Essay Fight Club - 1439 Words

Chuck Palahniuk’s Fight Club is a seductive novel which chronicles an unnamed narrator’s ability to cope with an emasculated, self-centered, materialistic society by creating an alter ego. Throughout the text, the theme of the emasculated modern man is presented both in the life of the narrator, and in the lives of the male characters he surrounds himself with. Through notions of absent fathers, consumerism and an innocuous/aimless existence, Palahniuk presents how men in modern society have lost their masculine identity and the extreme actions they go to in order to obtain it again. Belittled by their absent fathers, broken homes, and a feminine-centered society, the men in Fight Club present an incisive notion of the lives of modern†¦show more content†¦The Fight Club, then, is a way which men can express their angst in a much more masculine, albeit sadomasochistic, way. The invention of Fight Club is never stated directly, but its intention is indicated through the language of the narrator and the rationale of its members. Foremost, the narrator describes the members of Fight Club as â€Å"a generation of men raised by women† (50). The masculine identity, then, is an identity which has been lost to the feminized egotism in a deranged reality of postmodernism. Coupled with the lack of absent fathers the generation of modern men are wildly feminized. The narrator describes how his father abandoned him to set up new families or â€Å"franchises† (50) every six years, and states that he is â€Å"a thirty-year old boy [...] wondering if another woman is really the answer [he] needs† (51). The absent fathers in the narrator’s, and equally in Tyler’s, life eventually lead to the invention of Fight Club. Fight club is a way in which emasculated men can act the way men are supposed to and finally find a masculine figure to model themselves after. In creating Tyler, the narrator’s search for a masculine model is taken to the extreme. Tyler is a manifestation of man who the narrator and other men can model themselves after. Tyler represents the masculine identity, â€Å"Tyler is funny and charming and forceful and independent, and men look up to him and expect him to change their world† the narrator explainsShow MoreRelatedFight Club1673 Words   |  7 PagesMelissa Gonzales Prof. O’Connell English 215 09, December 2013 Fight Club Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk uses violence for most of recorded history, violence has played a major role in our lives; for example, through country conflicts to world wars, violence seems to be the tool to our defense. Even in our daily lives, when encountered a conflict, we humans want to make it disappear as quick as possible. We do this by using violence unconsciouslyRead MoreFight Club Essay1184 Words   |  5 PagesFight Club In the book Fight Club, by Chuck Palahniuk, the narrator is an employee for a travelling car company, who suffers from insomnia. When he asks his doctor for medication the doctor refuses and advises him to visit a support group to witness what suffering really is. The first group the narrator attends is for testicular cancer victims. He finds an emotional release that relieves his insomnia and becomes addicted to support groups. After a flight home from a business trip, the narratorRead MoreEssay on Fight Club1189 Words   |  5 PagesThis movie is mainly about a narrators search for meaning and the fight to find freedom from a meaningless way of life. It setting is in suburbia, an abandoned house located in a major large city. Ed Norton, plays the nameless narrator, Brad Pitt, is Tyler Dunden, and Helena Boaham Carter is Marla Singer, the three main characters. David Fincher directs this film in 1999, which adapted it from the novel written by Chuck Palahnuik. It begins depicting Edward Norton, the narrator, working for anRead MoreFight Club Analysis1678 Words   |  7 PagesDo you find yourself lost, searching for self-worth in modern Society? The Narrator in Chuck Palahniuk’s novel Fight Club struggles with insomnia due to his repetitive nine to five office-job. He longs to feel alive, thinking that purchasing materialistic objects and conforming to what modern society considers the norm will fill his void. Tyler Durden, The Narrators alter ego states, â€Å"the first step to eternal life is you have to die† (Palahniuk 11). His extreme statement represents that one mustRead MoreFight Club Analysis1745 Words   |  7 PagesFight Club There is enough on earth for everybodys need, but not for everyones greed.† Mahatma Gandhi This quote fits perfectly on me. Even though I have enough clothes to last an entire lifetime, yet I keep finding myself at the mall, buying things I simple do not need at all. And I am not the only one, millions of people is doing the same thing. It is because we need certain things: we desire different certain things. Now what is that problem called? Consumerism. Modern society is basedRead More Fight Club Essay768 Words   |  4 PagesProblems with Adaptation, says â€Å"We expect the film to duplicate exactly the experience we had seeing the play or in reading the novel. That is, of course, completely impossible† (Boggs 672). No one told this theory to David Fincher, the director of Fight Club. Fincher stuck almost like glue to the novel. He did however, change a few events in the novel and the ending but stills successfully puts Palahniuk’s words on screen that even made Palahniuk happy to earn his profits. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;MostRead MoreFight Club Analysis1237 Words   |  5 Pagesof the Late Robert Paulson Fight Club: every white man’s favorite movie and my worst nightmare turned reality. Much of the novel version of Fight Club struggles with this issues of toxic masculinity, feminization, and emotional constipation. No character addresses these topics better than Robert Paulson, better known as Big Bob; it is his character that serves as a catalyst for both The Narrator, and Project Mayhem. One of the first major problems addressed in Fight Club is toxic masculinity, andRead MoreFight Club Essay1525 Words   |  7 PagesFight Club â€Å"The first rule about fight club is that you don’t talk about fight club† (Palahniuk 87). The story of Fight Club was very nail biting; you never knew what was going to happen next. There were so many things that led up to a complete plot twist. It was amazing how closely directed and written Chuck Palahniuk and David Fincher’s versions were. However, the role in both that stood out to me the most was the role of Marla. Marla was the biggest influence in discovering the narratorRead MoreFight Club Essay2874 Words   |  12 PagesAlan Badel English 100/Major Essay #2 Professor Raymond Morris 23 October 2015 The Fight Club Aims to Free Individuals from Society’s Emasculating Shackles Chuck Palahniuk’s Fight Club is an exciting fictional novel that will hold the audience captive following three revolving main characters in Marla Singer, Tyler Durden, and the narrator himself as they take the reader through confusing twists and perspectives, while providing a most revealing closure. Although the title suggests an exclusiveRead MoreFight Club And The Man1874 Words   |  8 Pagessomeone else’s wishes. Unfortunately, most people pay this price without fully realizing the cost of American conformity. In their novels, Chuck Palahniuk and Sloan Wilson reveal the negative effects of the conformity supported by American society. Fight Club and The Man in the Grey Flannel Suit take a similar stance on the matter. Firstly, both novels suggest that societal expectations are inherently emasculating and serve to dampen one’s inner power. They suggest that one must give up a piece of

Descriptive Essay - Clean Up Essay - 1312 Words

It was a dark, humid, eerie, day in a rural, spread-out community. It’s been like that for a few weeks now. Drenched in sweat from hard work from around 7 in the morning to around 6 at night. Replacing carpet with hard wood piece by piece was no easy task. In fact, it was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I remember my dad saying to me â€Å"time to go†. I was overwhelmed with joy to know that my growling stomach was about to get filled to the brim with something tasty. Although before that, I had to do the worst part of the job – clean up. I was rushing to through tools into buckets, bags, hard cases, and straight into the back of the truck all while my dad continued to say â€Å"we’re going soon† and making more of a mess he had. I was finally finished cleaning, my dad accepted the payment from the lady who owned the house, and we were finally on our way. We opened the front door and the rain sounded like a team of horses running along a br ick road. My dad and I both looked at each other and bolted for the truck. I jumped in the truck and closed the door as fast as possible without slamming it (my parents hated that). I closed my eyes and laid my head against the seat and the only thing running through my head was â€Å"I can’t wait till I get something to eat†. My dad called my mom as usual to brag to her how amazing the floor looked. My mom must’ve asked him if I had anything to eat like she always does because he look at me with a surprised expression on his face and asked me if IShow MoreRelatedReflection Of Creative Writing811 Words   |  4 Pagesgood piece of writing can have. The use of diction, imagery, realizations, punctuations, and grammar has a major impact on a piece of writing. Varying diction helps the reader to focus on the message instead of worrying about the grammar. Great descriptive words help readers to visual the setting and allows readers to feel as if they are in the sto ry. Creative nonfiction writing can be very powerfully when used correctly. From Creative Writing and the Body, I have learned to take a step back andRead MoreAnalysis Of Amrhein, Lexie Sr Flavio s Home 935 Words   |  4 Pages(1996). The piece below is a description essay of one of his most touching photographs that he took in 1990 of a poor boy in Rio de Janeiro. Summary â€Å"I’ve never lost my fierce grudge against poverty. It is the most savage of all human afflictions, claiming victims who can’t mobilize their efforts against it, who often lack strength to digest what little food they scrounge up to survive† (1). In â€Å"Flavio’s Home,† the author gives his readers a descriptive visual of what life is like on the Rio deRead MoreComing Into English By Ray Bradbury875 Words   |  4 Pagesdeciphering the text, and lastly, and if there is enough time, read the story once again in the case that something was missed. I performed this task not only with short stories but also scholarly journals that I had to read for the argumentative essay. When doing research, I did not just look from one point of view. I looked at both sides and the full picture in order to grasp my topic about the conservation of giant panda bears. I was taught when researching for topics it is best to use your schools’Read MoreSummary of on the Meaning of Plumbing and Poverty Essay893 Words   |  4 PagesPoverty Summary In her essay â€Å"On The Meaning Of Plumbing and Poverty,† Journalist Melanie Scheller examines the cultural identity of the rural poor. The author brings the readers attention to her call to action about poverty in America while using facts and personal background. While caring for a woman in a psychiatric ward, Scheller witnesses the woman’s obsession for flushing the toilets in her unit. This memory creates an opportunity for her to write an essay about growing up in rural North CarolinaRead MoreOverview of Key Image Terms: Simile, Metaphor, Personification, Dominant Impression, and Connotation1491 Words   |  6 Pagesa sticky red film over the floor. She talks about how she tried to clean it off. She says that its been 20 years and shes still cleaning up. As difficult as the blood was to clean up, she had even more trouble cleaning up her life after her fathers suicide. Not only was the blood like jell-o, but so was her hope. The more you try to rub the jell-o away, the more pieces it is split into. It then becomes even harder to clean up. You would have to scrape for a long time to even begin to remove theRead MoreSister Flowers Essay example609 Words   |  3 Pagesbeing respectful and opening up always goes a long way. I feel she wants to show us that reading and writing are great separate but together it shows within. Words are taught to people from books, so if no one reads new words how will the next person learn the meaning.    2. How does Angelou use sensory details and imagery in paragraphs 24 to introduce Mrs. Flower’s character? She cascades the words to show feeling, compassion and how much she wanted her to speak up, using words to make a meaningRead MoreMy Thoughts On Writing And Writing927 Words   |  4 Pagesto the problems I have come to face with my writing I do have many things I enjoy about writing. Writing to me is a way to be descriptive and creative with my own thoughts depending upon the style of course, but for the most part it is intriguing because everything that I will do in life will require me to have some set of writing skills. With the following in mind my essay writing process is developed from these aspects. My writing process will start by forming ideas in my head. Usually I don’t likeRead More Descriptive Essay - The Swimming Pool541 Words   |  3 PagesDescriptive Essay - The Swimming Pool The tiles were still dirty from the residue of chlorine and pittle combined into one thick layer of impossible gunk. This gunk surrounded the edge of pool right where the water met the lowest part of the tile and was even apparent underneath the shallow water fountain around the back end. The ring had been worn away in spots where the missus had got so fed up that she was gonna put an end to this ring of filth once and for all. A few times she had startedRead MoreThe Major Problems with Pollutants on the Great Lakes1680 Words   |  7 PagesProject Proposal Title The Title of this essay is called â€Å"What is the Major Problems with Pollutants on the Great Lakes†. The essay explains that there is a problem going on in the Great Lakes with people who live around the Great Lakes area in that what they are throwing into the lakes; whether it would be from trash or fecal matter it is all causing major effects on the ecosystem on the Great Lakes, in turn effecting the fish and water we consume. This is not only a major problem for theRead MoreDescriptive Essay Example639 Words   |  3 PagesDescriptive Essay Final The downtown metropolis can be a complex place, and some may need to become accustomed to it. It is Five O Clock in the afternoon. The sun is starting to drag itself lower, dimming the landscape, leaving a majestic orange on the horizon. The towering structures above leave enormous shadows on the people below. Car horns ring and sirens pulse, as the people make haste towards there destinations, rushing aggressively as if though it is a race. The end of the work day has

