Clarkson Lumber Case Study

CLARKSON LUMBER CASE STUDY B RADY CLIFFORD †¢ DAN HORTON †¢ EMIL HYMAS Y †¢ RICH WILKINSON EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Clarkson Lumber Company, owned by Mr. Keith Clarkson, has been in business for 15 years and currently has 15 employees. Firms who have worked with Clarkson speak very highly of him, saying that he is conservative and his operating expenses are low. The company’s revenues are projected to continue to grow. Recently, Clarkson Lumber’s accounts payable and notes payable have increased significantly.The company has not been able to take advantage of trade discounts in recent years because of lack of funds and because of investments due to the company’s growth. While Clarkson Lumber has been increasingly profitable in recent years, the company has found the need for additional financing. Clarkson’s current bank will not provide more than $399,000 in financing without a personal guarantee. Clarkson is hoping to secure more financing in orde r to improve profitability by taking full advantage of trade discounts. The company is working with Northrup National Bank to possibly secure a larger loan; up to $750,000.Northrup’s credit department is currently investigating Clarkson Lumber to see if the firm qualifies for this additional financing. Our team has identified several key issues with Clarkson Lumber’s current financial situation. The company’s over-arching financial issue is cash flow. Clarkson is borrowing too much to make up for a cash flow shortage. Clarkson’s accounts receivable is increasing and the company is still using a 2% accounts payable discount, which is contributing to the lack of available cash. The cash flow that the company does have is being used inefficiently as the sources of cash comes from financing.Thus, Clarkson Lumber is growing at an unsustainable rate and is too reliant on short-term financing. Even if Clarkson receives the $750,000 from Northrup, the company wil l eventually be bankrupt if it does not curtail its growth rate. We recommend that the company utilize more long-term debt instead of short-term debt. Long-term financing will require smaller payments at lower interest rates, which will increase CLARKSON LUMBER CASE STUDY – FINAN 6022-002 †¢ PAGE 1 Clarkson’s cash flow. Clarkson may benefit from reducing inventory by increasing sales or reducing inventory growth.Another option would be to lower costs by negotiating cheaper prices with suppliers. Both options will increase the company’s cash flow. Finally, we recommend increasing accounts receivable turnover. With an increase in account receivable turnover, Clarkson will experience quicker collections and will not have to pay as much in finance charges, again leading to additional cash flow. ANALYSIS The approval process for the loan from Northrup National Bank, required that investigators be sent to research Mr. Clarkson and his company. The investigation p ointed out a few important financial aspects of the company that are worth mentioning.In 1994, Mr. Clarkson bought out the other company partner for $200,000. This amount was to be paid off in 1995 and 1996 using semi-annual payments at an interest rate of 11%. From 1993 to 1995, net sales volume for CLC has increased from 2. 9 million to just over 4. 5 million. After yield profits for the same years also increase from $60,000 in 1993 to $77,000 in 1995 (see Exhibit 1). The investigation also paid special attention the debt position and current ratio of CLC. It was reported that sales are expected to reach $5. 5 million in 1996 and could be more if the prices of lumber rise.Despite these profits, there was a shortage in cash which lead to an increase in borrowing. In order to stay within the borrowing limits set by Suburban Nation Bank, a lot of borrowing was being done through trade credits. In 1995 and 1996 this trade debt was rapidly increasing and was creating some concern. If t he market is struggling then trade credit is normally not recommended; however, for CLC the trade credit was a short fix for long term problem. Even with the growing trade debt, CLC still was comparable to the overall percentages of other lumber outlets (see Exhibit 3).It is also important to recognize specific ratios related to the company. The current ratio, which is helpful in understanding asset liquidity or inefficient use of cash flow, decreased from 2. 5 in 1993 to 1. 1 in 1995. High-profit companies have a current CLARKSON LUMBER CASE STUDY – FINAN 6022-002 †¢ PAGE 2 ratio of 2. 52. ROE for Clarkson Lumber remains relatively steady; it increased from 1993 to 1994 but decreased to 17. 1% in 1995. This ROE is only slightly lower than the ROE for high-profit companies which is at 22. 1%. After reviewing Clarkson Lumber’s financial situation, several key issues became apparent.First, the company is clearly growing at an unsustainable rate. Exhibit 3 (various s tatistical ratios), shows the average internal growth rate of the company at 6. 06% and the average sustainable growth rate at 15. 78%. However, over the three full years analyzed, the company has an average growth margin of 24. 5% and an average asset growth margin of 33. 69%. This continues in the forecasted 1996 year as the company is projected to increase revenue by roughly 21. 7%. At the company’s current level, it cannot continue to support its current growth rate going forward and will require more debt to finance this growth.Therefore, the company seems to be overly reliant on short term financing for its operations. As seen in Exhibit 5, the company projects to have $5. 5M, with most other accounts are based on the historical averages. Exhibit 5 also shows that Clarkson would need between $971K or $696K of external financing. Another issue found dealt with the company’s cash flow (see Exhibit 4). When the company generates net income, it is immediately engulfe d in two areas: the increase in accounts receivable, which increased from $306K to $411K to $606K from 1993 to 1995, and inventory, which also increased from $337K to $432K to $587K during those years.Due to these increases, and despite rising the liability accounts of notes payable from trade and accrued expenses, the company had negative cash flow from operations and needed external financing to purchase its fixed assets and pay down the debt they already had (again see Exhibit 4). Although having negative cash flows from operations is not necessarily bad in the short run, if this trend continues, it provides no long term benefit for the company. Thus, we found that the company cannot continue to allow its accounts receivable and inventory to increase at the same rate.CLARKSON LUMBER CASE STUDY – FINAN 6022-002 †¢ PAGE 3 The final issue we noticed was the accounts payable 2% discount. Clarkson was offered a discount if it pays off its payables to its suppliers within t en days. Even though there is value here, Mr. Clarkson said the company has taken few purchase discounts in recent years. Exhibit 3 attests to this as the company pays its suppliers on an average of 38 days. If the company used this discount on its financial projections, it would receive a purchase discount of $86K to add to its operating income.However, the trade-off is that Clarkson will have a significantly lower amount in accounts payable and will need financing to pay down these payables in order to obtain the discounts. If the company does not proceed with the discount, it will experience significantly lower net income, but will not need as much external financing. RECOMMENDATIONS One of our preferred recommendations for the company would be to replace some, or all, of the short term debt with a long term note. If the company used the amount of the external financing, about $975K, at 6% for 10 years, Clarkson will pay $130K a year.At 15 years, the company will be paying $99K a year. Or the company could use half of the external financing amount, roughly $488K, at those same terms and pay $65K or $49K for ten years or fifteen years, respectively. These numbers indicate that by replacing short-term debt with long-term debt, Clarkson will be making smaller payments at a lower interest rate, freeing up additional cash flow. Another way Clarkson can increase their cash flow is by decreasing the accounts receivable period.In Exhibit 3, we can see that on average the company takes 39 days to collect from accounts receivable and the company has a cash cycle of 55 days, meaning there is a 55 day delay between paying for inventory and collecting the sale. Thus, we recommend that the company use a stricter policy for collections for its customers. For example, if Clarkson could require payments in 30 days, their cash cycle drops to 45 days. By decreasing the accounts receivable period, the company can collect cash more quickly and will pay less in finance CLARKSON LUMBER CASE STUDY – FINAN 6022-002 †¢ PAGE 4 harges. The cash collected from accounts receivable can then be used to manage accounts payable. Our next recommendation is based on Clarkson’s need to increase the amount of cash available, thus capitalizing on growth opportunities. From 1993-1995, the company’s need for increased financing despite profitability comes from Mr. Clarkson’s buyout of Holtz’s share of the company, as well as the increase in inventory and accounts receivable as explained above. It is important for Clarkson Lumber to have access to larger amounts of cash to support its growth in the short and long term.Clarkson’s current success is due to the ability to compete on price; thus a large growth opportunity exists if they can continue to use trade discounts. If the company can use trade discounts, they will receive a purchase discount of around $86K added to income. The trade-off comes from the company having significa ntly lower accounts payable. In the long run the company will clearly need the additional credit, shown by the internal growth rate of 6. 1% and a projected sales growth of 21. 7%.The company will also need to alter the equity/debt ratio due to the projected growth rate of sales in 1996 which is greater than their sustainable growth rate of 15. 