Mythology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Mythology - Essay Example The Mayans associated creation with magic and divination, and regarded their gods and heroes as divine (â€Å"Mayan Mythology†). In addition, they believed that the present world was a recent creation, but would eventually be destroyed as it is on doomsday. The Mayans also believed in a universe that comprised of heavens and underworlds and the human world sandwiched between them (PaganSpace.net). In relation to the above, there are numerous descendants of the Mayan culture in the modern society mainly of the Hispanic descent. As such, I would expect the individuals to be highly superstitious and dedicated to their course. This is owing to the traditions held by their ancestors and culture that has been taught to them. However, with the expiry of the Mayan calendar it is expected that the culture will suffer a setback as their prediction of doomsday failed to pass. To the same effect, many may opt for alternative beliefs and cultures in an effort to substitute for their

Health Grades Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Health Grades - Essay Example In most cases, the costs are connected to the increase in patient care because of taking drugs for a long time, for instance, higher generation antibiotics. It results in drug resistance that calls for further therapies that increase the cost through diagnostic interventions and investigations (Singh, 2012). I agree with Lisa Jaycox about the significance of health grades report outcomes to a nurse practitioner. The report explains that it is critical for a health professional to apply the current evidence-based data to perform procedures. The use of up to date procedures minimizes the rates for mortality and complication. In addition, a health professional should refer patients to surgeons when necessary, for minimally invasive surgery option (Nickitas, Middaugh & Aries, 2009). In addition, the report shows that effective and timely care reduces cost and mortality rates in six illnesses. The efficient care comprises of children asthma, heart attack, pneumonia, surgical, heart failure and emergency care. Moreover, the report gives the cause of deaths, readmissions and complication within one month which includes hospital-acquired illnesses and conditions. From this perspective, a nurse practitioner can participate in system care enhancements and implement the concept of ‘form foll ows function’ (King & Gerard,

Effect of Metabolic Disorders on Rumen pH

Effect of Metabolic Disorders on Rumen pH The effect of metabolic disorders on rumen pH and production performance of Holstein dairy cows Ondrej HanuÃ… ¡ovskà ½1, Daniel Bà ­ro1, Milan Ã…  imko1, Branislav Gà ¡lik1, Miroslav Jurà ¡Ãƒâ€žÃ‚ ek1, Michal Rolinec1 Abstract The main goal of this research was to evaluate the health condition of dairy cows in relationship with milk production and milk composition using continuous monitoring boluses in cooperation with University Experimental farm in Oponice. Totally, 7 Holstein cows had implemented bolus for monitoring rumen pH and temperature every 15 minutes with accuracy  ± 0.1 pH and  °C. Milk production test-day records by Breeding Services of Slovakia, s. e. 5 times per each cow with bolus during 27 weeks of lactation were realised. Dairy cows were divided into three groups (NORMAL, SARA, KETOSIS) according to average daily pH. After that test-day records with the selected group were paired.   In the NORMAL group in comparison with the SARA group statistically significant higher pH by 9.81% (p

Otto Von Bismarck :: History People Historical Essays

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hamerow begins his introduction with a defense of the theory that history is determined by the great people of society or The Great Man Theory of history. He goes on to say that â€Å"They are the makers of the world in which we live. Otto Von Bismarck belongs in this Company.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The controversies surrounding his life still go on between historians today. He is portrayed as a destroyer of liberty and also as a compromiser of liberalism. Some see Bismarck as trying to preserve the old order of Europe. Bismarck worked against liberal plans for unification of Germany but stood proudly in the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles as the German Empire he helped to create was proclaimed. Bismarck as man and as statesman has been a point of interests for many history scholars’ interpretations. Bismarck’s empire lasted only 20 years after him. Bismarck believed that armed force was necessary in relations among governments – Blood and Iron his methods. Through three successful wars Bismarck united Germany. With the creation of the 2nd German Reich Germany become the strongest nation on the continent. After the union of the German states Bismarck became an outspoken activist for peace on the continent. Bismarck never succumbed to the te mptation of conquest. Bismarck led the German people to empire but is criticized by not training the nation in self-governing. Bismarck never talked about racial supremacy or unlimited conquest. He believed in a balance of power resting upon the existence of strong nation states. Introduction Evaluation   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hamerow’s introduction gives a very good foundation of German history and review of his and others thoughts on Bismarck. He sets up very well a good basis for what the rest of the book will be about. He puts out several different areas of consideration on Bismarck that will later be discussed in the book and keeps it interesting. A Country Squire   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At a young age Bismarck was more interested in his estates and farming than in politics. Even in his later years he kept watch over his estate in Vorzin. It was during these years that he learned to know the land and its people well. This knowledge was to aid him later in his political career. Much of his earlier life was spent on his lands and it is from here that he learned to love Germany. He believed later in life that it was country life that made people more practical and city life took away from life.

