American Idea Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

American Idea - Essay Example This disposable culture is the latest and greatest American contribution to history. But it is also true that it does not provide any alternative form of storage. This has led to a lot of instability. Consider finding a library under the earth due to some natural calamity, we could still have access to the books once the repairs are done but what would be the state of the computer related memory storage systems such as memory sticks,CDs etc.We will have absolutely no access to these regardless of how much storage space they hold. If any one has committed any wrong act, the person is punished. And hence there is justice for all. But in spite of this rule, there have been so many loop holes and there have been instances where evil minded people, smugglers and other criminals who get away with their wrong doings. Independence/freedom is the core value which is given most importance in this world. Everyone wants freedom and independence which is good and will definitely boost up ones positive attitude. But this freedom is also misused in several ways. Children who are so young become victims to so many criminal activities such as taking drugs, becoming alcoholics or chain smokers which are very harmful to health all just because they have the freedom to do what they want. It fosters an excessive individualism, an unfettered reliance on markets, and an unrelenting distrust of government - each of which impedes our capacity to address urgent societal problems. We adapt to change while remaining anchored to core values. Change is inevitable and people believe it only because of adapting to change we have grown so far. And America leads the way here as well.Globalization, terrorism, resource scarcity, consumerism and technological advances are among the forces that test economical and political institutions and our values. An information free-for-all makes it hard to discover truth and distinguish between the significant and the trivial. And hence a bunch of fighters arise over a bunch of people who should fell like one big family and work towards destroying the world rather than creating harmony. The biggest challenge facing the American idea is how to anchor enduring values in this time of rapid and discordant change. Religious and cultural norms of a simpler past seem unable to secure shared values in the complex present. Future: It is certainly very difficult to find a place characterized by justice and freedom, but if the future has to be better than what it's been all this while, America must be the role model for the rest of the world. As regards moral leadership, America stands first in helping and leading her own country and also some of the other suffering countries. This idea may not be true in every sense but we must strive towards the achievement of the same as it is the only hope for freedom in the world which every human being strives for at the end of the day. America means development, liberty, justice and equal opportunity for all. And hence this idea of America should be

Discussion week 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Discussion week 2 - Essay Example system results to wrongful conviction because a public defendant has very many cases to handle and lacks ample time to spend on each case, and this affects the quality of representation (Collica & Furst, 2012). In the long rand, there is wrongfully conviction because the Public defender does not comprehensively analyze the case. There is also poor contact between the public defender, and there is unfair conviction. In contrasting the level of representation illustrated by Bright to the level of representation to white collar, corporate, and environmental crimes is to say that money has power and influence. A plaintiff without money to hire a competitive Public defender receives poor representation in the court of law, and the case does not favor him/her (Collica & Furst, 2012). In solving these issues, every state should adequately fund the public defender system because everyone should get fair and justified trial. It becomes difficult to receive a fair trial if the representation is poor. Adequate resourcing and funding the public defender program results to a fair trial and effective representation. The war on drugs has resulted to increased imprisonment. There has been heavy taxation in order to imprison and rehabilitate the drug victims. According to Collins (2012), since the commencement of war on Drugs, there has been a great increase of those convicted. There has been unequal percentage of the minority groups convicted and imprisoned without proper investigation. In the year 2003, there was a high rate of imprisonment of African Americans accuses of drug abuse in US (Collica, 2012). However, the use and trafficking of illegal drugs among the white and the African Americans is equal, yet the African Americans are the ones accused and imprisoned. This is unfair and against the constitutional rights on discrimination based on race and color (Collica, 2012). The increase of immigrants in US has reduced the crime rates. Indeed, immigration has a

Holmes v South Carolina Essay Example for Free

Holmes v South Carolina Essay Facts: Holmes was charged with first degree murder, first degree burglary and robbery in connection with an incident involving an 86 year old woman, Mary Stewart. Holmes was also charged for the rape and murder of Stewart. At the trial court, Holmes was convicted by the South Carolina Supreme Court. The United States Supreme Court denied certiorari. The petitioner had appealed and the court granted a new trail. During the new trial the prosecution introduced new forensic evidence including palm prints and blood that was found at the scene of the crime. At the new trial, the petitioner also sought to introduce proof of another man named Jimmy McCaw White. The court excluded the third party evidence of guilt because the grounds of the evidence were not admissible. The evidenced only implicated that the third party and did not exclude the defendant. The United States Supreme Court granted certiorari Issue: Is evidence of a third party’s guilt admissible if it only implicates the third party and does not exculpate the defendant? Rule and Rationale: Yes. Under the Constitution of the United States, a defendant in a criminal case has to be given the opportunity to present a complete defense. The defendant also has the right and opportunity to present evidence of innocence, and only the evidence of guilt of a third party. Excluding evidence and only hearing the prosecutions evidence in the case did not give the court the right to make a conclusion based on the evidence at hand. The evidence against the prosecution supported that the defendant was guilty but did not automatically exclude the evidence of the third party as weak. Holmes was entitled to introduce the evidence of Whites guilt. The exclusion of that evidence violated Holmess right to have the opportunity to present a complete defense. Standard Relied On: State v. Gay, 541 S.E.2d 541, 545 (S.C. 2001). The case gave clear meaning by bringing to light that the strength of one partys evidence has no logical conclusion that can be reached regarding the strength of the contrary evidence from the other side to cast doubt. The rule from Gay was arbitrary and violated a criminal defendants right to have a meaningful opportunity to present a complete defense Case Significance: The case clarified the Constitutional validity of rules of admission for third party guilt evidence. Just because the evidence against the prosecution supported the defendant’s guilt, this did not automatically exclude the third party’s evidence. Additionally, no logical conclusions can be made based on contrary evidence that cast doubt on the defendant.

Cross site scripting Essay Example for Free

Cross site scripting Essay Cross-site scripting is form vulnerability for computer security which mainly occurs in web applications that accept injection of code by web users who happen to be malicious; such users inject the code into various web pages that are used by other web users. The most common codes that are usually injected by malicious web users include scripts of client side and HTML codes. Cross site scripting (XSS) vulnerability which is exploited is usually used by attackers for by passing the certain access controls, a good example of such bypass is a policy of the same origin. XSS originated from the fact that it is possible for a malicious web site to be loaded into another window or frame and then write or read data using java script on other web sites (Rafail, 2001). Cross site scripting vulnerabilities XSS vulnerabilities have been well exploited to come up with very powerful browser exploits and phishing attacks. XSS performed on websites were about eighty percent of all the recorded securities as indicated by the 2007 statistics. In most cases of attack every thing looks to be in order as far as the end users are concerned, but they are finally subjected to access which is not authorized, financial loss and loss of sensitive data (Rafail, 2001). The cross site scripting can be primarily be categorized into two: reflected and stored. But there is another type of cross site scripting which is not widely known, called DOM. The stored refer to those codes that once injected are stored in the target servers permanently. They can remain permanently in the message forum, database comment field, or in the visitor log. The reflected XSS attacks, are the codes which when injected, the web server is reflected off as a search result, an error message or other forms of responses that may include all or some of the input that was sent to the various servers as request in part. Usually the reflected attacks are sent to the victims through other channels such as electronic mail messages, or through other web servers. Once a user is lured into clicking a link which is malicious or is tricked to submit a form which is specially crafted, the code that has been injected travels via the web server which is vulnerable, the reflected attack is in turn sent back to the browser and the code is then executed as if it originated from a valid server (Rafail, 2001). The consequences of cross site scripting attacks are primarily the same regardless of whether they are DOM based, reflected or stored. The main difference the manner in which the pay load enters the server. Cross site scripting is capable of causing various problems to the end users. The problems range in severity, they can cause annoyance to the end users as well as complete loss of accounts. The most serious attacks of XSS result into disclosure of the users information and data thus giving the attacker to actually hijack the session of the user and thus be in a position to comfortably take over the users accounts. The XSS expose the end users to other damaging attacks such as Trojan programs installations, disclosure of files belonging to the end users, redirecting the web user to other sites or pages, or modification of the contents. A cross site scripting vulnerability that allows the attacker to change certain news item or a press release is capable of affecting the stock price of an organization or decreasing the confidence of the consumer. For example a cross site scripting vulnerability on a site of a pharmaceutical can allow the attacker to alter the information of dosage which might result into over or under dosage (Rafail, 2001). Flaws in an XSS are at times very difficult to establish and get rid of them from web applications. In order to find such flaws, the best method to use is performing a review on the security code and also to perform a thorough search in all possible areas where HTTP input request can easily finds its way into output of the HTML. It is very important to note that various tags of HTML tags can be effectively used in transmission of java scripts which are malicious. Nikto, Nesus plus other tools which are currently available in the market can be used in scanning the websites but they are less effective since they are only capable of scratching the surface and are not capable of eliminating all the flaws in the system (Snake, n. d. ). Preventing XSS attacks Once a web site becomes victim of XSS attack the end user is likely too loose a lot of crucial data and information. It is therefore, very important for people to protect themselves against such attacks. One of the best ways of preventing your self of becoming a victim to an XSS attack is failing to respond to a request that is unsolicited by providing your personal details. Such information should not be provided whether it is over the internet or the phone. Users should know that the internet and e-mail pages that are usually used by the XSS attackers look similar to those used by the legitimate institutions and it might be quite hard to distinguish between the two. So if one believes that the contacts could be valid them they should contact the institution in question themselves. They can do so by either visiting the company’s website and instead of using the provided link one should actually type the address or use a page that you might have book marked earlier. One should initiate the contact using the information that you have verified (Naraine, 2009). Conclusion Cross site scripting is a serious fraudulent activity and once one falls prey to it can end up loosing significantly. It is thus good to increase awareness of such vices so that when people are targeted for such acts they can be able to identify them and subsequently be in a good position to protect them. The end users should also do all that is possible in order to conceal their vital information and ensure that it is only given to the relevant authorities when needed. It is also important to keep scanning their system regularly using valid tools. Reference: Naraine, R. (2009): Phishing without bait: The in-session password theft attack, Retrieved on 1st June 2009 from, http://blogs. zdnet. com/security/? p=2390. Rafail, J. (2001): Cross-Site Scripting Vulnerabilities, Retrieved on 1st June 2009 from, http://www. cert. org/archive/pdf/cross_site_scripting. pdf. Snake, R. (n. d. ): XSS (Cross Site Scripting) Cheat Sheet Esp. : for filter evasion, Retrieved on 1st June 2009 from, http://ha. ckers. org/xss. html.

