop ploughs.† Here Hardy at last makes an explicit reference to the subject of death, in that their â€Å"carved names† are grave stones, whilst also tying in the title (with the reference to the weather). Primarily, we are shocked by the contrast; clearly, Hardy is imagining the same individuals with whom we are now familiar (as â€Å"the family†) as being dead. They have been buried. This is a very sudden and rather upsetting realisation. Hardy very successfully makes his point about the frailty and temporal nature of life. Their successes and happiness are irrelevant. How depressing! Worse, Hardy suggests that the weather erodes them not only in life, but also destroys (â€Å"ploughs†) their memory in death; the rain drop appears to be eroding away the names from the stones. This insensitivity contrasts with the use of â€Å"names†, which are highly personal. Perhaps, however, Hardy intends â€Å"ploughs† to be positive. As in the agricultural sense, the rain drop prepares for new growth? Final note: Is the narrator writing the poem in the grave-yard? Are the images he recollects merely his memories of a family now dead – the images of Death are all happening around him â€Å"during wind and rain†? Clever point. Perhaps.

Fate :: essays research papers

FATE (Explain the line, “Fate will unwind as it must.';)in Beowulf   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The line, “Fate will unwind as it must,'; (284) not only shows that the people believed they had no control of their destiny, but it is also relevant that Paganism was a significant part of their every day life. There are many illustrations throughout the poem Beowulf, that portray the importance of fate to the people. Often, the word fate was used as a way of showing the outcome of what has already come about.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Fate was a way of saying that the people’s destiny was already chosen, that they had no control, but everything would turn out as it should. For example, “But fate, that night, intended Grendel to gnaw the broken bones of his last human supper,'; (309-310). This is a way of foreshadowing the fate, or destiny, or Grendel’s life. During the Last Battle, Beowulf replies “I mean to stand, not run from his shooting flames, stand till fate decides which of us wins,'; (637-639). He acted as though everything that he has gone through so far in his life, was in the hands of fate, and would continue to be until his time was over. Whatever came out of this battle, was meant to be and there was nothing that was going to change it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Fate is related to the Pagan religion. Paganism was the religion that was most often used during the time of Beowulf. It is referred to every time fate is mentioned, because they didn’t believe in one God and thought that fate had control over them.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Fate was also used as saying the outcome of something that had already come about. For example, on line 46, Hrothgar mourns over the fate of his companions, “Hrothgar, their lord, sat joyless in Herot, a mighty prince mourning the fate of his lost friends and companions.'; Here it is used as a way of saying their lives had already ended.

Fj Benjamin

FJ Benjamin Holdings Ltd# (SGX: FJB) 18 July 2012 Receding tides at the fashion and timepieces retailer UNDERWEIGHTTarget Price: S$ 0. 09 Price (as at 18 July 2012) | Bloomberg| 12-month Range| Market Capitalization| S$ 0. 33| SGD 0. 3300| SGD 0. 26 – 0. 365| SGD 203 Million| 3 Points that convince us of a Sell rating: * Something 1 Explanation * Something 2 Explanation * Something 3 Explanation Year End: Jul| 3QFY11Results| 3QFY12Results| YoY % Growth| YTD % as of FY2012| Revenue (S$’000)| | | | | Retail| | | | | Distribution| | | | | Licensing| | | | | Gross Profit| | | | |Gross Margin| | | | | EBIT (S$’000)| | | | | EBIT Margin| | | | | Net Profit| | | | | Net Margin| | | | | EPS| | | | | DPS| | | | | NAV/Share| | | | | Headquartered in Singapore, SGX-listed F J Benjamin Holdings Ltd. (FJB) builds in-house and develops international lifestyle and luxury brands across Asia and recently in the Western markets too. With a portfolio of over 20 celebrated brands, t he group divides itself into four core businesses: 1. Luxury and Lifestyle Fashion Retailing and Distribution; 2. Timepiece Distribution; 3. Design and Manufacturing of their in-house brand RAOUL . Investing in Lifestyle Concepts Section I: Industry Analysis SWOT Analysis Strengths Wide retail network FJB operates 191 stores across Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Indonesia in prime locations to cater to its premium customers and tourists and help maintain the competitiveness of the Group. Wide diversified luxury and lifestyle brand portfolio The brand portfolio comprises over 20 iconic luxury and lifestyle brands. A diversified portfolio of scalable brands helps the Group mitigate the vulnerability of luxury brands in an economic downturn.Multilingual retail staff improves customer service * FJB believes in investing heavily in retail staff training to increase service quality and language proficiency to serve tourists who visit the stores from various regions. Strong balance she et and positive cash flow allow FJB to fund its CAPEX plans FJB maintained SGD7. 