Media Portrayal of Blacks in an Ever-Changing Society

They are ingrained In our minds In some form or another, and many times are subconscious. Tolerance is the 21st century answer to this issue, UT that was not always the case, even In the media, an establishment Intended to entertain the public as a whole. This paper will discuss the following question: why is priming still used to stereotype black culture In American media when we live in a time where egalitarian norms have made it unfavorable to appear prejudiced? In essence.I want to understand why the media still portrays blacks to fit their historical stereotypes, even though we live In a colliding nation. It is an important question because this stereotyping contradicts the values and beliefs of the majority of American citizens and the way we want to advance as an open-minded society. History of Stereotyping To begin answering this question, we must first look at the history of how black stereotypes were used in the media, beginning with entertainment.Nineteenth and early twent ieth century plays featured black characters, played by white actors, and usually took the part of a few major stereotypes: the caretaker, or black woman who took care of household chores of whites, the Incompetent buffoon who had difficulty assimilating in a white society because of his stupidity, and the aggressive and sordidly black who disrupted the peaceful white society (Dixon). More often than not, these stereotypes fit the culture of the south rather than the north, simply because of geographic and economic factors.Even In literature. Blacks were portrayed as dimwitted, lazy creatures that lacked morals and standards (Wilson). One of the most famous ways blacks were portrayed in the media In the nineteenth and twentieth century was the application of black makeup to white actors, who acted as one of the aforementioned roles in performances. â€Å"Blackjack† as It was allied, was used up to World War l, when black actors began taking the stage, although limited to the roles they could play (Blatant). Up until the sass's, blacks were still heavily stereotyped in the media.This early priming set the stage for new mediums to depict these stereotypes, mainly in television and advertising. Blacks in Advertising We are now able to look at how priming was and still is used in television advertising, beginning in the offs when television became a mass medium. Although we sometimes do not realize it, stereotypical advertisements are quite prevalent in days media. Take one look at Aunt Jimmie. The Infamous maple syrup lady. She clearly represents the â€Å"mamma† stereotype; a polite, calm, down home southern maid who merrily lives to serve others.The marketers goal Is to prime us to Imagine a 1 OFFS sweet tempered mother Teller serving us Dreariest when we think AT pancakes Ana maple syrup. Quaker Oats is not the only conglomerate that is priming us with stereotypes through advertisements. Before the black civil rights movement, it was commonplace in the south to call an older black man â€Å"uncle† as a sign of disrespect Weatherperson). Uncle Ben's rice products feature a grinning elderly black man with a suit and a bow tie. Uncle Ben represents the stereotypical post-civil War well dressed subservient attendant who catered to the every wish of his white overseer.In this instance, the advertisers of Uncle Ben's Rice Bowls prime the public to believe we are being served by Uncle Ben because the meal is quick easy to make. Based on stereotypes we have learned throughout our lives, this image and label strengthens our predispositions, and makes us think of the black elderly servant that Uncle Ben is meant to be. It is not Just fictional characters illustrated as logos that prime us to think of black stereotypes when exposed to advertising.Frito-Lay, Storage, and even MAT are among dozens of corporations that prime its audiences to assume black stereotypes with their messages. Argued as one of the funniest commercials in the 2010 Superpower, the infamous Traitors commercial was perceived by many people as stereotyping blacks and black culture. In the commercial, a black man walks into his date's house, where an attractive black woman answers the door, saying that she will e ready soon. She introduces him to her young child, who is playing video games.When his date turns and walks into the next room, the man obviously stares at the woman's buttocks in admiration, and picks up a Traitor from the boys bowl. Upon seeing both of these actions, the little boy slaps the man across the face, and says, â€Å"Keep your hands off my mama, and keep your hands off my Traitors. † This commercial portrays a few age old stereotypes of blacks, and some fairly new black American stereotypes. First, the stereotype of the highly sexually aggressive black ale comes into play when the black man clearly checks out the black woman's behind.Although this stereotype is common among young male adults of all races in A merican culture, it reinforces the overlapping historical stereotype of the sexually aggressive black man. In addition, this ad depicts the relatively new stereotype of the single black female mother. In 2000, the percentage of black single mothers reached 62 percent (Raspberry). In lower class black families, the percentage is even higher. Another stereotype that exists in this commercial is the defiant, insubordinate black hill. With increased exposure to ghetto customs due to pop culture, black children have been stereotyped as being disobedient and unruly.Especially now that ghetto culture is being glorified in pop culture, black children could potentially feel the need to fit this â€Å"positive† stereotype and act in accordance to what is expected of them in this society. This stereotype is especially detrimental to young black males because that culture places a negative connotation on academic success, and at such a crucial point in one's life, it can be unfavorable f or these adolescents to accept this reconciled notion of unruliness and petty criminal activity.Priming in the Music Industry It is quite clear to anyone who watches MAT or follows the hip-hop scene that the major themes presented in the songwriting and music videos are the following: making money, having sexual (and sometimes violent) relations with women, doing drugs, Ana Delve Involved In criminal actively Rap music, wanly was primarily created in the Bronx by blacks and Latino, â€Å"became the cry of ghetto pain and ultimately their great hope for a way out. † Evidently, MAT focuses on the hip-hop genre to be the rug of its music videos and television shows.Because hip-hop is undisputed governed largely by black rappers who weave tales of the difficulty of ghetto life, gaining money through drug/gang related activities, and sexually exploiting women, MAT is priming its audiences of millions of teens to associate hip-hop and the ghetto life with black people. It is necess ary to skew slightly off topic but stay relevant to my original question by making the bold assertion that MAT plays a large part in maintaining and promoting the racial differences between blacks and the rest of the American community that eave existed for centuries.In the article Predicting Cognitive and Behavioral Effects of Gangs Rap, it is stated that â€Å"a number of prominent African American leaders, the National Black Women's Political Caucus, and eminent African American scholars have been highly vocal in their outrage over the music (industry), labeling it as racially popularizing and, ultimately self destructive† (Hansen). Teens are the single most suggestible age group, and are inclined to emulate popular icons based not only on their accomplishments in their certain field, but also their apparent inference, which the majority of teens tend to lack based on social norms and biological changes.There has been a history of arrests in the hip-hop world among the mos t prominent artists in the genre, including Ill Wayne and Outpace Shaker (Martinez). Both were sentenced for involvement in criminal activity. These celebrities should not be emulated for their involvement in crime, but since their entire image is based around this lifestyle, it makes teens think delinquency is acceptable or even admired.This long standing stereotype of the black criminal is only being reinforced y MAT and the hip-hop genre, which promotes criminal activity and the mistreatment of women, as well as primes the public to perceive lower class blacks as involved in crime. Ultimately, commercials prime us to subconsciously digest racial stereotypes, and many times we do not realize it simply because of our inherent and ingrained beliefs about certain cultures.These specific cases reveal how priming is still used to stereotype black culture in advertisements even though we live in a time where egalitarian norms have made it unfavorable to appear prejudiced. The Power of I mplicit Racial Messages The crux of my question lies within the theory of implicit racial appeals. How is it that the media can influence the public through racial messages in a society where the norm is to reject any form of racial segregation? According to A Theory of Racial Appeals, whites will accept implicit racial messages if two circumstances are presented.They want to appear to be completely color blind and not reveal their inherent prejudices to society, but they also wish to remain above blacks as a culture in society. While these circumstances can be argued to be true or false on an individual level, they remain true as a whole for the white population in America. Many people also feel that it is unacceptable to think of oneself as a racist, which contradicts their wish to keep blacks down in society. Implicit racial messaging mainly occurs in politics, where the Job of politicians is to code words and phrases in order to Innocence.In one Instance, In a 1 House Tate auto Violent creme Control, Republicans argued against a piece of legislation granting money for a midnight basketball program meant to offer inner city youths recreational activities. Republicans mockingly argued that â€Å"hugs for thugs† was not necessary for these youths. Democrats ended up charging the Republicans as being racist, and using coded language in the bill an implicit racial message, designed to influence the decision in their favor (Hurwitz).The Power of Explicit Racial Messages Just as implicit racial messages influence by using encoded language to reveal the underlying racial implication, explicit racial messages need not use code words or phrases to veil its fundamental inference. Essentially, the point of an explicit racial usage is to make a clear statement that points out an obvious claim that would be considered racist among the majority of the population. One way explicit racial messaging is used in the media is through comedy shows such as Family Guy and South Park.In one episode of Family Guy, a black man and a white man are in a bowling alley, and the black man mentions how he â€Å"feels a strange satisfaction when the black ball knocks over the self righteous white pins. † The white man responds that it is not the white pins' fault for being self righteous because the black ball is in their neighborhood uninvited. The black man then responds that the black ball has done nothing wrong, to which the white man responds that if the black ball is innocent it has nothing to fear.This type of comedy is considered an explicit racial message, about how a group of whites are stereotypically uncomfortable and unwelcoming to a black person who enters into the vicinity. In addition, it demonstrates how whites believe that blacks are always up to no good. This type of messaging is considered detrimental in a serious tone, yet only considered crass or crude when presented in a comedic light. This type of message indeed primes the audien ce to consider stereotypes when observing the media presented.The Importance of Our Cultural Backgrounds While it is clear that priming is used in the media to influence the public perception, many believe that these subtle influences are wrong. Many people believe that cultural priming shows racial differences in a negative light, and that the media should make sure that race or culture does not come into play when advertising. However, different cultures make life more colorful, and our differences should be celebrated, not shunned. One's cultural heritage is something to be proud f, not hidden or masked.In the case of the Aunt Jimmie maple syrup, a black person should not be offended that a black mother like figure is the logo of a company. History is history, and even if the company came out and explicitly stated that the intention of this logo is to represent a motherly figure that was commonplace in the American south during the nineteenth century, why should anyone be mad? Th at is like saying that a pizzeria is prejudiced for having a ceramic statue of a man with a moustache and an olive complexion holding a pizza outside the restaurant.People would be celebrating their culture heritage and their cultural history, not trying to pretend the bad or embarrassing parts did not occur. While many people argue that equality is what our founding fathers based our declaration of independence on, it can be argued that our society has become too sensitive when it comes to race and culture. The media has been attacked numerous times for not being â€Å"sensitive† enough toward certain groups. It Is now commonplace to read In ten news Tanat a reporter was fired for saying â€Å"lynching,† or a politically incorrect term is being banned from television and print.Conclusion Ultimately, there is not one answer to explain why priming is still used to stereotype black culture in American media when we live in a time where egalitarian norms have made it unfa vorable to appear prejudiced. However, if we forget these stereotypes or any other cultural stereotype due to the increasingly exaggerated sensitivity and politically correctness we as Americans seem to have adopted, we will lose a part of history that has had great significance in who we are today, how we live and how far we have come as a society in accepting or rejecting certain customs.

