Does Music Dictate Our Emotions? Studies Shows, Actually, That It Does.

What is it about music that moves people? The lyrics we connect with? Although it may seem the obvious answer, because music is a form of poetry, but lyrics might not necessarily be the cause, according to Mark Changizi, who discussed how music affects our emotions in his article "Why Does Music Make Us Feel?". He recalled that as a young man, he loved to listen to French instrumental programs, even though he didn't speak a word of French. This is because "speech sounds alone, stripped of their meaning, don’t inspire". In an experiment conducted at the University of London, 30 subjects were showed a series of happy or sad musical excerpts. Then after listening to the snippets, the subjects were shown a photograph of a face.  "Some people were shown a happy face – the person was smiling - while others were exposed to a sad or neutral facial expression. The participants were then asked to rate the emotional content of the face on a 7-point scale, where 1 mean extremely sad and 7 extremely happy. "

Source: www.all-science-fair-projects.com

"The researchers found that music powerfully influenced the emotional ratings of the faces. Happy music made happy faces seem even happier while sad music exaggerated the melancholy of a frown.  A similar effect was also observed with neutral faces. The simple moral is that the emotions of music are 'cross-modal', and can easily spread from sensory system to another." Music differs from plain speech in our brains, and has a more drastic effect on our mood, especially when it comes to influencing our decisions like it did with the 30 subjects of the experiment.

The author also explores the idea that maybe music is so nice to listen to because a lot of the time when we're listening to music, we are the most connected to it when we're watching it. What kept the author so into the show was not the meaningless French, but the young actress who sang it... "The show was a pleasure to watch because of the humans it showed, especially the exhibited expressions and behaviors." And it only makes sense, humans connect best with other humans. It's just our nature to form bonds with one another.

In my next blog post, I plan to further explore the emotional effect that certain genres of music have on certain people, as well as the physical benefits of music on our brains.

The Price is Right

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So I did some more research since the 2nd blog post and I found out many interesting things on buys products. While browsing Imgur.com, I came across a post that included many “Life Hacks”, and one of them applied to buying airline tickets. When searching for tickets, you should browse in Incognito mode because the airlines use your history to check on what you are looking for and spike up the prices, while in Incognito mode, they can’t. Many times, people see items that they want, but they don’t know if they should buy it now or later. There are many factors that go into when or when not to buy the product you want. I’m going to list out what I usually do when I try to purchase a product. I generally like to stay away from online purchases because there are so many things that can go wrong, but I use online sites to compare prices. First, I compare prices on online sites and try to find the cheapest place. I also see if stores match price to online stores to try and find even cheaper prices. Second, I go to both stores to see if they actually have the price that's on the website and make sure i'm getting one that isn't used or in bad shape. Those are mainly the things you can do when looking for a product, but the biggest part is really up to you to decide whether you want it or not.

The Mechanics

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eucnb7Qf08U

For the most part, almost all new car dealerships will pay the same price for a particular make and model new car. Theoretically the invoice price of the car is determined by all of the materials used to build the car as well as any optional features that have been put into the car. Now the reason that I say theoretically is because the car manufacturer also charges the dealership for actually putting the car together, obviously. The problem arises from the fact that manufacturers can set whatever price they want for the service of building the car. 

While all new car dealerships pay the same invoice price for new cars and trucks, they don't all pay the same to have new cars and trucks delivered to the local dealership. 

Shipping costs for new cars and trucks can vary considerably depending on the type of vehicle being shipped and the distance that delivery trucks must travel to bring new cars and trucks to your local new car dealership.

Generally speaking, you will find that new cars may be a little cheaper in areas that are very close to the manufacturing plant of the vehicle, while on the other hand they may be a little more expensive in areas that are hundreds or thousands of miles away from the manufacturer. This is based largely in part on the amount of money that it cost to ship a vehicle from one point to another. However, the differences in price caused by shipping costs are usually not so much that it will warrant purchasing your new car truck from a far-off location—as you will have to pay shipping costs as well. Even if you don't, driving a car long-distance will require some investment in time as well as fuel.

