1. Why will a weather derivative be useful for PNW Essays - Economy

1. Why will a weather derivative be useful for PNW Essays - Economy 1. Why will a weather derivative be useful for PNW? 2. What does Enron stand to gain by selling a weather derivative? 3. Should PNW purchase a weather derivative? Why or why not? Earnings per share (EPS) is the portion of a company's profit allocated to each outstanding share ofcommon stock.Earningsper share serves as an indicator of a company's profitability. Capital intensive refers to a business process or an industry that requires large amounts of money and other financial resources to produce a good or service.In finance, thecost of equityis the return (often expressed as a rate of return) a firm theoretically pays to itsequityinvestors, i.e., shareholders, to compensate for the risk they undertake by investing their capital. Ahedgeis an investment position intended to offset potential losses or gains that may be incurred by a companion investment. In simple language, a hedge is used to reduce any substantial losses or gains suffered by an individual or an organization. Cost of debtis the interest a company pays on its borrowings. : Mary Watts , the chief financial officer of Pacific Northwest Electric. Why will a weather derivative be useful for PNW? 1, weather derivative targets at power producers that was exposed to volume risk as a result of changes in weather. Volume related revenue - the deviation of actual acumulative degree days from an established threshold Weather is biggest independent variable in power business Watts analysis - seasonal demand is highly correlated with cumulative HDD 2000-01 is expected to be an unseasonably warm weather- less consumers (use of electricity) - huge impact on earning (devastating) 2, public utility - regulations permit them to pass along costs to consumers Capital intensive firm But there are already a variety of producers on the power grid where consumers can purchase power from. If they pass along costs to consumers , it would result in a loss market. Weather derivative can be an alternative way to compensate the loss in income associated with lost demand instead of increasing prices. What does Enron stand to gain by selling a weather derivative? 1, Enron corporation is the world's leading integrated natural gas and electricity company Discover a method for hedging its own weather risk - help other power producers to manage their own weather risk (customerized products) not just price risk but also volume related risk 2,Better meet customer demands(compared to two other options insurance and capital and commodities markets) exchange traded contracts need to be marked to market frequently - the hedge was pegged to a market index. Should PNW purchase a weather derivative? Why or why not? Yes Gross margin per HDD is 40.30 ? Contract Limit : 20,000 * 400HDD= 8000,000

