Hurricane Katrina Essay Example for Free

Hurricane Katrina Essay Mike Mulally 10-11-19 In 2005 Hurricane Katrina swept through the city of New Orleans and destroyed the lives of thousands. Katrina was one of the largest hurricanes and natural disasters in the history of the United States (Wikipedia, 2009). While most of the casualties’ occurred during the actual storm, still a many took place days after, and were do to the fact that the local, state, and national government were slow to respond. This slow response was due to the nature of federalism. I believe Americans got a glimpse at how federalism and bureaucracy have flaws. These imperfections will be discussed in the pages below. The PBS documentary â€Å"The Storm,† depicts the destruction Hurricane Katrina caused, as well as what went wrong with the evacuation and rescue of New Orleans residents. Local, state, and national government officials were interviewed, such as New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, New Orleans governor Kathleen Blanco, and FEMA Director Michael Brown. Each official gave his or her version of why events happened the way they did. Some of the their accounts contradicted each other. I believe everyone was just looking out for him or herself, trying to save face. This seems to be a common problem in American politics. I will next explore how federalisms can be a inconvenience in a situation such as a natural disaster. Federalism by definition â€Å"is a system in which governmental powers are divided between a central government and smaller units, like states†(Greenberg Page, 2009, Ch. 3). The officials at all levels of the government were somehow confused during Katrina on who exactly was in charge. Was it New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, FEMA Director Michael Brown, was it President Bush? † (Marcela, 2005). There was also a lack of communication between the different levels of government, which, as was talked about in class, is an obvious downside or barrier to federalism (Oxendine, 2009). In a situation like a natural disaster, communication is key. If one cannot communicate with another, how is anything supposed to be accomplished? Having several le vels of government involved just makes everything in a disaster situation more complicated. I believe the U. S. needs a more centralized form of a disaster agency. If a natural disaster is to happen there ought to be one plan of action carried out by one agency. Having this central organization would have alleviated much of the confusion and frustration that we witnessed with Katrina. According to Director Brown, after Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans’ local government did not communicate very well with FEMA officials. Brown says he was never told what sorts of manpower or supplies were needed (Marcela 2009). However Louisiana National Guard Adjutant General Bennett Landreneau stated in his interview that he specifically sent requests to FEMA for what help was required. A few days after he was interviewed he sent in the documentation that proves he did indeed ask specific needs from FEMA (Marcela 2009). FEMA Director Brown lied on television. So often politicians lie about issues, why can’t they ever own up to their mistakes and just tell the truth. I believe the American public deserves to know the truth on issues, especially when dealing with something like Hurricane Katrina. In a natural disaster it is at first the state that has control. If the state becomes overwhelmed and can no longer control the situation, the state then needs to clearly articulate what services they are in need of, and that is when FEMA will then intervene. Several days after the storm, Director Brown apparently believed the state of Louisiana had the situation under control (Marcela, 2005). While the Mayor and Governor thought FEMA was going to step in and help. There was a period of time where nobody knew who was in command. Consequently there was a period of time where the many of the people of New Orleans had no food, water or shelter, and that is when many lives were lost. It bewilders one to think that this sort of miscommunication and misunderstanding could happen to a country like the United States. One would assume that our country would have one of the best disaster protocols in the world, considering our global supremacy. I will now touch on another part of U. S. government that I consider to have flaws, and that is bureaucracy. A bureaucracy as defined by Greenberg Page (2009) is â€Å" A large, complex organization characterized by a hierarchical set of offices, each with a specific task, controlled through a clear chain of command, and where appointment and advancement of personnel is based on merit† (Ch. 13). Individuals are appointed not elected and therein lies a problem. Anyone that the president chooses can be in a position of power. Many believe Michael Brown was absolutely not qualified for the position of FEMA Director (Greenberg Page, 2009, Ch. 13). After all he had no formal training in disaster relief or anything of that sort in his resume. Positions like FEMA director should have to have some sort of qualifications. One cannot just be put into that situation like Director Brown was. I believe that positions such as director should be an elected one. When someone who is not qualified is put in charge of one of biggest natural disasters in U. S. history, nothing good can come from it. And indeed that is exactly what happened, total chaos and confusion took place due to Director Michael Brown’s incompetence. After the attacks of 9/11 President Bush reorganized FEMA into a Bureaucracy. FEMA was downgraded and became a sub department of homeland security. Many believe this reorganization really hurt FEMA. Personnel, IT systems