How to Plan a Great Family Vacation

Process Outline Planning a Great Family Vacation I. Introduction A. Lead In B. Thesis II. Reserving a room A. Choosing your location B. Pay the deposit for the room III. Purchase Supplies A. Purchase Clothing and accessories B. Purchase groceries IV. Packing for the trip A. Make check list while packing B. Check things off as they are packed up. V. Conclusion A. Restatement B. Ending Process Essay Planning a Great Family Vacation After working all year long, sometimes sixty plus hours a week, the mind and body can become very worn down. You have to have a break or your work performance could suffer.The last part of winter or the first part of spring, is when you start thinking, â€Å"Wow, I really need a vacation! † You can usually tell when that time is coming. That is when you think about beginning the process of planning your yearly family vacation. The process of planning for a family vacation will ensure a worry-free, pleasant vacation, from choosing and reserving a room, to purchasing all supplies you will need, to finally packing up and heading out to your week long vacation. The first step is to choose and reserve your room. You can choose the room based on several things, cost being one of the most important.You will also need to choose a room based on what activities you plan to do and what the hotel is near. You can usually pay your deposit in February for your July vacation. This guarantees that you will have a place to stay while you are on vacation. It also means less you will have to pay when you arrive for the week of your vacation. The deposit is usually the cost of the room for two nights plus a cleaning or security deposit. The next step is to purchase all the supplies you will need for the trip. You will most likely need new clothing that will be weather appropriate and any accessories you will need.For the lake, it is a good idea to make sure that you have clothing for warm weather, such as bathing suits, shorts, cover ups, and flip- flops. Also make sure to have enough clothing to last you the length of your stay, unless you will have access to a washer and dryer. To save money on dining out, purchase groceries to last you for the week. You can buy things to make sandwiches so that you do not have to spend a lot of your vacation in the kitchen. Also, purchase things for several â€Å"home-cooked† meals so that you will not be tempted to eat out often. The final step will be packing for your trip.Make a list of things that you will need while on vacation. Be sure to pack all clothing and toiletries that you will need for a week. Also be sure to pack any medications that you will need for the length of your stay. As you pack, take the time to mark things off your list. Did you remember all of the kids’ swimsuits, floats, water toys and sunblock? Did you pack snacks for the ride to your destination and games for the kids to play while riding to keep them from getting bored? Planning in advance and th oroughly for your vacation is the best way to enjoy your vacation when the time to go finally arrives.As long as you have planned correctly by reserving your room, purchasing your supplies, and packing properly, you will have a fabulous and worry free vacation. You and the whole family will be able to enjoy your time away, and you will make many memories to enjoy because you took all the stress and worry out of your vacation by properly planning the trip. Later on, you will be able to reminisce about all the great times you had with your family while knowing that you did all you could to guarantee that your family had the best vacation possible†¦

Module 5 TD- TUX 101 - Career Exploration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Module 5 TD- TUX 101 - Career Exploration - Essay Example On the other hand, one also has to identify the point of weaknesses and identify the most difficult tasks to do. An individual also has to identify the tasks, projects and roles that motivate him or her right now. Above all, one has to identify values that acts as a roadmap during decision making Once you have an idea of your weaknesses, you need to identify something that you do uniquely as compared to others. This may be strength, a skill or a unique quality that puts you in front of others. Knowing your comparative advantage assist you to thrive in your career By now one should have created an image in the mind revolving around interests, motivators and available opportunities. In order to build expertise, identify the skills, knowledge, certificates and degrees needed to reach your intended role. Networking is a very important aspect of building a career strategy. One can network with colleagues in various departments, suppliers and professionals working in different organizations and industries. Tools like Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook can also facilitate

The Implications of the Great Recession of 2008 on U.S. Unionization Essay

The Implications of the Great Recession of 2008 on U.S. Unionization - Essay Example In other words, banks issued too much loans directed in real estate and as a consequence, prices were pushed up. In addition, Hetzel (2012) notes that debts grew faster than income and in the long run more people were unable to service their loans. This followed a financial crisis as the situation pushed banks to near bankruptcy and closure. One of the areas in the economy greatly affected by the recession of 2008 was employment sector. In light of the fact that a huge percentage of workers is presented by unions, this discussion elucidates the implications of the great recession of 2008 on U.S. unionization. To understand the implications of the 2008 great recession on U.S. unionization, it would be of significance to first describe unionization prior to the recession. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the percentage of workers represented by unions was at the highest level in the 1950s at 35 percent of the entire workforce (Hetzel, 2010). In 1983, figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that 17.7 million workers were unionized (Hetzel, 2010). This figure represented 20.1 percent of the total workforce in the U.S. In 2009, Hetzel (2010) notes that the figure had dropped to 12.3 percent of the total workforce. Though the number of union members was reducing from the 1950s, the rate was stringent in 2009 and 2010 after the great recession of 2008. In 2010 for instance, approximately 612,000 union memberships were lost (Tilly, 2010). Before explicating the implications of the 2008 recession on U.S. unionization, it would also be important to demonstrate its impact on the rate of unemployment. Tilly (2010), in a documented material directed to the Global Labor University Conference in Berlin in 2010, asserted that the rate of unemployment peaked in the period following the great recession of 2008. In fact, Tilly (2010) notes that unemployment rate rose to

Final Exam Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Final Exam - Assignment Example oup faces an ethical dilemma on whether to provide a minimal support of food, clothes and water or return to the base camp and provide the Sadhu with a proper care. One individual decides that the journey was more important than the welfare of the stranger while another member tried to help him as much as he could. When the two individuals meet up, one of them asks the other How he feels about contributing to the death of the Sadhu. Nobody was sure whether Sadhu was dead or alive and no one was willing to accept total responsibility of the Sadhu but they did what they could to their convenience. The ethical issues brought in the parable are that of self interest, compassion and the issue of passing a burden to others. The issue of fulfilling self interest is portrayed by one member of the group who states that the journey as more important than helping a needy Sadhu.This show that he does not care of those in need and this is an ethical problem.The ethical issue of compassion which is presented in the virtue approach of ethical thinking is clearly shown by a member of the group who takes the burden of helping the sadhu although in the end of the journey he does not know whether the sadhu survived o died but he can be credited for trying to provide means in which the sadhu can get better. Passing on of burden from one person to the other is also an ethical issue raised within the parable as one member of the group passes the burden of Sadhu to the others. This occurs mostly in the society as people tend to pass stressful issues to other in order to escape the stress accompan ying the issue. Corporate social responsibility is a corporate self regulation that is incorporated into a business model. The built in self regulation by businesses ensures they adhere to the law, international norms and ethical standards. Under corporate social responsibility, businesses have big responsibility for the impact of the activities on the consumers, environment, communities,

Commercial Contract Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Commercial Contract - Case Study Example (Atiyah Chapter 1). c.) Acceptance: When two parties willingly agree to the terms and conditions of a contract, then the requirements of acceptance can be claimed to have been met. Thus, the moment Stamatelly showed written acceptance of the laptop at the offered price, the first part of the contract can be said to have begun. Even if Yusuf did not show the initial direct signs of accepting, his action of replying to the e-mail to clarify the offered price is an advanced stage of acceptance to sell the laptop. (Atiyah Chapter 1). d.) Acquiescence: This is defined as the contracting parties actions and inactions as long as the initial acceptance stage had been satisfied. The issue of time is also important at this stage, as a seller who makes an offer at certain terms and conditions and receives offers at the same, needs to seal the deal without any further delay. In the above case study, Yusuf first made the laptop offer at $200. Stamatelly replied with an earlier lower price of $120. However Yusuf was adamant and fixed the offer at $200, which Stamatelly acquiesced to without further condition. (Atiyah Chapter 1). In the end Yusuf sold the laptop to another party at $180 which was much less than what Stamatelly wanted to offer. Yusuf also changed conditions for the sale at later stage to include time that the offer will be available. Even though he set the final settlement time of before noon the next day, he had sold the laptop the previous evening. This, coupled with the last minute change of price will be a potential legal suit for breach of business contract. (Atiyah Chapter 1). An analysis of the objective theory of this contract. In citing the Wilson Court Ltd. P'ship v. Tony Maroni's, Inc., 952 P.2d 590, 594 (Wash. 1998) (citing U.S. Life Credit Life Ins. Co. v. Williams, 919 P.2d 594, 597 (Wash. 1996), a contract is objective its manifestation is considered over its unseen subjective intentions of the contracting parties. Thus in the case study, Yusuf exhibited outward manifestation of assent when he clarified that the price would remain at $200. Thereafter, Stamatelly expressed mutual consent on these terms. At no one time was there any dispute about the condition of the product of contract which is the laptop. (Atiyah Chapter 2 - 4): (Stephen Waddams Chapter 1-3) It is also right to hold that both parties expressed outward manifestation of assent. Yusuf did so by the exclusive advertisement about the Laptop make, condition and price and even gave out his telephone numbers and e-mail for authenticity of the advertisement. Stamatelly also did so by writing to accept the offer in terms and condition by e-mail. The e-mail platform in this case study can be held as the outward manifestation whether direct or indirect. This is following the City of Everett v. Estate of Sumstad, 631 P.2d 366, 367 (Wash. 1981). (Atiyah Chapter 2 - 4): (Stephen Waddams Chapter 1-3) Possible Legal Redress. Stamatelly can rightly seek legal redress. She can aver that Yusuf was in breach of commercial contract especially at the acquiescence stage. She can cite the issue of time that was first introduced at a later stage

