The Bakan Peninsula Essay Example For Students

The Bakan Peninsula Essay The Balkan Peniunsula is comprised of the countries of Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Herzegovina, the Former Yugoslav Republic ofMacedonia, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Albania, Greece, Romania, Bulgaria and European Turkey. Balkan history is characterized by military and political strife. Because of its crusial location between Asia and Europe it has been conquered and re-conquered by countless nations. Seeking trade routes to the middle east, many eastern European countries have set up ports there. Within the past ten years Yugoslavia has undergone major political changes. In 1991 and 1992 four Yugoslav republics, Slovenia,Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, declared their independence from Yugoslavia. Serbia and Montenegro then formed the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. After Yugoslavia began skirmishing with ethnic Albanianrebels in Kosovo at the end of 1998, NATO forces began airstrikes in late March, 1999. Caoncluding eleven weeks of bombing, the Yugoslavgovernment allowed a NATO peacekeeping force into Kososvo.Social Issues We will write a custom essay on The Bakan Peninsula specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now

attack on 911 essays

attack on 911 essays There have been many changes in the United States following the attacks of September 11th. In order to better understand the impact and resulting changes of the attacks, we must compare the mentality of citizens and political leaders now as well as during times of war previous to September 11th. We must not only look at our country's reactions but also to how other countries view our inclinations towards fear of bombs and other attacks. By looking at more than one cultures idea's on one situation, we are able to compare and make more informed decisions, and opinions about this difficult time. This is what this paper will attempt to do. At 8:45am, a plane departing from Boston was hijacked and flown into the north tower of the World Trade Center, located in New York City. The flight was later revealed to be the American Airlines Flight 11. This airline was carrying ninety-two people aboard when it crashed into the north tower. There were no survivors from this flight. At 9:03am, a second plane departing from Boston was also hijacked. This plane was flown into the south tower of the World Trade Center, in New York City. This flight, the United Airlines Flight 175, was carrying sixty-five people when it crashed into the south tower. There were also no survivors on this flight. At 9:39am, a third hijacked plane, departing from Washington, was flown into the Pentagon. This flight, the American Airlines Flight 77, was carrying sixty-four people when it crashed. There were also no survivors of this flight. At 10:10am, a fourth plane was hijacked. This plane was departing from Newark and crashed sixty miles south east of Pittsburgh. It was stated in one article that this was not the intended destination for this flight, and that it may have been meant for three possible destinations, Camp David, the White House, or the U.S. Capitol Building. This flight, the United Airlines Flight 93, was carrying forty-five people when it crashed...

Forest Surveying Methods to Find Forest Boundaries

Forest Surveying Methods to Find Forest Boundaries With the advent of public use of geographic positioning systems and the availability of aerial photographs (Google Earth) for free over the internet, forest surveyors now have extraordinary tools available to do make accurate surveys of forests. Still, along with these new tools, foresters also depend on time-tested techniques to reconstruct forest boundaries. Remember that professional surveyors have traditionally established nearly all original landlines but landowners and foresters have a need to retrace and reestablish lines which either disappear or become difficult to find as time passes. A Fundamental Unit of Horizontal Measurement: The Chain The fundamental unit of horizontal land measurement used by foresters and forest owners is the  surveyors or Gunters chain  (Buy from Ben Meadows) with a length of 66 feet. This metal tape chain is often scribed into 100 equal parts which are called links. The important thing about using the chain is that it is the preferred unit of measure on all public U.S. Government Land Survey maps (mostly west of the Mississippi River), which include millions of mapped acres charted in sections, townships and ranges. Foresters prefer using the same system and units of measure that were originally used to survey most forest boundaries on public land. A simple calculation from chained dimensions to acres is the reason the chain was used in the initial public land survey and the reason it is still so popular today. Areas expressed in square chains can be easily converted to acres by dividing by 10 - ten square chains equals one acre! Even more attractive is that if a tract of land is a mile square or 80 chains on each side you have 640 acres or a section of land. That section can be quartered again and again to 160 acres and 40 acres. One problem using the chain universally is that it was not used when land was measured and mapped in the original 13 American colonies. Metes and bounds (basically physical descriptions of trees, fences, and waterways) were used by colonial surveyors and adopted by owners before the public lands system was adopted. These have now been replaced by bearings and distances off permanent corners and monuments. Measuring Horizontal Distance There are two preferred ways foresters measure horizontal distance - either by pacing or by chaining. Pacing is a rudimentary technique that roughly estimates a distance while chaining more accurately determines distance. They both have a place when determining horizontal distance on forested tracts. Pacing is used when a quick search for survey monuments/waypoints/points of interest might be useful but when you dont have the help or time to carry and drop a chain. Pacing is more accurate on moderate terrain where a natural step can be taken but can be used in most situations with practice and the use of topographic maps or aerial photo maps. Foresters of average height and stride have a natural pace (two steps) of 12 to 13 per chain. To determine your natural two-step pace: pace the 66-foot distance enough times to determine your personal average two-step pace. Chaining is a more exact measurement using two people with a 66-foot steel tape and a compass. Pins are used to accurately determine the count of chain length drops and the rear chainman uses the compass to determine the correct bearing. In rough or sloping terrain, a chain has to be held high off the ground to level position to increase accuracy. Using a Compass to Determine Bearings and Angles Compasses come in many variations but most are either handheld or mounted on a staff or tripod. A known starting point and a bearing are necessary for beginning any land survey and finding points or corners. Knowing local sources of magnetic interference on your compass and setting the correct magnetic declination is important. The compass most used for forest surveying has a magnetized needle mounted on a pivot point and enclosed in a waterproof housing that has been graduated in degrees. The housing is attached to a sighting base with a mirrored sight. A hinged mirror lid allows you to look at the needle at the same moment you site your destination point. The graduated degrees displayed on a compass are horizontal angles called bearings or azimuths and expressed in degrees ( °). There are 360: azimuth of 240 ° bearing of S60 °W and so on. One thing to remember is that your compass needle always points to magnetic north, not true north (the north pole). Magnetic north can change as much as -20 ° in North America and can significantly affect compass accuracy if not corrected (especially in the North East and far West). This change from true north is called magnetic declination and the best survey compasses have an adjustment feature. These corrections can be found on isogonic charts provided by this U.S. Geological Survey download. On reestablishing or retracing property lines, all angles should be recorded as the true bearing and not the declination corrected bearing. You need to set the declination value where the north end of the compass needle reads true north when the line of sight points in that direction. Most compasses have a graduated degree circle that can be turned counterclockwise for east declination and clockwise for west declination. Changing magnetic bearings to true bearings is slightly more complicated as declinations must be added in two quadrants and subtracted in the other two. If there is no way to set your compass declination directly, you can mentally make an allowance in the field or record magnetic bearings and correct later in the office.

