John Donne’s The Funeral Essay

â€Å"As with most poets of his time, Donne was obsessed with death. Mesmerized by its mysteries, charmed by its allure, and convinced of the existence of an afterlife (as a result of Christian theology), he finds himself at times unable to settle on a particular view of the subject. While a considerable portion of Donne’s opus deals with death either directly or indirectly, some poems depict death as insignificant while others present it as something he, and therefore humans, should fear. As a Christian, Donne believed (although perhaps did not understand) the concept of an afterlife. This conviction is shown by his understanding of death as a necessary stage before reaching the glory of heaven, the promised life with God† (http://www.luminarium.org/sevenlit/oliver.htm). John Donne’s â€Å"The Funeral† is a sonnet of strong emotions. The writer is leaving behind someone he loved and who loved him greatly. â€Å"The Funeral† is a way for him to say good-bye, to end this love the best way he knows how. The poem begins with a reference to the â€Å"subtle wreath of hair which crowns my arm† (3). This small braid was apparently a tradition from the Renaissance era where a woman would give a braid of her hair to the man she loved. He requests that it should be left alone because it is what completes  him, his â€Å"outward soul† (5). He seems to have made this small symbol of her affection everything he is about. He says he is leaving it to control and to keep her from dying. How does a small circlet of hair keep her alive? He is keeping her essence, her spirit, and her memory alive by keeping a part of her with him when he crosses over to the other side. Donne mentions that â€Å"These hairs which upward grew, and strength and art/ Have from a better brain† (12-3). The hair the woman gave him is strong and beautiful, but from something better. She seems to be from a higher and better stature than he is so just the fact that he has this braid of hair from her, he feels noteworthy. I take the statement â€Å"Can better do it; except she meant that I/ By this should know my pain† (14-5) to mean that he better remember her when he is gone, unless he knows how much pain he is going to be going through when he dies. Donne continues, â€Å"As prisoners then are manacled, when they’re condemned to die† (16). His death will mean the loss of her, so the pain he will experience could mean the heartache a prisoner feels having to leave his or her previous life once sentenced to death. A prisoner’s life is over as soon as they are given their condemnation just as a person’s life is concluded when they die . The third stanza brings him back to where he started, the bracelet of hair. He doesn’t care what her intentions are or were behind the hair, all he wants to assure is that it will be with him when he is laid to rest. The man states that he is â€Å"Love’s martyr† (19) and that if some other person happens to stumble on the hair, â€Å"it might breed idolatry† (19). The fact that he has the idea that this small braid of hair could create someone to adore it supports the theory that this woman was more than just an average person was. She must have been of some importance in order for him to want to protect it so carefully. He calls the hair a relic, which is â€Å"a part of the body, clothing, or other belongings of a saint, martyr, or other deceased holy person which is carefully preserved as an object of veneration.† The use of the word relic helps support the belief of the woman’s significance. The last two lines of the sonnet are what drive home the impression that whoever this woman was, she was important. â€Å"So ’tis some bravery, / That  since you would save none of me, I bury some of you† (23-4). She didn’t keep anything that would remind her of him, and yet with some courage, he is able to bury this small token with him. Another interpretation says that â€Å"save† used to be printed as â€Å"have† which suggests a sexual relationship. This would mean that she didn’t want him in the same way he wanted her, it takes audacity for him to keep something of hers with him for the rest of time. He was very over protective of the slight braid of hair that he obtained from this female. It is as if he had a small part of a celebrity that he didn’t want anyone else to even have the opportunity to see. It is hard to draw any definite conclusions about who this woman was and what the relationship between she and he exactly boils down to. It is safe to assume however that she was at least of some relevance to him and he was consumed with even the idea of her.

Labour Economics

Because the coefficient is less than 1, the price elasticity is said to be inelastic. 3. We know that if the price of a product changes, we will see movement along the emend curve. Name and explain, using an example, three factors that can cause the demand curve for labor to shift. (3 marks) Factors that cause the demand curve for labor to shift can be the income levels of consumers. When there is an increase in one's pay their confidence will rise which will allow them to want to spend more money.The demand of goods and services increase because there is also an increase in their disposable income. Also when there is an increase income some consumers taste and preferences may change Just like if there was huge decline in the income (they would prefer to shop on the sale jack). If they do not make as much money as before the demand for that goods or service will decrease (shift to the left) while they look for substitutes (goods or services for a cheaper price).For example, if Kather ine gets laid off from work, instead of buying cleaning agents for their washroom at Shoppers Drug Mart where she normally shops, she would probably rather pick up two bottles of Pine sol for a dollar each at Dollar. Also firms may decrease the hours for their employees or even lay employees off when there is a decline in demand for their goods or services. They would not hire additional workers because their revenue may not cover their additional cost. 4.Briefly explain the difference between pay equity and employment equity. (2 marks) Pay Equity focuses on paying an employee for the value of their work without discriminating against the employees' sexual orientation. Whereas employment equity lies under the Human Rights legislation, where one should not be discriminated by their sexual orientation, religion, age, race, and disability. This allows a firm's workplace environment to be more diverse and allowing everyone an equal opportunity when applying to work for one's company. Labour economics Trade unions are also known as Labour unions. It is the association of labourers in a particular trade, industry, or company, created for the purpose ot securing Improvements In pay, benefits, working conditions, or social and political status through collective bargaining. It's an organization whose membership consists of workers and union leaders who are united to protect and promote their common interests. What do you mean by Collective Bargaining?It is a formalized process by which employers and independent trade unions egotiate terms and conditions of employment and the ways in which certain employment † related Issues are to be regulated at national, organizational and workplace levels. It is a collective and a continuous process. The principle of ‘give and take' has been infused in the principle of Collective Bargaining. It is a technique that has been adopted by the unions and the managements to reconcile their conflicting Interests.It is called ‘collective' because the employees as a group select representatives to meet and discuss differenced with the employer. It is known as argaining' because the method of reaching an agreement involves proposals and counter proposals, offers and counter offers and other negotiations. Definition of collective Bargaining by Byar & Rue (1991 It Is a process that Involves the negotiation, drafting, administrative and interpretation of a written agreement between an employer and a union for a specific period of time.Collective Bargaining:- To Employees:- Importance of 1 . CB helps to develop a sense of responsibility and accountability among the employees. 2. CB increases the morale and productivity of employees. 3. It helps In securing a prompt and fair settlement of grievances. 4. Effective collective Bargaining machinery strengthens and gives value to the trade union movement. 5. The discrimination and exploitation of workers, If any, Is constantly monitored and addressed. To Management:- 1 .It help s in reducing labour problems to the minimum and in maintaining cordial relations labour and management 2. It opens up the channel of communication between the workers and management thus increasing worker participation In decision making. 3. CB helps to create a sense of Job security among employees. . It makes simpler for the management to resolve issues at the bargaining level rather than taking up complaints of individual workers. MINIMUM WAGES AND FAIR WAGES It Is the lowest wage permitted by the law or by a special government.The minimum wage attempts to protect employees from the exploitation, allowing them to afford the basic necessities of life such as clothing, water, food and shelter. The minimum wage rate fluctuates between countries, and sometimes between states or provinces. tOf3 It must prov10e not only Tor tne Dare suoslstence 0T IITe out Tor tne preservatlon 0T he efficiency of the workers by providing some measures of education, medical care, etc Criteria: It must be calculated for a family of 4 units.It must be able to provide 2700 calories per adult per day. It should be sufficient for 18 yards of cloth per unit per annum. There should be a provision for reasonable house rent, light, fuel and miscellaneous items. The Minimum Wages Act, 1948 is an Indian legislation enacted by the Parliament of India for statutory fixing of minimum wages paid to skilled unskilled labourers. Under the act, a tripartite committee â€Å"the Tripartite Committee of Fair Wage† was appointed that et definitions and guidelines for formulating a wage structure in India.The objectives of this act were :- To provide minimum wages to the workers working in the organized sector. To stop exploitation of the workers by paying them lower wages and making them work for longer hours. To empower the government to take steps for fixing the minimum wages and to revise it in a timely manner. A Living wage is a wage that is high enough to maintain a normal standard of livi ng. It is not only for the bare essentials for the worker and his family, but also for comfort, protection against ll-health, social needs, etc.Fair Wages refers to wage levels or company practices regarding wages that provide a living wage for workers while still complying with all national regulations (such as minimum wage, overtime payments, provision of paid holidays, etc. ) It is in between minimum wages and living wages, but below the living wage. With a fair wage, employees should be able to maintain a decent standard of living for themselves and their families. CHARACTERISTICS OF INDIAN LABOUR MARKET The Indian labour market can be categorized into three sectors: Rural workersOrganized of the formal sector Urban unorganized or informal structure Two-third of India's workforce is employed in agriculture and rural industries. One- third of the rural households are agricultural labour households, subsisting on wage employment. The unorganized sector has low productivity and off ers lower wages even though 94% of India's working population is engaged in this sector. Wage determination for organized sector:- The ‘day, Week' and ‘month' are the basic units for wage calculation. Normal working week is 5 days (for government) or five half days/ six days.Hour' is generally not a unit for wage calculation in the organized secotr. Wage determination for unorganized sector:- ‘Day is the common unit of calculation for unorganized sector. In certain cases, piece rate wages (it is the pay for each item produced) is in vogue, as well as hourly wages. MODERN THEORY OF WAGES The modern economists are of the view that Just as the price of a commodity is determined by the interaction of forces of demand and supply, the wage rate of specific types of workers can also be determined in the same way with the help of sual demand and supply analysis.This is why modern theory is also known as demand and supply theory of Wages. Now the demand for labour is a deri ved aemana. t I Is aerlvea Trom tne aemana 0T goods wnlcn It produces, along wltn otner factors of production. The marginal revenue product of labour (MRP) means the addition to the firm's revenue which it obtains by hiring one additional worker. The entrepreneur will continue hiring workers up to the point at which the cost of employing a worker is Just equal to the marginal revenue product of the labour.Now ue to the law of diminishing returns, the marginal revenue productivity of labour decreases as more and more workers are employed and hence the demand cure for labour is downward sloping. If we add up the demand curves for the labour of all the individual firms, we get the demand curve of the industry which determines the wage rate for labour. Now the supply of labour means the number of workers ready to work at the existing wage rate. Unlike the supply of other goods, the supply of labour cannot be increased with the increase in demand.Under perfect competition, the upply curv e of a firm is perfectly elastic and the firm cannot influence the price/ wage. The supply curve of an industry is upward rising from left to right, this means that an industry can get more labourers at higher wages. Determination of the equilibrium wage level: Wage rate is determined by the supply of and demand for labour. Equilibrium wage state is said to be determined at the point where supply and demand are equal. In the fgure below, at point N, the supply curve and demand curve cut eachother. WN is the equilibrium wage rate.

