Hershey Foods Corporation Essays - Hershey, Pennsylvania

Hershey Foods Corporation Carolyn Wright Hershey Foods Corporation manufactures and distributes a wide variety of chocolate and non-chocolate confectionery products. These products include a variety of candy bars, drink mixes, peanut butter, and baking ingredients. They hold important ethics, high quality, and guarantee customer satisfaction. Hershey also participates in preserving the environment. They work hard to minimize waste, and make wrapping materials easy to dispose of responsibly by indicating on the package the proper way to recycle. They are currently the market leader in their industry. (www.hersheys.com) Hershey is a member of the Food-Confectionery Industry. The growth rate for the last five years for the industry has been 10.7%. The S&P 500 top companies have had a growth rate of 10.3% for the past five years. This means that over the past five years the Food-Confectionery Industry has had a higher growth rate than the top companies in other markets. However, Hershey had a 10.2% growth rate, which in less than top companies, and also has a lower rate than its own industry. This year Hershey Foods has had a negative 8.4% growth rate. (www.yahoo.com) This decline in growth could be due to problems that Hershey had with a new information system that was started in July. The problem with the system was that orders were not being filled due to shipping problems, which left overcrowding in warehouses. This overcrowding has increased inventory costs, and has also left customers unsatisfied. The company has predicted that the problems with the new system are fixed and inventories should be regulated in the coming quarters. There is an anticipated growth rate of 16.1% for Hershey next year. This means that the company is confident that it will grow and not decline despite their current problems with shipping. Beta measures the risk of an asset in comparison to the risk that other relative assets have. Average assets have a beta of 1.0. Betas lower than 1 have less risk than the average asset. Respectively a beta over 1 would be more risky than the average asset. Hershey Foods Corporation has a beta of .39. (www.smithbarney.com) This would indicate that investing in Hershey would be less risky than investing in the average stock. The companys stock price has remained stable over this semester. As of November 26, 1999 the stock quote is $49 9/16. Over the past two months the stock has fluctuated from $47.625 on October 15th to $52.625 on November 2nd. This is not enough of a change that would label this stock unstable. However, when I researched back to last years quotes, I found that at the end of November in 1998 the stock was at a high of $68 7/8. (www.yahoo.com) This high could have been caused by the seasonality that this company has. Hershey gets busier during back to school, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas seasons. The reason why the company has not seen highs like that this year could be do to the inventory problems that I mentioned earlier. (www.sec.gov) In August of 1997 the company made 500 million dollars of debt securities were made available. As of October of 1999 half of the securities remained available. 230 million dollars of the companys common stock was repurchased in February of 1999. This money was used to benefit Milton Hershey School. (www.sec.gov) The company holds 32.2 million dollars worth of Treasury Stock. The company currently holds 576.8 million dollars worth of debt. This can be borrowed to issue commercial paper. (www.sec.gov) In March of 1997 the company issued 6.95% notes. The money raised from these notes and other debt securities will be used to reduce ongoing debt. Funds will also be used for expanding business ventures, and paying off commercial paper borrowings. (www.sec.gov) In the year 2001 the company plans on lowering interest rates from 6.7% to 5.8% on notes that are payable in the year 2005. These notes were issued in October of 1999. A firms capitol structure can be defined by what percent current liabilities and current equity hold in the company. Hershey Food Corporation currently holds 69% debt and 31% equity. (www.smithbarney.com) This would indicate a relatively high risk when considering investing in this company. I say this because when paying dividends on

Reading Response to Poem To Waken an Old Lady by William Carlos Williams

Reading Response to Poem To Waken an Old Lady by William Carlos Williams Reading Response to Poem To Waken an Old Lady by William Carlos Williams To Waken an Old Lady is a poem that was authored by William Carlos Williams. The poem essentially focuses on the aspect of old age. Therefore, the writer utilizes numerous bookish tools so as to construct the poem. In my experience of reading the poem I got attracted to the manner in which the author presented the poem the use of literary devices actually affected my experience. The use aspects of content, language and form were of greatest significance in the entire poem. Other literary devices have also been used in the construction of the poem. The elements used greatly affected my response to the poem, in its entirety. The literary devices employed by the author of the poem actually affected my response to the poem. Furthermore, they made me to focus more on one aspect of the poem than the others. I was significantly drawn to the aspect of old age and its prevalent connotations. This is due to the manner in which the author applied the literary elements all through. I cannot deny the great relevance of the above elements on my experience. William Carlos Williams makes great use of several elements in the presentation of the poem. Some of these elements are language, form and content. First of all I was greatly attracted to the aspect of content. The author chose to narrow down to old age as the essential content of the poem. Actually it activated me as I read through the poem. I just appreciate their use through out the reading. The language used by the author was both poetic and simple. This served two purposes at the same time. First was the fact that the poetic language made it possible for the poem to be appealing first as a text and second as a medium of communication. Subsequently, the language was simple enough to be comprehended by the reader. The use of literacy elements by William Carlos Williams in the construction of the poem, To Waken an Old Lady is inherently commendable. The form of the poem was great and played a great role in making my response to the poem. I tended to focus on the nature of the form employed by the author on the presentation of old age through symbolism. This constituted a key cause that manipulated my reading experience as well as my response. It actually changed my perception of the poem. Generally, the application of the several elements in the poem was of great magnitude not merely in the expansion of the poem, but towards the reading experience and response. William Carlos Williams, To Waken an Old Lady is a poem that focuses on the aspect of old age. Having read through the poem, my reading, and response experience was inherently influenced by the numerous literary devices and elements used by the author. As a result, the use of language, form and content were of great significance to the presentation of the entire poem. Actually it made me to focus primary on the prevalence of old age. This was due to the fact that old age was symbolized in several elements that the author employed in the construction of the poem.