7m of net cash at the end of FY2012 despite incurring capital expenditure rising by 8% due to the opening and refurbishment of stores Weaknesses Geographic diversity and exposure to high tax rates FJB Operates in 190 stores across the world.With many stores located in Malaysia and China, where the effective tax rate is close to 30%, FJB faces a high tax bill and thus lower overall profits. Highly cyclical earnings FJB’s earnings are highly cyclical and they tend to peak in the late stages of a cyclical upturn. This translates into a risk of over expansion during good times. FJB’s total revenue increased 38% YoY for FY 2007. Poor presence and performance in Australia, Europe and North America FBJ classifies it’s geographical segments into South East Asia, North Asia and Other, which includes their franchised brands in North America and Australia.This segment has historically made up less than 2% of total revenue. Opportunities Strong brand name of RAOUL FJB’s proprietary brand was one of the brands topping the high fashion category in a recent Mystery Shopping Survey. It has grown well over the last few years as FJB was able to raise RAOUL’s brand value and expand the business to Europe and the United States. New international brands to accelerate earnings potential The Group is working to bring in affordable international fashion brands. Recently, the Group signed an exclusive distribution agreement with the Padini Group for VNC shoes to venture into the growing Indonesian market.Threats Competition The majority of FJB’s competitors operate with large store numbers (Esprit – 1,128, Dickson Concepts – more than 1,000, WINGT – more than 180, Metro – 879,000 square feet). The rise of blogshops in the SE Asia have also increased competition within the industry. Macroeconomic instability Macroeconomic instability thr eatens growth. Grim economic sentiment worldwide poses an explicit threat to FJB’s growth as it caters to the premium fashion retailing market. Porter’s Five Forces Highly competitive climateOur team analyzed the macroeconomic conditions and the special characteristics of the fashion retail industry, we have determined that FJ Benjamin operates in a highly competitive market. The largest drivers of competition are the degree of rivalry, new entrants and the supplier power. Exposure to foreign currency shocks and the threats from competing businesses are substantial factors to look out for. Buyer Power (High) Buyer Power (High) Supplier Power (Strong) Supplier Power (Strong) Substitutes (Moderate) Substitutes (Moderate) New Entrants (High) New Entrants (High)Degree of Rivalry (Strong) Degree of Rivalry (Strong) Many competitors offering diverse choices Many competitors offering diverse choices Low customer loyalty in retail industry Low customer loyalty in retail indust ry Many firms competing for market share Many firms competing for market share Saturated Market Saturated Market Price inelasticity Price inelasticity High product differentiation High product differentiation High Capital Outlay High Capital Outlay Fall in brand perception will result in customer turnover Fall in brand perception will result in customer turnoverIncreasing wealth may lead to consumers using premium brands Increasing wealth may lead to consumers using premium brands Healthy relationships with suppliers to sustain franchises Healthy relationships with suppliers to sustain franchises Constantly changing fashion trends Constantly changing fashion trends Exposure to foreign currency shocks Exposure to foreign currency shocks High marketing expenditure needed to maintain brand perception High marketing expenditure needed to maintain brand perception Section II: Accounting Analysis & Adjustments Accounting Analysis – Faithful representationThe auditors’ report demonstrated that the accounts present a true and fair view of the company. It is noteworthy that it was highlighted in the corporate governance report that there are no employees who are relatives of directors paid above $150,000. In addition, all members of the nomination, remuneration and audit committee are independent non-executive directors. There is also a whistle-blowing policy for the Group, which encourages a high level of non-tolerance against fraud. There was also adequate disclosure of interested transactions between its subsidiaries and its newly acquired associate prior