Positives And Negatives Of The Utopian Society Essays -

Positives and Negatives of the Utopian Society Sir Thomas More wrote a novel named Utopia about a country that existed only in his mind. More used the story to explore his views and feelings about politics and government. People still believe that the story holds truths that are relevant today even though More wrote Utopia during the Renaissance. Utopia contains information about More's vision of a perfect society. The Utopian government was able to overcome or prevent all problems facing the country. The government first segregates the island by digging a canal around it so that the ocean will create and island that has hazardous straights as it's only means into the island. It then handles the many aspects that a community faces in a manner that, for the most part, creates an enjoyable environment to live in. There are however a few points that I found a flaw in. Personal wealth, religion, and justice are three areas of the Utopian society that have positive and negative sides. The first area of the Utopian society that I found weakness in is the lack of personal property. Every person who could get up and work did so for six hours a day. People were not allowed to be idle as it was against the law. Actually their working hours are sufficient to provide not only an abundance, but a superabundance of all the necessities and conveniences of life (p.35). Since every person contributes to the production of every food or material product in the commonwealth, there is no poverty and no greed. This concept looks great on paper. I feel, however, that this lack of owning anything would cause people to feel like they don't work for themselves. There would be no reason to toil over soil that was hard to sew if you knew you were not going to starve regardless of what you produced. The next part of Utopian culture that I disagree with is its religion and the policy it has on holidays. The people are able to worship any god they wish in anyway they wished. . The people of Utopia are able to partake in any religious ceremony they choose. Each citizen worships as he pleases and as long as he does not force his beliefs onto others he is fine (p.70). This freedom gave people a very important right. It helped to end many problems that occurred during the early years of Utopia (p. 72). This policy is a magnificent idea and it surprised me that no one who actually ran a country had thought of this. The only flaw that I found in Utopian religion was that all citizens had to the same temple at the same time for the festival of the first and last days of the month. These days, called Cynemern and Trapermern, were celebrated in a common temple in the city. The name of no specific god was used in the celebration except Mithra. Since every sect of religion used this name for their god. The government designed the services in this fashion so that they would not offend any religion (p.77). The use of no specific name of a god is a good way to avoid offending people, but it also makes the ceremony very impersonal. It seems to me that it would have been more beneficial if each group of religious Utopians was able to worship in the temple on their own day. This way they would be able to call their god anything they wanted and would feel surrounded by people with their same beliefs. The final area with some aspects is the Utopian justice system. The government does not have many laws; they do not see a need for it. The Utopians see no need in having many laws when there is not enough time to spend to gain the understanding for a larger number. Actually, the Utopians feel that honoring good citizens as a better way to develop morals. Displaying the names of people who have done good for the commonwealth, is thought to be a good way to detour others from acting against the common good. The laws that are made are very few and are made to enforce

Threats to Nike and Potential Strategies Research Paper Example

Threats to Nike and Potential Strategies Research Paper Example Threats to Nike and Potential Strategies Paper Threats to Nike and Potential Strategies Paper It is important to identify the key strengths and weaknesses of Nike to try and find strategies that may be used to help protect the weaknesses and oppose threats and identify and fulfill new opportunities in the market. To help me analyse these strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats I am going to use a SWOT analysis to assess the current situation with regards to these factors to try and help me better understand the pressures on Nike and hopefully develop strategies able to effect these current conditions and improve the Nike organization. Nike is known as the lead competitor in the footwear industry. It is a globalised brand, recognized all over the world. Because of this it plays an important role in the footwear sector and some may say are the