Free Essays on What Is Schizophrenia

‘split’ and ‘mind,’ Schizophrenics do not have split personalities. This misunderstanding has caused many people to misuse the term schizophrenia. The "split mind" refers to the way that schizophrenics are split off from reality; schizophrenics cannot tell what is real and what is not real. Schizophrenia affects men and women in equal numbers; although on average, men appear to develop schizophrenia earlier than women. Generally, men show the first signs of schizophrenia in their mid 20s and women show the first signs in their late 20s. Schizophrenia has a tremendous cost to society, estimated at $32.5 billion per year in the US. (Keefe 104) The behavior of people with schizophrenia is often very strange and shocking. This change in behavior, when people cannot tell the difference between what is real and what is not, is called "psychosis" or a "psychotic episode." The American Psychiatric Association has published guidelines that are used to classify people with mental disorders. There are a lot of symptoms associated with schizophrenia. Some of the symptoms are as follows: 1. Delusions, bizarre, false beliefs These beliefs seem real to the person with schizophrenia, but they are not real. For example, a person may believe that aliens or spies are controlling his or her behavior, mind and thoughts. Sometimes these delusions can be paranoid in nature. People with paranoia have an unreal fear or suspicion that someone is "out to get them." Delusions may also be of grandiosity. In these cases, people believe that they are someone important like a president, king or prime minister. 2. Hallucinations: ... Free Essays on What Is Schizophrenia Free Essays on What Is Schizophrenia Schizophrenia What is Schizophrenia? While many of us are not aware of what exactly it is, one out of every hundred person in America has it. The reason why I chose to write a paper on this topic is because my cousin is suffering from this disorder. Although the word Schizophrenia comes from the Greek words ‘split’ and ‘mind,’ Schizophrenics do not have split personalities. This misunderstanding has caused many people to misuse the term schizophrenia. The "split mind" refers to the way that schizophrenics are split off from reality; schizophrenics cannot tell what is real and what is not real. Schizophrenia affects men and women in equal numbers; although on average, men appear to develop schizophrenia earlier than women. Generally, men show the first signs of schizophrenia in their mid 20s and women show the first signs in their late 20s. Schizophrenia has a tremendous cost to society, estimated at $32.5 billion per year in the US. (Keefe 104) The behavior of people with schizophrenia is often very strange and shocking. This change in behavior, when people cannot tell the difference between what is real and what is not, is called "psychosis" or a "psychotic episode." The American Psychiatric Association has published guidelines that are used to classify people with mental disorders. There are a lot of symptoms associated with schizophrenia. Some of the symptoms are as follows: 1. Delusions, bizarre, false beliefs These beliefs seem real to the person with schizophrenia, but they are not real. For example, a person may believe that aliens or spies are controlling his or her behavior, mind and thoughts. Sometimes these delusions can be paranoid in nature. People with paranoia have an unreal fear or suspicion that someone is "out to get them." Delusions may also be of grandiosity. In these cases, people believe that they are someone important like a president, king or prime minister. 2. Hallucinations: ...

