Promote children wellbeing and safety Essay

The safety and welfare of the children is very important in every se? ng as indicated in sec? on 3 of the statutory framework for the early year’s founda? on stage 2014. All providers must meet the necessary requirements to make sure the children are kept safe and well. In my se? ng we have three rooms which are the baby room, toddler room and pre-school. As I work in the toddler room I care for children age ranging between 16 months to 27months old. The children to sta) ra? o is very important as this ensures that the children’s needs and  safety is met. If the children are under two years old then we have a sta) ra? o of 1 adult to 3 children and if the children are over 2 years old then we have a sta) ra? o of 1 adult to 4 children. The toddler room can hold up to 27 children with 9 members of sta) ranging from a room leader, senior nursery nurse, level 2 and 3 quali+ed and some sta) who are unquali+ed but working towards their quali+ca? on. All sta) members are CRB checked to make sure that the children are safe hands.

Traveling is a way of exploring the different parts of the world

Traveling is a way of exploring the different parts of the world and enjoying it at the same time. I believe that everyone desires to travel in order to unwind and savor the fruit of their labor.One of the greatest and best places to visit with during vacation is Mexican Riviera. It has extraordinary and superb spots with accommodating people that tourists will surely not forget. Long before, I always heard about Mexican Riviera Cruise and it really attracted my attention.I am hoping then that if ever opportunity knocks on my door to travel with Mexican Riviera Cruise, I will immediately grab it without any second thought. Fortunately, the hope I have to travel with Mexican Riviera Cruise came to pass this summer.   My Mexican Riviera Cruise took me to beautiful sceneries, but it was Acapulco that really impressed me. For me, Acapulco is the most beautiful place in the world.Thesis Statement:This paper intent to discuss why I consider Acapulco the most beautiful place in the world and know about why tourists are attracted to visit this placeI. Discussion:Our first stopped was in Acapulco. The initial word that was on my mind when I first stepped in Acapulco was â€Å"wow†! Acapulco is the most beautiful place in the world. The place is totally amazing.I can say that this place is the best Mexican Riviera resort because it has its indescribable sceneries that no matter how many trendier resorts have came out yet Acapulco continually maintains its competitive natural beauty.Acapulco also has its latest and trendier resort hotels that continuously growing. It also has water sports that will surely be enjoyed by tourists. I also visited the La Quebrada as its main attraction to tourists. Acapulco is a city and seaport in Guerrero State, Mexico. It is about 185 miles south- southwest of Mexico City.Much of Acapulco is perched on high, rocky cliffs overlooking scenic coves and beaches of Acapulco Bay, an inlet of the Pacific Ocean. The city is an internation ally famous seaside resort with luxurious hotels and glittering nightclubs. It is also a shipping point for coffee, sugar, cotton, and hides.Tourists are also attracted by the warm climate, beautiful beaches, water sports, and casinos which the nation’s main source of income. Many tourists come and go in Acapulco. For them it is like their sanctuary whenever they needed to relax and unwind.In conclusion, Acapulco is the most beautiful place because of its magnificent beaches that are so clean and blue and resorts that are incomparable. Basically, the place has nice beaches and attractive spots that everyone would love.It also provides water sports like scuba diving and snorkeling and have plenty of boutiques, shops and restaurants where tourists can visit.

Comptency Statement Essay

Reflective Statement To maintain professionalism I attend yearly trainings such as child abuse/neglect, customer service, medication, and first aid and cpr. In these trainings the purpose is to receive information and to utilize it in the work environment. Another way to maintain professionalism is to keep our parents informed on daily reports of their children and in the classroom. Their children are their pride and joy and we as care givers must provide daily sheets, communication, and conferences to keep them informed on their children progress. The conferences are definitely a key piece of informative information. It lets them know what areas their children are developing in such as cognitive, physical, and social/emotional. Also, the parents can invoice their concerns and questions which can be helpful for teachers. Teachers can also inform that their conferences and daily observations are kept confidential by creating an account with teaching strategies and protected by a password that the teacher only have access to their children information. I choose childcare because it is where the learning process begins. I want to be the individual Who teaches them the fundamentals of cognitive, physical, and social-emtional development. Childcare is a highly demanding field and opens doors in all aspects of the educational field. It can go from being a childcare provider into becoming a teacher. Childcare takes a lot of patience, imagination, and the ability to deal with different types of personality. I am ready, willing and able to handle the joy of being a leader to our future. I maintain professionalism by being respectful to my colleagues and my parents. I do this by maintaining a neutral tone in my voice and speaking proper English. With my colleagues I find this to be the best result in any conflict and to let them know that I am easy to approach and that I will  maintain respect for them at all times. With my parents speaking proper English to them lets them know that I am educated and that I have knowledge and knowhow of the information that I am giving them in circumstances of the early childhood field.

Description And Comparison Of Two Companies (Part III) Research Paper

Description And Comparison Of Two Companies (Part III) - Research Paper Example The company is a part of automotive industry that manufactures some of the best automobiles, motorcycles as well as engines in the world. With the BMW Group owning three of the world’s best automobile brands- BMW, Mini and Rolls Royce and a total revenue of â‚ ¬76.84 billion in2012, BMW Group has become one of the leading premium brands in the world. The company is well known for its innovation, technology and quality. Louis Vuitton Louis Vuitton Malletier commonly referred to as LV, headquartered in Paris, is a French company founded in 1854. The company is a part of the retail industry that manufactures and sells a variety of products-shoes, watches, sunglasses, luxury trunks, accessories, jewelry and many other items. LV is one of the leading premium luxury fashion brands in the world. The company earned revenue of â‚ ¬3.2 billion in 2012. Target market BMW The BMW has a very strict target market. It only targets the luxury sector and avoids the entanglement in the ma ss production of average cars. BMW targets the elite and affluent class of the world for its real BMW. However, the company moved to target the upper middle-class with its new Mini and the 1 series. Louis Vuitton Louis Vuitton has a very limited target market of very wealthy people with high disposable incomes around the world. Nonetheless, the company targets both genders and a varying age from 16 to 80. Competitors BMW Mercedes-Benz and Audi are two of the most pertinent competitors of BMW. These three are referred to as the ‘German Big 3’ and are the leading premium automaker brands in the world. Louis Vuitton Hermes, Chanel and Gucci are some of the strong direct competitors to Louis Vuitton. These brands, along with LV, have remained the top ranked premium brands for the last few years. (Zelesny, 2011) Business Risks BMW BMW terms the volatility in the environment, the high debt levels and the uncertainty in the relevant industry as some of the most important busin ess risks to the company. (Annual Report, 2012) Currently, the ongoing strikes in South Africa will cost the company extra 25 percent of the regular cost to import the cars into the lucrative African market. (Furlonger, 2013) Louis Vuitton Louis Vuitton referred to the slowdown in the renewed growth of the world economy as well as the Euro crisis as risks hindering the growth of the company. It also referred to the foreign exchange risk culmination due to the weakening of the Euro. (Annual Report, 2012) The sudden surge for the Louis Vuitton’s logo bags caused a gap in the supply, which converted into a business risk as it hindered the continuous supply of the brands in the market. (Financial Times, 2013)The maturing of the taste in one of the largest markets – China has resulted in the Louis Vuitton logo fatigue. This will cause the Chinese consumers to move to alternate cheap brands. (Roberts, 2012) Fiscal Year BMW BMW Group’s financial year ends on 31st Decem ber. (Annual Report, 2012) Louis Vuitton Louis Vuitton’s financial year ends on 31st December. (Annual Report, 2012) Stock Exchange BMW BMW is listed on the Frankfurt Xetra stock exchange in Germany. Louis Vuitton Louis Vuitton is listed on the EN Paris stock exchange. Financial Principles BMW The notes to the BMW financial statements 2012 strictly signify that the company-followed uniform accounting policies and principles in accordance with IAS 20, IAS 27, IAS 33, IFRS 2 and others. This company follows international accounting principles. (Annual Report,

Derivatives And Risk Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Derivatives And Risk Management - Essay Example Risk management is the process of identifying, understanding, analysing, accepting, or mitigating risk. Risk management can be divided into two main processes, determining the level of risk exposure in an investment and then handling that risk in the best way possible in line with the objectives of the investment (George, 2012, pp.34-38). The risk of financial exposure affects all organisations, both directly and indirectly. Though financial exposure presents the opportunity for loss, it may also present strategic benefits for making profits. The financial losses of a company arise from three main sources. The first source of risk is a company’s exposure to changes in the market prices of commodities (Philippe, 2001, pp.23-25). Second is through actions and transactions of third parties such as creditors and counterparties to derivative transactions, and finally are financial risks occurring from the internal failures of the organisation, people, or processes. Financial risk arises from countless transactions of a financial nature which an organization engages in such as purchases, investments, and loans repayments. If financial prices rise, there is the possibility that the company makes financial losses (Philippe, 2001, pp.3-6). ... Financial risk management usually involves the use of derivatives which are traded widely among financial market players. A derivative is a security whose price is derived from one or more other assets. It is just a contract between two parties specifying conditions under which payments will be made in future between the two parties. Examples of derivatives are options, futures, forwards, and swaps. In the past, diversification was the main way of financial risk management but has now been overrun by the availability of derivatives in most markets which makes it possible for both corporate as well as individual investors to manage risks (Whittaker, 2009, p.19). This paper will analyse the concept of hedging in financial risk management, the best hedging strategies, swaps, and options as they are used in risk management. 2.0 Hedging Vs. Speculation The management of risks involves the use of derivatives. Derivatives in financial risk management refer to securities whose value depends on the value of the underlying asset. Among the kinds of derivatives that exist in financial market includes futures, forward contracts, option, and swaps (Smith & Stulz, 2009, pp.267-284). The underlying assets whose values the derivatives depend on are stocks, bonds, interest rate, foreign exchange instruments, and even commodities. The respective derivatives for these assets are stock options, interest rates futures, currency futures, bond options, and commodity futures. Hedging is the strategy that is used when managing the risk of the underlying asset using derivatives (Nance, et al, 1993, pp.267-284). In financial markets, a hedge can be referred to as an investment position whose purpose is to offset a potential future

Pharmaceutical Industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Pharmaceutical Industry - Essay Example This guarantees the evaluation of all pharmaceutical products in America where the Food and Drug Administration regards them as both safe and effective before the product can be widely distributed and sold (Laws.com, 2013). Failure to understand the medication or conduct thorough clinical trials of the product by a pharmaceutical company in this industry attracts civil lawsuits (Laws.com, 2013). The most popular pharmaceutical companies in this industry include GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer, and AstraZeneca (Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry, 2011) where pharmaceutical companies from the United States dominate the industry (WHO, 2014).Pfizer Inc. is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world in terms of revenues. Headquartered in New York City, Pfizer Inc. is an American multinational pharmaceutical corporation and the world's largest research-based pharmaceutical company (Pfizer Inc, 2013). The company does its research in Connecticut, United States. It reco rded US$ 58.98 billion revenues in 2012 (Pfizer Inc, 2013). Johnson & Johnson is another American multinational pharmaceutical company that embraces research and science with an aim of bringing innovative ideas, products and services to advance the health and well-being of people (Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc, 2014). Headquartered in New Brunswick, New Jersey USA, Johnson & Johnson is the world’s largest and most diverse medical devices and diagnostics company (Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc, 2014).