Microsoft Windows Issues - Post Software Install Coursework

Microsoft Windows Issues - Post Software Install - Coursework Example In case of conflicts with other problems, uninstall the program that may be causing conflicts and then install the intended program. After restarting the computer, install the program and see if the problem persists There are chances that the application or new software being installed overwrites the current operating system’s dynamic link libraries (DLL) files with an older version. This will therefore cause problems in the working of the installed application. Therefore, uninstalling the program will help remove this absolute file systems since they render the computer unusable and may cause conflicts to other programs as well. Lastly, the program may be conflicting with the Windows driver responsible with its functioning. Therefore, a solution is to update the Windows driver responsible for the running of the program and also installation Windows updates to restore the operating system’s dynamic link libraries (DLL)

The American writer Ursula LeGuin's The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas Essay

The American writer Ursula LeGuin's The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas - Essay Example In the text’s description of city Omela it’s clear that there is an almost satirically good description of the on-goings. For instance, Le Guin writes, â€Å"The horses wore no gear at all but a halter without bit. Their manes were braided with streamers of silver, gold and green† (Le Guin). Here one sees that even the animals residing in the city were of a glorious nature. In terms of the social order, it’s noted that in large part there is no overriding government structure in this society. Le Guin states, â€Å"I do not know the rules and laws of their society, but I suspect that they were singularly few. As they did without monarchy and slavery, so they also got on without the stock exchange†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Le Guin). It seems in advancing this notion of government Le Guin is indicating that the society is so well functioning and efficient that it does not need any government structure to regulate anti-social behavior. The story also greatly considers t he nature of the individual. In large regards it seems to flesh out the notions of the individual as a means of establishing their conscious awareness of the society, as well as their happiness. Consider Le Guin when she writes, â€Å"How can I tell you about the people of Omelas? They were not naive and happy children--though their children were, in fact, happy† (Le Guin). ... The child is described as either feeble minded, or made so through malnutrition and fear. The child is even horrifically described as screaming that it will be good if it is let out. The child is perhaps the most indicative element of the city of Omela as it indicates that even as the individuals in the society enjoy considerable happiness and social cohesion there is still an aspect of their existence that is sinister. The story also indicates that occasionally an individual will leave Omela after learning the reality of the child’s situation. While it seems in part that Le Guin is making a statement about the nature of scapegoats in society, what one makes of the child in the basement is more a reflection on the individual reader than the story itself. In conclusion, this essay has considered the nature of society and the individual in Ursula Le Guin’s ‘The One’s Who Walk Away From Omelas’. In terms of society it’s demonstrated that the text presents a utopian world that is loosely described, allowing the reader to implement their imagination. The individuals are presented as conscious and intelligent. Ultimately, at the center of the story is a moral choice that is meant to reveal aspects of human character and nature of

Was the suspension of habeas corpus by Jefferson Davis necessary Research Paper

Was the suspension of habeas corpus by Jefferson Davis necessary - Research Paper Example It is thus imperative to begin with a detailed explanation of the meaning and key concepts of habeas corpus. Habeas corpus is a writ founded on the legal doctrine of an accused person’s entitlement to a fair trial. Its essence is that a person deserves to be tried before an open court of law where he can respond to the charges presented before him as an accused person. It is therefore a court order to show cause as to the purpose and a justification for the arrest of the accused person. When presented before a court of law, the state is required to bring forth a prisoner held in custody so that the court can determine the lawfulness of the detention.2 It is for this reason that Habeas corpus is considered to be among the cornerstones of American civil liberties and has been used extensively as a powerful safeguard against unlawful arrests. The term ‘habeas corpus’ originates from the Latin maxim â€Å"to produce the body of†, whereby ‘habeas’ l oosely translates to â€Å"you have† and ‘corpus’ refers to the body. The writ can be traced as far back as the British occupation of the United States. However, the most accurate detailed explanation of its origin is found in the British Magna Carta. ... The American Constitution allows for the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus in cases of rebellion or the invasion of the public safety.4 Under the American history, the writ has been suspended severally, especially during the American civil war. The first suspension of the writ took place in 1861, where President Abraham Lincoln authorized a suspension of the writ upon the outbreak of riots, threats of succession and resident militia actions.5 Even then, this generated a public outcry in which the Maryland courts challenged the suspension of the writ.6 President Jefferson Davis repeated the same act upon the emergence of the American civil war. However, his suspension of the writ during the confederacy period earned him a lot mob criticism. This is because not only did he suspend the writ once, but also sought to seek the extension of the suspension through congress. Unlike in the north where the suspension arose from civil unrest, the suspension of the writ in the south was mai nly to spur economic development that had been rampaged by the economic crisis of the south. Partly to blame for the extension of the suspension was the reasoning, by Jefferson Davis, that winning the confederacy war and uniting the northern and southern states was his priority. The extension of the martial law was just but the means to win the war over the south and return the south to economic prosperity. This therefore meant that when the attention of the world was upon the Confederacy, President Davis’ focus was solely upon how to win the war, no matter what it took and any step towards achieving this objective was acceptable. Jefferson Davis and the Confederacy The American civil war emerged as a fight to preserve the union that was the United States of America.

Indoor Management Rules Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Indoor Management Rules - Essay Example In the UK, most commercial transactions are carried out under the statutory exception, which is the doctrine of agency. The agency of doctrine rule is based on the theory that if an agent signs a contract within his jurisdiction as by the principal, then all obligations and rights as acquired by the agent are passed on to the principal whereupon the latter can litigate and or be prosecuted upon, by on the terms as set within the contract. However, certain reservations within this doctrine brought the Turquand rule into existence, which helped in defining contractual alliances with third parties. The significance of Turquand rule was that this provision gave the third party a right to assume (while signing cheques) that the company directors with whom the contract is signed, has been rightfully appointed and they have the right to en-cash the cheque (matters of internal management). Turquand rule thus stated that a third party signing a contract with a company could view only the exte rnal position of the latter without going into issues of indoor management. However, on close analysis it reveals that the rule does not provide any mechanism or route for the third party to bypass ‘privity of contract rule’ and prosecute the company. ... the derivations that the Turquand rule does not add anything to concept of agency.   In cases of an internal obligation (in a situation where a ‘stranger’ or the third party is aware of the firm’s indoor management) where a given operation is permitted by a special declaration, the Turquand rule consequently becomes inapplicable. Currently the Companies Act 2006 (section 40)4 has now replaced Turquand rule in English law, where the general aim is to restrict the third party from being negatively affected owing to restrictions on authority as set within a company’s constitution. A closer look at section 40 reveals that the ?eld still remains complicated (the section being inadequately worded leaving scope for misinterpretation). The basic flaw is the wording, where it is seen that in section 40  (1) it is unclear as whether the third person or P is ‘a person dealing with a company’? It is evident that this individual is a ‘person,†™ but it remains unclear whether he is ‘dealing with a company.’ There is delineation to this effect in section 40 (2), where it states that a person clearly ‘deals with’ a firm when he is part of any transaction or any other activity,  where the firm ‘is a party’. Again the wording here is unclear, as the term ‘party’ is liable to be construed as a situation where the firm has signed a legal deal with the person. Here the primary difficulty is from the perspective of the person or individual (with whom the firm signs the deal). Unless the person can present as evidence that this section or another one  is applicable that can remove the corollary of ‘constructive notice doctrine,’ it will be impossible with facts at hand to prove that the firm is a ‘party’ and hence can be prosecuted. Thus, the basic

Corporate Governance in UK Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Corporate Governance in UK - Assignment Example The paper throws light on corporate managements that always work on corporate governance strategies so as to meet the increasingly changing market trends. The corporate governance policy also helps to manage the interrelationship between stakeholders and the organisation’s fundamental objectives which shape the way the firm operates. The top management is always eager to know whether its corporate governance policy is efficient enough to meet the shareholder values even though the management also focuses on impacts of the policy on the firm’s operational efficiency. Nowadays corporate governance frameworks specifically target internal check policies as a series of corporate failures in 2001 were ascribed to accounting fraud. In addition, corporate scandals of various forms throughout the last decade attainted public and political interest. Consequently, managements adopted more regulative approach towards the development and execution of corporate governance practices. As Laura points out, Continental Europe’s multi-stakeholder model specifically emphasises on the interests of workers, customers, managers, and suppliers whereas the Anglo-American corporate governance model values shareholder interests. However, every organisation takes into account the rights and privileges of its shareholders while framing its corporate governance policies. In addition, a corporate governance framework clearly states the roles and responsibilities of the board of directors, integrity and ethical standards of the organisation, and concerns of disclosure and transparency. It is observed that corporate governance practices vary from organisation to organisation and country to country. Corporate governance laws Corporate governance laws in UK clearly define rights, powers, and duties of directors, managers, and auditors, and the position of stakeholders including employees and communities in which companies operate. Since board of directors are the persons at the helm of affairs of a company, the corporate governance policies intent to establish a mechanism to ensure their accountability. According to Fairley (2010), the UK corporate governance law is â€Å"shareholder friendly† and it allows shareholders to enjoy their sole voting rights in the general meeting. Likewise, directors possess a series of basic rights including issue of resolutions and removal of board members. At the same time, directors have also a set of duties to be carried out toward their company. Directors are obliged to carry out their duties and responsibilities with competence, in good faith, and strong loyalty to the organisation. If the voting mechanisms seem to be inadequate to meet the interests of shareholders, directors’ rights may be questioned in a court of law. The UK Takeover Code protects the interests and rights of shareholders to a great extent and assists

