A Summary of Four Articles on Finance from the Internet

This article furnishes its readers with relevant tips for parents who want to successfully send their children to school as they reach for some higher level of scholastic learning. It begins with the basic problematic most countries the world over is beset: government subsidies to defray the expensive cost of education for students (and parents at that) do not seem to cover that much.The case in point, at least specifically for this write-up, addresses how the government has stopped its subsidies for â€Å"student fees† which in turn makes it quite difficult for both parents and students to cope with.The article submits certain proposals to help both parents and students address the mounting task of university education.Among the choices include availing of loan packages such as: Student Loans (managed by Student Finance Direct), which allows a student to borrow money at a modest 9% interest, to be subsequently paid after graduation; Student Grants† – the more â⠂¬Å"generous† type of grant given to financially challenged families, or to single parent students, as even to those whose financial income is below 17,000 per annum.The article ends with alternative proposals that touch on some more means to get this whole university education going. Whichever the readers choose though, the bottom line remains: sending one’s children to school may appear to be an insurmountable task, but it is not impossible nevertheless.1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Top tips for first time buyers[1]The central concern of this write-up is to guide first time homeowners on important issues, which can either make or break their whole experience of buying a house. True enough, the first premise of the article is telling enough to even dismiss or set aside – buying a house is a big commitment and entails having to shoulder a lot of responsibilities in the years to come.First up, it is by right of commonsense that buyers are given this Bible-piece of advice : do not buy what you cannot afford. The initial temptation to procure a property based on the impulse to acquire an ideal house can at times blur the fact that there are some financial considerations that cannot be left out – these include, among others, â€Å"duty, solicitor and/or estate agent fees, a valuation report†. To be sure, this does not even include transfer and renovation costs.The article also gives vital information on the remaining important things that should not be missed. Among others, buyers have to be fully aware of the stipulations of the contract, the mortgage deals that they are agreeing to put up with and payment methods. Still, some other concerns that include insurance policies, procurement of home appliances, the suitability of the house location vis-à  -vis one’s work or children’s school are to be considered.2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Savings and investments for your children[2]â€Å"Children don’t come cheap† is t he statement that commences this short yet very insightful article which deals with an effective and forward-looking ways to invest for one’s children. In this times when managing one’s finances rightly becomes more and more difficult to do, it is certainly with a great sense of love and concern that one is called for to save for his/her children’s future and not compromise their wellbeing in the process.There are a few things that can be noted to help achieve this task. First up, the article proposes that parents should open a â€Å"bank account† for their children. It may seem like it is too early children to actually save. But the whole point of the exercise is to start saving regularly when one finds some time and resources to do it. As in a case of a habit, saving little pennies for one’s children can â€Å"accumulate quickly† without actually being noticed.Another proposal that the article gives is for parents to set aside some tax rel ief that the government provides for parents who raise children. But this can only happen if one is willing to actually avail of the tax allowance in the very first place.As it stands, tax reliefs for parents raising their children is one hefty source of cash, and it defrays the cost of the children’s living expenses in many ways. It may be wise to check on the availability of this type of resources, as the article would implicitly suggest.The article ends by elaborating how a parent can opt to open a trust fund for his/her children. This is a real investment for the children, yet it comes in a variety of choices. One may opt to simply save straightforwardly to a company for the children. Another option is to invest as though one does in stocks or shares. The third can be a combination of both. It really is up to the parents to choose the most viable alternatives to ensure that their children’s needs in the future will be secured and protected.[1] Top tips for first ti me buyers, retrieved 14 May 2008, http://www.financialarticles.info/article_50.html [2] Saving and investments for your children, retrieved 14 May 2008,   http://www.financialarticles.info/article_45.html