and other resources were dramatically reduced due to President Bush’s budget cutting agenda. The President also cut project impact, a program started by FEMA to help communities become disaster resistant, due to tax cuts (Marcella 2009). In addition 80 million dollars was taken from FEMA and distributed to other sectors in homeland security. This is just another problem of FEMA becoming a part of the U. S. bureaucracy. How would anyone expect an organization to do their job when they have had significant funds and resources cut? Clearly part of FEMA’s inadequacies can be linked to President Bush’s choice to make tax cuts and cut parts of their program. Again, the reorganization of FEMA was really detrimental. Hopefully in the future leaders will make more conscientious choices about which agencies should be cut back. Most would believe a disaster relief program such as FEMA should have some of the most funding and personnel available. Apparently former President Bush thought otherwise. Although President Bush does deserves a little bit of a break considering â€Å"the sheer size and complexity of the executive branch. There is so much going on, in so many agencies, involving the activity of tens of thousands of people, that simply keeping abreast of it all is no easy task† (Greenberg Page, 2009, Ch. 13). He is in charge of so much in the U. S. there is no way he could keep an eye on everything. So while the President may have indirectly affected FEMA by inducing budget cuts, he cannot be held directly responsible for the government’s lack of involvement in Katrina at the national level. The president relies on his appointees to do their jobs, which Director Brown did not fulfill. However, President Bush choose Michael Brown, so maybe Bush is in fact responsible for FEMA’s inadequacies. Obviously having a large federal bureaucracy is an inconvenience to say the least. I believe Hurricane Katrina has taught our country a few lessons. First of all that while having a federal bureaucracy has its pluses, it also brings with it it’s many flaws, and the main one being communication. Our government should be striving for interoperability. The ability for several groups at all levels of the government to communicate what resources are needed during a natural disaster will prove to be the single most important tool during a relief operation. I hope that in the future, Presidents will choose more wisely when filling high-level positions such as FEMA Director, and not just appoint those who helped with their campaign. I also hope more cities around the country have better evacuation plans than those of New Orleans. I hope National Guard buildings are better equipped with resources and manpower in the future, especially along costal areas that are known to have hurricanes.

Constructions of childhood can affect intervention

Constructions of childhood can affect intervention Improving Childrens Lives In this assignment I will endeavour to compare three major approaches of intervention in childrens lives and the way in which adults constructions of childhood can affect intervention. I will initially describe the three major approaches to intervention and examine the different beliefs that were instrumental in the development of these approaches. I will also discuss the benefits and drawbacks of each of these three approaches in regards to intervention. To conclude, I will discuss my opinion regarding the question; is a rights based approach, especially one which promotes child participation, the best way of improving childrens lives? Why do adults feel the need to intervene in childrens lives? Childhood is a status which is recognised world-wide and by many, if not all, of the worlds religions. These religions have through-out history called for adults to protect children from harm, for example ‘Christianity, Islamic teaching and Buddhism (The Open University, Ch5, Pg.188) There are three major reasons why adults feel it is in the childs best interest for adults to intervene in childrens lives and these reasons have transpired through the different ways adults have constructed childhood. Some adults view childhood as a vulnerable period during which children need protecting, others view childhood as an investment, that by investing in childrens lives adults are in fact investing in future society as a whole, and some view children as citizens who have rights and a claim on resources. Some of the earliest interventions in childrens lives stemmed from the construction of children as vulnerable and in need of adult rescue. The romantic discourse, a belief that children are innocent, vulnerable, powerless and in need of adult protection was instrumental in the implementation of early childrens charities such as Barnardos (founded in 1866) and Save the Children (founded in 1919.) These charities portrayed children as ‘poor victims of circumstance in need of rescue. (The Open University, Ch5, Pg.195) There humanitarian response was concerned with their lack of basic necessities such as food and shelter; they were much less interested in wider political issues of poverty. Although this type of intervention does work in the short-term, for example, hungry children are fed and homeless children are given shelter, unfortunately it does not actually deal with the real issues, the underlying cause of poverty and suffering. The Open University states that by ‘conc eptualising the child as a victim in need of rescue can decontexualize the social, economic, and political circumstances of child-suffering and does nothing to bring about greater social equality or to tackle the root cause of poverty.