Schizophrenia Is A Serious Brain Disorder. It Is A Disease That Makes

Schizophrenia is a serious brain disorder. It is a disease that makes it difficult for a person to tell the difference between real and unreal experiences, to think logically, to have normal emotional responses to other, and to behave normally in social situations. People with schizophrenia may also have difficulty in remembering, talking, and behaving appropriately. Schizophrenia is one of the most common mental illnesses. About 1% of the world population has schizophrenia. In the United States, there are about 2.5 million people with the disease. Schizophrenia is the cause of more hospitalizations than almost any other illness. Schizophrenia most commonly begins between the ages of 15 and 25. Although it strikes men and women equally, the symptoms may appear later in women than in men. Very rarely, the symptoms of schizophrenia can appear before the age of 12. Childhood schizophrenia has a more chronic disease course and involves poor early language development. People with schizophrenia can have a variety of symptoms. Sometimes, these symptoms come on suddenly. Usually, though, the illness develops slowly over months or even years. At first, the symptoms may not be noticed or may be confused with those of other conditions. For example, people with schizophrenia may feel tense, be unable to concentrate, or have trouble sleeping. They often become increasingly isolated and withdrawn as their grip on reality loosens. They do not make or keep friends. They may stop caring about the way they look. Dropping out of school or doing badly at work are other early signs of schizophrenia. As the illness progresses, symptoms of psychosis develop. The person starts to act strangely and talk nonsensically. People with schizophrenia may develop paranoid delusions. Examples of this would be that they might see, feel, smell, or hear things that are not really there. They may have physical symptoms, like frowning or unusual movements, and may stand or sit in strange positions. Some people become almost motionless. Others move around constantly. The severity of symptoms will vary from one person to another. The symptoms also tend to worsen and improve. When the symptoms are improved, the person may appear to behave relatively normally, but usually there will be repeated episodes of the illness that will cause symptoms to reappear. Schizophrenia is a complex and puzzling illness. Even the experts are not sure exactly what causes it. Some doctors think that the brain may not be able to process information correctly. People without schizophrenia usually can filter out unneeded information: for example, the sound of a train whistle in the background or a dog barking next door. People with schizophrenia, however, cannot always filter out this extra information. One possible cause of schizophrenia may be heredity, or genetics. Experts think that some people inherit a tendency to schizophrenia. In fact, the disorder tends to run in families, but only among blood relatives. People who have family members with schizophrenia may be more likely to get the disease themselves. If both biologic parents have schizophrenia, there is nearly a 40% chance that their child will get it, too. This happens even if the child is adopted and raised by mentally healthy adults. In people who have an identical twin with schizophrenia, the chance of schizophrenia developing is almost 50%. In contrast, children whose biological parents are mentally healthy even if their adoptive parents have schizophrenia have about a 1% chance of getting the disease. That is about the same risk as for the general population of the United States. Some researchers believe that events in a persons environment trigger schizophrenia. Some studies have shown that influenza infection or improper nutrition during pregnancy and complications during birth may increase the risk that the baby will develop schizophrenia later in life. Many believe that schizophrenia is likely caused by a complex combination of genetic and environmental factors. Certain people are born with a tendency to develop the disease. But the disease only appears if these people are exposed to unusual stresses or traumas. Schizophrenia is usually treated with antipsychotic medication. Some people with schizophrenia also benefit from counseling and rehabilitation. They may need to go to the hospital during an acute attack. The goal of treatment is to reduce symptoms during acute

