Free Essays on Financial Analysis

Anthony Osu Jr. Financial Statement Analysis Project The two companies that I will be comparing in this project are McDonalds and Wendy ¡Ã‚ ¦s. Both of these companies are competitors in the same industry. I ¡Ã‚ ¦m using the information from their 2001 Financial Statements. Debt-to-Assets Ratio When comparing the debt-to-assets ratio of McDonalds and Wendy ¡Ã‚ ¦s, you have to divide the firm ¡Ã‚ ¦s total liabilities by their total assets. Essentially, the debt-to-assets ratio is the primary indicator of the firm ¡Ã‚ ¦s debt management. As the ratio increases or decreases, it indicates the firm ¡Ã‚ ¦s changing reliance on borrowed resources. The lower the ratio the more efficient the firm will be able to liquidate its assets if operations were discontinued, and debts needed to be collected. In 2001 Wendy ¡Ã‚ ¦s had $2,076,043 worth in total assets and $846,264 in total liabilities. When divided, Wendy ¡Ã‚ ¦s has the lower ratio of the two competitors at 40%. This means that they would take losses of 40% if operations were shut down, and the cash received from valuable assets would still be sufficient to pay off the entire debt. It also means that 40% of Wendy ¡Ã‚ ¦s assets are made through debt. McDonalds in 2001 had $12,545.3 (in millions) of total li abilities and $22,534.5 (in millions) of total assets. After doing the math, McDonalds ends up with a ratio of 56% which is higher than Wendy ¡Ã‚ ¦s by sixteen percent. This means that there is more default on McDonald ¡Ã‚ ¦s liabilities, which can be a costly event from lender ¡Ã‚ ¦s perspective. McDonalds makes 56% of all its assets through debt. In reality, it ¡Ã‚ ¦s not good to have a debt-to-assets ratio over 50%. It ¡Ã‚ ¦s also not good to have a debt-to-assets ratio that is too low because that shows that you have money that isn ¡Ã‚ ¦t being used to gain future economic profit. So a stable percentage closest to 50% is wanted. When looking at both of the financial statements, eve... Free Essays on Financial Analysis Free Essays on Financial Analysis Anthony Osu Jr. Financial Statement Analysis Project The two companies that I will be comparing in this project are McDonalds and Wendy ¡Ã‚ ¦s. Both of these companies are competitors in the same industry. I ¡Ã‚ ¦m using the information from their 2001 Financial Statements. Debt-to-Assets Ratio When comparing the debt-to-assets ratio of McDonalds and Wendy ¡Ã‚ ¦s, you have to divide the firm ¡Ã‚ ¦s total liabilities by their total assets. Essentially, the debt-to-assets ratio is the primary indicator of the firm ¡Ã‚ ¦s debt management. As the ratio increases or decreases, it indicates the firm ¡Ã‚ ¦s changing reliance on borrowed resources. The lower the ratio the more efficient the firm will be able to liquidate its assets if operations were discontinued, and debts needed to be collected. In 2001 Wendy ¡Ã‚ ¦s had $2,076,043 worth in total assets and $846,264 in total liabilities. When divided, Wendy ¡Ã‚ ¦s has the lower ratio of the two competitors at 40%. This means that they would take losses of 40% if operations were shut down, and the cash received from valuable assets would still be sufficient to pay off the entire debt. It also means that 40% of Wendy ¡Ã‚ ¦s assets are made through debt. McDonalds in 2001 had $12,545.3 (in millions) of total li abilities and $22,534.5 (in millions) of total assets. After doing the math, McDonalds ends up with a ratio of 56% which is higher than Wendy ¡Ã‚ ¦s by sixteen percent. This means that there is more default on McDonald ¡Ã‚ ¦s liabilities, which can be a costly event from lender ¡Ã‚ ¦s perspective. McDonalds makes 56% of all its assets through debt. In reality, it ¡Ã‚ ¦s not good to have a debt-to-assets ratio over 50%. It ¡Ã‚ ¦s also not good to have a debt-to-assets ratio that is too low because that shows that you have money that isn ¡Ã‚ ¦t being used to gain future economic profit. So a stable percentage closest to 50% is wanted. When looking at both of the financial statements, eve...