At&T Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

At&T - Research Paper Example it covers the national and the regional business markets, spending $100K-1M & $50K-100K on each respectively (Kalata, 2011). The SMB currently has 125K accounts. Besides these three major groups, it has global ramifications which it labels as ‘Most of World’ (MOW) which incorporates the non US based clientele, where the projected spend is $500K, and also offers government solutions in the local government, educational and medical sectors’ (Kalata, 2011). AT&T offers network, devices as well as applications’ to its consumer base. Focus Strategy AT&T has developed its product lines for its varied customer base by focusing on differentiation and cost leadership which can be illustrated with Porter’s Generic Model. ... It has also diversified into the TV broadcast (DIRECTV) and yellow pages business, offering multimedia local search solutions. Their IP (Internet Protocol) based business communications services are considered the most advanced in the world. The company offers tailor made solutions for the different cultural groups within the United States , never forgetting what is important for the consumers, shareholders, business associates and employees. Key Success Metrics In the highly competitive global environment, survival and sustainability of a company depends upon the level of its adaptability to the continuously changing consumer demand, ability to come up with affordable and technically abreast products for its market, good employee management and judicious expenditure of resources. In terms of its financial infrastructure, AT&T is a giant amongst its competitors and its workforce is one of the best in the telecommunications sector. AT&T has diversified its business and focused on aspe cts in which it can really excel. It has kept its primary focus on developing GSM wireless networks which occupy the envious position of being 88% of the currently prevalent global networks. It is therefore the largest US operator in the global market. Being the best provider of 3G networks, it is gradually focusing on transitioning towards the 4G technology, although its global deployment may take some years. The latest technology in communications known as LTE is already undergoing trials under the aegis of AT&T. The company has invested billions in its wireless networks around the world. In 2009, AT&T invested $17.3 billion and intended to increase the amount further in

The ways in which use of the strange and unfamiliar prompts the reader Research Paper

The ways in which use of the strange and unfamiliar prompts the reader to think about the known and the familiar - Research Paper Example However, the Goblin Market is a poem which is narrated by Christina Rossetti’s, the poem describes the markets place dynamic and Rossetti depicts on how the† Goblin† or the merchant’s cries for the business. The merchants croon by shouting out loud for the crowd to come and buy, come and buy which they repeat it several times so that they can attract the customer’s attention to go, and buy their products. The merchant does this by preparing the list of the items in a paratactic manner. These two books try to analyze the ways in which the use of the strange and unfamiliar prompts the reader to think about the known and the familiar. All through the ages, the man has always struggled in defining the necessary situation of the utopian society. Writers along with philosophers proclaim that they discovered the key to perfect societal structure; however, they sometimes fall short in a number of aspects. The perfect society cannot easily be attained, and almost impossible to achieve it completely. Gulliver’s Travels, invites readers into the world which is ruled by the creatures who looks like the horses, recognized as Houyhnhnms, who in spite of being kind, calm, and coherent, they lack the critical thought as well as wisdom. These animals rule their whole lives on the morals of reason, good value, wisdom, and self-control, and they believe that, the only means of living is by being friendly as well as benevolent, to their own kindness. Gulliver’s Travel is a story of adventuring that involves several voyages of a man by the name Lemuel Gulliver, known to be a surgeon because of the series of the mishaps and an ability to route to the recognized ports and end ups on several of the unknown islands where he lives with the people as well as, animals of the unusual sizes, he is able to go back to his home in

Key message FAQ Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Key message FAQ - Essay Example The school immediately encrypted the student files to prevent any future breach of the student records. 3. The school’s information retrieval trail proves there was no illegal retrieval of the confidential students’ personal data. The initial findings of the continuing investigation affirm only individuals using the correct passwords had accessed the student records. The continuing school investigation affirmed there is nothing to worry about. 4. No one had filed a complaint of any breach of the student files. This affirms that the unencrypted data remains confidential. Anyone who does not know the correct passwords cannot access the same student files. 5. There were no complaints of any unauthorized retrieval of confidential student data. The school’s effective anti-hacking tools & strong firewall software effectively prevented all unauthorized retrieval of any student information from the university’s server during the unencrypted records period. Yes. During February of 2014, one authorized university registrar’s office employee noticed the data was recorded using the unencrypted method immediately reported the issue during February. The information was immediately changed to the encrypted method (Indiana University, 2014). Records show that only one authorized school employee discovered the 150,000 student records were not encrypted (Piurek, 2014). The school history trail affirms there was no unauthorized retrieval of the student information. Only those having the right passwords had accessed the student files. This indicates only authorized students and authorized school employees had retrieved the confidential unencrypted student data (Indiana University, 2014). The school investigation indicated passwords were used to prevent the authorized retrieval of the unencrypted student data. The school software prevented the hacking of the

Name three ideas embraced by the Futurists and relate those three Essay

Name three ideas embraced by the Futurists and relate those three ideas to a particular work of art - Essay Example Dynamism of a cyclist by Umberto Boccioni is a masterpiece of futurist art in its true sense. While the painting projects a collage of images that basically conjure the image of a cyclist in motion thereby not rendering any clear format other than that of some definite geometrical shapes as well as colours. Obviously very much futurist by nature, Dynamism of a Cyclist as a piece of art lives up to all the major features of futurist art. The cyclist in motion represents the essence of future by exhibiting motion which in turn depicts progress. However, since the work is an attempt to capture a moving cyclist, the picture so formed is hazy and what viewers can make out are the definite geometric shapes, something that is quintessential to cubism (Janson & Janson, 2004). Obviously the feature of industrialization becomes apparent from the artist’s use of the cycle, an obvious machine and product of industrialization. The feature of divisionism is also extant is the dynamism of a cyclist. The breaking of light and colour down to dots and stripes is what the painting primarily consists of, apart from cubist overtones. Thus a progressive theme has been depicted through geometric patterns as well as deft use of light and shades in dynamism of a cyclist thereby abiding by the leading features of

Mental health of children Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Mental health of children - Essay Example A child’s mental health is difficult to fathom as they may not be able to explicitly express that themselves. It can be evident when the child displays anxiety, excessive mood swings, poor performance at school and similar behavioural disorders. These lead to the child becoming volatile and depressed causing discord in the family and community. There are various factors that cause disruption of a child’s mental health. The most critical factor is the biological factor as it is unpredictable and often is undiagnosed until too late. They can be caused though genetics, some form of chemical imbalance in the body or some form of damage or injury to the central nervous system. Some families have a history of mental illnesses and genetically that can be passed on to a child. Severe or critical illnesses during infancy or childhood stage can also damage the brain and cause some mental illness. (Zenah, 2009) Environmental factors that can affect a child’s mental health w ould be extreme stressful environment, exposure to violence or the loss of someone very close and dear. Divorced parents or too many times of shifting homes or the society as a whole can impact a child’s mental health.