Quastions ch 5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Quastions ch 5 - Essay Example It thus allows for removal of tariffs and trade barriers in the bilateral trading platform. Interventionism theory has transformed international trade since its inception. It is a theory that explores the justification of economic or political interference of another partner. Historically, the difference in capital base, technology and labor supply was used as a tool of economic coercion by powerful economies to coerce developing economies into imbalance multilateral trade policies and practice. Today, modern international ethics in business have significantly diminished this form of economic exploitation. The criteria of modern intervention are purely mutually beneficial trade ties that emphasize on mutual respect, ethical business agreements and removal of economic paternalism. The principle of interventionist theory has been significantly eroded in the wake of modern economies and expansion of liberal marketing and free trade (Ruta & Venables 2012). Free trade policy has encouraged global efficiency by allowing every countrys freedom to access international markets at equal level. Unlike in the past where there were bureaucratic bottlenecks, many multilateral trades have successful in creating a platform where a range of products from different countries can interact. In addition, it has created mutual global interest in pursuing economic depressions and crises through stabilization of prices on energy and petroleum products. Besides, through free trade, there has been tariffs reduction, less restriction on goods movements and entrepreneurs have shifted from focusing on local trade to international. In addition, it has expanded export trade leading to lower prices of commodities. Global efficiency of goods movement, bilateral and multilateral trade agreements easily executable are due to removing of international trade

Food labelling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Food labelling - Essay Example Basically, a food label is meant to inform a consumer about how a certain type of food is appropriate or otherwise into one’s overall daily diet. It contains pertinent information about the nutritional value of food. Different jurisdictions usually have different laws and regulations governing their food labeling industry, but, most of them are generally similar. For example, all food labels are required to provide useful, accurate and complete nutritional information. Genetically modified foods (GMF) are those foods whose production starts from the introduction of precise changes in the DNA of the organism that the foods originate from. This is done through a complex process called genetic engineering. The genetic structures of foods can therefore be controlled, therefore introducing new traits in foods. Genetically modified foods were first sold commercially in 1994 (Davidson, 2008). The labeling of genetically modified foods is a fairly new and controversial concept. There are jurisdictions such as England where it is mandatory for all genetically modified foods to contain food labels. However, in other jurisdictions such as the United States, food labeling is not a mandatory regulatory procedure. The controversy arises from the fact that farmers and scientists are happy about genetically modified foods because of the advantages they bring to them whereas certain consumers view them suspiciously (McCluskey, Grimsrud, Ouchi & Wahl, 2003). The labeling of genetically modified foods has a number of advantages. First, the controversy surrounding the health issues associated with genetically modified foods gives consumers the right to know the type of food they are consuming and whether it is genetically modified or non-genetically modified. Therefore, GMF labeling will relieve the fear of consumers since they will be accurately informed