Representation of Sex and Gender in the Film Goldfinger Essay

â€Å"My Name is Bond, James Bond. † A film franchise that has spanned for a better part of this century has been engrained to generations, young, old, men and women. Bond’s suave outlook, dominating presence, and alluring sex appeal has engrained among generations how a man should conduct himself – a man’s man, and has also engrained the stereotype of how women are in this world. What are their roles, their functions and how should they be treated. In the years of the Bond movies, Bond has either pushed or represented the present times’ view on gender issues and relationships. When taken a closer look, it can be surmised that one can see the chronological progression of sex and gender issues and relationships when watching the entire 007 film franchise – how it has been in the past and how it has progressed. This paper aims to examine the existing on screen relationships within gender relations as depicted in James Bond movies. In particular, focus is given towards the women of James Bond in the various films of James Bond, especially those that are represented in the movie Goldfinger. On the other hand, focus will also be given on the variety of women shown in other James Bond movies and how they depict women and how they are able to represent the current culture towards interactions between women and men, and the roles they play in society. In addition, the paper also dips into how women represent the typical ‘Bond Girls’ and what role do they take in the plot of Bond movies. The study develops its arguments via a comprehensive discussion on the subject matter, utilizing cited references and integrating them with each other in order to churn out an effective analysis of the points of the study. Studies acquired for this research will be primarily acquired from UK sources but is not limited to and can acquire US/other sources as need be. There is no particular limit to the age of the publication, just as long as it is written based on the James Bond, the interpretation of women in these films, gender theory, and other studies that may be deemed necessary for the study. As a last point, a conclusion will be presented summarizing the key points of the paper. The methodology of acquiring the desired results will utilize qualitative analysis. The qualitative analysis presents an advantage as it adheres to the concept of individuality in terms that each person or group is expected to have varying interpretations of the situation that person or the group is immersed in. This provides for a more in-depth analysis for the study as the qualitative portion of the study focuses more on the inner psyche of the individual/group and acknowledges the point that individuals and groups have different opinions on the issue/topic. It is the responsibility then of the researcher to merge these existing thoughts into a cohesive interpretation that is representative of the entire subject base. James Bond and his counterparts My name is Bond, James Bond On hindsight, the variety of 007 films that was released over the years represent how majority of society (i. e. American and British society) sees masculinity and femininity and how it has progressed throughout the decades. Bond’s representation in Goldfinger presents the deepest and most innate desires of how men see themselves and how women want their men to see, act and feel. In addition to this, the personas portrayed by women acting in Goldfinger had presented the different variations of women in their time. Their On screen relationships with the secret agent project deep-seated cultural conventions that involves mainly romance and sexual interaction between men and women that add how bond films are able to provide a mirror image of cultural fantasies and realities of modern man and woman in film and in society. It can be said that the bond movie series has taken society by storm because of the reason that they have a similarity to human fantasies and wishful thinking. The movies in a way, has defined the dreams and paranoia a particular group of 007 fanatics and within a given timeline in history (Lindner, 2003). The characters played in 007 films feed on human fantasy components desired by humans on earth such as fast cars, hard alcoholic beverages, high stakes gambling, and powerful weaponry at a moment’s notice, handsome secret agents and beautiful women at their side. When the movies were first released at 1962 onwards, 007 had appeared on the silver screen with an average of two years per interval. Sean Connery filled up the role as James Bond in the movie Goldfinger, keeping in mind how Ian Fleming had envisioned James Bond in real life. His suave attire and commanding look, although was totally different as that of a real-life spy, tapped into the imagination and perception of people at that time on how a spy or a secret should look and feel. On the other hand, following Dalton’s depiction, there was a gap of six years while Bond’s representation was re-developed and reconstructed for the 1990s post Cold War political climate in Britain and the U. S. In mid 1994, the actor Pierce Brosnan was identified to take over the role of 007 (Brosnan, 1995). But even with these changes occurring, the secret agent that is James Bond has essentially remained unswerving all throughout the movies series history (more than 40 years). The secret agent has never aged, never gotten seriously injured, never stopped drinking and more importantly has never stopped chasing the opportunity to be intimate with a sexiest and coincidentally the most intelligent women around. James Bond has become the quintessential suave secret agent, completely opposite as that of real-life secret agents, dry wit and capable intelligence officer serving for king and country. On the other hand, categorization of James Bond has naturally varied from actor to actor during the entire 40 year history and has mainly been coupled with the current social and political climates and values of the times (Lindner, 2003).

Essay Football vs Rugby

Ricardo Pardey ID 596397911 Second Essay February 15, 2013 Football Vs. Rugby When I was a senior in high school, I played on my school’s rugby team. It was really excite and funny while I played almost all weekend even though it is not popular in Colombia. But then when I came to the United States, it catch my attention that everybody likes and watches Football and it made me contrast these two aggressive sports Rugby and Football. These two sports are almost the same, for example the object of both games is score points by carrying the ball beyond the possessive touchline and the ball has a prolonged spheroid shape.Even though they are similar in some aspects, the first big difference is related with the source. Rugby proceeds from England and Football from the USA. Because of their foundation, many small differences have been created that show the importance of the characteristics of the society and their impact on sports. First started with Football, this sport was created in the United State, which impacted the characteristics of the game. The major league of this sport is called the National Football League (NFL), and the major tournament is the Super Bowl.The rules of the game are; the game is formed by four 15-minute quarters with a half-time intermission, which shows that in the American mindset, it is better a lot of short times than a few very long halves. The field must had 120 yards long by 53. 3 yards wide, based on the measuring system used there. The ball is a prolonged spheroid, which is about 11 inches long and 22 inches in circumference and it, weight around 0. 875 lbs, to make the balloon aerodynamic so that it can travel longs distances. Each competitor must use helmets and padding during the game.The name of the things change, for example when you made a goal in Rugby it is called Try and in Football, touch down. Showing that the team can make unlimited substitution in each game but always having 11 players on the field, showing tha t in America the people believe that when anything stop working a hundred percent, it must be replaced by new ones One of the huge differences between Rugby and Football is that the number of substitutions that can be done by the coach in each game thanks to English cultural influence is 7.The other high-contact sport is Rugby, which was created in England. The major Tournament is the World Cup (Rugby Union) and the most known League is the Super 15; but there are a lot of leagues all over the world, among them are Aviva Prem, top 14, and in an international level NSW suburb rugby; Showing that the people play this sport all over the world not like Football, which is played only in a part of North America. The rules of this sport state that the ball must have the international 5 size, that means 27 cm long and 60 cm in circumference with a weigh around 1lb.The fields have 120 meters long by 70 meters wide according to the metric system. On the field there must be situated only 15 pl ayers. They play two halves of 40 minutes with a ten-minute half time. The additional difference is the size of the player, as they don’t use helmets or any other equipment except a mouth guard. They have wider backs, being the thinnest player just 81kg and the heaviest 201. 7kg. The name of a goal is Trying and after made a point one player kicks the ball between the goal posts to win more points.After seeing the specific characteristic of both sport and the reason why they have these differences, to summarize, Rugby and American Football are two sports with intense physical aggression and the same goal: carrying the ball beyond the opponents touch line and kicking the ball between the goal post after they make the point. Even though they are parallel in some aspects; there are differences based on the source, such as the size of the ball, the field and the players, the length of the game and the number of substitutions permitted per team.In my personal experience, the place where the sport is created has a huge relation with the characteristics of the game. Because for example as football was created in the US the people over there like it because it is according to their characteristics; however, in the opposite side if a sport was created in a different country and the people want to play it, they will face some things can be consider whether not loved and strange, since recreation with Rugby in Colombia is not popular.

10 Signs You Shouldnt Take the Job

10 Signs You Shouldnt Take the Job You’ve been searching and searching and finally you find yourself with a job offer in hand. Trouble is, there are a few red flags. How do you know when you should really turn a job down instead of taking it? Remember: you’ll spend a significant chunk of your adult life at work. You might as well not be miserable. Here are ten ways to tell if you should pass and hold out for something better:1. Unprofessional/Untimely CommunicationIf your perfectly reasonable emails with questions go consistently unanswered. If you receive communications that are not clear, thorough, or respectful. If appointments or interviews are cancelled at the last minute without explanation or apology. If your questions are dodged or not answered to your satisfaction†¦ None of this bodes well. If a company can’t get it together in the hiring process, chances are the job itself will be even more frustrating.2. Ghost companyYou’ve Googled and Googled and you still can’t find any substantive information about the company. Or worse- what information you can’t find is bad or negative press. Or bad Yelp reviews! Or worst- bad reviews from former employees. One or two outliers shouldn’t be a big deal; but consistently negative information? Run.3. Aggressive InterviewerIf your interviewer starts giving you the hard sell and trying to convince you to take the job on the spot, that’s not a great sign. It smacks of desperation. Similarly if a recruiter tries to push you in the direction of a particular job. No job is immediately perfect without going through the proper process. And you can always take time to think it over and say no.4. TurnoverYou’re looking at an old company, but none of the employees have been there for more than a year. Ask yourself why the company has such a hard time keeping good people on long term? This is especially true if your interviewer starts badmouthing her current team.5. Repeat AdsYou keep seeing the same job posting popping up on job sites. Over and over again. This is never a good sign.6. Asks for moneyAs outlandish as this sounds, it does happen, and you should be wary of it. If anyone asks for money for background checks or training, just cut and run.7. Defeated workersIs the climate in the office chilly, doomy, or gloomy? Do all the employees look hunched over and defeated? Read their body language and the energy in the room. Does it look like they want to be there?8. No path forwardThere’s no mention of how you might grow into and beyond your position. Don’t let yourself get stuck in a dead end job. Similarly, if there’s no clear description of the job’s duties or your role. If they can’t tell you what success would look like in your position, it will be impossible for you to succeed in such a place.9. Bad bossHonor that feeling in your gut that says you just don’t like your potential supervisor. Either they don’t seem to t rust you or you get a bad vibe from them. Trust this instinct and save yourself months or years of unhappiness.10. Instant hireBe wary of any company that wants to hire you on the spot without calling any of your references or doing a background check. It could just be a super casual company policy, or it could speak of desperation on the employer’s part. Which, again, is never a good sign.

