The Stock Market Essay Example For Students

The Stock Market Essay The Stock MarketHave you ever noticed how everyone thinks they know what is best for you? Everyone telling you what to do when you are the only one who knows what is the best for you. You maybe wondering what this is about, would you believe me if I told you it is about the stock market. Well it is, you may have thought that this had nothing to do with the stock market, but actually it is everything about the stock market. Why trust everybody else when you can invest yourself ? Develop your own system of trading and get started. This may raise another question, How can I find the right stock and buy them with out the assistance of a stock broker? In the following information I will take you through the process of finding hot stock picks and turning them into tremendous profits. Eventually you will even develop a trading system. First of all lets get the basic steps down before we move to the more advanced steps. The two main ways to make money in the stock market is from dived ends a nd buying low and selling high. To make great outrageous profits you will have to riley on buying low and selling high. This is very easy to say but very difficult to do. With dived ends you will receive a small percentage gain every quarter of the year, this helps with your profits but not much. To buy low and sell high you first have to find some stocks or funds. With this information and your motivation with stocks you can rule the world! O.K. maybe not the world but definitely your own portfolio. Morgan 2Now that you have the main concepts down we can move on and try to find some hot stocks. You never want to buy over bought stocks, because over bought stocks means that they are over valued. If you bought a over valued stock chances are that you bought high, and this may force you into selling low and take a loss. An easy way to get a round about feel for a stock to see if it is over or under valued is to look at its PE ratio. To calculate a PE ratio you take the price per share and divide it by the earnings per share and this will give you the PE ratio. Most of the time you dont even have to find out the p.e. ratio because It will be calculated before hand , so all you have to do is look at it. Many analysts like PE ratios under 60 or so, but it depends on the industry PE ratio also ( another figure that is pre calculated) (Frailey ,50). This is one of the most important figures of a stock. Try to avoid buying stocks with high PE ratios for long term holdings, even if its a good company. For example Cisco Systems is a fantastic company, it has split nine times in the last ten years, it has never disappointed Wall Street with earnings but with a PE ratio of 125 this stock is over valued. I would buy this stock at about fifty dollars a share with a PE ratio of about 60. Even the best companies get over valued. Buy stocks like Cisco on short term pull backs and sell them when they become over valued. We will write a custom essay on The Stock Market specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now It is important to develop some type of trading system that will protect your capital and extend your gains. I do not think there is one trading system out there that will apply to every stock, so what you must do is modify other systems and develop your own ( cut and paste ). The pyramid system is the most practical and useful trading system in the world. In this particular system you start off with about ten or so individual Morgan 3stocks that you think will do very well. There is no way around it, some stock will go up and some go down, face it. In this particular system you will sell your stocks that decline by ten percent. Now that you have liquidated some of your stocks you must have a place to put the money. You will then put that money into your stocks that are going up. Typically the stocks that start to do well will continue to do so and the ones that do bad willalso continue (Snell 4). You now have started your pyramid system. Selling your stocks is one of the most diffic ult things to do and often trading systems do not hold the correct answers to the question of when to sell your stock. This is where the modification comes in to play. If you followed this system you would sell when your stock declined by ten percent. This is a good time to sell if something fundamentally went wrong with the company, but if your stock was over sold it would have been a bad time to sell. For example, if you bought into Digital Equipment just before Compaq announced they were going to buy them out, you would have lost about ten percent. If you followed the trading system you would have sold and accepted a loss of ten percent. If you had realized that this particular stock was being over sold because this announcement was really nothing to worry about you would have held on to the stock. Well as a result of being over sold the stock shot up almost 100 percent in the next month, alone (Shimo 44). .u4dd69449a6183eeb28190b4ccdaf76a0 , .u4dd69449a6183eeb28190b4ccdaf76a0 .postImageUrl , .u4dd69449a6183eeb28190b4ccdaf76a0 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u4dd69449a6183eeb28190b4ccdaf76a0 , .u4dd69449a6183eeb28190b4ccdaf76a0:hover , .u4dd69449a6183eeb28190b4ccdaf76a0:visited , .u4dd69449a6183eeb28190b4ccdaf76a0:active { border:0!important; } .u4dd69449a6183eeb28190b4ccdaf76a0 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u4dd69449a6183eeb28190b4ccdaf76a0 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u4dd69449a6183eeb28190b4ccdaf76a0:active , .u4dd69449a6183eeb28190b4ccdaf76a0:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u4dd69449a6183eeb28190b4ccdaf76a0 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u4dd69449a6183eeb28190b4ccdaf76a0 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u4dd69449a6183eeb28190b4ccdaf76a0 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u4dd69449a6183eeb28190b4ccdaf76a0 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u4dd69449a6183eeb28190b4ccdaf76a0:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u4dd69449a6183eeb28190b4ccdaf76a0 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u4dd69449a6183eeb28190b4ccdaf76a0 .u4dd69449a6183eeb28190b4ccdaf76a0-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u4dd69449a6183eeb28190b4ccdaf76a0:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Are Political Parties in Decline? EssayTo find these sold great companies you have to know what to look for in a stock. I believe that good companies will buy their own stock, so I like to look at the percentage of institutional shareholders of a company before I buy(Sheimo 26). When a company announces a stock buy back plan it often gives the stock a boost because it attracts other Morgan 4buyers as well as the employees of the company. A low PE ratio is always nice to see when looking for a stock to buy because it can mean that this particular stock has more room to the upside than a stock with a high PE ratio. When a stock has good earnings it will typically perform wel l through out the positive earning announcements. If you stay with the stocks that have good earnings it will lower your risk of loosing your capital and increase your chances of expanding your gains. If a stock has had a real nice performance in the last few quarters there is a chance that the stock might split. When a stock splits 2-for-1 the price is cut in half and the amount of shares you own will double. A stock split is almost all the time positive for stocks because this will often attract new buyers into the stock (Sheimo 89). When stocks get upgraded from brokerage firms with target prices to go along with them you will often find a sharp price run up. Some brokerage firms often project the companys earnings for the next year or so and this is a nice figure to go buy when researching for new stocks. A 25 percent of growth in a company is a nice growth percentage to see in a years time and it would make for a nice core holding in any portfolio. Now that you know what to loo k for in a stock lets learn about what is good to avoid in a stock. I become some what nervous when dealing with high PE ratio stocks for long term holdings. Stay away from stocks with PE ratios in the triple digits, it seems like it can be very easy to get burnt from these stocks especially on the long term aspect. I try to avoid stocks without earnings, but if there is profitability in the near future and revenue is strong I probably would not let that stand in my way of buying a stock. Never buy a cheap stock just because it is cheap (Sheimo 75), this is one mistake many Morgan 5beginning investors make. Just because you find a cheap stock does not mean that it is a good value. When looking for penny stocks you must do more research that just looking at the price, treat it as you would treat any other stock. Avoid heavy positions in thinly traded stocks(Sheimo 103). A thinly traded stock is considered to be a stock that has a volume of 10,000 or less a day. If you have stocks tha t are thinly traded there is a possibility that they might not trade every day and this might cause you to be forced to delay a sell and increase your losses in that particular stock. Be very careful when dealing with penny stocks, they are extremely volatile especially thinly traded stocks. If you have a serious interest in the stock market consider trading your own stocks and save a little bit of money. Remember the most basic rule buy low and sell high. To effectively use this very simple rule you must not panic, but you must spend endless time researching and looking for the next big stock while its still small. Never forget the basic rules of investing, because those rules are the rules that make the difference between the losers and the winners. Never follow a trading system to the point where you never consider exceptions and special situations. It is a good idea to research different trading systems to get a good feel of how to trade stocks on your own. Research a lot of different stocks and apply the basic rules of the stock market. .u18b778a03d22fbe74a32e96551b73e34 , .u18b778a03d22fbe74a32e96551b73e34 .postImageUrl , .u18b778a03d22fbe74a32e96551b73e34 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u18b778a03d22fbe74a32e96551b73e34 , .u18b778a03d22fbe74a32e96551b73e34:hover , .u18b778a03d22fbe74a32e96551b73e34:visited , .u18b778a03d22fbe74a32e96551b73e34:active { border:0!important; } .u18b778a03d22fbe74a32e96551b73e34 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u18b778a03d22fbe74a32e96551b73e34 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u18b778a03d22fbe74a32e96551b73e34:active , .u18b778a03d22fbe74a32e96551b73e34:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u18b778a03d22fbe74a32e96551b73e34 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u18b778a03d22fbe74a32e96551b73e34 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u18b778a03d22fbe74a32e96551b73e34 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u18b778a03d22fbe74a32e96551b73e34 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u18b778a03d22fbe74a32e96551b73e34:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u18b778a03d22fbe74a32e96551b73e34 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u18b778a03d22fbe74a32e96551b73e34 .u18b778a03d22fbe74a32e96551b73e34-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u18b778a03d22fbe74a32e96551b73e34:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Gender Bias in the courtroom EssayBibliographyWorks CitedFrailey, Fred. The King of Wired Investing. Kiplingers. April 2000: 50-51. Sheimo, Michael. Stock Market Rules. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1999. Snell, JR. How To Uncover and Trade Winning Stocks. Traders Depot. Available: 9 April 2000Business Essays

