BUSSINESS PLAN (GATEWAY TO SNOWTOWN) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

BUSSINESS PLAN (GATEWAY TO SNOWTOWN) - Essay Example In order to reverse this abysmal trend, my plan proposes the design and implementation of a project that will establish two main gateway signs, to be located in two strategic sites in the town. The overall rationale behind this decision is to present Snowtown to commuters before their entry into the district. It will also serve as a quick reference to what is on offer and where it can be obtained within the premise of the city. The project envisages beyond given the town an aesthetic phase lift to also providing a one stop coordinating network of the town’s iconic and signing outlay. To be incorporated in the project is the construction of public services centers at definite locations within the overall framework of the project. Snowtown by virtue of her location is the most preferred route for road users commuting to and fro Adelaide and Port Piere. Owing to this significant advantage, it is incumbent on the city planners to identify how to enhance the comparative advantage of this phenomenon within the established context of road transport. A recent survey indicates that, most travelers know little or nothing about this boisterous town besides cruising through it to their intended destinations. The project therefore, desires to embark on a massive publicity campaign that will showcase the township as an appealing tourism destination that will treat visitors to a delightful exhibition of the rich cultural heritage of Snowtown. It will serve as a platform to tap into the vibrant agricultural legacy for which the township is reputed for. In the case of Snowtown, besides the conventional road signage, there is a conspicuous gap in the provision of other equally relevant information outposts that presents the town in a unique fashion with the view of marketing it. In recognition of the above fact, there has been a remarkable move by government in recent times to explore within available provisions to pursue viable programmes that spurs sustainable economic

Advertising and Promotion in UltraChromSpec (UCS) Term Paper

Advertising and Promotion in UltraChromSpec (UCS) - Term Paper Example This paper illustrates that UltraChromSpec rapidly established a great reputation for its deliverance of superior quality standard of sales and service. As a result, the business of UltraChromSpec expanded drastically in its different field of activities not only in the US but also outside the Swiss borders into Austria and Germany. After twelve years of its initial foundation, UltraChromSpec started to execute its business operations outside Germany by having collaboration with one of the Swiss pharmaceutical giants i.e. Kaiser-Holzer (K-H). Gradually, UltraChromSpec transformed itself from a distributor to a manufacturer. In this connection, after the transformation from a distributor to a manufacturer, the businesses of UltraChromSpec were formed in three major divisions. One of the divisions is the Medical Division. In this division, UltraChromSpec started to sell mainly the hospital laboratory instruments and the critical care products which are manufactured by Kaiser-Holzer (K- H). The other division is the Analytical Division. In this division, UltraChromSpec started to sell electro or optical laboratory instruments. The other division has been the Electronics Division. In this particular division, UltraChromSpec started to sell electronic components and computer peripherals. According to Bruno Muller, the vision statement of the business policy of UltraChromSpec is, â€Å"Experience has realized us that we cannot do everything, but at least we can be sure that the activities in which we are engaged to do benefit our customers†. It has been identified that the marketing team of UltraChromSpec which is situated in the headquarters in Zurich had reorganized especially the Analytical Division into two business units and the units were again segregated into two distinct groups. The two business units of the Analytical Division include Analytical Chemical Business Unit (which is again divided into two groups namely Spectrophotometry Product Group and Ch romatography Product Group) and Biochemistry Business Unit which is again sub-divided into Ultracentrifugation Product Group and Nuclear Counting Product Group.