to the acquisition.However, a potential conflict of interest in the area of the risk management committee, which usually comprises majority of non-executive directors, but in the case of MPM, is managed by executive directors. There might be the possibility of them not being objective in assessing the risks that the company faces. Understandability There is thorough explanation of accounting policies adopted in the notes, supplemented with definitions of accounting terms where appropriate. While the assets and liabilities of associates are mentioned, no further breakdown is given as to the comprisal of them.Assets and liabilities of subsidiaries are also absent from the notes. This applies for jointly controlled entities too. It was hard to determine where personnel expenses and the disclosures under profit before income tax fall into the income statement, making it confusing how to account for them. The cash figure in the balance sheet and cash flow statement differed due to fixed deposits, bank overdraft and pledged fixed deposits and bank balances, making forecasting of financial statements relatively inconvenient. ComparabilityThere is clear disclosure when amendments are made to FRS, accompanied with a statement whether the change is applied retrospectively or prospectively, as well as the materiality of the amounts presented. Where changes are to be expected, these are sta ted beforehand with their effective period of commencement stated methodically. Details of other operating expenses were provided in the notes from 2009 to 2011, but absent in the notes in 2007 and 2008, making comparison of detailed expenses difficult. Segment reporting was available to enable investors to compare across companies that might be similar to MPM in one of their business segments.Accounting Distortions Adjusted Non-recurring items The notes were inspected to identify line items that could potentially be non-recurring and should thus be removed from the financial statements to provide a clearer picture of the sustainable earnings of the company. Items recognized as non-recurring included bad debts written off, investment in associate, and other expenses in which no details were given. Other possible non-recurring items included government grant received, though this could possibly recur due to the achievement of the conditions under the Capability Development Scheme in 2010.Foreign exchange gain was also thought of to be recurring due to the entrance into forward currency contracts. Equity to proportionate consolidation MPM’s subsidiary Marco Polo Shipping Co Pte Ltd holds a 49% stake in PT Pelayaran Nasional Bina Buana Raya (BRR), an Indonesian shipping company which engages in ship agency, chartering and transshipment of vessels. The 49% stake is the maximum equity stake allowed to be taken by a foreigner without affecting the ability of BBR to ply the Indonesian waters as a domestic shipping company.By the substance over form principle, Marco Polo has effective control over BRR, thus we carried out proportionate consolidation on the entity. Joint ventures were also consolidated to provide a more accurate picture of the group. Operating leases MPM has several operating leases with lease period not amounting to more than 5 years. The leases were capitalized based on the implicit interest rate in the finance leases, except for 2008, where a figure of interest expenses over beginning long term debt was used, due to the absence of finance leases in 2007.Capitalizing the operating lease would result in a more accurate representation of liabilities and assets. Guarantees and litigations MPM was involved in two lawsuits over the period under purview. One involved $106,000 for late delivery of vessels while the other involved arbitration against a subsidiary of the Company in relation to certain charter party disputes. These were included in contingent liabilities during 2007 and 2008 respectively, though in the opinion of the directors, both lawsuits had no merit or basis and would not have financial impact on the company. Fj Benjamin FJ Benjamin Holdings Ltd# (SGX: FJB) 18 July 2012 Receding tides at the fashion and timepieces retailer UNDERWEIGHTTarget Price: S$ 0. 09 Price (as at 18 July 2012) | Bloomberg| 12-month Range| Market Capitalization| S$ 0. 33| SGD 0. 3300| SGD 0. 26 – 0. 