George Orwell’s 1984 Essay

George Orwell’s book 1984, is his nightmarish vision of the future in England. He has used many ways to grip the reader and make a vision in the reader’s mind of what is happening in the novel. In the novel ‘1984’, the author, George Orwell employs a range of different techniques such as similes and metaphors to unnerve and keep the reader in anticipation, forcing them to read on. Orwell opens the rest of the chapter by introducing the society to the reader, â€Å"BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU† , this gives an idea that whinston is totally evicted from freedom. From the opening pages of 1984, it is enevitible that whinston is going to see death sometime in the book. Orwell has introduced ‘thought crime’ to the reader, â€Å"Thought crime does not entail death, thought crime is death†. Whinston has done this by writing I his diary in the opening pages. These opening pages, display a picture in the readers mind of the society that whinston is stuck in. The opening chapter of Orwells novel, introduces the bleak and depressing setting to the reader. He displays the setting as very dark and frightening and he constantly raises the matter throughout the chapter. Orwell displays this decayed setting, like a dystopia. He also portrays the landscape as grimey and a distate, † his work place, towered vast and white above the grimey landscape. † This is the constant effect Orwell uses to make the setting come across as bleak as possible. In the opening chapter of Orwells novel, The main theme is the party of Big Brother and the absoloute power. This theme comes across as very controlling on all party members, as they are totallly evicted from freedom. Orwell uses 3 phrases that gives an impression of the shear power and authority of Big Brother, â€Å"WAR IS PEACE, FREEDOM IS SLAVERY, IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH†, this is irony that is used to show power and it gives the main messages and theme of the party. Immediately in the opening pages, the reader knows that whinston is gong to die due to thought crime. They also know his weaknesses as he resents the authoritarian regime and tries to disobey Big Brother. Orwell has used a slight form of tense, where Whinston uses the words â€Å"DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER†, By this time in the novel the reader knows that consequences of this is certain death. But whinston escapes lucky, which is a relief to the reader. This gives the idea that whinston is already beginning to neglect the party and the control of Big Brother. Orwells novel is written in a depressing tone which merges well with the setting and atmosphere. Orwell is often reflective and see’s the viewpoint of whinston and also the party, but while he does this he displays the shocking power. Orwell writes very punctual and uses a large amount of drama to unsettle the reader, and they do not know whats coming next. In this novel Orwell writes in third person so that the reader knows exactly what is happening, he also has used a lot of dramatic and brutal language to portray the hellish dystopia. Overall, Orwells 1984 is a bold and shocking vision of the future, and he displays some of the most pollitical extremism in is novel than any other. His first chapter has an effective start to his novel as it unsettles the reader, but gives them a vast idea of what Big Brother and whinston are going to stir up later in the book.

