Research Reflection

If I had one Job to choose in this world it would be a veterinarian specializing in equine. When I was little this was what I knew I wanted to grow up and do, even knowing I would have to go to school for what seemed to be forever to receive my doctorate. Since before I was walking I was riding horses, which lead into the rodeo route when I turned eleven and was the main focus point my whole life and if there's passion I had, it was rodeo.The environment and passion rodeo provided me made me want to become a vet so much more; I wanted to know everything possible. When I was about sixteen is when I realized how much I wanted to pursue being a veterinarian. I was on the rodeo road hard core at this point in my life, it even took me out of normal high school to be home schooled while on the road. My main horse was getting hurt on a regular basis which led me to develop a close relationship with a vet who was an equine specialist.When you're a vet you can work for yourself and if it is s omething you enjoy and want to have the knowledge and willingness to learn, you will be successful by the knowledge and the fact that people will trust you with their animals that they hold lose to their hearts. The hours may be long and tiring but when you enjoy your work the hours don't seem as long as they are. When someone puts their trust into you, you appreciate that and don't want to let them down. Its not Just an animal to people, it's like a child and for some people they can have up to half a million dollars invested.The work environment is so amazing as you are inside and outside helping what you love, for me its horses. When you walk into the office to advise you're there for your appointment your greeting with smiling faces to make you comfortable owing you're in good hands. You have places to unload and place your horses while your waiting so they are not uncomfortable if they are in pain or sick. My goals in this role of life would first to be to finish school top in the class showing the knowledge and education provided to me.I would want to have an internship with a well-known and trusted equine vet to establish and create the knowledge of someone who has been in the business and established. I would want to open my own business after I have created a small knowledge for the customers for myself. Once my business was opened I would want to have another veterinarian on board to handle the over boarding of many customers and emergency services for patients. I would want to create and share knowledge with customers and establish for the long run of the work place.I would want to be trusted and a well-known place to go when you're in need of any help with your equine. My interest were much conformed into a lot of different major categories, unfortunately my dream Job of a veterinarian was not on there. The closest thing to my interest would be animal caretaker. With my dream major not being listed, it Just wows me that my interest are more geared to creating of animals. The education level needed for an animal caretaker is only a high school diploma and previous work experience. The annual salary is only about $21 ,OHO.O which is another reason to me that sometimes the things you enjoy Just are not good ideas for the economy the way it is. Currently before completing my education that is less than half of my annual salary. My prior knowledge I was very well aware that unless you can struggle, or make it through school you cannot follow your heart to a small time Job that satisfied our needs; when it is that situation makes that your hobby not career. Parker, Heather M. â€Å"CUFF. Org – Interest Profiler. † CUFF. Org – Interest Profiler. College Foundation, 14 July 2014. Web. 4 July 2014 My dream Job of a vet compared to an animal caretaker differs in a few different ways from the salary to structure. The salaries vary greatly from a five figure annual salary to up to six. The Job satisfaction would be t he same but as an animal caretaker you will not be able to provide care to heal or verify an illness. You will not have the same petition and the status in the community of the equine world; more of a barn hand to the owner on the supply chain. As a vet you have the same legal liabilities as a doctor with humans, you have to care and be passionate.Ethical values are a moral code each of us has grown into as a personality; it has become part of you good or bad. The NAVA has established a set of principles and they are available online as well, they are well rounded values everyone should stand up to. You never want to portray unprofessional; you want to uphold your profession. You want to treat your customers as if you wanted to be rated. You never want to take advantage of them or withhold the truth or information. You are resuming the obligation of your clients to make decisions for the health of the animal.The purpose of ethical codes is to ensure that everyone is getting treated fairly and the same, with respect. If you go to the doctor and they diagnose you with this terminal illness or something serious, you believe them and take them serious. The question comes in if you go through a lot of test and understanding to only find out that you have wasted your money because there is nothing really wrong with you. That would upset anyone, even to be glad to know you're okay but you have been betrayed by someone you have trusted that's not ethical or morally right.There are many consequences from actions from you performing unethical acts, you can never gain the trust of clients and create new customer relationships. As I stated earlier you want to establish a great patient and client base, they need to trust you and understand that you're going to help; without that you may never make it in your profession. They can also range to legal issues; it is illegal to perform necessary medical acts without the patient and client understanding consent.Acting ethically is something that should be a natural act for you, as when you were a kid treats others how you would like to be treated. If you're in the medical field think that you want your doctor to treat your mother how he/she would treat their mother. Same thing applies in the veterinarian world; there is a lot of investment and love in an animal like a child. If you are in it for the money or position on the pole of hierarchy your already thinking unethically. When it comes to the care and health of there and others loved ones you should naturally want the best.

