Yoga Teachers Reveal Their Tips For Everyday Mindfulness

Yoga Teachers Reveal Their Tips For Everyday Mindfulness ​ With so many distractions occupying our every thought these days, it's hard to concentrate on just one thing at a time or to even clear our minds at all, which is why mindfulness awareness is so invaluable. It's important to make some time for ourselves and to find stillness in our mindswithin a chaotic world, but it can be difficult to know where to start. We asked the below yoga teachers what their top tip would be for bringing mindfulness into everyday life. This list of expert tips is the perfect place to start for carrying out small but effective methods into your everyday routine which you can start implementing today.These tips are particularly great if you're a student and you're struggling concentrating on that exam revision or coping with University stress. Enjoy some well-deserved 'you' time! Taylor Harkness... a former paramedic now aiming to unite others through yoga and optimistic neuropsychology "Yogis' talk a lot about being mindful, and for good reason. It's so easy to get sucked out of the present, especially with our constant bombardment of stimulation these days. The human brain has a finite amount of cerebral capacity, and is estimated to be roughly equivalent to 56 bits of information per second. This is why it's very hard to focus on two people talking at once and nearly impossible to focus on three. Whenever I feel myselfspiralling, it's usually because I've lost my sense ofthe present -I'm either stressed about the future, concerned with the past or simply distracted. One of the best tips that I've come to live by is this: become more mindful by making it a habit and a routine to disconnect from technology during activities. For example, when you're having a conversation, practice not looking at your phone, tv, or computer. Instead, try noticing the color of the person's eyes, or the way that they smile. When eating a meal, focus on the aromas and flavors of the food and silence your cell phone. Stop multitasking and instead, do whatever you're currently doing one hundred percent. It takes time and practicebut it eventually becomes second nature. Less reliance upon and distraction by technology means more cerebral capacity for the present moment. Begin paying more attention to the things around you and watch how it permeates into the rest of your life." www.taylorharkness.comStephanie Spence... writer, adventurer,yoga teacher and screenwriter from California "Stay in the present moment, that's where power is. This is a skill that can be learned. Practice brings rewards. Build your appreciation muscle. What you focus on magnifies, so train yourself to focus on the good things in your life. Embrace your emotions! When you don't feel good, your emotions are letting you know that you are not aligned with joy and abundance, so stop the train of thoughts that brought you to this point and accept yourself and everything around you exactly as they are at this moment."Allie Flavio... born and raised Florida girl who loves the ocean, outdoors and all types of adventure "Gratitude Movement. A gratitude practice is a wonderful way to stay grounded, connected and humbled in times of stress. By recognizing the simple, yet profoundly incredible aspects of our lives, we can truly appreciate the rest of the madness. Wondering how to do this? Start a gratitude practice. Write down three things you're grateful for every damn day. Keep it simple, keep it light, keep it fun. It can literally be anything - your cup of coffee, the comfortable bed you sleep in, your outfit, your family and friends, the food you ate...truly, everything is fair game. A movement practice can also be anything, so long as you move, breathe, and feel yourself come alive. Whether you walk, run, do yoga, dance, rock climb, or swim, there's no wrong way to move. The only requirement is that you connect to you, your beautiful self, and the miracle that your body is! Just like the above practice - keep it simple, enjoy it, don't put too much pressure on it. Just move andmove every damn day!"www.thejourneyjunkie.comRandi Ragan... holistic wellbeing expert and speaker, mindfulness teacher, ceremonial guide and green living entrepreneur "I would urge young people to simply try and find moments they can build into each and every day, that allows them to pause, step back, center themselves and focus on their breathing to turn this pause into a sacred ritual of self-care that provides a bubble of uninterrupted, quiet focus. They don't have to be thinking of anything in particular in fact, to NOT think of anything but the present moment is the goal. Do this by becoming aware of how their breath feels, how their skin feels, how the air around them feels; what sounds they hear; to close their eyes and simply BE without ANY kind of distraction (here's looking at you technology!). I like to work the sacred number 108 into these pause rituals'. (108 is the number of mala beads on a Buddhist prayer necklace. It shows up in Yoga texts and ancient Hindu scriptures as well). Take 108 steps in a mindful walk, breath and meditate for 108 breaths or 1 minute and 8 seconds, count to 108 while listening to bird sounds, take your pause ritual at 1:08 pm every day, spend 1 hour and 8 minutes writing in your journal every week literally you can apply this number to anything that you want to set aside and make sacred as YOUR time to be mindful. The more the Pause Ritual is practiced, the more one appreciates its power, and the power to radically alter the way we live our lives on a daily basis. This is Mindfulness In Action!"www.randiragan.comAdam Husler... bringing something a little different to the yoga-mix A photo posted by Adam Husler (@adamhusler) on Jul 23, 2016 at 8:53am PDT [tcb-script async="" defer="" src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"][/tcb-script] A photo posted by Adam Husler (@adamhusler) on Jul 20, 2016 at 5:31am PDT [tcb-script async="" defer="" src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"][/tcb-script] "Take 5 to 10 minutes in the morning to simply sit. Keep with the back of your body long, the front of your body open and spend some time bearing witness to you breath. Don't have any expectations, don't look of an elated feeling or a journey in your head, but simply spend some time trying to find calm. Whenever your mind starts to wander to the future or past, return back to the object of your focus; your breath. It can be as simple as that."www.adamhusleryoga.comSarah Highfield... London-based yoga teacher with a passion for achieving the miraculous work-life balance "Try to remain present; yoga takes us into the present moment, it's the only place where life really exists. We spend far too much time thinking about the past or feeling anxious about the future. Stay focused during your practice, move with your breath and the rest will follow."www.sarahhighfield.comGwen Lawrence... yoga instructor andfounder of Power Yoga For Sports program "Learn diaphragmatic breathing. Simply learning to breath in and out through your nose only, utilizing the bodies natural filtration system (the nose) as well, the nose is built to warm or cool the entering air appropriately for full effectiveness for the body. Adding to that, diaphragmatic breathing means breathing in and out through the nose and deep down into the belly not shallow chest breathing. When you breathe this way as opposed to through the mouth and in the chest you shut off the bodies fight or flight response mechanism and can quickly calm the body, mind and reduce stress, fear and anxiety. Of course there are many simple techniques you can do, but this is the gold standard user friendly one to pick no matter where you are or what situation you find yourself in."www.gwenlawrence.comMeadow DeVor... author, yoga teacher, master life coach and founder of Yoga Church "My best tip is to remember to breathe. Our breath is always available as an anchor to ground us and to help us feel connected to the present moment. Take 3 deep breaths on purpose. It's the quickest way to change your state."www.meadowdevor.comKatarina Rayburn... London-based Dynamic Vinyasayoga teacher and practicesDharma yoga herself "My top tip for