African American Essay Essay Example for Free

African American Essay Essay African American literature is captivating, powerful, spiritual, and emotional. The recurring theme is slavery but there are others such as inequality among sexes and races, injustice, resentment, and the strong belief in religion. These pieces of literature have been told by the individuals who went through the experience of slavery such as Frederick Douglass and others, like Jamaica Kincaid who have a passion for writing. The writers who experienced slavery themselves had differing views of their experience and relationship with their master. These pieces of literature share the pain, strength, heartache and will to go that each of these individuals experienced. The first reading is, To My Old Master, by Jourdan Anderson. This piece of literature is Anderson’s response to a letter he has received from his old master. It is a compelling story about how terrible and bad the Whites treated the African Americans. The master want’s Anderson and his family to come back and work for him. He reminds the master about how poorly they were treated while working for him. Anderson states, â€Å"Although you shot at me twice before I left you, I did not want to hear of your being hurt, and am glad you are still living. † (1865, p. 15). Anderson tells the master that he is making money and his family is living and doing well. He even expresses that his children are receiving an education now. It is very apparent to the reader that Anderson’s wife does not want to return and work for the master. â€Å"Mandy says she would be afraid to go back without some proof that you were disposed to treat us justly and kindly; and we have concluded to test your sincerity by asking you to send us our wages for the time we served you. † (1865, p. 16). Anderson remembers how horribly the woman and girls were treated, and he will never allow his daughters to go through that experience. â€Å"I would stay here and starve- and die, if it come to that- than to have my girls brought to shame by the violence and wickedness of their young masters. † (1865, p. 16) The end of the story the reader still feels Anderson’s resentment and bitterness toward the master. The next story and the one piece I enjoyed the most is, â€Å"White Folks Treated Us Good† by Marriah Hines. Hines states, â€Å"My white people treated us decent. † (p. 32). She goes onto further explain how her master feed, dressed, and kept them well. Hines explains how terrible master’s treated other slaves. â€Å"Some unfortunate individuals practically have nothing to eat. Why, the way their owners treated them was disgraceful treated them like felines and canines† (Hines, p. 32). Hines sounds fortunate and lucky to have worked for her master. The master gave the slaves Sunday off to rest and even allowed them to attend Church. Unlike other slaves Hines was never raped, beaten, or treated in a physical horrible way. The compelling part of this piece occured when the slaves were allowed to leave; most of them choose to stay. â€Å"Most of us stayed right there and raised our own crops. † (p. 34). Hines knew of her freedom but believed in her loyalty to her master and his family. The master provided her with assistance and support. A rare occurrence to read an African American piece of literature that speaks of a master in a positive and respectful manner. This master was a different man of his time. He did not take advantage of his slaves or treat them in a horrendous manner. This master used his slaves to care and run his property but treated them with respect and dignity, they deserved. Hines went onto, marry Benjamin F. Hines and give birth to five children. The last piece of literature is, â€Å"If We Must Die† by Claude McKay. This poem is about how horribly and disgusting Whites treated African Americans. It is written about the race riots in 1919. It describes the strength of the African Americans standing up to the Whites even if it ultimately meant dying. McKay states, â€Å"Like men we’ll face the murderous, cowardly pack, pressed to the wall, dying but fighting back! † (p. 378). This poem exemplifies the bravery and the will to fight for what is right otherwise these people would have been beaten and killed for the rest of their lives. There will always be a presence of racism in the world and specifically in the United States of America. Still today African Americans are treated equally as Whites. Although we as a country have come a very long way there is still work to be done. The more we educate people the less we will experience ignorance. The hate and the idea of inferiority will slow diminish if people become educated. I can end proudly stating that I am married to a Black man and we have two beautiful daughters, and I give an enormous amount of respect to those who fought for what was right. References Anderson, J. (1865). To my old master. In I. Reed (Ed. ), African American Literature. Abrief introduction and anthology (pp. 15-16). New York: The Longman LiteraryMosaic Series. [serial online]. December 2005;36(4):299-323. Available from:Academic Search Complete, Ipswich, MA. Accessed May 23, 2011. Hines, M. (n. d. ). My white folks treated us good. In I. Reed (Ed. ), African Americanliterature. A brief introduction and anthology (pp. 21-25). New York: TheLongman Literary Mosaic Series. [serial online]. December 2005;36(4):299-323. Available from: Academic Search Complete, Ipswich, MA. Accessed May 21,2011. McKay, C. (n. d. ). If we must die. In I. Reed (Ed. ), African American literature. Abriefintroduction and anthology (pp. 378). New York: The Longman LiterarySeries[serial online]. December 2005;36(4):299-323. Available from: AcademicSearchComplete, Ipswich, MA. Accessed Dec, 2011.

Willa Sibert Cather And His Works :: essays research papers

Willa Sibert Cather and His Works Willa Sibert Cather was an early twentieth century writer. She wrote about the qualities of courage, sensitivity, and perseverance. Most often, her novels and short stories took place in rural townships. She was born sometime in 1873, in her grandmother's house. She was named after an Aunt Willela who had died; however, she chose to believe that her name was derived from her grandparent's names. She was the first child of Charles Fectigue and Mary Cather. Willa was the oldest of the seven children. In 1877, Willa and her family moved out of Virginia to Nebraska. The Cather family had been living in Virginia for four generations. When she was nine, her father bought a ranch near Red Cloud, Nebraska. Willa was excited with this change, because she was free to roam outdoors. Willa would often listen to old ladies, and hear of their immigration from Bosnia and Sweden. There were no schools near the ranch, so Willa studied at home. A neighbor taught her Latin, and Willa would practice English skills by reading the classics to her grandmother. When Willa was in her teens, the family moved out of the ranch and into the village, where she attended Red Cloud High School. She attended the University of Nebraska, and graduated in 1895. As a student she worked as a journalist, copy editor, critic, and fiction writer. When she graduated, she moved back east to Pennsylvania. It was here where she worked on a Pittsburgh newspaper named The Library. She also taught English in a high school. Willa published "The Dance at Chevalier's," and four other short stories under a pen name of Henry Nicklemann. Another major publication for her was in April 1900, when "Eric Hermannson's Soul," was published in Cosmopolitan magazines. In 1903, The April Twilights, a collection of poems was published. In the Spring of 1905, publisher's Melbourne and Phillips brought out the Troll Garden, a collection of short stories. Willa then took time off from her writing. She took a month off to go home and visit her family in Nebraska. In 1907, Willa Cather sent Sara Jewett a letter that contained a story. This story would later appear in the April issue of Harper's. The story was entitled, "The Treasure of Car Island." It was a story of a man who comes home after an absence of 12 years, and the emotions and feelings he deals with upon returning home. Willa also continued to publish stories in McClure's magazine. In 1908 she became the magazine's managing editor. However, she resigned in 1912, because editing left her little free