trend leaders and setters in particular in relation to sport shoes. Nike promote themselves as the innovator of footwear and pay particular detail to the research and development of their products. Nike do not own any factories which means it does not tie money up in property or manufacturing works. This makes Nike a very lean organization. Nike is the worlds top sports manufacturer and can use this brand image and power to promote their products. The footwear sector of Nikes organization is the largest and most profitable so it is imperative Nike concentrate on the innovation and promotion of their products in this sector. The retail sector is very price sensitive. For this reason Nike have to ensure they are producing products as cheaply as possible without compromising quality. Because Nike sell primarily to retailers this is an ever more important factor as Nike does have it own retailer (Nike town) and large retailers Nike sell too put companies under pressure to produce products cheaply to improve margins. Product development offers Nike many opportunites. (Marketing Teacher). Although Nike believes they are a sports brand, some consumers of the Nike products do not partake in sport. This shows that Nike is not only a sports brand but is now considered a large fashion brand too. This means there are new opportunities to create innovating products to try and target the fashion market. Nike has used various celebrities to endorse products which has, to some extent, made Nike the trend setter as people copy the stars. This is a great way to promote products and capitalizing on this new, potentially huge market in fashion footwear could promote new opportunities in the sector. Nike could also further their worldwide brand dominance by expanding their services to new countries. China and India are both economies that are expanding rapidly so the increase in income for these two economies could be potential to promote products to the wealthy Indian or China economies. As Nike trade internationally they are prone to changes within the international markets. This can include differing exchange rates so costs and margins are not as stable as they could be. This means Nike has to assess its markets and products especially regarding price, regularly to stay competitive. Most of Nikes products are manufactured abroad to make them cheaper, however, many other companies including Nikes top competitors have done the same in order to compete with Nikes cheap production costs. This has made the footwear market very price sensitive and so price competitiveness is now more important than ever before. In the following diagram it shows the fall of the average price of footwear in the UK from 2002-07. This demonstrates the importance of lowering costs as Nike no longer have a sufficient competitive advantage in this sense.

Biography of Lydia Maria Child, Activist and Author

Biography of Lydia Maria Child, Activist and Author Lydia Maria Child, (February 11, 1802–October 20, 1880) was a prolific writer and fervent activist for womens rights, Native American Rights, and abolition. Her best-known piece today is the homey Over the River and Through the Wood, but her influential anti-slavery writing helped sway many Americans toward the abolitionist movement. Fast Facts: Lydia Maria Child Known For:  Prolific author and activist for abolition, womens rights, and Native American rights; author of Over the River and Through the Wood (A Boys Thanksgiving Day)Also Known As:  L. Maria Child, Lydia M. Child, Lydia ChildBorn:  February 11, 1802 in Medford, MassachusettsParents: David Convers Francis and Susanna Rand FrancisDied: October 20, 1880 in Wayland, MassachusettsEducation: Educated at home, at a local dame school, and at a nearby womens seminaryAwards and Honors: Inducted into the  National Womens Hall of Fame (2007)Published Works:  Over the River and Through the Wood, Hobomok, The Rebels, or Boston before the Revolution, Juvenile Miscellany magazine, An Appeal in Favor of That Class of Americans Called AfricansSpouse: David Lee ChildNotable Quote: I was gravely warned by some of my female acquaintances that no woman could expect to be regarded as a lady after she had written a book. Early Life Born in Medford, Massachusetts, on February 11, 1802, Lydia Maria Francis was the youngest of six children. Her father David Convers Francis was a baker famous for his Medford Crackers. Her mother Susanna Rand Francis died when Maria was 12. (She disliked the name Lydia and was usually called Maria instead.) Born into Americas new middle class, Lydia Maria Child was educated at home, at a local dame school, and at a nearby womens seminary. She went to live for some years with an older married sister. First Novel Maria was especially close to and influenced by her older brother Convers Francis, a Harvard College graduate, Unitarian minister, and, later in life, a professor at Harvard