8%. Clarkson Lumber will potentially start producing positive free cash flows, as long as their growth rate stabilizes at a more reasonable rate. Our recommendations are aimed at producing positive free cash flows sooner, and the increase in quantity discounts will lower the cost of goods of sold and offset the financial obligations. If the $750,000 line of credit is extended by Northrup Bank, then debt and interest expenses will increase.This creates even more of a necessity to apply the increase in available credit in such a way that will reduce costs. CLARKSON LUMBER CASE STUDY – FINAN 6022-002 †¢ PAGE 5 EXHIBIT 1 CLARKSON LUMB ER COMPANY INCOME STATEMENT 1993 NET SALES COGS: BEGINNING INVENTORY PURCHASES ENDING INVENTORY TOTAL COGS GROSS PROFIT OPERATING EXPENSES EBIT INTEREST EXPENSE NET INCOME BEFORE TAXES PROVISION FOR TAXES NET INCOME 1994 1995 1ST QTR 1996 $2,921 $3,477 $4,519 $1,062 $330 $2,209 $2,539 $337 $2,202 $337 $2,729 $3,066 $432 $2,634 $432 $3,579 $4,011 $587 $3,424 $587 $819 $1,406 $607 $799 $719 $622 $97 $23 $74 $14 $60 $843 $717 126 $42 $84 $16 $68 $1,095 $940 $155 $56 $99 $22 $77 $263 $244 $19 $13 $6 $1 $5 CLARKSON LUMBER CASE STUDY – FINAN 6022-002 †¢ APPENDIX EXHIBIT 2 CLARKSON LUMBER COMPANY BALANCE SHEET 1993 1994 1995 1ST QTR 1996 CASH ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE, NET INVENTORY CURRENT ASSETS FIXED ASSETS TOTAL ASSETS $43 $306 $337 $686 $233 $919 $52 $411 $432 $895 $262 $1,157 $56 $606 $587 $1,249 $388 $1,637 $53 $583 $607 $1,243 $384 $1,627 NOTES PAYABLE, BANK NOTE PAYABLE TO HOLTZ (CPLTD) NOTES PAYABLE, TRADE ACCOUNTS PAYABLE ACCRUED EXPENSES TERM LOAN, CURRENT PORTION CURRENT LIABILITIES TERM LOAN NOTE PAYABLE TO HOLTZ TOTAL LIABILITIESNET WORTH $0 $0 $0 $213 $42 $20 $275 $140 $0 $415 $504 $60 $100 $0 $340 $45 $20 $565 $120 $100 $785 $372 $390 $100 $127 $376 $75 $20 $1,088 $100 $0 $1,188 $449 $399 $100 $123 $364 $67 $20 $1,073 $100 $0 $1,173 $454 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND NET WORTH $919 $1,157 $1,637 $1,627 CLARKSON LUMBER CASE STUDY – FINAN 6022-002 †¢ APPENDIX EXHIBIT 3 1993 1994 1995 AVERAGE LOW PROFIT OUTLETS HIGH PROFIT OUTLETS COGS OPERATING EXPENSE CASH ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE INVENTORY FIXED ASSETS TOTAL ASSETS PURCHASES 75. 39% 21. 29% 1. 47% 10. 48% 11. 54% 7. 98% 31. 46% 75. 62% 75. 75% 20. 62% 1. 50% 11. 82% 12. 42% 7. 54% 33. 28% 78. 49% 5. 77% 20. 80% 1. 24% 13. 41% 12. 99% 8. 59% 36. 22% 79. 20% 75. 64% 20. 91% 1. 40% 11. 90% 12. 32% 8. 03% 33. 65% 77. 77% 76. 9% 22. 0% 1. 3% 13. 7% 12. 0% 12. 1% 39. 1% 75. 1% 20. 6% 1. 1% 12. 4% 11. 6% 9. 2% 34. 3% PERCENT OF TOTAL ASSETS: CURRENT LIABILITIES LONG-TERM LIABILITIES EQUITY 9. 41% 4. 79 % 17. 25% 16. 25% 6. 33% 10. 70% 24. 08% 2. 21% 9. 94% 16. 58% 4. 44% 12. 63% 52. 7% 34. 8% 12. 5% 29. 2% 16. 0% .54. 8 CURRENT RATIO RETURN ON SALES RETURN ON ASSETS RETURN ON EQUITY 2. 49 3. 32% 6. 53% 11. 90% 1. 58 3. 62% 5. 88% 18. 28% 1. 15 3. 43% 4. 70% 17. 15% 1. 74 3. 46% 5. 70% 15. 78% 1. 31 -0. 70% 1. 80% -14. 30% 2. 52 4. 30% 12. 20% 22. 10% 6. 85 53. 28 9. 70 37. 63 9. 53 38. 32 90. 91 52. 60 6. 72 54. 31 8. 89 41. 07 9. 56 38. 16 95. 38 57. 22 6. 79 53. 80 9. 29 39. 35 9. 55 38. 24 93. 15 54. 91 6. 24% 18. 28% 19. 03% 25. 90% 4. 94% 17. 15% 29. 97% 41. 49% 6. 06% 15. 78% 24. 50% 33. 69% PERCENT OF SALES: INVENTORY TURNOVER (AVG) INVENTORY PERIOD RECEIVABLES TURNOVER RECEIVABLES PERIOD PAYABLES TURNOVER PAYABLES PERIOD OPERATING CYCLE CASH CYCLE INTERNAL GROWTH RATE SUSTAINABLE GROWTH RATE ACTUAL GROWTH MARGIN ASSET GROWTH MARGIN 6. 98% 11. 90% CLARKSON LUMBER CASE STUDY – FINAN 6022-002 †¢ APPENDIXEXHIBIT 4 CASH FLOWS FOR CLARKSON 1994 1995 1993 T0 1995 $68 ($105) ($95) $127 $3 $77 ($195) ($155) $163 $30 $145 ($300) ($250) $290 $33 CASH FROM OPERATIONS ($2) ($80) ($82) SOURCE OF CASH: CASH FROM OPERATIONS CASH FROM BANK LOANS SOURCES OF CASH: ($2) 60 $58 ($80) 330 $250 ($82) 390 $308 $29 $20 $49 $126 $20 $100 $246 $155 $40 $100 $295 $9 $4 $13 CASH FROM OPERATIONS NET INCOME CHANGE IN A/R CHANGE IN INVENTORY CHANGE IN N/P – TRADE CHANGE IN ACCRUED EXP. USE OF CASH FIXED ASSETS CPLTD HOLTZ LOAN USE OF CASH CHANGE IN CASH CLARKSON LUMBER CASE STUDY – FINAN 6022-002 †¢ APPENDIX EXHIBIT 5CLARKSON LUMBER COMPANY FORECASTS PROJECTED INCOME STATEMENT WITH PURCHASE DISCOUNT PROJECTED INCOME STATEMENT WITHOUR PURCHASE DISCOUNT 1996 NET SALES COGS: BEGINNING INVENTORY PURCHASES* 1996 $5,500 ENDING INVENTORY TOTAL COGS** $587 $4,279 $4,866 $708 $4,158 GROSS PROFIT OPERATING EXPENSES*** EBIT PURCHASE DISCOUNT**** INTEREST EXPENSE***** NET INCOME BEFORE TAXES PROVISION FOR TAXES NET INCOME NET SALES COGS: BEGINNING INVENTORY PURCH ASES $1,342 $1,150 $192 $86 $93 $185 $55 $130 ENDING INVENTORY TOTAL COGS 1996 ASSETS CASH A/R, NET INVENTORY CURRENT ASSETS FIXED ASSETS TOTAL ASSETS 1996 LIABILITIESA/P (10 Days of Purchases) ACCRUED EXP. (1. 5% of Sales) CPLTD BANK NOTE PAYABLE (PLUG) CURRENT LIABILITIES LT DEBT TOTAL LIABILITIES NET WORTH TOTAL LIABILITIES AND NET WORTH $1,342 $1,150 $192 $93 $99 $41 $58 PROJECTED BALANCE SHEET PROJECTED BALANCE SHEET $77 $655 708 $1,440 $411 $1,851 $587 $4,279 $4,866 $708 $4,158 GROSS PROFIT OPERATING EXPENSES EBIT INTEREST EXPENSE NET INCOME BEFORE TAXES PROVISION FOR TAXES NET INCOME * Purchases based on average percentage of Sales (77. 8%) ** Total COGS based on average percentage of Sales (75. 6%) *** Operating Costs based on average percentage of Sales (20. 1%) **** 2% Discount on Purchases of $4,277 ***** 11% on the LOC and 10% on Term Loan ASSETS CASH (1. 4% of Sales) A/R NET (11. 9% of Sales) INVENTORY CURRENT ASSETS FIXED ASSETS* TOTAL ASSETS $5,500 $117 $83 $20 $972 $ 1,192 80 $1,272 $579 $1,851 0. 075 77 655 708 1440 411 1851 LIABILITIES A/P ACCRUED EXP. CPLTD BANK NOTE PAYABLE (PLUG) CURRENT LIABILITIES LT DEBT TOTAL LIABILITIES NET WORTH $465 83 20 $696 $1,264 80 $1,344 $507 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND NET WORTH $1,851 * I used the average total assets of sales percentage and backed into Fixed Assets CLARKSON LUMBER CASE STUDY – FINAN 6022-002 †¢ APPENDIX

The Period of New Society

With the declaration of Martial Law, President Marcos popularized the New Society which he claimed was envisioned to carry out a meaningful social change. In order to create a positive image in the public consciousness as well as in the local and foreign media that he was serious in effecting these changes, he initiated the following: 1. Dismissal from office of civil servants who were found guilty of corruption and abuse of authority; 2. Punishment of drug pushers; 3. Setting curfew to solve worsening criminality rate; 4. Popularization of â€Å"Isang Bansa, Isang Diwa† philosophy to instill nationalism among Filipinos; and 5. Training of citizens to be disciplined and law-abiding. Meanwhile, in order to entertain and relieve the people from alarming social and political problems, his government initiates the following: 1. Establishment of theme parks such as the Coconut palace in Pasay, Palace in the Sky in Tagaytay and National Arts Centre in Makiling, Laguna; and cultural institutions such as Cultural Centre of the Philippines, Folk Arts Centre and Film Centre. 2. Sponsorship of cultural shows; . Popularization of indigenous culture; 4. Manipulation of the contents of the newspapers and textbooks on his favour; 5. Bribery of media commentators in order to sugar-coat the programs of his administration; and 6. Publication and popularization of literature about his political philosophy such as â€Å"democratic revolution† and â€Å"revolution from the center†. Ferdinard Marcos with Secretary of State George Shultz, 1982. Amidst the rising wave of lawlessness and the threat of a Communist insurgency, Marcos declared martial law on September 21, 1972, by virtue of Proclamation No. 081. Marcos, ruling by decree, curtailed press freedom and other civil liberties, closed down Congress and media establishments, and ordered the arrest of opposition leaders and militant activists, including his staunchest critics, senators Benigno Aquino, Jr. , Jovito Salonga and Jose Diokno. [25] The declaration of martial law was initially well received, given the social turmoil the Philippines was experiencing. [26] Crime rates plunged dramatically after a curfew was implemented. [27] Many political o pponents were forced to go into exile. A constitutional convention, which had been called for in 1970 to replace the Commonwealth era 1935 Constitution, continued the work of framing a new constitution after the declaration of martial law. The new constitution went into effect in early 1973, changing the form of government from presidential to parliamentary and allowing Marcos to stay in power beyond 1973. Marcos claimed that martial law was the prelude to creating his Bagong Lipunan, a â€Å"New Society† based on new social and political values. [28] The economy during the 1970s was robust, with budgetary and trade surpluses. The Gross National Product rose from P55 billion in 1972 to P193 billion in 1980. Tourism rose, contributing to the economy's growth. However, Marcos, his cronies and his wife, Imelda, willfully engaged in rampant corruption. [29] After putting in force amendments to the constitution, legislative action, and securing his sweeping powers and with the Batasan under his control, President Marcos lifted martial law on January 17, 1981. However, the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus continued in the autonomous regions of Western Mindanao and Central Mindanao. The opposition dubbed the lifting of martial law as a mere â€Å"face lifting† as a precondition to the visit of Pope John Paul II. [30] Marcos had a vision of a Bagong Lipunan (New Society) similar to Indonesian president Suharto's â€Å"New Order administration†. He used the years of martial law to implement this vision. According to Marcos's book, â€Å"Notes on the New Society,† it was a movement urging the poor and the privileged to work as one for the common goals of society and to achieve the liberation of the Filipino people through self-realization. Marcos confiscated businesses owned by the oligarchy. More often than not, they were taken over by Marcos's family members and close personal friends, who used them as fronts to launder proceeds from institutionalized graft and corruption in the different national governmental agencies as â€Å"crony capitalism,† Marcos' friends using them for personal benefit. With genuinely nationalistic motives, crony capitalism was intended to redistribute monopolies traditionally owned by Chinese and Mestizo oligarchs to Filipino businessmen though in practice, it led to graft and corruption via bribery, racketeering, and embezzlement. Marcos also silenced the free press, making the state press the only legal one. He also seized privately owned lands and distributed them to farmers. By waging an ideological war against the oligarchy, Marcos gained the support of the masses though he was to create a new one in its place. Marcos, now free from day-to-day governance which was left mostly to Enrile using his power to settle scores against old rivals, such as the Lopezes, who were always opposed to the Marcos administration. Leading opponents such as Senators Benigno Aquino, Jr. , Jose Diokno, Jovito Salonga and many others were imprisoned for months or years. This practice considerably alienated the support of the old social and economic elite and the media, who criticized the Marcos administration endlessly. The declaration of martial law was initially very well received, given the social turmoil the Philippines was experiencing though the rest of the world was surprised at how the Filipinos accepted Marcos's self-imposed dictatorship. Soon after Marcos declared martial law, one American official described the Philippines as a country composed â€Å"of 40 million cowards and one son of a bitch†; otherwise, he reasoned, they should have risen against the destroyer of their freedom. 