buy custom The Law of Contract essay

buy custom The Law of Contract essay The capacity of either the natural or artificial person in contracts determines whether they have the ability to enter into legally binding contracts. If a contract is made with a person with legal incapacity, the contract is voidable at the option of the person who had the incapacity at the time of entering into the contract. Legal incapacity is seen when dealing with minors and with people who are not mentally competent to know the legal implications that the contract will have on their rights at the time of signing the contract (Koffman and Macdonald 466).. A Legally binding contract cannot occur when a person enters into a contract with a person whom it should have been obvious that they did not have the capacity t contract such a s when a person is obviously drunk. Since Joe was evident to sue that Joe was completely drunk when he entered the contract, she has no claim over him. Joe would argue temporary insanity and unless he ratifies the contract when he was sober, the contract is voidable Minors are obliged by the sale of goods Act to pay for necessities (goods necessary for the survival of the minor). However, the Act protects minors from exorbitant prices by requiring that they pa only a reasonable price for the necessity. Jean cannot disaffirm the contract. The courts will have her pay the reasonable price of eighty dollars for the coat. When minors enter into contracts for the supply of non necessaries, they are not bound by the contract and can disaffirm such contracts when they are still minors. If they want to reaffirm the contract after turning eighteen, the must do so within reasonable time after turning eighteen. Willy affirmed the contract by conduct when he made payments for the car and went back for repairs. He is incapable of disaffirming the contract. Minors are legally bound by contracts that when taken as a whole are beneficial to them such as contracts for apprenticeship and education. In this case, the minor will be required to pay the fees for the services given out. Chris can sue for a refund of the money for the money for the services that the company had not already offered. The infants relief Act says that all the contracts for the supply of goods to minors other than necessities is void. For the contracts to be binding on the minor, the nature of the goods is considered when a seller tries to enforce such a contract. The seller must proof that the goods that they supplied are a necessary for the way of life of the minor since they will only be able to claim from the minor only that part of the supply that is necessary. When two intoxicated persons enter into a contract for the sale of an item, the contract will not be enforceable since they lacked the legal capacity to contract. In this case, the courts will look at the intent of the persons to be legally bound. In deciding such cases, the court will also seek to protect the incapacitated person without punishing the other party to the contract. If Taylor and Nate enter into the contract when both of them were in a state where both could reasonably judge the ramifications that their actions had at the time of agreeing the contract. Nate can escape liability if he proves he has a history of drunkenness. Marylyn will win in the case. When an adult enters into a contract with a minor, the infant can either do his part of contract or request that the courts void it. As a general rule, a person who enters into a contract with a minor does it in their own peril. Voiding a contract is wholly at the discretion of the minor and the other party is therefore liable for default. Buy custom The Law of Contract essay

Analysis of Odysseus in the Odyssey by Homer

Your wisdom may allow you to go further in your life. In Odyssey's poem written by Homer, Odysseus is the hero. He is a young man looking for his house in Ithaca. At the end of a long journey, he spent about 20 years looking for family and friends. On a long journey, Odysseus showed how crucial he is intelligent by fighting incredible stuff through the story. On the land of the deceased, Odysseus proved that he only decided to go there. Homer's Odyssey: Penelope and Odysseus Homer clarified the inner idea of ​​the character to increase the suspense established in the Odyssey vol.19 and 20 volumes. I doubt whether Odysseus is accepted by Penelope and whether this will help to increase the strength of the story. Joseph Russo mentioned this topic Interview and Its Consequences: Dreams, Fantasies and Intuitions to Odyssey 19 and 20. The lie Odysseus said increased the excitement of Odyssey again. - Odysseus, Telemacos, Penelope, and the pursuers all demonstrated the develop ment of the Jurassic to achieve Cleo in their lifetime journey or to live in their society. Odysseus, Telemacos, Penelope are based on a journey to Creos, but without Odysseus, Penelope does not believe that she is invalid. Telemachus spent his entire life in the palace until the early twenties, but he has not yet begun a harvest trip. The importance of Homer 's Odyssey Odyssey character is that it is king of Ithaca Odesseus. Odysseus fought in the Trojan horse war and triumph. He went to Ithaca but he did not arrive because he did not approve Poseidon. Over the years, Odysseus was in the sea and experienced many adventures. At the same time, the follower tried to marry Odysseus' wife, Penelope, but she remained faithful to her husband. - Odyssey: discovery of life Homer 's Odyssey can be regarded as one of the best epics ever. The Odysseus trip to return to China has become a trial of himself. Faithfulness, faithfulness, and perseverance can only be found based on life experiments. Homer's craftsmanship is so deep that the themes found in the poem still relate to today's people. Odyssey is truly genetic, as Odyssey's character, his morality, and his views are still admired today. The unification of Homer Odyssey at Homer's epic Odyssey, the theme is the unity of the family as Odysseus returned home and tried to recombine his wife and son. Through the Odyssey, we saw family examples: good families and prosperous families. Telemakhos strives to be a man and Odysseus struggles at home, he emphasizes the concept of healthy family life. - In an epidemic of the Odyssey of ancient Greece, Odyssey was a long-awaited process of returning from his Trojan horse to his hometown Ithaca after the heroic Odysseus of the decade. Odyssey's current business accounts for the last six weeks of the decade, and its story includes Olympus, Ithaca, Piros, Ferrer, Sparta, Odysia, and many places of Sheria.

