Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Thank you letter Essay Example

Thank you letter Essay Example Thank you letter Essay Thank you letter Essay HER Shared Services Bon Course Health System Norfolk, VA, US Dear Ms Coleman: I am writing to you with sincere appreciations for your time and consideration for interviewing me on behalf of the coder II central coding position within your Bon Course Health system facility. To reiterate my interest in this position, I am confident that I exhibit equivalent medical coding knowledge that is essential to performing my Job professionally and efficiently. I have complete of the MM Encoder ND Soft-Med systems, posting co-pays, verifying Information for accuracy. Along with a keen eye for detail needed when reviewing patients information. As we discussed, I demonstrated effective knowledge of Interpreting ACID-II and CPA coding perfectly. As I stated, although my experience within the healthcare field is limited, I am especially familiar with the universal medical billing practices, health insurance policies, pertinent legal and regulatory Issues and the differences In reimbursement methods. With my sharpened Interpersonal skills, computer skills, accurate data entry skills, and my excellent attention to detail and follow up skills, I believe I would development the acquired experience along the way. Lading me In learning effectively and promptly within the giving position. My gratitude for your time and for considering me Is measurable. I would love to be a part of the Bon Course Health System team and feel I will be a valuable asset to the company. I look forward to your response and decision soon. Thanks once again. Sincerely, [emailprotected] Mom thank you letter By Lenore] and Soft-Med systems, posting co-pays, verifying information for accuracy. Along with demonstrated effective knowledge of interpreting ACID-II and CPA coding perfectly. Policies, pertinent legal and regulatory issues and the differences in reimbursement methods. With my sharpened interpersonal skills, computer skills, accurate data development the acquired experience along the way.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Why I should have an A in the English class Essays

Why I should have an A in the English class Essays Why I should have an A in the English class Essay Why I should have an A in the English class Essay I have come to discover that success is not just an event, rather, it is a series of events. When we say that someone is successful, what we often see is the eventual outcome of what has transpired in the secret. Fundamentally, success comes as a result of everyday events. Nothing captures this better that the words of Albert Einstein who said that â€Å"Genius is 90 per cent perspiration and 10 per cent inspiration.Consequently, I approach all my courses in this manner. For me, an A in the English class is a reality because of what I have sown into the course. Therefore, it will be no surprise to me if at the end of the year I have an A in the English class. I say this because of the following reasons.Firstly, I make sure I attend all classes in the course and if for any reason I can not attend, I make sure I go through the class note and course material used while I was absent from class. Apart from this, I make sure I read ahead of the class so that I can comprehend what the teacher is teaching. Also, I attend tutorial classes that are organized by the class and I do not miss any discussion class in the course.Furthermore, I understand that I will be impossible for me to pass a course without developing interest in the course. In view of this, I make sure I developed a unique interest in the English class and I make sure I keep my notes updated at all times. When I get home, I review what I have learnt in class and this has helped in making me have a better knowledge of what has been taught. In addition to this, I have registered for some online tutorials where I have access to various materials that explains what we learn in class better.In conclusion, I believe that failure to preparation is the key to all successes and so I test myself intermittently in order to assess my level of preparedness and how much I have learnt in the course. My perspective of the English class has changed and this has helped me in having a positive attit ude towards learning generally. Today, I can say that English is not only a course to me, it is a platform for me to equip myself for the challenges ahead.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