Essay --

Jacksonian America was known as a form of democracy that was based on the interest of the common man, limitations of the federal government, the western expansion and settlement. It was named after President Andrew Jackson and purposed to form a democracy party which would make the state more of a republic then a monarchy. Jacksonian America had brought major changes to society and politics by creating a modern democratic party. When in office, Jackson and his governments view on native people had become the foundation of the Indian removal. This removal within states was known as the Indian Removal Act in 1830. This removal had disregarded Washington’s policy which aloud Indians to settle in the southeast as they were considered American Indian. As the Cherokee vs. Georgia case confirmed that natives were dependent people who needed protection, the act had been put into practice. When the act was passed Jackson had believed that the lands which once belonged to the Indians could be used by his benefit, which can provide future votes during elections. Jackson’s form of democracy produced many reforms which confronted the social ills of the day because he made some political changes which were very contradicting. In example, He was concern for the interest of man but not every man held the same rights as others due to social classes. As the new republic began to form many indentured apprentice were signed in covenant to their master which came with many trainings. These training consist of practices that were meant for economic livelihood which would help give the apprentice experience. Some people however did not have any assurance in the way the government set up these principles. Since Americans started to resist working for f... ...s Congress called for union with the United States" (Liberty, p.497). Once Houston was elected president, Texas had ended their disputes and joined America. The invasion of Texas would soon put Mexico on alert and lead to another dispute for America. Another dispute led to the beginning of the Mexican War, which took place in the mid nineteenth century. While most American’s supported the war due to the interest in gaining more land by expanding westward, they also faced their first war on other land outside of the United States (Liberty, p.499). Although Mexico was willing to stand their ground and fight for their rights, in the end they were quickly defeated and Americans were victorious in this war. Once they took over Mexico they began to expand further. This expansion led to a lot of changes which benefited America but caused a lot of destruction for others.

Love Of Life :: essays research papers

Summary for Love of Life:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Love of life started out on a trail with two men being the characters. In the beginning they started out as tired and weak. Each man had a rifle. They came upon a some boulders and the man in back slipped over one and sprained his ankle. Bill staggered on through the milky waters. Bill was gone now. He looked at his watch and could not tell if it was in the end of July or beginning of August. He was still laying in the stream that lead to the Coppermine River. The man got up and started to proceed towards his destiny. He winced with pain and through the pack over his left shoulder to take the pressure off his injured ankle. He picked his way through muskeg to muskeg, and followed the other footsteps along and across the rocky ledges. He thought he was hilucinating when he saw a ship, and the ocean. Every once and a while he would stop. On his journey he came across some bones, bones that looked as if they were chewed up. His hunger pangs did seem as exquisite anym ore. He saw four newly hatched chicks, and he ate them ravenously, thrusting them alive in his mouth. The chase led him across a swampy ground in the bottom valley and he came across some footsteps, they must be Bill's he thought. He began to feel the hallucinations again when he thought he saw a horse, but what was really a bear. He thought to himself here is meat in front of me, I will throw my knife and kill it. But he went on with a new type of fear, not a fear that he would die from starvation but be violently destroyed. Now and again wolves passed along his path, but sheered clear of him. He came across some bones, the wolves had must of made a kill. Next thing he was squatting in moss, sucking at the shreds of life. In the afternoon of the next couple days he found a track of a man not walkin but dragging on all fours.

Love and Emily Dickinson Essay example -- Biography Biographies Essays

Love and Emily Dickinson I am going out on the doorstep, to get you some new—green grass—I shall pick it down in the corner, where you and I used to sit, and have long fancies. And perhaps the dear little grasses were growing all the while—and perhaps they heard what we said, but they can't tell! – Emily Dickinson to Susan Gilbert Dickinson (L 85, 1852) Seventy-five years after the 1890s publication of the premier volumes of Emily Dickinson's poetry, critics still squabble about the poet's possibly lesbian relationship with her sister-in-law, Susan Huntington Gilbert Dickinson. Indeed, the specifics of Dickinson's relationship to Susan are ambiguous at best. All of the critical attention that her mysterious sexuality receives reflects our culture's urge to sectionalize great literary icons into our own personal niches, thereby absorbing them as our â€Å"group's† own voice. The poet, not the poetry, assumes the center of the discussion. The critics, whether arguing for or against a lesbian interpretation of the famed couple, are like two disgruntled neighbors arguing over a tree known for its particularly incendiary wood. They no longer focus on this evergreen's innate beauty but, rather, on whose property it resides and who has the right to cut it down to ignite their cause. In all actuality, we will never know the tr uth about the pair's physical relationship; the evidence is too ethereal to assume a definable substance. And, in part, this predictable public response motivated Susan Gilbert's reluctance to release Dickinson's poems and letters after the poet's death. Emily Dickinson's life has been thoroughly explored by scholars and critics. Her extensive correspondence with all of her family and frien... ... longing for another, which transcend physical intimacy. Emily Dickinson's eloquent, overwhelming, consuming desire for a true companion is expressed as intensely in her words as it is felt in our souls. Works Cited Hart, Ellen Louise. â€Å"The Encoding of Homoerotic Desire: Emily Dickinson's Letters and Poems to Susan Dickinson, 1850-1886.† Tulsa Studies in Women's Literature 9 (1990): 251-72. Koski, Lena. â€Å"Sexual Metaphors in Emily Dickinson's Letters to Susan Gilbert.†The Emily Dickinson Journal 5.2 (1996): 26-31. Sewall, Richard. The Life of Emily Dickinson. 2 vols. New York: Farrar, 1974. Smith, Martha Nell. â€Å"The Belle of the Belle of Amherst.† Harvard Gay & Lesbian Review 3.1 (1996): 25-27. â€Å"Susan and Emily Dickinson: Their Lives, in Letters.† The Cambridge Companion to Emily Dickinson. Ed. Wendy Martin. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2002. 51-73.