How Accurate Is Eyewitness Testimony Essay Example for Free

How Accurate Is Eyewitness Testimony Essay The bedrock of the American judicial process is the honesty of witnesses in trial. Eyewitness testimony can make a deep impression on a jury, which is often exclusively assigned the role of sorting out credibility issues and making judgments about the truth of witness statements. In the U. S. , there is the possibility of over 5,000 wrongful convictions each year because of mistaken eyewitness identifications. The continuous flow of media stories that tell of innocent people being incarcerated should serve as a signal to us that the human identification process is rife with a large number of error risks. These risks have been largely supported by research. Unfortunately, a jury rarely hears of the risks; therefore, eyewitness testimony remains a much-used and much-trusted process by those who are uninformed many times, lawfully uninformed. In cases in which eyewitness testimony is used, more often than not, an expert will not be allowed to testify to the faults of eyewitness identification. Thus, the uninformed stay blissfully ignorant of the inherent risks involved in eyewitness identification testimony. Too often, these blissfully ignorant people make up a jury of our peers. (McAtlin, 1999). According to McAtlin, there are three parts of an eyewitness testimony: (1) Witnessing a crime – as a victim or a bystander – involves watching the event while it is happening. (2) The witness must memorize the details of the occurrence. (3) The witness must be able to accurately recall and communicate what he or she saw. Studies of wrongful conviction cases have concluded that erroneous eyewitness identifications are by far the leading cause of convicting the innocent. Several studies have been conducted on human memory and on subjects’ propensity to remember erroneously events and details that did not occur. When human beings try to acquire, retain and retrieve information with any clarity, suppositional influences and common human failures profoundly limit them. The law can regulate some of these human limitations others are unavoidable. The unavoidable ones can make eyewitness testimony devastating in the courtroom and can lead to wrongful convictions. Unfortunately, memories are not indelibly stamped onto a brain video cassette tape. An event stored in the human memory undergoes constant change. Some details may be altered when new or different information about the event is added to the existing memory. Some details are simply forgotten and normal memory loss occurs continually. Even so, witnesses often become more confident in the correctness of their memories over time. The original memory has faded and has been replaced with new information. This new information has replaced the original memory because the natural process of memory deterioration has persisted. Furthermore, individual eyewitnesses vary widely in infallibility and reasoning. . (McAtlin, 1999). Studies of wrongful conviction cases have concluded that erroneous eyewitness identifications are by far the leading cause of convicting the innocent. For example, the Innocence Project of Cardozo School of Law reports that of the first 130 exonerations, 101 (or 77. 8 percent) involved mistaken identifications. But exactly how often eyewitnesses make tragic mistakes that lead to the punishment of innocent persons is unknown and probably unknowable. One of the infamous cases where mistaken identity led to the wrongful conviction and execution was Gary Graham. Grahams case received widespread attention, in part because of substantial evidence indicating that he was innocent of the murder charge, and the indisputable fact that his court-appointed trial lawyer failed to mount a serious legal defense. Graham was convicted of killing grocery store clerk Bobby Lambert on May 13, 1981 during a robbery attempt. Graham was 17 years old at the time. There was no physical evidence linking him to the crime and only one eyewitness who identified him as the murderer. Eyewitnesses who told police investigators Graham was not the killer were never called to testify at trial by Grahams lawyer. Constitutional Protections In Neil v. Biggers, the U. S. Supreme Court established criteria that jurors may use to evaluate the reliability of eyewitness identifications. The Biggers Court enumerated several factors to determine if a suggestive identification is reliable: (1) the witness’s opportunity to view the suspect; (2) the witness’s degree of attention; (3) the accuracy of description; (4) the witness’s level of certainty; and (5) the time between incident and confrontation, i. . , identification. Courts today continue to allow into evidence suggestive identification testimony. Currently, courts consider the admissibility of identification testimony under a Fourteenth Amendment procedural due process analysis. If a court determines that a pretrial identification was unnecessarily suggestive, it then ascertains whether the suggestive procedure gave rise to a substantial likelihood of irreparable misidentification. A court will find a substantial likelihood of irreparable misidentification only if the identification is found to be unreliable. Therefore, even if the court concludes that a police identification procedure was suggestive, it may be admissible if the court finds that the identification is nevertheless likely to be accurate. A court will balance the suggestiveness of the identification procedure against the likelihood that the identification is correct, resulting in an unprincipled rule of law that turns on the court’s subjective assessment of the defendant’s guilt. Issues That Impact an Individuals Testimony A specific look at how memory functions and how suggestion operates llustrates why participation in unregulated lineups creates unreasonable risks of misidentification. Identification procedures differ from other police investigatory procedures in that they solely rely on human memory. Human memory consists of three basic systems: (1) encoding, (2) storage, and (3) retrieval. â€Å"Encoding† is the initial processing of an event that results in a memory. â€Å"Storage† is the re tention of the encoded information. â€Å"Retrieval† is the recovery of the stored information. Errors can occur at each step. Contrary to common understanding of memory, not everything that registers in the central nervous system is permanently stored in the mind and particular details become increasingly inaccessible over time. According to Loftus and Ketchum, â€Å"Truth and reality, when seen through the filters of our memories, are not objective facts but subjective, interpretive realities. † Because these processes are unconscious, individuals generally perceive their memories as completely accurate and their reporting of what they remember as entirely truthful, no matter how distorted or inaccurate they, in fact, may be. An individual’s memories become distorted even in the absence of external suggestion or internal personal distress. Naturally, people tailor their telling of events to the listener and the context. (Loftus Ketchum 1991). Many conditions such as fear, lighting, distance from the event, surprise, and personal biases all affect memory and recall. Human memory is indeed delicate, especially regarding victims and witnesses of crimes. Fear and traumatic events may impair the initial acquisition of the memory itself. At the time of an identification, the witness is often in a distressed emotional state. Many victims and witnesses experience substantial shock because of their traumatic experiences that continue to affect them at the time of identification procedures. In a particular case in court, the psychologist can determine the reliability of the evidence of a particular witness and enable the judge and the jury to put the proper value on such witnesss testimony. For example, a witness may swear to a certain point involving the estimation of time and distance. The psychologist can measure the witnesss accuracy in such estimates, often showing that what the witness claims to be able to do is an impossibility. A case may hinge on whether an interval of time was ten minutes or twelve minutes, or whether a distance was three hundred or four hundred feet. A witness may swear positively to one or both of these points. The psychologist can show the court the limitations of the witness in making such estimates. Overview of Psychology and Law The service of psychology to law can be very great, but owing to the necessary conservatism of the courts, it will be a long time before they will make much use of psychological knowledge. Perhaps the greatest service will be in determining the credibility of evidence. Psychology can now give the general principles in this matter. Witnesses go on the stand and swear to all sorts of things as to what they heard and saw and did, often months and even years previously. The expert clinical psychologist can tell the court the probability of such evidence being true. Experiments have shown that there is a large percentage of error in such evidence. The additional value that comes from the oath has been measured. The oath increases the liability of truth only a small percentage. Psychologists sometimes provide expert testimony in the form of general testimony where theory and research is described and applied to a problem before the court. The expert would not provide opinions about any party involved in the case before the court, but might give opinions about substantive research that is relevant to the issues. Role of Psychology Professional in Forensic Matters Clinical-forensic psychologists are employed in a variety of settings including state forensic hospitals, court clinics, mental health centers, jails, prisons, and juvenile treatment centers. Clinical-forensic psychologists are perhaps best known for their assessment of persons involved with the legal system. Because of their knowledge of human behavior, abnormal psychology, and psychological assessment, psychologists are sometimes asked by the courts to evaluate a person and provide the court with an expert opinion, either in the form of a report or testimony. For example, clinical-forensic psychologists frequently evaluate adult criminal defendants or children involved in the juvenile justice system, offering the court information that might be relevant to determining (1) whether the defendant has a mental disorder that prevents him or her from going to trial, (2) what the defendants mental state may have been like at the time of the criminal offense, or (3) what treatment might be indicated for a particular defendant who has been convicted of a crime or juvenile offense. Increasingly, clinical-forensic psychologists are being called upon to evaluate defendants who have gone to trial and who have been found guilty and for whom one of the sentencing options is the death penalty. In this case, psychologists are asked to evaluate the mitigating circumstances of the case and to testify about these as they relate to the particular defendant. Clinical-forensic psychologists also evaluate persons in civil (i. e. , non-criminal) cases. These psychologists may evaluate persons who are undergoing guardianship proceedings, to assist the court in determining whether the person has a mental disorder that affects his or her ability to make important life decisions (e. g. , managing money, making health care decisions, making legal decisions). Clinical-forensic psychologists also evaluate persons who are plaintiffs in lawsuits, who allege that they were emotionally harmed as a result of someones wrongdoing or negligence. Clinical-forensic psychologists may evaluate children and their parents in cases of divorce, when parents cannot agree about the custody of their children and what is best for them. Clinical-forensic psychologists are sometimes called on to evaluate children to determine whether they have been abused or neglected and the effects of such abuse or neglect, and offer the court recommendations regarding the placement of such children. In addition to forensic assessment, clinical-forensic psychologists are also involved in treating persons who are involved with the legal system in some capacity. Jails, prisons, and juvenile facilities employ clinical psychologists to assess and treat adults and juveniles who are either awaiting trial, or who have been adjudicated and are serving a sentence of some type. Treatment in these settings is focused both on mental disorders and providing these persons with skills and behaviors that will decrease the likelihood that they will re-offend in the future. Clinical-forensic psychologists employed in mental health centers or in private practice may also treat persons involved in the legal system, providing either general or specialized treatment (e. g. treatment of sex offenders, treatment of violent or abusive persons, and treatment of abuse victims). Conclusion Studies confirm that unregulated eyewitness testimony is often â€Å"hopelessly unreliable. † Misidentifications are the greatest single source of wrongful convictions in the United States. Yet courts’ current due process analyses are unsuccessful in ensuring fair procedures and preventing wrongful convictions. A due process analysis alone is inadequate, in part because a due process analysis is essentially a fairness inquiry, and courts regard it as unfair to exclude a correct, yet suggestive identification, from evidence.