The external environment of Manchester United Essay - 1

The external environment of Manchester United - Essay Example Brand image can easily be considered as the greatest strength of Manchester United football club. Its brand image is globally recognized. Millions of fans and followers of the football club are present all over the world. Any type of merchandise available in the market having the logo or the name of Manchester United is easily identified by any of its fans all around the world. However the club needs to live up to the expectations of their fans in order to sustain their brand image. Sir Alex Ferguson, the manager of Manchester United for past many years, is one of the powerful and biggest assets for the football club. Manchester United was managed most effectively and efficiently by Sir Alex Ferguson for more than 25 years now and still continuing to do so (Manchester United Ltd., 2012a). He can be regarded as the most successful manager ever in the history of club football in UK. This type of consistency in performance maintained by the club helps in the decision making process rega rding prospective investments made by the company. Sales ticket is also considered to be one of the greatest strength of the club because of the huge fan base it possesses. There is a huge demand for the match tickets and the revenues generated from ticket sales are expected to increase significantly in the upcoming years. However ticket sales are not the only income source for the club. It has its products in offer too which contributes towards a significant portion of the revenues generated by Manchester United. Huge number of retail stores is run by MU and its distribution channel is also quite strong. The variety of products offered by MU can be considered as one of its major weaknesses. It is true that MU has a wide variety of products in offer for their fans, starting from the merchandise products to credit cards. However an area of concern is whether fans were involved in this type of decisions or not?

The Jewish state in Palestine Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Jewish state in Palestine - Assignment Example As it stands today, in my opinion, there will not be a peaceful solution to this issue. The Balfour Declaration created in 1917 stated that Britain, which at the time ruled Palestine, was in favor of creating a Jewish homeland. The term â€Å"Palestinian† is a misnomer. The land of Palestine was under the rule of foreign power since Biblical times. The Arabs living in Palestine never had a ruling government. Britain and the UN, after World War II, set aside part of Palestine to create the new State of Israel. Another misconception is Jewish families came and threw Arab families off their land. The Jewish immigration since Herzl’s time had Jews coming to Palestine and buying land from local Arabs. After the Israel declared their independence, Iran, Egypt, Iraq, Syria, Jordon, and Lebanon immediately attacked the new nation. The newly formed IDF (Israel Defense Forces) beat back the attacking forces and after a year won what is today Israel, excluding the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and Golan Heights. The Six Day War and Yom Kippur War gave Israel the Sinai, Gaza Strip, West Bank, and Gaza Strip. Through negotiations the Sinai was returned to Egypt. The others are known as the Occupied Territories. When Israel formed their government, Jewish interests were placed first. The Holocaust had brought the cry â€Å"Never Again† to the lips of every Israel. The Arabs or â€Å"Palestinians† felt ostracized in their own country. The new language was Hebrew first, then Arab, and the English. Jews from all over the world flooded the tiny country, which is no bigger than New Jersey. The refugees of the wars, instead of leaving for an Arab country, were placed in refugees camps. Refugee camps in the Occupied Territory are cramped apartments where hunger and poverty run wild. The Palestinians started fighting against Israel through terror attacks on civilian targets. The Mahlot School

Financial Markets and Institutions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Financial Markets and Institutions - Essay Example economy, impact of recent monetary policy on U.S. economy and the strategy for the use of bond markets. Foreign Exchange Market The foreign exchange market is an over-the-counter (OTC) market. The participants of foreign exchange markets are portfolio managers, importers and exporters, commercial banks, central banks, and foreign currency brokers. Types of Transaction and their benefits There are three types of foreign exchange transactions: spot transaction, forward transaction and swaps. A spot transaction includes deliver of the exchange by the seller of the foreign exchange to the buyer, on the spot, and the settlement of deal is within two business days. A forward transaction involves an agreement between the seller and buyer of currency to purchase or sell a preset amount of currency for a rate which is determined in advance at a specified date in the future. A currency swap is defined as a conversion of one currency into another with an agreement to revert it back at some date in the future. Forward transactions are valuable to the U.S. and global economies in several ways. It can fully eradicate risk by locking in now the rate or price at which the transaction is going to be made in future. Forward trading offer the economic benefits of risk control and price discovery as well as rich opportunity for speculation. It provides protection against price changes through hedging. Spot market is also considered as most developed market and central banks have judged it as the neutral market for interventions. Forward transactions also protect the investors and traders from exposure towards the fluctuations of the spot rate known as currency hedging. (Peng, 2008, p.194). Factors Affecting Interest Rates Interest rates are determined by the forces of demand and supply. There are numerous factors that affect the interest rates and these are as follows: First is the monetary supply and demand. The interest rates for saving accounts of U.S. citizens can be affected by the demand and supply of the currency in circulation and more demand and less supply result in a higher rates being offered. Second is the inflation. Inflation rate impact interest rates because every lender desire returns from the loan in order to reflect the reduced purchasing power. They add the expected or existing inflation value to the interest rates to evade losses. Third is the Central Bank policy. It helps to decide the interest rates for saving accounts. Fourth factor is the demand for credit. When the demand for credit is high, then the best savings account interest rates are seen. Interest rates tend to decrease with the decrease in the credit demand. Fifth factor is the economic state of the U.S. It enables to determine the interest rates for saving accounts. Interest rates tend to decrease with the recession and economic prosperity cause the interest rates to go up. Sixth factor is the expectation of the economic growth. Interest rates tend to increase when economic growth is predicted. Seventh factor is the level of competition among financial institutions. When financial institutions compete for consumer business, then the saving accounts and best interest will be seen.