(The Open University, Ch5, Pg.205)Therefore a new approach to childhood intervention was required. During the 1960s and 70s there was a move away from constructing children as passive victims, to a new approach which constructed children as an investment for the future society or human capital. It was now believed that by providing children with the ‘right resources during the early years would enable children to become productive citizens in the future. (The Open University, Ch5, Pg.206) Head Start, one of the first early childhood development projects was implemented in 1965 in the US as part of President Lyndon Johnsons ‘war on poverty. The Head Start programmes aim was to ‘give poorer children an educational boost in the early years, so that they would be able to compete with middle class children when they arrivedatschool.'(The Open University, Ch5, Pg.209) To this day many early years intervention programmes are fundamentally about providing all children with the chance to enter society with a fair chance to succeed. There is no doubt that investing in the early years benefits many children by providing children with stronger foundations in the areas of health and education, but it does have limitations. Unfortunately this type of intervention does not benefit all children, for example, the programmes only target children below the age of five, funding is controlled by governments and is only allocated to areas considered in need. Therefore assistance is not available for all children. Recently there has been a move towards a rights based approach, constructing children as valuable contributors to society, citizens with rights. A rights based approach is one which recognizes all children regardless of age as right bearing citizens. The first specific childrens rights document was the 1994 Geneva Declaration which was followed by the 1994 Declaration of Human Rights and, the 1959 United Nations Declaration of the Rights of the Child. These documents constructed children as weak and dependent on adults and they did not have the power to actually protect children, although they were instrumental in bringing to the attention of the world childrens needs and their value to society. In 1989 an international human rights treaty called the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) was introduced. This treaty applies to all children and young people aged 17 and under and was the first to take a childrens rights based approach. The UNCRC is separated into 54 ‘articles which provides children and young people with a set of comprehensive rights. These ‘articles give children social, economic, cultural and political rights; while others set out how governments must implement the UNCRC. The UNCRC states in article 12 that, ‘all children and young people must be listened to, and have their opinions taken seriously in all decision-making that affects them. (Article 12, UNCRC) This leads us to participation. Participation is a way through which children are recognised in an adult society as right-bearing citizans. Gerison Lansdown defined participation as ‘children taking part in and influencing process, decisions, and activities that affect them, in order to achieve greater respect for their rights. (The Open University, Reading, Pg.273) In brief, participation is about adults really listening to children and young adults and taking their views into account when dealing with issues that effect them. The UNCRC does not clearly express that children have a right to participate, although when read together with other ‘articles there is a strong indication towards participation. For example, Article 12 grants every person aged 17 and under the right to express their views, and to have these views given due weight in all matters affecting them. Article 17 gives children and young people the right to receive, seek and give information. Article 13 gives every child the right to freedom of expression, using words, writing, art and any other media so long as they respect the rights of others. Article 23 gives disabled children and young people the right to active participation in their community. And Article 2 requires all the rights in the Convention on the Rights of the Child to be implemented for every child, without discrimination. (UNCRC, http.unicef.org/crc/cc.htm, accessed 3/9/05) For participation to work, children and young adults in many cases have to work together with adults and organisations. Children and young people need access to services that will provide them with information and support enabling them to become knowledgable and confident of their rights. In many countries adults provide support in the form of childrens rights commissioners. Gerison Lansdown stated in Audio 8, Band 5 that it is ‘very important that we establish childrens rights commissioners. Children as a constituency have no vote, very limited access to the courts, very limited access to the media, and therefore theyre not able to exercise the kind of democratic rights that adults are able to exercise.'(The Open University, Audio 8 Band 5, 3:43) Norway was the first country to introduce this system in 1981 and since then other countries have followed in their footsteps. UNICEF states that the childrens rights commisioners role is to ‘seek greater justice for the childre n both by improving access to existing rights and by promoting the recognition of human rights not yet embodied in legislation, culture or day-to-day practice in childrens lives. (The Open University, Ch5, Pg.215). By encouraging participation adults do not surrender all decision-making power to children, instead they encourage children to take more responsibility in decision making. Although in many situations, adults still make the final decision based on the ‘best interests of the child or young adult, but this decision should be informed by the views of the child or young adult. The UNCRC states that children