Public Healthcare Campaign Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Public Healthcare Campaign - Essay Example The need to terminate obesity within the American society is the justification for the Task Force on Childhood Obesity that was createdby President Barack Obama. The task force is aimed at reducing the rate of childhood obesity to 5%. The state of Virginia has demonstrated active initiatives for the prevention of obesity through health promotions rather than short time fixes that may fail over time (Mehta & Chang, 2011). Among the activities of the task force is to promote healthy eating among young people and counseling them. The overweight and obesity rates tripled between 1990 and 2004 with more than 30% of adolescents in the state fated for obesity (Thompson, 2010). This is the major motivation for the need of the state to improve the health of children and adolescents. Nonetheless, the initiatives for the prevention of obesity would be predictably expensive. This part of the paper gives a critical analysis and discussion of the target population of the obesity prevention initiat ive, response, leadership roles, economic factors, and the role of social marketing in ensuring that the initiative is successful in meeting its objectives and goals. At the national level, the Let’s Move Campaign against obesity targets parents, children, mayors, governors, educators, food manufacturers, and school nutritional leaders. These groups make up the population that the national campaign of childhood obesity targets. Nonetheless, the target population is likely to differ within the state of Virginia as compared to the national population that the campaign targets (Mehta & Chang, 2011). The definition of the role of each of the groups who play a role in the prevention of obesity varies from state to state and nationally. The role by the target population varies in definition because of the differences in the levels of obesity between various states (Ambinder, 2010). The main goal of the Let’s Move campaign is to end childhood obesity, whichis describedas a na tional epidemic. However, the initiatives implementedin each of the states would vary, depending on the seriousness of the problem, its prevalence, and mortality rates. Additionally, the initiatives that each state uses to combat obesity depend on the level of the problem within the state and the views of the leaders of that state. Even though there are many interpretations within each state, most have moved from short term approaches of solving the problem of obesity to long- term programs to end obesity. The objective of the Let’s Move Campaign could be defined differently within the state of Virginia. This is because the state has unique bills introduced by the House and Senate that define the approaches used to prevent the incidence of obesity among young people. Additionally, the Let’s Move campaign would be aided by the various school and community programs, which are designedto solve the problem of obesity (Estabrooks, Fisher & Hayman, 2008). The approaches of t hese programs would be different even if they are drivena common goal. It is in this regard that it would be said that the role of the various stakeholders in childhood obesity prevention would be defined differently between the national level and within the state of Virginia. Furthermore, the food manufacturers within the state

Relevance of exchange rates in monetary policy making Essay

Relevance of exchange rates in monetary policy making - Essay Example These actions may include increasing bank interest rates or decreasing the supply of money in the economy. The chief aims of such monetary policy are currency stability or price stability, achieving full employment and economic prosperity of a nation (Zettelmeyer & Zettelmeyer, 2003). Monetary policy rests on the correlation between interest rates of an economy and the total supply of money in the economy. It is natural that governments play a primary role in economic growth and stability through monetary policy especially in small rich economies. By creating monetary policies, central banks can influence the intensity of the supply of money on credit in the economy and, therefore, minimize extreme price fluctuations and improve economic growth. This control is made easier through clear knowledge of the monetary exchange rate that a country chooses to adopt (Jung, Choi & Jung, 2003). Relevance of exchange rates in monetary policy making Concisely, exchange rate refers to the rate at which one country’s money can be changed for another, that is, the price of one country’s currency in another country’s currency. Exchange rate is used when converting one currency to another or for engaging in foreign exchange market. The factors that influence exchange rates include political stability, inflation and interest rates. Nevertheless, exchange rate can, by itself, influence certain factors such as inflation and policy formulation and implementation (Ireland, 2008). For small economies and certain medium ones that are still very open to capital flows and trade, any changes in the value of exchange rate have a vital influence on the real economy or inflation. For successful pursuit of macro-economic stability and achievement of sustainable growth, prudent choices of exchange rate regime and appropriate policies are imperative (Ireland, 2008). The exchange rate and price stability of a nation's monetary value define its economy. Iceland, for example, although is a small country, has enjoyed a long period of stability of economic prosperity with unemployment falling to near zero level. Iceland is an ideal and extreme example of a small open economy. Iceland has a population of 300,000 with a GDP of 8.5 billion USD. Like other economies, Iceland also faces trade and economic problems such as market fluctuations and terms of trade that makes it vulnerable. However, Iceland is endowed with a huge chunk of natural resources with a highly educated labor force and well established economic policies. The paramount indicator of stern overheating of an economy is inflation and Iceland picked it (Breedon, Petursson, & Rose, 2011). However, the key to controlling inflation is good management of the exchange rate and its coordination with fiscal policy (Jung, Choi & Jung, 2003). Several available models of exchange-rate determination entail an unambiguous effect of monetary policy. According to Argy, Grauwe and Polak (1990), this is explaine d in terms of money aggregates on the exchange rate where any increased rate of monetary growth in one country, against the surroundings of a stable claim for money tends to decline the nominal exchange rate. Most theoretical models predict that, in the end, an increase in one country’s money growth wholly reflects in the price level with the relative increment in the latter counteracted by depreciation of the exchange rate. When implementing a monetary policy care must be taken to ensure that the taxpayers do not lose much of their money (Zettelmeyer & Zettelmeyer, 2003). In the long run, countries with moderately rapid money expansion will lean towards having high nominal interest rates, as well as high inflation. However, in short

Public Relation Crisis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Public Relation Crisis - Essay Example This discussion will critically analyze the two cases chosen for depicting the PR crisis and how PR crisis impacts the overall reputation of the firm. The analysis will be done on the basis of how the companies were impacted due to the PR crisis. As the essay stresses that Public Relation is defined as the process of managing and controlling the inflow and outflow of information between an organization, an individual and the public. It is basically an approach by which organizations try to gain exposure to their target addressees by employing topics of public interest and spreading some zesty news. The primary rationale behind practising public relation is to convince the investors, employees, partners, customers, and stakeholders about the company’s products, political decision and leadership activities. Some of the evident ways by which the practise of public relation can be portrayed are winning industry awards, working closely with the press, speaking at meeting or confere nce, and employee communication. In the present business environment, importance of public relation has been like never before. Public relation is now treated as one of the most vital management disciplines. This paper explores that a crisis generally descends without any warning. It does not even give time to take any kind of precautionary measures. A crisis suddenly expands hysterically leaving hardly any chances for an immediate recovery. Moreover it disrupts the business transactions and at times intimidates the survival of an organization. ... In the present business environment, importance of public relation has been like never before. Public relation is now treated as one of the most vital management disciplines. Moreover, if properly practised public relation can play a crucial role in maintaining a sound relationship with the internal and external stakeholders of the company. The support is also important to meet the goals and objectives of the organization. In general public relation is a mere communication activity, that put emphasis on the two way communication process. Therefore it is way by which a mutual understanding between the organization, its stakeholders and the customers is established (Kitchen, 1997, p.8). Public Relation Crisis: A Brief Overview A crisis generally descends without any warning. It does not even give time to take any kind of precautionary measures. A crisis suddenly expands hysterically leaving hardly any chances for an immediate recovery. Moreover it disrupts the business transactions and at times intimidates the survival of an organization (Fearn-Banks, 2010, p.2). Some of the example of PR crisis includes Johnson & Johnson's cyanide-laced Tylenol capsules, PepsiCo's can tamper rumours, Texaco's racial discrimination lawsuit, Odwalla Foods' apple juice E-Coli outbreak, Cadbury's worm infested candy bars, JetBlue's week-long operational breakdown and The Red Cross' rogue tweet among many others. Public relation crisis is some time referred to as the communication crisis from the organizational context of view. However it is also important to overcome the issue effectively. It can be done by adopting sound crisis management techniques. Some of the ways by which the challenge can be faced are