Content-based Image Retrieval With Ant Colony Optimization

Content-based Image Retrieval With Ant Colony Optimization Content-based image retrieval with skin tones and shapes using Ant colony optimization Introduction: Due to the enormous pool of image data, a plenty of data to be sort out has lead the way for analyzing and dig up the data to acquire likely worthwhile information. Heterogeneous fields cover from commercial to military desire to inspect data in a systematic and quick manner. Outstandingly in the area of interactive media, images have the stronghold. There is no sufficient tools are available for examination of images. One of the points at issue is the effective pinpointing of features in the likeness and the other one is extracting them. NEED AND IMPORTANCE OF RESEACH PROBLEM Current techniques in image retrieval and classification concentrate on content-based techniques. It seek survey the contents of the image rather than thedata about datasuch as keywords, label or properties corresponding with the image. The term content refer to shades, appearance, textures, or any other particulars that can be obtained from the image itself. CBIR with skin tones is advisable because most net-based image search engines rely purely on metadata and this turn out a lot of waste in the results.Thus a system that can sifter images rest on their content with additional property i.e., skin tone would serve better list and return more specific outcomes. Various systems like the QBIC, Retrieval Ware and Photo Book etc., have a variety of attributes, still used in distinct discipline. The color features integrated with shape for classification, the color and texture for retrieval. There is no single feature which is ample; and, moreover, a single representation of characterist ics is also not enough. Sonith et al.[1996] describes a fully automated content – based image query systems. Ioloni et al. [1998] describes image retrieval by color semantics with incomplete knowledge. Mori et al. [1999] have applied dynamic programming technique for function approximated shape representation. Chang et al. [2001] describes information driven framework for image. Mira et al. [2002] describes fact content based image retrieval using Qusi – Gabir filler Vincent et al. [2007] have developed a fully automated content based image query system. Heraw et al. [2008] describes image retrieval will an enhanced multi modeling ontology. Taba et al. [2009] have used mining association rules for the feature matrin. OBJECTIVES Moreover, speed changes in industry and databases influencing our view and understanding of the problem over time and demanding alter in problem decoding approach. Consequently, further research is required in this field to develop algorithms for pick out images with skin tone and shapes, able to cope with ongoing technological changes. Investigation of effective images with skin tone and shapes based on pixel algorithms Extracting them based on optimization algorithms. Developing computational algorithms in extracting the images. The main objective is to study the Image Identification and Optimistic method of Image Extraction for Image Mining using Ant colony optimization .ACO, good solutions to a given optimization problem. To achieve this main objective, the goals are formulated as follows: To Study the Image Mining Techniques. To Explore the Approaches used in Selecting the Images To Explore the Extracting of the Features. To apply the powerful Techniques. To Analyze the Experimental Results. To Study the Optimization Techniques. To bring down calculation and taking out time. Work Plan: I will begin my research work by investigating different methodologies available in the literature and measure their applicability in different perspectives for common benefit. After that, I prefer to limit my research interest down from general to even more specific under the guidance of designated supervisor in the course so that it fits into university doctoral program curriculum. The research tasks are grouped year wise as follows. Year-1: Literature survey on various methods to get an idea of pattern matching, shapes and classification. Implementation of algorithms in order to gauge their applicability and scalability. Mathematical modelling of Ant colony Optimization considering new objectives and constraints existing in Image processing. Submission of a paper to a major conference Develop a detailed research proposal and give oral defense to get full registration of the course Year-2 Continue and refine the mathematical model to make the problem more actual Develop single objective optimization algorithms for effective extraction of Images. Start to develop multi objective optimization algorithms for extraction by considering large scale optimization and classification Submission of two papers to international conference and journals Year-3: Implementation of developed algorithms for analysis of images and optimization problems Submission of a paper to a major journal Completing a thesis based on the PhD project Taking part in active research groups. Publication of research work. REFFERENCES Beyer K et al. [1999]: Bottom-Up computation of sparse and Iceberg CUBEs. ACM SIGMOD. Carter R et al.[1983]: CIELUV color difference equations for self-luminoudisplays. Color Res. Appl., 8(4), 252–553. Chang SF et al. [1995]: Extracting multi-dimensional signal features for content-based visual query. SPIE Symposium on Visual Communications and Signal Processing. idoni J et al. [1998]: Image retrieval by color semantics with incomplete knowledge. Journal of the American Society for Information Science, 49(3), 267-282. evich V et al. [2008]: Medical Image Mining on the Base of Descriptive Image Algebras. Cytological Specimen Case. In : Proc.of the International Conference on Health Informatics—HEALTHINF, Funchal, Madeira, Portugal, 2, 66–73. Huan et al.[2008]: Image Retrieval ++ web Image Retrieval with an enhanced Multi-modality ontology . Kluwer Academic Publishers. Jaba Sheela et al. [2009]: Image mining using association rules derived from feature matrix. ACM, 440-443. Jain A [1991]: Algorithms for clustering data. Englewood Cliffs, NJ, Prentice Hall. Jain A et al.[1996]: Image Retrieval using color and shape. Pattern Recognition, 29(8):1233-1244. James D [1993]: Content based retrieval in multimedia imaging. In : Proc. SPIE Storage and Retrieval for Image and Video Databases. Kantardzic M [2003]: Data Mining, Wiley-Interscience. MaW et al.[1997]: Tools for texture/color based search of images. SPIE International conference Human Vision and Electronic Imaging, 496-507. Mira P et al.[2002]: Fast content-based image retrieval using quasi gabor filter and reduction of image feature dimension. SSIAI, 178-182. Mori K et al.[1999]: Function approximated shape representation using dynamic programming with multi-resolution analysis. ICSPAT 99. Niblack W et al. [1994]: The QBIC project: Querying images by content using color, texture and shape. In : Proc. SPIE Storage and Retrieval for Image and Video Databases. Pentland A et al. [1996]: Content based manipulation of databases. Int. J. Comput. Vis., 18(3), 233-254. Rui Y et al. [1999]: Image retrieval: current techniques, promising directions and open issues. Journal of Visual Communication and Image Representation, 10(4), 39-62. Shiaofen Fang et al. [2009]: Facial image classification of mouse embryos for the animal model study of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Proceedings of the 2009 ACM symposium on Applied Computing, 852-856. Smith J et al. [1996]: VisualSEEK: A fully automated content-based image query system. ACM Multimedia, 87-98. Vincent S et al. [2007]: Web Image Annotation by fusing visual features and textual information . SIGAPP’07,2007. Zaher Al Aghbari [2009]: Effective image mining by representing color histograms as time series. Journal of Advanced Computational Intelligence and Intelligent Informatics, 13, 109-114. Zaiane O et al.[1998]: Mining MultiMedia Data. CASCON98: Meeting of Minds, Toronto, Canada, 83-96,. Zhang Ji [2001]: An Information-driven framework for image mining. In : Proceedings of 12th International Conference on Database and Expert Systems Applications (DEXA), Munich, Germany. Zhang Ji et al. [2001]: Image Mining: issues, frameworks and techniques. In : Proceedings of the Second International Workshop on Multimedia Data Mining (MDM/KDD2001), San Francisco, CA, USA.

Tipi Tales Analysis

Tipi Tales Analysis Mahealani Subad As children grow, we try to teach them certain values that will help them later in life to become good human beings. Some of the teachings can be taught from children shows as they show scenarios of life lessons, such as honesty, through characters that children attach themselves too. In the children show Tipi Tales (Oswald 2002), it presents children with life lessons and stories that based upon Indigenous culture through puppeteer work. With the children show ended in 2007, it taught lessons, specifically Ojibwe teachings, and converting some of the values from those teachings into characters to make the show relatable to younger audiences (Ojibwe Teachings The 7 Grandfathers). The show was seen as a way to present Indigenous culture to Canadian children in a way to connect the indigenous community with prime-time television as it was mainly shown on the popular television station Treehouse (Course Entertainment 2002). Within the show, Tipi Tales (Oswald 2002) follows four cousins of Indigenous descent who visit their great-grandparents where they are taught life lessons from various characters who resemble Ojibwe teachings. In the childrens show, there are seven animal characters, in which, each of the animal characters correspond with the Ojibwe teaching of the Seven Grandfather Teachings (Ojibwe Teachings The 7 Grandfathers). The Seven Grandfather Teachings are the ethical values of the Ojibwe people, which consists of humility, bravery, honesty, wisdom, truth, respect and love (Ojibwe Teachings The 7 Grandfathers).ÂÂ   These values that the Ojibwe had set was apart of their oral traditions that have been passed down by elders within the community (Verbos and Humphries 2013). The values were told through story that conveyed the meaning of how human beings should behave whether if it is towards each other or the Earth (Verbos and Humphries 2013). An example of the values and the relation i t has with human beings and the Earth would be respect as it attaches itself to all creations such as nature, creatures and people (Verbos and Humphries 2013). In indigenous culture, nature is not seen as an object, but as a living thing, in which, indigenous people believe that the Earth should not be treated or be exploited by human beings at the expense of other forms of life (Verbos and Humphries 2013). The way Tipi Tales portray these values sets them in an understanding that children can comprehend the meaning of each lesson taught within each episode of the show. However, when analyzing the show, I did not comprehend the Indigenous origins of the values that were being portrayed within the show. Although the show involved an indigenous family and had undertones of Indigenous music during the title sequence, I had to look further into learning about the 7 Grandfather teachings to truly understand the indigenous origins behind the show. Nonetheless, with the exclusion of the extensive research to understand the origin of values taught within Tipi Tales, it does create a cultural outreach to Canadian audiences as there are not many children shows that present an indigenous culture or identity on prime-time television. As mentioned before, Tipi Tales was one of the two shows, along side The Mole Sisters, to present the rich and oral traditions of Canadas Aboriginal community and our strong literary traditions on Canadian prime-time television (Course Entertainment 2002). By making the decision of adding a children show based upon Indigenous teachings, it can be seen as respectable allowing diversity into younger audiences entertainment as the show is shares the values of the Seven Grandfather Teachings of the Ojibwe people. The show can be a starting point into introducing Indigenous culture to children as there are aspects of the culture that everyone can learn from, especially as an adult as life can be construed fr om the mistreatment and exploitation that we see often that effects the Earth or our everyday lives. Upon researching the children show, Tipi Tales, I had only heard of the show and watched some of the episode as a child not putting any thought into the show as it seemed like any other children show that taught life lessons of how to be kind and to treat others the way they wanted to be treated. However, with taking another look at the show, it presents a deeper meaning as the show introduces life lessons in the perspective of Indigenous culture where the whole show is based upon the Seven Grandfather Teachings of love, honesty, bravery, wisdom, humility, truth, and respect. All values a child must learn and with the extent that the values can be applied to nature as it is seen as animated. Bibliography Ojibwe Teachings The 7 Grandfathers. Anishinabek Bumadizone:An Ojibwe Peoples Resource. Accessed March 18, 2017. http://ojibweresources.weebly.com/ojibwe-teachingsthe-7-grandfathers.html. Tipi Tales. Directed by Lesley Oswald. By Nancy Trites Botkin. Performed by Herbie Barnes, Jane Skene, Rebecca Gibson, Ryan Rajendra Black, Michelle St. John, and Jules Desjarlais. 2002. Treehouse TV Brings Canadas Literary and Aboriginal Oral Traditions to Television for Young Viewers. Corus Entertainment. 2002. Accessed March 20, 2017. http://www.corusent.com/news/treehouse-tv-brings-canadas-literary-and-aboriginal-oral-traditions-to-televison-for-young-viewers/. Verbos, Amy Klemm, and Maria Humphries. A Native American Relational Ethic: An Indigenous Perspective on Teaching Human Responsibility. Journal of Business Ethics 123, no. 1 (2013): 1-9. doi:10.1007/s10551-013-1790-3.

Glare of Fashion in Vanity Fair Essay -- Vanity Fair Essays

Glare of Fashion in Vanity Fair I fancy the doors to society guarded by grooms of the chamber with flaming silver forks with which they prong all those who have not the right of the entrà ©e...the honest newspaper fellow....dies after a little time. He can't survive the glare of fashion long. It scorches him up, as the presence of Jupiter in full dress wasted that poor imprudent Semele&emdash;a giddy moth of a creature who ruined herself by venturing out of her natural atmosphere. (657) With this sentiment in mind, Thackeray expresses his conception of the danger present when one attempts to step outside of their inherent social strata. Through depicting a world devoted to upholding the inflexible codes of society, Thackeray creates an appropriate backdrop for his humorously satirical novel Vanity Fair. At the heart of this work, the avaricious Becky Sharp, born of common blood, fights against traditional precincts by "venturing" (657) outside of her proper environs and entering into an elevated climate where the credulous yield unquestioningly to her will and the skeptics scorn her with cold indifference. Determined to secure a place in genteel society, Rebecca, disregarding the standards of society, manipulates the naive by engaging in hypocrisy and subterfuge while blinding those who doubt her with an unconquerable charm. Clearly a perfectionist in the art of deception, Becky Sharp, a young woman with serpentine sentiments, slithers her way into the aristocratic society that composes the hollow cortex of Vanity Fair. With unremitting cupidity, Becky exploits all those she encounters for the sole purpose of ameliorating her own situation, both financially and socially. Commencing her mission... ...little earthenware pipkin, you want to swim down the stream along with the great copper kettles...lookout and hold your own! How the women will bully you!" (613) Substantiating Lord Steyne's foreboding, with frigid indifference the ladies at his soirà ©e slight Becky, thus proving that she can never fully advance into their milieu. In view of this, Becky, one step away from pushing open the doors to social dominance, fails. Charms and beauty only carry the unwealthy so far in the world of Vanity Fair, thus Becky remains locked out of the room to which she dedicated her life to gaining entrance. Outstripped by the pretentious peerage, Becky's quest for status reiterates the insuperable fact that one without fortune or noble ancestry "can't survive the glare of fashion long" (637). Thakeray, William Makepeace. Vanity Fair. New York: Bantam Books, 1997.

