Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Black History Month - African American Inventors, L

Black History Month - African American Inventors, L Black history inventors are listed alphabetically. Each listing has the name of the black inventor followed by the patent number(s) which is the unique number assigned to an invention when a patent is issued, the date the patent was issued, and a description of the invention as written by the inventor. If available, links are provided to in-depth articles, biographies, illustrations and photos on each individual inventor or patent.   Lewis Howard Latimer #147,363, 2/10/1874, Water closets for railway cars (co-inventor Charles W.Brown)#247,097, 9/13/1881, Electric lamp, (co-inventor Joseph V. Nichols)​#252,386, 1/17/1882, Process of manufacturing carbons#255,212, 3/21/1882, Globe supporter for electric lamps (co-inventor John Tregoning)#334,078, 1/12/1886, Apparatus for cooling and disinfecting#557,076, 3/24/1896, Locking rack for hats, coats, and umbrellas#781,890, 2/7/1905, Book supporter#968,787, 8/30/1910, Lamp fixture William A Lavalette #208,184, 9/17/1878, Improvement in printing presses#208,208, 9/17/1878, Variation of printing press Arthur Lee #2,065,337, 12/22/1936, Self propelled toy fish Henry Lee #61,941, 2/12/1867, Improvements in animal traps Joseph Lee #524,042, 8/7/1894, Kneading machine#540,553, 6/4/1895, Bread crumbing machine Lester A Lee #4,011,116, 3/8/1977, Carbon dioxide laser fuels Maurice William Lee #2,906,191, 9/29/1959, Aromatic pressure cooker and smoker Robert Lee #2,132,304, 10/4/1938, Safety attachment for automotive vehicles Herbert Leonard #3,119,657, 1/28/1964, Production of hydroxylamine hydrochloride#3,586,740, 6/22/1971, High impact polystyrene Frank W Leslie #590,325 9/21/1897 Envelope seal Francis Edward LeVert #4,091,288, 5/23/1978, Threshold self-powered gamma detector for use as a monitor of power in a nuclear reactor#4,722,610, 2/2/1988, Monitor for deposition on heat transfer surfaces#4,805,454, 2/21/1989, Continuous fluid level detector#4,765,943, Thermal neutron detectors and system using the same#4,316,180, Directional detector of changes in a local electrostatic field#4,280,684, Manual automobile pusher#4,277,727, Digital room light controller#4,259,575, Directional gamma detector#4,218,043, Manual automobile pusher#4,136,282, Directional detector of gamma rays#5,711,324, Hair drying curler apparatus#5,541,464, Thermionic generator#5,443,108, Upwardly deployed privacy blind#5,299,367, Hair drying curler apparatus#5,256,878, Self powered detector based monitor for radiographic cameras#6,886,274, Spring cushioned shoe#6,865,824, Fluid flow system for spring-cushioned shoe#6,665,957, Fluid flow system for spring-cushioned shoe#6,583,617, Barkhausen noise measurement probe with magneto resistive sensor and cylindrical magnetic shield #6,442,779, Portable feet elevator#6,353,656, Radioisotope based x-ray residual stress analysis apparatus#6,282,814, Spring cushioned shoe#6,240,967, Sleeve assembly for protecting conducting wires against damage by cutting implements#7,159,338, Fluid flow system for spring-cushioned shoe K Latimer to LeVert, Lewis to Lu Valle M Anthony L Lewis #483,359, 9/27/1892, Window cleaner Edward R Lewis #362,096, 5/3/1887, Spring gun James Earl Lewis #3,388,399, 6/11/1968, Antenna feed for two coordinate tracking radars Henry Linden #459,365, 9/8/1891, Piano truck Ellis Little #254,666, 3/7/1882, Bridle-bit Emanuel L Logan Jr #3,592,497, 7/13/1971, Door bar latch Amos E Long #610,715, 9/13/1898, Cap for bottle and jars (co-inventor Albert A Jones) Frederick J Loudin #510,432, 12/12/1893, Fastener for the meeting rails of sashes#512,308, 1/9/1894, Key fastener John Lee Love #542,419, 7/9/1895, Plasterers hawk#594,114, 11/23/1897, Pencil sharpener Henry R Lovell #D 87,753, 9/13/1932, Design for a doorcheck William E Lovett #3,054,666, 9/18/1962, Motor fuel composition James E Lu Valle #3,219,445, 11/23/1965, Photographic processes#3,219,448, 11/23/1965, Photographic medium and methods of preparing same#3,219,451, 11/23/1965, Sensitizing photographic media Continue black history database M