Divinity School. After a brief teaching career, Maria went to live with him and his wife at his parish. Inspired by a conversation with Convers, she took up the challenge to write a novel depicting early American life. She finished it in six weeks. This first novel, Hobomok, has never been honored as a literary classic. The book is remarkable, however, for its attempt to realistically portray early American life and for its then-radical positive portrayal of a Native American hero as a noble human being in love with a white woman. New England Intellectual The publication of Hobomok in 1824 helped bring Maria Francis into New England and Boston literary circles. She ran a private school in Watertown where her brother served his church. In 1825 she published her second novel, The Rebels, or Boston before the Revolution. This historical novel achieved new success for Maria. A speech in this novel, which she put into the mouth of James Otis, was assumed to be an authentic historical oration and was included in many 19th century schoolbooks as a standard memorization piece. She built on her success by founding in 1826 a bimonthly magazine for children, Juvenile Miscellany. She also came to know other women in New Englands intellectual community. She studied John Lockes philosophy with activist Margaret Fuller and became acquainted with the Peabody sisters and Maria White Lowell. Marriage At this point of literary success, Maria Child became engaged to Harvard graduate and lawyer David Lee Child. Eight years her senior, David Child was the editor and publisher of the Massachusetts Journal. He was also politically engaged, serving briefly in the Massachusetts State Legislature and often speaking at local political rallies. Lydia Maria and David knew each other for three years before their engagement in 1827. While they shared middle-class backgrounds and many intellectual interests, their differences were considerable. She was frugal and he was extravagant. She was more sensual and romantic than he was. She was drawn to the aesthetic and mystical, while he was most comfortable in the world of reform and activism. Her family, aware of Davids indebtedness and reputation for poor monetary management, opposed their marriage. But Marias financial success as an author and editor allayed her own fiscal fears and, after a year of waiting, they were married in 1828. After their marriage, he drew her into his own political activity. She began to write for his newspaper. A regular theme of her columns and of childrens stories in Juvenile Miscellany was the mistreatment of Native Americans by both the New England settlers and earlier Spanish colonists. Native American Rights When President Andrew Jackson proposed moving the Cherokee Indians against their will out of Georgia, in violation of earlier treaties and government promises, David Childs Massachusetts Journal began virulently attacking Jacksons positions and actions. Lydia Maria Child, around that same time, published another novel, The First Settlers. In this book, the white main characters identified more with the Native Americans of early America than with the Puritan settlers. One notable interchange in the book holds up two women rulers as models for leadership: Queen Isabella of Spain and her contemporary, Queen Anacaona, Carib Indian ruler. Childs positive treatment of Native American religion and her vision of a multiracial democracy caused little controversy, mostly because she was able to give the book little promotion and attention after publication. Davids political writings at the Journal had resulted in many cancelled subscriptions and a libel trial against him. He ended up spending time in prison on this offense, though his conviction was later overturned by a higher court. Earning a Living Davids decreasing income led Lydia Maria Child to look to increase her own. In 1829, she published an advice book directed at the new American middle-class wife and mother: The Frugal Housewife. Unlike earlier English and American advice and cookery books, which were directed to educated and wealthy women, this book assumed as its audience a lower-income American wife. Child did not assume that her readers had servants. Her focus on plain living while saving money and time focused on the needs of a far larger audience. With increasing financial difficulties, Maria took on a teaching position and continued to write and publish the Miscellany. In 1831, she wrote and published The Mothers Book and The Little Girls Own Book, more advice books with economy tips and even games. Anti-Slavery Appeal Davids political circle, which included abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison and his anti-slavery cohort, drew Child into consideration of the subject of slavery. She began to write more of her childrens stories on the subject of slavery. In 1833, after several years of study and thought about