Ask An Agent What Makes A Self-Published Author Stand Out

Ask An Agent What Makes A Self-Published Author Stand Out Ask an Agent: Paul Lucas on What Makes a Self-Published Author Stand Out Paul Lucas is a literary agent at Janklow Nesbit where he has been representing authors since 2011. His clients come from across the spectrum of fiction (thrillers, science fiction, fantasy, historical and literary) and non-fiction (history, narrative, travel, science and humor). His clients include New York Times best-selling author R.A. Salvatore, Anthony Ryan, Alan Flusser, and Katherine Arden.Reedsy: How have you seen attitudes toward self-publishing change since you started out in publishing?Paul Lucas: Attitudes have changed tremendously, particularly since several self-published authors have now become monumental success stories. It is in part  because so many readers came to, and enjoyed, books by self-published authors. Since distributing e-books is so much cheaper and simpler than distributing physical books to bookstores, there are fewer barriers to entry and much easier discovery. As products, the e-books are indistinguishable from other offerings. So if the book is go od, it will receive attention.Which of your clients are self-published? Do you know of big authors that people might not know got their start as self-published authors?My clients that started in self-publishing include Anthony Ryan (NYT bestselling author), Matthew Mather (translated into 15 territories), James Islington, Steve McHugh, Jodi McIsaac and Richard Phillips. Andy Weir, Hugh Howey, AG Riddle, and Blake Crouch are major authors who stand out from the self-publishing world.Sorry there’s a male bias to these writers! Women have been tremendously successful with self-published science fiction and thrillers; I just haven’t signed any other than Jodi. Women absolutely dominate the romance space.In working with self-published authors who transition to traditional publishing, what stands out about them? What are their greatest assets, both personally and professionally?The key to self-publishing is that the writer becomes her own publisher. That means hiring editors , illustrators, and designers and paying for marketing and promotion. The best of them are very professional, and many publish several books a year. It’s easier for them to do so since there is a much longer lead time in traditional publishing.Since many self-published authors enjoy closer access to their fans, it makes it self-sustaining success more achievable. If she feels confident that 20,000-30,000 readers will come to each of her new books, twice a year, a writer can comfortably rise to a six-figure income. Traditional publishers would find it challenging to reach 20,000 readers and might give up on that author if they did not see sales rising. Relishing the challenges of editorial control and developing strong positioning for your book are two critical characteristics for success in self-publishing. "Many self-published authors enjoy closer access to their fans"@canonizer With all of the reading that agents need to do to stay on top of the industry as a whole, how do you prioritize reading self-published work? Do you actively seek it out or hear about it through word-of-mouth or recommendations? In short, how does a self-published book find its way onto the radar of an agent?I typically find self-published books that are rising quickly in e-book sales rankings. It is less word-of-mouth than trawling through the winners on retailers’ sites. Sometimes self-published authors seek out agents but it’s fairly rare for very successful ones to do so these days since agents typically come knocking after they get enough attention.Where do you see self-publishing fitting into the larger publishing industry in the coming years? What is exciting about it? What will traditional publishers have to adapt to? Self-publishing will continue to grow for as long as it remains difficult for new authors to break into traditional publishing. That means it is mo re important than ever to treat a self-published book with the same consideration (or as close as you can get) that a traditionally published book would receive. The more believable the characters, plot, and writing, the easier it will be for readers to engage with it. Similarly, everyone judges books by their covers so it’s worth spending $500-1000 to have one created professionally rather than attempting one’s first MS Paint masterpiece.Publishers have attempted to launch their own digital imprints, which seem to cater to readers of self-published books. I’d recommend that any self-published author contemplating moving to a traditional publisher’s digital imprint do so with caution. Losing control over marketing the book can be jarring for people who have found success marketing their books on their own terms.Frankly, traditional publishing has become mediocre at launching new brand-name authors, especially with ongoing series. There haven’t been many new Anne Rices, James Pattersons, Stuart Woods in the last 5-10 years. Some of the ones now traditionally published earned their names in the self-published ranks. Publishers will need to learn how to develop talent if they want to keep people from wanting to self-publish, rather than publish traditionally.What are the potential obstacles facing self-publishing as it grows?Well, the elephant in the room is whether Amazon will continue to pay such substantial royalties and subsidize  self-published authors through Kindle Unlimited and their other deals. Authors might see a decline in their earnings if those were to disappear but it is unlikely to change how self-published books succeed in the near term since most self-published authors rely on the platform.What would you tell emerging authors who are on the fence about self-publishing?There used to be a stigma to self-publishing; it was synonymous with vanity publishing, which meant that authors would spend several thousand d ollars in exchange for inventory and the possibility of physical distribution. This stigma has all but vanished, particularly in commercial fiction where self-published authors are really thriving. Literary fiction and non-fiction all continue to work better traditionally. Readers seem to have short attention spans these days so discovery for more academically minded projects (or â€Å"serious† or â€Å"literary† or however we are describing high-brow books on a given day) have a big headwind. "This stigma has all but vanished, particularly in commercial fiction"@canonizer Lastly, new authors should keep in mind that it’s very hard for an agent to do anything with a newly self-published book. If it only has hundreds or several thousand sales, they will be unlikely to move it to the traditional space right away. This should not be discouraging – it might lead to far greater rewards.Are you hesitant to self-publish? What is your top reason for wanting to work with a traditional publisher on your first book? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