Saturday, November 23, 2019

The ABCs of APR Everything You Need to Know

The ABCs of APR Everything You Need to Know SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips When you look at a loan or credit card offer, you’ll see the term â€Å"APR,† or annual percentage rate, popping up all over the place. What is APR, exactly, and why is it important when taking out a loan or choosing a credit card? This guide will tell you everything you need to know about annual percentage rate and how you can use it to understand the annual costs of a loan or credit line. To start, let’s establish a working definition of APR. What Is APR? What is APR? What does APR stand for? APR stands for annual percentage rate, and it tells you the total amount of interest and fees you’ll pay each year on borrowed money. It’s a more comprehensive value than interest rate, and it’s meant to help you compare loans and credit cards on a standardized basis. APR is presented as a percentage of the total amount borrowed, or the principal. That being said, APR works differently on loans than it does on credit cards. Let’s take a closer look at both, starting with loans. How Does APR Work on Loans and Mortgages? On a loan or mortgage, APR tells you to the total amount of interest and fees you’ll pay each year. The types of fees depend on the type of loan. On a personal loan, for instance, a common additional fee is an origination fee. On a home loan, the main additional fee is closing costs. If your loan or mortgage doesn’t have any fees, then the APR will equal the annual interest rate. Let’s say you borrow $100,000 at a 5% interest rate on a 30-year fixed rate mortgage. You pay $1,000 in closing costs. Your APR, then, is 5.1% (interest rate + closing costs, as a percentage of the principal). You would pay $5.10 each year for every $100 you borrowed. APR includes closing costs, so it’s a more realistic representation of your long-term costs than the annual interest rate is. Because of the Truth in Lending Act of 1968, lenders must calculate loan APR in the same way. This consistency allows you to compare offers and clearly see your long-terms costs. APR gives customers a quick and easy way to compare the terms of loans or mortgages on an apples-to-apples basis. By knowing the APR, you can use an APR calculator to calculate your monthly payments and figure out how much you’ll end up paying in fees and interests. Usually, a lower APR means you’ll spend less money over the long term. To see why, consider the example of a $200,000 mortgage below with two loan APRs that differ by just a few percentage points. Thanks to the 1968 Truth in Lending Act, all lenders must calculate APR in the same way. Examples of APR on a 30-Year Mortgage Let’s consider two scenarios using a $200,000 mortgage. In the first scenario, you get a 5.5% APR on a 30-year mortgage. In the second, you manage to get just a 5.2% APR over 30 years. By comparing the two rates, you can see how much money you save in the long run with an APR that’s only slightly lower than another one. Scenario 1: $200k Mortgage With a 5.5% APR Using Bankrate’s APR calculator, let’s consider a $200,000 mortgage over a 30-year term with a 5.5% APR. To pay off this mortgage over 30 years, you’d have a monthly payment of $1,135.58. After 30 years, you’d end up paying a total of $408,807. Since you initially took out $200,000, this means you’d end up paying $208,807 in interest and other fees. Scenario 2: $200k Mortgage With a 5.2% APR What if your APR was a bit lower, say 5.2%? How much would you save in the long run? With a 5.2% APR on a $200,000 loan, you’d pay $1,098.22 a month for 30 years for a total of $395,361. Your additional costs would add up to $195,361 - a large amount, but significantly lower than the costs incurred with a 5.5% APR. You would pay $13,446 less on a $200k, 30-year mortgage with a 5.2% APR than you would with a 5.5% APR. As you can see, getting a mortgage with a slightly lower APR can save you a significant amount of money in the long run. When you're shopping for a mortgage, you should compare offers to get the best deal. Now that you have a sense of how APR works on a loan or mortgage, let’s look closer at how annual percentage rates work on credit cards. When you're choosing a 30-year mortgage, remember that a difference of just one or two percentage points in an APR can make a big difference in your long-term costs. How Does APR Work on Credit Cards? When you look at a credit card, you’ll see several APRs. Credit cards have different APR for different types of transactions, like one for making purchases and another for transferring cash. For most people, the APR related to making purchases is the most important rate. On credit cards, APRs don’t typically include additional fees related to cash advances or late payments. Rather, they reflect the daily periodic rate, or the interest that’s calculated on your account each and every day, over the entire year. If you want to know your daily periodic rate, then you can simply take the APR and divide it by 365. How do credit cards come up with APR? They use the U.S. prime rate and then add their own margin. For instance, the prime rate could be 5% and the issuer could charge a 12% margin. The APR, then, would be 17%. APR on a credit card could stay the same from year to year, or it could fluctuate along with the U.S. prime rate. APRs that change are called floating or variable APRs. Your APR may also depend on your creditworthiness, as you’ll see in the example below. People with higher credit scores get a lower APR, and people with lower credit scores get a higher APR. Credit card companies may also offer promotional APRs when you open a new account. You could get 0% APR on purchases for the first year. After that promotional period, the APR would return to the normal rate. While you’ll see a lot of promotions regarding APR from credit card companies, you should keep in mind that APR may not matter. In fact, it shouldn’t even be a factor for many people. Read on to learn why. Are you making a purchase? Transferring cash? A credit card usually has several APRs, one for each kind of transaction. APR on Credit Cards: Does It Matter? If you pay off your full credit card balance every month, then you will never have to pay interest. For all intents and purposes, your APR is always 0%. To use a credit card responsibly, you should always pay off your full balance every month. Credit card interest rates are high, and carrying a balance is one of the quickest ways to get into debt. If you’re spending more than you can afford to pay off within the month, then you need to step back, make a budget, and take steps to control your personal finances. If you’re using a credit card well, then the promotional and regular APR offers should not matter. Instead, you can choose a credit card based on other perks, like cash back and travel points. Speaking of travel rewards, let’s look at one of the best cards for travel points, the Chase Sapphire card, to get a sense of its various APR structures. If you pay off your full credit card balance every month, then your purchase APR will be 0%. Example of APR on the Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card Here are the various APRs on the Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card, as borrowed from its website. Notice how it offers a range of rates, based on your â€Å"creditworthiness.† The first is the one that applies to credit card purchases, while the others have to do with other transactions. INTEREST RATES AND INTEREST CHARGES Purchase Annual Percentage Rate (APR) 16.24% to 23.24%, based on your creditworthiness. These APRs will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate. Balance Transfer APR 16.24% to 23.24%, based on your creditworthiness. These APRs will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate. Cash Advance APR 25.24%. This APR will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate. Overdraft Advance APR 25.24%. This APR will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate. How does Chase Sapphire calculate its credit card APR rates? It uses the U.S. prime rate as of December 22, 2015, which was set at 3.5%. According to Chase, â€Å"We add 12.74% to 19.74% to the Prime Rate to determine the Purchase/Balance Transfer APR...We add 21.74% to the Prime Rate to determine the Cash Advance/Overdraft Advance APR.† As with many other lenders, Chase sets its own margin and adds this margin to the prime rate. Then, it assigns APRs based on the creditworthiness of each individual. Again, credit card APR might not come into play if you pay your balance off in full from month to month. It’s still important to know what you’re signing up for, though, just so you understand the costs that you can incur from using a credit card. In closing, let’s go over the key points you need to remember about APR, including what it is and how you can use it to decide between loans, mortgages, or credit cards. Some credit cards have a floating APR that fluctuate along with the prime rate. APR: Just the Basics APR, or annual percentage rate, works a little differently on loans than it does on credit cards. A loan APR tells you what percentage of your loan or mortgage you’ll be paying in interest and other fees each year. Because it incorporates costs beyond interest, APR is a more inclusive rate than interest rate. If there are no additional costs, then the loan APR will be the same as the annual interest rate. Since all lenders must calculate APR in the same way, APR helps consumers compare loan and mortgage offers on a standardized basis. In most cases, you’ll save money by getting the lowest APR you can. If you’re comparing credit card offers, remember that the â€Å"purchase APR† is likely the most relevant piece of data. Ideally, you won’t be paying any interest on your credit card. If you always pay off your monthly balances in full, then you can choose a credit card based on its rewards and points structure rather than on its various APRs. Whenever you’re taking out a loan or opening a card, make sure to read the ins and outs of any contract before you sign it. By looking at APR, you can gain a clear understanding of your long-term costs. What's Next? Which credit card is best for you? Check out our personal spending quiz to find the best credit card for your habits. Do you want to take a more proactive approach to managing your finances? Check out our 7-step guide for taking control of your personal finances. Are you starting to think about investing in the stock market? Check out our full guide to figure out what kind of investor you are and learn how to invest in the stock market.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