My Impressions of the Beach Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

My Impressions of the Beach - Essay Example Whenever I go to a beach, I sit there for hours just looking at the waves which rise and clash with the shores and silently move back again. It always makes me feel calm since I relate it with my anger. Like the rising waves, the anger surges high and thinking about the waves I try and subside it. The waves are such an inspiration. The splash of water hits my face and I feel so relaxed as if time has stopped and there is nothing else to do except just sitting on the sea-shore and watching the beauty of nature. The rays of the sun embrace me and as I move towards the water, the sand slips away from beneath my feet. The waves crash against my body and move back as I keep moving forward. The cool touch of the water is a stress-buster and relieves my mind of all the tensions. The fast blowing winds breeze against my face and leave a soothing effect. I love watching the sunset at the beach. The reddish-orange sun looks extremely beautiful and shimmers the endless stretch of water as it sets. Hundreds of people come to watch a sunset. A number of couples enjoy some quality time with each other right under nature’s cover. Photographers run around to compel the love-lorn to get clicked in the scenic beauty of the beachside. When I was a kid, I used to crave to go to my aunt’s beach house during summers. Every weekend of June and July, we used to visit and stay at my aunt’s beach house where I learnt how to swim. It was so much fun to keep moving with the waves while inside kids float. The moment it took me a little ahead, my elder cousin used to drag the float back along with me. The waves almost covered me and the salty taste of the water gave me a tangy feeling.

Coping with racism as a latino in the US Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Coping with racism as a latino in the US - Essay Example From the very first day the world was created, discrimination sprout its root as variety came to being. In the human world, people have been discriminated in terms of races, religion, color plus other specific details. Every day as we carry our daily activities, discrimination is in the face of everyone with mean, what matters is, what kind is it. In the American society, cultures and races which were not initially part of the American, especially immigrants, commonly face discrimination. Every year, approximately 20,000 cases concerning racing discrimination are reported according to the National discrimination council of the United States of America. The Latinos and blacks are common people discriminated in the United States. Discrimination in general is not a good thing among the human beings since all human s are humans and not special from one another. Since Latinos are among one of the races discriminated in the United States, different reactions have been expressed by the community in term of how they are treated. Innocent people yearly usually come from the Latino speaking continents in search of better pay in the United States, only to realize there has been pre-existing discrimination towards their community. From the psychological point of view, one would argue that the discrimination might not be only racial in character, but something deeper, and more pertaining scramble for good jobs. The Americans think that the Latinos would take most of their jobs and displace them in senior posts (Chavez 2011). It is always normal for human beings to feel jealous for development of other people, but when they express it physically, and then it will be counted as discrimination. As like other American of color these very hardworking Latinos are subjected to widespread and intense hostility, exploitation and discrimination. They are often cheated out of their income and denied basic needs and public

Liability of Employers and Occupiers Case Study

Liability of Employers and Occupiers - Case Study Example To see how the law of tort applies and operates, this essay takes up three test cases brought against Sports Ltd., which owns and operates a sports and physical fitness complex. All three cases suggest that Sports Ltd. caused them harm by violating the tort of negligence, the biggest category of tort because it endangers many besides the chance victim and is considered both a public and private wrong. At first glance, Sports Ltd. may be guilty of negligence because management knew that its central heating system in the boiler room that scalded Sally in a bad way was defective and potentially dangerous but the establishment did nothing about it except warn its employees about the risk. This is the essence of the Occupier's Liability Act (OLA) in UK, a statutory tort that applies to health and safety regulations across the workplace (Honore, 1995). OLA provides that "any person such as a shop owner who admits people into his premises owes a minimum duty of care to protect these people's safety (Metaphysics Research Lab, 2003)." A closer look at this particular case, however, will show that Sally shares the blame for the accident that happened to her. The college girl gained entry to the sports complex through the backdoor, which leads into the boiler room, to avoid paying for a ticket at the regular entrance. In Yuen Kun Yeu v Attorney General of Hong Kong (1988), Rowling v Takaro Properties Ltd. (1985), and Hill v Chief Constable of West Yorkshire (1989), liability for the tort of negligence can only occur when the supposed damage can be reasonably foreseen. In other words, the defendant failed to do what a reasonable person would do in the situation presented (Green, 1960). On the scalding sustained by Sally, Sports Ltd. can defend itself against a tort claim by pointing out that its management could not have foreseen such an accident to happen to any guest. The establishment can invoke the principles of volenti non fit injuria (a willing victim cannot claim for damage), contributory negligence, and ex turpi cause non oritur (no right of action arises from a despicable cause), the three standard defenses against a tort claim (Fletcher, 1972). From the evidence, Sally is culpable on all three counts because she consented to the risk of damage by using an entrance that is off-limits to th e public, which action amounts to contributory negligence and "despicable" cause. The action is despicable in the sense that it is wrong and deprives Sports Ltd. of revenue generated from ticket sales. Case 2 - Ashraf In the case of Ashraf, Sports Ltd. can use the same line of defense. Like Sally, Ashraf virtually consented to the risk of damage to his person by insisting on using the corridor on his way to the gym notwithstanding a sign put up by the cleaning woman Maria that says: "Cleaning in Progress: Use Alternative Route." Ashraf as an exclusive member of the exercise club knew a side entrance that could be used as alternative route but he was in a hurry so he risked the corridor and was thus culpable of contributory negligence. The tort law, according to Hocking & Smith (1996), is all about dissecting all possibilities in a case to

Great Depression Essay Introduction Essay Example for Free

Great Depression Essay Introduction Essay By the beginning of the First World War, the United States was the largest industrial country, accounting for more than 35% of production. Thanks to the developed agriculture, infrastructure, extremely favorable natural and economic conditions, proximity to the inexhaustible markets of the South American continent and a quite advantageous distance from the conflicting Europe, the USA already not only provided itself with all necessary things, but also seriously pressed their competitors by making an application for world leadership. However, in October 1929, a crisis broke out on the New York Stock Exchange went down in history as the Great Depression. It began in the USA and then embraced other areas. The world experienced three waves of inflation. The first embraced households of a number of agrarian nations. The second led England in September 1931 to abolish the gold standard of the pound sterling, and its dominions, India, Brazil, Argentina and Scandinavian territories. In spring of 1933, in connection with the departure from a gold standard of the United States, a third wave rose. As a result, the currencies of 56 states depreciated. Officially crisis ends in 1940, but the US power was able to recover from the Second World War. The Great Depression was synchronous and comprehensive. Its name was due to an emotional condition in which community being. Humans really plunged into a state of depressive numbness. The causes of it remain a subject of ongoing discussions about the role of government policy and activity of a private business. From the view of economic theory, it came about because of an overproduction of commodities and a deficiency of currency for their purchase. Since cash was tied to gold, and the amount of this substance is restricted, there was a deficit of funds as a demand for items. Further along a chain, the â€Å"domino principle† worked: deflation, bankruptcies of enterprises, unemployment, barring duties on imported wares, a decreasing in consumer demand and living standard. By its nature and origin, a world economic crisis of the early 30s was cyclical. However, its exceptional destructive power was thanks to the fact that new long-term factors joined an action of a traditional mechanism. The main one was a common breakdown of capitalistic ideology. Accelerated by the First World War, the establishment of state-monopoly capitalism entailed a rapid enhance in a concentration of production and capital. On this basis, tremendous strengthening of the monopolies and their role in the economic life occurred, which made it impossible to restore pre-war relations even after a liquidation of the military mechanism for state regulation of household. In the midst of a crisis of the early 1930s, negative consequences of anarchy were fully manifested. Essential changes introduced in other areas of life. In the social sphere, it is necessary to note the increased activity of workers who began to fight for better living conditions and social benefits. In the field of international relations, a collapse of the Versailles-Washington system of postwar settlement started. The theoretical and practical search for new means and methods of combating the crisis became more active. A dominant vector of such looking for was strengthening of state intervention in the economy. Thus, the uniqueness of the Great Depression due to the action of all the above factors was expressed in a rare combination of a number of features like its extraordinary depth, duration, and a general nature. This was an original phenomenon impacted all spheres and determined for the next years a lot of world trends.