ACT Test Dates When’s a Good Time for You

Choose Your SAT / ACT Test Dates When’s a Good Time for You SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips "I have no idea what to expect" is not a sentence you want runningthrough your mind on your way to take theSAT or ACT. If you take control of your test prep and schedule, then you shouldn't have any surprises on test day. Besides studying, part of your preparation should bestrategically planning out your SAT/ACT test dates. Instead of closing your eyes and pointing randomly at a calendar, you canask yourself some key questions to figure out when the best SAT/ACT test dates are for you. The first question that every student should ask herself, of course, is, When are my college deadlines? When Are My Deadlines? Most, if not all, students taking the SAT/ACT are doing so are part of their applications to 4-year colleges.Knowing your deadlines is the first piece of important information for making your SAT test date choice and ACT test date choice. SAT/ACT scores might also be required for some scholarships, which also might affect your choice of test dates. Deadlines for College Most regular decision deadlines for college are around January 1st in your senior year. January 15 is another common deadline, and some colleges go even later, like into February and March. If you're applying early action or early decision, then your deadlines are probably sometime in November. It takes about 3 weeks to receive your SAT or ACT scores, so you want to make sure you leave at least this much time between your test dates and your first deadline. For peace of mind, though, you'd be much better off getting your test done and ready to go before the last possible date. Leaving it to the last minute gives you no protection if you have a fluke testing day or are disappointed with your scores. Plus there's the rare chance you could get unlucky and have your scores delayed or even canceled, and then you'd be out of time. The SAT is given 7 times throughout the year, in January, March, May, June, October, November, and December. The ACT is usually given 6 times, in February, April, June, September, October, and December. One way to consider your testing schedule is the "1/3 - 2/3 rule." Depending on when you're starting to prep and plan, you could take the SAT/ACT 1/3 of the time between your starting point and when your applications are due, and the second time at 2/3 between "now" and your deadlines. If you started in January of junior year, for example, you could take your first SAT/ACT in April or May and your next test in the fall, like in October. This "rule" assumes you're going to take the SAT/ACT twice, but a lot of students choose to take it three or more times. I'll delve into what a typical test-taking schedule looks like for students more below, but first let's discuss the other deadlines you might be meeting: scholarship deadlines. Can't relate to this at all, right? Deadlines for Scholarships Your SAT/ACT scores might also be an important consideration for winning scholarship money. Most score-based scholarships come directly from colleges, so your scholarship deadlines will generally match your college deadlines. If SAT/ACT-based scholarships are important for you, then you might want to get your scores earlier to help determine your college list. If you are able to achieve qualifying scores for guaranteed SAT/ACT scholarships, then you can make sure to apply to those schools that will award you money. Since application planning is a process that takes several months, you probably want to have your SAT/ACT scores by the end of junior year. That way you can plan accordingly, know which colleges you're applying to, and focus on the rest of your application. As I mentioned above, one potential problem with taking your tests last minute is that you'd run out of test dates if you aren't satisfied with your scores. Many students take the SAT/ACT more than once or twice to prep between tests and improve their scores. How many times you want to take the test is the next important questionto ask yourself when choosing test dates. How Many Times Do I Want to Take the SAT/ACT? There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking the SAT/ACT more than once to achieve your target scores. In fact, I'd highly recommend taking it at least twice, if not three or more times. Almost everyone improves when they retake the SAT/ACT. This "real test" experience can be especially valuable if you use it as a launching off point to determine your strengths and weaknesses and do targeted test prep that will help you pull up your scores the next time. If, like most students, you're taking your test more than once, then you want to make sure you leave yourself enough test dates and monthsin between each one to study. If you took the SAT in May and then again the next month in June, then you really wouldn't have time to improve very much. Instead, you want to leave several months in between test dates to prep effectively. Given this strategic approach to hitting your scores on the SAT/ACT, what does a typical test-taking schedule look like for most students? Typical Test-Taking Schedule A typical SAT/ACT schedule for the majority of students involves three opportunities to take the test. Hopefully this guide helps you realize that there are several considerations when making your SAT test date choice and ACT test date choice. Just because this schedule works for a lot of students, doesn't automaticallymean it's the best one for you. Typical Schedule Many students take their first SAT/ACT in the fall of junior year, after spending the summer studying. After receiving their initial scores and reflecting on the experience, students can take the next few months to reinforce their understanding and improve areas of weakness. Then they take the test again in the spring of junior year. At this point, you might have achieved your target scores and be satisfied with your results. If you want another chance to improve your scores, you still have several summer months to prep and then take your test again in the fall of senior year. At this point, you've reached your last opportunity to test and will be applying to college. There are pros and cons to this schedule. The pros include 3 opportunities to take the SAT/ACT Advanced skills and content knowledge that you've developed throughout high school. Over a year to prep and improve your scores between fall of junior year and fall of senior year. This schedule works really well for a lot of students, but there are also some cons to consider: Limited test dates. Once you reach fall of senior year, you don't have time to take the SAT/ACT for a fourth time. May overlap with busy times of year, like AP tests, college planning, and varsity sports in junior and senior year. May feel more pressure and stress on each test date, since you don't have extra time beyond these dates. If any of these cons resonate with you, perhaps because of your junior year activities or anxieties around testing, then you might consider pushing back this typical schedule and registering for the SAT/ACT even earlier than junior year. Juggling a lot junior year? Considertaking the SAT/ACT earlier. Earlier Schedule If you push this typical schedule back about half a year, then you could take your first SAT test in the spring of sophomore year and then have about three more opportunities to test. If you wanted five test dates, then you could take it in the fall of sophomore year. Depending on how much prep you put into the SAT/ACT, you could even be ready to take it freshman year. Technically, you can take the SAT as many times as you want and the ACT up to 12 times. Of course, this would be overkill, both a waste of time and money and a potential red flag to colleges. While taking the SAT/ACT up to 6 times is acceptable, you probably don't need more to leave yourself any more test dates than that. If you find yourself having to take it over and over to achieve your scores, that time and energy could probably be better spent on test prep. Besides taking the pressure off and leaving you with more test dates, pushing this typical schedule back to sophomore year is a good option if you're trying to build up your scores section by section, or "superscore" your test. I'll explain what exactly I mean by superscoring below. Superscoring the SAT/ACT For anyone not familiar with the term "superscoring," it refers to the policy that some colleges use when they consider your standardized test scores. If colleges superscore, they take your highest section scores across all the dates you took the test and use those for your final test scores. If you take the SAT/ACT more than once, then superscoring is your friend. If you know that your colleges will superscore your results, you can actually use this policy to your advantage. Rather than focusing on improving your scores in every section every time you take the test, you could focus intensively on bringing up your math score, for instance. Then you could take the test again and really focus in on Reading, or Writing, or ACT Science. Obviously you shouldn't completely neglect any sections, but this could be a way to achieve a really strong score section by section across numeroustest dates. Again, you would need to make sure your colleges superscore and don't look at all scores or your highest sitting.If you're using this approach, you would want to start taking the SAT/ACT in freshman or sophomore year to leave yourself enough test dates. Again, I wouldn't recommend taking either test more than 6 times. This superscoring approach to