Disadvantages of video games Essay

Video games have been available to consumers for the last 30 years. They are a unique form of entertainment, because they encourage players to become a part of the game’s script. Today’s sophisticated video games require players to pay constant attention to the game, rather than passively watching a movie. This has both positive and negative impacts on players. Several studies have been published that explore these impacts on today’s children. Sections: What impact does playing video games have on children or adolescents? Tips on managing your child’s media consumption. The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) References What impact does playing video games have on children or adolescents? The most widely used â€Å"positive† impact video games are said to have on children is that they may improve a player’s manual dexterity and computer literacy. Ever-improving technology also provides players with better graphics that give a more â€Å"realistic† virtual playing experience. This quality makes the video game industry a powerful force in many adolescent lives. However, numerous studies show that video games, especially ones with violent content, make teens more aggressive. Part of the increase in aggressive behavior is linked to the amount of time children are allowed to play video games. In one study by Walsh (2000), a majority of teens admitted that their parents do not impose a time limit on the number of hours they are allowed to play video games. The study also showed that most parents are unaware of the content or the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) rating (see below) of the video games their children play. In another study conducted by Gentile, Lynch, Linder & Walsh (2004, p.6) â€Å"adolescent girls played video games for an average of 5 hours a week, whereas boys averaged 13 hours a week†. The authors also stated that teens who play violent video games for extended periods of time: Tend to be more aggressive Are more prone to confrontation with their teachers May engage in fights with their peers See a decline in school achievements. (Gentile et al, 2004). The interactive quality of video games differs from passively viewing television or movies because it allows players to become active participants in the game’s script. Players benefit from engaging in acts of violence and are then able to move to the game’s next level. Gentile & Anderson (2003) state that playing video games may increase aggressive behavior because violent acts are continually repeated throughout the video game. This method of repetition has long been considered an effective teaching method in reinforcing learning patterns. Video games also encourage players to identify with and role play their favorite characters. This is referred to as a â€Å"first-person† video game (Anderson & Dill, 2000, p. 788) because players are able to make decisions affecting the actions of the character they are imitating. After a limited amount of time playing a violent video game, a player can â€Å"automatically prime aggressive thoughts† (Bushman & Anderson, 2002, p. 1680). The researchers concluded that players who had prior experience playing violent video games responded with an increased level of aggression when they encountered confrontation (Bushman & Anderson, 2002). In a Joint Statement (2000) before the Congressional Public Health Summit, a number of American medical associations — the American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Psychological Association, American Academy of Family Physicians and American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry — caution parents about violence in the media and its negative effect on children. Their report states that exposure to violent media can elevate aggressive feelings and thoughts, especially in children. These effects on aggressive behavior can be long-term. Although fewer studies have been conducted on interactive video games, evidence suggests that playing violent video games may have a more dramatic influence on the behavior of children and adolescents (Joint Statement, 2000). Back to top Tips on managing your child’s media consumption Because of the popularity of video games, completely eliminating them from your child’s life might be difficult. But you can decrease the negative impact that they have on your child. Here are a few tips: Know the rating of the video games your child plays (see below). Do not install video game equipment in your child’s bedroom. Set limits on how often and how long your child is allowed to play video games. Monitor all of your child’s media consumption — video games, television, movies and Internet. Supervise your child’s Internet use — there are now many â€Å"video games† available for playing online. Take the time to discuss with your children the games they are playing or other media they are watching. Ask your children how they feel about what they observe in these video games, television programs or movies. This is an opportunity to share your feelings and grow closer with your child. Share with other parents information about certain games or ideas for helping each other in parenting. Back to top The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) The ESRB is a self-regulatory body established in 1994 by the Interactive Digital Software Association (IDSA). The major video game manufacturers created this board after concerned groups applied pressure over the content of video games. Similar to the movie industry’s rating system, all major game companies now submit their new products for rating to specially trained raters at the ESRB. The ESRB rates over 1,000 games per year. The ESRB looks at a number of factors when rating games. In particular, it considers the amount of violence, sex, controversial language and substance abuse found in a game. Based on its developed guidelines, the ESRB then gives an age recommendation and content descriptor to each game submitted. The following are the rating symbols currently in use, according to the ESRB Web site. Early Childhood (EC): Content should be suitable for children 3 years and older and contain no objectionable material. Everyone (E): Content suitable for persons ages 6 and older. The game may contain minimal violence and some â€Å"comic mischief. † Teen (T): Content suitable for persons ages 13 and older. Content is more violent than (E) rating and contains mild or strong language, and/or suggestive themes. Mature (M): Content suitable for persons ages 17 and older. Content definitely has more mature sexual themes, intense violence and stronger language. Adults Only (AO): Content suitable only for adults and may contain graphic sex and/or violence. Adult Only products are not intended for persons under the age of 18. Rating Pending (RP): Game has been submitted to the ESRB and is awaiting a final rating. The ESRB Web site has more details about this rating system, as well as the â€Å"content descriptors† that are used in conjunction with the ratings on game packaging. The site is also useful for parents who want to search for the rating of a particular game. Back to top References Bushman, B. & Anderson, C. (2002). Violent Video Games and Hostile Expectations: A Test of the General Aggression Model. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 28, 1679-1686. Gentile, D. A. & Anderson, C. A. (2003). Violent video games: The newest media violence hazard. In D. A. Gentile (Ed. ), Media violence and children. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishing. Gentile, D. A. , Lynch, P. , Linder, J. & Walsh, D. (2004). The effects of violent video game habits on adolescent hostility, aggressive behaviors, and school performance. Journal of Adolescence, 27, 5-22. Joint Statement on the Impact of Entertainment Violence on Children: Congressional Public Health Summit. (July 26, 2000. ) Available: http://www. aap. org/advocacy/ releases/jstmtevc. htm. Walsh, D. (2000). Interactive violence and children: Testimony submitted to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, United States Senate. (March 21, 2000.). Back to top Source: http://www. pamf. org/preteen/parents/videogames. html By Andrea Norcia, college student writer Reviewed by the Web Content Committee of PAMF Additional articles: Violent Video Games and Aggressive Behaviors, By Andrea Norcia, college student writer Join the conversation: Website Feedback Site Map  © 2012 Palo Alto Medical Foundation. All rights reserved. Sutter Health is a registered trademark of Sutter Health ®, Reg. U. S. Patent. & Trademark office. 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Domestic Violence Essay