Freedom of Speech Indian Free Essays

Freedom Of Indian Press Freedom of Press In India DESPITE BEING the largest Democracy in the World, the Indian Press has never been accorded a free status. A survey of civil and political liberties carried out by Freedom House listed the Indian press as being â€Å"partly free†. What is of concern here is that it figured even below countries like Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Comoros, Ecuador and El Salvador. We will write a custom essay sample on Freedom of Speech Indian or any similar topic only for you Order Now Ever since, the time of Hickey, the administration has recognized the potential of the Indian Press to be severely anti-establishment. To check the growth of the Indian press without seeming overtly restrictive, the British Government enacted several legislation that were successful in restricting the Indian Press. This restriction has carried on to the present times. A major reason to doubt India’s freedom of the press stems from the times of the Emergency when constitutional safeguards meant to protect freedom of speech and expression were set aside. Even today the Official Secrets Act allows the Government to ban publication of articles dealing with sensitive security issues. However, journalists feel that in practice this is occasionally used to limit criticism of government actions, particularly in Punjab and Kashmir. The Government controls even the issual of subsidized newsprint to newspapers. The mass media in India works in the absence of an absorptive infrastructure and hence widespread illiteracy and a limited audience weaken the media’s efficiency. It has been alleged that the most important limitation to the media’s efficiency in India is its inclination towards being a â€Å"uni-directional transmitory mechanism†, i. e. , a center to periphery type of direction that is unable to represent particularistic interests. The situation is however not so dismal. By looking at the role played by the press especially the electronic media, in the recent years, in reporting extreme situations like that of the Gujarat earthquake or other such situations, one notices the crucial role the press plays in bringing to the forefront the concerns of the affected populations. Despite the fact that press freedom in India is not totally without hindrances in some form or the other, an active judiciary works consistently to safeguard the provisions of the Constitution and this was seen during the Emergency of 1975-77. The judiciary is independent of the government in ordinary cases, although the system suffers from overload and is often inaccessible to the poor. India has a large and conscious private press and although it has not always been successful in providing â€Å"early warnings† to the authorities, it has definitely succeeded in extracting political accountability from the government, an achievement that rightly needs to be acknowledged. How to cite Freedom of Speech Indian, Papers