A Risks Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

A Risks Analysis - Essay Example Raise the prices by 20% capital costs is significant due to purchase of machinery and losses in production opportunity time due to installation of the system, training of personnel and repairs in the working environment. In effect, payback period may be unsustainable. fluctuations in interest rates of the lending institution can affect business profitability; transportation costs and custom duties may result to higher sales price; competition with local products afforded with tax incentives and "patronize local products" edge can be unsustainable Option #5: Set up a joint venture with an overseas car manufacturer. An engine manufacturer in an unstable country in Southeast Asia has expressed interest in a joint venture to build all the engines for Suprema Cars. If they do this, Suprema would have to send out a team of engineers to the country to supervise production in the early stages. Transportation costs and custom duties may be too high; fluctuations in exchange rates are high in an unstable country; high Occupational Safety concerns for engineers sent to the country for supervision; quality of engines can be compromised significant capital investment for research and development; lost production opportunity time due to new system of production and training of personnel; competition with other cars with the same qualities maybe unsustainable From the details of the benefi

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

The relation of the Gross Domestic Product to economic welfare Essay

The relation of the Gross Domestic Product to economic welfare - Essay Example The Gross Domestic Product is a specific measure of a country’s national output and provides a basic idea of how well-off a country is, compared with other countries. Moreover, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is the most commonly used benchmark of national income. Introduction The GDP reports how much money was made in a given economy over a given period of time. The figures are "gross" because GDP does not allow for the depreciation of physical capital. In a sense, the GDP is a gross measure of market activity, of the volume of money changing hands. It does not take into account the desirable and the undesirable transactions in the economy. It does not take into consideration the total costs or gain. The major contributions of the household and volunteer sectors are not included in the computation of the GDP. The economists and policymakers state that raising the rate of growth of gross national product (GNP) and the GDP is the hallmark of economic development. This central dogma of development economics stems from the conviction that the way to economic progress in poor countries lies in increasing the rate at which the industries of that country progresses. The GDP is positively affected by the growth of local markets. The growth of local markets is achieved by changing the incentives for people to remain in long-term relationships. Long-term relationships are supported by social norms which includes reciprocity. Thus, the growth of markets in one set of goods and services can diminish the existing incentives for remaining in long-term relationships that cover transactions in other goods and services. When these incentives diminish, social norms are affected. (The New Statesman) However, if country A has a high GDP figure relative to country B, it does not necessarily mean that country is A is automatically better off. We have to look at their GDP figures closely. Some countries which have a high GDP are really high-performing economies. Take for example Luxembourgs. Luxembourg's GDP per head can be attributed to 90,000 citizens who go to certain parts of Europe such as Germany, France, Belgium and the Netherlands daily to work in the financial services sector. These workers were included in Luxembourg's population of 450,000. If they were added to this number, then the country's overall GDP per head would be smaller, but still among the top ranking countries in the OECD. China has also overtaken many European countries in terms of GDP figures. For example, China had overtaken Italy as the world's sixth-largest economy in 2004, and has overtaken France and the United Kingdom by the end of 2005. Growth rates in developed countries are just a fraction of thosed experienced in China: 3-4 percent for the US and 2-3 percent for Japan and Europe, against at least 8 percent for China. (Business Asia, March 2006). The effective marketing strategy of Chinese companies, private and public in China have added to their considerable profits and growth. (Lewis, et.al., 2006). However, in terms of quality of life and environmental safety levels, these European countries definitely have a higher quality of life and environmental levels compared to China. Thus, it is does not automatically mean that if a country has a high GDP then it is better off compared to another country with a lower GDP level. Niger has a GDP of 12.36 billion dollars in 2006. But upon close examination, it is just one of the poorest countries in the world, ranking last on the United Nations Human Development Index. In real figures, Niger's GDP looks huge. But upon closer examination, its economy is based on subsistence crops, livestock, and some of the world's largest uranium deposits. Traditional subsistence farming, herding,