Protectionism in International Trade

Protectionism in International Trade Introduction In the growing debate over globalisation and free trade, it is difficult to focus on real policies under discussion. There are varied issues that focus on environmental destruction, markets, and exploitation among others, but one must relate globalisation to free trade in order to understand global trade policies.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Protectionism in International Trade specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Globalisation reflects the adoption of free trade policies for international markets by liberalisation of policies (Bhagwati, 2004). On this regard, countries liberalise their trade policies with other countries through elimination of policies that could deter trade or act as trade barriers. Some elements of trade barriers include â€Å"tariffs (high taxes on imported goods, which make them expensive) and subsidies from governments to domestic firms† (Spruiell, 2006). Both policies inhib it foreign firms from selling their products and services in local markets because of high prices (Friedman, 2000). The concept of trade policy is easy to grasp. That is, it reflects subsidies or tariffs, which governments adopt to protect foreign firms from selling in their countries. There are also other approaches to trade barriers, such as expensive trade license for foreigners, quotas, and a total ban on foreign goods among others. Protectionism refers to policy agendas, which aim to increase the number of tariffs and subsidies that governments use to prevent or minimise trades or exploitation that result from free trade in the international market. This essay focuses on protectionist measures, major arguments used by countries to justify protectionist measures, and challenges and opportunities protectionism presents to companies that wish to expand to foreign markets. Major arguments used by countries to justify protectionist measures Governments use several arguments to justi fy their protectionist policies. First, infant industries require government subsidies and strong protectionist laws to protect them from fierce competition from well-established firms in the global market (Bhagwati, 1988). Such budding firms may not be strong enough to endure challenges posed by competitors. Therefore, by protecting such domestic firms from external competition, the government allows them to thrive in the domestic market. Second, dumping also has facilitated the increment in protectionist laws. Dumping takes place when imported goods have significantly lower prices in foreign markets than the normal price in the country of origin.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Antidumping policies protect domestic market prices by ensuring that imports do not have ‘too low’ prices below the cost of production or have fair market prices. The US has u sed antidumping policies to protect domestic markets from cheap imports from China. Free trade could facilitate dumping, particularly in non-industrialised countries. Third, in some instances, governments have introduced protectionist laws because of national security issues. Such governments aim to reduce reliance on other countries to supply critical resources and services, which may not be available in periods of dispute. Although it is difficult to identify all industries that are vital for national security of a country, some governments aim to protect their IT and energy firms from foreign ownership. Fourth, some countries have relative cheap labour. Consequently, they produce goods at low costs, which result in lower prices in the international market. Such countries may create unfair competition in the market. However, countries with cheap labour like China have attracted investments than those with high costs of labour. Consumers want cheap products. Thus, if a country has expensive products because of labour cost, the domestic firms will lose market share to foreign firms. Fifth, some governments argue that protectionist laws enhance equality in income through protection of local jobs. These are the essence of high tariffs and subsidies for the domestic firms. From this argument, one can deduce that the US, which has an expensive steel industry, may not compete against the steel industry of Brazil, which is relative cheap. In such situations, the US steel industry may lay off workers in order to cut costs and remain competitive. Consequently, workers who depend on the industry will slip into poverty. From such competition, the steel industry in the US may collapse altogether after several years. Consequently, the US will rely on foreign suppliers of steel. If the US engages in diplomatic disputes or wars with Brazil or other countries with steel firms, it may not be able to get that vital resource for its domestic operation. Thus, the result could be devastating to the US economy. Another different reason for protectionism bears no economic advantages to any country. In this argument, countries note that their protectionist laws should reciprocate laws of their peers. That is, trade barriers should be high to reflect practices by other countries. China has applied this theory against the US in which it uses subsidies and tariffs as bargaining chip when negotiating international contracts. The bargaining chip theory does not support or oppose trade, but it considers protectionist law as a two-way approach. For instance, the US may lower steel tariffs for Brazil only if the latter agrees to lower its tariffs on other exports from the US.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Protectionism in International Trade specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Countries that use the bargaining chip approach focus on enhancing trade opportunities, but strive to protect their domestic ma rkets as much as possible. Hence, they maximise exports and reduce harmful imports (Spruiell, 2006). Challenges and opportunities protectionism presents to companies that wish to expand to international markets Although the arguments for protectionism are compelling, trade protection could hurt economies of countries, which impose them too. Some countries are fond of retaliation. For instance, some reports had indicated that there were many discriminatory trade policies than liberalising ones (Miller, 2009). Miller notes â€Å"governments are applying protectionist measures at the rate of 60 per quarter, and more than 90% of goods traded in the world have been affected by some kind of protectionist measures† (Miller, 2009). Trade policies could result into few goods and high prices, which hurt economies and consumers. This may not be suitable for any firm that intends to expand in countries, which tend to retaliate against trade policies. Foreign firms may not be able to comp ete against inefficient protected domestic firms. Governments that impose tariffs in order to protect their emerging firms create unfair competition in free trade. However, consumers will face higher prices and poor quality of services and products. In other words, firms with quality products may not expand to countries with high tariffs and subsidies because of possible unfair competition or expensive trade licence. Protectionist policies lower efficiency. Some economists claim that free trade may lead to loss of jobs in the importing country. However, economists have argued that competition created by foreign firms could enhance efficiency of local industries, quality of goods, and lead to sales growth and employment. Arguments for protectionist laws are compelling, particularly in saving domestic jobs. A government may be right in protecting local jobs in a local steel industry, preventing the industry from bankruptcy and mismanagement by imposing relatively higher tariffs on imp orts (Griswold, 2001). On the other hand, a government may fail to account for individuals who work in other firms supported by steel products. Other foreign factories can buy steel at world prices and manufacture steel products lower costs. Consumers will buy such products from other foreign countries with lower prices.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This implies that American firms, which manufacture steel products, will experience declines in sales and may lay off a significant number of employees. They may also go out of business or seek for additional capital from investors. This was the case when President Bush enacted high tariffs on steel in the year 2002. On this note, one must ask whether it is important to save some jobs at the expense of others or government should leave economic forces and efficiency to control markets. This point illustrates that protectionist policies have costs to the imposing country. In most cases, one may fail to notice such costs associated with protectionist measures. This happens because one can observe any changes in a given industry, but fail to notice the overall impacts because such impacts are widely distributed, affect many industries and customers. Countries argue in favour of protectionist measures to protect domestic firms and avoid relying on foreign industries. Thus, if a country leaves its industries unprotected from global forces, they may collapse and cause reliance on foreign products. However, this situation may not be bad because free trade does not operate in that manner for both developed and emerging economies. For developed economies, competition from foreign firms should allow domestic firms to re-examine and re-engineer their processes and enact the needed reforms so that they can become stronger and compete effectively with foreign firms. Moreover, it is also unlikely that domestic firms can lose all capacity to manufacture products for the local market. It is also imperative to understand whether industries in emerging economies require protection. Many emerging economies believe that they require protection from well-established multinational firms. However, this is a folly argument. Since some countries gained their independence from former colonial masters, they considered