Back to the Future: Past, Present, and Future

Jeff Harber Professor Barnaby Palmer GLA 618 OL1: Film Music History 6 December 2012 Back to the Future: Past, Present, and Future Whether you are a movie buff or just a dude from the 80's, there is a good chance you have seen the classic movie â€Å"Back to the Future. † Accompanied by an iconic cast and crew, the movie garnered so much popularity, Universal Studios pumped out three installments of the Trilogy –†Back to the Future 1, 2, and 3. With Steven Spielberg's and Robert Zemeckis' stamp, Back to the Future not only launched Michael J. Fox's career, but undoubtedly changed movies forever.There is much to discuss and analyze about all three installments. These would include actor choices, spotting, direction, acting, and most importantly the soundtrack and musical choices for all 3. Considering all 3 movie plots jump from decade to decade, it can be analyzed literally from past, present, and future. Inevitably, Back to the Future's success also led to severa l video game launches, a ride at Universal Studios in Hollywood and Orlando, an animated series, and even a comic book. Let's go back to the year 1985, you and your bodacious friends want to hang ten with the dudes, so you guys catch a flick at the local cineplex.Your choices are Mask, Teen Wolf, or Back to the Future. You mean the guy from Family Ties? So you take your chances on Back to the Future. Good choice! Of all things, Eric Stolz, the main actor in Mask, was originally cast for the role of Marty Mcfly when production of Back to the Future began on November 26,1984. Stoltz was filmed for four weeks, but after seeing a rough cut, Steven Spielberg and the writer/directors decided that Stoltz had played the role â€Å"too seriously† for a comedy, and he was replaced by Michael J. Fox (Futurepedia). Back To The Future was written by Bob Gale and Robert Zemeckis, and mainly starred Michael J.Fox and Christopher Lloyd. The movie opened on July 3, 1985 and grossed $210 milli on at the US box office, making it the highest grossing film of 1985 (IMDb). The basic synopsis of Back to the Future 1, is about a young man named Marty Mcfly who accidentally travels into the past and jeopardizes his own future existence. With the help of an eccentric local scientist named Dr. Emmett L. Brown, he manages to travel back in time via a time machine made from a DeLorean. This was done by breaking the time barrier in what was called temporal displacement allowing it to travel along the space-time continuum.When the first script was made, a refrigerator was the planned prop for the time machine. Later Steven Spielberg decided he didn't want kids trapped inside their refrigerators trying to play time traveling games (Funtrivia). Done carefully, Bones Howe (music supervisor) and Alan Silvestri (composer) gathered an array of perfectly fit songs to cater both the 1950's as well as the 1980's. The movie jumps from decade to decade throughout the movie, and makes it apparent when it does. The movie starts out when Marty is late for school, he gets on his skateboard and we hear a fantastic song by Huey Lewis and the News, the â€Å"Power of Love. Later in the movie, we hear another solid track by Huey Lewis entitled â€Å"Back in Time. † By the way, Huey Lewis makes a cameo as a judge. When Marty tries out for the school competition, Huey says, â€Å"hold it. hold it†¦ I'm afraid you are just too darn loud. † This is also considered diagetic music in the film. Marty's first time travel sent him to the year 1955. Marty, immediately, arrives at the Twin Pines Ranch, which was owned by Otis Peabody. Marty crashes into the barn on Mr. Peabody's property which causes the entire Peabody family to wake up and come outside.Marty encounters many differences between 1985 and 1955, including a cleaner, less run-down ambiance in the Courthouse Square. While searching for a younger Doc Brown, he meets his father and accidentally interferes with t he first meeting of his parents–being hit by his grandfather's Chevrolet in his father's place. While in the 1950's, some of the songs we hear are such great classics â€Å"Night Train† by Marvin Berry, â€Å"Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine)† by Marvin Berry, â€Å"Wallflower† by Etta James, and â€Å"Johnny B. Goode† by Chuck Berry aka Marty Mcfly.Some people complained that Back to the Future was a racist movie because Chuck Berry was inspired by a white guy. Sometimes a joke is just a joke; but Chuck Berry liked it. (Davis). Finally we have the sensational score by Alan Silvestri. At times the score is adventurous, and at times it's sad. The spotting is done just right to balance the dynamics of the movie. Also, there is a leitmotif that accompanies the movie, in fact, it accompanies all 3 movies of the trilogy, and never goes unnoticed. Upon the success of the first film, Robert Zemeckis (director) and Bob Gale (writer) agreed to do a 2nd movie.I n fact, they also intended on a 3rd movie, and both the 2nd and 3rd Back to the Future were filmed simultaneously and released six months apart. Back to the Future 2, with a budget of $40 million, grossed nearly $331 million at the box office (IMDb). The characters of George Mcfly and Jennifer Parker were played by different actors from those in the first film, requiring scenes that overlap to be re-shot. Jennifer Parker which was originally played by Claudia Wells, and replaced by Elisabeth Shue in the second film. Claudia claims she turned the roll down when she found out her mother was diagnosed with cancer (Futurepedia).George Mcfly, who was originally played by the quirky Crispin Glover, was later replaced by Jeffrey Weissman. Crispin Glover refused to return to the trilogy due to salary disputes. Back to the Future 2 pans back and forth from 1955, to 1985, and all the way to 2015; the past, present and future. Needless to say, Bob Gale and Zemeckis attempted to predict what 20 15 would like and sound like. Some songs used in the 2015 scenes, were â€Å"Beat it† by Michael Jackson, â€Å"I Can't Drive 55† by Sammy Hagar, â€Å"Mr. Sandman† by The Four Aces, and â€Å"Papa Loves Mambo† by the Perry Como.The filmmakers did do some research into what scientists thought may occur in the year 2015. Bob Gale also commented; â€Å"We knew we weren't going have flying cars by the year 2015, but God we had to have those in our movie. â€Å"(Q & A) The film was also considered one of the most ground-breaking projects for Industrial Light & Magic. It was one of the effects house's first forays into digital compositing, as well as the VistaGlide motion control camera system, which enabled them to shoot one of the film's most complex sequences, in which Michael J.Fox played three separate characters, all of whom interacted with each other. Although such scenes were not new, the VistaGlide allowed, for the first time, a completely dynamic s cene in which camera movement could finally be incorporated. The technique was also used in scenes where Thomas F. Wilson's character (Biff Tannen) had to interact with a younger version of himself. (Zemeckis) Six months after Back to the Future 2 was released in the theaters, the Back to the Future team released Back to the Future 3 on May 25, 1990.Again on a budget of $40 million, this one cashed in at $244 Million. The film takes place immediately after the events of Back to the Future Part II. While stranded in 1955, Marty McFly discovers that his friend Dr. Emmett â€Å"Doc† Brown was killed by Biff Tannen's great-grandfather Buford. Marty decides to travel to 1885 to rescue Doc and return to his own timeline. This time, Alan Silvestri had to create his soundtrack based in the year 1885. However, he still maintained the leitmotif throughout the picture.The years 1985 and 1955 are still relevant in the 3rd movie, and it jumps around. The popular group ZZ Top make an appea rance, as they perform â€Å"Doubleback† during a festival in 1885. This was also considered diagetic —-performed for the actors and the audience to hear. Huey Lewis' â€Å"Power of Love† is also heard again. In 1989, a video game, based on the original Back to the Future movie was produced for the 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) by video game publisher LJN a subsidiary of Acclaim games. This has some similarity to the 1983 Atari video game E. T. where producers felt it would sell solely on brand association to the hit movie and the game designers were only given five weeks in order to produce a product to get it on the shelves for the 1982 Christmas shopping rush. Reviewers also cited that game as virtually unlike the film and was a major contributor to an economic downturn known as the Great Video Game Crash of 1983. There are only two songs found in the entire game. One is â€Å"Johnny B. Goode† which will play during the school dance that Ma rty is playing on stage and sounds close to the version heard in the film.The other song is a repetitive looping song that will play throughout the game in non-mini game moments. There are suggestions that the song is supposed to be â€Å"The Power Of Love† by Huey Lewis ; The News sped up and cycled differently. But it winds up sounding nothing like the actual song made famous in the movie. Nes also later released Back to the Future 2 and 3 as a single game in 1990. Back to the Future II ; III received largely negative reviews from critics. Stan Stepanic of Gamefreaks365. om gave the game positive remarks in regards to similarities with The Goonies II, but gave it a largely negative review due to the lack of a password or save feature coupled with its notorious length, although there was a code to skip to the second half of the game. Back to the Future II ; III's length has often been cited as the game's major weakness, Stan stating that it took him roughly six hours just to map it, and he spent so much time trying to finish it he actually turned it off out of boredom. (Gamefreaks). Sega Genesis also released their own version of Back to the Future 3 in 1991.It was a lot different than the Nintendo version. However, it was just as unpopular, the opening level was nearly impossible to complete. Finally in 2010, Telltale Games released Back to the Future on PC and Mac; and later was also released on the Ipad and Playstation 3. This was given way better reviews than the predecessors, and remains the best game of yet. Ben PerLee from GameZone summarized his praise of the game by saying it is a â€Å"feel good cinematic experience that any fan of Back to the Future will want to check out, and everyone else would do well to check it out. GameZone) Back to the Future: The Animated Series was an animated series based on the Back to the Future trilogy as well. The series lasted two seasons, each lasting 13 episodes, and ran on CBS from September 7, 1991 to Nov ember 28, 1992, the date of the last original episode. Harvey Comics also published a series of Back to the Future comic books starting in November 1991. With the cover header reading â€Å"The Adventure Has Only Begun! ,† the first issue featured Doc & Marty in 1927 Chicago. On May 2,1991 the Universal Studios Theme park in Florida released Back To The Future: The Ride.It was a simulator ride based on the popular movie trilogy of the same name. It was a mini-sequel to Back to the Future Part III. Later at Universal Studios Hollywood, they opened the same ride on June 12, 1993 ; and then at Universal Studios Japan on March 31, 2001. The Orlando and Hollywood versions closed in 2007 (Futurepedia). Although Back to the Future creators Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale had no involvement with the ride, they were consulted as to whether they â€Å"got Doc right†. The two responded with a â€Å"yes†. They have also commented that â€Å"it's a great ride. In addition, ref erences are made to a â€Å"Zemeckis-Gale diagram† and â€Å"Gale-Zemeckis Coordinates (Giveneyestosee) With the huge success of the Back to the Future Trilogy, you can see where a simple idea can turn into a big one. When you take risks on a new actor, and stamp something with a touch of great directing, production, and a great score —- you never know what could happen. Back to the Future will always remain a classic no matter what generation it leads to; whether it be 1955,1985, or even 2015. Works Cited â€Å"Back to the Future II & III Review. Review. Gamefreaks365, n. d. Web. 6 Dec. 2012. â€Å"Back to the Future Part II. † IMDb. IMDb. com, n. d. Web. 10 Dec. 2012. â€Å"Back to the Future: The Ride. † FuturePedia. Wikia, n. d. Web. 6 Dec. 2012. â€Å"Back to the Future: The Ride. † Giveneyestosee. N. p. , n. d. Web. 10 Dec. 2012. â€Å"BTTF Trilogy. † The â€Å"Back To The Future† Trilogy. Funtrivia, n. d. Web. 10 Dec. 2012. à ¢â‚¬Å"Claudia Wells. † Futurepedia. Wikia, n. d. Web. 6 Dec. 2012. Davis, Cindy. â€Å"Pajiba. † Mindhole Blowers: 20 Facts About Back to the Future That Might Make Your Flux Capacitor Hit 1. 21 Gigawatts.N. p. , n. d. Web. 10 Dec. 2012. â€Å"Futurepedia. † Futurepedia. Wikia, n. d. Web. 6 Dec. 2012. IMDb. IMDb. com, n. d. Web. 10 Dec. 2012. PerLee, Ben. â€Å"Back to the Future: The Game Review. † Back to the Future – The Game Review. GameZone, 28 Dec. 2010. Web. 10 Dec. 2012. â€Å"Q&A Commentary with Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale, Back to the Future Part II Blu-Ray, 2010. † Interview. DVD Blu Ray. N. d. Television. Robert Zemeckis, Bob Gale (2005). Back to the Future Feature: Making the Trilogy Part 2. Los Angeles: Universal Pictures. N. d. Television.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Bonds