News Analysis Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

News Analysis Paper - Essay Example As a result of this disaster, severe air, water and milk contamination incidents have been observed in Japan and United States with research relating deaths of infants and other horrendous diseases to Fukushima’s nuclear fallout. However, silence of governments of Japan, US and Canada and involvement of industry lobbyists in policy making and control mechanisms against nuclear fallouts have been heavily criticized by environmentalists. In addition to the article written about the Fukushima disaster, which elaborated it to be worse than anticipated (Huff), there are many other articles that can be used as supporting evidence for indicating faulty government approaches and risks arising because of it. It was found that due to the nuclear fallout caused by natural calamities in 2011, the operations of the nuclear plant in Fukushima have been suspended. Analysis of a similar subject by Martin Fackler stated that the nuclear plants are not expected to resume its operations anytime soon. Japan was considered as a substantial market player in nuclear energy due to its ability to cover power shortages with the help of nuclear power. Now the country that initiated this trend is now attempting to phase out nuclear energy gradually. However, the possibility of Japan completely moving out of the nuclear industry is most likely to be ruled out due to the magnitude of its nuclear operations (Davies). Although the nature of possible side effects remain unidentified, it can be ascertained that Japan’s government is taking measures to gain local authorities’ support before resuming its nuclear operations and mitigate the risks of such natural calamities in future. According to Mangano and Sherman, the said nuclear disaster has been a cause for deaths of infants in the United States with death toll equivalent to thousands. The same disaster has been considered to have a similar impact on environment as the Chernobyl meltdown in the 1980s. Apart from the fact s shared regarding death statistics, the article further reveals the possibility of increase in the number of deaths in United States due to Fukushima in the near future. This hypothesis was based on the increased number of reported influenza and pneumonia cases which showed a five time increment in the regular cases reported. Mangano and Sherman further shared the reasons for infants’ deaths including undeveloped immune systems and higher doses of radioisotopes. In addition to Mangano and Sherman sharing their concerns about Fukushima being equal to Chernobyl in death tolls, geologists and oceanographers have expected the overall impacts of the Fukushima fallout being higher than Chernobyl’s. The comparative study of the Baltic and Black Seas with reference to these two disasters states that the reading of radioisotopes is extremely high in the recent case (Wasserman). When most of the media coverage states the possible side effects of Fukushima on Japan, Canada and U S, they exclude to mention how most of other 55 Japanese nuclear reactors locating in or near the zones are susceptible to earthquakes. On the other hand, Mangano and Sherman have further stressed considering the death tolls of Chernobyl as well as Fukushima before designing or approving further nuclear reactors globally. Another study on the subject matter conducted by Harvey Wasserman describes how

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Characteristics of German People vs Characteristics of Indian People Essay

Characteristics of German People vs Characteristics of Indian People - Essay Example On the other hand, Indian people don’t look like the English people at all, though a vast majority of the Indian people learns English as their second language. German is the standard language for business in Germany where English is the standard language for business in India, despite the fact that Indian people have their own language i.e. Hindi. German people are quite precise in their speech unlike the Indian people, whose speech is full of words that have secondary significance. German people are too particular about the deadlines. If a German boss says to the employee that he needs a project done by 5:00 pm, it means that the project may not be accepted if submitted after 5:00 pm. On the other hand, if an Indian boss tells his employee to submit a project by 5:00 pm, he would accept it even if it is delivered at 5:00 pm the following day. Indians are too careless about meeting the  deadlines.

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Economic and Political Systems of Cuba Essay Example for Free

Economic and Political Systems of Cuba Essay The Economic System in Cuba is known to be communism. Communism can be defined as a scheme of equalizing the social conditions of life. This system considers the termination of inequalities in the possession of property as well as the distribution of wealth equally to all individuals. Therefore, the means to achieve this is by the collectivization of all private property. By extension, collectivization is the process of forming collective communities where property and resources are owned by the community and not individuals. Freedom of expression is also mediated by the state. Communism is a system that usually is unsuccessful however, the only way that communism may be achieved is if every single member of a communist society is in complete agreement with the arrangement which was mentioned above. In early Cuban Political history, there were various communist as well as anarchist organizations for example the Communist Party of Cuba which was initiated in the early 1920’s by Julio Antonio Mella, Carlos Balino, Jose Marti and Fabio Grobart. It was then later led by both the first secretary and secondary secretary: Fidel Castro and Raul Castro respectively. In Cuba, no other political party other than that of the Communist Party of Cuba is allowed to be formed in the fear that a non – communist party which will be funded by the United States of America would intervene and claim Cuba’s independence. In comparison to other ruling communist parties around the world, the communist party in Cuba retains a stricter approach and adherence to the tradition of Marxism – Leninism and the traditional Soviet Model. In addition, the Cuban Political System is described as authentic which is based on the unique history of the struggle for equality amongst individuals as well as independence. Cuba is a republic with a centralized socialist system with a structure of the State of Republic of Cuba as follows: * National Assembly of People’s Power * Council of State * Council of Ministers * Provincial and Municipal Governments * Judiciary System

Friday, November 15, 2019

How to teach :: Employment, Education, Staffing

Tenure is a topic that has produced much heated discussion in recent years. Some argue that tenure is an outmoded conce and, if institutions are going to remain competitive, they need to be able to have more flexibility to hire and fire faculty as student needs change. Others argue that tenure is vital to the protection of academic freedom and that without tenure we will return to the days when faculty were dismissed for teaching unpopular opinions. Several state legislatures have mandated post-tenure review for faculty, i.e. Texas, Florida, Tennessee, and Arkansas. New campuses have been created in Florida and California that do not have faculty tenure. In addition, to the arguments about tenure, institutions have not been filling tenure-track positions as faculty retire or resign to take another position. Instead we are seeing an increase in the numbers of faculty hired on limited term contracts of five years or less and an increase in the numbers of part-time temporary faculty hired. Tenure is a topic that has produced much heated discussion in recent years. Some argue that tenure is an outmoded conce and, if institutions are going to remain competitive, they need to be able to have more flexibility to hire and fire faculty as student needs change. Others argue that tenure is vital to the protection of academic freedom and that without tenure we will return to the days when faculty were dismissed for teaching unpopular opinions. Several state legislatures have mandated post-tenure review for faculty, i.e. Texas, Florida, Tennessee, and Arkansas. New campuses have been created in Florida and California that do not have faculty tenure.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Economics and Global Business Applications Essay