any imports as â€Å"other forms of colonialism and dependence on fo rmer masters† (Spruiell, 2006). Consequently, many countries adopted import substitution policies. Under the import substitution policy, governments controlled how their countries utilised available resources in attempts to manufacture all products they previously imported. This strategy did not lead to any economic growth. Instead, a number of emerging economies fell into deep debt crises while struggling to manufacture all products. On the contrary, East Asia has shown that developing countries can â€Å"export all products they can easily and cheaply manufacture and import products they cannot produce locally without high economic costs† (Spruiell, 2006). Globalisation has improved because many countries have noted that it is sound to maximise the production and export of products and services they can produce cheaply and easily. On the other hand, such countries also maximise importation of products they cannot manufacture. This results into a rapid economic growth. In this manner, countries rely on their comparative advantages and strategies to create value in the global market. According to Spruiell, â€Å"the principle of comparative advantage means that every nation, no matter how undeveloped or poor, has a comparative advantage in producing some goods† (Spruiell, 2006). However, many countries may not adopt open market policies because protectionism is a ‘bargaining chip’. Hence, the argument for protectionism under this theory still holds because nations may only reduce their trade barriers and tariffs if they can get some values from other countries. Otherwise, they claim that domestic firms will have to compete in the global market against other firms, which have protection and government subsidies. Proponents of protectionist measures and bargaining chip strategy question why a domestic industry should face competition from other industries, which get subsidies from their governments. Government subsidies allow ind ustries to produce and sell products at lower costs than costs of production. Thus, proponents of protectionism justify their position as attempts to eliminate unfair competition. However, when one focuses on comparative advantages, they must recognise that the concept requires countries to open their domestic markets and focus on exports to boost their economies. Protectionist laws deny consumers to buy cheap products. Moreover, such laws only protect a few selected business interests to the detriment of the entire economy. Foreign firms may find it difficult to establish their operations in countries, which protect their domestic industries from competition. Generally, countries experience economic growth when they are free to trade with other countries without many trade barriers. Countries with open borders are likely to facilitate foreign investments and trade as investors will find few trade barriers while consumers will buy products at lower prices. Thus, even subsidies may o nly favour open market countries because producers are likely to export their products to such countries. In addition, countries with open markets are likely to import products at low costs (Schiff and Schiff, 2010). Consequently, they will focus on developing their productive industries and enhancing their economic strength. Therefore, protectionism presents challenges to foreign firms that seek to expand in international markets in terms of several trade barriers, unfair competition with protected domestic firms, and expensive trade licences among other challenges. Such firms should seek for investment opportunities in open market countries with liberalised trade policies. This would lead to economic success through high volumes of trade because open markets facilitate trade. It is also important to understand the major beneficiaries of protectionism. Generally, when governments introduce protectionist policies, they aim to protect some industries but not others. On this note, gov ernments would consider industries, which could have significant influences on domestic politics (Hazlitt, 1988). For instance, in the US, governments have selected their influential steel, agribusiness, textile, and lately IT industries for protection against any foreign competition or acquisition. However, other unprotected industries have faced fierce competition from foreign firms, as well as higher prices of products from the protected domestic industries. One may focus on the protected industries and note that they are highly important for the government. However, industries have deep relations when viewed from economic principles. One must acknowledge that arguments for protectionist laws have some merits. For instance, governments save jobs, avoid financial ruins through subsidies, and could be critical in seeking for trade partnership in the global market. However, for every benefit of protectionist laws, governments must make subjective decisions on industry protection and identify industries that will incur costs of domestic protection (Lindsey, 2001). Governments should not select industries for protection based on their political influences, and they should apply economic principles and treat all industries in the same way. Protectionism comes with economic costs, which are not easy to ignore. Thus, fundamental issues should not be about potential costs. Instead, the focus should be on industries, which will bear such costs. While governments can provide responses to such questions, people also have economic freedom to choose their products. Recent trends The most common trade barriers exist between the US and China. These two countries show how protectionist laws work in a global market. However, apart from the US and China trade wars, other countries have trade barriers too. Miller noted that the World Trade Organisation (WTO) released a report, which indicated that many countries were yet to refrain from protectionism (Miller, 2009). The WTO me mber countries had â€Å"130 protectionist measures to implement† (Miller, 2009). Some of these protectionist measures included â€Å"state aid funds, higher tariffs, immigration restrictions and export subsidies† (Miller, 2009). For instance, in 2009, Russia focused on a comprehensive increment of all tariffs, Japan concentrated on reviewing its sanitation laws to restrict food imports while South Africa embarked on reviewing its spending patterns to favour firms owned by the blacks at the expense of white-owned firms. From the above figure, â€Å"China has been the main target for most governments’ protectionist laws† (Miller, 2009). China faces trade barriers from 55 countries, which have enacted measures to restrict Chinese exports (Miller, 2009). The US and Japan have 49 and 46 protectionist measures respectively. On the other hand, the growing economy of Brazil has attracted Chinese imports. Consequently, Brazilian government has introduced some â €Å"non-tariff trade barriers and protectionist measures, particularly in the automotive and light manufacturing sectors† (Deloitte, 2012) to protect domestic industries. Impacts of protectionist measures First domestic firms, which depend on government protection and subsidies, may not be able to compete well in the export global market. Import barriers are responsible for high prices due to high costs for intermediate needs. Consequently, export products become highly priced than the global market prices. This may force such domestic industries to lose market share to foreign firms. Moreover, there are also possibilities of retaliation from other countries. Second, protectionism affects the entire economy of a country as any rise in the cost of product leads to a drop in the gross domestic product (GDP). Third, protectionist measures also affect the global economy negatively as world exports and incomes drop. Finally, protectionist laws slow down economic growth for all nat ions. In other words, the global market requires complete liberalisation to improve actual incomes for emerging economies. Therefore, for any foreign firm seeking to expand its operation in the international market, it should choose countries without several trade barriers, protected industries, and government interference. Conclusion The concept of protectionism emanated to control trade issues that resulted from international trade. However, not all market issues require protectionist laws like some economists had believed. Today, some economists have argued and demonstrated that protectionist laws are ineffective and inappropriate ways of fixing market failures. One major challenge is that protectionist laws protect few individuals and leave majorities to bear the ultimate costs. Not even the poor masses who work in such industries should bear the costs. However, in most cases, protectionist measures place huge responsibilities on individuals who least deserve them. That is, only few individuals benefit from protectionist laws. Overall, protectionist laws are major obstacles to economic growth as this essay has shown. Thus, an open economic strategy can facilitate economic growth and eliminate trade barriers. Reference List Bhagwati, J 1988, Protectionism, MIT Press, Cambridge. Bhagwati, J 2004, In Defense of Globalization, Oxford University Press, New York. Deloitte 2012, Competitive Brazil: Challenges and strategies for the manufacturing industry, Intergraf Ind. Grfica Ltda, Brazil. Friedman, T 2000, The Lexus and the Olive Tree: Understanding Globalization, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, New York. Griswold, D 2001, Walls of Steel, Carlton Press Corporation, New York, NY. Hazlitt, H 1988, Economics in One Lesson: The Shortest and Surest Way to Understand Basic Economics, Three Rivers Press, New York. Lindsey, B 2001, Against the Dead Hand: The Uncertain Struggle for Global Capitalism, Wiley, New York. Miller, J W 2009, Protectionist Measures Expected to Rise, Report Warns. Web. Schiff, P and Schiff, A 2010, How an Economy Grows and Why It Crashes, Wiley, New York. Spruiell, S 2006, Protectionism Tariffs, Subsidies, and Trade Policy. Web.

