Structural Analysis of Myth an Example of the Topic School by

Structural Analysis of Myth by Expert Dr. SOLEMN Writer | 28 Dec 2016 Native American myths: The White Buffalo Woman: White Buffalo Woman is a myth, very popular and adored amongst the Native Americans. This is the central myth of the Plains tribes, especially the Lakota, or Sioux. It tells how the Lakota first received their sacred pipe and the ceremony in which to use it. It has often been related, for example by Black Elk, Lame Deer and Looks for Buffalo. (Living myths.) Need essay sample on "Structural Analysis of Myth" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed The people of Lakota used horses for hunting the buffalo. The food was scarce. From the camp of Lakota two young men of the Itazipcho band (the Without-Bows) moved out early in the morning for game. Their only companion was the song of the yellow meadowlark. As the day advanced, nothing tangible happened and they moved towards a hill hoping to survey the vast expanse of the plain prairie. They parried all around, and soon they saw something bright. The emerging figure had two legs, not four. The figure cant be an animal! Soon everything was crystal cleara woman emerged, she was pretty and in glowing buckskin. She came closer, sacred designs adored her buckskin in porcupine quills like the vibrant coos of a rainbow. She carried a bundle on her back, and a fan of fragrant sage leaves in her hand. Her jet-black hair was loose, except for a single strand tied with buffalo fur. Her eyes were full of light and power, and the young men were transfixed.(Living Myths) Satanic thoughts emerged in the mind of one of the men. His friend cautioned, This woman is holy. Fortunately or unfortunately, the woman signaled him to come and instantly he advanced towards her with malicious intentions. Soon, both of them were engulfed in a cloud. When it withered, the woman was there, the young man was not there, but at her feet a heap of bones and the ghastly sight of snakes coiled amongst them, sent shivers in the spine of the other young man. Behold, said the woman to the good brave man. I am coming to your people with a message from Tatanka Oyate, the buffalo nation. Return to Chief Standing Hollow Horn and tell him what you have seen. Tell him to prepare a tipi large enough for all his people, and to get ready for my coming.(Living Myths.) The young man returns to the camp with the message. The Chief and the people wait expectantly for her arrival. The woman gives them the bundle with stern instructions that no one who is impure should ever touch it. The bundle has the pipe and a small round stone. The woman tells them how sacred is the Earth and other significant aspects of the pipe, especially the carved buffalo calf on it. She also explains how the Mother Earth belongs to all types of creatures, not to human beings alone You are all one family, and you will be reminded of this when you smoke the pipe, she says. And what she says next is a revelation. This pipe will carry you to the end. Remember that in me there are four ages. I am going now, but I will look on your people in every age, and at the end I will return. She walks away, and people see her taking the form of a young red and brown buffalo calf, then transforming into a white buffalo, and next, a black buffalo. The black buffalo bows to all the four directions, before disappearing over the hill. Details of the culture and the logic of the above myth: Sinouxn (Lakota) is the living culture of American Indians. They have a glorious past, with a present and a future. The myth above elucidates the important aspects of their life. The Lakota (Sinoux) means, An alliance of people. The advise of the woman for the people of Lakota is to live in cooperation, mutual respect etc. The noble traits like community feeling, generosity and goodwill, mutual respect and strength are evident in the day to day life of the people. Sense of equality prevails in the extended family, even though there are several Heads in such a set up. In the family, children are given lots of importance they are sacred and pure. The holy womans advice to the people to remain pure in the above myth is worth remembering. They believe in the supreme spiritual power. How the man with an evil heart is annihilated by the holy woman, her advice to love and respect all, including the animals and birds merits comparison. Symbolism has great impact and influence on the culture of Lakaota. The number four is revered much. In the above myth, the holy woman refers to four directions, the four ages(the cyclic circles)They also used number four as for the elements, earth, fire, air and water, the seasons, winter, spring, summer and fall, the directions north, south, east and west. Cleanliness and purity are the emphatic themes of the myth and Lakota believe that if one contaminates ones own home, one will be suffocated by ones own waste. The transformation of the holy woman as different types of buffalo-calf shows the unlimited power of the pine powers, before which a human being needs to surrender with reverence. The above myth is culturally and spiritually interlinked to the actual lifestyles