A History of Greece Essay

Western Civilization owes much of its development to Greek history because most of the current principles and knowledge of man was derived from this ancient culture. The foundations of mathematics, science, medicine, philosophy, politics and even the different forms of art nowadays were first established long before Christ was born in these Mediterranean islands. The Bronze Age (3000 BCE to 1100 BCE) Bronze became a heavily used metal in Greece during 3000 B. C. It was used to make different tools and ancient battle weapons that were all part of Greek daily life. The three great civilizations that are worth studying were born on different parts of Greece. The Minoans settled on Crete at around 2600 B. C. This community got its name from Minos, a legendary son of Zeus, who ruled Crete and rid it of sea pirates (Minos, 2007). By the year 2000 B. C. , these people were able to establish a very dynamic community life marked by favorable trade activities that helped make its citizens rich. The people of Minoa became known for their palaces and socio-economic political organization. The first evidence of Greek writing called Linear A, came from this period. There remain specific evidences that Minoans held great but peaceful influence over the islands of the Aegean despite being naval conquerors. At around 1500 B. C. , records seem to imply that a volcano on Santorini erupted which caused major earthquake and huge tidal waves that could have wiped out the Minoan civilization (Greeka, n. d. ). Mycaenaeans, another community evidenced to have come from the north in around 2000 B. C. , settled on the main island and became the center of trade after the reign of the Minoans. The previous centuries’ records show that these two civilizations had a complex relationship in that it had strong business connections to each other but were also competing in their dominance of the Mediterranean. However, with the sudden disappearance of the Minoan civilization, the Mycenaeans became the trade hub during the 1400 B. C. to 1200 B. C. with â€Å"much of the Minoan cultural tradition transferred to the main island† (Mycenaean Civilization, 2007). Some of their differences with the Minoans, however, were shown through their use of armors in battles and better fortified territories. Mycenaeans are also noted for their beards. The people of Mycenaea chose to live in smaller units or kingdoms but were united by one dialect. The story of the Trojan War seems to be based on some facts between the Mycenaeans and the â€Å"inhabitants of the Troad, or Troas, in Anatolia† which is now Turkey (Trojan War, 2007). There are indications that when Troad was afflicted by a terrible fire, the Mycenaeans wanted to conquer the city. The greatness of Mycenaean community ended at around 1200 B. C. when â€Å"crops began to fail and famine† gripped Greece (Ancient Greeks, n. d. ), This caused â€Å"peasant rebellions and internal warfare (Greeka, n. d. ). The Cycladic community began in the different isles of the Aegean which were in the middle of Crete and mainland Greece. The Cyclade area was a vital location because it was the Greece’s business connection to the rest of Europe and Asia from which the Greeks learned many of their agricultural practices. This time period was characterized by a very fast growth in population and very dynamic development in all aspects of society. Sculpture using marble and pottery were popular art forms during this period in this area of Greece. The Dark Ages (1100 B. C. to 800 B. C. ) The Dark Ages are called so because little evidence could indicate what happened during this time frame. There are some findings that Dorians, a Greek-speaking tribe from the North, may have caused the decline of Mycenaean civilization. â€Å"The Dorians kept power entirely to themselves, creating a ruling military class which they solely occupied’ (Dorian, 2007). It seems that the centralized systems were broken and that monarchies dominated the political structure. This period’s significant contribution to Greek history, however, seems to show that it was at this time when Homer wrote the Iliad which included the epic of the Trojan War (Greeka, n. d. ). Archaic Period (800B. C. to 500 B. C. ) During the Archaic Period, Aristocratic Republics replaced the political structure of Greek civilization and foreign influence abound. It is during this time that human and mythological figures began to appear in different art forms. The first Olympic game was held in 776 B. C. wherein a cook named Koroibas won the 600 foot race called stadion (The Games, n. d. ). These festivals were held for the God on Mount Olympus, Zeus. People felt that Greece at his point in time, was overpopulated and began to migrate to other European territories bringing with them their advanced culture. Coins became a currency at around 600 B. C. (Ancient Greek Civilizations, 2003) due to the influence of traders from Asia Minor where the first coin was supposedly made. Panathenaic festivals became popular sometime in 566 B. C. This very important occasion celebrated for numerous days sometime between July and August, supposedly Athena’s birthday, was well-anticipated because anyone can join except for slaves. It consisted of contests, processions and sacrifices (The Panathenaic Festival, n. d. ). Democracy Another very significant contribution of this period is the birth of democracy in Athens at around 508 B. C. There were two types of people in Greece. Men who were born in the city they resided in were called citizens while all other individuals are considered non-citizens. Only citizens have the choice of politicians and vote in plebiscites. There were large conventions called â€Å"The Assembly† that must be attended by at least 6, 000 citizens before it was considered official enough to be heard by the government. This meeting was done regularly wherein citizens may address their concerns regarding laws that needed to be implemented. A body of law-makers called Council was made up of 500 citizens which was changed annually. The members held the task of making new laws and debated on how these could be best implemented. Life in Greece There was an â€Å"agora† in the middle of each Greek city (Ancient Greeks, n. d. ) which was sort of like a town square wherein merchants can trade their various goods whether native or foreign. This was the center of commerce wherein anyone, even foreigners, was allowed to buy what they wanted. It was also where men may hang out to with friends, know the latest political announcement or trade views with foreigners. Very few women could be seen in the agora and they were mostly female slaves who have been sent by their rich masters to shop for market goods. The most important infrastructure of the city were built around the agora. Because of the hot climate, Greeks prefer to wear light clothes which are evidenced on the carvings that present-day archeologists have been able to study. Depending on the warmth, some men even prefer to wear only their loincloth. During cold weather, they place a cloak over their normal clothes which are tunics or â€Å"chitons† – square shaped textile that are held at the shoulders using pins and around the waist by belts (Ancient Greeks, n. d. ). Women often wore a fancier shorter version called a peplos that was worn on top of the chiton. To take off boredom, these tunics were usually dyed and embroidered according to tastes. Protection for the feet was usually used when outside of the house and these came in the form of sandals and leather boots. Brooches and pins were necessary jewelry to fasten their chitons. The women adored every form of jewelry. The wealthy females also used make-up and allowed their slaves to fix their hair according to what was in fashion. At around 500 B. C. , men saw it fashionable to wear beards and short hair styles. Greek women family members usually shared the tasks of cooking but the wealthier ones could hire slaves to handle the responsibility. The diet was a merry mixture of fruits and vegetables during the summer and dried versions during the winter. Sometimes, the families are able to store enough fruit and make cheeses in summer months which could be enough to tide them over the winter. Those who were near the sea enjoyed its produce as long as the weather permitted a catch. Meat was considered to be an expensive food and the poor of society cannot afford it. When occasions do allow the impoverished to eat meat, they take advantage of the situation to eat every edible part†¦even the brains. The Role of Women in Greece Women enjoyed very little freedom in Greek society. Only wealthy women were allowed to get music or writing lessons at home. Only the rich seven year old boys were sent to the gymnasium (school) and returned after eight years to wait for another three years to become citizens. However, girls were not allowed to get education outside of the confines of her house. Much of a girl’s knowledge in music, dancing, cooking and weaving are imparted by their mothers. They were expected to follow whatever their husbands or fathers asked. A girl can get married even when she is just fifteen years old and is expected not to go back to her former home anymore. It is the wife’s responsibility to run the chores of the house and ensure the good services of the slaves. Because the streets were considered unsafe, most women are tied down to spend most of their time at home. Every now and then, the husband may give the woman a reprieve from boredom by taking her to the theater or allowing her to be accompanied outside the house by a male servant. Aside from doing housework, women made the clothes, blankets and whatever textile needs of their families. They also were expected to prepare the food needed for winter. How the Gods Influenced Greece The Greeks believed in many gods and built temples for each one. Each god was powerful up to a certain extent depending on what they ruled on: Poseidon was the god of the Sea, Hades ruled the underworld, Hera was the goddess of youth, Aris was the god of war, Athena was the goddess of wisdom, Apollo was the god of truth, and many more. Whenever misfortune beset them, the Greeks believed that these were caused by the gods’ anger. The temples were usually constructed on hilltops to show that the god or goddess was protecting their community. The area on which a temple is built is called acropolis. One can tell the riches of the city by looking at its temples. The wealthy ones built their temples using stone and had many different forms of artwork to beautify it. Each temple had a huge statue of the god or goddess. Athens built their statue of Athena using ivory and gold (Ancient Greeks, n. d. ). Sacrifice offerings such as food and animals were placed on a table within the temple before the individual pursues to worship his god in the courtyard which had an altar. Intellectual Growth in Greece Although the Greeks attributed most of the occurrences of their daily lives to the activities of the gods, at around 500 B. C. , they began to find out more about the world. Philosophers and many scholars who thirsted for more knowledge regarding mathematics, medicine, astronomy and geography lived during this time. Some of these famous people are Plato, who wrote about politics, Aristotle whose interest led him to discover many information on biology, Parmenides who hypothesized that the world was spherical, Archimedes who invented the Archimedian screw that spiraled irrigation to high farmlands and Phythagoras who is still popular in the mathematical arena for his right angles. The Abode Most homes in Greece at that time were made of stone or clay. There were bungalows and two-storey houses with roofs made of tiles or reeds. The flooring was also made of tiles to ensure the cool temperature inside the houses. These houses were built in the middle of courtyards with walls and a sturdy gate. Altars were not only found to be in the temples but also within the courtyards of the houses as well. This was where the family members can worship their gods and leave their food and wine as offerings. Wood was the primary element used to make furniture but these can sometimes be accentuated with ivory and different metals. More families lived in the rural areas compared to the cities wherein the rich usually prefer to reside. The wealthy may have residences in the city while their servants take the responsibility of maintaining their countryside homes. The poorer farmers had the help of the children to do the agricultural chores such as herding sheep and goats or ploughing the fields. Crops like grapes and olives grew well in the stony land but wheat to make bread had to be bought from Egyptians. These grapes either became raisins or wine while the olives became oil or pickles. Farmers also took care of farm animals because they are excellent sources of basic needs like clothing, milk and meat. The Persian Wars The Persian Wars began to affect Greek life in 490 BC, â€Å"with a Persian invasion in Greece led by Darius the Great of Thrace† (History of Ancient Greece, n. d. ). Darius’ army was almost crushed by his first attempt to conquer the Danube if not for the Ionian Greeks who were his allies at that time. However, this made the Ionians realize that they should rebel from the empire and they asked for the support of the other city-states to go against Persia. This started the popularly known Ionian Revolt. Only the Athenians gave ships to the effort and were able to win the war. The Persians proudly retaliated, recaptured their supremacy in the battle of Lade in 494 B. C. and destroyed the city of Miletus by massacring or enslaving the inhabitants (Setzer, n. d. ). Angered by the Athenian bravado, Darius sought to battle on mainland Greece at around 492 B. C. but the ship that held his army became badly hit by a storm. Another fleet was sent and this time, Eretria was completely destroyed. The next target was Athens and the army went onshore at Marathon which led towards Athens. The Athenians tried to ask Spartans for help but due to â€Å"a religious festival, the Spartans were detained, and the 10,000 Athenians had to face the Persians aided only by 1,000 men from Plataea† (Greco-Persian Wars, 2007). However, the Athenians under the leadership of ten generals including Miltiades, were able to block this attempt which made the Persians retreat and reorganize to try and attack from the Saronic Belf. They were surprised to find the Athenian army back in their territory and ready to fight them again. The Persians went back to Asia Minor, defeated. A runner was sent to Athens to deliver the good news and this was how the Marathon Race got its name (The Persian War, n. d. ). After a decade from the first attempt of invasion, Darius’ son, Xerxes took the throne of Persian Emperor and wanted to target Greece. His strategy involved less violence because instead of attacking head on, he decided it would be best to send envoys to start negotiating with the different cities to surrender without battle. He constructed a bridge at Hellespont and ensured that a canal was dug across the isthmus to protect his army from storms while rounding the Cape of Mount Athos (Setzer, n. d. ). He collected his troops from every satrapy (territory within the Persian Empire) which numbered about 150,000 of the best soldiers from Persia and Mede while his naval fleet had about 1200 ships that were prepared against an estimated 300 brave warriors from Athens and Sparta. The large army of the Persians resulted to a slower pace in their attack and this gave the Greeks a chance to plan out their defense (Greco-Persian Wars, 2007). The different cities of Greece held a meeting to plan their defense which resulted to the delegation of the army to Sparta while Athens was in-charge of the navy fleet under Themistocles, an Athenian statesman (Kreis, 2006). They also consulted the Delphic Oracle. The oracle of Delphi was at Mount Parnassus where a Pythia (woman supposedly used by the God Apollo as his medium) could be asked to predict answers to their questions (Roach, 2001). The Pythia foretold that they would lose the battle and that their only chance of success was through a wooden wall. There were so many interpretations that could mean â€Å"wooden wall† but in the end, the Athenians took it to imply that the wooden walls were their ships. The Spartans suggested that the only way to position themselves well against the great army of Persia was by blocking them at the Isthmus of Corinth. The Athenians and authorities from Central Greece did not agree because their territories will be pillaged by the Persians before they reach the Isthmus of Corinth. However, Evaenetus, commander of the 10,000 Hoplites who decided to help Greece agreed with Sparta and so the minute number of soldiers repositioned themselves at the Isthmus of Corinth. The Spartans and Hoplites were at an advantageous position in Thermopylae until a â€Å"traitorous Greek led a Persian force through the hills to the rear of the Greek forces† (Kreis, 2006) for a surprise attack that led to a massacre. On the naval side, the Athenians left their city which allowed the Persians to burn it. Themistocles realized that battling with the Persians in the open sea will make them lose because of their minute number. He realized that the only way to win against the Persians was to turn their large army into their own handicap. This he did in the Battle of Salamis – a very narrow strait between Athens and the Island of Salamis. â€Å"He sent his best slave to Xerxes to tell him that the Greek navy was retreating to the Isthmus of Corinth to form a combined force with the army† (Moerbeek, 1998). He tricked Xerxes by sending a misleading message that the time of the Persian army to attack was at hand. Xerxes then allowed his unsuspecting contingent to enter the strait between Athens and the island of Salamis where a surprise attack by the Greeks was waiting for them. This caused the eventual defeat of the Persians. By 479 B. C. , the Greek forces had all conquered the Persian army and navy (Kreis, 2006). Conclusion The fast paced development of civilization owes its foundations to the very intelligent and industrious Greeks. Every aspect of modern day life has its roots on Ancient Greek mathematics, logic, philosophy, science, art and even politics. Wars were intelligently won through cunning minds and not annihilating weaponry. Our modern world can truly learn so much just by looking at its past. References Ancient Greek Civilizations. (2003). In Minnesota State University Mankato Online. Retrieved June 11, 2007, from http://www. mnsu. edu/emuseum/prehistory/aegean/timeline. html Ancient Greeks. (n. d. ). In Anglia Campus Online. Retrieved June 11, 2007, from http://www. angliacampus. com/public/pri/history/greeks/index. htm Dorian. (2007). In Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. Retrieved June 12, 2007, from Encyclop? dia Britannica Online: http://www. eb. com:180/cgi-bin/g? DocF=micro/175/77. html Greco-Persian Wars. (2007). In Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. Retrieved June 12, 2007, from Encyclop? dia Britannica Online: http://www. britannica. com/ebc/article-9037907 Greeka. (n. d. ). Greece History: Stone – Bronze Age. Retrieved June 11, 2007, from http://www. greeka. com/greece-stone-bronze-age. htm History of Ancient Greece. (n. d. ). In Think Quest. Retrieved June 11, 2007, from http://library. thinkquest. org/10805/history-g. html Kreis, S. (2006). Lecture 7: Classical Greece. In The History Guide. Retrieved June 12, 2007, from http://www. historyguide. org/ancient/lecture7b. html Minos. (2007). In Encyclop? dia Britannica. Retrieved June 11, 2007, from Encyclop? dia Britannica Online: http://www. britannica. com/eb/article-9052881 Moerbeek, M. (1998). Warfare in Hellas. Retrieved June 12, 2007, from http://monolith. dnsalias. org/~marsares/warfare/battle/salamis. html Mycenaean Civilization. In The Columbia Electronic Encyclopledia, 6th ed. Retrieved June 11, 2007, from http://www. infoplease. com/ce6/history/A0834633. html The Panathenaic Festival. (n. d. ). Brooklyn College Classics Department. Retrieved June 12, 2007, from http://depthome. brooklyn. cuny. edu/classics/dunkle/athnlife/rligious. htm The Persian War. (n. d. ). In Think Quest. Retrieved June 11, 2007, from http://library. think quest. org/CR0210200/ancient_greece/persian_war. htm Roach, J. (2001). Delphic Oracle’s Lips May Have Been Loosened by Gas Vapors. In National Geographic News. Retrieved June 11, 2007, from http://news. nationalgeographic. com/ news/2001/08/0814_delphioracle. html Setzer, T. (n. d. ). The Persian Invasion of Greece. Retrieved June 11, 2007, from http://www. cais- soas. com/CAIS/History/hakhamaneshian/greece_invasion. htm Trojan War. (2007). In Encarta Encyclopedia. Retrieved June 11, 2007, from Microsoft ® Encarta ® Online Encyclopedia: http://encarta. msn. com