Primate Observation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Primate Observation - Research Paper Example The unjust treatments subjected to the non-human primate species denies present and future humanity the chance to study and understand the closest relatives of the human species. Evidently, the study of the non-human primates such as gorillas, apes and chimpanzees offer insightful learning opportunities pertaining to their physical and social characteristics as well as relationship with human behaviour. To this end, the subsequent sections will delve into the primate description of two major non-human species. These are the gorillas and chimpanzees. The description will examine their social and mating structures, food acquisition strategies and intelligent levels. Furthermore, the literature herein will offer comparative analysis between the gorillas and chimpanzees as well examine their regional distribution. The final section will delve into the relationship between the two non-primates and the understanding of human behaviour. Primate Descriptions a) Gorillas The gorilla primates are evidently the largest cohort of the primate family. They also exhibit the closest relation with humans as 98% of their DNA is in conformity to man’s DNA (Jurmain, 157). Gorillas are mostly land dwelling animals since they do not climb trees. The gorillas are classified into two different species with four sub-species that are determined based on their physical characteristics and their geographic location. The first species is Gorilla gorilla with sub-species of G. g. gorilla, from western lowland and G. g. diehli from cross river (Taylor, 100). The second species is Gorilla beringei with sub-species of G. b. Graueri also known as eastern lowland and G. b. beringei also known as mountain gorilla (Taylor, 100). To this end, the subspecies vary in their habitats with distinct physical characteristics and different numbers of populations. In this regard, the Western gorilla and Eastern gorilla species are classified based on their geographic location within their African hab itat. The Eastern Gorilla has two subspecies known as the Eastern lowland gorilla and Mountain gorilla. The Eastern lowland gorilla is located in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Jurmain, 159). Their population is classified as endangered with less than 3000. Their physical characteristics place them as the largest among the gorilla species. They also have shorter hair and teeth compared to the mountain gorillas as well as possessing the longest arms. On the other hand, the mountain gorilla is classified as critically endangered as their population currently stands at less than 720. Their physical characteristics are consistent with angular nostrils, a wide face and a large skull. Moreover, it has longer hair and larger body compared to the eastern lowland gorilla (Taylor, 102). The two sub-species of the Western Gorilla are Western Lowland Gorilla and Cross River Gorilla. The Western lowland gorilla is also classified as critically endangered with a population of less than 100,000 (Taylor, 105). Its species is located in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Furthermore, its physical characteristics entail a silver-back colouring on the males which also covers the thighs. The hair on their heads is also redder. On the other hand, the Cross River Gorilla has a population of approximately 300 and labelled as critically e

Corporate Social Responsibility Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Corporate Social Responsibility - Term Paper Example They also realized that injudicious exploitation of the communities and the environment is nothing more than making graveyards for themselves. The importance of a healthy community and environment has been realized quite late by the corporate world. The above realization resulted in the development of topics such as corporate social responsibility, sustainable development etc. he needs of nature and societies should be balanced with the needs of the corporate world in order to create a healthy business environment. Earlier, business world were concentrated more on their own needs which resulted in weakened relationships between the business and the society or nature. In short, current companies are aware of doing something to the communities and the environment in which they operate. This paper briefly analyses various dimensions of corporate social responsibility. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Change is an inevitable aspect of human life. One can see tremendous changes in ev ery aspect of human life if he compares the current standards of living with respect to that a couple of decades before. Business circle is also undergoing lot many changes over the past few decades. The introduction of globalization, privatization and liberalization forced corporate companies to implement many changes in their business strategies. Earlier, organizations were more focused increasing their profits. They did so at the expense of the interest of the people. However, current organizations realized the importance of doing something in return to the community in which it operates. Corporate Social Responsibility is thus evolved as a new term in organizational world recently. Nexen (2009) defined Corporate Social Responsibility â€Å"as a commitment to behave ethically and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of our workforce and their families as well as the local community at large† (Nexen, 2009). Ethics and morality are rapidly d isappearing words from human life; however in the corporate world, these topics are much debated ones now. Relationship building is accepted as the core of every business activity by the modern companies. They are keener in establishing or developing strong relationship with the community in which they operate. Companies often strengthen their relationship with the communities with the help of doing some favors to the communities for the re4sources they exploited from the community. In short, modern companies are so particular in protecting the community and the environment in which they operate. Corporate social responsibility is currently accepted just as another business strategy by the modern organizations. Various dimensions of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Hawkins, (2006) has pointed out that it is â€Å"the society which provides both customers and resources to fulfill the business objectives of the corporate companies† (Hawkins, 2006, p.2). A company can never operate in vacuum. Moreover, a company can never operate with the help of their own resources alone. For example, Coca Cola is the biggest soft drink manufacturer in the world at present. It operates in more than 200 countries worldwide. The major ingredient of every soft drink is water. Coke can never generate water from vacuum. They are exploiting both ground water and under water resources to produce their soft drinks. Exploitation of water resources will create drinking water

Project Management of Heavyweight Cruiser Motorcycle Assignment - 3

Project Management of Heavyweight Cruiser Motorcycle - Assignment Example The company already has its product line up in medium weight motor cycles, ranging from 500 cc to 1000 cc. Now the company wants to introduce a new model over 1100 cc. It includes the details of the operation process, like leadership style, short term and long term needs, resources needed and risk mitigation strategies. The entire management process is developed from the point of view of a project manager (Scheid, 2011). Managing a project requires optimum uses of resources and commitment of project team members to successfully complete an undertaking. This project is for the development of a new heavy weight cruiser motorcycle. This new project will introduce a new category of line up above 1100 cc. A successful completion of a project is dependent on the right decision of which project management structure to use. This project needs the â€Å"Project-based Organization Structure†, because the project manager is solely responsible for the successful completion of the project. The project members who work in this project, report directly to the project manager, thus, avoiding multiple leadership. Secondly, all the decisions regarding the operations are taken within the project team only. Thirdly, this structure also allows high cohesion among the team members and they all share a common goal of the project (Bobera, 2008). The distribution of roles enables the smooth running of the project operations. It helps avoiding any kind of conflict. With reference to the ‘Belbin Model’ of Team Work distribution, the following work distribution is done (Belbin. 2014). a) Identify the project need: Identification of the project involves having a clear idea about what the project is about and what are the needs it fulfils for the company. In this case, this project will extend the product line of the company.