bringing mindfulness into everyday life would 100% be to practice yoga regularly but I appreciate that isn't realistic for everyone. So if that's the case then I'd say give yourself at least 10 minutes in the day where you are completely removed from any distractions, any technology and allow yourself to switch off, cultivating a more internal focus. Starting to notice your breath, linking the body and the mind, which is what we aim to achieve from a yoga practice. If you can get outside in the fresh air, even better! Removing all the clutter and just getting back to basics, it helps me to appreciate the simple things. It's so important to give your mind and body conscious rest, whether it's in Savasana or just sat alone in a park."www.katarinarayburnyoga.comCalli Popham... specialises in teaching yoga inversions in a playful and accessible way A photo posted by Calli Cat (@calliyoga) on Aug 3, 2016 at 2:28am PDT [tcb-script async="" defer="" src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"][/tcb-script] A photo posted by Calli Cat (@calliyoga) on Jul 7, 2016 at 3:17am PDT [tcb-script async="" defer="" src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"][/tcb-script] "Start to write a gratitude list. Every single day, take a moment first thing in the morning to write down at least 10 things that you are grateful for and why. The more we can reflect on the every day things we are grateful for, the more positive and happy we feel and the more wonderful things we welcome in. You can also start to add in things that you would like to manifest, and write them down as if they have already happened, say thank you and then watch the magic happen!"www.calliyoga.co.ukSoul Analyse... online communitybuilt to remind you of who you are and help you gain clarity in an overloaded world ​ "Present Moment Awareness The mind can be one of the biggest distractions when it comes to studying; you might sit down to work on an important project and suddenly your mind is wandering elsewhere, which leaves little room for productivity and concentration. Dwelling on the past and worrying about the future tend to be the biggest culprits of mind-wandering, so the best way to prevent your mind from straying is to bring your attention to the here and now. Breathing exercises are a great way to stay present, and you can try this method anytime you notice your mind wandering: Sitting in a comfortable position, focus your awareness on your breath don't try to change your breathing in any way, just simply observe. Feel the air as it flows into your body as you inhale, and listen to it as it leaves your body as you exhale. This helps to shift your attention from the mind and onto whatever is happening right now. Living in the present moment has many incredible benefits; when we are in a heightened state of awareness, our concentration increases and we are less likely to be distracted by intrusive thoughts. As a result, we experience increased peace, calm and happiness in our lives." www.soulanalyse.comKelly Brooks... trying to change the perspective of yoga, making it fun and accessible to everyone "Move your body, feel alive, breathe. The breath is so important for mindfulness. When you start to feel stressed out and like you have too much to do and you don't know where to start focus back on your breathing, "sit upright" I know our mothers told us that all the time as children but when we are slouching it's stopping us from breathing effectively. Long deep breath in and a long deep breath out, drop your tongue to the lower palate and relax the face and jaw. Just 5 deep breathes can make a difference when you are feeling overwhelmed. Another tip is to try and find something positive in every situation, life is out of our control and sometimes things don't go to plan. Staying present in each moment, allowing the emotions to come and go will help." www.kellybrooksyoga.comNatasha Sherikhora... finding inner peace to cultivate mindfulness, strength and flexibility in your body and mind "Yoga and mindfulness provides opportunity to de-stress, relax and to better cope with the stresses that are involved with being a student. During the busy periods of exams it feels impossible to squeeze anything else in your schedule, that's why it's so important to find some time for yourself in order to allow your mind to clear and to help your body to release the tension that you are constantly accumulating due to the stress. Start your morning with 10-15 minutes of easy meditation and your favourite physical exercises. You can even start in a bed, laying down with your spine straight, knees bent, right palm on the heart centre, left palm is on your belly. Alternatively sit tall on the chair or on the floor with you legs crossed, crown of the head reaches up, chin is parallel to the floor. Close your eyes and try to focus on the breath, observe all the sensations associated with the breath - your belly rises, chest expands, air goes in and out through your nostrils. Try to deepen your breath and pay special attention to lengthening your exhalation. These long soothing exhales are your best friend in every stressful situation, use it any time you need to focus and calm down. Don't underestimate the power of the breath, really soon you will notice the benefits even at the beginning it may feel like waist of time :) A few rounds of San Salutations, gentle stretching, a short run or dancing to your favourite song helps to improve blood flow, releasesendorphins and improves your mood for the day ahead! With all the classes, homework, exams, parents' expectations and jobs outside of school you are constantly under pressure. It's easy to lose your focus, to forget the purpose and to loose motivation. Stay present, don't compare yourself with anyone else, focus on the positive sides of the process and most be patient with yourself"www.soluckysogreen.comRachel Scott... artistic educator, romantic adventurer and yoga nerd "Being a student can be stressful! Juggling deadlines, workloads, and extracurricular activities can lead to anxiety and burn out. Mindfulness is a wonderful tool for reducing stress while increasing focus. One of my favourite mindfulness techniques is also the simplest: counting the breath. Best of all, you can do it wherever you are: in the library, seated before a test, or even during a lecture. - Sit comfortably with a tall spine. - Begin to count your breath: inhale for a count of four, and exhale for a count of four. - Continue to inhale and exhale slowly and evenly. - Repeat 5-10 times. Even just 5-10 repetitions will help to calm the body and still the busy-ness of the mind. If you have the time, extend the length of this practice to five minutes for a soothing and effective meditation. This simple exercise is a gem: slowing the breath pacifies the nervous system, while counting the breath helps to focus and clear the mind."www.rachelyoga.comKate Watson... Co-founder of NEUlotus, a multi-use yoga prop to help with alignment and support "Alignment in mindfulness and breath. When we talk about mindfulness and presence, the first thing we discuss is breath. How should you breathe to create a sense of relaxation in the body and mind? Diaphragmatic breathing drops our body out of the fight or flight' body response and into the parasympathetic nervous system, and this is where we need to be to relax! Our fight or flight' response is where we are mostly living these days and it is nearly impossible to relax in this state. Excess weight, stress, insomnia, addiction and a lack of concentration are all side effects of being in this fight or flight' state. This is where the breath can help change the bodies health, Pranayama. To begin a good Pranayama practice, find a comfortable position where your body can be in neutral, this will allow your diaphragm the proper space to expand and drop with the opening of your ribcage. Breathe deep and wide into your ribcage and exhale completely until the last stale air of your lungs exits the body. Repeat this breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth until you soften. Really take the time to concentrate on visualizing the breathe moving in and out of the body. Do you feel the softness and the ease? This is presence. This is alignment and mindfulness. Enjoy."