Chick-fil-As Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Chick-fil-As - Article Example Following the CEO’s remarks against LGBT rights, a customer yelled at a drive through employee telling her that he could not understand how she could manage to work at such a place. The customer seemed very angry and used abusive and threatening language. The customer was caught on video by a security camera and the matter was taken to the police. The issue of making statements like these can be a very emotional one, and can cause a lot of problems both to the person who gives such comments and to the public. The Chick-Fil-A case is a classic example of how random remarks on such groups can cause trouble. For instance, the CEO’s remarks on LGBT rights led to a lot of problems for the CEO as well as the Chick-Fil-A restaurants especially, considering that some municipalities threatened to deny operation licenses for Chic-Fil-A restaurant franchises. On the other hand, the artist act of vandalism in response to these remarks and the act of the man yelling at the drive through employee are also classic examples of how such comments can lead to dire repercussions. Not only that but their actions did not help in improving the image of LGBT groups, and many LBGT groups have come to condemn the actions of the two. Although the artist was charged in court for his acts of vandalism, he was to pay a bill of $700 to paint the wal l in order to remove the offensive graffiti on the wall. Facebook has been on the lime light with regards to how they the firm manages the privacy of users’ data. While the firm has improved the privacy mechanisms and privacy policies of the data it has about individuals, it is apparent that users’ ignorance on how to use these controls has been a major issue. Refraining from putting personal data on Facebook can be very useful, because it is probably the only way to guarantee that the users will not lose their personal information to other people. This is especially important considering that

Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 162

Summary - Essay Example The author contends that historically, America’s supposed invasion and liberation of countries such as Philippines and Iraq often culminates to unsatisfactory outcomes. America’s attempts at creating overseas empires through the use of force have always been catastrophic as witnessed by the Spanish-American war. These attempts have always resulted in the creation of anti-American backlash that threatens the country’s security. The Bush administration scorned international institutions and the idea of a community of power, an approach taken by former President Wilson Woodrow. The administration’s invasion of Iraq bore resemblance to previous invasion attempts of Philippines in 1900, Mexico 1913, and South Vietnam in 1961. Bush’s Administration disregard for the country’s historical experiences in the aforementioned countries resulted to generate anti-America backlash and awaken a rather dormant Iraqi nationalism. The administration’s â €˜war on terror’ saw the country engage itself in a bloody occupation of Iraq. It also served to fuel the stereotypical view of America as the perceived ‘savior’ of the world. This served to enable new recruits along enemy lines. The September 11 2001 attack carried by Al-Qaeda on the US was carried out by 19 persons of non-US nationality via four hijacked US commercial passenger jets in Newark, Boston, and Washington (Murphy 239). The hijacked aircrafts were crashed into the World trade Center in New York, the Pennsylvania countryside, and the Pentagon in Northern Virginia. The nineteen hijackers had worked as a single, integrated group for a period of eighteen months. The six leaders of the group were well educated and trained as pilot having entered the US earlier than the rest of the group. The others were younger and less educated and served to control passengers on the plane. The group was authorized and funded by Osama bin Laden, a Saudi Expatriate based in Afghanistan working through his

Proudct design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Proudct design - Essay Example The attribution of newness usually arises in association with positively valued qualities, often supported by the inclusion of criteria such as originality, progress, or truth. From a historical perspective, the positive treatment and appreciation of newness can be described as a consequence of the functional differentiation of modern society. Religion, the political system, science, business, and art not only display different degrees of receptivity to novelties, they also react to it at different speeds. The appreciation of newness can be observed, in particular, in the field of fine art towards the end of the 19th century (Hughes 1971). The establishment of the idea that the value of works of art arises from the special skill of the artist and the privileging of the original over the copy, channeled attention to new works of art. The associated appreciation of newness also abandoned the idea of the work of art as a representation of reality and therefore highlighted the self-referentiality of art (Luhmann 1999b). Hence, newness assumed a key position within the art system both in the sense of a product (novelty) and in the sense of an evaluation criterion (newness). Newness plays an increasingly significant role in the field of science and technology. There is a permanent quest in these fields for new scientific insights and technological inventions, which are only deemed to be novelties if they extend or transform technological and scientific paradigms (Schummer, forthcoming). In addition, technical objects and scientific facts achieve visibility and value by being marked as â€Å"new†, thereby providing orientation to users. Can newness be considered new any longer? Is the concept of originality in contemporary art even possible or relevant? Interpreted as fresh, transformative, or even deliberately backward-looking, the idea of newness seems empowered by our own personal and

Pharmaceuticals and Job Lock-Out Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Pharmaceuticals and Job Lock-Out - Assignment Example Also, cost of health care is projected to rise from the current $2.1 trillion yearly to $4 trillion in the next 10 years (Callahan, 2008). These escalating costs are significant contributors to the rising number of uninsured people. Business entities are finding it difficult to cater for their employees’ health benefits. The current statistics show that about 61% of employers afford to pay for their employees insurance as compared to a decade ago which was about 70%. Also, employers that give their employees the health benefits are using co-payments and deductibles as a means of reducing their expenses thus forces employees to pay more. The uninsured lot that is about 15% is at a risk of both health-wise and financially. Nevertheless, the high health cost currently threatens everyone, even those in Medicaid and Medicare programs (Callahan, 2008). Hitherto, though there is great awareness among people on the risks of rising costs, this problem has not compelled the attention of the public, media or presidents with the pressure of the uninsured (this is true irrespective of the recent opinions polls showing its rising popularity). There are quite developments of strategies to achieve universal care, but not much has been done in cost control since it is implicitly unpopular. This is the case since by controlling the costs, it means others will have to give something up and agree to something different (Callahan, 2008). Pharmaceuticals play a major role in providing medical resources for cure, treatment and prevention. Patents rights and rights to intellectual property develop obstacles to competition and manipulate pricing. There are some recent policies that try to limit access to certain types of pharmaceuticals. One of such policy is proposed by the Obama administration. The policy restricts the range of insurance plan on the various drug classes. This proposed policy is receiving strong opposition from both drug companies and patient

The Role of Technology in Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

The Role of Technology in Business - Essay Example Making information available online and reaching prospective consumers via Social Networking can increase the visibility of the products and their qualities. With the increasingly hectic lifestyles of young professionals; marketing online and allowing for sales via the internet makes purchasing convenient and easy, and thus leads to more sales. The consumer populations keep changing as the baton of purchasing power and desire are passed from generation to generation. It is necessary that the industry recognizes the changing needs of the new generation of consumers and make available products and services that compliment the needs of the consumers in such a manner that the products are most visible to the consumer in a positive manner. Knowledge about production and delivery is becoming increasingly common as the connections increase between different parts of the world. Consumers are becoming aware of products that are not local, and are making demands for them; which are quickly met be importing technology and skills. This increases the set of suppliers for any said product or service, increasing the competition for existing organizations. This competition has to be met head-on in order to survive. The busy consumer will prefer to give allegiance to the organization that makes the product and information about it available easily to the consumer. If a consumer is able to get the details s/he requires easily; they are more likely to buy the product. Needs change as the environment of the consumer changes. A product or service that sold well before may not be received well in new circumstances. It is important that the organization is tuned to the pulse of its market and modifies its product/service to suit the needs of its new consumers. Â  

Extended Disk Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Extended Disk Leadership - Essay Example Many people usually think that a leader should be a person who can be feared by his or her subjects so that they can not dare to go against the wishes or instructions given. I have just realized that this is a very wrong notion, as a leader who is feared is a threat to the organization as it is possible that the subjects will not be free to share ideas with him or her. Considering the fact that I am social, I believe that this can motivate my subjects as they would be free to tell me anything that they feel is important that I should know, as I will have created a conducive environment for their operations, which consequently motivates them to perform better. One thing that I do not always like is making all the decisions of most of the decisions in whichever group that I am part of. This is a characteristic that a good leader should possess as no one is always one hundred percent right. All the stakeholders should always be involved, as some of the workers who are normally overlooke d or even considered as lesser beings always have some good and constructive ideas that can help in the growth of an organization to a large extent. When the employees are involved in the decision-making process, they are made to feel as if they are part of the organization, which even motivates them further (Extended Disk Leadership Analysis, 2011). Therefore, this Extended Disc analysis has been of great importance to me since it has enabled me to see the qualities of a good leader that I did not know.

Terms Modernism and Postmodernism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Terms Modernism and Postmodernism - Essay Example The essay "Terms Modernism and Postmodernism" analyzes modernism and postmodernism and focuses on the theory of Post-Colonialism. There is not a single unanimously agreed definition of modernism and different scholars have defined it differently. Despite the absence of any agreed definition of modernism, all of the definitions of modernism talk about the changes in art, literature, business, and even in the daily lives of individuals because of the industrial revolution and formation of the industrial cities. In academic studies, modernism is a philosophical movement or is a particular perspective of looking at the universe and examining the activities of daily life. Modernism is the movement that shakes off all traditional things including religious belief from individuals’ lives and tries to make everything new. The movement encourages experimentation in every field and, therefore, new perspectives emerge. The effect of the modernism is conspicuous in art and literature as w ell. In literature, the writers reject the traditional method of writing smooth narrative fiction and â€Å"stream of consciousness† emerges as the replacement of the old narrative. The emergence of â€Å"abstract art† and â€Å"diversionist paintings† is the results of modernism. The philosophical movement of modernism starts in late nineteenth and early twentieth century. It is â€Å"a set of ideas†. Post-modernism is also a kind of philosophical movement at the development either scientifically or non- scientifically in every walk of life.