Financial Management Portfolio Management Finance

Question: Describe about the Financial Management for Portfolio Management Finance. Answer: Introduction Portfolio management is an art where finance professionals come up with the right mix of investments so as to increase the returns for the investors. They may use various financial models so as to come up with the right proportions of the investments. However, their personal insights from their vast experiences also come into play. Market efficiency can be explained using the weak form, semi-strong and strong form theories. Mergers and acquisitions have become a buzzword in the business community. It is now a question of when and not if a company will merge with another. Small-time entrepreneurs are also factoring this in their plans as they chart out their strategic plans. Factors determining the expected return of a portfolio Expected return is based on the probabilities of returns. It is the sum of the weighted averages of each of the assets expected returns. The Fama-French three-factor model specifies three distinct risk factors that are used to explain a portfolios expected return. Size risk: company size is a determinant that explains higher equity returns. When a portfolio has a greater exposure towards small company stocks as compared to a larger company stocks it receives higher yields. Small companies are inherently risky, and thus the investors are rewarded with higher returns. Small companies encounter challenges when raising capital, and so they have a greater risk of failure hence the greater compensation to the investors. Value risk measured by market-to-book value: the higher the exposure a portfolio has towards value stocks as compared to growth stocks, thegreater the return (Pandey, 2012). Market risk measured by beta: This is the amount of exposure to the overall stock market. As compared to treasury bills, stocks have got higher returns. In this case, the higher the exposure of a portfolio to stocks relative to bonds, the higher the return (Pandey, 2012). Selection and allocation based on the context of portfolio management There is a broad range of choices of security selection philosophies. One may choose to use information such as earnings reports or acquisition announcements. Another method is using technical and charting indicators. Fundamentals such as earnings, cash flows or growth can also be used. Active or passive strategies may be selected. In passive strategies, one invests in a given stock, and then they wait for their investment to pay off. A portfolio manager who buys stocks that have a low price and stable earnings is a passive investor. The same goes for an index fund manager. The opposite is true. An active investor is one who tries to beat the market by picking stocks. Asset allocation aims to create diversification and balance out risk in a portfolio. There are a number of asset allocation strategies. One of them is asset allocation for strategic reasons. Here the portfolio is mixed basedon the investors profile. It can be sixty percent equities, thirty percent bonds, and ten percent cash. This is a passive management. Tactical asset allocation This is whereby the weight of various securities in a portfolio is not fixed, but it can be revised when the prevailing conditions in the market change. Portfolio rebalancing is used to manage risk on a continual basis (LummerRiepe, 1994). When an investor is doing allocation in a portfolio, they need to make various considerations. They should consider their short, and long term goals as this will determine the best mix of their portfolio. An investor should also realize that time is their friend. When they start investing, early they can enjoy the benefits of compounding their money due to the time value of money. They can also put a larger portion of their money into high risk/return investments since they will have more time to recoup any losses they may make (LummerRiepe, 1994). Forms of market efficiency Weak form This form of market efficiency puts forward that the current share prices are a reflection of all the data of previous prices. It also suggests that it is not possible for technical analysis to be carried out to assist an investor to make a trading decision since all available data is from the past. However, fundamental analysis can be carried out to determine if there are any undervalued and overvalued stocks. The investors can also study companies financial statements. Semi-strong form This theory of market efficiency follows the belief that since all public information is used when calculating the current price of stock, investors can thus not use fundamental or technical analysis to achieve greater profits in the market. Subscribers to this theory only believe that it is only information that is not readily accessible in the market that can increase the profits of an investor to a position above the overall general market. Strong form The strong form theory postulates that all the information both public and private information is completely considered when arriving at the current stock prices. In this case, there is no type of information that can give an investor a competitive edge on the market. Investors cannot make profits that superceed normal market profits on investments in spite of any information retrieved or research conducted (Berk, DeMarzo, Harford, Ford, MollicaFinch, 2013). These investors are mostly those persons with excess information on the markets. They may include the insiders in a given firm and also exchange specialists. Since the exchange specialists are at the fore front when it comes to trading shares, they have an advantage in knowing which are the best shares to trade in at the exact moment and they make higher than normal returns due to this knowledge. Capital asset pricing model Capital Asset Pricing Model is a method used to compute the required rate of return for any given risky asset. The required rate of return is the rise in value one expects to see as compared to the inherent risk level attributed to the asset. It is used to determine the fair price of an investment. This rate is then used to discount an investments future cash flows to their current or present value so as to come to the investments fair value. The computed fair value is then compared to the investments price in the market. If the price estimated is higher than the market price one may consider the stock to be a bargain. However, if the price estimated is lower, one may then consider the stock to be overvalued (Levy, 2011). The formula for arriving at the expected return is the risk-free rate added to beta times the difference of the return from the market and the risk-free rate. Beta in CAPM is used to account for the risk associated with investing in a given security compared to the prevailing risk of the market. The higher the beta, the riskier the security will be in the market. The risk-free rate is that rate which is expected on an investment which is taken to have no risk at all. An example of this would be the US Treasury bill rate. The risk premium is computed by taking beta times the difference between the market return and a risk-free return (Levy, 2011). CAPM is seen as being objective in nature. Hence, it cannot be used in isolation, and other methods need to be utilized alongside it. Assumptions of CAPM Investors are rational and risk-averse. Capital markets are in equilibrium. Investors aim to maximize economic utilities. They are price takers. All investments are infinitely divisible. There is a risk-free asset. Investors have homogenous expectations. Arbitrage pricing theory Arbitrage pricing theory is used to describe the expected return and risk of securities in financial markets. It is used to compute the expected return on a given security based on its sensitivity to various movements in macroeconomic factors. The macroeconomic factors include GDP growth, interest rate, and inflation. The expected return is then used to come up with the price of the security. Assumptions of APT Arbitrage Pricing Theory assumes that capital markets are usually perfectly competitive. The investors always assume greater wealth than lesser with certainty (Pandey, 2015). There exists a frictionless market. That is perfect competition prevails, and there is no transaction cost in the market (Pandey, 2012). Explain the patterns (effects) in equity returns Effects in equity returns include the B/M effect, size effect, and E/P effect, leverage effect, C/P effect and the liquidity pattern. The Fama-French model which is a 3-factor model is used to explain some of the equity returns. The 3-factor model was seen to explain the cash-to-price effect, B/M, E/P and size effect. It did not explain leverage or liquidity effect. This 3-factor model is an enhancement upon the Capital Asset Pricing Model with two extra factors that are used to capture the return premium of smaller firms over bigger firms and high B/M companies over low B/M companies. Using the 3- factor model, a B/M, E/P, size and C/P effects were documented in Australia. However, leverage and liquidity effects were not documented. The book- to- market effect compares the book value of a company to the price of the companys stock. The larger the ratio, the more fundamentally cheap the company will be. The size effect is seen whereby studies have shown that small capitalization stocks outperform large stocks. This pattern can be explained by the notion that small-cap companies usually have a more volatile business environment. Therefore, when there is a improvement of funding deficiency, this can lead to a substantial appreciation of the price. The small-cap companies also tend to have a lesser stock price which means that price appreciations tend to be greater than those that are found among large cap stocks. A low price to earnings effect is one whereby stocks with low price-to-earnings ratios produce larger overall returns than portfolios made up of stocks where the price is higher as compared to the earnings per share (Nguyen, FaffGharghori, 2009). Effects seen in the Australian market A B/M, E/P, size and C/P effects were documented in Australia. To identify the existence of the various effects in the market in Australia, all the available stocks were sorted into sextiles according to each variable of interest. Any excess returns of the portfolio were indicative of an effect. In case a pattern appeared in the mean excess profits of the portfolios, this was enough to report an effect. In the case of a size effect, the stocks are divided into size sextiles. In case a reduction in profits from the smallest in size portfolio to the largest in size portfolio is documented, a size pattern is reported. Total shareholder returns have been found to be inversely related to company size, and the relationship has been found to be strongest for stocks of lower market capitalization. These results have come about due to a number of factors. Size is usually understood as a way of measuring risk, and smaller firms are riskier and are therefore priced to give greater profits. The size effect makes the small capitalization stocks to appear as a viable instrument since the high returns compensate for the additional risks that are borne. Motives behind mergers and takeovers A merger is said to have occurred when a firm takes on all the assets and liabilities of a different firm. The firm that has carried out the acquisition will retain its identity while the firm that has been acquired will cease to exist. Takeovers are whereby a company may buy out another. The motives may be strategic in nature. There may be takeovers that undertake a horizontal integration. This is aimed to increase the scale and the market share of the combined firm. Most mergers are done so as to have an increased market share and also so as to have an international expansion. Mergers also lead to cost energies and revenue synergies. Revenue synergies are realized due to expanded markets, cross-selling and also increases in prices. Cost synergies come about due to economies of scale that are realized in various departments of the company. Mergers offer a good avenue for growing externally rapidly. This type of growth is also less risky as compared to internal growth. By gaining a significant market share, the company will gain the power to influence prices. An extreme example of a horizontal merger is a monopoly. By merging, a company also reduces its reliance on external suppliers. Mostly, horizontal and vertical mergers give rise to monopolies. This may give rise to some antitrust issues. However, conglomerate mergers give rise to diversified firms. This gives rise to a case of getting several different products and services all under one umbrella. A company may also be motivated to d a merger so as to gain some unique capabilities that it lacks that are possessed by another company. This is a very cost effective method of acquiring unique capabilities as opposed to developing the capabilities internally (Rossi Volpin, 2004) Mergers offer personal incentives for managers. The managers enjoy greater prestige in a post-merger bigger company. Their remuneration also increases in the larger company. Managers, therefore, stand to benefit from a merger. Mostly it is the acquiring firm that gains this. This is because there will be a streamlining of operations to avoid unnecessary duplication. Some of the managers in the acquired will have to go home or get reassigned to different roles. A merger may also unlock hidden value in a struggling company. The company that acquires the struggling one will pay a lower price than the market price since they have to carry out various improvements on it. Mergers aid in achieving international goals of a company. The company will manage to exploit any market inefficiencies that may exist. There will be a transfer of technology to new markets. Unique products will also be sold in new markets. By trying out new markets, a company will manage to overcome any disadvantageous policies of the government. The company will also manage to offer continued support to international clients (Harford, 2003). Some companies have been known to merge with other companies so as to manage their tax problems. A firm with a greater taxable income may merge with a firm with big carry forwards tax losses. In this way, the firm will decrease its liability in taxes (Harford, 2003). Do takeovers increase the value of the target, or the bidder company, and/or aggregate market value? Takeovers can be carried out through various ways. Mergers are one of those ways. These are negotiated with the targets manager, and then they are voted upon by the targets shareholders so that they may be approved. A tender offer is another method. This may be a hostile method in case the managers refused an initial offer from the bidder. The shareholders are approached directly for the purchase of their individual shares. Proxy contests are yet another method. An interested party may convince the shareholders to use their proxy votes and gain a controlling seat on the board of management. Takeovers gain substantial wealth for the shareholders of the company. Takeovers lead to an aggregate market value due to the avoidance of closing down companies. Takeovers can save a company from closing down and workers from getting laid off. The takeovers also use assets productively. There is the issue of golden parachutes. This principle may be abused in some cases, but its institution was meant to be in the interest of the shareholders. This principle was instituted to ensure that the executive does everything in their power to maintain their organizations in business despite the many challenges in the market (GoergenRenneboog, 2004). Takeovers lead to the elimination of inefficient target management which translates to an overall increase in the total value of the target. There are also potential reductions in various costs such as production and distribution costs. This comes about due to the integration of more efficient production methods or organizational technology. There is also vertical integration as well as economies of scale. Takeovers bring about a decrease in agency costs through bringing together the various organization specific assets under one ownership. There is also greater utilization of the bidders managerial team which brings on a wealth of knowledge. The company also gains some tax advantages. Thus the combined firm will earn cash flows that are greater than the individual cash flows of the bidding and the target firms. Several studies have led t the conclusion that takeover announcements lead to abnormal stock returns surrounding takeover announcements. The positive change in the stock price shows that there is an increased total profitability of the merged companies (Baker Kiymaz, 2011). The acquired firm offers extra space for the acquiring firm to effectively manage and utilize management resources so as to enhance the abilities of the acquiring business. When companies that were competitors merge, there is a reduction of competition and an increase in the product prices. This is because there usually exists several businesses at a time offering almost similar products and services in a given market. It can become very expensive for a company to fight all of this competition so as to gain a larger market share. This it does by running some advertising campaigns and also through carrying out some research and development activities to come up with unique characteristics in their products and services. All this is done in a bid to gain more sales and hence profits for the company. Competition thus leads to a reduction in market shares and a drop in the product and service sale rates. When the two companies merge and become one entity, they can then command a bigger m arket share in the market. Takeovers lead to a significant increase in the value of the target company through the diversification of products and services in the market. It is very costly and time-consuming for a single company to diversify its products and services. Therefore, it can achieve this by taking over the operations of a company that is offering those different products and services. In this way, the company will remain more profitable than a company that offers just a single product or service (Aswathappa, 2007). Takeovers aid in the cutting of business operation costs and ultimately the increased profitability of the target. This is because they offer a way of acquiring a business without the large costs involved in the expansion of a single business. There will also be an overall increase in manpower and hence an efficiency in production of goods and services. Costs drop even further if the businesses that have emerged are dealing with the production of the same product. This will mean that as the production yield increases total costs of production and management will drop thus a net increase in profits will be realized. In this way, businesses bring together and streamline their various support functions and also gain new locations. Takeovers enable a business to venture into new markets without having to deal with all the procedural matters that are involved. This is because they will just acquire an already functional business within the territory of their choice. This saves them the hustle of having to start an altogether new business in that market. Takeovers lead to an increase in profits due to the gain in profits from acquisition of the acquired businesss portfolio. Thus new buyers are going to be attracted to the business which means higher overall returns. Takeovers make for greater value of the target since they offer an opportunity to improve business efficiency and also improve business abilities in the market. During the takeover process, jobs and posts that are redundant can be eliminated to avoid overlapping duties and responsibilities. This is done in the restructuring and adjustment period when operations are being streamlined and integrated after the takeover. Most takeovers are driven by one financial motive or another. The company aims to achieve a higher rate of return on the investment they have made and the risk they have undertaken. Hus the financial goals drive this deal majorly. Most private equity firms are driven by financial motives to carry out a takeover. They are professional investors who manage funds that are invested and are mostly used in corporate transactions. The private equity firms may buy out small firms, or they may take on some debt to buy out larger firms. This has been commonplace in developed economies. The private equity firms are merely acting as financial investors in their takeover bids (Baker Kiymaz, 2011). The private equity firms launch a fund where investors such as high net worth individuals and pension schemes may contribute to. These persons are looking to gain high returns by entrusting their funds to professional investors. This fund is then invested in the various targeted sectors that have been already identified. The targeted firms are those that have a good growth potential or those where opportunities have been noticed for improvements in profit maybe through cost cutting (GoergenRenneboog, 2004). Firms may utilize their surplus funds to acquire a different firm. Thus they avoid sharing out this money as a dividend to the shareholders or using it to repurchase shares which will increase the income taxes for the shareholders. By carrying out the acquisition, the shareholders will not pay any extra income taxes. An acquiring firm may acquire a target so as to utilize their working capital. This is particularly true when a target company happens to have some assets that have not been fully utilized and hence they can be divested by the acquiring company (CartwrightCooper, 2012). Merging leads to the firms enjoying the effects of coinsurance. This is whereby when the two firms merge their assets and liabilities there is a lesser chance of either declaring bankruptcy. Therefore, they can enjoy a better yield on corporate yield. Conclusion Overall takeovers have got numerous advantages and therefore one may go ahead and ignore their risks if the returns outweigh the risks. Those risks include acquiring an administrative strain since the firm has grown in size. There may also be associated with brand damage in case the target company does not fit in precisely with the image of the acquirer. But in any case, there is no escaping the fact that they are a common occurrence in the market today. Therefore, most firms have made provisions for them in their strategic plans. There may be different motivations for them but it is the managements responsibility to ensure that they protect the shareholders wealth by negotiating for a fair compensation for them. This is to allow for a friendly takeover as opposed to a hostile one where the acquiring firm will dictate their conditions. References Aswathappa, K. (2007). International Hrm.Tata Mc-Graw-Hill Education. Berk, J., DeMarzo, P., Harford,J.,Ford,G.,Mollica,V.,Finch,N. (2013). Fundamentals of Corporate Finance, Edition 2nd, Pearson Australia. Baker, H, K., Kiymaz, H. (2011).The Art of Capital Restructuring: Creating Shareholder Value through Mergers and Acquisitions, Kolb Series In Finance. Cartwright, S., Cooper, C.L. (2012).Managing Mergers Acquisitions and Strategic Alliances.Routledge. Available at https://scholar.google.co.uk/citations?view_op=view_citationhl=enuser=B01Zkj8AAAAJcitation_for_view=B01Zkj8AAAAJ:UuEBAcK4md4C [Accessed date 15 september, 2016]. Chatterjee, S. H., Harrison, J, S., Bergh, D, D. (2003). Failed Takeover Attempts, Corporate Governance and Refocusing. StrategicManagement Journal ,Vol.22, 87-96. Gharghori, P., Veeraraghavan, M., Lee, R. (2009).Anomalies and stock returns: Australian evidence. Accounting and Finance, 49(3), 555 - 576. DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-629X.2009.00298.x Goergen, M., Renneboog, L. D. R. (2002).Shareholder Wealth Effects of European Domestic and Cross-Border Takeover Bids. (CentER Discussion Paper; Vol. 2002-50). Tilburg: Finance. Harford, J. (2003). Takeover Bids and Target Directors' Incentives: The Impact of a Bid on Directors' Wealth and Board Seats. Journal of Financial Economics ,vol. 69, issue 1, 51-83. Levy, H. (2011).The Capital Asset Pricing Model in the 21st Century: Analytical, Empirical andBehavioural Perspectives. Cambridge University Press.Available at https://assets.cambridge.org/97811070/06713/frontmatter/9781107006713_frontmatter.pdf. [Accessed Date 15 September, 2016] Lummer, L. L., Riepe, M, W.(1994). The role of asset allocation in portfolio management. (J. K. Lederman, Ed.) Globalasset allocation: techniques for optimizing portfolio management , 9. Available at https://corporate.morningstar.com/ib/documents/MethodologyDocuments/IBBAssociates/RoleAssetAllocation.pdf. [Accessed date 15 September, 2016]. Masulis, R. W., Wang, W., Xie, F.(2007). Corporate Governance and Acquirer Returns.The Journal of Finance, Volume 62, Issue 4, 1851-1889. Nguyen, A., Faff, R Gharghori, P.(2009). Are the FamaFrench factors proxying news related to GDP growth? The Australian evidence.Avaolable at: https://www.efmaefm.org/0EFMAMEETINGS/EFMA%20ANNUAL%20MEETINGS/2007-Austria/papers/0108.pdf. [Accessed date 15 September, 2016] Pandey, M. (2012). Financial Management, Vikas Publishing House Pvt. Ltd., 10th edition. Rossi, S. Volpin, P, F. (2004).Cross-country Determinants of Mergers and Acquisitions.Journal of FinancialEconomics , 277-304. Available at: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/22e1/786bbdb05afec65d50427e5c7f5cf3e6d7ae.pdf. [Accessed date 15 September, 2016]