buy custom Anxiety Disorders essay

buy custom Anxiety Disorders essay Anxiety disorders are a group of mental health problems that affects about 40 million adult Americans. At some point in life, at least one in four people have an anxiety disorder that need treatment at some point. Anxiety disorders defer per person, while other people have less severe anxieties like fear of snakes or spiders hence need not seek treatment, other people have severe anxieties that they need to be treated. This paper will discuss disorders, classifications, diagnosis and treatment of anxiety disorders (ADs). Types of Anxiety Disorders Anxiety disorders are classified into the following; Panic Disorder Panic disorder is classified as a real sickness that is characterized by sudden terror attacks accompanied by weakness, faintness, sweatiness and dizziness. During the attacks, people affected by the condition feel chilled while their hands feel numb or may be tingling while they may be experiencing nausea, pain especially in the chest or some sensations. Panic attacks produce a sense of unreality and the fear of losing control (National institute of mental health). People with this kind of condition believe that they suffer from heart attacks, can lose their minds or are in the verge of dying. They affected people are unable to predict when or where the next attack can occur. Panic attacks occur anytime even while asleep and last for about 10 minutes or sometimes more. The condition affects about 6 million American adults and is very common in women than men and the condition begins in late adolescence. The condition begins as a panic attack although not all panic attacks lead to panic disorders. The tendency to have a panic attack is linked to inheritance. Panic disorder is one of the most of all other disorders and early treatment of condition is recommended to avoid agrophobia. The condition responds well to most medication or to cognitive psychotherapy. Treatment generally is to help the patient change thinking patterns that leads to fear and later anxiety. Other conditions like depression, alcohol abuse can be treated separately (National institute of mental health). Obsession-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) This is a condition that is characterized by persistent upsetting obsessions (thoughts) and the use of rituals (compulsions) to control the anxiety produced by the thoughts. Usually the compulsions end up controlling the patients (Dr. Mulholland). An example is a person who is obsessed with dirt, he/she develops a compulsion to wash hands every now and then while if it is for intruders they may be locking and unlocking the door several times before going to sleep. Overdoing such compulsions is not a pleasurable idea although it produces a temporal relief from the obsessive thoughts. OCD affects about 2.2 million American adults. The problem then may be accompanied by other anxiety disorders or result into a depression and can appear in childhood, adolescences or early adulthood. Research shows that OCD may run in some families. COD symptoms vary over time but if severe the condition can keep one from carrying normal duties either at home or work. Luckily, OCD responds well to treatment with use of certain medicines and psychotherapy in which relaxes the patient and become less sensitive (National institute of mental health). Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) PTSD is an anxiety that develops after a certain terrifying ordeal like a physical harm or a threat for the same or by witnessing a harmful even. PTSD results from a variety of traumatic events like torture, rape, mugging, being kidnapped or natural terrifying event like tsunamis or floods. People with the condition relieve the disturbance in their thoughts or as nightmares when asleep in what is called flashbacks. These flashbacks consist of images, feelings, smell or sounds by these occurrences. These flashbacks may make a person lose touch with reality and have the feeling that the incident is happening all over again (National institute of mental health). Symptoms begin three months after the incident happened and may emerge years afterwards. Different affected people have varying PSTD while others do not develop even a minor PSTD. Some people may recover within a short period while others may take longer but in some people the condition become chronic. The condition may be accompanied by depression, substance abuse or result into more other anxiety disorders. PSTD affects about 7.7 million adult Americans but the condition can affect any person of any age and women are known to more likely develop the condition than men although evidence suggests that susceptibility may run in families. Certain kinds of medicine and psychotherapy are known to treat PSTD symptoms effectively. Social Phobia (Social Anxiety Disorder) This is an anxiety that is developed from fear of embarrassment or humiliation in social places like in public speaking. It is diagnosed when people become extremely and excessively self-conscious in social situations. People with the condition develop an intense and persistent fear of being judged by others or by embarrassing themselves. Many people may realize that they have the problem but are not able to overcome their fears (National institute of mental health). Symptoms for the disorder include blushing, difficulty in talking and sweating. The condition affects about 15 million adult Americans and women are most likely to develop the condition than men. It begins in childhood or at early adolescence. The condition can be treated successfully with use of certain medications or psychotherapy. Specific Phobias A specific phobia is described as an intense, extreme and apprehensive fear of specific conditions or things that have no apparent harm or causes no specific danger. Some of the common specific phobias include those centered on tunnels, heights, flying, driving, dogs or injuries resulting to shedding of blood. People with this kind of fear find it hard to face the feared object or condition as it causes severe anxiety (National institute of mental health). This condition affects 19.2 million adult American and it is twice in women as in men. Appearing in childhood, specific phobias persist into adulthood although research suggests that it may run in families. Specific phobias are known to respond very well to targeted psychotherapy and affected people should avoid the situation that causes anxiety. Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) This is characterized by a constant, apprehensive feeling that something bad is going to happen. People suffering from exaggerated worry are overly concerned about their health, finances, work or family problems. GAD is generally diagnosed when a person continues worrying about certain problems for more than 6 months and the person seems not to get rid of their concerns despite realizing that they have a problem. Symptoms include failure to relax, concentrate or having trouble sleeping. Physical symptoms include fatigue, muscle ache, trembling, headaches, sweating, hot flashes and naausea. With mild conditions, these people can carry out their duties normally although they cannot avoid the situation. Evidence suggests that genes play an important role in GAD and it affects children and young adults. GAD rarely occurs alone and as a result other anxieties accompany it. GAD is treated with medication or with cognitive-behavioral therapy (Brown et al., p.155-157). Diagnosis Anxiety Disorders Diagnosis of ADs is done by physically examining the patient and assessing his/her personal history. During diagnosis, it is important that the doctor uncovers any medical problems that may be masked by the anxiety attack. The patient will be required to describe if there is any occurrence of ADs in the family and if there is any contributing factors to his/her condition like a stressful event or recent life changes. Any condition like excessive drinking or substance abuse or change of moods should be communicated to the doctor. Diagnosing children is difficult but doctors should look into the history of the family and closely ach the child in question (University of Maryland Medical Center). Health professional cans also use a handbook called Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) to make diagnoses (Cuncic) Treatment of Anxiety Disorders Anxiety disorders are treated with specific type of psychotherapy, medication or both. The choice of treatment depends on the patients preference. People with anxiety disorder should seek medical intervention before the condition can take a toll on them. Medication Although medicines do not cure ADs, they keep them under control while the patient receives psychotherapy. Medications are to be prescribed by physicians (usually psychiatrists) who can offer psychotherapy or assist psychologists and or social workers to provide psychotherapy. Proper use of medication cures many AD patients who can then lead normal lives once again. Some of the medicines administered include antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs. Antidepressants are developed to treat depression and can be effective against ADs. These medicines can start to work immediately but they take about 4-6 weeks to take full effect. Some of the common antidepressants include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), Tricyclics and Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). Anti-Anxiety Drugs include the high-potency benzadiazephines that combat anxiety and are known to have few side effects. Anti-Anxiety Drugs are usually prescribed for short periods because people easily get used to them. Beta-blockers like propranolol are used to treat heart conditions as well as preventing symptoms that accompany ADs (Health.com). Psychotherapy Psychotherapy is the act of talking to trained mental health professional like a psychologist, social worker or a psychiatrist to discover the cause and how to deal with the anxiety. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is especially useful to treating ADs. Usually it is done in such a way to help people alter peoples thinking ways that help them to support their fears or how they react to certain situations. CBT can last up to 12 weeks or longer especially for OCD, social phobia and PTSD. Conclusion Although the cause of ADs is not exactly known, the condition is not due poor upbringing or a weakness. If diagnosed with the condition, patients are advised to seek medical care. The best treatment for many people is a combination of medication with CBT. Buy custom Anxiety Disorders essay