taking the SAT/ACT leads us to the next important considerationwhen choosing your test dates - how much test prep you're willing and able to devote to meeting your goals. Hard at work. How LongCan I Prepare Before My Test? Just as you don't want to neglect any sections of the SAT/ACT, you also don't want to treat any official test as a throwaway, even if it's just the first time you're taking it. At the very minimum, I would recommend putting in 10 hours of test prep before sitting for a real test. This will help you get familiar with the instructions and format, but won't help much beyond that for improving your scores. Your study schedule is a big factor in determining which test date you choose for your first SAT/ACT. So how long do you plan to study? How Much Time Can I Devote to Test Prep? To figure out your study schedule, you need to figure out how you can balance test prep with everything else you're doing in and out of school. I think the best way to make a schedule and stick to it is to write it down in a planner or calendar and create a routine. If you have free time on Mondays and Wednesdays from 5 to 8, then set that aside as your study time. Of coursethis can change if you get assigned a big project or essay, but beingconsistent about your test prep is the best way to ensure that you'll stick to your plan. Before taking your first SAT/ACT, I would also recommend taking a practice test. You can time yourself, score it, and see if you're performing near your target scores. If you're much lower than you think you can achieve and still have several available test dates, then you might want to hold off on taking the real test until you study some more. If you start early enough, then you can have more flexibility in your study schedule and which test dates you choose. Either way, it's a good idea to consider your test-taking schedule in conjunction with your test prep schedule. As academic tests, the SAT/ACT also line up with your classes in school, but when they line upmight differ from student to student. Before signing up for your test, you should consider how it coincideswith your current high school classes. How Does It Line Up With My Classes? In order to answer this question, you want to familiarize yourself with what's actually tested on the Reading, Writing, and Math section of the SAT and the Reading, English, Math, and Science section of the ACT. While the content on each test is not all that advanced, there are certain concepts that are helpful to have studied in school. Both tests cover geometry, for example, and the math section of the ACT even covers some trigonometry. If you're taking geometry freshman year, then your best SAT test dates might beearlier than junior or senior year, since by then you'll have moved onto more advanced math. Conversely, if you aren't studying geometry or trigonometry until junior year, then you might be better off sticking to the typical schedule mentioned above and taking the SAT/ACT for the first time junior year. Similarly, you might benefit from one or two more years in high school writing persuasive essays and developing your reading comprehension skills before taking the SAT/ACT. If you're strong in English, however, you might be well prepared to score highly before you're an upperclassman. Plus studying early could help you cultivate your existing skills and get a headstart on learning new knowledge. The best way to gauge your level is to tryofficial practice problems for the SAT and ACT and see how familiar you are with the material. If you're already studying the concepts you need in freshman or sophomore year, then you might strongly consider signing up for the test early and even getting it finished with before you're a junior or senior. Getting your scores all set and ready to send to colleges early may also be a relief if your schedule gets busy in th and 12th grade. Yikes. What Else Is On My Schedule? When choosing the best SAT test dates and ACT test dates, you might also think about what other activities and responsibilities you have coming up. Junior year might get busywith AP classes and finals. You might lead Student Council or an Amnesty International campaign. Maybe you're exhausted everyday fromvarsity football practice. If your life is looking hectic junior year, then you might want to get your SAT/ACT done earlier than junior year. Even if it seems easier to push off the tests and let Future You deal with them, you could do yourself a favor by prepping early, taking the tests, and then having more time as your schedule gets more and more packed. On the flip side, maybe you're busy with summer camps before freshman and sophomore year and have more time before th and 12th grade. In either case, you can really personalize your testing schedule to fit your own goals and find balance with your other activities and interests. These might sound like a lot of questions to answer before signing up for the SAT/ACT, but they are meant to help you take control of the process and maximize your ability to find balance and achieve strong scores for your college applications. Read on for a summary of the most significant factors in determining the best SAT/ACT test dates for you. Choosing Your SAT/ACT Test Dates As I mentioned above, the typical test-taking schedule for the SAT/ACT is to take it for the first time in the fall of junior year, again in the spring of junior year, and, if so desired, for the final time in the fall of senior year (as long as your college deadlines allow). Students who are prepping earlier might move this timeline ahead to leave themselves extra test dates or get their scores all set and ready to go early. The most important questions you should ask yourself when planning your test-taking schedule are the following: What are my deadlines for college and scholarships? How many times do I want to take the SAT/ACT? Am Itrying to improve my scores in all sections with each retake or using a "superscoring" strategy? How long do I plan to study? Besides these primary considerations, you might also consider your classes and other pursuits as factors. In this case, ask yourself How does the SAT or ACT line up with my high school classes? What else do I have in my schedule and how can I balance test prep with my other assignments and activities? By answering these questions, you can devisea test prep and test-taking schedule and have a strong rationale behind your choices. Take control of the college application process by having a strong sense of where you're starting out, where you want to go, and what you need to do in between to get there. By articulatingclear reasons and a strong sense of purpose, you can answer any questions you have about the SAT or ACT and achieve your goals. Confused pug answered all his SAT/ACT questions. What's Next? Find out which exact dates you want to choose with our Table of 2015-2016 SAT Test Dates, and then read our Full Review of Every Single 2015-2016 SAT Test Date here. For more test-specific advice on exactly when to take the SAT or ACT for the first time, check out our SAT guidehere and ACT guidehere. Do you still have questions about how to design the best study plan for the SAT/ACT? Check outour guidefor your study plan before junior year and study plan before senior year. As you study, you definitely want to use official SAT and ACT practice questions. You can download official practice test pdfs for the SAT here and the ACT here. Want to improve your SAT score by 240 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Health Assessment Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Health Assessment - Coursework Example oncepts of health promotion, I will take this opportunity to inform the patient that it is important for the close observation of the eye injury, whether minor or major as it has the capability of causing blindness (du Toit et al., 2013). The first step in the assessment will require me taking a precise history from the patient concerning the eye. As a nurse, I would take this opportunity to educate the patient on the variety of methods of ensuring minimal damage to the eye in the case of an injury and the immediate actions to take in the case of an injury. Other aspects of the assessment of the eye would include the valuation of the general physical, behavioral, and emotional state of the patient (Dunt et al., 2014). A measure of the visual acuity of the patient is also important in determining the clarity of the eye. I would explain all these procedures o the patient and also their importance for the purpose of allowing the patient to have more keenness in his health and status of the eye. Explaining to the patient the condition of his ear and how the ear is supposed to operate is one of the ways in which I would incorporate health promotion concepts when performing an assessment of the ear. This information would help the patient have the ability to recognize further problems with the ear in the near future. The purpose is to provide the patient with the ability of taking care of his own ear and prevent it from harm. In the shift assessment, I would ensure I disclose to the patient my purpose of the activity and also its importance for the purpose of enabling the patient understand the plan of care that would be admissible to him in order to cure his ear (Jarvis, 2015). While assessing the functioning of each ear, it is important to let the patient know of the purpose of this operation. The patient can later perform these tests while at home in order to keep track of the progress of the health of the ear. This includes explaining such assessment procedures