slavery, Child published a book that was a radical departure from her novels and her childrens stories. In the book, awkwardly titled An Appeal in Favor of That Class of Americans Called Africans, she described the history of slavery in America and the present condition of those enslaved. She proposed the end of slavery, not through colonization of Africa and the return of the slaves to that continent but through the integration of ex-slaves into American society. She advocated education and racial intermarriage as some means to that multiracial republic. The Appeal had two main effects. First, it was instrumental in convincing many Americans of the need for the abolition of slavery. Those who credited Childs Appeal with their own change of mind and increased commitment included Wendell Phillips and William Ellery Channing. Second, Childs popularity with the general public plummeted, leading to the folding of Juvenile Miscellany in 1834 and reduced sales of The Frugal Housewife. She published more anti-slavery works, including an anonymously-published Authentic Anecdotes of American Slavery (1835) and the Anti-Slavery Catechism (1836). Her new attempt at an advice book, The Family Nurse (1837), was a victim of the controversy and failed. Writing and Abolitionism Undaunted, Child continued to write prolifically. She published another novel, Philothea, in 1836, Letters from New York in 1843–1845, and Flowers for Children in 1844–1847. She followed these with a book depicting fallen women, Fact and Fiction, in 1846 and The Progress of Religious Ideas (1855), influenced by Theodore Parkers transcendentalist Unitarianism. Both Maria and David became more active in the abolitionist movement. She served on the executive committee of Garrisons American Anti-Slavery Society and David helped Garrison found the New England Anti-Slavery Society. First Maria, then David, edited the National Anti-Slavery Standard from 1841 to 1844 before editorial differences with Garrison and the Anti-Slavery Society led to their resignations. David embarked on an effort to raise sugar cane, an attempt to replace slave-produced sugar cane. Lydia Maria boarded with the Quaker family of Isaac T. Hopper, an abolitionist whose biography she published in 1853. In 1857, at 55 years old, Lydia Maria Child published the inspirational collection Autumnal Leaves, apparently feeling her career coming to its close. Harpers Ferry But in 1859, after John Browns failed raid on Harpers Ferry, Lydia Maria Child plunged back into the anti-slavery arena with a series of letters that the Anti-Slavery Society published as a pamphlet. Three hundred thousand copies were distributed. In this compilation is one of Childs most memorable lines. Child responded to a letter from the wife of Virginia Senator James M. Mason that defended slavery by pointing to the kindness of Southern ladies in helping slave women give birth. Childs reply: ... here in the North, after we have helped the mothers, we do not sell the babies. Harriet Jacobs and Later Work As the war neared, Child continued to publish more anti-slavery tracts. In 1861, she edited the autobiography of ex-slave Harriet Jacobs, published as Incidents in the Life of a Slave-Girl. After the war- and slavery- ended, Lydia Maria Child followed through on her earlier proposal of education for ex-slaves by publishing, at her own expense, The Freedmens Book. The text was notable for including writings of noted African-Americans. She also wrote another novel, Romance of the Republic, about racial justice and interracial love. In 1868, Child returned to her early interest in Native Americans and published An Appeal for the Indians, proposing solutions for justice. In 1878, she published Aspirations of the World. Death Lydia Maria Child died on October 20, 1880, in Wayland, Massachusetts, on the farm she had shared with her husband David since 1852. Legacy Today, if Lydia Maria Child is remembered by name, it is usually for her Appeal. But ironically, her short doggerel poem, A Boys Thanksgiving Day, is better known than any of her other work. Few who sing or hear Over the river and through the woods... know much about the writer who was a novelist, journalist, domestic advice writer, and social reformer. One of her greatest accomplishments seems ordinary today, but it was groundbreaking: She was one of the first American women to earn a living income from her writing. In 2007, Child was inducted into the  National Womens Hall of Fame. Sources Child, Lydia Maria. An Appeal in Favor of That Class of Americans Called Africans, edited by Carolyn L. Karcher, University of Massachusetts Press, 1996.Child, Lydia Maria. Lydia Maria Child: Selected Letters, 1817–1880, edited by Milton Meltzer and Patricia G. Holland, University of Massachusetts Press, 1995.Karcher, Carolyn L. The First Woman in the Republic: A Cultural Biography of Lydia Maria Child. Duke University Press, 1998.

