Make sure your nerves are not too sensitive before...

Make sure your nerves are not too sensitive before watching the melodramatic thriller Sleeping with the enemy. Not many movies make me feel so frightened. I truly feel for the female main character and it is clear how psychological disorder of her loved one literally destroyed her life. Laura and Martin seem a very four-year-ago happy married couple. They live in the beautiful house next to the ocean. What can you make more happy? But the nightmare has not started yet. He is successful investment counselor, she is a housewife, who always tries to keep her house clean and always meets her husband with delicious dinners. Because of an excellent playing of Julia Roberts, while watching the first scenes, you will get the feeling that†¦show more content†¦The woman is desperate, lonely and intimidated because her husband scared all her friends away. She has got nobody to share her nightmare with and after the last fist lesson, she dares to escape. As Martin knows, Laura cannot swim. Unknowingly for him, she secretly becomes a member in the swimming pool and takes classes there. For a long time she was train how to swim. All the time she barely hold herself from saying the truth about her swimming classes. She just lives in hope of a soon escaping from the maniac. When she was ready to escape, she thoroughly plans each detail and waits for this opportune moment. In my opinion, it is clear that Martin suffers from Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder. DSM-V described this disorder as compulsivity, perfectionism, negative affectivity (Hollander, 2008.) Martin was abscessed with cleanliness and order in their house. He strongly expressed his concern to unnecessary details. He tends to perfectionism, with strict adherence to all rules and regulations, and if something went wrong, he used a physical force. He is very stubborn, rigid, while they simultaneously present uncertainty with extreme caution, and the cause was his constant doubting. For example, w hen Laura wanted to put on her favorite dress, Martin forced her to change to his favorite. Apparently, Martin had a very sharpened

Abortion Is Terminating A Fetus Before The Baby - 1537 Words

Abortion is terminating a fetus before the baby is capable of living. Currently, there is a debate amongst the politicians to decide whether to continue or not to continue funding for abortion. The Federal Government should not still fund Planned Parenthood abortions, so the individuals can pay for it on their own. People don’t want their tax dollars to be spent on abortions not everyone is pro- choice nor a pro- life either. Tax dollars could be spent on other needs for our country. People don’t want to pay for something they’d never use. Abortions should be recognized as one of the ways to end a person’s life. Women have abortions for a number of reasons, but none of them are willing to pay for it themselves. And I believe that Planned†¦show more content†¦The abortion procedures would be changed to increase the likelihood of a successfully obtaining a specific fetal tissue for resale. It is currently not clear the amount being made after selli ng. There are four clinics guilty and put under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice. In an article by Micaiah Bilger Chilling Evidence Shows Planned Parenthood Selling Body Parts: â€Å"How’s the Pancreas Forecast Today?† â€Å"The list shows that the following organs such as the hearts, brains, kidneys, tongues, ears, and lungs are being taken out of fetuses and sold for profit for the individual seller.† This is an example of some of the organs trying to be sold. It sounds like it just cars parts being sold for more profit. I don’t view human life in that way. The human life is so valuable and precious to want to sell any organs. Also another procedure performed at the clinics is called partial- birth abortions. The definition of a partial birth abortion is a procedure of a living baby, whom is feet- first and all except for the head. Then, the head is punctured and the clinic removes the baby’s brain. Finally, the skull collapses and a dead- baby would be delivered. An Article titled Facts of Partial- Birth Abortions claims that, â€Å"these partial- birth abortions are performed 3,000- 5,000 annually†. The numbers of times partial- births are being used are rare, but they still do occur. There also was a Partial- birth abortion act stated by Facts of Partial-Show MoreRelatedArgumentative Essay On Abortion1380 Words   |  6 PagesAbortion the deliberate termination of a human pregnancy, most often performed during the first 28 weeks of pregnancy. Abortion is one of the most common medical procedures preformed in the United States each year. More than 40% of all women will end a pregnancy by abortion at some time in their reproductive lives. Abortion, it is simply the one of the most debated issue in our society today. â€Å"Is abortion bad?† â€Å"Is the fetus a baby?† â€Å"Why is it bad to kill a fetus if it’s not living?† The simpleRead MoreAbortion : Should Abortion Under Any Circumstance But The Mother s Health Be Permissible?922 Words   |  4 Pages â€Å"Should abortion under any circumstance but the mother’s health be permissible?† Abortion is the induced expulsion of a human embryo/fetus from the womb before it is capable of surviving independently. There are 2 main classifications of abortion, Surgical and medical . Surgical abortion - involve invasive procedures like Suction aspiration, a procedure most used in the first trimester of pregnancy. The abortionist inserts a suctionRead MoreThe Abortion Of The United States1031 Words   |  5 PagesFacing Abortion in the United States Abortion is a common debated topic in the United States. It is becoming commonplace in our society. Terminating an unwanted pregnancy is a difficult choice that many women have faced throughout the years. Through out this paper, reasons for abortion, women, underage girls, parental laws, emotions, and the procedures of terminating a pregnancy will be discussed. While there is still more research being done, it is said that abortion can have both negative andRead MoreAbortion is Murder and Immoral Essay1339 Words   |  6 PagesAbortion is Murder and Immoral In Americas Society Abortion is a topic that most people rather not face. More and more abortions occur everyday, causing potential lives to be terminated due to irresponsible sexual activity among adults and teens. Abortions cheats the unborn child of his or hers existence and unknown experiences to come. Abortions are quick escape goats for irresponsible individuals and cause pain, suffering, and death. I t is against the law and immoral to kill another humanRead MorePro Life And Pro Choice Debates875 Words   |  4 Pagesvery controversial over the years. The Pro-Life stance fights for equal rights for the fetus, while the Pro-Choice stance fights for equal rights for the women. Currently abortions are legal in the United States up to the second trimester. The purpose of this power point will be to explore the ethical and legal viewpoints of the Pro-Life and Pro-Choice stances. Individuals who are Pro-Choice believe that an abortion is a given right and a given choice, which should not be limited by the governmentRead MoreThe Pros And Cons Of Abortion805 Words   |  4 PagesAbortion is a controversial subject that most people will never be able to agree on. The reason for that is because there are people who are against abortion, while we have others who believe that the only ones who have a say on what they do to their body is the women. Since recognizing a womans constitutional right to abortion in Roe v. Wade case, the U.S. Supreme Court has been reaffirming that right. The Court has held that a state cannot ban abortion before viability which is the point at whichRead MoreAbortion : A Controversial Issue1165 Words   |  5 Pagesadoption? Abort it? Abortion is one of the most controversial social justice topics people face. Everybody has their own opinions and beliefs about abortion. Abortion is a controversial topic. People who have opinions about t his topic usually strongly sides with one side of the pro-life/ pro-choice debate. Abortion is the expulsion of a fetus from the uterus before it has reached the stage of viability, about 20 weeks in humans. (â€Å"Abortion† Britannica school). Sometimes, an abortion isn t necessarilyRead MoreArguments Against Abortion Essay1286 Words   |  6 PagesThe debate on whether abortion should be legal, or illegal has become a controversial topic that has divided the nation into two. The group of people who don’t see anything wrong with the issue refer to their group as pro-choice supporters. Their main belief about abortion is that because a woman’s body belongs to herself it should be up to her on whether she wants to keep a baby or not. Those who are against abortion and feel it should be illegal think of themselves as pro-life supporters. TheyRead MoreWhy Should Abortions Be Illegal?899 Words   |  4 PagesWhy should abortions be illegal? As well all know the abortion rate is increasing dramatically because everyone is becoming impregnated and having abortions for several reasons. In my opinion, I feel as though if you don’t want children then you should practice safe sex by using contraptions. Abortions should be illegal for a numerous amount of reasons which are: It’s consider murder, it’s against religion, it’s unhealthy for the body, and cause mental illness. When having an abortion, you don’tRead MoreThe Issue Of Abortion : Is Not A One Size Fits All Scenario? Essay1720 Words   |  7 PagesAsk anyone what the number one debated topic in the world is today and you are almost guaranteed to hear â€Å"abortion†. It isn’t hard to imagine why this topic would leave such a bitter taste in some people’s mouths. Infants, and moreover children in general, are almost a form of an idol in our culture. The pure and innocent natures of children make the people around them, or at least most of them, fall head over heels in love with them. When someone decides to terminate a pregnancy, not only is it

The Discobolus free essay sample

Myrons works, that Diskobolos you speak of Lucian of Samosata, Philopseudes c Myrons Discobolus, a bronze statue of a discus thrower Just before he is about to elease the discus, is believed to have been manufactured from 460 to 450 B. C; its style falling between the high classical and earl Hellenistic period7. The Discobolus is known for its aesthetics and representation of the proportions of the human body8. The statue shows the stillness of the human body; the moment of tension before the release9. The statue was so admired that Roman sculptors made multiple marble copies of Myrons Discobolus10. Two of the most well-known statues are dated to the 2nd century B. C. They include the Townley Discobolus and the Lancellotti Discobolusl 1 . The marble statues are roughly the same size, measuring 1. 7 meters in height and 1050 millimetres wide12. Despite being of similar size, style and age, the two statues can be easily identified from one another in various ways. We will write a custom essay sample on The Discobolus or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The Townley Discobolus is the second to be discovered of the two statues found roughly ten years after the Lancellotti Discobolus13. The Townley Discobolus was excavated at Hadrians Villa at Tivoli by Gavin Hamilton, a Scottish history Painter, in 179114. A year later the statue was purchased by Thomas Jenikins and then sold to Charles Townley in 17941 5. After the purchase, Townley discovered that his statue had been wrongly restored, as the head on the statue was looking down as opposed to the original statue in which the head is turned upward towards the discus, as shown in figures 1 and 216. Townleys Discobolus was sold to the British museum in 1805, where it remains todayl 7. The Lancellotti Discobolus, also known as the Palombara Discobolus, was excavated from the Villa Palambara in Esquilline, Rome in 178118. The statue was owned by the wealthy and powerful Massimi family. In 1938, the statue was sold to Nazi Germany eturned to Italy in 194820. The Lancellotti Discobolus was the first of the two statues to be excavated by Gavin Hamilton21. The head of the statue has been properly restored, unlike the Townley Discobolus, and for this reason it is believed to be the more favourable of the tw022. The Lancellotti Discobolus is now featured in the National Museum of Rome23. Myrons Discobolus has been remembered through history for its bold and accurate portrayal of the human body. The statue has been described as an example of rhythmos, the Greek word for harmony and balance24. We see rhythmos as the iscus thrower bends down, curving his body in preparation of the final release of the discus. Yet, there is no sign of strain in the body or the face. The subtlety of emotion of the discus thrower is a representation of the nobility of the Greeks; an example of the calm, yet powerful nation the Greeks believed themselves to be25. The Discobolus portrays this ideology accurately. The statue is frozen in the final moment before the peak of action in anticipation of what is to come next the potential of the body and the mind. It is believed that Myron chose to focus on thletic fgures as topics of art because of the underlying symbolism of the athlete26. Athletics are designed to celebrate and exhibit what the human body is capable of. In this way, the Discobolus not only represents the human body, but instead what the Greeks were capable of27. Myrons Discobolus will forever be remembered for its immaculate portrayal of the human body, mind, and society of the Ancient Greeks. Although the original bronze statue has been lost in time, the legacy of Myron will live on in the many Roman and modern day replicas of his famous Discobolus28.

Je me souviens, Riviere-du-Loup free essay sample

Riviere-du-Loup (RDL), a little town in northeastern Quebec claims to have the second most beautiful sunset after Hawaii. The sunset was indeed gorgeous- filled with vibrant colour and welcoming warmth, but it did not compare to the beauty of the people I shared it with. In summer 2010, I spent 5 glorious weeks in RDL for a French immersion program called J’explore. I arrived with little expectations, but I came back with treasured experiences that allowed me to grow as an person. RDL was magical thanks to my fellow explorers. Everyone brought ideas and characteristics unique to who they were and where they came from. Someone from the western provinces like Alberta introduced us to the unofficial sport of â€Å"muddling† one big party in a mud field. Another delighted us with his Newfoundland accent because he was the only â€Å"Newfie† we have ever met. As I just came back from an exchange in France, I taught everyone French slang and was soon dubbed the resident tutor, a role that I loved because I was gratified to help others improve. We will write a custom essay sample on Je me souviens, Riviere-du-Loup or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page A friend told me that everyone is a blank sheet (like tabula rasa) and living brings colour. As people meet, their pages touch and the colours seep from one page to another, making every page even more special. Undoubtedly, my page was overflowing with colours because everyone I met created a palette even more diverse than the sunset. They mixed together into a whirlwind, taking the town, and me, by storm. I felt like the sky, absorbing all the colours to make me the best that I’ve ever been. Through my new friends I discovered more of who I wanted to be because I found great traits in each of them from which I wanted to learn, such as incorporating more art into my life and taking more initiative to meet new people. Despite our differences, by being there all together that summer, we created idiosyncrasies that bonded us tighter: from playing a card game with absurd rules that we fondly called â€Å"Mao† to inventing words to get around the strict French-only rules. Those five weeks gave me new encouragement on what I wanted in life. The experience cemented my desire to travel because I realized that I wanted to create many more similar rich experiences and relationships. I was amazed to find that through diversity, people always manage to come together. Moreover, I found that no matter where I am, I naturally fall to the role of a tutor. It gave me great pleasure when someone used a French expression that I taught her in the correct context. It is a role I am proud of and would like to keep. The memories of RDL remind me to remain passionate about new adventures. The diversity of people I encountered during this experience was eye-opening and fortunately, our friendships still remain strong to this day. When I see the colours of sunset, I can see their smiles cheering me on.