Wine project Essay Example for Free

Wine project Essay Valais is known for its exceptional climate, whereby the mountains stop most of the rainfall, but create ‘foehn’ winds which assists in the late autumn months with the essential ripening process of late varieties of grapes. Almost continuous sunshine for most of the year attributes to hot and dry summers, while winters can be cold and snowy, even on the lower levels of the valley, yet the frost, which is usually the worst enemy of winegrowers, is rare, as the seasons change gradually, not abruptly. Soil Composition Light, well-aerated soil, poor in clay. This warms up rapidly in sunshine but does not retain water very well. The soil composition varies from plot to plot, diversity due to the geological upheavals, which occurred in this region. Type of wine Rose wine Character of the wine Dry, full bodied, typical flinty taste Food harmony (2 dishes) Seared cod with red wine sauce, Sauteed chicken with wild mushroom. Commercial argumentation This beautiful Pinot Noir opens up with very aromatic flavors. It is essential summer wines, easy to drink fresh and fruity. It has a lovely red fruit aromas with the smooth end. Cost sale price. 2009 Dole Blanche, Charrat, Verteys Price: 14 Chf. References: Swiss Wine Growers Association. (1994). All About Swiss Wine. Geneva: OFD Communications. artisan-vigneron. ch. (n. d. ) Retrieved February 26, 2013, from http://www. artisan-vigneron. ch/vins. html Chateau Brane-Cantenac Appellation Chateau Brane-Cantenac Country France Region Bordeaux Sub Region Margaux Village Margaux Estate Vineyard/ Grand cru Brane Cantenac Grape(s) Variety(ies) Cabernet Sauvignon 65%, Merlot 30%, Cabernet Franc 5% Climate conditions Bordeaux has a warm summer and long mile autumns, but suffers plenty of rainfall. In vineyard terms, it is a marginal climate, where grapes need a good site and a good year to ripen fully. Soil Composition Deep gravel from the quaternary era, with white gravel, sand and less clay. Type of wine Bordeaux-style red blend Character of the wine The wine has leafy, blackcurrant aromas a flavorsome but light wine for the vintage. Food harmony (2 dishes) Ratatouille, Roast duck with fig and orange sauce. Commercial argumentation A gorgeous deepest violet color by far that is made from world- quality grapes; Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. It will deliver wines of charm and fine texture rather than brute power. It is blend in Bordeaux style, but don’t lack of attentiveness and structure. The wine is aged for eighteen months with the love and care from the wine maker. This wine could be considered as the most sophisticated as the wine is built in a long hue, and still very much on the way to go further. Cost sale price 1988 Chateau Brane-Cantenac, Margaux, France Price Range of 750ml bottle, ex-tax in CHF Average: 85CHF From: 55CHF To 120CHF References: Crook, S. (2009). The complete Bordeaux. Great Britain, Octopus publishing group. Wine-searcher. com. (n. d. ) Retrived February 26, 2013, from http://www. wine-%09searcher. com/wine-8-1988-chateau-brane-cantenac-margaux-france Chambertin Appellation Chambertin Country France Region Burgundy Sub Region Cote de Nuit Village Gevery-Chambertin Estate Vineyard/ Grand cru Gevery-Chambertin Grand Cru Grape(s) Variety(ies) Pinot Noir Climate conditions Relatively hot, dry summers and cool, crisp winters. Particularly in summer, this climate type brings high diurnal temperature variation, which helps to maintain a balance between natural sugars and acidity in the wines. Soil Composition The soil varies depending on how high up the hillside the vineyard is located. The primary component is limestone, mixed with some clay and flint. The amount of clay decreases in site higher up the hill Type of wine Red wine Character of the wine Chambertin is full, firm and austere at the outset and structured and fleshy, with initial flavor of black fruits, liquorice and coffee beans, mellowing into something rich, concentrated, generous and warm-hearted when they mature. Food harmony (2 dishes) Beef wellington, Cheese souffle Commercial argumentation. The most prestigious and luxury wine produced from Burgundy, France with the deep colored, full body, smooth and very complex red wine from the world famous Pinot Noir. The wine is made at the northern end of the Cote d’Or, with the rich of soil and perfect amount of sun, these factors render Chambertin to be named as â€Å"King of Wines†. It offers a strong and rigid structure with the hints of black berries fruits, and coffee beans, blended together until reached the top of quality. Chambertin is full of flavor and powerful in aromas that will definitely deliver the pleasure to anyone who taste it. Cost sale price 1988 Domaine Armand Rousseau Pere et Fils Chambertin Grand Cru, Cote de Nuits, France: Price Range of 750ml bottle, ex-tax in CHF Average: 1,083CHF From: 885CHF To 1,362CHF References: Anderson, P. J. , (2012). About wine. USA, Curio Press. Coates, C. , (2008). The wine of Burgundy. University of California Press Wine-search. com. (n. d. ) Retrieved February 26, 2013, from http://www. wine-searcher. com/wine-37013-1988-domaine-armand-rousseau-pere-et-fils-chambertin-grand-cru-cote-de-nuits-france Laurent Perrier â€Å"Alaxandra rose† Appellation Laurent Perrier â€Å"Alaxandra rose†/ Champagne. Country France Region Champagne Sub Region NA Village NA Estate Vineyard/ Grand cru Laurent Perrier Grape(s) Variety(ies) Pinot Noir 80%, Chardonnay 20% Climate conditions Champagne is a cold place, at the northern climatic limit of grape growing, a factor that leaves the grapes with low tannins but a particularly fine varietal aroma. Sometimes July and August will be hot, and occasionally September and October will be warm. Soil Composition The prominent soil type is chalk, though this is not always visible in the surface Type of wine Champagne, rose Character of the wine. A pale salmon pink with an orange tinge. Complex and powerful, the first aromas are reminiscent of strawberry jam. These are followed by floral notes such as rose petal. Lively and crisp, with dominant flavors of red berry fruit such as wild strawberries. Full-bodied, with a velvety texture and a finale showing hints of dried apricots and orange peel. Food harmony (2 dishes) Duck in bilberry sauce, Green salad with Caviar and smoked salad Commercial argumentation A lively rose champagne from the world famous Pinot Noir blended with another well-known Chadonnay in a perfect combination. Laurent Perrier â€Å"Alaxandra rose† reached the top quality to be one of the best rose champagnes in the world. The wine offers the flavor of red berries and wild strawberry with the hints of dried apricots and orange zest. It has kept its freshness while building the element of toasty and maturity which renders the taste to be crips, and powerful in aromas. The full-bodied, elegant champagne with a smooth texture and a complex finish will never disappoint anyone. Cost sale price 2004 Laurent-Perrier Grand Siecle Alexandra Rose Millesime, Prestige Cuvee Champagne, France: Price Range of 750ml bottle, ex-tax in CHF? Average: 275CHF From: 275CHF To 276CHF References: Kolpan, S. , Smith B. H. , Weiss M. A. , (2010). Exploring wine. USA. Willey Press. Wine-searcher. com. (n. d. ) Retrieved February 26, 2013, from http://www. wine-searcher. com/wine-16145-2004-laurent-perrier-grand-siecle-alexandra-rose-millesime-prestige-cuvee-champagne-france Lauren-perrier. com. (n. d. ). Retrieved February 26, 2013, from http://www. laurent-perrier. com Mondavi private selection Meritage Appellation Monterey County Country USA Region California Sub Region Central coast Village NA Estate Vineyard/ Grand cru NA Grape(s) Variety(ies) 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Petit Verdot, 8% Malbec, 7% Cabernet Franc, 2% Merlot Climate conditions The 2008 growing season on California’s Central Coast was one of great variety. Flowering was on the late side due to winter drought and a strong frost in late March. Summer temperatures were inconsistent, alternating between cool and excessively hot. Soil Composition Sandy, well-drained soil Type of wine Red wine Character of the wine The wine offers lavish dark plum, black cherry, and blackberry aromas along with a velvety texture and succulent mid-palate flavors. Its finish is impressively long and enhanced by well- integrated tannins. Food harmony (2 dishes) Grilled rib eye with garlic butter, Osso Bucco Commercial argumentation With the brilliant invention of Robert Mondavi, he created the wine with Bordeux style and presented it into a very nice wine. The wine is an amazingly rich with the dark plum color, yet tasteful and easy to drink. It consists of five different Bordeaux red varieties; Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot that were blended in the perfect combination until reaching the same quality as Bordeaux wines. Cost sale price 2008 Robert Mondavi Winery Private Selection Meritage, California, USA Price Range of 750ml bottle, ex-tax in CHF? Average: 10CHF From: 7CHF To 13CHF References: Kolpan, S. , Smith B. H. , Weiss M. A. , (2010). Exploring wine. USA. Willey Press. Robertmodavi. com. (n. d. ) Retrieved February 26, 2013 from http://www. robertmondavi. com/rmps/wines/our_wines/meritage/ Wine-searcher. com. (r. d. ) Retrieved February 26, 2013 from http://www. wine-searcher. com/wine-77785-2008-robert-mondavi-winery-private-selection-meritage-california-usa.