Queen Seondeok of Koreas Silla Kingdom

Queen Seondeok of Koreas Silla Kingdom Queen Seondeok ruled the Kingdom of Silla  starting in 632, marking the first time a female monarch rose to power in Korean history - but certainly not the last. Unfortunately, much of the history of her reign, which took place during Koreas Three Kingdoms period, has been lost to time, but her story lives on in legends of her beauty and even occasional clairvoyance.   Although Queen Seondeok led her kingdom in a war-torn and violent era, she was able to hold the country together and advance Silla culture while her success paved the way for future ruling queens, marking a new era in a female dominion of South Asian kingdoms. Born Into Royalty Not much is known about Queen Seondeoks early life, but it is known that she was born Princess Deokman in 606 to King Jinpyeong, the 26th king of the Silla, and his first queen Maya. Although some of Jinpyeongs royal concubines had sons, neither of his official queens produced a surviving boy. Princess Deokman was well-known for her intelligence and accomplishments, according to the surviving historical records. In fact, one story tells of a time when the Emperor Taizong of Tang China sent a sample of poppy seeds and a painting of the flowers to the Silla court and Deokman predicted the flowers in the picture would have no scent. When they bloomed, the poppies were indeed odorless. The princess explained that there were no bees or butterflies in the painting - hence her prediction that the blossoms were not fragrant. Accession to the Throne As the oldest child of a queen and a young woman of great intellectual power, Princess Deokman was selected to be her fathers successor. In Silla culture, a familys heritage was traced through both the matrilineal and patrilineal sides in the system of bone ranks  - giving high-born women more authority than in other cultures of the time. Because of this, it was not unknown for women to rule over small sections of the Silla Kingdom, but they had only ever served as regents for their sons or queens dowager - never in their own name. This changed when King Jinpyeong died in 632 and the 26-year-old Princess Deokman became the first ever outright female monarch, Queen Seondeok. Reign and Accomplishments During her fifteen years on the throne, Queen Seondeok used skillful diplomacy to form a stronger alliance with Tang China. The implicit threat of Chinese intervention helped to ward off attacks from Sillas rivals, Baekje and Goguryeo, yet the queen was not afraid to send out her army as well. In addition to external affairs, Seondeok also encouraged alliances among the leading families of Silla. She arranged marriages between the families of Taejong the Great and General Kim Yu-sin - a power bloc that would later lead Silla to unify the Korean Peninsula and end the Three Kingdoms period. The queen was interested in  Buddhism, which was fairly new to Korea at the time but had already become the state religion of Silla. As a result, she sponsored the Bunhwangsa Temple construction near Gyeongju in 634 and oversaw the completion of Yeongmyosa in 644. The  80-meter-tall Hwangnyongsa pagoda included nine stories, each of which represented one of Sillas enemies. Japan, China, Wuyue (Shanghai), Tangna, Eungnyu, Mohe (Manchuria), Danguk, Yeojeok, and Yemaek - another Manchurian population associated with the Buyeo Kingdom - were all depicted on the pagoda until Mongol invaders burned it down in 1238. Lord Bidams Revolt Near the end of her reign, Queen Seondeok faced a challenge from a Silla nobleman called Lord Bidam. Sources are sketchy, but he likely rallied supporters under the motto Women rulers cannot rule the country. The story goes that a bright falling star convinced Bidams followers that the queen too would fall soon. In response, Queen Seondeok flew a flaming kite to show that her star was back in the sky. After just ten days, according to the memoirs of a Silla general, Lord Bidam and 30 of his co-conspirators were captured. The rebels were executed by her successor nine days after Queen Seondeoks own death. Other Legends of Clairvoyance and Love In addition to the story of the poppy seeds of her childhood, further legends about Queen Seondeoks predictive abilities have come down through word of mouth and some scattered written records. In one story, a chorus of white frogs appeared in the dead of winter and croaked ceaselessly in the Jade Gate Pond at Yeongmyosa Temple. When Queen Seondeok heard about their untimely emergence from hibernation, she immediately sent 2,000 soldiers to the Womans Root Valley, or Yeogeunguk, west of the capital at Gyeongju, where the Silla troops found and wiped out a force of 500 invaders from neighboring Baekje. Her courtiers asked Queen Seondeok how she knew that the Baekje soldiers would be there and she replied that the frogs represented soldiers, white meant they came from the west, and their appearance at the Jade Gate - a euphemism for female genitalia - told her that the soldiers would be in the Womans Root Valley. Another legend preserves the Silla peoples love for Queen Seondeok. According to this story, a man named  Jigwi  traveled to the Yeongmyosa Temple to see the queen, who was making a visit there. Unfortunately, he was tired out by his journey and fell asleep while waiting for her. Queen Seondeok was touched by his devotion, so she gently placed her bracelet on his chest as a sign of her presence. When  Jigwi  woke up and found the queens bracelet, his heart was so filled with love that it burst into flame and burned down the entire pagoda at Yeongmyosa. Death and Succession One day sometime before her passing, Queen Seondeok gathered her courtiers and announced that she would die on January 17, 647. She asked to be buried in the Tushita Heaven and her courtiers replied that they did not know that location, so she pointed out a place on the side of Nangsan (Wolf Mountain). On exactly the day that she had predicted, Queen Seondeok died and was interred in a tomb on Nangsan. Ten years later, another Silla ruler built Sacheonwangsa  - The Temple of Four Heavenly Kings - down the slope from her tomb. The court later realized that they were fulfilling a final prophecy from Seondeok wherein Buddhist scripture, the Four Heavenly Kings live below the Tushita Heaven on Mount Meru. Queen Seondeok never married or had children. In fact, some versions of the poppy legend suggest that the Tang Emperor was teasing Seondeok about her lack of offspring when he sent the painting of the flowers with no attendant bees or butterflies. As her successor, Seondeok chose her cousin Kim Seung-man, who became Queen Jindeok. The fact that another ruling queen followed immediately after Seondeoks reign proves that she was an able and astute ruler, Lord Bidams protestations notwithstanding. The Silla Kingdom would also boast Koreas third and final female ruler, Queen Jinseong nearly two hundred years later from 887 to 897.