31] Crime rates plunged dramatically after dusk curfews were implemented and the country would enjoy economic prosperity throughout the 1970s in the midst of growing dissent to his strong-willed rule toward the end of martial law. Political opponents were given the opportunity of compliance or forced to go into exile. As a result, thousands migrated to o ther countries, like the U. S. and Canada. Public dissent on the streets was not tolerated and leaders of such protests were promptly arrested, detained, tortured, or never heard from again. Communist leaders, as well as sympathizers, were forced to flee from the cities to the countrysides, where they multiplied. Lim Seng, a feared drug lord, was arrested and executed in Luneta in 1972. As martial law dragged on for the next nine years, human rights violations went unchecked, and graft and corruption by the military and the administration became widespread, as made manifest by the Rolex 12. Over the years, Marcos's hand was strengthened by the support of the armed forces, whose size he tripled to 230,000 troops, after declaring martial law in 1972. The forces included some first-rate units as well as thousands of unruly and ill equipped personnel of the civilian home defense forces and other paramilitary organizations. Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile, Chief of Staff of the Philippine Constabulary Fidel Ramos, and Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Fabian Ver were the chief administrators of martial law from 1972 to 1981, and the three remained President Marcos's closest advisers until he was ousted in 1986. Enrile and Ramos would later abandon Marcos's ‘sinking ship' and seek protection behind the 1986 People Power Revolution. The Catholic hierarchy and Manila's middle class were crucial to the success of the massive crusade. [edit] Prime Minister (1972-1981) Ferdinard Marcos with Secretary of State George Shultz, 1982. Amidst the rising wave of lawlessness and the threat of a Communist insurgency, Marcos declared martial law on September 21, 1972, by virtue of Proclamation No. 1081. Marcos, ruling by decree, curtailed press freedom and other civil liberties, closed down Congress and media establishments, and ordered the arrest of opposition leaders and militant activists, including his staunchest critics, senators Benigno Aquino, Jr. , Jovito Salonga and Jose Diokno. [25] The declaration of martial law was initially well received, given the social turmoil the Philippines was experiencing. [26] Crime rates plunged dramatically after a curfew was implemented. [27] Many political opponents were forced to go into exile. A constitutional convention, which had been called for in 1970 to replace the Commonwealth era 1935 Constitution, continued the work of framing a new constitution after the declaration of martial law. The new constitution went into effect in early 1973, changing the form of government from presidential to parliamentary and allowing Marcos to stay in power beyond 1973. Marcos claimed that martial law was the prelude to creating his Bagong Lipunan, a â€Å"New Society† based on new social and political values. [28] The economy during the 1970s was robust, with budgetary and trade surpluses. The Gross National Product rose from P55 billion in 1972 to P193 billion in 1980. Tourism rose, contributing to the economy's growth. However, Marcos, his cronies and his wife, Imelda, willfully engaged in rampant corruption. [29] After putting in force amendments to the constitution, legislative action, and securing his sweeping powers and with the Batasan under his control, President Marcos lifted martial law on January 17, 1981. However, the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus continued in the autonomous regions of Western Mindanao and Central Mindanao. The opposition dubbed the lifting of martial law as a mere â€Å"face lifting† as a precondition to the visit of Pope John Paul II. [30] Marcos had a vision of a Bagong Lipunan (New Society) similar to Indonesian president Suharto's â€Å"New Order administration†. He used the years of martial law to implement this vision. According to Marcos's book, â€Å"Notes on the New Society,† it was a movement urging the poor and the privileged to work as one for the common goals of society and to achieve the liberation of the Filipino people through self-realization. Marcos confiscated businesses owned by the oligarchy. More often than not, they were taken over by Marcos's family members and close personal friends, who used them as fronts to launder proceeds from institutionalized graft and corruption in the different national governmental agencies as â€Å"crony capitalism,† Marcos' friends using them for personal benefit. With genuinely nationalistic motives, crony capitalism was intended to redistribute monopolies traditionally owned by Chinese and Mestizo oligarchs to Filipino businessmen though in practice, it led to graft and corruption via bribery, racketeering, and embezzlement. Marcos also silenced the free press, making the state press the only legal one. He also seized privately owned lands and distributed them to farmers. By waging an ideological war against the oligarchy, Marcos gained the support of the masses though he was to create a new one in its place. Marcos, now free from day-to-day governance which was left mostly to Enrile using his power to settle scores against old rivals, such as the Lopezes, who were always opposed to the Marcos administration. Leading opponents such as Senators Benigno Aquino, Jr. , Jose Diokno, Jovito Salonga and many others were imprisoned for months or years. This practice considerably alienated the support of the old social and economic elite and the media, who criticized the Marcos administration endlessly. The declaration of martial law was initially very well received, given the social turmoil the Philippines was experiencing though the rest of the world was surprised at how the Filipinos accepted Marcos's self-imposed dictatorship. Soon after Marcos declared martial law, one American official described the Philippines as a country composed â€Å"of 40 million cowards and one son of a bitch†; otherwise, he reasoned, they should have risen against the destroyer of their freedom. 31] Crime rates plunged dramatically after dusk curfews were implemented and the country would enjoy economic prosperity throughout the 1970s in the midst of growing dissent to his strong-willed rule toward the end of martial law. Political opponents were given the opportunity of compliance or forced to go into exile. As a result, thousands migrated to o ther countries, like the U. S. and Canada. Public dissent on the streets was not tolerated and leaders of such protests were promptly arrested, detained, tortured, or never heard from again. Communist leaders, as well as sympathizers, were forced to flee from the cities to the countrysides, where they multiplied. Lim Seng, a feared drug lord, was arrested and executed in Luneta in 1972. As martial law dragged on for the next nine years, human rights violations went unchecked, and graft and corruption by the military and the administration became widespread, as made manifest by the Rolex 12. Over the years, Marcos's hand was strengthened by the support of the armed forces, whose size he tripled to 230,000 troops, after declaring martial law in 1972. The forces included some first-rate units as well as thousands of unruly and ill equipped personnel of the civilian home defense forces and other paramilitary organizations. Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile, Chief of Staff of the Philippine Constabulary Fidel Ramos, and Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Fabian Ver were the chief administrators of martial law from 1972 to 1981, and the three remained President Marcos's closest advisers until he was ousted in 1986. Enrile and Ramos would later abandon Marcos's ‘sinking ship' and seek protection behind the 1986 People Power Revolution. The Catholic hierarchy and Manila's middle class were crucial to the success of the massive crusade. [edit] Prime Minister (1972-1981) Ferdinard Marcos with Secretary of State George Shultz, 1982. Amidst the rising wave of lawlessness and the threat of a Communist insurgency, Marcos declared martial law on September 21, 1972, by virtue of Proclamation No. 1081. Marcos, ruling by decree, curtailed press freedom and other civil liberties, closed down Congress and media establishments, and ordered the arrest of opposition leaders and militant activists, including his staunchest critics, senators Benigno Aquino, Jr. , Jovito Salonga and Jose Diokno. [25] The declaration of martial law was initially well received, given the social turmoil the Philippines was experiencing. [26] Crime rates plunged dramatically after a curfew was implemented. [27] Many political opponents were forced to go into exile. A constitutional convention, which had been called for in 1970 to replace the Commonwealth era 1935 Constitution, continued the work of framing a new constitution after the declaration of martial law. The new constitution went into effect in early 1973, changing the form of government from presidential to parliamentary and allowing Marcos to stay in power beyond 1973. Marcos claimed that martial law was the prelude to creating his Bagong Lipunan, a â€Å"New Society† based on new social and political values. [28] The economy during the 1970s was robust, with budgetary and trade surpluses. The Gross National Product rose from P55 billion in 1972 to P193 billion in 1980. Tourism rose, contributing to the economy's growth. However, Marcos, his cronies and his wife, Imelda, willfully engaged in rampant corruption. [29] After putting in force amendments to the constitution, legislative action, and securing his sweeping powers and with the Batasan under his control, President Marcos lifted martial law on January 17, 1981. However, the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus continued in the autonomous regions of Western Mindanao and Central Mindanao. The opposition dubbed the lifting of martial law as a mere â€Å"face lifting† as a precondition to the visit of Pope John Paul II. [30] Marcos had a vision of a Bagong Lipunan (New Society) similar to Indonesian president Suharto's â€Å"New Order administration†. He used the years of martial law to implement this vision. According to Marcos's book, â€Å"Notes on the New Society,† it was a movement urging the poor and the privileged to work as one for the common goals of society and to achieve the liberation of the Filipino people through self-realization. Marcos confiscated businesses owned by the oligarchy. More often than not, they were taken over by Marcos's family members and close personal friends, who used them as fronts to launder proceeds from institutionalized graft and corruption in the different national governmental agencies as â€Å"crony capitalism,† Marcos' friends using them for personal benefit. With genuinely nationalistic motives, crony capitalism was intended to redistribute monopolies traditionally owned by Chinese and Mestizo oligarchs to Filipino businessmen though in practice, it led to graft and corruption via bribery, racketeering, and embezzlement. Marcos also silenced the free press, making the state press the only legal one. He also seized privately owned lands and distributed them to farmers. By waging an ideological war against the oligarchy, Marcos gained the support of the masses though he was to create a new one in its place. Marcos, now free from day-to-day governance which was left mostly to Enrile using his power to settle scores against old rivals, such as the Lopezes, who were always opposed to the Marcos administration. Leading opponents such as Senators Benigno Aquino, Jr. , Jose Diokno, Jovito Salonga and many others were imprisoned for months or years. This practice considerably alienated the support of the old social and economic elite and the media, who criticized the Marcos administration endlessly. The declaration of martial law was initially very well received, given the social turmoil the Philippines was experiencing though the rest of the world was surprised at how the Filipinos accepted Marcos's self-imposed dictatorship. Soon after Marcos declared martial law, one American official described the Philippines as a country composed â€Å"of 40 million cowards and one son of a bitch†; otherwise, he reasoned, they should have risen against the destroyer of their freedom. 