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Past, Present and Future Essay Example for Free

Past, Present and Future Essay Before studying at the University of Phoenix program, I thought that my career is at its peak, I am married, I have three kids and I have a stable job for 15 years, but then I feel something missing. I attributed that void within me to my lack of a degree, and I want to prove to myself and to others that I deserve everything I have right now by backing it up with a degree. Education, for me, is a very important part of a person’s growth and development. That is why I strive not just to be able to provide my family’s basic needs, but to also provide my kids the best education possible. Then it hit me, I had to set myself as an example to my children that, indeed, education is and will always be important. I had to earn my degree. During the course of my work, I can say that I am competent enough in my analytical skills; I can solve basic problems, find solutions, think logically and perform my tasks efficiently. But one problem I had is that I was weak at my written and oral communication skills because I have not undergone the proper training to develop them both; yes, I was able to apply them all throughout my career, but I was not able to produce formal letters without having to browse through guides that will help me produce my work. Information retrieval was never a problem because I am still young and my memory, although not as sharp as it used to be, is still very much dependable; regarding the utilization and collaboration of this data though, I have been able to manage, but I fear that it is not as efficient as I would like to be because I have not yet been able to hone my skills and tackle formal ways to address issues efficiently. When I started to work, my goal was simple: stay in this job so that in the long run, when I start my own family, I can be able to provide them with their basic needs such as a proper home, enough food, and good education. But no one hinders me from dreaming; as time passed I started to change these goals, I want to be better-off, now I’m dreaming of gaining a high position someday, be able to pamper my wife and my children luxurious gifts, and basically live the good life. Once again I thought about my lack of education; these dreams became the stepping stones which motivated me pursue my education and realize these career goals that I once thought are just dreams. During my stay at the University of Phoenix, the two core courses that I enjoyed the most were public relations and international marketing. The course in public relations has helped me a lot with my abilities to interact with people, the proper ways of doing things – how to address them, how to project myself in a way that it exhibits confidence and knowledge at the same time – these kinds of things. The international marketing course has helped me understand the do’s and don’ts in markets in a global scale, as well as be able to predict trends and fads. Considering that I am in the beverage industry, these courses will pretty much help me as I interact with people, not just the customers but also the higher –ups in both the domestic and foreign markets. The other two subjects that got me interested most were Critical Thinking and Human Motivation. In the Critical Thinking course, I was able to hone my problem solving and =general data processing and it has helped me a lot professionally because of the nature of my work. The cut throat world of industry has become a little easier for me now that I have these skills. The other course, Human Motivation, has helped me with in interacting with people from all walks of life, and I believe that it has been and will be very helpful in my future endeavours. Human motivation, as I see it, does not box the people in, rather it helps them get â€Å"out of the box† by motivating them, not forcing them. My completion of this degree helps prove one of the most obvious facts in life – that life is indeed a never ending journey. I will never learn everything there is to know, but this will not stop me from being curious, that is why I have started to crave for learning not just because it will help me develop myself into an educated, motivated individual, but it will also help bring out all that is best within me. For the next five years, hopefully I can further pursue higher learning and expand my career by getting a promotion. I feel that I now deserve any type of promotion that I will be able to achieve given that I can already back it up with my degree. If I will come across programs such as seminars, forums, and such discussions about critical thinking and human motivation, then I would gladly undertake it because I feel that there is still much to learn in these subjects. For me, human interaction is a skill that one can be good at but can never master, and I will, as I have always done, continue to work on these skills by interacting with my peers, my customers, and my superiors. The difference now, though, is that I have formal knowledge on how to tackle situations that I would not have otherwise known if I had not finished my education.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