Unbeknownst

Unbeknownst Unbeknownst Unbeknownst By Maeve Maddox A British reader questions what he sees as a recent use of unbeknownst: Curious about the current (British/Irish English only?) replacement of unknown to him by unbeknown/unbeknownst to him (university students work attests to it in yoof-speak, and BBC documentaries to it in them elder lemons what should beknow better). Is this also creeping into American English? Partial paraphrase of the reader’s comment: The writing of university students offers evidence that â€Å"unbeknownst to him† is current in youth slang, and the phrase occurs in BBC documentaries written by old-timers who should know better than to use it. Although some speakers feel that unbeknownst â€Å"sounds medieval,† it is a fairly recent coinage, although not as recent as the reader seems to think: it dates from the 19th century. The first OED citation is from a letter written by novelist Mrs. Gaskell: You dont see me, but I often am sitting in the rocking-chair unbeknownst to you. (1848) The phrase â€Å"unbeknown to,† on the other hand, is documented as early as 1636. How the -st became attached to the word is- well- unknown. A Google search indicates that the phrases â€Å"unbeknown to him† and â€Å"unbeknownst to him† are in use, but they rank far behind the more conventional â€Å"unknown to him†: 1. â€Å"unbeknown to him† About 151,000 results   2. â€Å"unbeknownst to him† About 391,000 results   3. â€Å"unknown to him† About 12,800,000 results On the Ngram Viewer, Number One does not even show; Number Two makes a slight showing, and Number Three shows a marked decline in 1900, but remains well ahead of â€Å"unbeknownst to him.† As for the phrase’s â€Å"creeping into American English,† it did that eighty-four years after Mrs. Gaskell used it- in Light in August by William Faulkner: â€Å"Interfering with his work unbeknownst to him.† The use of unbeknownst in modern English is probably best described as â€Å"jocular† or â€Å"colloquial,† although it can be found in professional contexts: Description of a car accident, NBC News Unbeknownst to the first people who tried to help the victim of the crash, an adult male, the water was electrified. Report of an experiment, Chicago Booth, publication of the University of Chicago Booth School of Business Unbeknownst to them, the first part of the experiment served simply to expose them, in the form of a celebrity-trivia quiz, to pictures of high-profile, successful individuals. Article about deception, Wired. Unbeknownst to the subject, the boy is wearing a radio receiver in his ear, and every word he says is transmitted to him by a 37-year-old university professor sitting in a nearby room. Article about stress of modern life, The New Republic Unbeknownst to her at the time, a shooting had occurred the previous day in the same neighborhood.   Feature about racism among children, PBS Frontline Unbeknownst to his parents, he had started a blog, which they only learned about when another parent called to warn them. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Good At, Good In, and Good WithWork of Art TitlesEnglish Grammar 101: Prepositions