Sociology of Sports – Baseball

There are several theoretical perspectives of looking at sports from the sociology of sports view including conflict, functionalist, interactions, and feminist. The most useful though, in looking at the sociology of sports is the functionalist view. Functionalist regard sports as an almost religious institution that uses ritual and ceremony to reinforce the common values of a society (Ekern, 2013). This means that functionalist view sports by the competition and patriotism of the younger generation and assist in maintaining a person’s physical condition. Not only do sports function as a safety valve for the viewers and the athletes for shedding destructive and tension energy in a way that is socially acceptable, but sports also assist in the joining of members of a community. The functionalist view seems to be the most appropriate over the other views in examining the sociology of sports. There are many reasons why the functionalist view is the most useful to use in viewing the sociology of sports. A big reason why the functionalist view is better is because many small communities spread throughout the world are built upon sports, especially in small communities that are not near any big cities. Sports are all they have in common and motivate the communities. Another reason is that the spectators and athletes always act in a different manner when they are either watching the sport or playing it, which is usually in an aggressive manner. When they are not watching the sport or discussing it they are usually completely different people. The last good reason is that it does help to maintain a person’s physical appearance, whether it is athletes staying in shape so they can be in top condition to compete or people that are ran by the idea of sports and want to stay in shape just like the athletes do. Sociology of sports, also referred to as sports sociology, is the study of the relationship between sports and society (Crossman, 2013). Aside from the functionalist view on sports sociology there other areas of study that are closely looked at, such as sports and gender, sports and media, and sports and gender and identity. Sports and gender targets man and women playing sports. Women were not even allowed to play sports until after the 1930’s because it was considered too masculine for them. Even in today’s age you never hear of women playing football or hockey, except maybe as a kid at school, and that is even very rare. Nowadays though in some sports they have a men’s team and a women’s team, such as basketball. There are even women that train in wrestling and boxing. The media is also another study of the sociology of sports that plays the games on the television. While the media will cover the men on football, basketball, baseball, hockey, boxing and pro wrestling, the sports that are usually covered for the women are figure skating, diving, gymnastics, and skiing. The media will also keep the audiences informed of player’s accomplishments and achievements. The gender identity of sports is another topic that often looked at because of sports having gender specific roles that is acceptable by society. Women are generally always treated more harshly in sports than men especially at younger ages. One reason that sports engage scholarly interests is because of the teaching of important values (Lewis, 2008). Sports sociology has studied higher education and sport and sport as a functional alternative to religion. Gender and racial discrimination in sports have also been studied, as well as social mobility on the basis of sport success that includes race and gender Another area that has been studied is the social problems of the sport that includes drugs, sports violence, and injuries. As you can see, all areas and aspects of sports, whether it was in the past or present day have been studied and as always to any debate everyone has a different view and perspective. There is no right or wrong answers to the sociology of sports, just opinions on different circumstances. The reason that people participate in sports, whether it is a fan, player, or a business is for the love of the sport and the profits. Some people just love the sport, while others try to make as big a profit as they can. Sports answer to a humans needs by providing a competitive entertaining experience. Sports can be explained from a sociological point of view as a necessity to most community’s different needs and circumstances. Baseball is a favorite pastime that dates as far back as 2000 B. C. with a ball and stick type games. However, the first rules were written by Alexander Cartwright, considered to be the Father of modern baseball (Penn, 2006). Alexander was part of the NY Knickerbockers, which was the first organization to play baseball in America that was established on September 23, 1845. In 1858, the National Association of Base Ball Players (NABBP) were created and known as the first baseball league. It wasn’t until 1860 though, that it was commonly referred to as â€Å"the National pastime† in several publications. Baseball is one of America’s most played sports and continually competitive against other teams and between individuals, especially in today’s age of baseball. The Sociodemographic description of fans and players of baseball is simple. The average MLB player rakes in over $2,000,000 a year if they are eligible for arbitration, which could come from disparate socioeconomic groups and from different countries. The average fan has an income of 30,000 to 40,000 a year and the high up luxury seats are for professionals that are in a very high income bracket and the corporate types. Being that baseball is very popular and has a very high income potential, it is definitely a professional sport. Baseball fits in to contemporary American life by giving fans something to always talk about. This sport gives society a certain set of values that fans and players live by. There are also culture trends that have impacted the sport of baseball. In fact, look at the roster of just about any Major League Baseball team, and you’ll find many of the most talented players coming from Latin American countries (Thomas, 2007). The media constantly reports on baseball, which gives the fans something to always talk, such as if they lost or won a game. If you look at the players, most of them are younger in age and usually are not over 40. All major league players are also male, which affect the views for the fans on the sport. As a beginning sociologist, the meaning of baseball as a social institution is very clear. Baseball is talked about, whether it is off season or every game, either loss or win, that gives fans something to always talk about. Over half of America enjoys this past time and every single one of them has their own opinion, depending on their team of choice and the opposing teams. Baseball is a sport that is great to attend in person, in order to get the full effect of the national past time. The baseball game that I had the chance of observing was the Rangers versus the Angels. The setting of the baseball field was split between the Ranger fans, which was a home game and the Angels fans. The field was a big diamond shape with for bases that the players have to run after a successful hit to the ball that the pitcher is throwing at them. There were also players from the opposing team that were stationed at each base and in the field closer to the stands. I notice that the environment changed drastically after each successful hit that made it close to the stands. Most of the fans would stand with excitement and all the players would scramble to get the ball and the player that hit it would try to run to as many bases before the is taken control of. The fans that were at the game that I attended were in their mid 20s to early 40s. The fans were a majority of men, but there were women there too. It seemed like a majority of the fans also wore their favorite player shirts and got excited every time the player hit the ball. It seemed that the fans age ration compared to the players were on the same levels. Most baseball player retires by time their 40, so the age comparison was evenly matched, from what I saw. The social behaviors that stood out were most fans would purchase a hot dog and beer from the concessions. It is always tradition to purchase a hot dog†, some of the fans would say. Fans would also be in groups for supporting their favorite teams. One special language and knowledge that characterizes the sport is Home Run. One particular behavior that I witnessed at the game was that when one team is winning the fans are excited and cheering and when their favorite team is losing they are booing and unhappy. Being at th e Rangers game made me aware of people’s behavior and surroundings and was a great experience to participate in. Sports use to be a big part of my life when I was a kid. I can remember collecting the Tops baseball cards with the hard piece of gum in it. It seems that every time I got some money I would go purchase the cards. Now that I look back, I realize that was my sociology behavior of being a fan. I also played baseball in school a lot, as well as other sports, such as football and basketball. When I was playing my attitude always changed to a competitive nature and I always got the mindset of crushing the opposing team. When I look back, I was two different people when I switched from a fan to a player and vice versa. The experiences of being a fan and a player as a kid didn’t have a huge impact to my adult life. I think that maybe that I played and watched sports too much as a kid, because I don’t have much interest in sports in my adult life. I read the newspaper to learn who wins and who is playing, but that is about it. I just learn enough to hold a conversation with my coworkers and friends and that’s it. So I guess the role that it plays in my life is that I played and watched it so much that it has caused me to lose interest in it. I can see how my experiences can connect me to others who are sports fans and participants. Sports are very big for kids in school and always have been. Most kids have shared the experiences that I have growing up. I’m not sure if they still sell Tops, but nonetheless kids are easily influenced and they do what everyone else is doing. Since so many adults like to watch sports and participate, it is a good assumption to say that most kids participate in some way or another, whether it is being a fan or participating in the sport itself. References Crossman, A. (2013). Sociology of Sports. Retrieved from http://sociology.about.com/od/Disciplines/a/Sociology-Of-Sports.htm. Ekern, J. (2013). Looking at Sports from Four Theoretical Perspectives. Retrieved from Article at Colorado Technical University Online. Lewis, J. (2008). Sociology of Sports. Retrieved from Kent State University at http://www.cengage.com/custom/enrichment_modules/data/0495598127_Sociology_of_Sports-mod_watermark.pdf. Penn, F. (2006). Early History of Baseball in America. Retrieved from Favorite Traditions. Com at http://www.favoritetraditions.com/baseball.html. Thomas, W. (2007). Sports – How Culture Impacts Our Choices. Retrieved from Ezine Articles at http://ezinearticles.com/?Sports—How-Culture-Impacts-Our-Choices&id=932334.

