Substituting Baking Powder and Baking Soda

Holiday baking can be more of a challenge if you discover all your baking soda got used up for baking soda volcanoes and invisible ink. If you have baking powder, it will save you a trip to the store because you can use it in place of baking soda. If your problem is being out of baking powder, you can make your own using baking soda and cream of tartar. Heres how to make the substitutions: Using Baking Powder Instead of Baking Soda You need to use 2 to 3 times more baking powder than baking soda. The extra ingredients in the baking powder will have an effect on the taste of whatever you are making, but this isnt necessarily bad.Ideally, triple the amount of baking soda to equal the amount of baking powder. So, if the recipe called for 1 tsp baking soda, you would use 3 tsp baking powder.Another option is to  use twice the amount of baking powder as baking soda (add 2 tsp of baking powder if the recipe calls for 1 tsp baking soda), then omit the salt (which adds flavor but also affects rising in some recipes). Making Baking Powder You need baking soda and cream of tartar to make baking powder.Mix 2 parts cream of tartar with 1 part baking soda. For example, mix 2 tsp cream of tartar with 1 tsp baking soda.Use the amount of baking powder called for by the recipe. No matter how much homemade baking powder you made, if the recipe calls for 1-1/2 tsp, add exactly 1-1/2 tsp of your mixture.Cream of tartar is used to increase the acidity of a mixture. So, you cant switch baking soda for baking powder. You can switch baking powder for baking soda, just expect the flavor to change a little. If you interested in understanding more about cooking chemistry, you may be interested to learn why copper bowls are better for whipping egg whites or the real reason eating a big turkey dinner makes you feel like taking a nap.

Confronting Heternormativity With Carl Wittmann - 858 Words

Confronting Heternormativity with Carl Wittmann American rhetoric about LGBT+ issues underwent major changes in the late 60s and early 70s. While for years homophile groups such as the Mattachine Society dominated queer rhetoric, in 1969 Carl Wittman’s â€Å"Gay Manifesto† redefined the LGBT+ rights movement’s voice and goals (380). Using shocking language, his authority as a gay man, and emotional appeals to his queer audience, Wittman and his â€Å"Gay Manifesto† utilized a confrontational, liberationist tone to communicate his views on sexual identity and heteronormative culture. While opponents may argue that Wittman’s profane language and emotional appeals weaken his argument and alienate the audience, his rhetorical choices prove perfect for engaging queer readers. Wittman’s â€Å"Gay Manifesto† spoke to queer people and offered a new perspective in LGBT+ rhetoric. Profane and shocking word choice helps drive Wittman’s confrontational and liberationist stanc e on LGBT+ issues. As authors Madeline Davis and Elizabeth Kennedy support in â€Å"Oral History and the Study of Sexuality in the Lesbian Community,† American queer rights movements became more critical and liberationist in the 70s (426). Wittman’s piece provides clear evidence of this tone change. By describing topics such as â€Å"exclusive heterosexuality† and interactions between males and females as â€Å"fucked up,† Wittman unabashedly confronts heteronormative culture and endorses queer peoples’ liberation from

Medical Marijuana Good or Bad Free Essays

On April 14, 2011, I read an article in the New York Times that read Pat Robertson Questions Prison for Pot Convictions. (Shear) The article had caught my eye because of who Pat Robertson is and how you wouldn’t think he would be for the legalization of Marijuana. I would have to agree with what Pat goes on to say and how I feel a lot of it makes sense. We will write a custom essay sample on Medical Marijuana: Good or Bad? or any similar topic only for you Order Now â€Å"I’m not exactly for the use of drugs, don’t get me wrong, but I just believe that criminalizing marijuana, criminalizing the possession of a few ounces of pot, that kind of thing, it’s just, it’s costing us a fortune and it’s ruining young people,† Mr. Robertson said. Young people go into prisons; they go in as youths and come out as hardened criminals. That’s not a good thing. † That is what Pat Robertson, the televangelist who once ran for president, said on his show â€Å"The 700 Club† while mentioning how thought marijuana being legalized can be a good thing. I am a 41 year old wife and mother who has had her fair share of life experiences. My past experiences include using marijuana from time to time when I was younger. I never became an avid user and only remember having a good time when I used. I distinctively remember how its effects relaxed me more and put me more at ease. Unfortunately, prison and jail are also in my past experiences and that’s where I have to agree with Mr. Robertson and what he says in this article. I do believe that people being put in jail and prisons for minor marijuana charges is doing nothing but costing us millions in dollars in prosecuting them and subjecting these people to offenders who are there for much more dangerous offenses. My marijuana use and jail time had nothing to do with one another. I was sentenced for something wrong that I had done and was rightfully sentenced for that crime. I took it very serious and did what needed to be done to get back home and start over. If it’s not taken seriously and it’s not used as a positive stepping stone it can be very easy to get caught up with the wrong people and negative drama that jail brings and the bad things good people can learn and take with them when released. Each year, some 750,000 Americans are arrested for possession of small amounts of marijuana. Is that really what we want our police force to focus on? I am not a Cannabis activist, but the real truth is, I would much rather have pot in bars than alcohol any day. I am so tired of the fights that break out or all the DUI’s that people get all the time. In most my research, I haven’t found any real statistics on how marijuana poses the same result? Alcohol, which can cause one to become violent and even cause death does not compare with marijuana, where one can’t OD or cause death by over-intoxication. A spokesperson for Mr. Robertson goes on to say that Mr. Robertson did not intend to suggest support for the legalization of marijuana, but rather to question the severity of how our government punishes those who use or possess a small amount of the drug. Sarah Palin, who is against the legalization of marijuana, has said how she feels that our police force shouldn’t spend a lot of time hunting down these offenders. The drug policy that our government currently holds also plays a significant role in creating crime and empowering gangs. â€Å"The only groups that benefit from continuing to keep marijuana illegal are the violent gangs and cartels that control its distribution and reap immense profits from it through the black market†. That is what a group of current and former police officers, judges, and prosecutors wrote last month in an open letter to voters in California. Kristof) I would have to agree with that statement wholeheartedly. I strongly feel that if marijuana was legalized it would cease some of the violent and criminal activity in society. Legalizing marijuana for medical use is a huge debate within Americans and our government here in the United States. There are 15 states that allow medical marijuana to be distributed legally to its consumers. Here is a list of some of the medical issues that can be helped by the use of marijuana: * Pain Relief ( all types of Pain one might have) * Increases appetite (Cancer) * Decreased Nausea (AIDS/Cancer) Muscle relaxation (Multiple Sclerosis/Epileptic Seizures) * Enhances mood and senses (Depression and anxiety) * Encourages drowsiness and sleep (Multiple Sclerosis, Depression, Cancer and more) These are only some of the many medical issues that can be improved and benefited by the medicinal use of Marijuana. (Uddin/Hurd) After reading all the great ways marijuana can help someone when suffering from a medical problem makes you wonder why more states haven’t joined in on legalizing it. There is more evidence in backing up the pro than the con side of this litigation. I now want to introduce to you, Don Lisk, 57, and Sarah Baugh, both from Montana and both being prescribed medical marijuana for medicinal purposes, tell us of their experiences. In short, Don suffers from chronic back pain he has had for 20 years and tells us marijuana dulls the back pain enough to let him sleep better at night. He also says how pot takes the edge off the pain and he doesn’t suffer the withdrawal he experiences with the opiates such as Lortab. Sarah Baugh, 25, of Billings suffered 12 seizures a day while taking 14 medications that cost $2,000 a month. By using marijuana, she weaned herself off most of her medications and now takes just a small dose of anti-seizure medication. Baugh trimmed her drug costs from $2,000 to less than $600 a month. She dropped 150 pounds, lost the tremors and seizures. (weedblog. com) I have come to find out that marijuana can be used to produce green fuel for autos. How, because of its root structure, it makes the best erosion control. The oils from the seeds can be great for cooking. Just some other ways that marijuana can benefit within our society. I strongly agree that medical marijuana should be legalized and I also agree that marijuana use can be made safe and profitable for all parties involved. The economy would benefit by adding revenue and tax money. By providing it in a safe and regulated way it benefits those who need medical relief, and last but not least it would benefit society by allowing police to concentrate on more violent crimes and criminal activity. The only true losers to the legalization and decriminalization of marijuana are those who stand to make great deals of money from the illegal sales of pot and the transportation of it into the United States. How to cite Medical Marijuana: Good or Bad?, Papers