Gulf of Mexico Habitat and Marine Life

Gulf of Mexico Habitat and Marine Life Gulf of Mexico Facts The Gulf of Mexico covers about 600,000 square miles, making it the 9th largest body of water in the world. It is bordered by the U.S. states of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas, the Mexican coast to Cancun, and Cuba. Human Uses of the Gulf of Mexico The Gulf of Mexico is an important area for commercial and recreational fishing and wildlife watching. It is also the location of offshore drilling, supporting about 4,000 oil and natural gas platforms. The Gulf of Mexico has been in the news recently because of the explosion of the oil rig Deepwater Horizon. This has affected commercial fishing, recreation and the overall economy of the area, as well as threatening marine life. Types of Habitat The Gulf of Mexico is thought to have formed by subsidence, a slow sinking of the seafloor, about 300 million years ago. The Gulf has a variety of habitats, from shallow coastal areas and coral reefs to deep underwater areas. The Gulfs deepest area is Sigsbee Deep, which is estimated to be about 13,000 feet deep. According to the EPA, about 40% of the Gulf of Mexico are shallow intertidal areas. About 20% are areas over 9,000 feet deep, allowing the Gulf to support deep-diving animals such as sperm and beaked whales. Waters on the continental shelf and continental slope, between 600-9,000 feet deep, comprise about 60% of the Gulf of Mexico. Offshore Platforms as Habitat Although their presence is controversial, offshore oil and natural gas platforms provide habitats in themselves, attracting species as an artificial reef would. Fish, invertebrates and even sea turtles sometimes congregate on and around the platforms, and they provide a stopping point for birds (see this poster from the U.S. Minerals Management Service for more). Marine Life in the Gulf of Mexico The Gulf of Mexico supports a wide variety of marine life, including wide-ranging whales and dolphins, coastal-dwelling manatees, fish including tarpon and snapper, and invertebrates such as shellfish, corals, and worms. Reptiles such as sea turtles (Kemps ridley, leatherback, loggerhead, green and hawksbill) and alligators also thrive here. The Gulf of Mexico also provides important habitat for both native and migrating birds. Threats to the Gulf of Mexico Although the number of large oil spills relative to the huge number of drilling rigs is small, spills can be disastrous when they occur, as evidenced by the impact of the BP/Deepwater Horizon spill in 2010 on marine habitat, marine life, fishermen and the overall economy of the Gulf Coast states. Other threats include overfishing, coastal development, discharge of fertilizers and other chemicals into the Gulf (forming a Dead Zone, an area lacking oxygen). Sources: Gulf of Mexico Foundation. Gulf of Mexico: Facts and Threats (Online) Accessed May 21, 2010.Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium. Hypoxia In the Gulf of Mexico (Online) Accessed May 21, 2010.Minerals Management Service Gulf of Mexico Region Environmental Information (Online) Accessed May 21, 2010.US EPA. General Facts About the Gulf of Mexico. (Online) Accessed May 21, 2010.

750 word editorial to submit to USA today for possible publication on Article

750 word editorial to submit to USA today for possible publication on why I think the Mental Health Access ACT OF 2012 needs to be passed so it can help the nations veterans - Article Example Delivering mental healthcare to this segment is a unique challenge that requires specialized training. Combat stress has become the inescapable part of life of a war veteran that results in psychological stress. The Post-Deployment Health Assessment for soldiers has revealed the alarming results of mental disorders for those who are engaged in violent war-fronts where they have to witness killings and bloodshed. The Mental Health Access Act of 2012 aims to improve and enhance programs and activities of the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs to improve the levels of resilience of the veterans. Establishment of such a system to provide accurate and reliable measures for mental health services to the veterans is the need of the hour. The bill sponsored by Senator Murray (Democrat) and introduced on June 25, 2012 is the right step in achieving the desired goal. The bill broadly has the twin objectives. Pre-deployment training, wherein the soldiers will be counseled about what to expect in the front to enable them to be mentally tough and let them know how to handle it when confronted and the options available to them. Soldiers killing themselves and committing suicide is distressing news as compared to their dying in warfronts for a cause. According to the figures reported by the Department of Veterans Affairs the nation’s veterans who live through the conditions, post-traumatic disorders coupled with substance abuse have turned out to be serious ailments. Many ancillary problems like emotional numbing, sleeplessness, irritability, hyper vigilance, depression, anxiety and poor concentration makes their life tortuous. The authorities need to take decisive steps to prevent, inform and treat. The brave, faithful men and women who have sacrificed much and have dedicated their lives to serve the nation deserve more and their grievances need to be comprehensively addressed, treated and alleviated. The Mental

Professional Music Reviews Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Professional Music Reviews - Essay Example Music is categorized on the basis of its musical compositions which tell the audience if it is a country music or pop, jazz or rock, classic or reggae. The second common element between all the music reviews is the â€Å"basic introduction† of the music album that is under review. Basic introduction gives the audiences an idea about the singer or the band, their popularity ratio and the number of hit tracks produced by them. Music reviews as published in Kansas City and Metacritic discuss the music albums track by track and according to the musical composition. Every single track in the album is reviewed by the critics in depth. From lyrics to musical composition of all the songs are discussed step by step. Comparison of under reviewed music with other contemporary singers or bands is another essential element of these music reviews. Strong content, information on music and poetic terms play an important role in writing a professional music review. It is important to understand the value of a professional music review which not only gives the audiences complete information on a specific piece of music but, also creates interest in their minds. Thriller is a masterpiece album composed and launched by the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. Thriller is another pop album produced by the King of Pop which will always be remembered for years. Michael Jackson proved his excellent command over pop music and beautiful compositions that helped him turned into a music legend. In short we can say that, Thriller is one of the best albums which gave a sudden boost to MJ’s musical career. As soon as Thriller was released, this magnificent album broke all the records of popularity and stayed on musical charts for about 80 weeks (Erlewine). Thriller has proved itself as one of the â€Å"most in-demand musical album† all round the world. Thriller holds different