Critical Appraisal of Pain Assessment Tools

Critical Appraisal of Pain Assessment Tools Introduction Patients presenting with acute pain in hospital settings need immediate intervention and care to improve health outcomes (Department of Health Service, 2007). When severe acute pain is not appropriately managed, this could lead to adverse psychological and physiological effects, poorer health outcomes and prolonged hospital stay (ANZCA, 2005). In Australia, approximately a third of patients in hospital settings report experiencing moderate to severe pain at least once during their hospital stay (DHS, 2007). While this figure may vary according to the population surveyed in hospital settings, it is observed that inadequate pain relief is still present in these settings (ANZCA, 2005). Quality care for patients presenting with acute pain begins with the use of an appropriate pain assessment tool. The main aim of this essay is to critically review current pain assessment tools that are recommended by the Department of Health Services (DHS, 2007). Published primary studies will be used to support the critical analysis. The first part of this essay will compare a range of pain assessment tools for patients presenting with acute pain. The second part critically analyses pain assessment options for patients who are non-verbal, have significant cognitive impairment or language functions disability. A conclusion will then summarise the key issues raised in this essay. Critical Analysis of Current Pain Assessment Tools Pain assessment tools range from the use of subjective to objective pain-scoring assessment tools. Examples of subjective-pain scoring tools include the visual analogue scale (VAS), numerical rating scale (NRS) and the faces pain scale (FPS). Objective measures include the behavioural pain assessment scale,functional activity score and Abbey Pain Scale. Currently, VAS is one of the recommended tools for assessing acute pain in different groups of patients (DHS, 2007). Recent studies (Phan et al., 2012; Angthong, Cherchugit, Suntharapa, Harnroongroj, 2011; Boonstra, SchiphorstPreuper, Reneman, Posthumus, Stewart, 2008) have also shown its validity and reliability for different health conditions across different groups of patients and in various health care settings outside Australia. Apart from extensive published data on the reliability and validity of the VAS, it is also shown to be more sensitive when compared to descriptive pain scales (Boonstra et al., 2008). Meanwhile, a randomised controlled trial (Farrar, Troxel, Stott, Duncombe, Jensen, 2008) also shows the validity and reliability of the numeric rating scale not only in assessing acute pain but also in measuring spasticity of patients suffering from multiple sclerosis. This rating scale ranks pain from 1 to 10 or 0-11. However, it converts pain sensation to a number (Farrar et al., 2008). While it is conceptually straightforward, nurses have to explain its use to the patients. This tool is also language dependent. Hence, it is essential that non-English speaking patients should be assigned to nurses who speak the same language to reduce the risk of misunderstanding on the use of NRS. Apart from VAS and NRS, FPS is also commonly used for pain assessment. One of the advantages of the FPS is its applicability in measuring pain intensity in paediatric patients. In the study of Tsze, von Baeyer, Bulloch and Dayan (2013) that recruited 620 patients aged 4 to 17 years old, FPS suggests strong psychometric properties for this age group. Importantly, this study shows that reliability and validity were also high between subgroups, sex, ethnicity and age of the children. Tsze et al. (2013) utilised the prospective, observational study involving Spanish and English-speaking children. Although this study design might increase the risk of observer bias due to its study design, a prospective study design is appropriate in validating the FPS (Polit, Beck Hungler, 2013). While one of the advantages of FPS is its acceptability in younger and paediatric patients (Tsze et al., 2013), it could also be used for the elderly. In Kim and Buschmann (2006), 31 older adults were recruited to determine the validity of the FPS. Findings suggest high construct validity and test-retest reliability of FPS. However, the small sample size of the study could limit the applicability of the findings to a larger and more heterogeneous population (Polit et al., 2013). As a whole, these subjective pain assessment tools have high inter class correlation. A study conducted amongst Chinese patients during post-operative care (Li, Liu Herr, 2007) demonstrates high inter class correlation coefficients (ranging from 0.673 to 0.825) of VAS, FPS and NRS. This suggests that healthcare practitioners can use any of these tools and arrive at a similar pain assessment score. Meanwhile, objective measures for pain such as the behavioural pain assessment scale and functional activity score are used to assess pain of patients who are non-verbal or have suffered from cognitive impairment such as dementia (Husebo et al., 2008). However, this might increase the risk of rater bias (Hek, Judd Moule, 2011) since nurses and other healthcare practitioners assess the pain level of the patient. Hence, it is important that inter-rater reliability and internal consistency of these tools should be established. A recent study (Voepel-Lewis, Zanotti, Dammeyer Merkel, 2010) has shown the use of the Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability (FLACC) behavioural scale, which is similar to the behavioural pain assessment scale, as an effective tool for pain assessment in critically ill adults and children. It has excellent internal consistency (Cronbach alpha=0.882) and high inter-rater reliability. Another objective pain assessment tool is the Abbey Pain Scale. This was developed to assess pain in patients with severe cognitive impairment such as those with severe dementia and non-verbal patients. Recent observational studies (Lukas, Barber, Johnson Gibson, 2013; Neville Ostini, 2013) demonstrated high validity and reliability of the Abbey Pain scale. In Neville and Ostini (2013), Abbey pain scale was compared with the Checklist of Nonverbal Pain Indicators Scale and Doloplus-2. Findings suggest that all scales showed good psychometric qualities. However, the Abbey Pain Scale is more applicable for nurse raters who demonstrate lower levels of nursing qualification. Neville and Ostini (2013) suggest that nurses who rarely use pain rating scales could use the Abbey Pain Scale while still maintaining inter-rater reliability. Lukas et al. (2013) compared the Abbey Pain Scale with other pain assessment tools such as the Non-communicative Patient’s Pain Assessment Instrument (NOPPAIN) and the Pain Assessment in Advanced Dementia Scale (PAINAD). All these tools were validated to improve recognition of the presence or absence of pain. These tools were also useful in helping nurses rate the pain severity of older patients with dementia. While pain assessment is a prerequisite for appropriate management of acute pain, there are some concerns about the use of pain intensity scoring systems. It has been shown that pain is subjective. This suggests that self-reporting of pain is variable and could be influenced by a host of factors. Studies (Narayan, 2010; Garcia, Godoy-Izquierdo, Godoy, Perez Lopez-Chicheri, 2007) have shown that language, culture and psychological factors could all influence the perception of pain. Reynolds, Hanson, DeVellis, Henderson and Steinhauser (2008) explain that self-reporting of pain only provides healthcare practitioners an insight into how patients perceive their pain levels. Variations in reporting of pain present a challenge to healthcare practitioners since this might lead to over or under-treatment of pain (Wilson, 2007). Other factors such as expectations of the patient in pain, the acceptability of translated tools and the methodology or terminology used during pain assessment might be foreign to the patients (Hall-Lord Larsson, 2006). All these could influence reporting of pain. There is also the risk that observers might underestimate the pain (Wilson, 2007). Nurses’ knowledge on pain assessment is crucial since low levels of knowledge on pain assessment might affect how they assess the patient’s level of pain. Wilson (2007) argues that poor knowledge could lead to suboptimal care and poor pain management. This could have important consequences on patients since pain management might not be optimal. Hall-Lord and Larsson (2006) have stressed that pain assessment could be influenced by the nurses’ characteristics and knowledge of pain assessment. Lack of knowledge on pain assessment might lead to inaccurate pain assessment. In turn, this could lead to poor management and treatment of the underlying cause of pain. This also increases the risk of patients receiving inappropriate pain therapy (Wilson, 2007). Conclusion Pain assessment is important in managing acute pain in hospital settings. Various tools have been tested for their reliability and validity. These are divided into subjective and objective pain assessment tools. The former is generally used for patients who do not have cognitive impairments while the latter is used for patients with severe cognitive impairment and non-verbal patients. Studies cited in this essay have shown the validity and reliability of these tools. Studies that compare the subjective pain assessments also show high inter-correlation. This suggests that any of the tools could be used to assess pain. Despite extensive studies establishing the sensitivity, reliability and validity of the subjective tools, its application could still be limited. Pain is highly subjective and varies from one person to another. Objective tools might also be influenced by the nurses’ level of knowledge on pain assessment. Finally, this essay shows the need for nurses to increase th eir knowledge on pain assessment to ensure accurate assessment of pain. References: Angthong, C., Cherchugit, B., Suntharapa, T., Harnroongroj, T. (2011). Visual analogue scale foot and ankle: validity and reliability of the Thai version of the new outcome score in subjective form. Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand, 94(8), 952-957. Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA) (2005). Acute pain management; scientific evidence. Australia and New Zealand: ANZCA. Boonstra, A., SchiphorstPreuper, H., Reneman, M., Posthumus, J., Stewart, R. (2008). Reliability and validity of the visual analogue scale for disability in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain. International Journal of Rehabilitation Research, 31(2), 165-169. Department of Health Service (DHS) (2007). Acute pain management, measurement toolkit. Australia: DHS. Farrar, J., Troxel, A., Stott, C., Duncombe, P., Jensen, M. (2008). Validity, reliability, and clinical importance of change in a 0-10 numeric rating scale measure of spasticity: a post hoc analysis of a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Clinical Therapeutics, 30(5), 974-985. Garcia, E., Godoy-Izquierdo, D., Godoy, J., Perez, M., Lopez-Chicheri, I. (2007). Gender differences in pressure pain threshold in a repeated measures assessment. Psychology, Health Medicine, 12(5), 567-579. Hall-Lord, M., Larsson, B. (2006). Registered nurses’ and student nurses’ assessment of pain and distress related to specific pain and nurse characteristics. Nurse Education Today, 26(5), 377-387. Hek, G., Judd, M., Moule, P. (2011). Making Sense of Research (4th ed.). London: Sage Publications. Husebo, B., Strand, L., Mo-Nilssen, R., BorgeHusebo, S., Aarsland, D., Lhunggren A. (2008). Who suffers most? Dementia and pain in nursing home patients: a cross-sectional study. Journal of the American Medical Directors, 9(6), 427-433. Kim, E., Buschmann, M. (2006). Reliability and validity of the faces pain scale with older adults. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 43(4), 447-456. Li, L., Liu, X., Herr, K. (2007). Postoperative pain intensity assessment: A comparison of four scales in Chinese adults. Pain Medicine, 8(3), 223-234. Lukas, A., Barber J., Johnson, P., Gibson, S. (2013). Observer-rated pain assessment instruments improve both the detection of pain and the evaluation of pain intensity in people with dementia. European Journal of Pain, 17(10), 1558-1568. Narayan, M. (2010). Culture’s effects on pain assessment and management. American Journal of Nursing, 110(4), 38-47. Neville, C., Ostini, R. (2013). A psychometric evaluation of three pain rating scales for people with moderate to severe dementia. Pain Management Nursing, pii: S1524-9042(13)00114-9. doi: 10.1016/j.p,m.2013.08.001. Phan, N., Blome, C., Fritz, F., Gerss, J., Reich, A., Ebata, T., StaÃÅ'ˆnder, S. (2012). Assessment of pruritus intensity: a prospective study on validity and reliability of the visual analogue scale, numerical rating scale and verbal rating scale in 471 patients with chronic pruritus. ActaDermato-Venerologica, 92(5), 502-507. Polit, D., Beck, C. T., Hungler, B. P. (2013). Essentials of Nursing Research: Methods, Appraisal and Utilization (8th ed.). Philadelphia, Lippincott. Reynolds, K., Hanson, L., DeVellis, R., Henderson, M., Steinhauser, K. (2008). Disparities in cognitively intact and cognitively impaired nursing home residents. Journal of Pain Symptoms, 15, 388-396. Tsze, D., von Baeyer, C., Bulloch, B., Dayan, P. (2013). Validation of self-report pain scales in children. Pediatrics, 132(4), 971-979. Voepel-Lewis, T., Zanotti, J., Dammeyer, J., Merkel, S. (2010). Reliability and validity of the face, legs, activity, cry, consolability behavioral tool in assessing acute pain in critically ill patients.American Journal of Critical Care, 19(1), 55-61. Wilson, B. (2007). Nurses knowledge of pain. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 16(6), 1012-1020. 1 May Thu Khin, SID: 440468145, SNGP3001