Spain :: essays research papers

Spain The country of Spain lies on the continent of Europe. It is located forty degrees north and four degrees west. The capital of Spain, Madrid, is located in the central region known as the Centro-Meseta. The country of Spain is made up of four regions: El norte, El este, El sur, and Centro-Meseta. Spain's large area of 195,988 square miles covers about five sixths of the Iberian Peninsula. It is one of the largest countries in Western Europe. At its widest point, Spain stretches 635 miles from east to west. It stretches about 550 miles north to south. Spain's longest coastline lies along the Mediterranean Sea and stretches for almost 1700 miles from the eastern end of the Pyrenees mountain chain to the strait of Gibraltar. The Pyrenees, one of Europe's largest mountain chains, is 270 miles long. They are practically impassable to humans because are formed from only steep gorges that lead higher summits. Spain is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean called the Gulf of Cadiz. The Huelva, Rota, and Cadiz ports lie on this coast and further up the Guadalquivir River is the ancient transportation center Seville. Some other major rivers in Spain are the Douro, Tagus, and Ebro rivers. Spain's currency is the peseta and is currently equal to one hundred centimos. The exchange rate has one U. S. Dollar for 134.61 pesetas. More that thirty-nine million people reside in the country of Spain. That is because it is made up of a large ethnic diversity. Its location between Europe and Africa has resulted in a great mixing of races and cultures. The only distinct minority group generally recognized as outside the racial-cultural mainstream of Spanish society is made up of Gypsies, many of whom still follow nomadic life-style along the roads and highways. Fairly large communities of settled Gypsies are found in the cities of Mucia, Granada, Barcelona, and Madrid. Spain is overwhelmingly urban, with seventy-six percent of its people living in towns and cities. This concentration of Spain's people heightens the impression of emptiness that so often is commented on by the travelers, specially those who cross the Meseta. Most of the Spanish portion of the Iberian Peninsula is very thinly populated. In the Centro-Meseta region only the areas around Madrid and Saragossa have dense settlement. There are many different kinds of languages spoken in Spain. Modern Spanish also referred to as Castilian, is spoken throughout Spain and is the official language. Castilian is often a second language, not a mother tongue. In el norte two regional languages are widely spoken. One, the language of Basque people, is Spain :: essays research papers Spain The country of Spain lies on the continent of Europe. It is located forty degrees north and four degrees west. The capital of Spain, Madrid, is located in the central region known as the Centro-Meseta. The country of Spain is made up of four regions: El norte, El este, El sur, and Centro-Meseta. Spain's large area of 195,988 square miles covers about five sixths of the Iberian Peninsula. It is one of the largest countries in Western Europe. At its widest point, Spain stretches 635 miles from east to west. It stretches about 550 miles north to south. Spain's longest coastline lies along the Mediterranean Sea and stretches for almost 1700 miles from the eastern end of the Pyrenees mountain chain to the strait of Gibraltar. The Pyrenees, one of Europe's largest mountain chains, is 270 miles long. They are practically impassable to humans because are formed from only steep gorges that lead higher summits. Spain is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean called the Gulf of Cadiz. The Huelva, Rota, and Cadiz ports lie on this coast and further up the Guadalquivir River is the ancient transportation center Seville. Some other major rivers in Spain are the Douro, Tagus, and Ebro rivers. Spain's currency is the peseta and is currently equal to one hundred centimos. The exchange rate has one U. S. Dollar for 134.61 pesetas. More that thirty-nine million people reside in the country of Spain. That is because it is made up of a large ethnic diversity. Its location between Europe and Africa has resulted in a great mixing of races and cultures. The only distinct minority group generally recognized as outside the racial-cultural mainstream of Spanish society is made up of Gypsies, many of whom still follow nomadic life-style along the roads and highways. Fairly large communities of settled Gypsies are found in the cities of Mucia, Granada, Barcelona, and Madrid. Spain is overwhelmingly urban, with seventy-six percent of its people living in towns and cities. This concentration of Spain's people heightens the impression of emptiness that so often is commented on by the travelers, specially those who cross the Meseta. Most of the Spanish portion of the Iberian Peninsula is very thinly populated. In the Centro-Meseta region only the areas around Madrid and Saragossa have dense settlement. There are many different kinds of languages spoken in Spain. Modern Spanish also referred to as Castilian, is spoken throughout Spain and is the official language. Castilian is often a second language, not a mother tongue. In el norte two regional languages are widely spoken. One, the language of Basque people, is

Brahma

TO Emerson, this is all the same. Moreover, the Spirit, essence Of â€Å"life,† cannot be killed. It is eternal, without beginning or end. Death is (as is killing) an illusion. This ignorance of the slayer and the slain come directly from the second chapter of the Baghdad Gait, a sacred Hindu text Emerson studied and admired. Check it out here. Emerson is saying (as Brahmas) that death is the same as life, and that killing someone is the same as not. They're all relative concepts. For example, say I killed someone.You may call me a murderer, then. However, what if killed someone to save an old woman being mugged? Then I'm a hero. Everything is circumstantial, and to Brahmas, it is all the same. Brahmas is in everything. Therefore, he's beyond such words as far, because far would be relative to a point. Brahmas is all points, so everything is equally close and equally far. There is always something infinitely bright in one of these points and always something infinitely dark. T herefore, again, these are relative and Brahmas has no interest in them.Brahmas is also timeless; to him, something too far into the past to remember is just occurring, and something in the future is also happening. There are a couple different ways of looking at this. Catholicism puts God in a similar situation, called ‘ ‘The Eternal NOW'; if you read mathematical mysticism (drawn from mathematics, Descartes. And eastern philosophy), you may consider this a seventh dimension, in which Brahmas (and to a degree Emerson and all of us, as since Brahmas touches all of us, we all are part of Brahmas) is part of all time but at the same time not part of any of it.A lot of this is pulling from an Davit Pedant idea called â€Å"Non-Self', something drawn upon by countless others (Emerson called it the â€Å"oversell†), n which everyone is part of a universal font of spiritual power, all times and peoples coexisting, drawing on each others energy. If Brahmas is everyone a nd everything, separation from everyone and everything would make ‘them† reckon you ill. He combines in â€Å"reckon ill† both â€Å"wishing for illness upon† as well as â€Å"reckon ill of mind† â€Å"Fly' here might mean the way one â€Å"flies† a flag, only Brahmas is conceived as a bird.Or â€Å"fly/' here might mean â€Å"flee,† and the â€Å"wings† may be chasing the person in flight. Brahmas (or the oversell) is what enables action to take place; without Brahmas and the interconnectivity of everyone's powers, we'd all be stones in the road. Brahmas is never pictured with a weapon, unlike most of if not all of the major Hindu gods. While Brahmas is strong, it is not in a physical sense, not in a RED SLAYER sort of sense. It's in passiveness, something both Emerson and his buddy Thoreau were big on.The sacred Seven is another title for the Spearfish, directly juxtaposed here with the strong gods that pine. These seven sage s, or risks, work under the guidance of the Brahmas. Though there are different lists with different names, a common one names them as follows: Boring, Atria, Angoras, Vistas, Pulsates, Phallus and Karat. The sacred seven could also refer to the Startups, or seven sacred cities. Hinduism said that, if one were to visit all seven within his lifetime, one escapes the life death cycle (Samara), attaining mimosa. Emerson was well versed in Hinduism.This also brings to mind the symbolism of numbers (known to Jews and Sabbaticals as geometric), saying that putting faith into numbers is in vain. If you find Brahmas (here, one may posit the name of whatever deity in which they believe), you're pretty much set, right? Then why would he say to turn his back on heaven? Consider this; why practice religion? To attain heaven, yes? To gain entrance to something better? But then, that would make practicing religion (something Emerson didn't much like, as Emerson condemned all institutions) for the self, and not for God.Instead, if you attempt to find God in your own way, then you are really doing it for God, not for your own salvation. For that reason, then, turn your back on heaven, and look for God. Only then will you be privy to Brahmas and his subtle ways. Greatly influenced by a sacred text of Hinduism, Kathy-Punished, â€Å"Brahmas† s a philosophical explication Of the universal spirit by that name. The poetic form of elegiac quatrain is used to represent the solemn nature of the subject. Throughout the poem, Brahmas appears as the only speaker, sustaining the continuity of the work.That the spirit is the only speaker signifies not only its absolute nature but also its sustaining power, upon which the existence of the entire universe-?metaphorically, the poem-?is based. The poem begins by examining the common-essentials view that the spirit ends with one's death. Even though the body may be destroyed, Brahmas, which resides in each individual as the fountain of life, never ceases to exist: â€Å"If the red slayer think he slays,/ Or if the slain think he is slain,' They know not well the subtle ways/ I keep. When the body is destroyed, the poet maintains, the spirit will appear again, likely in a different form. By employing the examples of both the slayer and the slain, the speaker is suggesting not only the prevalence of their view (that the spirit may not be eternal) but also the dichotomy that normally characterizes a person's perception. The psychotic recurs in the second stanza, in which opposite notions such as far and near, shadow and sunlight, vanishing and appearing, and shame and fame are juxtaposed.To the speaker, who unifies the universe, the seemingly unbridgeable differences between opposite concepts can be perfectly resolved; hence, the paradoxical statements. Abraham's great power is further described in the third stanza, where the spirit states that it comprehends yet transcends everything-?both â€Å"the doubter and th e doubt,† the subject and object, and matter and mind. In addition, the rhyme scheme befittingly enforces the spirit's interweaving power, yielding a sense of wonder based on unusual metrical symmetry.Different from the otherworldly spirit in Hinduism, however, the transcendental spirit represented by Brahmas in this poem leads the follower not to Heaven but to this world. By using the conjunction ‘t)UT† in the last stanza, Emerson prepares his reader for his MM,'n interpretation of the universal spirit. The concluding statement that justifies self-sufficient existence in this world, â€Å"But thou, meek lover of the good! / Find me, and turn thy back on heaven,† makes this poem characteristically Impression. â€Å"Brahmas† is a poem written by Ralph Wald Emerson. Brahmas† is â€Å"the Creator† in Hinduism. â€Å"Brahmins† in the line â€Å"l am the hymn the Brahmins sings. † is definitely not a coincidence that it has ;o me anings. One meaning is a socialite who has great power and the other meaning is a high priest in Hinduism. Basically, this poem is said by â€Å"Brahmas† to his people. He's saying that people sometimes forget him, but if you are good, you shouldn't. This poem is written as four stanzas with four lines in each. It is rhymed as ABA. It is written in pyrrhic-tetrameter (no stresses).

