Showing results by author "iMinds" in All Categories

Learn about Mutual Funds with iMinds Money's insightful fast knowledge series. A mutual fund is an investment vehicle that allows a group of investors to pool their money, allowing a professional to collectively trade securities on their behalf in exchange for a small fee. The pooled funds are used to purchase a diverse range of assets and provide a return to the investor.

Learn about derivatives with iMinds Money's insightful fast-knowledge series. In economics, a derivative is defined as a financial instrument or an “agreement” between two parties that is based on an “underlying” and generally tangible asset, such as a stock or a commodity.

Confucius was a Chinese philosopher, teacher, and political figure. His teachings have profoundly influenced Asian thought and life. The impact of his life and intellectual ideas have changed human history and it can be argued that he is the most influential philosopher who ever lived.

The French Revolution came about because of a long-held displeasure at how the rich lived. While the rich lived comfortably, the common people were forced to pay taxes too high for them to pay. And there was not enough food produced for them to eat. French peasants became so impoverished that visitors to France said many of them were as skinny as skeletons.

Learn about the science and history of dinosaurs with iMindsJNR audio-learning series for younger minds. Huge and sometimes ferocious, dinosaurs ruled the earth for more than 175 million years. To us, dinosaurs might be scary-looking. But humans never had to fear dinosaurs because they died out 65 million years ago, a long time before the first people were around!Dinosaurs lived in a period called the Mesozoic era, which began about 240 million years ago.

Learn about securitization with iMinds Money's insightful fast knowledge series. Securitization as a financial term has evolved over the decades, as different methods and products have developed from the process. At a basic level, securitization is the process of taking an illiquid asset, or a group of relatively homogenous assets, and through financial engineering, transforming them into a security. The assets are pooled together and repackaged into a single security, which is then sold to investors.

Learn about short selling with iMinds Money's insightful fast knowledge series. Short selling is the practice of selling borrowed stock at a high price and then buying back the stock at a lower price. A short seller expects to profit from the fall in a stock's price. The more common investment practice is to “go long”, that is, to buy stock with the expectation of the price rising in the future. Simply, a short transaction sells high and buys low, while a long transaction buys low and sells high.

This collection includes the story of 6 of Paris' most famous and beautiful destinations - The Eiffel Tower, Sacre Coeur, The Latin Quarter, Notre Dame, The Champs Elysees and The Louvre. iMinds will tell you the story behind the place with its innovative travel series, transporting the armchair traveller or getting you in the mood for discover on route to your destination.

Learn about Carbon Trading with iMinds Money's insightful fast knowledge series. Carbon trading is a scheme designed to curb the amount of greenhouse gas emissions companies produce. This is due to the widely-held view that such emissions negatively impact the planet. Carbon trading forms part of the carbon market, which can be divided into two main categories. The first of these is project-based transactions.

The dome of St Peter’s Basilica is one of the most iconic images of Rome. The church attached to it drips with the splendour and marvels of a religion that has asserted world dominance over its two-thousand-year history. It is the largest Christian church on the planet. But perhaps even more than a beacon of Catholicism, St Peter’s Basilica is a monument to artistry and culture.

Sovereign debt is the debt of a country or government. This debt is usually comprised of bonds issued by the government. Sovereign debt can be contrasted with government debt. Government debt is when bonds are issued in a nation’s own currency. Therefore, this debt is mostly created within a country’s own economic boundaries. Sovereign debt, however, is created from bonds issued in foreign currencies or through loans.

Learn about Gold Trading with iMinds Money's insightful fast knowledge series. Gold trading is the investment in and trading of gold as a commodity. It is similar to trading in other commodities such as oil or wood, though there are factors that differentiate it. Gold has represented money and wealth for millennia in different forms. In the present day, we are able to freely own and trade gold in various forms, from gold bars to shares in gold mining companies.

Learn about the theory of Evolution with iMindsJNR audio learning series for younger minds. Evolution is a theory which explains how life on earth developed. At its heart, it proposes that all species, including human beings, are formed by way of a gradual process of mutation from other species. According to this theory, humans are related to gorillas and reptiles because they share common ancestors.

According to most economics textbooks, human beings are super-rational creatures who know what is in their own best interests and always act accordingly. When making a decision to purchase, the rational consumer would not buy something on the spur of the moment, or on the recommendation of a friend. Sound realistic?

Learn about Murphy's Law with iMinds insightful audio knowledge series. Murphy's Law is a tongue-in-cheek and rather pessimistic adage of eight simple words: Anything that can go wrong will go wrong. The translation of these words into "Murphy's Law" was in honour of US aerospace engineer Edward Aloysius Murphy Junior.

Learn about the great rivers of the World with the iMindsJNR audio-learning series for younger minds. Can you guess which is the world's longest river? According to most scientists, it is the Nile, which passes through several African countries, and is 6,695 kilometers long. Some scientists have recently argued that the Amazon in South America is in fact longer. It all depends on where you start your measurements!

Learn the history of the Spanish Inquisition with iMinds insightful audio knowledge series. The Spanish Inquisition was a governing authority started by the crown in the late-15th century. It included a network of spies who worked across the state to ensure Spaniards conformed to the accepted behaviour of traditional Catholic subjects. t was relentless in ensuring Catholic orthodoxy within Spain. But why was Spain so self-conscious in ensuring a singular religious identity?

The Protocols of the Elders of Zion is one of the world's most famous conspiracy theories. It is a statement of prejudice and paranoia, a fake historical record and a grand hoax all rolled into one.

He was a great leader of the ancient world. And still today, Julius Caesar is one of history’s most famous people. Caesar was born in 100 BC to the wealthy family of the Julii. His parents named him Gaius. “Caesar”, meaning “head of hair”, was a nickname he received later. Caesar began to assert his authority at a young age.

Super robots to schoolgirls, Astroboy cute to violent realism, Pokemon to pornography. All of these different images, stories and types of entertainment, in cartoon form, can be called "anime". The term anime covers an enormous range of animation. The style is vast, steeped in history, and ever evolving.