and beliefs of the Lakota. This myth is probably the most important one in the life of Lakota. It is also the spiritual focus of the people. The spirit of the woman is highlighted and this is the myth in which White Buffalo Woman appears. She is mysterious; she arrives for a purpose and departs after fulfilling the objective. Note the emphasis of her virgin inviolability. Many Native people have identified her with the Virgin Mary, since the establishment of the Native American Church. Her gift, the sacred pipe, is all important with the people of Lakota. She emphasizes the qualities of self-discipline and endurance. Buffalo has the dominant influence and utility in the lives of Lakota. In any ritual, the pipe is very important for Lakota. It is the link between the humanity and the spirit world. It is offered to the Four Directions, when smoked. The rising of the smoke is compared to the spirit world. Introduction: Myths have the dominant influence on the standard of life (from the cultural aspect) of people all over the world. The Native American myths relate to stories of creation, heroic deeds and journeys. When cultural and psychological developments that make a civilization defy scientific explanations, myths intervene to provide explanations that would satisfy the psyche of the inpidual and society. Myths are faith-based. They are not the subjects of arguments and counter-arguments, they are to be listened to, experienced and enjoyed for self-satisfaction. Myths help to satisfy the physical as well as the cultural appetite of human beings. Important myths dominate in customs, major ceremonies and they assist one in spiritual progression. Levi-Strauss and the Structural Analysis of Myth: Levi-Strauss often refers structural linguistics as the grail of the humanities. How the social sciences can be transformed into exact ones. Influences of various thinkers and his own level of spiritual progression dominate his writings. He is a French anthropologist. Myths are the cornerstones that provide relevant structures to understand the cultural relations. It has been observed by him that myths from different cultures relating to any part of the world are identical. The cultures may be widely separated, but the similarity of the myths is not only apparent, but astounding. Structure of the myth is more important than the contents. Contents will differ widely, but the similarities noticed are dependent on their structural sameness. A myth, according to Levi-Strauss, is both historically specific--it's almost always set in some time long ago--and a-historical, meaning that its story is timeless. As history, myth is parole; as timeless, it's langue.He thus argues that, while myth as structure looks like language as structure, it's actually something different from language per se--he says it operates on a higher, or more complex level. Myth shares with language the following characteristics :(Klages, 1997) To sum up, Levi-Strauss indicates: Repetition as in oral literature is necessary in myth also. That helps to reveal the structure of the myth. Myth tells the story in layer after layer and it is the inherent beauty of the myth. He further says, That the "logic" of myth is just as rigorous and "logical" as the logic of science. It's not that science is somehow smarter or more evolved than myth, but rather that the two modes of understanding and interpreting the world share the same basic structure (that of logic) applied to different things. (Klages, 1997) In conclusion, thisessay: In our haste to apply the methods of linguistic analysis, we must not forget that, as a part of vocabulary, kinship terms must be treated with linguistic methods in direct and not analogous fashion. Linguistics teaches us precisely that structural analysis cannot be applied to words directly, but only to words previously broken down into phonemes. There are no necessary relationships at the vocabulary level ("Structural Analysis," 36; Lvi-Strauss' italics). (Countermemory) Having said this, in any culture myths are looked upon as the repository of cultural traditions, not as the storehouses of reasoning. Emotions and faith score over reasoning and logic. An inpidual needs to have the heart of a child to understand and enjoy the beauty of myths. That the myths have survived for centuries is the proof for their intrinsic strength to influence the lives of people. In the present times, when various societies are deeply impacted by the negativities of materialistic civilization and the impact of industrial and internet revolutions is rampart on the children and combustible younger generation, study of myths needs to be made compulsory. References: LIV I N G M Y T H S: Native American myths: www.livingmyths.com/Native.htm - 29k Retrieved on June 10, 2008 Klages, Mary Dr. (1977) Claude Levi-Strauss: The Structural Study of Myth: www.colorado.edu/English/courses/ENGL2012Klages/levi-strauss.html - 14k - Retrieved on June 10, 2008 COUNTERMEMORY: Some notes on Lvi-Strauss 24 Mar 2008 ... Here are just some.. "Structural Analysis in Linguistics and Anthropology,"mikejohnduff.blogspot.com/2008/03/some-notes-on-lvi-strauss.html - 76k Retrieved on June 10, 2008