should be ‘given more responsibility according to their ‘evolving capacities (UNCRC, Article 5) meaning that as children develop adults should give them more and more responsibility regarding decisions that affect them. The role of a childrens rights commissioner is a difficult one, as they have to balance childrens rights to participation, with childrens rights of being protected. Peter Clarke, a childrens rights commissioner, discussed this issue of protection v participation and his way of dealing with these situations in Audio 8 band 5 ‘There may be situatio ns where my view of whats in the best interests of children and young people is different from that being expressed by the young people themselves who I consult with about things. (The Open University, Audio 8, Band 5, 17:54) Clarke believes that his role as a childrens rights commissioner is to go ahead and make the childrens and young peoples opinion public even if his opinion is different but then to also make public his own adult perspective on the subject alongside the childrens. As with any political regime the issue of childrens rights to participation are part of a constant ongoing debate. There are many benefits regarding the use of participation; It is believed that the values of democracy, such as respect for the rights and dignity of all people, for their diversity and their right to participate, are best learned in childhood and that by encouraging children and young adults to view their opinions and beliefs allows them to learn constructive ways of influencing the world around them, preparing them for their stake in the future. The use of participation may also help children protect themselves, children who are repressed or discouraged from expressing their views may become more at risk or vulnerable and accept situations which abuse their rights, where as children who are encouraged to discuss and express themselves may become more capable or empowered to challenge any situations which abuse their rights. In this way participation can be seen to be actively protecting children and young adults. Gerison Lansdown states in the Open University that involvement in p articipation helps to promote the well-being and development of children and young adults. She describes this as the virtuous circle effect; ‘The more opportunities for meaningful participation, the more experience and competent the child becomes which in turn enables more effective participation which then promotes improved development (The Open University, Ch 6, Pg.277) Participation also has many drawbacks; it may be difficult for adults to take childrens rights seriously due to the fact that children have been under-represented in social theory and policy for many years, many cultures did not place value on what children had to say. It may also be the case that childrens do not have equal access to participation rights and there may be a bias towards more privileged children having access to these resources, and the children who really need their rights to be heard are unable to gain access to these resources to improve their lives. Adults may also be reluctant to relinquish power to the children and young adults because they still assume they know what is best for children. They may feel that by encouraging participation rights they could produce children and young adults who lack respect towards parents and other adults and figures of authority. Some people may believe that particiption takes away a childs ‘childhood this view may stem fro m the idealistic construction of childhood as a time of innocence or a care-free period (the romantic discourse) where they believe that children should not be bothered with important decision-making and responsiblity. We can see that there are many benefits and also drawbacks regarding a rights based approach and the use of participation. It is my opinion that the benefits far out-weigh the drawbacks. I believe that a reason why participation may be difficult to implement is due to the fact that many adults of this era were not afforded the benefits of participation themselves. I believe that the new generation of adults, the ones who have received the benefits of participation during their own childhoods will, due to first hand experience, have a greater understanding regarding the importance of participation and be far more willing to empower children with the right to participate. In conclusion, we can see that throughout history there has been numerous ideological discourses surrounding children and early childhood. For example, in the Victorian era, where children were perceived as, ‘to be seen and not heard, this discourse and others which I have discussed above, demonstrate how societys constructions of childhood can, has and will continue to influence laws and legislation regarding the ways in which adults intervene into childrens lives. So, do I believe that a rights-based approach, especially one which promotes child participation, is the best way of improving childrens lives? After considering the deficits and benefits of the three main approaches to childhood intervention and after exploring the theoretical ideas and practical application in the promotion of democracy and empowerment in the lives of young children, I have come to the conclusion that I agree that rights based approach is the best way of improving childrens lives. It is my opinion that empowering children with a voice to express their opinions will help contribute to the development of a healthy democratic society. I believe that democracy empowers children to protect themselves against abuses of their rights, and that failure to consult children and young adults on how they feel about something that directly involves them, fails to promote social equality.