Interpersonal communication in romantic relationship Research Paper

Interpersonal communication in romantic relationship - Research Paper Example Their arrangements are not the same. In some cases, romantic relationships end up in marriage. This relationship has two divisions, the popular romance, which is the normal falling in love and divine relationship, which depends on a person’s belief. This paper states the role of interpersonal communication in a romantic relationship. Communication is very important in a romantic relationship. This will predict whether the relationship has a future or it is doomed to fail. Communication entails the feelings the couples feel towards each other. It also has details on why they fell for each other, and the reasons why they need it to last for long. People can judge the nature of someone’s relationship from the length of their communication. A very short communication time shows the two couples are not deeply in love with each other (Odukoya, 2010). Many people argue that if partners are similar in some particular way, they will love each other. This will determine the nature of their interpersonal communication. People in a relationship have to communicate to gather information about each other. These communication methods will not be the same throughout the relationship. It will have to gain a new pattern at some point. Communication is important in predicting the future of the relationship. Things learned from communication will have a mental representation of the other partner. Thus, it will influence the way they behave before their partners. A good communication brings a sense of security to the relationship. Researchers argue that spouses get that feeling of attachment and feel the comfort of their relationship, if the other partner responds as well. Communication will help partners evaluate each other’s beliefs. With time, they come to understand each others tastes. This is important in a relationship. The partners will get to understand each other and define how each partner feels towards the other. Communication helps evaluate the standards

Barriers to participation in adult learning Essay

Barriers to participation in adult learning - Essay Example In acting on this need, the adult learner will find that there are obstacles to going back to school, some of which will be anticipated, but others which will create a surprising result. While real life obstacles of a financial variety, including childcare issues and spousal resistance may come into conflict with ambitions, the unexpected feeling of being aged out and inappropriate to the social setting may have more impact than expected. The following study is intended to critically evaluate the literature in order to assess the problems that adult learners will face when going back to school. Through secondary research review, the project will provide contest for the nature of the phenomenon of the adult learner, thus creating a discourse on the identity issues that will result from the choice to go back to school after an absence in between which life has taken place. 1.1 Background The barriers that exist to adult learning can be defined by a great number of categories, through a spects of social classifications, medical classifications, and through aspects of cognitive development as it affects age. Issues of class, race, gender and disability can contribute to problems that might arise as those issues in combination with generational gaps can create issues that many students will not have to address. The number of ways in which an adult learner will be affected in a classroom setting can equal the number of ways in which the adult learner diverts from the socialization of the common, age specific learner in a university setting. According to Podsen (2002: 18) there are four specific areas that will affect an adult learner: Adults are self-directing and desire to be in charge of their learning, including the content time and effort. Adults’ prior life experiences play a key role in their learning activities, and they rely on these experiences as a resource from which they can learn new things. Adults have distinctive learning styles, with their routi nes and strategies for processing information already established. Adults pass through various developmental stages, and this impacts the types and methods of learning in which they will engage. However, these advantages have their disadvantaged counterparts, creating barriers that are designed through the social status of an adult over a young adult who is still within the framework of the support of a family. As an adult learner, the support system that is in place for most young adults will more than likely not be relevant to the adutl learner with more years of life experience. While learning will be easier under many course objectives, financial pressures, home life stressors, lack of parental support, and child care necessities will complicate the process. With a developed life experience ‘portfolio’ lying underneath the experiences of an adult, the pressures that can distract for the efforts towards achievement provide a different framed experience in a learning institution than that of a young adult learner. Additionally, the social structure of a learning institution is constructed to support the socialization of young adults, thus leaving older students out of an important aspect of university life. Therefore, the pressures on an adult learner are far different than those of a young adult learner, creating a diverted atmosphere than the one that has been created by the university. 1.2 Research Questions The following research questions have been used to frame the discussion of adult learners in a

Black People and Affirmative Action Essay Example for Free

Black People and Affirmative Action Essay Please be advised that Assignment One on the printed Tutorial Letter 101/3/2013 on pages 12 14 has a number of both typographical and numerical mistakes. This happened as a result of a number of factors: the initial assignment reading was too costly for the Department to commission in terms of copyright and had to be retracted at the last minute. The reading on Affirmative Action: a losing battle? was then included but with an almost impossible deadline, which resulted in the errors reflected therein. This is regrettable and we apologise for any inconvenience this might have cost you. The corrected version of the assignment is on page 3 and is attached to this TL and again on my UNISA for your convenience. The marks are out of 100 marks 50 for Section A and 50 marks for Section B. NB: Please note that the due date has not changed in any way (4 March 2013). 2 ENN103F/102 8. 4. 1. FIRST SEMESTER ASSIGNMENTS The purpose of this assignment is to teach you how to read an article and to critically engage in academic reading and reflecting on the material in an academic manner by answering the short paragraph questions provided as well as an essay. Assignment 01 will be marked fairly fully and sent back to you. Affirmative action: a losing battle? There are considerable reasons to suppose that this topic, which affects all citizens of South Africa, in particular, seems dated. In some instances it is a policy viewed with hostility as it is said to discriminate against sections of the population, yet in others it is seen as beneficial to women, black people and the disabled. Studies show that in many instances this form of historical redress has proven a hindrance to performance and makes the beneficiaries doubt their abilities when viewed by their superiors. This has a negative effect on an organization since the quality of work is seen as being sub-standard. Equally, there are significant indicators, both in industry and the private sector, that the opening up of previously closed avenues through the policy of affirmative action made companies perform better since the beneficiaries of such workplace selection viewed their work as a challenge. Where beneficiaries claim stigmatization by such a selection process, it means they prefer not to have been selected through such efforts. Either way, the battle seems to go on and on. In the light of this ongoing and divisive debate, the level of debate regarding the policy has not progressed further since comparative studies of the policy have not been seriously undertaken. There has been no systematic study of the developments in how the policy actually proves beneficial as a tool of redress. Part of the reason is that, firstly, there is a lack of monitoring of what goes on in organizations, and secondly, that the regulations are not strictly enforced. For instance, companies will usually ‘front’ a black person, a woman or a disabled person, as a chief executive officer and leave the matter of compliance as a secondary issue. Rarely do such companies face serious consequences even if they do business with the government. The question then is whether a time limit should be placed on the policy and Act or whether it should be declared unconstitutional. Consideration has not been taken, for instance, of measures used in other countries to actively promote privilege. Very few advocacy groups ever mention the Naturalization Act of 1790, the Homestead Act of 1862 or even the Federal Housing Administration Loan Program of the 1930s used by the government of the United States of America to promote racial preference; or that such Acts were also used as models for other racially divided societies. Advocacy groups for and against the policy and Act have routinely made it a point that the policy is unsettling, needless and discriminatory, on the one hand, while others argue forcefully that the amelioration of past injustices justifies its implementation. Whichever side is on the ascendancy cannot take the other side’s viewpoint, and in the end the past divisions are set to continue. 3 SECTION A: Short questions Answer the following questions in short paragraphs. Please note that each question will be marked out of 10 marks: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Is the affirmative action policy morally defensible? Explain. In your opinion, which country has successfully implemented the policy of affirmative action and why did it succeed? In your view, why did the South African government choose to implement the Affirmative Action policy and Act, and was it ever justifiable? Does the policy need to be discontinued after a certain length of time, and why? In your opinion, why is it that people from a different racial group are unemployable in certain sectors of the economy and not in others? [10 X 5 = 50] SECTION B: Essay Write an essay of approximately one and a half page on either of the questions below. Please note that each essay will be marked out of 50 marks: 1) Do you think cultivating an equal opportunity society has helped countries such as South Africa and America to move forward? In a carefully worded essay, show why this is the case or why it is not. OR 2) To what extent do you consider such a policy and act relevant to the needs of any society today? [50 marks] Best wishes The ENN103F Team 4.