Napster Essays (685 words) - Metallica, Napster,

Napster The Napster Revolution Have you ever listened to your favorite song on the radio and recorded it? I remember when I would sit next to the radio and listen to it for hours at-a-time, just so that I could record my favorite songs off the radio. Now with computers and the Internet, I would go all over the Internet to look for songs, but only some of the time I was successful. Then I ran into a program called Napster, which made my music search much easier. Have you ever download free music off the Internet? Statistics say that 59% of people that download free music from the Internet, end up buying the music. Recently, there was a lawsuit made by the Recording Industry Association of America towards Napster concerning copyright issues, which in return had Napster rethinking its principles. Then in July of this year, a federal court judge ordered Napster to halt the trading of copyrighted material, but the decision was stayed. Napster has responded by saying that it is supporting music by bringing together more than 6 million users a day, whom all support Napster .By downloading free music over the internet, people support artists by liking their music. How Internet music sharing works. In order to start downloading music, people first must start by getting the program Napster. When this program is installed in the computer, its starts working by connecting to the Internet and creating a list of mp3 files available in the users computer, which in return sends it to the main Napster computer. When someone searches for a particular song the list of that song comes up with all available matches, and then the person can choose the one to download. After this, the users computer then connects to the other partys computer and commences the transfer. To what extent does music sharing break the law? The real theft is taking place when people sell discs online that they have made of bootlegged songs, not when someone listens for his own enjoyment. The issues surrounding digital music to swipe or not to swipe are not legal or even technological so much as they are ethical. So what if Napster is shut down? Tons of new schemes have already come online that allow people to trade songs pretty easily and unlike with Napster, there is no one to sue. There's even a promising underground technology called Aimster that allows the 61 million users of AOL's Instant Messenger to swap music, only untraceably, with the people on their buddy lists. How much of a crime can it be if you're doing it with a buddy? Why we should use it? When we buy a Compact Disc, we own it, we are free to do whatever we like with it, and it can be shared with our friends; so why cant we share our favorite songs with the world. Using Napster supports many artists who believe that this is an innovative way to share music. Here is what artists think about Napster: I believe that artists should welcome Napster. We should think of it as a new kind of radio a promotional tool that can help artists who don't have the opportunity to get their music played on mainstream radio or on MTV. CHUCK D Why aren't record companies embracing this great opportunity? Why aren't they trying to talk to the kids passing compilations around to learn what they like? COURTNEY LOVE In the end, when downloading music, a person is not doing anything illegal, just sharing his/her favorite music with the world. While at the same time supporting the artists by having their music. OUTLINE: Napster Revolution THESIS: By downloading free music over the Internet, people support artists by liking the music. I. Introduction II. How Internet music sharing works a. Getting the program b. Using the program c. Searching for music III. Is it illegal? a. Recording bootleg CDs and selling on the Internet b. Other ways/programs IV. Why we should use it? a. Free to-do-so b. Supported by artistes i. Chuck D ii. Courtney Love V. Conclusion Social Issues

Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism America and Other Countries

Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism America and Other Countries Nowadays, our world consists of so many different societies, with their own preferences, interests, customs, and traditions. Culture of every society is unique indeed; it is a set of own values and goals, which characterize the society as a whole and separate institution. Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism: America and Other Countries specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The representative of each society lives with his/her own ethnocentric attitude, the belief that his/her culture is much more superior than any other. In order not to become self-absorbed, it is necessary to train the sense of cultural relativism in the society and make certain differentiations between the idea of cultural relativism and ethnocentrism. Ethnocentrism is a tendency, when a person uses the cultural norms of his/her own society in order to judge some other culture and its representatives. In addition, ethn ocentrism underlines the superciliousness of one culture among the others. Cultural relativism is another tendency, according to which personal beliefs and preferences are relative to another culture. Cultural relativism shows that there are not right and wrong standards with the help of which cultures may be compared. Taking into account such simple and comprehensible definitions, it is possible to say that the ideas of cultural relativism are rather opposite to the ideas of ethnocentrism (Ned-Seelye and Seelye-James, 1995, p 70). Without any doubts, ethnocentrism affects considerably the international affairs. Lots of people truly believe that America is one of the countries with too high idea of ethnocentrism. Of course, American ethnocentrism is known to many countries: some countries admire America’s power and abilities, however, some other countries cannot still understand what makes this country so powerful and dislike it a bit. â€Å"The image of the ugly American pr evalent in the 1960s has become increasingly rare. Although an occasional traveler still behaves as if the world owes him or her tribute as an American.† (Stewart Benneth, 1991, p 161) It is quite possible that Americans can do certain things better than the other countries. The Americans believe that they are able to do everything better: make films, create songs, dance, communicate, carry wars, etc. Advertising Looking for essay on cultural studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Of course, it is cool than the country is so sure about personal abilities and effects on other countries. However, it is necessary to remember about such a simple thing as cultural relativism in order to learn something new with the help of other countries and develop more and more. Let’s compare America with some other countries in a certain sphere of life, cuisine, for example. Americans can hardly boast with their own c uisine. In Italia, it is tasty macaroni and pizza, in France, it is croissants and brains of numerous animals, and, in Japan, it is rice and sushi. Of course, American McDonalds is something really amazing and attractive, however, it is not a kind of cuisine, but only a type of establishment, where fast food is presented. Another sphere that may be compared is dancing. Not every American can easily dance waltz or tango without any practice. For Austrians or Argentine, it will be rather easier, because these dances are in their blood. They just born to do unbelievable things during these dances and attract viewers’ attention. â€Å"Cultural relativism is a way of viewing the world in terms of the relevant culture, that is, in terms of the culture in which one finds oneself.† (Grulan Mayers, 1988 p 24) This is why America should take into account the ideas of cultural relativism and be ready to respect the other countries, at least in order to learn more, enlarge its ow n level of knowledge, and be open to other countries. With time, such intentions will probably help to amaze the world and even conquer it. Reference List Grulan, S. A. Mayers, M. K. (1988). Cultural Anthropology: A Christian Perspective. Zondervan. Ned-Seelye, H. Seelye-James, A. (1995). Culture Clash: Managing in a Multicultural World. McGraw-Hill Professional. Stewart, E. C. Benneth, M. J. (1991). American Cultural Patterns: A Cross-Cultural Perspective. Intercultural Press.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Ethnocentrism and Cultural Relativism: America and Other Countries specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More

Accounting Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 9

Accounting - Assignment Example The company Gulf Craft is engaged in the production and export of sea based vessels such as ships and speed boards. Their fixed cost includes rent for factory and building and salaries paid to staff members who take care of the maintenance of their buildings. Their variable cost comprises of materials used for manufacturing of boats such as cloth and riggings. Their mixed costs includes the cost of transportation that varies depending on the amount of miles that the product needs to be moved and the cost of commission that is paid to middlemen for helping the company sell their products. The company Evian is involved in the production and sale of bottled water. Their fixed cost includes the salaries paid to those who maintain the bottling plants as well as salaries paid to individuals working in finance department. Variable cost includes cost of obtaining or producing more bottles and labels for these bottled with changes in production. Mixed cost includes minimum plus extra money paid for utilization of electricity and cost of commissions paid to employees who are paid a basic minimum salary and commission for their sales. The company named Ircon International Limited is indulged in the activity of engineering as well as constructing the infrastructure and the company specializes in developing transport based infrastructure. The fixed cost of the company includes salaries paid to permanent employees such as employees of human resource department and rents that the company pays to the owner of its offices. The variable costs include the cost of raw materials used in construction such as steel and concrete. The mixed costs include the salaries that the company pays to consultant if consultants are paid on the basis of minimum wage plus consultancy fee paid per hour. The second mixed cost may include the equipment is obtains on rental basis for construction if the equipment owners are paid on the basis of basic fee as

Worldviews and Its Formation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Worldviews and Its Formation - Research Paper Example One of the areas of contention is religion and the belief in God. In the world, there are thousands of distinct religions, each purporting to follow a certain faith. However, all these religions can be grouped into seven major categories, which include all the dominant worldviews. These worldviews include Monotheism, Deism, Naturalism, Nihilism, Existentialism, Pantheism and New Consciousness. This paper will thus discuss all the major worldviews, and compare and contrast them with a Christian Biblical worldview. Worldview and its formation Generally, a worldview is a group of presuppositions that people hold concerning the basic setup or makeup of the world. Specifically, it is an explanation of the divergent views of the people concerning the makeup of the world. People try to apply these views in their day-to-day existence. Some authors go further to suppose that a worldview is a model of the world that is used to guide the various assumptions of a set of people (Futrell, 2006). H owever, not all presuppositions of the people consist of a worldview, as the assumptions have to pass certain tests. The first test is rationality, in which case people should not be asked to believe contradictory events. The second test is that there should be enough evidence to support the theory, mostly from the things that are observable. Another test is that of reality, as it should be able to provide a comprehensive explanation of the way things are. This explanation should be satisfying to those who believe in it. Lastly, the worldview should be in a position to provide a purpose for life. People should not borrow elements from other worldviews to explain their purpose on earth (Solomon, 2001). A worldview is formed by joining certain components together, which serve as self-evident. Infants have no worldview, and the perception of life for everyone takes shape as the he grows and develop. The surrounding environment shapes most of the components of individual worldviews (Sir e, 2009). This environment starts to take charge at an early age, when the infant is under the care of the parent. Parents are the one who shape the first perception of the infants (Futrell, 2006). As the children grow, they develop their unique worldview based on the four fundamental components. The first component is the belief that something exist. This is because the experiences of the people have causes and effects that must be in existence. The second component is the belief that all people have absolutes, which serves as a reference point for their existence. Some people take God as their reference point, while others take love or power (Solomon, 2001). Another component for the formation of a worldview is the belief that two contradictory statements cannot both be right. In this regard, the basic law of logic applies as only one worldview can reflect the reality of life. For a worldview to be formed, it must thus have a unique belief from the others. The last fundamental com ponent in the formation of a worldview is the belief that all people exercise faith. Everyone in the world must assume at one point that certain things or events happen without absolute proof. One of the common beliefs in many worldviews is that a personal God exist (Solomon, 2001). Comparison and contrast of the seven worldviews with a Christian biblical worldview Monotheism The Monotheistic worldview is based on the people’s belief that there is only one God. This personal God has a distinctive personality and not just a divine power. In addition, there is a belief that humankind is a special creation of God in His own image. God manifests Himself though revelation and the truth about Him is beyond all rational