Culture Identity Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Culture Identity - Research Proposal Example Ethnocentricity argues that the representation of an indigenous culture by outsiders must be done with a view to portray them as they would see themselves as. Thus, the concept applied to the Inuit is that the portrayal by outsiders should be analyzed from the frame of reference that of trying to understand their views about themselves. This does not mean that any outsider’s view of the Inuit is necessarily derogatory or biased. It just means that the views presented in the article must be balanced with the perspective of this concept. As such, the terms of reference for this paper reflect the concept very much and the attempt is to find out if the articles do so. Though the title of the article may sound patronizing and condescending, it nonetheless is a good representation of the way in which the article has been developed. My opinion on this is that the article should not be judged by the title alone and the contents of the same should be scanned for a deeper reading of the article. The article goes to great lengths to delve into the eating habits of the Inuit and makes a point that the way in which they have developed their eating habits is a function of the climatic conditions that they have been used to. Thus, the use of fatty foods is not because they do not want to stay healthy or fit, but the living conditions make them eat the fatty foods in order to survive in the extremely cold conditions. Of course, the living habits of the Eskimos are detailed to a great extent to indicate the fact that their lifestyle may not be healthy and hence they need the kind of foods that they take. The tone of the article is a bit patronizing, though. My feeling is that we are unable to shake off the tendency to look at ethnic groups in more favorable terms and thus we need to ensure that the same comes through in our representation of the groups. There are umpteen sentences in the article that

Leadership In The Contemporary Business Environment

Leadership In The Contemporary Business Environment Today, the role of leadership in the contemporary business environment can hardly be underestimated. In this respect, it is possible to refer to the experience of John Walsh, the human resource manager of Norton Pistons, who has managed to lead the company out of the ongoing crisis and made it the industry leader. His experienced and effective leadership approaches to the company contributed to the consistent, qualitative change in the development of the company and relationships between managers and employees within the company. In this regard, it is worth mentioning the fact that the development of effective leadership style depends on the personal and professional skills and inclinations of the leader and his or her ability to take the lead and create conditions favorable for the effective development of the entire company. Please describe your leadership style in some detail. (Ask for examples of this style) The leadership style of John Walsh can be characterized as the transformational leadership. The transformational leadership style, according to the leader, is viewed as the introduction of changes and the involvement of the leader in the development and introduction of the change. In fact, the leader prepares subordinates to the change and encourages them to change their workplace environment and style of work. Ideally, the transformational leadership style creates valuable and positive change in the followers with the end goal of developing followers into leaders. Do you consider yourself a charismatic leader? Why or why not? The leader considers himself to be a charismatic leader, who attempts to breed leaders in his subordinates to create an effective team. At the same time, the leader aims at the creation of the team to maintain the growth of the organization and to unite subordinates, who follow his lead and are capable to take effective decisions and make other people follow their lead. At this point, it is worth mentioning the fact that the leader pays a lot of attention to the loyalty of his subordinates. On the other hand, he is always ready to assist to other employees and his subordinates. In such a way, he attempts to develop leadership in his subordinates and enhance the effectiveness of the performance of the organization. How did you become a leader in your organization? John Walsh became the leader after seven years of work in the company. At this point, it is worth mentioning the fact that he worked for the company and started as the human resource manager. He worked for five years in other companies. However, as he started to work in our company, he has proved to be quite successful and revealed the leadership inclinations fast. As a result, he has started to progress since the beginning of his career. In the course of seven years he had become the leader of the company. In this regard, the leader points out that leadership skills were extremely important to reach a tremendous success in the company. At the same time, he pointed out that the development of organizational and communication skills were also essential for his professional developed. On the other hand, his charisma was also extremely important because due to his charisma he had managed to gain the support of employees and respect of other managers that contributed to his fast career p rogress. How does your organization develop leaders (or leadership skills)? The organization provides successful managers opportunities for training to develop their leadership skills. In this regard, the company provides its managers with special training courses. In addition, the company develops knowledge sharing management to develop leadership skills in its managers. Through the close cooperation with each other, managers could share experience and develop their leadership skills. In such a way, the development of leadership skills is effective and does not need substantial investments. Connections to organizational behavior The leadership is very important in the contemporary organizations and the organizational behavior depends on the effective leadership style. In this respect, the transformational leadership style is particularly effective, when organizations need changes. In the contemporary business environment, organizations should come prepared to changes because the fast development of technologies and changes in the business environment contributes to the fast development of business and raises the problem of adaptation of changes within the organization. At this point, it is worth mentioning the fact that the experience of John Walsh is quite useful in terms of the improvement of the organizational performance. In addition, the charismatic leadership contributes to the fast development of organizations because the charisma of a leader unites people and helps the organization to reach strategic goals effectively. Conclusion Thus, taking into account all above mentioned, it is important to place emphasis on the fact that the leadership style is very important in the contemporary business environment. The experience of John Welch is very important and helps to reveal effective strategies to reach positive outcomes in the organizational development.