Questions on Financial Management Essays

Questions on Financial Management Essays Questions on Financial Management Essay Questions on Financial Management Essay Essay Topic: Questions Sensitivity analysis provide information for decision makers to more informed about project sensitivities, to know the room they have for judgemental error and to decide whether they are prepared to accept the risks. During the implementation phase of the investment process the original sensitivity analysis can be used to highlight those factors which have the greatest impact on NPV. Decision makers can draw on key parameters differ significantly from the estimates. For example, this project is highly sensitive to the price of product. $50 of change can make a great impact on NPV. Managers after recognising this from the sensitivity analysis should make some plans to avoid big change of price. From sensitivity analysis of Pentre plc, we can see market size in year 2 to year 5 is more sensitive than market size in year 1. Thus the company should take more efforts to keep and extend its market share from second year. Sensitivity analysis also has many drawbacks. For example, the absence of any formal assignment of probabilities to the variations of the parameters is a potential limitation. Change of government policy, eventuality impact such as SARS. Another criticism is that each variable is changed in isolation while all other factors remain constant. For example, if inflation is higher then both anticipated selling prices and input prices are likely to be raised. b) Merits and Drawbacks of the Use of Internal Rate of Return The Internal Rate of Return (IRR) is the discount rate at which the Net Present Value (NPV) of a project equals zero. The IRR decision rule specifies that all independent projects with an IRR greater than the cost of capital should be accepted. When choosing among mutually exclusive projects, the project with the highest IRR should be selected). IRR method has many advantages that make it one of the most widely used methods for evaluating capital investments. First, the IRR makes an appropriate adjustment for the time value of money. The value of a dollar received in the first year is greater than the value of a dollar received in the second year, and even cash flows that arrive several years in the future receive some weight in the analysis. Second, the hurdle rate itself can be base on market returns obtainable on similar investments. This takes away some of the subjectivity of other analytical methods that must be made when using payback or accounting rate of return, and it allows managers to make explicit, quantitative adjustments for differences in risk across projects. Third, because the answer that comes out of an IRR is a rate of return, it is easy for both financial and nonfinancial managers to grasp intuitively. Fourth, the IRR technique focuses on cash flow rather than on accounting measures of income. Though it represents a substantial improvement over payback or accounting return analysis, the IRR technique has its own set of problems that should analysis. One common problem is the difficulty associated with its calculation. In most circumstances the IRR of a project can only be found by trial-and-error. This is because the number of periods (or cash flows) involved in the project needs to be solved to calculate the IRR. IRR is the discount rate at which the NPV of a projects cash flows in equal to zero. Since zero is a number that lies between a positive number and a negative number, IRR must lie between two discount rates. So we need to guess a starting point to perform the interpolation. The second problem is that the nature of the rule must be modified depending on whether the project under evaluation is an investing project or a financing project (e.g. borrowing money from a bank). In the case of an investment, a corporation will accept a project with a high rate of return. With a financing project, the corporation is looking for the cheapest source of finance. Hence, the decision rule for a project must be modified to take into account whether it is an investment project or a financing project. Another problem with the IRR technique arises from the fact that a rate of return does not take into consideration the size of a project. This is sometimes referred to as the problem of scale. Incorrect investment decisions could be made when applying the IRR rule, because it ignores projects sizes. QUESTION 2: Valuing Shares Year 1 2 3 4 5 Retentions 180.00 148.80 124.99 111.97 116.17 Retention ratio 60% 40% 30% 25% 25% Incremental earnings 72 44.64 31.25 16.80 Incremental earnings ratio 40% 30% 25% 15% Profit 300.00 372.00 416.64 447.89 464.68 Dividend paid 120.00 223.20 291.65 335.92 348.51 g = retention rate * return on investment = 25% * 15% = 3.75% a) i. Dividend model V4 = D5 / (r g) = 348.51 / (15%-3.75%) = 3097.87 V0 = 120*0.8696+223.2*0.7561+291.65*0.6575+335.92*0.5718+3097.87 *0.5718 = 104.35+168.76+191.76+192.08+1771.36 = 2428.31 a) ii. Earnings based model E * 1/15% = 3001/15% = $2000 Vt = 180*0.8696 + 148.8*0.7561 + 124.99*0.6575 + 111.97*0.5718 = 156.53+112.51+82.18+64.03 =$415.25 R5 / (r g) * 0.5718 = 116.17 / (15%-3.75%) * 0.5718 = 590.45 V0 = 2000 + 415.25+ 590.45 = 3005.7 a) iii. Assumptions There are no taxes. The absence of corporate income taxes is assumed. There are no costs of financial distress. For example, there are no transactions costs, and all securities are infinitely divisible. There are no asymmetries of information. It implies that the expected values of the probability distributions of expected operating earnings for all future periods are the same as present operating earnings. The investment and operating policies of the firm are given and investors are assumed to be rational and to behave accordingly. b) Price earnings ratio A price-earning ratio is a commonly used way to simplistically value a company, determine what a companys stock should be worth. It is also known as P/E, is calculated by dividing the companys stock price by the companys earnings per share, or EPS. The P/E ratio gives an indication of how many times shareholders paying for a companys stock compares a companys earnings. P/E ratios can be used to compare against other companies, or against a companys own historical P/E ratio. Investors usually are willing to pay a higher P/E for companies they judge will be growing faster than the norm even though they do not pay those earnings out in dividends but retain them to fund future growth. If that growth is