Discuss empirically validated therapy in which specific therapies are effective for the certain mental disorder

Empirically-validated therapies are forms of treatment that are strongly backed by scientific data obtained from various observations, studies, or experimentation. The hypothesis obtained is testable using experimentation or observations. An empirical result is obtained is an experimental observation (such as a clinical trial). Usually it has been seen that practitioners do not follow empirically-validated data and instead would go by their clinical experience.The clinical scientist on the other hand would be concentrating hugely on empirically-validated therapies. In the field of psychiatry, empirically-validated therapies play a very major role. In the last few years, the concentration of mental care has shifted hugely from well-established therapies which are routinely utilized to 'empirically-supported therapies'. It has not only proved to be effective in the treatment of various mental disorders, but has also reduced the costs and has proved to be very useful in managed care set tings.State, local and federal bodies that fund healthcare are now paying greater amount of importance to empirically-validated therapies. In future, the psychiatric practitioner would be concentrating to a very great extent on empirically-validated therapies. In case of medico-legal issues, a practitioner could be held liable for malpractice if he/she holds up an empirically-validated treatment and goes in for a standard treatment process that has been utilized since several years.Accreditations organizations could also be considering using the extent to which a hospital would be using empirically-validated treatment in the patients. The APA is also considering imposing stricter sanctions for not implementing empirically-validated treatment in mental healthcare (Guimon, 2007 & Levant, 2008). Use of Empirically-validated therapy in the treatment of Borderline Personality disorder –Antidepressants and psychotherapyOne of the classical examples of Empirically-supported treatmen t has been in the case of patients suffering from borderline personality disorders (BPD). Such a patient would be affected with several symptoms including impulsiveness, hostility, self-destructive behavior, anger outbursts, projective identification, poor interpersonal relationships, long-standing fears, intolerance, mood swings, suicidal behavior, presence of comorbid disorders, etc. Such an individual may give a history of child abuse, child neglect, presence of other psychological or neurological disorders, etc.The exact cause of the disorders is not known but several factors including biological factors, genetic factors, neurochemical factors, environmental factors, etc, would be playing a major role in the development of the disorder. Borderline personality disorder may be early response mechanisms to sexual and aggressive drives (Guimon, 2007). Traditionally, no specific treatment has been available as a cure for BPD, but only management of the symptoms. Psychotherapy along w ith short term administration of medications has been traditionally been utilized.The medications utilized can only treat the symptoms of anxiety, depression and aggressiveness and cannot be utilized to treat BPD per se. Non-clinical studies have demonstrated that SSRI antidepressants, narcoleptics and mood stabilizers can help only to a certain extent in the treatment of BPD. Hospitalization may be required to treat patients with the risk of suicide or causing danger to others. Some psychiatrists may feel that hospitalization of the patient is required only for medico-legal issues.However, empirically-performed data have shown that chronic suicidal thoughts may be an expression of depression and distress and can be effectively managed through ambulatory settings. Several antidepressants, whose effect on BPD was not known before, have proved to be beneficial through empirically-validated studies. Binks et al (2007) conducted a study to determine the efficacy of several agents utiliz ed in the treatment of BPD. He found that among the antidepressants – Fluoxetine was ideal in comparison to a placebo utilized in the treatment of depression.There were not much difference between MAOIs and placebos in the treatment of BPD, and between MAOIs and antipsychotics. Antipsychotics helped only to a certain extent to reduce some mental states (Binks, 2007, & Guimon, 2007). Perry et al (1999) had conducted a comprehensive study to determine the effectiveness of several psychotherapeutic approaches in the treatment of BPD. Some of them included Interpersonal therapy, CBT and supportive psychotherapy. All forms of psychotherapy seemed to be effective in the treatment of BPD, with about one-fourth of the patients recovering every year.This rate was seven times higher than anticipated. During the early phases of treatment, psychodynamic therapy seemed to be effective, helping to build good alliances with the patient. Group therapy is today being effective in outpatient s ettings. In cognitive behavior therapy, greater emphasis is laid upon the application of one’s skill and knowledge in more fruitful outcomes. Psychoanalytical approaches are increasing being utilized to improve the strength of the ego and to experience reality more appropriately.DBT (through a Cochrane review conducted in 2007 – CA Binks et al), had been compared with other forms of treatment. Not many differences were found between DBT and other forms of treatment, but there was a reduction in parasuicidal behaviors and the general psychiatric severity. Hence today, Evidence-based drug or psychotherapeutic approaches seem to be efficient and safe in people suffering from BPD. More studies in the field of BPD need to be conducted to determine the presence of more effective and safer treatment modes (Binks, 2007, Perry, 1999 & Guimon, 2007).Use of Empirically-validated therapy in the treatment of Depression – Psychotherapy (A comparison between the traditionally utilized drugs and empirically-validated psychotherapy) Another field in which a lot of evidenced-based studies are being conducted is in the field of depression. This is soon going to be considered the second most commonest of debility and distress across the globe. In the US, more than 50 billion dollars is being spent annually in the diagnosis and treatment of depression. The loss in terms of inability to function appropriately at the workplace is much higher.Many cases of depression go untreated in the US. In the past, antidepressants have been utilized as the standard in the treatment across the US. Physicians, hospitals and insurance agencies in the US stress on the use of antidepressants in the treatment of depression. However, research today has demonstrated that there are much more effective and safer alternative treatments for depression. Drugs may be useful, but cannot be considered as the only treatment for the condition. Empirically-validated therapies can be considered as conventional, supplemental as well as alternative forms of treatments in the management of depression.Empirically-validated treatments to be utilized in the treatment of depression may be costly in the short-run, but beneficial in the long-run as they aim to relieve the symptoms and not change the character of the patient. As they would be utilized for short periods of time, the patient is encouraged to make modifications in the lifestyle. One of the important treatment modalities in the management of depression has been psychotherapy. Several modes under psychotherapy such as cognitive therapy, interpersonal therapy, behavioral therapy, etc, seem to be more effective in the treatment of depression compared to before.They have several advantages when compared to drugs. Antidepressants tend to relieve the motor symptoms of depression before the mood, whereas psychotherapy tends to improve mood before the motor symptoms. Through psychotherapy several issues such as difficulties at the workplace or home, problematic interpersonal relationships, social withdrawals, etc, can be more effectively managed compared to drugs which tend to reduce some of the physical and neurovegetative symptoms. Traumatic life events that are the root cause of depression can be more effectively managed through psychotherapy rather than medications.Psychotherapy is not only needed in the acute stages of depression, but also in the long-term, as a maintenance therapy. Cases of relapse and recurrences are found to be lower when psychotherapy has been administered. Studies have also demonstrated that combination therapy (short-term administration of medication along with long-term psychotherapy) has been very effective in the treatment of depression. Studies have shown that psychotherapy when administered alone or in combination with medication is more affective than when medication is being administered alone.Several depressive symptoms, absenteeism and disability in functioning are si gnificantly relieved following psychotherapy. Psychotherapy would help to correct the root causes of depression such as stressful work atmospheres, traumatic interpersonal relationships, fears, etc. Today, empirically-validated forms of psychotherapy can be utilized to a greater extent if they are given a go-ahead by the insurance companies and employers. In the past, these forms of treatment have been considered to be ineffective and costly.Studies have even demonstrated that patients, who suffer from depression under low lights, could benefit from phototherapy. Only some patients in the experimental group have benefitted from this treatment. Current studies have demonstrated that transcranial magnetic stimulation could be utilized as an effective alternative to ECT. But today, through evidenced-based studies more and more benefits of psychotherapy are being understood (Vaisle, 2001, Moore, 2004 & Markowitz, 2008). Use of Empirically-validated therapy in the treatment of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder –Clomipramine and SSRI’s antidepressantsObsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder in which obsessions (persistent thought and ideas) and compulsions (strange and repetitive behavior) develop. Earlier it was thought that the disorder had a very poor outcome as there was a lack of studies conducted in this area. However, today a lot of experimentations have been conducted with psychotherapy and medications utilized to treat the disorder. About one-third to half the number of patients affected with the disorder are children.The outcome of OCD is especially poor if found in association with a personality disorder. However, compared to other psychiatric disorders, the response of OCD is low to both medications and psychotherapy. Several antidepressant substances seem to be effective in treating the symptoms of OCD. One of them is Clomipramine which has through a European study found to lower obsessions. In another study, several symptoms such as anxiety, social isolation, depression, etc, were reduced when clomipramine was combined with psychotherapy.Lower doses of clomipramine were useful in treating the obsessions, but the ritualistic continued to be present. Several studies have shown that clomipramine as very useful in OCD. In another study, SSRI’s were found to be very useful in treating OCD in children. However, these drugs need to be administered in higher doses. In adults, SSRI’s seem to be not very effective in treating OCD. Overall very few drugs have been tested in the past for the treatment of OCD, and this has to change in the future (Herbert, 2001 & Goetz, 2007). Conclusion and Personal OpinionToday, practitioners should get more and more into following the empirically-validated forms of treatment in another disease, rather than the traditional model. In the past, doctors were only going by experience of what drug or therapy would be ideal to treat a particular condition. Standard forms of treatment may seem to be safe but outdated, and the patient would not be gaining the benefits of updated research work conducted in the medical field. However, today medicine is fast-paced and newer and more and more advanced forms of treatment is coming out, that also seems to be very much effective than the drugs compared to yesterday.If the practitioners use the traditional model in treating the patients, then the treatment is not going to be effective and safe. Hence, it would be ideal for the psychiatrist to use the evidenced-based findings in their practice. Through several clinical trials conducted on certain mental disorders including BPD, depression and OCD, it has been found that certain pharmacological and psychotherapeutic interventions have proved to be very effective. Further trials are required to help ensure that more effective and safer therapies are understood and made available to the patients.If the clinical scientists are unable to find efficient use of a par ticular drug or psychotherapy method on the patient, it does not mean that it is ineffective for use, but rhater means further structured trials need to be conducted which would help to understand the drug better. Evidence-based and ‘empirically-validated’ are new movements that have arisen in the medical and psychiatric world today. These movements have also considered ethical, legal, moral and social implications.