31] Crime rates plunged dramatically after dusk curfews were implemented and the country would enjoy economic prosperity throughout the 1970s in the midst of growing dissent to his strong-willed rule toward the end of martial law. Political opponents were given the opportunity of compliance or forced to go into exile. As a result, thousands migrated to o ther countries, like the U. S. and Canada. Public dissent on the streets was not tolerated and leaders of such protests were promptly arrested, detained, tortured, or never heard from again. Communist leaders, as well as sympathizers, were forced to flee from the cities to the countrysides, where they multiplied. Lim Seng, a feared drug lord, was arrested and executed in Luneta in 1972. As martial law dragged on for the next nine years, human rights violations went unchecked, and graft and corruption by the military and the administration became widespread, as made manifest by the Rolex 12. Over the years, Marcos's hand was strengthened by the support of the armed forces, whose size he tripled to 230,000 troops, after declaring martial law in 1972. The forces included some first-rate units as well as thousands of unruly and ill equipped personnel of the civilian home defense forces and other paramilitary organizations. Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile, Chief of Staff of the Philippine Constabulary Fidel Ramos, and Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Fabian Ver were the chief administrators of martial law from 1972 to 1981, and the three remained President Marcos's closest advisers until he was ousted in 1986. Enrile and Ramos would later abandon Marcos's ‘sinking ship' and seek protection behind the 1986 People Power Revolution. The Catholic hierarchy and Manila's middle class were crucial to the success of the massive crusade. Ferdinard Marcos with Secretary of State George Shultz, 1982. Amidst the rising wave of lawlessness and the threat of a Communist insurgency, Marcos declared martial law on September 21, 1972, by virtue of Proclamation No. 1081. Marcos, ruling by decree, curtailed press freedom and other civil liberties, closed down Congress and media establishments, and ordered the arrest of opposition leaders and militant activists, including his staunchest critics, senators Benigno Aquino, Jr. Jovito Salonga and Jose Diokno. [25] The declaration of martial law was initially well received, given the social turmoil the Philippines was experiencing. [26] Crime rates plunged dramatically after a curfew was implemented. [27] Many political opponents were forced to go into exile. A constitutional convention, which had been called for in 1970 to replace the Commonwealth era 1935 Constitution, continued th e work of framing a new constitution after the declaration of martial law. The new constitution went into effect in early 1973, changing the form of government from presidential to parliamentary and allowing Marcos to stay in power beyond 1973. Marcos claimed that martial law was the prelude to creating his Bagong Lipunan, a â€Å"New Society† based on new social and political values. [28] The economy during the 1970s was robust, with budgetary and trade surpluses. The Gross National Product rose from P55 billion in 1972 to P193 billion in 1980. Tourism rose, contributing to the economy's growth. However, Marcos, his cronies and his wife, Imelda, willfully engaged in rampant corruption. [29] After putting in force amendments to the constitution, legislative action, and securing his sweeping powers and with the Batasan under his control, President Marcos lifted martial law on January 17, 1981. However, the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus continued in the autonomous regions of Western Mindanao and Central Mindanao. The opposition dubbed the lifting of martial law as a mere â€Å"face lifting† as a precondition to the visit of Pope John Paul II. 30] Marcos had a vision of a Bagong Lipunan (New Society) similar to Indonesian president Suharto's â€Å"New Order administration†. He used the years of martial law to implement this vision. According to Marcos's book, â€Å"Notes on the New Society,† it was a movement urging the poor and the privileged to work as one for the common goals of society and to achieve the liberation of the Filip ino people through self-realization. Marcos confiscated businesses owned by the oligarchy. More often than not, they were taken over by Marcos's family members and close personal friends, who used them as fronts to launder proceeds from institutionalized graft and corruption in the different national governmental agencies as â€Å"crony capitalism,† Marcos' friends using them for personal benefit. With genuinely nationalistic motives, crony capitalism was intended to redistribute monopolies traditionally owned by Chinese and Mestizo oligarchs to Filipino businessmen though in practice, it led to graft and corruption via bribery, racketeering, and embezzlement. Marcos also silenced the free press, making the state press the only legal one. He also seized privately owned lands and distributed them to farmers. By waging an ideological war against the oligarchy, Marcos gained the support of the masses though he was to create a new one in its place. Marcos, now free from day-to-day governance which was left mostly to Enrile using his power to settle scores against old rivals, such as the Lopezes, who were always opposed to the Marcos administration. Leading opponents such as Senators Benigno Aquino, Jr. , Jose Diokno, Jovito Salonga and many others were imprisoned for months or years. This practice considerably alienated the support of the old social and economic elite and the media, who criticized the Marcos administration endlessly. The declaration of martial law was initially very well received, given the social turmoil the Philippines was experiencing though the rest of the world was surprised at how the Filipinos accepted Marcos's self-imposed dictatorship. Soon after Marcos declared martial law, one American official described the Philippines as a country composed â€Å"of 40 million cowards and one son of a bitch†; otherwise, he reasoned, they should have risen against the destroyer of their freedom. [31] Crime rates plunged dramatically after dusk curfews were implemented and the country would enjoy economic prosperity throughout the 1970s in the midst of growing dissent to his strong-willed rule toward the end of martial law. Political opponents were given the opportunity of compliance or forced to go into exile. As a result, thousands migrated to other countries, like the U. S. and Canada. Public dissent on the streets was not tolerated and leaders of such protests were promptly arrested, detained, tortured, or never heard from again. Communist leaders, as well as sympathizers, were forced to flee from the cities to the countrysides, where they multiplied. Lim Seng, a feared drug lord, was arrested and executed in Luneta in 1972. As martial law dragged on for the next nine years, human rights violations went unchecked, and graft and corruption by the military and the administration became widespread, as made manifest by the Rolex 12. Over the years, Marcos's hand was strengthened by the support of the armed forces, whose size he tripled to 230,000 troops, after declaring martial law in 1972. The forces included some first-rate units as well as thousands of unruly and ill equipped personnel of the civilian home defense forces and other paramilitary organizations. Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile, Chief of Staff of the Philippine Constabulary Fidel Ramos, and Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Fabian Ver were the chief administrators of martial law from 1972 to 1981, and the three remained President Marcos's closest advisers until he was ousted in 1986. Enrile and Ramos would later abandon Marcos's ‘sinking ship' and seek protection behind the 1986 People Power Revolution. The Catholic hierarchy and Manila's middle class were crucial to the success of the massive crusade. [edit] Prime Minister (1972-1981)

We make our own destiny Free Essay Example, 1000 words