Jean De Meun :: Essays Papers

Jean De Meun Jean de Meun, a French poet, was born in 1240 in Meung-sur-Loire and died in Paris around 1305. Some sources state that the name Clopinel comes from the fact that he was lame while others claim that it was his last name. Jean was a member of the bourgeois class, educated at the University of Paris, a Christian, and an admirer of Latin authors such as Cicero. He had knowledge of several languages and this is noted by the fact that he translated "The Consolation of Philosophy" into medieval French. Other than these facts, little is known about his life. His works were satirical and allegorical and influenced later authors such as Geoffrey Chaucer. Jean is most famously known for his work on the allegorical, 21,750-line poem, "The Roman de la Rose" ("Romance of the Rose"). This poem was started by Guillaume de Lorris in 1225 and completed by Jean de Meun four decades later. Lorris wrote roughly four thousand verses before his death and Jean added some 18,000 lines afterwards . This poem is considered to be the most important work to come from Old French literary tradition and it enjoyed a considerable amount of success among medieval scholars, with over two hundred manuscripts made of it at that time. However, scholars today have a hard time understanding the true meaning of the poem. "The Romance of the Rose" was translated into Italian, Dutch, and English by the late fourteenth century, a marvel for a literary work of that time period. Jean strove to convey to the nobility ideas of courtly love and other medieval ideas and as a result, his work converted the poem into a medium to communicate topics and ideas that would captivate his readers. The text contains topics ranging from classical heroes and theories on astronomy, to the importance of the middle class and problems such as greed. Some of these topics created controversy, but nonetheless held the reader's interest. In the poem, Jean tries to dissuade the lover, but the god of Love later reproaches the lover or lending an ear to Reason. In the course of the lover's turmoil he has occasion to reflect, among other things, that possessions are burdens, that charity and justice are by no means equal, that power and virtue never go together, and that, even in destroying, Nature carries on her struggle against death.

Ap comaprison china and egypt Essay

Nomads have been known to roam the eastern hemisphere since the beginning of time. The nomadic people and their incursions had affected China and Egypt both, however there impact varied greatly from region to region. China and Egypt both share that the nomads brought chariots to either region, but they differ in the fact that in Egypt most people were forced to become nomadic and driven out of their homes, while China did not. In both China and Egypt the nomadic people brought new culture to each society. Mainly they brought cultural diffusion to each. From each place the nomads traveled from, apiece of that culture got incorporated into China and Egypt, bringing new ideas, and improving society. Chariots were also a similarity that the nomads brought to both China and Egypt. Mainly nobles, and the military used the chariot as a way of transportation. The chariot was a way of showing social hierarchy, and also improved warfare tactics. These similarities greatly impacted and improved the great societies of China and Egypt. The effects of the nomads and their incursions on China and Egypt differed in many ways. The Chinese living near the Yellow River had to become nomadic due to agricultural reasons, while in Egypt the nomadic life style was forced upon them by being forced out of their homes. Due to the Chinese becoming nomadic because of agricultural reasons, many issues formed between the non-nomadic Chinese people and the nomadic Chinese people. So for 2,000 years the nomads harassed, invaded, and even conquered the settled agricultural civilizations of the Chinese empire causing many incursions. Counter to that the nomad people helped flourish the Egyptian life style along the Nile, raising its population tremendously. Lastly one other difference of the effect of nomadic people and their incursions on both Egypt and China was, in China the nomadic people concentrated on herding their animals, and in Egypt not so much. I think the differences between the way the nomads affected China and  Egypt were do to the way the different empires were run. The governments were ran differently, there for making it tough for the similar attributes the nomads brought, making it hard to affect them both in the same way. In the end weather the affect of the nomads and their incursions were similar in both China and Egypt or different, those attributes that were brought to the societies by the nomads helped form those two top regions today.