Management of the Dorquay Hotel Samples for Students-Myassignment

Questions: 1.Discuss how the Management of the Dorquay Hotel could have estimated the Occupancy rate. 2.Do you think Mr Smith should take the trip? Outline any Ethical Concerns involved. 3.Would you recommend the Change proposed. Answers: 1.There is no similar static rate for an occupancy rate of the hotel. Clearly, occupancy of rooms refers to the number of times a room is booked or sold to the visitor (room occupied) in a specified period of time, as compared to the highest times a room is occupied. The number is expressed in terms of percentage. In a situation where the establishment of each and every room are shared and at the same time estimation is done, then the occupancy of room in an establishment as a while can be calculated. Any variation seen in the calculation process is the bed-night occupancy. Further, the calculation gives consideration on the availability of beds-number in every room. Dorquay Hotel could have estimated the occupancy rate by dividing the total number occupied rooms in their hotel by the available one by 100 times. For this aspect, they might have considered their past experience, previous statistics, seasonal factors and trend in the market[1]. On the basis of these factors; data for computation has been gathered by the hotel to determine their occupancy rates. 2.Acceptance of offer No, Mr Smith should not accept the complete offer as it is kind of bribe salesperson is trying to offer Erle Smith as his decision can provide an absolute advantage to the vendor. Bribery is considered as intolerable aspect all around the world. Indeed, in general, every country knows that bribery is a disgraceful act in itself. Individuals accepting bribes do not ever say that they have accepted such bribe as these are an illegal and unethical for the benefit to oneself. Accepting gifts is a part where someone is accepting a favour from another and can further create the thinking of too much influence[3]. A gift is a thing given happily having no hopes of returns, and a bribe is something offered in the expectation of benefit. However; accepting the gift of a free family trip to Los Angeles might be a severe business breach or contravene to ethics, or maybe a law violation. Hence, it is illegal to accept bribes or invitations like free family trip Losas theintentis to buy favour. Advantages and disadvantages of employee code of conduct In general, code of ethics is good for Practical Solutions Ltd, as it establishes standards and interest for managers while ensuring viable and feasible terms in professional conduct. Code of ethics also creates a process of discipline easier when there is the emergence of unethical conduct[4]. Making use of code constructs a professional rooftop, ethical and positive working environment, however ignoring it can lead to distrust and contradiction. Employees could abuse codes when they apply it to involve grudges and private agendas like condemning subordinates they dislike of working against the code. Employees could do abuse of code by condemning employees failing to the meet the standards regarding permanence measures, even if it is appropriately complied by employees. Integration and values must be boosted by the cited code. Code of ethics is not a comprehensive regulatory standard. It does not even describe the needs to come up to an ethical conclusion. In case employees are not known to this limitation, they consider that there is authenticity in the values and standards because it is not defined by the code. Self-awareness and training programs must be held ensuring that queries must be put if any of the employees are unaware or unclear of the code of ethics. Factors to be considered in developing employee code of conduct Practical Solution Ltd should consider following aspects for the development of their code of ethics; first is values that mean the performance of the company in a daily basis, the major aim of the code of ethics to ensure clear and definite value regarding all interaction, activities and operations of the business. Next are principles, which are a support pillar for the values of business and are required to be followed by each and every member of the organization. Management support of principles and values must also comply in the code of ethics. One other significant component is the responsibility and duty to maintain the code of ethics that means meeting the terms of code ethical and authentically. Last is compliance with the rules and regulations in the daily operations of the business. 3. Profit in existing circumstance Selling price $60 Less: Variable manufacturing cost $28 Less: Variable marketing and distribution costs $12 Contribution $20 =35000 units *$20-$490,000 =$210000 Profit if proposal is accepted Selling price $60 Less: Variable manufacturing cost $28 Less: Variable marketing and distribution costs $16 Contribution $16 =35000 units*$16-$410,000 =$150000 Units to be sold to recover same profit Contribution margin has been reduced due to increased variable costs, and same is $16 To achieve same profit as 2015 =($410,000+$210000)/$16 =38750 units Recommendations The proposed offer should not be accepted in short term as it will make a significant reduction in profits. References Birt, Jacqueline, Keryn Chalmers, Suzanne Maloney, Albie Brooks, Judy Oliver. Accounting: Business reporting for decision making including iStudy, 5th Edition. John Wiley Sons Australia, 2014 Hung, Wei-Ting, Jui-Kuo Shang, and Fei-Ching Wang. "Exploring the Determinants of Hotel Occupancy Rate: A Dynamic Panel Data Approach."Abstract of Economic, Finance and Management Outlook3 (2015): 1-4. Oladinrin, Olugbenga T., and Christabel MF Ho. "Critical enablers for codes of ethics implementation in construction organizations."Journal of Management in Engineering32.1 (2015): 04015023. Psaros, Jim, and Michael Seamer. "Ranking Corporate Governance of Australia's Top Companies: A Decade On."Australian Accounting Review25.4 (2015): 405-412. Hung, Wei-Ting, Jui-Kuo Shang, and Fei-Ching Wang. "Exploring the Determinants of Hotel Occupancy Rate: A Dynamic Panel Data Approach."Abstract of Economic, Finance and Management Outlook3 (2015): 1-4. Birt, Jacqueline, Keryn Chalmers, Suzanne Maloney, Albie Brooks, Judy Oliver. Accounting: Business reporting for decision making including iStudy, 5th Edition. John Wiley Sons Australia, 2014 Oladinrin, Olugbenga T., and Christabel MF Ho. "Critical enablers for codes of ethics implementation in construction organizations."Journal of Management in Engineering32.1 (2015): 04015023. Psaros, Jim, and Michael Seamer. "Ranking Corporate Governance of Australia's Top Companies: A Decade On."Australian Accounting Review25.4 (2015): 405-412. Birt, Jacqueline, Keryn Chalmers, Suzanne Maloney, Albie Brooks, Judy Oliver. Accounting: Business reporting for decision making including iStudy, 5th Edition. John Wiley Sons Australia, 2014

Addie Bundren Essays - As I Lay Dying, Modernist Literature

Addie Bundren Essays - As I Lay Dying, Modernist Literature Addie Bundren Addie Bundren conjures up the central darkness derived from her death and directly or indirectly causes actions in which each Bundren character takes advantage of Addie. With the character's actions revolving around her death, William Faulkner's As I Lay Dying reveals the truth about the people who surround a person may take advantage of him or her. The death of Addie Bundren shapes all of the character's actions in life including Addie's final request before her death. Addie takes advantage of her death by using it for revenge and inflicting final pains upon some characters, while the other characters use her to get what they want for their personal needs. Addie causes all the painful actions around her family either directly or indirectly. Addie is foremost the prominent abuser of her upcoming death in As I Lay Dying. She predetermines her time to die, and she makes sure that the people in her family whom she dislikes must experience her wrath before she moves on to the next life. "Addie is the one who is dying, but she makes revenges run throughout the family and extend beyond" (Wadlington 35). Inflicting pain mostly on Anse, Addie enjoys herself. Anse, a lazy man, is forced by his wife to take her to Jefferson to be buried as her final request. Addie's revenge on Anse was payback for all the times when he just sat around while Addie, her children, and sometimes neighbors do all the hard work for him. Also "Addie reacts to Anse's arid conventionality by having a clandestine affair with minister Whitfield" (Wadlington 31). Addie also indirectly hurts one of her favorite sons, Cash. Cash is hurt indirectly when he helps ! his kinfolk carry his mother's coffin to Jefferson, where along the path, he breaks his leg while crossing a flooded river. Although Cash is one of Addie's favorites besides Jewel, Addie's cruel revenge carries over to Cash's broken leg, which later becomes infected. Besides her indirect action on Cash's leg, Cash is the most favorite of Addie. As Wadlington states, "He is very much his mother's son in expressing his feelings through physical action rather than through words by building a coffin for the mother he loves" (Wadlington 41). Jewel, Addie's second favorite next to Cash, seems to be cursed by his callous mother. Jewel can only express himself through physical actions by being cruel. Yelling and screaming is the only way Jewel shows his love for his mother, but Jewel's ferocity begins to wear him down physically. Saving his mother's coffin from going downstream and rescuing the coffin from the burning barn were some ways Jewel showed his love, although those actions are quite extreme because Jewel could have been killed. Addie's revenge could have killed Jewel, but luckily it did not happen. Addie's revenge also affects her little son Vardaman. Teaching of the world is usually the mother's job in the family especially on Addie's case since Anse is a lazy bum. As "for Vardaman, his "unknowingness" comes from his mother's death compounded by his family's failure to communicate reassurance and explanation to him" (Wadlington 56). Addie did not teach him what was in the world and manners; so as a result, when his mother dies, Vardaman confused his mother's death with a dead fish he caught that day. Vardaman's manners are reckless against Dr. Peabody when he came to nurse Addie. Vardaman action was quite extreme when he tried to chase the doctor away because Vardaman is quite irrational in not understanding that Dr. Peabody did not kill his mother. Dewey Dell, Addie's daughter, is deprived of a central motherly figure. Addie's action in not caring enough for her daughter leads her to become irresponsible with Lafe where Lafe impregnates Dewey Dell. Darl, one of Addie's least favorites, is rejected by his mother which "injured him psychologically" and led him to burn the barn where Addie's coffin lay resting in peace (Wadlington 30). Darl is sent to an asylum for that demented deed, but could have been prevented if Addie showed more affection toward Darl. Darl is gradually revealed as a rejected son who feels that his mother is not even alive because he calls her