Relationship between Alcohol and Depression

Relationship between Alcohol and Depression The Complex Association between Alcohol Consumption and Depression Constantin Vintilescu Abstract Symptoms of depression are typically among those who abuse alcohol. Previous research has shown a positive correlation between alcohol consumption and depression exists; however, the exact nature of the association is complex. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between the amount of alcohol consumption and severity of depression as described by the Alameda County Health and Ways of Living Study (ACHWLS) dataset. The raw data was aggregated, transformed, and used to calculate new variables. Correlation and curve estimation analysis was performed on the calculated variables. An overall positive correlation was confirmed, and previous research was upheld by demonstrating that abstainers and heavy drinkers have greater symptoms of depression than lite to moderate drinkers. However, a complex S-shaped pattern, with low symptoms of depression among very heavy drinkers, was determined to be the best fitting regression model. This finding has previously been undescribed , and may be due to the limitations of self-reporting by very heavy consumers of alcohol and the severely depressed. Further study is suggested, with screening performed by trained professionals, to confirm this finding. The Complex Association between Alcohol Consumption and Depression Alcohol consumption and depression are frequently co-occurring conditions. A cyclical pattern of escalating comorbidity has been described in people with both disorders, but previous studies have shown that the association is not a simple linear correlation. The aim of this paper is to conduct a secondary data analysis of the 1994 ACHWLS dataset to describe the relationship between alcohol abuse and depression. Research Questions Is there a positive correlation between alcohol consumption and depressive symptoms? Does a linear, quadratic, or cubic regression model explain the most variability between alcohol consumption and severity of depressive symptoms? Background Alcohol abuse is common and is often associated with depression. In a 2012 survey, conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, of Americans over the age of twelve: 17.0 million reported heavy drinking, and 14.9 million were diagnosed with alcohol dependence (SAMHSA, 2013). According to the SAMHSA (2014), an estimated 43.7 million American adults experienced some form of mental illness; and an estimated 9.6 million adults had a serious mental illness, including major depression. Of these, 8.4 million people had co-occurring mental illness and a substance use disorder (SAMHSA, 2014). Of people with alcohol problems, 80% show symptoms of depression (Mclntosh Ritson, 2001), and 25% of those with depression also have an alcohol problem (Chick, 2002). An escalating cycle of comorbidity exists between alcohol abuse and depression: people with a mental health disorder have a higher likelihood of alcohol abuse when compared to people without mental illness (SAMHSA, 2014); people with concurrent major depression and a substance abuse disorder have more severe symptoms of depression than those without a substance abuse disorder (Ostacher, 2007); and greater severity of depression is associated with more drinking (Palfai et al., 2007). Thus, depression may augment alcohol use, which in turn, may increase symptoms of depression – creating an accumulative cycle of abuse and depression. Numerous studies confirm the positive association between alcohol consumption and depression (Alati et al., 2005; Dixit Crum, 2000; France et al., 2004; Hartka et al., 1991; Rodgers et al., 2000). However, the nature of the relationship is complex, as both the abstinence from and heavy consumption of alcohol are both associated with an increased risk of depression (Alati, et al., 2005; Blow, Serras, Barry, 2007; Rodgers et al., 2000). It is clear that the relationship is non-linear (Rodgers et al., 2000b), but there is uncertainty over its exact nature. Whether the association curve is J-shaped or U-shaped depends on the method of measurement (Graham, Massak, Demers, Rehm, 2007). Data Source The 1994 ACHWLS is part of a longitudinal funded by the National Institutes of Health, which began surveying a random sample of households in Alameda County, California in 1965. Alameda County was chosen because the diversity of residents closely resembled the population of the United States, and thus allowed for greater generalizability to the American public. The 1994 ACHWLS attempted to follow-up on all the respondents interviewed in 1965 and 1974 with a self-administered questionnaire regarding living patterns, health, and socio-demographics. No one question, on the ACHWLS, completely reflected the intensity of alcohol consumption, or the severity of depressive symptoms, exhibited by the respondent, so a strategy to represent a cumulative score for these variables was developed. Key questions regarding alcohol use and symptoms of depression were identified and aggregated in Table 1 and Table 2 respectively. Several responses to questions were reversed so that a higher numerical score reflected an increased severity of symptoms. Responses were subsequently transformed to a zero-based scale. Table 3 and Table 4 show the recoded values. Table 3 and Table 4 were each summated to calculate the new variables DRINKING and DEPRESSION respectively. Of the 2,729 respondents in the ACHWLS, only cases with complete responses to all items on both Table 2 and Table 3 were considered (N = 1,248). Included participants ranged in age from 46 to 95 years old (M = 63.1, SD = 9.79). The median income was $ 40,000-$44,999; the majority were male (56%); most had finished high school (90%), and had at least some higher education (66%). Race/ ethnic demographics are summarized in Table 1. Methods The distribution of DRINKING is slightly skewed to the right (skewness = 1.70). The histogram, mean score, and SD are shown in Figure 1. Possible values range from zero to 24. Similarly, DEPRESSION is also slightly skewed to the right (skewness = 1.48). The distribution is shown in Figure 2. Possible values range from zero to 18. The mean DEPRESSION score corresponding to each DRINKING value is shown in Figure 3. Being the sum of several ordinal values, it is important to clarify that DRINKING and DEPRESSION both represent continuous scales of intensity. Although their possible ranges are limited on this instrument, their values could theoretically be measured on an infinite positive scale of rational units. As such, parametric testing is appropriate; even though the data is not a perfectly normal distribution, parametric procedures are still valid because of the very large sample size (Ghasemi Zahedias, 2012). Pearson’s correlation was performed to test the overall relationship between quantity of alcohol consumption and of severity depression. Since convincing evidence has previously demonstrated a positive association exists between the variables in question, directional analysis was used to determine the p-value. This method increases the experiment’s statistical ability to discover an effect without changing the level of significance. To describe the nature of the association, non-linear regression was performed in SPSS. The curve was estimated using several models, including linear, quadratic, and cubic to determine the best fit. Results A directional Pearson Correlation was performed between DRINKING and DEPRESSION. The effect size was determined to be small, but significant, r (1249) = .091, p = .001. Curve fit analysis shows that linear (F 1, 1246 = 6.134, p = .013, R2 = .005), quadratic (F 2, 1245 = 7.789, p 2 = .011), and cubic (F 3, 1244 = 7.545, p 2 = .018) regression models were all significant. Figure 4 shows a comparison of all three models and the actual data. The cubic regression model was able to explain the highest degree of variability, accounting for .016 (adj. R2) of the variance in DEPRESSION. Figure 5 shows the cubic model along with the formula governing the curve. Discussion Although the Pearson’s correlation was a significant positive value, the effect size was small. This is an expected outcome because the nature of the association is non-linear. Negative correlations among abstainers and very lite drinkers served to negate much of the positive correlations among moderate and heavy drinkers. Segmented correlations or stepwise regression may be of value to determine the exact effect on depression for each of the following groups: abstainers, very lite drinkers, lite drinkers, moderate drinkers, heavy drinkers, and very heavy drinkers. Cubic regression was the best fitting curve, but only a small degree of variability was explained by this model. This may be due to possible limitations of the DEPRESSION variable. A more sensitive instrument to gauge depression severity may yield a higher R2. Also, due to the nature of very heavy drinking and severe symptoms of depression, persons with these afflictions may be under-represented in the ACHWLS survey. This possibility may be responsible for the low R-value. Screening performed by trained professionals may increase the correlation and variability explained by this model. Interestingly, the curve showed a complex S-shape, with very high alcohol consumption being associated with lower symptoms of depression. This observation may also be related to the sensitivity of the DEPRESSION variable, or it may be related to a reporting problem among very heavy drinkers. Although a maximum score of 24 is allowed by the screening instrument for DRINKING, the maximum score reported was only 18. This may suggest that very heavy drinkers were not accurately represented in the study data source. Very heavy drinkers and very depressed persons may not have responded to the survey or not have responded to all the items in Table 1 and Table 2 due to the nature of their alcohol problem or depression. A more focused study with screening performed by trained professionals may yield more accurate results than a generalized survey relying on self-reporting. Conclusion Correlations are weak; however, the over-all effect of alcohol consumption on depression is positive. The exact nature of the association is complex, with both heavy drinkers and abstainers showing greater symptoms of depression. The best fitting curve, for this dataset, is cubic with an S-shaped pattern. However, limitations among responders with very heavy drinking and severe symptoms of depression may be influencing the curvature. A focused study with screening performed by trained professionals is recommended. References Alati, R., Lawlor, D. A., Najman, J. M., Williams, G. M., Bor, W., OCallaghan, M. (2005). Is there really a J-shaped curve in the association between alcohol consumption and symptoms of depression and anxiety? Findings from the Mater-University Study of Pregnancy and its outcomes. Addiction, 100(5), 643-651. doi: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2005.01063.x Blow, F. C., Serras, A. M., Barry, K. L. (2007). Late-life depression and alcoholism. Current Psychiatry Reports, 9(1), 14-19. Chick, J. (2002). Clinical depression in heavy drinkers of alcohol. Hospital Pharmacist, 9(1), 229-233. Dixit, A. R., Crum, R. M. (2000). Prospective study of depression and the risk of heavy alcohol use in women. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 157(5), 751-758. France, C., Lee, C. Powers, J. (2004), Correlates of depressive symptoms in a representative sample of young Australian women. Australian Psychologist, 39:228–237. doi:10.1080/00050060412331295054 Ghasemi, A. Zahedias, S. (2012). Normality tests for statistical analysis: A guide for non-statisticians. International Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism, 10(2), 486-489. DOI:10.5812/ijem.3505 Graham, K., Massak, A., Demers, A., Rehm, J. (2007). Does the association between alcohol consumption and depression depend on how they are measured? Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research, 31(1), 78-88. doi: 10.1111/j.1530-0277.2006.00274.x Hartka, E., Johnstone, B., Leino, E. V., Motoyoshi, M., Temple, M. T., Fillmore, K. M. (1991). A meta-analysis of depressive symptomatology and alcohol consumption over time. British Journal of Addiction, 86(10), 1283-1298. Mclntosh, C., Ritson, B. (2001). Treating depression complicated by substance misuse. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, 7(1): 357-6. Ostacher, M. J. (2007). Comorbid alcohol and substance abuse dependence in depression: impact on the outcome of antidepressant treatment. The Psychiatric Clinics of North America., 30(1), 69-76. doi: 10.1016/j.psc.2006.12.009 Palfai, T. P., Cheng, D. M., Samet, J. H., Kraemer, K. L., Roberts, M. S., Saitz, R. (2007). Depressive symptoms and subsequent alcohol use and problems: a prospective study of medical inpatients with unhealthy alcohol use. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 68(5), 673-680. Rodgers, B., Korten, A. E., Jorm, A. F., Christensen, H., Henderson, S., Jacomb, P. A. (2000). Risk factors for depression and anxiety in abstainers, moderate drinkers and heavy drinkers. Addiction, 95(12), 1833-1845. doi: 10.1080/09652140020011135 Rodgers, B., Korten, A. E., Jorm, A. F., Jacomb, P. A., Christensen, H., Henderson, A. S. (2000b). Non-linear relationships in associations of depression and anxiety with alcohol use. Psychological Medicine, 30(2), 421-432. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2013, September). Results from the 2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Summary of National Findings, NSDUH Series H-46, HHS Publication No. (SMA) 13-4795. Rockville, MD: Author. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2014, October 9). Mental and Substance Use Disorders. Washington, DC: Author. Retrieved February 15, 2015, from http://www.samhsa.gov/disorders Tables Table 1 ACHWLS Questions Related to Drinking Note: Responses appear exactly as they are reported in the 1994 ACHWLS. Table 2 ACHWLS Questions Related to Depression Note: Responses appear exactly as they are reported in the 1994 ACHWLS. Table 3 ACHWLS Questions Related to Drinking Recoded Note: Responses to items with IDs ending in â€Å"R† are recoded to reflect a higher severity with higher numerical value. All other responses appear exactly as they are reported in the 1994 ACHWLS. Table 4 ACHWLS Questions Related to Depression Recoded Note: Responses to items with IDs ending in â€Å"R† are recoded to reflect a higher severity with higher numerical value. All other responses appear exactly as they are reported in the 1994 ACHWLS. Table 5 Race / Ethnicity Demographics Note: Self-reported ethnicity / racial demographic data summarized from respondents of the 1994 ACHWLS who submitted complete responses to all question items listed on both Table 1 and Table 2. Figures Figure 1. Distribution of data for DRINKING variable. DRINKING is summation of responses listed in Table 3. Possible values range from 0 to 24. Figure 2. Distribution of data for DEPRESSION variable. DEPRESSION is summation of responses listed in Table 4. Possible values range from 0 to 18. Figure 3. Mean of all DEPRESSION scores corresponding to each DRINKING value. Figure 4. Best fit curve estimation for variables DRINKING and DEPRESSION. Mean data collected from the ACHWLS is shown in red. Figure 5. Cubic regression curve is given by the formula above. Mean data collected from the ACHWLS is shown in red.

