AMDP Proposal

To: Professor Clark Hansen, AMDP CEO

From: Raigan Burney, Research and Development 

Date: June 30, 2021

Subject: Investment Recommendation Memo

You gave me the task of identifying a business to invest in that socially responsible, environmentally sustainable, and profitable. After extensive research, I have concluded that Cocokind is worthy to be invested in for several reasons such as

1. They are a sustainable clean beauty brand

2. They care about social impact

3. They care about their customers

What is Cocokind?

Cocokind, founded in San Francisco, CA, by Priscilla Tsai,  is a certified organic and socially conscious skincare line all based on virgin coconut oil. It was launched in November 2014, and we're sold in natural supermarkets like Whole Foods.

Random Blog Post 1

 Lately, I have been focusing a lot on improving my mental health. I try to do anything that will make me happy, even if I have to do it alone. I will enjoy my time being lazy, even if I feel unproductive. I also am not ashamed to do what makes me happy although it may disappoint others sometimes. Taking care of your mental health will make you feel a lot better in the long run. 

Do whatever it takes to make you happy. I like going shopping, beach trips, and trying new restaurants. Whenever I have time to do any of these things, I will because it makes me feel happy. Even if I have to go all by myself, I still will go because I need a break and do something I enjoy. It is important to find time to do things you enjoy and make you smile. Don't waste time doing things you don't enjoy or limit yourself because you don't have time. If reading is something you enjoy, try to find 15 minutes in your day to read a book or article. Those 15 minutes can make you feel a lot more satisfied with your day. 

I enjoy sleeping in until 1 P.M. when I get the chance. Or if I  have days of not doing work or homework. I realized I deserve to have days when I can do nothing. Sometimes I feel bad because I didn't do any type of work but I know there are many more days to do so. Over the last couple semesters, I've focused more on my mental health because doing classes online was stressing me out more than anything. I worked part time and went to class full time. I felt I had no time for myself or to hangout with my friends. I realized I was not doing well mentally or phsycially and needed a break. I would give myself mental health days and take the day off of work or not go to class to just rest. Although I might get behind on a project or in class, my mind and body thanked me for it. 

Book 1 Post 2

 After reading about all the struggles Lakshmi went through with her endometriosis, I was so happy to read that she was pregnant, even if she wasn't trying. Lakshmi gave birth to a healthy baby girl, which she named Krishna.  I was pretty upset the father was Adam since he was not as willing as Teddy to raise their daughter and Adam had a meltdown at the hospital right after Lakshmi gave birth. Teddy seemed like such a great guy even though he was very hurt. He proved to be there for Lakshmi all the time, even while she was fighting with Adam. I even read that he left her daughter a trust fund. Although I started to hate Adam, I was happy to read how he changed at the end of the book. 

Although I should've expected more sadness before reading this book, I didn't. The book was a rollercoaster with its many ups and downs. As soon as you think Lakshmi was getting her happy moment, there was something that came crashing in. I really enjoyed the random recipes thrown in between chapters. My favorite was the chili cheese toast and I may try it one day. Although I thought this book was mostly sad, I was so glad to read the happy ending. 

Overall I really enjoyed reading this book. I chose this book blindly and just wanted to choose a book I didn't think anyone else would read. Although I did not know who Padma Lakshmi was before, it was still interesting to hear about her life journey. I am now going to start watching Top Chef episodes to see her on TV. I recommend this book to someone who likes to read books that take you on a rollercoaster. 

Expert Article Final Draft

 Crypto Crazy: 

A guide to understanding the basics of cryptocurrency

A couple weeks ago, I went to Miami for a vacation and it also happened to be Crypto Weekend. There was a big cryptocurrency conference that thousands of people were in town for. While laying on the beach, a plane flew by with a banner saying “ Crypto Made by Veterans”. Seconds later, another plane flew by advertising another type of cryptocurrency. I kept meeting people in Miami for the crypto conference all throughout the weekend and saw so many promotions for different brands. There were also some restaurants announcing their establishment would now be accepting cryptocurrency as payment. 