Basic Factors Of Success

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Before talking about the specific details of success and the determining factors relating to that, I wanted to put forth a fairly universal idea of the factors of success. In the article "9 Success Factors For Personal Growth: Moving Forward To Achieve Your Best Life", author Brian Tracy states what he believes to be the top 9 most important factors in leading up to success. 

#1 Education- Knowing more on average can make you better off in various aspects, specifically when applying for jobs. This is why people spend majority of their live trying to better educate themselves.

#2 Skill- Tracy talks about how your specific skill level can make it easier for you to move towards a goal and continue to further your level of results.

#3 Contacts- Knowing people who are able to open up opportunities for you.

#4 Money- Having money gives people the opportunity to pursue careers and lifestyles of their choice.

#5 Good Work Habits- Good work habits can allow a person to accomplish more in a certain amount of time, making their overall life more efficient.

#6 Positive Mental Attitude- By developing a positive mental attitude a person is able to accomplish more by thinking of whats is good to come, rather than what is bad.

#7 Positive Image- People tend to judge one another based off their image and by presenting a positive image, it allows a person to be open to more.

#8 Creativity- Creativity contributes to accomplishing more by unique means.

#9 Character- A persons overall character goes into all of the ideas presented above, in the sense that one's character can affect the way people perceive you.

Overall all of these are important, personal factors describing how to make the most of success, but in my future blog posts I will be addressing the factors outside of personal traits that are just as important.

Future Of Technology

IMAGES SOURCE

                                When somebody ask you what is future technology, What you want to made for your life. You imagine about robots, T.V or computer that can used by mind, diver-less car, or disability of work that you can't do but you want technology that can help you every second- every minute when you need it. Technology that can help people in life with out any harm.People are spending twice as much time online compared to 10 years ago, fulled by increasing use of tablets and smartphones. The biggest increase has been among young adults, with time spent online almost tripling from 10 hours and 24 minutes each week in 2005 to 27 hours and 36 minutes in 2014.

                                 World is going to change now. People are advanced more than they are. Scientist are trying to invest things that can really turn your imagination in real life,real world our world. And they are getting good success on it. In below video you can see that technology you want in your life is really exist. But now it's too costly and rare to get but with in 10-20 year it will be easy to buy. May be you can buy it from Walmart or in target. In video you can see the technology you want it's really exists and you can see you future in it.

FUTURE QUESTION: Humans versus Robots(what can we make do together)

The Great Depression and Boxing

During the late 1920s through much of the 1930s, the economy in the United States was in a poor state, and boxing was not immune to these difficult times. With unemployment higher than ever before, people were less willing to spend money on boxing matches and therefore many fighters retired to other jobs where they could earn a higher wage.

In this brief essay I will examine and analyze the effects that the economy in the 1930s had on the popularity and profitability of boxing through numerous sources. I also intend to share my opinions and beliefs on the topic. Overall, boxing and the fighters took a hard hit from the depression, however, boxing also resembled hope for many which helped to combat the arduous situation.

Cinderella Man

Against popular belief and according to the article “Cinderella Man” by Aqsa Zafar, “Boxing popularity grew significantly during the Great Depression. Boxing committees knew they would always have a crowd for their championship matches because boxing appealed to all classes. Boxing was an escape for those suffering from the Great Depression.” People turned to boxing as a source of relief from their hardships as it was cheap and fulfilling at the time. The more people had to endure, the greater popularity and support boxing would acquire. The profitability of boxing was struggling though at this time when the popularity was rising. Nobody has as much money to spend as in the 20s, this includes politicians and business owners. Boxing “ became a social event for many politicians, business executives and social leaders who wanted to be seen at these championship fights with their ladies in hand.” However, they did not have the same incentive or opportunity to attend as the previous decade which resulted in a lack of funds for the sport.

As the economy was able to recover though, so was boxing, and this is what I will discuss in the next blog post.