The Andragogy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Andragogy - Research Paper Example One of the central principles which surround the teaching of adult learners is that of individual experience. â€Å"As a person matures he accumulates a growing reservoir of experience that becomes an increasing resource for learning† (Smith, 2011). Unlike children, adults have inevitably built up a wealth of personal experience which can be utilized in a way which can help to learn, such as relating new information to previous experience, recalling the previous experience, and/or using familiar examples to apply to learn to unfamiliar concepts. Though it has been disputed that a child’s experiences are of no less learning value than an adult, it cannot be argued that the adult has more experience to relate to. Whether or not this is enough to justify the concentration on experience regarding adult learners as opposed to child learners, remains in dispute (Glowaki-Dudka, 2011). Teaching strategies which build upon experiential learning will be an extension of everyday l ife (Knowles, Holton & Swanson, 2005). Adult learners partake in a process which sees them reflect, draw an inference from and conceptualizes, based upon previous individual experience. As this wealth of experience is seen as the richest resource of information for the learner, it must be pointed out that individual experience is fundamentally biased and of an entirely subjective nature. This implies that new information may be interpreted in different ways, which can be advantageous as it allows for new ideas and opinions but can also have its disadvantages regarding personal bias. A second principle which Knowles determined to be of special significance to andragogy is that of the self-concept. Within the paradigm of learning, self-concept relates to the movement of an individual’s perception of themselves as a self-directed person rather than being dependent upon others.

Ibn Ishaqs Life of Muhammad Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ibn Ishaqs Life of Muhammad - Essay Example One of the rulers continued in power â€Å"†¦until God sent Muhammad the prophet. I was told on the authority of al-Zuhri that he said Chosroes wrote to Badhan the following letter: ‘I have been told that a man of the Quraysh has come forth in Mecca asserting that he is a prophet.’†1 Muhammad grew up in the â€Å"brackish settlement† of Mecca, as Muhammad ibn Abd Allah.2 His father, allegedly, died before he was born. Then, to make matters worse, when Muhammad was only six years old, his mother died, leaving him an orphan. He became a shepherd and worked for his uncle. This left Muhammad in a difficult place until he became a camel driver for caravans up until about age 40. He also struggled with poverty for much of this time. Muhammad’s life was to end in triumph, however—even though it had begun with unusual sorrow. Muhammad received a vision from an angel giving him the dictum of Islam, and Ibn Ishaq recounts Muhammad’s feelings as he prepared to leave for what is now called Medina from his home city of Mecca (this journey would be called hijira). It was â€Å"†¦unusual for Ibn Ishaq to give such an intimate account of Muhammad’s state of mind [where he was praying].

New Meaning to Broumas Little Red Riding Hood :: Little Red Riding Hood

New Meaning to Broumas' Little Red Riding Hood  Ã‚   There is more to Broumas' Little Red Riding Hood than meets the eye, or perhaps that is exactly where the analysis comes into play because the formalistic approach of analyzing literature consists of looking at a piece of literature and stating what is obviously there. The formalistic approach does give the work a deeper meaning than it first had, but the details are usually plain and easily noticeable. Generally they are very obvious, thus easily overlooked. The formalistic approach may be limited to pointing out the continual use of one word, but after noticing this fact a new meaning must be found as well. The reader is able to develop a broader understanding to Broumas' Little Red Riding Hood after using the formalistic approach to delve deeper into the poem. The formalistic approach reveals Broumas' use of repetition and choice of words give extra significance to her poem Little Red Riding Hood. The easiest way to set about using the formalistic approach is to first read the poem paying careful attention to repetition, breaks, and description that may not have been noticed during the first reading. Using this technique on Little Red Riding Hood reveals an emphasis placed on the word old. Broumas writes, I grow old, old Without you, Mother, landscape Of my heart. The use of old can be read in two different ways. One approach could place more emphasis on the repetition of old, whereas the other could draw it toward "old without you." Either way it is read one realizes that the author is growing old without her mother. However reading it the first way adds about ten more years to her life because she is very old. The second way can be taken to literally mean that the author is a lot older without her mother. The description of her mother foreshadows a strict parent. It takes a lot of work to landscape a yard, and if the mother landscaped her daughter's heart it took a lot of work and a lot of rules. Broumas continues the poem with a description of her mother giving birth. She uses phrases like "stretching it like a wishbone", "skin strung on a bow", and "tightened against the pain" to reveal to the reader that labor is not easy, in fact just the opposite because it is strenuous and very difficult. New Meaning to Broumas' Little Red Riding Hood :: Little Red Riding Hood New Meaning to Broumas' Little Red Riding Hood  Ã‚   There is more to Broumas' Little Red Riding Hood than meets the eye, or perhaps that is exactly where the analysis comes into play because the formalistic approach of analyzing literature consists of looking at a piece of literature and stating what is obviously there. The formalistic approach does give the work a deeper meaning than it first had, but the details are usually plain and easily noticeable. Generally they are very obvious, thus easily overlooked. The formalistic approach may be limited to pointing out the continual use of one word, but after noticing this fact a new meaning must be found as well. The reader is able to develop a broader understanding to Broumas' Little Red Riding Hood after using the formalistic approach to delve deeper into the poem. The formalistic approach reveals Broumas' use of repetition and choice of words give extra significance to her poem Little Red Riding Hood. The easiest way to set about using the formalistic approach is to first read the poem paying careful attention to repetition, breaks, and description that may not have been noticed during the first reading. Using this technique on Little Red Riding Hood reveals an emphasis placed on the word old. Broumas writes, I grow old, old Without you, Mother, landscape Of my heart. The use of old can be read in two different ways. One approach could place more emphasis on the repetition of old, whereas the other could draw it toward "old without you." Either way it is read one realizes that the author is growing old without her mother. However reading it the first way adds about ten more years to her life because she is very old. The second way can be taken to literally mean that the author is a lot older without her mother. The description of her mother foreshadows a strict parent. It takes a lot of work to landscape a yard, and if the mother landscaped her daughter's heart it took a lot of work and a lot of rules. Broumas continues the poem with a description of her mother giving birth. She uses phrases like "stretching it like a wishbone", "skin strung on a bow", and "tightened against the pain" to reveal to the reader that labor is not easy, in fact just the opposite because it is strenuous and very difficult.