I felt like I was surrounded by cryptocurrency and it wouldn't leave my mind. Before this, I did not know much about cryptocurrency or had much interest in it, but my vacation made me want to learn more about the topic. As cryptocurrency becomes more relevant on social media and grows to become a currency that can be widely used, we will see new types of cryptocurrency, what it could be used for, and why people are hesitant to invest in it. 

Cryptocurrency

A cryptocurrency is a digital or virtual currency that is secured by cryptography, which makes it nearly impossible to counterfeit or double-spend. Many cryptocurrencies are decentralized networks based on blockchain technology—a distributed ledger enforced by a disparate network of computers (Frankenfield). In simpler terms, cryptocurrency is a digital medium of exchange where transaction records are stored in a collection of books across a computerized database system. These transactions are managed by "miners" who ensure the accuracy of the information. A defining feature of cryptocurrencies is that they are generally not issued by any central authority, rendering them theoretically immune to government interference or manipulation (Frankenfield). Although many cryptocurrencies have the word ‘coin’ in their name, none of them are actual physical coins.

You may be wondering how the process of cryptocurrency mining works since there is no physical form and it is only digital. Mining is the activity of verifying transactions to prevent double-spending because there is a risk digital information can be reproduced and manipulated since there is no central agency distributing cryptocurrency. A great deal of energy is used as transactions take some time to be verified. It involves an intensive process of number crunching and complex algorithms which requires an immense amount of computing energy.

Types of Cryptocurrency

There are more than 5,000 different types of cryptocurrencies worth over $1.7 trillion. Bitcoin was the first type of cryptocurrency to come out in 2009 and is the most popular. There are several other types you may familiar with such as:

• DogeCoin

• Litecoin

• Namecoin

• Ethereum

• Tether

There are so many different brands of cryptocurrency now, but the ones I listed above are some of the most well-known right now. Different brands are still rolling out every month.

How Cryptocurrency Can be Used

We are in an era where everything is becoming digital, so it is no surprise that digital currency is becoming popular. As of right now, cryptocurrency is not a normalized currency. In the past year, it has taken some big leaps. Two NFL Players chose to have their salaries converted to Bitcoin. Elon Musk has recently announced his electric car company, Tesla,  would accept Bitcoin again once it can be mined using half clean energy. El Salvador passed laws to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender and they will use volcano power to mine it. Government officials in countries like Panama, Mexico, Tonga, and Brazil have expressed their support for adopting Bitcoin too.  These are just a few examples of Bitcoin leading the way to make cryptocurrency a widely used currency. 

A growing list of companies are allowing people to use cryptocurrency to buy their items or services on their websites, including Overstock, Expedia, Newegg, and Dish. This is just a small list, but there are tons more. There are also third-party websites that will let you convert your cryptocurrency in exchange for dollars. 

So far the only move the United States Government has made to regulate cryptocurrency is the Treasury issuing new rules to report large transactions to the IRS. However, there is no official statement of the country adopting cryptocurrency for use. 

The Hesitancy

Cryptocurrency can be bad for crime. It may be used for money laundering and tax evasion as transactions can be listed anonymously. For example, Bitcoin transactions can be done without revealing personal information or identities. This could potentially lead to more cases of fraud. With it not being centralized, this allows imposters to draw people into their scams. Many people report being lured to websites that look like opportunities to invest in cryptocurrencies, but it turns out to be fraudulent. Below you can see the reports and losses from those investment scams over the past 4 years.

The US treasury has called for stricter cryptocurrency compliance with the IRS. This will likely cause investors to be upset because the government wants to get involved. Although this could help give investors more security. 

Cryptocurrency is not stable. Its value can fluctuate at any time due to a simple tweet. When Musk tweeted in favor of it, prices jumped. However, when he expressed his dislike for it, prices slumped (McLean).

Cryptocurrency may seem harmless because it is digital, but it takes a lot of energy to mine the coins. The energy bill for mining keeps rising and it is adding to the current climate crisis. For instance, the amount of energy to mine one Bitcoin transaction is equivalent to an average US household’s energy for 53 days (Gonzalez).