Women in World History :: Essays Papers

Women in World History After reading the works of Hughes and Hughes, Ward, and Pomeroy, it seems as though all the information is congruent in the readings. The facts presented in Hughes and Hughes that also exist in the works by Pomeroy and Ward. The repetition solidifies the facts as stated by all three authors. The reoccurrence between the three pieces shows similarities. The similarities show the reader the strength of the information. Women of ancient Egypt had some of the same rights as men, they could rule as long as they showed some masculine traits to help the people understand why they were in power. In Ward and Pomeroy’s texts, there is information that the Egyptian women had the same legal rights as the Egyptian men. â€Å"The women of the family could not only administer the family property, but could also dispute legal decisions and be major litigants defending what they conceived to be their rights of inheritance† (Ward 7). The women of ancient Egypt were able to accomplish a lot on their own. It was possible for fathers to leave property to their daughters in their wills so that the daughter could be self sufficient, should the need arise. A wife could even help run the estate with her husband. Women were also allowed to attend parties where men were present. This was an uncommon practice that women of ancient times were not allowed to do, the women would have to leave the room. Traditionally women were not allowed to be seen in the presence of a group of men, except in the case of the women of ancient Egypt. Aside from social privileges, women were also granted economic privileges. Traditionally a wife would be dependent upon her husband for economic support, however the women of ancient Egypt were not completely dependent. Should a divorce take place, the legal system moved in to assure a fair settlement†¦.First, the husband and wife each took back whatever property they had contributed at the time of marriage. Second, any additional property that had accrued during the marriage was divided between them: two-thirds to the husband, one-third to the wife. In this way, the woman became financially independent, did not have to return to her own family, and might even be considered a good prospect for a second marriage (Ward 7).