Newtons Method :: Newton-Raphson Method

Finding roots of a function is often a task which faces mathematicians. For simple functions, such as linear ones, the task is simple. When functions become more complex, such as with cubic and quadratic functions, mathematicians call upon more convoluted methods of finding roots. For many functions, there exist formulas which allow us to find roots. The most common such formula is, perhaps, the quadratic formula. When functions reach a degree of five and higher, a convenient, root-finding formula ceases to exist. Newton’s method is a tool used to find the roots of nearly any equation. Unlike the cubic and quadratic equations, Newton’s method – more accurately, the Newton-Raphson Method – can help to find roots of nearly any type of function, including all polynomial functions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Newton’s method use derivative calculus to find the roots of a function or relation by first taking an approximation and then improving the accuracy of that approximation until the root is found. The idea behind the method is as follows. Given a point, P(Xn,Yn), on a curve, a line tangent to the curve at P crosses the X axis at a point whose X coordinate is closer to the root than Xn. This X coordinate, we will call Xn+1. Repeating this process using Xn+1 in place of Xn will return a new Xn+1 which will be closer to the root. Eventually, our Xn will equal our Xn+1. When this is the case, we have found a root of the equation. This method may be unnecessarily complex when we are solving a quadratic or cubic equation. However, the Newton-Raphson Method compensates for its complexity in its breadth. The following examples show the versatility of the Newton Raphson Method.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Example 1 is a simple quadratic function. The most practical approach to finding the roots of this equation would be to use the quadratic equation or to factor the polynomial. However, the Nowton-Raphson method still works and allows us to find the roots of the equation. The initial number, Xn, 3, is a relatively poor approximation. The choice of 3 illustrates that the initial guess can be any number. However, as the initial approximation worsens, the calculation becomes more laborious.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Example 2 demonstrates one of the advantages to Newton’s method. Function 2 is a Quintic function. Mathematician, Niels Henrik Abels proved that there exists no convenient equation, such as the cubic equation, which can help us find the function’s roots.

Ebonics is Not a Seperate Language but Improper Form of English Essay

The United States is filled with many different ethnicities, cultures, customs, languages, etc. Supposedly, our public schools are equipped with classes, teachers, curriculums and materials in order to educate that part of the student population whose first language is something other than the English language. Bilingual classes, transitional classes, ESL classes are just a few of the programs that have been developed to instruct non-English speaking students in order for them to acquire the English language. However, there has been a "language" use among African American students; "language" that has not been examined closely nor acknowledged until recently. Ebonics is classified as "Black English" or "Black sounds", or "Pan African Communication Behavior" or "African Language systems" which originates from the West African languages such as Ibo, Yoruba, and Hausa (Amended Resolution of the Board of Education, 1997. P. 1)." During the times of slavery, ebonics was also spoken as Gullah, which is a combination of West African languages, and English. Ebonics is a term coined by psychologist Robert Williams, resulting from the combination of two words, "ebony" and "phonics" in order to describe its dialect (The Daily O'Collegian Editorial Board. 1997. P. 1). The controversy behind ebonics is whether or not it is actually a language or and should it be instructed as a foreign language. Language is defined as a "system of words formed from such combinations and patterns, used by the people of a particular country or by a group of people with a shared history or set of traditions (Microsoft Bookshelf. 1996-1997 edition)." Ebonics is a form of communication of feelings, thoughts, opinions and ideas at is being used by ou... ...ensnewspapers.com/199//08109//0810.ebonics.htlm Miloy, Courtland. 1997. Nothing Funny About Ebonics. Internet Address: http://www.engnsnurst.org/ebonpro.htlm Oubrï‚ ¾, Alondra. 1997. Internet Address: http://www.aaw.com/toc.htlm Sanchez, Rene. Ebonics: A Way to Close the Learning Gap?; Schools Have Been Experimenting for Years with Using Black English as a 'Bridge" to Better Skills. New York Tines: January 6, 1997. Wasserman, Tracey. 1997. Language Shortcuts Do Not Benefit Students. Internet Address: http://www.magn-ground.com/news/school-papers/laduepanorama.htlm Woodall, Bert. 1997. Training for Failure. Internet Address: http://www.puoncbews.com/issues/759/editorial.com Zeis, Robert. 1997. Ebonics is a silly concept; they ain't got no sense: It's jive. http://www.dany.fastate.edu/voulumes/Spring9//Jan-23//op2.htlm

Kubrick Lives Essays -- essays papers

Kubrick Lives The theory of authorship as applied to film directors is a subject that is argued extensively throughout the film world. The auteur theory was first introduced in the French film journal Cahiers du Cinema. Andrew Sarris who suggested that there are a group of filmmakers who fit into this category brought the theory to America. It states that in order for a director to be considered an auteur, there must be a consistency of style and theme across a number of films. Very few contemporary filmmakers fit into this category. One filmmaker, however, expanded his filmography over four and a half decades, and created a consistent theme and style. That director was Stanley Kubrick. Kubrick was known as a very stylistic filmmaker, so a lot can be said about his film style. His use of music, however, remains the most prominent aspect of Kubrick’s film style, especially as his career progressed. He was a master at using music to evoke feelings and create tension and confusion. The two most prominent examples of the power of music occur in A Clockwork Orange, and 2001: A Space Odyssey. The first of these two films, 2001, was created like a symphony. It had an overture at the beginning, a musical intermission, and an epilogue at the end. The classical work of Richard Strauss, â€Å"Also Spach Zarathustra†, supplies the most recognizable and moving main title theme of the film. The use of this music as well as other classical works including the frolicky â€Å"Blue Danube† by Johann Strauss gives the film a flowing quality that it wouldn’t normally have. Most of the music is light in nature, which contradicts the mystery that is unfolding in space. The beautiful imagery is matched well with the images and the editing to provide an incredible viewing experience. In A Clockwork Orange, Kubrick does virtually the same thing with music, only in a darker way. In the film, Alex is given a treatment that will make him ill when confronted with violence or sex. Unfortunately for him, the films he is forced to watch are scored with Beethoven’s â€Å"Ninth Symphony†, which is Alex’s favorite music. A sense of irony and empathy is created in that by Alex trying to take the easy way out, he is forced to give up the three things he loves most: sex, violence, and Beethoven. His love of music backfires on him once again with his crooning of the song â€Å"Singin’ in the Rain.† In one of... ...d. This solidifies the theme of duality by blatantly showing us the symbols. Style and theme in filmmaking go hand in hand. Stanley Kubrick was a master of using his own personal style to create a series of works, all with very similar themes. He believed strongly in the way music can affect the development of conflict. Every film that he has directed (excluding Spartacus) has a strong music and sound design that makes it undeniably Kubrick. (He didn’t have his usual control over Spartacus). From the lush soundtrack of 2001 to the minimal soundtrack of Dr. Strangelove, we can see that every piece of music has its place and its reason for being there. Even in the trailer for the upcoming Eyes Wide Shut, you can see that music will be an important part of it. Also, because Kubrick deals with the same underlying themes from film to film to film, we can come to understand his thoughts and emotions. The troubled protagonist and the duality of self remained consistent fixtures throughout his career. By seeing these styles and themes surface in Stanley Kubr ick’s work, we can justify designating him a film auteur. It is a shame that we will not be able to watch him grow any further.