New 2018 PSAT Percentiles and Selection Index

New 2018 PSAT Percentiles and Selection Index SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Your PSAT score report will show you a myriad of scores, including your total score, section scores, subscores, percentiles, and Selection Index (SI). This guide will focus on the last two pieces of data: your PSAT score percentiles and Selection Index. Because it’s important to understand how the other scores in your reportrelate to your PSAT percentiles and Selection Index, we’ll start with a quick review of terms. If you’re one of many students or parents looking for directions out ofthe complex mazethat is the PSAT score report, read on to have the path illuminated! What Scores Will You See on Your PSAT Score Report? If you took the PSAT, then you know your score report contains a lot of data. The various scores fall on different scales, and all of them arecalculated from your raw score, or the total number of questions you got right.In other words, your raw score is made up of one point for every correct answer. Note that you don’t get any deductions for wrong or skipped answers. Let’s take a moment to define the various scores you'll see on your PSAT score report to clear up any confusion and revealwhere your percentiles and Selection Index come from. Total score- the sum of your two PSAT section scores, ranging between 320 and 1520. Section scores (2)- a score for Math and a score for Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW), both between 160 and 760. Test scores (3)- separate scores for Math, Reading, and Writing Language, all between 8 and 38. Cross-test scores (2)- scores to measure your performance on Analysis in History/Social Studies and Analysis in Science questions taken from all three subject areas (Math, Reading, and Writing); these scores range from 8 to 38 (as test scores do) Subscores (7)- scores to measure your performance on PSAT questions in seven specific skill areas: Command of Evidence, Words in Context, Expression of Ideas, Standard English Conventions, Heart of Algebra, Problem Solving Data Analysis, and Passport to Advanced Math; each subscore ranges from 1 to 15 Nationally Representative Percentile- shows how your scores compare with scores of all US students in your grade, including those who typically don'ttake the PSAT User Percentile- shows how your score compares with scores of US students in your grade who typically take the PSAT Selection Index- a scoring system used by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation to determine eligibility for Commended Scholar, Semifinalist, and Finalist As you can see, there are a lot of scores on your PSAT score report. Your section and total scores, along with the percentiles they fall in, are by far the most important for understanding your performance on the test. Your cross-test scores and subscores are useful asfeedback on your strengths and weaknesses as a test taker. You can use this feedback to help you prep for the PSAT again (if you’re a younger student) or to get ready for the SAT if you’re already a junior. Now that we’ve defined these scores, let’s consider the metric that compares your performance with that of other test takers: your PSAT percentiles. Read on so you, too, can magically juggle percentiles in the palms of your hands. What to Know About PSAT Percentiles PSAT percentiles are useful because they compare your exam performance with that of other test takers in your grade. If you scored in the 90th percentile, for example, you scored the same as or higher than 90% of test takers (the remaining 10% scored higher than you). As explained above, the Nationally Representative Percentile takesinto account all students, even those who don’t typically take the PSAT. This percentile includes students who didn't take the test, but who, on the whole, presumably would have scored lower if they had. The Nationally Representative percentile appears to be based on the population of all US students in a certain grade rather than on the population of PSAT test takers in a certain grade.For this post, we’ll focus on User Percentiles,which are calculated based on the performance of students who actually tookthe PSAT. If these two percentiles seem confusing, it’s because they are. In fact, somecritics have questioned the accuracy of both percentiles, suggesting that they're inflated and "presentinga rosier picture† of student PSAT scores to sway students toward the SATand away fromthe ACT. While it’s unclear whether or not these criticisms are warranted, it does appear that the data has the potential to fluctuate in the future. For now, these are the percentile charts that the College Board released in 2018. They show how your total and section PSAT scores get represented by percentiles. Critics of the PSAT might be right to be suspicious. As many people know, 73.6% of statistics are made up on the spot. PSAT Total Scores to Percentiles This chart, based on the College Board's 2018 PSAT scores report,shows the User Percentiles for total PSAT scores.You can also check outour other guides if you want to learn more about PSAT percentiles for sophomores or freshmen. Whether you want to check these percentiles against your own score report or are looking up your results on a PSAT practice test, you can find your percentiles by locating your total PSAT test score. Again, this willrange between 320 and 1520 and is the sum of your two section scores (Math and EBRW). If you scored 650 in Evidence-Based Reading and Writing and 700 in Math, for example, your total PSAT score would be 650 + 700 = 1350. Based on the chart, you can see that a total score of 1350 falls in the 94th percentile. Scroll down to find yours or, conversely, to see what you would need to score to make it into your target percentile. Total Score Percentile Total Score Percentile 1520 99+ 1070 62 1510 99+ 1060 60 1500 99+ 1050 58 1490 99+ 1040 56 1480 99 1030 54 1470 99 1020 52 1460 99 1010 51 1450 98 1000 49 1440 98 990 47 1430 98 980 45 1420 97 970 43 1410 97 960 41 1400 97 950 40 1390 96 940 38 1380 96 930 36 1370 95 920 34 1360 95 910 32 1350 94 900 31 1340 94 890 29 1330 93 880 27 1320 93 870 26 1310 92 860 24 1300 91 850 23 1290 91 840 21 1280 90 830 20 1270 89 820 18 1260 88 810 17 1250 87 800 15 1240 86 790 14 1230 85 780 12 1220 84 770 11 1210 83 760 10 1200 82 750 9 1190 81 740 8 1180 79 730 7 1170 78 720 6 1160 77 710 5 1150 75 700 4 1140 74 690 3 1130 72 680 3 1120 70 670 2 1110 69 660 2 1100 67 650 2 1090 65 590-640 1 1080 63 580 and below 1- Learning any new skill takes hours of dedicated practice. Doing well on the PSAT is no different! PSAT Section Scores to Percentiles While the chart above shows PSAT percentiles represented by total scores, this next one shows the percentiles assigned to section scores. As described above, you’ll get two section scores on the PSAT: one for Math and one for Evidence-Based Reading and Writing. Each score isbetween 160 and 760. Just like in the chart above, you can use the following chart to find your percentiles ortofind out what scores you need to achieve your target percentile on a particular PSAT section. In addition to helping you prep and interpret your PSAT scores, whether on practice tests or the real thing, percentiles can be helpful for estimating your chances of gettingNational Merit distinction. We'll talk more about why this matters in a moment. Section Score EBRW Percentile Math Percentile 760 99+ 99+ 750 99+ 99 740 99 98 730 99 97 720 98 96 710 97 96 700 96 95 690 95 94 680 94 93 670 93 93 660 91 92 650 89 91 640 88 90 630 86 89 620 84 87 610 81 85 600 79 83 590 76 81 580 73 78 570 70 75 560 67 72 550 63 69 540 60 65 530 56 62 520 53 58 510 49 55 500 46 52 490 43 48 480 39 44 470 36 40 460 33 36 450 31 33 440 28 29 430 25 26 420 22 23 410 20 19 400 17 16 390 15 13 380 12 10 370 10 9 360 8 7 350 6 5 340 5 4 330 3 3 320 2 2 310 2 2 300 1 1 290 1 1 280 1 1 270 1- 1 260 1- 1- 250 and below 1- 1- If you're aiming for National Merit, you need to know your Selection Index score. How Do PSAT Percentiles Relate to National Merit? Students who score highly on the PSAT their junior year might qualify for National Merit distinction. The top 3-4% of scorers every year are named Commended Scholars, while the top 1% are named Semifinalists and can potentially go on to become Finalists and scholarship recipients. Your percentiles on your PSAT score report are an estimate rather than an exact prediction of your chances of National Merit. The National Merit Scholarship Corporation actually uses its own scale called a Selection Index (SI) to determine National Merit. The NMSC compares students nationally for Commended Scholar but determines eligibility on a state-by-state basis for Semifinalist. It uses this state-by-state system to ensure there is an even distribution of Semifinalist awards throughout the country. This discussion of National Merit brings us to an important piece of data: your Selection Index. What Is the Selection Index? Your score report will give you your Selection Index (SI) score; you can also calculate this yourself, as you’ll see below. Your Selection Index will look much different from your total PSAT score since it ranges between 48 and 228. To be named National Merit Semifinalist, you’ll need a Selection Index score at or above a certain cutoff. Each state’s cutoff is different (usually students testing in New Jersey; Washington, DC; and abroad have the highest ones) and changes from year to year. Based on reports from students around the country, we've compiled the full list of 2018 cutoffs for each state. If you took the PSAT as a junior, you can check out our National Merit Semifinalist guide to get a sense of whether or not you might qualify. Remember that cutoffs can change from year to year. So where does this Selection Index score between 48 and 228 come from? Read on to find out. Calculating your Selection Index score is easy. All you need is a calculator, a spoon, a Yukon Gold potato, and a dozen European coins. How to Calculate Your Selection Index Score Your Selection Index score is calculated from your PSAT test scores. As you saw in the glossary at the beginning of this guide, you get three test scores: one for Math, one for Reading, and one for Writing and Language. Each test score ranges from 8 to 38. If you take the PSAT/NMSQT, your score report will show you your Selection Index. You can also easily calculate this score yourself by adding your three test scores together and multiplying the sum by 2. The chart below shows how you would calculate your Selection Index score if you earned a 35 in Reading, a 32 in Writing and Language, and a 37 in Math: Section Score Sum x 2 Selection Index Score Reading 35 (35 + 32 + 37) x 2 = 208 Writing and Language 32 Math 37 If you scored in top percentiles and think you might be eligible for National Merit, you can check out our state-by-state cutoffs for the 2018 PSAT. In closing, let’s review what you need to know about the PSAT scoring system, particularly the percentiles and Selection Index. Key Points: Scores on the PSAT The PSAT is scored on a scale from 320 to 1520. Its scale is shifted down from the SAT’s scale, which is 400-1600, to account for the fact that the PSAT is a somewhat easier test. Your Reading and Writing and Language performances are reported together as a single Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score between 160 and 760. Your other section score is Math and also ranges between 160 and 760. Your score report will tell you two percentiles: the Nationally Representative and User percentiles. It is generally thought that the User Percentile is the more accurate and useful of the two,as it's based primarily on students who typically take the PSAT. The charts above show the percentiles represented by your total and section scores on the PSAT. If you’re taking and scoring your own PSAT practice tests, you can use the charts to determine what scores you need to achieve to make it into your target percentile. If you score in a top percentile on the PSAT, then you might be named National Merit Commended Scholar or National Merit Semifinalist. The National Merit Scholarship Corporation typically notifies qualifying students in September. While your PSAT score report might look confusing with all its measures and metrics, the various scores on it can actually be extremelyuseful as feedback for your PSAT and SAT prep. If you take the time to comprehend your PSAT score report or calculate these scores on your own from practice tests, you’ll gain valuable insight into your profileas a test taker. You can use this feedback to shape your prep, whether you’re taking the PSAT again or preparing for the very similar SAT. Whatever the case, it’s a good first step to take stock of your academic strengths and weaknesses and design a personalized study plan that will work for you! What’s Next? Now that you’ve gained some insight into PSAT scores, check out our guide to learn about the SAT scoring system.In it, we break down how the SAT is scored and give you scoring charts so you can score your own practice tests. What should you do after you get your PSAT score report? This in-depth guide discusses some next steps everyone should take after getting their PSAT scores. Are you aiming for top scores on the PSAT?Learn all about the test here, and then download PSAT practice tests to help you study. If you’re aiming for National Merit, check out this guide on how to get a perfect score on the PSAT. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points?We've written a guide about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Liquid Nitrogen Facts, Safety and Uses

Liquid Nitrogen Facts, Safety and Uses Liquid nitrogen is a form of the element nitrogen thats cold enough to exist in a liquid state and is used for many cooling and cryogenic applications. Here are some facts about liquid nitrogen and crucial information about handling it safely. Liquid Nitrogen Facts Liquid nitrogen is the liquefied form of the element nitrogen thats produced commercially by the fractional distillation of liquid air.  Like nitrogen gas, it consists of two nitrogen atoms sharing covalent bonds (N2).Sometimes liquid nitrogen is denoted as LN2, LN, or LIN.A United Nations Number (UN or UNID) is a four-digit code used to identify  flammable  and harmful chemicals. Liquid nitrogen is identified as UN number 1,977.At normal pressure, liquid nitrogen boils at 77 K (−195.8 ° C or −320.4 ° F).The liquid-to-gas expansion ratio of nitrogen is 1:694, which means liquid nitrogen boils to fill a volume with nitrogen gas very quickly.Nitrogen is non-toxic, odorless, and colorless. It is relatively inert. It is not flammable.Nitrogen gas is slightly lighter than air when it reaches room temperature. It is slightly soluble in water.Nitrogen was first liquefied on April 15, 1883, by Polish physicists  Zygmunt Wrà ³blewski and Karol Olszewski.Liquid nitroge n is stored in special insulated containers that are vented to prevent pressure buildup. Depending on the design of the Dewar flask, it can be stored for hours or for up to a few weeks. LN2 displays the Leidenfrost effect, which means it boils so rapidly that it surrounds surfaces with an insulating layer of nitrogen gas. This is why spilled nitrogen droplets skitter across a floor. Liquid Nitrogen Safety choja / Getty Images When working with liquid nitrogen, taking safety precautions is paramount: Liquid nitrogen is cold enough to cause severe frostbite on contact with living tissue. You must wear proper safety gear when handling liquid nitrogen to prevent contact or inhalation of the extremely cold vapor. Cover and insulate skin to avoid exposure.Because it boils so rapidly, the phase transition from liquid to gas can generate a lot of pressure very quickly. Do not enclose liquid nitrogen in a sealed container, as this may result in it bursting or an explosion.Adding large quantities of nitrogen to the air reduces the relative amount of oxygen, which may result in an asphyxiation risk. Cold nitrogen gas is heavier than air, so the risk is greatest near the ground. Use liquid nitrogen in a well-ventilated area.Liquid nitrogen containers may accumulate oxygen that is condensed from the air. As the nitrogen evaporates, theres a risk of violent oxidation of organic matter. Liquid Nitrogen Uses Liquid nitrogen has many uses, mainly based on its cold temperature and low reactivity. Examples of common applications include: The freezing and transporting of food productsThe cryopreservation of biological samples, such as sperm, eggs, and animal genetic samplesUse as a coolant for superconductors, vacuum pumps, and other materials and equipmentUse in cryotherapy to remove skin abnormalitiesThe shielding of materials from oxygen exposureThe quick freezing of water or pipes to allow work on them when valves are unavailableA source of extremely dry nitrogen gasThe branding of cattleThe molecular gastronomy preparation of unusual foods and beveragesThe cooling of materials for easier machining or fracturingScience projects, including making liquid nitrogen ice cream, creating nitrogen fog, and flash-freezing flowers and subsequently watching them shatter when tapped onto a hard surface.

Love. How to start an Business in USA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Love. How to start an Business in USA - Essay Example This paper will demonstrate how to start a business in Chicago, Illinois and also acts as a basic guideline for an individual who has yet to go through an actual implementation process. This paper is based on the research carried out to reveal the steps which are necessary to be taken when starting a retail pharmacy business in Chicago. The importance of intellectual property (IP) should be recognized thoroughly by a start-up business owner. IP is actually a legal concept and is sadly, poorly misunderstood by many people who wish to start their own businesses and think that this concept can only be appropriately applied by those people who are legal experts. Every enterprise, company or business organization should pay attention to IP. IP can help the owners at every stage of business development â€Å"from product development to product design, from service delivery to marketing, and from raising financial resources to exporting or expanding your business abroad† (World Intellectual Property Organization, n.d.). in order to maximize the benefits, business owners should know how to use the IP system. It is worth mentioning that in case IP being used belongs to others, then rights have to be acquired to use it by obtaining a license so that forthcoming disputes and litigation could be avoided by the novice in dividuals intent on establishing personal businesses. IP is also important to a business because it helps in copyright protection and get fair economic awards on grounds of a business’s individual creativity and product sales. Retail pharmacy is recognized as one of the mainstream profitable businesses in entire USA. But, area requirements should be deeply understood and assessed before implementing and operating any business concept, According to Woodfield (2012), State of Illinois Business Portal suggests that before

Project Management Scenario Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Project Management Scenario - Essay Example These reports are a type of written communication those can be utilized in order to assess the project status and analysis of the activities and tasks those were not completed according to scheduled time. In addition, Janet can also use the oral communication technique. In this scenario, she can use the facilities of live meetings or remote phone calls. In this scenario she can make use of internet VoIP technology for her target stakeholders, mission, project completion plan and strategy, as well as other relevant information distribution and acquiring (Smith). In order to manage SEITZ Corporation project, Janet can use a conflict management strategy to solve conflicts between Clark, Downs and Pokorski. In this scenario the main and fundamental issue that I have assessed is the about the political issues. In scenario of this project a lot of groups are involved, thus there is the possibility of power game and vested interests; those can come in the way of dialogue. In such types of t he political conflicts, overall project working and operations can be disturbed. Here another issue is about the differences in expectations. In this scenario, Janet needs to make sure that everybody associated with the project has a frequent set of prospect in terms of what is to be delivered. However, to achieve this outcome, project synchronization among all team members is really essential.