Impact of Information and Communication Technology Policy on Firms Essay

Impact of Information and Communication Technology Policy on Firms worldwide Operations - Essay Example Please continue to update the olders ones, "A good study should use approximately 100 + peer reviewed references with 80 to 85% being published within the last 3 – 5 years." Please review my comments below: Abstract [Impact of Information and Communication Technology Policy on Firm’s worldwide Operations] By Nisrine Hammache DBA, Walden University, 2010 Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Business Administration Walden University December 2011 Abstract In the contemporary world, information and communication technology is being rated as one of the basic requirements for the success of a business organization. Lately, it has been observed that even after implementing well dedicated architecture of information and communication technology, businesses have still failed. This has created a spur in the minds of small business owners on whether it is worth undertaking such a huge investment. The research paper is div ided into three sections. The first section provides a general overview about the importance of the discipline of information and communication technology; it offers the background, purpose and nature of the study. The hypothesis and the assumptions along with the implications of the social change are clearly stated in this section. The second section deals with the particular project. This comprises the narration and analysis of data, as well as the reliability and the validity of the process and output. Section three encapsulates the presentation of the study and the application of the frame work of information and communication technology in terms of professional practices. The section also comprises the implications of social change, as well as the recommendations and the reflection. In the reading of the subsequent chapters, the essence of information and communication technology increases profitability; better management of international operations is increasingly substantiate d and so the hypothesis is proved in due course. [Impact of Information and Communication Technology Policy on Firm’s Worldwide Operations] by Nisrine Hammache DBA, Walden University, 2010 Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Business Administration Walden University December 2011 Dedication Acknowledgments Table of Contents List of Figures 9 Section 1: Foundation of the Study 10 Background of the Problem 10 Purpose Statement 12 Nature of the Study 13 Research Question 13 Assumptions 15 Reduction of Gaps 17 Implications for Social Change 18 A Review of the Professional and Academic Literature 19 Transition and Summary 20 List of Figures Fig 1 – Page 15 Fig 2 – Page 16 Fig 3 – Page 17 Fig 4 – Page 18 Fig 5 – Page 19 Fig 6 – Page 20 Fig 7 – Page 21 Fig 8 – Page 22 Fig 9 – Page 23 Fig 10 – Page 24 Section 1: Foundation of the Study An official script w ritten to resolve an immediate business predicament by addressing an existing gap in business practice is referred to as a DBA Doctoral Study. This study will focus on the impact that information and Communication technology policies have on firm’s worldwide operations. In overall, the study comprises three main segments: foundation of the study, the project and application to professional practice, and implications for change. Background of the Problem In every sphere of life change is inevitable, and the information and c

Why We Need Horror Movies Essay Example for Free

Why We Need Horror Movies Essay In â€Å"Why We Crave Horror Movies,† Stephen King writes about horror movies, why we like them, and the purposes they serve us. One of the main reasons he makes in his essay is that he believes that there is a dark and sinister side to all people that craves to see the suffrage and despair of others and that this is why we need these movies. King says that these particular kinds of movies are good in the way that the purpose they serve is to satisfy those desires and urges. Given these two statements, it shows that even though we may have urges from time to time to cause harm or wish ill will that these films serve as a healthy release. King writes in his essay, â€Å"The potential lyncher is in almost all of us (excluding saints, past and present; but then, most saints have been crazy in their own ways), and every now and then, he has to be let loose to scream and roll around in the grass.† (110) This is simply a statement that ultimately we are just human beings expressing emotion. Although horror movies are almost always presented with people suffering horrible things like demons, possessions, and even death, they serve as a healthy release to feel the satisfaction for those desires. And they let us just cast aside our normal socially acceptable behaviors to just indulge them. Another statement King writes in his essay is that, â€Å"If we are all insane, then sanity becomes a matter of degree.† (110) This is a statement that says sanity is something that can be measured. If this is true then sanity is something that must be controlled in order to maintain civility in society. Horror movies for the normal average person as stated before simply serve as an outlet to release some bad desires; however, some people do take that desire beyond the movies and actually do go out and commit crimes and cause harm to others. To conclude, sanity is something that can be easily kept in check by most people, some not as much. And this is why we need an outlet such as movies like these to keep ourselves in check from causing actual damage and harm.

Applications of G.I.S. in Agriculture and Ecology :: Agricultural Environment Farm Essays Papers

Applications of G.I.S. in Agriculture and Ecology Geographic Information Systems (G.I.S.) is one of the fastest growing technologies today. This field covers anything and everything that can be mapped, anything from weeds to urban sprawl, if it can be mapped, G.I.S. can be used. G.I.S. uses computers to store, analyze, and show data collected about a given topic(Kennedy 1), (Zimmerman 5-9, 73-91). G.I.S. basically turns a computer into an atlas(Kennedy 1). With all this information available, how can it help the field of agriculture? G.I.S. has been used to track the spread of noxious weeds, grasshoppers, soil types, and various other factors, which help in agriculture. First off, we can cover some G.I.S. basics. The information that is put into G.I.S. is collected from remote sensing, which can consist of aerial photography, satellite imagery, or raw G.P.S. data. G.I.S. has two main categories: raster and vector(Johnston 1-77). Raster G.I.S. uses cells and numbers to represent real objects in the world(Johnston 1-77), (Zimmerman 5-9, 73-91). These cells are assigned numerical values to represent objects in the real world. For example a certain cell could be numbered 353, and could represent a swamp, mountain, river bed, or any other physical feature found on the earth, or whatever the G.I.S. is being applied to. Vector G.I.S. represents the world by using a series of lines, shapes, and points. This G.I.S. presents physical features, or whatever the G.I.S. applies to in realistic shapes(Zimmerman 5-9, 73-91). Both of these types of G.I.S. would be applicable in agricultural systems, the vector type being more visual oriented and the raster looking m ore like a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet(Zimmerman 5-9, 73-91). It just depends on what you are studying, for example the terrain analysis for a new field would probably be best suited to a vector G.I.S., whereas a raster G.I.S. would be more applicable in following the movement of grasshoppers across the state of Wyoming(Zimmerman 5-9, 73-91). G.I.S. applications are currently being used to track weed invasion in the Jack Morrow Hills area of northern Sweetwater County and southwestern Fremont County(Gillham 1-68). This is done through the remote sensing application of aerial photography. The mapping of weeds is very important to the agriculturist. They can use the information that has been collected to put forth preventative measures to keep out certain invasive species. This plays a huge role near the Jack Morrow Hills, the nearby communities of Farson and Eden both rely mainly on hay and alfalfa crops as a source of income, and with G.

Does Ghost Exist in Real Life?