Possibilities, Punishments, and Poachers

Poachers bring out some of the worst of human nature. How are poachers punished, and more importantly, are the punishments enough? On a general scale, one can guess that laws and penalties have deterred many average criminals from committing crimes such as theft or arson. Poachers are different from these types of criminals because killing elephants or rhinos can be so rewarding to them. In an article from ProQuest Research Library, Washington Post reporter Darryl Fears interviews an analyst who states that poachers are usually fined when they are caught with ivory, “but the value of the goods is much higher than the fine." Many believe that this fine should be increased, as it sometimes seems that it is ineffective against poachers. On the other hand, the fines will still significantly cut any monetary gains that were made on the horns or tusks. An increase in the fines would be a great help to deter poachers, but for now, they may return to poaching yet again because the reward is still greater than the risk.

A poacher. Source: theafricachannel.com

            On the contrary, some areas have taken steps to absolutely ensure that poachers do not return. Though severe, some countries impose a “zero-tolerance” policy with poaching and may kill offenders on the spot. Rangers hope that this will send a message to other poachers and will help deter them from committing the crime. In February 2013, “South African law enforcement officials killed 279 Mozambique citizens involved in poaching," according to the same article. This is a very large number of poachers who were killed in only one year from one country, but it seems to be an effective way to send a message and ensure that poachers do not continue with their actions. Not all countries have come to a point that poachers need to be killed, but some are coming close. Though harsh, the action is another beneficial step to stop the brutal act of animal poaching in Africa. Although this problem may continue on, it is imperative to do as much as possible to prevent it. If poaching stopped completely, what effect would it have on various economies that buy the animals' goods?

Blog Post 3: Dunphy-ACL Injuries

 What Heals an ACL Injury

   For an ACL to be fully healed, it takes a long-term process including surgery, rehabilitation and medication.  However, there are few medications out there that have the ability to relieve of such a painful injury, therefore rehab is more reliable when relieving of ACL pain.

Based on information addressed by OrthoInfo in their article “Repairing of the ACL”(http://www.OrthoInfo/utm_campaign=cdhproton_fy15&utm_source=webmd&utm_medium=300x250&utm_content=banner&utm_term=target), approximately 50 percent of ACL injuries occur in combination with damage to the meniscus cartilage, or other ligaments. Additionally, patients may have bruises of the bone beneath the cartilage surface.  Simply put it, an ACL injury is one that affects multiple areas inside the knee.  

The simple route would be surgery.  The surgery usually begins with an examination of the patient's knee while the patient is relaxed due the effects of anesthesia. This final examination is used to verify that the ACL is torn and also to check for looseness of other knee ligaments that may need to be repaired during surgery or addressed postoperatively. If the physical exam strongly suggests the ACL is torn, the selected tendon is harvested (for an autograft) or thawed (for an allograft) and the graft is prepared to the correct size for the patient.  After the graft has been prepared, the surgeon places an arthroscope into the joint. Small (one-centimeter) incisions called portals are made in the front of the knee to insert the arthroscope and instruments and the surgeon examines the condition of the knee. Meniscus and cartilage injuries are trimmed or repaired and the torn ACL stump is then removed.

In terms of rehabilitation, an ACL won’t be fully healed, but the patient will have the ability to stabilize it and be relieved of the pain.  The goals for rehabilitation of ACL reconstruction include reducing knee swelling, maintaining mobility of the kneecap to prevent anterior knee pain problems, regaining full range of motion of the knee, as well as strengthening the quadriceps and hamstring muscles.  The patient may return to sports when there is no longer pain or swelling, when full knee range of motion has been achieved, and when muscle strength, endurance and functional use of the leg have been fully restored.  The patient's sense of balance and control of the leg must also be restored through exercises designed to improve neuromuscular control.  This usually takes four to six months. The use of a functional brace when returning to sports is ideally not needed after a successful ACL reconstruction, but some patients may feel a greater sense of security by wearing one.

