Financial Analysis of Lockheed Martin

A Financial Analysis of Lockheed Martin Corporation Colby Scott LeTourneau University A Financial Analysis of Lockheed Martin corporation The world of finance in today’s market is one of numerous ups and downs. With the global economy in constant flux, it is more important than every for companies to examine their financial status and compare their position to that of the relative market as well as their fellow competitors.In order to better understand the ways in which today’s managers examine their position on the market and evaluate their current value as a company we will examine the financial data of Lockheed Martin Corporation and perform a detailed financial analysis on the company. In this analysis we will examine financial rations of Lockheed Martin and in turn compare these rations to that of fellow market competitors.Upon completion of our financial analysis we will be able to understand the financial position of Lockheed Martin as well as the position of Loc kheed Martin in their respective market, and in turn we will be able to fully comprehend the methods and data used by companies in order to evaluate their company. Before going into an in depth analysis of our company, let us first examine the history behind Lockheed Martin. The Lockheed Martin Corporation traces its roots all the way back to the earliest days of flight. In 1909 aviation pioneer Glenn L.Martin organized a company around a small airplane construction business and transformed it into a major airframe supplier to U. S. military and commercial customers. In 1961 the Glenn L. Martin Company became the Martin Marietta Company after the completion of a merger with American-Marietta Corp. , a leading supplier of building and road construction materials. In 1982, Martin Marietta was subject to a hostile takeover bid by the Bendix Corporation which bought the majority of Martin Marietta shares and in effect owned the company.However, Martin Marietta's management used the shor t time separating ownership and control to sell non-core businesses and launch its own hostile takeover of Bendix (known as the Pac-Man defense). The end of this extraordinarily bitter battle saw Martin Marietta survive and forced Bendix to be sold off. In 1913, Allan and Malcolm Loughead (name later changed to Lockheed) flew the first Lockheed plane over San Francisco Bay. The brothers later established their own corporation known as the Alco Hydro-Aeroplane Company which was later renamed the Loughead Aircraft Manufacturing Company.In 1926, following the failure of Loughead, Allan Loughead formed the Lockheed Aircraft Company in Hollywood, California. In 1929, Lockheed sold out to Detroit Aircraft Corporation. The Great Depression ruined the aircraft market, and Detroit Aircraft went bankrupt. A group of investors headed by brothers Robert and Courtland Gross, bought the company out of receivership in 1932. The syndicate bought the company for a mere $40,000. Ironically, Allan Lou ghead himself had planned to bid for his own company, but had only raised $50,000 which he felt was too small a sum for a serious bid.The first successful aircraft built in any number by the Lockheed Corporation was named the Vega and was best known for its use in several first- and record setting flights by, among others, Amelia Earhart, Wiley Post and George Hubert Wilkins. In the 1930s, Lockheed spent $139,400 to develop the Model 10 Electra, a small twin-engine transport which sold 40 units in the first year of production. Amelia Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan, flew this plane on their failed attempt to circumnavigate the world in 1937.The Lockheed Model 12 Electra Junior and the Lockheed Model 14 Super Electra expanded their market. The Model 14 also formed the basis for the Hudson bomber, which was supplied to both the British Royal Air Force and the United States military before and during World War II. In 1995 the these two companies, Lockheed and Martin Marietta, jo ined together in a merger which created the modern Lockheed Martin corporation, and further expanded with the acquisition of Loral, a defense electronics and systems integration business, in 1996.Today, the Lockheed Martin Corporation is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland and employs 126,000 people worldwide. The company is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration, and sustainment of advanced technology systems. Lockheed also serves both domestic and international customers with products and services that have defense, civil, and commercial applications, with their principal customers being agencies of the U. S. Government. In 2011, 84% of their $45. billion in net sales were made to the U. S. Government, either as a prime contractor or as a subcontractor. Lockheed’s U. S. Government sales were made to both Department of Defense (DoD) and non-DoD agencies. Sales to foreign governments (including foreign military sales funded, in whol e or in part, by the U. S. Government) amounted to 15% of net sales in 2011. The remainder of net sales was attributable to commercial and other customers. In 2011, net sales at Aeronautics of $13. 2 billion represented 29% of their total net sales.Aeronautics has three principal lines of business and the percentage that each contributed to its 2011 net sales was 68 percent combat aircraft, 20 percent air mobility, and 12 percent in other aeronautics programs. At December 31, 2011, we operated in 545 locations (including offices, manufacturing plants, warehouses, service centers, laboratories, and other facilities) throughout the United States and internationally. Of these, we owned 43 locations aggregating approximately 30 million square feet, and leased space at 502 locations aggregating approximately 26 million square feet.We also manage or occupy various government-owned facilities under leases and various other arrangements. The U. S. Government also furnishes equipment that we use in some of our businesses. We operate in four principal business segments: Aeronautics, Electronic Systems, IS, and Space Systems. Lockheed organizes their business segments based on the nature of the products and services offered. The following table presents net sales and operating profit of their four business segments.Net sales exclude intersegment revenue, as these activities are eliminated in consolidation. Intercompany transactions are generally negotiated and accounted for under terms and conditions similar to other government and commercial contracts. Operating profit of the business segments includes the equity earnings or losses from investees in which certain of their business segments hold equity interests, because the activities of the investees are closely aligned with the operations of those segments. In Millions |2011 |2010 |2009 | |Net Sales | | | | |Aeronautics |13,235 |12,201 |11,473 | |Electronic Systems |14,363 |13,532 |12,803 | |Information systems & Gl obal Solutions |9,959 |9,608 |9,069 | |Space Systems |8,246 |8,654 |8,027 | |Total 45,803 |43,995 |41,372 | | | | | | |Operation Profit | | | | |Aeronautics |1,502 |1,577 |1,433 | |Electronic Systems |1,712 |1,660 |1,583 | |Information systems & Global Solutions |890 |895 |919 | |Space Systems |972 |972 |953 | |Total Business Segments |5,076 |5,104 |4,888 | |VESP and other charges |220 |- | | |Other unallocated Corporate income net |759 |689 |161 | |Total |4,097 |4,415 |5,049 |Now that we have established the background of the Lockheed Martin Corporation, let us now analyze the ratios which provide us insight into the financial status of the corporation. The first ratio which we will look at is the current ration of Lockheed Martin. Using the current ration, we will be able to determine if Lockheed will be able to satisfy the amount of current liabilities based upon their current assets. When looking at the Lockheed’s balance sheet for 2011, we see that they have 11. 157 mil lion dollars in current liabilities and 12. 851 million dollars in current liabilities. In order to compute the current ratio of Lockheed we then take the current assets of 12. 51 million and divide this number by the current liabilities of 11. 157 million thus giving Lockheed a current ratio of 1. 15% for 2011. When looking at this ratio over a period of 2 years we began to see that the ratio calculated for 2011 has decreased . 01 percent from 2010. In examining this ratio, we are able to conclude that Lockheed has a fairly constant liquidity rate which could tell us that the company is relatively stable at this point in time. The second ratio which will help us in evaluating the financial status of Lockheed Martin Corporation is the inventory turnover ratio. This ration will allow us to examine how efficiently Lockheed manages its assets and uses those assets to create income.In order to calculate this ratio we must find the companies net sales and divide this figure by the invent ories that the company has on hand. After examining Lockheed’s financial statements, we find that they reported 45. 803 million dollars in net sales and 2. 378 million dollars in inventories for 2011. After plugging these figures into our equation, we find that Lockheed had an inventory turnover ratio of 19. 26. This tells us roughly that Lockheed’s inventory is sold out and restocked roughly 19. 26 times per year. When examined over a two year period, we find that the ratio of sales to inventories when compared to the 20. 15 ratio calculated in 2010, had only fallen by . 89.When compared to the rival Boeing Company, we find that Lockheed’s inventory turnover ration is considerably higher than the 1. 386 that Boeing reported over the same period. This could lead to the conclusion that Lockheed Martin is in considerably better position than the majority of the other companies with in the same market. The next ratio that we will examine is referred to as the debt ration. This ratio allows us to examine the percentage of funds provided by current liabilities and long term debt. In order to calculate this ratio, we will need to take the total liabilities and divide this figure by the total assets. When examining the financial documents provided by Lockheed, we find that Lockheed reported a total liability of 31. 59 million and a total asset of 35. 067. As we plug this data into our equation we find that Lockheed Martin has a debt ratio of 89. 43 percent for 2011. When interpreting this outcome we must remember to examine the data from two separate perspectives. From the perspective of a creditor, a high debt ratio allows for less cushion against losses in the event that liquidating occurs. This could discourage creditors from lending to the company due to the fact that it poses a greater risk to the creditor. On the other hand, stockholders generally like to see a higher debt ration due to the fact that it magnifies the amount of return that t hey receive.Therefore, it would be wise for a company to maintain a debt ration which is fairly close to 50 percent due to the fact that it allows creditors to feel comfortable while satisfying the desires of the stockholders. Another ratio which provides valuable insight into a company’s financial status is the Gross Profit Margin. When calculating this ratio we must first find the amount of sales, then subtract this number by the cost of goods sold and divide this number by the amount of sales during that period. As we examine the financial data using our Gross Profit Margin formula, we find that Lockheed had a gross profit margin of 10. 2 percent. This number tells us that Lockheed had a gross profit of 10. 2 percent per dollar of sales before any other expenses are deducted.When compared to rival aeronautical company Boeing, we find that Boeing had a gross profit margin that was 11. 9 percent higher than Lockheed. This suggests that Boeing is turning a higher profit margi n than Lockheed and thus does not need to sell as much product in order to generate the same amount of income as Lockheed. By having a lower profit margin than their competitor, Lockheed must have a higher amount of sells in order to keep their place within the market. The final ratio which we will examine is the Price per Earnings ratio or the P/E Ratio. By looking at this ration we are able to identify how much investors are willing to pay per dollar of reported profit.Looking at Lockheed’s current price per share and earnings per share data we find that they are able to maintain a ratio of 28. 67. When viewing this data, we are able to conclude that Lockheed has a fairly strong growth prospect when other things are held constant. When we compare this number to the smaller rival Northrop Grumman and find that Lockheed has a P/E that is 19. 69 higher. When looking into the reasoning behind this difference, we can conclude that Northrop is regarded as being a much riskier com pany than Lockheed and thus could receive less support for creditors. This places Lockheed Martin at an advantageous position due to the fact that they are viewed as a more stable company.This allows them to control more of their respective market and in turn secures their market share for future years. Now that we have viewed the financial ratios of our company and have interpreted the data based upon Lockheed’s market and past financial data, let us now look at the Beta coefficient. When stockholders examine which companies they wish to invest in, they generally seek to invest in companies with the smallest amount of risk possible. In doing so, Stockholders greatly minimize the amount of risk that they themselves accrue and in turn provides confidence within the market. However, we must have a way in order to evaluate the relative risk of a particular companies stock and for that we use the Beta coefficient.In order to calculate the Beta coefficient we will need two sets of data, the closing price for the stock we are examining and the closing prices for the index we’re using. As we look at the Beta value of . 98 for Lockheed Martin and compare it industry rival Boeing’s 1. 31 and Northrop Grumman’s 1. 08 we find that Lockheed has a lower Beat value than both of its major competitors. This suggests that Lockheed is a less risky company to invest in and thus could create greater capitol available through the sale of stock for the company. In addition to drawing potential investors to the company, having a lower Beta value could cause creditors to be more willing to lend money to the company.This would allow a greater possibility for Lockheed’s future expansion in the industry and could serve to propel them to the top of the Aeronautic market. If this were to occur, I forecast that the dividend structure within the company would increase due to the increased amount of wealth that the company is generating yearly. By having mo re funds available for allocation to stockholders, the company would be more willing to pass this added revenue to the stockholders thus promoting more investors to purchase stock. Upon examining the numerous financial data available on Lockheed Martin we are able to determine that the financial status of the company is sound. Lockheed Martin maintains a current ratio of 1. 5 percent which tells us that the company is able to cover the cost of their current liabilities 1. 15 times using their current assets. This tells us that the company does not have any problematic debt at the current time and therefore generates a profit at the end of every operating period. The second indicator of Lockheed’s current and future success is their ability to turn over inventory. In our calculations we discovered that Lockheed had an inventory turn over ratio of 19. 26 percent which told us that they were able roughly able to sell all of their products and restock at least 19. 26 times per ye ar. When viewing this from a financial standpoint this figure is encouraging because it represents a steady profit within the company.The next ratio analysis performed, the debt ratio, informed us that the company had a debt ratio of 89. 43 percent. This high number could serve costly to the company if they ever need seek loans from creditors, but it does satisfy the shareholders by providing a higher amount of leverage. Another ratio that we analyzed for Lockheed Martin was the gross profit margin. After computing this ratio, we found that Lockheed had a gross profit margin of 10. 2 in 2011 which means than Lockheed earned retained 10. 2 percent of every dollar earned. The final ration analysis that we performed on Lockheed’s financial statements was a profit per earnings ratio.After performing this ratio, we found that Lockheed had a better profit per earnings than its rivals thus making it a more desirable company to invest in. This could attract future investors and in tu rn create more profit for the company. From this analysis, I have concluded that Lockheed Martin could not handle much more debt in the near future due to the fact that their debt ration is already considerably high. If the company were to take on much more debt, creditors would become unwilling to provide financial support for the company and the company could risk taking on more debt than their assets could cover. This would cause the overall value of the company to fall and cause the Beat coefficient to ri se to a much higher level.In order to further improve the company from the position that it is in, I believe that the company should take steps to lower the debt ratio. This would cause the creditors to be more willing to invest in the company as well as keep the stockholders satisfied with the amount of leverage the company has. Also, by lowering the debt ratio, the companies eat coefficient would fall even further making the desire to invest in the company even higher. If Loc kheed were to take this step, I believe that the companies stock would continue to rise and the company could in turn increase the amount of dividends that it provides. Bibliography 1. Free SEC Filings Email Alerts – SECFilings. com. (n. d. ). Free SEC Filings Email Alerts – SECFilings. com.Retrieved April 26, 2011, from http://secfilings. com/searchresultswide. aspx? TabIndex=2=7752072=convpdf=11373=%2fdefault. aspx%3fticker%3dLMT%26amp%3bformgroupid%3d1%26amp%3bauth%3d1 2. Free SEC Filings Email Alerts – SECFilings. com. (n. d. ). Free SEC Filings Email Alerts – SECFilings. com. Retrieved April 26, 2011, from http://secfilings. com/searchresultswide. aspx? TabIndex=2=7704986=convpdf=11757=%2fdefault. aspx%3fticker%3dBA%26amp%3bformgroupid%3d1%26amp%3bauth%3d1 3. Ehrhardt, M. C. , & Brigham, E. F. (2011). Corporate finance: a focus approach (4th ed. ). Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning.