Managing Creativity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Managing Creativity - Essay Example I have been always a lover of art and thanks to my older sister I grew up by going as often as we both could go to the High Art Museum of Santiago, Chile. She loved to take me to this rather small museum if we compare it with some of the European ones, but loaded with some extraordinary paintings that till today are some of the best to me. We were then delighted with the works of such talented Masters as Pedro Lira (1845-1912), Camilo Mori (1896-1973) and Alberto Valenzuela Llanos (1869-1925), among so many other ones. Lately, in 1994, the Museum showed for the first time an exhibition that made us to be breathless with the perfection of paintings from Claudio Bravo (born in 1936). I was living in Spain at that date, but she told to me about this great exhibition and I immediately took interest by knowing more about him through the newspapers and related literature I was able to get. I must admit that I have always consider myself with a much more classic and conservative tendency th an modern on art feelings. It is still somehow difficult to me to understand the so called beauty of avant-garde or ultramodern paintings with abstract figures that symbolize whatever the viewer wants to see. However, my husband had reason when telling me about the great artist I could found on the non-classic but surrealist Master Salvador Dali (1904-1989). Even though I lived for 3 years in Spain, I never really took the trip to Figueras, to his Museum and natal city in the province of Gerona. But today I live in USA and knowing how famous Dali has always been and loving the idea of a small trip from our home in Greenville (SC) to the Salvador Dali Museum, St. Petersburg (Fla), we prepared ourselves for this adventure on art. It was then and there, three years ago when my eyes were opened to his work. I was tremendously impressed with his paintings. I truly never expected I was going to fall in love with them. They are not the classic style I am always looking for. The subject of his paintings is not obvious to my eyes and senses as the ones I know what I am seeing at the first sight of them for the first time. In contrast, they are very liberal figures and shapes, colors, symbols, several paintings and ideas in one canvas, but mixed in a way that captivated my full attention till today. Since then I cannot ignore how splendid this eccentric artist was. He was eager for the new, not only for the subjects that he picked up to paint, but for the new ways of presenting them to the world. Always using different tools, from brushes to everything else that could allow him to accomplish what he had on mind at the time he was painting (Descharnes and Neret, 1998). Creativity and Business At this point you might be wondering what this brief talk about my personal feelings on art has to do with business. But believe me, it is related. According to Wikipedia, the free web encyclopedia, creativity by definition is a mental process that involves the generation of new beliefs, ideas, observations, or new associations between existing ones. And Dali is just one