Explore the Ways In Which Shakespeare Presents Cleopatra Essay Example for Free

Explore the Ways In Which Shakespeare Presents Cleopatra Essay An Elizabethan audience would have already had preconceived ideas about Cleopatra, as this play is based on a true story, and Cleopatra was commented on in Norths Plutarch, as a Pesilent plague, meaning that she brings death, panic and havoc to wherever she went. Also the audience would have already had preconceived ideas of Cleopatra, due to oral stories, which were passed from generation to generation. In these stories, she was addressed as a high-class prostitute, who lured men, into her bed, so that she could sleep with them to get whatever she wanted, this included Caesar, She had no morality. The stories say that she seduced Antony, and she overwhelmed him. The audience therefore would have been biased against Cleopatra and feel sympathy for Antony. Most of these stories would have been passed on by word of mouth and she would have been cursed on many times, which brain washed the next generation and so on. Shakespeare presents Cleopatra as a character of Infinite variety and tries to give a balanced point of view, so as there are not any biased opinions against her. He keeps it balanced by using some multi-facetted approaches; when Antony was dying, she said, There is nothing remarkable Beneath the visiting moon She is saying that now that Antony is dead, there is nothing worth living for. Here it is presented that she does genuinely love Antony, the problem now being that the audiences ideas are swaying between good and bad, due to her words and actions. But she also says, if you find him sad, say I am dancing, if in mirth report that I am sudden sick Here it is clearly proving that Cleopatras love seems that of a teenagers lust or crush, where she is simply playing mind games with Antony. By now the audience would find Cleopatra unpredictable, confused and unsure about her being genuine for her love to Antony or not. The audience is left to make up their own minds about Cleopatra and certain questions may arise, such as, does she really love Antony? The audience would already have their own preconceived ideas of Cleopatra, which could have been planted in the minds of an Elizabethan audience, through morality stories. The audience might have known that the Roman Empire was a very strict and political place and era, and Antony was not abiding by the Roman standards or laws, because of the attraction of Cleopatra, who they could blame for the downfall. Also during Roman rule, and for centuries later, women were frowned upon even if they spoke so what would the Elizabethan audience think of the audacity, let alone tone of Cleopatras dialogue. In the first scene of Antony and Cleopatra, two of Antonys soldiers in his army, (Philo and Demetrious) discuss Antonys enslavement to Cleopatra. They say that which is confirmed by the entrance of Antony and Cleopatra. Cleopatra shows insecurity, towards Antony straight from her opening line If it be love indeed, tell me how much, Antony goes on to say Let Rome in timber melt and the wide arch of the rangd empire fall! Here is my space. Here Antony is saying forget Rome I want to stay in Egypt, which shows how Cleoptara had already influenced Antony and even after this strong image and speech, she is still not impressed.

Hawthorne Essay -- essays research papers

I think that Hawthorne’s description of Dr. Heidegger’s study describes the four friends. â€Å"It was a dim, old-fashioned chamber, festooned with cobwebs and besprinkled with antique dust†¦Ã¢â‚¬  In this quote, it represents the physical characteristics of the four friends, old and wrinkled. The dark and dank atmosphere of the study reflects their depressed personalities. I think that one of the themes found in â€Å"Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment is that if a person is given a second chance at life, it is impossible for a person to change their behavior. Each of the characters all had chosen a lifestyle in their youths which each led a life of prosperity, but to loose their success and respect because of their behavior. The four friends had a life without pleasant memories to recall. They had gotten a second chance to relive life, they returned to their original faults. â€Å"Inflamed to madness by the coquetry of the girl-widow, who neither granted nor quite withheld her favors, the three rivals began to interchange threatening glances.† Once back to their youthful selves, the good doctor sees that their morals are still the same as before. Mr. Medbourne is still greedy. Colonel Killigrew still wants to seek the sinful pleasures he once had. Mr. Gascoigne is still lying about politics. The Widow Wycherly is still very vain and conceited. All of them laugh at the doctor since he is still old. They mock the sick, elderly, and disabled of which they had just been so themselves. There are many ind... Hawthorne Essay -- essays research papers I think that Hawthorne’s description of Dr. Heidegger’s study describes the four friends. â€Å"It was a dim, old-fashioned chamber, festooned with cobwebs and besprinkled with antique dust†¦Ã¢â‚¬  In this quote, it represents the physical characteristics of the four friends, old and wrinkled. The dark and dank atmosphere of the study reflects their depressed personalities. I think that one of the themes found in â€Å"Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment is that if a person is given a second chance at life, it is impossible for a person to change their behavior. Each of the characters all had chosen a lifestyle in their youths which each led a life of prosperity, but to loose their success and respect because of their behavior. The four friends had a life without pleasant memories to recall. They had gotten a second chance to relive life, they returned to their original faults. â€Å"Inflamed to madness by the coquetry of the girl-widow, who neither granted nor quite withheld her favors, the three rivals began to interchange threatening glances.† Once back to their youthful selves, the good doctor sees that their morals are still the same as before. Mr. Medbourne is still greedy. Colonel Killigrew still wants to seek the sinful pleasures he once had. Mr. Gascoigne is still lying about politics. The Widow Wycherly is still very vain and conceited. All of them laugh at the doctor since he is still old. They mock the sick, elderly, and disabled of which they had just been so themselves. There are many ind...

How to Communicate Effectively

The topics we have discussed this week relates to the video in ways that demonstrate how to communicate effectively and keep the focus of the audience on what the writer or the speaker is talking about. It teaches how to become a talented speaker and how to line up thoughts in the right perspective to gain trustworthiness from the particular audience that is welcomed by the subject chosen to speak about.This video was design to give everyone who watched it an idea of how to motivate himself s a public speaker. It gives ideas on how to enhance the power of the abilities a public speaker has on influencing people that are listening and it gives inspiration to those who the message touch in a special way. These are things in which we have discussed and relate largely on the speakers' ability on how well these tips are used to impact the ears of the listener. The most relevant practice in the video to me is the one that provides insight on how to win over the audience.First a speaker mus t hose a topic that the people want to hear about rather than picking something that appeases him. To get the crowd involved the speaker should ask questions that will allow the audience to think about the message that is being conveyed to produce a desire to continue learning more about the topic. One to attract the audience when publicly speaking is the ability of knowing what to wear to attract the attention of the crowd. I believe that the combination of dress wear and appearance of the speaker plays a major role in acquiring the attention of the audience.My advice about delivering an effective speech begins with attracting your audience. A speaker can capture the audience attention by taking advantage of the audience by giving them what they want. The speaker should do the homework and research needed to provide accurate and dependable information to prove his findings on any given topic he decides to speak about. Accuracy will help influence the listeners and persuade them int o hearing the speaker deliver the entire message. How to Communicate Effectively Good evening everybody, I hope you enjoy my speech. My topic today is communication. My speech is titled â€Å"How to communicate effectively. † Because I am a poor communicator, especially to communicate in English. Today my purpose is to hope you all can become effective communicators. Let's discuss effective communication techniques. Getting your pointacross and letting people know how you feel is very important. Sometimes bad decisions are made and people come to the wrong conclusions because of poor communication. Therefore, good communication can help you succeed in life. Here's some advice on how to communicate effecively. First, communication is transmitting a message. Communication is a process of sharing information. It's the exchange of thoughts or ideas. Communication is a powerful tool. It's getting a message across. It's also receiving facts or inofrmation. Effective communication skills are essential. Effective communication leads to success. Good communicators are always in high deamand. Why good communicators are in high deamand, because many employers are willing to pay big salaries to good communicators. Second, the key to communication is clarity. We should always make communication clear and direct. We should never be fancy or verbose. Always keep the message simple. Keep it specific and to the point. Keep it very easy to understand. Say only what's important. Say what's relevant and practical. Keep your message detailed but brief. Third, the goal of communication is understanding. The message must be understood. The audience must comprehend. To do that , you need to know your audience. You must know your listerner's background. You must tailor your message and style to suit them. Choose your words carefully. Remember â€Å"less is more. Sometimes, less of something is much better. Remember â€Å"quality is more important than quantity. † Finally, follow these tips to communicate like a pro! Practice every chance you get. Practice is the key to learning. Good communicators repeat the main message to make it more understandable. They reinforce the meaning through repetition. They always ask for feedback to make sure and reconfirm to themselves that they wre understood. They repeat the main idea to make it more understandable. Good communicators also use body language. Every society has a unique physical language. I's important that you're aware of this. Most people use nonverval communication. Most of the time it's subconscious. Good communicators use hand gestures and emotional expressions. They use various speaking tones to get attention. Body language expresses what's really going on. You can learn a lot about a person. Just observe themany sinals they're sending you. The arms and legs are a telling source. We must be familiar with basic body language. In conclusion, organize your thoughts before you speak. Think twice before you open your mouth. Always keep the message simple and clear. Say what you mean and mean what you say. Never lie and never mislead anyone. Say it with style, confidence and enthusiasm. Make sure your're understonnd. Make sure you practice a lot and rehearse. You'll soon be anefficient communicator. In fact, to say is one thing to do is another. It's easy to say but uneasy to work. As you know I am a bad communicator, especially in English to commuicate. All of my friends and family member didn't know what I was saying. All the feedback I have are â€Å"Please say that again. I'm a little confused. Or I hope you can explain it more clearly to me. † How poor I am. That's why I think good communication is very important. Hope everyone become effective communicators.

Importance of nutrition during the Infancy and Toddler-hood period Essay

Children are a blessing from God and it is therefore important that we ensure that those bundles of joy are well taken care of. Infants are generally taken to be children from birth to around one year, and it becomes therefore important to give them utmost care since they are at their most vulnerable stage in life. This care should not only be confined to attention and love but most importantly should be the focus of what and how best to feed the infant. Scientists have expressed their belief that what we feed our infants might have drastic consequences later in life. These consequences include such conditions as diabetes and obesity and the rampant rate of obesity in developed countries might just be a reflection of the inability of parents to feed their children’s appropriately (Fallows & Kingham, 2005). Doctors have stated categorically that child4ren should be fed milk only during the first six months of their lives and it should be noted that faulting this wise counsel could risk the health of these infants in the future. Breast milk contains all the vital nutrients that an infant need in order to grow and appropriate vitamins to boost his/her immune system top fend off diseases. It is important to note that while it is advisable to feed the infant using breast milk, infants could also be fed with formula as a supplement of breast milk. There are many reasons why many mothers choose to use formula to feed their babies. Some simply find out that breastfeeding does not work for them either for psychological or practical reasons. The demands of life that leads to very busy lifestyles work against the need for mothers to be with their children full time and formula simply happens to be a better alternative. However, there are still those who express their breast milk in feeding bottles and the milk is fed to the infant by someone else who is available to care for the toddler (Ward, 2009). Infants usually need to feed eight to twelve times in a day since they are growing rapidly and the proteins inside the milk are a vital component for this growth. For those with infants who sleep a lot, it is advisable to wake them regularly in order to feed the since failure to do so might hamper their growth. It is also recommended that parents take their babies to the clinic to have them weighed and observed to ensure that they are growing in a healthy manner and acquire vital information about how best to take care of their babies. There are signs to observe during the sixth month to signify that the infant is ready to start being weaned. This include such period when the baby can sit up, baby does not reject the food put in its mouth, can pick up food stuffs and stuff it into the mouth and an increased appetite for milk. Babies should be weaned slowly with a meal per day and it is important to continue breast feeding at least till one year. Some of the food which one can feed and infant include cereals, soft fruits, rice and vegetables that can be crushed. However, around 10 months infants are ready to be introduced to adult foods but such a transition should be handled with utmost care. As the baby becomes a toddler a period which lasts from between 12 months to 24 months, his food needs increases. During this period the toddler starts to walk and he requires increased proteins for growth and energy foods to sustain his activities. At this period toddlers may change their eating habits due to changes in growth patterns. Moreover, toddlers become choosy when it comes to certain foods and it is nothing to do with illness. Again, parents needs top be careful about the food they feed the infants and toddlers since some of them might be allergic and impair the health of this babies. They should therefore make a point of seeking information diligently about how best to feed their children (Papalia, Wendkos & Duskin, 2007). References Fallows,C. & Karen Kingham, K. (2005). Baby & Toddler Food. Murdoch books. Papalia, D. , Wendkos S. & Duskin, R. (2007). A Child’s World: Infancy through Adolescence:11th Ed. McGraw-Hill Ward, E. (2009). What to Feed Your Baby and Toddler. Retrieved May 17, 2009 from http://children. webmd. com/guide/what-to-feed-your-baby-toddler.

Benefits of Walking Essay Example

Benefits of Walking Essay Example Benefits of Walking Essay Benefits of Walking Essay Benefits of daily walking Walking is one of the best and least expensive forms of exercise, and the easiest to perform. It is a proven weight loss strategy that not only reduces weight, but also reduces stress and tones the body. A Study conducted by Dr. James O. Hill in conjunction with the University of Colorado Health Science Center showed that walking 2000 additional steps daily prevents body weight gain. Additional research showed that 10,000 steps is the break point to lose weight. Walking is not only vital to weight loss, but it is also effective in reducing symptoms of hypertension, diabetes and it also lowers the risk to develop cancer. `How much walking is effective? The first study to determine how much walking is effective in weight reduction was conducted by the Center for Physical Activity and Health at the University of Tennessee. The Study involved eighty female participants with a median age of fifty. First, the researcher obtained data from the participant’s like weight, height, and body mass. The eighty participants wore a pedometer for a seven day period, and recorded their results nightly. The result showed that participants who recorded 10,000 steps had the highest decrease in body fat, body mass as well as waist and hips reduction. Although the results varied among the participants all of the results were positive in terms that they all noted a body weight reduction. Have in mind that 30 minutes of walking takes approximately 4000 steps, which burns around 200 calories. Therefore, if there is an intention of losing weight a diet plan is recommended along with the walking. Another benefit of walking at least 2000 additional steps daily is that it helps to prevent diseases like hypertension, diabetes and cancer. It’s simple. Walking increases the flow of blood circulating around the body which at the same time gets the heart pumping faster. So when you walk everyday your body burns calories. This helps to protect the heart and circulatory system by raising high-density lipoprotein (HDL), the good cholesterol, and keeps the amounts of sugars in the body balanced. Recently, the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) has found that walking helps to regulate hormone levels causing to lower the risk of breast and prostate cancer; and last but not least walking also prevents the risk of colon cancer because it speeds up the digestive process, which gives less time to our bowel to be exposed to hazardous substances. Their data predicts that 45 minutes of walking everyday could prevent at least 5,500 cases of breast cancer in the UK alone. Its impressive how 45 minutes of daily exercise can make a real difference in a person’s health. Walking is the easiest exercise to perform and the best part is that there are tons of opportunities to increase your daily exercise without having to sacrifice much. If you cant find the time for longer workouts on a regular basis, try two or three shorter exercise sessions every day. Splitting your workouts into 15 or 10 minute throughout the day appears to work just as well as doing a full 30 minutes at once. Here are some smart recommendations on how stay healthy for those persons who like I think that we do not have enough time for physical activity or a workout. Taking the stairs instead of the elevator could be a great exercise for those work or study on tall buildings. Walking to nearby locations instead of riding the bus or a car is healthy for our body and wallet. These activities are easy ways to boost your heart rate and promote cardiovascular health, lower blood pressure and counter stress. Overall, we can conclude that walking follows a positive trend. Walking is not only a great exercise for maintaining health it’s also one of the best exercises to help control weight and maintain a fitted body shape. Don’t let good health walk on by, get it by incorporating walking into your lifestyle.