Model Learning Environment essays

Model Learning Environment essays Although resources are not the most important part of education, there are several components that help to develop an environment in which music flourishes. Like any other classroom, a music classroom should be equipped with basics such as a chalkboard and desks. The best chalkboards include sections that are lined with the lines of a musical staff. It is also desirable to have a room large enough to allow activities that include movement. It is important that the teacher has access to instruments to be used in teaching. It is standard teaching procedure that general music students learn to play the recorder in the fourth grade. In order to complete this lesson, the teacher must be able to equip each student with a quality recorder to use for the duration of the lesson. It is not favorable to share instruments because valuable time is wasted in changing mouthpieces and sanitizing the recorder. Orff methodology, a popular technique for teaching music to children, is based on the use of Orff instruments. These instruments are typically types of barred percussion instruments like the xylophone. This methodology is highly effective because it produces quick results, but the classroom must be equipped with the appropriate Orff instruments in order for the exercises to be successful. In recent years, technological advances have made it easier for young music students to create their own compositions using Orff methodology and computer notation software such as Encore. With the resources provided by a classroom computer, students are able to create a melody using a MIDI keyboard and the notation software will translate the melody into sheet music. An ideal learning environment includes all of these elements. The spacious classroom pictured has a variety of instruments including a full family of recorders (soprano, alto, tenor, and bass) as well as a variety of Orff instruments. The classroom comp...

Your Ultimate Guide to Summer Programs for High Schoolers

There are many benefits to participating in summer programs. You’ll get a taste of college life—in many cases, you’ll live in dorms and take college-level classes; you might get college credit or placement for courses; you might get ahead in high school by learning new material over the summer; and you’re showing colleges that you enjoy learning and are serious about your academic future. You’ll also meet like-minded students who are focused on their education, too. No matter what your niche or interest—or if you want to participate in a more general, academic-oriented program—there are plenty of summer programs perfect for you. Here are 11 of our favorites. In this program, girls entering 11th and 12th grades engage in project-based learning in STEM fields, as well as gain exposure to careers in tech. One perk is that it’s free to attend. To participate in CTY, a summer program for talented students, you must take a qualifying test, such as the SAT, and score above a certain threshold. There are 25 program sites, including Hopkins, in the U.S. and Hong Kong, where you’ll explore issues related to civic leadership, critical and cultural studies, or global issues. CTY also offers distance learning in particular subjects, a program available at other times of year aside from just summer. You must take a quiz to qualify for this mathematics program, in which you’ll explore undergraduate- and graduate-level topics in math and engage in problem solving. It’s free to attend for students who demonstrate need. You may be nominated by apply based on other merit to attend this program, in which you’ll explore a particular field: business, government and law, or STEM. You’ll also visit sites related to your field and develop leadership skills. Two students per state and Washington, D.C. are invited to attend NYSC, where you’ll participate in STEM-related seminars and excursions led by scientists and other camp staff. This residential program is in West Virginia. Estimating your chance of getting into a college is not easy in today’s competitive environment. Thankfully, with our state-of-the-art software and data, we can analyze your academic and extracurricular profile and estimate your chances. Fourteen college campuses, including UCLA, UPenn, Johns Hopkins, Georgetown, and Yale participate in the Summer Discovering program. You’ll take courses taught by university faculty in disciplines like business, STEM, leadership, foreign language, writing, and other areas. At SIG, you’ll take courses in a wide variety of subjects, along with extracurricular activities. Online courses are available through the program as well. In order to be accepted, you must show evidence of academic aptitude through test scores or recommendations. In this six-week program, high school juniors will attend an academic seminar and public speaking program. Telluride also offers a program for sophomores on topics related to black and ethnic students. Both programs are free to attend. Mathematically talented students have the opportunity to learn various math-related concepts at this program. You’ll qualify with standardized test scores. It’s also partially grant-funded for qualifying applicants. For students looking to hone leadership and entrepreneurship skills, look no further than Wharton, UPenn’s business school. In this program, high school students take courses taught by Wharton professors and business leaders and participate in company site visits. Taught by professional writers, budding writers may participate in courses within their speciality, such as fiction, nonfiction, playwriting, and other genres, at YWW. The program is two or three weeks depending on the session. Many individual colleges and universities offer general summer programs with a range of courses. These programs are a great idea for students hoping to attend that college or want to stay local for the summer—many have commuting options in addition to residential options. There are many other options available. If you’re looking for programs at a specific school, check on the college website. You’re sure to find one that aligns with your academic goals and interests. To find more summer programs and learn about why you should attend one, check out these posts: Looking for help navigating the road to college as a high school student? Check out the Mentorship Program . Our mentors drive significant personal and professional development for their high school mentees. Combining mentorship with engaging content, insider strategies, and personalized analyses, our program provides students with the tools to succeed. As students learn from successful older peers, they develop confidence, autonomy, and critical thinking skills to help maximize their chances of success in college, business, and life.