realized, the price of the companys stock usually grows faster than the overall stock price of the slower growth or higher dividend paying company. However, if estimated earnings are not realized or the stock market itself loses favor with the investor, such as higher interest rates attracting investment capital, the downside potential is greater as well. The risk is not just the ability of the company to create profits, but the investment risk in the higher price you paid relative to earnings. OSIM International LTD FY2003 Dec FY2002 Dec FY2001 Dec FY2000 Dec Adjusted EPS (Earnings/Current no. of Shares) $0.05387 $0.03836 $0.02997 $0.02113 P/E Ratio (Current price/Adjusted EPS) 18.93 26.59 34.03 48.27 listedcompany.com/ir/osim/web/stock.cgi OSIM is a global leader in healthy lifestyle products. It is the leading Asian brand for healthy lifestyle products. OSIMs P/E ratio decreased in the four years though the EPS increased rapidly. This means investors predict companys future isnt as good as former years. The price is going down, but the risk is lower than before. However, this is also a good growth stock for those who can buy and hold for further growth including bonus issues which the company had given every few years because healthy lifestyle products has a good outlook in the future. Brilliant Manufacturing Limited. FY2003 Sept FY2002 Sept FY2001 Sept FY2000 Sept Adjusted EPS (Earnings/Current no. of Shares) $0.04622 $0.01526 $0.00350 0.01327 P/E Ratio (Current price/Adjusted EPS) 12.98 39.32 171.43 45.21 listedcompany.com/ir/brilliant/web/stock.cgi? Brilliant Manufacturing produces precision machining of 5.25 floppy disk drive aluminium housing for Tandon in Singapore. After the acquisition of Tandon by Western Digital, The Company grew substantially from servicing Western Digital to other valued customers in the Hard Disk Drive (HDD) sector. P/E ratio decreased rapidly from 2002, this is because the boom of computer and internet industry in 2001. Stepped to 2003, due to the down results for the financial year, P/E ratio dropped quickly from 39 to 13 but the earnings also increased almost 4 times last year. That means the investment is worth and the company is still earning profits. Giant Wireless Technology FY2004 Mar FY2003 Mar FY2002 Mar FY2001 Mar Adjusted EPS (Earnings/Current no. of Shares) $0.02283 $0.02825 $0.02638 $0.02751 P/E Ratio (Current price/Adjusted EPS) 14.89 12.04 12.89 12.36 listedcompany.com/ir/giant/web/stock.cgi? Since commencing its operations in 1988, Giant Wireless Technology has grown to become a leading developer and manufacturer of wireless telecommunications solutions and electronics products for the U.S., Europe and China markets. Though the EPS decreased from FY2003 to FY2004, the P/E ratio increased 2 percent. This means investors give a high prediction to company. They willing to pay a higher P/E for company, judge company will be growing faster than the norm even though they do not pay those earnings out in dividends but retain them to fund future growth. If that growth is realized, the price of the companys stock usually grows faster than the overall stock price of the slower growth or higher dividend paying company. QUESTION 3: Financing Decisions a)i. earning per share Current Proposed Assets Debt (9%) Equity Market Value/Share Shares outstanding EBIT Interest Tax (30%) Return on equity(Earnings after Interest ;Tax) $1680m 0 $1680m $4 420m $300m 0 $90m $210m $1680m $600m $1080m $4 270m $300m $54m $73.8m $172.2m Earning per share(EPS) $0.5 $0.64 a)ii. Level of earning at which EPS will be same Current Proposed Assets Debt (9%) Equity Market Value/Share Shares outstanding EBIT Interest Tax (30%) Return on equity(Earnings after Interest ;Tax) $1680m 0 $1680m $4 420m 0 EBIT*30% ? $1680m $600m $1080m $4 270m $54m (EBIT-54)*30% ? Earning per share(EPS) $0.5 $0.5 EBIT 0 EBIT*30% = EBIT 54 (EBIT-54)*30% 420 270 EBIT = 151.2 b) Discuss some of the factors that are likely to limit the amount of debt that a company is likely to want to employ in its financing. Company is financed by ordinary shares (equity) or debt. Generally, debt has a cheaper direct cost than equity. There are two distinct reasons for this: ; Debt has low risk results in a low required return. Thus, company can reduce the cost of financing. ; Interest can be paid before taxation, whereas dividends are not. However, borrowing isnt perfect. To determining how much debt to use, corporate should first consider taxes. The government allow corporations to deduct interest payments from income before taxation, this essentially subsidizes dollar paid in interest. But any borrowing at all will cause the cost of equity capital to rise, offsetting the cheap direct cost of debt. Financial distress may also keep firms from loading up on debt. Explicit financial distress costs include the payments made to lawyers, accountants, and so on. they reduce the cash flows that will eventually be paid to the bondholders and stockholders. Clearly, investors would prefer that firms stay out of financial distress so that these losses are not incurred. Corporations must also consider the indirect costs of bankruptcy. As the firm takes on more and more debt, the probability of bankruptcy increases. This cause the firm will not be able to meet interest payments in any given year and will be forced into default goes up as the amount of debt and corresponding interest increases. It includes the costs of low inventories, higher costs of inputs from suppliers who fear the company might not pay its bills next month, and the loss of customers who desire a long-term relationship with the firm. These costs prevent firms from maintaining exceptionally high levels of debt. A fourth factor limiting the use of debt is desire for control by current shareholders. MM theory in a 1976 article, noted differences between the firm that is 100 percent manager owned and one where the equity is owned partially by managers and partially by outsiders. The managers should run the firm to maximize its value. But managers may not implement their decisions because of the control of shareholders. On the other hand, debtors cannot control the firms management that is advantaged. Availability of assets for pledge also limits the use of debt. In order to ensure its security of loan, bank always acquires pledges from the company and this kind of pledges should be easy to be realized. If the company lack of assets that can be used as pledges, it must be difficult to raise money as debt. When a company starts to borrow, the advantages always go