Chesapeake Energy Corporation

Chesapeake Energy Corporation (NYSE: CHK), headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, â€Å"owns 1.1 trillion cubic feet equivalent (tcfe) of proved oil and gas reserves, one of the largest inventories of onshore U.S. natural gas† {Chesapeake Annual Report, 1998, p. 1}. Recently, Chesapeake finished the transformation from an aggressive exploration company focused on developing short-reserve life, to a lower-risk, longer reserve life natural gas producer. Chesapeake†s operations are focused on â€Å"developmental drilling and producing property acquisitions.† These operations are â€Å"concentrated in three major areas: the Mid-continent, the onshore Gulf of Mexico and far northeastern British Columbia, Canada† [Chesapeake Annual Report, 1998, p. 1]. Aubrey K. McClendon is Chesapeake†s Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and Director. Tom L. Ward is the President, Chief Operating Officer and Director. â€Å"McClendon met cofounder Tom Ward in the 1980†³s. Both were independent oil producers; they teamed up in 1983† [Morgenson, p. 2]. They each have more than 16 years of experience in the oil and natural gas industry. All other members of the management team have multiple years of experience in the industry. Chesapeake has concentrated on expanding its holdings in natural gas since the company†s incorporation in 1989. Chesapeake thinks that natural gas will be the fuel choice of the 21st century. The company has been highly competitive in both its exploration activities and efforts to increase its inventory of undeveloped leasehold land. This combination should enable Chesapeake to remain a competitive force in the energy producing industry. New technology in the oil and gas industry has made exploration and production more profitable. This is key for the survival of American businesses that compete with OPEC and other foreign cartels that have very low production costs. New technology, including three-dimensional imaging, which has greater resolution than the previously existing technology, will enable Chesapeake to detect reserves more accurately. Also, horizontal drilling has enabled companies to drain more than one reserve at a time. With profits continuing to be squeezed within this industry, new technology is necessary to help American businesses compete on a global scale. The oil and gas industry is truly a global market. The industry boosted gains in 1999 from increased production efficiency and a decrease in the current supply. U.S. firms, along with OPEC, have voluntarily reduced their total production, which has increased the price. OPEC currently supplies approximately 40% of the world oil production. If OPEC chooses to produce at a lower output, Chesapeake could easily increase production with its low production costs and huge reserves. Many other nations are emerging as competitors, such as the former Soviet Union and Latin American countries. The continuing increase in supply from other nations would potentially saturate the market, causing lower prices and lower profits. Demand is expected to rise only slightly more than two percent through the year 2005. The outlook for this industry is for increased competition domestically (from smaller companies) and internationally from emerging nations. The U.S. has superior technology, which will help keep profits up as supply increases and demand remains relatively constant. Natural gas makes up 72% of Chesapeake†s revenue. They usually sell the product to third parties and are not dependent on any one buyer. Less than 10% of their revenues are generated from two buyers. Governmental Regulations – Operational and Labor Relations The oil and gas industries are subject to considerable government regulation. These laws and regulations are primarily directed toward â€Å"the handling and disposal of drilling and production waste products and waste created by water and air pollution control devices† [Chesapeake 10-K, 1998, p. 10]. The oil and gas industry is accountable to numerous government agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of the Interior, the Department of Energy, the State Department and the Department of Commerce. Virtually every aspect of operations is subject to complex and ever changing regulations. The oil and gas industry is tightly regulated in regard to labor relations by government department and agencies, including the Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA) and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Some states have their own state sponsored occupational safety plans, while the remainder must comply with federal OSHA regulations. Some of the topics covered under OSHA include personal protective equipment, hazardous communication (HAZCOM) and safety process training. Chesapeake had 453 employees as of March 15, 1999. None of these employees were represented by organized labor unions. The company considers its employee relations to be good [Chesapeake 10-K, 1998, p. 13]. Unocal (NYSE: UCL) employed 7,880 people as of December 31, 1998, of which 575 were represented by various U.S. labor unions [Unocal 10-K, 1998, p. 12]. Both companies are subject to new laws and regulations regarding the environment and labor. Chesapeake and Unocal cannot predict what adverse financial conditions the new laws and regulations will bring. However, short-term and long-term costs will increase as companies improve existing operations to become and remain compliant with government regulations. As a result, all companies in petro-chemical industries are experiencing