Ishmael Beah, how he shaped his destiny Ishmael Beah’s autobiography Ishmael Beah was born on 23 November 1980 in Sierra Leone, a West African State. His native country was one which new civil war all too well as it broke out in 1991. He became a boy soldier when he lost his father and his two brothers to the war at the age of thirteen. Fortunately, UNICEF came to his aid at the age of thirteen as they put an end to his involvement in the war. They put him in a reformation centre in the nation’s capital Freetown. He successfully completed his reformation process in 1996 after which he represented his country as a delegate to attend a UN conference on the effects of civil war and unrest. Contrary to the expectation of many, Ishmael went back to his country to speak on his life experience as a child soldier to encourage others not to choose the same path. It is true that we make our own destiny and that what life throws at people can be a stepping stone to successful. We will write a custom essay sample on We make our own destiny or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now This paper will base its focus on this argument by considering his life and times as portrayed in his book, the battles that he faced that made him inspirational to many. Additionally, it will show how he took charge of his life therefore shaping his destiny. It will also examine the fact that individuals are in charge of their destiny and that fate and Karma are in significant in one’s life. Battle with drug addiction and the choices he made As a boy soldier, Beah witnessed violence first hand by knowing to handle a gun and deplore a human being of his life (Beah 1). His watching of his brother die right before his eyes also made him become ruthless and thirsty for revenge. The number of deaths captured in his head for the two years he was a soldier remained permanently embedded in his mind, which made him emotionally scarred. He saw the plight of the children whom he trained with, the nature of the training curricula was not favorable for the young as it was physically draining. Many children could not endure the suffering therefore lost their lives because they were not productive to the army. Child soldiers at that time were easy to manipulate and therefore were easy to brainwash unlike male adults (Finley 45). They also provided cheap labor to the army, as they did not know their rights. This proved effective, as the only thing they had to learn was how to cock a gun and firing it. Deep down, Ishmael knew that he was destined for greatness as when opportunity to better his life presented itself he took it and ran away with.

Literary Significance Notes - 1453 Words

CPT Literary Significance Notes (3-80) Plot * Liesel, her mother and her brother Werner are all travelling on a train, to greet Werner’s and Liesels foster parents. * Liesel, illiterate has a dream o Adolf Hitler and speaks to him in broken German. * As she is half awake, Liesels brother dies, and there were two Nazi soldiers who argue on weather they leave the body there or take it with them. * Both Liesel and her mother are traumatized by his sudden death and 2 days later he is buried. * After the ceremony finishes Liesel digs at his grave but is dragged away by her mother, but before getting on another train Liesel steals a book she is unable to even read the title of. * She is taken to a place in Munich called Himmel†¦show more content†¦Protecting and helping others is what he does, he is a painter and used to be a part in the army. He doesn’t support Hitler or the Nazi but in order to protect his family and show loyalty to his people he applies for a membership multiple times. He is well known and like in the town but some people call him Jew lover He teaches Liesel how to read even though he himself is at 4th grade ability. He makes her feel safe and their relationship becomes very strong. * Rosa Hubermann- Liesels foster mother, her job is to do the ironing and washing for the wealthy people from the town, she is a very cold woman with a very foul mouth. Death tells us that even though she is very harsh towards her husband and Liesel she loves them both very much and deep inside actually has a very big and worm heart. * Rudy Steiner- Is one of Liesel very first and only true friend. He loves Liesel and stands up for her, he keeps her company and is able to cheer her up when she is down, just like how Hans is able to. He was also referred to as the boy who was obsessed with the black American athlete Jesse Owens. * Alex Steiner- Rudy’s father was a part of the Nazi part, only to protect his family. He had nothing against Jews, he found his son coloured black in order to represent Jesse Owens and gave him a lecture that he should be proud to be white, not black.Show MoreRelated Digression in Nikolai Gogols Dead Souls Essay1728 Words   |  7 PagesGogols masterpiece novel, Dead Souls, remains faithful to the Gogolian tradition in terms of absurdity, lavish detail, and abundant digressions. Although these three literary techniques coexist, interact, and augment each other-the focus of this analysis is to examine how Gogol (or the narrator) deviates from the plotline, the significance of it, and what aesthetic purpose comes from the digression. Although Gogols marriage to elaboration is at times strenuous-in fact, it is the underlying reasonRead MoreSuicide s Note By Langston Hughes1201 Words   |  5 PagesSuicide’s Note Not all poems fall into the category of epic poetry or ballads. Some pieces are short and concise rather than lengthy and elegant. A shorter poem may focus more thoroughly on diction, or the author’s specific choice of words, rather than things such as rhyme scheme or meter. Langston Hughes poem â€Å"Suicide’s Note† is a perfect example of this. Because it is only twelve words long, every single word is important and chosen carefully. This poem uses many literary techniques, noneRead MoreDescribing Stylistics as a Concept in English Studies Essay1054 Words   |  5 Pagese. judge the literary worth on stylistic criteria), but more commonly attempts to simply analyse and describe the workings of texts which have already been selected as noteworthy on other grounds. Stylistic analysis in linguistics refers to the identification of patterns of usage in speech and writing. Analyses can appear objective, detailed and technical, even requiring computer assistance, but some caution is needed. 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The Necklace By Guy Maupassant Essay - 1213 Words

In our everyday life the majority of us have to make decisions. These decisions vary from deciding to wear a pink flannel or a white blazer, to considering if the job offer at the local supermarket or the internship at Mercury is right for you. The short story,† How Far She Went† written by Mary Hood details a grandchild debating whether she should leave her house to find her freedom or stay with her detach grandmother. Similarly, the short story â€Å"The Necklace† written by Guy Maupassant, the protagonist named Madame Loisel suffers from an internal struggle to either keep dreaming of a higher social status or remain in her current social economic status. Likewise, Emilia Pardo Bazà ¡n short story â€Å"Las Medias Rojas† (The Red Stockings), the protagonist faces a dilemma to either stay with her abusive father or search for the American Dream. Indeed, in the trajectory of life an individual may face adversity of any magnitude, but ultimately it is our decisions that shape our lives. â€Å"How Far She Went â€Å"written by Mary Hood demonstrates how our decisions shape our lives, leaving us with a long lasting impact that makes us value. The short story describes a rebellious granddaughter who is tired of the quarrels with her grandmother and decides to leave her for some moto bikers. The moto bikers are older than her and they want to rape her. The grandmother although she does not demonstrate her affection towards her granddaughter, sense s danger and goes looking for her granddaughter.Show MoreRelatedThe Necklace By Guy De Maupassant863 Words   |  4 PagesThe short story â€Å"The Necklace† written by Guy De Maupassant, tells the story of a married couple who live an average lifestyle together in France—when one day everything in their lives changes due to a simple decision. The author aims to show the reader the power of decision making when faced to decide between needs, wants, honesty and untruthfulness a nd how every decision we choose to make affect our lives in ways we never thought possible. In the first few lines of the story, the narrator introducesRead MoreThe Necklace by Guy de Maupassant1034 Words   |  5 Pagesregret which Guy de Maupassant depicts throughout â€Å"The Necklace.† Guy de Maupassant, a French writer, born in 1850, was considered one of France’s greatest short-story writers. His writings were mostly influenced by the divorce of his parents when he was thirteen years old and by great writers such as Shakespeare, Schopenhauer, and Flauber. His parent’s divorce caused his stories to depict unhappiness of matrimony, deceit, miscommunication, and a profound misunderstanding (Maupassant, Guy de, 1850-1893)Read MoreThe Necklace by Guy De Maupassant1367 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"Being Honest is Always Best† Telling the truth will always prevent future conflicts. Author Guy De Maupassant who lived from 1850 to 1893 proves in the story of â€Å"The Necklace,† that no matter how bad a situation is, speaking with the truth is always best. Now, this author does not prove this theme directly. Instead, throughout various situations in the story the main characters are faced with a long-term conflict because decisions were not made with honesty. Mathilde and Loisel who is her husbandRead MoreThe Necklace, by Guy de Maupassant791 Words   |  4 Pagescharacterized by other people. In â€Å"The Necklace† Mme. Loisel is a beautiful woman with a decent life, and a husband that loves her, and only wants to make her happy. She is not rich but she makes it along, she insists of a better, wealthier life. When her husband gets her invited to a ball, she feels the need for a brand new fancy dress and tons of jewelry. When the couple realizes they cannot afford jewelry as well, they searc h out to borrow her friend, Mme. Forestiers’ necklace. She comes to notice she noRead MoreThe Necklace, By Guy De Maupassant966 Words   |  4 PagesIn Guy De Maupassant’s â€Å"The Necklace,† Mathilde is a 19th century French woman who desires a wealthier lifestyle than she can acquire. She is completely indulged in the material possessions of life and is focused on the items she does not have rather than what she owns. It seems her happiness is entirely dependent on wealth and status. She neglects her husband and is never content with what he can offer. Eventually, Mathilde’s struggles of envy, selfishness, and materialism drive her to poverty.Read MoreThe Necklace By Guy De Maupassant1381 Words   |  6 Pagesstories are â€Å"The Necklace† by Guy de Maupassant and â€Å"The Secret Life of Walter Mitty† by James Thurber. â€Å"The Necklace† was about a materialistic woman who faced consequences because of her envious personality and â€Å"The Secret Life of Walter Mitty† was about a man who experienced daydreams randomly throughout the day. Although both short stories used literary elements, Guy de Maupassant utilized them for readers to understand and enjoy the story more than James Thurber. â€Å"The Necklace† was a short storyRead MoreThe Necklace By Guy De Maupassant934 Words   |  4 Pagesduring this time period was Guy de Maupassant, who wrote one of the most influential short stories of this century. â€Å"The Necklace†, written by Guy de Maupassant, illustrates elements of fiction such as the symbolism of the necklace because of Mme. Loisel’s desire to be rich, irony due to the twist ending, and a powerful theme. Firstly, the necklace Mme. Loisel borrows and her perspective symbolizes the desire she has towards being wealthy and important in society. Maupassant describes effectively theRead MoreThe Necklace By Guy De Maupassant1093 Words   |  5 PagesThroughout the short story titled â€Å"The Necklace† by Guy de Maupassant, it is clear that the main themes being stressed are pride versus greed, and that things are not quite what they appear. Each of these things are represented throughout the story in some way, whether it be using animated language or symbolism. It is also clear that background information clearly aided the development of the themes Maupassant incorporated throughout the passage. It is seen throughout the story that the main characterRead MoreThe Necklace, By Guy De Maupassant823 Words   |  4 Pagesbe totally unhappy, â€Å"She was a simple person without the money to dress well, but she was as unhappy as if she had gone through bankruptcy, for a woman have neither rank nor race†(Maupassant 7). Loisel s sorrow over wealth and fancy things puts a constant pain on her husband. In Guy de Maupassant short story â€Å"The Necklace,† Mathlide Loisel goes from being a materialistic, dishonest woman to becoming an honest, hard-working woman. At the beginning of the story, Mathlide Loisel is a raging, spoiledRead MoreThe Necklace By Guy De Maupassant1019 Words   |  5 PagesIn the short story of â€Å"The Necklace†, the author Guy de Maupassant is a creative and intriguing tale which reveals a person s dreams of a luxurious lifestyle with countless materialistic possessions. He has skillfully developed the story into a mystery which reveals itself at the end. The main point in the story is that materialism can distort your view of happiness and fulfillment. It is wrong to be materialistic to the extent that you disregard what you already have and lose everything. Mathilde