After reading this article, I hope you will have a much better understanding of what cryptocurrency is and maybe want to invest in some. Especially as we see the use of cryptocurrency growing in many places, it is useful to have more knowledge on the topic. If you ever go on vacation to a destination with a cryptocurrency conference, you will not be lost like I was. 

Works Cited

“Cryptocurrency Prices, Charts And Market Capitalizations.” CoinMarketCap, coinmarketcap.com/.

Fletcher, Emma. “Cryptocurrency Buzz Drives Record Investment Scam Losses.” Federal Trade Commission, 17 May 2021, www.ftc.gov/news-events/blogs/data-spotlight/2021/05/cryptocurrency-buzz-drives-record-investment-scam-losses.

        Frankenfield, Jake. “Cryptocurrency.” Investopedia, Investopedia, 25 May 2021, www.investopedia.com/terms/c/cryptocurrency.asp.

Gonzalez, Oscar. “Here's How Much Energy It Really Takes to Mine Bitcoin and Why People Are Concerned.” CNET, CNET, 14 June 2021, www.cnet.com/news/heres-how-much-energy-it-really-takes-to-mine-bitcoin-and-why-people-are-concerned/.

Helms, Kevin. “Latin American Countries Eye Bitcoin Adoption After El Salvador Passed Bitcoin Law – Regulation Bitcoin News.”, 15 June 2021, news.bitcoin.com/latin-american-countries-bitcoin-adoption-el-salvador-bitcoin-law/.

McLean, Rob. “Bitcoin Jumps as Elon Musk Suggests Way That Tesla Could Start Accepting It Again.” CNN, Cable News Network, 14 June 2021, www.cnn.com/2021/06/14/investing/elon-musk-bitcoin-intl-hnk/index.html. 

Expert Article draft

 Crypto Crazy: 

A guide to understanding the basics of cryptocurrency

A couple weeks ago, I went to Miami for a vacation and it also happened to be Crypto Weekend. There was a big cryptocurrency conference that thousands of people were in town for. While laying on the beach, a plane flew by with a banner saying “ Crypto Made by Veterans”. Seconds later, another plane flew by advertising another type of crypto. I kept meeting people in Miami for the crypto conference all throughout the weekend and saw so many advertisements for different brands. 

Before this, I did not know much about cryptocurrency or had much interest, but my vacation made me want to learn more about the topic. As cryptocurrency becomes more relevant on social media and grows to become a currency that can be widely used, we will see new types of cryptocurrency, what it could be used for, and why people are hesitant to invest in it. 

Cryptocurrency

A cryptocurrency is a digital or virtual currency that is secured by cryptography, which makes it nearly impossible to counterfeit or double-spend. Many cryptocurrencies are decentralized networks based on blockchain technology—a distributed ledger enforced by a disparate network of computers (Frankenfield). In simpler terms, cryptocurrency is a digital medium of exchange where transaction records are stored in a collection of books across a computerized database system. These transactions are managed by "miners" who ensure the accuracy of the information. A defining feature of cryptocurrencies is that they are generally not issued by any central authority, rendering them theoretically immune to government interference or manipulation (Frankenfield). 

Types of Crypto

Bitcoin was the first type of crypto to come out in 2009 and is the most popular. There are several other types you may familiar with such as:

• DogeCoin

• Litecoin

• Namecoin

• Ethereum

• Tether

There are so many different brands of crypto now, but the ones I listed above are some of the most popular ones right now. New ones are still rolling out every month.

How Crypto Can be Used

We are in an era where everything is becoming digital, so it is no surprise that digital currency is becoming popular. As of right now, Crypto is not normalized. In the past year, it has taken some big leaps. Two NFL Players chose to have their salaries converted to Bitcoin. Elon Musk has recently announced his electric car company, Tesla,  would accept Bitcoin again once it can be mined using half clean energy. El Salvador passed laws to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender and they will use volcano power to mine it. These are just a few examples of Bitcoin is leading the way to making crypto a widely used currency. 

There is a growing list of companies that are allowing people to use cryptocurrency to buy items or services including Overstock, Expedia, Newegg, and Dish. This is just a small list, but there are tons more. There are also many third party websites that will let you convert your cryptocurrency in exchange for dollars.