tremendous difficulty operating profitable businesses. Several businesses have ceased operations as a result of increased regulation coupled with poor profit margins. Chesapeake is at a higher risk regarding this scenario since most of its operations are domestic. Unocal, although a U.S. based company, operations are concentrated primarily overseas, and therefore experience increased leniency regarding environmental and labor regulations. During the last two years, Chesapeake Corporation took a significant hit in terms of earnings, stock price and credit ratings. Positive 1996 earnings turned to a loss in 1997 and tumbled to a bigger loss of $10 per share in 1998. This earnings decline caused the stock price and credit rating to plummet. The company also faces a class action lawsuit stemming from alleged violations of federal securities laws. Top management and directors are accused of using insider information to sell personal holdings in the company at artificially inflated prices. Chesapeake had very disappointing years in 1997 and 1998 as evidenced by the fall in the stock price. The company underwent a substantial repositioning to increase natural gas holdings and reduce risk. As a result of this repositioning, Chesapeake incurred considerable debt and is dependent on the market prices of oil and natural gas to increase, and in effect, improve profit margins. Additionally, in 1997, Chesapeake changed their fiscal year end from June 30th to December 31st. As part of the repositioning, Chesapeake increased long term debt over $400 million to a total of $920 million, coupled with a short-term indebtedness of $25 million. This increased borrowing drastically reduced the company†s ability to obtain additional financing. Standard & Poor†s and Moody†s placed Chesapeake on review with a negative outlook. The ability to meet obligations for this additional debt will depend on the production and financial performance of the company, market prices of oil and natural gas, and general economic conditions. Common Size Income Statement Analysis Chesapeake had an extremely large write-down of assets (impairment) as a result of reduced oil and gas prices during the past few years. This charge increased operating costs by over $1.2 billion during 1997-98 with 72% of that cost coming in 1998. The asset write-down, combined with expense increases in production, marketing and interest, were the main contributors of total operating costs to be over three times total revenue. The result was 1998 EBIT of ($920) million, and a non-existent ROE, since the company had a net loss approaching $1 billion. Unocal†s ROE was 5.9% in 1998 and 25.1% in 1997. The impairment cost reported by Chesapeake is questionable because of the very large amount that was charged. In perspective, Unocal with over $5 billion in property assets recorded an impairment charge of $97 million during 1998. If oil and gas prices rise in the near future, the impairment costs may be reversed giving the impression that the company is doing very well. Future investors of Chesapeake equities should consider this fact prior to making any investment decisions. Chesapeake had a $140 million reduction to both sides of the balance sheet. The repositioning of the firm focused on increasing inventory of natural gas reserves, â€Å"the fuel of choice for the 21st century† [1998 Annual Report, pg. 18]. Oil and gas properties nearly doubled from 1997 to 1998, totaling $2.2 billion. However, nearly $1.6 billion was depreciated, depleted and amortized. Additionally, cash decreased nearly $100 million, short-term investments were liquidated, and paid-in capital exceeded $1.1 billion over the past two years to provide additional cash for purchases of gas reserves. As a result, total property, plant and equipment was 85% of total assets in 1998 compared to 77% in 1997. In comparison, Unocal†s PP&E was 66% and 64% of total assets respectively. Long-term debt increased over $400 million in 1998, totaling $920 million compared to $510 million in 1997. The $920 million was 113% in relation to total liabilities and owners equity of $813 million. In 1998, current liabilities were $131 million compared to current assets of $118 million. This resulted in a reduced current ratio of .90 from a 1997 ratio of 1.42. The Unocal current ratios during 1998 and 1997 were 1.01 and 1.29 respectively. Chesapeake has relied primarily on cash flow through financing activities during the past few years. Cash flow from operations was approximately $95 million in 1998 and $180 million in 1997, while cash flow from financing was $365 million and $278 million respectively. Sales accounted for $378 million in 1998 and appear to be rising approximately 35% annually from 1996 and 1997. However, an accurate comparison is unavailable because of the change in the company†s fiscal year end. Low oil and gas prices forced Chesapeake to borrow, sell equity, and liquidate short-term investments in order to continue operations and invest in oil and gas properties. The company is dependent on the rise of prices during 1999 to continue operations and provide shareholder wealth. The company has several restrictions from being able to borrow additional funds. Additionally, the price of stock has dropped from a high of $34 in 1996 to a low of $.63 in 1998. This has further reduced the company†s ability to generate cash. The current ratios for Chesapeake Energy are as follows: 1.00 (June 96), 2.03 (June 97), 1.42 (December 97), and .90 (December 98). Current liabilities remained constant over this period, ranging