There are many theories out there that try to explain why domestic violence happens. Some like family violence theory say that it is passed down through the family because basically what you see is what you will do. Others say it’s a chemical imbalance or its based on other things. I believe that it is a little bit of all of the theories but the Culture of Violence Theory is playing a huge role today in helping shape our young children’s minds as to what is now acceptable. During this assignment we will look at four different types of examples of how the Culture of Violence Theory is doing just that. Culture of Violence theory claims that violence occurs at all levels of society and is looked at as a means to resolve a conflict. Violence and force are acceptable and are used even in family disputes. Theories believe that in order to stop a man from beating or hitting a woman then you have to change the way he believes or relies on violence being a means to solve all his problems. I also believe that our culture as a whole is violence driven. As a soldier in the United States Army, I deploy to combat areas and I have meet other new recruits who basically wanted to join the military for that reason. So then the question is why in the world would you want to do something just for the violence? Well we can look no further then what is the main culprit to me and that is the Mass Media. The Mass Media today is the main reason why our culture is so violence driven. First I am going to start off on the news media and movies that are being viewed by our children and young adults. The news media always seems to project negative things. You rarely hear anything about a city not having an violent acts being placed over the news. Instead you turn the news on and your going to see how a father came home and found his wife cheating on him so he beat her to death, then killed all his children before turning his gun on himself. The news always reports the violent acts so that’s what our culture is getting use to see. When we look at the type of movies being depicted that display acts of violence in a family household we look at the movie Precious. This movie won the actress a Grammy Award but in this movie your watching a girl being physically, verbally and sexually abused at home. The only time she was safe was at school. What does this type of information teach? It could teach a positive message but I believe that in reality all it did was downgrade women and especially African American women. Movies and the News aren’t the only means to project violence within our culture. The controversial video game by rock star called Grand Theft Auto has been sparking debates across the nation for years. This is one of the best selling franchises in the video game industry but the message in this top playing videogame for our youth in particular teens is violence. This game depicts family violence, drug selling, murder, extortion, robbery, theft, grand theft auto and many more violent crimes. This game really belittles women I feel because they always use derogatory language towards them. This game always shows â€Å"pimps† and ho’s† and the pimp is always beating on the women. This sends a message that our society is fine with this type of behavior since we generate it for our amusement and entertainment. I am one of those who is at fault by playing this type of games but I do understand that this is not appropriate for our youth because they are still learning and trying to understand what is the wrong and right way to act in society and this doesn’t help them in any way. Our society today is all about technology. Everyone has an internet capable phone and the internet is streaming videos constantly. With that being sad a lot of youth and teens are able to watch music videos either through their phone, laptop or on the television. The new hit song titled â€Å"Try† by Pink depicts two lovers basically having an all-out brawl with each other. They are pulling hair, breaking glasses, hitting each other. This music video shows our youth domestic violence but shows it as a poetry in motion or as just two people really in love with each other so even though they are hurting each other its ok as long as they continue to work it out and try again. So is the message here teaching our society to not harm each other? It doesn’t look that way to me and if this keeps up then we will continue to see the numbers as high as they are. All of the different examples I gave show you how our culture became so violence oriented. From the News stations to the Movies in the theaters to the videogames we buy our children and the music they listen to. What children hear and see is exactly what they will do so yes I believe Family Violence Theory plays a role in my paper but the Cultural Violence Theory is by far the most destructive force we have and we can only blame ourselves. Reference: CJ333 Chapter 3, Research and Theory on Family Violence Video Game Study Reinforces Negative Impact on Youth, Jennifer Leclaire, 4/10/06 Pink gets physical and aggressive in â€Å"Try† music video, Lucas Villa, October 10 2012