Hamlet’s Self-Perception :: Shakespeare Hamlet Essays

Hamlet’s Self-Perception  Ã‚   The way we see ourselves is often reflected in the way we act. Hamlet views himself as different to those young nobles around him such as Fortinbras and Laertes. This reality leads us to believe that over time he has become even more motivated to revenge his father's death, and find out who his true friends are. How can you be honest in a world full of deceit and hate? His seven soliloquies tell us that while the days go by he grows more cunning as he falls deeper into his madness. This fact might have lead Hamlet to believe that suicide is what he really wants for his life's course.   Ã‚  Ã‚   The way we perceive our lives is echoed in the way we comport ourselves in everyday life. Hamlet is a man of visible education and he would rather use his mind over his fist. He is quick to look for an explanation on behalf of the actions of others. Hamlet is not a man to search out blood without a rational justification. When dealing with Laertes and Fortinbras you can vividly see the contrast between the extremes. Once Laertes finds out his father has been unjustly murdered, he swiftly swears revenge without give the situation a second thought in contrast to Hamlet who takes all factors into mind before carrying out a sentence.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Laertes- How came he dead? I'll not be juggled with. To hell allegiance, vows to the blackest devil, Conscience and grace to the profoundest pit!   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   (IV;V;129-132) Each man deals with grief in extremely distinct manners, when looking at Laertes in comparison to Hamlet you can swiftly see their great contrast to one another. Hamlet would rather create reason before madness; he is the type to use his brain before his fist. Whereas Laertes is always caught up in his anger that he sees no means to absolve the actions of others.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hamlet- When honor is at stake. How stand I then, That have a father killed, a mother stained, Excitements of my reason and my blood, And let all sleep, while to my shame I see The imminent death of twenty thousand men   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  (IV;IV;56-61)    This reality leads us to believe that over time he has become even more motivated to revenge his father's death, and find out who his true friends are.

Sir Gawain and Green Knight Essays: The Power of Three :: Sir Gawain Green Knight Essays

The Power of Three in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight A recurrent theme in almost all Old English writings involves the number three. Beowulf fought the dragon in three rounds. In Morte Darthur, King Arthur sent Sir Bedivere to throw Excalibur into the lake three times. In Sir Gawain and the Green Knight the number three has a triple importance. In this story there were three different events that each happened in three stages: The three hunts of the Lord, the three seductions by the Lady, and the three swings of the ax that the Green Knight took; all three relate to each other. The hunting and the seductions are both closely related to each other, but there is a little twist involved with the characters of these situations. The role of the game that the Lord is hunting is also the role of the Lady, but in the seduction scenes, it is the hunter being hunted by the prey. In the first hunt, the Lords prey is a deer. The deer was skittish and not much of a challenge; the first time the Lady seduced Sir Gawain she was a little skittish and not much of a challenge. Also, the Lord, "Let the bucks go by, with their broad antlers, for it was counted a crime, in the close season, if a man of that demesne should molest the male deer" (lines 1154-6). Just as it was a crime to hunt bucks at that time, it was also a crime for the Lady to "molest the male deer." But, she was only following the will of her Lord, something that Sir Gawain did not know at the time. The Lady’s seduction intimidated Sir Gawain, and this is where we can relate the first swing of the Gree n Knight’s ax. The Green Knight stopped his swing the first time because Sir Gawain flinched as the ax was coming. This fear of his death can be related to his fear of the seduction of the Lady. For both situations he had his life to fear (adultery is punishable by death), and at both situations he showed his fear. In the end, Sir Gawain exchanged the one kiss he received from the Lady for the deer that the Lord killed, as in their agreement of whatever was won would be exchanged at the end of the day.