Advantages/Disadvantages Advantages of bonds Bonds as an investment instrument bring a lot of advantages to the bond holders. Firstly, bonds are more stable than stocks. Investing in bonds involve lower risks compared to stocks. Normally, bond holders are more likely to receive the coupon rate (interest) from bond issuers. So, there is very less chances that bond holders will lost out on their investment. Also, they can feel relieved when they invest in the reliable investment and taking less risk to loss all their money they invest. Besides, bonds are predictable.On the maturity date, bonds are returned to bond issuers in the form of fixed periodic interest and principal amount of the bonds . Bond holders can know how much coupon rate (interest) , how often will receive it and when the value will be repaid (matures) when they purchase the bonds . The interest rate given by bonds are typically higher than the interest rate paid by banks on saving account. Basically, bond holders rece ive more interest than account holders . This means bonds will give the greatest return without posing too much risk. Moreover, certain bonds can be exempted from the income tax such as municipal bonds.So, the interest earn from the municipal bonds can be the investors’ profit without any tax on it. Investors who pay high taxes can take advantage of tax exempt bonds. Many municipal bonds are free of state taxes. Some of are also exempt from federal taxes. This is an additional incentive to invest in bonds since lower taxes result in larger gains. Other than that, bonds do not need constant monitoring like some investment instruments. Unlike margin, the investors need to check the price, status, news from time to time and this make a tension life to them.Therefore, it is an advantage for bond holders because they no need spend their time to check the status of their bonds. Disadvantages of bonds Investing in bonds also has it disadvantages. Bonds also take risk . If the compan ies and municipalities can’t solve their financial problem and go bankrupt, the bonds will then loss value or become worthless. This may happen on those who buy long term bonds which may take twelve years to mature. Investor would not know what will happen on the duration, especially for those who buy from corporate bonds. The interest rate of bond is higher han savings account but much lower than share, gold or real estate. This is the reason why people do not invest in bonds. Also, they want to double or triple the money they invest with good investment which can make a higher profit than bonds. The gold, share and real estate are some of the high return capital in the market, while the bonds are not constant in long term. The other disadvantage of bonds is the bond issuers may not able to pay back what they agreed or promised to. If the bonds are repaid in early month before the maturity date, the bond holders will loss the interest from bonds as a part of their income.The bond fund managers who were expecting continued income from those bonds may suddenly be forced to buy other bonds that don't pay as well. Besides that, long-term bonds can fall in value with fluctuating interest rates. This lowers the value of bonds and tied money of bondholders. If an investor's money is tied up in some low yielding long term bonds and suddenly the interest rates of banks or other bonds go up, there is nothing much the investor can do about the situation. In such case, an investor will end up making much lesser money as he could have, if he had invested in other instruments.

1980 African American Education Essay

*In 1988, the enrollment of black men declined, while it increased for women. There were 179,000 black women in college, then black men. Percentage of highs school graduates going to college 1960-1970: Males exceeded women 1980’s: women overtake men and never lost the lead Popular concentration in education in the 1980’s 1981: business and management were the most popular of all black bachelor’s degree recipients. 13,325 blacks earned a bachelor’s degree in business and management (40% earned in historically black colleges). See more: Old Age Problem essay The Black and White Gap â€Å"The average scores of black students have remained well below those of whites, and at age 17, the reading achievement of black students was lower last year than it was in 1988Ââ€"a depressing reversal of the gains made over the previous two decades,† Michael T. Nettles, the vice chairman of the National Assessment Governing Board, said at a press conference held here late last month to release the results. The independent panel oversees National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). In just about every age group and in every subject, the test-score gap between white and African-American students has grown since 1986, reversing a trend in which the discrepancies decreased from the time the exams were first given in 1969, 1971, and 1973. Since the mid-1980s, gaps in several subjects and age groups have grown by statistically significant amounts. Resegregation occurring again â€Å"Studies finds the causes for resegregation stemming from a number of social and political factors: a series of court rulings beginning in the late 1980s that reversed many of the desegregation orders, the growing isolation of whites in suburban schools, and the increasing segregation of blacks and Hispanics in suburban schools.† Study suggest that students do better with same race teachers. Both black and white children score higher on mathematics and reading tests when their teachers are the same race as they are, a study of 6,000 Tennessee schoolchildren suggests. 1980 African American Education Essay Percentage of highs school graduates going to college 1960-1970: Males exceeded women 1980’s: women overtake men and never lost the lead Popular concentration in education in the 1980’s 1981: business and management were the most popular of all black bachelor’s degree recipients. 13,325 blacks earned a bachelor’s degree in business and management (40% earned in historically black colleges). The Black and White Gap â€Å"The average scores of black students have remained well below those of whites, and at age 17, the reading achievement of black students was lower last year than it was in 1988Ââ€"a depressing reversal of the gains made over the previous two decades,† Michael T. Nettles, the vice chairman of the National Assessment Governing Board, said at a press conference held here late last month to release the results. The independent panel oversees National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). See more:  Unemployment – problems and solutions essay   In just about every age group and in every subject, the test-score gap between white and African-American students has grown since 1986, reversing a trend in which the discrepancies decreased from the time the exams were first given in 1969, 1971, and 1973. Since the mid-1980s, gaps in several subjects and age groups have grown by statistically significant amounts. Resegregation occurring again. â€Å"Studies finds the causes for resegregation stemming from a number of social and political factors: a series of court rulings beginning in the late 1980s that reversed many of the desegregation orders, the growing isolation of whites in suburban schools, and the increasing segregation of blacks and Hispanics in suburban schools.† Study suggest that students do better with same race teachers. Both black and white children score higher on mathematics and reading tests when their teachers are the same race as they are, a study of 6,000 Tennessee schoolchildren suggests.