Elasticity of demand is a measure of responsiveness to a price change of a good or service. When demand is elastic, the percentage of a price change of a product will result in a larger percentage of quantity demanded (McConnell, p 77). It basically means reducing the price of a good service will result in a greater quantity demanded and an increase in revenue for the seller. When demand is inelastic, a change in price will result in a reduction of quantity demanded, which will then lead to a revenue decrease (McConnell, p 77). To demonstrate elastic and inelastic demand results, Company A sells 100 pens at $1.00 a piece each day, making their revenue $100.00. Company A then decides to sell their pens at $.50, which results in a total of 250 pens being sold. The total revenue from the price drop is $125, resulting in an additional $25.00; therefore the demand in this scenario is elastic. If selling the pens at the decreased price of $.50 would result in more pens being sold, but less total revenue, the demand is said to inelastic. According to McConnell, when demand in unit elastic, the percentage change in price and the resulting percentage changes in demand are the same. The change in price will not increase or decrease revenue. Cross price elasticity measures the response of demand to a change in price of another substitute or complimentary good (McConnell, p. 87). Substitute goods are goods that can be purchased in place of another good. Examples of substitute goods are soda (buying Coke vs. Pepsi), computers, and potato chips. A positive cross elasticity of demand means the increase of price in one good, for example Coca-Cola, will increase the demand of a substitute good, for example Pepsi. As the price for Coke increases, consumers are more likely to purchase Pepsi at a lower price, thereby increasing its demand. Complementary goods are items that are typically purchased in conjunction within one another. Examples are ringed binders and notebook paper, pencils and erasers, and potato chips and dip. A negative cross elasticity of demand in complementary goods means that the increase in price of one good, an example being potato chips, will decrease the demand for the complementary product that goes with it, the dip. Income elasticity measures the responsiveness of consumers to changes in their incomes (McConnell, p 88). Demand for normal goods tends to increase as consumers’ incomes increase and conversely, demand for inferior goods tends to decrease as consumers’ income increases. Demand is elastic where there is a large availability of substitutes. The reason for this as the price of a good increases, if there is a large amount of substitutes for this particular good, the consumer will choose the substitute. As discussed earlier, soda is an excellent example of this elasticity. Airline tickets are another example. As one airline raises its cost of a ticket or to even pay for a bag to be checked, a consumer will more likely choose a cheaper ticket or an airline that doesn’t charge for baggage over the original. If there is no (or a very limited) amount of substitutes for a good, elasticity is said to be negative. A price change in medication will not likely change the behavior of a consumer relative to demand since there isn’t a substitute to taking the medication. Household utilities are another example of a limited amount of substitutes. In discussing the proportion if one’s income devoted to a good concept, the household budget comes into play. In a given month, households pay for many different good and services. A change in price may or may not affect the households demand for those goods and services. Often, it is dependant on how much of the household budget is devoted to that good or service. Mobile phone service is an excellent example of a service that will most likely have a large amount of a household budget dedicated to it. A change in price in the cell phone service will most likely result in that family making a decision to change to a cheaper service, since that will have a large impact on their budget. On the other hand, that same household may purchase light bulbs each month. The amount of money dedicated to the purchase of light bulbs is so small, that a price increase will not likely affect the budget, therefore the family will not likely make a decision to change to a cheaper bulb. The concept of time when discussing demand is important. When a consumer has a large amount of time to decide on the purchase of a good or service, the elasticity is positive. Conversely, if there is little time, the elasticity is said to be negative. According to McConnell, and excellent example of this is gasoline for automobiles. Gasoline prices change daily and more often than not, prices rise. A family, who owns a car and is dependent on that car for work, etc, will not likely stop buying gas in the sort-term, because it is crucial to their everyday living. However, that family over a long period of time may decide to find alternate means of travel, decreasing their demand for gas. Using the graphs for elasticity of demand and total revenue, areas of elasticity, inelasticity and unit elasticity have been identified. Demand is elastic between the prices of $80.00 and $50.00, meaning the demand increases as the price decreases, resulting in an increase of total revenue. Between the prices of $50.00 and $40.00, the demand in unit elastic, meaning the percentage of drop in price resulted in the same percentage of increase in demand. Revenue remained unchanged in this price range. Between the prices of $40.00 and $0, the demand is inelastic, meaning the price drop has resulted in an increase in demand, but not enough to over come the decrease. Total revenue has been negatively impacted.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Greece: A Country with a Rich Cultural