Does ghost exist in real life? It has been a popular question been ask for few decades. Some people encounter the supernatural phenomena, some not. So there are people who believe and people who disbelieves. Therefore, here are some introduction of what ghost really is, where we can find their existence, how can we feel their presence and does science proof the existence of ghost.In traditional belief and fiction, a ghost (sometimes known as a spectre (British English) or specter (American English), phantom, apparition or spook) is the soul or spirit of a dead person or animal that can appear, in visible form or other manifestation, to the living. Descriptions of the apparition of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to realistic, lifelike visions. The deliberate attempt to contact the spirit of a deceased person is known as necromancy, or in spiritism.The region that ghosts, demons, devils, and negative energies occupy or come from, varies depending on their spiritual power, capabilities and so on. Any being such as human being or subtle body that feels comfortable in their respective region because their frequencies correspond to that region. With increasing spiritual power, the ghosts become even more subtle and are found in progressively deeper negative regions. Thus ghosts who have the least spiritual power are found in the Nether region.The ghosts that exist in the deeper rungs of Hell are progressively more powerful and evil. There are few theories about ghosts. Many believe that non-reactive apparitions of people that seem to do the same things over and over are some form of energy-imprint on the environment. This type of ghost manifestation is known as a non-intelligent haunting or a residual haunting, and is called such due to the lack of interaction between the ghost and the living. This type of ghost is not dissimilar to a video playing over and over, ever seeming to repeat itself.Could these t ypes of ghosts have been produced by strong thoughts created by people while living, and continuing to exist within the atmosphere in some form or fashion? This theory concerning ghosts remains unproven. We ponder if it is also possible that this type of ghost is just trapped in time, unable to communicate or interact with the living due to severe emotional trauma – a self-created mental prison, if you will. Both ghost theories regarding non-reactive ghosts will have to be worked on in the future to see which has merit.Another type of ghost is called a poltergeist, which many believe to be the projected psychokinetic energy of a living person that creates movement of objects and various noises. Though the word â€Å"poltergeist† is German for â€Å"noisy ghost,† this type of phenomenon is not attributed to ghosts by those who have studied such accounts. It seems true poltergeist haunting activity is typically centred around a female adolescent in the home who is unwittingly producing the disturbance. The disturbance typically ceases over time, as the adolescent ages.A theory regarding ghosts centres around the previously described condition the earthbound spirits find themselves in. For these reasons, we believe many a haunting occurs, as ghosts are suffering and in need of assistance in easing the emotional pain. We believe that we are finding most ghostly activity, such as noises, dreams, visible appearances, various disturbance, communications, touching, and even attacks, can all be explained by coming to understand the desperate minds of pained, disembodied spirits. They are simply people in need of spirit rescue.Ghosts exist in a variety of places on Earth. They can create a centre for themselves in living and non-living objects. By centre we mean a place where they store their black energy. The centre acts as an entry point and a point of receiving or transmitting their black energy. Ghosts generally create a centre for themselves in people, trees, houses, electrical equipments etc. When they create a centre for themselves in people, it is to fulfil their desires such as eating, drinking, smoking, sex or to settle a give-and-take account.Since the ghosts are made up of the Absolute Air element, one cannot see them without subtle vision. When people repeatedly experience various forms of inexplicable distress, around a place, person or object, it is very likely that the place, person or object is affected or possessed by a ghost. Feelings of distress include feeling of apprehension, feeling a presence, feeling like one's entire energy is being sucked out or repeated mishaps happening in a certain place, without any apparent reason. The actual presence of the ghosts is however evident only to those with an activated sixth sense.The ghosts there cause distress to those who come in the vicinity or possess them, especially those who are vulnerable psychologically such as anxious and depressed or spiritually whereas people with low spiritual level are easy to get affected or possessed by ghosts. Nowadays, modern technology has rushed to the rescue by providing ghost hunters with myriad devices to capture the images, videos, and voices of ghosts. Unfortunately, tricksters and frauds have used the same technology to fool a number of people. No wonder that genuine evidence that ghosts exist is being dismissed as fraud material.People, especially those with a scientific or rational background, tend to dismiss any explanation that ghosts exist with disbelief and amusement. There are some scientific proof that ghost exist in the form of energy. The law of thermodynamics, if examined from a different angle, could prove that ghosts exist. Even if it cannot be taken as proof, it could give rise to a number of questions. If these questions are taken seriously and attempts made to find answers to them, we might very well come up with proof that ghosts exist. The law of thermodynamics is the most significa nt law among the gravitational laws.A careful study of it reveals the fact that science has already proved that ghosts do exist. According to this law â€Å"Energy can neither be created nor destroyed; it can only change form. † Let us now analyze this law carefully. Energy never dies, according to this important law; instead, energy shifts from one form to the other. Accordingly, the energy that we are is not destroyed by death; it just changes form. Skeptics would say that our bodies would be decomposed by the action of the microorganisms, and this is how human energy would change form. But, what about the intelligence that gives us an identity?Just consider the amazing nature of our minds and bodies. Would all this just end up as being fodder for the microbes? Does this sound like a fair exchange? The more one questions, the more one feels that there is more to life than what meets the scientific eye. In conclusion, other theories regarding ghosts do exist, such as ghosts being simply the creation of the overactive mind, hallucinations, carbon monoxide poisoning, exposure to low frequencies, etc; but we are seeing too many pieces of the puzzle come together that cannot be explained away in total by the various, sceptically theories.We ask ourselves the age-old question, â€Å"Do ghosts exist? † But in the end, realistically it's impossible to say whether ghosts are real or not. It's all down to the beliefs of the person themselves. To me and my experience of Ghosts or Spirits is of that they do exist, because of some experiences I have had in the past. However to many others with no experience it may be seen as total rubbish.