HRM Practices at Superior Energy Services

HRM Practices at Superior Energy Services Introduction Superior Energy Services is an oil and gas corporation that operates in different countries, backed by its engineering experts that map and devise resolutions for clients. The company has a record of setting up particularized tools and expertise with the purpose of satisfying the requirements of its customers.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on HRM Practices at Superior Energy Services specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More During the initial times of operation, Superior Energy Services established the application of rigless plugging, in addition to desertion services (Dinger Schell, 2014). From its establishment in 1980, the company has retained a leading position in numerous developments that profit oil and gas customers and producers. As a consultant in Human Resource consulting firm, Superior Energy Services has hired our firm to carry out a Human Resource Management analysis and give recommendations to impr ove its alignment of Human Resource practices to the major business projects of the company. Despite its leading position, Superior Energy Services encounters a number of Human Resource Management issues that it requires addressing to ensure that it upholds success and boosts performance. History The remarkable development of Superior Energy Services was attained in a comparatively short period and could be attributed to hard work, tactical possessions, and a concentration on satisfying customer anticipations. Superior Energy Services began its operations in 1980 (Dinger Schell, 2014). From its inception, Superior Energy Services has developed from 125 workers and 12 million dollars in profits to a publicly traded corporation that has more than 4.5 billion of profits per year and about 14,000 workers across the globe. At around 1995, Superior Energy Services provided a comprehensive inventory of particularized instruments for boring, production, and well workover actions. To fund e nhanced development in its operations, the company started an initial public offering (IPO) of stock in mid-1990s.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More After the IPO, the company developed rapidly through acquisition of over ten small and medium-sized companies in a period of 3 years. Before the end of 1999, the company had combined with Cardinal Services, the market leader in the Gulf of Mexico and the biggest holder and user of liftboats in the area. By around 2005, the marketplace in the Gulf of Mexico was alive with congestion and encountering low product prices. To boost asset exploitation, the company turned global. In 2006, the company extended its onshore activities in Northern America via acquiring of Warrior Energy Services, which made Superior Energy Services the best Northern America production improvement company. In 2008, the expansion of Superior Energy S ervices intensified with its progression in the offshore market (Superior Energy Services, 2015). With the constant expansion of the capabilities of Superior Energy Services, its reach similarly expanded and it was ranked position fifteen by FORTUNE Magazine in the list of the highest growing 100 companies. In early 2010, the company declared David Dunlap its new Chief Executive Officer. Strategy The winning strategy employed by Superior Energy Services in its development has been making the most of industry successions, expanding its reach, acquiring other companies, and adapting to varying situations. Such endeavors have been strengthened by the dedication of the company to customer service and offering resourceful, lucrative services anywhere they are required.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on HRM Practices at Superior Energy Services specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More For instance, in 2012, the company, in accordan ce with its proactive advance to development, started shifting its endeavors to land markets and global expansion via a couple of objectives, the sale of some of its liftboats and the fusion with other companies, such as Complete Production Services. Attributable to merger with other companies, Superior Energy Services attained greater access to other markets (Dinger Schell, 2014). The merger of Superior Energy Services with other companies and the ensuing surplus cash flow have made the company hasten its efforts to meet its rising global opportunities. Market Position Superior Energy Services operates offshore in its Gulf of Mexico market, onshore in the US, and in numerous global marketplaces. Superior Energy Services has locations in different strategic positions in Texas as well as Louisiana for gas and oil endeavors in places such as Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Pennsylvania just to mention a few. The drilling products and services division of Superior Energy Services carries out activities in Northern America, the Middle East, Europe, and West Africa among other areas, and encompasses pressure management tools, distinctiveness tube-shaped supplies, encompassing drill tube, linking iron, and handling devices amid others. The main customers of the company encompass independent gas and oil companies, for instance, Chevron Corporation and BP to mention a few. The main competitors of the company include other growing companies, for example, Global Industries and Helix Energy Solutions Group (Dinger Schell, 2014). Attributable to their global expansion, other rivals in the sector such as Weatherford International and Schlumberger have posed great competition to Superior Energy Services. In the production of gas, in addition to oil, the company encounters competition from the above named companies, over and above other companies, for instance, ENSCO International and Transocean, which concentrate on offshore drilling along with production of oil.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Area of Alignment Superior Energy Services is entailed in carrying out the drilling, completion and production associated requirements of gas and oil companies internationally via oilfield services and tools that are employed all through the fiscal development of gas and oil wells. Superior Energy Services works via 4 sections that encompass Drilling Products and Services, which rents, produces, and trades particularized devices and instruments for application in well boring, manufacturing, conclusion, and workover actions. The second section is the Onshore Completion and Workover Services, which provides fluid management, servicing of wells, as well as pressure pumping (Superior Energy Services, 2015). The third section is Production Services, which comprises of intervention services, in addition to specialized pressure management devices. The fourth section is Subsea and Technical Solutions, which provides services and products handling client-specific requirements with functions characteristically necessitating particularized engineering, production, and mapping of projects. Superior Energy Services provides services to the energy sector clients who center on producing and increasing gas and oil internationally. Job Pricing and Compensation Package Due to the need for modern expertise in the company to decrease risk, boost completion effectiveness, and capitalize on production, the pay rates amid most employees in the company is based on external competitiveness (Dinger Schell, 2014). The company, as well as its subsidiaries, acts as a fair and Affirmative Action boss where minority groups, veterans, individuals with disability, and women are given employment opportunities based on merit. Via involvement in the E-verify plan, the company automatically authenticates the employment qualification and legality of Social Security Number of every one of its new employees. The job positions in the company provide an excellently-supported compensation package enco mpassing a high basic salary, in addition to a bonus plan. The employees also get excellent benefits package that includes Dental, Health, Life, and Vision insurance to mention a few. Achieving Organizational Objectives Superior Energy Services improved its earlier targets and established new targets to enhance continued advancement and direct the company towards its leadership objectives with the purpose of better aligning the performance of the company with environment, health, safety, and social responsibility strategy. A number of the targets encompass end-of-process targets, for instance, enhanced safety performance, decreased air emissions, and concentrating on the outcomes of its strategies. Further targets are the in-process targets that concentrate on the best manner in which the company could carry out its endeavors (Guest, 2011). Even though adherence to environment, health, and safety is still the major section on the company’s operational anticipations, the compa ny comprehends that its activities have to be centered on offering a significant involvement in the interests of the societies where they function. Additionally, with the requirements of enhanced transparency, it is vital to have a strong practice of stakeholder involvement in position. With the state-of-art skills, Superior Energy Services will achieve its organizational objectives. In this regard, the concentration of the company is developing and attaining new outcome targets, considerably boosting the overall performance and setting up methods to emphasize line management accountability. This will necessitate the company to turn its approach into a game plan and ensure accurate assessment of its performance. Technology Deliberations To accomplish productivity with respect to the organizational goals, Superior Energy Services requires offering strategic management and guidance in the creation of consistent, organized, responsive, and lucrative best practice expertise. The company should address Architecture Governance to make sure that the application of technology is in line with the overall planning roadmap, technological values, and present and rising best practices in the sector while coordinating with Information technology to ascertain that the applied technology encompasses every applicable contribution and viewpoint. The managers should cautiously guide, mentor, and supervise a technological team of experts such as engineers and architects while watching over the establishment of technological policies and systems. Such professionals in the company will establish and suggest policies for technological resolutions anchored in the evaluation of the company’s aims and future objectives (Buller McEvoy, 2012). Labor Marketplace and the Suitable Labor Law The stresses of oil and gas companies in the labor market are turning greatly evident. Such stresses keep on affecting the set project outlays with some of the plans being interrupted or abandone d. A common difficulty for oil and gas companies lies in infrastructural limitations. The varying competitiveness and rising technologies and skills have turned into a great challenge to many companies. With increased demand in the labor market, companies encounter the unparalleled pressures to maintain and develop talent. To stay abreast of the exceedingly vibrant and competitive labor market, Superior Energy Services requires developing a strong talent channel (Tooksoon, 2011). With different challenges in the labor market, labor laws are devoted to safeguarding working families that have the heaviest burden in case of violations. For instance, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) normally deals with violations arising from inappropriate compensation of overtime. The FLSA demands that every covered worker has to be compensated a minimum of 7.25 US dollars per hour, in addition to time and 50% their normal rates for each hour they operate past forty each week. The law also forbids e mployers from hitting back in opposition to workers that apply their rights in accordance with the law. The FLSA affirms that employers that go against the law are liable to workers for redress (Weissbrodt Mason, 2013). Another applicable labor law is the occupational safety and health (OSH) Act, which is interested in the security and wellbeing of employees. Additionally, the OSH Act is also set to safeguard co-workers, members of the family, clients, employers, and other people that could be distressed by the workplace setting. For instance, employers have the task of taking sensible care for the wellbeing of their workers. Companies Preparing To Embrace Change Apart from Superior Energy Services, other companies preparing to address changes in their Human Resource Management practices include Citrus Energy, Anadarko Petroleum, and Chesapeake Energy. These companies possess the mining rights and safeguard the technological and specialized labor force required to identify extracti on locations, build them up, finish drilling, and get wells set for production. In alignment of Human Resource practices to the main business projects, the companies are employing subcontractors for nearly all operations in the drilling or well locations. The employed subcontractors do extraction and geological activities, land renting and acquirement, and oilfield backing services. Human Resource Concerns Cutthroat competition for talent in the industry is compelling Superior Energy Services to mull over its human capital requirements and the policies needed to maximize its approach to and maintenance of professional and experienced employees. Since some of the necessary skills are highly transferable to other sectors, the oil and gas sector might get itself competing with other industries for required talent while as well struggling to create new talent (Alfes, Shantz, Truss, Soane, 2013). The requirement for competent employees will compel Superior Energy Services to sharpen its focus with respect to hiring, training, and retention of talent, in addition to establishing a lasting inclusive human resource policy. Devoid of execution of excellent strategies, Superior Energy Services risks losing for poor performance in the sector. The gains will be immeasurable if the company centers on developing and fostering its talent team, and difficulties overwhelming if it takes a more lackadaisical advance to its human capital. Recommendations Ensure Retention and Stability of Workforce To ensure the development and retention of a stable labor force, Superior Energy Services should promote a competitive skill-based pay and offer inducements to workers that demonstrate inventiveness and leadership attributes. This will persuade the employees to attain the necessary skills and offer the company the flexibility to handle the varying needs of the clients (Tooksoon, 2011). Enhance Training The required understanding and responsiveness of employees varies with time and mar ket demands. To ensure a lasting, competent labor force, the company should change its training approach with varying market demands and offer fresh training to old employees as a way of updating them for improved effectiveness (Dreher Dougherty, 2002). Keep Employees Safe and Occupied For competitive advantage in the struggle for skilled labor, Superior Energy Services should concentrate on first-rate, safe, and encouraging environments for its employees. One way would be through ensuring growth by fair promotion of employees from new hires, supervisors, to senior managers and offering seniority-based pay (Tooksoon, 2011). Conclusion From its establishment in 1980, Superior Energy Services has retained a leading position in numerous developments that profit oil and gas customers and producers. Nevertheless, regardless of taking a leading position, the company has Human Resource Management issues to handle to ensure that it sustains its success and improves its performance. The str esses in the labor market are turning greatly evident and could affect the set project outlays resulting in interruption or abandonment of some plans. Aggressive competition for talent is compelling the company to mull over its human capital requirements. Some of the recommendations offered encompass enhancing training and seeking ways to ensure retention and stability of the workforce. References Alfes, K., Shantz, A. D., Truss, C., Soane, E. C. (2013). The link between perceived human resource management practices, engagement and employee behavior: A moderated mediation model. The international journal of human resource management, 24(2), 330-351. Buller, P. F., McEvoy, G. M. (2012). Strategy, human resource management and performance: Sharpening line of sight. Human Resource Management Review, 22(1), 43-56. Dinger, E., Schell, T. (2014). Superior Energy Services, Inc. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale, Cengage Learning. Dreher, G., Dougherty, T. (2002). Human resource strategy: A be havioral perspective for the general manager. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Guest, D. E. (2011). Human resource management and performance: Still searching for some answers. Human Resource Management Journal, 21(1), 3-13. Superior Energy Services. (2015). Retrieved from https://superiorenergy.com/ Tooksoon, H. (2011). Conceptual framework on the relationship between human resource management practices, job satisfaction, and turnover. Journal of Economics and Behavioral Studies, 2(2), 41-49. Weissbrodt, D., Mason, M. (2013). Compliance of the United States with International Labor Law. Minnesota Law Review, 98, 1842.

The Spansih Civil war essays

The Spansih Civil war essays The great dimensions among human kind and the dominating source of conflict will be cultural . Nation Sates will remain the most powerful actors in world affairs, but the principle conflicts of global politics will occur between nations and groups of different civilizations. (Huntington, S, 1993). The following essay will focus on the Spanish Civil War and will attempt to outline a primary single cause of this bloody conflict that occurred in Spain. This conflict has generated a considerable amount of books and due to its extreme significance , it has what we call a literary epitaph which puts it on par with the Second World War. This demonstrates the extent of this conflict and that is why I sought interest to study this conflict in more detail and outline the primary cause of this battle between the right and left wing parties which is the liberal Republic-socialist government who failed in their pursuit of reformation and accentuated the class struggle in Spain. It was surprisingly above all a great international battleground of fascism and communism with all its proponents and opponents. Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin and Trotsky all had substantial parts in the Spanish drama. The Spanish civil war is burned into European consciousness not simply as a rehearsal for the bigger world war to come but because it presaged the opening of the floodgates to a new and horrific form of modern warfare that was universally dreaded (Preston, P, 1986). The question that we should pose in light of the Spanish Civil War is what role has the different classes (the upper, middle and lower) play in supporting or opposing the Republican government or did they oppose liberal democracy and socialism of the Republican order. Catholics and members of the middle class who had been appalled by the view of Republican disorder and anti-clericalism generated by the rightist press were induced to turn a blind eye to the more dista...