Jonathan Swifts Gullivers Travels - Yahoos and Houyhnhnms :: Gullivers Travels Essays

What do the Yahoos and the Houyhnhnms stand for? What moral was Swift drawing from them? The answer to the second question depends on the solution of the first. One solution could be that the Yahoos represent man as he actually is, self-seeking, sensual and depraved, while the Houyhnhnms symbolize what man ought to be, unselfish, rational, cultured. In the fourth voyage, Swift presents a case study for opposing states of nature, with the Yahoos representing the argument that man is governed by his passions, seeking his own advantage, pursuing pleasures and avoiding pain, and the Houyhnhnms representing the argument that man is governed by reason. If this is the case, then Swift’s misanthropy was such that he saw men as the foul and disgusting Yahoos, and made it plain that reform of the species was out of the question. A major fault with this theory is that it leaves no place for Gulliver. When attention is drawn to the figure of Gulliver himself, as distinct from his creator, Swift, he is taken to be the moral of the story. If you can't be a Houyhnhnm you don't need to be a Yahoo; just try to be like Gulliver. The trouble with this idea is that when taking a closer look at Gulliver, he isn't worth emulating. The final picture of him talking with the horses in the stable for four hours a day, unable to stand the company o f his own family, makes him look foolish.  Ã‚   Another theory is that Gulliver made a mistake in regarding the Houyhnhnms as models to be emulated: so far from being admirable creatures they are as repulsive as the Yahoos. The Yahoos might be ruled by their passions, but these have no human passions at all. On this view, Swift was not advocating, but attacking reason. The voyage does seem to have a slight religious moral also. One of the oldest debates in Christianity concerns the nature of man since the fall of Adam. He was so corrupted by that event that left to his own devices he was beyond redemption. His passions naturally inclined him toward vice, and his reason, so far from bringing him out of his vicious ways, led him even further into error. Only Divine Revelation could bring men back to the straight and narrow path of virtue. Although man is naturally inclined toward evil, nevertheless his own unaided reason could bring him to knowledge of moral truth.