Daoism

Beginnings and History The history of Daoism can befittingly be separated into four periods: Proto-Daoism, Classical Daoism, Modern Daoism and Contemporary Daoism. The first period, Proto-Daoism, spans the time from antiquity all the way to the 2nd century C. E. The intention behind this period being called â€Å"proto-Daoism† is that we have no information of any official Daoist religious organizations at this time. The classic works that were inscribed in the course of this period, the Daode jing and the Zhuangzi in particular, they were highly significant upon the flourishing of the classical Daoist tradition.Many textbooks on world religions still take this period as representing the essence of Daoism. This is simply an dull-witted and ambiguous interpretation of the m, entire history of Daoism. The second period, that of classical Daoist religion, starts in 142 C. E. when Zhang Daoling established the Way of the Celestial Masters, also known as the Way of Orthodox Unity, the first successful organized Daoist religious system. Daoist priests today claim to be ordained in a lineage that stretches back to this original founder.Two other important movements developed later during this period of classical Daoist religion: the Way of Highest Clarity (Shangqing Daoism) and the Way of Numinous Treasure (Lingbao Daoism). This period, between the 2nd and the 7th centuries can be called the classical period because scholars of Daoism look back to this time (known also as the medieval period of Chinese history) as the era in which many Daoist practices, texts and rituals initially took shape. Also during this period, Buddhism was brought to China by missionaries from India and Tibet.Buddhist ideas and practices were absorbed into Daoism (and vice-versa) but there were also periods of intense rivalry between Daoists and Buddhists. The classical period of Daoism ends with the Tang dynasty (618-906), one of the high-points of Chinese civilisation from the point of view of the development of art and culture. During the Tang dynasty Daoism became fully integrated with the imperial court system particularly under the reign of the Xuanzong Emperor (713-756). During this time Daoism functioned as the official religion of the imperial court and exerted complete supremacy over Buddhism.The period of modern Daoism begins with the Song Dynasty (960-1279), during which time the boundaries between elite Daoist religion, Buddhism, and local cults begin to be increasingly blurred. Based on the syncretism that began in this period, it becomes increasingly difficult to separate out Daoism as a religious category from the popular Chinese religious culture as it functions on the ground. In terms of elite Daoism, however, the most significant event was the founding of the Way of Complete Perfection (Quanzhen dao) by Wang Zhe (1113-1170).The Way of Complete Perfection is the major monastic form of Daoism that exists to this day alongside the more community-bas ed priesthood of the celestial masters. The Way of Complete Perfection is devoted to the practice of internal alchemy, in which the energies of the body are refined through breathing and other forms of meditation into ever subtler forms, thus promoting longevity and even, in a few rare cases, the possibility of totally transcending the ordinary finitudes of human existence.The Way of Complete Perfection is also marked by its aim to â€Å"harmonise the three teachings† of Confucianism, Daoism and Buddhism, and became highly influential under the Mongol Yuan dynasty after Wang Zhe's disciple Qiu Changchun (1148-1227) underook a three-year journey to the court of the Mongol warlord, Chinggis Khan. Despite the rhetoric of harmonization, further acrimonious debates with Buddhists developed at this time, and when the Daoists lost a series of these debates in1281 many Daoist texts were burned.Despite this setback, Daoism flourished during the subsequent Ming dynasty (1368-1644) and the year 1445 saw the compilation of the Daoist Canon (Daozang), a compendium of some 1,500 Daoist texts, under the patronage of the Yongle Emperor. In the Qing dynasty (1644-1911) Daoist ideas and practices became more entrenched in popular religious culture.Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that we have better historical evidence of the way popular religion functioned since many popular Daoist morality texts were published and the practice of Daoist-inspired arts such as Taiji quan (Tai Chi) and Qigong (Ch'i-kung) became increasingly widespread. The fourth period, since 1949, has been a near-total catastrophe for Daoism, particularly during the period of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution (1966-76) when many Daoist temples were destroyed and the overt functioning of the religion to all intents and purposes ceased to exist in mainland China.Since 1980 Daoism has begun to be practiced openly again in China and a new generation of Daoists are struggling to rebuild their temples and recover their tradition. On the other hand, through the emigration of many Chinese people across the world, Daoist temples have been established in Europe, the Americas and elsewhere and many popular Daoist practices such as Qigong and Taiji quan (Tai-chi) have taken root in the West. Until recently it was not certain that Daoism had survived this cataclysmic upheaval, but the study and practice of Daoism is beginning to flourish once again in China and throughout the world.Beliefs The primary belief is in learning and practicing â€Å"The Way† (Dao) which is the ultimate truth to the universe. The Dao has several meanings. It is the basis of all living things, it governs nature, and it is a method to live by. Daoists do not believe in extremes, instead focusing on the interdependence of things. There is no total good or evil or negative and positive. The Yin-Yang symbol exemplifies this view. The black represents the Yin the white represents the Yang. Yin is als o associated with weakness and passivity and Yang with strength and activity.The symbol shows that within the Yang there exists the Yin and vice versa. All nature is the balance between the two. Daoist beliefs have undergone a series of changes in its history. In the 2nd Century the Shangqing school of Daoism emerged that focused on meditation, breathing and recitation of verses. This was the dominant practice of Daoism until about 1,100 AD. In the 5th Century AD, the Lingbao school emerged which borrowed much from Buddhist teachings such as reincarnation and cosmology. The use of talismans and the practice of alchemy were also associated with the Lingbao school.This school of thought was eventually absorbed into the Shangqing school during the Tang Dynasty. In the 6th Century, Zhengyi Daoists, who believed in protective talismans and rituals, emerged. Zhengyi Daoists performed offering rituals for showing thanks and the retreat ritual that includes repentance recitations and abstin ence. This school of Daoism is still popular today. Around 1254, Daoist priest Wang Chongyang developed the Quanzhen school of Daoism. This school of thought used meditation and breathing to promote longevity, many are also vegetarian.The Quanzhen school also further combines the three main Chinese teachings of Confucianism, Daoism and Buddhism. Due to the influence of this school, by the late Song Dynasty (960-1279) many of the