Management practices employed by multinationals in controlling and managing the financial risks The WritePass Journal

Management practices employed by multinationals in controlling and managing the financial risks ABSTRACT Management practices employed by multinationals in controlling and managing the financial risks ABSTRACTINTRODUCTION:IMPACT OF GLOBALIZATIONBMW: CORPORATE OVERVIEW LUFTHANSA: CORPORATE OVERVIEW FINANCIAL AND EXCHANGE RISKS EVALUATIONRISKS PECULIARITY: BMWRISKS PECULIARITY: LUFTHANSAFINANCIAL/MARKETING STRATEGIES TO MANAGE RISKSCONCLUSIONBIBLIOGRAPHYRelated ABSTRACT This study seeks to highlight the management practices employed by multinationals in controlling and managing the financial risks they are exposed to. It also assessed the management practices used by multinationals in the face of financial crisis using Lufthansa and BMW as case study. INTRODUCTION: Early learning of scholars has presented arguments that exchange risks have little impact on foreign activities especially by Multinationals. This view has been shared by Jorion (1991) who went on to question the activeness of financial managers who perform hedging as the risk associated with foreign exchange/currency exposure is minimal. This was also in line with the argument by Bodnar and Gentry (1993) who suggested that not many industries are faced by exchange risks depending on their significance. However, contrary to these views, recent studies have identified exchange rate to be of huge significance amongst the risks that multinationals face and thus questioned the measurement techniques used by earlier studies. This view is supported by Doukas et al (2001) who projected that organizations who engage in foreign activities will be more affected by exchange rate movement. Eitemal et al (2006) further explain that corporate organizations, mostly multinationals face a higher exchange risk exposure than their non-multinationals counterparts because of their higher degree of international business operations. In line of these contrasting views, the author however argues that firms wanting to exercise their international or global presence will be faced with distinctive financial management challenges. And as long as there is movement of capital and finance owed to the rapid movement of globalization, corporate organizations will continually be faced by global factors like reactions to movements in currency markets (such as a undervaluing of a currency) . Dominguez et al (2001) go further to argue that even emerging markets are likely to be faced with a significant level of financial risk exposure as they may be relatively less efficient and for the reason that both developing and developed countries are open to such risks. Therefore, firms must be flexible in their approach by demonstrating an ability to diversify their consumers, contractors and financial sources. IMPACT OF GLOBALIZATION BMW: CORPORATE OVERVIEW BMW, an independent German automobile and engine manufacturing company is a global leader in premium car sales and is known for its performance and luxury vehicles. It has under its ownership the Mini brand, BMW motorcycles and the Rolls-Royce motor cars. A commanding international company with presence in over 120 countries, the BMW Group has business activities broken down into manufacturing, assembly and sales of automobiles and a financial services arm whose primary aim is to provide financial credit to dealers and customers. Its strategic investors make up 46% of its shareholdings, while institutionalized investors breakdown include North America 15.8%, United Kingdom and Ireland: 11.8%, Other Europe: 5.7%, Germany: 4.8%, Rest of the world: 2.5%. Other investors make up the rest with 12.7%. Its financial arm provides financial and investment advice to customers and dealers alike which extends into offering financial credit which is used in the lease or purchase of its automobiles or spare parts. It therefore offers flexible and attractive payment options which also ensure that its finances circulate within the group. BMW has been to known to practice operational flexibility in a bid to handle foreign exchange shocks and has began exploration of emerging countries like China for investments and long-term commitment for service. Establishment and entrenchment of BMW in emerging markets has emerged and identified by its operations in China for instance. China is currently its fourth largest market with huge potential even though representing only 5% has been boosted by the Chinese government offering incentives and subsidies to urge purchases. LUFTHANSA: CORPORATE OVERVIEW Deutsche Lufthansa AG (Aviation Group) is an international aviation company with strategic business segments providing mobility and services for airlines. A German based company serving more than 500 destinations across the world with code sharing agreements. Its business operation is segmented into passenger airline services, MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul), provision of IT services, logistics and catering for its own airlines and extensively to external customers. However, providing passenger airline services is the hub of its business activity. It is a premium brand with global service offering via a fleet of over 500 aircrafts (which makes the company very liquid) with its major target market being Europe, America and Asia. Lufthansa is one of the leaders in the provision of maintenance and overhaul services for external airlines, servicing government, organizations and leasing companies. It also extends this service to its own airlines. Its catering segment also provide airline cuisine as it is located at international airports of over 40 countries catering to regular customers and international airlines. Its Europe segment contributes the highest of the company’s total revenues, with sizeable contribution in North America, Asia/Pacific and the Middle East.   However, it continues to strive given the significant exposure in competitive markets like Europe visible through the improvement of the flights and other business operations in Asia, North America and the Middle East. Even at this, a successful diversification of its flights to other market regions to reduce the economic, political and geographical risks has not been fully achieved. FINANCIAL AND EXCHANGE RISKS EVALUATION Extending operations into a global landscape is becoming increasingly challenging even as companies wish to exert global presence, they are increasingly faced by the risks that expose the unpredictability of cash flow. They are constantly faced with emerging dimensions of risks varying from long run against short run investment risks, certain against uncertain transaction risks, and risks relating to value of cash flows. Multinational corporations like BMW and Lufthansa are therefore faced with risks such as transaction risks which identifies the impact on exchange rate changes on the value of cash flows that lie in the future that has been committed but whose nominal value is known. It refers to committed transactions for which the company is expecting receivables or payables from export or import contracts. Profits or losses may arise if exchange rates fluctuate between the date of purchase and the date of payment. They may also be faced with economic risks which refer to varying cash flows based on the impact of changes in macroeconomic activities such as inflation, economic growth and or interest rates. Inflation generally increases the cost price of goods due to an increase in costs of input which may lead to a cut back in purchases. Economic growth on the other hand may increase the demand of a product as people may increase their purchase or consumption at these periods. Another major risk faced by MNCs such as the companies under study is translation risk which refers to the degree of influence of foreign exchange rates on the value of foreign assets and liabilities. The seeming liability for multinational companies facing translation risks is the volatility of the currency at hand and the currency with which it is being measured against. Even as the risks mentioned above account for the major risks that multinational organizations may face, they may also be faced with some other types of risks. Country risk refers to risks that are associated with particular countries which make them higher volatility for investments. A proper country risk analysis will ensure that a corporate organization will monitor countries with excessive risk and therefore avoid entrance into such country. Government laws or bans on certain items may also have an impact on the sale of certain products while interest rates, inflation and exchange rates all have an impact on the other therefore making the consideration of entry into a country more complex. It is also pertinent to recognise that there may be political influence in some countries arising so that local companies may thrive in the face of foreign competition. Therefore, considering the nature of globalization, even though it has encouraged borderless trading, multinational corporations have to recognise the risks associated with operating in a host country.            RISKS PECULIARITY: BMW The BMW group enjoys the exclusivity of three premium brands that are not overlapping and doing well independently. With a keen focus on research and development, it has developed innovative display in the manufacturing of groundbreaking engines. It has therefore enjoyed success due to its unique designs and a carving a niche for itself in the luxury brand sector. However, due to its setup and base mainly in Germany, cost competitiveness may continually be a worry given that more competitors are recognising the cost advantage of emerging markets and therefore shifting their production activities to these locations. It must therefore locate a balance between cost efficiency and the status it derives from the German engineering quality. BMW, having a huge base in Germany may pose a risk as there may be considerable currency fluctuation in other countries of operation which may result in uncertainty in cash flows. Selling to its American market may result in converting the Dollar revenue to Euros for instance, and a decline or a weakening of the Dollar makes the expected Euro income equivalence to be lower. It also faces cross-border purchases which consumers may engage in to avoid some costs mainly on currency value differences with people going to Canada for instance to purchase an automobile and driving it back into the US. These fluctuations are beyond the company’s control and may on only react to the changes which may have been caused by changes in the economic position of such country, speculation, demand and supply factors on currencies, consumer index, foreign investment and or Gross National Income (GNI). BMW also faces the risks of specification given the nature of the product it sells. Product specifications especially for countries outside Europe will be a huge concern as it may require new production lines to cater for this change. Also, risks associated with late delivery of goods or damages while shipping as was the reported case of a sunken ship containing BMW automobiles many of which were beyond repairs. Being a premium brand, BMW has to contend with high cost of producing its high quality parts and still staying within the reach of consumers who are now more exposed to cost effective automobiles given the rising of oil prices. RISKS PECULIARITY: LUFTHANSA Risks associating with the airline industry are becoming more complex even as the industry is becoming more competitive. The business model applicable in the industry attracts a lot of capital, labour and technology input. Additional business dynamics like increase in oil prices, frequent risk of terrorism, charges that are specific to countries, unfavourable weather conditions and disruption of air-traffic are all risks associated with security and safety, hazards issues and operational risks that have characterised the airline industry. A peculiar situation was the abnormal weather in December 2010 which had a huge impact on air traffic as over 4,000 flights were cancelled. The industry is also characterised by cyclic demand, domestic and international competition which is growing by the day, increasing gearing levels, regulatory hindrance like landing rights or ownership restrictions. The concern of interest rate is particularly of great significance to airlines as it affects their debt financing. Also, the debt-to-equity ratio of the airline industry is thus equally high as it is capital intensive which makes borrowing more difficult. Bartram (2002) highlighted this further by pointing out the impact of interest rate and the succession of business cycle considering the effects on demand by customers.   Carter et al (2002) also argued that due to expected costs of distress, there is a considerable level of underinvestment. When airlines are strained and therefore resort to sell off their fleet of aircraft, this may be a representation of financial distress as the aircrafts are sold off at heavily discounted amounts. The industry is equally faced with currency risks which may affect international or domestic demand in relation to the home country currency value. For instance, if the Canadian dollar depreciates, there will be an increase in demand for flights into and within Canada by non-residents while the residents may substitute local travels for international locations. The predictability of these currency changes being close to impossible equally makes the airline operators more exposed to these risks. A considerable contribution of airline operating cost is the cost of jet fuel which also poses a risk to Lufthansa. Although, the level of profit responsiveness may be dragging as airline tickets are sold in advance, future commitment to advertised lower fares in the short term. However, in the medium/long term its profitability decreases in relation to direct and indirect cost of fuel. Carter et al (2002) further illustrate that airlines are in a dilemma of underinvestment whenever a revenue generation opportunity presents itself during the periods of high cost of jet fuel. The further weight of the air traffic tax adopted in Germany and Austria for instance means that fuel costs cannot be passed on in full to consumers due to the sensitivity of pricing. FINANCIAL/MARKETING STRATEGIES TO MANAGE RISKS For BMW, recognition of the potentials of emerging markets both for demand and production units has helped diversify its risk. Its focus traditionally had been on European market, but with the steady growth of the Chinese automobile industry, there was a need to break its unilateral brand structure and embrace innovation. However, completion is becoming strife in the Chinese region as competitors have recognised the potentials it offers and focus is shifting gradually away from product competition to a comprehensive demand for brand and services. Adopting localised sustainable development in the Chinese market by adding traditional local elements will also attract demand within this newly acquired market. Also, BMW may choose to relocate its manufacturing and supply units to final markets whose currencies are less prone to currency exchange risks. This can be done through an investment in localised procurement and production units. Shifting its base to final markets and having its suppliers do likewise ensures that BMW is guaranteed input cost safety. Whilst doing this, it can also assure its suppliers of sustainable income which reduces their vulnerability in time of fluctuations.   Even as it tries to satisfy global appeal by developing unified product models, BMW cuts costs and alleviates risks by adopting flexible means of customizing its models to fit regional tastes in markets representing huge demands on short notice. For instance, it developed a longer version of one of its models solely for Chinese customers due to high demand. It can then focus supply of its marketing plans and products to markets with stronger currencies with less likelihood for fluctuations. As the largest market outside Europe, the US plays a vital position in BMW’s business plans as it established production lines for its 3 and 5 series models in the country due to increasing demand. Even at the point of establishing the plant, most of its cars were manufactured in Europe and transported to the US and sales of the cars may become more profitable as the dollar weakens. It then may build its competence to identify and take advantage of a strong currency market. It is also striving to ensure there is a plant in china by 2012, thus making sure most of its costs are denominated in local currencies. However, all these strategies are not as expedient as currency hedging. Hedging refers to an investment that is made in order to alleviate the risk of adverse price movement in an asset. Exchange rate risk can also be neutralised (hedged) through financial instruments, such as exchange rate derivatives or foreign currency debt (financial hedges), as well as through the operational setup of the exporting firm (operational hedges). Financial derivatives have today become standard tools for hedging risks related to exchange rates, interest rates or commodities prices. Accordingly, Bartram et al (2009) further argued that organizations do not only use financial derivatives, but operational hedging and foreign currency debt may be crucial to their management of financial risk.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Even as the hedging strategy may be applicable to Lufthansa AG as well, it can be argued in accordance to the views of Kim et al (1993) that diversification is considered to be a chief instrument which corporations can adopt in order to manage the financial risks facing them. This is in line with the view of the author as hedging is still a rather speculative attribute and can still lead to a loss or a profit. It can be further argued that a business ought not to fully hedge all of its firm value from all risks because when future hedges are applied and the prices go up in the first few years, there will be a large marginal impact on the cumulative futures covering the multiple years. And as a form of international strategy, Lufthansa formed the Star Alliance with other airlines which afforded it an almost faultless network of intercontinental connections which provided it with the needed expansion. Lufthansa also hedges fuel prices to dea l with fuel price risk for a time sphere of two years mostly by means of time combined options. The hedging transactions are based on fixed rules and map the average of crude oil prices over time. Sales of international tickets, fuel purchases, aircraft and spare part maintenance also present some form of currency risk to Lufthansa and it performs hedging on the main currencies it uses which are the US Dollar, the Yen, Euro and the Sterling. Being a very liquid company (Lufthansa owns about 75% of its fleet of aircrafts), considering its financial strength, Lufthansa is considered a worthy partner by investors and banks. Thus, future investment plans can be met through borrowing at an already determined action plan and the duration of such investment is limited to one year. The risks and opportunities facing the group, is defined mainly by macroeconomic factors and a resulting effects on passenger and cargo demand. In this regard, Lufthansa relies on its capability to regulate its resources and capacity in a flexible manner in order to adapt to changing market conditions and therefore cut costs.    CONCLUSION Organizations are faced with financial risks arising from a combination of sources either from an exposure to changes in market prices either through interest rate or exchange rate fluctuations and/or financial risks emerging from an interaction with suppliers or customers. Given that corporate risk management can lower the present value of bankruptcy and financial distress costs, firms with a high probability of default and/or high financial distress costs should be more likely to engage in corporate hedging. Companies with international supply chains and international markets will face not only exchange rate risk from the financial accounting perspective, but risks to their competitive positions and cost-revenue dynamics as a result of steep and large declines in the dollar’s value. Financial hedging strategies are suitable for mitigating small and short-term currency fluctuations. But to avoid the effects of huge, long-term shifts in a currency’s value, the likes of BMW and Lufthansa are however advised to adopt operational hedging strategies. These provide the flexibility to dynamically manage supply chains and markets, thereby allowing some degree of difference and efficient management of the cost-revenue equation as international macro-economic forces influence the global marketplace.    BIBLIOGRAPHY Alan Shapiro,2006. Multinational Financial Management, Wiley 8th edition Jorion, P., 1991. The Pricing of Exchange Rate Risk in the Stock Market, Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, 26, 3, September 363-376. Bodnar G. and Gentry W., 1993. Exchange Rate Exposure and Industry Characteristics: Evidence from Canada, Japan and U.S., Journal of International Money and Finance, February, 29-45. Doukas J., P. Hall and L. Lang, 2001. Exchange Rate Exposure at the Firm and Industry Level, SSRN working paper series Eiteman, David K;Moffett, Michael H;Stonehill, Arthur, (2006) Multinational business finance11th ed Published  Boston, Mass. ; London : Pearson/Addison-Wesley Bartram, S.M. 2002, ‘The interest rate exposure of nonfinancial corporations’, European Finance Review, vol. 6, pp. 101–25. Carter, D.A., Rogers, D.A. Simkins, Betty J. 2002, ‘Does fuel hedging make economic sense? The case of the U.S. airline industry’, Working paper, Oklahoma State University. http://investor-relations.lufthansa.com/en/fakten-zum-unternehmen.html Bartram, S.M., G.W. Brown, and J.E. Hund 2007. â€Å"Estimating Systemic Risk in the International Financial System. â€Å"Financial Economics 86(3), December, 835-869. Kim, W. C., Hwang, P., Burgers, W. P. 1993. Multinationals diversification and the risk-return trade-off. Strategic Management Journal, 14: 275-286. Dominguez, K. and L. Tesar 2001. A Re-Examination of Exchange Rate Exposure, NBER Working Paper Series. (Forthcoming, American Economic Review: Papers and Proceedings, 2003)