Tornado Dangers and Quick Safety Tips

Tornado Dangers and Quick Safety Tips Perhaps one of the most feared weather anomalies is the tornado. The unpredictability of a tornado produces terror in many families. Some people are so afraid they develop a phobia called lilapsophobia. A large part of this fear stems from the fact that tornadoes can develop with little warning and are extremely violent.   Tornadoes Cause Damage in Three Ways Strong Winds:  The strong winds of a tornado can rip just about anything off of the ground including trees, vehicles, and even houses. The winds inside of tornadoes travel at over 310 miles per hour. Even weak tornadoes can pull shingles and siding off of houses.Debris:  The second damaging effect of tornadoes is actually from the debris that the storm picks up. People have been buried alive by houses or mud picked up and then dropped by a tornado. Smaller objects become damaging projectiles when thrown by tornadoes. One tornado took a child’s bicycle and wrapped it around a tree!Hail and Lightning:  It is not only the wind that causes damage in a tornado, but also the hail and lightning that the storm produces. Large hailstones can damage cars and injure people, and lighting can cause fires and electrical problems. The Environment Suffers From Tornadoes Tornadoes produce devastating effects on the environment. They can uproot trees, cause mass migrations of animals, and destroy the habitats of local wildlife. Family Safety During a Tornado If there is a tornado approaching, what safety measures should you take? First, it is important to realize that there is no specific way to know if a storm is going to produce a tornado. Meteorologists have developed warning systems that tell them if a storm is capable of producing a tornado.   During severe weather, have a weather radio on.  They are relatively inexpensive and could save your life. If you hear the announcer say there is a tornado watch, that means the conditions are correct for forming a tornado. A tornado warning means a tornado has been spotted. If you hear a tornado warning, you may be in danger! If You Hear a Tornado Warning... First, find shelter in the lowest possible place, such as a basement. If your home does not have a basement, go to the innermost room. Stay clear of windows or anything heavy like furniture or appliances. A bathroom is a good location. Take your battery-powered weather radio to your shelter and turn it on. Kneel on the floor and cover your head with your hands. This is the best position to be in to avoid damage during a tornado. Should you be caught out in the open with a tornado approaching, do not try to outrun the storm. Find a low lying spot such as a ravine and crouch down with your arms over your head. Because tornadoes are so unpredictable, you are in much more danger if you try to outrun them. While tornadoes cause much damage in the areas where they hit, one good thing about tornadoes is that the area they damage is relatively small. If you take a few safety precautions, you have the best chance of making it through a dangerous tornado. Resources and Further Reading The Weather Watchers Library: Tornadoes by Dean GalianoTornado Alert! By Wendy Scavuzzo   Edited by Tiffany Means

A Communication Media Approach towards Marketing Essay

A Communication Media Approach towards Marketing - Essay Example From this study it is clear that most often the already existing patients constitute an accessible potential for generating additional business. Email newsletters not only allow the healthcare organizations to stay frequently in touch with their customers, but also allow them to keep their customers continually apprised of the availability of new procedures, latest developments taking place in specific fields and specialties, important events, available equipments and varied helpful promotional activities. The already existing patients are often more likely to subscribe to the additional services offered by a healthcare organization, provided they take the care to inform them and communicate with them. Hence, email newsletters are a great means of sharing ideas with the customers.This paper declares that email newsletters are an effective means of communication between the customers and healthcare services providers. They not only prove to be cost effective and efficient in the long run, but allow the service providers to customize their marketing approach, while taking into consideration the health records of the existing customers, available with them. They also allow the service providers to provide links to their central website, which can be used by the customers to access additional information and reassurances if and when required by them.  In an E-commerce approach to healthcare marketing, it is essential to seek and retain customer confidence,... They can choose to subscribe to the newsletters published by the healthcare organizations by simply sharing their email address and ticking the box provided on the websites or the regular paperwork of these organizations (Blumberg, 2005). Anytime, the customers can unsubscribe these newsletters by visiting the oft provided link (Blumberg, 2005). So email newsletters allow the patients to access information, as and when they want. Effectiveness Email newsletters are an effective means of communication between the customers and healthcare services providers. They not only prove to be cost effective and efficient in the long run, but allow the service providers to customize their marketing approach, while taking into consideration the health records of the existing customers, available with them. They also allow the service providers to provide links to their central website, which can be used by the customers to access additional information and reassurances if and when required by the m (Blumberg, 2005). Confidentiality However, care needs to be taken to protect the privacy and confidentiality of the customers while using email newsletters to communicate with them. In an E-commerce approach to healthcare marketing, it is essential to seek and retain customer confidence (McFadyen, 2008). Any inability to safeguard customer confidentiality and privacy may lead to repercussions that may prove to be counterproductive to the business interests of an organization in the long run. It’s Different The suggested mode of conducting marketing communication differs in many ways to the other modes of communication. First and foremost it is quick and cost efficient. Besides, to a great extent it takes the customer consent and preferences into