lines between Daoism and other religions were blurred. The Quanzhen school is also still prominent today. Another key component of Daoism is the De, which is the manifestation of the Dao in all things. De is defined as having virtue, morality and integrity. Historically, the highest achievement of a Daoist is to achieve immortality through breathing, meditation, helping others and the use of elixirs.In early Daoist practices, priests experimented with minerals to find an elixir for immortality, laying the groundwork for ancient Chinese chemistry. One of thes e inventions was gunpowder, which was discovered while searching for an elixir. Daoists believe that influential Daoists are transformed into immortals who help guide others. Tao, originally, meant ‘road' and then implied ‘to rule' and ‘principle'. Lao Zi used Tao to propound his ideological system; therefore his school of thinking is called Taoism. At the time Lao Zi created this religion, it was simply a school of philosophy.During the Eastern Han Dynasty, it became a religion. Tao is the origin of the eternal world. It is boundless in time and space. Ordinary people can become gods when they have Tao. This religion pursues immortality and preservation of health; its uttermost goal is to become an immortal being. This can be obtained through cultivating one's moral character and perfecting one's moral integrity. A Taoist phrase is to say an ordinary man can become immortal if he does good 3,000 times and accomplishes 800 exploits. Of course the number is symbolic .It requires people to do good without making it known to others as the gods will know it naturally, much like the Christian principle expressed in Matthew 6:3-4, â€Å"But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. † At certain dates, food may be set out as a sacrifice to the spirits of the deceased or the gods, such as during the Qingming Festival. This may include slaughtered animals, such as pigs and ducks, or fruit.Another form of sacrifice involves the burning of Joss paper, or Hell Bank Notes, on the assumption that images thus consumed by the fire will reappear—not as a mere image, but as the actual item—in the spirit world, making them available for revered ancestors and departed loved ones. At other points, a vegan diet or full fast may be observed. Also on particular holidays, street parades take place. These are lively a ffairs which invariably involve firecrackers and flower-covered floats broadcasting traditional music.They also variously include lion dances and dragon dances; human-occupied puppets (often of the â€Å"Seventh Lord† and â€Å"Eighth Lord†); tongji ( â€Å"spirit-medium; shaman†) who cut their skin with knives; Bajiajiang, which are Kungfu-practicing honor guards in demonic makeup; and palanquins carrying god-images. The various participants are not considered performers, but rather possessed by the gods and spirits in question. Fortune-telling—including astrology, I Ching, and other forms of divination—has long been considered a traditional Taoist pursuit. Mediumship is also widely encountered in some sects.There is an academic and social distinction between martial forms of mediumship (such as tongji) and the spirit-writing that is typically practiced through planchette writing Daoism Today The Taijitu (â€Å"yin and yang†) symbol as well as the Ba gua (â€Å"Eight Trigrams†) are connected with Daoist symbolism. While almost all Daoist societies make use of the yin and yang symbol, one could also call it Confucian, Neo-Confucian or pan-Chinese. The yin and yang make an â€Å"S† shape, with yin (Black or Red) on the right. One is likely to see this symbol as beautifications on Daoist organization flags and logos, temple floors, or stitched into clerical robes.In accordance Song Dynasty sources, it originated around the 10th century. Previously, yin and yang were symbolized by a tiger and dragon. A zigzag with seven stars is sometimes displayed, representing the Big Dipper (or the Bushel, the Chinese equivalent). In the Shang Dynasty the Big Dipper was considered a deity, while during the Han Dynasty, it was considered a qi path of the circumpolar god, Taiyi. Daoist temples in southern China and Taiwan may often be identified by their roofs, which feature Chinese dragons and phoenix made from multi-color ed ceramic tiles. They also stand for the harmony of yin and yang (with the phoenix being yin).A related symbol is the flaming pearl which may be seen on such roofs between two dragons, as well as on the hairpin of a Celestial Master. In general though, Chinese Taoist architecture has no universal features that distinguish it from other structures. Daoist temples may fly square or triangular flags. They typically feature mystical writing or diagrams and are intended to fulfill various functions including providing guidance for the spirits of the dead, to bring good fortune, increase life span, etc. Other flags and banners may be those of the gods or immortals themselves.Today Taoism is mainly practiced in China and Taiwan. It has also spread to other parts of Asia and even around the world. There are about 20 million followers worldwide–most of them living in Taiwan. About 30,000 North Americans practice Taoism. The Chinese government has tried to suppress Taoism (severely at times in the past), but its teachings and practices still thrive and remain strong†¦ One thing that keeps Taoism popular is its flexibility–it almost isn't a religion, but a philosophy. Most followers practice Taoism in conjunction with Confucianism, Buddhism, and other religions.Many Chinese practice a mix of Confucianism and Taoism. Evangelization to Daoism Daoist are very involved in their own historic culture much like most other religions, things have always been a certain way for them, so they are comfortable in dealing with the â€Å"Dao† and in saying what’s life is life. Which brings a hard pint top bring across when a Christian makes it their goal to show a Daoist that there is value to life, and things do not simply happen for no reason. Many Christians, including me before this class, have no connection with Daoism like they would with Islam or Buddhism.But with 30 million followers Daoism is making a name for itself in the religious world. Dao ist are far opposites from extremist, believing that is simply no evil and no good. So with a start I think as a Christian you have to hear them out and understand their beliefs as to why there is no good or why there is no evil. Otherwise it will just come across as you attacking them and having no care for their soul, and just talking to prove wrong. Once you are comfortable with one another, it’s your turn! You begin to show the good things in the world, and explain how they came to be and how God had a hand in all of it.Now I know this won’t work for every single individual you come across, but any reasonable person will give you a shot and that is all our God needs! Bibligraphy Littlejohn, Ronnie. Daoism: An Introduction. London: I. B. Tauris, 2009. Print. Palmer, David A. , and Xun Liu. Daoism in the Twentieth Century: Between Eternity and Modernity. Berkeley, CA: Global, Area, and International Archive, University of California, 2012. Print. â€Å"The Canon of Reason and Virtue. † (Tao Te Ching) Index. N. p. , n. d. Web. 01 Apr. 2013. â€Å"China and the Chinese. † From Project Gutenberg. N. p. , n. d. Web. 01 Apr. 2013.