Top 5 College Basketball Teams of All Time :: essays research papers

"They are very, very, very good." But are they one of the greatest teams of all time? 1. 1968 UCLA Bruins (29-1) Hard to pick just one of the Lew Alcindor squads as the best, so we defer to John Wooden: "I've never come out and said it, but it would be hard to pick a team over the 1968 team." The Bruins, playing with an injured Alcindor, suffered a mid-season loss to Houston and Elvin Hayes in the Astrodome, but proved that was a fluke in the tourney semifinal, burying the Cougars 101-69. The final was also cake, a 78-55 win over UNC. How'd they do it? To start, they had Alcindor, the best player in college basketball history, who averaged 26 points and 16 rebounds per game. Junior guard Lucius Allen, senior Mike Warren, Jr., Lynn Shackleford and senior Mike Lynn also averaged in double figures for the season. 2. 1996 Kentucky Wildcats (34-2) Rick Pitino's Wildcats were so good that they could have been a decent NBA team in 1995-96 -- Antoine Walker, Tony Delk, Walter McCarty, Derek Anderson and Ron Mercer would all be first-round picks, and Mark Pope was a second-round draft choice. Even though Kentucky lost two regular-season games, they established themselves as one of the all-time great teams by destroying the competition in the Big Dance, winning their six tourney games by an average of 21 points. The Wildcats were, by far, the deepest team in recent college basketball history, with so many stars that some were amazed that Pitino was able to keep it all together. "Rick's done a phenomenal job," Providence coach Pete Gillen said. "I mean, how does he keep Ron Mercer happy playing 12 minutes a game? This guy was maybe the No. 1 high school player in the country last year, according to some magazines or newspapers or gurus. Rick's got to be the greatest psychologist since Sigmund Freud. He's my idol. He could sell freaking snow to the Eskimos. It's unbelievable." 3. 1976 Indiana Hoosiers (32-0) Over the two seasons that culminated in their 1976 national championship, the Hoosiers, coached by the ornery Bob Knight, went 63-1. To win the title in Philly, Indiana, behind a combined 51 points from Scott May and Kent Benson and a great all-around performance by Quinn Buckner, defeated Big Ten rival Michigan, 86-68. To get to the final, Indiana had defeated the 1975 national champion UCLA Bruins.

Transgender and Stereotypical Feminine Traits

Emily Johanson First Year Seminar Response Paper #4 Final Version due Monday, Nov. 12 Gender Roles in Transamerica Transamerica is an example of how Hollywood portrays transgender people in film. The movie gets rolling when Huffman who portrays Bree a conservative pre-operative transsexual woman tells her therapist she discovered she had a son named Toby. She has to bail him out of jail in order for her therapist to allow her to have her procedure done in a week. The plot unfolds as they get to know each other driving back to California.However, Toby doesn’t know that Bree is his father. Transamerica reinforces a number of transgender stereotypes, and portrays both main characters with stereotypical feminine traits. Throughout the film, Bree reinforces stereotypical transgender behavior. We see this by her taking her hormone pills every day and just trying to blend into the world as a woman. Many people feel that being a transgender is a mental disorder. In the opening of the movie, Bree is in a meeting with her doctor to get her procedure signed off.He is evaluating her to see if she has a mental disorder. Also, Bree’s mom tried to commit her which led to her suicide attempt. When Joyce Murton came to talk to us, she said that many transgender people attempt suicide, so this was a stereotypical behavior. Also, Joyce told us that she didn’t have a good relationship with her family. We also see this in the film. Bree’s mom still sees her as her son Stanley. When they went out to dinner she even had Bree pull out her chair for her which is a stereotypical male behavior.She also made her switch seats so Toby would be next to her. She is using Toby as her replacement son. When Bree told her she never had a son, she broke down in the restaurant. She feels as though she lost