Greece is a country characterized by a remarkable history and a rich cultural heritage.   In ancient times, Greece played a crucial role in early civilization that proved to be monumental in shaping both European and world history.   At present, it successfully maintains its distinct culture in the dynamic modern society.Greece is a country with the land area of 131, 957 square kilometers (â€Å"Countries† 302).  Ã‚  Ã‚   Its capital is Athens, which is also one of its major cities (â€Å"Countries† 302).   Other major cities include Thessaloniki, Piraeus, Patras, Iraklion and Larissa (U.S. Department of State).   In 2005, the Greek population was estimated at 11,104,000, ten percent of which consists of immigrants (U.S. Department of State).   Three million of the said population is situated in Greater Athens (U.S. Department of State).In terms of religion, the majority of the Greek citizens are members of the Greek Orthodox Church (â€Å"Countries† 302).   Other religions present in Greek society include Islam, Roman Catholicism and Protestantism (â€Å"Countries† 302).   Greece is characterized by an interesting and diverse culture which is established on customs and traditions, religion, food and wine, and music.   Religion and traditions are closely linked, since the latter is usually based and anchored on the former.   Ironically, the Greeks also believe in superstitions.One of the Greek traditions still honored today at is the name day celebration (Greeka).   The Greeks give more importance to name days than birthdays; those who share a name with a celebrated saint also celebrate in a particular day of the year.   During a certain person's â€Å"name day,† family and friends visit to give wishes and gifts.   At the house, the hostess provides food for the guests (Greeka).Another Greek tradition is the Carnival or the â€Å"Apokries† (Greeka).  Ã‚   This feast occurs within a two week p eriod; it starts on Sunday of Meat Fare and ends on â€Å"Clean Monday† or Kathari Deutera (Greeka). â€Å"Clean Monday† or Kathari Deutera is the first day of Lent; at this time, families usually gather for a picnic and kite flying.   The Carnival is believed to have originated from paganism, and is derived from the merrymaking associated with the god Dionysus (Greeka).   This tradition is characterized by people in costumes partying in the streets.   A Carnival parade is held in Patra, where the festivities take place from day until night (Greeka).Easter is also significant for the Greeks.   In fact, it is considered more important than Christmas (Greeka).   Easter is a celebration that brings Greek families together.   Greek women are tasked to color the eggs red using dye; Godparents also give the children new things, such as shoes and clothes (Greeka).   Even the houses and streets are prepared for this occasion, as both are whitewashed for Easter.   In addition, the Greek family gathers for a feast of roasted lamb, wine and appetizers (Greeka).Music also plays a crucial role in Greek culture.   Music in Greece began as early as Antiquity, as it was an essential part of Greek civilization (Greeka).   The best example would be that of Greek tragedy, in which music was one of its key elements.   The demise of Ancient Greece also resulted in the decline of Greek music.   Fortunately, Greek music reemerged in the 19th century (Greeka).Folk songs also play a large role in Greek history.   The folk songs originated from ancient times (Greeka).   These songs are categorized into two: akritic and klephtic styles of music.   The former originated in 9th century AD. This kind of music conveyed the experiences and hardships of the â€Å"akrites,† or the Byzantine Empire guards (Greeka).   The latter was produced by â€Å"kleftes† or those who fought against the Ottoman Empire.Even though music is an express ion of the gruesome period in Greek history, it also included love songs.   This style of music was believed to have originated between the latter part of the Byzantine era and the early part of the Greek Revolution (Greeka).   Instruments that accompanied the folk songs include the bagpipe, tambourine and lute, just to name a few.   Other important elements of the Greek musical tradition are cantadha, nisiotika and rebetiko (Greeka).Food and wine are also significant in Greek culture (Greeka).   Greece is known for their appetizers and wines.   Mezedes, or Greek appetizers, are crucial in Mediterranean culture, as it promotes friendship through the sharing of food.   Some of the recognized Greek appetizers include the Greek salad or Horiatiki Salata, Tiropitakia, Htapodi and Feta cheese.Greece also produces wines. It is therefore no surprise that Greek alcohol such as Tsipouro and Ouzo are a main component in Greek culture.   Also, meat is almost always present in Gre ek main dishes, while their soups are very much preferred during the winter season.   The Greeks are also famous for the herbs and spices used in their dishes (Greeka).The history of Greece is extensive and thorough.   Greek culture began in the classical era, and proved to be a crucial element in the development of civilization in general (Pounds 326).   The Greek island of Crete was the location for the Minoan civilization, the earliest in Europe (â€Å"Countries† 303).   Greece is also home to the city-states, whose prosperity brought the development of culture in aspects such as philosophy, literature, politics, architecture and art (â€Å"Countries† 303-304).   Greek civilization was at its peak under the control of Philip II of Macedonia and his son, Alexander the Great.   However, the Greek civilization declined when the Roman civilization emerged (â€Å"Countries† 304).Greek history also includes several wars. Civil War erupted following the occupation of German forces from 1941 to 1944 (â€Å"Countries† 304).   Then, under the leadership of Prime Minister Eleutherios Venizelos, Greece officially became a part of World War I in 1917 (Pounds 328).The history of Greece was also marked by the constant change in form of government.   From 1925 to 1935, Greece was a republic (Pounds 328).   Then, Greece became a constitutional monarchy (Pounds 328).   In 1967, the monarchy was deposed by a military coup (â€Å"Countries† 304).   The republic was restored in 1973, which lasted for only a year.   In 1975, democratic elections were held once again.   Six years later, Andreas Papandreou became the first socialist Prime Minister of Greece.   Then, in 1990, a Democratic Party member named Constantine Mitsotakis was elected at the same post (â€Å"Countries† 304).With its extensive historical background, Greece remains a crucial part of world civilization.   With its customs and traditions, Gr eece keeps its diverse and unique culture in modern day society.   Indeed, Greece remains relevant at present through its history and culture.Works CitedBateham, Graham, and Victoria Egan, eds. Illustrated Guide to Countries of the World. Australia: RD Press, 1996.Greeka. 17 March 2008 ;http://www.greeka.com/greece-culture/;.Pounds, Norman J.G. â€Å"Greece.† Lexicon Universal Encyclopedia. 21 vols. New York: Lexicon Publications, Inc., 1992.U.S. Department of State.   17 March 2008 ;https://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3395.htm;.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Confirming Supreme Court Nominees - How Long It Takes