Financial Analysis of Microsoft Corp. Essay

This report is issued in order to inform the public about Microsoft Corporation. We analyzed the profitability and liquidity of this company. In addition, we were able to provide recommendations for investments or credits in Microsoft for the best interest of the public. Profitability ratios refer to the relative measure to what an actual created profit. Through these ratios the company is allowed to see how profitable the company. In addition it can serve as an examination of the overall performance of the company’s operations and how do these compare to past performances or other companies. The ratios in which accounting measures the profitability of a company are Profit Margin, Price over Earnings, Return on Equity and Return on Assets. In terms of Profit Margin it has a high ratio, which means that our company is turning 76.3% more of each dollar that we sell. The results of this could be the increase in the quantity sold, increase in the price, and decrease in costs. Compared to Apple, whose profit margin ratio is 46.2%, Microsoft is able to be more profitable in terms of profit margin. The Price over Earnings ratio helps to determine how much does a share cost is compare to how much the company is earning and it is interpreted as how long it will take you to earn back what you invested in a company. In this case for someone who invests in Microsoft it will take them approximately 15.3 years, compare to Apple’s 13.5 years, to earn back the amount that they will invest. The Return on Equity ratio helps to measure the profitability of a company for the investor and how it manages its equity. In this case, Microsoft experiences a 10.3% of Return on Equity. Ideally, a company would like to have a higher Price over Earnings ratio; compared to Apple’s 51.5% Return o n Equity, Microsoft stands at a lower percentage which might not attract others to invest in the company. Return on Assets ratio evaluates how a company is able to produce a profit before being on debt; it reflects on the efficiency of the management. In this case Microsoft’s 5.9% was again below Apple’s 33.4% in its ratio. Cash Flows are the inflows and outflows of cash in a company, which are directly related to the revenues and expenses in Microsoft’s income statement. The Net Income that Microsoft recorded for 2012 was $16,978.00 and its Cash Flows from Operating Activities equaled to 31,626.00. In this case the company recorded higher cash flows from operating activities compared to its net income. This was a result of the company’s management on its current liabilities and its current assets. Also, the addition in depreciation and amortization, goodwill, and stock-based compensation; these accounts are not part of the cash flows yet they still make an impact on the income of the company. Liquidity being, that which represents how fast the company is able to convert its assets into cash, is denoted with various ratios. The current ratio (D) takes the current assets of a firm and divides them by the firm’s current liabilities. Currently Microsoft’s current ratio is 2.9, showing that its current assets exceeds its current liabilities. Apple Inc., which is Microsoft’s contender, has 1.6 for its current ratio indicating that it’s not as quick in converting its assets into cash. Another liquidity ratio is the quick ratio (E); this ratio is calculated by subtracting inventory from current assets and dividing that difference by the firm’s current liabilities. Microsoft’s quick ratio is 2.6, showing that the company is still doing well in converting its assets into cash even after removing its most liquid asset –inventory. Apple’s quick ratio is 1.1, which shows how much inventory constructs the company’s current assets. Microsoft has been doing very well within its liquidity measures and meets its obligations as they become due. When discussing solvency, we analyze ratios that measure the long-term liability of a business to pay off its debts. The times interest earned ratio (H) is a solvency ratio; taking earnings before interest and tax, and dividing that total by the interest expense. Microsoft’s times interest earned ratio is 87.7, showing that this firm is very successful especially before any interest or tax is deducted from its overall earnings. Apple’s times interest earned ratio could not be calculated due to the fact that their data didn’t indicate a specific interest expense to complete the equation. Another solvency ratio is the debt to equity ratio (I); taking the firms total liabilities and dividing that total by owners’ equity. Currently Microsoft’s debt to equity ratio is 0.8, showing that there is less risk among the firm’s financials. This also means that the company doesn’t rely too much on external lenders. Apple’s debt to equity ratio seems to also be within good standing because it is .5, so it doesn’t rely too much on external lenders either. Overall, both liquidity and solvency ratios represent how financially stable this company is within converting its current debt into cash as well as its long-term debt. In most cases Apple Inc. falls behind Microsoft Corp. within its short and long term debt solvency. When analyzing Microsoft’s capital structure the percentage of liabilities that construct the firm’s total assets is 42.87%. Showing that less than half of the firm’s total assets are represented by liabilities. Now the percentage of the total assets that are represented by stockholders’ equity is 57.12%. Showing that stockholder’s equity represents slightly more than half of Microsoft’s total assets. When analyzing the capital structure of Microsoft’s competitor Apple, there are distinct differences. The percentage of liabilities that construct the firm’s total assets is 36.06%. Showing that unlike Microsoft’s percentage of liabilities to assets, there are a lot fewer liabilities representing the total assets of the firm. Now the percentage of stockholders’ equity that constructs the total assets of the firm is 64.93%. Showing that more than half of the firm’s total assets are constructed out of its stockholders’ equity. Apple seems to have fewer liabilities supporting its total assets and a higher percentage of stockholders’ equity. Overall, it seems that Microsoft Corp. has a significantly different capital structure than that of its competitor Apple Inc.. IFRS refers to the International Financial Reporting Standards; it is a set of accounting standards constructed by an independent, not-for-profit organization called the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB). IFRS provides regulation for the company to prepare its financial statements off of, rather than setting rules for industry-specific reporting. The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) is an independent, private-sector body based in London that currently develops and approves International Financial Reporting Standards. The IASB is thoroughly responsible for all technical matters of the IFRS Foundation including, the full discretion in developing and pursuing its agenda, subject to certain consultation requirements with the Trustees and the public, and exposure drafts, following the approval and issuing of Interpretations developed by the IFRS Interpretations Committee. Some of the differences between IFRS and GAAP is that IFRS is considered to be more of a principles based accounting standard whereas in contrast the U.S. GAAP is considered more of a rule based accounting standard. Under IFRS, the LIFO method for accounting for inventory costs is not allowed. Under U.S. GAAP, either LIFO or FIFO inventory can be used. The move to a single method of inventory costing could potentially enhanced similarities between countries, and removes the need for analysts to adjust LIFO inventories in their comparison analysis. The reporting for each would differ. For instance the treatment of intangible under U.S. GAAP is recognized at fair value, while under IFRS, it is only recognized if the asset will have a future economic benefit and has measured reliability. Under IFRS, if inventory is written down, the write down can be reversed in future periods if specific criteria are met. Under U.S. GAAP, once inventory has been written down, any reversal is prohibited. The potential adoption of IFRS is likely to impact not only reporting structures but also how individual transactions are captured and processed. In many cases, operating leases under GAAP could become finance leases under IFRS. Impacts could be mostly identified on taxes and balance sheet ratios. IFRS may generate running obligations sooner than under GAAP due to the â€Å"more likely than not† principle. Contracts would need to be evaluated carefully under GAAP. Based on the previous analyses of the company’s data I can say I would definitely loan money to Microsoft Corp. short-term and long-term. The liquidity of the company calculated using current ratio and quick ratio represents how fast the company is able to convert its assets into cash. Seeing that the firm showed signs of quick asset to cash turnover within both current and quick ratio, shows that they are able to pay off any loans they might incur. In contrast to Apple its contender, which had low ratios depicting negative signs of asset to cash turnover. When looking at the solvency measures, we can see the long-term viability of a business to pay off its debts. We used the times interest earned ratio and the debt to equity ratio to depict what trend this firm had with balancing debt. Microsoft seemed to show very high earnings before interest and taxes, which resulted in a high times interest earned ratio overall. This high ratio means that this firm has great ability in paying off its interest and debt; this serves to be another viable reason for Microsoft to be approved for a loan. Another solvency measure that was taken was through the debt to equity ratio, which represents the degree to which the assets of the business are financed by the debts and the shareholders’ equity of a business. This ratio showed that Microsoft’s overall business doesn’t rely too much on the external lenders of the company. It shows it can attain profit through its own activities, and therefore has overall less risk. Overall, due to the fact that Microsoft has quick asset to cash turnover, increasingly high earnings before interest and tax, and a low debt to equity ratio; Microsoft would be an ideal candidate for short and long term loans. When discussing whether an individual should buy, sell, or hold on the stock of this company, I would recommend the hold on stocks. Based on the profitability ratios, which help us calculate how a firm is performing, Microsoft, compared to its competition Apple, is behind in terms of profitability. Microsoft has a higher profit margin then Apple does; however, its price over earnings, returns on equity and returns on assets fall below its competition. This can be a discouragement for anyone who is interested in the company. Yet, even though Microsoft’s overall profitability is not as good as Apple’s profitability, there could be still a chance in which the company can provide investors with more profitable income since the company is not at risk. Thus, this could take longer then expected, that is why it is better to hold on the stocks of this company. So, I recommend this individual hold on their stocks and see how the turnout ends for the most recent advancements Microsoft has made as a company, and from those figures on either decide to sell or buy more stocks.