ACT Scores Matter for College Admissions

When Don't SAT/ACT Scores Matter for College Admissions SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Have you started researching how to apply to college?You may know that most college-bound students take the SAT and ACT. But just how important are they, and when can you get away without taking them? Let's look at when SAT and ACT scores are important for college admissions, and when they're not. When SAT/ACT Scores Matter Generally speaking, four year colleges place a lot of importance on your SAT and ACT scores. Your grades and high school classes may have different curriculum and levels of difficulty among schools. Because of this, it's hard for admissions officers to compare candidates' academic readiness on high school classes alone. The SAT and ACT represent an attempt to measure students' skills, knowledge, and potential on the same playing field. If you're applying as a strong academic archetype - for example, you have high grades and strong extracurricular involvement - you want your test scores to reinforce your academic achievement. If this describes you as a student, then your SAT or ACT scores matter a great deal.(Below, we'll discuss how scores factor into the equation for students applying as athletes or to pursue a special talent, like dancing or the arts.) Especially selective schools also want to see SAT Subject Tests, as a standard measure of your mastery of a particular subject in school, like biology, math, or Spanish. Click here to see the complete list of SAT Subject Tests and learn about what they cover. How to Find Your College Requirements Colleges state their standardized testing requirements on their admissions websites. In addition to which tests they require, you want to know what scores you need to achieve. This article tells you step by step how to set target scores that will put you in the best position for admission to your chosen schools. If your high school uses Naviance, you can also see data from students that attended your own school. Naviance shows you what scores they had and if they were accepted or rejected from your schools of interest. With clear goals and effective test prep, you canachieve your target scores and apply to schools where you have a strong chance of admission. For the many of you to whom SAT or ACT scores are very important, you can start preparing by answering any and all of your questions about the tests. When are the best dates to take the SAT or ACT?How can you aim for and achieve a perfect score? And how is the SAT scored anyway?The ACT? By thoroughly understanding the tests inside and out and doing some serious prep to get yourself ready, you can achieve scores that reinforce your high school record and prove your academic excellence to admissions committees. Now let's look at some exceptions - schools with test-optional and test-flexible policies. When Scores Don't Matter (or Matter As Much) - Test Optional and Flexible Schools Recently, more and more schools are de-emphasizing, or even doing away completely, with standardized test scores in their admissions decisions. Some schools have a test optional policy, which suggests that it's up to you whether your scores reflect your academic ability and you want to send them. Some schools merely suggest you can opt out, while others emphasize that scores truly are optional and will not affect your chances of admission one way or the other. This is frustratingly vague, right? I'd suggest researching the school's website or calling its admissions office and asking them to clear it up. Unless the school really stresses that scores are truly optional, it's probably a good idea to still take the test and send them. Considering how competitive admissions are, strong test scores could be one more way to gain an edge and stand out. Here we've compiled the comprehensive list of all the test optional and test flexible schools, along with their specific expectations. Check it out to see if any of your schools of interest don't require the SAT or ACT for admission. If you feel you are unable to achieve strong scores and the tests would drag down your application, then it might be a good idea to hold off on sending those in. Again, you should always check with the school to clear up what their stance toward SAT and ACT scores really is. One notable exception is Hampshire College in Massachusetts. They will simply reject any test scores that are sent their way. Their policy states, "Unlike 'test-optional' institutions, we will not consider SAT/ACT scores regardless of the score. Even if it's a perfect score, it will not weigh into our assessment of an applicant." Some test optional schools are Bates, Bowdoin, Smith, University of Texas at Austin, and Wesleyan, among numerous others. Another approach that schools have adopted is to be test flexible. This means you can send the SAT or ACT, but there are other options as well. Usually these other options are sending three SAT Subject Tests or three AP exams, if you feel they better reflect your work as a student. NYU, for example, says, "To be eligible for admission, applicants are expected to submit results fromone of the following testing options: The SAT Reasoning Test; or The ACT with Writing Test; or Three SAT Subject Test scores; or Three AP exam scores." We've looked at the policies of four-year colleges, but what about your unique profile as a candidate? First, what are your SAT or ACT requirements as a recruited athlete? Applying as an Athlete If you're being recruited as an athlete, you are most likely going through NCAA Clearinghouse. You will still have to take the SAT or ACT, if your college requires it, but your scores don't have to be as high as non-recruited students. Your SAT and ACT scores are compared on a sliding scale with your grade point average (GPA). So if your GPA is on the higher side, you can get by with lower test scores. If it's low, then you have to score higher on the SAT or ACT to make up for it. Click here to read about all the NCAA requirements, what SAT scores you need, and how to achieve them.This article is for you if you're a student athlete planning on taking the ACT. Your score requirements may also be less stringent if you're applying with a special talent. Applying With a Special Talent Have you published novels as a teenager? Or won national competitions in spelling or math? Did your 9th grade science experiment help scientists make a breakthrough discovery, or have you played violin in a symphony since the age of 14? If you're regarded as one of the top achievers in the country or world in a well-regarded talent, like music, academic competitions, chess, theater, or dance, then your SAT or ACT score might not matter that much. It might be especially inconsequential if it doesn't align with your strength. For instance, a college might not care how well a published teen author scores in math. Many of these students receive some media attention for their exceptional talent and will likely be in close contact with colleges to discuss exactly what scores they need for admission. If the college finds you a desirable candidate, then it will probably waive the usual SAT/ACT score expectation and accept you with a lower minimum score. Want to learn more about the SAT but tired of reading blog articles? Then you'll love our free, SAT prep livestreams. Designed and led by PrepScholar SAT experts, these live video events are a great resource for students and parents looking to learn more about the SAT and SAT prep. Click on the button below to register for one of our livestreams today! Applying to Art Schools If you're looking to pursue studio art, photography, dancing, acting, music, or another field in the arts, then you may not have to take the SAT or ACT. Usually these schools are more concerned with your portfolio or audition. Juilliard, one of the world's leading music schools and most prestigious arts programs, does not require the SAT or ACT. Some other art schools with no SAT or ACT requirement include, Academy of Art College in San Francisco American Academy of Art in Chicago California College of the Arts International Fine Arts College in Miami Illinois Institute of Art New England Institute of Art and Communication New Hampshire Institute of Art Two other types of schools that don't usually require the SAT or ACT for admission are community colleges and trade schools. Community Colleges As far as I know, no community colleges require SAT or ACT scores. They usually have open enrollment and have students take a placement test in math and English to determine their level in these classes. SAT or ACT scores could exempt you from these tests and determine your placement. Community colleges offer two-year Associate's degrees in a huge number of programs. Some students go into community college with a "2 + 2" plan, meaning they'll complete two years at community college and then transfer to a four year school. After an additional two years, they'll receive their Bachelor's degree from that four-year institution. There are several reasons why students might choose this plan. Two major ones are saving money or improving their academic record. Community colleges tend to be much less expensive than four year schools, so spending a couple years at one could be a huge tuition-saver. For students who are not satisfied with their high school grades, they could achieve higher grades in community college and then have more options for four year schools. Community colleges also often have partnerships with state schools that make it easy to make this switch. If you've already been at a community college for two years, you usually do not have to take the SAT or ACT or send your scores in order to transfer. The other type of schools that don't require SAT/ACT scores are technical and trade schools. Technical and Trade Schools Students who are primarily looking for professional training may be interested in technical or trade schools. Many of these schools don't require the SAT or ACT, or, if they do, they may only require it for certain sections. ITT Tech, for example, gives students the option of either passing an admissions test or taking the SAT or ACT. As with all college applications, research your school to find out its specific admission requirements. If you attend a vocational high school, or have one in your district, the teachers and counselors there might also be a great source of information for post-secondary options in technical and trade schools. To Sum Up... As you can tell, there are lots of different post-secondary options! Make sure to research your options well in advance of senior year so you can make a plan and fulfill all of your requirements in time for your deadlines. If you experience a lot of test-taking anxiety or cannot take the SAT or ACT for other reasons, there are selective four year schools, community colleges, and trade schools that do not require or do not heavily emphasize standardized testing scores. If you have financial concerns about the tests, check out our article on SAT fee waivers and ACT fee waivers to see if you might be eligible to waive the cost. If you are, you can also get free score reports sent to colleges. The SAT and ACT can be a personal milestone on the path to college for students, but these tests are not for everybody. Explore your options so you can make the best post-secondary plans for you! What's Next? Feeling worried about the SAT? Read these strategies for managing anxiety and how to use mindfulness to clear your head, focus your energy, and perform your best on the SAT. The new SAT is fast approaching! With that in mind, should you take the new SAT in 2016 or the current SAT? Figure out the answer to this important question here. Want to improve your SAT score by 240 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Leung Tsang Hung and Lee Wai Yu v. The Incorporated owners of Kwok Essay

Leung Tsang Hung and Lee Wai Yu v. The Incorporated owners of Kwok Wing House, HKSAR FACV42007 - Essay Example Madam Liu died and it was found that the 15 lbs. triangular piece of concrete came from Kwok Wing House and fell from Flat A on the 11th floor and it formed the corner of a concrete canopy which is projecting out from over the enclosed balcony of the flat, before it had been detached and fallen down into the street ("Case Alert: Case 2 (FACV4/2007)," 2008; and "Leung Tsang Hung and Lee Wai Yu v. Incorporated Owners of Kwok Wing House FACV4/2007," 2007). The tenant as well as the incorporated owners was sued in negligence and public nuisance. And they were held liable for the case. The First Instance Judge as well as the Court of Appeal had dismissed the claim against the Incorporated Owners ("Case Alert: Case 2 (FACV4/2007)," 2008). The Court of Final Appeal handed down the decision on the case on October 26, 2007 and the case has clearly laid down the responsibilities as well as liabilities of the incorporated owners in relation to common areas and illegal structures of the building. They were also held responsible for the Death of Madam Liu. In August 1999, Madam Liu was plying her trade as a hawker in Tung Choi Street, when she met was struck by a falling piece of concrete coming from adjacent building, known as Kwok Wing House and as a consequence, she died. ... e decision on the case on October 26, 2007 and the case has clearly laid down the responsibilities as well as liabilities of the incorporated owners in relation to common areas and illegal structures of the building. They were also held responsible for the Death of Madam Liu. 3. Facts A. Factual events leading up to the case In August 1999, Madam Liu was plying her trade as a hawker in Tung Choi Street, when she met was struck by a falling piece of concrete coming from adjacent building, known as Kwok Wing House and as a consequence, she died. That piece of concrete fell from Flat A on the 11th floor of the said building, which formed a corner of a concrete canopy projecting out from the enclosed balcony of the flat. Tenant of the flat and incorporated owners were sued in negligence and public nuisance. The tenant and owners of the flat were held liable, however, the first Instance Judge and Court of Appeal had dismissed the claim against the Incorporated Owners so, the plaintiffs appealed to the Court of Final Appeal ("Case Alert: Case 2 (FACV4/2007). Accident's Cause There was a canopy protruding from outer wall of the premises on top of the building to which someone added the extended canopy and converted the open balcony beneath as part of the covered space inside the premises. From that extended canopy the fatal concrete fragment fell. No evidence found when was the extended canopy erected and who was responsible for it and it could have been erected in 1964, soon after occupation permit was issued and before the sale of the said premise to its first owner. Investigation report of Building Authorities implies that the extended canopy was cast against the approved canopy with roughened joint however, connecting steel reinforcement and spanned between the

Information Graphics Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Information Graphics - Assignment Example The term â€Å"graphics† is used for representations where the basic goal is art or entertainment; on the other hand the term â€Å"information graphics† is used for graphics with the purpose of visually present information (Wikiviz, 2007). â€Å"Normally, graphics are acknowledged as pictures. These pictures can be practical, cartoonish, places or stylized drawings of people, and objects. The photographs taken with a digital camera or scanned from print photos can also be considered as graphics† (Bear, 2009). â€Å"Graphics attract concentration to the material or direct concentration inside the material. With anticipation making use of the graphics in this mode will enhance the possibility that a viewer will keep in mind the material† (Skaalid, 1999). Visual information has the complicated job of enlightening the imperative spirit of a state of affairs devoid of unnecessary complication. The risk is over generalization will give up insight into the state of affairs. There is an active pressure between simplicity and insight which must be handled to meet the criteria as in excess of graphical data (Soellner, 2009). â€Å"Information graphics or info-graphics expose the hidden information or knowledge, elucidates the multifaceted as well as clarify the information or data that is difficult to understand† (Rajamanickam, 2007). Building visual demonstration of information is not straightforward conversion of what be able to be interpret to what be able to be observed. It involves sorting out the knowledge, data and information setting up associations, actuating outlines as well as instead of them in a way that facilitates a client of that data or information build significant information (Rajamanickam, 2007). In the consideration sparse world of nowadays, info-graphics are used by the communications and media businesses through storm. Since

An advertisement of children Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

An advertisement of children - Essay Example Children’s advertisers do certainly shape children’s understanding of the world, but not outright, and not all at once, rather, they analyze what it is the children already like, and then reinforce that through their marketing. The â€Å"Lego Friends† advertisement being studied in this essay is a perfect example of this. â€Å"Lego Friends† is a new type of Lego targeted towards girls, that, unlike original Lego, is not modular – you cannot build things not intended by the designers. It is more like Barbie than like Lego, in this way. This advertisement shows an incredibly well developed appreciation of the desire of young girls to relate to older girls, and to develop into fully grown women, through implied narrative, and the characters being sold. As mentioned previously, marketers have long found it necessary to attempt to understand their audience before making an advertisement. According to Eric Schlosser, marketers targeting children have to go to perhaps even more extraordinary lengths to â€Å"learn about their tastes† (Schlosser 225). Marketers â€Å"not only conduct surveys of children in shopping malls, they also organize focus groups for kids as young as two or three †¦ they advertise children’s artwork, hire children to run focus groups †¦ host slumber parties† and engage in a whole range of other activities to understand exactly what children want. And this advertisement demonstrates this fully. appeal to children. It opens with two girls making a heart symbol together with their hands. This immediately launches into an implied narrative of togetherness that children find appealing – the â€Å"best friend forever† narrative. This simple motion indicates to the children that they will be together forever. More than this best friends forever narrative, there is a more complex narrative underlying it. There is a subtle age difference constructed between the two girls – the left