Thesis Statement

University of Phoenix Material Thesis Statement and Informal Outline Worksheet In this course, you will write a 1,050- to 1,750-word Personal Responsibility Essay, due in Week Five, which includes the following: †¢ Define what personal responsibility means to you. †¢ Explain the relationship between personal responsibility and college success. †¢ Include a preliminary plan to practice personal responsibility in your education.This week, using the Center for Writing Excellence resources, provide the thesis statement and informal outline for your Personal Responsibility Essay assignment, due in Week Five. Thesis Statement: Even though when I do not take personal responsibility I am more likely to blame others, personal responsibility means to acknowledge responsibility for my choices and being accountable for my own actions because the actions you take in life, affect your college success and by setting goals in the beginning you can stay focus throughout your college ed ucation.Informal Outline: †¢ Personal Responsibility means to me to acknowledge responsibility for my choices and being accountable for my own actions. Is important to acknowledge personal responsibility to be successful in life. †¢ The actions you take in life affect your college success.  §Ã‚   Procrastination can become a habit  §Ã‚  Learning to prioritize †¢ Setting goals in the beginning can help you stay focus throughout you college education.  §Ã‚   Goals keep you motivated  §Ã‚   You stay focus in the reward of achieving your goal   Ã‚   I plan to practice personal responsibility in my academic career by being more responsible.  §Ã‚   Practice time management.  §Ã‚   Identifying my educational goals. o  Ã‚   Conclusion  §Ã‚   Personal Responsibility means to me to acknowledge responsibility for my choices and being accountable for my own actions for two main reasons. First, setting goals in the beginning can help you stay focus throughout you college education. But most importantly, the actions you take in life affect your college success. Thesis Statement My thesis is based on the colossal Buddha statues at Bamiyan, Afghanistan, which were destroyed by Taliban in March 2001. The Buddha statues at Bamiyan were of historical significance and were considered both as national and international heritage. I will provide in-depth information on those statues and their historical and cultural importance. There will be an introduction part in the thesis. I will then discuss step by step how these statues gained prominence on the global arena and the events leading to their destruction.The origin, history and other related events surrounding the Buddha statues at Bamiyan will be discussed in this paper. The main focus will be to find out why these statues were so historic and the qualities they had to gain such significance. In the end, I will provide a well-observed conclusion on the significance of these statues to the world community. Introduction Preservation of historic monuments with cultural significance is not only the responsibility of the state, but also it is the responsibility of the world community.However, the destruction of the Buddhas of Bamiyan clearly indicated that the historical monuments are vulnerable to such attacks and are in real danger. The giant Buddhas of Bamiyan were considered as wonder monuments by people across the globe. They were carved into a mountainside at Bamiyan in the heart of the Hindu Kush Mountains. The Buddhas were among Asia's great archaeological treasures. A Brief Background â€Å"During the medieval period, modern-day Afghanistan was a breeding place for Buddhist culture and art. It was strategically placed from the Silk route that saw flourished trade between the Roman Empire, China and India.Bamiyan was a cultural center both in ancient and medieval period† (Rowland, 1960: 56). It made the region central to Buddhist history. Buddhism came into Afghanistan in the third century BC during the reign of Mauryan emperor Ashoka. The religion flourished further under the pa tronage of Kushans. â€Å"According to Huan-Tsang, the Chinese traveler, Bamiyan was a flourishing Buddhist center with many hundreds of monks living in the caves built around the Buddha statues† (Rowland, 1960: 61). The rulers of Kushan dynasty expanded their empire from China to India and Afghanistan.They were responsible for bringing Buddhism to the soil of Afghanistan. They carved these beautiful wonders of the ancient world. Colossal Buddhas The Buddhas of Bamiyan were located in the Bamiyan valley of central Afghanistan. They were believed to be built in the fourth or fifth centuries. They represented the classic style of Greco-Buddhist art. There were two giant statues. â€Å"The larger one stood at 53 meters (125 feet). It was considered as one of the most wonderful representations of the Buddha in the world. The other statue stood at 38 meters. Both the statues were painted in gold and were decorated with glittering ornaments.The entire structure of Buddhas of Bamiy an was a mixture of Greek, Persian and Central and South Asian art† (Rowland, 1960: 81). The architecture of the two grand statues was unique, as it differed from the sculptural traditions. The cliffs that housed the two main Buddha statues were 1300 meters long and 150 meters high. The taller statue was located at the far west of the cliff and the other one was located at the far east. Historians are still clueless on why such colossal statues were built. â€Å"Some believe that they were built by the Kushan rulers to attract attention and to gain supremacy over other countries in the world.It was also argued by some historians that the main reason could be to propagate Buddhism in other parts of the world by attracting people to witness the beauty of these giant statues† (Flood, 2002: 56). Description about the Statues â€Å"The smaller Buddha was sheltered in a forte. It was carved out of the mass of the rock on three sides and stood with the right hand in the gestu re of protection and the left in the gesture of charity† (Rowland, 1960: 83). The statue was built in such a way that voyagers considered the gestures shown by the statue as an assurance of protection from the dangers of travel.â€Å"Both the statues were made with mud-plaster over a coating of lime plaster. They used to give a sense of naturalism and realism. The attributes found in the statues belonged to the style of ancient Gandhara art. The heads and the bodies of the statues were carved out of the sandstone cliffs. Due to lack of proper care and maintenance, the portions of the faces of the statues were destroyed. The hands of the statues were mutilated by some religious bigots who invaded Afghanistan several times† (Rowland, 1960: 84).â€Å"According to Huan-Tsang, the taller Buddha was adored with bright gold dye and precious ornaments. Although both the statues had same style, the larger one was much younger than the smaller one. There were several slots with well decorated walls and ceilings within the shrines of the statues† (Rowland, 1960: 61). External Influence The paintings were executed in a unique manner. â€Å"The walls and ceilings were covered with mud mixed with straw and lime plaster. In the forte of the smaller Buddha, the ceiling had the image of the Sun-God on a chariot with the Buddha located below him.The inclusion of the image of the Sun-God was indicated that Bamiyan was a cross-cultural region that was located on a road that was leading to different directions† (Rowland, 1960: 84). The painting at Bamiyan represented three different styles of art: Greco-Roman, Indian and Central Asian. â€Å"The portrayal of deities clearly indicated the use of these styles of art. The ceiling of the forte that carried the larger Buddha carried damaged human and divine figures. Indian influence could be easily detected in the divine figures engaged in religious conversation† (Rowland, 1960: 84).The convergence of people from different regions was the main reason behind the emergence of Bamiyan as a center for art and culture. The rock-cut paintings around the statues at Bamiyan exhibit recurring themes of the Buddha and scenes of his life. â€Å"A Bodhisattva image appeared in the northern part of the forte that carried the larger Buddha. The Boddhisattva sat with crossed ankles on his throne that was adorned with jewelry and embroidered clothing† (Rowland, 1960: 85). Many paintings around the Buddha statues were vandalized by fundamentalist forces, as they considered Buddhism an alien religion.Despite the damage made to the place, the beauty of the art continued to attract visitors and scholars to Bamiyan. Some of the beautiful sculptures found around the statues were domes, garlands, lotuses, trees and musicians. Preservation of the Statues The Afghanistan government was aware of the