Spirituality and Family Resilience Essay Example for Free

Spirituality and Family Resilience Essay Perhaps no other social institution has a closer link with religion than does the family. In the case where the family becomes particularly â€Å"sacred, the danger of family violence is also as real as in the various forms of the secular religion of love. When the family as such, mostly forms of marriage and children, is seen as an untouchable value by the outside world, by family members and by the church. The risk exists that family members will want to keep all injustice and violence that occurs inside the family members will want to keep all injustice and violence that occurs inside the family a secret.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A woman or a child often receives the message to sacrifice her or himself for the sake of the family: to behave in a proper way and tolerate the violence in order to safeguard the family. As child are existentially loyal to their parents (Boszormenyi-Nagy Spark, 1973)1 and partners who are beaten often lack self-confidence, most will want really to keep the family intact, because it is, in spite of the violence, valuable for them. The risks exist that religion might be used as a means to legitimize power balances in the family that can become very oppressive. The idea that the family is sacred often emphasizes the traditional, marriage-based family, which usually goes together with a pattern of traditional roles. Although sacrifice has a certain value, justice should not be overlooked. When love is only conceived of in the second person, it supposes a kind of never-ending love and devotion to the other. This can be seen as a form of self-sacrifice in spite of me. The human person has to compare and weigh goodness towards the unique other with the right of each other person.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The belief in the cross does not call people in the first place to activism, but enables a deep spiritual experience of devotion arising from belief in God. The human person can give him or herself without having to create their whole lives themselves. In these sense, the metaphor of sacrifice, within the framework of the Christian belief in God, is liberating. On the basis of Christian faith, some parents can find new hope and courage. In difficult situations parents may realize that they have done everything in their capacity and that they have to leave the rest trustingly in the hands of God. In this way, families may overcome difficult situations and achieve a high degree of resilience (Spousel, 2003).2 The cross and faith in the resurrection cannot only liberate people from the often frenetic effort to realize a perfect intimate life, but also may motivate people to protest against suffering and evil. The cross is a sign and a message never to forget the sufferings of people (Merz, 1997).3 The death of Jesus on the cross and the Christian faith signify a protest against the rhetoric of the necessity of sacrifices in the name of a higher aim. It is not God who asks for sacrifice, but people themselves who require sacrifices of others in an abuse of power.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Despite ample evidence that global indexes of religiousness are linked to a family functioning, the mechanisms by which religion uniquely influences family dynamics are not well understood or empirically documented. To advance the scientific study of religions role in families, we delineate how the construct of sanctification applies to marital and parent-child relationships as well as to the entire family systems according to diverse religious traditions. We define sanctifications as a psychological process in which aspects of life are perceived a shaving spiritual character and significance. Todays families face a myriad of problems including economic difficulties, physical health addiction problems, and many stressful work related issues. There is acceptance among many Americans that religion facilitates positive and healthy family interaction and enhances the life satisfaction of its members.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Religious affiliation and participation may provide and/or enlarge the social support system available to the family by increasing the number of friendships with other families. This social support may lead the family to believe they are cared for and loved, esteemed and valued, and belong to a network of mutual aid. Social support has also been found to be an important factor in a familys ability to overcome crises. Churches may enhance a familys social support by encouraging group activities. Religious affiliation and participation may strength families by providing enjoyable activities. Many religions provide direct education in supportive family values, attitudes, and behaviors. The themes of charity begins at home and do unto others as you would have them do unto you are supported in all of the worlds major religions. Religions assist families in formulating and maintaining moral values and ethical codes of conduct. Most religions also operate to counteract several human tendencies that hinder relationships. Religion operates against such easy solutions by encouraging families to stay together and work out their difficulties.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Religion may strengthen families is by encouraging families to believe in, and seek, personal and family assistance from God. Belief in divine intervention may be another resource providing comfort, inspiration, or guidance fro family members. The influence of God is difficult to measure, but many people perceive its very real effects in their lives. For many, God is a reality, and when God assists humankind by petition, then divine influence is another source of help to families that is encouraged by religions. It is useful to consider the role of religion in family change in the Western world within the context of the teachings and authority of the Christian Church. The Roman Catholic Church developed the view that, while marriage, pro-creation was seen as the primary purpose of sexual relations; and intentional interference with this purpose, by either contraception or abortion, was prohibited.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     The Protestant reformers adopted a somewhat different view of marriage but continued to hold the ideal of a lifetime marriage, although they allowed divorce for a limited set of serious causes. Celibacy was de-emphasized during the Reformation but the prohibitions against contraception remained strong. In fact, the proscriptions against divorce and birth control remained fairly monolithic in Christian churches well into the 20th century (Thornton, 1985).4 The Catholics have become less unique, fundamentalist Protestants have become more distinct. Given the historically strong interests and doctrines of the Christian churches concerning family matters, it is difficult to imagine how far-reaching family changes of the last two centuries could have occurred without provoking fundamental re-examination of theology, doctrine, and programs. Heated and extensive debates concerning family changes and appropriate responses to them are not new phenomena but have been endemic for a century in the Western world (Wilcox, 2007).5   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The foundations of national morality are laid in private families. The institution of marriage played a vital role in promoting the moral health of the American republic, both by civilizing men and fostering a family environment where children were more likely to grow in virtue. They knew that the new republic’s commitment to liberty and limited government dependent in no small part on the capacity of American men and women to form and maintain families that fostered fidelity, hard work, self-control, and a measure of independence. They knew, in other words, that self-government begins at home.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Modern Americans, however, seem no longer to see as clearly the connections between our nation’s half-century retreat from marriage and dramatic declines in child welfare, as represented by marked increases in adolescent delinquency, depression, and suicide over this same period. They do not see how this retreat is implicated in unprecedented increases in the size and scope of the police state over the last half century-in, for instance, the prison-building boom of the past three decades, the responses of federal and state governments to the spiraling crime rates of the 1970’s and 1980’s. And they do not see that the poor and working classes have been hit hardest by the breakdown of marriage in America.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For the first time in history-not just American history but the history of known human society-people began to toy with the idea that children and marriage were really two discrete life phenomena. _______________ 1Cf. I. Boszormenyi-Nagy and G.M. Spark, Invisible Loyalties: Reciprocity in International Family Therapy (New York: Harper and Row, 1973. 2Cf. L.M. Spousel, ‘Spirituality and Family Resilience.’ Family and Focus 48 (2003): F5-F6, at F5: ‘Many parents have told me that it is their faith that allows them to persevere. They found relief when they acknowledged that they had done all they could do for their children and began to trust in a higher power. This process of â€Å"letting go† created hope and encouragement, not a sense of giving up. Families were able to bounce back and move on with their lives’ 3Ct. J.B. Merz, Zum Begriff der neuen Politschen Theologic 1967-1991 (Manz: Matthias-Grunewakl, 1997), 201. 4These unpublished data are derived from a panel study of women conducted between 1962 1980.Also see Thornton (1985). 5Otto, Rudolf, 1923. The Idea of the Holy. References: Boszormenyi-Nagy Spark, G.M. (1973). Invisible Loyalties: Reciprocity in   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   International Family Therapy (New York: Harper and Row. Merz, J.B (1997). Zum Begriff der neuen Politischen Theologic 1967-1997.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Manz:Matthias-Grunewakl., 201. Otto, Rudolf. (1923). The Idea of the Holy. Spousel, L.M. (2003). Spirituality and Family Resilience. Family Focus 48. Thornton, A. (1985). Changing Attitudes Toward Separation and Divorce:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Causes and Consequences†. American Journal of Sociology (Jan.) 856-872.

After Apple Picking Analysis English Literature Essay

After Apple Picking Analysis English Literature Essay After Apple Picking has a lot of different rhyme scheme which causes the tone of the speaker. This tone sets you in the authors point of view and makes a clear picture of what he has written. Frost uses a lot of figurative language and diction to make his poem more interesting and it catches the reader. The purpose of the poem is to talk about life and death. He uses certain poetic devices to get you into the living spirit and as it goes by it gets slower and sadder. Causing a dramatic change in the tone of the reader. This fits perfectly into the poem because the purpose of the poem is to talk about life and death. So the tone of the poem is perfect along with the poetic devices that Frost uses to make his poem more interesting. Frost makes the purpose of his poem very clear with all of the devices he uses. In this poem Frost uses a lot of figurative language, this helps him make his poem a lot more interesting. He uses it quite often in his poem and it gives it that extra spark to make it better for the reader. In line 40 he uses a personification, The woodchuck could say whether its like his long sleep.. He gives the woodchuck a voice when they cant really talk. Frost also uses a lot of imagery which brings out the five senses of the reader themselves. He describes the sound of the apples in the bins being tossed in. He describes the feeling of the ladder swaying as the boughs bend. He describes the apples, Magnified apples appear and disappear, Stem end and blossom end. Frost uses a lot of big words. Frost uses the word drowsing to describe how he is about to fall asleep. He uses the word hoary to describe the frost on the grass and the beautiful scenery that his eyes are seeing. This paints a picture for the reader. The theme of this poem is to look at life in a good way and not be so negative about it. Frost is telling us to be happy and try to enjoy life and live life to the fullest. We need to enjoy life. Life is short and can be taken away from us in a matter of time. We never know when our lives will end. We dont need to be so negative about things. Frost is enjoying the little things in life such as picking apples during his day. Life can be fun and enjoyable if we look at the little things in life and enjoy those things. Look at the small and not worry about the big things that can ruin our lives. These poetic devices make Frosts meaning of his poem more noticeble. The diction makes the description more dramatic and interesting. If he did not use these devices the poem would have no real meaning to the readers or even the author. Frosts imagery brings out the picture to the readers and makes it fun and enjoyable to read. The meter and the tone is set and makes the tone that the reader wants a reality. The poem is slow and rhymes every other line which cause that slow and sad tone that he meant for. The use of these devices fits the mood perfectly and paints a picture for the reader to sit back and enjoy the poem.