MAcro R Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

MAcro R - Assignment Example National Statistics charged with the mandate of reporting the rate of unemployment in United Kingdom reports that; the mean rate of the unemployment rate is 7.70 percent from the period of the year 1971 until 2013. The greatest unemployment rate was 12.0 percent reported on May 1984, and the lowest rate of the unemployment was 3.4 percent reported in November 1973 (Trading Economics 2013). In the United Kingdom, the calculation of the unemployment rate measures the number of persons actively searching for an occupation as a percentage of the entire workforce (National Statistics 2013). Moreover, National Statistics reported that there were 2.89 million of unemployed people in UK down from 18.000 reported on March to May 2013. These statistics clearly indicates that the unemployment rate has been declining day by day in United Kingdom. This is as a result of the government effort through which it established policies intended to succumb unemployment among other issues affecting UK eco nomy. From the use of Microeconomic principles, there may be a host of causes of unemployment in UK. ... The main reasons for frictional employment in U.K are because information is not always perfect and it always takes time for people to find work. The next common form of unemployment is the structural unemployment, which occurs due to a mismatch of skills in the labour market. There are three main reasons for this form of unemployment namely occupational immobility, geographical immobility and technological change. Occupational immobility refers to the difficulties in learning new skills applicable to a new industry. Many people fail to access information relevant in assisting them gain a competitive advantage in the job market. With the changes that occur everyday in organizations the job market continues to become more demanding, unfortunately many unemployed people either lack the knowledge of what they need to get the jobs or lack the finances to advance their skills. Geographical immobility that refers to the difficulty of working in certain areas because of issues of transport and movement is another common cause of unemployment. For example, there may be job in London, but accommodation and living conditions compared to the place one lives may be difficult to afford. For other people, it is difficult to leave their families in search for employment. Change in technology may also lead to unemployment. This is so because firm can lay off some of its labour force since it is possible to perform a similar amount of work with the help of technology and maintain a smaller work force. Changes in the economy are also likely to lead to unemployment as some firm may have to close down after economic changes make it impossible for them to continue operating (Snower 1997) Other causes of unemployment are when people

Informational Interviewing Project Questions Essay

Informational Interviewing Project Questions - Essay Example 8. An event organizer always has a backup plan in case the original plan does not work out. Do you always have a backup plan? Can you please kindly give an example whereby such a backup plan saved you from eminent embarrassment? 9. How do you deal with disgruntled clients who feel that you did not organize the event to their liking, for example, a bride who feels that her wedding organization is appalling? How would you respond and in what ways would you address the issues? 10. One of the essential factors in event organizing is taking into consideration the needs and wants of the client. In your experience as an event’s organizer, what are some of the extravagant requests that a client asked for and how did you meet them? 11. The event organizing industry is growing tremendously. What are the qualities that set your organization apart from the rest? In addition, what other services do you offer, which make your clients prefer your firm to the rest? 12. Marketing is necessary for any company wishing to cut a niche in any field (Donovan & Henley, 2010). What mode of marketing do you use and what strategies and policies are you or have you implemented to ensure that your firm is well known? 13. The location of the event is one of the paramount things an event organizer should determine. How do you come to pick a location for an event? What criteria do you use and do you outsource the services of a land/site surveyor? 14. As a sales manager, what criteria do you use to calculate the total cost of organizing the event from conception to completion? Who bears any additional cost that you may incur during the process? 15. As a creative coordinator and a sales manager, how do you survive with the ever changing trends happening within the industry? What strategies do you utilize to conduct market research and competitive analysis so that

Comparing Binomial Tree, Monte Carlo Simulation And Finite

Comparing Binomial Tree, Monte Carlo Simulation And Finite In recent years, numerical methods for valuing options such as binomial tree models, Monte Carlo simulation and finite difference methods are use for a wide range of financial purposes. This paper illustrates and compares the three numerical methods. On one hand, it provided general description of the three methods separately involved their definitions, merits and drawbacks and determinants of each method. On the other hand, this paper makes a concrete comparison in valuing options between the three numerical methods. Overall, the three numerical methods have proven to be valuable and efficient methods to value options. Introduction In recent years, option valuation methods are very important in the theory of finance and increased wildly in the practice field. The various approaches on option prices valuation included binomial tree models, Monte Carlo simulation and finite difference methods. Binomial models are suggested by Cox, Ross and Rubinstein (1979). Boyle (1977) firstly discussed Monte Carlo simulation and then it has been used by both Johnson and Shanno(1985) and Hull and White(1987) to value options when it is a stochastic process. Finite difference methods are discussed by Schwartz (1977), Brennan and Schwartz (1979), and Courtadon (1982) (Hull and White, 1988). This essay aims to provide a comparison and contrast among the three numerical methods mentioned above. All these numerical methods focus on the objectives of both calculation accuracy and speed. The only way for any given method to achieve better accuracy and speed is to calculate with many times (Hull and White, 1988). For one thing, this es say provides general description about binomial trees, Monte Carlo simulation and finite difference methods and defines benefits and drawbacks of each method. For another thing, it makes contrast on the valuation option prices involved American and European options. Binomial tree models Hull and White (1988) provide a general description about binomial trees. They concluded that Binomial model is a particular case of a more general set of multivariate multinomial models. All multivariate multinomial models are characteristics as lattice approaches such as binomial and trinomial lattice models(Hull and White, 1988).And the binomial trees, a valuation option approach, which involved separating option into a large number of small time intervals of length Άt. The assumption of this method is that the asset price changed from its initial value to two new values, both upward and downward movement, Su and Sd separately. The probability of an upward movement was indicated as p, while the probability of a downward movement is 1-p and the parameter u, d, p are used to value option prices. (Hull, 2008) The binomial model focused on option replication. For the binomial trees, the only way to reproduce the payoff of an option is to trade a portfolio involved the stock and the risk-free asset. Within other lattice approaches, involved the trinomial tree model, do not admit option replication(FiglewskiGao, 1999).However, the fair value of option can be valued under the basic assumptions of option pricing which is the world is risk-neutral. (Hull, 2008) In this case, the fair value can be valued simply by computing the expected values within the risk neutral distribution and discounting at the risk-free interest rate (Hull, 2008).When the world is risk-neutral, any approximation procedure which is based on a probability distribution and rough risk neutral distribution and make convergence to its limit, can be used to value options prices properly. Therefore, it is necessary to use trinomial tree model even a more complex structure without lack of the ability to calculating unique option payoffs (FiglewskiGao, 1999). What is also worth mentioning about the application of binomial tree is that there exists known payouts involved dividends (Hull and White, 1988). Dividend policy was based on the principle that the stock maintains a constant yield on each ex-dividend date which was denoted by ÃŽÂ ´ (Cox et.al, 1979) Essentially, binomial and trinomial models are powerful, intuitive methods to value both American and European option. Moreover, it also provides asymptotically exact approximation based on Black-Scholes assumptions (FiglewskiGao, 1999). Consider the efficiency and accuracy of this method, the binomial method is more efficient and accurate when there are a small number of options values without dividends. However it lacks of efficient in a situation where effects of cash dividends should be analysed. Actually, the fixed dividend yield generated an improper hedge ratio despite that the assumption of fixed dividend yield is an efficient and accurate approximation. Furthermore, the binomial tree models are inefficient in valuing American options compared with European option. And it is less efficient and accurate than finite difference methods for multiple options valuation. This is because it has a conditional starting point (GeskeShastri, 1985). Monte Carlo simulation Monte Carlo simulation is a useful numerical method to implement for various kinds of purposes of finance such as securities valuation. For the valuation of option, Monte Carlo simulation use risk-neutral measure (Hull, 2008). For example, a call option is a security whose expected payoffs depend on not only one basic security. The value of a derivative security can be obtained by discounted the expected payoff in the risk-neutral world at the riskless rate (Boyle, et.al, 1997). Boyle et.al (1997) stated that this approach comprises several steps in the following. Firstly, Simulate sample paths of the underlying state variables (e.g., underlying asset prices and interest rates) over the relevant time horizon. Stimulate these according to the risk-neutral measure. Secondly, evaluate the discounted cash flows of a security on each sample path, as determined by the structure of the security in question. Thirdly, average the discounted cash flows over sample paths There is a tendency that high-dimensional integral is becoming more and more necessary to evaluate in the derivative security. Monte Carlo simulation is widely used in the option valuation due to the increases of high dimension (Ibanez Zapatero, 2004). Regarding the integral of the function f(x) over the d-dimensional unit hypercube, the simple Monte Carlo estimate of the integral is equivalent to the average value of the function f over n random points from the unit hypercube. When n tends to be infinite, this estimate converges to the true value of the integral. Furthermore, the distinct advantage of this method compared with other numerical approaches is that the error convergence rate is independent dimension. In addition, the function f should be square integrable and this is the only restriction which is relative and slight ((Boyle, et.al, 1997). Monte Carlo simulation is simple, flexible. It can be easily modified to adapt different processes which involved governing stock returns. Moreover, compared other methods, it has distinct merit in some specific circumstances. Essentially Monte Carlo simulation can be used when the process of generating future stock value movement determined the final stock value. This process mentioned above is created on a computer and aims to generate a series of stock price trajectories which is used to obtain the evaluation of option. In addition, the standard deviation also can be used simultaneously in order to make sure the accuracy of the results (Boyle, 1977). However, there are some disadvantages of this method. In recent years, some new techniques were developed so as to overcome the disadvantages. One key drawback is that it is wasteful to calculate many times and difficult to control situations when there are early exercise opportunities (Hull, 2008). Different variances reduction techniques involved control variate approach and antithetic variate method are used to solve these problems. Furthermore, deterministic sequences also known as low-discrepancy sequences or quasi-random sequences are used to accelerate the valuation of multi-dimensional integrals, (Boyle, et.al, 1997). Quasi-Monte Carlo methods are suggested as a new approach to supplement Monte Carlo simulation. It uses deterministic sequences rather than random sequences. These sequences are used to obtain convergence with known error bounds ¼Ã‹â€ Joy ¼Ã…’et.al. 1996 ¼Ã¢â‚¬ ° Until recently, Monte Carlo simulation has not been used in American options. The key problem is that payoff depends on some sources of uncertainty. The optimal exercise frontier of American options is uncertain (Barraquand Martineau, 1995). Finite difference methods Hull (2008) provides a general description of finite difference methods. He concluded that finite difference methods value a derivative by solving the differential equation that the derivative satisfies. Finite difference methods are classified into two ways those are implicit and explicit finite difference method. The former approach is related the value of option at time t+Άt to three alternative values at time t, while the latter one is related the value of option at time t to three alternative values at time t+Άt (Hull White, 1990). The explicit finite difference method is equivalent to a trinomial lattice approach. Compared with the two finite difference methods, the distinct advantage of explicit finite difference method is that it has fewer boundary conditions than the implicit way. For instance, to implement implicit method, considering the price of a derivative security S, it is vital to specify boundary conditions for the derivative security whether minimising or maximising price. By contrast, the explicit method, regarded as a trinomial lattice approach, does not need specific boundary conditions (Hull White, 1990). There are two alternative problems of partial differential equations. The first, known as boundary value problems where a wide range of boundary conditions must be specified, the second, known as initial value problems where only a fraction of valuation required to be specified. There is a fact that most option valuation problems are initial value problems. The explicit finite difference method is the most appropriate method to solve initial value problems because implicit finite method used extra boundary condition which was produced errors (Hull White, 1990). Furthermore, consider the efficiency and accuracy of valuing option, the explicit finite difference method, with logarithmical transformation, is more efficient than the implicit method. This is because it does not need the solution solved a series of simultaneous equations (GeskeShastri, 1985). In addition, for the finite difference method and jump process, the simple explicit difference approximation is harmonized with a three-point jump process, while the more complex implicit difference approximation corresponds a generalized jump process which is based on that the value of derivative security will jump to infinite future values, not just three points(BrennanSchwartz, 1978) Finite difference approach can be used in the same situation as binomial tree approach. They can control American and European option and cannot easily used when the payoff of an option depends on the past history of the state variable. Furthermore, finite difference methods can be used in the situation where there are some state variable ¼Ã‹â€ Hull 2008). However, the binomial tree method is more intuitive and easily implemented than the finite difference methods. Therefore, financial economists tend to use binomial tree methods when there are a small number of option values. In contrast, finite difference methods are frequently used and more efficient in a situation where there are a large number of option values (GeskeShastri, 1985). The comparison between the three methods Overall, compared with the three numerical methods of valuing option, Monte Carlo simulation should be seen as a supplement methods for the binomial tree models and finite difference methods. This is because the increase of a variety of complexity in financial instruments (Boyle, 1977). Furthermore, binomial and finite difference methods are implemented with low dimension of problems and standard dynamics, while Monte Carlo simulation is the proper methods to solve high dimension problems and stochastic parameters (Ibanez Zapatero, 2004) The binomial tree models and finite difference methods are classified as backward methods and can easily handle early exercise opportunities. On the contrary, Monte Carlo simulation is a looking forward method and may be opposed with backward induction (Ibanez Zapatero, 2004) For the two similar methods, finite difference approach is equivalent to a trinomial lattice method. They are both useful for American and European options and tend not to be used in a situation where the options payoff depends on the past history of state variables. However, there also are some differences between them. Binomial tree methods can be used to calculate a small number of values of options, while finite difference methods can be used and more efficient and accurate when there exit a large number of option values. In addition, binomial tree models are more intuitive and readily completed than the finite difference methods Monte Carlo simulation is a powerful and flexible method to value various options. In principle, Monte Carlo simulation is calculated a multi-dimension integral and this is becoming an attractiveness compared other numerical methods. It can be used to solve the problem of high dimension. The drawbacks should not be neglected. The computation with many times and cannot easily handle the situation where there are early exercise opportunities. Based the traditional Monte Carlo simulation, a new approach was developed, known as Quasi-Monte Carlo methods to improve the efficiency of Monte Carlo method. The basic theorem is to use deterministic number rather than random. However, it has not been used in valuing American options due to the optimal exercise frontier is uncertain. One way to value American option is to achieve combination of Monte Carlo simulation and dynamic programming (Ibanez Zapatero, 2004) Conclusion To sum up, with the complexity of numerical computation, numerical methods are wildly used to value derivative security. This paper provided general description and specific comparison between the three numerical methods mentioned above. Binomial tree models, known as lattice approach, are a powerful and intuitive tool to value both American and European option with and without dividend. When there are a small number of option values, binomial method is more efficient and accurate. On the contrary, it is inefficient in a situation where effects of cash dividend should be analysed. Finite difference method can be seen as the trinomial lattice approach. They are used with the problems of low dimension and have been regarded as efficient and accurate methods to value American and European options. Compared with binomial tree models, finite difference methods is more efficient and accurate when practicers computing a large number of values of options. Monte Carlo simulation can be seen as a supplement tool for the two methods mentioned above to value options. It can be used with high dimensional problems whereas other two methods are used with low dimensional problems. The flows of Monte Carlo simulation are that it consumes time for calculating and cannot readily handle the situation where there are early exercise opportunities. In this case, Quasi-Monte Carlo methods based on traditional Monte Carlo simulation utilise deterministic sequences known as quasi-random sequences. These sequences provide an opportunity to acquire convergence with known error bounds. Referenc: Barraquand ¼Ã…’J. Martineau, D. (1995)Numerical Valuation of High Dimensional Multivariate American Securities The Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Vol. 30, No. 3 pp. 383 -405 Boyle, P.P., Option: A Monte Carlo Approach, Journal of Financial Economics, Volume:4, pp: 323-338 Boyle, P. Broadie, M. and Glasserman,P.(1997) Monte Carlo methods for security pricing, Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Volume 21, Issues 8-9,29,pp:1267-1321 Brennan, M.J. Schwartz, E.S., (1978)Finite Difference Methods and Jump Processes Arising in the Pricing of Contingent Claims: A Synthesis, The Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Vol. 13, No. 3 pp. 461 -474 Cox, J.C., Ross, S.A. and Rubinstein. M.(1979) Option pricing: A simplified approach, Journal of Financial Economics, Volume 7, Issue 3, pp: 229-263 Figlewski,S.Gao,B.(1999)The adaptive mesh model: a new approach to efficient option pricing, Journal of Financial Economics, Volume 53, Issue 3, pp: 313-351 Geske,R. Shastri, K.(1985) Valuation by Approximation: A Comparison of Alternative Option Valuation Techniques, The Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Vol. 20, No. 1 pp. 45- 71 Hull, J.(2008) Option, Futures, and Other Derivatives,7th edition, Upper Saddle River: Pearson Prentice Hall Hull, J, White, A.(1988) The Use of the Control Variate Technique in Option Pricing, Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis. Vol. 23, Issue. 3; p. 237-251 Hull, J, White, A. (1990) Valuing Derivative Securities Using the Explicit Finite Difference Method,Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis. Vol. 25, No. 1; pp: 87-100 Ibanez, A. Zapatero, F. (2004) Monte Carlo Valuation of American Options through Computation of the Optimal Exercise Frontier, Journal of Financial and Quantitative analysis Vol.39, No. 2, pp: 253-275 Joy, C., Boyle, P.P. and Tan, K.S.(1996) Quasi-Monte Carlo Methods in Numerical Finance, Management Science.Vol.42, No.6,pp:926-938

Art versus Pornography Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Topics

Art versus Pornography   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Her head rests on her left knee, with her hands clasped on her ankle.   Locks of hair are thrown about in an auburn blaze.   Her tight rosy lips are as red as her cheeks.   Her dark-blue eyes reveal a half-seductive, half-submissive look.   Her legs are in a subdued spread-eagle formation, leaving her crotch area quite visible.   Her white panties leave little to the imagination. The sexual overtones are more than just a coincidence.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Suspend your imagination for a minute and ask yourself if the description formed in your mind a work of art or, instead, a photograph of softcore pornography, found in such magazines as Hustler or Playboy?   Where this description is taken from will be disclosed later, but let us concern ourselves with a problem that this... ...ed them.   A person at the time looking at his works would recognize them as prostitutes, a fact that is less distinct today.   His display of the "product" in some cases, could be seen as propaganda against prostitution.   Hence, he had an intellectual, not a pornographic intent.  Ã‚   This debate will continue, and perhaps no end may come of it until viewers have understanding of the artist's intent.

Natural Resources And The Politics Of Middle East Essay

Oil production in the Middle East has not only been a subject of geology or exploiting the lowest-cost field. Where exploration is performed and what fields are developed has been influenced as much by political as by economic factors. Until the late 1960s oil production and exports from the region significantly reflected the major western oil companies’ need to cope with the demands of the different governments in the Middle East, all of whom wanted to see more oil produced in their territories in order that they could get more revenue. The oil companies were as well concerned with the political stability of the regimes in the oil-exporting countries, the dependability of supply, the likelihood of the nationalisation of oil company facilities, demands over royalty levels and pressures to make use of and train local nationals. In view of the fact that then, what gets produced where and exported has depended on political and economic muscle within OPEC which efficiently determines country quotas. Iran was the first country in the Middle East in which oil was exploited with test production starting in 1903 and a key discovery in 1908. Under Reza Shah the country was politically stable, and the oil concession agreement which was signed with D’Arcy in 1901 on very positive terms was to run until 1994. The Anglo-Persian Oil Company, which afterwards turns into British Petroleum, was founded in 1909. Oil was not discovered in Iraq until 1927, however by that time Persian production was well established, plus a slow growth of demand, reflecting the fragile state of the international economy at the time, intended Iraqi oil exploitation was restricted in these early years. (Mohamed Rabie, 1992). Which oil fields were developed as well reflected rivalries in Middle Eastern interests between the major western powers. Britain, through the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company, had a virtual monopoly of exploration in Iran, consequently the United States had little choice however to look to Saudi Arabia on the other side of the Gulf, the one area that had not come under European imperial influences. In the 1930s the oil fields of the eastern province were opened up, plus the Arabian American Oil Company (ARAMCO) was formed by a consortium of leading United States oil companies. It was ARAMCO that developed the Ghawar and Safaniya fields in the Dhahran area which were to prove to be the largest and most dynamic in the entire world. ARAMCO carries on to account for most Saudi Arabian oil production and exports, although it was nationalised in the 1970s and the role of the American associate companies is now restricted to specialist support and marketing. There was huge resistance to attempts to take over the oil concessions awarded to western multinational oil companies. Conflicts between the oil companies and host-country governments over revenues date back to the 1920s and 1930s when oil started to be exploited in noteworthy quantities, however it was the Iranian government which was the first to demand control of production. After Dr Musaddiq consolidated his power as prime minister in 1952 he set up the National Iran Oil Company, a state-owned entity, to take over Iran’s oil from the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company. This aggravated a two-year boycott of purchases of Iranian oil by the major western oil companies. Purchases were merely started again when Musaddiq was overthrown and terms were agreed which were satisfactory from the viewpoint of the oil companies. (John Page, 1999). In the meantime the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company had changed its name to British Petroleum. It was to focus on developing the oil fields of the Emirates on the Arab side of the Gulf, where the rulers were much more co-operative. It was this new orientation and the co-operation with Shell, the Anglo-Dutch company, which were to consequence in the major developments in Kuwait, Qatar and Abu Dhabi, and ultimately Oman. The increasing importance of the Arab Emirates as oil suppliers was not so much a reflection of the quality of their oil or relative cost factors, to a certain extent what mattered was the political environment and the security of oil supplies. Iran, and subsequently Iraq, had their exploration and production curtailed on account of their political intransigence. The beneficiaries were the Arabian Peninsula states that had their oil fields developed and exploited to a greater extent than might otherwise have been the case on the basis of geological decisions alone. (Nora Bensahel, Daniel L. Byman, 2003).

The Effect of Levels of Processing on the Retention of Words

The Effect of Levels of Processing on the Retention of Words AbstractThis experimental study investigates how the retention of words depends on the levels those words were processed of among Vilnius lyceum youth. The hypothesis made was that the best retention should be after semantic processing of a word, the least - after structural and the medium - after phonemic. In the first part of the experiment, 20 participants were asked 30 questions about 30 words (10 in each of the analysis groups: structural, phonemic, and semantic). In the second part, participants were asked to recall as many words (out of those 30) as they could. The results proved the hypothesis as the best retention (4.0 words recalled out of 10) was in fact a result of the semantic, or the deepest, analysis of a word. In case of phonemic analysis, 2.4 words out of 10 were recalled and in the case of structural - only 1.3 out of 10. These results are coherent with the previous study named "Depth of Processing and the Retention of Words in Episodic Memory", which was carried ou t by Fergus I. M. Craik and Endel Tulving.Z-tabelleIntroductionThe experiment I have chosen to replicate, named "Depth of Processing and the Retention of Words in Episodic Memory", was carried out by Fergus I. M. Craik and Endel Tulving in 1975. The aim of this experiment was to check the theory proposed by Craik and Lockhart in 1972, which stated that memory traits depend proportionally on the "depth" of processing, where depth refers to a greater degrees of semantic involvement.The experiment carried out by Craik and Tulving included 20 subjects, tested individually, who were sit in the front of the tachistoscope and each trial shown a different noun . Before the word was exposed, the subject was asked a question related to the word. Question was constructed...