significance of these statues to its culture and heritage. Hence, it took several measures to protec t these monuments. â€Å"Between 1969 and 1978, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) worked closely with the Afghanistan government to conserve the site of Bamiyan.Efforts were made towards preserving and repairing the small Buddha and its forte and shrines. A tubular scaffold was constructed to support the statue's structure. A missing portion of the dome roof of a shrine was restored. Chemical treatment was applied to preserve the paintings around the statues† (Buckley & Rick, 2003: 61). Destruction of the Statues Although the Buddhas of Bamiyan were spared during the conquest of Mahmud of Ghazni in the 12th century, invaders like Aurangzeb, Genghis Khan and Nadir Shah used heavy artillery and cannon fire to destroy the statues.However, they could not succeed in inflicting heavy damage on the statues. â€Å"Between 1999 and 2001, there have been much debate and discussions on the protection of the colossal statues. Afghanistan's Islamic clerics began a campaign to crac k down on non-Islamic structures, music, imagery and sports. In March 2001, a decree was passed to destroy all the statues in and around Afghanistan, which symbolized idol worship† (Buckley & Rick, 2003: 69). The issue was given a political color when Afghanistan's foreign minister stated that the destruction was retaliation against the international community for economic sanctions.â€Å"According to some reports, then Taliban rulers of Afghanistan were outraged after a foreign delegation offered money to preserve the Buddha statues at Bamiyan while a million Afghans faced starvation† (Buckley & Rick, 2003: 69). The Islamic government of Afghanistan took a serious note of this offer. That could be the immediate provocation behind the decision to destroy the statues. It was not easy to destroy the statues, as they were strongly built and were firmly attached to the mountain. â€Å"The Taliban forces used dynamite and tank barrages to demolish the monuments.The intense bombing of the Budhhas at Bamiyan lasted for almost a month until the statues were completely destroyed† (Buckley & Rick, 2003: 70). Conclusion There is no doubt that the colossal Buddha statues at Bamiyan were international treasures that should have been preserved at any cost. However, that did not happen. The destruction of such a world heritage illustrates the need for international laws for the maintenance of sites and strict punishment of violators. The world community must take a vow that they will never allow such destructions to occur again.The significance of the statues can be realized from the fact that despite the destruction caused by missiles, tankers and bombs, Bamiyan still remains as a unique example of the cross-cultural nature of Buddhist art. Bibliography: Rowland Jr, Benjamin. Gandhara Sculpture from Pakistan Museums. New York: Asia Society, 1960. Buckley, Mary & Rick Fawn. Global Responses to Terrorism 9/11, Afghanistan and Beyond. New York: Routledge, 2 003. Flood, Finbarr Barry. Between Cult and Culture: Bamiyan, Islamic Iconoclasm, and the Museum. The Art Bulletin. Volume: 84. Issue: 4, 2002. Thesis Statement 1. A strong thesis statement takes some sort of stand.Remember that your thesis needs to show your conclusions about a subject. For example, if you are writing a paper for a class on fitness, you might be asked to choose a popular weight-loss product to evaluate. Here are two thesis statements: There are some negative and positive aspects to the Banana Herb Tea Supplement. This is a weak thesis statement. First, it fails to take a stand. Second, the phrase negative and positive aspects is vague. Because Banana Herb Tea Supplement promotes rapid weight loss that results in the loss of muscle and lean body mass, it poses a potential danger to customers. This is a strong thesis because it takes a stand, and because it's specific.2. A strong thesis statement justifies discussion.Your thesis should indicate the point of the discussion. If your assignment is to write a paper on kinship systems, using your own family as an example, you might come up with either of these two thesis statement s: My family is an extended family.This is a weak thesis because it merely states an observation. Your reader won’t be able to tell the point of the statement, and will probably stop reading. While most American families would view consanguineal marriage as a threat to the nuclear family structure, many Iranian families, like my own, believe that these marriages help reinforce kinship ties in an extended family. This is a strong thesis because it shows how your experience contradicts a widely-accepted view. A good strategy for creating a strong thesis is to show that the topic is controversial. Readers will be interested in reading the rest of the essay to see how you support your point.3. A strong thesis statement expresses one main idea.Readers need to be able to see that your paper has one main point. If your thesis statement expresses more than one idea, then you might confuse your readers about the subject of your paper. For example: Companies need to exploit the marketi ng potential of the Internet, and Web pages can provide both advertising and customer support. This is a weak thesis statement because the reader can’t decide whether the paper is about marketing on the Internet or Web pages. To revise the thesis, the relationship between the two ideas needs to become more clear.One way to revise the thesis would be to write: Because the Internet is filled with tremendous marketing potential, companies should exploit this potential by using Web pages that offer both advertising and customer support. This is a strong thesis because it shows that the two ideas are related. Hint: a great many clear and engaging thesis statements contain words like because, since, so, although, unless, and however.4. A strong thesis statement is specific.A thesis statement should show exactly what your paper will be about, and will help you keep your paper to a manageable topic. For example, if you're writing a seven-to-ten page paper on hunger, you might say: Wo rld hunger has many causes and effects.This is a weak thesis statement for two major reasons. First, world hunger can’t be discussed thoroughly in seven to ten pages. Second, many causes and effects is vague. You should be able to identify specific causes and effects. A revised thesis might look like this: Hunger persists in  Glandelinia because jobs are scarce and farming in the infertile soil is rarely profitable. This is a strong thesis statement because it narrows the subject to a more specific and manageable topic, and it also identifies the specific causes for the existence of hunger. Thesis Statement University of Phoenix Material Thesis Statement and Informal Outline Worksheet In this course, you will write a 1,050- to 1,750-word Personal Responsibility Essay, due in Week Five, which includes the following: †¢ Define what personal responsibility means to you. †¢ Explain the relationship between personal responsibility and college success. †¢ Include a preliminary plan to practice personal responsibility in your education.This week, using the Center for Writing Excellence resources, provide the thesis statement and informal outline for your Personal Responsibility Essay assignment, due in Week Five. Thesis Statement: Even though when I do not take personal responsibility I am more likely to blame others, personal responsibility means to acknowledge responsibility for my choices and being accountable for my own actions because the actions you take in life, affect your college success and by setting goals in the beginning you can stay focus throughout your college ed ucation.Informal Outline: †¢ Personal Responsibility means to me to acknowledge responsibility for my choices and being accountable for my own actions. Is important to acknowledge personal responsibility to be successful in life. †¢ The actions you take in life affect your college success.  §Ã‚   Procrastination can become a habit  §Ã‚  Learning to prioritize †¢ Setting goals in the beginning can help you stay focus throughout you college education.  §Ã‚   Goals keep you motivated  §Ã‚   You stay focus in the reward of achieving your goal   Ã‚   I plan to practice personal responsibility in my academic career by being more responsible.  §Ã‚   Practice time management.  §Ã‚   Identifying my educational goals. o  Ã‚   Conclusion  §Ã‚   Personal Responsibility means to me to acknowledge responsibility for my choices and being accountable for my own actions for two main reasons. First, setting goals in the beginning can help you stay focus throughout you college education. But most importantly, the actions you take in life affect your college success.