Euthanasia should not be legalized in America :: Free Euthanasia Essay

Euthanasia refers to the intentional bringing about of the death of a patient, either by killing him/her, or by letting him/her die, for the patient’s sake to prevent further pain or suffering from a terminal illness. Euthanasia is a complex issue in many underlying theological, sociological, moral, and legal aspects. Its legalization is heavily debated around the world, with strong arguments made for both sides of the issue. The supporters of euthanasia often repeated that â€Å"We have to respect the freedom of the patient" or â€Å"people should be able to exercise control over their own lives and death.† However, Euthanasia, by nature, is â€Å"wrongfully killing† or â€Å"mercy killing†, and if we allow any type of euthanasia, all sorts of negative affects might follow, and our commitment to improve the lives of the terminally ill might be weakened. In essence, nothing is worse than our right to life itself being diminished in value from the theological perspective. The debate of legalizing euthanasia is not about the right to commit suicide or to assist in suicide. It is about placing the lives of the weakest among us in the hands of people other than themselves who often have self-serving agendas. Once society gives a group of people the right to end life, our right to life disappears behind red tape. The principle of the sanctity of human life is a fundamental ethical norm and the value of life is not negotiable. Therefore, a reasonable prudent person should not accept the practice allowing their lives be taken away by others. Secondly, from the sociological perspective, euthanasia is the tragedy arises from pressure exerted by a materialistic, self-centered society which increasingly embraces the notion of â€Å"throwing away† human beings. There are people who would allow physicians to kill their parents and grandparents once they cease to function as providers of life’s necessities and opportunities. After many years of service, mom and dad, granny and grandpa are treated like dogs, they are sent to the hospital to be injected with a lethal overdose of drugs. Supporters of euthanasia lie to themselves and others by saying that they want to end suffering. Their true motive is to get rid of those who become a problem, so they can enjoy their lives with more time and money. Thirdly, from the medical morality perspective, euthanasia is assisting suicide that violates the morals and values of the medical world.

Judaism :: essays research papers

Judaism 1 A nation of Priests, Prophets, and Kings.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  While the Jews were still trying to find the holy land, the brother of Moses, Aaron, established a priesthood. They build the tabernacle, a large tent, it became the center for Jewish worship. In 1077 B.C. a member of the tribe of Judah, David, became King of the Israelites. He firmly established kingship and priesthood in the nation's capital of Jerusalem. Solomon, David's son, built a large temple in Jerusalem. The messiah would come from David's line. There were three prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, each warned of punishment from god. 2 Judaism under Roman rule   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Jews were divided into factions. The Pharisees emphasized oral law. The Sadducees stressed the importance of the temple and priests. There was also the Essenes, the Zelots, and the Herodians. Jewish leaders were called rabbis. Rebellion broke out against the Romans in 70 C.E. Troops laid waste to the city and destroyed the temple. Jerusalem was declared of limits to Jews. The Sadducees were thus wiped out without the temple. 3 Judaism Emerges with a Greek garment   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  By the 4th century B.C. the Jews had engulfed the Mediterranean sea. Alexander the great was welcomed into Jerusalem. The Greek and Jewish cultures mixed. As a result the Jewish religion spread even faster. They were able to expand all across the known world. Even scriptures began too be translated to greek. 4 Judaism and God's name   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jews Believe gods name is too holy to pronounce. Over the last 2000 years the name has been lost. The name of God is Yahweh. In Latin he is called Jehovah. The Jews put much importance to God's name. For a period of time it was illegal to speak gods name.

Baron Georges Eugene Haussmann

Paris in the l9th century was anything but beautiful; the City of Lights was a city of disparity; graceful monuments, historic buildings and slum dwellings, sat side by side. The narrow streets were catch-alls for chamber pots that were emptied into the streets from windows, the sewer system was inadequate, for a city with a million inhabitants, and prompting extremely unhealthy conditions that bred disease and only one out of five households had running water.This statement from Jean-Jacques Rousseau, a Genevan philosopher depicts a snapshot picture of Old Paris, â€Å"Entering through the faubourg Saint Marceau, I saw only small, dirty and stinking streets, ugly black houses, an air of filth, poverty, beggars, carters, sewing women, women hawking tisanes and old hats† (British library. ) All of these issues would be â€Å"history† with the city’s modernization done at an unprecedented pace by Baron Georges-Eugene Haussmann. Baron Haussmann was born, in Paris, o n March 27th, 1809. He was educated at theCollege Henry IV, studied law, while simultaneously taking classes at the Conservatoire de Paris, because he was a good musician. He diverted from being a lawyer, turning his focus on architecture, becoming a civil engineer and career administrator. Mr. Haussmann was appointed sous-prefet (state representative) of Nerac, a commune of the Lot-et-Garonne department in southwestern France, in l830. He advanced quickly in the civil service venue; in l853 he was appointed the prefet of the Seine Department, (department in France is similar to a county) and remained in that position until l870.During this time period, Baron Haussmann was made senator in l857, grand cross at the Legion d’honneur, a premier order of France, in l862, and a member of the Academy of Fine Arts in l867. (wikipedia) He died on January 11, l891 in Paris, leaving a continuous and evolving legacy. The Baron’s name is preserved on the Boulevard Haussmann and in the very core of the â€Å"City of Lights. † Now that I have given a brief, biographical summary of Mr. Haussmann’s life, here is a detailed look at his accomplishments, historical impact on urbanism and constant influence in today’s society.Emperor Napoleon III, nephew of Napoleon Bonaparte, and the last monarch to rule France, wanted to be acknowledged as a great communal engineer. He was partial to helping the poor, working class people of Paris and desperately wanted to shape the city in to a progressive, healthy environment. There was also a safety issue, the Emperor needed to address; it was imperative that he reduce the ability of future revolutionaries to defy the government, by benefiting on the medieval maze of streets to easily form barricades. Devising wider streets for logical maneuvers, would allow battalions and artillery to circulate effortlessly.Napoleon III rightly chose, the best civil engineer in Paris, Baron Haussmann to implement the recons truction of his capital. The Emperor let Haussmann maintain substantial executive power and extensive finances with this project. Ultimately, over a decade and a half he spent 2,115,000,000 francs, the equivalence of 1. 5 billion in today’s currency. Napoleon also protected Haussmann from the myriad of critics, this was fundamental for his success. Paris would undergo a major transformation and people had two different views of Haussmann; one as a man who would demolish â€Å"old† Paris , and the other as a man who would create a â€Å"new†Paris. Haussmanization is what this massive undertaken was dubbed, its actual definition being, â€Å"the creative destruction of something for the betterment of society,â€Å" (wiktionary). The criticism the Baron received was that specific, Parisian’s were troubled by the destruction of buildings, including whole neighborhoods. In they’re opinion, there was no â€Å"betterment,† the wide streets had a diminutive purpose, except for being anti-riot streets, and all Haussmann did for the poor areas was to build encompassing boulevards from which they could be subjugated (British lib.) Another, subject he was disparaged for, was his methods of financing the projects, which included using his connections with realtors. Haussmann would allow them to purchase property along the new boulevards in exchange for an exuberant profit. This issue ignited an intense political controversy and even though the allegation were never proven , it eventually led to the Baron’s dismissal as the prefet, on January 5, l870. Napoleon III had no choice if he was to increase the approval rating of this regime.Parisians who viewed Haussmann’s modernization of Paris as positive, and new he would be providing a much needed service to the city, far out numbered the opposition. Most of the people perceived the streets as they actually were; unsanitary, with garbage and waste left by a faulty sewer system, crowded, damp, shanties covered in mud, and confusing. The narrow streets, with no sidewalks, discouraged prospective customers from going to shops, and during Paris’s recurrent spates of civil disorder, made it easier to form barricades. Haussmannization would deliver a â€Å"new† Paris, a healthy, moreorganized, safer city. Baron Haussmann’s first task was to create a detailed map of Paris, this would be the basis of his work. He then installed wood towers throughout the city, taller than surrounding buildings to serve as triangulation points in the surveying process. This was an advanced engineering process, theory is still use today. Triangulation is finding coordinates and the distance of a point by calculating the length of different sides of a triangle. Devising the towers, for this purpose, was ingenious. The transformation was now underway, using 1500 architects and over 60,000 workers.Paris was deemed the â€Å"largest construction site in th e world,† and would hold that title for two decades (France monthly). Three quarters of the Ile de la Cite, was destroyed to construct a central area for the Palais de Justice, police headquarters and barracks. Ile de la Cite is one of two islands in the Seine River, the other is Ile Saint-Louis, is the center of Paris and where the city was founded (wikipedia). Approximately 15,000 homes were pulled down and the only buildings untouched were; Notre Dame, the Saint-Chapelle, Conciergie and the Palais de Justice.Haussmann’s beautification of Paris, includes the star-shaped Place de l†Etoile, which is a large urban junction with a meeting point of twelve straight avenues, around the Arc de Triomphe, several new parks, gardens and the planting of over 100,000 trees. The Baron admired the large and central London parks, such as the Hyde and Regent Parks, and decided to created two comparable ones, . most notably the Bois de Boulogne, and the Bois de Vincennes. The Bar on built or rebuilt several market, the most famous redesigned market was the Les Halles, the first major building project to use iron-frame construction.This material allowed for improved control of the city’s food supplies and lessening of health hazards (SafariX). Another famous redesign was the Palais Garnier, commonly known as Opera de Paris, and named after its architect, Charles Garnier, who was chosen by the Baron to supervise the project. Mr. Garnier was instructed to build a 2nd theatre for the famous Parisian Opera and Ballet Companies. Legend says that Napoleon III’s wife asked Garnier if it would be built in Greek or Roman style and he replied, â€Å"It is in the Napoleon III style, Madame! â€Å" (msn. Encarta) Haussmann imposed a regulationthat required all new buildings to have a standardized height and design, this gave modern Paris characteristic landscape. Haussmann’s plan continued with organizing the city by numbering districts and houses. Parisian’s lives were made easier with the numeration. Wide, straight, new boulevards with commanding facades, converging at major junctions, marked by monuments, public buildings and points of significance such as city gates or railway stations, were made to facilitated traffic movement, eliminate cramped streets, and provide proficient access for army troops from the provinces to come into the city,if needed. Baron Haussmann’s implemented a railway network, with six new railroads stations, operating outside the city, improving transportation and directly contributing to a flourishing economic environment. The railways contributed to the development of coal mining and the steel industry in France, bringing they’re economy into a contemporary age of large scale free enterprise. The design of the streets combined with the new public transportation allowed Parisians an easy access to the city and its shops, museums, theatre etc., encouraged people to flaunt their new wealth. Probably the most imperative part of the â€Å"modernization† of Paris was the purification and decontamination of their ancient sewer system. A complete renovation was imperative to instill healthy conditions in the city. Haussmann named engineer Eugene Belgrad, Director of Water and Sewers of Paris, who attacked the problem by creating â€Å"sort of a city under the city,† The system harnessed underwater springs, some over 100 kilometers from Paris, then brought fresh, clean water by aqueducts to flush out the waste (France Monthly).The sewer system, although underground, didn’t go unobserved, Haussmann ensured that it became a showpiece, even providing transportation for their viewing, the system, to this day, is considered a tourist attractioin. Baron Haussmann and Napoleon III’s architectural strategy for the modernization of Paris is largely responsible for the city’s present appearance and for the groundwork of current and almos t certainly, future designs. The Baron’s vision of a city came into fruition, making Paris one of the most magnificently beautiful cities, a formidable economic power, with much healthier living conditions.Haussmann still continues to inspire architectural design. One example is the City Beautiful Movement, a progressive reform movement in North American architect, in the1800’s and 1900’s, its primary objective was to revamp poverty-stricken urban environments. â€Å"Haussmannian Revolution,† a term used because, for the first time in history, under an emporer, a single man systematically modernized a city on such a mammoth scope (France Monthly). Work Cited British Library, An Imperial Capital: Baron Haussmann’s Transformation of Pariswww. mapforum. com/15blmap. htm France Monthly, Baron Haussmann, and the Transformation of Paris, 2006 www. francemonthly. com/n/1202/index. php MSN. Encartam, Paris (city, France)-MSN Encarta 2007 http//Encarta. msn . com/encylopedia SafariX, Haussmannization and Ostentation http//www. safarix. com/0131932934/ch15lev1sec2 Wikipedia, Baron Haussman, 2 April 2007 www. widipedia. org/wiki/Baron_Haussmann Wikitionary, Etymology, 8 December 2006 http//en. wikitionary. org