Generalized Cross Correlation With Phase Transform Information Technology Essay

Generalized Cross Correlation With Phase Transform Information Technology Essay The sound signal from a source is captured by a pair of microphones. The analog signal from the microphone must be amplified and converted into digital for further processing. Hence, an analog to digital converter external to the FPGA is used. After the analog signal is digitized, the signal is fed into FPGA for source localization. The digital signals are first saved into input buffer. In our case, we have used First in First out (FIFO) as a memory controller. The signals in time domain are then converted into frequency domain by using Fast Fourier Transform (FFT). Generalized cross correlation (GCC) is used for the estimation of time difference of arrival (TDOA) of the sound signals from the microphone pair. After TDOA is estimated, we then calculate the direction from which the sound signal is arriving which we refer to as direction of arrival (DOA). The appropriate degree is used by the stepper motor controller module which controls the rotation and speed of the stepper motor. The signal from stepper motor controller module is fed into stepper motor driver circuit which is responsible in energizing the appropriate coils of the stepper motor in particular sequence so as to rotate the stepper motor to the direction of the sound source. 4.2 Time difference of arrival (TDOA) estimation: Consider a sound source and a pair of microphones located at some distance from the source. As sound travels through air with constant speed, it takes time to arrive from source to the microphone location. The farther a microphone is located from the sound source, the longer it will take for the sound to reach the microphone. Two microphones located at different places will receive the same sound (plus noise) at a different time. The TDOA method takes advantage of this delayed arrival to estimate the location of the source. [ref mediatech4] For a source signal s(t) propagated through a noisy and reverberant environment, the sensor signals of two spatially separated microphones and and can be expressed as: (4.1) (4.2) where is the attenuation factor, and are the time delays, and the additive term includes the channel noise in the microphone system as well as any ambient noise for the sensor. This noise is assumed to be uncorrelated with . The TDOA estimation calculates the relative delay of the time delays and of the two recorded microphone signals and defined as: [ref 10.1.1.9.3680] (4.3) Now formulae (4.1) and (4.2) can be written as (4.4) (4.5) The Fourier transform of captured signal from microphones and is expressed as: (4.6) (4.7) HELLO!! I am here! Fourier Transform GCC-PHAT Inverse Fourier Transform Max value to give TDOA xi(t) xj(t) Fig 4.2 Block for estimating TDOA Cross correlation between the two signals is calculated to estimate the time difference of arrival. The cross correlation of signals and is (4.8) The cross correlation, reaches its maximum at the time delay (à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬  t). is the fourier transform of the cross correlation spectrum and is obtained from the individual spectra of and : (4.9) where is the Fourier transform of and is the complex conjugate of the Fourier transform of . And may be expanded using equation (4.6) (4.10) It is assumed that the average energy of the captured signals is significantly greater than the interfering noise, such that (4.11) The last three terms of equation (4.10) are negligible compared to first term based on the above assumption. Expression (4.10) now reduces to: (4.12) The can be found by evaluating (4.13) where IFT stands for inverse Fourier transform Generalized Cross Correlation with Phase Transform (GCC-PHAT) A major limitation of the approach is that it is highly influenced by noise and reverberation. To minimize its influence on TDOA estimation, we need to whiten the cross correlation by using Generalized Cross Correlation with Phase Transform (GCC-PHAT) (4.14) And its time domain counterpart is: (4.15) Where FT stands for Fourier transform and IFT stands for inverse Fourier transform The output of the GCCPHAT function is delta like with peak at . The above analysis is based on analog signals and stationary . For digital processing, the are sampled and become discrete sequences . Also the are not stationary as the source of sound is liable to change location. For analysis, finite frames are also required due to computational constraints. Hence the usual windowing techniques are applied and the sampled signals are broken into analysis frames. [10.1.1.43.5850] After conversion into the discrete finite sequence domain, equation (4.15) becomes: (4.16) Direction of arrival (DOA) estimation It is possible to compute the position of the source through geometrical calculation once TDOA is estimated. We consider a simple model based on far field assumption. Microphone i Microphone j source direction  Ã‚ ¦  Ã‚ ± Figure 4.3 Computing source direction from TDOA Consider the Figure 4.3, which illustrates the case of 2 microphone array with a source in the far field. Using cosine law, we state that: (4.16) where is a unit vector pointing in the direction of the source and is the vector that goes from microphone i to microphone j. It can also be stated that: (4.17) where c is the velocity of sound. Taking microphone i as reference, we place stepper motor in the position of microphone i. The angle of sound signal arrival is given by (90- Ã‚ ¦) as shown in Figure 4.4. Also, from the figure, (90- Ã‚ ¦) =  Ã‚ ±.  Ã‚ ¦  Ã‚ ± stepper motor position 90- Ã‚ ¦ Microphone i Microphone j source direction Figure 4.4 Stepper motor position and estimation of direction of sound source. Fast Fourier Transform: Frequency analysis of discrete time signals is usually and most suitably performed on a digital signal processor, which may be a specially designed digital hardware or a general purpose digital computer. We convert the time-domain sequence to an equivalent frequency domain representation to perform frequency analysis on a discrete-time signal {x[n]}. We consider the representation of a sequence {x[n]} by samples of its spectrum X( Ã‚ ·). Such a frequency domain representation leads to the Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT), which is a powerful computational tool for performing frequency analysis of discrete time signals. In the view of the importance of the DFT in various digital signal processing applications, such as correlation analysis, linear filtering, spectrum analysis, its efficient computation is a topic that has received considerable attention by many mathematicians, engineers, and applied scientists[ ]. The number of complex multiplication and addition operations required by the simple forms both the Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) and Inverse Discrete Fourier Transform (IDFT) is of order N2 as there are N data points to calculate, each of which requires N complex arithmetic operations. For length n input vector x, the DFT is a length n vector X, with n elements: (4.18) Basically, DFT computes the sequence {X(k)} of N complex valued numbers given another sequence of data {x(n)} of length N, according to the formula (4.19) Where, Similarly, Inverse Discrete Fourier Transform (IDFT) is given by, (4.20) The DFT and IDFT involve essentially the same type of computations. Therefore, efficient computational algorithms for the DFT also apply to the efficient computation of the IDFT. Direct computation of X(k) involves N complex multiplications or each value of k, 4N real multiplications and N-1 complex additions (4N-2 real additions). Hence to compute all N values of the DFT requires N2 complex multiplications and N2-N complex additions. We may say they have algorithmic complexity O(N2) and hence is not a very efficient method. Hence, DFT will not be very useful for the majority of practical DSP applications if we cant do any better than this. However, there are a number of different Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) algorithms that enable the calculation the Fourier transform of a signal much faster than a DFT. FFT exploits the symmetry and periodicity properties of the phase factor WN. In particular these two properties are: Symmetry property: (4.21) Periodicity property: (4.22) As the name suggests, FFTs are algorithms for quick calculation of discrete Fourier transform of a data vector. The FFT is a DFT algorithm which reduces the number of computations needed for N points from O(N 2) to O(N log2 N). The response of an FFT looks like a sinc function (sinx) / x, if the function to be transformed is not harmonically related to the sampling frequency, Radix 2 algorithm: It is one of the commonly used FFT algorithms. The Radix 2 algorithms are useful if N is a regular power of 2 (N=2p). If we assume that algorithmic complexity provides a direct measure of execution time and that the relevant logarithm base is 2 then as shown in Table 4.1, ratio of execution times for the (DFT) vs. (Radix 2 FFT) (denoted as Speed Improvement Factor) increases tremendously with increase in N. [fft.pdf] Number of points, N Complex multiplications in direct computation N2 Complex multiplications in FFT algorithm (N/2)log2N Speed improvement factor 4 16 4 4.0 8 64 12 5.3 16 256 32 8.0 32 1024 80 12.8 64 4096 192 21.3 128 16384 448 36.6 256 65536 1024 64.0 512 262144 2304 113.8 1024 1048576 5120 204.8 Table 4.1 Comparison of execution times, DFT and Radix -2 FFT There are two different radix 2 algorithms, Decimation in Time (DIT) and Decimation in frequency (DIF) algorithm. They both rely on the recursive decomposition of an N point transform into 2 (N/2) point transforms. This decomposition process can be applied to any composite (non prime) N. The method is particularly simple if N is divisible by 2 and if N is a regular power of 2, the decomposition can be applied repeatedly until the trivial 1 point transform is reached. Divide and conquer method is used to obtain the radix -2 decimation in frequency FFT. Figure 4.5 shows the first stage of the 8 point DIF algorithm. The decimation causes shuffling in data. -1 -1 -1 -1 x[0] x[1] x[2] x[4] x[3] x[5] x[6] x[7] X[0] X[1] X[2] X[3] X[5] X[4] X[6] X[7] N/2 Point DFT N/2 Point DFT g[0] g[2] g[1] g[3] h[0] h[1] h[2] h[3] WN0 WN1 WN2 WN3 Figure 4.5 First stage of 8 point Decimation in Frequency Algorithm The entire process involves v = log2N stages of decimation, where each stage involves N/2 butterflies of the type shown in the Figure 4.6. Here is the Twiddle factor. a b A=a+b B=(a-b)WN WN Figure 4.6 Butterfly scheme Consequently, the computation of N-point DFT via this algorithm requires (N/2) log2N complex multiplications. For illustrative purposes, the eight-point decimation-in frequency algorithm is shown in the Figure 4.7 below. We observe that the output sequence occurs in bit-reversed order with respect to the input. X[0] X[1] X[2] X[3] X[4] X[5] X[6] X[7] -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 WN0 WN0 WN0 WN0 WN0 WN2 WN0 WN2 WN0 WN1 WN2 WN3 x[0] x[1] x[2] x[3] x[4] x[5] x[6] x[7] Figure 4.7 8 point decimation in frequency algorithm Matlab Simulation Figure 4.8 Simulink model for verification of TDOA algorithm Simulink model is used to verify the algorithm for calculating the time difference of arrival (TDOA). Samples of audio signal is read from a wave file hello_8000.wav at 8kHz Windowing is done to take certain number of samples of the signal each time for further processing in order to estimate the TDOA . Audio signals are taken through two channels, where each channel assumes to be the signal from each microphone with certain delay samples added to one channel. From Figure 4.8 we can observe that 25 delay samples have been considered. Noise has been added externally using Gaussian Noise Generator block to check the resistance of the system against ambient noise. Our system showes good resistance to noise after analyzing with different noise conditions added to two channels. Figure 4.9 Plot of samples of time delay as viewed in scope The plot for samples of time delay obtained for simulation time of 20 sec is shown in figure 4.9. We see that a straight line is obtained at delay sample of 25. But, we can also see variations in between, with maximum value of delay samples shooting to 128. But the maximum probability we obtained is of 25 delay samples. Figure 4.10 Plot of time delay (secs) as viewed in scope Corresponding to the delay samples, we then calculate the time delay in seconds between the signals in the two channels. For 25 delay samples, we obtain the time delay as 0.003125 sec. The plot for the time delay obtained is shown in figure 4.10. Figure 4.11 Stepper motor drive model Figure 4.11 shows a Simulink model of stepper motor drive using 2 phase hybrid stepper motor. The motor phases are fed by two H-bridge MOSFET PWM converters. 28 V DC voltage source provides the voltage required for the driver module. The movement of stepper motor drive is controlled by the STEP and DIR signals generated from the Signal Builder block. Square-wave current references are generated using the current amplitude and the step frequency parameters specified in the dialog window of the Signal Builder block. The STEP signal from the Signal Builder block controls the movement of the stepper motor. A positive value of STEP signal will rotate the motor whereas a zero value will stop the rotation. The DIR signal controls the direction in which the motor rotates. A positive value of DIR rotates the motor is one direction while a negative value will impose the reverse direction. Consider simulation time of 0.25 sec. The STEP and DIR input is shown in figure 4.12. The resulting waveforms are given in figure 4.13. The stepper motor rotates in positive direction for 0.1 sec, stops for 0.05 sec and then rotates in the opposite direction for 0.05 sec and then stops. Figure 4.12 Signal Builder for generating the STEP and DIR signals Figure 4.13 Waveforms as viewed in the scope STEPPER MOTOR A stepper motor is an electromechanical device which converts electrical pulses into discrete mechanical movements. The shaft or spindle of a stepper motor rotates in discrete step increments when electrical command pulses are applied to it in the proper sequence. The motors rotation has several direct relationships to these applied input pulses. The sequence of the applied pulses is directly related to the direction of motor shafts rotation. The speed of the motor shafts rotation is directly related to the frequency of the input pulses and the length of rotation is directly related to the number of input pulses applied. [motorbas.pdf] Figure 3.13 Stepper motor Whenever controlled movement is required, stepper motor can be a good choice. They are effective in applications where you need to control rotation angle, position, speed and synchronism. Stepper motors have found their place in different applications like printers, plotters, medical equipment, hard disk drives, automotive and many more. One of the most important advantages of a stepper motor is that it can be accurately controlled in an open loop system. Open loop control means no feedback information about position is needed. The position is known simply back tracking the input step pulses. Hence, taking into account these advantages, we have used a stepper motor for pointing to the direction of a sound source. A magnetic flux is developed in the stator when a phase winding of a stepper motor is energized with current. The direction of this flux is determined by the right hand rule. Consider figure , when phase B is energized with winding current in the direction shown, rotor aligns itself to minimize the flux opposition. In this case the motor would rotate clockwise so that its south pole aligns with the north pole of the stator B at position 2 and its north pole aligns with the south pole of stator B at position 6. Hence, in order to rotate the motor, we must provide a sequence of energizing the stator windings providing a rotating magnetic flux which the rotor follows due to magnetic attraction. [motorbas.pdf] Figure 3.14 Stator and rotor of stepper motor showing the current direction We have used a stepper motor with half step drive stepping mode has. In this case, every second step only one phase is energized and during the other steps, one phase on each stator is energized. The stator is energized according to the sequence: and the rotor steps from position: Table: Excitation sequences for different drive modes Stepper motor driver circuit: Q1 + R2 R3 D3 D5 D2 Q2 D1 D4 B1 R4 D6 GND2 GND1 R1 Stepper Coil Figure. Driver Circuit for stepper motor coil Components: Resistors: R1=330 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¦ R2=2.2 kà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¦ R3=2.2 kà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¦ R4=2.2 kà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¦ Q1 is optoisolator, PC 817 Diodes D1, D4 are 1N 4007 Diodes D2, D3 are 15 volt zener diode Diodes D5 and D6 are LEDs Q2 is IRF540N n-channel MOSFET B1 is 12 V supply for motor GND1 is FPGA ground GND2 is motor supply ground Operation: The MOSFET generally remains off due to the pull down of the gate voltage by the series connection of the resistor R3 and LED D5. When the input from FPGA is of high logic the diode of the optoisolator is turned on biasing the transistor, increasing the gate voltage which turns the MOSFET on. This way the winding of the stepper motor is energized. When the input from the FPGA is of low logic, the MOSFET is turned off, which de-energizes the winding. MOSFET is highly sensitive to high voltage and gets damaged if the gate to source voltage exceeds 20V. Hence, for protection 15V zener diode is used. The protection for high reverse voltage is obtained by using diodes D1 and D4. MULTIPLIER Figure The Multiplier core can be configured in either parallel architecture or constant-coefficient architecture. In parallel architecture, the multiplier accepts inputs on buses A and B and generates the product of these two values. While in constant-coefficient architecture, the multiplier accepts the data on the A input bus and multiplies it by a user defined constant value. The multiplier core generates fixed point parallel multipliers and constant coefficient multipliers for twos complement signed or unsigned data. It supports input ranging from 1 to 64 bits wide and outputs ranging from 1 to 128 bits wide. Input signal: A[17:0] : A operand input bus, 18 bits wide B[17:0] : B operand input bus, 18 bits wide (parallel multipliers only) CLK: Rising edge clock input Output signal: P[35:0]: Product output bit 35 downto bit 0 6. EPILOGUE 6.1 System Required To deploy any system, both supporting hardware and software must be good enough to make the system work properly. The major requirements in our system are mainly FPGA, microphones, audio amplifiers, stepper motor, MOSFETs and the necessary software for VHDL coding and simulation. Hardware: Microphones Audio amplifiers Connectors and cables Proto board Resistors, capacitors MOSFETs Power supply Software: Xilinx ISE Modelsim Matlab Proteus Windows XP, Vista COST INCURRED We have presented here, the cost incurred during the undertaking of the project. Input section: S.No. Component Quantity Rate (NRs) Cost (NRs) 1 Microphone 2 10 20 2 ADC (0808 CCN) 1 450 450 3 Buffer (HEF4050BP) 2 50 100 4 Audio Amplifier (LM 386) 2 25 50 5 Resistor 1 pack 50 50 6 Capacitor 1 pack 200 200 7 Miscellaneous 400 Total 1,270 Output section: S.No. Component Quantity Rate (NRs) Cost (NRs) 1 Stepper motor 1 500 500 2 12 V battery 1 1000 1,100 3 Optoisolator (PC 817) 4 25 100 4 MOSFET (IRF540N) 4 45 180 5 15 V zener diode 8 5 40 6 Resistor 1 pack 50 50 7 Diode 20 1 20 8 Miscellaneous 250 Total 2,240 TOTAL COST (NRs) = 3,510 Note: Spartan 3E starter kit was provided by the Department of Electronics and Computer Engineering. Communication and transportation cost has not been included.