Tax Refund for Nonresident Aliens Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Tax Refund for Nonresident Aliens - Case Study Example Very few are aware that they are overpaying the taxes. Credits and deductions that they are eligible for either under a bipartite international treaty or under US laws are not being properly utilized. The main reason is their limited understanding regarding US tax laws and secondly, many of them do not file the returns. No filing of the returns means no possibility of any refunds. The endeavour has been to understand these complexities, which has piled up unclaimed overpaid taxes with IRS. It would be appropriate to note that in view of the vastness of the subject effort has been put toward depicting the main issues in a generalized way rather than any specifics to the issue involved. Dates of Co-op Assignment: August 30 -December 9, 2010 On interaction with many non-resident aliens, I came to know that many of them were not very clear on the various tax-related matter, on personal income taxes. They belonged to the varied nationalities. They were not aware of some important US tax requirements. At times, they do not file tax returns or filed them incorrectly, which results in a lot of overpaid tax and the substantial amount goes unclaimed in the refund. †¢ Those people who have come under non-resident visa (J, F, Q or M category) in the US they are statutorily required to file a 1040NR Tax Return in physical form. These are known as US non-resident income tax return. They cannot file e-return or online returns. H1B visa falls in the category of non-immigrant visa. If H1B visa holder is recognized as Resident alien then he is required to file the tax return like any other US citizen, otherwise, they are required to file 1040NR tax return form only. It has been found that most nonresidents miss to file a return or file it incorrectly. It has been further noted that there is a large amount of unclaimed taxes by nonresidents who refrain from filing tax returns. They are under the impression that since the employer has withheld tax amount their obligations are over and they are not aware that they have paid more than what is required by the law.  Ã‚  

Frank Gilbreth and his contributions to Management History Research Paper

Frank Gilbreth and his contributions to Management History - Research Paper Example Secondly, Lillian Gilberth made major contributions to the psychology of management. Thirdly, both before and after the death of her husband, Lillian was an active teacher – she trained some of the most significant figures in the world of business. Additionally, she was a significant role model for women in management in her later years (Witzel, 145). After graduating from Boston English High School, Gilbreth later worked for Whidden and Company Construction as a bricklayer’s apprentice. Later, beginning 1895, he founded Frank Gilbreth construction and became its president until 1911. The company put up projects throughout the US. Beginning the year 1912, Gilbreth and his wife formed Gilbreth Consulting Incorporated. While he was working at Whidden Construction, Gilbreth did not find satisfaction with simply learning a skill but yearned to get to know the reason as to why his instructors used different motions as they taught him to lay a brick while when working alone, they used only one set of motion to lay a brick (Witzel, 209). He also realized that the bricklayers were using three dissimilar sets of motions – one for teaching bricklaying to others, a second while working at a slow speed, and a third while working at a quickly (Nelson.com, 9). These observations saw the start of Gilbreth’s groundbreaking work in the study of motion as well as ergonomics (the scientific workplace layout that reduces fatigue and improves work performance at the same time) and brought about his invention. While he was only 24, Gilbreth received the first of numerous patents for what he referred to as his â€Å"non-stooping scaffold†. He designed the scaffold with the aim of improving the rate at which workers laid bricks. As he observed bricklayer’s movements, Gilbreth came to the realization that it was possible to reduce the number of individual movements that workers made while moving every brick to the wall they were building from t he pallet. This would culminate into a double impact of reducing the amount of energy that they would have to use in addition to accelerating the work (Witzel, 209 & Witzel, 144-145). He started studying the various approaches and started doing away with those motions that were not necessary. For instance, he designed a stand that workers could raise to waist height, which eliminated the motion of stooping to lift each brick (Nelson.com, 9). Witzel explains that before Gilbreth’s design, bricklayers used most of their time stooping to lift bricks and then mortar, which they kept beside their feet. Gilbreth’s invention added a second level at the waist height of the workers to aid in storing materials. The scaffold would be hoisted in such a way that the top of the wall that workers were building was even with their torsos at all times. Instead of bending down now and then, workers would only turn and grab the bricks and this was easier and faster (Nelson.com, 9). The m ost significant fact was that the design deliberately decreased the amount of fatigue as well as stress on the backs of the workers – they were able to lay more bricks daily, with less exhaustion, chiefly in terms of back strain (Witzel, 209). Additionally, by giving those workers whose salaries were low the duty of putting all the bricks with their most attractive side facing