Measure for Measure by William Shakespeare Essay

â€Å"I am always directed by you† – Mariana â€Å"I am directed by you† – Isabella. Both these lines are addressed to the Duke. What do they suggest about women status in this play? What other evidence can you find to support your view? Measure for Measure is a play written by William Shakespeare in the seventeenth century which crucially presents the role of women. Women were viewed as pure and were not expected to be promiscuous, but dependent on men with few options or choices. Shakespeare’s interpretation of women in Measure for Measure very much reflects society’s opinion of women at the time, where men had more freedom and should be given more respect than women. The society at that time was a patriarchal one, where a male was a considered a God like figure and ultimately the leader, and below him was the king and then the nobles. However, although the society gave men more rights than women, Measure for Measure demonstrates that men also had more responsibilities. This is shown through the situation with Claudio and Juliet, as although they are both equally to blame for Juliet’s pregnancy, it is Claudio facing the death penalty. The women of Measure for Measure are generally quite low in the ranks of importance and respect; they are not spoken of with any importance. Juliet is the object of Claudio’s sexual release and Mariana is the long lost forgotten fiancee of Angelo, who was abandoned by him when she lost her dowry in a shipwreck. The only woman who kind of breaks the trend of the lowly women is Isabella, who has the courage to stand up to Angelo for her chastity. In the first half she is pushed between Angelo and Claudio while she decides what to do and refuses to respond Angelo’s advances, then in the second half, she takes her orders from the Duke which shows that on the other hand she is still obedient toward the Duke, following all of his instructions. In Act V, Scene 1, the Duke shows his opinion of women when talking to Mariana, he says: â€Å"Why, you are nothing then: neither maid, widow nor wife†. According to the Duke’s point of view, the other woman who truly is free is Mistress Overdone as she earns her own money and is able to get some freedom; at least she doesn’t have to stay at home cooking. The main female character in Measure for Measure is Isabella; she represents a very pure female character. This is first seen at the start of the play by the fact that she is training to become a nun and by the strong Christian values she appears to have. This is then emphasized later when she is told her brother’s life will be saved if  she agrees to sleep with Angelo. She refuses this offer, placing her chastity and her Christian values above her own life. This illustrates that a woman’s purity is highly valued, while a woman being promiscuous is not accepted. Mariana is another female character in the play and she is quite different to Isabella. None of these three men, Angelo, Claudio or the Duke, seem to think that her CHOICE matters- her body is to be bargained for whether for lust, life or love. When the duke asks Mariana to allow him a private discussion with Isabella, she replies, â€Å"I am always bound to you†, as if she is speaking to an old friend. And again, when the duke tells her he respects her, she answers that she knows it and has found it to be true, suggesting a long-term relationship. This statement also shows that she is his subject. The adjective ‘bound’ means that she is obliged to do as he wishes and also compelled to do so. She uses the adverb ‘always’ to him which shows that she will always follow his example and will do his will in any condition. Her absolute trust is manifested when she agrees to entrust her chastity as the Friar asks. In the Jacobean society Shakespeare lived in, women would have always done as they were bid by order of men, but especially if the order was given by a man of religion. These words show the absolute compliance that the Duke is able to gain through becoming a disguise (pseudo-)friar. The Duke abuses this religious power to gain insight into people’s souls for his own ends. He knows that Angelo wishes Isabella to ‘give up the treasures’ of her body and uses the two women to gain more power over Angelo. The same applies to when Isabella says to the Duke, â€Å"I am directed by you†, this statement also shows how women respected men and how men were above in authority. As mentioned above, there are no independent women in Measure for Measure, this is not strange, considering the setting and Shakespeare’s own era; there are prostitutes and nuns who are given no chance to control their own lives most of all they seem to have no choice in any matter.