Confirming Supreme Court Nominees - How Long It Takes U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia died unexpectedly in February 2016, leaving President Barack Obama with a rare opportunity to nominate a third member of the nations highest court and dramatically swing the ideological balance to the left. Within hours of Scalias death, though, a partisan fight erupted over whether Obama should choose Scalias replacement or leave the choice to the president being elected in 2016. Senate Republican leaders vowed to stall or block an Obama nominee. Related Story: What Are Obamas Chances of Replacing Scalia? The political battle raised an interesting question: How long does it actually take the Senate to confirm a presidents Supreme Court nominee? And would there be enough time in the last year of Obamas second and final term to push a nominee through the often nasty confirmation process? Scalia was found dead on Feb. 13, 2016. There were 342 days remaining in Obamas term. Here are three things to know about how long it takes to confirm Supreme Court nominees. 1. It Takes An Average of 25 Days An analysis of Senate action on Supreme Court nominees since 1900 found that it takes less than a month - 25 days to be precise - for the a candidate to be either confirmed or rejected, or in some cases to withdraw from consideration altogether. 2. Current Court Members Were Confirmed in 2 Months The eight members of the Supreme Court at the time of Scalias death were confirmed in an average of 68 days, an analysis of government records found. Heres a look at how many days the Senate took to confirm members of those eight Supreme Court justices, from shortest duration to longest: John G. Roberts Jr. - 19 days. He was nominated by President George W. Bush on Sept. 6, 2005, and confirmed on Sept. 25 by a vote of 78 to 22.Ruth Bader Ginsburg - 50 days. She was nominated by President Bill Clinton on June 14, 1993, and confirmed on Aug. 3, 1993, by a vote of 96 to 3.Anthony M. Kennedy  Ã‚  - 65 days. He was nominated by President Ronald Reagan on Nov. 30, 1987, and confirmed on Feb 3, 1988, by a vote of 97 to 0.Sonia Sotomayor  - 66 days. She was nominated by President Barack Obama on June 1, 2009, and was confirmed on August 6, 2009, by a vote of 68 to 31.Stephen G. Breyer- 74 days. He was nominated by President Bill Clinton on May 17, 1994, and confirmed on July 29, 1994, by a vote of 87 to 9.  Ã‚     Samuel Anthony Alito Jr  Ã‚  - 82 days. He was nominated by President George W. Bush on Nov. 10, 2005, and confirmed on Jan. 31, 2006, by a vote of 58 to 42.Elena Kagan  - 87 days. She was nominated by Obama on May 10, 2010, and confirmed on Augu st 5, 2010, by a vote of 63-37.Clarence Thomas - 99 days. He was nominated by President George H.W. Bush on July 8, 1991, and confirmed on Oct. 15, 1991, by a vote of 52 to 48. 3. The Longest Confirmation Ever Took 125 Days The longest the U.S. Senate has ever take to confirm a Supreme Court nominee was 125 days, or more than four months, according to government records. The nominee was Louis Brandeis, the first Jew to ever be chosen for a seat on the high court. President Woodrow Wilson tapped Brandeis on Jan. 28, 1916, and the Senate didnt vote until June 1 of that year. Brandeis, who entered Harvard Law School without earning a traditional college degree beforehand, faced allegations of holding political views that were too radical. His most vocal critics included former presidents of the American Bar Association and former President William Howard Taft. He is not a fit person to be a member of the Supreme Court of the United States, the Bar Association presidents wrote. The second-longest confirmation battle ended with the rejection of the nominee, Reagan pick Robert Bork, after 114 days, Senate records show. Bonus Fact: Last Election-Year Nominee Was Confirmed in 2 Months Funny things happen in presidential election years, however. Lame-duck presidents get very little done and are often powerless. That being said, the last time a president pushed for confirmation of a Supreme Court justice during a presidential-election year was in 1988, for Reagans choice of Kennedy for the court. The Senate, controlled by Democrats at the time, took 65 days to confirm the Republican presidents nominee. And it did so unanimously, 97 to 0.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