The Impact of Truth in Oedipus Rex (the King) Essay -- Oedipus the Kin

The Impact of Truth in Oedipus Rex (the King) "Truth has made me strong." This is a quote from Tiresias, one of the characters in Sophocles's tragedy, Oedipus Rex. The quote has different meaning and relevance for each of the different characters, but for the character of Creon, the quote is completely true. By the end of the play, the truth had not only prompted Oedipus to forgive Creon, clearing his name of any previous accusations, but the truth had also made Creon Oedipus's successor. However, Creon was not one to squander the power that he knew can be gained from knowing the truth. He understood its power and importance, and kept it private. For the majority of the play, right up until the very end, Oedipus sees Creon as an enemy. He thinks that Creon, in league with Tiresias, is Laius's murderer and is conspiring to overthrow the king and take the throne for himself, "You the murderer so self-proved, the self-condemned filcher of my thrown..."(29). However, when the truth comes out that Oedipus has married his mother and killed his father, all is forgiven between the king and Creon. Oedipus makes this beautifully clear when he says "God bless you, Creon, bless your path through life, encompass you with surer joys than mine"(78). Having a good and unmarred reputation is a form of power in that people will respect the person, as well as listen to what he or she has to say. If the truth had never come out and Oedipus had never made peace with Creon, Creon's reputation would have been that of a traitor and a murderer. No one would have respected him and he would not have had any practical strength. The power that Creon ended up with is best described in this quote from the Chorus: "Wait! Here comes Creon...... ...ly saw the world. For the first time, he understands his surroundings, and understands the world for what it really was. Even though the truth takes away his family, kingdom, pride and possessions, the truth gives him something he needs more than all of those: understanding. Sophocles shows his brilliance as a playwright by adding intelligent, terrible irony to the end of the play. The irony is that at the monumental change in Oedipus' life, when he can, for the first time, see the world with clarity, he can see nothing at all, for he blinds himself. Oedipus becomes like Tiresias, visually blind, but mentally clear. Perhaps Oedipus unintentionally takes an example from Tiresias, learning that it is far better to live one's life without sight and see the world clearly through the minds eye, than to be able to see, but have ones sight blinded by pride.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Development of Islamic Banking and Finance in Singapore