Facebook Financial Performance Report

Financial Performance 7. 1 Financial Statement FACEBOOK, INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (In millions, except for number of shares and par value) (Unaudited) | | | | | | | | | |   Ã‚  | June   30, 2012|   |   | December  31, 2011|   | Assets|   Ã‚  | | | |   | | | | Current assets:|   Ã‚  | | | |   | | | |Cash and cash equivalents|   Ã‚  | $| 2,098|   |   | $| 1,512|   Ã‚  | Marketable securities|   Ã‚  |   | 8,090|   |   |   | 2,396|   Ã‚  | Accounts receivable, net of allowances for doubtful accounts of $17 as of June  30, 2012 and December  31, 2011|   Ã‚  |   | 578|   |   |   | 547|   Ã‚  | Income tax refundable|   Ã‚  |   | 567|   Ã‚  |   |   | 0|   Ã‚  | Prepaid expenses and other current assets|   Ã‚  |   | 634|   |   |   | 149|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |Total current assets|   Ã‚  |   | 11,967|   |   |   | 4,604|   Ã‚  | Property and equipm ent, net|   Ã‚  |   | 2,105|   |   |   | 1,475|   Ã‚  | Goodwill and intangible assets, net|   Ã‚  |   | 809|   |   |   | 162|   Ã‚  | Other assets|   Ã‚  |   | 47|   Ã‚  |   |   | 90|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Total assets|   Ã‚  | $| 14,928|   |   | $| 6,331|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Liabilities and stockholders’ equity|   Ã‚  | | | |   | | | | Current liabilities:|   Ã‚  | | | |   | | | |Accounts payable|   Ã‚  | $| 43|   |   | $| 63|   Ã‚  | Platform partners payable|   Ã‚  |   | 153|   Ã‚  |   |   | 171|   Ã‚  | Accrued expenses and other current liabilities|   Ã‚  |   | 441|   |   |   | 296|   Ã‚  | Deferred revenue and deposits|   Ã‚  |   | 85|   |   |   | 90|   Ã‚  | Current portion of capital lease obligations|   Ã‚  |   | 312|   |   |   | 279|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   | à ‚  |   |   | Total current liabilities|   Ã‚  |   | 1,034|   Ã‚  |   |   | 899|   Ã‚  | Capital lease obligations, less current portion|   Ã‚  |   | 394|   Ã‚  |   |   | 398|   Ã‚  | Other liabilities|   Ã‚  |   | 191|   |   |   | 135|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |Total liabilities|   Ã‚  |   | 1,619|   |   |   | 1,432|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Stockholders’ equity:|   Ã‚  | | | |   | | | | Convertible preferred stock, $0. 000006 par value, issuable in series; no shares and 569  million shares authorized as of June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively, no shares and 543  million shares issued and outstanding as of June  30, 2012 and December  31, 2011, respectively|   Ã‚  |   | 0|   |   |   | 615|   Ã‚  | Common stock, $0. 00006 par value; 5,000  million and 4,141  million Class  A shares authorized as of June  30, 20 12 and December  31, 2011, respectively, 641  million and 117  million shares issued and outstanding as of June  30, 2012 and December  31, 2011, respectively, including 1  million outstanding shares subject to repurchase as of June  30, 2012 and December  31, 2011; 4,141  million Class B shares authorized, 1,501  million and 1,213  million shares issued and outstanding as of June  30, 2012 and December  31, 2011, respectively, including 2  million outstanding shares subject to repurchase, as of June  30, 2012 and December  31, 2011|   Ã‚  |   | 0|   Ã‚  |   |   | 0|   Ã‚  | Additional paid-in capital|   Ã‚  |   | 11,684|   |   |   | 2,684|   Ã‚  | Accumulated other comprehensive loss|   Ã‚  |   | (29| )  |   |   | (6| )  | Retained earnings|   Ã‚  |   | 1,654|   |   |   | 1,606|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Total stockholders’ equity|   Ã‚  |   | 13,309|   |   |   | 4,899|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity|   Ã‚  | $| 14,928|   |   | $| 6,331|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Revenue|   Ã‚  | $| 1,184|   |   | $| 895|   |   | $| 2,242|   Ã‚  |   | | 1,626|   Ã‚  | Costs and expenses:|   Ã‚  | | | |   | | | |   | | | |   | | | | Cost of revenue|   Ã‚  |   | 367|   Ã‚  |   |   | 210|   |   |   | 644|   Ã‚  |   |   | 377|   | Marketing and sales|   Ã‚  |   | 392|   Ã‚  |   |   | 96|   |   |   | 535|   Ã‚  |   |   | 158|   | Research and development|   Ã‚  |   | 705|   Ã‚  |   |   | 99|   |   |   | 858|   Ã‚  |   |   | 156|   | General and administrative|   Ã‚  |   | 463|   Ã‚  |   |   | 83|   |   |   | 567|   Ã‚  |   |   | 140|   | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Total costs and expenses|   Ã‚  |   | 1,927|   Ã‚  |   |   | 488|   |   |   | 2,604|   Ã‚  |   |   | 831|   | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | (Loss) income from operations|   Ã‚  |   | (743| )  |   |   | 407|   |   |   | (362| )  |   |   | 795|   | Interest and other income (expense), net:|   Ã‚  | | | |   | | | |   | | | |   | | | | Interest expense|   Ã‚  |   | (10| )  |   |   | (9| )  |   |   | (24| )  |   |   | (17| )  | Other income (expense), net|   Ã‚  |   | (12| )  |   |   | 1|   Ã‚  |   |   | 3|   Ã‚  |   |   | 19|   | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | (Loss) income before benefit from (provision for) income taxes|   Ã‚  |   | (765| )  |   |   | 399|   |   |   | (383| )  |   |   | 797 |   | Benefit from (provision for) income taxes|   Ã‚  |   | 608|   Ã‚  |   |   | (159| )  |   |   | 431|   Ã‚  |   |   | (326| )  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Net (loss) income|   Ã‚  | $| (157| )  |   | $| 240|   |   | $| 48|   Ã‚  |   | $| 471|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Less: Net income attributable to participating securities|   Ã‚  |   | 0|   Ã‚  |   |   | 81|   Ã‚  |   |   | 21|   Ã‚  |   |   | 160|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Net (loss) income attributable to Class  A and Class B common stockholders|   Ã‚  | $| (157| )  |   | $| 159|   |   | $| 27|   Ã‚  |   | $| 311|   | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | (Loss) earnings per share attributable to Class  A and Class B common stockholders:|   Ã‚  | | | |   | | | |   | | | |   | | | | Basic|   Ã‚  | ($| 0. 08| )  |   | $| 0. 12|   Ã‚  |   | $| 0. 02|   Ã‚  |   | $| 0. 25|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Diluted|   Ã‚  | ($| 0. 08| )  |   | $| 0. 