Hindustan Computers Limited Hcl Commerce Essay

Hindustan Computers Limited Hcl Commerce Essay HCL Technologies is one of the seven companies in the Bloomberg database of 3,000 technology companies with a market capitalization of more than $5 billion, revenue of more than $2.5 billion and a compounded annual growth rate more than 25 per cent during the past five years (HCL Technologies Limited, 2012). Definition of Success at HCL means providing the best possible solutions to their clients with optimum level of satisfaction. HCL Technologies is the Number 1 employer in India. 1.1 History Hindustan Computers Limited (HCL), one of Indias original IT firms started in 1976 currently deals in various segments like Remote Infrastructure Management, BPO services, IT Hardware, Systems Integration and Distribution of Technology and Telecom products RD and Technology Services and Enterprise and Applications Consulting is Indias original IT firm. Started 35 years ago, the enterprise now stands with an enormous workforce of 90,000 employees. it spreads across 31 countries across the globe and has 505 foothills in India. A global name and numerous partnerships with many Fortune 1000 firms are a few feathers in the HCLs success story (HCL, 2012). 1.2 Ownership Fast Facts HCL Technologies Company Name HCL Technologies Ltd. Company Type Global IT Company Service Areas Software, Infrastructure and BPO Date of Establishment November 12, 1991 Chairman and Chief Strategy Officer Shiv Nadar Vice Chairman CEO Vineet Nayar Employee Strength 85,335 on 30th  September 2012. Offices Offices in 31 countries Geographies USA, Europe, Asia Pacific and Japan Consolidated Revenues US$ 4.3 billion (Rs. 22,417 crores), as on 30th  September 2012 1.3 Businesses HCL is a leading global Technology and IT Enterprise with annual revenues of US$ 6.2 billion. The HCL Enterprise comprises two companies listed in India, HCL Technologies and HCL Infosystems. HCL Snapshot 1.4 Location HCL Technologies as a $4.3 billion global company brings IT and engineering services expertise under one umbrella to solve complex business problems for its clients. It leverages its global offshore infrastructure and network of offices in 31 countries. HCL provide multi-service, holistic delivery in industries such as financial services, consumer services, manufacturing, healthcare and public services. Organizational Structure The Indian conventional way of working leads to a vertical hierarchical structure, which is with founder as the head and certain subordinates below him. Being a technical expertise company, the hierarchy depends on the level of knowledge gained by the professionals. Due to no inter department interfering, the transfer of knowledge is more on vertical basis but very rarely horizontal. Vision To be the technology partner of choice for forward looking customers by collaboratively transforming technology into business advantage.(HCL, 2012) Mission We will be the employer of choice and the partner of choice by focusing on our stated values of Employees First, Trust, Transparency, Flexibility and Value Centricity. (HCL, 2012) Leadership style, approaches etc HCLs leadership style follows the rule of free-rein rather than the contemporary participative method. It is clearly noticeable from the recent development of a defined approach of Employees First Customers Seconds (EFCS). Now days the leaders give full authority to their employees to make decisions but at the same time, take the responsibility of the same. It helps the company to build future leaders who would be better decision makers and also motivation to the employees for analysing situations better and working with respect to them. Delegating tasks is an important tool which should be followed and practiced in corporate and fortunately is followed in the HCL. It helps build confidence and trust among co-workers aiding a pleasant and healthy work environment. This is kind of leadership style is also known as laissez faire, which is the non-interference in the affairs of others (Clark, 2010). Expertise of employees is the key to HCLs success. HCL firmly believes that a firms employees makes the company reach pinnacle heights. Highly qualified and well trained employees are a part of the HCL clan. When knowledge comes into picture, expert power is the power used by employees. Its the knowledge that makes a person stand out in the crowd of all employees. Expert Power is a very common phenomenon in knowledge based industries(Tannenbaum and Schmidt, 1973). Culture unique language, culture, rituals etc. A place where people can think and imagine endless possibilities is the best way to describe HCL. Freedom of thought is very important to extract the additional creativity at work. With a bright history of 35 years, HCL has stood by its core values and philosophy of creating innovations and inventions. HCL has a very rigid demarcation of working in their own department, which implies that employees are not allowed to work in other department other than their own which gradually spoils the inter-departmental relationships. In case of absenteeism too, workers are not allowed to switch department to avoid gaps in enhancing productivity. http://d15mj6e6qmt1na.cloudfront.net/files/images/0053/9998/employees.jpg Rigid policies, tapered span of control and high degree of centralization and formalization are few things associated with HCL. Within departments HCL employees have freedom of processing their thoughts but not inter-departmentally. The organization was bureaucratic structure. However, HCL has initiated a new management approach where the employees of HCL are considered first and then the customers. It is termed as Employees-First Effect which according to Mr. Vineet, CEO is the reason for the company being employee centric and employee driven. It is very much like trimming the conventional method upside down. This not only helps in building confidence and motivation among employees but also transparent work environment. 4.1 Group Dynamics/Team Building initiatives Since there is a lack of inter departmental transfer of knowledge, coordination is at stake at HCL. It followed an Indian conventional method of getting approval from the top management and then would the task be carried forward. After the new management approach of employees first and customers second, the company has started giving more liberty to the employees in terms of taking decisions which makes them feel a part of the organization. It enhances their rationale thinking enabling them to give their 100%. Change management initiatives Change is an inevitable process in management. Just like aging of an individual cannot be hampered in any manner, in the same manner change in management is the need of the day. A company cannot work in the same manner as it was working 10-15years ago. This change came to HCL in 2005 when the sales were low in that period. HCLl alarmed itself before the nick of the time and changed its models and strategies to work according to the customer needs. This is what saved them from the 2009 recession.HCL is one of the very few companies who showed growth even in the recession years. Business models and good managements are the keys to the foresight vision of the market. HCL converted itself from a traditional company to a Generation Y genre. (BMC Software, 2010) Innovation / Creativity initiatives Engaging the employees where they feel a part of the firm and making them realise that they are as important as the customers is a new example of managing employees that Mr.VIneet, the CEO has set in for all the global companies. A unique management technique which makes sure that the workforce of 90,000 employees remains satisfied in order to enhance employee satisfaction but also lead to more than 100% productivity. Turning technology into a manifest advantage for the clients is what HCL is best at. Critique on the current internal scenario / internal environment including people practices An agent promised a customer a delivery of a certain product in a specific time period. The dispatch manager was on leave. So his subordinate took the task in his hand and made sure that the delivery is done on time. But to his horror, he received a note stating that he is not liable to do so because of lack of authority. This incident just proves that the management is very rigid and has a narrow control style of working, which poses as a threat to self motivation of employees to excel in their work and be an overall manager. Suggestions and recommendations Communication should not be considered as an event within a container where employees broadcast oral and written messages instead should be deemed as a continuous process of conveying thoughts and interpretations throughout the organization. Individual learning and focus groups should be included in the working of HCL. It not only enhances individual productivity and skill development but also overall wellness of the firm. Gaining insights from vertical structure of hierarchy should be implemented so as to avoid miscommunications and lagging of work. Assuming others are happy is never the solution to a problem. Therefore, it is very important for the firm to start taking feedback from their employees to know how much justice is the firm doing to the employees. Conclusion Three values on which HCLs cornerstone is based are trust, flexibility and Employee Effect First. All three values make the company a desirable company to work for. Trust is created by pushing the trust envelope. Be flexible with respect to employees and situations is what a good company would associate itself with. The unique management approach of employee first and customers second inhibit the company to be an employee centric. Employees being an responsibility of the management and customers being a responsibility of the employees. Therefore, I would like to work in a company where employees are recognised, valued and rewarded for their performance. Bibliography BMC Software (2010) ELO: Articles: HCL Technologies CEO Talks about Building a Culture to Drive IT Productivity, August. Available at: http://www.enterpriseleadership.org/blogs/Articles/2010/08/10/hcl-technologies-ceo-talks-about-building-a-culture-to-drive-it-productivity (Accessed: 15 December 2012). Clark, D. (2010) Leadership Styles. Available at: http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/leader/leadstl.html (Accessed: 16 December 2012). HCL (2011) Employees First, Customers Second | Business Change Management. Available at: http://www.employeesfirstbook.com/ (Accessed: 15 December 2012). HCL (2012) Overview. Available at: http://www.hcl.in/overview.asp (Accessed: 15 December 2012). HCL Technologies Limited (2012) About HCL Technologies | IT Services, Outsourcing Software Development, IT Solutions | HCL Technologies. Available at: http://www.hcltech.com/about-us/about-hcl-technologies (Accessed: 10 December 2012). Tannenbaum, R. and Schmidt, W.H. (1973) How to Choose a leadership Pattern, Harvard Business Review, May-June, pp.162-180 HBR Classic [Online]. Available at: http://www.elcamino.edu/faculty/bcarr/documents/How%20to%20choose%20a%20leadership%20pattern.pdf (Accessesd: 15 December 2012).

Boracay Island Essay -- essays research papers

The scent of the ocean assaulted my nostrils as I had walked passed it. The palm trees blew in the mist of the cool sudden gust of the tropical, morning air, like smooth feahers swaying side to side.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As the majestic giant Philippine eagle swoops past my shoulder I suddenly found myself in my most favorite place to visit on the face of this planet; the island paradise of Boracay in the Philippines. Boracay Island combines crystal clear waters, sugary beaches that squeak, and lush hilly landscapes into an idyllic tourist haven, that's guaranteed to fascinate anyone into tranquil harmony with its simplistic beauty. Boracay is a breath-taking, unbelievably magical Island. A spectacular paradise set in the unspoiled South China Seas.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Boracay Island is a paradise indeed. The beach is amazing with its white sand, it is wide and stretched on for kilometers. The northern and southern parts of the island rise into picturesque hills that face the sea with weather worn cliffs. The Island has numerous scattered villages interconnected by a maze of intriguing jungle trails.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Boracay boasts one of the world's finest beaches (at least in my opinion.) White Beach, a stretch of white - pebble sand, bathed by a strip of perpetually turquoise water allures me in every sense in my body. Bor...