Cross Cultural Managment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Cross Cultural Managment - Essay Example In this context, therefore, cultural intelligence can be described as the ability of individuals in the working place to develop a sensible working condition despite their affiliations (Ang & Livermore, pp.38; Earley, Ang & Tan, pp.3). This essay shall aim at analyzing two articles in an attempt to find out which article is the most applicable to proving the importance of ‘Cultural Intelligence’ (CQ) to the manager of Global Alliances. The essay shall incorporate both theoretical and practical justifications on the importance of ‘Cultural Intelligence’ (CQ) in any organization. According to Triandis, just like in Peterson, (pp.177) and Lundby (pp.301), cultural intelligence is vital for survival of any organization. In his work, he indicates that no flourishing interaction can exist without the staff embracing the aspects of cultural intelligence. Triandis (pp.20) indicates that if the organization has to be successful in inculcating feelings of cultural int elligence among the workers, they have to be keen to detect any kind of flaws that might be existent in the workplace that might harbor successful incorporation of basics that can inculcate roots of cultural intelligence among the workers. ... This entails the ability of the individuals to understand the perceptions and behaviors of the concerned parties in regard to their cultural backgrounds. Of essence, he emphasizes that in the case of varying cultures, individuals must be quick to focus more on the context of their workforce unlike content of what they might have communicated. At times individuals are likely to behave according to the way other people behave in varying cultures, a factor Triandis (pp.20) refers to as ideocentrism. He also explains the concept allocentrism that may alter thriving of cultural intelligence in the workplace. On a practical aspect, in the case of a manager, it would be beneficial if one assesses all kinds of information given by the concerned parties, before making a judgment especially if disputes exist between sections of employees. Collecting tangible evidence unlike insinuations or clues would be beneficial to the manager. Secondly, culturally intelligent persons must be keen to identi fy behaviors that exist in the tough situations in the workplace (Livermore, pp.53). This interprets that, in the course of coexisting in the working environment, there are higher chances that individuals may conflict as a result of interactions in the society. Triandis (pp.22) indicates that chances are probable that individuals are likely to conflict in the quest to make their opinions heard in the workplace. Practically, the managers may consider gathering all kinds of information that would allow them make judgments that are biased, but for the good of the entire workplace. On another view point, a culturally intelligent person is one that is able to handle circumstances that emanate from cultural variances. Triandis

Hedge Found Managers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Hedge Found Managers - Essay Example This helps in preparation of a balanced portfolio mix. The management of assets portfolio, which is unregistered and private, can be done through the establishment of an investment structure called hedge fund. These funds are asset classes that use different strategies like hedging and leverage involving placing bets on commodities, interest rate and currencies, based on the prevailing macroeconomic conditions. These funds do not follow the market directions. However, there main aim is to generate the profit by aiming at mobilizing steps to attain positive return on the invested fund. Hence, these funds operate with the view of generating absolute returns, instead of relative returns, regardless of the rise or fall in the stock market indices or directions taken by the financial markets, during a particular period. Accordingly, hedge fund managers need working diligently in this direction. They expect and get the monetary compensation for meeting theset targets. This compensation comprises of the high fee structure that involves profit participation by the hedge fund manger. Considering this, a hedge fund manager entertains only the wealthy investors, which may include cash-rich corporations and individuals along with pension funds, who wish to hedge their investments against any negative correlation with the financial markets. For this purpose hedge fund managers label such customers as ‘accredited investors’. The basic strategy adopted by hedge fund managers is to look for high rewards, which also carry the chances of high risks. While doing so, any oversight on the part of hedge fund managers can result in financial catastrophes of large scale. The example of two collapsing â€Å"Bear Sterns† hedge funds during the year 2007 is significant in this direction. These funds are not allowed for individual investors, as they are