Technology of WWI essays

Technology of WWI essays World War I brought many new technological advancements to the battlefield, such as pill boxes, flamethrowers, and mustard gas. But with all this new technology there were no new tactics to use them. Soldiers fought a traditional styled war, but suffered many casualties due to the new technology. Flamethrowers were invented in 1900 by the German army, but werent used on the battlefield until World War I. Flamethrowers simply used some pressurized gas to shoot oil through a nozzle with a flame attached to it creating a jet stream of fire. The first flamethrowers were used by two-men to clear enemy trenches from a range of 25 meters. Later, flamethrowers were upgraded and had a range of up to 40 but still only had 40 seconds of fuel. On an extreme negative, the person using the flamethrower quickly became the target of gunfire and was killed. Pill boxes were small re-enforced concrete shacks with narrow slits in which machine guns would fire out of. The pill-boxes werent used for long due to labor costs, and generals feared that soldiers would become more defensive-minded. The machine-gun had been used foe years before, but new technology provided better guns, and many fell victim to machine gun fire. Another way to eradicate enemies in trenches was by tossing poison gas into their trenches and wait for them to either run out into open gunfire or die in the trench. Two types of poisonous gas were used: Chlorine Gas; and Mustard Gas. Chlorine gas left a yellow-green cloud in its path. The chemical in Chlorine Gas killed by a means of damaging the respiratory system by causing asphyxiation. The gas wasnt nearly as efficient as Mustard Gas though. Since it only took small amounts of Mustard Gas to kill it was easier to infect the enemy. Small amounts of mustard gas were put into artillery shells and fired at the opposing trench. The victims of mustard gas died an extremely slow painful death. Their eyes would clo...