Evian Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Evian - Essay Example Various film actors and celebrities have participated in the ads as well as designing of the bottle for Evian at different times. An example is Sebastian Siegel, the film actor who was painted by Joanne Gair to look like a stone (Vaidyan, 2012). The particular target audience of Evian bottled water are young rich people. As it is essentially a luxury mineral water brand and advertises its product through young, famous, and rich celebrities, consumers of Evian typically belong to the high class society. â€Å"With evian firmly established in the tennis world through its global brand ambassador Maria Sharapova, and ongoing sponsorship of The Championships, Wimbledon, activity during The Championships needed to reflect the iconicity of the brand† (Gorkana Group, 2013). As per the findings of the consumer research, the target audience of Evian read the fashion and style magazines regularly (Gorkana Group, 2013). Evian is particularly popular among people who are well-informed on what is in

Managerial roles and responsibilities Coursework

Managerial roles and responsibilities - Coursework Example It is their responsibility to ensure that there is an effective flow of information in the healthcare system. They must, therefore, ensure that the equipment and design are efficient enough. A healthcare delivery CIO must be innovative and be able to design and implement the innovation process. This way, they can influence the other healthcare executives (Ball et al. (2013). When the CIO is innovative, the rest will have to follow suit in order to produce good results. A healthcare CIO has the responsibility to oversee the handling of all the data in the healthcare delivery system. This is a huge responsibility considering there is a lot of data to handle in this sector. This includes the medical care data, patient self-service applications as well as other medical uses around the hospital. CIOs are, therefore, required to work together with other stakeholders in order to be successful. Ball, et al. (2013) insist that a CIO takes into account the management of the population health, ensuring that all patients are taken care of appropriately and also in the individual level where each patient experiences an improved service delivery through IT. Additionally, A the CIO ensures that there is a reduction readmission procedure where real-time data is

SUMMARY ON USING OUR GES TO PREDICT OLYMPIC MEDALS Speech or Presentation

SUMMARY ON USING OUR GES TO PREDICT OLYMPIC MEDALS - Speech or Presentation Example When there are more participants there is also high medal attainment. Basing on the medal determining factors mentioned we can generate an accuracy GES mathematical model to predict the medals. We choose to use a scale of ten to rate different countries in terms of political stability, incomes, economic development, technology and population. The country with high overall rating will attain highest medals. Example in table form is ; From the above explanation we can state the model as medals earned is directly proportional to overall development. Medal ratio = (political stability + incomes + economic development+ technology + population) / 5. China and Great Britain were highly missed and I think this is due to their huge population which gives a high expectation of participants. The pitfalls in this prediction GES is the technology which has little effect in the athletics

Managerial roles and responsibilities Coursework

Managerial roles and responsibilities - Coursework Example It is their responsibility to ensure that there is an effective flow of information in the healthcare system. They must, therefore, ensure that the equipment and design are efficient enough. A healthcare delivery CIO must be innovative and be able to design and implement the innovation process. This way, they can influence the other healthcare executives (Ball et al. (2013). When the CIO is innovative, the rest will have to follow suit in order to produce good results. A healthcare CIO has the responsibility to oversee the handling of all the data in the healthcare delivery system. This is a huge responsibility considering there is a lot of data to handle in this sector. This includes the medical care data, patient self-service applications as well as other medical uses around the hospital. CIOs are, therefore, required to work together with other stakeholders in order to be successful. Ball, et al. (2013) insist that a CIO takes into account the management of the population health, ensuring that all patients are taken care of appropriately and also in the individual level where each patient experiences an improved service delivery through IT. Additionally, A the CIO ensures that there is a reduction readmission procedure where real-time data is

The Rabies Virus Essay Example for Free

The Rabies Virus Essay 2.The rabies virus is in the family Rhabdoviridae in the Mononegavirale order of viruses. The rabies virus is usually bullet-shaped and is made of a long single-stranded spiral chain of RNA. The virus envelope is made of matrix protein and is studded with glycoproteins. 3.People usually contract rabies after they are bitten by an animal that has been infected with the rabies virus, though it has been shown that in rare cases rabies can infect people who just touch infected animals. The virus spreads from the site of the bite. The rabies virus attacks nerve cells in the body, because the immune system doesn’t check nerve cells as frequently as other cells. After a while, the rabies virus reaches the spinal, a large of complex of nerves leading to the brain. Once the virus is in the brain, it finds a nerve cell and uses its glycoproteins to attach to the membrane. The virus is then brought into the nerve cell by pinocytosis. After the virus enters the nerve cell, it usually moves through the cytoplasm and hijacks the free ribosomes. The virus instructs the ribosomes to produce copies of itself. The copies leave the brain and travel down through the nerves to the salivary glands, where the virus waits for the person to bite something else, so that the virus will again be transmitted. 4.Although the rabies virus can infect all warm-blooded mammals, it mostly affects raccoons, particularly on the East Coast. In the United States, cases of human rabies are increasingly rare, but some do occur. Living in a developing country increases your risk of getting rabies. People who work near animals are also more likely to get the virus. Finally, recent wounds to the head and neck are thought to increase the rate at which the rabies virus moves to the brain. 5.Symptoms of rabies include fever, headache, agitation, anxiety, confusion, difficulty swallowing water, excessive salivation (foaming at the mouth), hydrophobia due to the difficulty of swallowing water, hallucinations, insomnia, and partial paralysis. Symptoms of rabies often do not appear until many days after the bite. 6.If you have been vaccinated for the rabies virus, you are in no danger if an animal bites you. Even if you have not been vaccinated, if you are given the vaccine before the symptoms of rabies starts to appear, you will still be alright. However, once the symptoms start to appear, the patient usually dies, most often from respiratory failure. For this reason, rabies is very dangerous. 7.Once you have contracted rabies, you should rapidly be given a form of post-exposure vaccine. This vaccine consists of two parts, one being a dead form of the rabies virus and the other containing human rabies immune globlin, which fights the disease in the body until your own antibodies are produced. It is important to note that if you are showing serious symptoms of the disease (such as hallucinations and hypersalivation) this treatment will have no effect and you will most likely die.