In the context of economy, Singapore s a trade-oriented market economy that basically practices conventional banking system. However, the Islamic banking system has slowly entering the Singapore banking system since the year 2005. The Islamic banking system was not rapidly executed nor accepted because the conventional banking sector has developed well over the period of time. The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MASS) is the responsible entity in helping the progress of Islamic finance in the country. The table provided below is to show some of the comparison between conventional banking system and Islamic banking system Singapore.Additional buyer's stamp duty needs to be paid off by certain groups of people that want to obtain real estates. Additional buyer's stamp duty for certain Islamic transactions involving real estates is removed. Using the usual structures used for tax treatment in conventional banking system. Using Maharajah, Muhammad, and ‘Jar WA lasting structures o n the tax treatment for Islamic financing since 2006. Contribute 75% for annual growth rate of Singapore. Contribute for annual growth rate of Singapore since established and still growing at a fast rate.BACKGROUND Singapore is a highly developed trade-oriented market economy. Singapore economy has been ranked as the most open in the world, least corrupt, most pro- business, with low tax rates (14. 2% of Gross Domestic Product, GAP) and has the third highest GAP in the world; in terms of Purchasing Power Parity (POP), of $318. 9 billion in 2011. Singapore initiated its Islamic finance Journey at the start of the millennium with the watershed decision to give preferential tax treatment for Islamic finance.The Singapore government, in tabling its 2002 budget, announced fiscal incentives under he Financial Sector Incentive (IFS) scheme after realizing the great potential of Islamic finance, especially as a reliable alternative assets class. These fiscal incentives have prompt the estab lishment of several Islamic window operations in the republic, including Standard Charted Bank, HASH, COB, COMB and Mbabane. In 2005, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MASS) refined its regulations to facilitate the growth of Islamic finance. It also removed the additional stamp duties for certain Islamic transactions involving real estate.To contribute to the development of Islamic nuance, MASS Joined the Islamic Financial Services Board (IFS) and has participated actively in its various working groups and task forces in areas like supervisory review, Islamic money markets, capital adequacy, liquidity management and solvency requirements for tactful operations. In 2006, clarifications were made on the tax treatment for Islamic financing using Maharajah and Sarah with Assistant structures. Singapore-based banks began to offer Maharajah investments and Maharajah financing.In 2007, retail Maharajah investors were accorded the same regulatory protection as conventional depositors. I n 2008, a concessionary tax rate was introduced for qualifying Shari-compliant lending, fund management, tactful and retrieval activities. MAIN PRODUCT Penthouse Singapore is having small domestic market and competition compare to other country, it can still position itself in a niche market in the region. In Islamic finance area, Singapore, through the integrated financial and economic development, can create new opportunities for Islamic finance and other financial products.Monetary Authority of Singapore (MASS) has recognized the characteristic of Singapore policy approach has been to align tax treatment of Islamic contracts with the treatment of conventional financing contracts. Singapore has refined its regulatory framework and tax structures over the years to strengthen its Islamic Finance. In the recent years, Singapore has their eyes on Islamic Finance. There are four profit sharing financial products offered by Islamic financial institution in Singapore which are muskrat, m aturated, maharajah and Sarah.Islamic financial institution in Singapore also offers insurance product namely Tactful. The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MASS) gave its approval to bank to engage in non-financial activities such as commodity trading to promote maharajah transactions. Maharajah is also commonly used in home financing and car financing. Islamic insurance or Tactful is the insurance products of Islamic finance. With more than S$50 million Tactful funds, the Islamic insurance or Tactful has been successful in Singapore. MASS has issued SKU program to provide Shari compliant regulatory assets.The Joint arrangers of the SKU program are the Standard Chartered Bank and The Islamic Bank of Asia (B Asia) and the legal counsel advising the transactions is Allen & Eggshell. The chairman of B Asia, Abdullah Has USAF has stated that this program is significant for being the first reverse inquiry Sarah based SKU from such a high quality issuer in the world and it reflects Singap ore growing competence in support functions for Islamic finance, such as providing the required legal services. Besides that, Singapore has been introduced to the Singapore Unit Trusts Ethical Growth Fund that complies with principle of Shari by Mbabane.Moreover, in May 2008, Singapore was the first-listing of a Shari-compliant exchanged traded fund FEET). MASS Joined the Islamic Financial Services Board (IFS) and participated in various working groups and task forces to contribute to the development of Islamic PROMOTING & MARKETING The global Islamic finance industry has grown to reach some US$I . 3 trillion in total asset size, Singapore has remained committed in introducing Islamic Finance to the island's monetary system when the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MASS) established its S$200 million SKU AAA-Sarah Trust Certificate Issuance Program.The program marked the highest credit quality in the first Islamic finance market of SKU. To view it in a larger context, it is an extre mely huge effort from Singapore Monetary Authority to foster the growth of the country Islamic Finance market. This SKU AAA-Sarah Trust Certificate Issuance Program is one part of a bilateral approach of providing both a favorable regulatory framework and high quality liquidity assets for financial institutions to commerce Islamic Finance transactions, with the main objective of promoting the Islamic Finance market in Singapore.The government's aim is to control the country strength in wholesale banking, asset management and UAPITA markets to tallow Islamic financial service to prosper, in conjunction with the already established conventional financial services available in the island. According to the speech given by Assistant Managing Director of Monetary Authority of Singapore (MASS), Mr.. Eng Sam Sin, the authority hosted initiatives to create an encouraging environment for Islamic financial activities to grow in Singapore.Their basic approach was to level the playing field betw een Islamic and conventional finance as many of the same risks can be found in both. Since 2004, their body has revived clarifications for an increasing number of Shari-compliant financing arrangements and had worked with the industry and other government agencies to ensure that Islamic financial players and end-users are not disadvantaged in terms of taxation. In respond, the range of Islamic financial products available in Singapore has expanded beyond Shari-compliant credit facilities such as SKU.There has been a steady issuance of Sucks and they were aware there are more incoming. Tax incentives were actively introduced by Singapore government to harmonies the tax retirement of certain Shari-compliant financing instruments including the imposition of double stamp duties in Islamic transactions involving real estate in Singapore, and providing the same concessionary tax treatment to income from SKU. In Singapore 2013 Budget, Singapore government has stated about the widening of F inancial Sector Incentive (IFS) Scheme which was forecasted to bright a new light to the island's already established Islamic Finance market.Qualifying Islamic Finance activities under the FSML-lilacs Finance award will be incentive at a 12 percent concessionary tax rate. In 2001, Malaysia's largest bank, Mbabane, started Islamic banking in Singapore with the introduction of Singapore Unit Trusts Ethical Growth Fund while in 2006, the bank introduced a Shari-compliant online savings account and savings UCM checking account that is also complied with the principles of the Shari. Another significant move in the development of Islamic finance was through education.The Singapore Islamic Scholars and Religious Teachers Association (PEERAGES) has announced that some Islamic religious scholars would be trained in banking and finance to assist Singapore aim of becoming a hub for Islamic Finance. RECEPTION & PROBLEMS Singapore financial markets start to see a gradual increase in the Islamic financial products. The global Islamic financial markets are estimated to be valued at approximately IIS$ 1 trillion and also are expected to grow rapidly at an annual rate of 25 per cent. In 2009, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MASS) is S$ 200 million through SKU AAA-Sarah Trust Certificate Issuance Program.On the next year, the financial market of the Khans National Beebread's increases to S$ 1. 5 billion through SKU Wake. The MASS has adopted a fractional approach by insert new revisions relating to Islamic banking and finance to develop the regulatory framework of Islamic banking and finance in Singapore. They abide the legislation, the Banking Act and Securities and Futures Act and regulations to accommodate and focus the regulation of Islamic banking and finance within the conventional banking in Singapore without any specific reference to Shari.Similarly, the income tax legislation and regulation in Singapore have been adjusted in order to establish a level playing fiel d through practicing same tax treatments and incentives as it is part f conventional financing arrangements. However, there are some barrier that needs to overcome before Singapore developed as an international financial centre for Islamic banking and finance. Firstly, there is still a lack of friendliness of issuers and investors in Singapore with the detailed components and mechanics of Islamic financial products.Thus, they need to increase the financial incentives offered to issuers to attract them to invest more time and resources in practicing themselves on Islamic financial products. Secondly, Islamic banking and finance legal framework in Singapore has not been tasted. While in Malaysia, the Central Bank of Malaysia Act 2009 renders the Central Bank of Malaysia's Shari Advisory Council as the sole authority relating to Islamic banking and finance in Malaysia.Conversely, due to Singapore position as a non-Muslim country, the legislation and regulations touching on Islamic fina ncial instruments are sterilized from religious reference. Singapore also did not have a party that can compliance with the application of Shari principles in the Islamic banking and finance sector. Natural advantages hat are given in Singapore is due to its strong banking regulatory framework, political ability and high-skilled professional workers.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Penn Foster – Why I Am the Best Candidate for the Job