Analysis of Netflix Essays

Analysis of Netflix Essays Analysis of Netflix Essay Analysis of Netflix Essay It slightly decreased one year and increased in the remaining three. Firms would like to have a high margin and a high turnover, so it is a mostly positive trend that turnover is increasing as well as the net profit margin. Total Leverage: unfavorable. The trend Is positive because total leverage has increased most years. The higher number, the more debt a company has which means that the company has to pay a higher interest expense. Therefore, the net income will be lower which will in turn lower the net profit margin, affecting the ROAR. Stockholders want ROE to increase, but not strictly due to the leverage increase. The first two years the LEVEL was O, in year 3 it was . 05 and in year 4 it was . 507. This has been a positive trend. Leverage is defined different in the advanced model. Leverage only includes financial obligations in the numerator. It is favorable that LEVEL has increased from O because it does increase the ROE; however, it is important that the company does not borrow more than it can handle. B. Are any of these ratios meaningless because of factors such as negative amounts, denominator close to zero, accounting distortions? There are several ratios that are meaningless. In the Advanced DuPont model the Net Borrowing Cost, the Spread, and the ROE are all not available for 2006 and 2007. This not because the cell is simply empty but because the denominators are close to zero. The cell content looks like this: #DIVE/O!. Also, the Financial Leverage for the same two years is O in the Advanced DuPont Model, which may be why the NBC cannot be calculated. Also, it is important to note that there are no negative numbers in this data. C. Are there any factors that make you think the 2009 ratios are aberrations and that the future may be significantly different? There are a few insignificant factors that make me think the 2009 ratios are abnormal and that the future may be exceptionally different. I think it is important to note that the NBC stays the same into the future. I would think that the net borrowing cost would change as the company borrows money and takes on more debt. Also, total leverage increased from 2. 295 to 3. 333 from 2009 to 2010. I am not sure if the future wall De very Deterrent u tens mummer seems to De RA mere Ashley Schmidt Accounting 411 Professor Bartlett Due: October 14, 2010 Assignment 5-8: Decomposing the Dupont Model Ratios to better understand underlying causality. To better understand the economic fundamentals that are driving Nineteens ROE, we an decompose (analyze) each of the variables in the Dupont Model. Examine the ratios calculated by veal. A. Examine the more detailed margin, turnover, and leverage ratios. What interpretation can you place on each of these detailed ratios? Looking at the financial statements may help you understand what the ratios mean. Margin Ratios Gross Margin: The gross margin measures the difference between sales and cost of goods sold as a proportion of sales. The gross margin of Nineteens has stayed relatively around the same. It looks like it may start to increase in the near future, UT from the data there is not a definite positive or negative trend. The Gross margin in 2009 was . 378 which means that 37. 8% of sales were profit. This ratio is important to watch if you are worried about increased competition, which is something that Nettling will be facing very soon. EBITDA Margin: This ratio has been consistently increasing for Nettling over the past 5 years. It is the earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization as a proportion of sales. Depreciation and amortization only represent the allocation of past capital expenditures and even though a firm may look good with this ratio they ay have to reinvest in its capital base to continue to stay in business. We would want to make certain that Nettling is spending/using capital expenditures wisely. BIT Margin: This is earnings before interest and taxes and it provides a valuable summary of operating performance. This margin abstracts from leverage or tax rate effects and gives a clean measure of underlying operating performance. From gross margin to this ration the relation between sales and profits gets weaker. This margin has also been consistently increasing for Nettling over the past five years and is a good indicator of operating performance. Net Operating Margin before non-race. : This margin is net operating income with any nonrecurring expenses AAA Dacca In wanly are statutes Tort tenet tax consequences. This number has not been consistent for Nettling and is probably due to taxes or costs of non-equity capital (like tax adjusted interest expenses and preferred dividends). Net Operating Margin: This is the net operating income with nonrecurring items. The difference between these numbers from year to year is due to nonrecurring items. In some years there was a bigger difference than others due to these items. The nature of these items can be unidentified from the 10-K and should be looked at to ensure that they are unusual and not likely to reoccur. Turnover Ratios Net Operating Asset Turnover: The net operating asset turnover has increased for three consecutive years and it is currently at 4. 068. Net Working Capital Turnover: This ratio measures how efficiently a firm is managing its working capital accounts. It is ideal to create sales with the smallest investment in working capital. This number has increased and should be looked at further, it is currently at 4. 68. Average Days to Collect Receivables: This ratio is simply the average amount of time that it takes Nettling to collect the money that its customers owe. This number has been O for the four years that veal has data. This may be because Nettling is a subscriber based company, so you have to pay when you sign up for its services. However, there should still be a time greater than zero that it takes Nettling to collect because transactions do not happen instantaneously. Average Inventory Holding Period: This ratio is the average number of days that Nettling holds its inventory. The quicker it is turned over the better. The past three years this number has decreased which is positive for the company. Average Days to Pay Payable: This ratio simply takes the average payable to determine how long it takes the company to pay its bills. This ratio has decreased the past three years which is positive for the company because it means that they are paying off their debt faster. UPE Turnover Leverage Ratios- Long Term Capital Structure Debt to Equity Ratio: This ratio is similar to the financial leverage definition that is used in the Advanced DuPont model; however, preferred stock is excluded from the numerator. It provides an indication of the extent of a firms long-term credit commitments. A higher ratio means a higher probability of financial distress. Nineteens debt to equity ratio is relatively low but did sharply increase from 2008 to U. It would a De Denial to Turner Investigate ten reason Enola D ten Susanne increase. OFF to Total Debt: Funds from operations to total debt shows the working capital created or destroyed by the operations of the firm. This ratio directly compares the debt with the flow of funds that will be used to service the debt so it overcomes the horologists that the debt to equity ratio presents.

Nutritional Habits of College- Age Students essays

Nutritional Habits of College- Age Students essays In many studies it has been stated that college age students are more likely to pick up a few pounds during their stint in school. The research conducted in this study will be used to determine the nutritional awareness of college students. In this study females will be compared to males to determine if there is a difference in the their levels of nutritional awareness. Initially the researcher thought that female group would have higher nutritional awareness than that of the male group. Although females scored higher on some of the questions asked, the researcher found that there was no particular difference between the two groups in regards to Weight gain is so common during the first year of college that there's a name for it: "The Freshman 15". It pops up a lot in campus conversation, and new students swear it won't happen to them. Yet, when summer vacation rolls around next year, many will be buying their jeans a size or two larger. This researcher thinks living on campus (leads to) higher weight gain rates, because you don't have your mom cooking dinner and healthy meals for you. Campus dining is a problem - there aren't many healthy options. Attending college for the first time represents a huge lifestyle shift that can result in the sort of 'sneaking' weight gain Oftentimes, they don't recognize the changes that are going to occur. There are two things that often add to the problem: Their activity level drops - if they were in a sport and don't continue that sport in college, they're going to see weight gain if their food intake stays the same. Furthermore, they're taking in the social scene, increasing food and beverage intake and to make matters worse, hectic schedules and late-night studying can mean losing track of body rhythms, eating according to convenience instead of appetite. Students will eat whatever is fast and available. At Alabama Agricultural and Mechanic...