For Which of the Boys Essay

The boy that I felt the most sympathy for in The History Boys would have to be Posner. The portrayal of his character compared to that of the other boys is entirely different. Throughout the play, Posner is shown to be an outsider; â€Å"too young† to understand most things, and even to be included in Hector’s inappropriate behaviour. It is evident from the start that Posner has feelings towards Dakin, however Dakin’s behaviour towards Posner is far from romantic, hence we can sense that he doesn’t return the romantic feelings that Posner so desperately desires. This immediately creates sympathy for him, as it shows that he has no hope of happiness with the person whom he clearly loves. As the play progresses and develops, we can see that Posner is confused about his sexuality and is tormented by the idea that he’ll never fit in anywhere. He confesses his feelings and worries to Irwin who sympathises, however this does nothing to comfort Posner. As the other boys begin to change their attitudes towards life and learning, Posner seems to remain the same and spend more time with Hector. This could be viewed as very odd behaviour, as the other boys seem keen to avoid any time alone with Hector due to his ephebophilia. This, again, highlights the fact that Posner is extremely lonely and confused, therefore is willing to seek comfort with even the most inappropriate of people. When the disastrous event of the motorcycle accident happens at the end of the play, we are given an insight into just how much it affected the boys in years to come. While it seems that the others have moved on in life, Posner is described to have â€Å"periodic breakdowns† and to have been the only one that â€Å"truly took everything to heart†. This proves that Posner was really affected by those particular years of his life, despite the fact that he was never directly targeted by Hector. Overall, Posner is presented as a confused, lonely character which generates large amounts of sympathy from the audience.