The 5 Best ACT Prep Games

The 5 Best ACT Prep Games SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips There’s a new craze in test prep: games. Vocab games, math games, reading games- you might think you could study for the entire ACT with just ACT prep games! Unfortunately for you, this is not really true. The majority of ACT practice games are either downright bad or just far less helpful than completing actual ACT practice questions. In this article I’ll discuss the prep game trend, explain why most prep games aren’t so great, present some criteria on what makes a good ACT prep game, offer some game recommendations, and lend advice on how to incorporate them into your studying. ACT Prep Games: A New Trend The term â€Å"gamification† describes attempts to make regular, tedious life tasks more fun and exciting by making them like games. There are apps that gamify exercise, productivity, chores, finance, and even household shopping. Given the ever-increasing circle of things that have been gamified, it’s no surprise that so many companies have tried to gamify ACT prep. Both tiny app developers and test-prep giants like Kaplan and the Princeton Review have gotten on the ACT game train. The general principle seems to be that if studying for the ACT is fun, you’ll want to do it. Hence, ACT practice games will get you to spend more time preparing. But is this true? And even if it is, is the preparation you get from playing games comparable to that from less fun and exciting modes of studying? If cleaning my apartment was a game, I would probably do it more often. Why Most ACT Prep Games Are Sub-Par The sad fact is that there aren’t actually very many ACT practice games that will provide any kind of substantial help on ACT prep. In fact, some games may even be detrimental because you play them thinking you are getting in some valuable preparation when you really aren’t. The problem with many ACT prep games is that they are often glorified multiple-choice quizzes. Creators try to dress them up with competitive elements, power-ups, and other game-like features, but the fact remains that most operate under a basic mechanic of answering multiple-choice questions. This would maybe be fine if the questions in the games were high quality. But unfortunately, in many games the questions don’t resemble actual ACT questions at all. Answers are sometimes truly ambiguous or unclear, and explanations are often lacking or nonexistent. If a game’s primary conceit is presenting you with â€Å"ACT-style† multiple-choice questions, I advise you to stay away from it unless you can thoroughly vet that the questions actually resemble ACT questions. You are much better off using genuine ACT practice testsif you need more sample questions to prep for the ACT. It might be marginally more fun to see yourself get points for correct questions and advance on leaderboards in an app or on a website, but you’ll be much happier in the long run if you spend that time answering well-written sample questions that actually help you. Get real about the quality of your practice questions! What Makes a Good ACT Prep Game With all those warnings said, that doesn’t mean there are no games out there that might help you prep for the ACT. There are three main things that make a useful ACT prep game: #1: It Targets a Specific ACT Skill or Content Area A game doesn’t necessarily have to be specifically designed for the ACT to be helpful, but it does need to help you learn or review a specific concept or content area that’s tested on the ACT- trigonometry, the scientific method, punctuation, etc. Building skills or knowledge in a specific area you are struggling in will be much more useful to you for the ACT than a game that just offers half-baked multiple choice questions with poorly-worded answers. #2: It's Engaging A prep game doesn’t have to be the most exciting experience of your life, but if it’s really boring, you might as well just take practice tests instead. It needs to engage your brain so that it actually feels at least a little bit fun, or else what’s the point? #3: The Content Is Accurate It’s critical that any prep game (and any study materials you are using, period) present information and content that is accurate. There’s nothing worse than studying from an incorrect source, so be sure to vet any games before you use them! Additionally, in games with quiz-like interfaces, multiple-choice questions should actually resemble real ACT questions. May your test prep content be as accurate as your watch. 