11|   Ã‚  |   | $| 0. 02|   Ã‚  |   | $| 0. 22|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Weighted verage shares used to compute (loss) earnings per share attributable to Class  A and Class B common stockholders:|   Ã‚  | | | |   | | | |   | | | |   | | | | Basic|   Ã‚  |   | 1,879|   Ã‚  |   |   | 1,292|   Ã‚  |   |   | 1,613|   Ã‚  |   |   | 1,267|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Dil uted|   Ã‚  |   | 1,879|   Ã‚  |   |   | 1,510|   Ã‚  |   |   | 1,792|   Ã‚  |   |   | 1,499|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Share-based compensation expense included in costs and expenses:|   Ã‚  | | | |   | | | |   | | | |   | | | | Cost of revenue|   Ã‚  | $| 66|   Ã‚  |   | $| 3|   Ã‚  |   | $| 71|   Ã‚  |   | $| 3|   Ã‚  | Marketing and sales|   Ã‚  |   | 232|   Ã‚  |   |   | 11|   Ã‚  |   |   | 251|   Ã‚  |   |   | 11|   Ã‚  | Research and development|   Ã‚  |   | 545|   Ã‚  |   |   | 35|   Ã‚  |   |   | 605|   Ã‚  |   |   | 39|   Ã‚  | General and administrative|   Ã‚  |   | 263|   Ã‚  |   |   | 15|   Ã‚  |   |   | 282|   Ã‚  |   |   | 18|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Total share-based compensation ex pense|   Ã‚  | $| 1,106|   Ã‚  |   | $| 64|   Ã‚  |   | $| 1,209|   Ã‚  |   | $| 71|   | | Three  Months  Ended June  30,|   |   Ã‚  | Six  Months   Ended June  30,|   |   Ã‚  | 2012|   |   | 2011|   |   Ã‚  | 2012|   |   | 2011|   | Net (loss) income|   Ã‚  | $| (157| )  |   | $| 240|   |   Ã‚  | $| 48|   Ã‚  |   | $|   471|   Ã‚  | Other comprehensive (loss) income:|   Ã‚  | | | |   | | | |   Ã‚  | | | |   | | | | Foreign currency translation adjustment|   Ã‚  |   | (21| )  |   |   | 0|   Ã‚  |   Ã‚  |   | (22| )  |   |   | 1|   Ã‚  | Change in unrealized gain (loss) on available-for-sale investments, net of tax|   Ã‚  |   | (1| )  |   |   | 0|   Ã‚  |   Ã‚  |   | (1| )  |   |   | 0|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Comprehensive (loss) income|   Ã‚  | $| (179| )  |   | $| 240|   Ã‚  |   Ã‚  | $| 25|   Ã‚  |   | $| 472|   Ã‚  | |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   Ã‚  |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Figure #: Financial Statement (Sources: United States Securities And Exchange Commission, Form 10-Q, For the quarterly period ended June 30, 2012) Looking at the Financial Statement of Facebook Inc above we can calculate the current ratio on June 30, 2012 and compare it with December 31, 2011's ratio. We can calculate the 2011 ratio by using Total Asset of $6,331 million divided by Total Liabilities of $1,432 million equals $4. 42 million. And we can also find out the current ratio of Facebook Inc on June 30, 2012 by using the Current Assets of $11,976 million divided by Current Liabilities of $1,916 million equals $6. 25 million.Financial StatementsAs we can see the just in six months Facebook Inc's ratio increased almost by 70%. 7. 2 Active Users Figure #: Trends in Facebook User Metrics, Daily Active Users(Sour ces: United States Securities And Exchange Commission, Form 10-Q, For the quarterly period ended June 30, 2012) The graph above showed us how Facebook Inc increased their ratio almost 70% in just six months. As we can see Daily Active Users Worldwide had increased from 108 million to 552 million users. Facebook Inc define a daily active users as a registered Facebook user who logged in and visited Facebook through the Facebook website or through a device that can connect with Facebook.Facebook Inc check DAU (Daily Active Users) everyday. In Figure # we can see that the Worldwide DAUs increased 32% from 417 million users on June 2011 to 552 million users on June 2012. Most of the users now can log into Facebook through mobile device and Facebook Inc has already realized that. March 31, 2012, DAU's increased from 526 million to 552 million because of the increase of mobile users. 7. 3 Competitor The biggest competitor for Facebook is Twitter. The reason is that because many celebritie s like to use Twitter to connect with their fans. Twitter has not only become a well known social network but yet a tool for celebrities to do advertisement.In the United States presidential election of 2012, President Barack Obama used Twitter to connect with his fans. Figure #: Twitter Total Active Users, Worldwide (Source: Business Wired 2012) Even though Twitter is one of the threats for Facebook, but from the figure # we can clearly see the big difference that the two company have. On March 31, 2012 Facebook has 526 million active users worldwide, and Twitter only has 200 million active users worldwide. Facebook clearly beat Twitter. 7. 4 Facebook's Stock Markets Even though Facebook beat Twitter in the social network markets, but it has clearly not beat anyone in the stock markets. Below is the graph for Facebook's stock markets.Figure #: Facebook Stock Market graph, June 2011-December 2012 (Sources: United States Securities And Exchange Commission, Form 10-Q, For the quarterl y period ended June 30, 2012) Facebook opened its stock markets with $31 per stock on May 18, 2011 and on November 16, 2012 it has closed with $23. 56 per stock. Facebook's stock market did not increase as we can see through Facebook. Below is the graph why it has dropped dramatically. Figure #: Facebook's Revenue Makeup, 2012 (Business Insider 2012) As the graph shows that Facebook Inc spent most of their money in Advertising the market instead of using the money to pay off their Payments and Other.Although Facebook will continue to increase their active users due to mobile services, but if users growth flattens or decline, the impact of these increase have on Facebook's revenue growth will be limited for sure. Sources: Financial Statement : http://www. sec. gov/Archives/edgar/data/1326801/000119312512325997/d371464d10q. htm#tx371464_3 Daily Active Users: http://www. sec. gov/Archives/edgar/data/1326801/000119312512325997/d371464d10q. htm Twitter Active Users: http://blog. business wire. com/tag/social-media/ Facebook Stock Markets http://tmx. quotemedia. com/charting. php? qm_symbol=FB:US Facebook's Revenue Makeup: http://www. businessinsider. com/facebook-users-decline-2012-8

Christopher Columbus Essays - Age Of Discovery, Christopher Columbus

Christopher Columbus Essays - Age Of Discovery, Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus In 1451, a boy named Christopher Columbus (See Appendix A), who was born in Genoa, became a sailor and discoverer of a new continent. He spoke Castilian with a little Portuguese. Although he received little education, he worked with his father, who was a weaver and had a wine shop. During Columbus' youth, he sailed in between his looming duties, shipping and receiving wool and wine for his father. When Columbus was in his twenties, he joined other exporting fleets, traveling around Spain, to England, Portugal, the Mediterranean Sea, and to West Africa (see Appendix B). In his youth he wanted to find easier ways to trade. Columbus thought of reaching Asia by sailing West. He worked with a map maker, and "Became obsessed with the idea of reaching the Spice Islands via Western route", (Sources of the West, 187). This is a goal he hoped to accomplish when he became a sailor. During his youthful sailing days, his ship was sunk by pirates on a trip to Portugal (Parry, 344)! . He took refuge in Portugal where he was left poor. After his youth days had ended, it was time to find his profession as a man. In the 15th Century Spain, trade was a primary source of their economy. The Turks conquered Constantinople and the Eastern Mediterranean. Land routes were restricted from Europe to Asia. Spaniards knew that the Earth was round, and scientists backed the idea. Spain was in need of new sources of wealth. With 98% of Spain poor peasant (Zinn, 2), the idea of finding a western sea trade route was not improbable. It would open up a new trade route, and bring wealth to the suffering country. When Columbus was in Portugal, he decided to propose his idea of sailing West to monarchs. He brought his ideas to Portugal first. They rejected his idea because of his underestimates of the size of the ocean. Columbus thought it was 25% smaller than what it really was. Next, Columbus brought his ideas to Spain. Here they turned him down for seven years because ships were already rounding Africa. Finally, in April, 1492, he was contracted by Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain (see Appendix C). The idea seemed logical. They already knew the Earth was round. There was no thought of a continent in-between, and the winds and currents all flowed West. His purpose (see Appendix D) was to find the legendary Isle Antilla, and find a western route to Cipangno and Cathay(China, Japan). Columbus demanded to be knighted, become Admiral of the Ocean Sea, be viceroy of new lands, and receive ten percent of the wealth (see Appendix E). In August 3, 1492, at the port of Palos, Columbus started his first voyage (see Appendix F). The fleet of three ships (see Appendix G), sailed West under 35* North halfway, then they shifted Southwest. On October 12, 1492, they landed on Guanahan?, which Spaniards latter named San Salvador(Our Savior), (see Appendix H). He later went to Cuba, Juana, and Hispa?iola (see Appendix H and I). Columbus believed it could have been a chain of islands off the coast of China or Japan. They established a colony off the coast of Hispa?iola (see Appendix J). Columbus did not, however, find Asia, or what they hoped, the Spice Island Trade ports. They did come in contact with inhabitants of the islands, whom they brought back to Spain, proving they found Indians from Asia. Columbus' purpose was to find a trade route to Asia, he did not achieve this. In the following three voyages, he failed to achieve the purpose. Although there were some benefits, most factors of the voyages were failures. The Western expeditions were failures. The purpose of Columbus' voyages was to find a western route to the Spice Islands of what we call Japan and China, he did not accomplish this. They landed on what the Spaniards named San Salvador. Columbus knew, however, that this was an island, only he thought it was part of Japan. He also discovered Hispa?iola which he thought was an Island off China. Columbus was convinced that there was a mainland somewhere (see Appendix I). He traveled ten days in search of Cuba, but had to