Foreign exchange risk Essay

Toyota Motor Corporation is the world’s third largest automaker. It was established in Japan on 28 August 1937. Apart from its 12 plants in Japan, Toyota has 54 manufacturing companies in 27 countries, employs 246700 people and markets vehicles in more than 160 countries. Its capital as at March 2002 was 397 billion yen. Toyota is exposed to the fluctuation in foreign currency exchange as it operates mainly in America, Continental Europe and Britain. It is therefore affected by the fluctuation in the value of the US dollar, the Euro and to a lesser extent the British pound. Toyota’s consolidated financial statements, which are presented in the Japanese yen, are affected by the foreign exchange fluctuation, as all the amounts in the various countries’ currencies have to be translated into yen. Toyota’s primary markets based on unit sales for vehicles for financial year ended March 31 2002 were Japan (40%), North America (32%) and Europe (13%). Toyota is listed on the London, New York and Tokyo stock exchanges. In the normal course of doing business, Toyota employs derivatives financial instruments, including forward contracts and foreign currency options to manage its exposure to fluctuation in foreign currency exchange rates. Toyota does not use derivatives for speculation and trading. (http://www.toyota.co.jp/en/ir.html accessed on 14th November 2002) The profitability of Toyota’s operations is affected by many factors including the changes in the value of the Japanese yen against other currencies which Toyota does business. The financial year for Toyota is from 1 April to 31 March. IMPACT OF FOREIGN EXCHANGE RISK ON OPERATION The value of the Japanese yen has fallen generally for the past three years against the dollar and the Euro though there had been periods of  fluctuations. (http://pacific.commerce.ubc.ca/xr/data.html accessed on 14th November 2002). Changes in foreign exchange rate affect Toyota’s revenue, gross margins, operating costs, operating income, net income and retained earnings. Toyota’s cost and liabilities are affected by transaction exposure which relates primarily to sales proceed from Toyota’s non domestic sales produced in Japan. It is also affected to a lesser extent sales proceed from Toyota’s continental Europe sales produced in UK. Toyota’s use of forward exchange rate contracts and currency options is to hedge foreign exchange risk associated with trade receivables denominated primarily in U.S. dollars. Toyota also engages in foreign currency settlements with domestic counter parties. The company enters into forward contracts and purchases currency options (principally euro and dollar) to hedge certain portions of forecasted cash flows denominated in foreign currencies. Additionally, the Company enters into forward exchange contracts to offset the earnings impact relating to exchange rate fluctuations on certain monetary assets and liabilities. The Company enters into forward exchange contracts as hedges of net investments in international operations. This reduces foreign exchange risk and transaction costs in those settlements by handling receipts in the foreign currencies in which they are denominated. Toyota buys supplies from Peugeot in France and is therefore exposed to the Euro exchange rate. It also manufactures engines in Japan for BMW. These inflows and outflows as a result of dealing with these European companies expose Toyota to foreign exchange risks. Cars produced in Japan and other production sites are shipped to Europe and America, which are the major market for Toyota. Toyota has to make a decision as to which currency to price the cars. If the cars are priced in yen in order to avoid foreign exchange risk, Toyota will not be competitive in those markets, as it would have shifted the risk to its customers. If the price is in the domestic currencies Toyota will be exposed to foreign exchange risk. When there is a depreciation or appreciation of the currencies in relation to the yen, Toyota will be torn between changing the price to reflect the change in the exchange rate. This decision will depend on the price elasticity of demand  for cars among other factors. Toyota manages these risks by using forward contracts, money market hedging and option market hedging. Toyota also enters into currency borrowing to address a portion of its transaction risk. Foreign exchange forward contracts are used to limit exposure to losses, resulting from changes in foreign currency exchange rates on accounts receivable and transactions denominated in foreign currencies. Foreign exchange forward contracts, which are designated and effective as hedges of currency, risk on existing assets and liabilities are included as an offset to foreign exchange gain or loss and recorded on the existing assets and liabilities. Foreign currency option is to reduce the risks that are likely to be incurred on account receivable and anticipated transactions denominated in foreign currencies. This has reduced, but not eliminated, the effects of foreign exchange fluctuation. The preparation of Toyota’s consolidated financial statements is in conformity with accounting principles accepted in the United States of America. All assets and liabilities of foreign subsidiaries are translated into Japanese yen at the appropriate year end current rates and all income and expense accounts are translated at rates that approximate those prevailing at the time of the transaction. Toyota therefore uses the temporal method of translation. The resulting translation adjustments are included as a component of accumulated income. Toyota is exposed to translation risk when the results of subsidiaries are translated into yen. The value in yen may not reflect the true value of the subsidiary, as it will also depend on the exchange rate between the two countries at the time of the translation. This can distort significantly when results of different periods are being compared and among various geographical markets. The yen has been stronger in fiscal year 2000 as against 1999. According to Toyota’s Annual Reports, net revenue increased by 6.1% in 1999 and decrease by 0.4% in 2000. If the difference in yen used for translation purposes are eliminated, net revenue would have increased by 5.9% in 1999 and increased by 11.2% in 2000 (http://www.toyota.co.jp/en/ir.html accessed on 14th November 2002). Thus, even though the consolidation figure showed a decrease in net revenue in 2000, it was mainly due to the strengthening of the yen in 2000, which made dollar values smaller after translation. The value of the yen against the Euro and the dollar fell generally for the past three years. The fall of the yen for the past three years has made Toyota reported profit when it is translated into yen though in actual fact it may not have been so. Toyota’s net revenue for fiscal year 2002 showed a 9% increase over the previous year. This is because of the weakening yen and the translation effect. If the difference in yen value used for translation purposes is eliminated, Toyota showed only 2.8% increase. Net revenue increased by 15.5% in North America, 24.8% in Europe and 0.4% in Japan, for fiscal 2002 compared to 2001 after consolidation. If translation effect is eliminated, the net revenue in North America increases by only 2.2% and 12.9% in Europe (http://www.toyota.co.jp/en/ir.html accessed on 14th November 2002). There was a double digit devaluation of the yen to the dollar in the business year ended March 31 2002. Toyota gained 70 billion yen from favourable exchange rate. The US dollar rose to about 127 yen from about 123 yen a year ago. A strong dollar helps the earning of Toyota by boosting the value of overseas revenue when converted into yen. However, translation effect is a reporting consideration and does not affect Toyota’s underlying operation. Toyota does not hedge against translation risk. Toyota manages its operating exposure by diversifying its operation and financing. It has localised much of its production by constructing production units in most of the countries in which it operates. Local operation allows Toyota to purchase most of its supplies and resources used in the production process in currencies that matches the currencies of local revenue with local expenses. Toyota has asked its UK suppliers to settle all bills using Europe’s single currency, the euro (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/873840.stm accessed on 16th November 2002). This reduces its exposure to changes in the value of the pound. Toyota has diversify its finance base by being able to raise funds in more than one place and thereby take advantage in interest rate differentials. Toyota can therefore borrow in Japan, United States of America or Europe to take advantage of interest rate differentials. With the expected fall in the American Interest rate as against the Japanese interest rate, Toyota can borrow in dollars so as to take advantage of the fall in interest rates. The  expected fall in American interest will lead to a fall in the value of dollars in relation to the yen. This fall will make loans and other commitments denominated in dollars less expensive in yen terms. Toyota will therefore gain from the expected depreciation of the dollar. The most obvious source or determinant of economic currency exposure comes from firms having revenues or costs denominated in foreign currencies. These direct or transaction effects are relatively easy to identify and manage. In addition, firms that also have foreign-based operations will have translation exposures that arise from consolidation. At the same time, there are also a number of indirect effects, which can be just as important and apply both to firms engaged in international business and to domestic firms, but which are substantially more difficult to recognise. This indirect economic currency exposure arises from unexpected movements in foreign exchange rates changing the competitive situation of the firm and which affect the firm’s future cash flows (and hence value). GLOBAL ECONOMIC FORECAST INFLATION DIFFERENTIALS The exchange rate stated simply is the price of one currency in terms of another currency. Exchange rate can therefore be expressed in terms of the law of one price which states that â€Å"in the presence of a competitive market structure and the absence of transportation cost and other barriers to trade, identical products which are sold in different markets will sell at the same price in terms of a common currency† (Pilbeam, K. (1992) International Finance, Macmillan). Relative purchasing power parity says that the change in the price level of commodities in one country relative to the rate of change in price levels in another country determines the exchange rate between the two countries. This in other words means that the rate of inflation in one country relative to another determines the rate of change in their respective currencies. (Ross et al, 1999). Thus if there is higher inflation in one country in relation to others, prices of goods and services will increase in th at country in relation with others and exchange  rates have to change accordingly in response to inflation differentials. According to the World Economic Outlook of the International Monetary Fund (http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2002/02/pdf/appendix.pdf accessed on 14th November 2002), inflation is expected to move from -1.40% in 2002 to -1.2% in 2003 in Japan. This is 14.3% rise in inflation in Japan. Inflation in United States of America is expected to move from 1.2% in 2002 to 1.9% in 2003. American inflation is expected to increase by 58.3% whereas inflation in the Euro area is expected to decrease by 17.4%. This means that prices of goods and services in America will increase more than prices in Japan whiles prices in Europe is expected to decrease. The expected increase in the prices in America will lead to the depreciation of the dollar against the yen in order to maintain the purchasing power parity. The relative decrease in the level of inflation in Europe as against Japan will lead to the appreciation of the Euro against the yen. The yen is therefore expected to appreciate against the dollar but depreciate against the Euro. This will affect Toyota’s revenues and profits, as whatever amount is translated from dollar to yen will be lower comparatively. However, it will gain when the Euro is translated, as values will be higher after translation. BALANCE OF PAYMENT Balance of Payment measures the flow of economic transactions between the residents of a given country and the residents of other countries during a certain period of time. The use of balance of payment data to forecast foreign exchange rates assumes a fixed exchange rate regime. The balance of payment suggests that the current account get worse as national income rises. This is because the increased income will lead to increased income will lead