The goals for rehabilitation of ACL reconstruction include reducing knee swelling, maintaining mobility of the kneecap to prevent anterior knee pain problems, regaining full range of motion of the knee, as well as strengthening the quadriceps and hamstring muscles.

The patient may return to sports when there is no longer pain or swelling, when full knee range of motion has been achieved, and when muscle strength, endurance and functional use of the leg have been fully restored.

The patient's sense of balance and control of the leg must also be restored through exercises designed to improve neuromuscular control.  This usually takes four to six months. The use of a functional brace when returning to sports is ideally not needed after a successful ACL reconstruction, but some patients may feel a greater sense of security by wearing one. -So

Finally, though there are few medications out there that relieve the pain of an ACL, medications such as Tylenol, nonsteroidal antiflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) such as ibuprofen and naproxen.  

All in all, repairing an ACL injury requires a long process, and there are mutliple solutions as to do so, but it can never be fully recovered.  Further research needs to be done in order for doctors/physicians/therapists to know how to fully-repair and fully-heal a torn ACL.

Source Link:http://www.compelvisuals.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/ACL-2013-1.jpg

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Make Money and Do NOTHING

Source: www.onmoneymaking.com

As I countinued my research this week, my research led me to discover dividends. Dividends are the easy way for an investor to make a return on his/her stock. After I watched this Dividend Video Explanation on Investopedia, it really helped me get a better understanding of how to explain what is a dividend.

A dividend is defined as a company's net profits that can be allocated to investors so that it is still kept within the company. Companies can than purchase their shares back which is defined as a share buyback. Dividends are the easiest way to get money, you get payed cash to just hold someone's stock. So even if the company's stock isn't doing well, you could keep your stocks depending on how much of a dividend is payed out at the end of their fiscal quarter.

Dividends can affect the price of stocks because more people want to invest in that company; therefore raising the price of that stock and making more people want to buy that stock. Some economists argue that a dividend policy does not affect the price of a stock, this is called dividend irrelevance.

In my opinion as a mediocre investor, I don't research into stocks with dividends. I look at the stocks that continuously set the same patterns in how they rise and fall, or also known as trends in the market. When I see one of my stocks falling, I don't just sell right away, I look into why the price is dropping and from there I either buy more of that stock or sell what I have and try to make up the loses elsewhere. Because of my short-term investment style, dividends are not for me; If you're a long term investor dividends will work for you. Make sure you know what type of investor you are before making any decision with money in the stock market. 

The Future is Nigh and that's not Good

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If you really think about it we are in the future. We have new and amazing technology that would amaze and astound people from even 20 years ago. And in this new and amazing age of technology, we have a lot of new medical advancements. Some of these advancements may even feel futuristic to us. A few of the many new and seemingly futuristic medical breakthroughs are outlined in the article "10 Medical Breakthroughs that Sound like Science Fiction," from Men's Health, a well respected magazine, a few of the many new scientific breakthroughs are outlined. After reading this article I would argue that these new and advanced methods are extremely beneficial for the patient, but also causing an extreme hike in cost for insurance and the patient him/herself.
In the article it outlined many medical advances that may seem far fetched to us, but are actually real and viable methods of treatment for patients. One of the examples was a robotic eye that allows blind people to regain basic functions such as being able to see where they're going while walking, reading large letters, or distinguishing colors. This breakthrough is extremely beneficial and will help more than one and a half million people. Another new advance is in the field of neuroscience. A device implanted in the brain can actually prevent seizures. It detects the brain activity that would lead to a seizure, and sends counteractive signals that counteract the seizure.
Now, these advances in the medical field are a great thing. It shows that science is truly advancing at an astounding rate and that's a great thing. But it is not all good. The fact of the matter is this treatment won't help the people it really needs to help. These treatments help those who are affluent and fortunate enough to be able to afford such advanced treatment. But many people who suffer from seizures, blindness and other serious ailments are already in debt trying to afford their current treatment. These new and not to mention expensive ways of helping patients will furthers these people's debt if they choose to get these treatments. In my personal opinion it is a way for the medical community to exploit patients who are already in an extremely vulnerable position as it is. This can be rectified if this new technology is made affordable. These treatments are a good thing, such a great advance in the fields of science should be celebrated. But what is the point of celebrating an advancement that no one can afford?