Best candidate for the Job The Computer Help Desk Support Technician position at University of the West Indies correlates well with my skills and experience. The skills related for this job includes, assisting students, faculty, staff and any other customers who come to the front desk, dealing with computer issues, answering the telephone to give support with enquiries, and data entry using Microsoft Word, and Excel.I have significant knowledge of this field through my previous employment at T. A. Marryshow Community College, where I served as a Secretary within the Information Technology department. I acknowledged this vocation through my ability to troubleshoot problems and deal with customer issues. More specifically, I had a scenario with a visiting professor from a foreign country who came to the office for help with his laptop.Being new to the campus he was furious with the ups and downs of trying to find his way around and baffled because he had no idea of how to connect his l aptop to the internet. I seated the professor and assured him that he was at the right place. After a few minutes I was able to connect his device to the internet and I also handed him a map of the campus to help him get to different places on the campus easily. He was overly pleased with the customer service he received and the efficiency in which I handled his laptop.This occurrence has boosted my self-confidence and also motivated me to seek an advanced degree along that path. I enrolled at Penn Foster Career School program, where I recently completed a diploma in Computer Support Technician. This thorough training helped me to comprehensively understand the skills that are readily applicable to the position. With the acquisition of this knowledge I can guarantee you that am most competent for this position and that all concerned will mutually benefit.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Free Essays on Oscar Romero

Oscar Romero was born on August 15, 1917 in Ciudad Barrios, a town east of El Salvador. He was the second of seven children. When he was thirteen he declared a vocation to the priesthood. He went to a seminary in San Miguel and from there Rome. He was ordained in 1942. In January 1944 he was recalled to San Miguel by his bishop and was soon secretary of the diocese. This position he held for twenty-three years. In San Miguel his work flourished and his reputation grew. He established a succession of new organizations and inspired many with his sermons, broadcasted by five local radio stations and heard across the city. Romero was impressed of the new Catholicism that was affirmed with such confidence in Vatican II. In 1970 he became auxiliary bishop of San Salvador, and there he busied himself with administration. In 1974 he became bishop of a rural diocese, Santiago de Maria. Three years later, in February 1977, Oscar Romero became archbishop of San Salvador. In that month a crowd o f protesters were attacked by soldiers in the town square of the capital. Then, on 12 March 1977, a radical priest, Rutilio Grande, was murdered. Romero had known him. Now he observed that there was no official inquiry. He recognized that power lay in the hands of violent men, and that they murdered with impunity. The wealthy sanctioned the violence that maintained them. Death squads committed murder in the cities while soldiers killed as they wished in the countryside. When a new government, which represented many powerful interests was elected it was seen to be by fraud. There was talk of revolution. More and more Romero committed himself to the poor and the persecuted, and he became the instigator for moral prophecy in the church and outside it. Meanwhile, his church began to document the abuse of human rights, and to establish the truth in a country governed by lies, where men and women simply disappeared without account. The press said, "The Church an... Free Essays on Oscar Romero Free Essays on Oscar Romero El Salvador during the 1970s and 1980s was a country filled with violence and oppression. One of the most vocal and influential people in El Salvador during that period was Archbishop Oscar Romero. Many have accused him of being communist, â€Å"left-winged†, or radical, but others have praised him by calling him a man who lived according to Christ’s example and one who died the death of a martyr (Berryman 176). Oscar Romero believed that each human being should have the rights to work, food, and freedom from oppression. Further, Romero believed that in order to truly follow the teachings of Christ, it was both the Catholic Church’s responsibility as a community of believers, and his own responsibility as a high-ranking church leader to preserve and defend the basic rights of all humans. During his life, and especially during his term as Archbishop, Romero believed that the poor people of El Salvador were being deprived of their fundamental rights, and he worked actively to end this injustice in his homeland through his words, actions, and ultimately through his assassination. Oscar Romero was born in a remote mountain village in Ciudad Barrios on August 15, 1917, and was the second of seven children (Berryman 160). His father worked at the local telegraph office and his family grew some crops (Berryman 160). Romero attended the major seminary in San Miguel, studied with the Jesuits at the National Seminary in San Salvador, and spent six years studying at the Gregorian Seminary in Rome, where he was ordained as a priest and given a degree in theology in 1942 (Forchà © 58). Romero returned to his own country to serve as priest in January 1944 (Berryman 161). The community where Romero served was rural and very poor, like most of El Salvador. After a few months the Bishop of San Miguel asked Romero to serve as the secretary of the diocese and Romero left the poor village behind, but it may have been during the short time that he s... Free Essays on Oscar Romero Oscar Romero was born on August 15, 1917 in Ciudad Barrios, a town east of El Salvador. He was the second of seven children. When he was thirteen he declared a vocation to the priesthood. He went to a seminary in San Miguel and from there Rome. He was ordained in 1942. In January 1944 he was recalled to San Miguel by his bishop and was soon secretary of the diocese. This position he held for twenty-three years. In San Miguel his work flourished and his reputation grew. He established a succession of new organizations and inspired many with his sermons, broadcasted by five local radio stations and heard across the city. Romero was impressed of the new Catholicism that was affirmed with such confidence in Vatican II. In 1970 he became auxiliary bishop of San Salvador, and there he busied himself with administration. In 1974 he became bishop of a rural diocese, Santiago de Maria. Three years later, in February 1977, Oscar Romero became archbishop of San Salvador. In that month a crowd o f protesters were attacked by soldiers in the town square of the capital. Then, on 12 March 1977, a radical priest, Rutilio Grande, was murdered. Romero had known him. Now he observed that there was no official inquiry. He recognized that power lay in the hands of violent men, and that they murdered with impunity. The wealthy sanctioned the violence that maintained them. Death squads committed murder in the cities while soldiers killed as they wished in the countryside. When a new government, which represented many powerful interests was elected it was seen to be by fraud. There was talk of revolution. More and more Romero committed himself to the poor and the persecuted, and he became the instigator for moral prophecy in the church and outside it. Meanwhile, his church began to document the abuse of human rights, and to establish the truth in a country governed by lies, where men and women simply disappeared without account. The press said, "The Church an...