History Of Music An Overview

History Of Music An Overview The definition of music is defined in many ways; Websters definition is as follows an art of sound in time that expresses ideas and emotions in significant forms through the elements of rhythm, melody, or harmony. There are many theories regarding when and where music formed. Many agree that music began even before man existed. Researchers point out that there are six periods of music and each period has a certain style of music that made what music is today. Here are some resources for you to better understand the history of music. (Estrella 2001) Music is traced back as far as ancient Israel a thousand years before Christ; King David composed and sang hundreds of songs called psalms. A few of them are written in the old testament in the book of Psalms. But music as we know it now, as having structure and form, may have begun in the 10th century with the Gregorian chants. These songs were organized and detailed with soloists and small groups singing distinctive parts. The music we are more in common with began around the year 1200 and soon after, troubadours singing folk music starting to appear in parts of Europe. The appearance of composers, made music, and the creation of the instruments such as the piano and lute. (Ezine Articles 2005) The years 1750 to 1820 is known as the Classical period with the piano being a composers instrument of choice. Mozart wrote his first symphony, Bach performed in London, and Beethoven was finally born. Many of the symphonies we enjoy today were written during this time. Music has truly evolved since this period though. In 1900, a man named Scott Joplin had composed and published the Maple Leaf Rag, an event many see as the beginnings of the music we know today as popular music. Soon after, new musical forms were taking hold. Jazz in the 1930s (Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday), big band music in the 1940s (Tommy Dorsey, Duke Ellington), and rock-and-roll (Elvis Presley, Chuck Barry) in the 1950s. Other countries (most notably France and Spain) were creating their own popular music during this time. (Ezine 2005) The three time periods I want to focus on is Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Contemporary. This is all known to us to day as Opera, RB, Rock, Hip Hop, Soul, etc. Music has been around for years and can be broken down into many stages or cycles. People everywhere all over the world make their own style of music. Every genre, sound, melody is different in some way. When we look at the medieval music, we are dealing with the longest and most distant period of musical history. Saint Gregory is credited with organizing the huge repertory of chant that developed during the first centuries of the Christian church, hence the term Gregorian chant. He was pope from 590 to 604, and the medieval era continued into the 1400s, so this period consists of music. One of the principal difficulties in studying medieval music is that a system for notating music developed only gradually. The first examples of musical notation date from around 900. For several centuries, notation only indicated what pitch to sing. The system for notating rhythm started in the 12th or 13th century. Gregorian chant is monophonic, meaning music that consists of only one melodic line without accompaniment. The beauty of chant lies in the serene, undulating shapes of its melody. We do not know who wrote the melodies of Gregorian chant. Like folk melodies, the music probably mutated as it was passed down through generations and eventually reached its notated form. Polyphony, music where two or more melodic lines are heard simultaneously, did not exist (or was not notated) until the 11th century. Unlike chant, polyphony required the participation of a composer to combine the melodic lines in a pleasing manner. Although most medieval polyphonic music is anonymousthe names of the composers were either lost or never written down at allthere are composers whose work was so important that their names were preserved along with their music. (Ezine 2005) Renaissance is reflected by the changing role of the composer in society. Unlike most of their medieval times, the great masters of the Renaissance were created in their own lifetimes. The technique of printing music, while slow to evolve, helped in the preservation and distribution of music and musical ideas. Sacred music was still predominant, though other music became more prevalent and more sophisticated. The repertory of instrumental music also began to expand significantly. New instruments were invented, including the clavichord and virginal and many existing instruments were improved. Masses and motets were the primary forms of sacred vocal polyphony. Other vocal forms included motets, madrigals and songs (generally accompanied by lute or a small instrumental ensemble or consort). Instrumental pieces were usually short polyphonic works or music for dancing. (Ezine 2005) Compared with the medieval style, Renaissance polyphony was lush and sonorous. The era between Josquin Desprez and Palestrina is known as the golden age of polyphony. Imitationwhere one melodic line shares, or imitates the same musical theme as a previous melodic linebecame an important polyphonic technique. Imitation was one method composers used to make complex music more easily comprehensible and give the listener a sense of structure. Imitative polyphony can be heard in the masses and motets of composers from Josquin onward and is featured in instrumental music by Byrd, Gibbons, and the Gabriellis. Baroque music is often highly ornate, colorful and richly textured when compared with its predecessors. Opera was born at what is considered to be the very beginning of the Baroque era, around 1600. This unique form combines poetry, theater, the visual arts and music. It came about because a group of Italian intellectuals wanted to recapture the spirit of ancient Greek drama in which music played a key role. The first great opera was Orfeo, by Claudio Monteverdi, first performed in 1607. Musics ability to express human emotions and depict natural phenomenon was explored throughout the Baroque period. Vivaldis famous set of concertos, The Four Seasons, is a famous example. Although imitative polyphony remained fundamental to musical composition, homophonic writing became increasingly important. Homophonic music features a clear distinction between the melody line and a subsidiary accompaniment part. This style was important in opera and other solo vocal music because it focused the li steners attention on the expressive melody of the singer. The homophonic style gradually became prevalent in instrumental music as well. (Ezine 2005) Many Baroque works include a continuo part in which a keyboard (harpsichord or organ) and bass instrument (cello or bassoon) provide the harmonic underpinning of chords that accompanies the melodic line. New polyphonic forms were developed, and as in the Renaissance, composers considered the art of counterpoint (the crafting of polyphony) to be essential to their art. Canons and fugues, two very strict forms of imitative polyphony, were extremely popular. Composers were even expected to be able to improvise complex fugues on a moments notice to prove their skill. The orchestra evolved during the early Baroque, starting as an accompanist for operatic and vocal music. By the mid-1600s the orchestra had a life of its own. The concerto was a favorite Baroque form that featured a solo instrumentalist (or small ensemble of soloists) playing against the orchestra, creating interesting contrasts of volume and texture. Many Baroque composers were also virtuoso performers. For example, Archang elo Corelli was famous for his violin playing and Johann Sebastian Bach was famous for his keyboard skills. The highly ornamented quality of Baroque melody lent itself perfectly to such displays of musical dexterity. (Grieg 2002) The word Classical has strong meaning, mixed with the art and Philosophy of Ancient Greece and Rome, along with their ideals of disciplined expression. The late Braque was complex and melodically different. The composers of the early Classical period changed direction, writing music that was much simpler to understand. Homophony music, another part of classical music in which melody and charm are distinct, and has dominated the Classical style is another form of classical music. New forms of composition were developed to accommodate the transformation. Santana Form is the most important of these forms, and one that continued to evolve throughout the Classical period. Although Baroque composers also wrote pieces called sonatas, the Classical sonata was different. The essence of the Classical Sonata is difficult to understand. A highly simplified example of such a conflict might be between two themes of contrasting character. (Grieg 2002) This contrast would be found during the course of the sonata, and then resolved. Sonata form allowed composers to give pure instrumental music