Journalistic Contributions of Horace Greeley Essay

Journalistic Contributions of Horace Greeley - Essay Example Greeley's editorial and journalistic talent coupled with his political activity (he actively supported the Whig party) contributed to the success of the edition. In 1940 Horace Greeley became the head of the campaign weekly, the Log Cabin and contributed to William Henry Harrison's victory in presidential elections. Only having got the experience, increasing authority and a large audience, Horace Greeley founded the newspaper that became the most read edition in the southern states, the New York Tribune. It covered such fields as politics, social reforms and news. Via this newspaper Horace Greeley spread the communitarian ideas of Fourier, defended homestead principle of distributing free government land to settlers and other agrarian reforms and attacked the exploitation of wage labour. Sympathizing to settlers Greeley advised to "Go West, young man" (notwithstanding the fact that this phrase was initially written by John Soul in the Terre Haute Express in 1851, it is usually attributed to Greeley). Being sincere in his political views Horace Greeley founded a real tribune from which he could propagate his political ideas and convictions. In a shot period of time the daily circulation of the newspaper grew up to ten thousand in 1841 and to 300 thousand in 1861 (one should take into account that a newspaper was often read by a dozen of readers at the time). The historian Allan Nevins explains the enormous success of The Tribune: "The Tribune set a new standard in American journalism by its combination of energy in news gathering with good taste, high moral standards, and intellectual appeal. Police reports, scandals, dubious medical advertisements, and flippant personalities were barred from its pages; the editorials were vigorous but usually temperate; the political news was the most exact in the city; book reviews and book-extracts were numerous; and as an inveterate lecturer Greeley gave generous space to lectures. The paper appealed to substantial and thoughtful people." He continued to oppose the exploitation of wage labour, criticized monopolies and advocated the abolition of capital punishment. The articles and editorials Greeley wrote reflected the strategies of political flows he supported. In general all his professional activity was extremely influenced by his background and his current political views. And this sincere and strong belief in the right of his ideas made his journalistic style sharp, open and pathetic. His editorials were often reprinted by smaller newspapers. Opposing slavery, Horace Greeley was interested in feminist and socialist ideas as well. He maintained contact with Karl Marx, who being in London wrote the articles for the Tribune. Greeley called him "an instructive source of information". Having joined the Radical Party, Greeley supported Lincoln. When the war he took the Radical Republican position and criticized Lincoln's hesitating political course, his incapability to make the slavery the principal issue of the war, digression of the main political course in favour of moral principles. On 19th August, 1862 Greeley wrote an open letter to the president, and published it in the Tribune. In this famous and bold letter Greeley expressed a strong disappointment in

Factors affecting learners behaviour in Gauteng Special schools Essay

Factors affecting learners behaviour in Gauteng Special schools - Essay Example The challenges of intellectual disabilities, especially in their early stages, have become a priority because of the initial intangibility of the problems. Indeed, the multifaceted and multilateral aspects of intellectual disabilities are not only complex by nature, but they also need socio-psychological interventions to understand and interpret. In addition, the behavioral problems of pupils with intellectual disabilities is an important issue that needs to be looked at from the wider perspective of social development. While the special schools are doing commendable work for these learners, the increasingly worsening behaviour of pupils with developmental disabilities has become a major concern. Special teaching methods to promote learning are needed, as are behaviour plans both to monitor and to assess behaviour, and to develop coping strategies for both teacher and student so that learning can occur. Thus, the research would focus on identifying factors that affect learnersâ€℠¢ behaviour in the special schools, especially in Gauteng, South Africa. 2.Keywords: severe intellectual disability, special school, inclusive education, support system, learning disability, social model of discussion. 3.Background Intellectual disability can be described as a ‘learning difficulty that is characterized by limitations in various skill areas. These may include limitations in self-care, daily living, social interaction, judgment and self-direction (IHC Inc;Philosophy and Policy 1996:p5). Some forms of intellectual disability, i.e. severe autism, become evident in early childhood. Other forms take longer, and may manifest at school age (Notbohm, 2005, preface). In contemporary times, the concept of disability has moved beyond the constraints of the medical terminology and has embraces a socially relevant stance, keeping the needs of the learners as the main objective in all their policies and plans. Terzi (2004) believes that the social model is a powerful and imp ortant reminder for people at large to face issues of inclusion vis-a-vis persons with disabilities. Inclusion of the disadvantaged population, he believes, is a fundamental as well as a moral issue. World Health Organization (2005) reports that people with disabilities are important contributors to society, and that allocating resources to their rehabilitation would be an investment. Hence, measures that support their integration into mainstream society become highly pertinent issues within the development agenda of nations. The inclusion of disabled students can be broadly described as efforts to increase the participation of children with disability in the school by expanding course curricula to incorporate their needs (Booth & Ainscow, 1998). Thus, inclusion ensures that students with special needs are provided with opportunities to imbibe education and become capable of contributing to the society as a whole. In inclusion, students with special needs are integrated into the mai nstream school without much changes within the school environment (Minto, 2007; Mittler, 2000). The special schools in South Africa have shown great determination to promote education amongst children and adults with disabilities. There have been significant reforms in the education system with the National Education Policy Act of 1996 and the South