Mba, Human Resources, Finance, Accounting

Head Office: 184 – 186 – 188 Nguyen Dinh Chieu St, Ward 06, Dist. 03, HCMC, Vietnam Tel: (84. 8) 930 0358 Fax: (84. 8) 930 5206 www. vinamilk. com. vn Annual Report 2007 Content Vision and Mission Statements Chairwoman’s Message Corporate Profile Corporate Structure Management Reporting Structure Board of Management Board of Directors 03 04 10 16 18 22 24 Inspection Committee Corporate Governance Risk Management Business Review Investor Relations Community Activities Financial Contents 26 30 34 36 54 56 58 this is WHO WE ARE VISIONVinamilk will be the fastest and sustainable growing healthy dairy and food company by building a long-term competitive advantaged product portfolio across the scale. MISSION Vinamilk continues to expand its existing geographical coverage and product portfolios to maintain its sustainably dominant position in the local market and maximizing its shareholder value. chaIrWOMaN’S MeSSage V inamilk is the leading dairy & beverage comp any and also one of the 5 largest companies in term of market capital listed in Vietnam. The brand Vinamilk†, with its extensive market share and position, has gone into consumers’ mind. Vinamilk’s quality products are designed to offer the community a â€Å"healthy and beautiful life†. Despite the difficult year of 2007 such as two-digit inflation, inputs like milk powder and sugar rapidly increased in price, and severe competition with imported products, Vinamilk still kept its strong growth, ensuring shareholders’ profits. Earning per share (EPS) of the year was VND5,607/share, increased by 35% as compared to that of 2006 (VND4,150/share).The Company has been firmly revising its business strategies and marketing activities with its sales team being supported by modern tools and trained with higher professionalism for its sustainable long-term development. The company continues building new dairy factories and expanding the existing ones in Can Th o, Da Nang and Hanoi, as well as proceeding with the dairy farm projects. In addition to the key business, Vinamilk keep seeking opportunities for external investment to maximize profits and increase Company’s shareholder value.Financial results The Company’s turnover and profit have been steadily increasing during the four successive years since its equitization in 2003. The followings are the basic figures of 2007 and 2006: In VND billion – Net revenue – Profit after tax 2007 6,649 963 2006 6,246 660 % increase/ (decrease) 6. 5% 46% Besides the major export market of Iraq, the Company focuses on strengthening the presence of its products in other countries like Cambodia, the U. S, Philippines etc. Dividends Given the good results for 2007, the Board recommends for shareholders’ approval a total dividened for the year of VND 2. 00 per VND 10. 000 par-value share (equivalent to 29% on share par-value). This is a 52. 6% increase over last yearâ€⠄¢s normal after-tax dividend of VND1,900 per share. This marks the fourth year on increase in the payment of the normal dividends to shareholders: 2004: 15%; 2005: 17%; 2006: 19% and 2007: 29% as proposed – and highlights the Company’s sustainable growth. Vinamilk has the financial, human resource strengths and over 30 years of exprerience to achieve the substantial growth in line with its vision and mission. Vinamilk commits to provide healthy products to achieve a beautiful lifestyle for our community.Vinamilk also strongly believes in increasing our shareholder value through growth. Barring unforeseen circumstances, it is the Board’s intention to maintain the after-tax dividend at not less than the normal after-tax dividend of the previous year. However, in any given year, the actual payout will need to take into account the Company’s consolidated earnings outlook and plans for new investments to ensure Company’s sustainable growth. Overseas li sting Plan Vinamilk is under consultancy and working with relevant agencies to be listed in Singapore Stock Exchange (SGX) in 2008 with a new issue of 5% of its existing share capital.This overseas listing shall land Vinamilk into international market, aligning with the top food & beverage groups in the region. This is considered an initial step to raise capital from international financial market for the Company’s expanding strategies. With this listing event in international market, Vinamilk has been, step-by-step, applying standards, corporate governance as requested SGX and other international generally accepted principles and practices, which provide strong assurance of its good financial management and transparency. cknowledgements On behalf of Vinamilk, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to our customers, our business partners and government agencies for their trust and support, which give significant contribution to Vinamilk’ s strong and sustainable success . I wish you all success in work and in business, and hope to expand our cooperation. I would like to thank to more than 4,000 Vinamilk employees for your effective contribution, and I hope that you will strengthen your ability to lead Vinamilk to more success in the future.With good performance from previous years, I strongly believe that Vinamilk will continue its strong and sustainable growth in the following years. The Company has been putting newly completed and expanded projects in use and diversifying our product portfolios to meet all reasonable customer’s needs and simultaneously to increase more and more for Vinamilk shareholder value. Ho Chi Minh City, 15th March 2008 MaI KIeU LIeN Chairwoman ENJOY LIFE Corporate Profile 10 A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 0 7 11 cOrPOrate PrOFILe Significant events in our business are set out below: 1976 †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.Our Company was founded Company, a under the name of S outhern Coffee-Dairy subsidiary of the General Food Directorate and had six factories in operation, namely Thong Nhat Dairy Factory, Truong Tho Dairy Factory, Dielac Factory, Bien Hoa Coffee Factory, Bich Chi Powder Factory and Lubico. 1978 †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. The management of our Company was transferred to the Ministry of Food Industry and our Company was renamed United Enterprises of Milk Coffee Cookies and Candies I. 1988 †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Introduced powdered milk and cereal with milk powder at the first time in Vietnam. 991 †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Launched UHT milk and spoon yoghurt to Vietnam market. 1992 †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. The United Enterprises of Milk Coffee Cookies and Candies I was formally renamed Vietnam Dairy Company and came under the direct management of the Mini stry of Light Industry. We started focusing on the manufacturing and processing of dairy products. 1994 †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Hanoi Dairy Factory was built in expansion and market Hanoi as part of our Company’s development strategy to cater to the market in the northern region of Vietnam. 12 A n n u a l R e p o r t 0 0 7 1996 †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Binh Dinh Dairy Joint Venture Enterprise was founded as the result of our joint venture with Dong Lanh Quy Nhon Joint Stock Company. This joint venture enabled our Company to successfully gain access to the market in the middle region of Vietnam. 2005 †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Entered into a joint venture agreement with SABMiller Asia B. V. and established SABMiller Vietnam Joint Venture Company Ltd. in August 2005. Our first joint venture product, Zorok, was also launched in the first ha lf of 2007. 2000 †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. CanTho Dairy Factory, which 2006 †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Vinamilk 50. 01% was listed on the HOSE on 19 January 2006 with the SCIC holding approximately of our Company’s shareholdings. Opened An Khang Clinic in Ho Chi Minh City in June 2006. This is the first clinic in Vietnam managed by a sophisticated electronic management system. The clinic offers a diverse range of services such as nutritional consulting, gynecology testing, pediatrics consulting and health screening. is located in Tra Noc Industrial Zone, Can Tho City was built to better meet the demands of consumers in the Mekong Delta.In the same year, we set up the Logistics and Warehouse Enterprise located in 32 Dang Van Bi St. , Ho Chi Minh City. 2003 †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Was formally converted into a joint stock company in Decembe r 2003 and changed its name to Vietnam Dairy Products Joint Stock Company to reflect its change in status. 2004 †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Acquired Saigon Milk Joint Stock Company. Increased capital to VND 1,590 billion Commenced our dairy cow farms program with the acquisition of Tuyen Quang dairy farm, a small scale farm with 1,400 heads of cows in November hare 2005 †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Bought over partner’s in our Binh joint Dinh 2006. The Tuyen Quang dairy farm was operational at the time of acquisition. venture remaining shareholdings Dairy Products Company Ltd (as Binh Dinh Dairy Factory was then known) and inaugurated Nghe An Dairy Factory, located in Cua Lo Industrial Zone, Nghe An province, on 30 June 2005. 2007†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Acquired a 55% interest in Lam Son Milk Company Ltd. in September 2007, located in Le Mon Industrial Zone, Thanh Hoa province. 13 cOrPOrate PrOFILe aWarDS aND accOLaDeSOur Company, our factories, our products and the â€Å"Vinamilk† brand, as the case may be, have received a lot of awards, some of which are: Date/Period 1985 1991 1996 2000 2001 2005 2005 2006 Each year from 1995 – 2007 award Labour Medal of Third Ranking Labour Medal of Second Ranking Labour Medal of First Ranking Hero of Labour Labour Medal of Third Ranking Independence Medal of Third Ranking Labour Medal of Third Ranking â€Å"Supreme Cup† for Vietnamese goods of high quality and prestige Top brand in the â€Å"Top Ten High-quality Vietnamese Goods† awarding authority President of Vietnam President of Vietnam President of Vietnam President of Vietnam President of Vietnam President of Vietnam President of Vietnam Intellectual Property Association and Association of Small & Medium Enterprises, Vietnam Saigon Marketing Newspaper readers’ choice In recognition of h er long term contributions to the development of the Vietnamese dairy industry and the development of Vietnam, our Chairwoman, Madam Mai Kieu Lien, was awarded the following prestigious awards and titles: Date/Period 2001 2005 2005 2006 award Labour medal of Second ranking First Prize for Creativity Year 2004 Hero of Labour Labour medal of First ranking awarding authority President of Vietnam World Intellectual Property Organisation President of Vietnam President of Vietnam 14 A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 0 7 cOrPOrate StrUctUreVIetNaM DaIrY PrODUctS JOINt StOcK cOMPaNY 100% 100% 55% 50% INterNatIONaL reaL eState VIetNaM DaIrY cOW LaM SON DaIrY SaBMILLer JV 16 A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 0 7 Details of our subsidiaries and joint venture as at 31 December 2007 are as follows: Name Date / country of incorporation Principal Business Share capital % owned International Real Estate 12 December 2006 / Vietnam Housing business, real estate brokerage and leasing, warehouse and dock leasing V ND160 billion 100% Vietnam Dairy Cow 14 December 2006 / Vietnam Breeding of dairy cow, mixed cultivation and breeding, sale and purchase of alive animals VND100 billion 100% Lam Son Dairy 6 February 2007 / Vietnam Production and trade of canned milk, powdered milk and other dairy products, baby food, cake, soy milk, beverages, dairy cow breeding, trade of technology and equipment, raw materials VND80 billion 55% SABMiller JV 30 June 2006 / Vietnam Production and trade of beer and US$13. 5million other fruit flavoured beverages with (approximately low alcoholic ratio VND217 billion) 50% 17 MaNageMeNt rePOrtINg StrUctUre SharehOLDerS MeetINg BOarD OF MaNageMeNt geNeraL DIrectOr DePUtY geNeraL DIrectOr OF raW MaterIaLS DeVeLOPMeNt DePUtY geNeraL DIrectOr OF PrODUctION PLaNNINg & IM-eXPOrt DePUtY geNeraL DIrectOr/ FINaNce DIrectOrDIrectOr OF DIrectOr OF raW VIetNaM MaterIaLS DaIrY cOW ONeDeVeLOP – MeNt MeMBer LtD. ,CO PrODUc tION PLaNNINg DIrectOr IMeXPOrt DIrectOr DIrectOr OF r& D ceNter chIeF accOUNt – aNt PLaNNINg DIrectOr INVeSt MeNt DIrectOr It DIrectOr cONStrUctION DIrectOr M&e DIrectOr 18 A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 0 7 INSPectION cOMMIttee INterNaL aUDIt DIrectOr DePUtY geNeraL DIrectOr/ PrOJect DIrectOr DePUtY geNeraL DIrectOr OF SALES, MARKETING & cUStOMer DeVeLOPMeNt tech. DIrectOr DIrectOr OF INt. reaL eState ONeMeMBer LtD. , cO MKt DIrectOr cUStOM – er DeVeLOP – MeNt DIrectOr BraNch DIrectOr SaLeS DIrectOr hr DIrectOr aDMIN DIrectOr DIrectOr OF aN KhaNg cLINIcDIrectOr OF DePOt DIrectOr OF FactOrY 19 20 A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 0 7 TASTY 21 BOarD OF MaNageMeNt from top to bottom Ms Mai Kieu Lien Ms Ngo Thi Thu Trang Mr Dominic Scriven Mr Hoang Nguyen Hoc Mr Wang Eng Chin 22 A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 0 7 MS MaI KIeU LIeN Chairwoman, General Director H as been the Chairwoman of our Board of Management since 14 November 2003. From August 1976 to August 1980, she was an engineer in charge of the condensed milk production at Truong Tho Dairy Factory. Between September 1980 and February 1982, she was a technology engineer in the Technical department of the United Enterprises of Milk Coffee Cookies and Candies I.She served as a vice technical director in charge of production at Thong Nhat Dairy Factory from February 1982 to June 1983. After finishing her training at Economic University of Leningrad in the former Soviet Union (currently Russia), in July 1984 Ms Lien was appointed deputy general director of the United Enterprises of Milk Coffee Cookies and Candies I. In December 1992, she was promoted to general director of Vietnam Dairy Products Company. On 14 November 2003, she was elected chairwoman of the Board of Management and thereafter appointed as General Director of our Company. Ms Lien graduated from Moscow University of Meat and Milk Processing, Russia with a bachelor of science degree in 1976.She holds a Certificate of Economic Management from University of Economy, Russia, and a Certificate of Government Management from National Political Institute, Vietnam. MS NgO thI thU traNg Member, Deputy General Director, CFO Mr DOMINIc ScrIVeN Member Has been a member of our Board of Management since 14 November 2003, and Deputy General Director and Finance Director of our Company since March 2005. Ms Trang joined our Company in 1985 as a financial analyst, and in January 1995 she became a Vice Manager in the Accounting-Statistics department of the Vietnam Dairy Products Company. She held this position until December 1997 and served for a brief time between January 1998 and February 1998 as the Head of the AccountingStatistic department.Between February 1998 and March 2005, Ms Trang held the position of the Chief Accountant in charge of the Accounting department of the Vietnam Dairy Products Company. In March 2005, she was appointed deputy general director and finance director. Ms Trang graduated from the Finance-Accounting University, Ho Chi Minh City, with a Bachelor of Arts deg ree majoring in accounting and finance in 1984. She also holds a Master of Business Administration degree from the Open University, Ho Chi Minh City. Has been a member of our Board of Management since 31 March 2005. From 1985 to 1986, Mr Scriven was an assistant to the board of directors at M&G Investment Management where he assisted the board in matters relating to investments in the European and Asia regions.Between 1986 and 1988, he was a consultant at the investment banking arm of Citigroup where he assisted in the setting up and consulting for three investment funds, namely Thailand Fund, Seoul International Trust and Korea International Trust. Mr Scriven held the position of director in charge of investment at Sun Hung Kai Investment Fund between 1989 and 1991. He later joined Peregrine Corporation where he oversaw the capital market development. He co-founded Dragon Capital Group Limited in 1994 and currently holds the position of [managing director]. Mr Scriven graduated fro m the University of Exeter in 1985 with a Combined Honour degree in Laws and Sociology.He was awarded the Order Of The British Empire (OBe) in the Queen Elizabeth II’s 2006 New Year’s Honours List. Mr hOaNg NgUYeN hOc Member Mr WaNg eNg chIN Member Has been a member of our Board of Management since 4 November 2006. Prior to being appointed to our Board of Management, Mr Hoc had extensive experience within the Ministry of Finance of Vietnam. From October 1999 to June 2003, Mr Hoc was a deputy director in the department for state-owned enterprises’ financial management. He was appointed as Deputy General Director of the State Capital Investment Corporation in January 2008. Mr Hoc holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Ha Noi National University. Has been a member of our Board of Management since 31 March 2007.Between 1987 and 1988, Mr Wang worked as a corporate development executive with Cold Storage (S) Pte Ltd. He was a manager, Plain Heaven Cold Storage (S) Pte Ltd from 1988 to 1991. Mr Wang joined F&N Foods Pte Ltd as a general sales manager in 1991 and held this position until 1997. Between 1997 and 2003, he served as a deputy general manager at F&N Foods Pte Ltd and F&N Dairies (M) Sdn Bhd. In 2003, he became a general manager responsible for general management of F&N Foods Pte Ltd and F&N Vietnam Foods and held this position until September 2006. On 1 October 2006, he was appointed acting chief executive officer in charge of general management of the Food & Beverage Division, Fraser & Neave Group.He graduated from University of Mississippi, USA, in 1984 with a Bachelor of Business Administration and in 1987 with a Master of Business Administration. 23 BOarD OF DIrectOrS from left to right Ms Nguyen Thi Thanh Hoa Ms Mai Kieu Lien Mr Tran Minh Van Ms Nguyen Thi Nhu Hang Mr Tran Bao Minh Ms Ngo Thi Thu Trang MS MaI KIeU LIeN General Director MS NgUYeN thI thaNh hOa Deputy General Director Mr traN BaO MINh Deputy General Di rector (See â€Å"Board of Management† for imformation about Ms Mai Kieu Lien) MS NgO thI thU traNg Deputy General Director, CFO (See â€Å"Board of Management† for imformation about Ms Ngo Thi Thu Trang) Has been a Deputy General Director of our Company since 2000.Between September 1978 and June 1983, Ms Hoa was a lecturer at the Foodstuff and Process & Equipment departments at the Ho Chi Minh Polytechnic University. She later joined our Company in July 1983 as a process engineer at Truong Tho Dairy Factory. Ms Hoa held the positions of deputy director and then director in charge of overall operation of Truong Tho Dairy Factory from July 1991 to 1999. From January 2005, Ms Hoa is a deputy general director of Vietnam Dairy Products Company. She is currently in charge of planning, import, export and research and development of our Company. Ms Hoa graduated from Milk Processing Technology University, Moscow, in 1978 with a Bachelor degree in Milk Processing Technology.Mr Minh joined PepsiCo Vietnam in September 1997 as a marketing manager and was promoted to marketing director in August 2001 where he was in charge of the formulation, management and execution of marketing strategies for PepsiCo’s six leading brands in Vietnam, namely Pepsi, 7-Up, Mirinda, Aquafina, Twister and Sting. He was later transferred to PepsiCo’s headquarters in New York in February 2004 where he held the position of global Pepsi innovation director and led Pepsi’s global product and packaging innovation agenda. Between April 2005 and August 2005, Mr Minh was seconded to PepsiCo Thailand as marketing director in charge of formulating Pepsi’s marketing strategy in Thailand for non-carbonated beverages.From August 2005 to September 2006, 24 A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 0 7 Mr traN MINh VaN Deputy General Director MS NgUYeN thI NhU haNg Deputy General Director he served as marketing director of PepsiCo’s Asia Pacific business unit where he mana ged PepsiCo’s Mountain Dew, 7-Up and Mirinda brands of beverages for the Asia Pacific region. Mr Minh joined Vinamilk in Octocber 2006 as Deputy General Director in charge of Sales, Marketing and Customer Development. Mr Minh graduated from the Ho Chi Minh City University of Economics in 1991 with a Bachelor of Arts majoring in business planning and obtained a Masters in Commerce degree from the University of Western Sydney in 1996.As a testament to his contribution to PepsiCo, he was awarded the Asia Pacific Region Marketer of the Year award in 2002 and Top Performance Marketer in the Asia Pacific Region award in 2003 by PepsiCo. Has been a Deputy General Director of our Company since July 2006. Between 1990 and July 1994, Mr Van was a [deputy director] assisting the director of Thong Nhat Dairy Factory. In August 1994, he was appointed director of the Thong Nhat Dairy Factory and continued to hold this position until June 2006. He was appointed Deputy General Director in ch arge of the Project department of our Company in July 2006. Mr Van graduated from Ho Chi Minh City Polytechnic University in 1981 with an engineering degree. He obtained Bachelor in Business Administration from Ho Chi Minh City University of Economics in 1994, a LLB degree (with major in commercial laws) from Ha Noi University of Laws in 2001, and a Master in Business Administration from Ho Chi Minh City University of Economics in 2003. Ms Hang first joined our Company in 1981 where she held the position of deputy manager in the consumption department until 2001. She was later promoted to the position of director in August 2001 where she was in charge of managing the Warehouse Enterprise until December 2002. Ms Hang was promoted to deputy general director in January 2003 where she was and still is in charge of the technical project department. She is also in charge of managing and developing dairy farms that supply raw milk to the Company. In July 2007, Ms Hang was appointed directo r of Vietnam Dairy Cow Limited Company with One Member, a subsidiary of our Company.Ms Hang graduated from the Ho Chi Minh City University of Economics in 1994 with a bachelor degree in business administration. 