How To Make Money Blogging

How To Make Money Blogging Make Money Blogging! or even better Make Tons Of Money Blogging! Whoo Whee! Isn’t that what we’re here for, to be honest? It sounds kind of crass, I suppose, to put a dollar amount on the â€Å"art of blogging†, but the truth is that bloggers invest an incredible amount of money in their blogs. Hosting, templates, social media, ad buys. Time. Oh, the time. Let’s agree that the second part of â€Å"content marketing† is marketing, implying that we are looking for a market, implying that we want to make some money. How can you make money blogging? Let’s consider a two-pronged approach, making money off of your blog directly, and how your blog can help lead you to make money off of other’s blogs. What Are The Best Ways To Make Money Blogging? via @JulieNeidlinger Writing For Your Blog Writing for your own blog, that thing you do every day, can be thought of as part of the process of making money. Just the act of creating content, if you choose to think about it correctly, has a financial reward. 1. Build your own credibility. Your blog is building your credibility (unless you write rants with nary a thought toward grammar and writing quality). Each post you write builds on the previous posts, and is telling your reader â€Å"this blogger is credible†. Why does that matter, when it comes to making money off of your blog? Brand and name recognition. Just as the propinquity effect- the state of being physically or psychologically close to another and therefore, forming a relationship- is important in determining your social media ROI, the same can be said of your blog. Your reader gets used to hearing your â€Å"voice† on the page. He gets used to your opinions, your style, your approach. He knows what you advocate. And, the more he likes your content, the more he returns. The more he returns, the more familiarity he has with your brand. Publish consistent content to keep readers coming back, getting the chance to convert.As you blog regularly, you are creating brand recognition. While your bank account isn’t directly growing each time a reader hops in to read, you are â€Å"softening† your readers into potential customers in the future. In this way, that brand recognition has a long-term financial payoff. And that is exactly how content marketing works despite it's greatest misconception (just take a look at what Rand Fishkin mentions in this fantastic video): Your expertise. What you are an expert at has value. You know something that others want to know also. They want your help. Part of being a great content marketer is being willing to help freely, giving away some of that expertise. We’re going to talk about how you can turn the rest of that expertise into money in the next section, but the expertise itself plays into how you make money in a few ways: If you’re selling other products, your expertise can reassure customers that buying from you means they won’t be left to fend for themselves if they need help. Your expertise makes your other products seem legitimate, because they were created by an expert. For example, I am a freelance writer. My writing on my own blog, the blog, and elsewhere has brought me new clients who like what they read. They have determined that I have a particular kind of expertise. Some services, like writing, need evidence of expertise. Clients need evidence that I can write, and my own blogging is that evidence. Blogging establishes expertise. Expertise establishes trust. Trust enables confidence to purchase.Blogging establishes expertise. Expertise establishes trust. Trust enables confidence to purchase. No one buys from someone who doesn’t seem to know what they are talking about. In this way, expertise is like brand recognition: It is a foundation that may not obviously impact your bank account every time you hit â€Å"publish† on a blog post, but must be there for any future attempt to make money off of your blog. 2. Sell  your own products. Every blogger has at least two products to sell: Their expertise, and the content created out of that expertise. However, there are additional products you can create using that same content as well as the brand you’ve established. Ideally, you’d focus on products that would create a passive income, meaning that money comes in regularly with little work on your part after the initial effort. Digital products that people can purchase and download or view are the best example of this. Physical products, on the other hand, require you to create, package, and ship. They are active income, requiring work on every sale. Let’s take a look at a few products you can sell on your blog, including both passive and active income. Services, teaching, and consulting. If you’ve established yourself as an expert in a particular niche or industry, you have valuable expertise. And, as we just mentioned, that’s something with actual monetary value. Whether through webinars, speaking at conferences, one-on-one consulting, or even a class on a site like Udemy, your expertise has monetary value. As a content marketer, you know the value of giving away your expertise for free, but it doesn’t hurt to consider that you ought to hold some back to make available to those who are willing to pay for it. Copyblogger, for example, gives away a lot of great content. But they also have a paid element in their Authority program for those in their audience who want to be serious and pony up some money to learn. Valuable expertise has monetary value. #bloggingIn an age where so much is free on the Internet, not everyone is pleased to be asked to pay for the cream of the crop. However, this adds value to your expertise, oddly, in that it sends the message that people are willing to pay you for what you know. Asking people to pay you for your expertise is part of teaching them how to treat you and value the knowledge you’re giving them. It is great to give away things for free. It is perfectly acceptable to also hold some behind a paywall. Books, e-books, and more. Are you a food blogger? Then you have a cookbook to sell. It’s all right there, on your blog. Package your posts up into a variety of cookbooks (â€Å"Most popular recipes† or â€Å"Breakfast dishes†). Just because it’s available for free online doesn’t mean your fans won’t jump at the chance to get a convenient hard copy of whatever it is you are an expert at. It’s easy to forget that you can actually sell e-books, because most content marketers use them as a giveaway incentive to get email addresses. But, depending upon how long the e-book is, and the quality, it is another avenue for making money from your blog. You can make money #blogging by repurposing your content.Not everyone will get a lucrative publishing contract, though, but that shouldn’t keep you from getting e-books made up from your repurposed content. There are many apps out there that will help you easily make an e-book from the content you already have. If you’d like to offer an actual physical book, there are no shortage of options. Blurb, for example, recently introduced a trade book publishing program that will help you create a book and e-book, getting it listed on Amazon and in the Ingram catalog. That opens the door to anyone who wants your book, even your local bookseller. Things you can sell: Books and e-books: Cull from your top posts or high-traffic categories and create real long-form content. Helpful guides, how-tos, or a collection of essays- all make great reading. Posters: Print high-quality versions of infographics or visual graphics your readers have enjoyed. Schwag: Stickers, notebooks, and other blog-branded items that tie into your core niche. Subscriptions: Whether exclusive content, downloads, products, or graphic designs, you can offer paid subscriptions to your readers. 3. Sell ads on your site. Selling ad space on your blog isn’t as lucrative for every blogger. If you aren’t getting seriously high traffic (around 10,000 a month), you won’t see the windfall that bigger bloggers lay claim to. In talking about his decision to sell ads on his blog, popular blogger Michael Hyatt lays out five very good steps to selling ads: Survey your readers and find out basic demographic information. This will be useful in knowing what kinds of ads will work best for your audience. Create a page dedicated to advertising. Let people know your terms for allowing their ads on your site. Create an advertising kit to provide to those interested in advertising. Sign up with an advertising service (preferably not Google AdSense) that is a good fit for your blog, both in how they run their service and in the ad output (e.g. graphic size). Pitch the advertising opportunity to those who might be interested. You have, at this point, demographics and traffic numbers. That’s the makings of a great sales pitch. Your approach may be different, but remember that in order to make money off of your blog with ads, you need a lot of traffic. Here's how to sell valuable ad space on your #blog.Writing For Other’s Blogs If the extent of your writing for other blogs is in the format of guest blogging, you probably aren’t getting paid. Guest posting, generally, is about finding a new audience and building your own reputation as an expert (which, as noted, does eventually help you make money). However, in a world hungry for content, good writers are in high demand. I know this from firsthand experience, receiving many requests from potential clients. You can make money, as a blogger, writing for other blogs. Before you can make money writing for others' blogs, you have to: Have been writing on your own blog. You need experience both in writing and what it takes to run a blog. You’ll gain an appreciation for deadlines and word counts if you’ve done it yourself first. Establish a tangible reputation, with writing samples, of what you can do. This is so crucial. Why do I have so many requests from clients? Because they’ve seen my writing elsewhere and liked it. Do the work. Write the guest posts. It will turn around eventually. Be willing (though it may not always be required) to write for free initially to establish a relationship with the blog owner. Be upfront that you are interested in paid blogging and not just guest posts. Make yourself available, but not passively. You have to pursue writing leads, unless you’ve built enough brand reputation where they come to you. Get in the practice of working hard and hitting deadlines. Nothing kills a paid blogging gig like missing deadlines and turning in shoddy work. Be prepared to write outside of your comfort zone, at least until you establish regular clients. Learn to research and write on things you don’t always know a lot about. If you intend to make a living writing for other blogs, here are some resources you ought to check out first: 12 Signs You’re Underselling Your Freelance Writing Services Is Ghost Blogging Unethical? How To Make A Living Blogging How To Avoid Writer Burnout When It’s Your Day Job 5 Steps To Make Your Freelance Clients Love Your Writing You Have To Flip The Switch All the expertise and brand recognition in the world doesn’t lead to bank deposits unless you flip the switch. What I mean is that you have to, at some point, make the move to asking for money. For startups or businesses where a sellable product came first, and the blog is the means to bring in people, it’s different. But for bloggers whose content came first, where the blog is the means to bring in money (eventually), you need to flip the switch. At some point, you have to make the move to ask for money from #blogging.You have to sell a product, or that expertise. You have to run the risk of upsetting some in your audience who truly want things for free (unless you’re making a go of it, for reals, off of ads). You have to be willing to do the work of writing for yourself â€Å"for free† and on other blogs for free until you get enough requests that you begin weeding them out by establishing a freelance blogging career. When is that moment? I don’t know. You will know. Creating endless free downloads that bring in droves of traffic and are downloaded in high numbers? Start creating something available only with a price tag. Can’t handle the deluge of writing requests? End all free writing and put a price on it and see where the chips fall. It can feel like a gamble, but if you’re overwhelmed and exhausted and aren’t seeing any income, it’s time. The danger to content marketing is to get so caught up in doing it so well and so free that you forget you’re marketing. If your blog is a hobby, fine. But if you want to make money off of it, you must eventually move away from everything being free. Don't forget to get your free infographic checklist to help you make money from blogging.