a member of her family. I think this is stereotypical for families of transgender people. Bree and Toby display stereotypically feminine traits. Bree may have been bor n male, but she acts exceedingly female; even her tastes in clothing and home decor are very feminine and old-fashioned.On their drive back to California, Bree and Toby stop and camp out for the night. When Bree goes to the bathroom, she is worried about snakes. This is a typical female trait. Also, for being a guy most of her life, she is really good at talking to boys. For example, when she met Calvin she got him to buy her food and drive her to her parent’s house. He ended up developing feelings for her. On the other hand, Toby’s delicate prettiness underscores his vulnerability, as well as his femininity. Toby acts with his sexuality.For example, when he realizes that he has become attached to Bree, he tells her, â€Å"I’ll marry you if you want,† even though she’s given no indication of any romantic or sexual interest. After the car is stolen by the hitchhiker, he deals with it by finding a guy to do what he knows best. The way that Toby used his body to get money or to deal with his problems is a female characteristic. Most males would use their fists not their sexuality. The film Transamerica reinforces stereotypical transgender people, and portrays both Bree and Toby with stereotypical feminine traits.This film really makes you think about how people react to transgender people. Most people would turn away from them and not hire them for a job. However, Toby shows you a different outlook. Instead of being mad at Bree for being a transgender, he was mad at her for lying to him. The other part didn’t bother him. At the end of the film, he even went to Bree’s house and wants to get to know her better. This was inspiring because it allows people to see that a transgender person is just like everyone else, and they shouldn’t feel like they have to hide who they are.

Business Valuations

Q1. Which of the following is the correct formula for Market Capitalization? (MCQ)Previous share price Ãâ€" Number of issued sharesCurrent share price Ãâ€" Number of issued sharesPrevious share price Ãâ€" Number of issued preference sharesCurrent share price Ãâ€" Number of issued convertible shares(2 marks) Q2. Statements given below relate to asset-based valuation for equity. Select appropriate types of asset-based valuation. (HA)Historic Cost Values are easily available BOOK VALUE NET REALISABLE VALUE REPLACEMENT BASISMaximum Cost to be paid for assets by a buyer BOOK VALUE NET REALISABLE VALUE REPLACEMENT BASISAsset Stripping BOOK VALUE NET REALISABLE VALUE REPLACEMENT BASIS(2 marks) Q3. Given below is summary of Vento Co.'s balance sheet: Assets $m Financed by $mNon-current assets 8 $1 Ordinary shares 1Net-current assets 4 Reserves 6- – Loan notes 5Total 12 12Non-current assets include Bulldozer which cost $7m when it was purchased five years ago when it had a useful life of ten years. The company's depreciation policy is on a straight-line basis. These assets were valued $2m by a professional. What is the value per share using NRV basis? (MCQ) $5$5.25$5.5$5.75(2 marks) Q4. Following statements relate to asset-based valuation. (HA) It ignores intangible assets DRAWBACK USEFULNESSIt ignores cash flows from the assets DRAWBACK USEFULNESSTo set a minimum price in an event of a takeover DRAWBACK USEFULNESS(2 marks) Q5. A Target company's dividend per share is $0.3/share ; its competitor has a dividend yield of 8%. Calculate the target company's share price? (FIB)4114804699000$ (2 marks) Q6. Dosed Co has an earnings yield of 17%. Calculate the value of the Dosed Co. based on the present value of the expected earnings? Using the following information given below: (MCQ)Year 1 2 3 4Earnings ($m) 3.4 3.9 4.1 4.5$26.47m$45.9m$62.5m$68.625m(2 marks) Q7. Cato Co. has been open for bidding and it currently has earnings of $3.5m and has 1 million shares in issue & Cato Co. has a current share price of $11 in the market. Calculate the earnings yield of Xerox Co, a business in the same industry sector? (MCQ)3.5%11%31.8%35.3%(2 marks) Q8. VV Co. has price/earnings ratio of 15 and it's industry competitor Kato Co. has an earnings yield of 