Time of the Butterflies :: Time

Time of the Butterflies  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"Life is what you make out of it:   one can go through it and let things pass them by, or a person can actually go out and get what he or she wants in that life.†Ã‚   These are common words repeatedly embedded into my head by my father, as maybe the same from one of your parent’s.   In the Time of the Butterflies is a book about sisters that fight to take their god-given right of freedom in the Dominican Republic.   To win this freedom, the Mirabal sisters had to give up their safety, give up their childhoods, and give up their lives.   Julia Alvarez, the author of the book, takes the readers through these sisters journey’s of fighting against their dictator Trujillo, and the many hardships while under this political oppression.   It is evident in the book that some sisters had to be the leaders of the group and some had to be the followers.   The Mirabel sister that is believed to be the leader and the strong one is Minerva.   Minerva, althoug h strong-willed, is still not as strong of an individual as she would like to believe she is.   Ã‚   Minerva is the individual that always makes sure that she is perceived as strong; however, in actuality this strength and desired image is only a deception of herself.   Many heroes, courageous leaders, and brave characters in stories never have health problems or other character flaws exploited.   However, Minerva is shown in the book to always have problems with her health.   She is always described as being sick, weak, and needing rest.   Another down flaw of her character exploited in this book is that she gets captured and thrown in jail. Once in jail she breaks down – loosing control of herself and ultimately loosing her drive that she once had.   These exploitations in the novel show that Minerva can be broken down and make Minerva a more average human being, rather than an audacious hero as everyone would like to believe.   Ã‚   â€Å"I was hurt that he hadn’t even said goodbye†¦Mama, of course, noticed the tightening in my face.   My bad headaches and asthma attacks always worried her.   â€Å"You need rest,† she prescribed one afternoon and sent me to bed in Papa’s room, the coolest in the house.†(Alvarez 87).   As one can see here, Minerva is worn down and needs rest.   One can also observe how her mama always has to worry about Minerva’s health.

Dracula as the Persecuted Outsider in Bram Stokers Dracula Essay

Dracula as the Persecuted Outsider in Bram Stoker's Dracula Bram Stoker's Dracula is highly acclaimed and has received many different interpretations which deal with complex symbolisms and metaphors. These interpretations often require a great deal of knowledge in psychology, political science, anthropology, and other non-literary disciplines. These interpretations may be valid, as they are related to the disciplines on which their arguments are based, but the true power of the novel is due to a very simple theme that lies beneath the other, more convoluted interpretations. This theme is the universal concept of identity: us versus them. This criticism sets aside outside disciplines and focuses on the literary motif of identity. John Allen Stevenson gives an in-depth criticism of this work based mostly on anthropological ideas, but he states that Dracula is a representation of "fears that are more universal than a specific focus on the Victorian background would allow" (141). He brings up the concept of "universal" ideas but fails to pursue t hem on a universal scale. The truly universal theme involves the perception that Dracula is a monster. But Dracula is not a monster - he is simply a persecuted outsider. In this interpretation, it is important to seperate the actions of the characters from what those actions represent in relation to the theme of identity. Count Dracula is shown to be a vampire - a monster who engages in horrific, violent acts, but these acts of violence are merely Stoker's vehicle for presenting the difference between the Count and the other characters. His vampirish actions are not to be taken literally. "Dracula" is not a work of fantasy - it is primarily a realistic novel with one fantastic charact... ...safe once Dracula left, but the pursuit and slaying of him represents society's wish to remove him entirely from their minds. The killing of Dracula is not literal--he is only dead to society because they refuse to acknowledge his right to be different. Thus, Dracula is the victim of this story, not the ones society felt he victimized. Works Cited Arata, Stephen D. "The Occidental Tourist: Dracula and the Anxiety of Reverse Colonization." Victorian Studies 33.4 (Sum. 1990) : 621-45. Stevenson, John Allen. "A Vampire in the Mirror: The Sexuality of Dracula." PMLA 103 (1988) : 139-49. Stoker, Bram. Dracula. 1897. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1992. Wasson, Richard. "The Politics of Dracula." English Literature in Transition 9 (1966) : 24-27. Zanger, Jules. "A Sympathetic Vibration: Dracula and the Jews." English Literature in Transition 34 (1991) : 33-44.

Analysis of the Film, A Beautiful Mind Essay -- Film Movie Essays

Analysis of the film "A Beautiful Mind" In the movie, "A Beautiful Mind", the main character, John Nash, is a mathematician who suffers from schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is actually the most chronic and disabling of the major mental illnesses and it distorts the way a person thinks, acts, expresses emotions, interprets reality and relates to others. The movie, "A Beautiful Mind", John Nash, who is played by Russell Crowe, is a true story about a mathematician whose life is horrific because of his disease, schizophrenia. He was an egocentric man who studied Mathematics in Princeton University. During the whole time that he studied in Princeton, he was trying to come up with his own original idea. He felt that by only finding an original idea he will be important, because he thought that attending class was just a waste of time. He begins teaching when he eventually finds his original idea and wins a Nobel Prize in 1994. Then, he is recognized for being one of the best mathematicians in the world. John Nash attains his goal to find an original idea which was about competition. He went to a bar with his friends and in that bar, there is a blonde girl who all of his friends, including himself are attracted to and then he realizes a theory of competition and he explains it in mathematics. He realizes that none of the guys will get to be with the blonde girl and then after this happens, all the guys will go after her friends, and them too will turn all of them down, and so he realizes that none of the guys will get what they want. Statistics show that 1%, or about 2.2 millions Americans ages 18 or older will develop schizophrenia. The most common symptoms of Schizophrenia can be grouped into thre... ...ke care and be with her husband, but that was it. Also, the movie did not show anything about his family. There was not information about his parents and how they felt about him and/or his disease; his brothers and/or sisters' feelings towards him and/or his illness. In conclusion, John Nash was a very intelligent man not only because he was an excellent mathematician, but because he learned to cope with his disease and live a regular life. It was great that he won the Nobel Prize in 1994 because he deserved it for a lot of reasons. It was also nice that his wife did not give up on him and that she got to teach him what love is and that love is very important to one's life as he said in his acceptance speech when he received the Nobel Prize. Work Cited Page www.Webmd.com. "Schizophrenia." www.about.com. Encarta Encyclopedia. "Schizophrenia." Analysis of the Film, A Beautiful Mind Essay -- Film Movie Essays Analysis of the film "A Beautiful Mind" In the movie, "A Beautiful Mind", the main character, John Nash, is a mathematician who suffers from schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is actually the most chronic and disabling of the major mental illnesses and it distorts the way a person thinks, acts, expresses emotions, interprets reality and relates to others. The movie, "A Beautiful Mind", John Nash, who is played by Russell Crowe, is a true story about a mathematician whose life is horrific because of his disease, schizophrenia. He was an egocentric man who studied Mathematics in Princeton University. During the whole time that he studied in Princeton, he was trying to come up with his own original idea. He felt that by only finding an original idea he will be important, because he thought that attending class was just a waste of time. He begins teaching when he eventually finds his original idea and wins a Nobel Prize in 1994. Then, he is recognized for being one of the best mathematicians in the world. John Nash attains his goal to find an original idea which was about competition. He went to a bar with his friends and in that bar, there is a blonde girl who all of his friends, including himself are attracted to and then he realizes a theory of competition and he explains it in mathematics. He realizes that none of the guys will get to be with the blonde girl and then after this happens, all the guys will go after her friends, and them too will turn all of them down, and so he realizes that none of the guys will get what they want. Statistics show that 1%, or about 2.2 millions Americans ages 18 or older will develop schizophrenia. The most common symptoms of Schizophrenia can be grouped into thre... ...ke care and be with her husband, but that was it. Also, the movie did not show anything about his family. There was not information about his parents and how they felt about him and/or his disease; his brothers and/or sisters' feelings towards him and/or his illness. In conclusion, John Nash was a very intelligent man not only because he was an excellent mathematician, but because he learned to cope with his disease and live a regular life. It was great that he won the Nobel Prize in 1994 because he deserved it for a lot of reasons. It was also nice that his wife did not give up on him and that she got to teach him what love is and that love is very important to one's life as he said in his acceptance speech when he received the Nobel Prize. Work Cited Page www.Webmd.com. "Schizophrenia." www.about.com. Encarta Encyclopedia. "Schizophrenia."

Living in Global Cities

Living in a global city does not expose people to diverse cultures that enable them to develop well-rounded personalities and multicultural outlooks, but it is also vital into developing a â€Å"global† perspective within them. [WXwS1]  Upon entrance of the 1990s, the notion of `global city' was first brought into play by Saskia Sassen. In her first book on this subject, The Global City (1991), she analyzed New York, London and Tokyo as examples of cities which in the two last decades advanced to the status of global cities. Later, she includes other cities in this category like Miami, Toronto and Sydney, as pointed out in her subsequent book, Cities in a World Economy (1994). Under certain circumstances, Sassen suggested that Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Zurich, Frankfurt, Mexico City and Sao Paulo may also be included in the category of global cities, because they fulfill the prerequisites for certain transnational economic transactions. For a better understanding of Sassen's ideas, she defined global cities as â€Å"key sites for the advanced services and telecommunications facilities necessary for the implementation and management of global economic operations. They also tend to concentrate the headquarters of firms, especially firms that operate in more than one country† (1994, p.19). When the global cities sprouted, new inequalities among these cities became at focus. Nations and their importance within traditional commercial and economic webs lost their privileged positions. The importance of national states started to shrink and certain â€Å"global cities† became more important in the globalized landscape than whole nations. A new combination of spatial dispersal and global integration created new strategic roles for major cities like New York, London and Tokyo: Beyond their long history as centers of international trade and banking, these cities now function in four new ways: first, as highly concentrated command points in the organization of the world economy; second, as key locations for finance and for specialized service firms, which have replaced manufacturing as the leading economic sectors; third, as sites of production, including the production of innovations, in these leading industries; and fourth, as markets for the products and innovations produced (1991, p. 3-4). As Manuel Castells proclaimed, â€Å"Global cities are the new pillars of the informational era† (1996, p. 9). These cities provide the full infrastructure needed by the world economy for the realization of international transactions. This includes good airports, hotels, telecommunications, media, Internet, banking, security, stock exchange, and so on. The global cities have a significant number of qualified and efficient people able to supply and produce all necessary services. They are marketplaces able to absorb and recycle all financial flows and transactions. That is why it is important to remember that this hierarchy may change very fast under constantly changing economic conditions. These are the challenges of living in a global city where change is usually fast and people living it could develop that quick sense of adaptation to changes. [WXwS2] Moreover, global cities also enable people to have an increase in accessibility of areas for socialization.[WXwS3]   Business is booming and the areas outside of a city are affected by it. As the distance away from a community increases, its influence on the surrounding countryside decreases. Many residents will feel that they are able to have the best of both worlds, to be centrally placed yet able to get away to their second home. In global cities, people are provided with parks and lots of things to do. Although it is undeniable that living in global cities are expensive, but the price people pay will be diminished by the accessibility to virtually everything that modern people should have. The redistribution of population caused by suburbanization resulted to spatial and political segregation of social groups of the global cities. The upwardly mobile resident of the city— younger, wealthier, and better educated—took advantage of the automobile and the freeway to leave the central city. The poorer, older, least-advantaged urbanites were left behind. The central cities and the suburbs became increasingly differentiated. Large areas within those cities now contain only the poor and minority groups (including women), a population little able to pay the rising costs of the social services that their numbers, neighborhoods, and condition require. The corporate complex and the immigrant community today are probably two extreme modes in the formation and appropriation of urban space. The urban form represented by the global city function — the internationalized corporate services complex and the highly paid professional work force with its high-priced lifestyle — is the one habitually thought to constitute the essence of an advanced post-industrial economy. The urban form represented by the immigrant community, or more specifically, the informal economy, is habitually seen as not belonging to an advanced economy, one to be found here only because it has been imported via immigration (Sassen, 1993). This phenomenon has increasingly segregated the poor and minorities, being trapped in global cities, without the possibility of nearby employment and are isolated by distance, immobility, and unawareness from the few remaining low-skill jobs, which are now largely in the suburbs. Indeed, it is undeniable that there are huge problems when people choose to live in a global city like New York or San Francisco. However, people should also take part in the macro-structural changes in global economy. The transformation of the industrial into the informational society and the changing emphasis on information rather than material production have produced profound structural changes affecting the organization of societies, their labor force strategies, and the power structures of the state. As we are all aware that globalization is a vital concept in our time, living in a global city will eventually expose people to a global culture that is essential to widening knowledge in helping our nation achieve its economic goals. References Castells, M. (1996). The Rise of Network Society, Oxford: Blackwell. Sassen, S. (1991). The Global City. New York, London, Tokyo. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. Sassen, S. (1993). Rebuilding the Global City: Economy, Ethnicity and Space. Social Justice, 20(3-4), 32+. Sassen, S. 1994. Cities in a World Economy. Thousand Oaks, CA, London and New Delhi: Sage. [WXwS1]MAJOR PREMISE [WXwS2]FALLACY OF RELEVANCE [WXwS3]MINOR PREMISE

Obesity in Todays Society

For good healthy long life, more energy and greater happiness, among many other benefits, the importance of regular exercise and a proper diet can't be understated. These two factors together are the most pivotal to determining a person's overall health, and adopting them both can make a dramatic difference in how you look and feel. Health Benefits According to the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, a healthy diet means eating lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products and lean meats and minimizing the consumption of cholesterol, sodium, sugar and saturated fat.In conjunction with regular exercise, a healthy diet can reduce your risk of heart disease, osteoporosis, type-2 diabetes, high blood pressure and some cancers. For good health , long life, more energy and greater happiness, among many other benefits, the importance of regular exercise and a proper diet can't be understated. These two factors together are the most pivotal to determining a pers on's overall health, and adopting them both can make a dramatic difference in how you look and feel. Health Benefits According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, a healthy diet means eating lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products and lean meats and minimizing the consumption of cholesterol, sodium, sugar and saturated fat. In conjunction with regular exercise, a healthy diet can reduce your risk of heart disease, osteoporosis, type-2 diabetes, high blood pressure and some cancers. Weight If you're overweight, eating healthfully and exercising regularly can help you lose weight safely and keep it off.And if you don't have a weight problem, physical activity and a healthy diet can help you maintain your current weight and reduce your risk of gaining extra weight in future years. Healthy foods are generally lower in calories and higher in nutrients than other foods, and regular physical activity burns off extra calories and keeps your metaboli sm healthy. Energy According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, a combination of working out and eating healthy foods can boost your energy level as well as help you feel more alert and aware, both mentally and physically.Healthy foods give your body the nutrients and vitamins it needs to function at its best, and even though you use calories and energy through physical activity, the process actually increases the total amount of energy you have. Resolved Question Show me another  » Can someone proofread my argumentative essay? Can someone proofread my argumentative essay? Feel free to make changes if needed. P. S. sorry if it seems long†¦ In the United States, many people like to go out to dine at restaurants and fast food places on daily basics.People can turn their head to the right and left and they could see someone next to them who is obese or overweight. â€Å"Approximately 22 million children under five years of age are overweigh t. During the past three decades, the number of overweight children in the Unites States has more than doubled. In 1983, 18. 6 percent of preschool children in the United States were defined as overweight, and 8. 5 percent were defined as obese; by 2000, 22. 0 percent of preschool children were overweight and 10. 0 percent were obese†(Decklbaum and Williams p. 39S). Childhood obesity is an â€Å"epidemic† in America as many children are either overweight or obese. The reasons for childhood obesity are lack of exercise, healthy eating and nutrition, health problems, and low self-esteem. The lack of exercise and physical activities is one reason for childhood obesity. Therefore, there are many elementary schools that do not have any physical education teachers to teach exercise. For example, many elementary schools would have teachers who have no background in physical education teach students about exercising.Instead, they would tell students to go outside during class t ime about once a week to play kick ball or softball and that would be their exercise for the week. Another reason for not exercising is technology. Many children do not want to go outside to play with their friends, exercise or do any sport participation. They rather stay at home to chat with their friends over the Internet using Yahoo Messenger or AIM (software programs that allow people to chat with each other). They also rather stay at home and spend hours in front of a television playing video games and watching television shows like Rob and Big, CSI, and Sponge Bob. Television viewing often is considered one of the most modifiable causes of obesity in children. Children spend a substantial part of their lives in front of the television set. Recent parent-report and self-report data from a nationally representative sample of 3155 children indicate that 2- to 7-year-old children in the United States spend an average of approximately 2. 5 hours per day and 8- to 18-year-old childr en spend an average of about 4. 5 hours per day watching television and playing video games.When these data are combined with typical sleep data from children, it is found that children in the United States are spending more than 25% of their waking hours in front of the television set† This shows that technology is a big influence on why children do not want to exercise or do any physical activities. Many children who are obese in America do not eat healthy or have proper nutrition. Now a day, many parents are busy with work so it is easier for them to drive to McDonald’s or Burger King’s to order some fast food meals along with soft drinks for their children.Instead of cooking a meal and having their children drink water. In addition, these fast food restaurants like McDonald’s would try to convince their customer’s by asking them if they would like to â€Å"Supersize† their meals, so they can have larger portion of French fries and larger soft drink’s that would cost a few cents more. â€Å"As children's body weights have increased, so has their consumption of fast foods and soft drinks. The proportion of foods that children consumed from restaurants and fast food outlets increased by nearly 300% between 1977 and 1996.Children's soft drink consumption has also increased during those years, and now soft drinks provide soft drink consumers 188 kcal/d beyond the energy intake of nonconsumers†. Proper nutrition is essential and yet many children are not consuming enough fiber per day. Instead, they are consuming less than 10 grams of fiber per day and less than 25 grams per day during adulthood. â€Å"A 5-year-old child should consume at least 10 g of fiber per day and fiber intake should approach adult levels (20–25 g per day) by 15 years of age.Unfortunately, persons of all ages in the United States eat far fewer than the recommended number of servings of whole-grain products, vegetables, and frui ts. In 1994 to 1996, only 3% of individuals 2 years of age consumed 3 daily servings of vegetables (with at least one third being dark green or orange vegetables), whereas only 7% consumed 6 daily servings of grains (with 3 being whole grains). Currently, dietary fiber intake throughout childhood and adolescence averages 12 g/day or 5 g/1000 kcal (4200 kJ), a level of intake that has not changed in the past 30 years.Because total carbohydrate content has increased considerably during this period, most of this increase seems to be in the form of fiber-poor refined grains, starchy vegetables, and sugar-sweetened beverages† Mood Exercise stimulates brain chemicals that help produce feelings of happiness, contentment and relaxation, so you'll feel better if you workout on a regular basis. According to the Mayo Clinic, physical activity also makes you look better, which is a significant factor in boosting self-confidence and inspiring a satisfied life.Diversification Exercise and h ealthy eating can help make your life more diverse and interesting. You can seek creative ways to be physically active in your daily life and don't have to stick with the same exercise routine all the time. The American Cancer Society suggests exercising with co-workers, going dancing with friends, playing on a sports team and spending active time with your kids and family members. Following a healthy diet can also bring up opportunities for home cooking, culinary classes, farmers' market visits and more fun activities.

Financial Analysis Coca-Cola and PepsiCo Essay

We will be comparing two companies; both are strong and have great credibility. Ideally with a solid competitor we want to show differentials and make a solid contrast. In this case we want to compare at least two years of financial data. A great way to exemplify this is to compare Coke to Pepsi. To say which one is better to drink is debatable, but what we are looking at is which is better to invest in. We will analyze the information provided in the appendixes and make a conscience decision as to which company is stronger, therefore a smarter investment choice. After all, I wouldn’t want you to throw your money down the drain. The three main characteristics used to determine a company’s success are liquidity, solvency, and of course profit. The aspects, when analyzed, can help you decide which is more successful and financially honored as a better investment. This can also help someone decide which is more successful and financially stable. While we look at these statements I would like to keep in mind how good it is to look at trend over time. This opens our next concept which is vertical and horizontal analysis. By taking a step back and going over the ratio analysis which is composed of the three main characteristics, we are able to see what has happened during the time period we compare with. Hence us making our intelligent investment decision. Going back, ratio analysis is where we divide two numbers in order to get a percentage which we will compare to the competitor. First characteristic is liquidity. This is where we see the company paying their debts, and on time. This is very similar to an individual person’s credit score. Are they paying their bills? This shows financial responsibility and that is a very important component in investments. The information is typically shown as a ratio or percentage of the liquid assets. The higher the ratio the bigger the safety margin is in which the corporation will fulfill their debts. You wouldn’t rent a home to someone with bad credit. Nor would you loan someone money if they had a bad tendency to not be responsible with money. Going back to business mind state, we can look at the potential ability to turn a good or service into profit. This is crucial to investing. It’s also crucial to compare companies within the same industry. It seems logical initially but there are ratios and formulas that are used that operate most efficiently when comparison is done within similarities. So, let’s get on with the fun stuff already! PepsiCo’s Balance Sheet and Liquid Ratio (Remember, we are dividing the current asset with the liabilities for both years, not dividing the annual comparison. Meaning; do not divide the two numbers next to each other. This is the essential difference between horizontal and vertical analysis. ) Current ratio 2005=10,4549406=1.11 Current ratio 2004= 86396752=1.28 Just to make a quick observation before we move on the ratio of 2005 is 1.11:1 and in 2004 it is 1.28:1. We now have the ratios; let’s get the percentage of total assets from cash and equivalents. Then we will do Coca-Cola’s and compare. Percentage of cash for 2005=1716 (cash and equiv)10454 (total assets)= .1641 Percentage of cash for 2004=12808639= .1481 That’s 16.41% for 2005 and 14.81% for 2004. This is solid statistic and I don’t really see much room for improvement based on the information found. It seems to be a solid bet, but we are far from done. Coca-Cola’s Balance Sheet and Liquid Ratio (Again, remember to divide the total asset with total liability.) Current ratio 2005=10,2509,836=1.042 Current ratio 2004=12,28111,133=1.103 So the ratio is 1.042:1 for 2005 and 1.103:1 for 2004. Don’t feel discouraged, we will take this information and further discuss. I would like to mention that liability ratio lowering isn’t a bad thing and can mean potential growth. That being said, I sense improvement. Now that we have our ratio numbers for both companies and both years we will determine the percentage of total assets from cash and the equivalents. Now we will get the percentages of total assets and compare with PepsiCo. Percentage of cash for 2005=4701 (cash and equiv)29427(total assets)= .1598 Percentage of cash for 2004=670731441= .2133 That’s 15.98% for 2005 and 21.33% for 2004. I’m not sure about you, but if my percentage of cash went down 5.35% I would fret. Now, that’s not to say I wouldn’t invest just yet, but it does raise concern. Unless this cash is being used to pay off debts or re-invest into the company however, one should raise concern. Now that we have our calculations let’s make our comparison. In 2004 PepsiCo’s ratio was 1.28:1 then in 2005 it was 1.11:1. Whereas Coca-Cola had 1.103:1 for 2004 and 1.042:1 in 2005. We can divide the total current assets and of the liabilities for the two years giving us the increase or decrease for the same company. Simply divide the total current asset or liabilities for the two different years. We can find the increase or decrease for asset or liabilities. This furthers our comparisons. Let’s get back to solvency. It is a comparison of current assets and current liabilities. It is determined by dividing one with another. This gives an investor a ratio, which is explained earlier, that provides the investor with good information. That being, how does the company do with long-term responsibility? Also how likely will it act in the future with obligations and goals? The lower the ratio is, the less likely they are to have the follow through we are looking for. A high ratio provides the investor with an imminent outlook on the corporation being free of debt and how the company chooses to re-invest its profit. Profitability can allow an investor to monitor the corporation’s ability to produce assets in comparison to the expenses they must pay off. To put it bluntly, if a company has a higher profit ratio or margin than another company than they are doing better. We can do the same thing with profit that we did with liquidity as far as percentages and ratios go. When looking at profits we must be sure to compare annually because many companies have a season where they are selling more product. What the intended affect would be is to get the average and avoid the fluke statistics. When investing, it is a good idea to take a good step back. Like looking through the window of a candy shop. One candy might look good but you take a step back you can admire the entire display and see what is really going on. The big picture. Horizontal analysis can be utilized to provide the investor with the corporation’s financial data over a monthly or annual progression. It can be expressed using a balance sheet, an income statement, or retained earnings statement. When an investor evaluates the horizontal analysis they can determine the stability of the corporation, giving them solid insight. First we will apply horizontal analysis to PepsiCo’s assets and liabilities. We start by dividing the difference of total current assets between 2004 and 2005. As I have provided the spreadsheet earlier with the information it won’t be necessary to repeat. We are still dealing with those highlighted numbers; this will make it easier to locate the correct statistics. 10454 assets of 2005 – 8639 (assets of 2004)8639 (assets of 2004) = .210 We can then turn this into percentage which would be 21% (technically 21.01%) total current asset increase from one year to the next. Now we’ll do the same with liabilities. 9406 liabilties of 2005- 6752 (liabilties of 2004)6752 (liabilties 2004)= .393 Let’s do this in percentage form, 39.3%. That’s increase of liabilities during the time span of 2004 to 2005. By analyzing this information we are provided with the fact that there is an increase in current assets. This can be done by obtaining loans and gaining credibility as a corporation. On the counterpoint here there is a possibility that debt has increased. Keep in mind that while numbers are increasing and numbers don’t lie, it’s the person analyzing them that puts things in perspective. Let’s make a comparison now with Coca-Cola. 10250 assets of 2005- 12281 (assets of 2005)31441 assets 2004= -.064 We made the horizontal analysis to see if Coca-Cola has gone through increase or decrease with assets and liabilities between the two years of information we were given. When we translate our answer from decimal to percentage we get -6.4% which is a decrease. Let’s divide liabilities for Coca-Cola now. 9836 liabilities of 2005- 11133 (liabilities of 2004)11133 (liabilties of 2004)= -.116 This gives us -11.6% decrease in liabilities from 2004 to 2005. Translating that to English, this means that while assets were low it seems they were clearly paying off debts. This is a responsible and promising thing for a corporation to act on. A good investor will recognize debts being paid off and see that they are making profits and creating a solid foundation for the future. By judging the company’s percentage of growth we can easily separate the stronger competitor. Now, let’s do PepsiCo’s vertical analysis. Year 2005=1716(cash and equiv)31727 (total asset)= .054 Year 2004=1280 (cash and equiv)27987 total asset= .046 In 2005 the percentage is 5.4% while in 2004 it was only 4.6%. Let’s now figure out how much of the assets are currently in possession of the company, first with 2005. Oh, and imagine how nice it would be if we could do that with people we’ve loaned money to. Year 2005=10454 (current asset)31727 (total asset)= .3295 Year 2004=8639 (current asset)27987 (total asset)= .3087 So, we have 32.95% in 2005 and 30.87% in 2004. Meaning that PepsiCo’s assets in possession went up 2.08% in a year. Promising, right? Well, what about Coca-Cola’s? Year 2005=4701 (cash and equiv)29427 total asset= .160 Year 2004=6707 (cash and equiv)31441 (total asset)=.213 In 2005 the percentage is 16% while in 2004 it was 21.3%. Interesting, huh? Let’s figure out the assets Coca-Cola owned in possession. This is where investor’s ears perk up and we can get to some real solid numbers that will eventually define our final decision. Year 2005=10250 (current asset)29427 (total asset)= .348 Year 2004=12281 (current asset)29427 (total asset)= .391 In 2005 the percentage is 34.8% while in 2004 it was higher with a 39.1%. One can easily come to the conclusion that Coca-Cola may have fewer assets in possession, but keep debts in mind. Investors are looking for exactly this. Sure, they own less but they are also being financially responsible. In conclusion with all that has been said and analyzed I would like to conclude this intense and considerate examination. Many statistics were provided by the appendix and several calculations were made to come to a logical and sound conclusion. By viewing over the ratios and percentages we can determine that Coca-Cola is a stronger company. With the fact they do have low assets, we consider how many debts are being paid off due to the profits that are made. The CEO clearly had a strong head on their shoulders and even though these numbers are but six years old, I can only imagine their consistence has stayed the same. Reason being, the corporation has remained out of debts and re-invested th eir profits into future proceedings which allow a positive outlook for investors. Resources: Hill, M.G (2009). Financial Accounting

Indonesian Cuisine Conclusion

Indonesian cuisine is diverse, in part because Indonesia is composed of approximately 6,000 populated islands of the total 18,000 in the world's largest archipelago. [1] Many regional cuisines exist, often based upon cultural and foreign influences. [1] Indonesian cuisine varies greatly by region and has many different influences. [1][2][3] Throughout its history, Indonesia has been involved in trade due to its location and natural resources. Additionally, Indonesia’s indigenous techniques and ingredients were influenced by India, the Middle East, China, and finally Europe.Spanish and Portuguese traders brought New World produce even before the Dutch came to colonize most of the archipelago. The Indonesian islands The Moluccas (Maluku), which are famed as â€Å"the Spice Islands†, also contributed to the introduction of native spices, such as cloves and nutmeg, to Indonesian and global cuisine. Some popular Indonesian dishes such as nasi goreng,[4] gado-gado,[5][6] sate ,[7] and soto[8] are ubiquitous in the country and considered as Indonesian national dishes.Sumatran cuisine, for example, often has Middle Eastern and Indian influences, featuring curried meat and vegetables such as gulai and kari, while Javanese cuisine is more indigenous. [1] The cuisines of Eastern Indonesia are similar to Polynesian and Melanesian cuisine. Elements of Chinese cuisine can be seen in Indonesian cuisine: foods such as bakmi (noodles), bakso (meat or fish balls), and lumpia (spring rolls) have been completely assimilated. Some popular dishes that originated in Indonesia are now common across much of Southeast Asia.Indonesian dishes such as satay, beef rendang, and sambal are also favoured in Malaysia and Singapore. Soy-based dishes, such as variations of tofu (tahu) and tempe, are also very popular. Tempe is regarded as a Javanese invention, a local adaptation of soy-based food fermentation and production. Another fermented food is oncom, similar in some ways to te mpe but using a variety of bases (not only soy), created by different fungi, and particularly popular in West Java.Indonesian meals are commonly eaten with the combination of a spoon in the right hand and fork in the left hand (to push the food onto the spoon), although in many parts of the country, such as West Java and West Sumatra, it is also common to eat with one's hands. In restaurants or households that commonly use bare hands to eat, like in seafood foodstalls, traditional Sundanese and Minangkabau restaurants, or East Javanese pecel lele (fried catfish with sambal) and ayam goreng (fried chicken) food stalls, they usually serve kobokan, a bowl of tap water with a slice of lime in it to give a fresh scent.This bowl of water should not to be consumed, however; it is used to wash one's hand before and after eating. Eating with chopsticks is generally only found in food stalls or restaurants serving Indonesian adaptations of Chinese cuisine, such as bakmie or mie ayam (chicken noodle) with pangsit (wonton), mie goreng (fried noodles), and kwetiau goreng (fried flat rice noodles). Contents [hide] 1 Rice 2 Other staples 3 Vegetables 4 Meat and fish 5 Spices and other flavorings 6 Peanut sauce 7 Coconut milk 8 Regional dishes Foreign influences 10 Influence Abroad 11 Meal Times 12 Feasts: Tumpeng and Rijsttafel 13 Non-alcoholic Beverages 14 Alcoholic beverages 15 Snacks and street food 16 Fruits 17 Health and hygiene 18 See also 19 References 20 External links [edit]Rice Main article: Rice production in Indonesia Using water buffalo to plough rice fields in Java; Rice is a staple for all classes in contemporary; Indonesia is the world's third largest paddy rice producer and its cultivation has transformed much of Indonesia’s landscape.Rice is a staple for all classes in contemporary Indonesia,[2][9] and it holds the central place in Indonesian culture: it shapes the landscape; is sold at markets; and is served in most meals both as a savoury and a swe et food. The importance of rice in Indonesian culture is demonstrated through the reverence of Dewi Sri, the rice goddess of ancient Java and Bali. Traditionally the agricultural cycles linked to rice cultivations were celebrated through rituals, such as Seren Taun rice harvest festival.Rice is most often eaten as plain rice with just a few protein and vegetable dishes as side dishes. It is also served, however, as nasi uduk (rice cooked in coconut milk), nasi kuning (rice cooked with coconut milk and turmeric), ketupat (rice steamed in woven packets of coconut fronds), lontong (rice steamed in banana leaves), intip or rengginang (rice crackers), desserts, vermicelli, noodles, arak beras (rice wine), and nasi goreng (fried rice). [10] Nasi goreng is omnipresent in Indonesia and considered as national dish. 4] Rice was only incorporated into diets, however, as either the technology to grow it or the ability to buy it from elsewhere was gained. Evidence of wild rice on the island of S ulawesi dates from 3000 BCE. Evidence for the earliest cultivation, however, comes from eighth century stone inscriptions from the central island of Java, which show kings levied taxes in rice. The images of rice cultivation, rice barn, and mouse pest investing a ricefield is evident in Karmawibhanga bas-reliefs of Borobudur.Divisions of labour between men, women, and animals that are still in place in Indonesian rice cultivation, were carved into relief friezes on the ninth century Prambanan temples in Central Java: a water buffalo attached to a plough; women planting seedlings and pounding grain; and a man carrying sheaves of rice on each end of a pole across his shoulders (pikulan). In the sixteenth century, Europeans visiting the Indonesian islands saw rice as a new prestige food served to the aristocracy during ceremonies and feasts. 9] Rice production in Indonesian history is linked to the development of iron tools and the domestication of Wild Asian Water Buffalo as water buf falo for cultivation of fields and manure for fertilizer. Rice production requires exposure to the sun. Once covered in dense forest, much of the Indonesian landscape has been gradually cleared for permanent fields and settlements as rice cultivation developed over the last fifteen hundred years. [9] [edit]Other staples Papeda, staple food of eastern Indonesia, served with yellow soup and grilled mackerel.Other staple foods in Indonesia include a number of starchy tubers such as; yam, sweet potato, potato, taro and cassava; also starchy fruit such as breadfruit and jackfruit and grains such as maize and wheat. A sago congee called Papeda is a staple food especially in Maluku and Papua. Sago is also often mixed with water and cooked as a simple pancake. Next to sago, people of eastern Indonesia also consume various kind of wild tubers as staple food. Many types of tubers such as talas (a type of taro but larger and more bland) and breadfruit are native to Indonesia, while others are introduced from elsewhere.Wheat, the base ingredient for bread and noodles were probably introduced from India or China; yam was introduced from Africa; while maize, potato, sweet potato, cassava and maize were introduced from Americas through Spanish influence and finally reached Java in 17th century. Cassava is usually boiled, steamed, fried or processed as popular snack kripik singkong (cassava crackers). Dried cassava, locally known as tiwul, is an alternate staple food in arid areas of Java such as Gunung Kidul and Wonogiri, while other roots and tubers are eaten especially in hard times.Maize is eaten in drier regions such as Madura and islands east of the Wallace Line, such as the Lesser Sunda Islands. [edit]Vegetables Indonesian food includes many vegetables as ingredients like this Sayur oyong made with Luffa acutangula A number of leaf vegetables are widely used in Indonesian cuisine, such as kangkung, spinach, genjer, melinjo, papaya and cassava leaves. These are often sa uteed with garlic. Spinach and corn are used in simple clear watery vegetable soup sayur bayam bening flavoured with temu kunci, garlic and shallot.Other vegetables like labu air (calabash), labu siam (chayote), kelor, kacang panjang (yardlong bean), terung (eggplant), gambas and belustru, are cut and used in stir fries, curries and soups like sayur asem, sayur lodeh or laksa. Sayur sop is cabbage, cauliflower, potato, carrot, with macaroni spiced with black pepper, garlic and shallot in chicken or beef broth. The similar mixed vegetables are also stir fried as cap cai, a popular dish of the Chinese Indonesian cuisine. Vegetables like kecipir (winged bean), tomato, mentimun (cucumber) and the small variety of peria (bitter melon) are commonly eaten raw, like in lalab.The large bitter melon variety is usually boiled. kecombrang and papaya flower buds are a common Indonesian vegetable. Urap is seasoned and spiced shredded coconut meat mixed together with vegetables, asinan betawi are preserved vegetables. Gado-gado and pecel are a salad of boiled vegetables dressed in a peanut-based spicy sauce, while karedok is its raw version. [edit]Meat and fish Rendang daging, a beef, mutton or goat meat dish cooked with coconut milk The main meat source diet mostly are poultry and fish, however meats such as beef, water buffalo, goat and mutton are commonly found in Indonesian marketplaces.The most common poultry consumed is chicken and duck, however to a lesser amount, pigeon and wild migrating sea bird are also consumed. As a country with an Islamic majority, Indonesian Muslims follows the Islamic halal dietary law which forbids the consumption of pork. However in other parts of Indonesia where there are significant numbers of non-Muslims, boar and pork are commonly consumed. Dishes made of non-halal meats can be found in provinces such as Bali, North Sumatra, North Sulawesi, East Nusa Tenggara, Maluku, West Papua, Papua, and also in Chinatowns in major Indonesian cities. Today to cater for the larger Muslim market, most of the restaurants and eating establishments in Indonesia put halal signs that signify they neither serve pork nor use lard in their cooking. The meat can be cooked in rich spices and coconut milk such as beef, goat or lamb rendang, skewered, seasoned and grilled chicken or mutton as satay, barbecued meats, or sliced and cooked in rich broth soup as soto. Muttons and various offals can be use as ingredients for soto soup or gulai curry.In Bali, with its Hindu majority, the babi guling (pig roast) is popular among locals as well as non-Muslim visitors, while the Batak people of North Sumatra have babi panggang that is a similar dish. The meat also can be processed to be thinly-sliced and dried as dendeng (jerky), or made into abon (meat floss). Dendeng celeng is Indonesian â€Å"dried, jerked† boar meat. [11] As an archipelagic nation, seafood is abundant and commonly consumed especially by Indonesian resides in coastal areas. Popular seafood in Indonesian cuisine among others; mackerel, tuna, wahoo, milkfish, red snapper, anchovy, cuttlefish, shrimp, crab and mussel.Seafood is commonly consumed across Indonesia, but it is especially popular in Maluku islands and Minahasa (North Sulawesi) cuisine. Seafood are usually being bakar (grilled), rebus (boiled) or goreng (fried). However another method of cooking like stir fried in spices or in soup is also possible. Ikan asin (salted fish) is preserved seafood through cured in salt, it is also can be found in Indonesian market. Fresh water fisheries can be found in inland region or area with large rivers or lakes. Popular fresh water fish among others; carp, gourami, snakehead, tilapia, catfish and pangasius. edit]Spices and other flavorings Sambal ulek, a common Indonesian spicy condiment. â€Å"Rempah† is Indonesian word for spice, while â€Å"bumbu† is the Indonesian word for spices mixture or seasoning, and it commonly appears in the names of certain spice mixtures, sauces and seasoning pastes. [12] Known throughout the world as the â€Å"Spice Islands†, the Indonesian islands of Maluku contributed to the introduction of its native spices to world cuisine. Spices such as pala (nutmeg/mace), cengkeh (clove), and laos (galangal) are native to Indonesia.It is likely that lada hitam (black pepper), kunyit (turmeric), sereh (lemongrass), bawang merah (shallot), kayu manis (cinnamon), kemiri (candlenut), ketumbar (coriander), and asam jawa (tamarind) were introduced from India, while jahe (ginger), daun bawang (scallions) and bawang putih (garlic) were introduced from China. Those spices from mainland Asia were introduced early, in ancient times, thus they became integral ingredients in Indonesian cuisine. In ancient times, the kingdom of Sunda and the later sultanate of Banten were well known as the world's major producers of black pepper.The maritime empires of Srivijaya and Majapahit also benefited from the lucrative spice trade between the spice islands with China and India. Later the Dutch East India Company controlled the spice trade between Indonesia and the world. The Indonesian fondness for hot and spicy food was enriched when the Spanish introduced cabai chili pepper from the New World to the region in 16th century. After that hot and spicy sambals have become an important part of Indonesian cuisine. [13] Sambal evolved into many variants across Indonesia, ones of the most popular is sambal terasi (sambal belacan) and sambal mangga muda (young mango sambal).Dabu-dabu is North Sulawesi style of sambal with chopped fresh tomato, chili, and lime juice. Traditionally prepared laboriously ground upon stone mortar, today sambals is also available as industrial processed products in bottles or jars. Soy sauce is also an important flavorings in Indonesian cuisine. Kecap asin (salty or common soy sauce) was adopted from Chinese cuisine, however Indonesian developed their own kecap manis (sweet so y sauce) with generous addition of palm sugar into soy sauce. Sweet soy sauce is an important marinade for barbecued meat and fish, such as satay and grilled fishes.Sweet soy sauce is also an important ingredient for semur, Indonesian stew. [edit]Peanut sauce Peanut sauce is important part of gado-gado. One of the main characteristics of Indonesian cuisine is the wide application of peanuts in many Indonesian signature dishes, such as satay, gado-gado, karedok, ketoprak, and pecel. Gado-gado and Sate for example have been considered as Indonesian national dishes. [6][7] Introduced from Mexico by Portuguese and Spanish merchants in 16th century, peanuts assumed a place within Indonesian cuisine as a key ingredient.Peanuts thrived in the tropical environment of Southeast Asia, and today they can be found, roasted and chopped finely, in many recipes. Whole, halved, or crushed peanuts are used to garnish a variety of dishes, and used in marinades and dipping sauces such as sambal kacang (a mixture of ground chilies and fried peanuts) for otak-otak or ketan. Peanut oil, extracted from peanuts, is one of the most commonly used cooking oils in Indonesia. Bumbu kacang or peanut sauce represents a sophisticated, earthy seasoning rather than a sweet, gloppy sauce. 14] It should have a delicate balance of savoury, sweet, sour, and spicy flavours, acquired from various ingredients, such as fried peanuts, gula jawa (coconut sugar), garlic, shallots, ginger, tamarind, lemon juice, lemongrass, salt, chilli, peppercorns, sweet soy sauce, ground together and mixed with water to form the right consistency. The secret to good peanut sauce is â€Å"not too thick and not too watery. † Indonesian peanut sauce tends to be less sweet than the Thai version, which is a hybrid adaptation. Gado-gado is a popular dish particularly associated with bumbu kacang, and is eaten across Indonesia. edit]Coconut milk Shredding coconut flesh to make coconut milk. Coconuts are abundant in tro pical Indonesia, and since ancient times Indonesians developed many and various uses for this plant. The broad use of coconut milk in dishes throughout the archipelago is another common characteristic of Indonesian cuisine. It is used in recipes ranging from savoury dishes – such as rendang, soto, sayur lodeh, gudeg, and opor ayam – to desserts – such as es cendol and es doger. Soto is ubiquitous in Indonesia and considered as one of Indonesia's national dishes. 8] The use of coconut milk is not exclusive to Indonesian cuisine. It can also be found in Indian, Samoan, Thai, Malaysian, Filipino, and Brazilian cuisines. Nonetheless, the use of coconut milk is quite extensive in Indonesia, especially in Minangkabau cuisine, although in Minahasan (North Sulawesi) cuisine, coconut milk is generally absent, except in Minahasan cakes and desserts such as klappertart. In Indonesian cuisine, two types of coconut milk are found, thin coconut milk and thick coconut milk. Th e difference depends on the water and oil content.Thin coconut milk is usually used for soups such as sayur lodeh and soto, while the thicker variety is used for rendang and desserts. It can be made from freshly shredded coconut meat in traditional markets, or can be found processed in cartons at the supermarket. After the milk has been extracted from the shredded coconut flesh to make coconut milk, the ampas kelapa (leftover coconut flesh) can still be used in urap, seasoned and spiced shredded coconut meat mixed together with vegetables. Leftover shredded coconut can also be cooked, sauteed and seasoned to make serundeng, almost powdery sweet and spicy finely shredded coconut.Kerisik paste, added to thicken rendang, is another use of coconut flesh. To acquire a rich taste, some households insist on using freshly shredded coconut, instead of leftover, for urap and serundeng. Serundeng can be mixed with meat in dishes such as serundeng daging (beef serundeng) or sprinkled on top of other dishes such as soto or ketan (sticky rice). An example of the heavy use of coconut is Buras from Makassar, rice wrapped in banana leaf cooked with coconut milk and sprinkled with powdered coconut similar to serundeng.