Education Is an Effective Tool in Our Efforts to Build

a. Education is an effective tool in our efforts to build a more equitable society. b. Therefore, equal educational opportunities must be available to all citizens. â€Å"Providing students opportunities at school does not guarantee success if students watch television rather than do their homework—and parents let them. By assuming that any set of reform ideas can magically create a well-educated citizenry, we oversell the role of policy-making. Education requires initiative, a trait notoriously difficult to create or impose† (Hood, 1993).I believe the author is reporting from a symbolic interactionism theorist’s (and possibly throughout to include the conflict perspective) point of view after reading this article, (which by the way is a pretty good read). The NCLB Act along with Black Star Project Contract for Finishing High School, early childhood, teacher (The New Teacher Project, etc†¦) and student based programs along with funding reform, which have bee n put into action since 2001 and to present, have all helped in order to maintain a more equal and balanced system.However I must agree with John Hood, no matter what is done to close this gap, incentives, free this or that, ticket to this or ticket for that, if it is not embedded into any child the importance of education for their future, the problem will continue to be viewed as a social issue which needs to continuously be experimented with. â€Å"For example, a 2011 U. S. Department of Education Report revealed that more than 40% of low-income schools across the United States receive less state and local funding than schools in higher income areas with schools of the same grade levels† (Korgen, Furst, 2012).I really believe that this is somewhat of a cycle or circle if you will. Let’s see, lower income areas get less funding from state and local government, this is a claim that boggles my mind because as an Ohioan I see this to be an untrue statement first off. Hi gher income areas pay higher taxes on properties because they have earned their way into such communities, no matter the â€Å"skin color,† therefore they also expect that much of these tax dollars are utilized for such things as the educational system.Nevertheless, at least in this state, the lower income families and communities get better state and local funding in order to achieve the equal amount of opportunity that those who can afford to live in areas of higher property value. Because higher income areas and families pay out of pocket, it becomes unnecessary for state and local funding. I am not saying this due to some underlying agenda or meaning, I live in the suburbs but my income is considered below poverty level, so it has nothing to do with any inner thoughts, it is just a fact.To me, everything about the education system and the economy are nothing short of a conundrum: Securing equal opportunity to all citizens, which has been in the works for a very long time as a core value of the American people, to attain proper education, push college and offer funds and means for all to attend college, yet when all is said and done, what happens when they get their degrees and diplomas and there are no employment availabilities?Oh wait, there is an agenda, make sure that it is equally contributed through the racial aspect, therefore the person who may qualify for the position better than any other, may not land that job because statistics claim that the balance of race must be equal†¦ this goes each way, no matter your background or race, all races lose out because of this. We are the human race period and if you believe that education, have been raised to understand the importance of it, than nothing will detour you from the dream we have all been given equally to attend school and learn.Every year we are given these statistics which either show decline or upward climb in the educational system, and for decades it is always something and shape d into inequality, however every year some new political stance is taken to create â€Å"equal† rights of education to all as though it is not already happening. Sadly I think this is why it is a social issue, because race is used as its core and it is portrayed that â€Å"minority† receive a lesser value, and are still treated as second class citizens, I’m sorry, I do not agree with this any further.Every human, no matter race, religion or whatever, has the opportunity to become educated and create a good life for themselves and family, but not everyone is willing to do the work. This country is tilting the scale and who are considered minorities in the eyes of what we have learned or made to learn, are not actually minority based on race any more when education or economy come into play: I think the only true minority who suffers today are the Indigenous Native American’s who had their land stolen, otherwise, the above mentioned equal opportunity to all is working to close this â€Å"gap† more rapidly.On another note, because of this failing public education, I chose to home school my daughter and oldest son, however my twins go to a public school now and all four are and were honor and citizenship role students. Not just because of one entity such as teacher, principle, or whom/whatever, but because as a parent I taught them the importance of allowing themselves to make individual choices and ones which will ensure a better future for themselves.It starts at home and from there, even the least paid teacher can teach you something. Reference: Korgen, K. , & Furst, G. (2012). Social problems causes & responses. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education. Retrieved from https://content. ashford. edu/books/AUSOC203. 12. 1 Hood, J. (1993, February). The failure of American public education. The Freeman, 43(2), Retrieved from http://www. thefreemanonline. org/columns/the-failure-of-american-public-education/