My Trip To Egypt

My Trip To Egypt It was my grandmothers 70th Birthday in May this year and my Mum, my sister Sophie and my Mums three sisters decided to have a girly long weekend in Dorset during the May half term. Consequently, my Dad and I had most of the week on our own. My Dad came up with a few options of places to go ranging from Paris to Rome but also suggested going to Cairo. As I have always wanted to go to Cairo and see ancient Egypt, I thought that this was a brilliant idea and a fabulous gift from my Dad and I readily agreed to the trip. It was a five hour flight to Cairo and my Mum drove us to the nearest underground station for us to reach Heathrow airport in time for our early morning flight of course the anticipation was killing me as and I desperately wanted to see what an Arab country was like, especially one with all the mysteries of the ancient world that I imagined Egypt to have. We enjoyed the flight I enjoy my Dads company as he is such a good story teller and of course, he had been to Egypt about 20 years before so was telling me about all the things I could expect I couldnt wait! When we stepped off the airplane, the first thing I could feel was the intense heat that was thrown against my face and it seemed to suck the moisture from not only my face but seemed to reach right into my mouth and towel dry my tongue I knew then that I was in a desert country. When we stepped off of the tarmac into the custom hall, the first culture shock hit me and I have never seen so many guns pointing at me as if I was public enemy number one, although on the other hand, it seemed like I was the prime minister arriving! My Dad had arranged for us to be met by a personal driver, and he treated us like visiting royalty, escorting us to the car, looking after our luggage and settling us in for the journey. Although we arent used to that kind of service at home (well apart from my Mum!!), for comfortably-off Westerners with our standard of living this was probably just an average means of transport. I was really interested in seeing Cairo as we drove to our hotel and while it was not immediately as spectacular compared to some of the cities I have visited, it seemed a fairly average city with a lot of slums, colourful graffiti, stray dogs but balanced with some fairly modern buildings too. On the next day my Dad and I decided to visit the market, which was called the Khan E Khali Bazaar and which had a range of shops and stalls that I had never seen before with most of the goods on offer being so cheap that I felt that I could virtually buy the whole bazaar. I bought a lot of souvenirs right away as this was one of the aims of my visit I am a great shopper and collector, especially on holiday, and this visit was going to be no exception! The market was based near the citys main Egyptian museum, is one of the major areas of Cairo and which houses all the mummies and Egyptian artefacts, which are of course key to defining the history of Egypt. The sun was scorching and I felt as if I was inside an oven, but suffering the heat was worth it we ended up spending most of the morning in the colourful, bustling market, taking refuge in the little tea-rooms and of course buying about three shopping bags of a wide range of goodies to take home, for example I bought an old Egypt ian coin which in this country would be worth a lot of money because it is an ancient artefact. The texture of the coin was very rough; I made me think of all the hands it must have been through. I also allowed my imagination to wander and dream about the very strong sun in the sky, beating down on the coin; how many hardworking slaves in Ancient Egypt had stood where I stood now with the sun beating down on them as they toiled in the heat and the dust all those centuries ago, battling with famine and the anxiety of not knowing if theyd see another day? The smells of anywhere new is always something that lodges in your memory and this was no different; we visited a perfume shop that had a whole range of intoxicating perfumed oils and lotions and we bought a full set of different liquids all in their own intricately made glass bottles to take back home to my Mum and Sister. There were so many different spices and perfumes and I just know that when I smell any of these intoxicating aromas, or the smell of meat mixed with the aroma of jasmine and various herbs of the Arabic world, this will remind me of various soap shops that we walked past. Also, I think that the smell of raw meat reminds me of walking past open meat stalls in various supermarkets, such as, Asda, Tesco and Sainsburys I will be instantly transported back to that busy market! We had a really full and interesting day but eventually decided to head back to the hotel and take an afternoon nap so that we would be in the best shape to be