Ethical obligations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ethical obligations - Essay Example Hence there is a great amount of responsibility that goes within their working basis. They know that if they falter, there is someone else to take their seat and the public would never approve of them in the first place. It is this accountability factor that asks of them to give in their best time and time again. What is most significant is the fact that public administrators have an ethical obligation to perform, mostly on all of the occasions where they get in touch with the public. It goes to suggest without much exclamation that public administrators face ethical responsibilities because it is the public that they have to hold fast on to. They know that if the public does not get the benefits from their undertakings, it would be a futile exercise to work their way through different tasks and actions. The public administration implications in taking good care of the public health sector, housing, education and others is centered on the premise of the peculiar reinforcement strateg ies. These are followed in a very proactive fashion and that too on a consistent rate. The reinforcement phenomenon gets implemented when there are situations which ask of the public administrators to give in their very best on a constant basis. ... he domains of the public administrators, the people resourcing discussion is based on the tangent of giving more significance to the people who are more skilled and who get the most work done in an efficient capacity. However these elements must come with an ethical obligation attached with the same (Bertucci 2006). This means that the public administration implication is made stronger with each passing day and the reinforcement strategies with the help of the motivational reward hierarchies working towards the eventual benefit of the public at large. Administering people with an ethical responsibility thus becomes precisely an easy task as it manifests sound objectives in a quick manner. Thus the public administration implication of administering people through the assistance of the reinforcement strategies is a difficult proposition if the public administrator does not carry out his homework in a well-cohesive fashion. He must know what he is propagating and that too at the right l evels, on a consistent basis. There are a few instances when the public trusts the administration that has been given the right to serve them, and this is indeed an aspect which could be seen in the positive aspects under the relationship between the two – the public and the public administrators. The recent trends in privatizing government functions has a dilemma attached to it, especially when one considers the case related with the attainment of public interest and the like. What this does is to make sure that privatization remains the key within the understanding of the public that it exists to bring harmony within their ranks and not to make them feel indifferent to privatization or even experience numbness towards it. Privatization within the public administration regimes is

Management of Change Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Management of Change - Case Study Example However, the management failed in addressing the short-term health risks of the long-sleeved shirts especially during the hot summer. It is true that there are many risk-behaviours, incidents and injuries that occur in the construction industry thus Main Roads department must focus on the occupational health and safety of its workforce estimated at 5,000 workers. There are some organizational barriers to change since the department of Main Roads has a centralised policy of resource allocation, bureaucratic procedures and a hierarchical structure thus hindering flow of information and fast decision-making. However, the Main Roads department claims that it cooperates with other government departments in implementation of policy agenda through consultations with stakeholders and external agencies. Surprisingly, the department did not consult with Cancer Council on the sun-safe strategies that will ensure workers are protected from skin cancer in the workplace, but relied on World Health Organization (WHO) advice on and figures that point out the Australia has the highest incidence of skin cancer. On the other hand, Cancer Council recommends that all workplaces to have ultraviolent (UV) radiation protection program that entails comprehensive policy and strategies of early detection and prevention of skin cancer. It is a fact that construction wo rkers have higher risk of skin cancer that all other workers due to long exposure to radiation from direct sunlight and UV rays. The Main Roads department has a positive culture that aims at protecting workers from health risks. The department has certain shared norms, customs and practices. However, the outside workers have the mentality that ‘as soon as the sun comes out you take your shirt off’. The department has created a powerful coalition â€Å" A Safety Leaders Group† that will steer the efforts of promoting positive safety staff attitudes in the

The Hunchback of Notre Dame Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Hunchback of Notre Dame - Essay Example However, in the film Hunchback of Notre Dame, there occurs classism, dictatorship, classism, discrimination due to physical appearance. Classism is common in our modern society. Our society comprises of different groups leading to the formation of classes. There occurs the middle class, high class and the low class (Cudd, 105). People in the high class have some privileges and accorded respect in the society. They are treated in a special way unlike the rest of the classes. Middle class group enjoy few privileges unlike those offered to the high-class group. The worst affected comprises the low class group. People in the low class experience various forms of discrimination and enjoy few privileges compared to the other class groups. For instance, they live in slums; have little access to social services such as proper health care, poor sanitation, often manipulated politically by people from the high-class group (Cudd, 106). Just like in the film The Hunchback of Notre Dame, the king is referred as His most Christian Majesty, Louis XI. This indicates that he is highly regarded in the society and thus had massive pow er and privileges bestowed upon him (Wallace). Therefore, he belongs to the high class. Moreover, the archbishop belongs to the middle class while the kings’ subjects comprise the low class group. This group does not enjoy some of the privileges enjoyed by the king and the archbishop. Dictatorship forms another form of oppression in the society. In most societies, kings and rulers have some autonomous powers bestowed upon them. Such powers and privileges do not exist with the subjects and thus contribute to oppression. In most instances, some actions and conducts by the rulers go unquestionable since the subjects may fear victimization. Just like in the film, king Louis XI is regarded as His Most Christian Majesty thus, making him the ruler and preside over all religious functions with the

How Electron Configuration Accounts for Ion Formation

How Electron Configuration Accounts for Ion Formation Consider electron configuration as it applies to the periodic table and explain in detail how this accounts for the formation of ions. Elements are arranged in the periodic table (see figure 1) according to their electronic configuration, which describes the number and arrangement of electrons in an atom, helping to make sense of the chemistry of an element. The notion of Electron configuration was first highlighted with the Bohr model, in which the electron shells were orbits at a fixed distance from the nucleus of an atom, and it is still common to speak of atomic structures in terms of shells and sub-shells. An electron shell is the set of atomic orbitals which share the same prinicpal quantum number n (Krauskopf 1995) – the number before the letter in the oribital label. Orbitals are filled in the order of increasing n+1, where two orbitals have the same value of n+1, they are filled in order of increasing n (reference.com). This gives the following order for filling the orbitals: 1s 2s 2p 3s 3p 4s 3d 4p 5s 4d 5p 6s 4f 5d 6p 7s 5f 6d 7p If we look at this in relation to the periodic table we can see that starting with Hydrogen (which has one electron) going across to Helium having two. These two electrons have no filled up the first ‘shell’, called 1s. The next ‘shell’, 2s, is filled by Lithium and Beryllium. Moving across to the 2p sub shell (1p does not exist) – B, C, N, O, F, Ne. Each whole (one row in the table) ‘shell’ holds 8 electrons (with the S sub-shell holding 2 electrons, and the p sub-shell holding 6). So the second shell, looking at one row of the periodic table, is Li and Be (2s), and B, C, N, O, F, and Ne (2p). The elements of group 2 of the perdioic table have an electron configuration of [E]ns2 (where [E] is an inert gas configuration, taken from reference.com). Those elements grouped together in the periodic table have notable similarities in their chemical properties (Drever 1997). Electrons fill energy levels according to the Aufbau principle – the principle that the electron configurations of atoms build up according to a set of rules. The three rules are that: Electrons go into the orbital at the lowest available energy level Each orbital can only contain at most two electrons (with opposite spins) Where there are two or more orbitals at the same energy, they fill singly before the electrons pair up. Figure 1: Periodic Table of Elements ‘Valence electrons’ are the electrons contained in the outer shell (commonly called the ‘valence shell’) of an atom, and are important in determining the chemical properties of an element (Krauskopf 1995). As a result of this, elements with the same number of valence electrons are grouped together in the period table. As a general rule, the fewer electrons an atom holds, the less stable it becomes and the more likely it is to react. Conversely the more complete the valence shell is the more inert an atom is and the less likely it is to chemically react. Elements in the same group of the periodic table have similar properties because they have the same outer electron configuration. There are trends in properties down a group because of the shielding effect of the increasing number of inner full shells (Drever 1997). Electrons are able to move from one energy level to another by emission or absorption of a quantum of energy, in the form of a photon (reference.com). It is this gain or loss of energy that can trigger an electron to move to another shell or even break free from the atom and it’s valence shell. When an electron absorbs/gains more photons, then it moves to a more outer shell depending on the amount of energy the electron contains and has gained due to absorption. When an election releases/loses photons, then it moves to a more inner shell depending on the amount of energy the electron contains and has lost. If we use fluorine as an example, we can see that the full electron configuration of Fluorine is 1s2s2p5 (F is 5th from the left in p-block, one behind Neon so has 5 2p electrons). The valence electrons are 2s2p5 as there are two shells and these electrons are in the outer one. The key point is that atoms like to have a whole shell of 8 electrons, as this makes them more stable. As we can see from figure 1, Fluorine has only 7 electrons (7th from the right on the second row). It really wants to gain an electron (to be like Neon) in order to have 8, and complete its shell. Fluorine is, therefore, very reactive and ‘steals’ and electron off anything it can find. When it does this it gains an electron and becomes a negative ion – F (1s2s2p6). The reverse of this is Sodium (1s2s2p3s1), where 3s1 are the valence electrons. It really wants to loose this one extra electron to become 1s2s2p8 like Neon. It looses an electron and becomes a positive ion (Na+). REFERENCES: Baird, C. (1995) Environmental Geochemistry. USA: W.H. Freeman and Company Drever, J.I. (1997) The Geochemistry of Natural Waters. London: Prentice-Hall Krauskopf, K.B, Bird D.K. (1995) Introduction to Geochemistry. USA: McGraw-Hill Howard A.G. (1998) Aquatic Environmental Chemistry. Oxford: Science Publications Garrels, R. M., and J. C.Christ. (1965). Solutions, minerals, and equilibria. San Francisco: Freeman, Cooper. Web Resouces: www.reference.com