with the disadvantages. In order to minimize the cost of capital and maximize the earning, company should consider above-mentioned factors carefully to gain benefits from financial leverage. c) Dividend Payment Policies 1. residual dividend pay dividend only if more earnings available than are needed to support optimal capital budget NTUC Income Shares 1999 ; 2000 6% each year 2001 5% 2002 3.5% 2003 5% Its dividend policy is to reward shareholders for investment earnings on their capital, which is used to back our business. Dividends are declared on all shares held during the financial year and are based on their business performance during the year. It is declared at the Annual General Meeting and is credited directly to your bank account. Dividend is payable in full on shares held for a duration of 12 calendar months during the financial year and on a pro-rated basis on shares held for less than 12 months. google.com.sg/search?q=cache:XweOBesthMcJ:incnet.income.com.sg/uishare/main.aspx+dividend+policy;hl=en 2. stable growth rate set target growth rate for dividend and strives to increase dividend by that amount every year ACOM CO., LTD. (Tokyo Stock Exchange) ACOMs dividend policy is to provide shareholders with stable dividend growth. Dividends for the fiscal year under review included an amount equivalent to the commemorative dividends paid last year in the interim and year-end dividends as well as a à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½5.00 per share increase in the term-end dividend, to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½22.50. Consequently, the total year dividend for fiscal 1998 was à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½40.00 per share, a rise of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½5.00 from the previous year. This represents a payout ratio of 13.3% and a 2.0% dividend on equity. www.c-direct.ne.jp/english/ divide/10108572/8572_98/8572e_02.pdf 3. Constant payout pay certain amount of earnings as dividends (or pay a constant $ amount each year). Neptune Orient Lines (NOL) NOL is a global transportation company, with core businesses involved in container transportation and supply chain management. NOL intends to maintain an annual dividend of 8 Singapore cents per share net, or a full year dividend payout of 20% of net profits, whichever is higher. In line with this policy, the Board of Directors has declared an interim dividend of 7 Singapore cents per share net (8.75 cents gross). This dividend is issued out of existing Section 44 tax credits and is payable on 30 August 2004. nol.com.sg/newsroom/04news/040727.html 4. low regular dividend plus extra pay a low regular dividend and an extra at the end of the year (depending on the earnings performance that year) SINGAPORE Exchange (SGX) July 30, 2004 SGX proposed a final dividend of 4.075 cents per share and a special dividend of 6.5 cents, bringing the total payout for FY04 to 13.5 cents per share. It paid 40.5 cents per share in dividends last year, including a special 34-cent dividend from the liquidation of assets. http://business-times.asia1.com/story/0,4567,124036,00.html

Biography of Golda Meir, First Female Prime Minister of Israel

Biography of Golda Meir, First Female Prime Minister of Israel Golda Meirs deep commitment to the cause of Zionism determined the course of her life. She moved from Russia to Wisconsin when she was eight; then at age 23, she emigrated to what was then called Palestine with her husband. Once in Palestine, Golda Meir played vital roles in advocating for a Jewish state, including raising money for the cause. When Israel declared independence in 1948, Golda Meir was one of the 25 signers of this historic document. After serving as Israel’s ambassador to the Soviet Union, minister of labor, and foreign minister, Golda Meir became Israels fourth prime minister in 1969. She was also known as Golda Mabovitch (born as), Golda Meyerson, Iron Lady of Israel. Dates: May 3, 1898 - December 8, 1978 Early Childhood in Russia Golda Mabovitch (she would later change her surname to Meir in 1956) was born in the Jewish ghetto within Kiev in Russian Ukraine to Moshe and Blume Mabovitch. Moshe was a skilled carpenter whose services were in demand, but his wages were not always enough to keep his family fed. This was partly because clients would often refuse to pay him, something Moshe could do nothing about since Jews had no protection under Russian law. In late 19th century Russia, Czar Nicholas II made life very difficult for the Jewish people. The czar publicly blamed many of Russias problems on Jews and enacted harsh laws controlling where they could live and when - even whether - they could marry. Mobs of angry Russians often participated in pogroms, which were organized attacks against Jews that included the destruction of property, beatings, and murder. Goldas earliest memory was of her father boarding up the windows to defend their home from a violent mob. By 1903, Goldas father knew that his family was no longer safe in Russia. He sold his tools to pay for his passage to America by steamship; he then sent for his wife and daughters just over two years later, when he had earned enough money. A New Life in America In 1906, Golda, along with her mother (Blume) and sisters (Sheyna and Zipke), began their trip from Kiev to Milwaukee, Wisconsin to join Moshe. Their land journey through Europe included several days crossing Poland, Austria, and Belgium by train, during which they had to use fake passports and bribe a police officer. Then once on board a ship, they suffered through a difficult 14-day journey across the Atlantic. Once safely ensconced in Milwaukee, eight-year-old Golda was at first overwhelmed by the sights and sounds of the bustling city, but soon came to love living there. She was fascinated by the trolleys, skyscrapers, and other novelties, such as ice cream and soft drinks, that she hadn’t experienced back in Russia. Within weeks of their arrival, Blume started a small grocery store in the front of their house and insisted that Golda open the store every day. It was a duty that Golda resented since it caused her to be chronically late for school. Nevertheless, Golda did well in school, quickly learning English and making friends. There were early signs that Golda Meir was a strong leader. At eleven years old, Golda organized a fundraiser for students who could not afford to buy their textbooks. This event, which included Goldas first foray into public speaking, was a great success. Two years later, Golda Meir graduated