Positive and negative influences of Guy Russo as CEO of Kmart

Positive and negative influences of Guy Russo as CEO of Kmart Kmart stores were characterized by various negative features before the arrival of Guy Russo as the new Chief Executive Officer. The stores had shabby change rooms, old carpets, less motivated staff, inadequate supply of products to customers and daunting product range which demoralized customers from making their purchases. The business model that employers were operating under had some broken hitches and broken processes.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Positive and negative influences of Guy Russo as CEO of Kmart specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Positive contributions The arrival of Guy Russo changed the company making it experience increased profits and, at the same time, enjoy top ranking on the retail map. The CEO changed the leadership structure through handpicking executive management team comprising of six people and, at the same time, considering issues of gender balance within Kmart’s leadership str ucture. Then he went ahead to moderate Kmart’s product range lines, as well as improving pricing mechanisms (Clawson, 2012). Additionally, Guy enriched the supply chain by reducing involvement of middlemen and wholesalers (John et al, 2006). Model where middlemen and wholesalers are used characterizes Australian retail model which does not practice direct sourcing model. Russo ensured that Kmart’s target market segments were clearly defined (McKee et al., 2013). At the same time, Russo assisted in positioning the store in the market as a place where all essential goods can be found, including home appliances and clothes, at affordable prices. This ensured reduction of company’s operational costs and at the same time maintained focus on Kmart’s real business processes (Lussier and Achua, 2010). Guy Russo also encouraged company development through application of the principle of less is more whereby Kmart replaced all expensive goods with less expensive on es. This was for the purposes of capturing considerable market share since majority within various market segments considered purchasing quality goods at affordable prices (Cravens and Piercy, 2009). Russo also removed spot discount imposed on products sold. This was contrary to tradition of most Australian retailers who applied pricing model involving offering percentage-off discount for the purpose of improving sales. He ensured that all new managers were taken through thorough training granting them new perspective in leadership and management of company affairs. Good example is when Guy took over hundred of store managers to Beijing for the purposes of giving them new perspective on looking at life (Lussier and Achua, 2010).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Negative contributions Such moves as change in management style had consequent results, Russo’s lea dership style within Kmart’s management prompted replacement of several company staff based on the fact that they could not commit to efforts of turnaround. This led to replacement of approximately 20% of chain store management officers. At the same time, application of direct model brought by Russo led to cases of unemployment since many people were pushed out of their jobs especially wholesalers and middlemen. Direct sourcing was applied in markets in low-cost countries and such strategy could only be adopted by large retailers rather than small players. Conclusion The CEO introduced intensive use of modern technology system for the purposes of managing its inventory. Such improvement ensures that the company achieves highest sales within every market segment compared to its competitors within the same market. Serving low-end consumers prompted Russo to encourage division of its products to fully satisfy their clients (Lussier and Achua, 2010). However, intensive use of tec hnology might not work well in low markets like Bangladesh since not all consumers are technologically literate to use services such as those provided on the Internet. However, Kmart’s application of the web pages on the Internet in retailing provides consumers with efficient means which they can utilize in selecting variety of goods available online, hence saving their time (McKee et al., 2013). References Clawson, J 2012, Level Three Leadership: Getting below the Surface, 5th Ed, Prentice Hall, USA Cravens, D Piercy, N 2009, ‘Strategic Marketing, ‘McGraw Hill, London John, S, Caroline, E, Godsell, J, Harrison, A 2006, ‘Supply chain Management: theory, practice and future challenges,’ International Journal of Operations Production Management, Vol. 7, No. 26, pp 754-774.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Positive and negative influences of Guy Russo as CEO of Kmart specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Lussier, R, N Achua, C, F 2010, Leadership: Theory, Application Skill Development, 4th Ed, South-Western Publishing, Australia McKee, A, Kemp, T Spence, G 2013, Management: A Focus on Leaders, Pearson Education, Australia

5 Ways to Tell if Your College Crush Likes You

5 Ways to Tell if Your College Crush Likes You Have your eye on someone as a potential date? Boyfriend? Girlfriend? Or, at the least, someone to ask out for coffee or a drink, away from the college crowd? Trying to see if he or she likes you or not can be maddening. These five situations can help you gauge the other persons feelings- as well as your own- about possibly taking things to another level. 1. Go Out in a Group Is this person by you the whole night? Are you by them? Are they interested in what you have to say? Do they laugh at your jokes, wait for you when the group moves around, and pay attention when you talk? Are you frequently making eye contact? If you close your eyes and imagined the person not with the group, would your experience change? Answering yes to any of these questions might indicate an interest in you in particular instead of just common group dynamics. 2. Do Something Together Off Campus If you have to visit a local museum for your art history paper, see if this potential-date wants to come along. Their eagerness at doing so, and the chemistry that happens while you guys are out, can be a great way to see whats going on between the two of you. Of course, if youre heading off campus, make sure youre safe about it. 3. Grab a Meal Together If youre interested in someone, chances are that you have things in common and have done things together, or with a group, already. If so, try to carry that momentum into a seemingly-friendly meal together. Did you work together on a class project, seek his or her advice on your computer science program, or research similar paper topics in the library? If so, say you want to celebrate finishing by grabbing a quick meal off campus. Keeping it really casual can be the key to seeing what your dynamics are when youre alone. Running off campus for a quick lunch of a burger or dim sum has a much different feel than a nice, sit-down evening meal thats been planned two weeks in advance. 4. Ask for Help With Something If you like someone and he or she is really smart in a certain subject or has some experience in a research topic youre working on, see if they are interested in helping you. You can have a great discussion that will help expand your understanding of something you already find interesting, and you can see what this person is like on a more personal level. Have they had a lot of classes with a new professor of yours, and if so, can they talk to you about how that person grades? Are they majoring in a discipline youre taking your first class in? Can they give you some feedback on a survey you want to pass out to people in your residence hall? Then, of course, see how the conversation goes. Are they willing to help? Friendly? Interesting and engaging? Supportive? Someone youd want to have more conversations with...say, over a real college dinner date that isnt made of food you both sneaked into the library? 5. Share Some Exciting News Did you just hear that you were accepted into your summer internship program? Get an A on that project you asked for help with? Get happy news from one of your friends or family members? Share it with your potential crush and see how he or she reacts. If they are supportive, interested, and want to celebrate with you one-on-one, it might be a sign that the friendship could develop into more. A Note If You Feel Self-Conscious Around Your Crush Remember that having a crush on someone, and even putting it totally in the open, is something that should be very flattering. Anyone worth dating in the first place should be touched by your sentiments and handle them with respect, no matter what their feelings are in return. Put yourself out thereotherwise, youll never know!

CRIMINOLOGY REVIEW OF D. KENNEDY, 2012 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

CRIMINOLOGY REVIEW OF D. KENNEDY, 2012 - Essay Example Open air drug markets even exist in these areas and the author is suggesting that a holistic approach such as engaging the gangs involved in drugs market can provide a long lasting solution than arresting them. To that effect, the author has proposed the â€Å"ceasefire program† and to date, it has proved to be effective in combating the drug related crimes in different communities across different cities in the US. The author argues that drug related violence is widespread in historically distressed, minority neighborhoods that are home to African-Americans. Kennedy cites the following statistics: â€Å"Between 2000 and 2007, the gun homicide rate for black men between the ages of 14-17 increased by 40 percent and the rate for men over the age of 25 increased by 27 percent. In some neighborhoods, 1 in 200 black men are murdered every year.† The other problem with the aspect of drug dealing is that the drug dealers operate in groups and gangs and they live within the societies comprising of other law abiding citizens. The author argues that taking a vigilant approach against the drug dealers does not provide a solution to the problem but can only increase it. Violence is likely to erupt following the implementation of such approach. An intervention strategy that involves all the stakeholders including attorneys, law enforcement agents, drug dealers as well as other ordinary members of th e community can be very effective in as far as mitigation of drug related violence and crime are concerned. Therefore, the author has observed that the ceasefire program can provide a long lasting solution to this problem. The research methods used include participation and observation. The ceasefire program as noted above was piloted in Boston and later spread to other cities. The author actively participated in this program since he is the one who pioneered