How education has changed through the years Essay

How education has changed through the years - Essay Example 131). Violence has had a considerable influence on the national agenda and as such has influenced changes in education in US schools. Previously, there was a perception that even when the community was unsafe, schools offered a safe haven for children. However, since the 1990s, these perceptions have changed and schools can no longer be perceived as â€Å"islands of safety† (Elliott, Hamburg and Williams 1998, p. 254). Violence in schools was once perceived as a purely urban problem and the source of the problem was violence directed at teachers. The 1955 film Blackboard Jungle is demonstrative of this perception. In Blackboard Jungle (1955) the violence was perpetuated by juvenile delinquents in an all-male school where teachers appeared to be passive, permissive and unmotivated. The suggestion is therefore that violence in school was specific to problem boys where discipline was lacking. Therefore, violence in schools was not only predictable but could be resolved by committ ed and serious teaching and administrative staff. Moreover, school violence was geographical in nature and could easily be tempered by identifying the juveniles and expelling them from the school.

Georgia Dome Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Georgia Dome - Research Paper Example Moreover, in the year 2000, the Super Bowl XXXIV was held at the Dome and each year, the Chick Fil-A Bowl, the Bank of America Atlanta Football Classic and the SEC Football Championships and similar events are hosted. Furthermore, it is the site where NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four was held in the years 2002 and 2007. In addition, through out the year several sports events such as tennis matches, basket ball games, track and field events and Supercross events are held at the Georgia Dome. The Dome is considered as the home of the famous Atlanta Falcons. The Dome is specially designed to be capable of hosting non sports events as well, such as annual trade shows and religious events. For tourists and sports lovers, ranges of behind the scene tours are available at nominal prices. Such tours are available on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The stadium is oval shaped and this ensures a good view from each of its71, 500 seats. Parking is quite expensive and limited so it is a g ood idea to prefer walking to the Dome instead. The Dome is easily accessible through rail and road. (Gramercy Books, 2006). The responsibility of operating the Georgia Dome, the 21 acre Centennial Olympic Park and Georgia World Congress Centre is undertaken by the Georgia World Congress Centre Authority. Georgia Dome is one of the World’s largest State owned, sports, entertainment and convention center facilities. Atlanta’s Hypar-Tensgrity Georgia Dome is a domed stadium that is supported by cables and was opened to the world in the year 1992. The construction of the combined sports facility was funded by the Georgia General Assembly, and is considered as Atlanta’s largest state funded construction project. During the construction of the Dome, 8,300 tons of reinforced steel was used and approximately 110,000 cubic yards of concrete was used. The Dome occupies a total area of 8.9 acres and has seven levels each of which is of 1.6 million square feet. The height of the Georgia