How to suceed in the MLB

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Getting to the MLB is tough.  Many people play baseball throughout their lives hoping to someday make it to the MLB.  To make it that far players need to have lots of skill and god given talent.  When skill and talent doesn’t get you far enough to make it to the show people start moving towards other things.  Some people like Albert Pujols will work on their swing for hours upon hours perfecting it, that is one of the reasons why he is so successful, but there are some players who don’t have the work ethic and drive of Pujols.  Players like Alex Rodriguez and Ryan Braun who were blessed with god given talent resort to other things, steriods.  I’m not saying that these players don’t work hard because I am sure that they do, but they resort to steroids to give them the competitive advantage over the other players.  They choose out of their own self interest to take steroids just to get a higher paycheck.

Accoding to the "MLB's Joint Drug Prevention And Treatment Program" The rules that the league puts a “30 day reduction on a players salery” for their first time being caught for using steriods.  However, after that 30 day reduction the player can go back to receiving their full contract again and even has the ability to receive more money via a future contract.  Along with the 30 day reduction they put an 80 game ban on players.  It takes till the third time being caught for the league to do something drastic, for a “Third violation (players receive a) Permanent suspension from Major League and Minor League Baseball; provided, however, that a Player so suspended may apply, no earlier than one year following the imposition of the suspension, to the Commissioner for discretionary reinstatement after a minimum period of two (2) years”. People who are caught cheating the game,their teammates, players, fans, and their organizations should not have the chance to mess up three times before drastic actions take place.

In my next blog post I will go in depth on how much everyone benefits from players who use steroids.  Then after I list all of these reasons I will talk about how they are poorly affected when they get caught.

What extra money is spent by the sleep deprived?

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An article called “Your Body on a Lack of Sleep”in health magazine Prevention lists several effects of not getting enough sleep.  I want to share some of those effects and how they could affect people’s consumer habits.

• The article says,“Sleeping fewer than 6 hours ups obesity risk 30%. One study found that women who slept fewer than 5 hours ate 329 more calories the next day.”  This statistic gives the quickest and simplest example of what money will be spent on that it otherwise wouldn’t be.  The extra 329 calories means that the sleep deprived person will be spending more money on food than a person who gets necessary amounts sleep.

• It also says that these people are at higher risk of poor immunity, catching a cold, diabetes, high blood-pressure,and heart disease.  Being at higher risk for so many health problems, these people are bound to be paying much larger amounts throughout their life on medical expenses.

• The obvious problem with not getting enough sleep given by Prevention is that “Missing out on as few as 1 1/2 hours of sleep can reduce daytime alertness by up to 32%.”  While most people can assume something to that effect, it is interesting how little sleep needs to be missed in order to reduce alertness by such a large amount.  These people who are less alert are likely to turn to coffee and caffeine and probably spend more money on those products.

There is an additional article “Up all night, down all day: insomnia may not only accompany depression--it may cause it” in Psychology Today.  This article points to more issues that can arise from not getting enough sleep.

• “According to one study, people with persistent insomnia are 40 times more likely to develop depression within a year than are those who sleep well.”  This percent seems incredibly high.  These people are therefore more likely to be purchasing antidepressants.

All of this information is fairly easy to understand. In my next post I want to see how people act when shopping on little sleep.

You Are Not The Name On Your Sweatshirt

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On my last blog post I discussed the four primary experiences that correlate with a sense of well being after college.  If you do those four things in college you will most likely be “extremely satisfied” with your experience and have a higher sense of well being, regardless of the schools ranking.  In this blog post I am going to address the idea that…where you go to school does not necessarily determine financial success.  After reading the article “Relax! Where you go to college doesn't seal your fate” by, Kelly Wallace. I agree with her stance that the college you attend does not determine your success in life.