Music Censorship essays

Music Censorship essays Eventually it was discovered that God did not all want us to be the same. This was bad news for the governments of the world...Mankind must be made more uniformly if THE FUTURE was going to work out... It was about this time that someone came up with the idea of TOTAL CRIMINALIZATION, based on the principle that if we were ALL crooks we could at least be uniform to some degree in the eyes of the law. Shrewdly our legislators calculated that most people were too lazy to perform REAL CRIME. So new laws were made making it possible for anyone to violate them at any time of the day or night... which is one of the reasons why music was eventually made ILLEGAL. - Frank Zappa This quote from Frank Zappa is about how music and lyrics and censorship are so controversial that it has come to the point where people want to make music illegal. Censorship in music is a topic that has brought about much controversy in the past two decades. There have been many different arguments on the topic, however the question still remains if it should be censored or not. Some people believe that music should be censored so all audiences can hear it without it containing any controversial lyrics. Others believe it should not be censored and musical artists should be able to sing, speak, rap, or rhyme freely without anyone censoring them. People that think music should be censored believe that some of the language musical artists use is vulgar, obscene, and crude. Also the fact that music is played on medias such as radio and television, which are free to listen to by all audiences, there are many parents that would not wish for their kids to hear foul language. So on radio and television any controversial language is either silenced, edited out by a soft sound, or some artists make 2 versions of their songs; one that is made for the artists album, which is uncensored, and one for the television and radio with any ...

Understanding Customers and Competitors Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Understanding Customers and Competitors - Essay Example Understanding Customers and Competitors At the same time every company has its customers with limited budgets. They are free to choose to purchase from a company or other then that company who offer the same goods and services and at the same time competitor of the first company. Customers also free purchase totally different substitute goods and services by means of their limited funds. Companies those offer similar goods and services are the direct competitors of each other. Thus it is most important to understanding the Customers and Competitors A company's marketing environment consists of the actors and forces outside marketing management's ability to develop and maintain successful transactions with its target customers. The marketing environment offers both opportunities and threats. Successful companies know the vital importance of constantly watching and adapting to the changing environment. Treacy, M. & Wiersema, F. (1993) mentioned that marketers take the major responsibility for identifying significant changes in the environment. More than any other group in the company, marketers must be the trend trackers and opportunity seekers. Although every manager in an organisation needs to observe the outside environment marketing it, marketers have two special aptitudes. They have disciplined methods-marketing intelligence and marketing research- for collecting information about the marketing environment. They also spend time in the customer and competitor environment. By conducting systematic environmental scanning, marketers are able to revise and adapt marketing strategies to meet new challenges and opportunities in the marketplace. Evans, J. R., & Berman, B. (1990) has stated the marketing environment is made up of a microenvironment and a microenvironments. The microenvironment consists of the forces close to the company that affect its ability to serve its customers- the company, suppliers, marketing channel firms, customer markets, competitors, and publics. The macroenvironvent consists of the larger societal forces that affect the microenvironment- demographic, economic, natural, technological, political, and cultural forces. Kotler, P., Armstrong, G. (2006) argued that marketing environment is made up of five microenvironmental and six macroenvironmental components. The microenvironment consists of other actors close to the company that combine to form the company's value delivery system or which affect its ability to serve its customers. The first microenmental component is the company's internal environment- its several departments and management levels- as it influences marketing decision making. The second component

Near Field Communication (NFC) for WXPO Commerce Bank Essay

Near Field Communication (NFC) for WXPO Commerce Bank - Essay Example This is the reason for focusing mobile based services, as they are assumed to be an attractive and profitable business. However, there are many domains that can be categorized, one of them is called a mobile payment system. Researchers are continuously working to enhance mobile experience, consequently adding more services in to an affordable handheld device that can be convenient and cost efficient for both business and consumers. Previously, many mobile embedded services are launched. For instance, General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Skype equipped with Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), Bluetooth communication radio, Infrared communication, Built-in Modems, browsers, online access to bank accounts via Internet etc. This shows that the researchers are constantly working to provide a one-time solution for the customers. For instance, a hand held device will become multipurpose device that may also eliminate security issues, as a single device is easy to manage. In the same contex t, mobile payment methods are in reach, as new field communication (NFC) is embedded in many mobile chipsets around the globe (Ondrus, Pigneur 2009). This technology will revolutionize the way of utilizing services that are provided on the cell phone. Consumers can use their cell phone for mobile payments, ticketing and bus fares etc. moreover, NFC also facilitate cell phones for device to device communication, retrieving signals from other chipsets and sensors. For instance, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and card emulations (Ondrus, Pigneur 2009). Overall, NFC is considered to be an efficient communicator for proximity interactions between any two or more devices. Likewise, NFC comprises of contactless smartcard and the cell phone. One significant advantage of using a contactless smartcard from the traditional smart cards made of plastic embedded with a magnetic strip or security chip is that the card reader becomes faulty. The reason for becoming faulty is the dust and gre ase that can degrade the capability of the reader. Moreover, cost is the second factor i.e. there is no requirement to produce a physical smart card. Furthermore, the contactless smart card is more convenient, as it travels with the consumer due to its integration in the cell phone. As NFC uses a very short range of communication i.e. approx. 1.5 inches, it is safe and secure for conducting an online transaction with such a small distance. No one can disrupt of hack in between the two communication nodes i.e. the contactless smartcard and the responder. Moreover, an organization named as Molo Rewards has recently introduced a program that is utilizing NFC technology. Consumers can download different coupons by swiping their cell phones at the point of purchase (†¦, Early days but wallet-less payments are the future  « As I learn 2011). Moreover, NFC supported phones are now widely available in many countries; organization has started to integrate RFID tags on the back cover o r casing of the cell phone (†¦, Early days but wallet-less payments are the future  « As I learn 2011). Furthermore, organization has mentioned these lines on their website â€Å"Want to send a coupon to a consumer who purchased a box of cereal on the 21st of December at 11am EST. MoLo Rewards can provide you with the