Explore the ways Shakespeare presents the Duke in Act one of measure for measure

In a play we get to know about a character by what he says what he does and what other people think about him. When the duke abandons the city it cause society to collapse and the whole city to fall into chaos. Any eratical behaviour made by the duke, at the top of the hierarchical pyramid would be amplified as you go down. People at the bottom will want to know what is going on and the people near the top will try and grab a piece of power. In the 17th Century the audience then would of reacted very differently to an audience of today. Back then a audience would think that it was a terrible thing that the duke had done as he is the only one who can do the job as he has the divine right. For them the duke leaving would be a very dramatic story line. However an audience of today would not be as shocked because they are used to a society of so many leaders that if the Priminister went off, yes it would be shocking but there are plenty of people that can take his place. Today's audience would probably have more sympathy as they understand stress more and would just think he needs a bit of a break. The laws in Vienna have not been used for a long time and now are useless at protecting the people and the city, much like a rusty set of armour that has been â€Å"hung by th'wall† as Claudio describes them.. They normally protect people but they have been discarded and now are useless. Now the city is full of crime depravity and all the suburbs are full of Brothels. The Duke has discarded the laws so that the people of the city like him. He no longer likes his job as he has a lot of responsibility and is depended on. He feels isolated because of all the pressure of people behind him trying to get his power. He is loved by the public for something he isn't and he knows this. All these factors make him very uncomfortable. The duke has two choices for who he could chose to stand in for him – Angelo or Esculus. Esculas's name sounds like the word scales implying that he would be balanced and would bring balance to the city. He has a lot of knowledge of the city and is old and wise. Angelo's name sounds like the word angels who are virtuous. He chooses Angelo as he wants to test his virtues. The duke quotes â€Å"Angelo is a man of stricture and firm abstinence.† When Angelo is told that he will stand in for the duke he sounds modest but could be pretending. He is probable pretending to be modest and really being obsequious. He tells the Friar that he is going back to the city to see how it is going without him and to see if Angelo is really as virtuous as he seems. In Scene one the duke decides to leave because he can't take the pressure. Whereas in scene two he says he is leaving because he can't control the people. This shows that he is either not sure why he is leaving; he just doesn't want to be the duke any more or he wants to check up on people when he's not there. When the duke is in disguise Lucio says how the duke had been so slack with the laws and how terrible he was. In act one the speech is very rushed and shows us how much of a rush the Duke is in.