Carvers boxes: Something Is Not Right :: essays research papers

Carver's "Boxes": Something is Not Right Have you ever had that eerie feeling in the back of your mind that something just is not right? It is as if there is some unknown reason that a situation has a different meaning then what is obvious. This feeling is the disguised backbone of Raymond Carver's story, "Boxes". In this story the son seems to be experiencing this feeling as his mother decides to move again. There are gaps in the story line which shows that the son's dialog does not match up with his thoughts throughout the situation. These gaps highlight a hidden theme that associates the son's feelings about his mother moving with her death. One of the reasons the son unconsciously believes he will never see his mother again, is because his mother mentions more than once in the story that she would like to die. These gaps in the story where the mother mentions dying in the same scenes that have to do with her moving associates her moving with her death. One instance that she mentions dying is where she is complaining about the weather in Longview: "I mean it, honey. I don't want to see this place again except from my coffin. I hate this g.d. place. I don't know why I moved here. I wish I could just die and get it over with" (p. 413). I do not think the son believes she really wants to die but she puts the idea of her dying in his subconscious. There is a gap at that point that is up to the reader to figure out. The gap is widened farther in that same scene. The son remembers thinking about a man working on a power line. The man leaned out supported only by a safety belt and the son thought about if the man fell. The son is still on the phone with his mother: "I didn't have any idea what I was going to say next. I had to say something. But I was filled with unworthy feelings, thoughts no son should admit to. 'You're my mother,' I said finally. 'What can I do to help?'" (p. 413). What were these thoughts? Why doesn't the narrator tell us? The son cannot help being affected by these powerful words of his mother. This gap in the story is important because the son is thinking about how that man working on the pole could easily die if his safety belt does not hold. At this point he also has unmentionable thoughts about his mother.

Introduction to Criminal Justice Essay

The federal criminal justice system comprise of federal courts, corrections, and law enforcement agencies. The United States Attorneys is the primary agency taking charge of cases involving the U. S. government as a party and in collecting debt owed to the federal government. The federal judiciary has a Supreme Court, appellate courts, and trial or district courts. Federal law enforcement agencies derive their authority from the U. S. Constitution and federal laws while the state law enforcement obtains authority from the state constitution and legislations. The difference in source of authority, which determines jurisdiction and role, determines whether a criminal case is a federal or state matter. Federal Criminal Justice System The criminal justice system in America today comprise of courts, corrections and law enforcement operating at the local, state and federal level (Samaha, 2006). These tiers of decision-making operate independently according to the scope of their jurisdictions. The discussion focuses on the federal level relative to the local and state levels. The U. S.  Department of Justice comprises the primary criminal investigative and law enforcement agency at the federal level. The Office of the United States Attorneys, which falls under the U. S. Department of Justice, comprise the principal litigators assigned to judicial districts, within which each Unite States Attorney exercise the role as the chief federal law enforcement officer for the United States. The United States Attorneys Office mainly prosecutes cases involving the United States as a party and collect debt owed to the U. S. ederal government as provided by Title 28, Section 547 of the U. S. Code. (United States Attorneys, 2009) The federal judiciary or court system emerged from Article III of U. S. Constitution. This has three tiers of decision-making. At the top is the U. S. Supreme Court comprised of the Chief Justice and eight associate justices handling cases involving important constitutional or federal questions of law that originated in the state or the feder al courts. In the middle is the appellate court, made-up of 94 judicial districts pooled into 12 regional circuits. The U. S. Court of Appeals in every circuit handles appealed cases coming from the district courts or federal administrative agencies as well as handles appeals of special cases. At the lower level is the trial court comprised of the district courts, with criminal and civil jurisdiction. The Court of International Trade and the U. S. Court of Federal Claims are special trial courts. (Samaha, 2006; â€Å"Understanding the federal courts,† 2009) Federal law enforcement agencies derive their authority from the U. S.  Constitution. Article 1, Section 8 provides the power of Congress to enact laws needed in executing governmental powers. The constitutional powers of Congress accords federal law enforcement agencies with the authority to operate. Whenever, Congress enacts a statute, it designates the federal agency responsible for enforcement of this law. The provisions of the enacted laws assigned for enforcement to federal agencies indicate the limit and scope of the authority of the federal agencies. (May et al. , 2008) The difference in the role of federal agents and state or local law enforcement officers lies in the jurisdiction and scope of authority. A federal agent has a wider jurisdiction but with a narrower scope of authority determined by federal statutes. Federal law emanates from the constitution that empowers the U. S. Congress to enact laws at the federal level. State or local law enforcement officers have narrower jurisdiction limited only to the boundaries of the state or locality but with broader scope of authority covering the enforcement of all laws applicable to the state or locality. State/local laws come from the state legislatures obtaining authority from the state constitution. (May et al. , 2008) Investigation or prosecution of a crime is a federal matter when the criminal act or issue are covered by federal law or the U. S. Constitution, the U. S. government is a party, special cases within the authority of the federal law justice system, and other cases within federal question jurisdiction. A crime is under state jurisdiction in cases violating the criminal laws of the state. The state holds broad jurisdiction of various cases but with the exception of those falling under the exclusive statutory jurisdiction of the federal courts. (May et al. , 2008) It makes sense to have dual criminal statutes in the federal and state systems covering the same offense. In case of common jurisdiction over an offense, such as discrimination in employment, the parties can opt to file in case in federal or state courts. There are also ways of distinguishing jurisdiction such as the diversity jurisdiction of the federal courts in cases involving residents of two different states over a controversy amounting to more than $75,000 dollars. (May et al. , 2008) The federal criminal justice system operates independently from state and local criminal justice by having its constitutional and federal statute determined jurisdiction. However, it has links with local and state criminal justice in hearing appeals of cases originating from the state courts on grounds of pertinent issues of law.

The Status of Women in Pakistan Essays

The Status of Women in Pakistan Essays The Status of Women in Pakistan Essay The Status of Women in Pakistan Essay The other dark side of the women empowerment advocacy figures (males) and personalities is that while thinking, speaking, and initiating women empowerment they always feel that women are put on a high scale than the male instead of having an equal status as per of the male; from the very deep down from their hearts and minds. Thus in a wider national consensus about the issues these males do have a very supporting role to the offenders of women at social, political, religious, and legal justice levels. Considering the present condition of Pakistani women do not even have the right to own their bodies, being exposed to the traditional male control over every aspect of their bodies, speech and behavior with stoicism, as part of their kismet (fate). Defiance of any sort translates into undermining male honor and ultimately family and community honor. Our exposure and working witness severe reported punishments for; bringing food late, for answering back, or for undertaking forbidden trips, etc. (Thanks to Sajida, a journalist in Larkana. ) Bragging about their feats The role of media in Pakistan has also been lethargic in terms of improving the status of women. Pakistan television (PTV) plays have a crosscutting viewership, especially among women. However, plays mostly revolve around formula-based story lines, which cast women in either submissive roles or at the other extreme as westernized glamour girls. According to the survey conducted by United Nations Development Programme on â€Å"Portrayal of Women in Media† indicates that the viewers’preferences are now tilting in favor of more gender-balanced portraying of women. The respondents of the survey feel that the negative stereotypical images of highly emotional and suppressed women should be reduced and downplayed. This is a sure sign of improvement in women’s status, as it would leave a positive impact on the male members of our society regarding the productive role of women and who might then stop considering them as mere vegetables who have no say of their own. Recommendations: Thus, 1. A change in male’s thinking pattern is required to change the existing notion of their egos; bragging about their feats; authority; monopoly, and power;

Impact of Being Overweight and Obese Essays

Impact of Being Overweight and Obese Essays Impact of Being Overweight and Obese Paper Impact of Being Overweight and Obese Paper Staying at a healthy weight requires balancing what a person eats with physical activity.   One of the best ways to prevent being overweight and obese is to improve eating and activity levels.   Overweight and obesity can lead to serious problems like type 2 diabetes, asthma, heart disease, sleep problems, low self esteem, and bullying (USDHHS, 2010). The obesity rates throughout the United States are simply shocking, and the harsh fact that American society grows increasingly fatter points to severe cultural problems.   These state statistics of population obesity levels from 2008, the percentage per state of very highly overweight people, are an indication of where the problems are most concentrated Parents are often the most vital role models for children.   When parents eat right and are physically active, then children are more likely to make these choices.   Getting active and eating healthy as a family helps family members to spend more quality time together.   Americans are growing heavier, and today, most adults are overweight or obese, and children are becoming heavier as well (USDHHS, 2010). When people overeat and do not exercise, the result is the problem of being overweight or obese.   Sometimes people learn poor eating and exercise behaviors at home or in their communities, but everyone is personally responsible to take the initiative to engage in health behaviors.   When people are offered large amounts of food at the homes of friends or when served at restaurants, people need to be able to say no to large portions or to share portions. Also, people have the responsibility to make exercise possible, such as walking or biking to work.   Sometimes, a biological problem, such as a defective thyroid gland, may contribute to being overweight, but typically, overweight and obese people are able to help themselves if they choose (USDHHS, 2010). People can check the status of their weight with the BMI calculator, available online, and to ask themselves if they are apple or pear shaped.   The BMI calculator can help in discovering whether or not a person is in a normal weight range, overweight, or obese.   Pear shaped people have waists smaller than their hips, and apple shaped people have smaller hips than waists.   It is important for people to be sure that the circumference of their waists is smaller than the circumference of their hips (USDHHS, 2010). Non profit organizations like Shape Up America! are dedicated to health weight for life, promoting the correct eating and exercise behaviors of people living in the United States.   This organization educates the public on the significance of realizing and maintaining a healthy body weight through the implementation of increased physical activity and healthy eating (Shape Up America!, 2009). References Shape Up America!   (2009).   Our Mission.   Shape Up America!   Retrieved on January 14, 2010 from shapeup.org/about/index_about.php. United States Department of Health and Human Services.   (2010).   Obesity.   United States Department of Health and Human Services.   Retrieved on January 14, 1020 from healthfinder.gov/scripts/SearchContext.asp?topic=592.