Review Questions for Business Management Essay Example for Free

Review Questions for Business Management Essay 1) What is resource overallocation? Resource leveling is the project management function of resolving project resource over-allocation. By definition over-allocation means that a resource has been assigned more work than can be accomplished in the available time as dictated by the resources calendar definition. In most scenarios, over-allocations can be remedied manually by extending tasks or moving them to accommodate the resources availability 2) What is resource leveling? When performing project planning activities, the manager will attempt to schedule certain tasks simultaneously. When more resources such as machines or people are needed than are available, or perhaps a specific person is needed in both tasks, the tasks will have to be rescheduled concurrently or even sequentially to manage the constraint. Project planning resource leveling is the process of resolving these conflicts. It can also be used to balance the workload of primary resources over the course of the project[s], usually at the expense of one of the traditional triple constraints (time, cost, scope). 3) Under what circumstances would you want to manually resolve conflicts? You can resolve resource conflicts or overallocations by using the resource-leveling feature in Microsoft Office Project. Leveling works by splitting tasks or by adding delay to tasks until the resources that are assigned to those tasks are no longer overloaded. Because of these changes to the tasks, leveling can delay the finish date of some tasks and consequently also the projects finish date. When it is leveling, Project does not change who is assigned to each task 4) What would be the caution of adding more resources to a task to resolve resource conflicts? As you assign resources to tasks, Project checks the resource’s calendar to make sure that the resource is working. However, Project doesn’t assess whether the resource is already obligated when you assign the resource to a new task; Project enables you to make the assignment. Be aware, though, that the additional assignment may lead to overallocating the resource. Overallocation occurs when you assign more work to a resource than the resource can accomplish in the time that you’ve allotted for the work to be completed. 5) What would be the caution of rescheduling a task to resolve a resource conflict? To get the best performance and results from resources (resources: The people, equipment, and material that are used to complete tasks in a project.), you must manage resource workloads to avoid overallocations (overallocation: The result of assigning more tasks to a resource than the resource can accomplish in the working time available.) and underallocations (underallocation: Assigning a resource to work fewer hours than the resource has available.). If you change resource assignments (assignment: A specific resource that is assigned to a particular task.), check the effects of your changes on the overall schedule (schedule: The timing and sequence of tasks within a project. A schedule consists mainly of tasks, task dependencies, durations, constraints, and time-oriented project information.) to make sure that the results meet your project goals.

The Definition of Happiness :: Happiness Essays

  According to Webster dictionary the word Happiness in defined as Enjoying, showing, or marked by pleasure, satisfaction, or joy. People when they think of happiness, they think about having to good feeling inside. There are many types of happiness, which are expressed in many ways. Happiness is something that you can't just get it comes form your soul. Happiness is can be changed through many things that happen in our every day live.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Happiness according scientific studies happiness comes from dopamine taking chemicals around the brain, which is a transmitter in the brain that controls the nervous system. These chemicals in the brain make us happy and sad. Happiness means different things to different people, so say Happiness comes from peace and other happiness comes from your expectations from being fulfilled. Happiness is like being sad or angry, it?s an emotion. Some people can get happiness from the simplest things such as reading your favorite book; other people are more complicated they see happiness as some thing that doesn?t really happen to them, but that?s not true because very person is different some people are happy all the time or at least most of the time, while some people say that there not happy are really just happy for a short period of time, weather it means just laughing at a joke, your happy for that couple of seconds.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  People show there happiness in many ways, some people smile and there face just glows in pleasure and enjoyment, while others just don?t show there happy emotions physically they keep that feeling inside themselves. Even dogs have a way of showing there happiness, they show it by shaking there tail. One of the main reasons there are so many unhappy people in our society is because many have never taken the time to discover what it is that makes them happy. Chances are if you were to ask someone else what would make them happy you'd get a list of the same thing I mentioned above. The truth is, most people have a difficult time stating exactly what would make them happy for the simple reason they've never really thought about it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I personally believe that real happiness not the 3 second happiness that fades away, it has anything to do with our possessions, our environment, or even our health; it comes from being happy with your life and expecting who you are and what you have in life.