STA Financial Report Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

STA Financial Report - Coursework Example Marketing STA travel has a perfect market strategic plan as its branch networks are based all over the world. The company has over 68 branches and these are spread all over the world meaning the company is a common figure in over 60 countries world wide. It does not only target the youth but old people can as well us the traveling agency. The company though has a marketing plan that seems to capture the attention of mostly young people and in this case students find themselves to be the top prioritized customers. A part from being known as one of the world’s greatest travelling agency,STA travel has also invested in other business fields like hotels which are distributed all over the world. STA travel has many representatives in countries where it is based to improve its marketing for example recently it joined hands with Charleston Travel that is found in Kenya. Charleston travels has been in the market for ten years and is well know in its geographical position as good compa ny that provides high quality services since it handles people both from within and abroad. This shows how ambitious STA travels is as it merges with small but potential companies with the aim of making them famous and in this process it markets itself in a broader perspective. Competition STA travel has ventured in two fields. One being a travel agency and the other business sector. In both fields, STA experiences a stiff competition from companies like Amero express company, Carlson Wagonlit travel and Expedia Company. STA travel’s competitor have managed to be a threat to it as the offer services quite similar to those of STA travels some of these being an excellent customer relations and nice services. They are also found in many countries all over the world which is to say they are equally popular in the market. STA travel has managed t secure ways of countering the strains of the competition by advancing their levels of operation making it convenient for all its custome rs to acquire their services and stay committed to the company. STA travel is known to be a pioneer of fair and affordable prices when it comes to their services. This has been one of the methods that have helped it maintain its leading position in the market. STA has as well appointed innovative managers in various sectors of the firm. Competent managers have the right instinct to understand the right policies to undertake. (Groppelli A,Nikbakht,E,2006,pg.7) Thus knowing specific rules is important to counter specific needs.(Banks,E,2000,pg.274). Non-financial features Apart from focusing only on the company’s income generations, it has also played a role in other areas like taking part in ethnical volunteering schemes. It gives exertion holiday visas and on top of it one is able to learn various languages as there are language packages being offered. They motivate their most hard working personnel with tokens. Comparative business analysis BALANCE SHEET STA TRAVEL AGENCY FO R THE YEARS ENDED 2009, 2010 AND 2011. CURRENT ASSETS: 2009 2010 2011 Furniture and fittings $60000 $50000 $65000 Land $50000 $42000 $53000 Planes $56000 $60000 $79000 Motor vehicle $68000 $69000 $71000 Total current assets $234000 $221000 $268000 CURRENT LIABILITIES: Creditors $17000 $9000 $4000 Unpaid wages $45000 $42000 $37000 Unpaid rent $35000 $34000 $24000 Total current liabilities $97000 $85000 $65000 The above is a comparison of STA Travel Company’

Advertising and Promotion in UltraChromSpec (UCS) Term Paper

Advertising and Promotion in UltraChromSpec (UCS) - Term Paper Example This paper illustrates that UltraChromSpec rapidly established a great reputation for its deliverance of superior quality standard of sales and service. As a result, the business of UltraChromSpec expanded drastically in its different field of activities not only in the US but also outside the Swiss borders into Austria and Germany. After twelve years of its initial foundation, UltraChromSpec started to execute its business operations outside Germany by having collaboration with one of the Swiss pharmaceutical giants i.e. Kaiser-Holzer (K-H). Gradually, UltraChromSpec transformed itself from a distributor to a manufacturer. In this connection, after the transformation from a distributor to a manufacturer, the businesses of UltraChromSpec were formed in three major divisions. One of the divisions is the Medical Division. In this division, UltraChromSpec started to sell mainly the hospital laboratory instruments and the critical care products which are manufactured by Kaiser-Holzer (K- H). The other division is the Analytical Division. In this division, UltraChromSpec started to sell electro or optical laboratory instruments. The other division has been the Electronics Division. In this particular division, UltraChromSpec started to sell electronic components and computer peripherals. According to Bruno Muller, the vision statement of the business policy of UltraChromSpec is, â€Å"Experience has realized us that we cannot do everything, but at least we can be sure that the activities in which we are engaged to do benefit our customers†. It has been identified that the marketing team of UltraChromSpec which is situated in the headquarters in Zurich had reorganized especially the Analytical Division into two business units and the units were again segregated into two distinct groups. The two business units of the Analytical Division include Analytical Chemical Business Unit (which is again divided into two groups namely Spectrophotometry Product Group and Ch romatography Product Group) and Biochemistry Business Unit which is again sub-divided into Ultracentrifugation Product Group and Nuclear Counting Product Group.