Annual marketing plan of general motors

Annual marketing plan of general motors An annual marketing plan is a powerful management tool for business organizations targeting to strengthen their market positions. The plan provides a guide on all marketing activities for an entire financial year. A good marketing plan is obtained from a strategic marketing study and research based on a particular organization. In this essay, we focus on General Motors Companys annual marketing plan which contains its situation analysis, marketing objectives, strategies, tactics, financial considerations and a timetable for implementation. A situation analysis provides a general understanding of General Motors internal and external business environments (Brown Ph D Brown, 2008). This is the analysis of the company, customers, collaborators, competitors and the climate (NetMBA.com, 2010). The company is one of the worlds largest automaker with several years of experience and operating in over 157 countries in the world and has its headquarters in Detroit. It sells and services vehicles through several known brands such as Chevrolet and FAW among others. The company is well known brand name in the competitive automotive industry and uses the latest technology in managing its entire marketing network all over the world. The companys culture is to produce and sell high quality vehicles and services to the entire world. Moreover, greatest goal is to retain all its customers for the future service provision. In addition, the company has a diverse supplier base which provides quality raw materials for its production process. The supplier diversity ensures that the company gets the best for its investments which go a long way in customer satisfaction (General Motors, 2010). The company has a very huge world market with broad customer base which is being targeted by its marketing plan. These customers are provided with timely discounts on vehicle sales as well as services which motivate them thus increasing purchases. Also, the company is in a very competitive automotive industry facing actual threat from existing players such as Toyota and other potential new entrants. Currently, the Worlds political and regulatory environment is stable and favors the company good performance. On the other hand, the economic environment is still recovering from recession which decreased customers purchasing power. However, the new technology and the social environment are good for the companys marketing strategies (General Motors, 2010). The marketing objectives of General Motors include the recovering the lost market share by the end of the year. This is because recently the company lost United States market share to Ford Motor Co. and Toyota Motor Corp. The second company objective is to increase its annual sales revenue by over 30 %. This is to recover from its fall of light-vehicle sales by 5.7 % and also to counter Ford and Toyota sales which have soared over 30 % respectively (Bloomberg, 2010). Another marketing strategy is to position itself in the market for easy and quick introduction of new innovative products and services throughout the year. This is because the company uses its innovative strategies to meet dynamic customer demands for automotives which require appropriate marketing plan. Moreover, the company aims to improve its corporate image throughout the year as well as raise public awareness of all its automotive models and services (Berry Wilson, 2000). The company marketing strategies will include; advertising, sales promotion, publicity and direct marketing. The advertisements will entail the paid spaces and airtime on the broadcast and print media. Moreover, the outdoor advertisements with huge pictures of the model vehicles could attract new and existing customers. The sales promotion involves the use of incentives and offers that encourage the population to purchase its products and services at specific times. The publicity is that awareness created by the information and opinion carried by third parties about the companys automotives and services. The direct marketing involves the personal presentation to customers or prospective buyers on the vehicle performances and services offered. This direct marketing can be done through any convenient mode of correspondence between the company employees and the target customers (Mullin Cummins, 2008). The tactics to be employed by the company are aimed at maximizing the achievement of specific marketing objectives through particular strategies. The major tactic is for the company to engage integrated marketing which utilizes the four strategic marketing tools in a balanced way to achieve its objectives. For instance, General Motors is an industrial company and as such most emphasis should be put on direct marketing. In addition, the company will select specific periods within the year to carry out sales promotion aimed at acquiring short term sales targets. Moreover, the advertisement strategy is worth monitoring so as to use the most appropriate advertisement media such as the internet, newspaper or broadcast. Furthermore, the publicity tool will constantly be in use when the company offers good products and services to third parties who in turn speak about the company thus achieving indirect marketing (Mullin Cummins, 2008). The financial consideration for the companys marketing plan is to ensure that the benefits value exceed the marketing expenses. The marketing expenses will be monitored throughout the entire year to avoid any budget variances. The marketing plan affects the sales, cost of sales and the marketing expenses all of which directly affects profitability and cash flow. Therefore financial consideration is very important for any effective marketing plan (Berry Wilson, 2000). The timetable of implementation of this marketing plan begins immediately and will run through the entire financial year. The various marketing strategies and tools will be used appropriately at different times and sometimes blended to achieve maximum objectives. The final marketing report will be prepared at the end of the year for the appraisal purposes. This final report will be used further in the preparation of the next annual marketing plan. In conclusion, an annual marketing plan is a crucial management tool that is used by General Motors to achieve their management objectives.

The Tragedy of Date Rape Essay -- Expemplification Essays

Exemplary Essay - The Tragedy of Date Rape In the fall of 1995, Kristin Cooper was a sophomore at Baker University in Kansas. She was a member of Alpha Chi Omega, an expert skier from the mountains of Colorado, a swimmer, and was active in band, choir and drama. On the night of New Year's Eve of that same year, her mother Andrea Cooper came home to find Kristina dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head on the family room floor. Cooper shared the story of her daughter's last months through an essay titled "Kristin's Story". The essay includes poetry, letters and descriptions from the personal journal found next to Kristin's body on the night of her death. It was not until Cooper read the journal for the first time that she realized her daughter had been date raped prior to her suicide. Since then, Cooper has traveled around the country to speak to campuses and conferences about the aftermath of rape and to try to convince victims to come forward. She visited 45 colleges, four conferences and more than 24,000 people in 2004 alone. Twenty of those visits, including this one to Clemson, were made possible with grants through Alpha Chi Omega and Cooper's own sorority, Delta Delta Delta. Members of the two sororities were present at the discussion to distribute fliers, cozies decorated with emergency phone numbers and ribbons to promote awareness of sexual assault and violence against women. "It's healing for me," Cooper said. "It keeps Kristin's memory alive, and maybe by talking about it, I can help someone." According to the Rape Crisis Council of Pickens County, one out of every four females will be sexually assaulted in their college years. However, rape counts for only seven percent of the college... ...psychological help. However, in 2003, only one sexual assault was reported to the police, a fact that Sparks believes is due to a fear of coming forward about the attack. "We're trying to get the word out that it's okay to tell," she said. Psychologists are on hand at Redfern to listen to rape victims without judging or blaming, to give comfort, and to look for signs of post-rape trauma. Without proper training, Cooper wasn't able to spot these signs in her daughter. "I was not able to help Kristin, but I hope that by being here, I have helped a man or a woman in the audience," she said. Cooper added that female date rape is not the only type of sexual assault threatens the population. Male rape, marital rape and stranger rape are other traumatizing experiences that frequently go unreported, and carry with them the same post-traumatic stress symptoms.