Analysis Of Malasias Foreign Policies Since Independence Politics Essay

Analysis Of Malasias Foreign Policies Since Independence Politics Essay The Ministry of Foreign Affairs or Wisma Putra as it is commonly known has been mandated to pursue the nations foreign policy in accordance with the Federal Constitution of Malaysia with the objective of protecting and promoting the nations interest at the international level. Malaysias foreign policy is premised on establishing close and friendly relations with countries in the community of nations.   It will continue to respect the internal affairs of other nations and advocate a policy of non-interference recognizing the sovereignty of nations. Since Malaysias independence in 1957 till today, the vision of our foreign policy remains consistent that is to safeguard Malaysias national interests as well as contribute towards a just and equitable community of nations.   This is achieved through upholding the countrys sovereignty and promoting universal peace; fostering friendly relations with foreign countries and protecting Malaysias interests in the regional and international arena.   In other words, Malaysia will continue to consolidate its relations with other countries and international organisations, both at the regional and international level. In line with the objectives of promoting and protecting Malaysian national interest abroad, the Ministry has established a total of 105 missions in 83 countries and appointed 53 Honorary Consuls who provide support and assistance in promoting Malaysias interest abroad. Since the independence of Malaya in 1957, the nations foreign policy has gone through several phases of significant transition with different emphases under five previous premierships.   The policy has been largely determined by the established national characteristics and succession of political leadership as well as by the dynamic regional and international environment. Tunku Abdul Rahman, the first Prime Minister of Malaysia held a markedly anti-Communist and pro-Western posture as the era saw the country threatened by the Communist insurgency.   The foreign policy during Tunkus time had to take into consideration the bipolar power struggle between opposing ideas of democracy and communism. Under the stewardship of Malaysias second premier Tun Abdul Razak, Malaysias foreign policy began to shift towards non-alignment and internationalism with Malaysia joining the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) and Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). A period of consolidation ensued under Tun Hussein Onn with ASEAN becoming the cornerstone of Malaysias foreign policy following the collapse of Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) in 1975, the withdrawal of the US military presence from Southeast Asia and the invasion of Kampuchea (now Cambodia) by Vietnam. During the premiership of Tun Dr. Mahathir in 1981, Malaysia began opening its doors to foster relations with more nations and became a symbol of a rising developing country.   Under Tun Mahathirs tenure, the nations foreign policy began adopting a much greater economic orientation in the countrys external relations while championing the rights, interests and aspirations of developing countries.   This approach led to the advocacy of the South-South Cooperation, a more proactive role in the G-77, the establishment of the G-15 and saw the Look East Policy being instituted.   This shift to the East greatly influenced Malaysias economic development.   Malaysia became the voice of the developing world and was a role model for many developing countries as it become well known for its active stance at the UN and other international conferences.   Malaysias participation in peacekeeping missions under the UN is also a testimony of the nations seriousness in instilling the will of the international community.   Since 1960, Malaysia has committed troops to Republic of Congo, Bosnia Herzegovina, Somalia, Sierra Leone, Namibia, Western Sahara, Iraq, Timor Leste and Lebanon. The fifth Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi continued to ensure that Malaysia was active in the international arena.   During his tenure, Malaysia played an instrumental role in the formulation and adoption of the ASEAN Charter which has been ratified by all ASEAN member states and subsequently entered into force on 15th December 2008.  During this period, Malaysia was also active in expanding the focus of OIC from being an organisation focused solely on political issues into one which focuses on the socio-economic development of Islamic countries.   The Islam Hadhari concept which promotes a form of civilisational Islam was also introduced by Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi and was accepted and recognised by the OIC member states at the 3rd Special Summit of OIC at Makkah in December 2005. Under the leadership of Prime Minister YAB Dato Sri Najib Tun Razak, Malaysia will continue to project a forward-looking and pragmatic foreign policy whilst continuing to facilitate trade, attract foreign investment as well as project Malaysia as a stable and peaceful country. Upon taking office in April 2009, the Prime Minister also stressed that Malaysias foreign policy under his administration would be shaped significantly by the 1Malaysia: People First, Performance Now concept. Among the key elements of the 1Malaysia concept is in realising the strength of Malaysia lies in its diversity.   This concept bodes well with the main vision of Malaysias Foreign Policy that is to protect and promote interests abroad and at the same time responsibly and effectively contribute towards the building of a fair and just world.   Dato Sri Najib believes that the interconnectedness of nations in the world means that Malaysia would benefit in applying 1Malaysia in its efforts in diplomacy and foreign relations. Synonymous with the 1Malaysia concept, Malaysia will continue to maintain close relations with all countries in the world and will continue to work with like-minded nations in pursuing national interest. YAB PM also introduced the Government Transformation Programme (GTP) that identified Key Results Area (KRAs) and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) of the Ministry as a promise of commitment by the Government to the rakyat.   In line with this, the Ministry has identified 14 Key Performance Indicators to measure the success of the Ministry. The KRAs of the Ministry are as follows: a.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Protection and promotion of Malaysias interests bilaterally, regionally and internationally through proactive diplomacy; b.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Realisation of an ASEAN Community by 2015 via the ASEAN Political Security Community Blueprint, ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint and ASEAN Social Cultural Blueprint; c.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Enhancing Malaysias standing in the international community particularly in the framework of 1Malaysia in an ever changing geopolitical scenario; and d.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Provision of prompt and effective services locally and abroad. Malaysia has also maintained excellent relations with other countries, bilaterally and multilaterally through existing regional and international mechanisms of ASEAN, UN and other organisations which we are a member of. Malaysias foreign policy is structured upon a framework of bilateralism, regionalism and multilateralism where its outreach is likening to a pattern of concentric circles.   ASEAN forms the core priority of Malaysias current foreign policy, in consideration of our neighbours as our closest allies.   Looking further afield, as a country with a strong Muslim majority, Malaysia also gives importance to the solidarity of the Ummah and the spirit of cooperation among the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC).   Malaysias status as a developing nation makes it imperative for the country to engage actively in the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), the Commonwealth, Group of Seventy Seven (G77), Developing Eight (D8), Asia Middle East Dialogue (AMED), Far East Asia Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC), Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC), Asia Europe Meeting (ASEM) and Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).   No less important is the countrys continued active participation in the Commonwealth, the United Nations and other international organisations.   Through these organisations, Malaysia has sought to promote the South-South Cooperation among the developing countries and the Muslim world.   Malaysia also advocates the Prosper thy neighbour policy to enhance economic relations and cooperation with its neighbouring countries through Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-the Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA), Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMTGT) and other entities. Malaysia will continue to play a significant role in the various multilateral issues that affect our interests.   These issues include disarmament, counter terrorism, trafficking in persons, climate change and environmental issues.  Ã‚   As a member of the UN, Malaysia is a firm believer of international peace and security and an upholder of international law.   Malaysias election as the President of United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for 2010 and the Chairmanship of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) were a further testimony of Malaysias positive international image. Malaysia will also continue to engage with like-minded nations, both in the region and beyond in ensuring its sovereignty and economic well being are preserved and protected.   Malaysia will continue with the principles of engagement and cooperation rather than isolationism and unilateral action.  Trade and investment opportunities will continue to be explored with our traditional trading partners and at the same time to develop strategic partnerships for trade and investment with countries in the Middle East, Africa, Latin America and other parts of Asia. In the decade leading up to 2020, Malaysia would have to deal with great changes in the global environment whilst improving and upgrading the countrys domestic conditions.   In recognising this challenge, it is vital that Malaysias foreign policy continues to focus on protecting national interests while responsibly and effectively contributing towards the building of a fair and just world. The fundamental principles of sovereign equality, mutual respect for territorial integrity, peaceful settlement of disputes as well as mutual benefit in relations are the guiding principles that would continue to guide Malaysias relations with other countries.   Ã‚  These principles have stood the test of time. Indeed, our steadfast adherence to these principles, supported by a consistent foreign policy, has established for Malaysia a credible image in the eyes of the international community. OBJECTIVE   Implementing foreign policy is a complex and challenging task. With the dynamic environment of world politics, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs needs to be constantly aware of changes and be able to effectively respond to ensure that Malaysias sovereignty and national interests are adequately protected and Malaysias views and positions are duly articulated in the international arena. The Ministry will coordinate and work closely with relevant Ministries and Agencies to establish workable terms of reference in implementing Malaysias national interests and to coordinate marketing and branding strategies for Malaysia abroad. In the formulation of foreign policy, every country has its own objective. In the case of Malaysia, it is as simple as the pursuit of Malaysias national interest at the international level. The Malaysian government will strive to ensure that Malaysia continues to play an active role in international relations for the benefit of the country. Principal emphasis in the pursuit of Malaysias foreign policy objectives include: Maintaining peaceful relations with all countries regardless of its ideology and political system; Adopting an independent, non-aligned, and principled stance in regional and international diplomatic affairs; Forging close relations and economic partnerships with all nations, particularly with ASEAN and other regional friends; Promoting peace and stability in the region through capacity building and conflict resolution measures; Playing an influential leadership role as Chair of the ASEAN, Non-aligned Movement (NAM) and Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) (As we did in the last few years); Participating actively and meaningfully in the United Nations, especially in the efforts to end injustice and oppression, and to uphold international law; and Projecting Malaysia as a leading example of a tolerant and progressive Islamic nation. FORMULATION OF FOREIGN POLICY    Malaysias foreign policy is basically an extension of Malaysias domestic policy. It is designed to defend and promote the countrys national, political, security, economic and other vital interests. It is geared towards promoting a peaceful regional and international environment, which would give Malaysia space to achieve all its national objectives without disruption from external threats.    Despite the diversity of views regarding the perception and explanation of foreign policy, no foreign policy can be formulated in a vacuum. It must serve to function in a dynamic environment. Malaysias foreign policy is no exception. Various geographical, historical, social and political determinants contributed to shaping the nature of Malaysias foreign policy and the conduct of the countrys international relations.    Our foreign policy seeks to promote mutual tolerance and cooperation amongst all countries that make up the fabric of international community. To this, Malaysia pursues an independent, principled and pragmatic foreign policy which rests on the values of peace, humanity, justice, and equality. Malaysias foreign policy is also premised on the principles of respect for the independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and non-interference in the affairs of other nations, peaceful settlement of disputes, peaceful co-existence and mutual benefit in relations. Due to globalization and the rise of powerful non-state actors, such as Multinational Corporations (MNCs), non-governmental organizations, and a variety of transnational groups, it is imperative for small nation states to cooperate even more closely. To this, Malaysia maintains friendly diplomatic, and trade relations with many countries throughout the world.    As a trading nation, we advocate a multilateral rule-based global trading system which would promote and safeguard the interests of all countries, whether developed or developing, in a fair and equitable manner. In this respect, Malaysia has long advocated the economic principle of prosper-thy-neighbor and not beggar-thy-neighbor. We believe that the global economic infrastructure should be that prosperity will beget prosperity. CRITERIA AND CHARACTERISTICS OF MALAYSIAS FOREIGN POLICY   Malaysias foreign policy is guided by three criteria: a) First, it must be a CREDIBLE policy: Exudes trust and confidence from other nations. In this regard, it has to be based on certain  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   internationally cherished principles.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Serves the countrys best interest and remain a responsible member of the international community.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   b) Second, it must be an ENLIGHTENED policy: Takes care of the interest of its citizens above all else.   Ã‚  Ã‚   Brings international recognition and admiration for Malaysia and   allows Malaysians to be good citizens of the     Ã‚  Ã‚   world. c) Third, it must be a CONSISTENT AND COHERENT policy:   Makes Malaysia an acceptable and reliable partner in interstate affairs. Succeeds in making Malaysia the preferred brand name in international relations. EVOLUTION OF MALAYSIAS FOREIGN POLICY    Foreign policy is not static. Its formulation is essentially a dynamic process. Hence, over the years, our foreign policy has evolved, taking account of the change in leadership as well as developments in the ever-changing global political and economic landscapes. Moreover, the advent of globalization and the transformation of interstate relations brought about by new and rapid changes in information technologies necessarily means that our foreign policy has to be adjusted and fine tuned to meet new challenges in a globalised world. The style and approaches in enunciating Malaysias foreign policy may differ in keeping with the personality of each past and present prime minister of Malaysia. A critical examination of Malaysias foreign policy since 1957 would show its steady evolution characterized by notable changes in emphasis, which took place with the change in Malaysias political stewardship. Briefly;   a) In the period 1957-1969, our country has just gained its independence. During this post independence period, under our first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, our foreign policy was geared towards the survival of our newly independent nation. Our foreign policy then was markedly anti-Communist and pro-western in posture with close links to the Commonwealth. We were also a strong opponent of apartheid. Our posture towards regional cooperation also began to take root with the birth of ASA (1960), MAPHILINDO (1963) and ASEAN (1967). b) In the period 1970 -1976, under Tun Abdul Razak, as a member of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC), Malaysia began to identify itself as a Muslim nation. The search for new friends substantially increased the importance of NAM to Malaysia. We became markedly non-aligned and postured towards neutrality, peaceful co-existence and independence. We also began to distance ourselves from major powers, put strong emphasis on regionalism and developed contacts and diplomatic relations with communist countries. Investments from other than British sources began to be also welcomed.   c) A period of consolidation ensued under Tun Hussein Onn (1976-1981) with ASEAN becoming the cornerstone of Malaysias foreign policy following the collapse of Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) in 1975, the withdrawal of the US military presence from Southeast Asia and the invasion of Kampuchea (now Cambodia) by Vietnam. The First ASEAN Summit was held and Malaysia signed the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Bali in 1976. Further emphasis on independence, non-alignment and equidistance from the major powers was also made. d) A more dramatic shift in emphasis occurred when Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohammad took over as the fourth Prime Minister in 1981. Malaysias foreign policy stance began to take a much greater economic orientation than ever before, coupled with a strong and nationalistic defence of the rights, interests and aspirations of developing countries and the advocacy of south-south co-operation. Tun Dr. Mahathirs premiership saw the pursuit of numerous new initiatives such as: Antarctica as the Common Heritage of Mankind. The Look East Policy (LEP). Championing of the cause of developing countries on major social issues like environment, human rights and democracy. With the advent of globalization, Malaysians identified both the beneficial and adverse impact of globalization to the developing countries. Pro-active and passionate approach on Apartheid and Palestinian issues. Islamic Unity Chairmanship and hosting of the 10th OIC Summit, hosting of 1st Expo OIC, formation of D-8. International peace and security Malaysias membership in UNSC, peacekeeping role in a number of countries such as Cambodia, Somalia, Bosnia, Kosovo, Namibia and East Timor. Malaysia also actively championed against selectivity, double standards and pre-emptive action outside the ambit of the UN. Terrorism Malaysia forged strong regional and international cooperation in combating terrorism, strongly advocated against profiling by religion or ethnicity, proposed multifaceted approach in combating terrorism including identifying and eliminating the root causes, hosted OIC Foreign Ministers Meeting on Terrorism in 2002, established SEARCCT to primarily focus on training and capacity building. Opening of New Frontiers: Active bilateral engagements with African, Latin American and Eastern Europe countries, particularly in trade, investment and transfer technology in the spirit of South-South Cooperation. Includes opening of Diplomatic Missions and extension of Malaysian Technical Cooperation Program (MTCP) in these countries. Economic Orientation: East Asia Economic Cooperation (from EAEG to EAEC to ASEAN +3). Regional Development Cooperation Growth Triangle concept such as IMTGT, IMSGT, BIMP-EAGA. Group of 15 (G15) first advocated by Malaysia. Economic diplomacy reverse investments prosper thy neighbors, South-South cooperation, MIGHT, Langkawi International Dialogue (LID), South Africa International Dialogue (SAID). e) In the period 2003   and onwards, under the leadership of Dato Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, foreign policy initiatives were further refined and fine- tuned to project: Pragmatic response in meeting the current geopolitical and economic challenges. More sophisticated articulation of Malaysias views. Substance as a dynamic extension to existing policies. Influential leadership role as Chair of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) and ASEAN; and Malaysia as a leading example of a tolerant and progressive Islamic Nation Islam Hadhari The evolution of the countrys foreign policy under successive prime ministers reflects a pragmatic response to the geopolitical and economic changes of their times. To be continually relevant to the countrys needs, foreign policy cannot remain static. But whilst changes in emphasis have become a general feature of Malaysian foreign policy, continuity has also been evident. Both the change and continuity mark a higher level of confidence and maturing of the country in the conduct of its international affairs. Indeed, in many ways Malaysias leadership role has been recognized on several issues of deep interest to the developing world.    As a trading nation, we are very much dependent on a peaceful international environment for our well being. Naturally, our foreign policy has to be oriented to allow for a greater focus on economic diplomacy. In the past, when we were producing mainly raw materials for the world, Malaysia had to compete with only a handful of countries. But now, when we have become an industrialized trading nation, we have no choice but to work harder, to compete better and to find new markets for our goods and services. We must find better ways to do business with the outside world. We need to find niches in which we have a competitive edge.    Towards this end, Malaysia has implemented a number of policies that have a strong foreign policy component that will contribute to the creation of a strong, dynamic and resilient economy. These policies include amongst others: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢LookEastPolicy à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ReverseInvestment-ProsperThyNeighbour à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢MalaysiaIncorporated à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢South-SouthCooperation à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢MalaysianTechnicalCooperationProgramme(MTCP) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Langkawi International Dialogue CONLUSION   One significant phenomenon that will impact strongly on Malaysias foreign policy as we move forward is globalization. Our greatest challenge would be to extract the best from the process of globalization and to give our best to the system. And in return to contribute towards making the world a much more peaceful and equitable place to live in, to provide leadership within our region and to demonstrate exemplary and responsible membership of the international community. On the political front, we see the end of the cold war. Yet the world today is no safer than we had been led to believe. The so-called friendly global village has not come about. Old conflicts either refuse to die or simply have a way of coming out of their graves to haunt us. In the meantime, new conflicts, at times much bloodier and brutal than the old ones, continue to emerge and rage or remain unresolved. Added to this, two other issues of great concern also remain, namely terrorism which continue to threaten Terrorism which continue to threaten the lives and property of innocent victims; and The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction which brings fourth the prospect of nuclear, chemical, and biological warfare. It is important; therefore, that our foreign policy be geared towards ensuring that more and more nations sign and ratify the relevant international conventions such as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), and the Convention on Land Mines (CLM). The economic dimension of globalization has been even more disappointing. The financial crisis that descended upon East Asia in 1997 brought about not only social misery and economic disaster but political instability as well. Massive Unemployment, negative growth, stock market crashes and severe currency devaluation have pulled down millions of people below the poverty lines. And now, we are anxiously watching the effects of the possible economic meltdown following the global financial crisis. The severity of the situation calls for the whole business of economic globalization and financial and trade liberalization to be seriously addressed. This is another biggest foreign policy challenge for Malaysia. Malaysia will continue to press for the reforming the international financial architecture that is so prone to speculative manipulations and frequently excessive fluctuation. Malaysias activism at the international front has of course attracted attention and reaction from various quarters. Until recently, Malaysia had been the target for criticism for being too vocal. But this is something that we need to take in our own stride if Malaysia is to be proactive at the global level. Our foreign policy principles have stood the test of time. Indeed, our steadfast adherence to these principles, supported by a consistent foreign policy, has established for Malaysia certain credibility in the eyes of the international community. Malaysias initiatives at various regional and international fora have put the country on the world map. Increased economic prosperity and political stability has in fact enabled Malaysia to carve its own niche in the international scene. Making its presence felt has allowed Malaysia to exercise some influence in setting the international agenda. Being less dependent on foreign aid and assistance, Malaysia has been able to speak up on issues that other developing countries feel constrained to voice for fear of retribution by the major, particularly western, powers. The years ahead therefore would see our foreign policy specially oriented towards not only ensuring Malaysias domestic success but also internationally, as a geopolitical and economic player at the global level.