to increased demand for goods and services including foreign products. This will lead to an increased demand for foreign currencies and a decrease in the value of the domestic currency. The basic tendency is for domestic currency to weaken to pay for the increased imports. In a fixed exchange regime, when this falls below certain limits the domestic government will have to intervene by selling resaves of foreign currencies in the foreign exchange market (Buckley, A. 2000). The same is with surplus where instead of selling foreign currencies, the government will buy foreign  currencies. This will increase demand or supply of foreign currencies and therefore affect the price i.e. the exchange rate. Thus if domestic income levels were to rise, the increase will lead to transaction demand for money which means that if the money stock and interest rates are held constant, the increased demand can only come about through a fall in domestic prices. The fall in domestic prices will then requires a depreciation of the currency to maintain purchasing power parity. However, an increase in foreign income levels leads to a fall in foreign prices level and therefore a depreciation of the home currency to maintain purchasing power parity (Pilbeam 1993). If there is increased demand for Japanese goods and services by Americans and Europeans then the yen is likely to appreciate, as the demand for yen will increase. However, under a floating exchange system, the government has no responsibility to peg the exchange rate. The fact that the overall balance does not sum to zero will automatically alter the exchange rate in the direction necessary to obtain a Balance of Payment close to zero (Eitman et al). If the country is running a substantial current account deficit whilst the capital and financial account balance is zero, it will have a deficit Balance of Payment. There will be excess supply of domestic currency and the market will rid itself of the imbalance by lowering the price through the depreciation of the currency. INTEREST RATE DIFFERNTIALS The interest rate parity theorem implies that if interest rates are higher domestically than in a particular foreign country, the foreign country’s currency will be selling at a premium in the forward market; and if interest rates are lower domestically, the foreign currency will be selling at a discount in the forward market (Ross et al 1999). The link between interest rate and exchange rate is explained by the International Fisher Effect, which holds that the interest rate differential is an unbiased predictor of future changes in the spot exchange rate (Rugman et al 2000). This differential is also important in determing forward exchange rates because this rate would be that which neutralises the difference in interest rates between the two countries. If the interest rate of one country is expected to fall in relation to another country, this will make the demand for  financial instruments denominated in that currency to fall. This fall in demand for financial instruments will lead to a fall in demand of that currency and therefore a depreciation of that currency. However, if interest rates are expected to rise in relation to other countries, there will be an increase in demand for financial instruments denominated in that currency and an appreciation of the currency. In practical terms, the international fisher effect implies that while an investor in a low interest country can convert his funds into the currency of a high interest country and get paid a higher rate, his gain (the interest rate differential) will be offset by the expected loss because of foreign exchange rate changes. The recent announcement of a fall in the American interest rate whilst the Japanese interest rate remain constant will lead to a fall in the demand for dollar denominated instruments and therefore a fall in the value of the dollar in relation to the yen. The Euro interest rate is not expected to change and therefore the exchange rate between the yen and the Euro may not change on the basis of interest rates. RISK MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES â€Å"Toyota uses a value-at-risk analysis (â€Å"VAR†) to evaluate its exposure to changes in foreign currency exchange rates. The value-at-risk of the combined foreign exchange position represents a potential loss in pre-tax earnings that are estimated to be  ¥25.2 billion as of March 31, 2001 and  ¥24.0 billion as of March 31, 2002. Based on Toyota’s overall currency exposure (including derivative positions), the risk during the year ended March 31, 2002 to pre-tax cash flow from currency movements was on average  ¥25.0 billion, with a high of  ¥26.7 billion and a low of  ¥22.9 billion. The value-at-risk was estimated by using a variance/ covariance model and assumed a 95% confidence level on the realization date and a 10-day holding period. Toyota changed the model used for calculation of value-at-risk from â€Å"variance/covariance† method to â€Å"Monte Carlo Simulation† method because Toyota introduced a new system, which Toyota considers more effective for risk management purposes. The prior year amounts have been restated to the fiscal 2002 presentation.† (Toyota Annual Report 2002) LEADING AND LAGGING. Larger, more centralized corporations have additional options that may be employed to help control the foreign exchange risk of inter company transactions. One effective and potentially profitable approach involves leading (prepaying) payments when the payer’s currency is devaluing against the payment currency and lagging those payments if the payer’s currency is appreciating. Lagging is when a company pays its financial commitments late so as to take advantage of a devaluing currency. Leading on the other hand is paying early before a currency devalues. It serves as a means of shifting liquidity between subsidiaries to avoid bid – ask spreads and take advantage of interest rate differentials (Clark E. et al 1993). Toyota should take advantage of the fall in the interest rates in United States and subsequent expected fall in the value of the dollar. The American subsidiary should pay early all monies owned to the parent company in Japan. This will give a higher value than waiting for the dollar to devalue before paying. From a company wide standpoint, the treasurer can direct leading and lagging policy in order to take advantage of the favourable effects of exchange rate fluctuations. Additionally, leading and lagging policies may be used to shift funds from cash-rich to cash-poor affiliates, thereby improving short-term liquidity. However, leading and lagging is only possibly when the company has 100% ownership of the subsidiary. This is because the effect of an extended or reduced payment date alters the relative rate of return of each subsidiary. This is unfair to minority shareholders, as they do not necessarily benefit from such a practise that benefits the multinational as a whole. (Eiteman et al 2001). Toyota’s subsidiary in the US has minority shareholders like General Motors and these will be at a disadvantage if Toyota should use leading and lagging to manage its exposure. Inequality may arise unless the adjustment is made to reflect a subsidiary’s sacrifice. NETTING. Netting inter company transfers is another form of international cash management strategy that Toyota can employ. It requires a high degree of centralization. The basis of netting is that, within a closed group of related companies, total payables will always equal total receivables. Netting is useful primarily when a large number of separate foreign exchange  transaction occur between subsidiaries (Eiteman et al 2001). Thus instead of Toyota paying monies owed to and by each subsidiary, the subsidiaries can net off each others debt and thereby not deal in the foreign exchange market. In order to reduce the bank transaction cost, such as spread between foreign exchange bid and ask quotations and transfer fees, Toyota should establish an in house netting centre. The exposure that remains–net payments to payees–can then be hedged in the forward market if desired. The advantages of netting are  · A reduction in foreign exchange conversion fees and funds transfer fees as commissions on foreign exchange transactions and funds transfer are drastically reduced.  · A quicker settlement of obligations reducing the group’s overall exposure. REINVOICING. Reinvoicing goes one step beyond the centralized approach of multilateral netting by way of a clearing centre. A reinvoicing centre buys goods from the manufacturing subsidiary or parent, without taking possession, and reinvoices other company affiliates or third parties when it sells the goods. By conducting all transactions in the affiliate’s functional currency, the reinvoicing centre bears all currency risks. This prevents the FC exposures from distorting the subsidiary’s operating profit (loss). In addition, the reinvoicing centre allows for centralized cash flow management, increase international business expertise and opportunities for arbitrage. The centre also improves and centralizes banking relationships and acts as a central purchasing agent for subsidiaries. Most important, the reinvoicing centre can assess its net position on all inter company transactions and hedge in the forward market accordingly. Problems with reinvoicing centres are * Some countries prohibit reinvoicing centres, as well as any third-party billing (for example, France, Spain,). * They are very expensive to set up because sophisticated information systems and legal and tax expertise are required. BACK TO BACK LOANS Back to back loans is when two firms arrange to borrow money in each others currency so as to avoid the risk associated with exchange rate fluctuation. Toyota can enter into an agreement with an American company that has a subsidiary in Japan. Toyota can then lend yen to the Japanese subsidiary of the American company and the American company in turn lends Toyota’s American subsidiary money in dollars. This will reduce the risk that Toyota will have had if it had lend the money to its American subsidiary as the expected fall in the value of the dollar will have reduced the amount of yen to be received. The advantage with back to back loan is there will not be the need to change currencies as loans will have been contracted in the functional currency of the subsidiary and therefore there will be no risk. However it is very difficult to get a partner who will be prepared to enter into such an arrangement. NATURAL HEDGING Natural hedging is to manage an anticipated exposure to a particular currency by acquiring a debt denominated in that currency. Thus if a firm has a long term inflow in one currency, the firm can acquire an outflow in the form of a loan in the same currency and use the inflow to service the debt. Since Toyota’s main markets are the USA and Europe, it can take out loans in Euro or dollars and use the proceeds from its operations to pay for the loan. Toyota will then not have to bother about the exchange rate fluctuation, as it will be paying the loan from proceeds generated from local operations. Toyota is also asking its British suppliers to bill them in the Euro so as to reduce the risk. This is effective in eliminating currency exposed when the exposure cash flow is relatively constant and predictable over time (Eiteman et al 2001) FORWARD CONTRACT Forward contract is an agreement to exchange currencies of different countries at a specific future date and at a specific forward rate (Eiteman et al 2001). If Toyota has receivables denominated in US dollars in the form of loans owed to the parent company, it can enter into a forward contract to hedge against the expected fall in the value of the dollar. When the value of the dollar depreciates, Toyota will therefore not be at risk. However, should the predictions not come true and the dollar rather appreciates, Toyota would have lost the opportunity of earning more on the spot market. REFERENCES 1. BUCKLEY, A. (2000) multinational finance. 4th ed., Harlow : Financial Times Prentice Hall. 2 CLARK, E. LEVASSEUR, M. ROUSSEAU, P. (1993) international finance, London : Chapman and Hall. 3 PILBEAM, K. (1992) international finance, Basingstoke : Macmillan Education. 4 RUGMAN, A. M. (2000) international business: a strategic management approach, 2nd ed., Harlow: Financial Times/Prentice Hall. 5. EITEMAN, D.K., STONEHILL, A.I., MOFFETT, M. H. (2001) Multinational business finance, 9th ed., 6.ROSS, S.A., WESTERFIELD, R., JAFFE, J. (1999) corporate finance, 5th ed., London: McGraw Hill. 6. (http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2002/02/pdf/appendix.pdf accessed on 14th November 2002), 7. (http://www.toyota.co.jp/en/ir.html accessed on 14th November 2002) 8. (http://pacific.commerce.ubc.ca/xr/data.html accessed on 14th November 2002) 9. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/873840.stm accessed on 16th November 2002)