Apush Whigs vs Democrats Essay

1. The Whigs and Democrats agreed on a few things. First, they agreed to push slavery aside as long as they could, as noted in the gag resolution. Not only that, but both parties also made use of campaigning towards the â€Å"common man.† Despite that, these parties also differed. The Whigs were made up of Jackson haters, whereas the Democrats composed of people who supported Jackson. With this in mind, the Whigs were incredibly disorganized. The Whigs also supported a national bank, whereas the Democrats certainly did not. Finally, the Democrats supported westward expansion over the Whigs. 2. There were two significant events of Jackson’s time in office. First was the bank war. Jackson was against having a national bank because of the fear of having a monopoly. When Jackson vetoed Congress’s national bank bill, it showed how much power the president had over congress and in the separation of powers. Furthermore, Jackson, a democrat who supported westward expansi on, had another significant issue while in office that was known as the Trail of Tears. This showed that Americans disregarded Indians as a cost for White men’s expansion. 3. The first change was that women started to become initiated into the work force. During the market revolution, women who were young and unmarried were being used as a form of labor. Furthermore, women changed with the ideal of the Republican Motherhood. This basically stated that the women’s role in society is to raise the young Americans into well mannered leaders of possibly society as it is. 4. There were three changes during the market revolution. First was the mass influx of immigration. Due to this market economy, mass numbers of immigrants were coming in seeking jobs for low wages. Not only that, but also working relations decreased significantly. What used to be a friend as a boss was now a stranger. Finally, the use of alcohol changed. Once a social item, alcohol then became a use to escape the average individual’s job.

Comparison Between Gold Rates and Sensex Essay

Correlation : Correlation is a statistical technique that can show whether and how strongly pairs of variables are related. Correlation is computed into what is known as the correlation coefficient, which ranges between -1 and +1. Perfect positive correlation (a correlation co-efficient of +1) implies that as one security moves, either up or down, the other security will move in lockstep, in the same direction. Alternatively, perfect negative correlation means that if one security moves in either direction the security that is perfectly negatively correlated will move in the opposite direction. If the correlation is 0, the movements of the securities are said to have no correlation; they are completely random. Regression analysis: It involves identifying the relationship between a dependent variable and one or more independent variables. Case Analysis The initial analysis compares two Asset index prices the SENSEX and the GOLD. The Sensex has the top 30 stocks. The Gold is an important Asset in terms on Investment as it also offers the benefit on diversifying the Portfolio risk. To apply the Correlation and regression concept, we consider an investor who plans to invest in Gold looking at the rise in the gold prices. He is still reluctant if he should choose Gold as an investment option or if he should consider investing in some other investment options based on Sensex. as on 15th September 2012. Hence, he plans to carry out a research on the same, for which he attends a seminar on â€Å"Investment Opportunities†. There was a debate amongst the Financial Analysts – â€Å"Does Sensex rates affect Gold prices?† Analyst1 : Gold prices have been on an uptick since 2000, while the stock market declined from 2000 to 2003 and then again in 2008. Hence, Sensex fluctuation does not determine the Gold prices i.e. rise in Sensex might not always lead to rise in gold price. Analyst 2: Through the recovery phase that commenced in 2003, gold prices kept rising. Analyst 1: Gold prices normally appreciates in value. Analyst2: Fluctuations in Gold prices are determined by the fluctuations in Sensex i.e.: Decline In sensex. This created a confusion. Hence, to clarify the confusion he plans to study the price trends of the Gold rates and the Sensex for the dates ranging from June 1st’2012 – August 31st2012. After checking the correlation he found that the correlation between the closing prices on Gold and Sensex was 0.24 which was weak. Thus, he decided that Sensex rates was not the only factor to consider investment in Gold. Otherwise, Gold is a good option for investment as it provides diversification and hedging in investment. Conclusion: Correlation between Gold and Sensex is 0.24 which is positive and weak. Thus, based on this correlation change in Sensex has an effect on Gold rate but it is very small.