25 INSPectION cOMMIttee MS Le thI KIM aNh Member Mr NgUYeN VIet cUONg Head of Inspection Committee MS NgUYeN thI tUYet MaI Member Between August 2001 and December 2004, she worked as a senior auditor at PricewaterhouseCoopers Vietnam Limited. She joined VietFund Management in December 2004 as a portfolio manager for Vietnam Growth Investment Fund (VF2). Ms Kim Anh graduated from the University of Economics, Ho Chi Minh City, with a bachelor degree majoring in accounting and auditing. Mr Cuong began his career at KPMG Vietnam in 1998 until 2002 as a senior auditor.Between 2003 and 2004, he was a management accountant at Unilever Bestfoods Vietnam where he was responsible for internal management reporting for food business of Unilever Vietnam. In 2004, he joined VinaCapital Gro up and now being a deputy managing director in charge of managing the portfolio for Vietnam Opportunity Fund. Mr Cuong was elected head of our Company’s Inspection Committee in December 2003. He graduated from the University of Economics, Ho Chi Minh City, with a bachelor degree in economics majoring in banking in 1994. Mr Cuong is holding an ACCA certificate issued by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountant, United Kingdom.From 1993 to 1997, Ms Mai held the position of manager at ANZ Bank, Ha Noi Branch where she was responsible for trade finance and corporate banking relationship management. Between 1999 and 2003, she was a manager at ANZ Bank, Singapore Branch where her experience covered relationship management for the corporate banking division, international banking strategy, structure commodity, trade finance and Asian region credit management. From 2004 to May 2007, she served as senior manager at the representative office of Openasia Consulting Ltd in Ho Ch i Minh City. In June 2007, she was promoted to the position of director of corporate finance in charge of consulting services at Openasia Consulting Vietnam Ltd.Ms Mai graduated from the Ha Noi University for Foreign Language Studies in 1991 with a bachelor degree majoring in English and obtained a master degree in business administration from the University of Melbourne in 1999. 26 A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 0 7 27 28 A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 0 7 HEALTHY 29 cOPOrate gOVerNaNce Our Directors recognize the importance of corporate governance and the offering of high standards of accountability to our Shareholders. a. Board of Management Matters the Board’s conduct and its affairs The Company should be leaded by an effective Board to lead and control the Company. The Board is collectively responsible for the success of the Company. To facilitate effective management, certain functions have been delegated by the Board to various Board Committees.The Board Committees operate u nder clearly defined terms and reference. The Board conducts meeting on a quarterly basis during the year. Ad-hoc meetings are convened when circumstances required. The meetings can be conducted by means of telephone conference or other methods of simultaneous communication by electronic or telegraphic means. Every member of the Board should be able to obtain independent advice and use independent judgement when making decisions. Inspection Committee is also informed and invited to attend the Board’s meetings. A record of the Director’s attendances at the Board level meetings during the financial year ended 31 December 2007 is disclosed as follows: Seq. 2 3 4 5 Name of Director Ms Mai Kieu Lien Ms Ngo Thi Thu Trang Mr Hoang Nguyen Hoc Mr Dominic Scriven Mr Wang Eng Chin No. of meetings 5 5 5 5 5 attendance 5 5 5 5 5 Board composition and Balance There should be a strong and independent element on the Board, which is able to exercise objective judegement on corporate af fairs independently from Management. No individual or small group of individuals should be allowed to dominate the Board’s decision making. The Board has maintained a strong and independent element, with three out of five directors being independent. The Board comprises of the following members: executive Directors Ms Mai Kieu Lien Ms Ngo Thi Thu Trang ChairwomanNon – executive Directors Mr Hoang Nguyen Hoc Mr Dominic Scriven Mr Wang Eng Chin The profiles of the directors are set out on page 22 of this annual report. Vinamilk has a good balance of directors who have extensive business, financial, accounting and management experience. The objective judgement of the independent and non-executive directors on corporate affairs and their experience and contributions are valuable to Vinamilk. 30 A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 0 7 Board Membership There should be a formal and transparent process for the appointment of new directors to the Board. Any nomination of new directors should go through a formal selection process: the Board should appoint the new director and then he should be officially nominated by the Annual General Meeting (â€Å"AGM†).Board Performance There should be a formal assessment of the effective of the Board as a whole and the contribution of each Director to the effectiveness of the Board. access of Information Board members are provided with adequate and timely information prior to Board meetings and on an on-going basis to enable them to carry their duties. The Board of Directors provides with adequate and timely information as well as a review of Vinamilk’s performance prior to the Board meetings. The Board has separate and independent access to Vinamilk ’s senior management and secretary, should they have any queries on the affairs of Vinamilk . A notice of meeting, which contains agenda, is issued to the Board prior each Board meeting.Vinamilk’s secretaries attend all the Board meetings and are respo nsible for ensuring that Board procedures are followed and that applicable rules and regulations are complied with. The Company’s secretaries are: Mr Nguyen Thanh Tu Ms Le Quang Thanh Truc (Administration Director) (Financial Investment Manager) B. remuneration Matters remuneration Policy The Remuneration Committee reviews and recommends to the Board an appropriate and competitive framework of remuneration for the Board. A formal and transparent procedure is used when setting the remuneration packages of individual directors. No director is involved in deciding his own remuneration.The composition of the Remuneration Committee is as follows: Mr Dominic Scriven Mr Wang Eng Chin Ms Vu Bich Nghia (Chairman, Non-Executive Director) (Member, Non-Executive Director) (Member, Human Resources Director) The Remuneration Committee recommends to the Board for endorsement a framework of remuneration for key executives, specific remuneration packages for each member of the Board of Manage ment, Chairwoman and General Director. 31 cOPOrate gOVerNaNce Level and Mix of remuneration The level of remuneration should be appropriate to attract, retain and motivate the directors needed to run Vinamilk successfully but Vinamilk should avoid paying more than is necessary for this purpose.A proportion of remuneration should be based on corporate and individual performance. In setting remuneration packages, the Remuneration Committee takes into consideration pay and employment conditions within industry and in comparable companies, the relative performance of Vinamilk as a whole, as well as individual Directors and key executives. An annual performance incentive plan has been implemented for all employees. Directors’ fees, Inspection Committee’s fees were approved by shareholders at Vinamilk’s Annual General Meeting for the financial ended 31 December 2007 as follows: Fee/month (VND million) Board Chairwoman Board Members Inspection Committee Chairman Inspec tion Committee Members 13 7 8 6Performance bonus framework for the Board of Management and Board of Directors was approved by shareholders at Vinamilk’s Annual General Meeting for the financial ended 31 December 2007 as follows: – If achieving the targeted profit after tax : 0. 1% on profit after tax. – Exceeding the targeted profit after tax : additional 20% of the exceeding targeted profit after tax. Disclosure of remuneration The remuneration of directors is set out below: FY 2007 Board of Management Ms Mai Kieu Lien Ms Ngo Thi Thu Trang Mr Hoang Nguyen Hoc Mr Dominic Scriven Mr Wang Eng Chin Board of Directors Mai Kieu Lien Ngo Thi Thu Trang Nguyen Thi Thanh Hoa Nguyen Thi Nhu Hang Tran Minh Van Tran Bao Minh Notes: A : Below VND3 billion B : From and above VND3 billion.B A A A A B A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A FY2006 32 A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 0 7 The amounts paid to the members of the Board of Management and the Board of Directors include the bonus d etermined in the manner described under â€Å"Labour Contracts – Performance Bonus for members of the Board of Management and the Board of Directors† c. accountability and audit Financial reporting The Board is accountable to the shareholders while the Management is accountable to the Board. The Board should present a balanced and understandable assessment of Vinamilk’s position and prospects in the annual accounts and other reports such as interim reports to regulators.The Board meeting is held on a quarterly basis to review Vinamilk’s performance and quarterly summerised financial report is submitted to Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange (â€Å"HOSE†). Annual General Meetings are held every year to obtain shareholders’ approval of routine business. Internal controls The Board should ensure that the Management maintains a sound system of internal controls to safeguard Vinamilk’s assets and shareholders’ investments. With the assi stance of the Internal Auditors, the Board and the Inspection Committee reviews the effectiveness of the key internal controls and ensures that the necessary corrective actions are taken on a timely basis.There are formal procedures in place for both internal and external auditors to report independently conclusions and recommendations to Management and Inspection Committee. Internal audit Vinamilk should establish an internal audit function that is independent of the activities it audits. Vinamilk appointed Internal Audit Director and established its internal audit function in September 2005. The key scope of internal audit is: Review the effectiveness of Vinamilk’s internal controls; Provide assurance that key business and operational risks are identified and managed; Internal controls are in place and functioning as intended and Operations are conducted in an effective and efficient manner.The Internal Audit Director reports directly to General Director. communication with Shareholders Vinamilk regularly communicates with its shareholders, striving for timeliness and transparency in its disclosure to shareholders and the public. Regular meetings and dialogues are held with investors, analysts, fund managers, and press. When material information is disseminated to HOSE, such information is simultaneously posted on the Company’s website at www. vinamilk. com. vn Vinamilk encourages shareholder participation at its annual general meetings and gives shareholders the opportunity to communicate their views on matters effecting Vinamilk. 33 ISK MaNageMeNt Foreign currency risk Foreign currency risk arises when there is a mismatch of funding foreign currency dominated assets with liabilities of the same currency. The exposure to foreign currency risk in this aspect was not significant in 2007, but may have a significant impact on Vinamilk’ s performance in the coming years. Vinamilk always consider using appropriate financial instruments, as an d when necessary, to mitigate this risk. Liquidity risk Vinamilk’ s exposure to liquidity risk arises in general funding of Vinamilk’ s business activities. It includes the risks of being able to fund business activities in a timely manner.Vinamilk adopts a prudent approach to managing its liquidity risk by maintaining sufficient cash and marketable securities, and has available funding through a diverse source of committed and uncommitted credit facilities from various banks. As at 31 December 2007, Vinamilk’ s net borrowings are as follows: 2007 Cash and cash equivalent Borrowings Net borrowings 114 42 2006 157 60 – credit risk Vinamilk’ s maximum exposure to credit risk in the event that the customers fail to perform their obligations as at 31 December 2007 in relation to accounts receivable is its carrying amount as indicated in the balance sheet. Vinamilk has policies in place to ensure that sales of products are made to customers with an appr opriate credit history. eliance on Key Management Personnel Although we are not dependent on any one person in our Board of Management or our Board of Directors, our success depends to a significant extent on the skills, capabilities and efforts of our Board of Management and our Board of Directors, as well as our ability to recruit and retain appropriately skilled personnel to take up positions on these Boards. Our ability to continue to attract, retain and motivate key personnel and senior members of our Board of Management and Board of Directors will have an impact upon our operations. The competition for skilled and highly-capable personnel is intense, and the loss of the services of one or more of these individuals, without adequate replacements or the inability to attract new qualified personnel at a reasonable cost, would have a material adverse effect upon our financial performance and operations.To mitigate this risk, Vinamilk has been employing remuneration policy to maint ain and attract the talents. export Market risk We currently export our products to Iraq, Thailand and other countries in Asia and Europe. Demand for our products depends on the political and economic stability of these countries. As Iraq is one of our major export countries, any social, political or economic upheaval in the country may materially adversely affect our operation results. Vinamilk has been focusing on its local market which is considered as its main market. Simultaneously, Vinamilk is also looking for other potential export markets to mitigate the risk. 34 A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 0 7 35 BUSINeSS OVerVIeWSince we commenced operations in 1976, we have built strong brand name recognition for our dairy products in Vietnam. Our ‘‘Vinamilk’’ brand is currently a widely recognised dairy brand in Vietnam. 36 A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 0 7 Vietnam Dairy Industry Overview Fuelled by the impressive economic growth in the past decade, the dairy indu stry in Vietnam has experienced rapid growth in recent years. Coinciding with improvements in living standards in Vietnam, the more widespread availability and affordability of production technologies, and vast improvements in infrastructure have led to an overall increase in the variety, quality and volume of dairy products produced in Vietnam.The market has also experienced an influx of foreign multinational companies. Total dairy product sales in Vietnam have grown by 53. 6% from approximately US$418 million in 2003 to reach approximately US$642 million in 2007. The following chart sets forth total dairy product sales in Vietnam between 2003 and 2007. 2003 – 2007 total dairy product sales in Vietnam (US$ million) 642 530 418 472 589 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 Source: Euromonitor International This strong growth in demand for dairy products is expected to continue on the back of strong GDP growth, a growing urban population with heightened disposable income and an increased a wareness about the health benefits of dairy products.Euromonitor International estimates that total annual consumption of dairy products in Vietnam to grow from approximately US$1,332 million in 2007 to reach approximately US$1,902 million by 2011. These factors should contribute to a significant increase in Vietnam’s very low per capita consumption of dairy products compared to Western countries. The below chart compares Vietnam’s per capita consumption of dairy products to Asia, Europe and North America between 2003 and 2007. 436 461 382 331 407 192 201 214 225 229 11 25 2003 12 27 2004 13 29 2005 14 32 2006 Europe 16 35 2007 Vietnam Asia North America Source: Euromonitor International 37 VINaMILK We are the leading producer of dairy products in Vietnam based on sales volume and revenue.Our products range from core dairy products such as liquid and powdered milk, to value-added dairy products such as condensed milk, drinking and spoon yoghurt, ice cream, and cheese. We offer one of the largest dairy portfolios in Vietnam, across a wide selection of products, flavours, and packaging sizes. According to Euromonitor, Vinamilk has been the number [1] dairy player in Vietnam for the three years ending 31 December 2007. 38 A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 0 7 Since commencing operation in 1976 we have built the largest distribution network in Vietnam and have leveraged our network to introduce new products to the market, such as juices, soya milk, bottled drinking water and coffee.We market the majority of our products under our â€Å"Vinamilk† brand, which has been designated as both a Famous Brand and one of the Top 100 Strongest Brands by the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade in 2006. We have also been voted the top brand in the â€Å"Top Ten High-quality Vietnamese Goods† for each year between 1995 to 2007. We currently focus on business activities in the fast growing Vietnamese dairy market, which according to Euromonitor has gr own at a CAGR of [7. 