Complexometric Titration of Calcium Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Complexometric Titration of Calcium - Lab Report Example In this experiment, the searchers are trying to perform a complex formation reaction for analytical purposes. The main aim of this titration reaction is to determine the presence of calcium ions in a titrant by a method referred to as titrimetric. The chemists use the common titrant referred to as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, (EDTA). This acid is commonly used in complex formation reactions because of its ability to form complexes with most metal ions because of its tetrabasic form. The EDTA acid molecule has a hexadentate ligand structure having four oxygen and two nitrogen molecules which donate atoms simultaneously. One major advantage of using EDTA as a chelating agent is because it forms a stable compound with most metals ions in a reacting ration of 1:1. Secondly, the reaction between EDTA and metal ions forms larger compound structures such that the reaction is product favored making it suitable for the reaction to proceed to full completion. These two major advantages mak e EDTA be the preferable titrant in most complex formation reactions. The purpose of this titration reaction is to determine the presence and concentration of calcium carbonate, (CaCO3) in an unknown solution sample. The known reagents in this reaction include the following: First, there is a known amount of Ammonia buffer solution. Secondly, there is Disodium EDTA dehydrate with an FW of 372.24. Thirdly, there is a calcium carbonate with an FW of 100.87 which is primary standard and dried for a period of about 2 hours at 100 0c.

Digital Evolution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Digital Evolution - Essay Example Looking at it in high level, Barrett tackled what is going on around the world referencing significant improvements in technology that has changed the face of humanity and of the world. He then moved on to discuss the importance of such technologies highlighting his company’s contribution to the evolution of technology. With this, Barrett pointed out two important opportunity areas where technology can be utilized to not only change how things are done but to deliver benefits to the population. These are the areas of healthcare and education. Based on the profile of Barrett, it could be noted that he has a strong advocacy for improving education in the United States as well as the rest of the world. Being a staunch supported of research in the academia, Craig together, with Intel, has made significant partnerships with educational institutions to promote and fund numerous research programs. With Intel focused on product-oriented research devoting around $6 billion annually for research and development, he strongly believes that research is vital for innovation and moving the nation and the world. Because of this, he has poured significant investments in research with these institutions to help improve and build on technology as it exists at the moment with a vision in fulfilment of what Gordon Moore has postulated and predicted decades ago. In relation to his company Intel, it has been reported that Barrett’s concern is capitalizing on the rapidly evolving digital world. The prospects on the electronic sector are really great. As believed by Intel, standardization is key to ensure that the different technologies produced and provided by different companies will work together. As such, Intel is looking into the expansion of manufacturing products that people actually want (What does the future hold for Intel, Apple and Microsoft?,  2004). Finally, Barrett in his 2004 article has

Forms and Theories of Government Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Forms and Theories of Government - Essay Example This is done to have an equitable distribution of property while still giving some economic freedom to the citizens3. Norway is a good example of such a form of government. A republic form of government is one which is led by the representatives of the voters. Each representative is chosen for a set period of time. The management of affairs is open to all citizens. An example of a republic is the United States of America. A dictatorship is a form of government which is autocratic and involves a single leader who is not an elected representative and often uses force to keep power. In a military dictatorship, the army keeps control. Iraq is an example of a dictatorship5. Tyranny is similar concept where the all power is vested in one single ruler who is often harsh, unjust and oppressive. A totalitarian government is the rule of a single political party over all public and private sectors. Such a political system has no limits to its authority and there is use of force and restrictions to ensure obedience6. China is an example of such a state. Anarchy is a state of affairs where there is no proper government or political system in place. This often happens after a civil war where the existing government is destroyed and rival groups fight to take control. Such a situation is present in Afghanistan where there is little writ of the state over its citizens. The United States of America is a constitution-based federal republic with a democratic convention. This means that it is a government which is ruled by representative of the citizen body. In this political system, sovereignty lies with the people who elect their representatives to run the affairs of the state. This is very different from a dictatorship, tyranny, anarchist and totalitarian regimes where there is often abuse of power and the people have little say in who is to run the nation. The person or small bodies in power are not there