Going to college matters, just receiving a degree and an overall education is highly beneficial, but the name of that school, not so much.   It’s not a good idea to choose a school simply based on it name, this is because there are so many other driving factor that contribute success after graduation. Success after college is determined by your personality and ability to communicate, negotiate, and lead.  All these characteristics are who you are as a person not the school you attended.  Granted the school you attend may help shape you into the kind of person that exhibits those characteristics, but again like I said in my last blog post, your college experience is what you put into it.  Wallace references Frank Bruni’s book, “Where You Go Is Not Who You Will Be” which addresses the deeply flawed competitive and anxiety filled path parents and students take to get into Ivy’s and other selective schools.

It is not uncommon for someone who did not go to a prestigious school to be very successful. From my personal experience based on the people I know, it is actually very common.  My family’s friend is one of the top corporate lawyers in Chicago and very economically successful, went to Muskingum University in Ohio, a school that most people have never heard of.  Another family friend is a digital entrepreneur who recently sold his second business for a billion dollars and graduated from a lesser-known Midwest school not among highly ranked.  The point is, the success that both these people achieved is purely on ability and personality to communicate, negotiate, lead and take risks…not the name of their school they attended.  But something I find sadly ironic is that one of these parents is heavily pushing “Ivies” on their children.

The conclusion is the name of a school does not, for the most part, determine financial success or happiness.  This understanding is helpful, to parents and perspective students like myself, who are stressing over what college to attend.  For me at least, knowing this takes a lot pressure off the admissions process.

You are more than the name on your sweatshirt, and you should not defined by it.

In my next blog post I am going to address how people from more selective schools on average have a better chance at financial success but, there is no guarantee and it doesn’t make them necessarily happier.

                                                                       

                                                                A Child's Upbringing

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BLOG POST BODY PARAGRAPHS:  (Broken into easy to read paragraphs, formatting font to make it easier to follow main ideas, etc.)

I believe that a young child’s future career and dreams are significantly affected by the way they are influenced by their parents or role models from an early age. According to a study published in Child Development, the type of emotional care a child receives from their parents from around age 3 can affect their lives educationally, socially, and romantically for the next 20 to 30 years.

“Babies and toddlers raised in supportive and caring home environments tended to do better on standardized tests later on, and they were more likely to attain higher degrees as adults. They were also more likely to get along with their peers and feel satisfied in their romantic relationships.” This research shows that positive reinforcement from parents to a child proves to be beneficial to their future and would most likely mean that they would go onto get a better education and therefore a better job after graduating and getting their degree.

On a similar note, psychologist and postdoctoral researcher, Lee Daby of University of Delaware, conducted a study found that 10 percent of a budding student’s academic achievements were influenced based on the “quality of their home at the age of 3” Generally, the quality of a child’s future life improves depending on the quality of life they have at an early age. For example, if a child lives in a good neighborhood and is shown plenty of love from parents, the child is more likely going to have a better life as an adult from better life choices. For future research I will look into how a child's set economic status can affect their future career.

All day breakfast savior to McDonald's revenue dropoff

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       In 2013 Mcdonald's was at the top of the fast food industry by a substance margin, leading subway by nearly 10 billion in annual revenue. Surprisingly, Subway is now leading Mcdonald's in global locations suggesting no signs of slowing down. In the subordinate seat, Mcdonalds has been taking necessary risks to stimulate economic growth. As of October 6, 2015 the fast food chain began offering all day breakfast at all locations which brought a much anticipated return. In an article, "McDonald's hails successful all-day breakfast launch" published by Fortune author Daniel Bentley writes about where the all-day breakfast menu came about and how it will lead to success for the corporation.

     Through thousands of letters and complaints McDonald's finally answered the demands in bringing breakfast to the all-day lunch/dinner menu. Deemed a "no brainer" by Bentley, McDonald's had been holding out for the extreme makeover for years because it seemed that costs would out way the benefits. Through just one week of the menu change has resulted in a 4.5 percent increase in daily revenue. This new move comes after the chain hit its lowest quarterly growth in the past 3 years. McDonald's not anticipates to subsidize all day breakfast in an attempt to bring in new customers and maximize profit. President of McDonald's said Tuesday, "The successful launch of All Day Breakfast proves that when we listen to and respond to our customers and align around a great execution plan, we will grow our business and take share." McDonald's assumes all responsibility for recent business tactic and will continue to experience growth.

    For years all day breakfast was unattainable to the business because of their techniques in the kitchen, but by limiting the menu to a handful of breakfast items McDonald's is now able to appease the consumer. If new menu items can attract new customers the business will inevitably bring in more profit.  The business can keep prices low and beat their competitor by offering a meal with good value at a fair price, so when the supplier can provide a product that more people want, like they have with the breakfast menu, they can make more money. The author makes a good point in saying that McDonald's has a bigger issue in mainstream society that disapproves fast food. Bentley argues that the all day breakfast may get people through the door, but in order to truly fix their problem they need to reevaluate the public's perception and provide a fresher outlook on fast food.




      

      

The Greatest of All Time

SOURCE: www.forbes.com

How can one man go from being your average Omaha, Nebraska citizen, to being worth over $62 billion? Warren Buffett is regarded as the most successful investor ever. His unique methods and knack for finding an undervalued company separates him from his peers. The story of his road to the top of the investing world is shared in the article, “Warren Buffett: The Road To Riches" found on the leading finance website, Investopedia. Warren Buffett is now considered a household name not only for his fortune but also for his character. He is essentially a Wall-Street Guru and there is a lot to be learned from him. Warren Buffett was successful because he learned how to do value investing and how he managed Berkshire Hathaway.

Unlike amatuer investors, Buffett has been surrounded the investing knowledge from a very young age. His dad, Howard Buffett, was the owner of a brokerage firm in his home town of Omaha, Nebraska. Howard Buffett always stressed the importance of education to his son and urged him to apply to the University of Pennsylvania, where he later enrolled. Buffett was not impressed by the university and transferred to the University of Nebraska after two years. “Upon graduation, his father once again convinced him of the value of education, encouraging him to pursue a graduate degree.” He ended up studying at Columbia University “under Benjamin Graham, the father of value investing.” This is where the foundation of Buffett’s investing skills were acquired.

“Value investing, according to Graham, involved seeking stocks that were selling at an extraordinary discount to the value of the underlying assets, which he called the "intrinsic value"”. However, Buffett took this tactic a step further; “he wanted to look beyond the numbers and focus on the company's management team and its product's competitive advantage in the marketplace.” This the basis of the method that Warren Buffett used through his over 60 year career in investing. These tactics, that focused on evaluating the whole company, took Buffett to the top of the investing world. Buffett is now the owner of the Berkshire Hathaway, one of the largest holding companies in the world.

Buffett is not only recognized for his world renowned investing tactics, but also for his character. Many would ask what someone worth over $60 billion dollars does with all that money. Buffett would answer that question easily. He gives it to charity. A large portion of his money will go to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. “Buffett's donations will come in the form of Class B shares of Berkshire Hathaway stock. His total donation to the Gates Foundation is 10 million shares. It will be given out in 5% increments until Buffett's death or until the foundation fails to meet the spending stipulation or the stipulation that either Bill or Melinda Gates remain actively involved in the foundation's activities. Buffett's 2006 donation was 500,000 shares, valued at approximately $1.5 billion. At a June 2008 share value, the entire donation to the Gates Foundation is worth about $37 billion. Buffett expects stock price appreciation to increase that amount over time.”

The story of Warren Buffett may seem unfathomable to many investors. To some extent, this is true. Buffett had to have a lot of things go right for him to amass his huge fortune, however, every investor has something to learn something from him. His diligence and preciseness when choosing to invest in a company was his greatest asset. Although all investors won’t be as successful as Buffett, they can all use his story as a template on how to invest prosperously.  

FUTURE RESEARCH: In my next blog post, I plan on researching how investors pick stocks for long-term financial success?