Nordstrom Financial Statement Analysis

NORDSTROM (JWN) I. Nordstrom’s overview Nordstrom is classified as an Upscale Independent Department Store Chain and is noted as one of the largest department stores of its type. Nordstrom is founded in 1901 by two partners, John W. Nordstrom and Carl F. Wallin. It’s headquarter is in Seattle, Washington area. Nordstrom carries a wide variety of merchandise and specialty goods, which includes apparel, shoes, jewelry, cosmetics, fragrances, handbags, accessories, and in some locations, home furnishings. Nordstrom is dealing with competition on many different levels.It is competing with higher end stores such as Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue. In addition, it is also competing with second tier stores such as Macy’s, Dillard’s, and Bloomingdale’s. Dealing with diverse competition, upscale retailer Nordstrom has been famous for superior customer service for over 100 years and has been recognized on every 100 Best Companies To Work For list publishe d in Fortune magazine since 1998. Nordstrom operates over 200 retail locations across the country with worldwide revenue $10. 9 billion in 2011.It has two reportable segments: Retail and Credit. The Retail segment includes 115 ‘Nordstrom’ full-line stores, 89 off-price ‘Nordstrom Rack’ stores, two ‘Jeffrey’ boutiques, and one clearance store that operate under the name ‘Last Chance. ’ Nordstrom full-line stores and online store are substantially integrated to provide customers with a seamless shopping experience across channels. The Nordstrom Rack stores purchase high-quality name brand merchandise directly from vendors and also serve as outlets for clearance merchandise from Nordstrom stores.The Credit segment includes wholly owned federal savings bank, Nordstrom FSB, through which Nordstrom provides a private label credit card, two Nordstrom VISA credit cards and a debit card for Nordstrom purchases. The credit and debit cards fe ature a shopping-based loyalty program designed to increase customer visits and spending. Although the primary purpose of our Credit business is to foster greater customer loyalty and drive more sales, Nordstrom also generate revenues through finance charges and other fees on these cards.In retail department stores, consumer’s purchases are made within each department because each department is treated separately to achieve economies in promotion, buying, service, and control. Instead of categorizing departments by merchandise, Nordstrom created fashion departments that fit individual lifestyles. The retailer's best customers benefit from Nordstrom's â€Å"Perpetual Inventory† initiative, which provides the â€Å"right product, at the right place, at the right time. Nordstrom’s customer service is superior in that they put maintaining a customer relationship their top priority. It‘s main goal is to provide outstanding service every day, one customer at a time, and support the employees who deliver service to those customers. Each Nordstrom employee has a business card, which he or she gives to customers, to encourage them to reach back directly if they need anything. In addition, Nordstrom spends much less on traditional advertising than its competitors do, and to Nordstrom, â€Å"satisfied customers are much more persuasive than an ad†.Its legendary customer service is a competitive advantage that can't be easily duplicated, and the company spends a lot of time, money, and effort training employees to maintain that distinction. Even in times of economic distress, Nordstrom still maintains an unwavering commitment to making choices that are in the best interest of the customer. Therefore, Nordstrom keeps growing and maintains a great financial result in comparison with other department stores. Nordstrom business strategies are: 1. Maintaining good relationship with vendors and consumers 2.Maintaining good relationship with em ployees and providing effective training to them to develop future leaders 3. Expanding into new markets, technological investments, acquisitions and the timely completion of construction associated with newly planned stores, relocations and remodels. 4. Having effective inventory management; efficient and proper allocation of capital resources; successful execution of information technology strategy; and effective cost control in advertising, marketing, and promotion campaigns. 5.Managing debt levels to maintain an investment grade credit rating as well as operate with an efficient capital structure for its growth plans and industry II. Company financial ratio analysis: 1. Liquidity: Liquidity:| 2011| 2010| 2009| 2008| 2007| Current Ratio| 2. 16| 2. 57| 2. 01| 2. 01| 2. 06| Cash Ratio | 0. 73| 0. 80| 0. 39| 0. 04| 0. 22| Cash Flow from Operations Ratio| 0. 46| 0. 63| 0. 62| 0. 53| 0. 19| Overall regards to liquidity ratios, the higher the number the better; however, a too high also indicates that the firms were not using their resources to their full potential. Current ratio of 1. or greater shows that a company can pay its current liabilities with its current assets. JWN’s ratio increased from 2. 06 in 2007 to 2. 57 in 2010, and slightly decreased to 2. 16 in 2011. JWN’s cash ratio increased significantly from 22% in 2007 to 80% in 2010. JWN has a cash ratio of 73% in 2011, which is useful to creditors when deciding how much debt they would be willing to extend to JWN. In addition, JWN also has moderate CFO ratio of 46%, indicating the companies’ ability to pay off their short term liabilities with their operating cash flow. There was a great improvement in JWN’s liquidity ratios over the past 5 years.In general, JWN has efficient liquidity ratios which allow the company to cover its seasonal cash needs and to maintain appropriate levels of short term borrowings. 2. Activity: Activity| 2011| 2010| 2009| 2008| 2007| Inventory Turno ver| 6. 20| 6. 29| 5. 93| 5. 84| 5. 66| Avg. # of Days Inventory| 58. 83| 58. 03| 61. 59| 62. 53| 64. 50| Receivables Turnover| 5. 06| 4. 51| 4. 16| 4. 60| 7. 35| Working Capital Turnover| 3. 67| 3. 89| 4. 52| 5. 13| 5. 98| Fixed Assets Turnover| 4. 54| 4. 25| 3. 70| 4. 08| 4. 86| Total Assets Turnover | 1. 36| 1. 38| 1. 35| 1. 52| 1. 74| Length of Operating Cycle| 130. 9| 138. 87| 149. 38| 141. 93| 114. 18| I Inventory turnover shows how efficient a firm can keep its inventory turning at a steady flow from the manufacturer to the store and out to the consumer. Therefore, the higher the better because this means the firm is getting its inventory out to consumers at a more efficient pace. JWN’s inventory turnover is approximately the same in 2011 than in 2010, 6. 20 and 6. 29 respectively, which has slightly higher the number of days inventory from 58 days to 59 days. Same as inventory turnover ratio, AR turnover show how efficient a firm is at collecting its receivable.The fa ster a firm can collect its receivables, the better. JWN’s AR turnover has increased from 4. 78 in 2010 to 5. 36 in 2011. An increase in both inventory and AR turnover reduces the Length of Operating Cycle from 139 days to 131 days. In addition, there is also a good sign when JWN’s fixed asset turnover and total asset turnover increase. In general, JWN has ability to predict or respond to changes in fashion trends, consumer preferences and spending patterns, and to match its merchandise levels, mix and shopping experience to sales trends and consumer tastes, significantly impacts its sales and operating results. . Profitability: Profit| 2011| 2010| 2009| 2008| 2007| Gross Margin | 0. 39| 0. 39| 0. 36| 0. 37| 0. 39| Return on Sales| 0. 06| 0. 06| 0. 05| 0. 05| 0. 08| ROA | 0. 09| 0. 09| 0. 07| 0. 07| 0. 14| ROE | 0. 34| 0. 34| 0. 32| 0. 34| 0. 44| Upon evaluation of the operating efficiency, Gross profit margin, Return on sale, ROA, and ROE, JWN did a pretty good job du ring the fiscal year ended Jan 28th 2012. Gross profit margin, the net profit margin, ROA, and ROE have the same rate for 2011 and 2010, which are 39%, 6%, 9%, and 34% respectively. By evaluating JWN’s profitability ratio, JWN once again is upward looking.ROA is a comprehensive measure of profitability, taking into account how a firm’s assets and profits are used to create future profit. ROE is a profitability measure and is influenced by the affiliation between a firm’s debt and its owner’s equity. JWN has done an extraordinary job at maintaining moderate ROA and ROE ratio over 5 years period. Analyzing JWN’s profitability ratio shows that JWN should continue being profitably in the future. 4. Leverage: Leverage| 2011| 2010| 2009| 2008| 2007| Total Liabilities / Total Equity| 3. 34| 2. 69| 3. 19| 3. 68| 4. 02| Total Liabilities (BV) / Equity at Market| 0. 7| 0. 48| 0. 44| 0. 39| 0. 39| Times Interest Earned| 9. 61| 8. 80| 6. 04| 5. 95| 16. 85| As firm’s debt grows larger, debt to equity ratio in turn increases. Debt to equity ratio is an important factor in considering a firm’s credit risk. JWN’s debt to equity ratio increases 25% from 2. 69 in 2010 to 3. 34 in 2011. If this ratio decreases, there is less leverage within the firm. The increase in debt to equity ratio is due to the increase in long term debts and the decrease in total stockholder equity. Times interest earned ratio is a coverage measure; an increase has a positive impact on the firm.There was a significant decrease in Time interest earned ratio from 16. 85 in 2007 to 5. 95 in 2008. However, this ratio increased slightly over years. JWN’s Times interest earned has increased from 8. 80 in 2010 to 9. 61 in 2011. Ultimately, JWN generate more than enough income before interest and tax to cover for its interest expense. 5. Market related statistics: Like many luxury stores, Nordstrom has seen its sales rebound since late 2009 as well-he eled shoppers have become more comfortable with spending, despite volatility in the stock market.Nordstrom also has worked hard to make it easier to shop by adding Wi-Fi access for shoppers at all of its full-line department stores, offering free shipping on most items without any minimum purchase in September 2010, and fusing its online and in-store inventory systems so shoppers can find out online what's in stock at any given store in the chain. Nordstrom said it expects revenue at its stores open at least a year to rise 4 percent to 6 percent in the current full fiscal year, and it expects to earn $3. 30 to $3. 45 per share.JWN analyzes its dividend payout ratio and dividend yield, while taking into consideration its operating performance and capital resources, and plans to target a 25% to 30% dividend payout ratio in 2011. JWN has increased its dividend payout ratio and its dividend yield in 2011, 29% and 1. 9 % respectively. JWN paid dividends of $0. 92 per share in 2011, $0. 7 6 per share in 2010, and $. 64 per share in each of 2009 and 2008. 