ready for a lovely dinner in the hotel in the evening. After a long and relaxing sleep, the next morning, we decided to visit what is called the Gem of Egypt and the world famous pyramids. There were many more pyramids than I expected as there are actually three major ones and three smaller ones. The one I liked best was one known as the step pyramid as this was a major landmark in history for the Egyptians. I cannot imagine how long it would have taken to construct these Wonders of the World. Again my mind wandered back to the Egypt of 3000 years ago when I tried to imagine what it would have been like to be part of the many thousands of poor slaves who were forced to build these massive constructions; I was finding difficult just to stand or walk in this intense heat how hard would it be to pull massive stone blocks into place, or using rope and tackle having to pull the stones up and into their place and then to have these monuments to hard labour stand for thousands of years the whole scene and where it stood in history was mind bl owing. Another equally impressive installation sitting serenely nearby was of course the Sphinx which dominates the pyramids with its beauty and its uniqueness. To see and touch the Sphinx had been one of my life long ambitions and of course, I had to buy a memento a small replica of the beautiful monument, although this souvenir had been painted. Although this is not currently the case, whos to say it wasnt originally painted? At the end of this long, hot and sweaty day making tiring journeys to, from and inside the pyramids, I desperately needed a shower and then we had a relaxing meal and after dinner drink by the moonlit pool (although did have to battle the treacherous nightlife in the form of mosquitoes!), we repeated our pattern of fairly early night and off to bed. Lying in bed of an evening, I heard various different noises of the Arabic world, my imagination was very much alive this holiday due to the lack of internet, television and video games, I had a lot of time to think and reflect on what might have gone on in the surroundings around me. I acted out many scenes in my head, filled with various battles and mysterious tales that have been centred in and around Ancient Egypt. We were very tired the next day and so we decided to take it easy and decided against some trips from the hotel. We woke up lazily at around eleven in the morning, because of the exhausting past two days. After a scrumptious breakfast, we went to the swimming pool which was a clear as a diamond with lovely clean as water. The pool was neither too hot nor too cold but just perfect and the water was of the same quality as in England with no dirt. We swam for about half the day and then made our way to the restaurant again for lunch, this time a buffet laid out perfectly with such a vast selection of delicious food that I felt quite confused as to what I should have for lunch. In the afternoon, we decided to visit the mosque of the Emperor which was so beautiful with all carvings of the Quran and people praying it almost felt like you were in Mecca, the holiest city in Islam, everything was just so authentic. I think when you are faced with a completely different religion or culture, t here are very stark differences and on the surface, you feel that there are no similarities; this is especially true with the differences between Christianity and Islam. However, it is only when you study the religions in depth that you come to realise that there are some things that are very similar or in fact the same. During my visit to the mosque I also learnt some Arabic (for numbers) which sounded like a language made by God. Later on in the evening, we had a real contrast to the holy experiences of the day when we went to watch a typical Arab belly dance with a woman dressed in an Arabian dress showing her bare stomach. It was like a dance exhibition for a king, and she had thousands of pounds worth of jewellery all over her. The dance lasted for about thirty minutes and it was performed while we ate some typical Arab fare for dinner. Finally, we went back to our hotel and because we already had had dinner, went straight to bed. All so quickly, I reached the last day of our fantastic visit to this wonderful country with such diversity, such rich culture and rich smells and tastes. Our flight was quite late at night so during our last day we visited the world renowned Egyptian museum, which contained wonderful artefacts. One artefact which startled me the most was the picture of Tutankhamen, one of the great rulers of Egypt, which was full of rich colours and was truly a work of a great artist. I never imagined that the people of so long ago would have had such refined and great skills, especially artistic and also construction work. The museum was really fascinating and I felt honoured to have witnessed so many treasures. We finally made our way to the airport and even though I didnt want to go home, we had to our flights were booked and so we could not stay longer. The airport had the same high security situation with the guards holding guns on display. I will never forget this trip and the only thing that would have made it even better was if I had my mum and sister with me too.