from eighth grade, first in her class. Young Golda Meir Rebels Golda Meirs parents were proud of her achievements but considered eighth grade the completion of her education. They believed that a young womans primary goals were marriage and motherhood. Meir disagreed for she dreamed of becoming a teacher. Defying her parents, she enrolled in a public high school in 1912, paying for her supplies by working various jobs. Blume tried to force Golda to quit school and began to search for a future husband for the 14-year-old. Desperate, Meir wrote to her older sister Sheyna, who by then had moved to Denver with her husband. Sheyna convinced her sister to come to live with her and sent her money for train fare. One morning in 1912, Golda Meir left her house, ostensibly headed for school, but instead went to Union Station, where she boarded a train for Denver. Life in Denver Although she had hurt her parents deeply, Golda Meir had no regrets about her decision to move to Denver. She attended high school and mingled with members of Denvers Jewish community who met at her sisters apartment. Fellow immigrants, many of them Socialists and anarchists, were among the frequent visitors who came to debate the issues of the day. Golda Meir listened attentively to discussions about Zionism, a movement whose goal it was to build a Jewish state in Palestine. She admired the passion the Zionists felt for their cause and soon came to adopt their vision of a national homeland for Jews as her own. Meir found herself drawn to one of the quieter visitors to her sisters home - soft-spoken 21-year-old Morris Meyerson, a Lithuanian immigrant. The two shyly confessed their love for one another and Meyerson proposed marriage. At 16, Meir was not ready to marry, despite what her parents thought, but promised Meyerson she would one day become his wife. Return to Milwaukee In 1914, Golda Meir received a letter from her father, begging her to return home to Milwaukee; Golda’s mother was ill, apparently partly from the stress of Golda having left home. Meir honored her parents wishes, even though it meant leaving Meyerson behind. The couple wrote each other frequently, and Meyerson made plans to move to Milwaukee. Meirs parents had softened somewhat in the interim; this time, they allowed Meir to attend high school. Shortly after graduating in 1916, Meir registered at the Milwaukee Teachers Training College. During this time, Meir also became involved with the Zionist group Poale Zion, a radical political organization. Full membership in the group required a commitment to emigrate to Palestine. Meir committed in 1915 that she would one day immigrate to Palestine. She was 17 years old. World War I and the Balfour Declaration As World War I progressed, violence against European Jews escalated. Working for the Jewish Relief Society, Meir and her family helped raise money for European war victims. The Mabovitch home also became a gathering place for prominent members of the Jewish community. In 1917, news arrived from Europe that a wave of deadly pogroms had been carried out against Jews in Poland and Ukraine. Meir responded by organizing a protest march. The event, well-attended by both Jewish and Christian participants, received national publicity. More determined than ever to make the Jewish homeland a reality, Meir left school and moved to Chicago to work for the Poale Zion. Meyerson, who had moved to Milwaukee to be with Meir, later joined her in Chicago. In November 1917, the Zionist cause gained credibility when Great Britain issued the Balfour Declaration, announcing its support for a Jewish homeland in Palestine. Within weeks, British troops entered Jerusalem and took control of the city from Turkish forces. Marriage and the Move to Palestine Passionate about her cause, Golda Meir, now 19 years old, finally agreed to marry Meyerson on the condition that he move with her to Palestine. Although he did not share her zeal for Zionism and didnt want to live in Palestine, Meyerson agreed to go because he loved her. The couple was married on December 24, 1917, in Milwaukee. Since they didn’t yet have the funds to emigrate, Meir continued her work for the Zionist cause, traveling by train across the United States to organize new chapters of the Poale Zion. Finally, in the spring of 1921, they had saved enough money for their trip. After bidding a tearful farewell to their families, Meir and Meyerson, accompanied by Meirs sister Sheyna and her two children, set sail from New York in May 1921. After a grueling two-month voyage, they arrived in Tel Aviv. The city, built in the suburbs of Arab Jaffa, had been founded in 1909 by a group of Jewish families. At the time of Meirs arrival, the population had grown to 15,000. Life on a Kibbutz Meir and Meyerson applied to live on Kibbutz Merhavia in northern Palestine but had difficulty getting accepted. Americans (although Russian-born, Meir was considered American) were believed too soft to endure the hard life of working on a kibbutz (a communal farm). Meir insisted on a trial period and proved the kibbutz committee wrong. She thrived on the hours of hard physical labor, often under primitive conditions. Meyerson, on the other hand, was miserable on the kibbutz. Admired for her powerful speeches, Meir was chosen by members of her community as their representative at the first kibbutz convention in 1922. Zionist leader David Ben-Gurion, present at the convention, also took notice of Meirs intelligence and competence. She quickly earned a place on the governing committee of her kibbutz. Meirs rise to leadership in the Zionist movement came to a halt in 1924 when Meyerson contracted malaria. Weakened, he could no longer tolerate the difficult life on the kibbutz. To Meirs great disappointment, they moved back to Tel Aviv. Parenthood and Domestic Life Once Meyerson recuperated, he and Meir moved to Jerusalem, where hed found a job. Meir gave birth to son Menachem in 1924 and daughter Sarah in 1926. Although she loved her family, Golda Meir found the responsibility of caring for children and keeping the house very unfulfilling. Meir longed to be involved again in political affairs. In 1928, Meir ran into a friend in Jerusalem who offered her the position of secretary of the Womens Labor Council for the Histadrut (the Labor Federation for Jewish workers in Palestine). She readily accepted. Meir created a program for teaching women to farm the barren land of Palestine and set up childcare that would enable women to work. Her job required that she travel to the United States