Answer Question Example

Answer Question Example Answer Question – Coursework Example Grices Maxims al Affiliation) Paul Grice is a famous scholar who wrote theories about how individuals carry out themselves when speaking (Ramsay & Field, 2007). Most individuals follow the rules subconsciously not knowing what they mean. The question number 2 violates the rule of the maxim of relation. It is because the individual answering the question is off topic. The individual answers about the singers costume and yet the question relates to her singing. On the other hand, question 6 the individual speaking breaks the rule of Maxim of Quantity. It is because he or she does not provide the information that will help the individual asking the question. Question 1 is not valid and sound because the sentence is vague. It does make sense in the mindset of the individual reading. The sentence is not sound because the professors agree that they have little pay, but it is not a basis for the small pay. Question 2 is also not valid and sound because Lee cannot run a company, but he is ca pable of doing many things. The speaker violates the maxim of quality because the individual answering the question does not say what he or she believes is the truth. Question 5 is not sound and valid because it is vague. Question 7 is sound and valid because it is because is truthful. Question 9 and 11 are sound and valid because they make sense to an individual reading it. All his or her children are the teenager a valid sentence that is true. All teenagers area student is an invalid statement, which is false. All my children are students a valid answer, which is true.ReferencesRamsay, A., & Field, D. (2007). Speech Acts, Epistemic Planning and Grices Maxims. Journal Of Logic And Computation, 18(3), 431-457. doi:10.1093/logcom/exm073

Great Depression in America essays

Great Depression in America essays The Great Depression is probably one of the most concerning events in American history. It is also proof that capitalism was not a perfect type of government, as everyone believed. The American depression started in a different way than it did in Germany. The Treaty of Versailles was the main event that forced them into depression while a stock market crash was the main event which forced America. Everyone was putting their money into the stock market. People had a large margin to buy stocks with and their credit was up and up. Unfortunately, the only way to from the top, was down. In this case, very down with the stock market crash of October 24, 1929. This infamous day was to be remembered as "Black Thursday". Herbert Hoover has been accused of being a do-nothing president who allowed the country to continue to slide into its worst depression ever. Although Hoover actually did take some action, but that it was too little, too late. Hoover did intervene after the Stock Market crash, but the acts passed by Congress and signed by Hoover were the worst kind of intervention. As he was trying to help, he had made the problem much worse. For example, his most famous mistake was the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act. This act was placed in order to raise tariffs and promote deficit spending. A tariff does exactly the wrong thing, inflation. Other acts passed during Hoover's administration had similar effects of either raising prices or keeping them artificially high when they should have been dropping. All in all, it's not that Hoover was a "do nothing" president, it's that he intervened in exactly the wrong way. Ironically, FDR, the president who put in so many government programs himself, was elected as President after Hoover. He would try to change the government by taking over and changing things to his way. Although, he would try not to adopt the Menshevik, Soviet Union tactics, in doing so. His main c ...