E-Library – Requirements Specification

E-Library – Requirements Specification Author:Jiri Walek Status:Draft Contents 1. Introduction2 1. 1. Overview of the E-Library System2 1. 2. Keywords2 1. 3. Abbreviations and Terms2 2. Administration Requirements3 1. 4. Types of User Accounts and Permissions3 1. 5. Administration Interfaces3 3. User Requirements4 1. 6. Online User Registration4 1. 7. User Login/out4 1. 8. Catalog Search4 1. 9. Catalog Quick Search4 1. 10. Catalog Browsing5 1. 11. Advanced Catalog Browsing5 1. 12. Create Select List5 1. 13. Check Out eBooks6 1. 14. Explicit eBook â€Å"Return†6 ? 1. Introduction This document is an example of a Software Requirements Specification document which can be imported into Polarion, then exported and re-imported in a collaborative process utilizing the Word Round-trip feature. It is intended for demonstration only. The document describes a fictitious online eBook lending library with optional eBook online sales component. The focus is on simplicity rather than depth and completeness, that you may more easily understand the Document features. 1. 1. Overview of the E-Library System This system provides an online portal analogous to a public library where registered patrons can borrow books. The main difference is of course that the books in the library catalog are all in electronic formats which incorporate Digital Rights Management (DRM) enabling the system to â€Å"lend† an allowed number of copies to registered users. In addition, when a book has the proper rights, the E-Library can sell patrons a license for a personal copy of the electronic book which they can retain permanently. 1. 2. Keywords This document contains keywords which correspond to Severity values in the Polarion system when to document is imported for management by Polarion. DOCUMENT KEYWORDPOLARION SEVERITY VALUEMEANING â€Å"MUST_HAVE†must_haveNo release without SHOULD_HAVE†should_haveMay slip to next release if time runs short â€Å"MAY_HAVE†may_haveMay be included in release if dependent things are implemented, otherwise will not be included â€Å"OPTIONAL†optionalMay be included in release if time/resources allow, otherwise will be postponed to another release 1 . 3. Abbreviations and Terms TERMDEFINITION Carti. e. â€Å"shopping cart† – a collection of one or more eBooks that a patron has marked for purchase during the current session CatalogThe database of eBooks available for loan and possibly for sale as well Check OutThe act of â€Å"borrowing† an eBook from the library. Term is not used in reference to the process of paying for a purchased eBook (see Purchase) Check InThe act or â€Å"returning† a previously â€Å"borrowed† (checked out) eBook. DRMDigital Rights Management eBookAn electronic book or other publication lent or sold by the E-Library system ISBNInternational Standard Book Number LCLibrary of Congress Loansee Lend LendThe process of flagging an eBook so the appropriate DRM understands that one of the allowable number of â€Å"copies† has been allocated to a patron for the lending period. PatronA user of the E-Library portal PurchaseThe process by which library patrons purchase a DRM license for a personal copy of an eBook. Also the action of a user navigating into the process for purchasing the eBooks listed in their Cart. StoreAn area of the portal that lists a subset of the library’s eBooks, that being eBooks for which users may purchase a license for a personal copy of the eBook. 2. Administration Requirements This section outlines the main requirements that relate to administration and management of the E-Library system. 1. 4. Types of User Accounts and Permissions The system must provide for the following types of user accounts: ACCOUNT TYPE NAMEPERMISSIONS AdministratorUser can access any component or area of the system including accounts of other users LibrarianUser can access the catalog management features of the system PatronUser can access the general library features, including browsing, searching, check out, check in, reserve, and purchase StudentSame as a Patron, except may not access Purchase features The system must provide user management to manage the user role assignments. Each user can have multiple user roles assigned. It must be possible to 1. 5. Administration Interfaces The system must provide user interfaces for the following roles/functions: †¢System Administration – including database management, server management, backups, etc. User type: Administrator †¢Catalog Management – all non-technical functionality related to managing eBooks in the library catalog. User types: Administrator, Librarian 3. User Requirements This section outlines the main requirements that relate to the end users who borrow and purchase eBooks from the E-Library. . 6. Online User Registration Users must be able to create Patron or Student accounts by registering online. A suitable registration page or pages should be provided. New users must go thru a verification process (TBD) to confirm their email address before their account is activated in the system. 1. 7. User Login/out Once verified, users must be able to log in to the portal. Users must be able to change their password (but not their user name/ID) There must be a way for users to retrieve a lost password Users must be able to log out. There must be a session timeout mechanism that will automatically log the user out after a period of time (period TBD). On logout, the contents of user’s Select List and Cart are cleared. The contents of the Reserved List is preserved. 1. 8. Catalog Search Users must be able to search for eBooks The system should provide interfaces for both â€Å"simple† and â€Å"advanced† searches †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"simple† should be a search on any one of fields Author, Title, or ISBN. †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"advanced† should provide an easy way to construct complex searches on multiple fields with different logic (e. g. AND, OR, NOT) 1. 9. Catalog Quick Search The system should provide several â€Å"quick search† options: †¢Newest eBooks – returns a listing of the 10- 50 (configurable) most recently added eBooks †¢Top 20 Titles – returns a listing of the 20 most frequently borrowed eBooks oThe actual number should be configurable by an administrator oThe UI should provide a pick list of values: 10, 20, 25, 50, 100 †¢Latest Returns – returns a list of 10-50 (configurable) most recently checked-in eBooks oEither explicitly checked in by a patron, or lending period expired freeing the eBook for loan oeBooks listed in this set must not have any reservations†¦ must be available for immediate loan 1. 0. Catalog Browsing Users must be able to browse the eBooks in the catalog Users must be able to select how they want to browse: †¢Browse by Author oMust be able to select an alphabetical subset†¦ e. g. author names beginning with A, or M for example †¢Browse by Title oMust be able to se lect an alphabetical subset†¦ e. g. author names beginning with A, or M for example †¢Browse by genre (e. g. fiction, non-fiction, science fiction, etc. 1. 11. Advanced Catalog Browsing Users should be able to browse by Publisher Users should be able to browse by Book Award Users should be able to browse according to a combination of data, such as by Author + Genre, Title + Year of Publication, Author + Book Award, etc. 1. 12. Create Select List The Select List is similar to a shopping cart except that the checkout processes a loan of the eBooks in the list rather than a purchase. Each user must be able to save a list of eBooks they want to borrow – their â€Å"Select List† †¢The Select List is only for the current session and is cleared when the session terminates †¢Each eBook added to the Select List remains in the list for 20 minutes. During this time, the number of copies available for loan is reduced by 1 and the number available is shown to ot her users. oIf the time expires and the eBook is removed from the Select List, then the number of copies available for loan is increased by 1 and the number available is shown to other users. The number of eBooks user may add to their Select List is limited to the checkout limit defined in the system configuration minus the number of eBooks patron has currently checked out. oIf user currently has the maximum number checked out, then all Add to Select List links should be disabled for that user. †¢If all copies allowable under the eBook’s DRM are currently on loan to other users, then the eBook cannot be added to any user’s Select List (the UI widget is disabled) and the UI must inform the user that no copy is currently available for loan. 1. 13. Check Out eBooks User should be able to navigate to Check Out any time via a readily visible link or button The checkout page must display the eBooks in the user’s Select List The user must be able to remove eBooks from the Select List at this point Via an appropriate UI widget, user should be able to execute check out which processes on all the eBooks left on the Select List. When checkout is complete, user must be presented with a page of the checked out titles, each title having a DOWNLOAD widget. Clicking the widget downloads a copy of the eBook with appropriate DRM applied. Each checked out eBook should remain listed on the user’s Downloads page until the loan period expires. 1. 14. Explicit eBook â€Å"Return† Users must be able to â€Å"return† any eBook on their Downloads page that has not yet been downloaded via an appropriate â€Å"RETURN THIS EBOOK† widget. Executing the return must remove the eBook from the user’s downloads page, decreases the count of eBooks the user currently has checked out (if that value is greater than zero), and increases by 1 the number of copies of the eBook available for loan.

Media Consolidation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Media Consolidation - Essay Example This paper will discuss the 360 deal and what it means to both the artist, the recording companies, and the public at large. There are some shades of the past here. There was a time when the recording artist wrote a contract with the record company, only to receive the amount of the contract, no matter how big the artist got or how popular the song. Many of these artists died poor. Are artists headed into the same kind of contract(Hoffman, 2010). The entertainment industry will never be what it has been again, it is changed forever. In the past, the artist gave up the rights to the recordings that were made to the record industry. The artist usually got advanced royalties and the record companies paid the cost of production. This worked good for the record companies until the decline of records, now there must be some kind of transition in the business (Hoffman, 2010). There are actually two types of 360 deals out there right now. In the first case, the record company will continue to control the profit from the sale of the artist's recordings and related products but will gain a percentage funding from the artists other revenue streams. In this case, the labels non-record income from these other income streams is small and amounts to an override percentage. The labels argue in this case that what they do is driving all the other income streams as well and this percentage will allow them to drive more development for the artists (Weaver, S. 2007). The second type however, is a much bigger deal. In this, the record company participates in non-record income. They partner with the artist in profit and decision making. This might get the record companies net incomes as high as 50%. The newer artists, similar to those so many years ago would have no strength against a contract like this one. The label has all the power in this case. These artists need to be sure to have a good lawyer to negotiate these deals (Weaver, 2007). Needless to say, this is very controversial. Is this just a way for the record companies to increase revenues during a time when record sales are at their lowest The artists see it as one more attempt to see the artist as income instead of managing their business well. There is also the feeling the music becomes less important as each of the labels brands the artist in order to bring about more interest. The labels argue that this kind of a deal allows them to make more money and therefore they can take on more unknown and new artists. This says this gives them the chance to work with the artist longer and staying for the long haul. Making a decision as an artist to sign or not to sign a 360 deal has become complicated. The whole point of a 360 deal is for the record company to get a cut of the revenue streams that an artist creates. There is question here as to whether the record labels have the expertise to manage all of these kinds of revenue streams. If not, then the artist will pay the record company and someone else to manage their business. There are also decisions about percentages and how much money that actually leads to. Attorneys need to be involved to be sure that the deal that is being signed is the deal they think it is. (McDonald, 2010). There are, of course, pros and cons to every deal. Many say that the 360 deal allows a record company to spend some time and money scouting

Argumentation research paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Argumentation - Research Paper Example This dichotomy causes large debates over the discourse of Hip Hop in the society. Hip Hop uses a very violent language that many people find inappropriate. Indeed, the first performers used to mainly employ lyrics portraying young blacks killing police officers. This violent speech finds many detractors and causes much debate in the media and the society in general. However, with the new revolution, the violent narratives shifted from killing police men to killing other blacks. Despite this change in perspectives, the violent rhetoric is still present as artists depict the killings between black gangs and their journey in prison cells. Jeffrey Ogbar reveals that the change in the narratives decreases the negative stereotypes of blacks and that the lyrics represent not only an artistic expression but also some realities (98). Even though the new Hip Hop revolution does not portray anymore the killings of police officers, it still depicts another form of violence. Many people still fin d their language offensive because the lyrics expose much violence regardless of what form it takes. In addition to the violent language deemed shocking for most, the derogatory narratives directed towards women also cause much frustration and generate large debates. Actually, Black women find the lyrics in Hip Hop about them highly offensive. This article informs: â€Å"The countless negative portrayals of Black women in hip-hop videos and song lyrics could be compiled on a very long list. And yet to some, it’s taken a long time to engage the Black community in a serious discourse about the more divisive, derisive aspects of hip-hop music and culture† (Keels). This anger generated by these lyrics creates a deep crisis in the black community since women see these performers as mainly interested in money but not in the image of their community. Black women severely criticize the language used in Hip Hop that does not encourage good behavior or even reflect good morals. The lyrics about violence, drugs and sex make these women worried, especially because children tend to view these artists as role models. The author adds: â€Å"Women express their deep mconcern about the emergence of gangsta rap and its lyrics that flagrantly glorified thuggery, violence, drug abuse and vile, demeaning attitudes about and actions towards women, especially African-Americans† (Keels). The language used to portray Black women makes them very frustrated as they become the target of groups that violate their privacy and their integrity through very offensive lyrics. Furthermore, some language used in Hip Hop has also been found mostly derogatory by both white and black people. For instance, the word â€Å"nigger† that reflects a vey painful past characterized by slavery and racial segregation was almost banished from vocabulary but has been reestablished in Hip Hop language. The use of the word in Hip Hop clips and videos creates both frustration and uneas iness in communities because it represents a reminder of the past. This article notes: â€Å"The overwhelming majority of rappers are African Americans and most white people would be surprised to find the hated word ‘nigger’ used so freely. However, words that might be inappropriate for outsiders to use are commonly employed by those within a group. So too with

Policy and planning tourism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Policy and planning tourism - Essay Example Here, we will examine the manner in which the Ministry of Trade and Information Singapore formulates certain economic strategy and the manner in which they are in compliance with the basic economic management philosophy of free market economy and outward oriented economic policies. Accordingly, this paper will also delve into the manner the tourism policies have been formulated so that they comply with the economic strategies to attain robust economic growth in the nation. Contents Abstract 2 Introduction 4 Formulating Economic Policies for Singapore 4 Current Economic Management Philosophy 6 Tourism policy instruments 7 Conclusion 11 Reference 12 Introduction The Ministry of Trade and Industry Singapore helps in directing policy formulation with reference to developing industry and trade in Singapore. Its mission is to enhance economic growth and help in creating more job opportunities so as to attain enhanced living standards (MTI, 2013). Formulating Economic Policies for Singapore The Ministry of Trade and Industry Singapore formulates certain strategies which drives economic growth. The Economic Strategies Committee of MTI Singapore, came up with several strategies to boost economic growth in the year 2010. ... This may be possible only if productivity increases. For this, the economic policy focussed on productivity – based growth. They realised the need to deepen expertise and skills so as to strengthen each sector and drive economic growth. The strategies formulated needed to focus Singaporeans to spend more time on business activities and tasks. High rate of competency and knowhow is required for conducting high skilled tasks and provide excellent service to customers and enable organizations to innovate, change and align strategy and structures with changing market situations (Economic Strategies Committee Report, 2010). A significant goal of strategizing and implementing government policy is by promoting industrialization. Industrialization is a tool which developing nations like Singapore use to attain augmented economic growth and thereby attain the privilege enjoyed by developed countries (Goh, 2005). Accordingly, the economic strategy has been formulated which supports and promotes innovation and drives growth. The policy formulation were made keeping in mind to aid the international community by striving to decrease carbon emissions. A corporate social responsibility perspective was also considered while formulating the economic strategies in Singapore. Corporate social responsibility is a global topic and may be used in diverse manners in diverse nations. Also the nation has less of corruption and nepotism which further helps in driving growth. The incorporation of corporate social responsibility in various business enterprises has been a critical factor while considering strategy formulation for economic policies in Singapore. The trade practices including imports and exports and foreign direct investment in

World Literature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

World Literature - Essay Example It was probably composed in the 8th century bc. After the fall of Troy at the end of the Trojan War, Odysseus is forced to wander for ten years before returning home to his wife Penelope in Ithaca. This story has a lot of women characters who each played an important role in Odysseus’ life and influenced his decisions. Penelope, his wife struggled to maintain her loyalty and affection as well as the integrity of her household during Odysseus’s long absence. She was depicted as resourceful and intelligent as her husband. Penelope was a picture of a woman with whom any man is willing to do anything to keep her or to get her. In this story, Penelope was wooed by a lot of suitors and all of them are willing to kill her husband Odysseus just to win her heart. Odysseus on the other hand was willing to endure sleepless days and nights, dangerous adventures and fights in strange lands just to get back home to his wife. The tender Calypso, the sinister and beautiful sorceress Ci rce, the singing Sirens and the charming Athena has made Odysseus travel both difficult and victorious. This play shows that a woman can have a different face – wise, cunning, sinister, temptation, love, hope and death – a man just has to wise enough so as not to be fooled. Agamemnon, in Greek mythology, is the king of Mycenae and commander of the Greek forces in the Trojan War. He was the son of Atreus and suffered the curse laid on his house. When the Greeks had assembled in Aulis for their voyage to Troy, they were held back by adverse winds. To calm the winds, Agamemnon sacrificed his daughter Iphigenia to the goddess Artemis. Artemis is a goddess of hunt and was known to be a friend and protector of youth especially young women, but in this scene, we saw that in order to please the gods Agamemnon was willing to sacrifice his daughter and his daughter in turn just submitted. In as much as Agamemnon would have objected it

Why the North won the American Civil War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Why the North won the American Civil War - Essay Example To be objective, it is very important to take into account not only military events, but the "roots of success" resulted in victory of the North. The analysis of the first set of reasons includes political, economic, social and industrial sphere and conditions which had a great influence on both parties1. 1. Manpower and resources. The strength of the North was that it remained the core of the nation. In contrast, the Southern states, separated form the Union, were perceived as the mutinous party. The conservative North, embodied social and political customs and tradition, represented a strong power and reliability for many American citizens. This psychological perception of the differences between the South and North strengthened the positions of the North as the custodian of peace and constancy. The social priorities were supported by economic development of the North which always plays a major role considered as the main indicator of future success or failure of a country. The main advantage of the North, which undoubtedly supported its victory, was the fact that the North had occupied a stronger position in the economic and political spheres of life. The North had started to dominate after the Constitution was adopted by all of the States in 1789, uniting the States into one nation. In a century, the North was considered as the political center of the nation and nobody doubted its superiority over the Southern part. . Of cause, there were some differences between the States which had been worked out through compromises, but it could not undermine the authority of the North. The main advantage of the North was its developing industry, which supported the rapid economic growth of this region, and manufacturing of ammunition so important for the North troops during the war. In contrast to agrarian South the level of the North economic development was higher and more stable. And when during the war time the south needed financing, "almost 60 per cent was derived from the issue of paper money, about 30 per cent from the sale of bonds, and less than 5 per cent from taxation (the remaining 5 percent from miscellaneous sources.) In contrast, the income of North in "13 per cent was raised by paper money, 62 per cent by bonds, and 21 per centby taxes (and 4 per cent by other means)"2 This financial data depicts the main advantage of the North, relied much more upon taxation and borrowing and less upon government notes as South did. It is a well known fact that industry is not influenced greatly by external environmental changes as the agriculture (droughts, bad harvest), and in this very case the positions of North were stronger, and resulted in accumulation of huge resources which South was not able to obtain. As industry in the North expanded it looked towards southern markets, rich with cash from the lucrative agricultural business, to buy the North's manufactured goods. However, it was often cheaper for the South to purchase the goods abroad. 2 1Richard N. Current, The History of Wisconsin Volume II. The Civil War Era, 1848- 1873. (Madison: The State Historical Society of Wisconsin, 1976), 3. 2Gabor S. Boritt, ed. Why the Civil War Came

CASE STUDY - EXPERIANCE OF ILLNESS AND DISABILITY Essay

CASE STUDY - EXPERIANCE OF ILLNESS AND DISABILITY - Essay Example tion will be done on questions such as how the illness and disability affect the individual sense of self and their way of life (before and after the illness), how the society’s perception transforms about the past and present of the ailing body, and how the social relationship affects the patients’ condition. Health, or illness, was once merely attributed to biological or natural conditions. Sociologists have verified that the spread of diseases is heavily influenced by the socioeconomic status of individuals, ethnic traditions or beliefs, and other cultural factors. There are obvious differences in pattern of health and illness across societies. The concept of health, diseases and illness varies from society to society. The social location of our peers affects the life chances; the beliefs about health and illness held by the peers shape the experiences and understanding of the later generation. The self-identity of an individual shape up his experience of illness, and the socio-cultural context affects his concept of death and dying. The behavior of the society with the patient varies with the culture. Understanding and beliefs about health and illness vary among different groups. This variation largely depends on the social, cultural, biographical and economic context within which ind ividual are positioned (Nettleton, 2006). In the narrative of every human life and every family, illness is a prominent character. Even if an individual does not get ill, he cannot prevent its reach into his family member’s life. Illness brings people closer in care giving. It moves people to sense the importance of life, brings hope and optimism in life, and creates confusion and doubts as well (McDaniel & Doherty, 1997). Experiencing illness, the term refers to the ways in which the people define and perceive any interruption in their health. It is typical in medical sociology to distinguish between illness and disease. Illness refers to peoples â€Å"lay† or subjective