Lovecraft's argument or postion to Paradox of Horror Essay

Lovecraft's argument or postion to Paradox of Horror - Essay Example And this is the point where I will start my argument. Someone can and many people go around looking for scary things not because they are forced but because they find excitement in the horror part of art. Many people get scared but still continue to love the art of horror and the scary nature of the horror art. Someone can seek for a scary thing or disgusting thing for entertainment. Since the times of the Romans, scary acts have been used for entertainment. This can be seen from the way that criminals were killed. Some of the criminals were set out and a lion left to eat them as a large crowd watched and celebrated. This shows that there is a sense of excitement in humans when they get scared over something. Most of the people who seek horror in art mainly do so because of its entertainment nature. Therefore I can say that the above saying that no one can seek out for a scary or disgusting thing is wrong. People can seek out scary things and movies because of their entertainment nat ure. Someone can also seek horror and scary art scenes so as to remove stress. Stress has been known to disturb man since creation. Many people forget about their stress when they see something that is scary. This is because when they see the disgusting part of the art, they forget about their problems and start to feel for the situation that is making them scared. At this point their stress goes away and they become relieved for some time. Therefore someone can use horror to remove stress that they have. This clearly disapproves Lovecraft’s idea that no one can seek for any disgusting or scary thing. Many people look for scary things to remove stress and this is a better argument to prove that Lovecraft statement is wrong. People also seek scary art so as to take a lesson from the art. When people see how someone suffers, they get the lesson not to what the victim did to undergo such suffering. Some people just love learning lessons about something and so when they get to se e how someone has suffered, they get thee reason of his/her suffering and take it as a lesson so that next time they don’t do the same mistakes as the ones done by the person who suffers in the horror act. Apart from the educative nature of horror acting, there are people who love horror simply because of its scary nature. When they experience the scary part of the horror, they get some excitement that makes them feel better. Horror is like part of their life so when arguing this, these people should not be left out of the debate. This group of people help to prove that there are people out there who go for horror acting because they want to and not because they are forced. If we say that people don’t look for scary acts because they like it then it means that everyone who participate in the production and anyone who enjoys horror movies or act do so because they are under some obligation or that they do that because of circumstances that they can’t avoid and if given a chance they can do the acting or watching of the horror movies. This is an invalid argument since almost everyone who watches horror movies do so because they love it and not because someone has told them to watch it. Many people would argue that maybe their love for horror movies come due to the influence of the people around them and the environmental