Business enviornment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Business enviornment - Assignment Example Among the others factors that may impact the way business runs its activities is the external environment, which elements can manipulate company’s marketing and thus require the organization to make adjustments and revisions of its strategy and vision. It is known that customers are among those external elements that are able to influence the business the most and thus the company should know that good relationship with clients is based on finding ways to influence them to purchase one’s products. Besides, such political or legal forces that the government regulations develop play an important role in the cost of business doing and its ability to enlarge its activities in new markets. New regulations can increase one’s unit costs and thus affect company’s profit margins. Besides, for the organizations that act internationally, the laws of the other countries create certain obstacles for the companies in their ability to bring product into foreign markets. Among the other factors of external environment that influence the company’s performance are the economic factors that determine how market products and how much money one can spend on certain business growth. The public perception is also an important factor that can help the company to prosper or ruin its image at once. However, it is also up to company to commit such an influence on public opinion by using public relations professionals and strategic information, monitoring of public opinion in order to try and smooth potential issues. One of the best known tools that enable the company to analyze the factors that influence its activities the most, is the  PESTLE analysis. It is used to identify and analyze the key drivers in the business environment. The factors that may put an impact of one’s business activity go for political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental factors and they should researched and brainstormed by each organization in order to

Personal Development planning Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Personal Development planning - Assignment Example Furthermore, to university students, it is a terrific way to take advantage of all the opportunities that university life has to offer. Alternatively, PDP can be a source of motivation when one’s interest starts to wane (Gosling, 2003). The main processes of the in PDP that help learners think about their study and make plans for the future are; reflection, recording, action planning, executing and evaluating. Reflection is the process of pulling ideas and different thoughts together so as to make sense of a purpose. In recording, one puts down ideas, thoughts and experiences, in order to evidence and understand the process and outcomes of learning. Action planning is setting out a plan, and this likely means achieving the goal. Executing is carrying out the activities which make up the plan of action. Finally, in evaluating one makes sense of what ha or she has been doing (Gosling, 2003). Computing This is a branch of engineering science that deals with the study of computabl e processes and structures with the aid of computers. In this module, students learn how to build and design software and hardware systems for a wide range of purposes; structuring, managing and processing various kinds of information. The study also involves doing performing scientific studies using computers and making operating systems of computers behave intelligently. In teaching this module, the lecturer did his best in using all the available teaching aids; charts, projectors and both the white and black boards. Since the module is more practical than theoretical, there were a lot of lab sessions to practise the skills acquired. Despite the complexity of the module, the lecturer did an admirable job in simplifying it and delivering it in a way that it was easily understandable by the class. The lecturer was positioned to offer close and personal attention to the class due to the relative size of the students. In addition, the students were focused and motivated making a reaso nable number of lectures enjoyable. The lecture’s teaching style was outstanding as he involved the class in the learning process, cracking jokes here and there to make sure that everybody was concentrating. The handouts that were produced concerning the module were clear and the notes well arranged. Mathematics This is the study of structure, quantity, change and space. The module teaches students how to look for patterns and make up with new conjectures. Mathematicians using mathematical skills resolve the falsity and truth of the new conjectures. Mathematics is a more practical than learning unit. It involves a lot of working through problems and exercises. In teaching this module, the lecturer did not use teaching aids, due to the nature of the subject, which based more on calculations than theory. The class for this unit was relatively small due to the general notion that mathematics is difficult and male dominated. Most of the students were male. The lecture opted for t eaching style, which encompasses doing a lot exercises and practises. In addition, to this the handouts that were available for the course were not that clear and their coverage was minimal. Table showing the importance of the above factors on scale of 1 to 10 for the procedural module Procedural module Subject Factors Nature of subject Class layout and constrains Number of students Diversity of students Teaching aids