recognizable dramatic shape. Every major form of the Classical era, including the string quartet, symphony and concerto was molded on the dramatic structure of the sonata. One of the most important developments of the Classical period is the growth of the public concert. Although the aristocracy would continue to play a significant role in musical life, it was now possible for composers to survive without being the employee of one person or family. This also meant that concerts were no longer limited to palace drawing rooms. Composers organized concerts featuring their own music, and attracted large audiences. The increasing popularity of the public concert had a strong impact on the growth of the orchestra. Although chamber music and solo works were played in the home or other intimate settings, orchestral concerts seemed to be naturally designed for big public spaces. As a result, symphonic music composers gradually expanded the size of the orchestra to accommodate this expanded musical vision. (Grieg 2002) Just as the word Classical conjures up certain images, Romantic music also does the same. Whether we think of those romance novels with the Romanticism implies fantasy and sensuality. The Classical period focused on emotional restraint. Classical music was expressive, but not so passionate that it could overwhelm the work Beethoven, who was in some ways responsible for igniting the flame of romanticism, always struggled (sometimes unsuccessfully) to maintain that balance. (Greig 2002) Many composers of the Romantic period followed Beethovens model and found their own balance between emotional intensity and Classical form. Others reveled in the new atmosphere of artistic freedom and created music whose structure was designed to support its emotional surges. Musical story-telling became important, and not just in opera, but in pure instrumental music as well. The tone-poem is a particularly Romantic invention, as it was an orchestral work whose structure was entirely dependent on the scene being depicted or the story being told. Color was another important feature of Romantic music. A large palette of musical colors was necessary to depict the exotic scenes that became so popular. In addition to seeking out the sights and sounds of other places, composers began exploring the music of their native countries. Nationalism became a driving force in the late Romantic period and composers wanted their music to express their cultural identity. This desire was particularly intense in Russia and Eastern Europe, where elements of folk music were incorporated into symphonies, tone-poems and other Classical forms. (Wagner 1999) The Romantic period was the days of the virtuoso. Gifted performers and particularly pianists, violinists, and singers became enormously popular. Liszt, the great Hungarian pianist/composer, reportedly played with such passion and intensity that woman in the audience would faint. Since, like Liszt, most composers were also virtuoso performers, it was inevitable that the music they wrote would be extremely challenging to play. The Romantic period witnessed a glorification of the artist whether musician, poet or painter that has had a powerful impact on our own culture. (Wagner 1999) This style of music became known as being romantic. The evolution of music is at least partly shaped by the influence one composer has on another. These influences are not always positive, however. Sometimes composers react against the music of their recent past (even though they might admire it) and move in what seems to be the opposite direction. For example, the simplified style of the early Classical period was almost certainly a reaction to the extreme intricacies of the late Baroque. The late Romantic period featured its own extremes: sprawling symphonies and tone-poems overflowing with music that seemed to stretch harmony and melody to their limits. It is certainly possible to view some early 20th century music as an extension of the late Romantic style, but a great deal of it can also be interpreted as a reaction against that style. 20th century music is a series of isms and neo-isms. The primal energy of Stravinskys Rite of Spring has been called neo-Primitivism. The intensely emotional tone of Schà ¶nbergs early music has b een labeled Expressionism. The return to clearly structured forms and textures has been dubbed neo-Classicism. (R. Strauss) These terms have been employed in an attempt to organize the diversity of styles running through the 20th century. Nationalism continued to be a strong musical influence in the first half of the century. The study of folk songs enriched the music of numerous composers, such as Ralph Vaughan Williams (England), Bela Bartok (Hungary), Heitor Villa Lobos (Brazil) and Aaron Copland (USA). Jazz and popular musical styles have also been tremendously influential on classical composers from both the United States and Europe. Technology has played a increasingly important role in the development of 20th century music. Composers have used recording tape as a compositional tool (such as Steve Reichs Violin Phase). Electronically generated sounds have been used both on their own and in combination with traditional instruments. More recently, computer technology has been used in a variety of ways, including manipulating the performance of instruments in real time. (R. Strauss) So as you can see, music has been around for centuries. Many people have helped music evolve over the years. The six long periods of music that were discussed above really helped music become what is today. Although each individual listen to various types of music they all started the same, with either a rhythm or beat. Music was originated long before humans even existed and grew from there. Music in general has made the world a better place. It gives people a way to express themselves. Music has been called The International Language; a very simple thought with much meaning behind it. Even if you cant speak the language of a country, you can move, sway, dance and most of all enjoy the music of the country. We may not understand the words of a musical selection but we do understand the beauty. (Ruth 2008) Musics interconnection with society can be seen throughout history. Every known culture on the earth has music. Music seems to be one of the basic actions of humans. However, early music was not handed down from generation to generation or recorded. Hence, there is no official record of prehistoric music. Even so, there is evidence of prehistoric music from the findings of flutes carved from bones. The influence of music on society can be clearly seen from modern history. Music helped Thomas Jefferson write the Declaration of Independence. When he could not figure out the right wording for a certain part, he would play his violin to help him. The music helped him get the words from his brain onto the paper. In general, responses to music are able to be observed. It has been proven that music influences humans both in good and bad ways. These effects are instant and long lasting. Music is thought to link all of the emotional, spiritual, and physical elements of the universe. Music can also be used to change a persons mood, and has been found to cause like physical responses in many people simultaneously. Music also has the ability to strengthen or weaken emotions from a particular event such as a funeral. People perceive and respond to music in different ways. The level of musicianship of the performer and the listener as well as the manner in which a piece is performed affects the experience of music. An experienced and accomplished musician might hear and feel a piece of music in a totally different way than a non-musician or beginner. This is why two accounts of the same piece of music can contradict themselves. (ODonnell 2001) According to The Center for New Discoveries in Learning, learning potential can be increased a minimum of five times by using this 60 beats per minute music. For example, the ancient Greeks sang their dramas because they understood how music could help them remember more easily). A renowned Bulgarian psychologist, Dr. George Lozanov, designed a way to teach foreign languages in a fraction of the normal learning time. Using his system, students could learn up to one half of the vocabulary and phrases for the whole school term (which amounts to almost 1,000 words or phrases) in one day. Along with this, the average retention rate of his students was 92%. Dr. Lozanovs system involved using certain classical music pieces from the baroque period which have around a 60 beats per minute pattern. He has proven that foreign languages can be learned with 85-100% efficiency in only thirty days by using these baroque pieces. His students had a recall accuracy rate of almost 100% even after not r eviewing the material for four years. The article above discusses how the history of music not only helped human beings but impacted their lives greatly to where we learn better and think better. (ODonnell 2001)