How to Study for SAT Subject Tests 5 Expert Tips

How to Study for SAT Subject Tests 5 Expert Tips SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Are you taking an SAT Subject Test soon and want to know how to be well prepared on exam day? You've come to the right place! In this guide, I explain everything you need to know about how to study for SAT Subject Tests, including which exam(s) you should take, the five most important steps for preparing for a Subject Test, and additional tips to help you maximize your score. This guide can be used to help you prepare for any and all of the 20 different Subject Tests offered, so let’s get started! Introduction to SAT Subject Tests Before we get into how to prepare for SAT Subject Tests, let’s go over some basic information on them. SAT Subject Tests are meant to measure your knowledge and skills in a specific area. This is in contrast to the ACT and regular SAT, both of which assess multiple subject areas.Some colleges require or recommend that you submit Subject Test scores when you apply to that school so they canget a better idea of your academic abilities. Each SAT Subject Test is an hour long, has 50-95 multiple-choice questions, and isscored on a scale of 200-800. SAT Subject Tests are offered several times a year, on all the same dates as the general SAT except for March. This means that SATSubject Tests are offered in the following months annually: May June August October November December However, not every Subject Test is available on every date. Check out our guide to learn the exact dates each Subject Test is offered.In most cases, you can take up to three Subject Tests in one day. Which SAT Subject Tests Should You Take? Before you can begin preparing for SAT Subject Tests, you need to decide which ones to take. The College Board offers 20 different SAT Subject Tests infive main areas. Here is the full list: English Literature History US History World History Languages Chinese with Listening French French with Listening German German with Listening Italian Japanese with Listening Korean with Listening Latin Modern Hebrew Spanish Spanish with Listening Mathematics Mathematics Level 1 Mathematics Level 2 Science Biology E/M Chemistry Physics The most important factor when deciding which Subject Test to take iswhat the colleges you’re thinking of applying to require or recommend. Some schools want you to take Subject Tests in the area you plan on majoring in, whereas others want one Subject Test score from Math/Science and another from Literature/History to show that you’re well rounded. In addition, some schools require or recommend only one Subject Test score, whereas others expect two or three. Be sure to research this information before you begin studying so you don’t end up preparing for and taking a Subject Test you didn’t actually need to take! The other factor to consider is which subject areas you are best in and/or enjoy the most.For example, if you did well in your chemistry class at school and need a science SAT Subject Test, you might want to consider the Chemistry Subject Test. Finally, it’s often easier to do well on Subject Tests that are closely related to classes you've already taken, especially AP classes. If you just took AP World History and studied a lot for the AP exam, you might not need to do much studying at all in order to prepare for the World History SAT Subject Test, especially if you take it in May right after your class ends. How to Study for SAT Subject Tests After you’ve figured out which SAT Subject Test you’ll be taking, follow these five steps in order to prepare for the exam. These steps cover everything you need to do from the time you begin studying up until test day. Step 1: Take an Initial Practice Test One of the first things you should do istakea full-length practice exam for the Subject Test you’re planning to take.Once finished, complete and score your practice exam to see how well you did. For more tips on how to find high-quality practice exams and how to take a practice test most effectively, check out the "How to Use Practice SAT Subject Tests Effectively" section below. Aim to get higher than the average score for that SAT Subject Testfor the most competitive school you’re applying to.You can sometimesfind average Subject Test scores on the admissions page of a school’s website. If you can’t find this information, though, consider contacting the school directly. You can also check outthe average score for each Subject Test. Ourguide shows you how well test takers do on each SAT Subject Test. But ifyou’re applying to a particularly competitive school, you’ll likely have to aim higher than just the average test score depicted on the chart. Try to aim for the top 25% of test takers, or even the top 5% if you’re applying totop-tier schools. Step 2: Decide How Much You Want to Study Once you have your practice test score, see how far it is from the goal score you’re aiming for. If your practice test score is pretty close to the score you’re hoping to get on the real Subject Test, you might only need to do light studying between now and the exam. If you have some ground to gain, you’ll likely want to do some more serious preparation. Keep reading to find out exactly what you'll need to do. Step 3: Gather the Materials You Need Now, it’s time to start gathering the materials you need to prepare for your SAT Subject Test.Study materials can include class notes as well as review books specifically focusing on the Subject Test you're taking.There are a lot of review books out there, but some of the most popular are those produced by Barron’s, Kaplan, and The Princeton Review. The College Board also offersofficial study books for some of the more popular Subject Tests, such as Math Level 1, Math Level 2, US History, and World History. However, these books are mostly just practice exams and explanations of answers as opposed to thorough content reviews. Visit the College Board's online store for a full list of SAT Subject Test study guides(or scroll down to the next section!). Alternatively, you might want to buyThe Official Study Guide for All SAT Subject Tests, which (as you probably guessed) providesan overview of the Subject Tests, quality practice questions, and one full-length practice test per exam.At present, the book sells for around $10 on Amazon. Finally, we at PrepScholar have created specific study guides to help you prepare for the Biology, Chemistry, Literature, Physics, US History, and World HistorySAT Subject Tests. Step 4: Create a Study Plan Developing a prep plan is important because it helps you commit to study times and track your progress.Try to set aside the same time to study each week, such as 2-4 pm on Sundays or 5-6:30 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays.This will make it easier to remember when to study and allow you to plan other activities around your prep sessions. You should also set weekly or monthly goals you hope to accomplish. This will help track your progress and ensure you’re where you need to be. Example goals include things such as "I want to understand properties of functions by the end of the week," or "I want to raise my score 20 points by the end of the month." Be sure to also schedule time to take practice tests and track your progress. Ideally, you’ll take at least two practice tests before the real deal, with one at the beginning of your studying and one at the end. If you’re studying a lot or over a long period of time, you might want to schedule one or more additional practice tests during the middle of your studying. Step 5: Start Studying! Now, it’s time to get down to business and begin studying! When you’re reviewing material, your best bet is usually to use your prep book as your main resource,and use your class notes for any topics you want more in-depth information on. Trying to review all your class notes for a subject can be very time consuming and possibly not that helpful if your class didn’t focus on the same topics the Subject Test focuses on. Prep books, on the other hand, are specifically designed to focus exactly on what the Subject Test covers.Below, we give you more information about how to use practice tests as well asfinal tips for studying for SAT Subject Tests. How to Use Practice SAT Subject Tests Effectively Practice tests are one of the most important tools in helping you reach your SAT Subject Test score goals, so you want to use them wisely. These three guidelines will help you do just this. Stick With High-Quality Tests Your practice test results are only as good as the quality of the practice test itself.If your practice test isn’t very similar to the real Subject Test, you won’t be getting an accurate idea of how well you’re scoring or what skills you should improve. Practice tests from the College Board are the best sources to use since you can be sure they’ll give you a good idea of the real exam. As I mentioned above, the College Board'sThe Official Study Guide for All SAT Subject Testsincludes one previously administered exam for each of the 20 Subject Tests. So if you’re planning to take multiple Subject Tests, this is a great resource to use. There are also official prep books for the seven following SAT Subject Tests: Math Level 1 Math Level 2 US History World History Chemistry Biology Physics Unofficial practice books that are still high quality include those produced by Barron’s, Kaplan, and The Princeton Review. There are other resources out there, too, so it can help to go to a bookstore and flip through a few books or read online reviews to decide which resource is best for you. Take the Test Under Real Test Conditions In order to get the most accurate idea of where you're currently scoring on your SAT Subject Test, you need to make sure your practice test conditions are as realistic as possible.This means taking the test in one sitting, timed (each Subject Test is an hour), and with no distractions. Track Your Progress Tracking your practice test scores over time is one of the best ways to see whether and where you’ve made improvements. Almost every practice test has instructions on how to calculate your score, but if you get confused, you can alwayscheck out our guide for a review.Unlike the general SAT, for SAT Subject Testsyou lose a fraction of a point for each question you answer incorrectly, so too many random guesses could very well bring down your score. Here's how scoring works for Subject Tests(all the Subject Tests except the foreign language tests have five answer choices. Foreign languages tests have four answer choices): You get 1 point for each correct answer. A fraction of a point is subtracted for wrong answers: 1/4 point is subtracted for five-choice questions. 1/3 point is subtracted for four-choice questions. 1/2 point is subtracted for three-choice questions. No points are deducted for questions left blank. If yourfinal score is a fraction, it's rounded to the nearest whole number - 1/2 or more is rounded up; less than 1/2 is rounded down. If you aren’t improving as much as you want to, try using different prep resources or changing up the way you study. It might be helpful to focus more on taking practice tests, study at a different time or day, or use other study methods such as flashcards. 3 Tips for Getting Your Best SAT Subject Test Score Now that we've thoroughly covered the basics of how to study for SAT Subject Tests, here are three advanced tips to helpyou get your best score. Know Your Learning Style There is no one-size-fits-all study plan, and the best way to see the results you want is to use your learning style to your advantage.Maybe you’re a visual learner and need to see diagrams, charts, and images for the information you’re learning to sink in. Or perhaps you’re an auditory learner and learn best with audiobooks or podcasts. You might already know what your learning style is, but, if not, try out different methods of studying and see which work best. You can also alter the day of the week, time of day, and length of time you study to see if that makes any difference. Don't Passively Study It might be easiest to let your eyes drift over the pages you’re studying, but this rarely gets you the results you want.Try to make your studying as active as possible. This might mean drawing diagrams, making flashcards, having a friend quiz you, or even just pausing every few minutes to review what you’ve read and ensure you’re actually retaining the information. The less passive your studying is, the more likely you are to see significant improvements. Zero In on the Areas and Skills You Need to Improve When preparing for an SAT Subject Test, make sure you’re spending most of your time on the areas and skills you need to improve the most. If you’re studying for the World History Subject Test and are solid on European history but struggle with Asian history, don’t spend an equal amount of time reviewing Europe and Asia. Instead, you’ll want to spend more time focusing on important Asian events, periods, and people, and only come back to Europe for a quick, occasional review to make sure you still remember everything. By spending the majority of your time on the areas where you have the most room to improve, you’ll likely see score improvements more quickly. Summary: How to Study for SAT Subject Tests If you want to get top scores, you have to understand how to prepare for SAT Subject Tests.Follow these five steps in order to be well prepared for any Subject Test: Take an initial practice test Decide how much you need to study Gather the materials you need Create a study plan Start studying! Additionally, remember to use your practice tests effectively, practice active studying, and focus most of your time on the areas you need to make the biggest improvements in. What's Next? Wondering how to register for an SAT Subject Test? Our step-by-step guide walks you through everything you need to know to get started. Which is more important: AP tests or SAT Subject Tests? Learn how the two tests compareand which examsyou should spend more time preparing for. Not sure whether to take the Math Level 1 or Math Level 2 Subject Test? Our guide explains the differences between the two exams and helps you decide which one to take. Need a little extra help prepping for your Subject Tests? We have the industry's leading SAT Subject Test prep programs (for all non-language Subject Tests). Built by Harvard grads and SAT Subject Test full or 99th %ile scorers, the program learns your strengths and weaknesses through advanced statistics, then customizes your prep program to you so that you get the most effective prep possible. Learn more about our Subject Test products below: