Essay about Birth and Demise in The League of Nations

Birth and Demise in The League of Nations They say time is a great teacher. How true. History has taught us that peace must be kept at all costs. The tragic story of the League of Nations centers around the man who conceived it and offered it to the world. The man who developed its charter and who died from exhaustion after his own country, the United States, refused to ratify it in the senate . On November eleventh, 1918 an armistice was declared in Europe. The President of the United States, Woodrow Wilson, saw this as an opportunity to form an international organization of peace. The league was brought forth to provide security against future wars. However, the league did not fulfill the hopes of its founders, it did not†¦show more content†¦The American Presidents speech was the force that leads to the signing of the Treaty of Versailles on June 28, 1919. Conversely, after congress had voted, only three of Wilsons fourteen points were accepted without compromise and six of the others were rejected altogether. Th e reason for this uncertainty by the congress was because, the Fourteen Points were all couched in broad, rather vague terms, well designed to serve their propaganda purpose, but hardly suited to the negotiations of which in the sequel, they were to become the basis . Wilson wanted the League of Nations because he believed that World Wars would continue to occur as long as each nation was responsible for their own defense. Wilson wanted the nations of the world to stand together in the League of Nations, and promise to defend the territory and freedom of any member attacked by another nation. Wilson believed that in order to keep peace the League needed the authority to impose economic sanctions against aggressor states but the League did not have any military forces to back up these economic threats. He believed that even a powerful nation, knowing that it would face combined opposition of all the powerful nations, would not go to war. In Europe, Wilson also met some confrontation with the Fourteen points. TheShow MoreRelatedPoor National Integration in Pakistan, Causes , Effects , Remedies.1421 Words   |  6 PagesPoor National Integration In Pakistan, Causes ,Effects ,Remedies. There is a crisis of national integration in Pakistan since its birth. It is the victim of poor national integration. Lack of integration in Pakistan is fundamental problem and it has been subjected to comment by intellectuals in the country. This has been hitting the head lines of the newspaper. Due to lack of national integration in the country, Pakistan has been pushed to a vicious circle. It has made Pakistan a sorry state ofRead MoreThe Life And Accomplishments Of Marie Curie Essay1370 Words   |  6 PagesDegree in mathematics. In the midst of her studies she fell in love and In July, 1895, Curie married fellow scientist Pierre Curie, and together they studied radioactive materials. They also managed to find time to start a family; in 1897 Curie gave birth to her first baby girl, Irene. Although she was now a mother, Curie managed to continue her scientific studies and schooling. Like her childhood, Maries adult life was not without its tragedies as well. In August, 1903, Curi e experienced a miscarriageRead More Causes of the Second World War Essay example2220 Words   |  9 Pagesfrom the League of nations which also showed his lack of desire for peace. At the same time he also withdrew from the disarmament conference again showing peace was not a big priority for him. Infact he straight away, against the Treaty of Versailles, began to build up Germanys army, navy and airforce (Luftwaffe), spending a huge proportion of Germanys income on the military; in 1935 Hitler introduced conscription. Hitler also, chiefly through propaganda, attempted to increase Germanys birth rate;Read MoreSpeech by Nathuram Godse in the Court (Assassinated Mahatma Gandhi)2421 Words   |  10 Pagesallegiance to any isms, political or religious. That is why I worked actively for the eradication of untouchability and the caste system based on birth alone. I openly joined anti-caste movements and maintained that all Hindus were of equal status as to rights, social and religious and should be considered high or low on merit alone and not through the accident of birth in a particular caste or profession. I used publicly to take part in organized anti-caste dinners in which thousands of Hindus, BrahminsRead MoreHistory of the Battle of Queenston Heights1834 Words   |  7 Pagesmost Americans have no idea what the fighting was about or who the U.S. was battling against. The lack of familiarity with the War of 1812 is likely true, Hickey explains, because the president at the time, James Madison, was hardly in the same league as Abraham Lincoln or Franklin Roosevelt. And there was no great general like Washington or Eisenhower to rally the American troops to victory. Moreover, the cause of this war is complex and not well understood. Meanwhile the reasons behind the WarRead MoreAbortion: A Social Injustice Essay2006 Words   |  9 Pages1973 which legalized it nationwide. It was, at first, endorsed as being a woman’s right, but has more recently been viewed by most as the murder of an innocent child. Besides this shift in views, abortion has caused diverse effects on our culture and nation, as well as the death of upwards of 56 million children according to Life News. Our society has been deeply impacted by the effects of abortion and the loss of millions of innocent lives, and Christian organizations such as Operation Rescue are workingRead MoreEssay on African American Athlete: Their Role in American Culture3741 Words   |  15 Pagesseparated from the whites. For example, the YMCA was an established program in America that catered to urban white communities encouraging families to participate in all types of sporting activities. The YMCA programs offered sponsored teams and leagues to encourage a healthy lifestyle and provide an outlet for the average white American to participate in sport. The YMCA, however, did not include black Americans. In 1928, due to economic and political pressures, the YMCA was encouraged to pro videRead MoreThe barbers Trade union Summary1884 Words   |  8 Pagesvehemently favours art for the sake of life. Mulk Raj Anand’s concentration has always been on the eradication of social stigmas like casteism, untouchability, unequal social gradation and stratification based on birth. He believes that man should be known by his worth and not by birth. He utilizes art with a view to fulfilling this intent. The social blots have been in the Indian society for ages together. Anand has a deep sense of sympathy for the depressed, their plight and predicament andRead MoreAfrican American History 122001 Words   |  9 PagesCharles Banks influenced Mississippi and became a leader for blacks all over in 1905 to 1920. Being that Banks was born in the time of promise, he lived through the period in which many blacks dreams were dashed away. Daniel and Sallie Banks gave birth to Charles was born on March 25, 1873, in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Banks lived with his Grandmother and brother and sisters: Joeannia, Mary, G. Joseph, and Marriah Holley. Father Banks was a farmer and Charles’ mother was in control of the house andRead MoreThe State Centric Construction Of The International Politics3219 Words   |  13 Pagesconducting a â€Å"Selective Genocide† in East Pakistan. The intervention by India was not authorized by the United Nation Security Council (UNSC) chiefly for two reasons: firstly, the cold war politics impeded the UNSC members to reach a solution that wouldn’t deter their respective allies in the subcontinent. Secondly, all the member states strongly agreed to abide by the article 2(7) of the United Nations (UN) charter. As for the second circumstance, the paper discusses the intervention in Somalia, by the

The Pitfall of The Handmaids Tale Essay Topics

The Pitfall of The Handmaid's Tale Essay Topics The more research you can do in order to secure better at your upcoming profession, the better. There are respective patterns that writers can use if writing an argumentative essay even though there is not any particular model of organization. It's your job for a reader to piece together the events to attempt to get to the truth. Monthly, the handmaids are to visit the doctors for health examinations to make certain they are prepared if they were to find pregnant. The government would need to work hard if it were to receive a foreign loan for this amount. The objective of the state's government was supposed to control their birth rates in the nation. If it is possible to write a really convincing piece on a real-world application utilizing unique facts and research, then your likelihood of receiving admission to a top level university will certainly grow! The government as operating on the aim of controlling the reproduction through using the women. With the show, Miller retains that for the large part, whilst tweaking the race of the folks around her. Atwood isn't particularly hopeful about women and power and agency as a way of changing the conditions in which they're trapped. So if one was planning to begin their career as an author by means of this medium, they may have to look elsewhere! The author's novel is a mixture of many incidents that have happened sooner or later in history and for that reason the novel forces a person to review or reassess their own reality. Without individual identity it's much simpler to stereotype groups since they are told to wear exactly the same color, perform precisely the same duties, and act in similar ways. The individuals of Gilead are broken up into various classes and each class has an established color. All you need to do is select a topic from the list of persuasive essay topics above and we'll write the paper for you in almost no time. The show appears to have taken a different stance on this issue. There are five forms of argumentative essays. There are three sorts of argumentative essays. So without further ado, below are some effective writing tips to generate your common app essay stick out! All persuasive essays are like argumentative essays. Thinking can damage your chances, and I mean to last. Persuasive essays share a good deal of resemblance with argumentative essays. Textbooks are obsolete and needs to be replaced by iPads. Students need to be careful about posting on social networking. Finding the most suitable arguments can help you prove your point and win. We're simple to remember, said Diane. But John was a legitimate professional. Gossip, Lies and the Handmaid's Tale Essay Topics Margaret Atwood described something which may occur if nothing is done to modify the present trends. In general, there have been a number of creepy fairy tales that were written previously like the one by Hans Christian Anderson. Lady Shalott understands life by means of a mirror. The Garden of Eden was made by God so as to let Adam and Eve live in peace and to have the ability to reproduce. As stated by the second principle, the ranks of fairy tales made by ordinary people today are addressed. The cinematic flourishes also arrive in the normal fashions. It creates a feeling of paradise, almost enjoy the Garden of Eden. This will gradually lead to the conclusion of the journey, as soon as the archetypal hero finally regains their freedom. It's the crisis at the middle of Gilead's social and political life. Gilead government was formed so as for deriving women from the individuality in order to make women to have the ability to reproduce for the upcoming generation (Blackford 261). Offred, as a result of creation of Gilead, is put in a precarious position in society. Gilead is frightening as it presents a mirror image of what is going on in the world around us.

Money Bank and Funds Free Essays

string(54) " virtually begins at home, with the household sector\." â€Å"Money† is a fascinating object. The process of creating money and using money has always generated enthusiasm amongst mankind for over thousands of years. The main reasons for such enthusiasm are built around the dynamics of the above process. We will write a custom essay sample on Money: Bank and Funds or any similar topic only for you Order Now Even more fascinating is the fact, that this process is perhaps the only subject that is foxing both the pundits and the commoners alike. Such being the importance of money, any narration regarding the process shall always provide enough excitement. Keeping this in view, the role and importance of financial intermediaries is being featured for the benefit of readers. A glimpse of this coverage is provided in the following pages to lead them to a wider canvas. Financial Intermediaries Financial intermediaries play a vital role in building economies. World over, in different economies it is typical to find that the sources of funds and the uses of funds are not one and the same. This process is also so complexly structured that while individual contributions comprise the major source of funds to the market, the utilization of funds is done by different sectors in the economy. Capital formation comprising of Savings and Investment holds the key to this process. In this causal sequence, Savings play the role of the initiator. The ability of an economy to generate savings depends on the combined abilities of the general public and the government. It is here that the financial system comes into play by converting the savings into productive results. Significance of Financial Intermediation The savings process is facilitated by the financial Intermediaries. In simple terms, financial intermediaries perform the function of facilitating supply of funds to the user of funds, by obtaining the same from the depositors or savers of funds. The term ‘financial intermediaries’ includes different institutions like Banks, Insurance companies, Investment companies, Developmental Financial Institutions, Non-banking Finance Companies, Mutual funds, Pension funds etc. While the role of above institutions is singular with respect to financial intermediation, the functions that are performed by each one of them are different. In a nutshell, these types of intermediation revolve around liquidity position of funds, risks in loans, and pooling of risks to take advantage of economies of scale. To sum up, the function of financial intermediation has arisen out of the need on the part of savers to reach the investors and the inability of investors to find savers. Developed economic systems may not require the need of full-fledged financial intermediaries, unlike the developing systems. This is due to the fact that the gap between the saver and the investor is absolutely minimal. This is referred to as â€Å"financial disintermediation†. The process of financial disintermediation is best achieved by reducing the cost of funds thereby facilitating direct capital formation, which spurs economic growth. The greatest advantage in this process is the fact that it reduces the time gap between saving of money and utilization. The process of financial intermediation is always fraught with risks. Risks both for the givers of funds and the takers of funds, besides the risks for financial intermediaries themselves. The risk factor arises in the first place out of the need for the availability of information and in the second place the need for players to be aware of the available information. Consequently, the need for regulations and the role for a regulator are felt. Financial Intermediation in Indian context In India, without exception, a single type of intermediary does not perform the task of financial intermediation. Different types of financial intermediaries exist and their functions are discussed below. Banks: Banks comprise the oldest form of financial intermediaries in India. The Indian financial scene is dotted with a number of banking institutions. All these banks are segregated into various categories. This segregation has been done on the basis of their incorporation and the businesses performed by them. Consequently, we have various kinds of banking institutions. These are: i. Commercial banks, ii. Regional Rural Banks, iii. Local Area Banks, iv. Co-operative banks. The above classification suggests that banks have been divided under various types depending on the need to achieve the different economic objectives. While making the above classification, geographical factors, need for sectoral deployment of funds involving allocation of funds for Agriculture, Industry, and Service sector etc. have been taken into consideration. However, gradually, the needs of industrial sector have become so huge and complex that separate institutions have been set up for farming the industrial sector. Development Financial Institutions (DFIs): Deployment of funds in the Industrial sector is a major challenge. Industry’s requirements vary depending upon their short-term and long-term needs. The activities of short-term lending and long-term lending are separate and specialized functions. After understanding this finer aspect, the Government of India took initiative to set up specialized institutions for this purpose. For this reason, we find that most of the DFIs – such as the Industrial Development Bank of India (IDBI), are statutorily formed. These institutions provide finances for most of the greenfield projects in the Indian economy and have made a significant contribution by way of financing long –term projects. It is significant to note here that DFIs have been influenced by the changes in the Indian banking scenario to such an extent that these institutions are conlemplating to become universal banks. Insurance Companies: The path of reformation in the Banking industry has also caught up with the other intermediaries as well. In this respect, Insurance industry is witnessing path-breaking changes. In fact, in many countries Insurance companies perform a leading role as financial intermediaries. In India, Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) continues to play a very vital role in mobilizing savings and delivering Insurance, though the industry is experiencing the competition from players both Indian and Foreign. With the entry of banks into the arena of insurance business it is interesting to find the beneficial impact of convergence of banking and insurance business. Non-Banking Finance Companies (NBFC): The process of Intermediation virtually begins at home, with the household sector. You read "Money: Bank and Funds" in category "Essay examples" This sector is the basic source of funds for the intermediaries. Such being the important role of the households, NBFCs as independent institutions, have come into existence to meet their financial requirements. The services offered by the NBFCs cater to the whole gamut of needs of the household sector in particular and savers in general. * Emerging Disintermediation in India** With a rapid growth in the intermediation process, the need for financial disintermediation at some stage cannot be overlooked. Realizing fully well that developed systems find lesser need for financial intermediation, in the Indian context the policy reforms aimed at encouraging free market institutions have been moving the financial markets towards disintermediation. The onset of the process of economic liberalization in 1991 has brought about a sea change in the financial markets. The abolition of the office of Controller of Capital Issues (CCI) and the establishment of Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) in 1992 was done essentially with a view to giving an impetus to the capital markets. The market happenings in 1992-94, did strike a hard blow to this mechanism. During the past three years the process of consolidation has begun. Though a reduction in the number of IPOs does suggest to a slackening of the Capital markets, there is also a brighter side of investors becoming more suave. Sources of Funds A discussion on financial intermediaries has to begin with the ‘raw material’ for this activity, i. e. funds. Financial intermediaries are required to raise funds in order to fulfill the needs of both fund-based and non fund-based activities. Considering the various sources and choices available, the financial intermediary considers the following variables in deciding about the ways and means of raising funds. These are: Maturity, Cost of funds, Tax implications, Regulatory framework and Market conditions. Maturity is vital since the intermediary has to plan for the repayment of debt. Since investors look for returns as against the intermediary looking for good spread and income, Cost of funds turns out to be crucial. Tax treatment on returns on some of the instruments could be different – with certain exemptions Thus, Tax implications are useful for tax planning for both the intermediary and the saver. The instruments have to fulfill a plethora of rules and regulations which require the knowledge of Regulatory framework. For designing a particular type of instrument knowledge of Market conditions is essential. Different Sources of Funds In addition to providing low-cost funds, the shareholder route is a popular and easy way for the common public to become ‘owners’ of companies. As the name suggests, the money belongs to the shareholders. Financial institutions have been innovating different methods for raising money from the prospective shareholders. ‘Reserves’ is another source of funds. Incidentally, it is to be known that some of the Reserves are created statutorily. Borrowing by a company is another source of funds for the company, which are repayable with interest. Unlike equity, the funds raised by way of loans are to be repaid. ** **Sources of Funds unique to a Bank The previous classification of sources of funds does not fully explain the avenues for Banks. By virtue of being one of the earliest financial intermediaries, and possibly the most prudent as well, banks have a privileged access to a few more instruments. Considering the fact that different types of financial intermediaries have accessibility to varied types of funds at different rates of interest, it has become necessary for the RBI to lay down norms in this regard. Financial Intermediaries look towards liquidity in the market for enhancing their scope of operations. However, liquidity is a double-edged knife. Excess liquidity or lack of liquidity affects the financial system resulting in either a reduction or an increase in the rate of interest. The cyclical effect is felt by the economy. For controlling liquidity levels in the economy, RBI exercises control through the mechanisms of CRR and SLR. CRR is the reserve to be maintained by banks with the RBI. SLR is the reserve that is maintained by banks for investment in cash, gold or unencumbered approved securities. Deposits The customers’ confidence level reflects the strength of a bank. There is no better way of reflecting the same by any other indicator than Deposits. In the wake of globalization, the avenues for banks for raising funds in the capital market have increased, both in the national and international markets. In terms of value to the Banking system, banks that have a greater deposit base have more value than the banks with a poor deposit base. Banks accept deposits in different ways. Such acceptance could be different in terms of the period, amount, rate of interest and the type of depositor. All the deposit accounts could be classified under Transaction accounts and Non-transaction accounts. The types of accounts that a customer – individually, jointly or corporate can have, are varied. Having said that Deposits are an important source of funds for the banks, a banker is wary about the types of deposits. A term deposit is a dependable source, but the cost is higher than Demand deposits that are low cost funds for the banks. Consequently, the composition of deposits has a direct impact on the profitability of the bank. Application of Funds The real challenge for the financial intermediaries begins at the very end of the first stage i. e. after mobilization of deposits. The meter virtually starts ticking from that time onwards since the deposits are to be repaid by the bank to the customer after a certain period with interest. In order to honor this commitment, financial intermediaries use their funds in different ways. Broadly, the purposes under which they are used can be classified under: i. loans and advances, ii. investments, iii. fixed assets. Loans â€Å"Loan† is a distinct activity wherein funds are taken from the saver and given to the investor. By nationalizing major banks in 1969 and 1980 Government of India sought to direct the utilization of bank funds for socially disired, objectives reflected in priority sector lending. Priority sector lending includes Agriculture and Small Scale Industry as focus areas that would promote equitable development of regions and promote employment avenues. Loans can be classified as secured loans and unsecured loans based on the availability of security or otherwise. Investments The best way to earn attractive return on money is by following an Investment strategy. Since banks have to service their borrowings and deposits at a reasonably good rate and put the funds into more profitable use, Investments in securities offer an option, though in many instances, this is a statutory requirement. There are three main reasons for the Banks to invest in government securities. These are: (i) in case need arises; government securities meet the liquidity requirements of a bank; (ii) it forms a second line of security, for emergency borrowing from RBI, and (iii) for meeting statutory SLR requirements, aimed at protecting the interests of depositor. Banks are also selectively restricted from investing in equity shares. Investments are made in equity shares either through primary issue or by secondary market. Investment initiatives in equity by banks are expected to boost a sagging capital market. Apart from the primary functions of deposit collection and lending, banks also perform treasury operations. The necessity arises out of liquidity compulsions in operations. Banks invest in bonds and debentures as a part of their regular treasury operations and also on behalf of customers. Fixed assets however, constitute a very small amount of investment by banks. The Management of Financial institutions revolves around two basic functions: i. the ability of the intermediary to raise funds, and ii. to deploy them. These two activities determine the sustenance as well as profitability of the intermediaries. Lending Function Apart from the fact that Lending constitutes the major source of income for the bank, the process of lending also depends on the bankers’ appraisal skills. The banks’ funds can be applied in two major areas i. e. investments in securities and credit accommodation. In the process, banks essentially look to balance the ‘spreads’. Apart from the necessity of complying with the regulatory prescriptions, requirement of profitability virtually forces banks to develop an organized credit deployment mechanism. The credit policy of banks is determined by the demand and supply of loanable funds of banks. Firstly, on the demand side of the economy there are the consumers of goods and services. Secondly, the need for credit comes from the corporate sector in the manufacturing, trading and services sectors. Credit management is a specialized area. This is due to the fact that there are different types of credit, and each type of credit is characterized by certain unique factors. Loan is a broad term used to explain the different types of credit facilities – short/medium term extended in the credit market. The selection of the type of loan by a borrower depends on three factors namely, need for credit, cost factor, and cash flow requirements. Since a loan has a demand side and supply side as well, loans can be classified accordingly. Demand side loans will be individual loans while Supply side loans can be classified as commercial loans. As in the case of a borrower, for the bank, providing the loans depends on three factors, namely the nature of credit, the type of security and the purpose of loan. Based on these parameters, further classification of the banks’ advances is done. Loans are also further classified under secured and unsecured loans. Banks have been providing advances to different sectors of the economy and at the same time providing loans to the needy sectors. The sectoral classification of bank loans is made as under: i. priority sector, ii. public sector, iii. banking sector, and iv. others. Loan Appraisal and Disbursal Preliminary appraisal involves an analysis of the market, technology, financial, and managerial skills of borrowing. Once the bank decides to finance, other critical issues are the decisions relating to the mode of financing. Finance is given for land, site development, building, plant and machinery and also for working capital. Banks arrive at the amount of Maximum Permissible Bank Finance (MPBF) through various appraisal methods. **Non-fund Based Services* Non-fund based Services Non-fund based advances in the form of: Letters of Credit and Guarantees offer a very attractive proposition to the banker. Since funds disbursement arises only on default or the happening or non-happening of an event, bank holds only contingent liability. Payments and clearing operations Clearing and remittences constitute important services under ancillary services. The major role of a bank involves mobilizing savings and channelizing them into investments. Complementing these activities are ancillary services of the banks which facilitate the entire payment and settlement system of financial transactions How to cite Money: Bank and Funds, Essay examples

Washington Mutuals Covered Bonds free essay sample

Wa ashingt Mu ton utuals C Covered Bond ds September of 20 was not a calm time fo the world’s capital mark 008 or s kets. On Sept tember 7 fede erallybacke mortgage loan compani Freddie M and Fann Mae were placed into c ed l ies Mac nie conservatorsh by hip the U. S. governme a move de ent, esigned to sta abilize the em mbattled lenders. On Mond day, Septemb 15, ber global investment bank Lehma Brothers filed for Cha an apter 11 bank kruptcy protection. Broa US ad equity market inde y exes dropped by as much as 5 percent as rumors s d h t spread about potential liqu uidity crises at other majo financial in or nstitutions. A slight marke recovery th following d was attrib et he day buted to rum mors that the Federal Reserve was wo e orking on a ba ailout for the insurance co e ompany Ame erican Intern national Grou (AIG). We will write a custom essay sample on Washington Mutuals Covered Bonds or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page 1 up Ea arly on the morning of Sep m ptember 16, W Washington M Mutual’s cove ered bonds tr raded down to 75, from 83. 05 the pre evious day (see Exhibit 1 Washingto Mutual (W 1). on WaMu) was one of the la argest saving and loans in the Unite States. Its covered bon program, i gs ed nd initiated two years earlier just r, before the housing market had begun a precipitous slid consisted of â‚ ¬6 billion in covered b e g d de,bonds outsta anding. Like many large ba m anks, WaMu was now in c considerable d distress. Th situation at WaMu had deteriorated in recent mo he t onths, with th bank repor he rting $6 billion loss n for ye ear-to-date June 2008. By e early Septemb WaMu’s covered bond had dropp by around 13% ber, ds ped d from January, as investors fore i ecast a possib distressed acquisition or seizure o the bank b the ble d of by Feder Deposit Insurance Co ral I orporation (F FDIC). With the chaos of September 15-16, the b f bonds appea ared to have dropped fur rther. Yet, ev ven at these prices, the b bonds were s still at a prem mium  relativ to the bank unsecured debt, which was trading as low as 30 c ve k’s d cents on the d dollar. Co overed bonds were new instruments in the Unite States, hav s ed ving been iss sued by only two y dome estic banks to date (Bank of America and WaMu) Could the low prices o these bonds be o k ). of justifi by the poor fundamen outlook a WaMu? An even if the bonds were cheap, might they ied ntal at nd e t drop f further? Thes questions w se were on the m minds of many analysts stu y udying the situ uation at WaM Mu. Covered Bonds Co overed bonds were fixed i s income obligations issued by a financi institution and secured by a d ial n dpool o mortgages or other asse They diffe of ets. ered from mo ortgage backe securities ( ed (MBS), in whi an ich issuer would pool mortgages, p r pass them thr rough to a sp pecial-purpos vehicle, and then allocate the se d return from that vehicle to inv ns v vestors. In the case of cove e ered bonds, t underlyin mortgages were the ng kept o the balance sheet of the issuer. The m on e mortgages ser rved as collat teral for the covered bonds In a s. standard mortgage e-backed secu urity, the inve estor in the se ecurity had re ecourse only t the mortgag in to ges Professo Daniel B. Bergs ors stresser and Robin Greenwood and R Research Associate J James Quinn prepa ared this case. This case was develop from s ped publishe sources. HBS ca ed ases are developed solely as the basis for class discussio Cases are not in s on. ntended to serve as endorsements, so s ources of primary data, or illustratio of effective or in y ons neffective managem ment. ght nt Harvard College. T order copies or request permission to reproduce mat To n terials, call 1-800-545-7685, Copyrig  © 2009 Presiden and Fellows of H write Ha arvard Business Sc chool Publishing, Booston, MA 02163, o go to www. hbsp or p. harvard. edu/educators. This publica ation may not be digitized, photoco opied, or otherwise reproduced, poste or transmitted, w ed, without the permis ssion of Harvard Bu usiness School. 209-093 Washington Mutuals Covered Bonds the pool; an investor in a covered bond had recourse to the issuer, as well as a claim that was secured by the mortgages. 2 The mortg ages collateralizing the covered bond were called the â€Å"cover pool†. Covered bonds were typically structured so as to receive a rating of AAA or AA from the major rating organizations (AAA denoted instruments of the highest quality). One important difference between covered bonds and MBS was that the set of mortgages securing the covered bond were dynamic; in contrast, mortgages comprising a MBS remained static once the security was issued. In the case of a covered bond, mortgages that experienced delinquencies were generally substituted out of the pool, with performing mortgages replacing them. Just as the individual mortgages in the cover pool were dynamic, the total size of the cover pool was dynamic as well. The amount of overcollateralization (i. e., the extent to which the size of the cover pool would exceed the face value of the covered bonds) would adjust dynamically depending on the financial health of the issuer. Exhibit 6 shows how recently, as WaMu had been downgraded by the major rating agencies, the â€Å"Asset Percentage† used to calculate the sufficiency of the cover pool had been reduced from 86. 6% to 67. 0%. Thus with $7. 78 Billion in bonds outstanding under the covered bond program, the required size of the cover pool for the WaMu covered bonds had risen from roughly $8. 98 Billion (8. 98 x 86. 6% = 7. 78) up to $11. 61 Billion (11.61 x 67. 0% = 7. 78). Covered bond trustees usually relied on the ratings agencies to establish the quality of the underlying collateral. 3 In recent market turmoil, this task had become more difficult. As mortgage default rates increased, the ratings agencies became increasingly conservative in assigning value to mortgage pools, valuing them at substantial discounts to face value. A variety of models could be used to assess the market value of a mortgage pool, all considered measures of asset quality such as the loan-to-value ratio and the credit quality of the borrowers as summarized by their FICO scores. 4 In the event of a collateral downgrade, the trustee would ask the issuer to replenish assets in the pool. The inability or refusal to update assets at the trustee’s request would constitute issuer default. While new in the United States,5 covered bonds were a long-standing part of the housing finance system in Europe, dating back to bonds issued in 1769 in Prussia. In Continental Europe these bonds, called ‘Pfandbriefe’ or (‘Pledge letters’) in the German-speaking countries, amounted to â‚ ¬2. 1 trillion (see Exhibit 2). By 2008, covered bonds were the second largest fixed income market in Europe. 6 Part of the recent growth could be tied to Basel II banking regulations, coming into full effect in 2008. Torsten Althaus, head of the European covered bonds at credit rating agency Standard and Poors, explained: â€Å"With Basel II aligning regulatory with economical capital requirements, there are fewer incentives to use securitization for regulatory arbitrage. [†¦] Consequently, as there are fewer incentives to move assets off-balance-sheet, retaining assets on-balance-sheet allows issuers to fuel further covered bond issuance. †7 Covered bonds were predominately held by European investors and had generally been viewed as being extremely safe. This view derived in part from the high credit quality of the issuers, in part from the high value of the cover pool assets, and in part from the fact that the status of covered bonds in many European countries was enshrined in specific legislation. This gave covered bond investors a high level of confidence that, should an issuer default, they would be able to successfully enforce their legal claim to the assets in the cover pool. The low perceived risk of covered bonds had led many investors to view the bonds as a ‘rates-plus’ product – effectively a yield-enhanced substitute for sovereign debt. 8 2 Washington Mutuals Covered Bonds 209-093 Rating Covered Bonds The three major credit rating agencies all had specific approaches to rating covered bond issues. Broadly speaking, the ratings approaches focused on ‘notching’, or raising, the credit rating of the bond above the credit rating of the issuer in order to reflect the greater protection of the cash flows promised under the covered bond program. Although the methodologies differed by agency, all three implicitly linked the rating of the covered bond sponsor to the rating of the issue. Fitch Rating Methodology:9 Fitch started with credit quality of underlying sponsor. Fitch assumed that bonds had recourse to the underlying issuer, so the credit quality of the issuer would provide a floor for the credit quality of the covered bond. Starting from this floor, the credit rating was then ‘notched’ depending on the ‘discontinuity factor,’ which essentially reflected the bankruptcy remoteness of the assets in the covered pool. To calculate the discontinuity factor, Fitch looked at the strength of the asset segregation mechanism. One important factor was whether the overcollateralization of the covered bonds was kept out of reach of the unsecured creditors until the covered bonds had been fully repaid. In practice, this could be accomplished through the legislative framework under which the bonds were issued, or through protections built into the structure of the bond. In countries like Germany and France, covered bonds were governed by and issued under specific legislation. This legislation governed the structure of the instruments and the treatment of investors and collateral in the event of default. Covered bonds issued in the United States were issued under the general US contractual law environment, rather than any specific legal statute. In the Fitch rating approach, a low discontinuity factor implied complete separation; a high discontinuity factor implied that distress at the sponsor would result in delays or payment problems for the covered bond. In practice, very few covered bonds had a discontinuity factor of zero. Consider for example the case of Coreal Credit, a German Bank with a BBB- default rating, with a set of covered bonds that were 17. 8% overcollateralized by mortgage assets. Fitch calculated a discontinuity factor of 11. 7%, leaving the covered bond with a rating of AA, a notch below the highest rating. Another issue considered by Fitch was the difficulty bonds faced in replacing the swap agreement, which matched the payments on the bonds with the payments from the mortgages. This hedge could be disrupted by a default at the issuer level, and Fitch adjusted the discontinuity factor in line with the likelihood of disruption. These hedges were important because payments under the bonds often failed to match the currency, timing, or interest rate exposure of payments from the underlying mortgage. Moody’s Rating Methodology:10 Moody’s based their credit rating on a â€Å"joint-default analysis. † Moody’s model simulated the performance of the covered bond each month through maturity. The probability of issuer default in each month was based on the issuer credit rating. This probability in each month was multiplied by the relevant loss to give the expected loss to covered bond investors in each month. The resulting number was the expected loss on the covered bond, which was the source of the bond’s rating. The factors affecting the rating were divided into the issuer credit rating, which affected the issuer’s probability of default, the credit quality of the cover pool, the costs likely to be incurred in refinancing the cover pool in the event that the issuer defaulted, and market risks. Market risk was based on the likely impact of interest rate and currency movements during the period after the default, and reflected the possibility of disruptions in the swaps that were in place to hedge those risks. Standard and Poor’s Methodology:11 Standard and Poor’s focused on the probability of timely payment, rather than explicitly on default of the sponsor. Standard and Poor’s identified four 3 209-093 Washington Mutuals Covered Bonds contributors to the covered bond’s rating: (i) the legal framework, (ii) the quality of the collateral, (iii) the cash flows, especially losses due to credit, maturity, and currency mismatches, and payment delays and servicing costs imposed by disruption at the issuer, and (iv) the degree of overcollateralization. While it was possible that the covered bond was delinked from the rating of the issuer, in practice Standard and Poor’s recognized that default scenarios would likely impose significant payment delays, thereby linking the rating of the issuer with that of the issue. Washington Mutual Washington Mutual was the largest savings institution and 6th largest depository finance institution in the United States. Founded in 1889, the bank had survived the Depression and the savings and loans scandals of the 1980s. By late 2006, the bank had amassed assets of $346 billion, with $214 billion in deposits. Exhibits 3a and 3b show select financials. WaMu offered a range of financial services typical to savings and loan institutions, including: home and home equity loans; multi-family and other commercial real estate loans; credit facilities and cash management for small businesses; credit cards, annuities and insurance products; as well as securities and brokerage services. 12 Historically, WaMu had been a regional bank, with retail banking operations in California and the U. S. Northwest. However, starting in the 1990s, the bank undertook a major expansion initiative, led by CEO Kerry Killinger. Part of the expansion occurred through a series of acquisitions. In 1999, for example, WaMu purchased Long Beach Financial, a Californiabased lender specialized in subprime mortgages – loans to borrowers with poor credit. 13 Over the course of a few years, WaMu increased its retail banking network from 412 stores on the West Coast in 1996 to 1,700 locations across the country by 2003. 14 WaMu became known as a particularly aggressive lender, willing to extend loans even to clientswith low incomes or poor credit histories. 15 In 2003, as part of this WaMu’s expansion, the bank introduced an advertising campaign backed by the slogan â€Å"The Power of Yes. † While some of WaMu’s loans were financed by the bank’s large deposit base, the majority were securitized –i. e. , pooled and packaged – and then sold to the secondary market. Sustained by a buoyant housing market, Wamu shareholders collected substantial profits between 2000 and 2004 (see Exhibits 3a and 3b). In 2004, for example, U. S. home prices appreciated by nearly 20 percent. Urban areas in California, Florida, Nevada, and Arizona experienced particularly rapid price appreciation. In an environment of rapid housing price appreciation, a borrower who suffered a decline in household income could avoid default by selling or refinancing the home. As housing prices rose, WaMu expanded its product mix from home loans and home equity loans into lines of credit, subprime mortgages, and other real estate products. WaMu was an early seller of mortgage products known as â€Å"option ARMs,† which were adjustable rate mortgages that offered low initial payments designed to escalate over time. For WaMu, these loans were attractive because they carried high fees, and allowed the bank to state profits for interest payments that borrowers had not paid yet. In 2003, adjustable rate mortgages comprised about a quarter of WaMu’s lending portfolio; by 2006, about 70 percent. 16 Housing prices in most U. S. markets peaked in 2005, as shown in Exhibit 4. As housing prices leveled off in 2006 and began to fall in 2007, (see Exhibit 4), WaMu profits initially remained relatively flat. In 2006, WaMu posted profits of $3. 5 billion on $13. 5 billion in total revenue. Nevertheless, the bank took some precautionary measures, cutting jobs in an effort to contain costs. 17 It was in this environment of cooling home prices that WaMu turned to the covered bond market in late 2006. 4 Washington Mutuals Covered Bonds 209-093 WaMu’s Covered Bond Program WaMu entered the covered bond market in September 2006 with a dual-tranche 4B EUR issue. 18 One tranche followed closely by analysts was a â‚ ¬2 billion 5-year fixed rate issue, maturing on September 27, 2011. The bond paid a coupon of 3. 875 percent and was not callable.  19 At the time the bond was issued, WaMu was the only covered bond issuer outside of Europe. (The remaining covered bonds were issued in May 2007 and matured in 2014). WaMu’s covered bonds were popular with investors – the initial placement of the bonds was four times oversubscribed. 20,21 While it was impossible to tell the exact identities of the current holders of the bonds, it was widely speculated that the Euro-denominated bonds had ended up with European pension funds and banks. The covered bonds initially traded at a yield to maturity of 3. 90%, compared to the yield on a 5-year German government bond of 3.62%. LIBOR, the average dollar denominated interbank rate was 5. 40% and EUROIBOR, the average interbank lending rate denominated in Euros was 3. 06%. The covered bonds were issued by WM Covered Bond Program (WMCB), a statutory trust organized in the State of Delaware. The covered bonds were secured by a series of mortgage bonds issued by WaMu Bank and purchased by WMCB, who sold the bonds via a placement agent to institutional investors. The mortgage bonds, in turn, were secured by a pool of residential mortgage loans owned and serviced by WaMu Bank. The covered bonds could also be secured by â€Å"substitution assets† pledged by WaMu Bank. 22 Exhibit 5 summarizes the structure of Washington Mutual’s covered bond program. Under the terms of the covered bond program, each series of mortgage bonds was held as collateral for a separate series of covered bonds, and would secure only that series of covered bonds. However, if Washington Mutual Bank were to default on any of its mortgage bond obligations, each series of the covered bonds would share pro rata in any proceeds from the cover pool. As holder of the mortgage bonds, WMCB was required to use the proceeds to pay interest and principal on the related series of covered bonds. However, as the covered bonds were denominated in Euros, WMCB first had to swap the dollar proceeds from the mortgage bonds into Euros. The swap program, typical of covered bond programs, was used to manage timing and currency mismatches between payments to the covered bond holders and payments from the underlying portfolio of mortgages. The asset monitor of the cover pool periodically applied an â€Å"asset coverage test† to check that the mortgages in the pool would be sufficient to pay the interest and principal on the covered bonds. A breach of the asset coverage test would constitute default for WaMu Bank, which would then allow the monitor (who also, in this case, acted as a trustee) to enforce its interest over the cover pool. Provided that WaMu Bank preserved investment grade status, the asset coverage test would be performed annually or anytime that a substitution was made in the cover pool. But, as WaMu Bank had recently been downgraded, the program required that the asset coverage test be performed monthly. The Asset coverage test: If on any â€Å"determination date†23 the adjusted aggregate loan amount was less than the aggregate principal amount of all outstanding mortgage bonds, then WaMu Bank was required to add additional eligible mortgage loans. The adjusted aggregate loan amount was the lower of (a) the sum of the Loan-to-Value current balance of each mortgage loan in the cover pool, which was itself the lower of (i) the unpaid principal balance and (ii) the indexed valuation of the loan multiplied by 0.75; and (b) AP times the sum of the â€Å"adjusted current balance† of mortgage loans in the cover pool, which itself was the lower of (i) the unpaid principal balance of the respective 5 209-093 Washington Mutuals Covered Bonds loan, and (ii) the index value of the mortgage loan. Indexed valuations were based on regional housing indices. 24 AP deno ted the â€Å"asset percentage,† usually 93 percent, although this figure could be revised downwards if the ratings agencies felt that expected loss rates on the underlying mortgages could be higher. The expected losses would be based on Standard and Poor’s or Fitch, two of the three ratings agencies. Some analysts felt that the ratings agencies had been increasingly cautious in recent months, revising upwards loss rates on mortgage backed loans. As shown in Exhibit 6, the asset percentage had been lowered to 67 percent. Under the terms of the covered bond program, WaMu Bank was not allowed to merge or consolidate with any other persons or entity, or to change its bank holding company status, unless the new entity acquired all assets of the issuer and agreed to the punctual payment of principal and interest on the mortgages bonds. Distress at WaMu WaMu’s 2007 first-quarter profit, reported in April, showed a roughly 20% decline relative to Q1 2006. At the time, the U. S. economy was approaching a sharp decline in housing starts and sales, and the business press warned against an inevitable run of foreclosures. CEO Kerry Killinger spoke publicly of â€Å"unprecedented deterioration† in the subprime-mortgage market. Inventories of unsold homes were reaching their highest levels in eighteen years, with the supply of single-family homes on the market, which had averaged six months historically, reaching 10 months nationally. In California, the supply of single-family homes in inventory stood at 15 months. By December 2007, WaMu’s stock price reached a low of $13. 07,25 as the bank cut its dividend by 73%. 26 Throughout banking and financial services, evidence pointed to sector-wide failure: In February, leading London bank HSBC, whose American mortgage unit HSBC Finance had originated the majority of U. S. subprime mortgages, announced $11 billion in write-downs to offset anticipated losses related to failed loans. 27 In March, Bear Stearns shut down two of its hedge funds, in the midst of large losses.

Local, national and European economies impact on Vauxhall Motors and JD Wetherspoon Essays

Local, national and European economies impact on Vauxhall Motors and JD Wetherspoon Essays Local, national and European economies impact on Vauxhall Motors and JD Wetherspoon Essay Local, national and European economies impact on Vauxhall Motors and JD Wetherspoon Essay In investigating to what extent local, national and European economies impact on two contrasting organisations within the UK, Vauxhall Motors and JD Wetherspoon provide a interesting and informative perspective to base this on. An organisation has traditionally been defined as a group of people with a common purpose. According to this view, the organisation is a distinct entity separate from its environment. This means that if the organisations environment changes the organisations has to adapt. So in looking at economics, which is essentially an organisations environment, you need to understand what exactly economics are. The fact is economics affect our daily lives. Continually we are being made aware of local, national and international economic problems, and continually we are faced with economic problems and decisions of our own. Basically economics is essentially about money. This is measured by how much money people are paid, how much they spend, what it is costs to buy various items, how much moneys firms earn and how much money there is in total in the economy. But despite the large number of areas in which our lives are concerned with money, economics is more than just the study of money. There are many areas such as the production and consumption of goods, demand and supply, which affect organisations. With this is mine two UK companies which have been affected heavily in recent years buy local, national and European Economies are Vauxhall Motors and JD Wetherspoon. They have been affected in very different ways and this report will try and demonstrate the ways in which these companies have been affected. Vauxhall Motors Firstly Vauxhall Motors is one of the longest established motor manufacturers in the world, and part of the worlds largest corporation General Motors. Founded in 1903 the company now employs 7,000 people directly, and supports an estimated 30,000 further jobs in the UK. It is estimated that approximately 100,000 people are employed throughout the entire supply chain to support Vauxhalls presence in the UK from raw material suppliers to dealership staff. One major manufacturing facility, UK parts warehouse and headquarters are located in the Luton area. The second major manufacturing facility where the Astra is produced was opened in Ellesmere Port in 1963, and in 1992 a major engine facility was added, exporting V6 engines and components throughout the world. Latest Position During 2001 car production continued at both the UK sites. As part of Europe-wide restructuring to stem losses and return GMs European operations to profitability, 2000 ended with the difficult announcement that car production at the Luton plant would cease in 2002. Throughout the year the manufacturing plant developed and implemented a strategy for a dignified end of production, scheduled for the end of March 2002. For a look at its current position please see appendix A. On the same site is Vauxhall Powertrain, which produces V6 engines for GM-Fiat Powertrain customers around the world. With increased sales volumes in 2001 the company became the leading supplier of UK-produced vehicles to the domestic market, and Vauxhall also boasts the widest range of UK-manufactured cars and vans, including Astra, Astravan Frontera, Vectra and Vivaro. Vauxhalls average total employment for the year was 8,362, excluding some 500 staff transferred to GM Fiat powertrain and purchasing joint ventures during 2001. With the plant at Ellesmere Port, Vauxhall is the largest private employer in Cheshire. Also for employees, Vauxhall have enhanced Family Friendly policies, offering a new industry-leading maternity and paternity benefit programme. Retail operations are provided by 507 franchised retailers throughout the UK. From looking at Vauxhall current position you can see its main aim to get back to profitability. (See appendix B) JD Wetherspoon JD Wetherspoon on the other hand is a fairly new company and has an organic growth in process. A 24-year-old law student named Tim Martin acquired his first ever pub in North London in December 1979, but he could never have envisaged how popular his style of operation was to prove. He is said to have been spurred on by the lack of good quality pubs in the area where he was living, he decided to take action by purchasing the outlet he drank in, which he named Wetherspoons. His first pub offered a good range of cask-conditioned beers in a music-free environment. Twenty years on, the range of beers and the absence of any music, form the twin cornerstones of the companys pubs, together with their all-day food and non-smoking areas. In the formative years of the company, Wetherspoon pubs were all located in North London. But, as the company grew, it began to open pubs across London and in the Home Counties. Following its successful Stock Market floatation in 1992, Wetherspoon began to expand rapidly. In 1994 it opened its first pub in the Midlands, The Square Peg in Birmingham, followed by others in major cities, including Bristol, Liverpool and Manchester. (See appendix C) Latest Position There are now more than 435 Wetherspoon outlets throughout the UK. The company aims to continue opening new pubs for the foreseeable future. Wetherspoon Chairman Tim Martin said: in the past 20 years Wetherspoon has grown from a single pub to a national company. However our commitment to comfortable, music-free pubs offering excellent beer, all-day food and first-class service has remained consistent, regardless of the size of the company. Wetherspoon is set to open approximately 80 new Pubs and Lloyds No.1 bars during the next 12 months as it builds on a record-breaking year. In the financial year ended July 28 2002, the companys turnover and pre-tax profits were at their highest levels ever. A total of 87 outlets opened across the UK in the year, including unprecedented numbers of Lloyds bars and Wetherspoon Lodges. (Please see appendix D) Types of Organisations There are many ways of classifying organisations: large, medium or small; local, national or international; primary, secondary or tertiary. However for the purpose of this report the best way to define them is either private, public, charitable and voluntary. Both Vauxhall Motors and JD Wetherspoon are Private organisations. Vauxhall is a larger company than JD Wetherspoon. Vauxhall has international links where JD Wetherspoon is UK based. Essentially both companies provide a service to its customers and would be considered large companies. The service they provide is very different and they dont have any link, or hopefully they shouldnt. The main thing to remember between the two from there latest positions are one is in decline (Vauxhall Motors) and the other is growing rapidly (JD Wetherspoon). Organisations Purpose, Aims and Objectives Organisations need to have aims and objectives to be able to focus on the clear direction needed for success in the modern business world. The aim is the overarching goal for the organisation, which can be broken down into a subset of objectives to achieve the aim. Business organisations aims usually relate to profit, market share, return on capital employed, sales, growth, levels of service and customer/user perception. In the case of both Vauxhall Motors and JD Wetherspoon this is no different. Vauxhall Motors In 2000 reported that the main economic challenge for Vauxhall was returning to profitability. Although economic performance in 2001 went some way to reversing the losses witnessed in 2000, a return to profitability remains the overriding economic challenge for the company. Following the launch of a record four new products in 2000, a further four new vehicles were launched in 2001 (Vivaro, Combo, Corsavan and Astra convertible) assisting sales through the year, and with the launch of New Vectra in 2002 and extensive cost saving and revenue building programmes in place, Vauxhall aims to break even in 2002 and return to sustained profitability in 2003. So using initiative and new ideas is an objective of Vauxhall to get back to profitability. But essential Vauxhall have much the same objectives as of any other company. JD Wetherspoon The organisation owns and operates pubs throughout the UK. Without the gimmies of profit, market share etc. The company aims to provide customers with good-quality food and drink, served by well-trained and friendly staff, at reasonable prices (See appendix E). The pubs are individually designed and excellently maintained. This has been an underpinning aim of JD Wetherspoon as they look to such areas of customer loyalty as a method of increasing profits. Some companies, especially pubs, have not had this in mine and there is not enough emphasis on customer service. JD Wetherspoon is said to be always committed to quality, choice and value. JD Wetherspoon has taken a simple idea that people go to pubs for good beer, food and service, in a clean and friendly environment and turned it into a major success story; one which is growing by two new openings each week. JD Wetherspoon is said to give as much back to our people as possible and have one of the best benefits packages in the business. The other major aim is to continue its rapid growth this is proving the country with jobs. Essential Vauxhall are trying to claw its way back where as JD Wetherspoon is onwards and upwards with its aims and objectives. Responsibilities Organisations have a range of responsibilities to their stakeholders. Both these organisations have many responsibilities. Social During 2001 Vauxhall developed an umbrella social policy, which summarises a number of existing policies into a single document. The aim of the policy is to communicate better with employees and the wider public on key issues to Vauxhall, including health and safety, human rights, equal opportunities, community involvement and supplier conduct. A look at the Vauxhalls social highlight and challenge can be seen in appendices F and G. Environmental Responsibility for environmental issues is delegated throughout the company, from the Managing Director, who is the main board environmental champion, to the shop floor. Corporate issues are discussed and agreed by the Environmental Issues Team, which comprises individuals with environmental responsibilities from various parts of the company. So essentially Vauxhall are meeting their responsibilities in designing schemes and methods to measure this. Vauxhall have also won many awards in this area (See appendix H).A look at the Vauxhalls environmental challenge can be seen in appendix I. JD Wetherspoon has more social responsibilities due to the area of the pub business. This is in the sense of the area of alcohol, which is not socially responsible in the first place. JD Wetherspoon is meeting its responsibilities by been profitable and providing excellent quality of service.

Everything You Need to Know About Anti-Vaxxers

Everything You Need to Know About Anti-Vaxxers Per the CDC, during January 2015, there were 102 reported cases of measles across 14 states; most linked to an outbreak at Disney Land in Anaheim, California. In 2014, a record 644 cases were reported across 27 states- the highest number since measles was considered eliminated in 2000. The majority of these cases were reported among unvaccinated individuals, with more than half  located in an Amish community in Ohio. According to the  CDC, this resulted in a dramatic 340 percent increase in measles cases between 2013 and 2014. Despite the fact that ample scientific research has disproven the falsely asserted connection between Autism and vaccinations, increasing numbers of parents are choosing to not vaccinate their children for a number of preventable and potentially fatal diseases, including measles, polio, meningitis, and whooping cough. So, who are the anti-vaxxers? And, what motivates their behavior? Pew Research Center found in a recent study of the difference between scientists and the publics views on key issues that just 68 percent of U.S. adults believe that childhood vaccinations should be required by law. Digging deeper into this data, Pew released another report in 2015 that sheds more light on views on vaccinations. Given all the media attention to the purported wealthy nature of anti-vaxxers, what they found might surprise you. Their survey revealed that the only key variable that significantly shapes whether one believes vaccinations should be required or be the decision of parents is age. Young adults are much more likely to believe that parents should have the right to choose, with 41 percent of those 18-29 years old claiming this, compared with 30 percent of the overall adult population.  They found no significant effect of class,  race, gender, education, or parental status. However, Pews findings are limited to views on vaccines. When we examine practices- who is vaccinating their children versus who is not- very clear economic, educational, and cultural trends emerge. Anti-Vaxxers Are Predominantly Wealthy and White Several studies have found that recent outbreaks among unvaccinated populations have been clustered among upper and middle-income populations. A study published in 2010 in  Pediatrics  that examined a 2008 measles outbreak in San Diego, CA found that  reluctance to vaccinate ... was associated with health beliefs, particularly among well-educated, upper- and middle-income segments of the population, similar to those seen in measles outbreak patterns elsewhere in 2008 [emphasis added]. An older study, published in Pediatrics  in 2004, found similar trends, but in addition, tracked race. The researchers found,  Unvaccinated children tended to be white, to have a mother who was married and had a college degree, [and] to live in a household with an annual income exceeding 75,000 dollars. Writing in  Los Angeles Times, Dr. Nina Shapiro,  Director of Pediatric Ear, Nose, and Throat at the Mattel Childrens Hospital UCLA, used data from Los Angeles to reiterate this socio-economic trend. She noted that in Malibu, one of the citys wealthier areas, one elementary school reported that just 58 percent of kindergartners were vaccinated, as compared to 90 percent of all kindergartners across the state. Similar rates were found at other schools in wealthy areas, and some private schools had just 20 percent of kindergartners vaccinated.  Other unvaccinated clusters have been identified in wealthy enclaves including Ashland, OR and Boulder, CO. Anti-Vaxxers Trust in Social Networks, Not Medical Professionals So, why is this predominantly wealthy, white minority choosing to not vaccinate their children, thereby putting at risk those who are under-vaccinated due to economic inequality and legitimate health risks? A 2011 study published in  Archives of Pediatrics Adolescent Medicine  found that parents who chose to not vaccinate did not believe vaccines to be safe and effective, did not believe their children at risk of the disease in question, and had little trust in the government and medical establishment on this issue. The 2004 study cited above found similar results. Importantly, a 2005 study found that social networks exerted the strongest influence in the decision to not vaccinate. Having anti-vaxxers in ones social network makes a parent significantly less likely to vaccinate their children. This means that as much as non-vaccination is an economic and racial trend, it is also a cultural  trend, reinforced through the shared values, beliefs, norms, and expectations common to ones social network. Sociologically speaking, this collection of evidence points to a very particular habitus, as elaborated by late French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu. This term refers, in essence, to ones disposition, values, and beliefs, which act as forces that shape ones behavior. It is the totality of ones experience in the world, and ones access to material and cultural resources, that determines ones habitus, and so cultural capital plays a significant role in shaping it. The Costs of Race and Class Privilege These studies reveal that anti-vaxxers have very particular forms of cultural capital, as they are mostly highly educated, with mid- to upper-level incomes. It is quite possible that for anti-vaxxers, a confluence of educational, economic, and racial privilege  produces the belief that one knows better than the scientific and medical communities at large, and a blindness to the negative implications that ones actions may have on others. Unfortunately, the costs to society and to those without economic security are potentially quite great. Per the studies cited above, those opting out of vaccines for their children put at risk those who are unvaccinated due to limited access to material resources and health care- a population composed primarily of children living in poverty, many of whom are racial minorities. This means that wealthy, white, highly educated anti-vaccination parents are mostly putting at risk the health of poor, unvaccinated children. Viewed this way, the anti-vaxxer issue looks a lot like arrogant privilege running rogue over the structurally oppressed. In the wake of the 2015 California measles outbreak, the American Academy of Pediatrics released a statement urging vaccination and reminding parents of the very serious and potentially fatal outcomes of contracting preventable diseases like measles. Readers interested in learning more about the social and cultural trends behind anti-vaccination should look to  The Panic Virus  by Seth Mnookin.

Simple Network Management Protocol Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Simple Network Management Protocol - Essay Example For instance, network operating on SNMP will be associated with three components i.e. managed devices, agents and network management system (NMS). A managed device can be any node configured with SNMP within the network. The primary task of these managed devices is to perform information management in order to publish the information on the NMS (Protocols guide: TCP/IP protocols: Application layer protocols: SNMP: Simple network management protocol. 2007). Example of managed devices includes routers, hubs, switches etc. Moreover, an agent is considered as an application that is installed in a managed device. In addition, an agent also translates information that will be compatible with SNMP. Furthermore, NMS publish information related to performance, power and any conflict that may occur between these managed devices on the network. Currently, there are three versions of SNMP, these versions share some commands and features that are described in the below table (Protocols guide: TCP /IP protocols: Application layer protocols: SNMP: Simple network management protocol. 2007): Management information base (MIB) is a component of SNMP that assist network engineers and managers to monitor the network functionality via interfaces. For instance, if an organization is developing a new application that will be administered remotely, the developer will integrate a MIB within the application. The MIB will illustrate information and variables for generating alerts (SNMP overview, n.d). Moreover, RFC1213-MIB is also referred as MIB 2, it is compatible with all SNMP agents that may operate on TCP/IP supported devices. The MIB-2 management group is essential, as SNMP supported devices must support MIB-2, in order to work adequately (A closer look at MIB-II (essential SNMP, n.d)). The MIB file hosts a sketch that is associated with the object hierarchy on the network device along with ID of the object i.e. OID, permissions and syntax for every single variable.