Unprofessional Athletes Essay Example for Free

Unprofessional Athletes Essay Back in the year 1860, the Pony Express was known to be the fastest and most efficient method of sending mail. It had taken approximately ten days for a horse to travel across the country and deliver the parcels to their recipients, an astonishingly short amount of time for the people of that particular era. A little over 150 years after the inception of the Pony Express, technological advances have been made and it is safe to say that a simple message to a friend no longer takes ten days to send, nor does it travel by horse. Now, in the year 2012, a message can be sent simply with a few clicks on a keyboard or a couple clicks of a cell phone. Along with the gratification that comes along with knowing that your message was sent and received instantly, there comes a few dangers. These hazards become a greater risk for those individuals who are in the spotlight, especially professional athletes. If an athlete makes a controversial remark about any issue, he makes himself subject to mass public scrutiny; from there, the athlete may lose the respect of his fans, supporters, and even teammates based on his stance on the particular topic. An athlete may be so preoccupied by social media and how the world perceives them that he may lose focus on his main goal, which is performing well in his sport. Many professional sports leagues have rules set in place against athletes expressing their opinions of certain sports-related topics on social media, so if a player steps out of line and disobeys one of these rules he is subject to a heavy fine enforced by the league’s officials. Social media shouldn’t be used by professional athletes because of the intense microscope they are under on an everyday basis. Professional athletes have a huge following while participating in their craft, but once they enter the world of social media, especially Twitter, some athletes see this crowd start to dwindle down. Many believe that although fans may root for a player during a game, it does not necessarily translate into support off the field in their social life., In Mark Emmons’ Mercury News article entitled â€Å"Amid Giants World Series, Twitter gives fans a glimpse into athletes lives,† Harry Edwards, a UC Berkeley professor emeritus of sociology, states that: The [San Francisco] 49ers want guys to interact with fans, but they want them to be smart because when you put something out there, its out there forever. It could end up in your obituary. But its important that fans can feel like they can talk to an athlete and say, Maybe it was a tough day at the office for you guys Sunday, but youll get em next week. Figure.1 Stoudemires actions on Twitter epitomize that anything that is done over social media can be publicized and scrutinized in an instant. Figure.1 Stoudemires actions on Twitter epitomize that anything that is done over social media can be publicized and scrutinized in an instant. Although he has always been on rival opposing teams, Amar’e Stoudemire had been one of my favorite NBA players to watch due to his toughness and high-flying ability. When I first joined Twitter in 2011 he was one of the first people that I knew I had to follow. Unlike some athletes before him, he was—by most people’s standards—a respected professional basketball player who did most of his trash talking between the basketball court’s lines rather than blowing up on Twitter after a game. However, during late June of this year, Stoudemire’s reputation and fan following took a major hit after he angrily messaged a fan in response to the fan’s tweet questioning Stoudemire’s performance on the court. In the direct message as shown in Figure 1.1, Stoudemire uses slanderous and even anti-gay slurs which are blocked out with black boxes. Although he apoligized after the picture went viral, the damage had already been done and his reputation had taken a permanent hit. Stoudemire had begun to lose long-time supporters, including myself, because of the reaction he had to a simple criticism he received over Twitter. Everything an athlete does, especially over social media websites, is heavily scrutinized and can land him in an uncomfortable and unwanted position in the public. All professional athletes must be aware of the fact that with all of the intense training that they put forth in hopes of perfecting their particular craft, social media outlets, especially Twitter and Facebook, can provide unnecessary distractions that may interfere with their performance. It has become such an addiction to some players that they cannot bear to go a whole game without tweeting or writing a status update about their team’s performance. A few years ago during halftime of a game against the Boston Celtics, Charlie Villanueva of the Milwaukee Bucks tweeted this, leading to then-head coach Scott Skiles banning Twitter use during games: â€Å"In da locker room, snuck to post my twitt. Were playing the Celtics, tie ball game at da half. Coach wants more toughness. I gotta step up. (si.com â€Å"Twitter Trouble†) The pressures put on athletes by fans is not only felt here in the United States, but also on a global level. Before the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, Australian swimmer Emily Seebohm was by far the favorite to win in the 100-meter backstroke, but was just edged out by American teenager Missy Franklin. When asked about her performance, Seebohm claimed to have been distracted by all of the posts from friends and fans back in her home country, causing a lack of sleep and mental preparation that goes into earning a gold medal at the Olympics. (The Telegraph) Professional athletes around the world should not be using any social media or social networking devices because of the negative impact it can have on their on-field performance and thus blocking them from reaching their maximum potential and skill level. It is a necessity for athletes to be cautious with their word choice because of the fines they may receive as a result of their comments. In an April 2012 Time magazine, then Miami Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen blurted out that he loved and respected oppressive Cuban leader Fidel Castro for his unwillingness to be caught and brought down by those looking to end his reign as tyrant. (Time Magazine) These comments were not well received by the Miami community—made up of mostly Cuban immigrants who fled the country to escape from its unruly dictator. Guillen received a five game suspension, but the stain on his reputation was never completely removed. Since the preseason comments made regarding Castro, Guillen continued to make negative comments about his team’s performance, leading to multiple fines from the team’s owner and a loss of respect from a city as a whole. On October 23,2012, just over a year from initially being hired as the Marlins’ manager, Guillen was fired because of a combination of lack of wins on the field and an excess of controversial remarks made off the field of play. Athletes and coaches both need to watch whatever they say to the media or on a social networking site because of the ramifications that the comments may have with the team or sponsors they are currently working for. Many sports fans, myself included, agree that they enjoy witnessing and reading about how the everyday lifestyle of a professional athlete plays out through social media outlets. Despite the enjoyment that I experience from getting an inside glimpse of a professional athlete’s life, I do realize the issue that they may not be setting a prime model for the younger generation that look up to them. No, not all athletes are monsters made out to destroy a child’s innocence through their Twitter, but there are enough poor examples in the world to raise the question of whether or not these athletes should have their own social media outlets due to the issue of molding a younger generation into respectable adults that didn’t have their â€Å"hero’s† identity ripped away by one careless tweet or status update sent out. In the social media world we live in the question is not whether or not we enjoy seeing an athlete’s life play out over Twitter or any other social media outlet, but whether or not the material they post is ethical enough to keep their â€Å"professional† status. We are constantly told that our generation is going through a technological revolution. In fact, new, simpler ways of communicating with each other are being invented every day. However, there is one group that has to be more cautious of what they send out over these social outlets than the rest of us do, celebrities, and in particular athletes. Athletes are constantly being thrown under the spotlight for controversial Figure 2 Although Rashard Mendenhall is exercising his right to free speech, his remarks garnered much animosity toward him and his team. Figure 2 Although Rashard Mendenhall is exercising his right to free speech, his remarks garnered much animosity toward him and his team. remarks made on social media websites, from Rashard Mendenhall of the Pittsburgh Steelers criticizing people for celebrating the death of Osama bin Laden (Figure 2) to TJ Lang of the Green Bay Packers bashing replacement referees for a blown last second call that cost his team the game. These statements made by athletes can cause them to lose fans across the country and possibly the globe. Social media also provides unwanted distractions to athletes everywhere that may take their mind off of performing to their utmost capability. Also, it can become such a problem that a team may eventually cut or fire a player based off of previous controversial comments made by the athlete. Professional athletes shouldn’t have access to social media outlets, despite the amusement fans see from their day-to-day access. Works Cited Babel, Ryan. â€Å"Twitter Trouble. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2012. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/0911/twitter.trouble/content.5.ht ml. Berman, Len. Trending Stories. Mashable. N.p., 4 Jan. 2010. Web. 25 Oct. 2012. http://mashable.com/2010/01/04/social-media-athletes/. Ottesen, Didrik. London 2012 Olympics: Australian Swimmer Emily Seebohm Blames Twitter and Facebook for Failure. Editorial. The Telegraph [London] 31 July 2012: n. pag. The Telegraph. 31 July 2012. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/news/9440774/London-2012-Olympics- Australian-swimmer-Emily-Seebohm-blames-Twitter-and-Facebook-for-failure.html. Ortiz, Maria B. Twitter Gaffes Begat Punishment for Athletes. ESPN. Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, 27 July 2012. Web. 21 Oct. 2012. http://espn.go.com/blog/playbook/fandom/post/_/id/7495/voula-papachristou-inspires- twitter-fail-list.