and England, leaving her children for weeks at a time. The children missed their mother and wept when she left, while Meir struggled with guilt for leaving them. It was the final blow to her marriage. She and Meyerson became estranged, separating permanently in the late 1930s. They never divorced; Meyerson died in 1951. When her daughter became seriously ill with kidney disease in 1932, Golda Meir took her (along with son Menachem) to New York City for treatment. During their two years in the U.S., Meir worked as the national secretary of Pioneer Women in America, giving speeches and winning support for the Zionist cause. World War II and Rebellion Following Adolf Hitlers rise to power in Germany in 1933, the Nazis began to target Jews - at first for persecution and later for annihilation. Meir and other Jewish leaders pleaded with heads of state to allow Palestine to accept unlimited numbers of Jews. They received no support for that proposal, nor would any country commit to helping the Jews escape Hitler. The British in Palestine further tightened restrictions on Jewish immigration to appease Arab Palestinians, who resented the flood of Jewish immigrants. Meir and other Jewish leaders began a covert resistance movement against the British. Meir officially served during the war as a liaison between the British and the Jewish population of Palestine. She also worked unofficially to help transport immigrants illegally and to supply resistance fighters in Europe with weapons. Those refugees who made it out brought shocking news of Hitlers concentration camps. In 1945, near the end of World War II, the Allies liberated many of these camps and found evidence that six million Jews had been killed in the Holocaust. Still, Britain would not change Palestines immigration policy. The Jewish underground defense organization, Haganah, began to rebel openly, blowing up railroads throughout the country. Meir and others also rebelled by fasting in protest of British policies. A New Nation As violence intensified between British troops and the Haganah, Great Britain turned to the United Nations (U.N.) for help. In August 1947, a special U.N. committee recommended that Great Britain end its presence in Palestine and that the country is divided into an Arab state and a Jewish state. The resolution was endorsed by a majority of U.N. members and adopted in November 1947. Palestinian Jews accepted the plan, but the Arab League denounced it. Fighting broke out between the two groups, threatening to erupt into full-scale war. Meir and other Jewish leaders realized that their new nation would need money to arm itself. Meir, known for her passionate speeches, traveled to the United States on a fund-raising tour; in just six weeks she raised 50 million dollars for Israel. Amid growing concerns about an impending attack from Arab nations, Meir undertook a daring meeting with King Abdullah of Jordan in May 1948. In an attempt to convince the king not to join forces with the Arab League in attacking Israel, Meir secretly traveled to Jordan to meet with him, disguised as an Arab woman dressed in traditional robes and with her head and face covered. The dangerous journey, unfortunately, did not succeed. On May 14, 1948, British control of Palestine expired. The nation of Israel came into being with the signing of the Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel, with Golda Meir as one of the 25 signers. First to formally recognize Israel was the United States. The next day, armies of neighboring Arab nations attacked Israel in the first of many Arab-Israeli wars. The U.N. called for a truce after two weeks of fighting. Rise to the Top Israel’s first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, appointed Meir as ambassador to the Soviet Union (now Russia) in September 1948. She stayed in the position only six months because the Soviets, who had virtually banned Judaism, were angered by Meirs attempts to inform Russian Jews about current events in Israel. Meir returned to Israel in March 1949, when Ben-Gurion named her Israels first minister of labor. Meir accomplished a great deal as labor minister, improving conditions for immigrants and armed forces. In June 1956, Golda Meir was made a foreign minister. At that time, Ben-Gurion requested that all foreign service workers take Hebrew names; thus Golda Meyerson became Golda Meir. (â€Å"Meir† means â€Å"to illuminate† in Hebrew.) Meir dealt with many difficult situations as foreign minister, beginning in July 1956, when Egypt seized the Suez Canal. Syria and Jordan joined forces with Egypt in their mission to weaken Israel. Despite a victory for the Israelis in the battle that followed, Israel was forced by the U.N.to return the territories they had gained in the conflict. In addition to her various positions in the Israeli government, Meir was also a member of the Knesset (Israeli parliament) from 1949 to 1974. Golda Meir Becomes Prime Minister In 1965, Meir retired from public life at the age of 67 but had only been gone a few months when she was called back to help mend rifts in the Mapai Party. Meir became secretary general of the party, which later merged into a joint Labor Party. When Prime Minister Levi Eshkol died suddenly on February 26, 1969, Meirs party appointed her to succeed him as prime minister. Meirs five-year term came during some of the most turbulent years in Middle Eastern history. She dealt with the repercussions of the Six-Day War (1967), during which Israel re-took the lands gained during the Suez-Sinai war. The Israeli victory led to further conflict with Arab nations and resulted in strained relations with other world leaders. Meir was also in charge of Israel’s response to the 1972 Munich Olympics Massacre, in which the Palestinian group called Black September took hostage and then killed eleven members of Israel’s Olympic team. The End of an Era Meir worked hard to bring peace to the region throughout her term, but to no avail. Her final downfall came during the Yom Kippur War, when Syrian and Egyptian forces waged a surprise attack on Israel in October 1973. Israeli casualties were high, leading to a call for Meirs resignation by members of the opposition party, who blamed Meirs government for being unprepared for the attack. Meir was nonetheless re-elected but chose to resign on April 10, 1974. She published her memoir, My Life, in 1975. Meir, who had been privately battling lymphatic cancer for 15 years, died on December 8, 1978, at the age of 80. Her dream of a peaceful Middle East has not yet been realized.