Cost and Quality Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Cost and Quality - Assignment Example Connectively, Work break down structure may be presented into three different formats namely; indented format, chart format and bubbled format (Haugan, 2002). Therefore, this study will utilize organization chart format to show how the fifteen wires access point will be broken down within the next 90 days. In above connection, the study will describe the project management areas of knowledge as discussed in the Project Management Institute Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK). The study will further evaluate different cost management factors in an IT project management context. The works break down assumptions and estimated duration The cost and time to be consumed by each task will be estimated as indicated in table 1.15. Additionally, the work break down codes will be established to identify each task. Whereby, each task will be given a unique code to track it as well as cost associated with each task (Furman, 2011). In order to enhance security and vulnerability of authori zed access, the project managers responsible for this IT project will work closely with the subproject team to ensure maximum data security by preventing unauthorized access of the company data (Nahari & Krutz, 2011). Connectively, the IT project will take into consideration the following deliverable: the project team will be provided with the wireless network security handling point paper and a document for access configuration. Additionally, an architectural structure for wireless security will be established. Additionally, certain assumptions of success for this project will be taken into consideration based on task scheduling, cost and quality. Whereby, the certain task will be executed fast to allow execution of other tasks (Kendrick, 2009). Security related issues will be given the first priority via conducting a wireless pilot project. In addition, cost will involve cost for purchasing the actual tools for this project as well as hiring employees who will be responsible for e xecuting the task. However, large amount of cost will be attributed to the amount of time allotted to each task rather than costs associated with tools for executing tasks (Vines, 2002). Additionally, quality will be determined by security audit team in the IT department. Whereby, if the project security meet or exceed the anticipated security standards then project will be considered successful (Webber, Larry, & Webber, Frederick, 2006). Therefore, the four tasks for this wireless access will include; software and hardware installations, security and support programs, pilot program as well as full implementation. The 15 work break down packages under the four tasks mentioned above will involve the following; selection of hardware, conducting research on wireless security, identification of weakness and fixing them, ensuring that there is adherence to security standards, executing of hardening activities, integrating existing network authentication, technological encryption, configu ration of wireless access joints, managing network systems, making a minor security audits, updating helpdesk and training helpdesk personnel, conducting wireless project review, coordinating support team and pilot programs, coordinating support implementation team as well running vulnerability testing tools (Reynolds, 2010). The schedule below indicates the task break down schedule that will be used to design a work break down structure for wireless installation. Task break down Schedule (Table 1.15) Task Codes Wireless task

Leading speaker Essay Example for Free

Leading speaker Essay Although newborns can detect and orient toward laterally presented sound soon after birth, motor behaviour eliciting procedures should take into consideration the immaturity of the cortical structures of the auditory system, which is believed to be involved in complex temporal processing. For instance, Clifton et al 46 tested the â€Å"precedence effect† phenomenon on newborns, in which a sound is presented from two loudspeakers located in opposite sides of the infant and one speaker is leading the other by a few milliseconds, normally listener locate the sound of the leading speaker. Clifton et al 46 proved that newborn babies were not responsive to the â€Å"precedence effect† as to single source stimuli. This inability seems to improve as the infants get older, so by 24 weeks of age infants were found to orient reliably to both precedence effect and a single source stimuli. 57 In addition to the lack of ability to orient to precedence effect, newborns also showed irresponsiveness to brief sounds i. e. 500 msec and below. 55 Using acoustic stimulation to promote movements has also been documented in the literature. Presenting auditory stimulus in the form of either bell sound or speech by female voice was found to increase the general body movement of newborn babies of 1 to 5 days compared to the effect of pure tone 69. Four to 12 months old infants were found to be more interested in manipulating objects with sound when compared to the same objects with no sound68. Older infants have been found to use auditory and proprioceptive information to guide their reaching behaviour in the dark and they manage to do that fairly well 64-67 . Although the reaches were found to be successful in 70% 66 to 77% 64 of the trials, Perris and Clifton 64 found that the chances of eliciting or promoting reaching movement increase if there was prior motor engagement i. e. manipulation of the sounding object, and /or prior visual experience. At the time of birth the sense of vision is the least developed sense compared to other senses. Anatomical data shows that newborn’s peripheral vision is more mature than the central vision 70 . Using preferential looking to evaluate the human monocular visual acuity in the first three months of life, Courage et al 71 found that central as well as peripheral visual acuity are poor in the first month of life. At birth visual acuity was found to be around 20% of adult visual acuity 72 . A retinoscopic study estimated the focal distance of newborns when fixating an object is around 9 inches 73 . Finally, some behavioural studies found that newborns are able to detect stimuli presented in their peripheral visual field as far as 30-35 ° 74, 75, 76 from midline. Their ability to discriminate objects in the peripheral visual fields is not developed until around the 4 month after birth 77. Although newborns have not developed mature vision, several behavioural studies showed that newborn babies have the ability to process some visual information and use it to initiate motor behaviours. For instance, from the first days of their lives, newborn infants are capable of imitating simple motor actions such as opening and closing the mouth, tongue protrusion, opening and closing of the hand, and index finger movement 78-82 . Imitation of facial gestures has also been observed in babies as young as 45 minutes old 83-84. Recently Nagy et al raised the possibility of the presence of cortical mirror neuron system that may contribute to the emergence of early imitation in newborns 78. Several behavioural studies found that newborn infants are not just able to perform simple motor acts but also able to initiate motor behaviours that are voluntary, controlled and resemble reaching movement. Bower et al 89 and McDonnel 90 found that when newborn infants were presented with an object in 5 different positions, infants changed the direction of their reach to match the direction of the presented object. Bower et al 89 found that 70% of their reaches were within 5 ° and approximately 1. 5 cm of the object. Their reaches were not just considered oriented but also intentional because when they were presented with a virtual rather than a real object they became frustrated. Furthermore, van der Meer, et al 91-92 have found that newborn infants can deliberately adjust their arm movement to correct for a force applied to it, but only if they can see their arm either directly or through a monitor 91-92 . In a further study, van der Meer 93 also showed that neonates have the ability to change direction and control the velocity and deceleration of their arm to put the hand within a 7 cm cross light beam 93 . Interestingly, they noticed that approximately 74% of newborns decelerated the movement of the arm before entering the light, which provided an indication of expectation of light and thus further evidence of an ability to control the arm movement.