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

How to Stay Organized in College

How to Stay Organized in College You might have had grand plans about getting organized in college. And yet, despite your best intentions, your plans for organization seemed to slip through your fingers. So how can you stay organized for the long road ahead? Fortunately, although there are a zillion things to manage between your first day of classes and your last, staying organized in college is a lot easier than you might think. With a little advanced planning and the right skill set, staying organized can become more of your routine instead of just your ideal. Try Various Time Management Systems If you were wholly dedicated to making some fancy schmancy new calendaring app work for you this semester, but it ended up not working at all, dont be too hard on yourself. That means a particular system didnt work for you, not that youre bad at time management. Keep trying (and trying and trying) new time management systems until you find one that clicks. And if that means using a good, old-fashioned paper calendaring system, so be it. Having some calendar is the most important part of staying organized through the chaos that is college. Keep Your Dorm Room Clean When you lived at home, you had to keep your room relatively clean. But now that youre in college, you can keep your dorm room as messy as you want, right? Wrong! As silly as it sounds, a messy dorm room can represent a messy college life. Keeping your living space clean can help with everything from preventing you from losing your keys (again) to being able to mentally focus when you need to since you wont be visually distracted by all the junk on your desk. Additionally, keeping your space clean doesnt have to take a lot of time and will lead to all those little things that make you feel like youre in control of your own life: having clean clothes to choose from in the morning, knowing where that FAFSA form went, always having your cell phone charged. If keeping your dorm room clean seems like a waste of time, spend one-week tracking how much time you spend maintaining it clean and another week tracking how much time you spend looking for stuff or trying to recover from things youve lost (like that FAFSA form). You might surprise yourself. Stay on Top of Your Responsibilities When you are faced with anything that connects with your college life responsibilities - from a cell phone bill to an email from your mom about when youre coming home for Thanksgiving - make yourself do one of four things: Do it Schedule it Toss itFile it As an example, spending the next month arguing with your mom over when youll fly home will take ten times as much time as it will for you to just give her some dates when she brings it up. And if you arent sure yet, figure out a day by which you will be sure - and then put it into your calendaring system. Your mom will leave you alone, youll knock something off your to-do list, and you wont have to spend time telling yourself Oh shoot, I need to figure out Thanksgiving a million times a day between now and then. Spend Time Each Week Reorganizing Youre in college because youve got a great brain. So put it to use on all you have to do outside of the classroom! Just like a finely tuned athlete, your mind is learning, expanding, and strengthening each week; youre in school. Consequently, what organizing systems worked for you a month or two ago might not work any longer. Spend a few moments looking at what you got done, what youre doing, and what youll need to do over the next few weeks. While it may seem like a waste of time, those precious minutes can save you a lot of lost time - and a lot of disorganization - in the future. Plan Ahead to Stay Ahead Everyone knows that student who always says, Oh, I cant do something then, Ill be up all night cramming for my midterm. Really? Because that is just planning to be disorganized! Plan for everything you have to do. If you have a significant event youre planning, make sure your homework is done ahead of time so you can focus on your event when the time comes. If you know you have a major paper due, plan to work on it - and finish it - a few days in advance. Since its on your calendar and in your master plan, youll stay organized and on top of your tasks without even having to think about it. Take Care of Your Physical, Emotional, and Mental Health Being in college is hard - and not just academically. If youre not eating healthy, getting enough sleep, finding time to exercise, and overall treating yourself kindly, it will catch up with you sooner or later. And its impossible to get and stay organized if you dont have the physical, emotional, and mental energy to function. So give yourself a little TLC and remember that taking care of your health is an integral part of reaching your college goals.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Division of Labour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Division of Labour - Essay Example This paper highlights that people usually focus on the interests of others in pursuit of their own interest and not out of humanity. Never do we refer to our personal needs, but the interest of others. The size of the production unit is one factor that determines the division of labour. The bigger the production unit, the higher is the propensity to divide work into smaller units to increase productivity. Smaller industries do not need as much division of labour as large productions units. The nature of the industry also plays a great role in determining the extent of division of labour. Manufacturing factories will need more division in their labour than agricultural industry, where activities cannot easily be divided. From the look of things, division of labour is not driven by wisdom, but trade. Every individual who lacks something proposes to his or her neighbour to exchange what they have for what they need. Division of labour arises out treaty, barter that people acquire what they lack. Adam Smith explains with the case of a tribe of hunters or shepherds. In his example, the individual who makes bows and arrows regularly trade them for cattle or for venison with his compatriots. His productivity can increase by focusing more on his production of bows and arrows for which he exchanges for more cattle and venison.