How to Write SMART Goals and Objectives

How to Write SMART Goals and Objectives The  term SMART goals was coined by in 1954. Since then, SMART goals have become popular with business managers, educators and others because they work. The late management guru  Peter F. Drucker  developed the concept. Background Drucker was a management consultant, professor and the author of 39 books. He influenced many top executives in his long career. Management by objectives was one of his primary business theories. Effectiveness, he said, is the foundation of business, and the way to achieve it is to gain agreement between management and employees on the businesss objectives. In 2002, Drucker received the highest civilian honor in the U.S.- the Medal of Freedom. He died in 2005 at age 95. Instead of creating a Drucker legacy from his archives, Druckers family decided to look forward instead of backward, and they gathered distinguished business people to form  The Drucker Institute. Their mandate, states the institutes website, was to  transform the archival repository into a social enterprise whose purpose is to strengthen society by igniting effective, responsible and joyful management. Though Drucker was for years a successful business professor at  Claremont Graduate University, the institute helped to show how his management ideas- including SMART goals- could be applied to other areas, such as public and adult education. Goals for Success If you have been to a business management class, you have likely have learned how to write goals and objectives in Druckers way: SMART.  If you havent heard about Drucker, you are in for a treat that will help you achieve what you want  and be more successful, whether you are a teacher trying to help your students achieve, an adult learner or a person who seeks to achieve your dreams. SMART goals are: SpecificMeasurableAchievableRealisticTime-bound Writing  SMART  Goals Writing SMART goals for yourself or your students is a simple process if you understand the acronym and how to apply the steps it prescribed, as follows: S stands for specific. Make your goal or objective as specific as possible. Say exactly what you want to achieve in clear, concise words.M stands for measurable. Include a unit of measure in your goal. Be objective rather than subjective. When will your goal be achieved? How will you know it has been achieved?A stands for achievable. Be realistic. Ensure that your goal is feasible in terms of the resources available to you.R stands for realistic. Focus on the end results you desire rather than the activities necessary to get there. You want to grow personally, so reach for your goal- but be reasonable or youll set yourself up for disappointment.T stands for time-bound. Give yourself a deadline within a year. Include a timeframe such as a week, month or year, and include a specific date if possible. Examples and Variations A few examples of properly written SMART goals might be helpful here: Research tuition reimbursement and enroll in a degree program before the next employee review period.Complete a continuing education course in using spreadsheet software by June 1. You will sometimes see SMART with two As- as in SMAART. In that case, the first A stands for attainable and the second for action-oriented. This is just another way to encourage you to write goals in a way that inspires you to actually make them happen. As with any good writing, craft your goal or objective in an active, rather than passive, voice. Use an action verb near the beginning of the sentence, and ensure that your goal is stated in terms you can actually attain. As you achieve each goal, you will be capable of more, and in that way, grow. Personal development is often one of the first things to get deleted from the priority list when life gets hectic. Give your personal goals and objectives a fighting chance by writing them down. Make them SMART, and youll have a much better chance of attaining them.

ECONOMICS 1. The Managerial theories of the firm seek to provide Essay

ECONOMICS 1. The Managerial theories of the firm seek to provide models characterised by realism in motivation, whilst recognising the continued importance of profit in the corporate environment - Essay Example As income taxes have risen over the past historical era, the outright impact of salary or bonus increases has been moderated somewhat. The incremental tax on income in the UK and the US is at about 50%, when all local and national income taxes are taken into account. Thus the standard supply and demand relationship demonstrates a curve, as shown below. Since taxes climb with income, the curve's change in slope is more pronounced: As compared to the turn of the last century, when income taxes were less than 10%, the total impact of increases in wages has therefore moderated. The second influence on this moderation has been the increase on the value of leisure time (Kokoski 1987). As the value of leisure hours has increased, the amount which needs to be paid to offset the value of leisure time has also increased, all else being equal. Group incentives can take the form of income increases (salary and bonus) or non-monetary rewards, such as additional vacation days. From a microeconomics standpoint, there is no difference between group pay incentives and individual pay incentives. There are psychological differences which can be substantial, however, depending on the type of performance being rewarded. An extreme example of the point above is an individual whose personal rewards far exceed those of the group, and in achieving his goals may actually be a detriment to the shareholders. An example of this might be Robert Eaton, who was the Chairman of the Chrysler Corporation at the time that his company was approached by Daimler-Benz. Eaton agreed to a plan whereby Daimler-Benz would merge with Chrysler, and he sold the Board of Directors and employees' unions on the plan. What he didn't reveal was that he stood to gain over $100 million personally if the deal went through. The resulting hue and cry was that Eaton "sold out" Chrysler, which was borne out by subsequent events. Chrysler's largest shareholder at the time, the Tracinda Corporation1, sued Daimler-Chrysler for over $8 billion for erasing nearly $38 billion of market capitalization due to the transaction (CNN 2000). Figure 2: Reduction in share price since merger (CNN 2000) Thus a personal incentive (for Eaton) was in direct opposition to the interests of the shareholders. Stock Options Stock options have the advantage of better alignment with shareholder expectations. The theory is that managers are