AP Psychology Free Response Questions 1992

AP Psychology Free Response Questions 1992-20 09 Essay APPsychologyFree Response Questions 1992-20091992 Question 1Classical conditioning and operant conditioning are different learning methods. Their differences lie inthe extent to which reinforcement depends on the behavior of the learner;the type of behavior to which each method appliesTheir similarities are that they both produce the following basic phenomena. AcquisitionExtinctionSpontaneous recoveryGeneralizationDiscriminationDescribe these differences and similarities, giving examples to illustrate your answer. 1992 Question 2Briefly discuss the causes(s) and treatment(s) of depression from the perspective of each of the following psychological approaches. Psychodynamic/psychoanalyticalBiological/medicalCognitive1993 Question 1Design and describe an experiment to measure the relationship between rehearsal/repetition of a list of words and later recall of that same list of words. In your answer you should formulate a hypothesis and include a description of each of the following. PopulationSubject selectionIndependent variableDependent variableExperimental groupControl groupPotential confounding variableA method of reducing experimenter bias1993 Question 2Describe the therapeutic procedure called systematic desensitization. Select a specific disorder for which this therapy is effective and explain how the basic phenomena listed below play a part in successful treatment. Anxiety hierarchyRelaxationGeneralizationExtinction1994 Question 1Design an experiment to determine whether a new drug that is supposed to reduce hyperactivity in children actually does. Your essay should include an identification and description of all of the components of your experimental design, including sampling, independent and dependent variables, controls, and the method that you would employ to evaluate the outcome. 1994 Question 2One of the most useful generalizations in psychology is that behavior is adaptive. Explain this generalization and then identify each of the following and describe how each could be adaptive. Repression Conformity Imprinting Displaced aggressionLoss of information from short-term memory1995 Question 1Compare and contrast the experimental method and the survey method in terms of their suitability for investigating the hypothesis that frustration leads to aggressive behavior. In comparing and contrasting the two met hods, be sure to identify and discuss each of the following. Independent variableDependent variableControlExperimenter and response biasEthical issues1995 Question 2Define each of the following concepts and explain how each contributes to the phenomenon of prejudice. StereotypingSelf-fulfilling prophecyFundamental attribution errorProjectionSchema1996 Question 1Discuss how social and biological factors have an impact on each of the following in the individual. Body weightPerceptionAlcoholismExtraversionSchizophrenia1996 Question 2Professor Jackson believes that frustration increases the need for achievement. She decides to test her hypothesis with her introductory psychology class of about 100 students. The first 50 students who arrive for class one day are taken to a separate room and given a series of easy puzzles to complete. Professor Jackson then asks each student about his or her professional goals. She rates the statement of each on a 7-point scale for strength of achievement motivation. When they arrive, the remaining students are taken to another room and given a series of difficult puzzles by Professor Jacksons teaching assistant, Jim. Jim also asks each student about his or her professional goals and, like Professor Jackson, then rates the statement of each on a 7-point scale. The group given the difficult puzzles has, on the average, higher achievement motivation scores than the group given the easy puzzles. Professor Jackson concludes that her hypothesis is supported. Show how each of the following aspects of Professor Jacksons experimental design is flawed. Indicate how you would correct each problem. SamplingAssignment of participantsDependent variableControl for experimenter biasControl of confounding variables (You need cite only one.)1997 Question 1Many people are concerned about the effects of the use of physical punishment to modify the undesirable behavior of children. Basing your answer on psychological knowledge, apply each of the follow ing in an argument against the physical use of physical punishment. Modeling or Observational learningLearned helplessnessHow would psychologists use the following processes to modify childrens undesirable behavior? Negative reinforcementExtinction Partial or Intermittent Reinforcement1997 Question 2Although personality is generally consistent throughout the life span, some people exhibit major personality changes. How do each of the following help to explain BOTH continuity and change in personality? Biological factorsLearning factorsSituational factorsCognitive factorsHow would any TWO of the above interact to produce change in the trait of shyness? 1998 Question 1Read the following abstract of a student research project on bystander intervention and then answer the questions that follow. The ten participants in the study were unaware of its purpose. The first five who signed up to be tested were assigned to the Alone condition and the next five were assigned to the With Others co ndition. The Alone condition was run in the morning and the With Others condition in the afternoon. In the Alone condition, each of the five participants was asked to wait alone in a room. While the participant waited, a female voice in the next room screamed out, asking for help. In the With Others condition, each one of the five participants was asked to wait in a room with several confederates of the researcher. During this waiting period, a male voice in the next room screamed out, asking for help. In each condition, the percentage of participants who responded to the cry for help was recorded. Identify the independent and dependent variables in this study. Identify four flaws in the design of this study and the recommendations you would make to correct these flaws. Discuss an ethical issue raised by the design of this study. Use your knowledge of research in social psychology to describe the likely results of this study if correct methodology had been used. 1998 Question 2Describe fully the distinctive emphasis of the cognitive approach to human behavior and mental processes. In your essay, be sure to specify how the cognitive approach differs from the following psychological approaches. Psychodynamic/psychoanalyticBehavioral Biological Give an example of the contribution of cognitive therapy to the understanding of each of the followingMemoryDepression1999 Question 1Describe the role of each of the following mechanisms in determining an individuals eating habits and body weight. Biological MechanismsLearning MechanismsBody or brain chemistryReinforcementBrain structureModelingGeneticsCultural factorsSelect one biological and one learning mechanism and discuss the implications of each for weight management. 1999 Question 2In a study, researchers use a photograph taken in a public park to examine how people perceive, learn, and remember information. In the photograph, a woman is standing near a man who is seated on a park bench. The woman appears to be shouting at the man. Participants in the study are exposed to the photograph for ten seconds and then are shown, each for ten seconds, several other photographs of people interacting. When all the photographs have been shown, the participants are asked about what they saw in the public park photograph. A significant number of participants describe the man as being the aggressor in an apparent disagreement with the woman. Describe how each of the following concepts helps explain the perception of these participants. Be sure to begin by defining each concept in psychological terms. schema retroactive interference representativeness heuristic confirmation bias framing2000 Question 1Your high school is proposing moving to a system in which grades are no longer given or used to evaluate student progress. Define each of the following concepts and state how each might either positively or negatively change student behavior under such a system. Extrinsic motivation Arousal theory (Yerkes-Dodson Law) Learned helplessness Self-fulfilling prophecy 2000 Question 2The police chief of New City publicly states that she sees a direct relationship between teenage arrests in New City for violent crimes and the popu larity among New City teens of especially violent television shows. Design a correlational study to research this claimed relationship, being sure to address how each of the following design elements would apply to your study. operational definition of variablesselection of participantsgeneralizabilitytwo ethical considerationsThe police chief concludes that watching violent television shows leads to teens committing violent crimes in New City. Do you support her conclusion? Explain your response. 2001 Question 1Discuss the cause of anxiety from each of the following perspectives. BehavioralPsychoanalytic/psychodynamicBiologicalCognitive Discuss a specific treatment technique for reducing anxiety used by professionals representing each of the four perspectives. 