Fast Food Research Paper Essay

1. Why is fast food bad for you? 2. What are the effects of eating fast food? 3. What are some successful fast food industries and there business strategies? Introduction It seems harmless, satisfies your hunger, and is cheap, but really is egregiously unhealthy. The fast food industry is very smart; they have many sly business strategies to make money. They target children and students and make millions of dollars in profit. Each and every day people choose to eat at fast food restaurants because it quick, especially for people with jobs and are always in a hurry, and because it’s delicious; but many do not know the truth behind it and the harmful effects that contributes to eating fast food continuously. Fast food is made of low quality ingredients and consists mainly of sugar, fat, high calories, and high sodium. Fast food causes obesity and nothing is being done to stop this major issue in America right now. Some fast food chains are: McDonalds, Burger King, Wendy’s, and KFC. The list could go on and on which is the problem, fast food restaurants are everywhere! When it’s dark outside and you are driving home from work and you see the big flashy fast food restaurant signs, the temptation never ends, the business techniques are very cunning and fast food can become addicting so it’s important to always be cautious of why fast food is bad, the effects, fast food restaurants and their business strategies/techniques. Why Is Fast Food Bad? An average human being should consume about 400-600 in about one meal, when eating fast food one item on the menu start at 750 calories (â€Å"The Raw Prawns† n. p.). People may think fast food in moderation is okay but the truth is once you begin a fast food eating routine where you visit almost daily it will be very hard to get out of the routine and can sometimes be addicting (â€Å"Why Fast Food is Bad For You† n. p. ). When on the road a local fast food restaurant seems very convenient and a smart decision to go there, but if you care about you personal health don’t make that decision simply make a healthier choice. Fast food can be dangerous and if nothing soon can be done to address this severe problem in the near future then the obesity and death rates will increase immensely. Fast food is not a balanced diet, it consists mainly of meat and bread and a small amount of lettuce and tomato which are not organic at all. (â€Å"Obesity Facts† n. p. ). This kind of diet is very deadly and is one of the leading causes of obesity and death in America (â€Å"Eating Yourself to Death† n. p. ). The Effects Almost all fast food is deep fried and processed, they contain excessive amounts of sodium which is extremely unhealthy for the body, and in the desserts everything is high in sugar content and calories (â€Å"Obesity Facts† n. p. ). Obesity: Indicates that the body has too much fat. *It is not the same as being overweight, which means weighing too much. It is a result from over eating, or continuously eating fast food. In America, there are over 300, 000 fast food restaurants and 50 million people are served everyday! (â€Å"How Unhealthy is Fast Food† n. p. ). This is why America has the highest number of obese people in the world. Fast food causes heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, tooth decay, and diabetes (â€Å"3 reasons Why Fast Food id Bad For You† n. p. ). When continuously eating fast food, such as French fries, heavy, burgers, and sugary drinks it causes people to become more and more lazy; they don’t pay attention to their health and their physical activity level decreases (â€Å"How Unhealthy is Fast Food? † n. p. ). In addition, recent study shows there’s a chance depression can tie into eating excessive amounts of fast food. Who is to blame? How do they do it? As of now in the United States there are 22 fast food franchises. McDonalds was the first franchise to open in 1940 and since then they have been the leading and most successful franchise in America (â€Å"The Raw Prawn† n.p. ). Other franchises include: Burger King, KFC, Wendy’s, Arby’s, and Taco Bell. Each of which target young students and children. Most of them have a value menu where items to purchase are cheap and tasty but very unhealthy. Some fast food restaurants provide a toy for children with their meal which attract them to come again and again ( â€Å"Eating Yourself to Death† n. p. ). In addition, some restaurants contain an indoor play ground which attracts small children even more. The fast food industry mainly brings customers for their tasty food and simple convenience, they attach a drive thru to their building making it faster for customers to purchase and collect their food which is also less time consuming. Recently in the past few years, fast food franchises have begun to change their restaurant and attempt to become healthier as a whole, in some fast food restaurants they have a nutritional menu to choose from which generally contain healthier food compared to the regular menu (â€Å"The Raw Prawn† n. p. ). Conclusion After researching about fast food and understanding how the huge industry works. I can conclude that the effects of eating fast food on a day to day basis are horrific. It is very unhealthy; the best thing to do is avoid it even if you are in a hurry. Fast Food chains are everywhere the signs are big and flashy and very tempting, it’s important to know what the food can do to the human body so just simply avoid the restaurant. Everyone should be healthy and live as long as possible, fast food is a killer all it does is drain you money and can slowly kill. Do not fall for the sneaky business techniques and strategies the fast food industry uses to gain money. Be smart, avoid fast food, and stay healthy!

Philosophy Statement

I believe that each child learns at their own pace, and it’s important to accommodate each individual. To reference Pestalozzi, I also believe children have more meaningful learning experiences with hands-on activities and it allows them to draw their own conclusions because they are experiencing what they’re learning first hand. I believe it’s my job as a teacher to create an environment that encourages children to think critically and allow them to experience things first hand.I also understand that each child learns differently, and not every child is the same, and it’s my job as a teacher to accommodate them to the best of my ability and create an environment where children feel comfortable to ask questions or voice their opinions. My goal as a teacher is to be a good role model to my students. I want to be able to develop a relationship with each of my students. I to be able help children with their self esteem by promoting individuality and diversity .I also understand the importance of assessment and believe it’s my job to assess each student thoroughly to better understand them and help them through whatever they are struggling with. I also believe it’s important to create an environment that promotes a child’s autonomy, to help them draw their own conclusions and think critically to help them build skills early on that they will need throughout adulthood. Over all I want to be the one teacher in a child’s life who made a difference.I believe that one of my strengths is that I’m accepting of others. I come from a half Hispanic and half Irish family and I was immersed in both cultures. I accept people no matter their religion, culture, or ethnicity and I promote diversity because I come from a diverse family. I believe this will be a very positive attribute when dealing with families and students because not every student is the same and it’s important to make each family feel welcome i n the classroom regardless of their cultural background.I also believe that I am a very observant person which would be a very important skill in assessing my students which is a very significant part of being a teacher. I’ve always been observant, even as a child, I wanted to understand how things worked and why certain things affected others. Properly assessing students can put help put a stop to bullying, it can allow the teacher to better understand their students and find a method of teaching that works for each individual, and also can help keep parents updated on their child’s learning development.An area of future growth would be my communication skills. I’m not very articulate when I talk to crowds; I get nervous and falter my words. I’m more of a quiet person, I like to keep thoughts to myself and when I’m forced to express them I feel out of my element. This is something that is a work in progress and it is, slowly but surely, getting mu ch easier for me. This is very important as a teacher to be able to effectively speak to the students and teach the material well. It’s also very important to keep in contact with parents to update them on activities and their child’s progress.

Cooking Failure

There is always that one person we know that can cook just about anything, my mother is that one person. Sadly that gene must have skipped a generation, I am the worst cook imaginable. I have so many failing attempts in the kitchen that I lost count. The one I recall the most the first time I attempted to make dinner for my family. I was roughly twelve years old, and in my family, most girls my age were able to cook extravagant meals. At the time I could barely make an egg with our burning it, so it was a stressful first experience. In my dreams I am Martha Stewart but in reality I am a kitchen failure.The first thing I do is I get all the ingredients and utensils I will need. A medium sized pan and pot, a strainer, noodles, a pound of ground beef and spaghetti sauce store bought of course- I don't even attempt to make my own, due to the fact that I might burn it which I've done in the past. When I start making the spaghetti I put the noodles in water and let them boil for a couple o f minutes. As the noodles are cooking, I heat the sauce in the medium sized pan. I check in on the noodles and they seem a little under cooked so I leave them there for a couple more minutes.When I assume the noodles are just right I check on them and find that all the water has evaporated and the noodles are burned at the bottom and suck together. I scrape off the bottom layer and leave it in the pot to cool down. For some reason it occurred to me to run a fork through the strand to see if I were able to separate them. At first it started to resemble the noodles, but I got a little carried away and ran the fork through to many times and the pieces were starting to come looking more like a pile of mushy-strand squash than noodles. You could notice the burnt taste to it but it was still edible .I was so grateful that there’s no one else here tonight other than my family that I had to feed. The next thing I do is check on the sauce, but what my mother didn’t tell me was that I had to keep the burner on a low temperature to prevent the sauce from burning. I ended up ruining the pot in the end but my mom ended up saving the sauce by add extra spices to the sauce a crushed clove of garlic. Then she mixed a 1 teaspoon of peanut butter into the sauce. As much as I consider my mom to be the next â€Å"Martha Stewart† none of her tricks were able to save that pot.The next thing that I did after the sauce was fixed I started on the ground beef, it didn’t know that as it heat up some of the oils off of it would jump up and might burn you, and as I was trying to stir the bread I was to scared of getting burned that I didn’t move it was much as I should have. And that caused some parts to be to be over cooked and others to be under cooked. There was no saving the meat from that, but my mother assumed this would happen- the lack in faith in her was a little insulting but I have to say it was good that she that she thought ahead and bought an extra pound of ground beef.My second attempt turned out better, not just because I made an excuse to leave the room almost every time I had to stir the meat. Then the spaghetti is done, I moved on to making in garlic bread. I assumed that the bread would be easier to make than the spaghetti, I was wrong. The way my mother does it is she makes homemade paste that does on the bread. For the paste I was suppose to use only one clove of garlic but I used two. Then to make it worse when I put it in the oven to get warm and golden I was supposed to keep it in the oven for at least five minutes and when I took them out the ends were burnt so badly they turned black.After scrapping off the burnt off I have to say they weren't that bad. The only thing that I can think of is that I could have done better was keeping an eye on the food. Also not asking for help when needed and in result burning most of the meal. But to be honest, I’m not sure whether something went wrong or whether i t was my high expectations that I set for myself that were off of how the meal would turn out, but considering that it was my first time cooking I think I did a decent job.Now at the age of seventeen, I've prepared all the foods I learned from watching my mom over the past years. Chicken and various pastas are also easy to prepare as someone still learning. I know my limits as a cook and don't take on foods I'm not ready to prepare. Whether I'm making my own dishes or following a family recipe, I find experimentation a fun alternative when I have time to play around the kitchen- with the help of my mother of course. These aren't the most difficult foods to make, but its unique practice for a first-time cook.You don't have to enjoy cooking, but if you make it fun, then the process may not seem so difficult. I learned that It's also important to not feel overwhelmed when booking and to have fun, and it also could be a good stress reliever. Otherwise, you may be tempted to just order o ut every night, which will become a costly expense over time. I've only been cooking for a short period of time, but I already feel at home in the kitchen. The oven is no longer a dark, scary dungeon to me, and the microwave is for cooking as a last resort. It's necessary to keep an open-mind in the kitchen.