Tesco Plc. 2012 Annual Accounts compare them with Sainsbury Plc. as appropriate

Tesco was established in 1919 and now has become the largest retailer in the UK, the second largest retailer measured by profits and third largest retailer measured by revenues in the world. It has operations in 14 countries with 520,000 people employed and millions of customers served every week (Tesco, 2013). Tesco’s 2012 Annual Report has just published, through which we can critically analyse the company’s operational and financial conditions.There are numerous relationships between the figures published in the annual report, and ratios have been commonly used for conducting a quantitative analysis of these relationships (Atrill and McLaney, 2013). They are calculated by comparing the current year numbers (2011-12) with previous years (2010-11) and other companies. Hence, J Sainsbury plc (known as Sainsbury’s) is chosen since it is the major competitor of Tesco at home. The ratios can be classified into five categories, namely profitability ratios, liquidity ratios, activity or efficiency ratios, gearing ratios and investment ratios. When using the ratios to assess two companies’ performances, relevant social, political and economic changes will all taken into account.Profitability Ratio Profitability ratios are the ratios used to assess a company’s capability to generate earnings in comparison to its expenses and other relevant costs. Major profitability ratios include return on investment (ROI), return on capital employed (ROCE), gross profit margin and net profit margin. Firstly, ROI is a concept evaluating the efficiency of an investment, and equals to ‘net profit after tax’ dividing ‘shareholders’ funds’. For Tesco, its ROI for the financial year 2011-12 was 15.8, decreased by 1.9% from previous year. Nevertheless, it is still better than Sainsbury’s, which got only 10.6%. Therefore, it can be argued that in general the investment on Tesco is more efficient and you can get bette r return.Besides ROI, ROCE is a similar concept which is a relative profit measurement demonstrating the return the business generated from its gross assets. A higher ROCE shows that the company is using its capital more efficiently. In consequence, ROCE should be higher than company’s capital cost, otherwise it tells us that the company is not employing its capital effectively and is not generating shareholder value.It is calculated by ‘profit before interest and tax’ diving ‘shareholder’s funds + long-term debt’. Tesco’s ROCE for the financial year 2011-12 was 13.3%, higher than previous year’s 12.9% and Sainsbury’s 11.1%. The rise of ROCE to some extent resulted from the discontinued operation of Japan. From this point of view it can be argued that Tesco made a right decision to exit from Japan where its investment failed to generate good returns (The Telegraph, 2012).Moreover, gross profit margin and net profit margin are the other two commonly used profitability ratios. The former is defined as the percentage between ‘gross profit’ and ‘sales’, whereas the latter is the percentage between ‘net profit’ and ‘sales’. For Tesco, the two ratios both decreased compared to previous year: The gross profit margin reduced from 8.5% to 8.2% and the net profit margin reduced from 6.0% to 5.9%. It means that this year the company failed to control cost as well as last year. The reduction was caused by various reasons. First of all, the economic downturn in the UK, particularly the high petrol prices and falling real incomes affected  customers’ discretionary spending significantly(BBC News, 2012). In addition, 2012 was a transition year for Tesco .The company not only changed its chairman, CEO and a number of other senior managers, but also made some adjustment on organisational structure and business focused. Finally, the company decided to increa se investment so that to improve customers’ shopping trip, making trading profit declined. In spite of these challenges, Tesco still outweighed Sainsbury’s on profitability, which got 5.4% and 3.6% respectively.Liquidity ratios The second category of ratios called liquidity ratios, which are utilized to determine the ability of a company to pay off its short-term debts. There are important as companies must ensure that these ratios are liquid otherwise they may have problem in paying back its creditors. Two important liquidity ratios are current ratio and acid test ratio.Current ratio measures ‘current assets’ (cash +debtors + stock) against ‘current liabilities’. Tesco’s current ratio in 2012 was 2.01, reduced from 2.12 in 2011. The current asset was rising, but it failed to offset the bigger rising of current liabilities, which was mainly led by the increased short-term borrowings. In 2012 there was a â‚ ¬1500 million medium term n ote (MTN) matured. Nevertheless, it still outperformed Sainsbury’s, whose current ratio was 1.84 in 2012. Because Tesco’s current ratio for the past two years were both greater than 2, it means that the company has no problem to meet creditor’s demands.Acid test ratio differentiates current ratio by excluding stock from the equation as stock may not easily be converted into cash. Tesco’s acid test ratios for the past two years were 1.56 (2011) and 1.45 (2012) respectively. Though decreased by 7.1%, it still great than 1 and Sainsbury’s 0.99, again indicating that Tesco has enough short-term assets to cover its short-term liabilities without selling inventory.Activity/Efficiency Ratios This category of ratios, which mainly includes ratios such as asset turnover,  stock turnover, debtor days and creditor days, measures how well a company utilizing its internal assets and liabilities.Primarily, asset turnover, which equals to ‘sales’ di viding ‘total assets’, measures how efficiency a company is in using its assets to achieve sales revenue to the company. Tesco’s asset turnover ratio in 2012 was 1.27, lower than its previous year’s 1.28 and Sainsbury’s 1.81. Since those companies with low profit margins tend to have high asset turnover ratio whereas companies with high profit margins tend to have low asset turnover ratio, Tesco has bigger profit margin than Sainsbury, and this advantage has been expanded. We should also realize that companies in the retail industry like Tesco and Sainsbury tend to have higher asset turnover ratio than companies in other industries because of their competitive even cutthroat pricing.In addition, the stock turnover ratio indicates how many times a company’s stock is sold and replaced over a period, for instance a year, and is calculated as ‘cost of sales’ divided by ‘stock’. According to this formula, we can get the r esults of 17.50 and 16.48 for Tesco in 2011 and 2012 respectively and 22.48 for Sainsbury’s in 2012. The numbers are within the appropriate interval. A very low stock turnover rate may indicate overstocking whereas a overtop rate may point to stock shortage, which further result in the loss in business. From this point of view, both of the companies manage the stock appropriately.Thirdly, debtor day measures the number of days, on average, that customers take to pay. The formula is ‘debtors (accounts receivable) / sales * 365’. Companies should ensure that its debtor ratio is neither too high nor too low. Otherwise it may face potential risks of either losing customers or losing profit by bad debt. Since most of the retailing business is cash business, supermarkets usually have very short debtor days. Tesco’s debtor days for the past two years were 14 days (2011) and 15 days (2012) respectively while Sainsbury’s has a even shorter debtor day of 5. C reditor day, on the other hand, measures the number of days, on average, that companies take to pay its suppliers.It is calculated by ‘accounts payable / cost of sales * 365’. From the formula we can get that Tesco had 60 creditor  days for the past two years. Together with a very short debtor day, it is evident to see its bargaining power in the market. This helps Tesco maximize profits. Sainsbury also has a big creditor day of 47 days, indicating its strong bargaining power as well.Gearing Ratios Another category of ratios is defined as gearing ratios, including gearing and interest cover ratio. Gearing is defined as the portion of net assets financed through debt rather than equity, and the calculation formula is ‘long-term debt / shareholders’ funds + long-term debt’. The aim of the calculation of gearing ratio is to see whether the company is able to get a healthy long-term financing. Tesco and Sainsbury’s both have good gearing ratios. For Tesco, its gearing ratio in 2012 was 38.4%. In comparison with 40.8% in 2011, it reduced by 5.9%. The decreased gearing reflected Tesco’s stable debt position despite the investment in assets growing. For Sainsbury’s, its gearing ratio in 2012 was 31.7%, meaning that it used even smaller portion of debt to finance net assets.Investment Ratios The final category of ratios is referred to as investment ratios, which are mainly calculated to meet the interests of shareholders and potential investors of the company. The most commonly used shareholder returns rations include dividend per share, dividend yield, and earnings per share (EPS).First, dividend per share, equalling ‘dividend paid’ divided by ‘number of shares’, reflects the belief of the company’s management towards its future growth. For instance, a growing dividend means that the company’s management is confident that the growth can be sustained. Tesco’s 2012 fu ll year dividend was 14.76p, which was an increase of only 2.1% on last year, but lower than Sainsbury’s 16.1p. Although the company continued the record of consecutive years of dividend growth in the FTSE 100, for its shareholders, 2012 was a tough year. The company’s management explains that this was due to their new strategy to forego some short-term profit to re-invest in the long-term health of the business.Second, dividend yield shows how much a company pays out in dividends each year relative to its share price. In the absence of any capital gains, it equals to the return on investment for a stock. Dividend yield can be calculated according to the formula ‘dividend per share / Market price per share’. On 30th March 2013, Tesco and Sainsbury’s dividend yield were 4.24 and 4.14 respectively.Furthermore, earnings per share, known as EPS and calculated as ‘profit after tax’ dividing ‘number of shares’, shows the profit ( or loss) made by every issued share. It is an important indicator of a company’s profitability, and also the single most significant factor in determining the share price. In 2012 Tesco’s EPS was 37.4p, increased by 2.1% from 2011 and higher than its competitor Sainsbury’s 28.1p. Consequently, we can argue that Tesco achieved a modest profit growth in 2012 and it is more profitable than Sainsbury’s.Non-financial performance analysis Financial information particularly the ratio analysis has its limitations. Therefore, we need to analyse non-financial information as well. Primarily, from the scale of the business, Tesco definitely enjoys a larger business scale. It has businesses in 14 countries throughout the world and the total stores numbers is 6,234 in 2012. By contrast, Sainsbury’s on operates in the U.K. with around 1,000 stores. Additionally, from the brand reputation and value aspect, Tesco in general outweigh Sainsbury’s to a large ex tent, particularly in global markets. Nevertheless, at home Sainsbury’s brand awareness is almost as famous as Tesco since the company is using competitive pricing strategy and providing fresh goods to improve customer loyalty.Conclusion To sum up, this essay has used five categories of ratios to critically assess the financial performance of Tesco in view of previous year’s results and the competitor Sainsbury’s. Generally speaking the company delivered modest profit growth in a challenging economic environment, with a strong international performance largely offset by a reduction in UK profits. Owing to strategic changes on organisational structure and business focused,  Tesco’s financial performance was negatively affected. Nevertheless, in many aspects such as profitability and liquidity it still outperformed its major competitor Sainsbury’s. It is confident that the company is able to pass the period of change and development smoothly and it s future prosperity can be expected.

Smith S Home Food

Solution for case: Smith’s Home Foods. Question One Smith’s Country Ham has been operating for 25 years in North Carolina in the wholesale food division, targeting restaurants and fast food chains. In order to increase turnover and therefore revenue, Smith’s decides to introduce a new product line: Smith’s Home Food. A product line containing 11 packages sold to households and including all kinds of foods: meat, vegetables, fruits etc. lasting for a period of 4 months. The prices of these packages range from $655 to $1532 ($1000 on average).These packages require a freezer and thus Smith provided the sale of freezers for customers that didn’t own any. Also, it is highly important to mention that Smith gave all its customers the possibility of financing all of its goods; packages and freezers. Through this new division, Smith is not only selling food and freezers; it is actually providing its customers with high convenience! Buyers no longer have to run to the market to get any kind of foods, as Smith includes everything in the packages.Also, since they will be buying in large quantities they will be benefiting from lower prices, and will escape any rise in market prices during this 4 months duration. Question Two As for problems for this strategy, I think Smith’s should reconsider its sources for advertising in order to acquire higher profile customers that are more eligible for its financing options. It should also extend its product mix to include other packages with different duration (more and less than 4 months). Question Three P=$1000 COGS= 48%= $480 Delivery Charge= $30 Commission Cost= $125AVC= CPGS + Delivery + Commission= 480+30+125= $635 UCM= 1000-635= $365 Break even: Revenue= Total Cost Revenue= 1000 x Q Total Cost= TFC + TVC= (57,000/3) + AVC x Q (we divide 57,000 by 3 to get fixed cost for 4 months) 1000xQ= 19,000 + 635 x Q 365Q=19000 Q= 19000/365 Q=52 To break even, Smith’s must sell 52 packages e ach 4 month. Executive Summary; Smith’s Country Hams, a 25-year-old family business that focuses on wholesale meat products such a ham, bocon, and other pork products, sell to restaurants and fast-food operations in eastern North Carolina.Smith’s family business has a service that provides home-delivered meats, vegetables, and fruits should be in considerable demand and providing new sales for its business. Smith’s Home Foods is going to be the way of the dogs. The current marketing environment would allude to this company has the potential to be market nicher and local geographic market leader with a high share of the market and high growth. Meanwhile, his business is getting an excessive minimal share and less than minimal growth. The company is supposed to bring a new vision for its marketing mix.Company should spend much performance in dynamic marketing communication strategy and an effective advertising budget to protect further loss of revenue. Purchasing food through a home food service saves consumers money. Because consumers buy in large quantities, they receive lower prices, and they escape any price increase that occur during the four month period covered by their food package. Making fewer trips to the store also helps customers avoid expensive impulse purchases. Current Marketing Situation;Smith Home foods has employed a product concept approach to business that would suggest that company believes consumers will favor products that offer the most quality, performance and that the company ought to engage its energy to making continuous improvements in the product. Smith Home Foods uses two important marketing techniques. a) Mass marketing techniques-mass producing, mass distributing, and mass promoting about the same product in about the same way to all consumers. b) Personal techniques by the Smith’s family business force the purpose of making sales and building customer relationship.The company location’s makes it the geographic market leader in the business with virtually no competition. The psychographics segmentation of target market would suggest that customers seeking this product a busy in their careers or social activities and interested in all types of time saving opportunities. Strengths, Weaknesses Threats and Opportunity Analyses; The company is the corporation’s question mark performer and has the potential of becoming a star performer given the limited competition in the market.The company has the advantage of the parent corporation’s 25-year-old positive reputation as a local family owned business known for the quality of their products. The strategy of the company’s in the market involving a poor marketing mix strategy, a poor integrated marketing communication strategic plan and service strategy with no experience. There is no evidence of feedback mechanism to insure customer satisfaction or to encourage company loyalty through sustained company-custome r relationships.Company has no local competition and the company has an opportunity to establish itself as the market leader nicher for the product that is offering. Threats to company are also numerous. Business can damage the reputation of the parent corp. The company has too much financial liability for contrasts that are not honored by customers. Objectives and Issues; The company does not have a sure mission and is engaged in the wrong type of marketing philosophy. The company need develop a mission. The company does not have a power evidence information system. This is virtually taking shots n the dark and hoping to hits something. The company has to create developing a research plan as soon as possible. In the light of target market, The Company has a poor knowledge. The company is supposed to engage in effective market targeting by selecting market segments and to insure a competitive advantage. Sales management is not well developed. The company should develop a system for recruiting, selecting, training, supervising and evaluating the sales team. Questions and Answers; 1-  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Outline Smith’s Home Foods` marketing strategy. What is Smith’s Home Food really selling?The company’s cash cow product is pork that are produced and sold wholesale to restaurants and fast food operations throughout eastern North Carolina. The company has a small sales force that is engaged in apparently one time, face to face selling of product and services written agreements but limited activity regarding customer relationship building. The company engaged in product bundle pricing by including products form external sources to make their service more appealing and convenient the potential new market segment. The additional products include other brand-name food products as well as freezers in which to store the frozen goods. –  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   What problems, if any, do you see with each element of the strategy? Firs of all, The C ompany have not a power sure mission or any information that would suggest there was a formal setting of goals and objectives by the company. Second, there is no indication that any marketing research was conducted to either identify the need or the target segment of population. 3-  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to diagram and the amount of package number, to buy 11 Food, 13 pounds per week, 4-5 minimum freezer size , 4-5 Family size is the price of 958.These amounts are more convenient that the others for the company foods packages. 4-  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Based your analysis, what steps would you recommend that Christy take improve her marketing strategy and Smith’s performance? First, Christy is supposed to re-evaluate the needs, wants and demands of those members with buying power in the company’s geographic area of service delivery. This contribute the company with more a factual evaluation of whether or not the product she is making has a true growth potential. The company should modify and develop and advertising strategy to using the right