2001 Question 2Describe the psychological concept of expectancy or set. Discuss a specific example of how expectancy or set affects each of the following. Human perceptionThe effects of a psychoactive drug on a humanA students performance in the classroomMemory 2002 Question 1The human organism displays various reactions that are characterized by opposing tendencies. Use a specific physiological or psychological mechanism to explain how both aspects of opposing processes apply to EACH of the following. AppetiteAutonomic nervous systemColor visionDrug useNerve firing 2002 Question 2Five-year-old Jessie went to a fire station with her kindergarten class. When she got home, Jessie, who is in the preoperational stage of cognitive development, eagerly told the story of her adventure to her older brother. Describe how the following factors might have influenced the story she told. Be sure to define and provide an appropriate example of EACH factor. EgocentrismObservational learningOverregularization or overgeneralization in languageReconstructive memorySchema 2003 Question 1Statistics are often used to describe and interpret the results of intelligence testing. Describe three measures of central tendency (mean, median, and mode). Describe a skewed distribution. Relate the three measures of central tendency to a normal distribution. An intelligence test for which the scores are normally distributed has a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15. Use this information to describe how the scores are distributed. In two normal distributions, the means are 100 for group I and 115 for group II. Can an individual in group I have a higher score than the mean score for group II? Explain. Apply knowledge of psychological research in answering the following questions about intelligence test scores. Explain why norms for standardized tests are periodically updated. Describe how to determine whether an intelligence test is biased. 2003 Question 2Define the following psychological concepts. Cognitive dissonanceConformityIncentive motivationNegative reinforcementPhysiological addictionUse one specific example for each of the concepts in part A to explain how the concept might relate to either the development of or the continuation of a smoking habit. It is not necessary to use the same example for each concept. 2004 Question 1Dr. Franklin investigated the relationship between stress and physical illness. She persuaded a high school principal to require all female athletes in the school to participate in her study. She explained the purpose of her research to the athletes and asked them to use a standard form to rate the severity of their stress over the last six months. More than 250 athletes completed the form. Then Dr. Franklin analyzed the forms returned by the first 100 athletes. She requested the attendance records from the nurses office for each of those athletes to verify the number of days absent due to illness during the same six-month period. In the debriefing summary that Dr. Franklin sent to the 100 athletes after she completed the study, she stated that athletes who reported more stress also experienced more frequent illness. Dr. Franklin concluded stress causes physical illness. Identify the research method used by Dr. Franklin. Scrapbooking EssayDescribe the operational definitions of the TWO key variables that Dr. Franklin used in the study. Based on the information provided, describe ONE appropriate and ONE inappropriate ethical feature of the study. Identify ONE statistical technique that Dr. Franklin could use to represent the relationship between the variables in the study. Describe TWO aspects of research design that weaken the validity of Dr. Franklins conclusion that stress causes physical illness. 2004 Question 2Time is an important variable in many psychological concepts. Describe a specific example that clearly demonstrates an understanding of each of the following concepts and how it relates to or is affected by time. Use a different example for each conceptCritical periodFluid intelligenceGroup polarizationJames-Lange theory of emotionPresentation of the conditioned stimulus (CS) and unconditioned stimulus (UCS) in classical conditioningRefractory period in neural firingSound localizationSpontaneous recovery2005 Question 1Describe a specific example that clearly demonstrates an understanding of how each of the following concepts can lead to an inaccurate perception, cognition, or conclusion. Each example must include an explanation of the relationship between the concept and the inaccuracy. Afterimage effectAvailability heuristicEthnocentrismGroupthinkLack of object permanenceNonrandom assignment of research participantsOptimistic explanatory styleProactive interference2005 Question 2Psychologists conduct research to investigate controversial issues. Consider the following:The value of diagnostic labelingChildrens acquisition of languageExplanations of hypnosisDescribe the opposing points of view on each of the psychological issues listed above. Your description must provide one argument on each side of the controversy. For each issue, choose one point of view to support. Using evidence from psychological research, justify why you think this point of view is correct. 2006 Question 1Psychologists use a variety of research methods to study behavior. Three of the main research used are:Case StudyCorrelational Study, andExperimentDiscuss one advantage of each research method listed above. Discuss one disadvantage of each research method listed above. Pretend you are a psychologist who will use each of the three research methodscase study, correlational study, and experimentto determine the effect of taking vitamin J on improving memory. For each method listed above, explain a key characteristic of the basic approach you could use to reach a scientific conclusion about the relationship between taking vitamin J and improving memory. You need not design a complete study. Zoey wants to buy a new car but is having difficulty deciding what kind of car to buy. She is feeling anxious and wants to make a decision soon. Zoey visits several local car dealers and asks for the advice of some of her friends. Explain how each of the following could influence her decision. Be sure to discuss each concept in the context of Zoeys decision. Approach-Avoidance conflictCentral route to persuasionHeuristics IndividualismRationalizationSelf-efficacyThe autonomic nervous systemThe foot-in-the-door phenomenon2007 Question 1Ellie, a new student at Skinner High School, is determined to make friends. When she attends the first psychology club meeting she finds herself in the room with twenty strangers who seem to know each other well. She plans to attend a few more meetings before deciding whether she will join. Demonstrate how each of the following could HELP play a role in Ellies quest for friendship. You may use a different example for each concept. Definitions will not socre. HELPThe mere exposure effectMnemonic deviceSchachter two-factor theoryLocus of controlDemonstrate how each of the following could HINDER Ellies quest for friendship. You may use a different example for each concept. Definitions will not score. HINDERIn-group biasRegressionOperant conditioningCircadian rhythm2007 Question 22. Often misunderstood, schizophrenia is a psychological disorder affecting one percent of the population. In addition to treating the disorder, psychologists work to identify its nature and origin. Identify two characteristic symptoms used to diagnose schizophrenia. Discuss a research finding that supports a genetic basis for schizophrenia. What is the dopamine hypothesis regarding the origins of schizophrenia?Describe how medications used to treat schizophrenia affect the actions of neurotransmitters at the synapses. Identify a risk inherent in using medications in the treatment of schizophrenia. People sometimes confuse schizophrenia with dissociative identity disorder (DID). Identify two key characteristics that differentiate DID from schizophrenia. 2008 Question 1The Smith-Garcias are planning for their first baby. Both parents-to-be have had a psychology course and are looking forward to applying the principles they learned from theories and research that address child development. Summarize one main idea or finding from each of the following four researchers. Skinners operant conditioningBanduras social learning theoryAinsworths attachment researchBaumrinds research on parenting stylesProvide a specific example of actions the Smith-Garcias might take to raise their child to produce positive outcomes using each of the theories below to address the corresponding psychological concept. Skinners operant conditioning: tantrum managementBanduras social learning theory: sharing behaviorAinsworths attachment research: self-relianceBaumrinds research on parenting styles: self-esteem2008 Question 22009 Question 12009 Question 2

Shared Parenting 2006 Amendment free essay sample

This (3) speech will establish the background of shared parenting, together with an examination of the strengths and weaknesses of the most recent amendment. I am Ryan Baldwin, family lawyer for the Department of child services. Dr. Jenny McIntosh maintains that the 2006 amendment to the Family law (Shared parental responsibilities) Act, was not a negative amendment, though it did not address the problematic issues, arising in the courts when dealing with parenting orders. Currently there are â€Å"significant numbers of children are being damaged by our shared-parenting laws . University of Sydney professor, Patrick(4) Parkinson, also questioned the presumption of shared parenting, saying it only works if both parents live closely together and there is co-operation. The notion of shared care doesn’t always work; it is a flawed premise, idealistic and impractical. The Family Law Act provides a framework for parents to have â€Å"meaningful involvement in their children’s lives(5)† â€Å"Its the quality of the relationship thats important, not the quantity. We will write a custom essay sample on Shared Parenting 2006 Amendment or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page And one of the unfortunate effects†¦ of the 2006 legislation has been that its focused people very much on time. The courts want equal time and its taken the focus away from whats best for the child. The current legislation has been regarded to favour the parent’s best wishes over the Childs. The law still has a long way to go to provide an equitable Family Law system. To understand what the amendment adjusted, we must first understand the history of shared parenting in Australian legislation. The(6) Family Law (shared parental responsibilities) Amendment Act (2006) (commonwealth) amended the Family Law Act (1975) ,commonwealth) [FLA] to provide further access and equity for parents and children, in the making of parenting orders. The amendment is not the first legislative attempt to address perceived inadequacies of