Riordan New System Proposal Essay Example for Free

Riordan New System Proposal Essay Executive Summary Riordan Publishing started as a small publishing company made up of two brothers, George and Edward Riordan. They wanted to provide a way for creative minds to be heard. Their objective was and will always be to help writers reach their full potential. Riordan eventually expanded to four locations around the globe to assist authors of all varieties achieve their dreams. Riordan works with editors, artists, and authors; which is why they understand the importance of unifying and synchronizing all of their locations. Improvements in the system were needed in order to effectively accomplish this objective. Riordan’s issues involved: 1. Communication problems 2. Data sharing concerns 3. Collaborating in real time 4. Project management Riordan researched several options for improving their system, and decided to convert to Cloud Computing. The benefits for Cloud Computing outweighed the risks involved; influencing Riordan to choose Egnyte Cloud Computing as its Cloud service provider. The benefits of Cloud computing are vast and can enable Riordan to reduce spending on in house technology infrastructure, streamline processes for employees worldwide all while increasing flexibility of the cloud and scaling it to the needs of Riordan. After researching the many different cloud computing sources, Riordan chose Egnyte as the perfect fit for the company. Egnyte won Best Data Center Storage Solution award in Europe. Egnyte was also awarded â€Å"Most promising startup cloud provider† at the Up 2011 Cloud Computing Conference. They  offer features that will help integrate Riordan’s Publishing like: 1. Supports a variety of systems 2. Security and Privacy 3. Synchronization 4. Premium support 5. Storage 6. Audit reports Riordan feels confident that Egnyte will innovate the way they perform in every aspect of the business, creating a more unified work environment for employees anywhere they are. Egnyte allows Riordan to gain access to technologies (infrastructure, platforms, and software) that they might otherwise need sophisticated IT support to obtain and setup. For example, few small businesses have the knowledge and expertise to perform the installation and planning of an IT system or even perform the ongoing maintenance required to have it run optimally. Egnyte offers solutions, by simply contracting with the Cloud provider Riordan will have the ability to immediately use these services and offerings. Egnyte enhances Riordan by improving many of its core business practices: 1. Communications a. Employees to employees b. Office to office c. Employees to editors, artists, and authors 2. Collaborations a. Employees to employees b. Office to office c. Employees to editors, artists, and authors 3. Innovative ways to enlist new writers 4. Ability to share data with fewer risks for: a. Plagiarism b. Intellectual theft c. Creative theft Riordan only has one main concern with converting to Egnyte’s Cloud Computing service and that is the security of the Cloud platform. They realize that there is a small percentage for security risks given that there is a lack of  control of security operations from Riordan, internally. Riordan wanted to ensure there were ways to reduce this risk before committing to Egnyte’s services. Riordan decided to implement a third party key management system. This system will give Riordan the peace of mind knowing that data that the company has of authors, editors, artists, and employees has a little more protection via secure encryption; making it less likely for theft or tampering. Riordan has chosen Vermetric Data Security as their extra line of defense. Vermetric Data Security ensures there is a consistent and repeatable method for encrypting Riordan’s data, enforcing access policies and gaining real time security information on its systems. Cloud Computing is going to give Riordan the competitive edge they need to continue to makes dreams come true as George Riordan stated, â€Å"We will open the eyes of the world, one book at a time.† The key to the Riordan’s success is to stay up-to-date with training for employees, making sure the business plan is in constant alignment with the IT system, and analyzing for future issues that may arise. By using the Cloud technology Riordan not only ensures that it’s company data is secure and accessible worldwide, it is also flexible enough to provide future upgrades and expansion and forever scale with the companies needs and desires. Riordan Publishing- EGNYTE A New Enterprise System Proposal History of Riordan Publishing Brothers Edward and George Riordan were both struggling authors in 19th century New York City. Reputable publishing companies were few are far between. The Riordan brothers were in need of a local publishing company that was interested in investing and supporting struggling authors seeking to achieve their dreams; by having their work materialize in print. Finding a publishing company that suited these needs was harder than they anticipated. The Riordan Brothers did the next best thing they could. Riordan Publishing started with humble beginning in New York City in 1814. Edward and George Riordan were the only employees for the first three months, but that quickly changed. From the beginning their company mission statement, a quote often said by George Riordan â€Å"We will open the eyes of the world, one book at a time† drew the attention of other likeminded  authors. Within 5 years of being in business Riordan Publishing had expanded from one office in New York City. George moved to London; opened an office, and the company grew from two employees to over 100 employees and over 400 authors. Today Riordan Publishing employs over 4,000 people worldwide with offices in New York, London, Seattle, Rome, and has over 15,000 authors and artist. Each location within Riordan Publishing has created individual processes for author/editor collaboration. Riordan Publishing has been searching for an Enterprise solution to unify their international locations and Authors that are spread around the globe. Sharing data between author/office and office/office has been a redundant and convoluted process. Riordan Publishing is now exploring their options for unifying and synchronizing all their offices. This transition will introduce global employees to a singular fast secure and modern platform. The new enterprise system that Riordan decided to implement is cloud computing. Cloud Computing Egnyte is Riordan Publishing’s answer for a cloud computing solution. Egnyte is proven cloud storage platform. Egnyte just won Europe’s Best Data Center Storage Solution award at The Seventh Annual Cloud World forum in London. Egnyte offers enterprise solutions; which includes a scalable, â€Å"file sharing infrastructure with a complete centralized administration, auditing, and storage integrations for use of unlimited employees. Egnyte provides its’ users with a variety of computing services that include low cost storage space, content access, mobile access, and a top notch support, supports a variety of operating systems.† (Egnyte, 2014) Included in the price for the Enterprise Package you get: unlimited storage, 10GB man per file size, Enterprise-class security, Desktop Sync, FTP Integration, Premium support, Outlook Integration, Custom Branding, Role-based Administration, Storage Sync, Audit Reports, Salesforce.Com Integration, and AD and LDAP Support, and most importantly enterprise file sync and share (EFSS). These features are what persuaded Riordan to select Egnyte as their cloud computing source. Business Requirements Riordan Publishing’s business requirements are simple: global access, reliability, speed, minimizes unneeded costs by combining its software and  hardware infrastructure, security, an ease of collaboration solution, and affordability. Having servers in four different countries has been costly to monitor and maintain. By virtualizing the servers on the Cloud platform, it eliminates the need for four different server locations, the electric bill and internet bills associated with running them and also the IT staff that maintains them. The shift from the four servers into the Cloud can save Riordan an immense amount of capital and enable funds to be used in other ways such as corporate expansion. Riordan’s IT team has been growing nearly as fast as their list of new writers trying to keep up with the demands of supporting its legacy software and dated servers. Riordan needs a solution that will upgrade its ancient system along with cutting its cost in its infrastructure management, and a way to unite all their servers into one centralized setting that everyone can easily access, the solution being the â€Å"Cloud†. The Cloud computing solution will provide a reliable, fast, and an effective method for Riordan’s editors, writers, marketing, financial teams to collaborate; enabling them to upload, access projects from the office, or the comfort of a writer’s home. Riordan is in need of a system that helps with editorial workflow, a way to unite their writers with their editors, and management for a collective collaboration resolution so goals and deadlines are easily met. There is also a need for an ease of access download for outside vendors such as a printing house or e-book company like Amazon Kindle. Information Riordan Publishing handles various amounts of information daily. Due to the nature of Riordan’s work as a publisher, it is very important that information is protected. The type of information on the cloud would consist of original literature, photos, research, and products scheduled to be released. Security is of an utmost importance because of the inherent threat of plagiarism, intellectual, and creative theft. Since the company has 4,000 employees and over 15,000 contracted authors and artist, the cloud would have to be very powerful to meet the demands of the employees. The employees of Riordan use the Office Suite, Microsoft Outlook, and a plethora of other productive software applications. Each international office and individual  author and artist can use a different type of mobile devise including, Blackberry, iPhone, Android, and Windows Phone. The new system would have to take all the employees’ needs, and incorporate that into the custom create cloud operating system. The cloud would eventually have all employees’ emails, conversations, files, pictures, and documents. The information most definitely would be safeguarded from vulnerabilities, threats, and risks from cyber-crimes. Security and Ethical Concerns One of the main concerns a company has is the security; which can involve ethical issues. Riordan Publishing had a couple concerns regarding the safe keeping of their data in the cloud. Some of the concerns were: If employees are allowed to use cellular phones for business use, then how will the company know when employees are abusing company time for personal use? What happens if data is hacked, and client information is stolen and sold? Is the company held accountable when laws are broken by employees? Riordan Publishing Company decided to take steps that would educate all employees of the laws, and the consequences of breaking them. The company will be implementing mandatory meetings to keep employees informed of cyber-crimes, rules of the use of business smart phones, appropriate use of persona time at work, and ways to improve employees’ work habits. Riordan’s main focus is data security: which needs to meet industry standards that consist of keeping the system up to date and monitored. Once implemented, Riordan will benefit from the cloud system enabling employees to connect to the corporate network over VPN for a seamless experience anywhere. The contributions to the company are vast, but the main appeal is that employees can access a network that is custom tailored to them from any online connection. Riordan also would not have to pay for hefty data center bills, expensive servers, a tech team to maintain equipment, and power bills. Conversion Process Riordan Publishing Company decided that the best course of action regarding issues with their previous system was to convert to Cloud Computing. In order for Riordan Publishing to combine their international offices and  individual contracted authors into one centralized data system, a Cloud Storage and Management System will be implemented. Egnyte will standardize procedures for sharing, collaboration, storing, and accessing a centralized network. This will make it possible for Riordan’s entire pool of employees to follow the same processes, continue procedures of working with authors to publish new books, and produce publications in a more streamline timeline. Cloud computing allows Riordan Publishing to achieve one of their goals of going green. Riordan employees, contracted authors, and artists also do not have to worry about the costs, hassles of mailing manuscripts, or shuffling through emails to find work they are using for collaboration with one another. Egnyte’s easily accessed cloud storage allows all users to organize, view, and update data simultaneously. Proposed Process Changes New and existing contracted authors and artists will be given access to Riordan’s Egnyte account. They will upload copies of their work throughout the entire writing process. Egnyte’s editors and publishers will be able to access their work, and collaborate effectively on each project. Each user will be able to access Egnyte from their home computer or mobile device to give status updates, check emails, and upload documents for easy collaboration. Once the editor and author have finished their project they will send the project to Riordan’s Senior Editors for approval; who will then notify the Distribution and Marketing Team that the project is ready for printing. The Distribution and Marketing Team will then notify Bickford Printing and Amazon’s Kindle team to log on to Riordan’s Egnyte account, this is where they can access the publications that are ready for printing and distribution to E-books. The diagram below shows how simple, and streamline the new process will be. Diagram 1.1 All of Riordan’s International offices, contracted Authors, and Artists can now access the same centralized data network to create, collaborate, and distribute new books using Egnyte’s cloud storage. (Egnyte.com, 2014) Cloud Technology Cloud technology uses a method called, â€Å"offloading†. Cloud technology manages the majority of programs processing. This means that most processing can be done on the cloud; as opposed to the actual mobile devices, increasing overall efficiency. Being able to access the cloud from a laptop or smartphone provides great flexibility. Employees are to travel while working, or work from a remote location. The mobility also has negative implications mainly being security and privacy. Users depend on the IT management for security and privacy settings because the data is stored and managed on the cloud. A bug or security loophole exploited may result in a breach of privacy. There is truly no way to know how a cloud vendor safeguards data. Potential vulnerabilities could, for instance, grant a group access to passwords, or other private information used in Riordan’s Publishing Company. Cloud computing also brings up the question of reliability. Riordan has to understand that from a technical standpoint it would not be possible to provide users with the cloud in a place with no internet connectivity such as a park, a basement, a tunnel, and a subway. Even with the limitations the cloud can be quite useful and powerful; if employees are properly trained to adhere to strict computer and network policies that discourage them from leaving their devices unmonitored. The benefits of cloud computing far outweigh the negative aspects like giving a company the ability to start up a network with low overhead costs, and little setup time. The maintenance aspect of owning your own servers, and having to up keep up and administer them is also new the third party cloud company’s responsibility. This would give Riordan’s employees more time to work on their tasks at hand rather than fiddle with a network. The mobile platform has many obstacles to overcome, but once a user does acquire a reliable internet connection the user will see the benefits of not having to be restricted to their office. Together the cloud and mobile devices will provide flexibility and mobility that will push Riordan into a productive and successful future. The diagram below represents how Riordan Publishing’s information will process through the cloud. Diagram Riordan’s information system flowing through the cloud. Business Requirements Riordan has had problems in the past with authors and editors not making deadlines because of the way they shared information in the past. Mailing hard copies of manuscripts, getting lost in the mail, misplaced, or shipped to the wrong Riordan office. Those manuscripts that were sent in digitally were not being saved to a network drive where others could access them. Instead, they were stored locally to specific machines where they could be lost due to computer failure, someone leaving the company, or someone due to calling in sick. This meant no one else could access the information; which meant deadlines were not met. Riordan was losing money hand over fist because they were doing extra unnecessary double work. Authors, artists, and editors could not collaborate in a timely manner because of the slow sharing process. This is what initiated the conversion. Riordan’s ultimate demand for cloud technology comes from needing a Global unified network experience for all persons associated with Riordan regardless of their physical locations in the world. Cloud Computing enables Riordan to globalize the workforce at a lower cost. This allows the user access to the cloud as long as they have an internet connection. The reduction in spending on technology infrastructure makes for minimal up front spending, and the cloud can be scaled to pay as you go; while services can be implemented based on Riordan’s demands. The overall savings Riordan will have over a course of several years can be used to fund new operations, expand the organization, hire new employees, give bonuses, and upgrade personal desktop computers and laptops. The impact will be more purchasing power and more capital. The cloud computing infrastructure gives more freedom to Riordan. This allows them to work without diving into heavy software, licensing fees, or spending big money on hardware. Additionally, the direction no matter if it is the OS, email client, or software can all be customized. It would not be a problem for the organization to just suddenly change their mind about their cloud. What Riordan really gets out of this business venture is the two most valuable things in the business world; time and money. The cloud makes the acquisition of these two valuable elements to be made fairly quickly. Riordan will profit from Cloud Computing because they are willing to take the necessary steps to evolve with the chances of technology. Egnyte is going to integrate all the aspects of Riordan Publishing Company into one location; making it easy for all employees, authors, editors, and artists to collaborate with one another in a single place; the cloud. Acquiring and Maintaining Egnyte Riordan determined changes were needed to improve performance, communication, and time management throughout all locations of the company. This was decided after making a business process management plan. Riordan researched the benefits and risks of converting to cloud computing. After determining cloud computing would enable the company to improve communication, data storage, and enhanced project management; Riordan needed to decide on the best way to convert to the new system. Riordan chose to use the direct cutover conversion process. Riordan established a project management strategy that helped the company better understand their budgets, time constraints, tools, skills, and techniques; this gave the company insight on how to improve these areas with Egnyte’s Cloud Computing application. Next, Riordan began training employees on this new system; showing the employees the different enhancements that Egnyte offered, and ways to deal with issues that may arise from the conversion. Riordan also designed an IT strategy to ensure that all areas of the company understood the company’s end goal. The one risk in cloud computing that Riordan needed to address was securing their data. They adapted a Third Party Key Management System to deliver an added step in securing their data. The key management system that Riordan decided to choose was Vormetric Data Security. Riordan believes that when all areas of the company work closely with the IT division, then the company will run efficiently. This will allow employees to focus on other areas in the company that require employees’ attention. Strategic Role Cloud Computing will innovate and produce business growth for Riordan Publishing Company. This will be a hybrid cloud that contains software-as-a-service allowing Riordan to efficiently communicate, share  data, and reduce costs. Once the system is in place, the employees are trained, and all departments are fine tuned to the needed adjustments regarding the cloud; allowing the company to focus on the accelerating projects, collaborating with colleagues, strengthening relationships with distributors, and most importantly discovering new talent. One area that is overlooked because of time restrictions is unknown writers that submit unrequested manuscripts that are placed in a pile called â€Å"slush† pile. The benefits of Engyte’s Cloud service include: â€Å"the ability to access new technology, faster application development, available expertise in special skills, faster responses to business demands, and flexibility in IT peaks and valleys.† Employees, authors, aspiring writers, editors, and artists can easily communicate with video conferences; while viewing information about an active project no matter the office location. (Andriole, S.J., 2012) This conversion will essentially allow for cost reduction that could be used to scout for new clients; which opens up more doors of opportunities with the cloud through chat groups and communities, implement new design tools, improve promoting tactics, update to the newest material for the production of the books, and implementing the policy of bringing your own device to work. This policy is possible because employees and all other persons involved in the company can connect through devices such as smart phones, laptops, thin clients, and tablets. This can reduce the cost of purchasing devices for the company, and allows the company the ability to give incentives for participation. References Andriole, S. (2012). Seven Indisputable Technology Trends that will define 2015. In Communications of the Association for Information Systems (Vol.30, pp. P 61-72). Laudon, Kenneth. C., Laudon, Jane. P. (2013). Essentials of Management Information Systems (10th ED.). : Prentice Hall. http://www.egnyte.com/corp/plan_pricing.html http://www.pwc.com