Compare the education between Saudi Arabia and United state Essay - 1

Compare the education between Saudi Arabia and United state - Essay Example The research will aim at bringing into focus thoseelements that the educational system in Saudi Arabia can learn from the United States of America. Saudi Arabia and the United States have been allies for a very long time. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is growing and aims to be among the top developed nations of the world. USA, on the other hand, is the most developed country. There are also some similarities and differences between the educational systems in the two countries. But when it comes to the infrastructure, syllabus, course curriculum and its teaching methods, and the quality of education USA will be found to be better than in Saudi Arabia. Thus for this research paper, the problem statement can be stated as â€Å"the educational system in Saudi Arabia is not competent enough like the educational system in USA† The paper will be discussing the importance of education in general in the initial phase to realize its significance in society. This section will discuss the importance of the educational institutions in disbursing proper education. After that two segments will briefly discuss the crux and mechanics of the education system prevailing in the two nations which help us in creating a sense of differentiation and similarity between the two systems. The differences will be then thoroughly discussed and areas will be unfurled where the essence of educational system of USA can be implemented in Saudi. Research also identified that USA is facing some crisis and that will be discussed in the subsequent section. After that a brief literature survey will be executed to gain stronger foothold over the subject matter and validating the problem statement and reaching the aim and objectives of the paper. Education has been considered as an important part in the human society since the development of the civilized world. Human societies across many ages put their interests in the quality of education. The importance of education must not be

The Dangers Of Cell Phones For Human Health Essay

The Dangers Of Cell Phones For Human Health - Essay Example Supporters of cell phones say that cell phones provide us with a number of facilities, such as ease of communication, neighborhood crime watch, use in emergencies, and use as reminders. However, there also exist some risks regarding the use of cell phones. Some of the risks include road accidents, increased number of crimes, and weakening of eardrums. Today, almost every person keeps a cell phone in the car while traveling because a cell phone has become one of the major necessities of life. Use of cell phone while driving may result in slower braking reactions, slower reactions to traffic signals, and difficulties in making quick decisions. If we compare the ratio of road accidents that used to occur in a year before the 2000s with today, we come to know that the ratio of road accidents due to use of cell phones during driving has been increased by 75 to 80 percent approximately. â€Å"In a study done in April 2006, it was found that 80% of car crashes involved the driver not paying attention right before the accident† (Russell). The reason is that cell phones distract the driver’s attention, which results in road accidents. â€Å"According to several resources, every year, about 21% critical vehicle crashes happen due to cellphone use and require teens among age party 16 to 19 ages† (He). Supporters of cell phones say that cell phones do not take much attention of the users; rather they make people more responsible as they have to take care of themselves and other people while on road. However, this viewpoint is very illogical because accidents just need a little negligence to occur and that negligence can take place at any stage of cell phone use. Cell phones also create risks for health. Excessive use of cell phones can affect our eardrums and can cause skin cancer as well. Today, a large number of young adults use a hands-free system to hear songs from their cell phones.

Building a companies without borders Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Building a companies without borders - Essay Example According to Becht (2010, p. 2), this means that most of the top managers of Reckitt Benckiser â€Å"haven’t held jobs in their company of origin for years and view themselves as global citizens rather than as citizens of any given nation.† The company operates in 60 countries and its 400 managers are from 53 nationalities (Becht 2010). According to Becht (2010, p. 1), the company adopted the strategy of being a â€Å"company without borders† because â€Å"it’s one of the best ways to generate new ideas and create entrepreneurs.† Becht (2010) claimed that Reckitt Benckiser’s strategy of â€Å"global cross-fertilization† led to good results because the strategy accounts for 35 to 40% of net revenue. Becht (2010) implied that â€Å"global cross-fertilization† promoted the invention of innovative products in Reckitt Benckiser. In turn, innovative products enabled the company to enjoy â€Å"steady, profitable growth, even during th e downturn† (Becht 2010, p. 1). Thus, according to Becht (2010), Reckitt Benckiser has outrun all her competitors since 2005. In the Becht (2010, p. 2) narrative, Reckitt Benckiser deliberately deploy managers in unfamiliar territories and not in their country of origin but they are expected â€Å"to find their footing very quickly.† Most managers, however, â€Å"grow tremendously† when they are taken out of their â€Å"familiar zone† (Becht, 2010, p. 2). Despite the multiplicity of nationalities in Reckitt Benckiser, the company insists on a common language in all meetings (Becht 2010). All are expected to say their piece no matter how blunt one’s piece is expressed. Thus, Reckitt Benckiser’s meetings are â€Å"chaotic† because â€Å"what takes over† is â€Å"an intensity and a feeling that we have to fight for better ideas† (Becht, 2010, p. 3). At Reckitt Benckiser, consensus is not highly valued but â€Å"conflict tha t simply slows down decision-making or is for political or personal gain is not tolerated† (Becht, 2010, p. 3). Nevertheless, â€Å"almost every key decision is made in meetings where it’s first discussed† and all must agree 100% to implement the decisions and â€Å"move quickly† (Becht, 2010, p. 3). However, minority views are not crushed (Becht, 2010). Those who do subscribe to the majority position are allowed to experiment with their ideas (Brecht, 2010, p. 3). Some of the questions that can be raised are as follows? How to the diversity of cultures impact on business? Do international connections play a role in business profitability? Are â€Å"companies without borders† a global trend? How do companies without borders organize themselves as a business? On the impact of diversity of cultures in managing businesses, John et al. (2011, p. 7) argued that â€Å"cultures that vary in value orientations should also vary in the level of control and p articipation.† John et al. (2011, p. 7) pointed out that â€Å"in a truly global marketplace, managers working in cross-cultural interactions need a better understanding of the impact of cultural orientation on an individual’s expectation at the service encounter.† This means, for example, consumers in diverse cultures vary with regard to how fast services should be, how faithful advertising should be on claims with regard to product quality, how assertive consumers can be with