Structure of the Balance Sheet of Islamic Banks

Structure of the Balance Sheet of Islamic Banks INTRODUCTION Structure of the Balance Sheet of Islamic Banks Liquidity is an important characteristic of banks. By their very nature, banks transform the term of their liabilities to have different maturities on the asset side of the balance sheet. At the same time, banks must be able to meet their commitments such as deposits at the point at which they become due. Thus, liquidity management lies at the heart of confidence in the banking operation. Customers place their deposits with a bank, confident they can withdraw the deposit when they wish. If the ability of the bank to pay out on demand is questioned, all its business may be lost overnight. The importance of liquidity transcends the individual institution, since a liquidity shortfall at a single institution may invoke systemic repercussion causing harm to the whole financial stability of a country. Therefore it is important for banks to have adequate liquidity potential when it can obtain sufficient funds promptly and at a reasonable cost. For Islamic banks, liquidity risk is a signific ant risk owing to the limited availability of Shariah-compatible money market instruments and Lender-Of-Last-Resort (LOLR) facilities. Hence, the recent introduction of commodity murabahah instrument based on tawarruq concept by Central Bank of Malaysia is deemed as an innovative approach to liquidity management. It certainly adds to the list of instruments for Islamic banks to manage their liquidity more effectively and efficiently. This paper reviews the structure and mechanism of commodity murabahah particularly for liquidity management purpose. As will be evident in this paper, this instrument has its own advantage which appeals to certain practitioners who were previously uncomfortable with `inah-based instruments (www.acrobatplanet.com). Liquidity management lies at the heart of confidence in the banking operation. Customers place their deposits with a bank, confident they can withdraw the deposit when they wish. If the ability of the bank to pay out on demand is questioned, all its business may be lost overnight. In general terms, liquidity refers broadly to the ability to trade instruments quickly at prices that are reasonable in light of the underlying demand/supply conditions through the depth, breadth and resilience of the market at the lowest possible execution cost (Pervez, 2000). A perfectly liquid asset is defined as one whose full present value can be realized, i.e. turned into purchasing power over goods and services, immediately (Tobin, 1987). Cash is perfectly liquid, and so for practical purposes are demand deposits, and other deposits transferable to third parties by cheque or wire, and investments in short term liquid government securities (Abdul-Rahman, 1999). The importance of liquidity transcends t he individual institution, since a liquidity shortfall at a single institution may invoke systemic repercussion causing harm to the whole financial stability of a country. Therefore it is important for banks to have adequate liquidity potential when it can obtain sufficient funds promptly and at a reasonable cost (Heffernan, 1996). The concern over liquidity management is also relevant to Islamic bank that holds illiquid assets while its liabilities are liquid, and holds assets unpredictable in value while guaranteeing the value of its liabilities. Thus, since Islamic banks follow the same structure and characteristics of a commercial banks balance sheet, they are not immune from liquidity risk. The potential mismatch between deposits and investment financing exposes Islamic banks to liquidity problems. On the other hand, if the banks maintain too much liquidity to avoid getting into the liquidity problems may in turn hurt its profitability, therefore creating a right balance between the two objectives of safety (www.acrobatplanet.com). Off-balance-sheet financing Also called synthetic leases, this is where a company uses rules from different systems, such as financial and tax, to account for an asset in different ways. For example, I lease a computer from company A. Because I dont own the computer (and I am assuming this is not a capital lease), I get to take the rent expense (for the lease) as a deduction on the books, but I dont have to account for the asset or the debt, therefore it is not on the balance sheet. This is attractive because it creates no debt on the companys books. It is often done through a SPE (Special Purpose Entity). Though lucrative, it has contributed to the demise of companies such as Enron. The lessor (company A) maintains the asset on their books and, if they financed it from another company (company B), the debt as well. Credit card issuers, mortgage companies and various other entities also use a type of off-balance-sheet financing known as asset backed securitization (ABS). The ABS process effectively allows a company to sell a portion of the loans (receivables assets) to investors, effectively removing the assets from their balance sheets (allowing a lower level of reserves, and, therefore capital) while managing the servicing of the debt (http://wiki.answers.com). AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY To study the structure of the balance sheet of Islamic banks To study the On Balance Sheet Financing as compared to Off Balance financing. Critical appraisal of the structure of the Balance Sheet of Islamic Banks. BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS Risk management and liquidity are of crucial importance in the overall banking environment, and they have clear relevance also to the specific environment of Islamic banking. In itself, Islamic banking is of growing significance. Regulators have their own particular perspective on these issues. As a regulator based in London the Financial Statement Analysis (FSA) should focus on the following: The importance of London as a centre of Islamic financing. The overall role of the FSA as a regulator why sound regulation is of critical importance in any financial marketplace, how it can assist in facilitating competition and innovation. Risk management issues in banking: a summary of the key elements involved. Risk management and liquidity issues as applied to Islamic banking. The perspective of the regulator, and why the UK operates a single regulatory