The Hesitancy

Crypto can be used for money laundering and tax evasion. For example, Bitcoin transactions can be done without revealing personal information or identities. This could potentially lead to more cases of fraud. Many people report being lured to websites that look like opportunities to invest in cryptocurrencies, but it turns out to be a scam. Below you can see the reports and losses from those investment scams over the past 4 years.

The US treasury has called for stricter cryptocurrency compliance with the IRS. This will likely cause investors to be upset and**

Cryptocurrency is not stable. The value of crypto can fluctuate at any time due to a simple tweet. When Musk tweeted in favor of it, prices jumped. However, when he expressed his dislike for it, prices slumped.

Crypto may seem harmless because it is digital, but it takes a lot of energy to mine the coins. The energy bill for mining crypto keeps rising and it is adding to the current climate crisis. One Bitcoin transaction can use the equivalent of an average US household’s energy for 53 days. 

Book 1 Post 1: Love, Loss, and What We Ate

I chose to read this memoir just because of the title. It has so much in it, I couldn't tell what the book would be about. Although I can't really relate to Lakshmi's background, except living in LA for some time, I really wanted to know more about her story. I knew nothing of her before starting this book and I am excited to read the rest of it and see where her story goes. 

I was hooked even in the first chapter. When Lakshmi admitted to falling in love with Salman just after speaking over the phone a few times. I was shocked because she also mentions him being married and much older a few times. She mentions how uncomfortable she was going on dates with him and settles for a stroll. I thought this was crazy, but I still wanted to keep reading to see how their relationship would play out. 

Job Description- Childcare Worker

After my 18th birthday, I got my first job. My mom suggested I apply to her job that was hiring at the time as a childcare worker at our local gym. The facility was down the street from my high school, so I could go right over after school to work. 

 

This job was great for me because I was a pre-school, second and fifth-grade student teacher while I was in high school.  I was lucky enough to work with a lot of people my age and even some who were older.  

As childcare workers, we watch kids from six weeks old to 17 years old for two hours, make sure the facility is clean, keep the children safe, and make sure everyone is having a good time. The job was actually a lot more demanding than that though. 

This job was not just watching kids, telling them stories, or teaching them lessons. Some may think watching kids is easy, all you have to do is make sure they don’t hurt themselves. It was a lot more than that. The three best words to describe the tasks of this job are: 

•  friend

• babysitter

• moderator

 

 

Babysitter

We have to make sure the kids are safe and having fun. Those are just the basics of the job. We aren’t considered actual babysitters because we don’t change diapers or provide the kid's food. We do everything else a babysitter is expected to do.   Although I do actually babysit some of the kids outside of work because I am close with them and their parents. 

  

 

Friend

Although our main job is to make sure the kids are safe and happy, we also are their friends so they know our daycare center is somewhere they are comfortable and can have fun. 

 

 

We are expected to play with the kids if they want to play with dolls, dodgeball, or have a dance party. When kids ask us to run around with them, most of the time we do. I actually got really close with a lot of the kids because I would play with them, and they see me as their friend. This is how I got to babysit for some of the kids outside of work because they love me and enjoy seeing me at the daycare.

 

Moderator 

If there was any sort of problem with the kids while under our care, I would contact the parents, tell them the situation and help resolve it. Sometimes this would work out okay, but other times problems would escalate. 

Some may think watching kids is very easy to do. Those who have, know that at times it gets very stressful. Most of the time, the parents stressed us out most. There were a lot of strict parents that expected us to follow the rules they have at home or expected us to give their kids special treatment. There were many times I would get yelled at for simply doing my job. 

There was a time a child spit on one of the workers so we put her on time out. Spitting is not tolerated under our care, so we immediately go get the parents to pick up their child. When the parent came to pick up their child they were unhappy that we put their child on time out and she was crying. She proceeded to yell at me and my other co-worker and eventually contacted our manager. Although we did exactly what we are trained to do. 

Flesch Reading Ease: 79.3

Flesch- Kincaid Grade Level: 6.6