Why You Might Want to Rethink Your Memoir

Why You Might Want to Rethink Your Memoir Stranger Than Fiction? Probably Not: Why you might want to rethink your memoir Today, our lovely editor and Reedsy advisor Rebecca Heyman shares her thoughts on writing memoirs. In this lively and informative post, Becca offers some brilliant no-nonsense insights on the competitiveness of the memoir genre and why fiction might be a safer bet.Memoir is everywhere. The genre is pervasive, clogging slush  piles and hard drives and bookshelves. Part of its ubiquity might have  something to do with the pop-psych notion fed to so many Millenials for so  long, that we are all special and unique, our perspectives and experience  critical. Another contributing factor is a literal interpretation of the  author’s adage, â€Å"Write what you know,† which is in fact a call to use your experience  as a launching point for story, not a script.To be clear: I am not addressing those writers producing  memoir to establish a family legacy. In this article, I’m talking specifically to those authors who plan to query agents or indie-publish- in  short, those who intend their work for public consumption.Okay, now that we’ve got that squared away, allow me to tell  you why a vast majority of memoirists would be better off committing their  creative energy to a novel or, if you must, a short story collection.Reason #1: You don’t  have an existing platformHave a look at the best-selling memoirs for 2014. In  preparation for writing this post, I looked at lists by the New York Times, the Guardian, Huffington Post, The Daily Beast, and more. What I found  is that close to 70% of the titles on all these lists came from famous  people- politicians, celebrities, musicians, or figures of national import. The  remaining 30-or-so percent of successful memoirs came from people with  extraordinary personal experiences (think Cheryl Strayed’s Wild adventure), or previously published authors or poets.Even based on such an unscientific survey, it’s easy to see  that the memoirs selling best giv e readers a glimpse into a life most of us  can’t imagine. And since the best  memoirs transport us to another time and place the same way a good novel does,  that distance between reader and author experience is critical. Follow Becca and Reedsy on Twitter: @RFaithEditorial and @ReedsyHQWhat are your thoughts on memoir writing? Is the genre too competitive and dominated by celebrities for first-time authors to stand a chance? Let us know your thoughts, or ask Becca any question, in the comments below!

A Degree is Worth Much Less to Some Students Research Paper

A Degree is Worth Much Less to Some Students - Research Paper Example Each one of them backs his or her opinion adequately. Their essays have been causing a stir in society. This leads to the unanswered question on whether the quality of college education is worth the cost. American students spend a good fortune to pay for the highly coveted bachelor’s degree. However, there are varying opinions on whether the benefits of college of education surpass the cost. A critical analysis of the system indicates that college education does not guarantee students a better future and a great career. On the contrary, some graduates end up in desperation after college and the degree does not seem to help them maneuver their way out to success. I support Murray’s assertion that students have varied learning abilities. College education does not take notice of this fact but rather admits all willing students for degree programs. Although colleges consider basic academic qualifications, the selection criterion admits some students who end up struggling t o cope with the four-year system. These spend more than the required four years in college because they retake some parts of the contents. After struggling for a long time, they still graduate without an honor’s degree. Since they do not excel, the many years investment does not bear any fruit. University education promises students too much than it can offer.... These students feel wasted by the university education because it does not keep its promise in offering them better opportunities. American higher education is expensive and students joining higher education institutions such as colleges and universities part with a good fortune in order to obtain a degree or diploma. Some students get loans and grants to be able to pay for their tuition fees. These loans and grants are payable, most of the time with interest. Some students take more than four years in higher education courses, translating to an increased spending. Students take the risk of getting study loans because they believe that a degree will place them in a better position in society. However, the truth is that graduates do not always get good jobs. Therefore, they cannot repay their loans and they remain in debt. Situations compel such students to alter lifestyle preferences in order to be able to repay the loans. At this point of their lives, the only returns from college e ducation are regrets and desperation. Bright students coming from rich families are the only ones who do not feel the pinch of the rising cost of education. After a long struggle to cope with the degree curriculum, some students decide to quit. Quitting marks an end to the career path they were trying to establish. After having wasted funds probably from a loan or the family’s savings, the individual quits. Funds and time wasted in a lost battle depress the individual. He or she has to start to start from scratch to rebuild their lives. The reasons for quitting lie in the nature of the university education system. The system practically drains some students. The courses are too demanding and the students cannot put up with the pressure of exams in higher education institutions.

Becoming Animal, or Animals Become Us Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Becoming Animal, or Animals Become Us - Essay Example As a child her main character creates a friendship with a horse and throughout the friendship she is kind to the horse. One day, she sees that the horses eyes look lonely. Later, the horse is happy because it has a companion and she finds out that Blue (the horse) is actually only there as a stud. At this point, she notices that once his companion is gone, Blue also stays away from her as a human. This is significant because as Walker says, "Blue was like a crazed person†¦" (866) and she admits he was like that to her and then his attitude changes towards her when he "realizes" that his friend will not be back. "†¦I took apples to him, he looked at me. It was a look so piercing, so full of grief, a look so human, †¦to think there are people who do not know that animals suffer" (867). She wants humans to know that animals do indeed suffer and this horse suffered in the way that someone who was enslaved would suffer as their family was taken from them and sold. This was a very poignant parallel for her to draw because the reader was able to see the connection between animal and human. "Everything you do to us will happen to you; we are your teachers, as you are ours. We are one lesson" (866) is the point of the entire story which points to a partnership or "oneness" between human animals and other animals. Merchants writing is interesting because in some respects she sees a constant struggle between male domination and female natural instinct. She says that women are the nature aspects of life and actually sees the struggle between Adam and Eve continues throughout all of what we are doing to this day. As an example, she gives many ideas from other writers about how they felt it was possible for man to conquer nature. She quotes Thomas Huxley as saying that there should be a situation where a new Eden would be born and in it "every plant and every lower animal should