Tests to Increase Anaerobic Metabolism

Tests to Increase Anaerobic Metabolism The body uses anaerobic metabolism during exercise for energy without the use of oxygen. The body uses energy anaerobically only up to the first two minutes of exercise (Plowman Smith, 2011). The Wingate and Cunningham Faulkner test measure anaerobic metabolism in athletes. Soccer games at the professional level are approximately 90 minutes long, which requires a high amount of aerobic metabolism. However, soccer games have a constant change in intensity throughout a match. A soccer player may need to go from jogging to a spot to sprinting towards the ball or net. These short duration, high intensity plays in soccer will require the athlete to use anaerobic metabolism. Therefore, it would be beneficial for a soccer player to perform the Wingate or Cunningham Faulkner test to help increase their anaerobic metabolism. This would help the soccer players in game when they are trying to make a play or run after the ball. The most valid way to measure and improve anaerobic fitness in socc er players would be the Cunningham Faulkner test, not the Wingate test. The Wingate test only has a duration of 30 seconds, whereas the Cunningham Faulkner test goes on until complete exhaustion of the athlete. A duration of 30 seconds would not be enough to accurately measure a soccer players anaerobic metabolism. The Cunningham Faulkner will determine how long the athlete can go before reaching exhaustion and in response the body will adapt to improve anaerobic performance (Plowman Smith, 2011). With this in mind, soccer players should still highly train aerobically rather than anaerobically due to the amount of time they are playing. The protocol of laboratory 3 4s: Maximal exercise, testing consists of monitoring an individuals maximal oxygen uptake. This is achieved by attempting to get their heart rate to surpass their max rate, blood lactic acid reaching between 7.9-8.4mM, or reaching fatigue and failure to continue before reaching max. Data collected from maximal oxygen uptake is vital information that soccer players can use to better improve their performance during game time. Assessment is conducted using a treadmill or cycle ergometer. To tests for VO2 max it can be done both indirectly and directly. Direct testing constitutes the use of monitored exercises where an individual is hooked up to a tank and monitors to measure their aerobic capacity, oxygen intake and carbon dioxide output. The second way to measure VO2 max is through indirect testing. This is done without the aid of gas composition machinery, instead an individuals exercise VO2 max is determined using a formula where an approximation can be made. To measure VO2 max indirectly using a treadmill can be achieved by using the formula VO2 (mL/kg/min) = (0.2 x S) + (0.9 x S x G) + 3.5 mL/kg/min. This formula takes into considerations speed expressed as (S), body mass in (Kg) and Percentage grade as (G). The speed and treadmill elevation increases in increments per minute till fatigue or target heartrate is achieved. To measure VO2 max indirectly using a cycle ergometer can be achieve by using the formula VO2 (mL/kg/min) = 1.8[(work rate) / (BM)] + 3.5 mL/kg/min + 3.5 mL/kg/min. This formula takes into consideration body mass in (Kg), work rate in (Kgm/min) and 1 Watt is equivalent to (6 Kgm/min). The individual starts cycling at 25W at 70 to 100 RPM with the load increasing by 25W each minute. Once the athletes reaches their VO2 max, the data can be reviewed and determine if whether to increase the training volume or intensity to further improve their ability to take up oxygen throughout the body. Soccer players can especially benefit from VO2 max testing because games last the duration of 90 minutes, averaging running ten kilometers a game. Typical soccer games involve all sorts of physical activities from jogging, running, sprinting, kicking, ball handles and physical pushes which all require an explosive amount of energy. Soccer players endure high intense physiological strain seen especially in professional teams. In order for soccer players to compare with professional teams a great deal of training on aerobic capacity is needed (Castagna, Chamari, Stolen and Wisloff, 2012). The cycle ergometer and treadmill max VO2 test, effectively mimics the environment matched on the field in terms of running capacity. This ultimately gives the player an advantage to further train and enhance their ability to efficiently use oxygen throughout the body. Soccer players use both aerobic and anaerobic pathways, but most dominantly rely on the aerobic component of performance (Manna, Khanna, Dhara, 2010). Because the aerobic component of soccer players are more heavily relied on, the expected average Respiratory Quotient (RQ) or Respiratory Exchange Ratio (RER) would be approximately 0.7. An RQ/RER of 0.7 is optimal fat burning, so the fuel source that soccer players use are primarily fats (Plowman Smith, 2011). Wisloeff et al. (1998) argues that for soccer athletes, maximal oxygen uptake should be conveyed in relevance to body mass. Although soccer athletes are to obtain a body mass index (BMI) of normal range, body types and size can differ. Because body types can differ, a soccer athlete may be mesomorphic, endomorphic, ectomorphic, and body types play a factor in ones resting metabolic rate (RMR) (Hazir, 2010). In relation to body type, body size also contributes to RMR. Heat loss is greater when the bodys surface area is greater, so for smaller bodies, a higher RMR is needed to maintain body temperature (Plowman Smith, 2011). Factors such as body type/BMI, and body size are all contributors to a soccer athletes RMR. Age is also a contributor, but a decrease in RMR is usually seen around the age of 60 because this is an age in which a reduction in energy intake and volume of exercise is exhibited (Rachel, Van, Dinneno, Seal, Jones, 2001). It is not common for a soccer athlete to continue playing competitively at age 60, and so age is not a huge influence to RMR relating to young soccer athletes. As in many sports, an appropriate cardiovascular response is critical for soccer performance. The nature of training that soccer players complete enables the resulting increases in appropriate cardiovascular responses (Knobloch, 2009; Lovell, Midgley, Barrett, Carter, Small, 2013). Such responses include elevated stroke volume, heart rate and cardiac output. Soccer players are consistently shown to have a lower resting heart rate (Raven, Gettman, Pollock, Cooper, 1976), as well as better stroke volume values compared to other athletes (Hoff, 2005). Furthermore, athletes who play soccer are required to have better endurance training compared to athletes who play other sports, such as sprinters. As such, they are able to increase their stroke volume while retaining the ability to maintain a lower heart rate (Palatini, 1988). In turn, this leads to soccer players exhibiting more effective recovery rates; this also suggests a greater diastolic volume, contributing to the efficacy of the stroke volume (Tahir et al., 2015). The cardiovascular responses seen in elite level soccer players are also seen in recreational soccer players, albeit to a lower magnitude (Castagna et al., 2007). The aerobic requirements of the sport develops cardiovascular fitness. As such, anyone who participates will see the associated benefits. Additionally, similar results are seen in a wide range of participants independent of age, sex, and health status. This is crucially important in factors such as exercise prescription and lifestyle interventions because vulnerable groups of sedentary individuals would be able to improve their cardiovascular health and fitness while partaking in an activity they inherently enjoy (Lin et al., 2015). Soccer players are required to work at varying intensities during a game. Sometimes they are required to do this in environments that vary in temperature. As a result, hydration is very important, especially in a hot environment. A study, highlighted that there may be cause for concern of heat exhaustion, electrolyte loss, and dehydration in soccer players playing at any level (Shirreffs, Aragon-Vargas, Chamorro, Maughan, Serratosa Zachwieja, 2005). The researchers conducted a study where male soccer players sweat loss, solute loss and fluid replacement patterns are observed (Shirreffs et al., 2005). The players were all elite professionals; they were provided with their own water bottles that were weighed before and after their training session. The results showed that on average the players only had 45 ÂÂ ± 16% of their sweat loss replaced during the session. As a result, the players failed to completely replace the fluids that they had lost (Shirreffs et al., 2005). The perc ent dehydration of all the players ranged from 0.7% to 3.2% of body mass. With the majority of players having a percent dehydration higher than 1.0%, (Fig X). These levels of dehydration may be relatively low but they can have a negative impact on exercise and cognitive performance. At a level above 2% dehydration, cognitive function has shown to be adversely affected. A level of at least 1% is enough to have an impact on exercise performance (Shirreffs et al., 2005). An explanation for the decrease in performance is related to blood volume that is lost when a lot of sweat is lost. During exercise, it is important to maintain blood flow to the muscles and to the skin. The skin is then able to convect heat to the body surface. When there is difficulty meeting these requirements, the core temperature of the body rises (Shirreffs et al., 2005). This elevated core temperature then causes fatigue. Therefore, players that are not well hydrated will fatigue faster and as a result will not be able to perform as well. Muscle fatigue affects soccer players in a unique manner to other sports. Although muscle fatigue is common among players, it is unclear what the underlying mechanisms of fatigue are. In the later stages of activity, it is understood that fatigue results as muscle glycogen stores deplete. However, in the initial stages of exercise, soccer players are shown to have reductions in muscle pH to a lesser extent than athletes who participate in other sports (Bangsbo, Iaia, Krustrup, 2007). Additionally, the phosphocreatine systems remain elevated throughout the activity (Mohr, Krustrup, Bangsbo, 2005); as such, it takes longer for the dominant energy pathway in the muscles of a soccer player to transition from the phosphocreatine system to the anaerobic and aerobic glycolytic pathways (Bangsbo et al., 2007). Current research suggests that the periods of greatest muscle fatigue (thereby showing the greatest decline in athletic performance) occur at beginning of the second half of play, and towards the end of regulation (Mohr et al., 2005). This is widely attributed to the decrease in muscle temperature after the halftime break, and to depletion of glycogen stores at the end of play (Mohr et al., 2005). This is deemed a result of the effect of temperature on the rate of metabolic reactions within the working muscle, specifically ATP hydrolysis and regeneration (Ferretti, 1992). The recommendation for soccer players is to engage in low-intensity activity prior to the beginning of the second half to moderate the decrease in muscle temperature, and therefore maintain athletic performance throughout the game (Lovell et al., 2013; Mohr et al., 2005).