framework for all firms. The importance of London as a centre of Islamic financing London is clearly one of the pre eminent centres of Islamic finance, for two main reasons. These are the presence of sizeable Muslim community in the UK; and the importance of London as a financial centre with the expertise to develop new and innovative products. The FSA as Regulator welcomes the development of Islamic finance, and would be happy to see this grow further. Other important centres include Bahrain and Malaysia (www.financeinislam.com). London plays a role in four areas of significance in Islamic banking: Trade assets such as murabaha, istisnaa, and bai-al-salam. The market is probably worth US$ 10 billion in the UK. Equipment leasing asset and partner selection, operating leases and finance leases Real estate where investors are looking for rental and capital benefits. Investment routes include fund management, club transactions, leverage funding, and asset analysis, corporate structuring and tax planning. Packaging and delivering assets engineering solutions. This includes a growing market in securitizations of pools of Shariah compliant assets. The role of the FSA as a regulator The Government has set the FSA four objectives: Market confidence Public awareness of the financial system Consumer protection Reducing financial crime The new FSMA will bring in eleven principles for the handling of business, which set out at a high level how we expect a firm and its management to conduct themselves. In terms of minimum criteria, the FSA has to be satisfied that institutions have adequate capital, adequate liquidity and adequate control over large exposures. Banks of what ever origin must be prudently run and that their management must be fit and proper for the task. Satisfactory risk management, a realistic business plan, and adequate systems and controls need to be clearly demonstrated. The FSA must be satisfied also that each institution is subject to effective consolidated supervision i.e., that one supervisory authority takes prime responsibility for supervising the bank or banking group as a whole (www.financeinislam.com). RISKS, PROBLEMS AND CHALLENGES Risk management issues in Islamic banking Senior management in any business must be able to provide effective risk management. The consequences of failure to do so are dire, for example, the collapse of Barings where proper controls and monitoring were not effectively in place: Regulators need to be sure that such risks are managed so as to prevent a worst case scenario such as the systemic collapse of a whole banking system. Critical issues for Islamic banks are the reputational risks and legal risks of non-compliance from Shariah board requirements and/or from engaging in any activities that were not perceived as properly Islamic by the marketplace. The maintenance of trust amongst Islamic market participants is crucial (www.financeinislam.com). Credit risk This is the risk that customers default and cannot service their debts. Banks can also suffer from the excessive concentration of exposures to particular customers, industries or countries. Asset quality should be closely monitored using appropriate management information and systems support. Islamic banks run an asset book, just as conventional banks do, so the same disciplines must apply. Liquidity risk Banks face collapse or severe trading difficulties when they are unable to meet their liabilities. For example, many Japanese institutions operating in London in the late l990s were hit when the Japanese premium increased their funding costs and eroded their liquidity. This did not mean, however, that they became unable to meet their liabilities. For the FSA, liquidity is a key concern. The dilemma for the Islamic sector is that liquidity from the Gulf is currently very substantial, but there is the need to seek out appropriate outlets for it. There is not a clearly defined lender of last resort for Islamic banks that might suffer liquidity problems, although support could probably be found from with in the overall pool of liquidity. Interest rate risk The risk of declines in earnings due to the movement of interest rates, most of the balance sheet items of banks generate revenues and costs that are indexed to interest rates. A key aspect of interest rate risk is also the possible mismatches that can arise between fixed and floating rates. In the Islamic banking context, interest rates per se are not a factor. However, commissions generated on Islamic transactions could also be vulnerable to market movements. Market risk The risk of adverse deviations of the mark-to-market value of the trading portfolio during the period required to liquidate the transactions. Islamic financial institutions take up risk sharing funds, whereas conventional banks take capital certain deposits where repayment must be made. There is the implicit requirement for both parties to a given transaction to share in the loss as well as the profit. Foreign exchange risk The currency risk of suffering losses due to changes in exchange rates. This principle applies equally to Islamic banks. Letter of credit and trade finance for example, a significant proportion of which is denominated in US Dollars, often pose an exchange risk. Currency transaction and translation Factors must be taken into account. Solvency risk The risk that financial institutions will be unable to hold sufficient capital resources to cover their different risks, regulators need to decide what amount is held, supervise, in order to maintain an appropriate level of solvency. Islamic banks need to be clear about the status of their deposits or liabilities. Any capital-certain transactions generate more solvency risk than risk-sharing with investors. Operational risk There is no precise definition, but we view operational risk as being the risk that arises from human error and/or deficiencies in information systems or controls, resulting in direct or indirect loss. In the Islamic banking context, operational risks can impact just as much as in conventional banking, with the additional element of possible operational defects causing failure to comply with the Shariah (www.financeinislam.com). FINDINGS Risk management and liquidity issues as applied to Islamic banking This is a very important area and a number of key regulatory issues are under review. For example, whether