5Solid ACT Prep Game Sources There are several sources where you might look for actually useful ACT games. Sheppards Software This site has a variety of simple, educational flash games for pre-K through 12th grade. The math page has games for probability, algebra, geometry, and several other topics that appear the ACT. There are also word games in the Language Arts section that test your skill with punctuation and parts of speech. This is a solid resource if you find yourself getting stuck on a particular concept in math or Englishand you just need to drill recall in a non-boring way. FreeRice FreeRice is an online game in which you answer questions to fill up your bowl of rice; every correct question answered actually provides rice to someone in need, which is cool. I advise using the English grammar mode to study for the English section of the ACT. It will help fine-tune your ability to identify grammar mistakes in sentences. NYTimes Student Crosswords This page has printable crosswords (and answer keys) in a variety of academic subjects, several of which could definitely function as a fun review of some key subject-matter concepts for the ACT. For example, check out grammar, geometry, and algebra. Quizlet With a free account on Quizlet, you can make your own set of custom flashcards with the concepts you really need to learn. Once you make a set, you can play two game modes with the terms. There’s a matching game and a game where you prevent asteroids from hitting the planet by typing the correct answer. You can also access thousands of flashcard sets that others have uploaded to the site, including a variety of ACT prep sets. However, you’ll want to check out a set before you use it to study to make sure it actually has useful (and correct) information. ACT Math Jeopardy You can play this ACT math jeopardy game by yourself or in teams. A fun way to practice your ACT-style math questions. There are also SAT question categories, but they aren’t substantively different from the ACT ones. Find true test prep game love. How To Use ACT Prep Games in Your Own Studying ACT games won’t replace the bulk of your normal preparation activities. However, they can supplement your studying in a few key ways. Use 1: To Target Specific Skills/Concepts If you’re having trouble with a specific skill or concept, a game can be a great way to try to drill down on it. If commas or semicolons stump you, find a punctuation game! If triangles trouble you, play a trigonometry or geometry game. Use 2: To Keep Material Fresh Between Study Sessions A few rounds of an ACT prep game can be a solid way to keep material fresh in your mind during times when you aren’t engaging in dedicated prep for that subject. A couple ACT Jeopardy questions will help keep your math brain running smoothly when you spend a couple days studying English during your set-aside study sessions! Use 3: For Warm-Ups, Breaks, and Rewards Games are useful for warming up your brain at the beginning of a study session. They can also be used for breaks and rewards. This will help keep studying from getting too stressful while still keeping your brain working throughout a session! Another kind of warm-up. Key Takeaways Is it possible to completely gamify your ACT studying and be successful? Probably not. Because most prep games are just poorly-written ACT quizzes, you are better off sticking with more traditional practice problems and tests. However, there are some characteristics that make for a useful ACT prep game: It targets skills and content you need to know for the ACT It’s engaging It presents accurate information There are several sources you might look for to find game-like resources for SAT prep: Sheppards Software - Simple flash games for math and English concepts. FreeRice - Has an English grammar mode that’s useful for the English test. NYTimes Student Crosswords - For reviewing fundamental concepts in a subject. Quizlet - Make your own flashcards and then play games with them! ACT Math Jeopardy - Practice questions in a fun Jeopardy-style interface. While they won’t replace most of your studying, there are some targeted ways you might deploy SAT prep games as part of your preparation plan: To target specific skills/concept areas you are weak in Keeping material fresh between study sessions Warm-ups, breaks, and rewards during studying These tips will help you get the most out of your ACT prep games! What's Next? Looking for more ACT resources? See our master list of ACT study guides. Or see our list of the best 2016 ACT prep books. Stumped on a particular question type? Check out our guide to every ACT question type. Taking the SAT as well? See our ultimate SAT study guide!If you need a score boost, we have 15 tips to improve your SAT score. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes your prep program to your strengths and weaknesses. We also have expert instructors who can grade every one of your practice ACT essays, giving feedback on how to improve your score. Check out our 5-day free trial:

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Financial Conservatism. Determinants of cash and leverage Dissertation