Personal Budget Balance Sheet, Cash Flow Essay

Memo To:Mr. Christopher De Maline From: Date:02/17/2014 Re:Personal Budget, Balance Sheet, and Cash Flow Statement Dear Mr. De Maline Saving money is extremely important however; some people do not have healthy savings thus leading them to financial instability. Therefore, being a good steward over your finances should be consistent and begin at an early age and progress as you age. This will provide an effective growth pattern to allow future financial security. The purpose of this memorandum is to evaluate my client’s financial outlook, their personal budget, balance sheet, and cash flow statement and provide recommendations for improvement of their financial situation. My client, Chauncey Latham is 51 years old and a police officer. He is married and has one dependent. Kyle Latham, Chauncey’s wife is 47 years old and is currently not working. Prior to her unemployment, Kyle annual earnings were $96,000 a year. They live is a nice 4-bedroom house, in a great community with a sought after school district. The family has a comfortable looking life, though their financial outlook is pretty grim. Together Chauncey and Kyle earn $85,000 a year, which includes Chauncey’s off duty work and Kyle’s unemployment benefit. Their life savings have dwindled down the emergency fund is very low, and their credit card debt is high. The balance sheets show my clients assets and liabilities and verify their net worth. Any property including jewelry or saleable items is considered assets and can produce income. The asset value should have a fair market value, which means the amount of money they would have today if sold. Conversely, liabilities are debts that decrease the net worth. PERSONAL BALANCE SHEET: ______________________________________________________ Balance Sheet of December 31st, 2013 _______________________________________________________ Assets Liquid assets Checking account balance $ 4,000 Savings $ 5,000 Money market account $ 11,000 Cash value of life insurance $ 250,000 Total liquid assets $ 270,000 Household assets Current market value of home $ 235,000 Market value of vehicles $ 28,000 Jewelry $ 25,000 Studio/Stereo equipment $ 15,000 Total household assets $ 303,000 Investment assets Individual retirement accounts $ 150,000 College certificate $ 10,000 Total investment assets $ 160,000 Total assets $ 733,000 Liabilities Current Liabilities Credit card balances $ 20,000 Car loan $ 16,000 Student loans $ 120,000 Personal loan $ 15,000 Mortgage $ 201,000 Total Liabilities $ 372,000 Net worth (assets minus liabilities) $ 361,000 To improve my client’s understanding of their finances, I am recommending that a cash flow statement be created. Because some people are unaware of their financial outlook, creating a cash flow statement will provide the structure needed, thus providing information such as where the money is going and how much is remaining at the end of the month. A plus to developing a cash flow statement is the ability to analyze the fixed expenses with the income and savings and modify as needed. Latham’s cash flow statement. _______________________________________________________ Monthly cash flow statement for December 31st, 2013 _______________________________________________________ Cash Outflows: Mortgage $ 1,400 Property taxes $ 3,063 Car loan payment $ 565 Students loan $ 485 Credit card payments $ 600 Car/house/life insurance $ 250 Power $ 200 Water $ 70 Telephone $ 265 Gas/Transportation $ 400 Food $ 800 Clothing $ 100 Medical expenses $ 150 Entertainment $ 100 Gifts/donations $ 300 Total Outflows $ 8,748 Allocation of surplus: Savings (Emergency Fund) $ 800 Saving Goal $ 300 Surplus $1,100 The next recommendation would be to develop a personal budget for the Latham’s. This will allow them to have the proper foundation to establish strong financial understanding, develop strong money management skills that will pave the way long time financial security. Hence, I will determine their monthly income and show expenses to determine where modifications need to take place. IncomeActual Amt.PercentageProj Amount Salary $7,083 $7,083 Expenses Mortgage $1,400 $1,400 Property Tax $250 $250 Car Loan Payment $565 3% $548 Student Loan $485 4% $465 CC Payment $600 10% $540 House/Car/Life Ins $250 $250 Power $200 2% Water $70 $70 Telephone $265 10% $239 Gas/Transportation $400 $400 Food $800 10% $720 Clothing $100 50% $50 Med Exp. $150 $150 Entertainment $100 50% $50 Gift/Donation $300 30% $210 Saving/Emergency $500 $1,000 Savings Goal $300 $600 Based on the data, there is room for financial improvement. I would advise my clients to request lower interest rates on both their credit cards and car loan, and request student loan consolidation. Also, reducing the power usage in the home, change telephone plans to something more cost effective, and attempt to use coupons for grocery shopping when at all possible. Lastly reduce any spending on gifts, entertainment, and clothing would help in  improving the overall financial outlook. If the plan is followed, the Latham’s, would be able to increase the money deposited into the saving goal and emergency saving accounts. After a while, the money could be used to reduce the other debt. Having a personal budget is the blueprint for managing and spending finances. Use of the personal budget, gives you control over timely bill paying, monthly expenses, and provide an overall financial picture, so you know where you are each month. Utilizing a budget will allow better forecasting in long-term financial needs, which will help in better long-term savings, student loans can be paid sooner, and liquid cash can be readily available when needed. A personal budget is key in improving financial health. References: eHow. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/how_4475033_start-personal-budget.html Jack R. Kapoor, L. R. (2009). Personal Finance. In L. R. Jack R. Kapoor, Personal Financial Planner (pp. 1-69). McGraw-Hill Company.