liquidity requirements should apply to all on-balance sheet funds, risk sharing as well as capital certain; and how liquidity should be managed for funds, which are held off balance sheet. The basic issue, however, as for any bank is how easily and quickly, and with what penalty, assets can be turned into cash. The establishment of a genuine inter-bank market or markets would be a significant step towards providing Islamic banks with the ability to maintain adequate liquidity without holding excessive amounts of very short-term assets. For example, it was very interesting to note that the Bahrain Monetary Authority (BMA) announced the first issue of its Islamically-structured bonds the Sukuk al-Salaam worth US$ 25mn. ABC Clearing Company BC and ABC Islamic Bank have been active in offering overnight investment opportunities for Islamic funds for a number of years. BNP Paribas and Kuwait Finance House signed a memorandum of understanding for the creation of a US$ 2bn Islamic money market fund (IMMF). Bank of America, Deutsche Bank, and ABN AMRO also plan to launch such instruments. Malaysia has also been developing an Islamic inter bank market. These developments offer potential flexibility to Islamic banks. UK practice is such that the Financial Statement Analysis (FSA) has scope to take account of such developments when agreeing liquidity guidelines with banks (www.financeinislam.com). CONCLUSION There are two different categories of commercial financing from an accounting perspective: on-balance-sheet financing and off-balance-sheet financing. Understanding the difference can be critical to obtaining the right type of commercial financing for your company. Put simply, on-balance-sheet financing is commercial financing in which capital expenditures appear as a liability on a companys balance sheet. Commercial loans are the most common example: Typically, a company will leverage an asset (such as accounts receivable) in order to borrow money from a bank, thus creating a liability (i.e., the outstanding loan) that must be reported as such on the balance sheet. With off-balance-sheet financing, however, liabilities do not have to be reported because no debt or equity is created. The most common form of off-balance-sheet financing is an operating lease, in which the company makes a small down payment upfront and then monthly lease payments. When the lease term is up, the company can usually buy the asset for a minimal amount (often just one dollar). The key difference is that with an operating lease, the asset stays on the lessors balance sheet. The lessee only reports the expense associated with the use of the asset (i.e., the rental payments), not the cost of the asset itself (www.evancarmichael.com). Why Does It Matter? This might sound like technical accounting-speak that only a CPA could appreciate. In the continuing tight credit environment, however, off-balance-sheet financing can offer significant benefits to any size company, from large multi-nationals to mom-and-pops. These benefits arise from the fact that off-balance-sheet financing creates liquidity for a business while avoiding leverage, thus improving the overall financial picture of the company. This can help companies keep their debt-to-equity ratio low: If a company is already leveraged, additional debt might trip a covenant to an existing loan. The trade-off is that off-balance-sheet financing is usually more expensive than traditional on-balance-sheet loans. Business owners should work closely with their CPAs to determine whether the benefits of off-balance-sheet financing outweigh the costs in their specific situation. Other Types of Off-Balance-Sheet Financing An increasingly popular type of off-balance-sheet financing today is whats known as a sale/leaseback. Here, a business sells property it owns and then immediately leases it back from the new owner. It can be used with virtually any type of fixed asset, including commercial real estate, equipment and commercial vehicles and aircraft, to name a few. A sale/leaseback can increase a companys financial flexibility and may provide a large lump sum of cash by freeing up the equity in the asset. This cash can then be poured back into the business to support growth, pay down debt, acquire another business, or meet working capital needs. Factoring is another type of off-balance-sheet financing. Here, a business sells its outstanding accounts receivable to a commercial finance company, or factor. Typically, the factor will advance the business between 70 and 90 percent of the value of the receivable at the time of purchase; the balance, less the factoring fee, is released when the invoice is collected. Like with an operating lease, no debt is created with factoring, thus enabling companies to create liquidity while avoiding additional leverage. The same kinds of off-balance-sheet benefits occur in both factoring arrangements and operating leases. Keep in mind that strict accounting rules must be followed when it comes to properly distinguishing between on-balance-sheet and off-balance-sheet financing, so you should work closely with your CPA in this regard. But with the continued uncertainty surrounding the economy and credit markets, its worth looking into the potential benefits of off-balance-sheet financing for your company (www.evancarmichael.com). The perspective of the Regulator The fundamental stance of the regulator is that the same principles in the handling of risk should apply for Islamic as for non-Islamic banks and financial entities. There has to be a level playing field. For the regulator, risk management in the Islamic context is becoming easier to understand as the following develop: A set of common international equivalent accounting standards. The AAOIFI is a doing a lot of good work in this area but we need to see more harmonization. Greater standardization of products. A clear role for the Shariah Board. For example, if there were to be one Board per country it should assist in giving consistency of interpretation of the Shariah. The FSA has had no applications for authorization from purely Islamic banks. If an application were to be made, it would be considered against our minimum criteria and principles for business. For us, an important aspect of any application would be the effectiveness of the applicants risk management systems and controls (www.financeinislam.com).