Book Review Freakonomics

Book Review Freakonomics Introduction When one hears of a winner of the John Bates Clark Medal, the first thought that comes to mind is that of someone that came up with a new economics theory or a formulae that has helps economists solve a problem that has been in great economist minds long enough to make him deserve the medal.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Book Review: Freakonomics specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Contrary to this, and unexpected of such a decorated economist, Steven Levitt represents a new form of economist. Though armed with economics honors in form of an undergraduate degree from Harvard and a Doctorate of Philosophy from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Levitt admits to knowing very little as far as economic theories and monetary equations are concerned. The only thing that has propelled him to such a status in the economics world is the fact that he does not look at the world from the same perspective as everyone else. Levitt’s third eye has allowed him to spot economic anomalies and strategize from such experiences. This third eye of his led to his getting requests from economically established individuals to solve anomalies, and even from non-economic individuals and groups that know they are missing a certain view of the duties they claim responsibility for. The Excellent Science that is Economics Economics is the science that defines the sequential processes involved from the production of utility goods and services to the end consumer. â€Å"Levitt considers economics a science with excellent tools for gaining answers, but has a shortage of interesting questions† (Levitt Dubner 6). The whole economics fraternity is more than glad to have him present all the interesting questions entailed in economics. Economics as a science breaks down market phenomenon in order to explain what triggers certain reactions in the market, and how to get the best out of these reactio ns. Economists do not need all the interesting questions in the world, as even simple questions can help solve the biggest of problems (52). The Hidden Side of Everything Steven Levitt has used this phrase to refer to the basic things that go on around people, but ignorance or a bad situation has redirected their view to things that seem to be the bigger picture, but are insignificant to their causes. They find themselves looking away and slowly letting go of their dreams as they brace themselves to survive the reality that is life. This leads the reader to a short story narrated by the author. Consider Paul Feldman, a successful agricultural economist who always wanted to liberate the world from hunger, but ended up working for the US Navy (51). Mr. Feldman had a very well paying job but ended up quitting it to follow his ‘destiny’; and it paid off. His brand new supply chain around Washington DC ended up with him earning as much as he made during his tenure at the whi te-collar job that he was not supposed to quit.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The book could therefore be advocating for all those with their inner voices pointing towards a different direction in life to go against all odds and engage in what they think will reveal the best of their abilities. Like Paul Feldman, they should be cautious and take their time to analyze the venture they are going to undertake, identify challenges and strategies that will manage them before giving up what they have, lest they find themselves chasing after the wind. Skepticism Freakonomics as a guide was a book designed to encourage skepticism in economics as a whole. This, backed by claim that it is human nature to cheat, raises questions on the integrity of economics, the science. The author goes ahead to give the example of sumo-wrestlers, schoolteachers and day-care parents who e ngage in cheating as a day-to-day vice (51). Sadly, the rest of the world does not follow with this. The algorithm used to detect this cheating, though perfect, did not result in likewise ‘perfect’ outcomes (DiNardo 30). If everyone turns into a skeptic of all concepts that run the procedures involved in economics, arts or even in medicine, the world would then run out of the individuals that take passion in the work they do. There would be no more believers left of the earth as everyone will be positioned to ask questions instead of addressing the faults they see in humanity. Enron presents another form of skepticism in form of white-collar crime. According to Levitt Dubner, this is a form of silent crime with no direct victim, and hence the reason why the day ends with a richer employee, but no suspect (53). Yet another form of cheating that goes overlooked if left unchecked. The problem here is that the system becomes a victim of its own perfection as the experts wh o design it and run it reap off its loopholes in broad daylight. Incentives It is true that incentives play a major role in motivation. The new generation presents with it major and unique economic constraints. These new breed of challenges have led to people stretching every available opportunity of making an extra buck. This involves coming up with new forms of business, hence the taking root of such services as mortgage and stock brokerage, real estate agents and even escort services. These individuals have specialized and mastered the relevant activities involved in the industries in that they know how to maximize the value for your money so to speak (13). Unfortunately, Levitt does not share the sentiment. He goes ahead to tag them as humans like everyone else who respond to incentives (14). This may be true, though their expertise has helped in saving time taken in the hustle of looking for a buyer and without experience in the field.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Book Review: Freakonomics specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It plays out as a strategy that catches two fish with single bait. This is because the owner goes ahead to conduct his/her other side business, while the broker/agent finds the buyer. Realistically, compared to that made within the same period by the seller, the money used to pay up the agent/broker may be significantly low. Economists, among other experts should, and in fact do recognize and appreciate the challenges brokers and agents go through in order to come to terms with clients who already have in them the mindset that all brokers are just out to rip them off of their money. Levitt actually does acknowledge that these experts are human (14). The authors should give the reasons why they expected to respond in a different style to the same challenges faced by other workers in other fields. Freakonomics versus Economics The author clearly lacks the scholarly ent husiasm associated with the products of the higher education institutions he attended. For a graduate from Harvard and a doctor of Philosophy from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he does not represent the honors as expected. He views the economic world of economics with utter skepticism and his wish is for the world to follow behind his steps loyally. In a world rigged with, among other economic forces, inflation and diversity from competition, it demands a keen view of the trends the market takes on every product. It may be unclear to him when he points out that the economic boom in the late 1990s did not help in reducing the rate of murders being committed across the States (11). As much as it reduced the number of potential criminals being born, abortion also reduced the number of great achievers and potential leaders who would have influenced positively and jolted this world to greater heights in all fields. As much as Levitt views this as a success as much as crimino logy is concerned, it has done more harm than good as compared to crime retention and the good that is humanity. Conclusion After a complete analysis of the ideology behind the book, a reasonable and crucial point to be noted, is that â€Å"Levitt’s only real message is to encourage confrontational questions† (Berg 2005) as these nee d not economist answers, but endless arguments that lead to outright criticism of what economics stands for as a science. It has reached a point that whether we embrace it or not, economics and everything that it comes with plays a major role in the everyday life of the average citizen, regardless of social class or age.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Berg, Chris. Why do drug dealers live with their mums? IPA (Institute of Public Affairs) Review, June 2005, 57 2): 46. Print. DiNardo, John. A Review of Freakonomics. New York: New York Times, 2005. Print. Levitt, Steven. Dubner, Stephen. Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, Inc., 2005. Print.