6. Quality of financial information Nordstrom uses a more moderate strategy when it comes to its accounting policies.It basically uses similar basic standards as other firms in the industry. Management and select employees of Nordstrom receive stock options and bonuses based on how profitable and how much growth the company is, which may lead to intentional accounting distortion to increase these benefits. Although distortion would be beneficial to management, the standards used by Nordstrom to account for stock issued to employees seem well disclosed and straight forward. Compared to the accounting policies and estimates used in the past five years, Nordstrom has not significantly changed any of its accounting standards.Estimates such as returns are based on past returns and performance and have not altered much in recent years. Nordstrom’s uses its historical data to estimate future performance for the use o f the inventory account. Nordstrom’s accounting policies and estimates seem to have no significant distortions. The changes in policies are well recorded and explained in the footnotes, leaving no concern about their accounting policies. The changes in policies accounting standards and estimates all seem to be legitimate. The manner in which Nordstrom discloses their financial information to the public is of extremely high quality.Nordstrom exceeds their expectation of providing customers and shareholders with an adequate explanation for nearly every element of their finances. After the presentation of each financial statement, Nordstrom provides a detailed clarification concerning each component listed in a manner that could be easily interpreted by the common inquirer. In general, Nordstrom effectively communicates their activities with their investors and are relatively free of unpredictable or unexplainable transactions. III. Comparison to the industry average and another store (Dillards)Liquidity:| JWN| DDS| Industry| Rating-JWN| Current Ratio | 2. 16| 1. 83| 1. 15| 8| Cash Ratio | 0. 73| 0. 26| 0. 12| 8| Cash Flow from Operations Ratio | 0. 46| 0. 58| -| -| Leverage|   | Total Liabilities / Total Equity| 3. 34| 1. 10| 1. 33| 4| Total Liabilities (BV) / Equity at Market| 0. 57| 0. 72| 0. 17| 4| Times Interest Earned| 9. 61| 5. 83| 7. 41| 7| Activity|   | Inventory Turnover | 6. 20| 3. 12| 6. 14| 6| Avg. # of Days Inventory | 58. 83| 117. 12| 59. 45| 6| Receivables Turnover | 5. 06| 232. 73| 22. 91| 3| Working Capital Turnover| 3. 67| 8. 88| 40. 9| 3| Fixed Assets Turnover| 4. 54| 2. 54| 6. 06| 4| Total Assets Turnover | 1. 36| 1. 47| 1. 91| 4| Length of Operating Cycle | 130. 98| 118. 69| 75. 38| 3| Profit|   | Gross Margin| 0. 39| 0. 37| 0. 29| 6| Return on Sales| 0. 06| 0. 07| 0. 06| 5| ROA| 0. 09| 0. 11| 0. 11| 5| ROE | 0. 34| 0. 22| 0. 25| 6| Both JWN and DDS maintained an efficient liquidity ratio which allowed them to cover their season al cash needs and to maintain appropriate levels of short term borrowings. DDS do not generate as much profit as JWN but it also has much lower leverage ratio than JWN.JWN has much higher debt to equity ratio than the industry average. However, its Time Interest Earned ratio is better than the industry. JWN’s activity ratio seems to be better than DDS, but below the industry average. JWN’s Beta is 1. 57 which theoretically indicates 57% more volatile than the market. DDS’s Beta is 2. 53 which is . 96 higher than JWN’s Beta and also means more volatile than the market. A beta of greater than  1 offers the possibility of a higher rate of return, but  also poses  more risk. In addition, JWN also has much higher dividend payout ratio and dividend yield than DDS.In general, JWN has higher rate of return and less volatile than DDS. JWN has higher dividend yield and lower dividend payout ratio than industry average. The growth and income pick pays an indus try-leading dividend yield of 1. 90%. Its ROE and Net profit margin are also higher than the industry average. Nordstrom clearly has a higher return than its competitor and is likely to be more profitable than its competitor and industry. In comparison with DDS and the industry average, it is apparent that there are no concerns with the accounting for the components of JWN ratios.JWN was consistently somewhat outperformed its competitor and the industry average. In its industry, JWN is apparently a leader in utilizing its capital to create value for the firm, creating profits, and increasing shareholder value IV. Growth in revenue and income Year| Revenue| Net income| 2011| $10,877| $683| 2010| $9,700| $613| 2009| $8,267| $441| 2008| $8,573| $401| 2007| $9,080| $715| 2006| $8,666| $678| Statistics|   | JWN| YoY growth in revenues | 2011| 12. 13%| YoY growth in net income| 2011| 11. 42%| YoY growth in revenues| 2010| 17. 33%| YoY growth in net income| 2010| 39. 00%|YoY growth in re venues| 2009| -3. 57%| YoY growth in net income| 2009| 9. 98%| YoY growth in revenues| 2008| -5. 58%| YoY growth in net income| 2008| -43. 92%| YoY growth in revenues| 2007| 4. 78%| YoY growth in net income| 2007| 5. 46%| YoY growth in revenues| (Average)| 12. 13%| YoY growth in net income| (Average)| 11. 42%| Nordstrom generates revenues from its credit segment, which consists of a wholly-owned federal savings bank that offers Nordstrom VISA credit and debit cards, and a private label card. Nordstrom also profits from its Faconnable boutiques located in France, Portugal, Belgium and the U.S. The remaining revenues are brought in by the retail store segment; the stores specialize in high quality apparel, shoes, cosmetics, and accessories. Nordstrom also sells direct via the internet at www. nordstrom. com. JWN’s revenue for 2011 increased 12. 7% compared with 2010 driven by the strength of Nordstrom full-line stores, rapid growth in its online business and improving results a t Nordstrom Rack. JWN opened three Nordstrom full-line stores, eighteen Nordstrom Rack stores and one Treasure & bond store, relocated two Nordstrom Rack stores, and acquired HauteLook during the year 2011.These additions represented 4. 0% of its total revenue for 2011. Same-store sales increased 7. 2%, with increases of 8. 2% at Nordstrom and 3. 7% at Nordstrom Rack. Nordstrom’s revenue was in a range of $8 billion to 11 billion from 2007 to 2011. There was a slightly decrease or increase in revenue over 5 years period. Nordstrom’s net income was in a range of $401 mil to $715 mil. There is a significant decrease in 2007 net income. It went from $715 mil to $401 mil, which is approximately 44% decrease in net income.However, its net income increased dramatically in 2010, from $441 mil in 2009 to $613 mil in 2010, which is nearly 40% increase in net income. In order to predict an accurate forecast for Nordstrom’s Income Statement, Statement of Cash Flows, and Ba lance sheet, a sustainable growth rate is needed. After examining Nordstrom’s past performance and computing past growth rates on Nordstrom’s financial, Nordstrom has an average growth in revenue and net income 12. 13% and 11. 42% respectively. V. â€Å"G† Growth rate Risk free rate |   | 3. 10%| Market rate|   | 10. 00%| Beta|   | 1. 58|Rate of return| Rf + B(Rm-Rf)| 14. 00%| # of share outstanding|   | 208| EPS|   | 3. 15| P/E ratio|   | 17. 48| Book value per share|   | 9. 42| Equity| Book value/share x # of share| 1959| Forecasted Net Income| EPS x # of share | 655. 2| Required Income| Equity x rate of return| 274| Residual Income| Forecasted NI – Required income| 381| Market price per share| P/E ratio x EPS| 55| Market capital| market price x # of share| 11453| Unrecognized intangible value (UIV)| market capital – equity| 9494| Growth rate| [(UIV *rate of return)-residual income]/UIV| 10%| With a risk free rate of 3. 0%, market r ate of 10%, and JWN’s Beta 1. 58, Nordstrom has a rate of return of 14% and growth rate of 10%. The growth rate 10% is slightly lower than the forecasted growth rate 11. 42% in net income and 12. 13% in revenue, based on the its past 5 years financial information. With the growth rate of 10%, the discount rate 14% from CAPM model is high enough for Nordstrom. Without the growth rate, discount rate 14% is too low because the capital market and market price per share will be $4679 million and $22. JWN’s market capital and market price per share are actually $11,453 million and $55/ respectively.With growth rate of 10%, JWN will have 14% in rate of return. VI. Recommendation about stock After evaluating Nordstrom’s past performance and forecasted its future growth, there should be a â€Å"BUY† in Nordstrom stock. Nordstrom has established itself as a high-end apparel retailing company. Nordstrom has founded itself upon excellent customer service and an unmat ched reputation. Its main competitors are Saks, Dillard’s, and Neiman Marcus. Nordstrom’s accounting policies are moderate and very well disclosed; they leave no room for any potential red flags to be raised. Nordstrom’s transparent accounting olicies show that the managers have confidence in the firm and its ability to perform. No distortion is used in their statements proving the firms high integrity standards. Upon completion of Nordstrom’s ratio analysis it is apparent that there should be no concerns as to how Nordstrom compares to its competition. In most cases Nordstrom was either average or stood above the competition. There were very few cases where Nordstrom fell behind in its market. Nordstrom would grow at an average 10% percent per year. This is shown through increasing sales and expansion of new stores.Nordstrom has $10,877 million net revenue, $683 million net income, EPS $3. 15, and dividend $. 90/share in fiscal 2012. Nordstrom is expecte d to have $11,705 Million net revenue, $735 million net income, EPS $3. 48 and dividend $. 90 per share during fiscal year 2013. JWN recently acquired online private sale leader HauteLook Inc, which will help the company in building its multi-channel retail format. The acquisition will facilitate Nordstrom to increase its direct business capabilities, implement an enterprise-wide inventory management system, direct sales to online customers and enhance customer service.JWN’s operations are based on a variable cost business model and about 40% to 45% of selling, general and administrative expenses are variable in nature. This flexible cost structure not only helps the company to mitigate the impact of sluggish sales trends on margins, but also enables it to quickly capitalize on the emerging opportunities when market conditions recover. Consequently, Nordstrom can expect a steady improvement in profitability moving forward. Nordstrom has 8. 6% increase in same-store sales for the five week period ended March 31st 2012 compared with the five week period ended April 2nd 2012.Total retail sales of $1. 03 billion for March 2012 increased 14. 7% compared with total retail sales of $897 million for the same period in fiscal year 2011. In addition, Nordstrom has a 7. 1% increase in same-store sales for the four-week period ended April 28th, 2012 compared with the four-week period ended April 30th, 2011. Preliminary total retail sales of $802 million for April 2012 increased 10. 5% compared with total retail sales of $726 million for the same period in fiscal 2011. First quarter same-store sales increased 8. 5% compared with the same period in fiscal 2011.First quarter total retail sales of $2. 53 billion increased 13. 7% compared with total retail sales of $2. 23 billion for the same period in fiscal 2011. In addition, JWN also invests 16. 4 million USD in Bonobos, an exclusive brand of men? s clothes that sells pants and other clothes online. Nordstrom will al so sell Bonobos products through its online store and through more than 100 brick and mortar stores. This move is one of Nordstrom? s efforts to capitalize on the growth opportunities and innovation potential that the web provides, which reflects a smart decision from a dynamic management team.