from a high of 19% (June 96) to a low of 15% (June 97), with the current level at 16% of total assets. Extreme levels of change in current assets caused the current ratio to fluctuate drastically. Current assets declined from a high of $297 million (31% of total assets) to a current low of $117 million (15% of total assets). This decline in current assets caused the deterioration of the current ratio. The acid test ratios are as follows: .94 (June 96), 2.00 (June 97), 1.37 (December 97), and .81 (December 98). As previously mentioned, current liabilities remained constant. Net accounts receivable remained flat as a percentage of total assets: 9% in 1996, 7% in 1997 (Both June & December), and 9% in 1998. Marketable securities were sold off during the past three years, decreasing from 11% ($104 million) of total assets to zero. Cash decreased from 13% ($124 million) of total assets in 1997 (both June & December) to 4% in 1998. The combination of severe decreases in both cash and marketable securities are the reasons that the acid test ratio decreased so dramatically. The quick ratios are as follows: .96 (June 96), 2.00 (June 97), 1.38 (December 97), and .86 (December 98). As mentioned previously, current liabilities remained constant and current assets declined. As with the current ratio, the main reason for the deterioration of the quick ratio is the continued loss of current assets. The above ratios and the reasons for their poor trends indicate Chesapeake is currently in a liquidity crisis. This, in combination with the increased debt liabilities, is an extreme warning to both investors and management. This condition also adds to the suspicion that assets are being sold off to fund current debt obligations. The firm†s ability to meet its obligations with cash, as they come due, is approximated by the cash flow liquidity ratio. As previously mentioned, solvency improved and then deteriorated as indicated by the current and quick ratios. The trends are confirmed when looking at cash flow. From 1995 to 1997, Chesapeake†s cash flow liquidity improved from 1.47 to 1.8. 1997 to 1998 showed a large drop in liquidity from 1.8 to 0.95. The company†s financial statement data gives an indication as to why. From 1995 to 1997, short-term solvency improved from 1.47 to 1.8. When looking at the data, cash from operations rose from $55 million in 1995, to $139 million in 1997. The 1997 rise was due to a change in the accounting period. During this same period, cash on hand rose from $56 million to $123 million and marketable securities rose from zero to $13 million. While cash was increasing, current liabilities rose from $75 million to $153 million. Current liabilities doubled during this period, while cash flow increased 150%. The larger increase in cash flow, relative to short-term obligations, accounts for the improvement in solvency during the 1995 to 1997 period. During the 1997 and 1998 periods, liquidity deteriorated as shown by the decrease in the cash flow liquidity ratio from 1.8 to 0.95. The data indicates that cash from operations dropped approximately 32% to $95 million. When looking at the Cash Flow Statement, the large decrease in operating cash is mainly due to the large net loss incurred during the period. At the same time, cash dropped 76% to $30 million while marketable securities fell to zero. Much of the cash appears to have gone to fund the company†s payables and accrued liabilities. Current liabilities were reduced 15% to $131 million. The larger reduction in cash flow relative to current obligations accounts for the deterioration in short-term solvency. The cash flow data confirms that Chesapeake†s liquidity suffered severe deterioration. A reduction in current liabilities is a good sign, but the little amount of cash generated and being used to fund current obligations is not enough. Cash assets are being used to fund these obligations as well. In comparison to the industry debt ratio of .31, Chesapeake ended with a debt ratio of 1.31 in 1998 compared to .71 in 1997. The long-term debt to total capitalization ratio increased from .64 in 1997 to 1.37 in 1998, while the industry average was .44. The tremendous increase in debt was attributable to significantly lower oil and gas prices during the past three years, and a failed drilling venture known as the Louisiana Trend. The company was forced to liquidate assets and take on a substantial amount of debt to meet operational expenses and increase oil and gas field reserves. Chesapeake was added to the Standard & Poor†s â€Å"CreditWatch with negative implications† [Yahoo Finance, Nov. 14, 1999] in December of 1998. The low price of fuel during fiscal years 1996 through 1998 was the primary reason for Chesapeake†s troubles. The debt incurred has covenants restricting the company from seeking additional debt and from paying dividends to preferred stock holders. Principal on a large portion of the outstanding debt is not due until 2004 allowing the company time to improve operations. This will also give fuel prices a chance to rise, which is determinant to the company†s survival. The industry average for times interest earned is 5.2, while Chesapeake†s operating profit was ($856) million. The ratio equated to well below zero in 1997 and 1998. In 1998, interest payments were more than $68 million. The financial leverage index could not be computed since there was not a return on equity. Chesapeake overextended their credit by substantially financing with debt and has jeopardized their ability to make obligated payments for their debt and fixed costs.