365| SGD 203 Million| 3 Points that convince us of a Sell rating: * Something 1 Explanation * Something 2 Explanation * Something 3 Explanation Year End: Jul| 3QFY11Results| 3QFY12Results| YoY % Growth| YTD % as of FY2012| Revenue (S$’000)| | | | | Retail| | | | | Distribution| | | | | Licensing| | | | | Gross Profit| | | | |Gross Margin| | | | | EBIT (S$’000)| | | | | EBIT Margin| | | | | Net Profit| | | | | Net Margin| | | | | EPS| | | | | DPS| | | | | NAV/Share| | | | | Headquartered in Singapore, SGX-listed F J Benjamin Holdings Ltd. (FJB) builds in-house and develops international lifestyle and luxury brands across Asia and recently in the Western markets too. With a portfolio of over 20 celebrated brands, t he group divides itself into four core businesses: 1. Luxury and Lifestyle Fashion Retailing and Distribution; 2. Timepiece Distribution; 3. Design and Manufacturing of their in-house brand RAOUL . Investing in Lifestyle Concepts Section I: Industry Analysis SWOT Analysis Strengths Wide retail network FJB operates 191 stores across Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Indonesia in prime locations to cater to its premium customers and tourists and help maintain the competitiveness of the Group. Wide diversified luxury and lifestyle brand portfolio The brand portfolio comprises over 20 iconic luxury and lifestyle brands. A diversified portfolio of scalable brands helps the Group mitigate the vulnerability of luxury brands in an economic downturn.Multilingual retail staff improves customer service * FJB believes in investing heavily in retail staff training to increase service quality and language proficiency to serve tourists who visit the stores from various regions. Strong balance she et and positive cash flow allow FJB to fund its CAPEX plans FJB maintained SGD7. 7m of net cash at the end of FY2012 despite incurring capital expenditure rising by 8% due to the opening and refurbishment of stores Weaknesses Geographic diversity and exposure to high tax rates FJB Operates in 190 stores across the world.With many stores located in Malaysia and China, where the effective tax rate is close to 30%, FJB faces a high tax bill and thus lower overall profits. Highly cyclical earnings FJB’s earnings are highly cyclical and they tend to peak in the late stages of a cyclical upturn. This translates into a risk of over expansion during good times. FJB’s total revenue increased 38% YoY for FY 2007. Poor presence and performance in Australia, Europe and North America FBJ classifies it’s geographical segments into South East Asia, North Asia and Other, which includes their franchised brands in North America and Australia.This segment has historically made up less than 2% of total revenue. Opportunities Strong brand name of RAOUL FJB’s proprietary brand was one of the brands topping the high fashion category in a recent Mystery Shopping Survey. It has grown well over the last few years as FJB was able to raise RAOUL’s brand value and expand the business to Europe and the United States. New international brands to accelerate earnings potential The Group is working to bring in affordable international fashion brands. Recently, the Group signed an exclusive distribution agreement with the Padini Group for VNC shoes to venture into the growing Indonesian market.Threats Competition The majority of FJB’s competitors operate with large store numbers (Esprit – 1,128, Dickson Concepts – more than 1,000, WINGT – more than 180, Metro – 879,000 square feet). The rise of blogshops in the SE Asia have also increased competition within the industry. Macroeconomic instability Macroeconomic instability thr eatens growth. Grim economic sentiment worldwide poses an explicit threat to FJB’s growth as it caters to the premium fashion retailing market. Porter’s Five Forces Highly competitive climateOur team analyzed the macroeconomic conditions and the special characteristics of the fashion retail industry, we have determined that FJ Benjamin operates in a highly competitive market. The largest drivers of competition are the degree of rivalry, new entrants and the supplier power. Exposure to foreign currency shocks and the threats from competing businesses are substantial factors to look out for. Buyer Power (High) Buyer Power (High) Supplier Power (Strong) Supplier Power (Strong) Substitutes (Moderate) Substitutes (Moderate) New Entrants (High) New Entrants (High)Degree of Rivalry (Strong) Degree of Rivalry (Strong) Many competitors offering diverse choices Many competitors offering diverse choices Low customer loyalty in retail industry Low customer loyalty in retail indust ry Many firms competing for market share Many firms competing for market share Saturated Market Saturated Market Price inelasticity Price inelasticity High product differentiation High product differentiation High Capital Outlay High Capital Outlay Fall in brand perception will result in customer turnover Fall in brand perception will result in customer turnoverIncreasing wealth may lead to consumers using premium brands Increasing wealth may lead to consumers using premium brands Healthy relationships with suppliers to sustain franchises Healthy relationships with suppliers to sustain franchises Constantly changing fashion trends Constantly changing fashion trends Exposure to foreign currency shocks Exposure to foreign currency shocks High marketing expenditure