The Tiger Essay -- essays research papers

Tigers are the largest members of the cat family. They live in Asia and belong to the same genus as the lion, leopard, and jaguar. Two major subspecies of the tiger are the Siberian tiger and the Bengal tiger. The tiger is thought to have originated in northern Asia during the Pleistocene Epoch. Scientific classification: Tigers belong to the family Felidae. The scientific classifications of each tiger are listed in the "Types of Tigers" section of this report. Appearance The Siberian tiger measures 4.6 to 9.2 ft long, excluding the tail, which is 27 to 37 in long. The Siberian Tiger weighs 400 to 675 lb. It has thick yellow fur with dark stripes. The Bengal tiger is about 10 ft long, including the tail, and weighs around 400 to 569 lb. It is found in southeastern Asia and in central and southern India. Its coat is flatter than the Siberian tiger's coat, it has a darker color, and the stripes are darker. The Sumatran tiger is even smaller and darker. Ears The tiger's ears are its main advantage when hunting. Tigers have white spots behind their ears to help identify one another in the jungle. Hearing is the tiger's sharpest sense. Eyes The tiger's night vision is six times greater than ours. They have a mirror like layer at the back of the eye that reflects extra light. Tigers also have very good colorful eyesight. Mouth Tigers have long, canine teeth that they use to stab and kill their prey. The molars behind them are like scissors. They slice strips of ...

Pentium 4 Essay -- Intel CPU Central Processing Units

Recently Intel introduced their newest line of the Pentium 4 processors with the new Prescott core. In this paper I will discuss how the Pentium 4 processor works and the changes that have been made since its release, but mainly on the modifications in the newest Pentium 4's with the Prescott core. I will also briefly compare the performance levels of some of the different types of Pentium 4's. The Pentium 4 line of processors encompasses a large range of clock speeds, from 1.7GHz up to 3.6GHz in the Prescott chip. Pentium 4's are all built with the same Netburst microarchitecture, but there are varieties of front side bus speeds, chip layout, and cores available. For example at 2.8GHz, one could choose from four different Pentium 4s: the 2.8GHz (a Northwood core with a 533MHz front-side bus), the 2.8C (Northwood again, but with an 800MHz bus), the 2.8A (Prescott with a 533MHz bus), or the 2.8E (Prescott with 800MHz bus). In all there are four types Pentium 4 versions that Intel has released each having slight improvements then the last. The first Pentium 4 (Willamette) was introduced in November 2000 to replace its predecessor the Pentium 3. The Pentium 4 was the first to have a totally new chip architecture since the 1995 Pentium Pro. The biggest difference being Intel's introduction of the Netburst microarchitecture, which involved structural changes that affected how processing takes place within the chip. Aspects of the changes include: a 20-stage pipeline, which boosts performance by increasing processor frequency; a rapid-execution engine, which doubles the core frequency and reduces latency by enabling each instruction to be executed in a half (rather than a whole) clock cycle; a 400 MHz system bus, which ena... ...helped immensely in offsetting Prescott's enlarged 31-stage pipeline, but did not entirely make up the gap. On balance, Prescotts are slightly slower than Northwoods. In time it is expected that the Prescott P4s will look relatively stronger as SSE3 instructions are adopted in more software application and, especially, as clock speeds rise. But it seems that the real strength of Prescott seems to lie in its Hyper-Threading performance. In the most of the multitasking tests, the Prescott performed better than the Northwood CPU. The Pentium 4 Extreme Edition was the best performer, but unfortunately it is also very expensive. The P4 Extreme Edition had the best results for content creation and video editing applications. Also as Intel suggested the P4 Extreme Edition performed very well for games, but I do not believe it is significant enough to warrant the extra cost.

Jonathan Edwards Essay

1. Explain the mood of this passage. The mood of this passage is somber and serious. During the passage Jonathan is in a very serious tone. 2. Using specific examples, give one example of a metaphor, one example of a simile, and one example of an allusion that Edwards uses in this passage from the sermon to elicit this particular mood. Jonathan Edwards is a preacher trying to scare his congregation into salvation he compares them to insects dangling over the fires of hell and only god’s mercy keeps them from burning. The mood is angry and urgent. A metaphor would be the fire of wrath. A simile would be comparing people on the summer threshing floor. An allusion would be hell. A word that makes the tone clear would be â€Å"consider the fearful danger you are in. Lastly an image would be a spider hanging over furnace by a string held by a big hand that could drop it any time. 3. What specific words (minimum of three) does he choose to make his tone clear? He uses lots of words to make his tone clear. He uses a very powerful tone of voice. He uses words like danger, wrath, damned in hell, etc. These words make the passage a lot more eye catching in my opinion. 4. What images (pictures in the listeners’ mind) does Edwards use in the passage to make his tone clear? What effect do those images have on establishing the tone of the piece? He uses god ´s â€Å"rough wind’ to make his tone clear. His tone is also very serious while he’s talking about this. 5. In the last two paragraphs of the sermon (refer to the Investigate page of this lesson) Edwards’s talks about an â€Å"extraordinary opportunity† his congregation has. What is this opportunity? How does his sermon persuade the congregation to take advantage of this opportunity? The opportunity that Edward is talking about in the last two paragraphs is ‘’Salvation.’’ He’s telling the people that only way not to get to hell is through salvation or else they’ll end up in hell and that’s not a place they would want to be.

Ethics During Change Essay

As society has seen over the last few decades, ethics had not been at the forefront of organizational decision-making and change processes as it should have been. Unfortunately because of the actions or lack of actions by the few, many lives have been devastated and society’s view of corporate organizations has been severely damaged. Between government interventions, and organizational realizations, ethics seem to have become a focal point during the decision making and change processes. Most organizations realize that changes must occur to maintain, sustain, and grow, and the inclusion of ethical considerations is imperative to sound decisions and implementation. Organizations must make a commitment to themselves and society, to uphold a high level of ethical standards and behaviors, to ensure the view of the organization remains positive. Simply stated, ethics are beliefs individuals and organizations have that determine what standards or behaviors are deemed to be appropria te or inappropriate. According to Sonenshein (2009), there is a theory about the emergence of ethical issues during the change process (Sonenshein, 2009, p. 230). Sonenshein (2009) explains that the starting issues found in change are, â€Å"trigger points, ambiguity, and employee welfare frame† (Sonenshein, 2009, p. 230). Sonenshein (2009) further explains that the starting issues found during the implementation of change, refer to an individual’s sense-making about the organizational change (Sonenshein, 2009). Sense-making, according to Palmer, Dunford, and Akin (2006) â€Å"is a significant part of importance to understanding the change† (Palmer, Dunford & Akin, 2006, p. 190). When one does not have a clear understanding of the changes occurring, and the effect or consequences the change will have on him or her and the position held within the organization, emotions tend to become involved. One emotion described by Sonenshein (2009) is that an individual may perceive during the ch ange process, is â€Å"loss,† which he explains may also lead to an individual believing that he or she has been treated unfairly (Sonenshein, 2009, p.  231). To further add to ethical change issues, if the directives created for the change are not clear and concise, the interpretation of what is to occur can have multiple meanings and cause confusion. Ambiguity occurs when, â€Å"an organization has a vision but is not prescriptively clear on how to achieve it† (Palmer, Dunford, & Akin, 2006, p. 268). Palmer, Dunford, and Akin (2006) explain the importance of communication during change implementation as well as factors that help to create a sense of confusion. The three factors mentioned are, â€Å"message overload, message distortion, and message ambiguity† (Palmer, Dunford, & Akin, 2006, p. 268). The purpose of communication is to ensure each individual understands the changes to occur, the reasons for the change, and the effects expected from the change. The individual must have the ability to make sense of the change, understand the social impacts of the change, to ensure he or she is willing to â€Å"buy-in† to the change. The â€Å"employee welfare frame† is explained as a thought process some employees choose to use to determine the impact the organization’s change will have on him or her, and any inherent rights that may be infringed upon because of the change (Sonenshein, 2009). As explained by Sonenshein (2009), â€Å"poorly managed change efforts erode organizations relational health† (Sonenshein, 2009, p. 233). For an organization to achieve a successful change, the stakeholders must see the benefits associated with the change. The stakeholders must also have a clear view of the organizations vision and mission to accept and commit. Some organizations may take short-cuts in efforts to speed-up the change process; others may conceal information from employees and external entities that may be vital to gaining acceptance and commitment, thus damaging how the organization is viewed by stakeholders. Ethics in business must remain at the forefront of any decisions or changes during discussions or implementations. As seen, ethics in business is not confined to simply financial reporting; ethics encompasses every facet of organizational health and growth. References Palmer, I., Dunford, R., & Akin, G. (2006). Managing Organizational Change: A Multiple Perspectives Approach, 1e. Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database. Sonenshein, S. (2009, Jan/Feb). Emergence of Ethical Issues during Strategic Change Implementation. Organization Science, 20(1), 223-239. Retrieved August 23, 2013 from http://sonenshein.rice.edu/uploadedFiles/Publications/Sonenshein_emergence%20of%20ethical%20issues%20during %20strategic%20change%20Org%20Science.pdf