Women as Societies Change Agents During the 1950s Polio Epidemic Essa

The 1950's represented the cold war era, symbolized by the red scar, anti-communism, potential nuclear war, and McCarthyism. Patriotic loyalty was stressed, any citizen who spoke out against the US government policies was labeled a communist and was often black listed and put under surveillance. The sensationalized conviction and execution of the Rosenberg's for spying, jeopardized our countries' national security and reinforced anti-communism propaganda. Moreover, students practiced emergency ducking under their desk drills to prepare for a nuclear fallout and families purchased bomb shelter for protection. The hyper-vigilance, fear, paranoia, and post traumatic stress that permeated our country's landscape of being under siege, intensified with the polio epidemic. Verbally expressing the word â€Å"POLIO† brings forth anxiety, trepidation, and thoughts of mortality, crippled bodies, and iron lungs. Once the initial shock wears off that you-- in fact, have the disease than the fight for your life begins. This highly contagious illness was passed by close contact and through fecal matter, despite improved sanitation practices. Unfortunately, many poor and middle class families' contracted this viral disease, which rapidly destroyed motor-neurons to arms, legs, and diaphragm muscles. Ironically,improved sanitation practices were blamed for this delayed childhood disease. Younger breastfeeding children received maternal antibodies whereas older children did not have this similar immune advantage. Sadly, children under fifteen years old, experienced the highest rates of contracting this malady. Adults also experienced severe poliomyelitis complications rendering them total care or requiring the iron lung to perform their br... ...ine, restricting community activities, discouraging mingling among all socioeconomic classes at the pools, theaters, and camps, good hygiene, sanitation practices and effective handwashing techniques. Works Cited BIBLOGRAPHY 1. Naomi Rogers, Dirt and Disease: Polio before FDR (New Brunswick, N.J.: Rutgers University Press, 1992). 2. Wilson, D.J. A Crippling Fear: Experiencing Polio in the Era of FDR Bulletin of the History of Medicine 72.3 (1998) 464-495. 3. Oshinsky, D. M. Polio: An American Story oxford university press (2005) 350 4. Foertsch, J. Bracing accounts, the literature and culture of polio in postwar america. Associated university press (2008) 223. 5. Bocker, A. and Brandt, V. Living in fear:northeast wisconsin's polio epidemics. Voyager Winter/Spring (2007) 10-25.