Analysis of mariama ba’s novel ‘so long a letter’

In some literary works the principal characters are portrayed through their relations with other protagonists. Such a tool of expression is specifically utilized by Mariama Ba in her famous novel So Long a Letter. Comparing Ramatoulaye with Aissatou, Binetou with Nabou and Modou with Mawdo, this Senegalese writer uncovers the identities of her characters, their personal characteristics and beliefs, motivations and social standing. The novel So Long a Letter is created in the form of a prolonged letter written by Ramatoulaye Fall to her close female friend Aissatou Ba. Applying to the letters of Ramatoulaye, the author reveals that recently she has lost her husband, Modou Fall, and in accordance with her Muslim religious beliefs, she has to spend much time in privacy. Ramatoulaye compares her fate with the fate of Aissatou; in fact, both women are betrayed by their husbands and have to adjust to polygamy. Ramatoulaye identifies herself with Aissatou, claiming that â€Å"we walked the same paths from adolescence to maturity, the past begets the present†¦ Yesterday you were divorced. Today I am a widow† (Ba 1). Both Ramatoulaye and Aissatou have received good education that allows them to strive for equality between men and women. Mariama Ba demonstrates that although these female characters are the victims of their religious beliefs and low social position, they are engaged in the struggle for personal freedom and independence of their country. On the other hand, the writer shows that Ramatoulaye and Aissatou act differently when they collide with the husbands’ betrayal; Aissatou decides to divorce her husband Mawdo Ba, while Ramatoulaye remains a second wife of her husband. In this regard, Ramatoulaye believes that it is necessary to unite some good old traditions of Muslims with the principles of personal freedom, while Aissatou rejects old customs, making an attempt to become fully independent and finding her new place of living in the United States. Thus, although Ramatoulaye and Aissatou have received similar education, share similar religious and political beliefs, they reveal different personal motivations and different family positions. They are both strong females, but they utilize different ways to cope with their personal tragedies. Comparing personal fates of Ramatoulaye and Aissatou, the writer simultaneously demonstrates a connection between Modou and Mawdo, the husbands of two female characters. Both Modou and Mawdo decide to take younger wives, fully ignoring the devotion of their first wives. These male characters treat females as their own properties, considering women lower to them. Modou goes even further than Mawdo, he not only abandons his wife with twelve children, but he also chooses a young female who is a close friend of his daughter. As a result, Modou is punished more than Mawdo; Modou dies because he deserves such a stroke of fate. Modou neglects his first family when he takes the second wife, greatly injuring Ramatoulaye, while Mawdo’s second marriage frees Aissatou and provides her with the possibility to find her true self. Ramatoulaye, belonging to a rather noble family, marries Modou, the member of the khaki-class, because she loves him. However, Modou forgets Ramatoulaye and her love, marrying Binetou and ignoring his role of a family defender. Describing Binetou, the author compares her with Aunty Nabou, mother-in-law of Aissatou. While Binetou is portrayed as a person who evokes much sympathy, Nabou is a woman who makes everything to preserve her high social position and who considers that â€Å"the first quality in a woman is docility† (Ba 29). Binetou is twice younger than her husband Modou, and Ramatoulaye claims that this innocent female will suffer much in due course. Ramatoulaye marries Modou for love, while Binetou performs the wish of her mother who considers that this marriage will provide the family with a good social position. But Binetou’s marriage to Modou ruins this female character. Nabou, who contributes much to Aissatou’s divorce, also hopes that this divorce will save her family. This woman is obsessed with social prejudices and regards Aissatou as inappropriate match to her son. As the writer states, Aunt Nabou â€Å"is a descendant of Bour-Sine. She lived in the past, unaware of a changing world† (Ba 26). Nabou identifies herself with her cast, being unable to resist its traditions and reveal her independence. In this regard, Nabou resembles Binetou who also fails to reject the dictated marriage, following the destructive path. Works Cited Ba, Mariama. So Long a Letter. London and Nairobi: Heinemann, 1981. Related essay: â€Å"Co Curricular Activities Letter†

Debate Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Debate Paper - Essay Example The certificate must bear the signature of a sole incorporator, whose main objective is to establish the corporation. The Articles generally specify the name of the business, the chosen capital stock structure, the objective of the corporation, and the formal location of the headquarters and agent(s) of the corporation. After all that, the sole incorporator should formalize the appointment of the initial company directors by signing a consent document. Corporations such as Food Mart Stores are normally established to advance the business interests of the shareholders and cushion them against any liability. As such Smith owes a duty to the company’s stakeholders: the investors, directors, employees, and Stone Hill customers. Nonetheless, he is confronted with a delicate situation that could see the company make more profits by opening a bigger store farther away for the neighborhood at the expense of the locals. Different ethical theories manifest in this case study with regard to the impending decision on whether or not to close the store. Firstly, utilitarian ethical principle focuses on implementing ethical decisions that would maximize the good or value within the society while ensuring that the end result harms as few individuals as possible (Shaw, 2010). In this case, two issues prop up in the analysis of the best utilitarian action that Smith should take: on the one hand, the geriatrics who cannot carry heavy loads over long distances on foot make up about 10 percent of the population. Moreover, the average income of the lower-end segment in the neighborhood population depending on the Food Mart Store is $15,000, a figure that is lower than that of the city residents. On the other hand, Food Mart Stores and Smith face a gloom future if no action is taken to expand the store for stocking of a wide range of goods. With a gross income of a paltry 2%, the corporation’s operations could grind to a halt if it heeded the cry of the local population advocating for the retaining of the status quo, or worse still, engage in a costly renovation exercise whose returns on investment would be too little to imagine. Moreover, the future of Smith at the helm of the company hangs on the balance as the level of profits generated by the corporation continues to decline. Having done adequate research on the positive prospects of opening a larger store stocked with a variety of goods, it is ethical of Smith to press for the closure of the two smaller stores in order to pave way for the establishment of a bigger one that would guarantee all the stakeholders better outcomes. In essence, the new store will provide low prices on goods for patrons; and ensure higher profitability and continued existence to the benefit of all the stakeholders. A utilitarian-driven action by Smith would definitely cause suffering to the old residents of Stone Hill, however their suffering would be insignificant because they are a paltry10 percent of the populatio n. The poorer residents have reasonable incomes (of $15,000) which would enable them to adjust if a new store was established a few miles away from the neighborhood. Secondly, a rights ethical principle comes to fore in this dilemma. It is premised upon the notion that all stakeholders in a company have rights which

How the eye is suited for the purpose of converting visible light into Essay - 1

How the eye is suited for the purpose of converting visible light into neural activity and how visual information is then conveyed to the visual cortex - Essay Example The paper will also highlight some of the challenges the eye faces while it performs its functions. The eye’s first adaptation to its interaction with light is referred to as the papillary light reflex. When responding to different levels of light, the rods and cons work independently but back up each other. This modus operandi espouses the eye’s adaptation to dark light.. While the rods are sensitive to light, they have the tendency to take a significant amount of time to adapt to darkness, in this case the rhodopsin, situated in the photoreceptors take full charge through photo bleaching. On the other hand, the regulation of the eye’s sensitivity eye’ s to light is espoused by the changes in the intracellular calcium ions. In order to adapt to light, the eye first adapts to the background so that it is capable of detecting and distinguishing the background objects; the entire process of adaption to light takes a period of approximately five minutes Whenever light is reflected on a surface or remitted from an object, the eye detects the light that first encounters the cornea; from here, it is then focussed to the lens. The lens in turn functions to vary the focus depending on the distance that exists between the eye and the object. The focal adjustment of the light by the lens is called accommodation. The lens alters its shape depending on the distance of the object; for objects that are distant, it elongates, flattens and pulls out whereas for objects that are close by, it only needs to assume its natural round shape for clear vision. The light first passes through the space between the cornea and the lens that is filled with fluid called aqueous humour. It consequently goes through the t pupil ‘s circular aperture that is surrounded by the iris diaphragm muscles prior to going through the lens (Jones, et al 2004). However, the quantity of light that passes through the pupil is determined by the pupil’s diameter a nd still goes ahead to be