Original writing-persuasive writing-DRAFT Essay

Are you aged eight to eighteen and searching for the hottest and latest games? Look no further. Join CGS the computer games society and we will certainly fulfil your gaming needs. Be it Nintendo, Xbox or even playstation/2 we know what you want and we’ve got it. CGS has been running for a simple 3 years and has already spread its wings nationwide. With just over 2 million members CGS is undoubtedly the fastest growing games society ever. We have all the experience, the inside and out knowledge and indeed the numbers to keep you up to date with what’s hot and what’s not. Here at CGS we give you what you want, we take in your ideas and criticism and channel it towards giving you what you need. With the number of members we have attained here in the UK we are assured success when we choose to go international. Visit our website at www. cgs. co. uk, we have just recently refurbished the site so be sure to visit and check out the new games forum where you can discuss, debate and argue the latest issues about consoles and games. We have a new games attachment (compliments of macromedia flash player) where you and your mates can battle it out to get the highest score. With over 60 brand new free online games your sure to be entertained, and if they don’t why don’t you check out our other batch of brand new downloadable games and no internet broadband system is needed, they can simply be downloaded with the 56. 6kb of your average computer. We also have the latest movie and games downloadables including pictures, backgrounds and wallpapers also for you to enjoy. Enter the new chat-rooms where we have a full-proof system of no one being able to see your details so you are completely protected. CGS was founded in 2001 by a group of young teen game fanatics. They had a large collection of games (300) between the four of them and they, just like you, loved playing, swapping and talking about games. Wherever they would go they would dispute about what was the coolest game out. They would test out each others games and criticise it. Sometimes they would hold tournaments and invite loads of their mates around. Soon they had their own â€Å"sub-culture† in school like the grungers, nerds, dossers and townies, they were known as the ‘game-boys’. More and more people started to join their little clan until it grew and they gave their selves a new name, CGS ‘computer games society’. They told their parents about the success of their group and they found out they could make a career out of this. Opportunity came their way when one of their parents’ company were looking for a new business opportunity. The father pessimistically agreed to ask the company if they were willing to sponsor CGS, much to every ones surprise the company agreed. As you can imagine they were over the moon and CGS has been an absolute success ever since. The boys, who were at the time sixteen are now nineteen year old young men who are doing what they love and getting paid for it. This is every young game fanatic’s dream and you can be a part of it. CGS is paving the way for young gamers giving you articles on careers in gaming†¦ yes that’s what I said, careers in gaming, from games tester to official games critic. To be a games tester all you need to do is fill out a form that can be found on the CGS website. Unfortunately you have to be over eighteen to be an official games critic but don’t let that demoralise you as there is probably a lot more game watching than playing! Apply now to make your dreams come true. Here at CGS as you can imagine we get a lot of post and email on how to make the company better suited for you but recently we’ve been getting post and email specifically telling us about rumours for the CGS magazine. Well we can definitely tell you that those, outrageously, notorious rumours are†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. TRUE. CGS are most definitely looking forward to publishing the first issue of the CGS magazine. The new magazine is fantastically entertaining with full graphic screen shots, published reader articles, amazing news on all the latest gossip for the new games and consoles, great new competitions with mind-blowing prizes. Be sure to carry the first ever issue of CGS magazine and enter the competitions so you can be in with a chance of winning one of the three top prizes; a fantastic holiday for you, an adult and 3 of your mates to Japan to visit the international centre of Nintendo in Tokyo, or you could win a trip to the XBOX party in London where you can test out there newest releases and get a wild goody bag, or you could even win a chance to come to CGS head quarters and interview our CEO and the founders of CGS. You must agree these prizes are undoubtedly cool! And you can enter, just simply log on to our website and subscribe to the new CGS magazine out on the thirteenth of September and with these few easy steps you could win one of these wicked prizes. As you probably have now established CGS is what everyone’s talking about and a full platinum membership is definitely top dog this Christmas. So grandma, don’t go and knit them a grotty, un-cool woolly jumper, simply log on to the CGS website and apply your grandkids to the platinum membership where they will be in with a chance of winning the top prizes, a full monthly subscription to the brand new CGS magazine and much, much more. For more details please contact us at our free call 24 hour hotline; 0800-477 477.

Summary: French Revolution and Modern World

THE UNTOUCHABLES ROUGH DRAFT SUMMARY In the reading â€Å"The Untouchables† written by Friedman, the issue of getting a job and keeping it in the modern world is discussed. The Friedman explains that in order for a person to get a job in the modern world and be able to keep it, one has to have the right mindset. The author supports this by describing the qualities that a person should have, and the work that needs to be put into getting a job and keeping it.Thomas Friedman explains that there will be a lot of jobs, but people have to work hard to get them. He further states that people should take personal responsibility for getting their jobs done, and they have to do jobs that they are passionate about regardless of the paycheck. According to Friedman, in this new modern world, if one does not do his/her job with passion, love, hard work, and devotion, there will always be someone else willing to take over. He asserts that ifAmerican’s do not work hard for their jobs, there are people from all over the world who are qualified and are willing to work for a cheaper pay. Friedman explains that an â€Å"untouchable† is someone in the idle class whose occupation cannot be threaten nor taken over because he/she put so much effort and hard work into his/her job. He explains that the â€Å"New middles† cannot ever be outsourced nor over thrown from their jobs, for they have the right set of mind and determination.He states that people should convert themselves to become â€Å"untouchables† so as to adapt to the new modern world, and be able to do better in the work industry. Works Cited Friedman, Thomas L. â€Å"The Untouchables. † Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum. Eds. Laurence Behrens and Leonard J. Rosen. 11th ed. Boston: Longman, 2011. 238-242. Print.

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,

Sap Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Sap - Essay Example In allocating costs, SAP utilizes transaction based and periodic allocations. Periodic allocations are generally known as periodic reposting methods. Periodic reposting enables the user to adjust postings transferred to cost centers, business processes or internal orders. Transaction postings made under periodic reposting yield similar results to those posted under transaction based reposting (Periodic Allocations). Under periodic allocation, reposting has an effect felt only once on actual costs incurred at the end of the period. Postings are usually made on costs related to controlling, which include telephone, postal charges, and insurance costs that are all accounted for in financial accounting. These costs incurred are then posted to an allocation cost center or a specific business process. Periodic reposting widely uses distribution and assessment allocation, and indirect activity allocation method. Under distribution and assessment methods, primary and secondary costs are allocated from cost center accounting and activity based costing. Allocations can be based on costs or quantities where the user is dealing with indirect activity allocations. The costs or quantities are collected on a cost center during the accounting period and allocated to receivers according to keys defined by the user. These are the same methods used in indirect allocation method except that exchange of activities is not the basis of allocating costs or quantities. In indirect allocation, distribution and assessment methods utilize user defined keys such as amounts, percentages, statistical key figures or assignment basis provided for by the amount posted. Distribution and assessment methods define keys as well as the sender and receiver relationships only once; therefore being easy to use. Methods are also advantageous over direct allocation methods in that they can be used for cost centers (Periodic

Same sex marriage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Same sex marriage - Essay Example Compare and contrast: Both the same-sex marriage and traditional marriage support the concept of marriage, i.e. the contract between partners. To be specific, same-sex marriages never deny the scope of family in personal life. At the same time, family is the backbone of traditional marriages. One can see that the proponents of same-sex marriage consider that the concept of family can provide legal consent and acceptance in the society. David E. Newton states that, â€Å"The question raised by advocates of same-sex marriage is whether a state can constitutionally refuse to issue a marriage license to two individuals of the same sex† (62). Besides, those who accept same-sex marriage claim that all the rights that are enjoyed by the partners within traditional marriages must be allowed to the partners (say, same-sex). One can see that social recognition is important within the context of married life, and those who are in favor of same-sex marriage or traditional marriage are rea dy to accept the same without any argument. So, the supporters of same-sex marriage and traditional marriage are aware of the importance of family, legal consent, and social acceptance. One can see that most of the marriages (say, traditional) are related to religious belief, morality, and legal/ constitutional support. All the world religions support traditional form of marriage because the same is a contract based upon belief. Besides, the moral side of traditional marriage is related to certain limitations on individuals. At the same time, traditional marriages help to gain legal/constitutional support in the society. On the other side, the proponents of same-sex marriages consider the same as a deviation in sexual interest. They never accept the intrusion of religion into the context of marriage. Instead, they consider that religious belief and marriage are different and individuals must be allowed to lead lives according to their personal interest. If individuals are interested in same-sex marriages, they must be allowed to do so. Peter Strandby states that, â€Å"Finally, gay activists’ claims to full citizenship through equal access to marriage, is denied based on a religious set of beliefs, that homosexuality is morally wrong and that same-sex marriage would threaten existing individual liberties such as freedom of religion and expression† (21). Besides, the supporters of same-sex marriages declare that the society must show readiness to provide legal sanction to same-sex marriages. So, same-sex marriage is symbolic of liberal approach towards sexual orientation. Evaluation: From a different angle of view, the modern world needs to accept that individuals are different in interest, taste, and opinion. Within this scenario, one cannot prove that traditional marriages successfully lead the partners towards individual freedom and happiness. If one is interested in same-sex marriage, one must be allowed to take independent decisions related t o one’s sexual interest. Evan Gerstmann states that, â€Å"In fact, one of the theories that advocates of same-sex marriage advance most ardently is that the heterosexual marriage monopoly is a form of gender discrimination and, therefore, is subject to intermediate scrutiny†