Were the Atomic Bombs Necessar essays

Were the Atomic Bombs Necessar essays Every act of war directed to the indiscriminate destruction of whole cities or vast areas with their inhabitants is a crime against God and man. Catechism of the Catholic Church. Since June 1940 tension had been mounting between America and Japan. The Axis Power, Germany and Italy, made strides into Europe while Japan had military interests in East Asia. As the Japanese army marched into China and then into Vietnam, the United States grew increasingly uncomfortable. In retaliation, the United States. clamped a trade embargo (including one regarding oil-shipment) on Japan in July 1941. Besides, all Japanese assets in the United States were frozen. Japan and the United States tried to come to an agreement. On November 5, 1941, Japan offered a plan to solve the crisis, but the American Secretary of State, Hull rejected the plan. The Americans would only accept an unconditional surrender under American terms. This frightened Japanese leaders because their biggest fear was losing their Emperor. As a result of the rejection, the Japanese responded in December 1941, when they attacked United States base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii and launched other surprise attacks against Allied territories in the Pacific. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor claimed over 5000 American lives. Thus began a wider conflict marked by extreme bitterness. For most Americans this war was fundamentally different than the one waged against Italy and Germany. It was a war of vengeance. As the end of the war approached it was clear to both sides that it was going to be a fight to the finish. The Japanese would not surrender, they would fight until the death of all their people. They would die, in honor of their country. The Americans would not relent until they had conquered Japan. Therefore, on August 6, 1945, with no forewarning, the United States used their massive, secret weapon, the atomic bomb, a...

The allegory between wisdom and strength Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The allegory between wisdom and strength - Essay Example To the left, there is a description on the pedestals of the column that has a quotation from Ecclesiastes, which is â€Å"All is Vanity†. It means that all earthly thing including power, nations, wars, kingship, love and strength and are hence meaningless comparing to heavenly ones, as embodied by Divine. This is evident in Baroque style of painting, representation of the divine in painting. In addition, the theme here is the strength of Hercules, which by no means is comparable to the virtues of divine understanding. Boucher’s position of the figures in the painting, he places the mighty Hercules below Wisdom, who almost slumps downwards. A divine light is above the head of the woman and has one of her breast exposed. Apparently, based on a celestial figure, the saintly woman stands on a small globe, which symbolizes the world as she cast her eyes up to the heavens. It could also suggest that the male (Hercules) is falling while female (Wisdom) is rising. The woman is surrounded by a blue sky while the man is surrounded by earth colors. One could argue that the painting is suggesting that the force fails when faced by gentleness. The halo of light, which is above the woman, is a reflection of her spiritual wisdom. The painting suggests the power harnessing outside the everyday. The structure and patterns that the two artist use, are derived from the energies of the personal unconscious and the collective unconscious. However, mythic images are not presented in the person unconscious.

The Impact of Global Recession on Small Businesses Dissertation

The Impact of Global Recession on Small Businesses - Dissertation Example Prior research done by John Kitching mentioned that small businesses are treated as highly susceptible to external shocks, such as recessions, with firm performance declining in line with GDP. Small firms possess limited resources, customers and product lines across which to spread their risk – all of which restrict a firm’s capacity to withstand competitive pressures in adverse macroeconomic condition. They are also much more likely to cease trading than larger enterprises. Falling GDP at the macro level causes performance decline at the micro level and, in severe cases, business closure. Many economists have now been predicting the world global recession since the 1930s. Such grim warnings discovery spending by households and businesses, depressing output even more. America, Britain, the Euro area and Japan are almost certainly already in recession according to the popular rule of thumb of two successive quarters of falling GDP. In an updated World Economic Outlook, published on Nov 6th 2009, the IMF predicted the world GDP would fall to 2.2% in 2009, based on purchasing power parity weights, from 5% in 2007 and 3.7% in 2008. GDP is a measure of the total value of production of goods and services by all resident producing units in an economy during an accounting period, which is usually one year or one quarter. While recessions involve falls in GDP, they are namely characterized by rising unemployment. Fear of a long recession stems not just from the distressing developed country figures.