Love - veterans homelessness Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Love - veterans homelessness - Research Paper Example The term â€Å"homeless veterans† has been explained in two steps in the Congressional Research Service article written by Perl (2011). According to Perl (2011), a homeless veteran is a person who has actively served in the military, naval or air force and was not discharged dishonorably. At the same time a person is considered a homeless veteran if he or she satisfies the definition of â€Å"homeless veteran† according to the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. According to the Act a person is considered homeless if he does not have a proper nighttime residence or his nighttime residence is temporary or not appropriate for human beings. In this paper I aim to discuss the veterans homelessness in San Francisco. I intend to explore peer reviewed books and articles for an in depth analysis of the literature, history and current status of the homeless veterans. At the same time the city policy towards the homeless shall also be discussed. Towards the end some of the main causes of homelessness among veterans shall be discussed. Homelessness has been a problem in the US since 1980s. However with the American involvement in the Iraq and Afghan war the problem has become much stronger as scores of veterans that have served the country are found dying on the streets. Veterans suffer all kinds of homelessness but their number is greater in the chronically homeless category when compared with the non-veterans. According to a survey carried out by the VA and quoted by Stone (2008), there are about 2, 075 homeless veterans in San Francisco. Out of these, 533 have been categorized as â€Å"chronically homeless†. A chronically homeless person is an individual who has a disabling condition, is homeless for more than a year or has four episodes of being homeless in three years. The needs of the homeless veterans are almost similar to the demands of the general homeless population of San Francisco.

Finance report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

Finance report - Essay Example We divided its capital into four equal portions of QR 250,000 each to invest in each of the four investment platforms available. As such, we invest QR 250,000 in the Qatar Stocks Exchange, which is the principle stock market of Qatar. It invests another QR 250,000 in Qatar National Banks as bank deposits. It then invests the third portion of their capital, another QR 250,000 in gold and other metals. Some of these gold businesses are international and not available within the country. Furthermore, it invests the last portion of their quarter million in Forex markets, mainly dealing with currencies exchange with the Qatar Riyal. We has an investment philosophy that is of a risk taking capacity, which means that we will easily go for the high risk investments because of the high returns associated with these investments. Furthermore, we is aware that these high-risk investments may either lead to the loss of all the invested capital, or lead to a significant profit way beyond their imagination. We practices on the â€Å"risk-return tradeoff† investment strategy. This investment strategy operates on the principle that the potential of returns raises with an increase I the risk of investment. As such, lower levels of uncertainty, such as loss risk investments, have a high likelihood of bringing in low potential returns on the other hand, high levels of uncertainty, such as in high-risk investments, there is a high likelihood that the investments will yield high potential returns. Consequently, in accordance with the concept of â€Å"risk-return trade off† in business investments, money invested by an investor can render higher profits only if it is subject of a high possibility of losses. This model of business investment strategy requires traders to be always aware of their personal risk tolerance whenever they make choices of their investment portfolios owing to the