What Are the Chances of Winning the DV Lottery

Every year, a random selection of applicants is granted the opportunity to apply for a visa through the U.S. State Departments Diversity Immigrant Visa (DV) Program, or the Green Card Lottery. The program is open to applicants around the world, however, there are few conditions for entering. The lucky winners—50,000 of them—are given the chance to become permanent residents of the United States. Breaking Down the Numbers While its impossible to determine the exact odds of winning a chance at a diversity visa due to the number of factors involved, you can calculate a fair estimate by taking a close look at the numbers. For DV-2018, the Department of State received about 14.7 million qualified entries during the 34-day application period. (Note: 14.7 million is the number of qualified applicants. It does not include the number of applicants rejected due to ineligibility.) Of those 14.7 million qualified applications, approximately 116,000 were registered and notified to make an application for one of the 50,000 available diversity immigrant visas. That means that for DV-2018, approximately 0.79% of all qualified applicants received a notification to make an application and fewer than half of those actually received a diversity visa. Information on a statistical breakdown by country is available from the State Department. All qualified applicants have an equal chance of making it through the random selection process as long as the eligibility requirements are met and the application submitted is complete and accurate. Its also recommended to apply early to avoid system slowdowns that sometimes occur toward the end of the registration period. Entry Requirements The Diversity Immigrant Visa Programs annual lottery is open for applications for about one month in the fall. The deadline for the DV-2021 is October 15, 2019. A completed application must include a photo that meets the requirements set by the U.S. authorities. There is no registration fee. Before applying, applicants must meet the following entry requirements: Individuals must be born in a qualifying country. (The natives of some countries—including, most recently, Canada, Mexico, and the United Kingdom, among others—are not eligible since they are the primary candidates for family-sponsored and employment-based immigration.)Individuals must have at least a high school education (or its equivalent), or two years of work experience in a job that requires at least two years of training. (More information about qualifying work experience is available through the Department of Labors O*Net OnLine.) Entries are to be submitted online during the open application period. Individuals who submit multiple entries will be disqualified. Next Steps Those selected to officially apply for a U.S. visa will be notified on or about May 15. To complete the process, applicants (and any family members applying with them) will need to confirm their qualifications and submit an Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration Application, along with supporting documents such as birth certificates, marriage certificates, and proof of education or work experience. The last step of the process is the applicant interview, which will take place at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate. The applicant will present their passport, photographs, medical exam results, and other supporting materials. At the conclusion of the interview, a consular officer will inform them whether their application has been approved or denied.