the Family Law Act. The 1975 Act had issues regarding: fathers with shared parenting, re-location of children ,and children being regarded more as property than a responsibility. For the past 35 years, the Family Court of Australia has treated most separated fathers, as if an access visit every second weekend and half the school holidays was enough. Sue Price said â€Å"Shared parenting laws are under(7) threat from feminists, with no intention of giving fathers a fair go. In 1996 the Family law act was amended in what was a paradigm shift, by providing for independent representation of children in disputes, so is to protect their rights. This introduced, child advocates. Further amendments to the FLA sought to neutralise terminology, by changing the language in parenting orders such as; custody were replaced with new terms such as residential and non-residential, access and contact. In 2006, the Australian Government introduced a series of changes to the family law system. The â€Å"Family law act 1975 was amended to the â€Å"Family Law Amendment, (Shared Parental Responsibilities) Act ,2006, commonwealthgt; (SPR, Act, 2006). This amendment introduced, â€Å"rebuttable presumption of shared parents responsibilities† and acknowledged parents ,â€Å"right to have a meaningful relationship with their children†. The new amendment did not encourage equal time between parents and children, rather equal responsibilities. Due to the new change of equal responsibilities shared between parents, this allowed for relocation much harder. The new amendment coincides with 65 family centres to help families through relationships ,or establish arrangements without litigation. The amendments have been put in place to try to improve the issues, of relocation and perceived bias in the court system. This amendment was an improvement but more needs to be done. The 2006 amendment (section (9) 61DA) makes clear that: both parents are responsible for the care and welfare of their children until the child reaches 18 ,and arrangements which involve shared responsibilities ,and requires coopeation between the parents. The reform aimed to manage parental separation, â€Å"away from litigation and towards co-operative parenting†. The 2006 amendment was formed to; encourage greater† involvement by both parents in their children’s lives, though, unfortunately, it hasn’t been sufficient. One advantage (10) to this new amendment is that shared responsibilities are now more prominent. Prior to the amendment, responsibilities could have been set to one parent. The new amendment hopefully will depart from the â€Å"old perceived ‘80/20 formula’ (1975) of post separation, shared parenting† The 80/20 formula which was raised by Paul Boers in 2000 was a generalisation within shared parenting that mothers would have 80% access and contact, and fathers would only have 20%. Prior to the 2006 amendment, which brought in rebuttable responsibilities, parents could have had to meet all of the Childs responsibilities. That is, one single parent would have all the respons ibilities of their child. The ability of one parent to relocate children far away from the other parent is harder than prior to the amendment. This is due to studies which outline that children, who are separated from one parent are both distressed and, can cause mental and emotional damage. Prior to the 2006 amendment; â€Å"One in four kids from separated families sees one parent less than once a year, or never. It can be argued that the 2006 amendment offers some improvement, but it cannot be said that the job is done. Bias (10) towards mothers, perceived or real, remains a real issue that the amendment has not addressed. Dads in distress are a group of fathers fighting for equal rights in the family law system. This group, is typically fathers- who perceive they have been on the receiving end of a mother-bias decision. â€Å"Dads in Distress expressed both appreciation of the Act, as a small step in the right direction, and, concern whether the changes would be taken seriously by Family Law Practitioners† . It can be argued that among family law practitioners, the perception remains, that mothers are better parents. â€Å"For too long mothers have had automatic right to sole custody while loving, good fathers have had to fight tooth and nail, to get more than every second weekend with their own kids†. Perhaps further refinement is required in order to readdress, the perception, that mothers make better parents and ,determine the residential parent on the basis of competency, rather than by their sex ,whilst still retaining the paramount principle of the best interests of the child. Shared (11) parenting and equal responsibilities doesn’t mean, and should not be interpreted as, equal parenting-â€Å". And, in fact, many mens advocates have been disappointed that the reality of shared care hasnt always matched the ideal†. In some cases the amendment has only caused fathers to have equal responsibilities, not equal or quality time with their children .Fathers are presumed to be a less capable parent unless they prove otherwise, whereas mothers are presumed to be a better parent firstly. â€Å"As a result of misinformation, legal officers have resolved cases where the best interest of the children may not have been regarded. The Equal Opportunity Commission, which is the Governments-own, anti-discrimination agency, have stated that they are fully aware, that men are being discriminated against in the Family Law Court, based on gender alone. Academics, including Psychologists, have attempted to intervene to help protect children, but are brushed aside by the Family Law Court . â€Å"Science is being ignored in favour of personal views held by Officers of the Court,† These statements are showing that officers of the court are being persuaded by pre-dispositions that mothers are more capable parents and, are ignoring the science, that fathers are necessary in a child’s upbringing. Many thousands of Australian childrens-futures have been placed at risk, as they are deprived from a healthy influence of a good father . The new amendment sought to address the pre-disposition in the courts, that mothers are better parents than fathers. Unsuccessfully to date, the bias remains. And â€Å" the best interests of the child† are not paramount. The amendment needs further refinement; inter alia, to recognise the importance of a healthy relationship with fathers and children. Equal time, (12) is not supported by studies of what is truly, in the best interests of the child. There isn’t â€Å"a linear relationship between how much time children were spending with their fathers, and the quality of that relationship according to the children, Dr McIntosh said . The amendment arguably focuses on equal time, not the quality of the time and relationship. The court, following the amendment, adopted a presumption that the child should spend equal time with the parents, unless it could be demonstrated to ,not ,to be in the best interest of the child. That is, the idealistic shared care. is that children are to spend equal time with parents, supporting healthy relationships with both mother and father. Though studies have shown that this is not the case. Each case must be analyzed on a case by case basis. The quality of time spent between parents. hould be analyzed before the quantity of time. In some instances, decision about time â€Å"seems not to be in the childrens best interests, partly due to community and professional misunderstandings. The legislation is ambiguous, which can allow for misinterpretation of the law. Attorney-General Robert McClee-land admitted: â€Å"the wording of the legislation could be improved, but an education campa ign† would be more practical. The courts presumption is that 50:50 access, and care of a child is, in the best interests of the child. But in fact, in circumstances children are better off with 80% time with one parent. In some cases it is unreasonable for a child to spend 50% time with each parent, as parents often work different hours, as stated by Fell-berg . Some of the courts are skewing towards equal time, where in some instances equal access of children, isn’t, in the best interests of that child. The amendment in adopting a simplistic 50:50 shared care principle, which is not providing children, with the best outcome for their upbringing in different stages of their lives. The shared (13) care presumption is idealistic and often impractical. Take, for example a case where one parent lived in Ipswich and the other in Tweed Heads. Shared care would require the child to â€Å"rotate† between the residences of the parents; this doesn’t supply the child with a stable home, when there is one week alternate with each parent. Children who are continually changing living arrangements have â€Å"higher rates of hyperactivity, than children who have a stable home base with one of their parent,. A solution to this would be that the children have a stable home and the parents rotate where they live, keeping the children in the one residency. Professor Nichol-son said, :What the amendment is â€Å"really saying is not much about the desires, the needs, and the interests of the child. Its talking about the desires, needs, and the interests of the parents,†(Fullerton, 2009). Parents ought to have more flexible arrangements with shared care. Factors regarding what are more practical for parents ,or easier for parents, should not be considered, only what is in the best interests of the child ought to be. Allowing for flexibility, provides the child to spend time where they would prefer, rather than living where the courts want them too. Thus, providing less stress on the child. Dr McIntosh says children in shared care are more troubled, distressed and anxious, than children who have more flexible arrangements† . There ought to be a higher priority on the child’s best interests, and analysing whether 50:50 time, with parents Is in fact, the best for the chid. Each child is different (14), and will require different needs, and have different relationships with each parent . The amendment does not adequately take into consideration, the quality of time and relationship between fathers and their children. According to many perceptions, shared parenting is ideal, when parents have 50% access and contact. It has been shown that shared care on a time basis, is not necessarily the best for the child, rather quality is. The legislation itself does not necessarily need drastic change. Rather, there needs to be refinement of the purpose, and intent to eliminate, to the degree possible, the am-big-u-ity arising out of the amendment. That is, principally, the predispositions of mothers being better parents and that 50:50 time between parents, is not necessarily the ideal shared parenting outcome. Each case needs to be defined on a case by case basis, always acknowledging, whats in the best interests of the child, regardless of the impracticality for parents.