Graduation Speech: Building County High School :: Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

When I first began school in this district at County Junior High in seventh grade, I had no idea that I, along with my classmates, would have the privilege of building the New High School. Of course I don't mean the physical, brick-by-brick building; I mean the building of High School's spirit, the tradition of pride and achievement that permeates every brick, every part of our school. I had no idea what impact we would have in both the academic and athletic realms. Our group activities have fought for and won honors that can be envied by every other school. Whose football team broke another school's six year winning streak? Whose debate team is now known nationally as one of the best affiliate teams in the country? Whose band marched for President Clinton's inauguration? Yes, it was County High School's teams that accomplished these and other noteworthy feats. But I believe it was we, the first class to spend four years at County, who played a large part in these accomplishments. We came here as eager freshmen, bringing our energy and ideas to this school. I remember all the - glitches and gremlins that plagued us, how History class was as hot as Death Valley and English class colder than Siberia. But we survived. Sophomore year saw the graduation of County High School's first class. And last year, we said goodbye to the class of '11. Many of us had role models amongst them, yet more of us had friends. But as last year drew to a close, we realized that this year would be our year. It was our turn to lead Neda, it was our turn to shine. And shine we did, with a brilliance enriched by our four years of experience in this school. I cannot attempt to list the awards and honors earned by our class, but I can try to express the immense pride I feel when I realize that I belong to County High's class of 2012.

Popul Vuh

There are many stories that talk about the creation of the earth and have been passed from generation to generation. However, each culture and each region has its own stories about the creation. They are unique in some way but still share the same themes that are universal to many civilizations. Almost all the themes talk about how we and everything on earth were created or how the universe and humanity developed. Two of the most popular creation stories are the Book of Genesis and the Popol Vuh.While the Genesis and Popol Vuh are different in the way God created iving things and their explanation of creation, their similarities are important because they tell us how everything come from and the people's belief in Gods. First of all, the Genesis creation myth is known as one part of the Hebrew Bible that explains how God created human and living things. Therefore, their entire traditional stories seem as the views of a monotheistic world, praising one, all-perfect deity.Genesis focus es mainly on the relationship between God and humans beings in the earth. While the Popol Vuh is one of the Maya creation stories and also showed the perspectives of a polytheistic culture, believing and living under various Gods. In this story, the Gods tried to create something that would praise them and thanks to them. In Genesis myth, God created man and woman to live and love each other. However, one strict rule that Gods did not want them to violate was not to eat an apple from the Tree of Knowledge in the Garden of Eden. Of every tree in the garden thou mayest freely eat: but one of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou halt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. † (Genesis 67). Meanwhile, in the Popol Vuh, Gods did not create human at first. Instead, they created animals first and then they created mud people and wood people secondly. Gods finally created humans who made from the corn and have the shape exactly like wha t human nowadays beings. Unfortunately, in both stories, the creation did not satisfy their creators. They did mistake and fail to meet the Gods' expectations.For the Genesis, Adam and Eve were nticed by a serpent and ate the fruit anyway even though they were warned before by the God. Feeling angry from their mistake, God forced them out of the Garden and began to be multiplied and full-filled in the earth. From another part of the Genesis, God was unhappy from what he created because the humans at that time were very greedy and did not follow God's expectations. Therefore, he created a great flood on the earth, destroying everything and killing everyone from this flood. â€Å"l will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth,†¦ or it repenteth me that I have made them. (Genesis 70). In contrast, in the Popol Vuh, when animals, mud people and wood people could not reach Gods ‘expectations because they did not praise the creators as they wanted them to do . Therefore, Gods made a flood to kill all the mud and wood people. â€Å"The manikins, woodcarvings were killed when the Heart of Sky devised a flood for them. † (Popol Vuh 82). While God in Genesis gave humans a second chance to live by saving life for Noah's family after destroying everything, Gods in Popol Vuh began to create the corn people after a flood to serve for their desire because they could praise the Gods and did everything that they wanted. as created and how it was ended. Gods in both stories created humans on the earth, gave them food and shelters but also destroyed humans by a great flood as a symbol of their anger when they failed to their expectations. One more similarity between two stories that all Gods were selfish and being scared when people gain too much knowledge. For example, in the Genesis, God did not want Adam and Eve at the forbidden fruit because they will know everything about the nature as the Gods were doing.While in the Popol Vuh, when the Gods saw the corn people were very intelligent and perfect after created, so they felt threatened by the corn people as they would be more powerful than them. miet they'll become as great as gods, unless they procreate, proliferate at the sowing, the dawning, unless they increase. † (Popol Vuh 85). In order to solve this problem, Gods took away some In conclusion, even though the Book of Genesis and the Popol Vuh were written by wo different cultures, they also have some similarities in general such as the creation of the flood and human's knowledge.However, their myths were also different in some way. For the Genesis, God Just wanted people to live happily and healthily on the earth while the Gods in the Popol Vuh stories want people to praise for their merit and keep their day together. Therefore, as we can see that the differences between two stories are very important because they showed us how different cultures and regions affect human's life and thinking about their cr eation.