Financial Conservatism. Determinants of cash and leverage - Dissertation Example In this analysis, both cash conservative and leverage conservative firms will be taken into account. The essence of investigation of the two policies at the same is to find out if a firm can use leverage conservative policy in the place of cash conservative policy or vice versa. From the earlier analysis, the key reason why firms are motivated to adopt conservative financial policies is to protect them from the cost that is associated with missed out investment opportunities. The analysis of the literature will reveal that firms tend to maintain large cash reserves or do away with their debt capacity to make sure that they do not miss out investment opportunities. It is not rare to find firms exercising both policies simultaneously, though it is difficult to establish the reasons why they do so. All in all, according to major theoretical frameworks of capital structure, it is strange to find a firm that adopts high leverage policy having high cash balances in their capital structure. For instance, according to the pecking order theory, firms tend to result to eternal financing only after exhausting their internally available funds. Many researchers have covered this area of financial conservatism, especially regarding the rationale behind different accumulation of huge amounts of cash and cash equivalents as well as the repercussions of such policies (Ozkan & Ozkan, 2004; Mikkelson & Partch, 2003). However, the determinant of cash and leverage conservatism in UK firms has not been focused on. ... It is not rare to find firms exercising both policies simultaneously, though it is difficult to establish the reasons why they do so. All in all, according to major theoretical frameworks of capital structure, it is strange to find a firm that adopts high leverage policy having high cash balances in their capital structure. For instance, according to the pecking order theory, firms tend to result to eternal financing only after exhausting their internally available funds. Many researchers have covered this area of financial conservatism, especially regarding the rationale behind different accumulation of huge amounts of cash and cash equivalents as well as the repercussions of such policies (Ozkan & Ozkan, 2004; Mikkelson & Partch, 2003). However, the determinant of cash and leverage conservatism in UK firms has not been focused on. What’s more, most of the studies that have dealt with this area have been concentrated on the US firms, hence making it important to investigate w hether the puzzle regarding decisions of firms in relation to financial conservatism extends to the UK firms. As such, this study will focus on the UK firms especially because it is commonly known for observance of extreme debt conservatism, considering UK firms have the lowest leverage ratio, weighed against to other developed countries (Rajan and Zingales, 1995). This study will use leverage of firms or cash holdings to determine whether the firms are finically-conservative. The objective of this paper is to carry out an empirical study on the debt policies adopted by the UK firms, which particularly focus on the factors that influence large cash reserves and extremely low leverage. In effect, the paper will attempt to find answers to a number of research questions. First and

Friday, November 1, 2019

Does Tragedy Invariably Conform to a Conservative Perspective On Essay

Does Tragedy Invariably Conform to a Conservative Perspective On Gender Relations, Or Can It Work to Bring These Into Question - Essay Example engnether (1996) discusses that in the play King Lear, the relinquishment of the father’s authority also caused the unveiling of the destructive dominance and impact of female power and chaos, as seen in the acts of the sisters Goneril and Regan. Both sisters were not provided treatment as good examples of tragic female heroes; still their characters as powerful women should be considered without focusing on the existing 16th century stereotypes (Callaghan, 1989). An assessment of Goneril indicates how she is viewed in relation to her sister with Shakespeare wanting to prepare the sisters to be one evil entity (Liu, 2010). This theory can easily be founded in Regan’s own words when she expresses that she is made up of the same qualities as her sister, with the same prize and weight attributed to them both. Regan was the second child and as such has a different role compared to Goneril; she also has to work towards protecting her position as a ‘loving’ daugh ter (Liu, 2010). There are differences in these two sisters as Goneril is more intelligent than her sister, and that she wants Regan to simply follow or fall behind her. Shakespeare often applies the style of creating double roles or dual identities for his characters, having them connected and also contrasting with each other. Their differences are also observed by Dusinberre (1989) with the initial interactions between the sisters supporting such difference. As Goneril is more inclined to act on something, Regan is still trying to think on something. In effect, Goneril is the more dominant character in King Lear. She is the one who plotted to relinquish their father of his power. Goneril is also telling her servant to inform their father that she does not desire to see him. Goneril also detests the fact the... This paper stresses that Shakespeare and Marlowe provide tragic plays which seem to portray differing perspectives on gender relations. In King Lear, Shakespeare presents strong women who take on masculine qualities in order to appear powerful. The perspective of Goneril is however very much unfavourable. She is presented in a very unfavourable, greedy, and evil light. It is interesting to note however that if she were a man showing such qualities on his way to power, he would actually be viewed with much respect. Based on Marlowe’s depiction of women and gender differences, women are considered in a more favourable perspective in terms of leadership and of being intelligent women, able to bring men to their knees. In relation to King Lear, tragedy seems to support a conservative perspective on gender relations, as the play shows how women seeking power are evil and are to be viewed in a negative light. This report makes a conclusion that tragedy can trigger different reactions from different people regardless of gender. In some ways though, the differences are observed in terms of whether tragedy matches the conservative expectations relating to gender relations. The central issue in this case is based on family relations. This point is however very much debatable.