Global Food Prices on the Rise Essay -- Economics, Global Government

Who Benefits from Government Policies There are many companies, taxpayers and agencies that benefit from the promotion of production of ethanol. As noted in one resource, â€Å"Big Oil pocketed tens of billions of dollars through a little known subsidy called the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC)† (Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association, 2010, Take Action). Farmers in developed countries who receive subsidies from the government reap benefits from this policy because the more corn, or sugarcane, that is produced for ethanol, the larger the profit is for the farmers. Subsidies also help these farmers in producing more products for the ethanol that is demanded. As the text states, â€Å"By lowering production costs, subsidies help domestic producers in two ways: (1) competing against foreign imports and (2) gaining export markets† (Hill, 2011, p. 207). Taxpayers see large benefits from ethanol production, but the benefits of sugarcane ethanol are larger than those with corn ethanol. As noted in one resource, â€Å"Gasoline with sugarcane ethanol is $2.88 per gallon, where gasoline with corn ethanol is $2.92 per gallon† (Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association, 2010, Economic Advantages). The government, for example, in the United States, also benefits from polices set in place. As noted in one resource, â€Å"Corn ethanol production has hit record levels this year [2011], beating government goals and creating a surplus for export† (Krauss, 2011,  ¶ 10). Who Benefits from Tariff Barriers on Imported Sugarcane As discussed in the text, there are two parties who benefit from import tariffs: the government and domestic producers. For the government, tariffs increase revenues. For domestic producers, tariffs provide the ability to afford ... ...ed January 29, 2012, from http://e360.yale.edu/feature/the_case_against_biofuels_probing_ethanols_hidden_costs/2251/ Hill, C. W. (2011). Global Business Today (7th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Krauss, C. (2011, July 7). Ethanol Subsidies Besieged. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/08/business/energy-environment/corn-ethanol-subsidies-may-be-in-jeopardy.html?pagewanted=all Peters, G., PhD (2011, February 16). A Look Behind Rising Food Prices: Population Growth; Rising Oil Prices; Weather Events. Message posted to http://ourfiniteworld.com/2011/02/16/a-look-behind-rising-food-prices-population-growth-rising-oil-prices-weather-events/ Radcliffe, B. (2011). The Basics Of Tariffs And Trade Barriers. Retrieved January 29, 2012, from http://www.investopedia.com/articles/economics/08/tariff-trade-barrier-basics.asp#axzz1ktwQdZhy

Realistic and Magical Elements of A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings Es

Realistic and Magical Elements of A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings      Ã‚   "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings" is a renowned short story written by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It was published in 1955. Gabriel Garcia Marquez was born and spent his childhood in Colombia but has lived in Paris and Mexico. As for the work that made him famous, "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings" is considered by most an archetype of Magical Realism. When reading "A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings," one comes across many elements of Magical Realism. A good specimen of Magical Realism is the old man with wings. An old man is normal and earthly. However, when wings are applied, what was once mundane becomes stereotype of Magical Realism. What is most important about they old man with wings is not actually the old man himself, but, more importantly, the fact that the characters interacting with the old man view him as just a old man with wings. Unlike the society that most live in, this society would never accept the old man as ordinary. The woman who was turned into a spider as a child for disobeying her parents is also a good model of Magical Realism. Things in Gabriel Garcia Marquez's works are classified as Magical Realism. The woman who knew of all things living and dead is a type of Magical Realism. How many people know everything? For that matter, how many people actually know anything? The point is that no one, no matter wh om, is capable of knowing everything.    Realistic elements are tossed into the melting pot of Magical Realism just as fictional elements are so commonly done. Capitalism is a realistic element that is never forgotten. No matter what any writer creates, it will more then likely have at least some kind of capi... ...hat it is a work of Magical Realism. Over all, "A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings" is a perfect sample of Magical Realism. Works Cited Chanady, Amaryll. "Magical Realism in Spanish American Literature." Magical Realism: Theory, History, Community. Ed.Louis Parkinson Zamora and Wendy B. Faris. Durham, N.C: UP, 1995: 125-144. Garcia Marquez, Gabriel. "A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings." The Norton Introduction Literature. Ed. Jerome Beaty.N.Y. : W.W. Norton and Company, 1996.525-529. Leal, Luis. "Magical Realism in Spanish American Literature." Magical Realism: Theory, History, Community. Ed. Louis Parkinson Zamora and Wendy B. Faris.Durham, N.C: UP, 1995:119-124. Roh, Franz. "Magical Realism in Spanish Literature." Magical Realism: Theory, History, Community. Ed. Louis Parkinson Zamora and Wendy B. Faris. Durham, N.C: Duke UP, 1995: 15-31.   

Life Of Charles Dickens :: essays research papers

The Life of Charles Dickens Charles Dickens was on of the literary geniuses of the 19th century. Dickens was the first main stream writer to reach out to the semiliterate class. He did much to make sure his writings were avaliable to the middle class. He published serial novels on a monthly bases. One shilling (one twentieth of a pount) would buy you the next installmenrt to your novell. In a time when novels were almost thirty times as much as one of these serial novels, it put reading within the reach of the middle class, thus highly popularizing charles dickens works. By the popularity of his work he was able to afford a humble middle class life, which was what he always desired. Charles Dickens did not begin his life as a humble middle class child. In fact it was quite the oppisite. He was born in Portsmouth, England in 1812. He was the second child of John and Elizabeth Dickens. John Dickens was a clerk in the Navy pay office, In 1817 Charlews got the first taste of the life he would so strongly desire latter in his life. His family moved to Chatham a small portown in England. Charles enjoyed all the comforts of a humble middle class life. Fresh country air, decent schooling, and books to read on sunny afternoons. It was a short idyll, John Dickens money supply was lacking. He was recalled to London and forced to put his family of 6 in a small, smelly, bleak house in the ugly suburb of Camden town. Then in 1824 a event that shaped Charles Dickens view’s on the world occurred. His family increasingly needing of money, sent there second born child to work in a Warren’s Blackening factory . He worked beside ragged urchins, where paserby’s could see him working through the window. The factory was a foul rat infested palace next to the Thames river. Charles was then abandoned by his parents, John Dickens was arrested for debt, and moved himself and his family into the Marshalsea prison, exceppt for charles who was forced to survive on his own on the streets of London. A place where only have the children raised on them would survive to adulthood. Charles proved to be quite adept at surving for a few months when his father was released thanks to an inheritance, but much to Charles dissappointment his mother forced him to remain at the blackening factory.