The Era of Privatisation :: Business Management Studies

The Era of Privatisation Introduction It was under the Thatcher government that the era of privatisation started and it was â€Å"the most radical change in the 20th century British politics† (Young, 2001, p. 1). From 1984 to 1991, the telecommunications, gas, water and electricity industries which were under government control, were sold to become privately owned and controlled. The privatisation of the electricity industry occurred in 1990 but had already begun in 1987 with the creation of a programme describing the different tasks involved in privatising the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity. According to Young (2001), the considerable number of privatisations can be explained by the intention of improving the efficiency and a more economic reason concerning the proceeds of the flotation. As far as the case of electricity is concerned, David Parker (1999) argues that the main reason was to promote competition and that all the producers of the four activities (generation, transmission, distribution and supply), could be divided into separate corporations responsible for each activity and open to competition. After the privatisation of the electricity industry, a regulatory office was created, the Office of Electricity Regulation - also known as Offer. The need for regulatory bodies such as Offer can be explained for example by the requirement of preventing unfair competition when several companies work in the same fields or provide customers the same service, or the need to protect the work force. Moreover, as Parker argues it can attract international attention. This essay will firstly attempt to explain the situation of the electricity industry before 1997 and the changes it was subjected to, then it will identify the regulation office responsible for this industry and the role it plays, and finally it will highlight the benefits and the drawbacks of this regulation. I- The situation of the British electricity industry A) A historic review up to 1997 Ø The early days As John Surrey (1996) explains, the Electricity industry existed for about 150 years and it has always required a form of regulation especially when the technology started progressing. The first model of regulation were acts of legislation taken for example after the First World War, in 1926, by the Conservative Government to â€Å"establish the Central Electricity Board as the owner of a national grid† (Surrey, 1996, p. XV). Some of the issues were solved, such as the voltage distribution between the different regions but others remained, like the considerable numbers of suppliers. All these considerations tend to explain the nationalisation of the industry in 1948. Ø Privatisation State control lasted forty years until 1989, however the need to promote competition in generation and in retail electricity supply, and to separate the transmission from the generation, led the Thatcher

The benefits of sward renewal

Philip Creightonl, Michael O'Donovan2 and Laurence Sha11002 Grassland Science Research Department Animal ; Grassland Research and Innovation Centre Teagasc Athenry and Moorepark2 Introduction Grassland in Ireland including rough grazing accounts for over 90% of agricultural land use. Lolium perenne (Perennial ryegrass) is by far the most widely sown grass species accounting for over 95% of forage grass seed sold each year. It produces a dense sward, highly acceptable to livestock with the ability to produce high dry atter yields, especially in spring and autumn reducing the seasonality of production.Achieving good performance from grass is dependent on having high quality perennial ryegrass/clover swards. This paper will outline the important aspects of reseeding pasture, what's happening at farm level, why and when reseeding should be completed, its benefits and costs. What is happening at farm level? A recent survey of a proportion of co-op suppliers from Kerry, Connaught Gold and Glanbia (Creighton et al. , 2011) found a number of significant findings from a eseeding perspective, these are listed below. i. v'. ‘x.Regular reseeding took place on 50% of participants farms, 25% reseed infrequently, 25% never reseed. Of those reseeding, 50% of participants reseed 2-4ha/year, 20% 8. 0 Soil K Index 2 3 4 Soil K ranges (mg/ 0-50 51-100 101-150 > 150 K application rate (kg/ha) 110 75 50 Slurry is a good option to maintain nutrient status. With the increased cost of compounds (P and K) slurry should be used in reseeding, 1000 gallons of slurry at 7% DM is equivalent to 4kg N, 3kg P and 19. 5kg K. At soil index 3, slurry (3000gals/ac) is sufficient to supply the P and K nutrients.Weed control The best time to control docks and all other weeds is after reseeding. By using a post emergence spray seedling weeds can be destroyed before they properly develop and establish root stocks. Established weeds can seriously reduce the yield potential and economic lifetime of the reseeded sward. From the survey information it is clear that only 50% of farmers are applying a post emergence spray, resulting in over 90% of surveyed farms having problems with dock infestations.To ensure that a post emergence spray can be applied reseeding should be targeted for the spring or early autumn when establishment conditions are much more suitable and the opportunity for weed control is guaranteed. The post emergence spray should be applied approximately 6 weeks after establishment Just before the first grazing takes place. With weed control it pays to be proactive, spraying when grass is at the two leaf stage works well. Grazing management of reseeded swards Care needs to be taken when grazing newly reseeded swards.The sward should be razed as soon as the new grass plants roots are strong enough to withstand grazing (root stays anchored in the ground when pulled). Early grazing is important to allow light to the base of the plant to encourage tillering. Light graz ing by animals such as calves, weanlings or sheep is preferred as ground conditions may still be somewhat fragile depending on establishment method used. Grazing new reseeds with larger animals can create high levels of tiller pulling. The first grazing of a new reseed can be completed at pre grazing yields of 600-1000kg DM/ha. Frequent grazing of the reseeds at light covers (

Life of Pi Adversity on Identity Essay

Adversity can present itself according to a vast spectrum of severity and can have drastically different effects on individuals. When faced with adversity, people either learn to adapt to what has happened and make do with the circumstances, whereas other individuals will find themselves unable to cope with adversity and ultimately breakdown and lose their ability to carry on. Yann Martel explores, in his fantasy adventure novel, Life of P’, a young boys reaction to the hardships of adversity. Piscine Patel, an adventurous tenacious young boy experiences the struggle of urviving at sea, and the calamity of coping with tragic events in his life. Yann Martel develops the idea that adversity can transform an individual’s identity and play a significant role in one’s life by shaping personal values, determining one’s inner strengths and self worth. adventure novel, Life of Pi, a young boys reaction to the hardships of adversity. Piscine Patel, an adventurous tenacious young boy experiences the struggle ot other individuals will tind themselves unable to cope witn adversity and ultimately

John Gender Role and Women Essay

John Gender Role and Women Essay John: Gender Role and Women Essay Should Women be allowed in Combat Arms Careers in the Military? Women have move along in the society. It’s worthwhile to reflect on the social and political advancements of women during the past hundred of years. Women now have the right to vote and to own property. Women let their voice be heard and women are more advances than most men. There are many things that women are capable of doing. Women should be allowed in military combat; women are just as capable as men, gender is arbitrary, and equally important in the society. Women are not as capable as a man to protect the country or their dearly close one, ideals, freedoms, and liberties. Men is genetically bigger and more muscular simply in biology have proving to genetic code, but that has nothing to do with brains. Women and men can be equally as intelligent and determined when it comes to fighting for what is established. Women are just as gifted holding a gun and firing a gun. A woman is just as capable of being athlet ic. Women can run, swim, chase, and climb, their ability not limited. However, women have the mind set when come to expertise skill. Women have the physical structure ability to overcome the circumstances that allowed in the close combat military. They should have the same freedoms to proudly serve their country. Alongside males, battlefield technical expertise and judgment making skill or a leader are more important assets for modern warfare. With being allowed to serve in a combat situation, the military says they will not lower their standards. Usually combat duty is a precursor needed for advancement in armed force. There are no need to deny females from combat experience. Will assure that few will advancement. Accepting a candidate by its performances. Don’t judge by the gender; however, women and men are equally important. Women and men are equally important; therefore, things that men allow to do women should be allowed as well. Men are not cooking or stay around in the kitchen back then. Now a lot of men are lending a helping hand in the family by cooking and washing dishes. If there is