How to Cram for the ACT 10-Day, 4-Point Prep Plan

How to Cram for the ACT 10-Day, 4-Point Prep Plan SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you’ve found this article, I assume it’s crunch time, and your ACT test date is in the next couple weeks. If you do not fall into this category (you have a bit of time- one month or more- before your test date), you can still read this guide for some study strategies, but I recommend you take advantage of all the time you have by spreading your ACT preparation out. Don'twaituntil the last 10 days to cram. Thoughquality matters in your ACT prep, quantity is also important: you have to invest a lot of time if you want to see big improvements. You can make a lot of progress in 10 days, butyou need to dedicate the necessary time to improve your ACT score.In this guide, I’ll walk you through the steps to raiseyour score by up to four points in just 10 days. WARNING:Don't use this rushed studyprogramunless absolutely necessary. If you have time to take the ACT again,doquick basic preparation for this test date and then follow a more extensive study program for the next test date. Consider trying PrepScholar or another ACT preparation program before your next ACTtest date. This guide on how to cram for the ACT outlines a very challengingplan that requires a lot ofdedication to work. You'll have to be seriously committedto see major improvements. All that being said, if you do decide to follow this plan, I've outlined two preliminary steps below, followed by the ACTcram plan itself. Get Your ACT Practice Materials Make sure to order a copy of The Official ACT Prep Guide, also known as the Red Book. It’s relatively inexpensive (around $20) and vital to your preparation. You should probably get it overnight shipped to you. The book has three real ACT tests for your practice. If you can’t afford the book (and even if you can), then you should print yourself copies of these free ACT PDFs. I’ll tell you how and whento use them below. Create an ACT Study Schedule Make a strict study schedule and don’t stray from it. You only have 10 days to jump four points, so 30 minutes per day of preparation is not going to be enough. At PrepScholar, we recommend fitting in about 40-80 hours of ACT preparation for a four-point score improvement. You need to fit that study schedule into 10 days. While completing 80 hours of preparation in 10 days will be basically impossible (even more so if school’s in session), you also won’t need 80 hours of studying since, in this shortened time frame, you’ll have the advantage of not forgetting any test technique. I’ve created a sample ACT study schedule below that fits in about 60 hours of prep into the 10 days before the test. Day # of Hours to Study Wednesday 5.5 Thursday 5 Friday 5 Saturday 10 Sunday 10 Monday 5 Tuesday 5 Wednesday 5 Thursday 5 Friday 5 Saturday 0- Take the Test! If you’re doing this ACT cram plan during summer break, great! You’ll have tons of time to dedicate to this schedule. If you’re attempting this schedule during the school year, you’ll need to put your ACT preparation before all else. Remember, it’s only 10 days! I’ve outlined the ACT study plan for each day below. 10-Day ACT Study Plan Before you dive into the waters of ACT cramming, look over each day of this plan to make sure you have all the materials you'll need handy for each day. There's nothing worse than sitting down for an intense study section only to realize you needed to print something out and you're out of paper. Note: This study plan is designed for students who are taking the Saturday ACT. If you're taking the ACT on Sunday or during the week, you may have to adjust some of the timing a little bit so that the 10-hour study days fall on weekends and not weekdays. Day 1: Wednesday- 5.5-6 Hours Learning Objectives: Get familiar with the test format, pick an ACT target score, and take a practice test. Get Familiar With the ACT Format- 20-30 Minutes If you’re familiar with the test format, you’ll have a huge advantage over other test-takers. Read these guides for an overview of ACT format: What is the ACT? A Complete Explanation of the Test What Is the ACT Out Of? How Do You Calculate ACT Score? Raw and Scaled ACT Rules and Regulations: What You HAVE to Know You should read these guides so that you’ll know what’s tested on each section of the test and how your final score is calculated. Both of which are important to know so you understand ACT strategy. Pick Your ACT Target Score- 30 Minutes If you don’t already have an ACT target score, you need to pick one. I won’t go into depth about this process here because we’ve already got another great article on determining the right target score for your dream school. However, the brief summary of how to choose a target score is to aim for a number at or above the 75th percentile score for admitted students at your target college. Why pick a target score? Picking a specific score will help you stay motivated during your ACT cram session. Write down your target score somewhere you’ll see it every day (like on your desk), and tell your parents the number. Seeing it every day and telling other people your target score will make you more motivated to reach it. Take a Practice Test- 3 Hours and 35 Minutes If your copy of The Official Prep Guide hasn’t arrived, you can take a practice test using these free ACT PDFs.Read the rules on how to get the most realistic practice test experience before getting started. You want realistic practice so that you’re prepared for what the conditions will be the day of the test. You don’t want to be surprised the day of the test. Review and Analyze Your Practice Test- 1 Hour When you’re done, review your practice test following the steps outlined in our other guide and review your essay using the ACT Writing rubric. NOTE: I’m having you take and review your ACT Essay for this first practice test. After this test, if you scored an 8 or better, I’d encourage you notto waste your time with any more practice essays. Your ACT Essay is not factored into your overall composite score. Your composite score is what colleges typically look at on your application. Since the ACT Essay does not affect this score, it’s a waste of your limited time to keep practicing it. However, if you’re not getting your score up to 8 or above, you may want to keep practicing it. While it doesn’t affect your composite, a very low essay score (at or below 4 or 5) may worry admissions officers that your writing skills aren’t up to their standards. Once you’ve completed your basic review, analyze your results: Which section was your weakest? Why was it your weakest? Were your issues mainly not understanding the content or did you make more careless errors? Did younot understand the questions? Did you run out of time? If you can’t easily determine which is your weakest section (if your four section scores- English, Reading, Math, and Science- were all similar), try to pick the section in which you answered the most questions incorrectly because you didn’t understand the information necessary to answer the question (e.g. youdidn’t know the formula you needed for a Math question). I suggest this method to determine which is your weakest section because information issues are impossible to fix without studying. However, they’re also the easiest kind of problem to fix because all you need to do is learn the necessary material. Determining your weakest section is important because it tells you what to prioritize in your prep. Don’t worry: you’ll still learn the techniques/strategies for the other sections, but you’ll start with your weakest section. Day 2: Thursday- 5 Hours Learning Objectives: Learn the strategies for your weakest section and apply them to a practice test. Now that you’ve determined which section is your weakest, you’ll learn the strategies for that section and practice applying them. NOTE: I’m providing links to all of the guides you should read to help with strategy and content knowledge for your weakest section. It’s a lot of material, so try to prioritize the topics within each section that you need the most help in. If there's a topic you aren't missing any questions on, don'tworry aboutreading that guide. For instance, if youaren't missing any inferencequestions, you should notread theinference questionguide. Prioritize the guides: start with the overall strategies, then check out guides on your weakest content areas (forinstance, if you got all of the slopequestions wrong in the Math section, start by reading the guide to slopes). Try to read the guides for all of the topics within each section if you have time. If you don’t have time to read it all in these two hours, don’t worry, simply bookmark the articles you didn’t get to read. I set aside time another day in the schedule to review the rest of the articles. Learn the Strategies- 3 Hours NOTE: The Ultimate Guide articles below reference other articles you should be reading. You should read every article mentioned within each Ultimate Guide. However, I've also highlighteda few key articles that youcannot miss. Reading The Ultimate Prep Guide to ACT Reading: Strategies, Tips, and Practice ACT Reading: The #1 Critical, Fundamental Rule The Best Way To Approach The Passage On ACT Reading Stop Running Out Of Time On ACT Reading 4 Top ACT Reading Strategies English The Ultimate Study Guide for ACT English: Tips, Rules, Practice, and Strategies The Top 9 ACT English Strategies You Must Use ACT English Prep: The Best Methods and Strategies The 8 ACT English Tips You Must Use in Your Prep Full Analysis of ACT Grammar Rules: Which are most important? Math Overall Strategy How to Actually Use Your ACT Math Formulas The 31 Critical ACT Math Formulas You MUST Know Plugging in Numbers: A Critical SAT/ACT Math Strategy Plugging in Answers: A Critical SAT Math/ACT Math Strategy Pre-Algebra/Elementary Algebra Complete Guide to Integers on ACT Math (Advanced) The Basic Guide to Integers on ACT Math Complete Guide to Fractions and Ratios in ACT Math Single Variable Equations in Algebra: ACT Math Strategies Probability Questions on ACT Math: Strategies and Practice Statistics on ACT Math: Strategies for Mean, Medium, Mode Intermediate Algebra/Coordinate Geometry Algebra Functions on ACT Math: Lesson and Practice Questions Lines and Slopes: ACT Math Geometry Review and Practice Systems of Equations on ACT Math: Algebra Strategies and Practice Problems Sequences on ACT Math: Strategy Guide and Review Algebraic Operations on ACT Math: Strategies and Formulas Plane Geometry/Trigonometry Triangles on ACT Math: Geometry Guide and Practice Problems Circles on ACT Math: Geometry Formulas and Strategies Lines and Angles in ACT Math: Review and Practice Reflections, Rotations, and Translations: ACT Geometry Strategies and Practice Polygons on ACT Math: Geometry Formulas and Strategies Solid Geometry on ACT Math: The Complete Guide Science The Ultimate Study Guide for ACT Science: Tips, Practice, and Strategies The Best Strategies for Reading ACT Science Passages The Only Actual Science You Have to Know for ACT Science Time Management Tips and Section Strategy on ACT Science The 9 Reasons You Miss ACT Science Questions Essay How To Attack ACT Essay Prompts and Raise Your Score ACT Writing Rubric: Full Analysis and Essay Strategies Take and Review a Practice Section- 2 Hours Whichever your weakest section, sit for a 35 to 60-minute practice section (varies by section). You can either print out one of the sections from these free ACT PDFs or use the Official ACT Test #1 if the book has arrived. After you’ve taken the section, review usingthe steps outlined in our other guide that you used for your first practice test.See what areas you’ve improved in and what still needs work. Day 3: Friday- 5 Hours Learning Objectives: Learn the strategies for another section and try to apply them to a practice test. Learn More Section Strategy- 3 Hours Pick between your other three sections (English, Math, Reading, or Science) and read all of the articles listed above for that section. If you’re doing extremely well in the section you’re choosing to focus on today (you scored at or above 32 on your first practice test), I’d encourage you to use one of the following guides for your study instead of the other guides: How to Get 36 on ACT Math: 8 Strategies by a Perfect Scorer How to Get 36 on ACT Reading: Strategies from a Perfect Scorer How to Get 36 on ACT English: 9 Strategies from a Perfect Scorer The Hardest ACT Science Questions and Strategies to Solve Them Take and Review a Practice Section- 2 Hours For the section you’ve chosen, sit for a 35-minute to 1-hour practice section (varies by section). Use the corresponding section from the same test (Red Book test #1) you did a section from yesterday, so you can save your complete practice tests for use later on. After you’ve taken the section, review using the steps outlined in our other guide. Day 4: Saturday- 10 Hours Learning Objectives: Complete your strategy learning by studying the remaining two sections that you haven’t covered. Take and review practice sections for each. Learn the Third Section Strategy- 3 Hours Choose between your remaining two sections (English, Math, Reading, or Science), and read all of the articles listed above for that section. As I said above, if you’re doing extremely well in the section you’re choosing to focus on today (you scored at or above 32 on your first practice test), I’d encourage you to use one of the following guides for your studyinstead of the other guides: How to Get 36 on ACT Math: 8 Strategies by a Perfect Scorer How to Get 36 on ACT Reading: Strategies from a Perfect Scorer How to Get 36 on ACT English: 9 Strategies from a Perfect Scorer The Hardest ACT Science Questions and Strategies to Solve Them Take and Review a Practice Section- 2 Hours Take a 35-minute to 1-hour practice section with realistic testing conditions. Again, use the corresponding section from the same test you did a section from yesterday and the day before (Red Book test #1). Conserve your full-length practice tests for later in the week. Again, review using the steps outlined in our other guide. Learn the Final Section Strategy- 3 Hours Whatever remaining section you haven’t covered (English, Math, Reading, or Science), and read all of the articles listed above for that section. As I said above, if you’ve scored high in that section (at or above 32 on your first practice test), use one of the following articles for your studyinstead of the other guides: How to Get 36 on ACT Math: 8 Strategies by a Perfect Scorer How to Get 36 on ACT Reading: Strategies from a Perfect Scorer How to Get 36 on ACT English: 9 Strategies from a Perfect Scorer The Hardest ACT Science Questions and Strategies to Solve Them Take and Review a Practice Section- 2 Hours Take a 35-minute to 1-hour practice section with realistic testing conditions. Again, use the corresponding section from the same test you did a section from yesterday and the day before (Red Book test #1). Conserve your full-length practice tests for later in the week.Again, review using the steps outlined in our other guide. You’ve now completed a second entire practice test (broken up over a few days).Compare your second test scores to your scores from your first test. Where did you improve? Where did you make the same mistakes? If you have time, go back and re-read the appropriate articles to help you learn from your mistakes (for example, if you got a few ACT Math Triangle questions wrong, make sure to reviewthat article). Day 5: Sunday- 10 Hours Learning Objectives: Complete your second practice test, review, and determine where you still need improvement. Take Your Second Full-Length Practice Test- 3 Hours and 45 Minutes Make sure to use a new (not partially used) full-length practice test from the ACT Red Book or these free ACT PDFs. If you have the Red Book, use test #2.As you did for the first test, copy the real testing conditions. Review and Analyze Your Second Practice Test- 2 Hours As always, review your answers and your mistakes. Take the time to compare the results to your other tests. Did you improve? In which areas are you still struggling? Topic Refresher- 4 Hours Go back to the articles listed above and re-read those for the topics withwhich you’re still struggling.Create flashcards if you need more help learning grammar rules or math formulas and test yourself with them. If you’re close to mastering all of the sections (scoring at or above a 32),and you haven’t read the below guides yet, checkthem out now: The 21 Hardest ACT Math Questions Ever The Hardest ACT Reading Questions Ever The Hardest ACT Science Questions and Strategies to Solve Them The Most Common Mistakes You Make on ACT English Day 6-10: Monday-Friday- 5 Hours Per Day Learning Objectives: Take and review a practice test each day. If you have the Red Book, use test #3 on Monday, then use the free ACT PDFs for Tuesday-Friday.Keep using the real testing conditions. Spend three hours taking the practice test (without the essay) As always, do detailed reviews using our other guide. Spend about two hours reviewing and referring back to our other articles listed above if you’re not seeing improvement in certain areas. Your race is over! Day : Saturday- 0 Hours It’s ACT test day! Go to bed early the night before, so you get a full eight hours. Pack your test ticket, calculator, pencils, erasers, extra batteries, snacks, water, etc. the night before, so you’re not rushing to find it all in the morning. Set your alarm for at least an hour before you need to leave for your testing center. That’ll give you time to eat a big breakfast and wake up. Read a newspaper article or chapter from a novel to get your brain going. Relax! You’re going to do great! What’s Next? Not sure where you want to go to college? 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