Melbourne 2030 and most other strategic plans across Australia seek to Essay

Melbourne 2030 and most other strategic plans across Australia seek to increase residential development around activity centr - Essay Example In most suburbs of Melbourne, changes to the built environment have been brought about. â€Å"The Melbourne regional plan, like all of the Australian metropolitan plans, puts forth a spatial vision of the future† (Beatley & Newman 2009, p.196), directs future investments, and guides the state and local use of development decisions. The foremost aim is to accommodate significant population growth, anticipating up to a million new residents by 2030. The core concepts of the development plan include an urban growth boundary, the protection of ‘green wedges’, and the guidance of future growth into a set of activity centres located along transit corridors. The key strategy of the plan is to increase residential development around activity centres. Thesis Statement: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the strategic plans for residential development around activity centres in the policy ‘Melbourne 2030’ for urban developmental projects; and determine their benefits and disadvantages. ‘Melbourne 2030’: Background of the Policy ‘Melbourne 2030’ guides the development of built environment in the city in the form of accommodation for an increase in the population by one million residents between 2000 and 2030. The addition in numbers together with projected changes in household formation is expected to increase the number of households by 600,000 by 2030. ‘Melbourne 2030’ seeks to chart a â€Å"fundamentally new direction in Melbourne’s urban development by determining the location of the dwellings needed to accommodate these additional households† (Birrell, O’Connor, Rapson et al 2005, p.1-1). The city’s sense of place and identity is created by the streetscape that existed till now with mostly low slung bungalows, dense tree and shrub canopy and resultant green ambience, together with open spaces for recreation. Over half a century ago, Melbourne’s metropol itan planners considered these features to be the way residents liked it, and that it was futile to try changing the local characteristics. Currently 90 percent of the families live in single family dwellings, with 50 percent of the dwellings owned by occupants. According to Birrell et al (2005, p.1-1), â€Å"the Melbourne 2030 template is just the most recent incarnation of a radical shift in metropolitan planning since the 1980s†. This transition intends to reshape the city, changing it from its low density heritage towards a more compressedly packed and merged urban form. Strategic Plan of ‘Melbourne 2030’ ‘Melbourne 2030’ underscored two predominant land use strategies. The first was an urban growth boundary demarcated to protect the city’s green wedges,and rural boundary from urban encroachment by constraining future development within this limit, state Buxton and Goodman (2003, p.205). The second key land-use approach was to â€Å"conce ntrate spatial development within a constellation of 112 activity centres of differing scale and mix distibuted across the city, with several of the centres located on chief public transport nodes† (Dodson 2009, p.5). Future housing is divided into three categories: greenfields development, strategic redevelopment sites, and dispersed urban sites within peripheral suburban areas, together with development to a small extent around small rural

Medical Malpractice in the Death of Mrs. Hoover Case Study

Medical Malpractice in the Death of Mrs. Hoover - Case Study Example In order for it to be considered a criminal case, the defendant's actions must be considered to be so grossly negligent that it was with willful and malicious intent that they committed the act that lead them to trial. Specifically, ""That degree of negligence or carelessness which is denominated as gross, and which constitutes such a departure from what would be the conduct of an ordinarily careful and prudent manas to furnish evidence of that indifference to consequences which in some offenses takes the place of criminal intent."24 or "Negligence, to be criminal, must be reckless and wanton (Monico 1)". The type of tort that is appropriate for this case is malpractice. This is clearly a case of malpractice because the defendant acted outside her Scope of Practice. According to the Federation of State Medical Boards, "Scope of practice define s those health care services a physician or other health care practitioner is authorized to perform by virtue of professional license, registration, or certification. Health care professionals' scopes of practice sometimes overlap reflecting shared competencies (Federation of State Medical Boards, 2005)". As a Medical Assistant, Smith acted outside her scope of practice as a Medical Assistant as defined by her State's laws and medical direction. A Medical Assistant may only order, obtain and provide medications with a Doctor's Written Orders (Buppert 1). In order to have avoided this situation completely, Smith could have chosen to remain within her scope of practice as a Medical Assistant. Smith could have advised Hoover to seek the care of another medical professional, or, if necessary, call for an ambulance or report to a hospital emergency room. Due to the fact that Hoover was in so much pain, Smith could have contacted an ambulance or a hospital for Hoover so that she could receive immediate medical care. The Doctrine of Respondeat Superior dictates that Dr. Jones can be held liable in this situation. Specifically, Respondeat Superior can be used when "it is determined that the medical provider exercised control over the negligent provider's means and methods of work (Regan 1)". As Smith's superior, Dr. Jones worked closely with Smith close enough to the point where she knew the exact medication that his patients receive. Dr. Jones is explicitly responsible for the actions of his employees and the occurrences within his office, and probably has multiple forms of insurance for situations like this. However, Respondeat Superior can prevail in this case because Smith ordered the prescription as if Dr. Jones had ordered it, leading the patient to believe that she was truly being prescribed this medication by her doctor. The Good Samaritan Law may not apply in this case. In general, the Good Samaritan Law's intent is to release the legal liability of an average person, including licensed medical professionals, who provide emergency care to a person experiencing a sudden medical emergency. The only exceptions to this case are actions that are considered to be criminal or grossly negligent. The Good Samaritan Law also does not change the scope of practice for those people who are performing as, or have identified themselves as, a medical professional while rendering emergency medical care. To cite the State of Georgia's Good Samaritan Law, "Nothing in this Code section shall be