Organization & Operation of International Investment Bank Essay Example for Free

Organization Operation of International Investment Bank Essay Nowadays, banks seem to be springing up in the nooks and corners of every city in every country. The banks are no longer operating globally, in fact most of the big banks have marked their presence in most of the continents and yet they keep on expanding their business. There was a time when banking only meant providing loans to people or keeping their deposits but this is not the case anymore. Many different kinds of banks have sprung up offering diversified financial service that provide clients with investment and insurance products but the major ones are the commercial banks and the investment banks. The banks not only offer services to the customers and make their own money in the process but are in fact a vital part of the economy and its development as well. The purpose of the study is to make an analysis of the role played by investment banks; through their importance will come to light. The study will also be discussed with respect to the working of these bodies internationally. Introduction: The study deals with investment banks it is important to know how these institutions are different from commercial banks. Commercial banks are those institutions which accept deposits, provide business loans, and also offer other relevant services. Besides, they also provide the facility of making a variety of deposits through accounts like checking, time deposits or savings (Harvey, 2004). The purpose of existence of these institutions is to make a profit and the owners are a group of individuals, of whom some may belong to Federal Reserve System. Though the commercial banks provide services to individuals or clients, but their prime concern is to receive deposits and lend to businesses. An investment bank perform a range of tasks including issuance of securities (underwriting), management of portfolios of financial assets, trading securities (stocks and bonds), helping investors in buying securities and providing financial advice and support services; they are also involved in various proprietary functions in the financial markets, where they are their own clients (Lim, 26). It is mainly an intermediary who brings together sellers of stocks and bonds with buyers of the same. It differs mainly from the investment bank in the aspect that it has no inventory of cash deposits unlike a commercial bank. The companies usually use investment banks for achieving the same end as the commercial banks. If capital is required by a company, it may either obtain loan from a commercial bank, or buy equity or debt from investment bank. Commercial banks have availability of funds through depositors unlike an investment bank who, for this reason, have to spend considerable time looking for investors from whom they may obtain capital for clients. Literature Review: In the earlier days, banks were usually restricted to their local place of origin and only a few large ones had their branches in other countries but during the 19th century it was seen that many small banks failed in trying times for the reason that they were dependant on the fluctuations that local trades and industries went through; on the other hand larger banks which had their branches across the border were much secure as the risks were extended across a larger market and a broader range of borrowers. This is what gave rise and added to the popularity of international banking. Banks are involved in a wide range of services including the safe keeping of money and its transmission by different means like checks. At a primarily level, a bank takes the money from the customers and undertakes to repay it when demanded or when a prearranged period expires. But the roles of bank are no longer restricted to taking deposits or providing loans, there has been a great change in the nature of banks and their business has become more complicated over the last 20 years and this can be greatly contributed to the addition of various services pertinent to non-banking areas. This is the reason that major banks have taken control of bodies like merchant banks, estate agencies or hire-purchase companies, and have moved into areas like insurance and leasing (Geoffrey, 38-41). International banks operating overseas often suffer downward rating as seen the course of history that when a countrys creditworthiness is downgraded by international private agencies because of slacking public finances, it is followed by a similar rating of banks issuing shares because they carry large amounts of foreign currency government debt. The reason for this is that debt carries foreign exchange risk since the country is issuing it in a foreign currency thus increasing the probability of default in case the domestic currency depreciates; the countries who issue Eurobonds exercise acceptable sovereign credit ratings which permits them to float, in international markets, foreign currency bonds that have been underwritten by major international investment banks and carry investment grade AAA. Funds from the sale of securities return to banks and then may be invested partly in the provision of loans to the private sector or any other asset which carries a lower risk than that of foreign currency government debt (Shaheen Achkar, 353). A bank should work profitably but by no means it should turn into an organisation that is not trusted by its customers, employees or shareholders. Most of the customers across the globe consider banks with quiet suspicion and at times even with vocal hostility where they are considered evil and not a valued service industry and there is rarely a day when the tabloid press does not expose some apparent banking bungle or scam. Majority of the banks are bent opon extending their branch network and makreting their products. A customer who is anxious to just perform a simple transaction like cashing a cheque, often find himself/herself in the hands of a bank staff trying to make him go for the product of the week. The banks are no longer focused on creating a customer-oriented environment that may attract customers but are following the policy of ‘indiscriminate sell’ which are driving out customers. Merely, expanding the branch network in different countries is not enough unless the bank succeeds in establishing a reputation for loyalty and trustworthiness with its borrowers. There are occasionally times when conflicts arise between the interests of a bank and its borrowers, but the key is to maintain mutual respect. Like the other organizations in service industries, customer satisfaction should lie at the core of a banks culture (John, 27). With respect to working of the investment banks, there is great reliance on analysts. These analysts are essential to the organization and working of investment banks. Because of the servies that they provide and avail, investors depend on analysts to perform a skilled analysis of security valuation, as it is usually the art and science which they are unable to perform themselves. At individual level, these analysts normally give coverage to a group of companies falling within the domain of particular industries. For this reason all major investment banks and even smaller commercial ones have their own teams of analysts who perform essential research on public corporations. These analysts do not contribute directly in generating material revenue for the bank. Instead, their services support two major groups. The first group is of professional and non-professional investors who give commissions to the banks by means of their orders to buy and sell securities. In this domain, what the analyst does is to spend time talking with investors in order to collect orders from them, which are not directly given to them but instead placed through salespeople working in the bank and with whom analysts keep in touch on a daily basis. The other important group in investment bank is the corporate finance department. This department is the vital contributor to revenues and profits earned by banks. The majority of revenue earned by the corporate finance is a result of underwriting and arranging financing (debt and equity) and providing services like mergers and acquisitions (MA) advice to the clients. The role of analysts in Corporate finance lies where they are seeked for the promottion and sale of capital offerings and MA deals to investors (Hayward Boeker, 1-5). In the past, investment banks have earned great benefits because of the high demand for its products and many existing macro trends prevalent in most of the countries. One such example is of disintermediation of traditional capital providers which facilitated the continued developments in the business arena of corporate bond and securitisaties; even on the investment side, there was disintermedation of traditional savings providers like banks or insurance companies, as a result a flood of funds rushed into equity markets which brought the need for execution of advice and transaction; another factor which contributed to the success of investment banks is the globalisation of corporations and investors. Another positive trend was the effort of continued restructuring by corporations and governments so as to achieve global competitiveness and thus requiring advisory services of the investment banks. The reaction of the banking industry to these trends was the decision to organise itself around the organizations that were product-orientated so as to take advantage of the situation. To put it in other words, the former range of services that were offered and product capability was amplified due to increased product demand (Kauffman Howcroft, 214). The international investment banks expanded their network across many countries as result of opportunities that were offered due to structural changes in the economy during the nineties in the form of privatization and ownership reallocation both in the financial and non-financial sectors (Messori 177). The function of international investment banks in terms of the banks’ own business is not awlays and necessarily the desire to be a major force in the retail mortgage market; but sometimes what they are instead aiming for is the building of their securitisation businesses. By expanding into the mortgage space beyond the local arena, a ready supply of new assets for securitisation become accessible to these banks directly, rather than this that they source loans in the secondary market. The benefit of securitising most of the loans of the bank in the mortgage business originates implies that the investment bank is capable of passing the risk of credit along to investors, and not only this but in turn also earning feed by means of arranging the securitisation transactions(Wood 36). An international investment bank often reaps the benefit of geographical co-location in many of the cases. The concept behind geographical co location can be illustrated by means of a ‘local code’ which promotes the idea that the knowledge which is specific to a certain place can be best acquired and utilized by marking your presence at that place. When talking of investment banks’ services, let’s say, its MA advisory service, such transaction requires knowledge that is of a non-cosmopolitan nature, meaning, that the availability of such knowledge is limited, which means that it is pertinent to local market besides being related to the professional knowledge of the international MA community (Schamp et al. 11- 615). Methodology: This research is basic in nature and is done to have a better understanding of the investment banks. The qualitative methodology of research has been used and is based on the use of secondary data, which is one that is gathered from existing data sources and has not been done by the researcher himself. For the purpose of collecting data for this research, articles/journals on the subject have been used. The use of secondary data saves time of doing all the research from a scratch and saves cost due to easily available of databases catering to the need and providing relevant information. The methodology takes effort in identifying the correct data and discarding the irrelevant ones; besides it authenticity may also be questioned at times. Property and validity of data: The data is secondary in nature, and has been obtained through reliable sources like published articles and research journals. The data is valid since it is not obsolete, relevant and authentic. Analysis of findings: Now, we will present an analysis of our findings in light of the literature review. Expansion banking beyond the boundaries:Â  The workings of banks on an international level has not always been the trend, in fact, the banks usually used to be local and work within limited cities and towns but over time, such banks turned out to be unsuccessful and the counted few ones who operated internationally were seen to be making success. thus the banks saw opportunity in expanding their branches and their network as a whole beyond local boundaries. The reason for the success was that when they operated in diverse foreign markets and dealt with diverse borrowers, the risk was no longer linked with a single market only and was thus reduced. Rise of investment banking: The traditional functions of bank were limited to making loans and taking deposits and transferring of funds but this is no longer the case. There are banks now providing non-traditional services like leasing, insurance, mortgages. The investment banks became well versed among the masses as a result of diversification of bank services and of the trends that were prevalent in the economy during the 19th century. These trends among others, included disintermediation of financial services and different restructuring in the economy like privatization or resource allocation among different sectors which facilitated the need for advisory services. Organization of international investment banks: The international investment banks are organized in a manner so as to reap the best benefits from their operation in the international markets. These banks deal with local securities among other things of the countries in which they operate. This provides them with a better understanding of the local market conditions but at the same time, unlike local banks, they are not oblivious of the international markets and can play smartly in both arenas. But the back draw of this international arrangement is often visible in the form of downgraded rating when the foreign country of their operation is going through some sort of economical crisis but even then this downgrading is better than those of the local investment banks who are purely organized around the local financial instruments in their operations. The international investments banks are organized in such a way that only makes them visible in the international domain but also provide them with a supply of new assets thus enabling them to pass the credit risk to investors and also to arrange more transactions. Operation of the international investment banks: In the operation of the international investment banks, trust is a crucial element. Banks seem to be more focused on the expansion of their branch network and sale of their products than on building the customers’ trust. The customers must have the trust that their bank is providing them with the right investment options and that it is equally involved in the risk bore by them; only then can these investment banks operate successfully. The international bank operates through a complicated process but what is important is to know that these banks are dependant to a great degree on their financial analysts. These analysts are not involved in the direct generation of revenue but are in fact the essential elements for providing support to two of the revenue generating bodies, which are the investors and the corporate finance. The analysts spend considerable amount of time with the investors and give them advices regarding the right place to invest in; with respect to the corporate finance department, these analysts support those working with corporate finance department in persuading the clients into letting the bank handle their buying and selling of securities and other needs and in promoting their services by giving the right check and balance. Conclusion:Â  Banking is no longer traditional and the former traditional role lies with the commercial banks; the diverse operations have given rise to the investment banks that have expanded their networks internationally and are making success. By operating globally, the investment banks come to terms with the local market conditions which enable them to have a more in depth insight and thus make wise investment decisions and provide the clients with the right options for decision making; the main personnel involved in their operations are their analysts who provide support to the revenue generating bodies of the bank.