Thermodynamics and the Cooking of a Turkey

Thermodynamics and the Cooking of a Turkey Turkeys are native to North America, called Indian fowls in some writings of the 1500s. Around 1519, ships began transporting turkeys back to Spain, thus beginning its migration to Europe. American Benjamin Franklin advocated the turkey as the national bird. The turkey became prominent in Europe in the 1800s during the holiday season, replacing the goose as the most popular Christmas bird in the latter part of the century. In 1851, Queen Victoria had a turkey in place of her standard Christmas swan. The Make-Up of a Turkey At the biochemical level, a turkey is a combination of approximately 3 parts water to one part fat and one part protein. The majority of meat comes from muscle fibers in the turkey, which are mostly proteins- notably myosin and actin. Because turkeys rarely fly but rather walk, they contain far more fat in their legs than in their breast, which results in the strong differences in texture between these sections of the bird and the difficulty in making sure that all portions of the bird are properly heated. The Science of Cooking a Turkey As you cook the turkey, muscle fibers contract until they begin to break up at around 180 F. Bonds within the molecules begin to break down, causing proteins to unravel, and the dense muscle meat to become more tender. Collagen in the bird (one of three protein fibers that attaches muscles to the bone) breaks down into softer gelatin molecules as it unwinds. The dryness of a turkey is a result of muscle proteins coagulating within the meat, which can result if it is cooked too long. Temperature Differentials Part of the problem, as described above, is that the different nature of the light and dark meat in a turkey result in different rates to reach the coagulation of the muscle proteins. If you cook it too long, the breast meat has coagulated; if you dont cook the bird long enough, the dark meat is still tough and chewy. Harold McGee, a food science writer, indicates aiming for 155 to 160 F in the breast (which concurs with the overall temperature indicated by Roger Highfield), but you want 180 degrees or above in the leg (a distinction Highfield does not address). Heating Differentials Since you ultimately want the breast and legs to be different temperatures, the question is how to successfully accomplish this. McGree presents one option, by using ice packs to keep the breast of the bird about 20 degrees lower than the legs while thawing, so that the legs get a heat start on the cooking process when theyre put in the oven. Alton Brown, of Food Networks Good Eats, once presented another way to establish different heating rates, using aluminum foil to reflect heat away from the breast, thus resulting in the legs heating faster than the breast. His current roast turkey recipe on the Food Network website does not include this step, but if you watch the related videos, it shows the steps involved in using the aluminum foil. Cooking Thermodynamics Based on thermodynamics, it is possible to make some estimations of cooking time for a turkey. Considering the following estimations, it becomes fairly straightforward: Assume the oven maintains a constant temperature throughout.Assume the thermal diffusivity is independent of temperature and time.Assume the turkey is so plump that it can be estimated as a sphere. You can then apply the principles of Carlaw Jaegers 1947 Conduction of Heat in Solids to come up with an estimate for the cooking time. The radius of the hypothetical spherical turkey falls out, resulting in a formula based solely on mass. Traditional Cooking Times Small bird - twenty minutes per pound 20 minutesLarge bird - fifteen minutes per pound 15 minutes It would appear that these traditional cooking times work well in conjunction with the thermodynamic calculations provided, which give the time as being proportional to the mass to the power of two-thirds. Panofsky Turkey Constant Pief Panofsky, former SLAC Director, derived an equation to attempt to more precisely determine the cooking time of a turkey. His problem is that he disliked the traditional suggestion of 30 minutes per pound, because the time a turkey should be cooked is not a linear equation. He used t to represent the cooking time in hours and W as the weight of the stuffed turkey, in pounds, and determined the following equation for the amount of time the turkey should be cooked at 325 degrees Fahrenheit. According to the report, the constant value 1.5 was determined empirically. Heres the equation: t W (2/3)/1.5 Particle Accelerators Create Shrink Wrap The plastic shrink wrap that turkeys (specifically Butterball turkeys) come in may also have an amazing connection to particle physics. According to Symmetry magazine, some of these forms of shrink wrap are actually created by a particle accelerator. Particle accelerators use electron beams to knock hydrogen atoms off of the polymer chains within the polyethylene plastic, making it chemically active in just the right way so that when heat is applied it shrinks around the turkey. Theres a bit more detail provided in the Symmetry article on the subject. Sources and Further Reading Thermodynamics OverviewThe Physics of Christmas by Roger HighfieldSymmetry Breaking blog - The Panofsky turkey constantPhysics Talks Turkey This ThanksgivingSymmetry magazine - Accelerator applications: shrink wrapFood Network - Good Eats Roasted Turkey recipeCocktail Party Physics blog - A Taste of Science for Turkey DaySymmetry Breaking blog - Physicists talk turkey

Alcohol abuse is a serious problem among many young people Essay

Alcohol abuse is a serious problem among many young people - Essay Example Statistics show that almost 64% of the high school students say that they have been drunk at least once. Among youth between the ages 12 to 17, 77% (Spear, pp. 71-81) say that they have had at least one serious problem related to drinking in the past year. The teenagers who engage in this problem suffer in various aspects of their life. Teenagers having drinking problems suffer in their education. They tend to skip school and their classes and their performance level starts going down as the problem increases. This is because their attention span towards anything goes down and hence their performance decreases. Another problem that arises is that of drunk driving and the number of accidents and deaths caused by it. Statistics show that underage drinking and alcohol use is more likely to kill youngsters compared to illegal drugs. Motor vehicle accidents are one of the leading causes of deaths of youth between the ages of 15 and 20. The rate of these accidents is much more for teenager s between ages of 16 to 20 rather than 20 years and above (Spear, pp. 71-81). Another problem is that of suicide. After depression and stress, alcohol abuse is the third factor causing young people to commit suicide for children between 14 and 25. Sexual assaults and rapes are also becoming increasingly common as an effect of alcohol abuse.