20%. If assumed, a share price of $1. When comparing VV Co. to Kato Co, which of the following is correct? (HA)Earnings Yield HIGHER LOWERPrice/Earnings Ratio HIGHER LOWER(2 marks) Q9. Ivo Co has made an offer to buy two of its every three shares of Rico Co. Due to this merger, there is a chance that earning after deduction of tax will increase by $10m per year. Assuming that Ivo Co share price increases by $0.5 after its merger and Ivo issues new shares as consideration. What will be the price/earnings ratio of the group using the following information to nearest two decimal places? (FIB)Ivo Co. Rico Co.Profit after Tax $150 $40Market Share Prices $2.5 $1.2Number of shares 200m 60m901702476500(2 marks) Q10. Which TWO of the following are the problems relating to Price/ Earnings ratio? (MRQ)Quoted companies with similar business activities are difficult to findNot applicable for those who do not prefer paying dividends Represents historical costListed company's capital structure might differ from unlisted company's(2 marks) Q11. Yugo Co is acquiring Lotto Co. Yugo Co cost of acquisition at the time of acquiring Lotto Co.'s 20,000 shares will be $400,000. The cash flows are as follows: Year 20X3 20X4 20X5 20X6Cash flow ($) 170,000 235,000 200,000 85,000The weighted average cost of capital for the company is 10%. Calculate the share price of Lotto Co using discounted cash flow? (MCQ)$7.5$7.84$8.20$8.61(2 marks) Q12. Hath Co. has a future dividend forecast: In the current year and the first year, there will be no dividend paid. In year two a dividend of $0.36/share will be paid. In year three a dividend of $0.75/share will be paid and it will grow at 2% every year. If the cost of equity is 8% what will be Hath Co. current share price to the nearest $? (FIB)3613152286000$ (2 marks) Q13. Bitola Co is financed using equity only. The company has just paid the dividend of $80m and the earnings retained and invested were 55%. The investment returns 27% and cost of equity is 18%. What is the market value of the company? (MCQ)$2,917m$3,023m$3,487m$3,716m(2 marks) Q14. Dividend growth model takes many assumptions into account. Select the assumptions from the given statements? (MRQ)The estimates of future dividends and the cost of capital are accurateAll investors are homogenous Influential factors of the market are incorporated in the share price The dividend grow constantly or not grow at all (2 marks) Q15. Which of the following statements is a disadvantage for dividend growth model? (MCQ)The growth rate in the market is equal to the growth used in dividend growth model The cost of equity used is an estimate of a capital asset pricing modelThe method is applicable to all companies even if they don't provide dividendsThe dividends paid by the company are perpetual (2 marks) Q16. A firm has an issue 15% preference shares with a nominal value of $1 each. Currently, the required return of preference shareholders is 25%. The corporation tax is 30%. What is the value of a preference share? (FIB)3714753873500P0 (2 marks)144653070104000 Q17. Jorum Co has issued irredeemable loan notes with a coupon rate of 8%. If the required return of investors is 2%, what is the current market value of the debt? (FIB)Market Value ($) (2 marks) Q18. B4U Co. has 11% redeemable bonds in issue having a cost of debt of 16% before tax. The tax rate in the market is 27%. If the bonds are redeemed in six years' time at a premium of 6% above the par value. Calculate the market value of the bond? (MCQ)$69.35$76.12$84$103.2(2 marks) Q19. Curry has in issue 12% bonds with total nominal value $100,000 and a total redemption value $90,000, with interest payable quarterly. The cost of debt on the bonds is 12% annually. The bonds are redeemable on 31st March 20X2 and it is now 31st December 20X0. Calculate the market value? (FIB)14770102159000Market Value ($) (2 marks) Q20. A 6% redeemable loan note in Voltage Co is due to mature in four years' time at a premium of 10%. It can be converted into 15 ordinary shares at the same time. Voltage Co pays a tax rate of 25%. Its current share price is $4.65 and growth is expected at 8%. If the shareholders require 10% return what is the market value? (MCQ)$51$75.13$94.15$110(2 marks)