The Convergence of Business and Technology

The Convergence of Business and Technology While technological convergence is no longer a new idea, the fascination with the subject lies with the capabilities and applications of both hybrid and brand new technological platforms and the ways previous stand alone industries, have been reconfigured and thereby mobilised to provide enhanced service delivery. Such convergence pertains to the â€Å"digitisation of communications and the ways discrete media formats have become accessible to other media forms; have been further factors in this process† (Saltzis, 2007). In technical terms, Saltzis (2007) reminds us that â€Å"the new technologies convergence can be attributed to developments in digitization, bandwidth and compression; as well as interactivity. Moreover, the rapidity and pervasiveness of technological convergence has seized the entrepreneurial imagination and arrested the attention of economic rationalists, with respect to â€Å"the devices used by institutions within the communications and media industries, as well as the information they process, distribute, and exchange over and through these devices† (Mosco and McKercher 2008: 37). Such convergence also focuses upon the â€Å"integration of or interface between and among different media systems and organizations, made possible by the development of new technologies† (Mosco and McKercher 2008: 37). With this being said, a more fertile field to explore, derives from the recognition that while technology continues to converge, so does the corporate world. The nub of this issue is the nature and extent of the link between these two types of convergence, and the nuanced ways in which one shapes and is shaped by the other. Corporate convergence, according to Babe (1996:284-285) refers to the â€Å"mergers, amalgamations, and diversifications, whereby media organisations come to operate across previously distinct industry boundaries.† Babe extends this explanation stating that corporate convergence refers to the non-technical features of convergence, which also â€Å"contribute to the blurring of industry boundaries† (Babe 1996: 284-285). Examples he cites in the 1990’s from his Canadian context include â€Å" Time Warner combining book publishing, music recording, and movie making, not to mention cable television, (while) Rogers Communications, Inc. engage in n ewspaper and magazine publishing, long-distance and cellular telephony, cable television, and radio/television broadcasting† (Babe 1996: 284-285). While it is self evident that â€Å"corporate convergence promotes and is promoted by technological convergence† (Mosco and McKercher 2008: 37), closer attention is warranted to examine the nature of the promotion and the ways these two significant convergences influence each other. It is illuminating as we do this to itemise dimensions of technological convergence, to begin to pinpoint the areas of synergy between technology and corporate enterprise. The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) has been helpful in its examination of convergence, by singling out ‘device convergence,’ ‘network convergence,’ ‘service convergence’ and ‘regulatory convergence’ (ITU 2008). While the ITU cites examples of devices include mobile phone, camera and internet access device, network examples include fixed-mobile convergence and next-generation networks (ITU 2008). Moreover, service convergence is exemplified by voice services over th e internet; not to forget regulatory convergence for broadcasting and telecommunications, citing the example of the Office of Communication (Ofcom) in the United Kingdom (ITU 2008). The view of convergence from the corporate stakeholder, according to Andriole (2005:28), is ideally a â€Å"multi-disciplinary, anticipatory, adaptive and cautious† one, no longer about â€Å"early adoption of unproven technology,† but instead about questions of â€Å"business technology acquisition, deployment and management† (Andriole 2005: 28). The sense that the momentum has changed within the corporate sector, prompting corporate leaders to be ready to have ‘convergence conversations’ is clearly articulated by Andriole (2005). It is advocated that companies will benefit by thinking in terms of â€Å"business technology convergence plans† (Andriole 2005: 28). Instead of technology being a footnote or a discrete department within a corporation, through its own array of convergences, it now occupies a central position in underpinning corporate cultures. As a response to this generational shift in consciousness, business planning now closely consults with technological providers, shaping corporate decisions and goals. This change of thought led spawned a new series of business planning questions, which demonstrate some of the links between technological and corporate convergence. Questions which illustrate this include: â€Å"‘How does technology define and enable profitable transactions?’; ‘What business models and processes are underserved by technology?’; ‘Which are adequately or over-served by technology?’† (Andriole 2005: 29) Now when strategic planning is tabled as an agenda item within companies, the matter of technological capabilities is taken seriously, as corporations realise that sidelining technological innovation, is a stepping stone towards giving away market edge to one’s competitors. Indeed, Andriole (2005: 30) forewarns of the perils of business technology segmentation. Instead of a new business initiative being conceived then asking what technological capability exist to support it, Andriole (2005: 30) argues that technologists must be present as part of the materialisation process of a company’s development goals and strategies. One fundamental area a business model which values efficiency and effectiveness is the calibre of the internal and external communications systems and infrastructure. In the 21st century business context of global interfacing, communications which are â€Å"pervasive, secure and reliable† (Andriole 2005: 30), are a base line issue. The incentive to acquire such state of the art systems is one factor driving further technological convergence, as the market demand fosters technological innovation to bring market edge to communications. The airline industry is a practical case in point, with specific international airlines branding being fostered by the level of their onboard entertainment systems for travelling customers. Some international airlines have invested heavily in this component of their corporate identity to enhance their market niche, displaying convergence through the multi-media, multi-channel video and music on demand, personalised entertainment systems, which now permit replay and play back functions (Yu 2008). We are reminded us that a large area of compatibility and synchronicity between technological and corporate convergence relates to the classical knowledge networks, such as universities, corporations and investors, who derive great benefits from convergence, finding more penetrating ways to exchange information and knowledge, their primary resource Saltzis (2007:2). Additionally, since political, economic and financial power is derived from shared information, the value of corporate convergence to the stock markets and to companies is self evident. In relation to the priming of information flow via the synergy between corporate and technological convergence, some observers are beginning to draw attention to the sociological trend that knowledge, through these processes, has become less of a community resource and increasingly a commodity. As information is commodified, it is packaged to target specific interest groups and economic stakeholders, who prize specific knowledge for specif ic outcomes, in terms of client need and demand. This instance of the knowledge super highway shows that knowledge can be ‘positioned’ within the market with greater precision through convergence, yet , in so doing, may easily lose its original contextual underpinnings that imbued it with richer nuances of meaning in the first place. This phenomenon is perhaps no more evident than in cable television, where networks and individual channels are devoted to specific content delivery 24 hours a day. The downside of course, is that information must be assimilated rapidly on the take up side by the media corporation, just as it is foisted upon the consumer with a ‘forced- feed’ pretext, to make room for the next feed. Information, through such convergent capabilities, that permit ‘bites’ of knowledge to be digitally transferred globally and instantaneously, allows knowledge to be stripped of the framework in which it emerged, just as it is quickly, y et superficially digested by the global consumer. When information held the status of being a community resource, rather than a global commodity, it could be used at the will of the consumer, for their own determined purpose, rather than the commodified purpose preselected by the respective media conglomerates that perpetuate the promulgation of endless information. Further challenges to technological and corporate convergence trends, apart from dilution of meaning due to the multiplicity and potentially splintering of sources, according to ITU (2008) concerns, â€Å"content distribution and management, sustainability and scalability, innovation management, competitive dynamics, tariff policies, network security, regulatory coherence and consumer protection† (ITU 2008). While the broadening of avenues for content distribution has the allure of versatility, the revolutionary distribution of music in the past decade illustrates the potency of convergence, threatening to undermine the very industry it was seeking to promote. I-Tunes and other legal internet based distribution pathways for music radically altered the income and revenue streams derived from popular music providers globally. While the consumer was benefited through the open door of access to music, (just as the educational market was reconfigured once educational corporations b egan to exploit the potentialities of online delivery of educational content at school and university level), the demand for live music globally initially declined, yet has now been buoyed up by the benefits of enhanced global exposure, on account of the global penetration capacity of online music. Another aspect of this link that has pressurised corporations like never before has been how to safeguard the integrity of informational, entertainment or intellectually creative products, once they are so widely available via the world wide web. The proliferation of cloned products has the tendency to diminish the quality, reputation or demand for the original. Corporations have had to weigh the benefits of more universal distribution, against this tendency to have the integrity of a product compromised. This, in one sense has been as much about re-education of the consumer, who remains driven by the desire for quality in many instances, overlooking the detracting influence of You-Tube look alike musical bands renditions of hit singles by either reputable or promising new talent. Patently, issues of security remain paramount, in this race towards virally changing convergences, whether it is the protection of personal data by entertainment companies, the finance sector or an individual relying upon social networking websites to foster their new relationships. Banks reputation for safety once built at the store front only, to remain competitive amid their market rivals, has now shifted to the quality and integrity of their web presence. This same notion extends of course, to an ever growing margin of the retail sector, and the sporting sectors, who realise that within the 21st century era of the new media users, the ‘digital native’ populations will increasingly rely upon web based sources for their interfacing with the world. Ironically, even large scale media conglomerations recognize the technological convergence can allow the operator of a mobile phone with a camera component, to drive world changing conditions, in the event that anybody happen s to be at the right place at the right time, and films an international crisis on the telephone, then posts it on the web, embarrassingly before a major news corporation has the time or the infrastructure to outrun them. This realization has brought a new sense of recognition from major news broadcasters, to the power and penetration of websites like You-Tube, creating in journalists a scrutinizing eye for such alternate culture havens to assist the construction of mainstream breaking news stories. The future looks bright for the ongoing convergence of technologies and corporate agendas. We are reminded of the profound benefits of the digitization revolution, yielding â€Å"enormous gains in transmission speed and flexibility over earlier forms of electronic communication,† (Mosco McKercher 2008: 38) â€Å"extending the range of opportunities to measure and monitor, package and repackage entertainment and knowledge† (Mosco Mckercher 2008: 38). Nonetheless, the need to balance economic welfare and human welfare continues to be of concern, and one of the many implications of the increasing reciprocity, between technological and corporate convergence. In the field of media journalism news production convergence, Klinenburg reiterates that convergence facilitates a more rapid confluence of sources impinging upon an event or a story, yet it also intensifies the pressures upon the journalists time to â€Å"conduct interviews, go out into the field, research and write† (2007: 128). The processing time available at the human level continually diminishes, and when the technical speed is permitted to eclipse the human processes of digestion of knowledge and subsequent reflection, the result may ironically, in spite of a seemingly infinitely greater number of sources, be inferior, less news worthy and more insubstantial, than in would have been if the journalist had to rely upon more traditional methods of crafting a story to be broadcast or published. While we have such warnings of convergence being manifest as a â€Å"concentration of technological ownership, in the form of the global media conglomerates† (Saltzis 2007), occurring in tandem â€Å"at the three levels of networks, production and distribution† (Saltzis 2007), it is prudent to be cogniscent of the fact that such monopolization can create an hegemonic corporate empire, allowing such media outlets to in effect be massive funnels for particular ideological positions. Divergence of ownership, on the other hand, may be a way to democratise control and use of these powerful message delivery mechanisms, yet without inbuilt check and balance systems, the corporate stakeholder will rarely consider that their over- influence in the market place of ideas is detrimental to society. Since convergence researchers are ambivalent about the relative degree to which the â€Å"conglomeration of the global media has been the causal factor of technical convergence, or whether it is its by-product† (Saltzis 2007), there remains much to scrutinize, as we more globally to a yet more convergent means of conducting business; as well as producing, disseminating and consuming information, for diverse purposes. Saltzis’s observations seem pertinent in the final analysis. While the â€Å"benefits of these transitions include the merging of consumer bases; the creation of synergies with shared resources (utilising economies of scope and scale); as well as cross-promotion, the instability of the global media system, with its intense competition, advertising, peer-to-peer file sharing technologies, have established significant challenges for both the music and film industries† (Saltzis 2007). The matter of e-regulation is, as Saltzis asserts, â€Å"in its infa ncy† (2007), with many more competing political, economic and ethical questions to consider, as the global market place continues to converge. Bibliography Mosco, V. McKercher, C. (2008) The Laboring of Communication: Will Knowledge Workers of the World Unite? Rowman Littlefield Saltzis, K. (2007) Corporate and Technological Convergence (Lecture 8): New Media and the Wired World MS2007. International Telecommunications Union (2008) World Telecommunications Policy Forum 2009 ‘Convergence’, accessed December 13, 2008 from http://www.itu.int/osg/csd/wtpf/wtpf2009/convergence.html Yu, R (2008) Airlines Upgrade Entertainment in Economy Cabin USA Today retrieved from http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2008-05-05-inflight-entertainment_N.htm December 13, 2008.