needed to maintain brand perception High marketing expenditure needed to maintain brand perception Section II: Accounting Analysis & Adjustments Accounting Analysis – Faithful representationThe auditors’ report demonstrated that the accounts present a true and fair view of the company. It is noteworthy that it was highlighted in the corporate governance report that there are no employees who are relatives of directors paid above $150,000. In addition, all members of the nomination, remuneration and audit committee are independent non-executive directors. There is also a whistle-blowing policy for the Group, which encourages a high level of non-tolerance against fraud. There was also adequate disclosure of interested transactions between its subsidiaries and its newly acquired associate prior to the acquisition.However, a potential conflict of interest in the area of the risk management committee, which usually comprises majority of non-executive directors, but in the case of MPM, is managed by executive directors. There might be the possibility of them not being objective in assessing the risks that the company faces. Understandability There is thorough explanation of accounting policies adopted in the notes, supplemented with definitions of accounting terms where appropriate. While the assets and liabilities of associates are mentioned, no further breakdown is given as to the comprisal of them.Assets and liabilities of subsidiaries are also absent from the notes. This applies for jointly controlled entities too. It was hard to determine where personnel expenses and the disclosures under profit before income tax fall into the income statement, making it confusing how to account for them. The cash figure in the balance sheet and cash flow statement differed due to fixed deposits, bank overdraft and pledged fixed deposits and bank balances, making forecasting of financial statements relatively inconvenient. ComparabilityThere is clear disclosure when amendments are made to FRS, accompanied with a statement whether the change is applied retrospectively or prospectively, as well as the materiality of the amounts presented. Where changes are to be expected, these are sta ted beforehand with their effective period of commencement stated methodically. Details of other operating expenses were provided in the notes from 2009 to 2011, but absent in the notes in 2007 and 2008, making comparison of detailed expenses difficult. Segment reporting was available to enable investors to compare across companies that might be similar to MPM in one of their business segments.Accounting Distortions Adjusted Non-recurring items The notes were inspected to identify line items that could potentially be non-recurring and should thus be removed from the financial statements to provide a clearer picture of the sustainable earnings of the company. Items recognized as non-recurring included bad debts written off, investment in associate, and other expenses in which no details were given. Other possible non-recurring items included government grant received, though this could possibly recur due to the achievement of the conditions under the Capability Development Scheme in 2010.Foreign exchange gain was also thought of to be recurring due to the entrance into forward currency contracts. Equity to proportionate consolidation MPM’s subsidiary Marco Polo Shipping Co Pte Ltd holds a 49% stake in PT Pelayaran Nasional Bina Buana Raya (BRR), an Indonesian shipping company which engages in ship agency, chartering and transshipment of vessels. The 49% stake is the maximum equity stake allowed to be taken by a foreigner without affecting the ability of BBR to ply the Indonesian waters as a domestic shipping company.By the substance over form principle, Marco Polo has effective control over BRR, thus we carried out proportionate consolidation on the entity. Joint ventures were also consolidated to provide a more accurate picture of the group. Operating leases MPM has several operating leases with lease period not amounting to more than 5 years. The leases were capitalized based on the implicit interest rate in the finance leases, except for 2008, where a figure of interest expenses over beginning long term debt was used, due to the absence of finance leases in 2007.Capitalizing the operating lease would result in a more accurate representation of liabilities and assets. Guarantees and litigations MPM was involved in two lawsuits over the period under purview. One involved $106,000 for late delivery of vessels while the other involved arbitration against a subsidiary of the Company in relation to certain charter party disputes. These were included in contingent liabilities during 2007 and 2008 respectively, though in the opinion of the directors, both lawsuits had no merit or basis and would not have financial impact on the company.