85]% from 1997 to 2007, and produce the majority of our products at our [nine] operational production facilities with a combined capacity of [570,406] tonnes per annum. We have the leading distribution network in Vietnam, giving us broad access to consumers.We generate a substantial majority of our revenues from sales of our products in Vietnam comprising both dairy and non-dairy products and export to countries such as Australia, Cambodia, Iraq, the Philippines and the United States. †¢ †¢ Strong supplier relationships to ensure a dependable milk supply; Highly experienced management with a proven track record of delivering strong overall business performance; World class production facilities. †¢ Leading market position supported by wellestablished brand name Since we commenced operations in 1976, we have built strong brand name recognition for our dairy products in Vietnam. Our ‘‘Vinamilk’’ brand has been in use since our establishment and is currently a widely recognised dairy brand in Vietnam.We believe we have achieved our dominant market position through our focus on advertising, marketing and continuous improvement in product innovation and quality assurance. Based on our long-standing presence in Vietnam, we believe we are better able to identify and understand consumer trends and preferences, that allows us to focus our development efforts on identifying product attributes that are most valued by our customers. For example, our deep understanding and efforts have helped our Vinamilk Milk Kid range of products become one of the best selling milk product marketed at children aged between six and 12 years in Vietnam in 2007. Strong and diversified product portfolio We offer a wide range of dairy products targeting a wide spectrum of consumers.We have product lines that are targeted at individual consumers including young children, young adults and also the [elderly] as well as products target ed at general households and commercial outfits such as cafes. In addition, by offering consumers a diverse range of products in different package sizes, we are able to offer our customers a measure of portability and convenience unique to dairy products being sold in Vietnam. OUr cOMPetItIVe StreNgthS We believe that our success to date and potential for future growth can be attributed to a combination of our strengths, including the following: †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Leading market position supported by wellestablished brand name; Strong, diversified product portfolio; Extensive sales and distribution network; Strong market-oriented development capabilities research and 39 xtensive sales and distribution network We believe our extensive sales and distribution network is critical to the success of our operations, enabling us to reach a wide range of customers and ensure an efficient and effective rollout of new products and marketing campaigns nationwide. As of 31 December 2007, we sell our products across all 64 provinces including five centrally-controlled municipalities in Vietnam. Our experienced sales team, assists our distributors to service the end retailers and consumers, and promote our products. Our sales team is also responsible for servicing and supporting the distribution activities and development of new relationships with distributors and retailers. In addition, we organise various marketing and promotional activities with local distributors aimed at promoting our products and building our brand image across the nation.In addition to our domestic distribution networks, we are currently in the process of negotiating the terms of supply contracts with potential business partners in countries such as Thailand, Australia and the United States. We are also one of the few food and beverage companies that have a readily available network of refrigerated coolers. The availability of coolers poses a high barrier of entry for competitors who may wish to enter the food and beverage market as the establishment of a refrigerated cooler network requires a substantial amount of capital expenditure. Strong supplier relationships to ensure steady milk supply A consistent supply of high quality raw milk is crucial to our business.Accordingly, we have established strong relationships with our suppliers through our favourable pricing policies, provision of financial support to farmers to purchase dairy cows and price incentives for milk of higher quality. We have entered into annual contracts with our milk suppliers and currently purchase over approximately 40% of all domestically produced raw milk. Our production facilities are strategically located close to dairy farmers in Vietnam to enable us to maintain and strengthen our relationships with them and we carefully select the location of our milk collection centres to maintain its freshness and quality. We also source raw milk powder from Australia and New Zealand to meet our produ ction demands in terms of quantity and quality.We believe that our ability to obtain a steady supply of raw milk is crucial to our business and allows us to maintain and increase our production output. Strong market-oriented research and development capabilities We have a sales and marketing team that is experienced in analysing and identifying consumer preferences and trends, and support ground staff who have a thorough understanding of consumer preferences through constant contact with our customers at our various points of sale. For example, our understanding of the preferences of young consumers aged between six and 12 has helped us successfully launch our Vinamilk Milk Kid marketing campaign in May 2007.As a result of our successful marketing campaign, Vinamilk Milk Kid was the best selling milk marketed at children aged between six and 12 in 2007. We also have strong capabilities in product research and development with a view to improve product quality and increase product va riety for consumers. We have a research and development team comprising 10 engineers and one technical staff. Our researchers work closely with our marketing department who in turn collaborate with several market research agencies to identify the trends in consumer preferences. We believe our ability to develop new products based on consumer’s evolving preferences has been a key factor in our success and will continue to play a key role in our future growth and development.In an effort to ensure that our products are in line with the latest consumption trends, we actively conduct research and work with market research companies to study trends in 40 A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 0 7 sales performance, customer feedback, food and beverage-related media. highly experienced management with a proven track record of delivering strong overall business performance We are managed by an experienced and dedicated management team with extensive industry experience. Our Chairwoman, Mdm Mai Kieu Lien, has over 30 years of experience in the dairy industry with the Company and has played a critical role in the growth and development of the Company to where it stands today.Our marketing team is led by Mr Tran Bao Minh, who has over 10 years of branding and marketing experience in the beverage industry and has been instrumental in reviving our brand image and product innovation. Other members of our senior management team have an average of 25 years experience in the manufacturing, distribution and sale of dairy products. We also have a strong middle management team that is well-equipped to support our senior management and stay abreast of changes in the market place. World class production facilities We use modern production and packaging technologies in all of our manufacturing facilities. We employ technologies imported from European countries such as Germany, Italy and Switzerland in ur production lines. To the best of our knowledge, we are the only company in Vietnam who has the machinery utilising the spray dry technology produced by Niro Inc, Denmark, a world leader in industrial drying technologies. We also employ world class production lines provided by Tetra Pak for our dairy and value-added dairy products. OUr BUSINeSS StrategIeS We aim to maximise shareholder value and pursue a business growth strategy based on the following principal components: †¢ †¢ Expansion of market share in existing and new markets; Develop a comprehensive portfolio of dairy products to target a broader consumer base and expand into higher margin alue-added dairy products; Development of new product lines to satisfy different consumer preferences; Brand cultivation; Continuously enhancing supply chain management; Development of raw material sources to ensure a reliable and consistent fresh milk supply base. †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ 41 BraND POrtFOLIO We currently have 4 mega brands as follows: Beautiful Life Mum’s Love 42 A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 0 7 Passion to Win Natural Freshness 43 PrODUct 44 A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 0 7 Overview We produce a broad range of dairy products with different types and flavours of powdered milk, infant cereals, UHT liquid milk, UHT drinking yoghurts, spoon yoghurt, sweet condensed milk and cheese.We have established different teams to be responsible for the research and development, raw materials procurement, supervision of outsourced manufacturing, marketing, sales and distribution of products under our core brands and other brands. Our core dairy products such as liquid milk and powdered milk represent two of our largest product segments, and accounted for approximately 25. 4% and 23. 0%, respectively, of our revenue in 2007. Within the liquid milk segment, Vinamilk Milk Kid range constituted the largest single item and accounted for approximately 7. 0% of the liquid milk revenue of Vinamilk and approximately 2. 1% of our overall revenue in 2007.Other dairy products such as our condensed milk and yoghurt products have been experiencing steady growth over the past two years and accounted for approximately 34. 0% and 10. 0% of our revenue in 2007. Our condensed milk product is showing promising growth where our revenue for our condensed milk products in FY2007 has experienced an approximate 38. 0% increase from FY2006. Dairy Products Liquid Milk We produce, distribute and sell liquid milk in Vietnam under the Vinamilk Brand. Our revenue from sales of liquid milk grew from approximately VND1,469 billion in 2006 to approximately VND1,736 billion in 2007, representing a compound annual growth rate of approximately 18%.As of 31 December 2007, we account for approximately 35% of the liquid milk market in Vietnam based on a combination of data from internal tracking systems and statistics and externally commissioned reports by AC Nielsen, tracking consumption patterns in 36 of the 64 provinces (including five centrally controlled municipalities). Our liquid milk s egment includes the following three product categories: †¢ †¢ †¢ Plain milk Flavoured milk â€Å"Special needs† milk such as Calcium and DHA fortified milk and skim milk 45 Our â€Å"Vinamilk† brand is one of our core brands for liquid milk, drinking yoghurt, spoon yoghurt, ice cream, probiotic and cheese. We have focused on building up our product image to be one that is easily associated with a healthy, beautiful and balanced lifestyle. Vinamilk UHT milk has consistently dominated the Vietnamese liquid milk market. It is targeted at consumers aged six years and above.Our Fino Pack range of UHT milk offers flavours such as sweetened, sugarfree, strawberry and chocolate and comes in packages of 250ml. Our Vinamilk UHT fresh milk range was officially launched in April 2007 and is targeted at the premium market in Vietnam. Our Vinamilk UHT fresh milk products are manufactured using 100% raw fresh milk. We believe our competitive edge in this market segment lies in our ability to ensure consistent supply from local dairy farmers and our wide network of milk collection centres. Our Vinamilk UHT fresh milk products are available in 180ml and one litre cartons. Officially launched in September 2007, Vinamilk Milk Kid range is targeted at consumers aged between six and 12 years old.Our Vinamilk Milk Kid products are available in a range of flavours such as Strawberry, Chocolate, Sweetened and DHAfortified and are available in 180ml packs. 46 A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 0 7 Powdered Milk We first introduced our range of powdered milk products in 1988. As at 31 December 2007, our revenue from powdered milk products account for approximately 13. 8% of the market value in Vietnam based on a combination of data from internal tracking systems and statistics and externally commissioned reports by AC Nielsen tracking consumption patterns in six key cities such as Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh City, Can Tho, Da Nang, Hai Phong and Nha Trang.However, our rev enue from sales of powdered milk decreased from approximately VND2,191 billion in 2006 to approximately VND1,584 billion in 2007, primarily due to the decrease in export sales. Our Dielac powdered milk range is targeted at consumers with children aged six years and below. Our powdered milk products can be categorised into two main segments: Two formulas priced within two different price ranges. Dielac Star is priced at the lower range of the two and is marketed as an affordable and quality product. It is manufactured with Pro5S formulation containing DHA, Choline, Inuline, Canxi and MCT Oil. Dielac Alpha is produced with a unique formulation containing colostrums, DHA, Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids.It is priced at a premium over Dielac Star given its higher Colostrum content. Our Dielac line of powdered milk products has experienced an annual growth rate of approximately 16% over the past four years. Our traditional Ridielac infant and follow-on formula is manufactured using MAX-4 D (with 4D representing Development, Digestion, Deliciousness and Dependability) technology, combining nutrient-rich milk, natural foods such as meat, shrimp, vegetables, vitamins and minerals. Our formula is designed to optimise nutrient absorption in children during their growing years and enhance appetites. Ridielac infant cereal is targeted at consumers with children aged between four and 24 months.Ridielac is produced with a unique formulation containing colostrums and is marketed as a value-for-money product. 47 Condensed Milk Condensed milk is one of our most successful products and largest revenue contributors, representing approximately 34. 0% of our total revenue in 2007. Our revenue from sales of our condensed milk products grew from approximately VND1,690 billion in 2006 to approximately VND2,332 billion in 2007, representing a compound annual growth rate of approximately 38%. As at 31 December 2007, we hold a market share of approximately 79% in the condensed milk marke t in Vietnam based on a combination of data and statistics from internal tracking systems tracking the sales volume of our competitors’ products.Southern Star (Ngoi Sao Phuong Nam) is part of our commercial line under our condensed milk segment, and is primarily marketed to commercial outfits and cafes and is commonly consumed with coffee or mixed fruits. It is priced economically to offer enhanced profit margins to proprietors. Ong Tho is part of our household line of quality products and is primarily targeted at Vietnamese households. It can be consumed either hot or cold and is commonly used as a cooking or baking ingredient. Our Ong Tho brand of condensed milk is priced at a premium over our Southern Star brand of condensed milk due to its higher calcium and protein content. 48 A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 0 7 Yoghurt Products We produce, distribute and sell our drinking yoghurt and spoon yoghurt in Vietnam under the Vinamilk brand.Our yoghurt products represent one of our key focus growth areas, and our revenue from sales of yoghurt products grew from approximately VND634 billion in 2006 to approximately VND698 billion in 2007, representing a compound annual growth rate of approximately 10%. As at 31 December 2007, we hold a market share of approximately 26% in the drinking yoghurt market and approximately 97% in the spoon yoghurt market in Vietnam based on a combination of data from internal tracking systems and statistics and externally commissioned reports by AC Nielsen, tracking consumption patterns in 36 out of the 64 cities (including five centrally controlled municipalities) in Vietnam. Vinamilk Drinking Yoghurt is available in three flavours: Fruit, Orange and Strawberry in 180ml packs. Vinamilk Spoon Yoghurt is targeted at the average Vietnamese household.Marketed as a fresh tasting, delicious and high quality health product, our Vinamilk Spoon Yoghurt product line has dominated the spoon yoghurt market in Vietnam with a market share of app roximately 97%. It is available in a variety of flavours such as Strawberry, Fruit, SugarFree with Kefir and Sweetened in 110g carton packs. In addition to the abovementioned dairy products, we also manufacture other dairy products such as ice-cream and cheese. 49 Ice-cream We introduced our brand of ice-cream products in 1976 and produce, distribute and sell our ice-cream in Vietnam under the Vinamilk Brand. Vinamilk Ice-cream is targeted at the midend ice-cream market in Vietnam.It comes in a variety of flavours such as Chocolate, Coconut, Durian, Green Bean, Strawberry, Vanilla and Taro. Our ice-cream products are available in 450ml or one-litre tubs and also available in pre-packed ice-cream cups, popsicles and cones. Cheese Vinamilk Cheese was launched in 2000 under our anticipation of the potential of the cheese market in Vietnam. The product is currently targeted at the average Vietnamese household and is manufactured using French technology and is available in 140g packs. No n-Dairy Products Other Food and Beverages In addition to our dairy products, we also manufacture and distribute other F&B products such as our V-Fresh line of juices and soya bean milk, Cafe Moment coffee and ICY bottled water.The revenue for this product segment accounted for approximately 2% of the total revenue of the Company. 50 A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 0 7 V-Fresh The product range was introduced in 1990. V-Fresh Juice is designed to target young adults, offering them healthy refreshments that promote a image that is energetic and full of vitality. V-Fresh Juice is manufactured using natural fruit juices. It is available in one litre packs and in a variety of flavours such as Apple, Carrot, Custard-apple, Grape, Grapefruit, Guava, Orange, Peach and Pineapple. Packaged in Tetra Pak packaging, V-Fresh Juice is predominantly distributed in off-premise channels. V-Fresh Soya Milk is one of the most popular drinks among our newly launched products.V-Fresh Soya Milk is targeted at the mid-end market and is marketed as a value-for-money product. Extracted from selected natural soybeans, our V-Fresh Soya Milk line of products offers consumers a healthy and nondairy alternative to consumers. It is available in flavours such as plain and sweetened in 180ml and one-litre packs. Coffee We produce, distribute and sell our coffee products in Vietnam under the Cafe Moment brand name. We launched our coffee line of products in 2005. Manufactured from the finest coffee beans, our coffee products offer consumers with a unique tasting experience. Our coffee products offer consumers great value for money.Cafe Moment is distributed through our nationwide distribution network and through our direct sale channels located primarily in urban areas. 51 52 A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 0 7 SAFETY 53 INVeStOr reLatIONS Vinamilk maintains an effective communication channel with investors through its annual general meeting held on a yearly basis and through Vinamilk’ s investo r relations function. Financial performance and other important information relating to Vinamilk’ s operations are adequately disclosed on its website at www. vinamilk. com. vn and other means of public communications such as HOSE’ s website, securities companies’ website, newspapers and securities bulletins,†¦. 54 A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 0 7During the year, Vinamilk has welcomed more than 100 individual and institutional investors, banks, fund managers to visit us, some of our visitors are: HSBC, Hong Kong; CIMB –GK Securities Pte. Ltd; Merrill Lynch (Asia Pacific) Ltd; JP Morgan Securities (Thailand) Ltd; Morgan Stanley Asia Singapore; Saigon Securities Inc. (SSI); BaoViet Securities Company (BVSC); Dragon Capital; Tokio Marine Asset Management; Providential Holdings, Inc. ; York Capital Management, NY; Bridger Capital LLC, NY; Polunin Capital Partners Ltd, London; Metropol, Nga; MFC Global Investment Management; ABN-AMRO Asia Securities (Singa pore) Pte Ltd; Moody’ s Singapore Pte. Ltd; Mitani Sangyo Co. Ltd; Central Bank of Japan; Naissance Capital Ltd; Deutsche Asset Management, a member of the Deutsche Bank Group; Deutsche Bank Securities Asia Ltd; Credit Suise (Singapore) Ltd; Nomura Malaysia Sdn Bhd; Nomura Securities Singapore Pte. Ltd; Citigroup Global Markets Limited; Kim Eng Securities Pte. Ltd; Daiwa Securities SMBC Hong Kong Ltd; BankInvest Group; YUKI Management & Research Co. , Ltd; UOB Asset Management , a member of the United Overseas Bank Group; Our contact details in relation to Investor Relations are as follows: Mr. Tr? n Chi Son tel email Website : : : : Investment Director (84-8) 9300 358 (ext. 252) [email  protected] com. vn www. vinamilk.. com. vn 55 cOMMUNItY actIVItIeSIn line with our operation philosophy, Vinamilk always harmonizes between benefits and value for its shareholders and contribute to community activities for local people where we are operating our business. Vinamilk has been contributing by tens of VND billions per annum for these activities, which may be increasing on a yearly basis. 56 A n n u a l R e p o r t 2 0 0 7 Some of our typical community activities for the year 2006 and 2007 are as follows: In VND billion Donations for poor people and poor/street children 10. 7 Sponsors for scholarship fund namely â€Å"Cultivation for Vietnamese Young Talents†, â€Å"V? A Dinh† and other activities for children 9. 6 Donations for flooded provinces in the central of Vietnam 2 Our annual traditional sponsorship for two scholarship funds is â€Å"Cultivation for Vietnamese Young Talents† and â€Å"V?A Dinh†. The first was started since 2003 with the average annual sponsored amount between 1. 5 – 3 billion dong and the later was started since 2004 with the average annual sponsored amount between 0. 14 – 0. 20 billion dong. In addition, Vinamilk has been the sponsor to take care all the life for 20 Vietnamese hero mothers in Ben Tre and Quang Nam provinces since 1997 and now there are 13 mothers to be sponsored by Vinamilk to take care all their li