A Clash of Cultures in A Passage To India Essay -- A Passage To India E

     Ã‚  Ã‚   A Passage To India is a classic example of how different cultures, when forced to intermix, misunderstand each other, and what consequences stem from those misunderstandings. All of Forster's greatest works deal with the failure of humans being able to communicate satisfactorily, and their failure to eliminate prejudice to establish possible relationships. A Passage To India is no exception. (Riley, Moore 107) To understand Forster's motive, it must be established that he is a humanistic writer. Harry T. Moore states "Of all imaginative works in English in this century, Forster's stand highest among those which may properly be called humanistic." (Riley, Moore 107) His main belief is that individual human beings fail to connect because the humanistic virtues, tolerance, good temper, and sympathy are ineffective in this world of religious and racial persecution. However, he also believes that personal relationships aan succeed, provided they are not publicly exposed, because values and noble impulses do exist within human nature. "Life is not a failure but a tragedy principally because it is difficult to translate private decencies into public ones." (Riley, McDowell 108) Forster is conscious of the evil that exists in human nature. Forster feels men do not know enough to control that evil, and he takes on the humanistic responsibility to secure internal and external order by utilizing reason. f orster depended on the individual's conscience and sense of identification with others as equal components of the human race as his basis for maintaining that order. He also gives the individual social, political and metaphysical worth, and favors the individual when in conflict with society. (Riley, McDowell 108) It is fo... ...ia University Press, 1979. Riley, Carolyn, ed., Contemporary Literary Criticism. 4. Detroit, Michigan: Gale Research, 1975. Bradbury, Malcolm, "E. M. Forster as Victorian And Modern: 'Howard's End' and 'A Passage To India',"     Possibilities: Essays on the State of the Novel (1973 by Malcolm Bradbury; reprinted by permission of   Oxford University Press), Oxford University Press, 1973. Riley, Carolyn, ed., Contemporary Literary Criticism. 3. Detroit, Michigan: Gale Research, 1975. Johnstone, J. K., "E. M. Forster (1879-1970)"" The Politics of Twentieth Century Novelists, edited by George      A. Panichas (reprinted by permission of Hawthorn Books; 1971 by the University of Maryland;)   Hawthorn, 1971. Riley, Carolyn, ed., Contemporary Literary Criticism. 1. Detroit, Michigan: Gale Research, 1973.   McDowell, E. M. Forster, Twayne, 1969.   

Nature of the Conflict in Sophocles Antigone Essay -- Antigone confan

The Nature of the Conflict in Antigone  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In â€Å"Sophocles’ Praise of Man and the Conflicts of the Antigone,† Charles Paul Segal explains the nature of the conflict between Antigone and Creon: The conflict between Creon and Antigone has its starting point in the problems of law and justice. At any rate, the difference is most explicitly formulated in these terms in Antigone’s great speech on the divine laws. . . . Against the limited and relative â€Å"decrees† of men she sets the eternal laws of Zeus, the â€Å"unwritten laws of the gods.† She couples her assertion of these absolute â€Å"laws† with her own resolute acceptance of death (460) (64). In Antigone the protagonist, is humble and pious before the gods and would not tempt the gods by leaving the corpse of her brother unburied. She is not humble before her uncle, Creon, because she prioritizes the laws of the gods higher than those of men; and because she feels closer to her brother, Polynices, than she does to her uncle. The drama begins with Antigone inviting Ismene outside the palace doors to tell her privately: â€Å"What, hath not Creon destined our brothers, the one to honoured burial, the other to unburied shame?† Antigone’s offer to Ismene (â€Å"Wilt thou aid this hand to lift the dead?) is quickly rejected, so that Antigone must bury Polynices by herself. The protagonist, Antigone, is quickly developing into a rounded character, while Ismene interacts with her as a foil, demurring in the face of Creon’s threat of stoning to death as punishment for violators of his decree regarding Polynices. The main conflict thusfar observed is that whi ch the reader sees taking shape between Antigone and the king. Antigone is a religious person who is not afraid of death, and who re... ... pervading themes in Sophocles is the justice of the universe. We are to understand that, in some sense, cosmic justice ultimately prevails (718). WORKS CITED Abrams, M. H. A Glossary of Literary Terms, 7th ed. New York: Harcourt Brace College Publishers, 1999. Segal, Charles Paul. â€Å"Sophocles’ Praise of Man and the Conflicts of the Antigone.† In Sophocles: A Collection of Critical Essays, edited by Thomas Woodard. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1966. Sophocles. Antigone. Translated by R. C. Jebb. The Internet Classic Archive. no pag. http://classics.mit.edu/Sophocles/antigone.html â€Å"Sophocles† In Literature of the Western World, edited by Brian Wilkie and James Hurt. NewYork: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1984. Watling, E. F.. Introduction. In Sophocles: The Theban Plays, translated by E. F. Watling. New York: Penguin Books, 1974.

School Crime And Violence

Crime and violence in schools are issues that are of significant public concern, especially after the series of tragic school shootings recently. The schools have exercised care in making the students safe but many schools are now facing serious problems so that effective strategies can be devised to prevent school violence and increase school safety. (Small and Tetrick). The terms â€Å"school violence† and â€Å"school safety,† are still terms that need to be commonly defined. The authors maintain that â€Å"Multiple approaches can prove beneficial as each discipline brings to bear the full force of its knowledge and experience, but they complicate the task of summarizing the state of school violence. For instance, should school violence be considered a subset of youth violence? †(Small and Tetrick). Most of the violence in schools are involved in gangs. A gang is a group of people who form an allegiance for a common purpose and engage in unlawful or criminal activity. Gangs give members companionship, guidance, excitement and identity. When a member needs something, the others come to the rescue and provide protection. Gangs members have significantly lower levels of self-esteem compared to their non-gang peers. They also could name fewer adult role models than did their non-gang ,peers. It is no doubt that America has become a violent society. Television programs alone show gruesome murders and violence as if they are normal incidences in our lives. It is said that children learn to imitate the violence that they see on television. These take root in a lot of issues, foremost of which is on gun control. The positive effects of the strict enforcement of gun laws are readily seen. The Brady Campaign, for example believes that â€Å"background checks nationwide stopped over 600,000 felons and other prohibited purchasers from buying handguns from federally licensed firearm dealers. † Some say this is one big reason why there is a need to advocate gun control. Once people realize that there is a direct correlation between the increases in violence as correlated with gun possession, they would also be against gun violence in society. However, opinions are at odds with regards to the issue of gun control. Remarkably, both advocates and opponents of gun control policies in the United States use statistics to back up their stance. The Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that: According to the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), in 2003, 449,150 victims of violent crimes stated that they faced an offender with a firearm. Incidents involving a firearm represented 7% of the 4. 9 million violent crimes of rape and sexual assault, robbery, and aggravated and simple assault. The FBI's Crime in the United States estimated that 67% of the 16,503 murders in 2003 were committed with firearms. â€Å"Gun Control vs. Gun Rights). Advocates of gun control directly use statistics such as this to assert that the increase in violence is positively correlated with gun possession. Organizations such as the National Rifle Association of America (NRA) and other proponents of gun rights oppose such view. Alexander, for one, insists that such arguments contradict factual studies. He contradicts the correlation, saying that â€Å"cities with the most restrictive gun laws, like Washington, D. C. , and Atlanta, Georgia, in fact, have the highest murder rates in the nation. At the center of the gun control issue is the Second Amendment to the Constitution: â€Å"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed. † Arguments usually focus on the interpretation of the law. The Second Amendment is the main banner of gun rights activists. Gun control advocates, on the other hand, feel that gun control opponents misinterpret the law when they assume that it means absolute right to ownership of guns by private individuals (Krouse). They assert that the Second Amendment only refers to gun ownership in situation of â€Å"militia† and not for general purposes. Gun control supporters feel that gun possession by just anybody is a contributing cause of increased incidence of crimes in the United States. In Guns and Terror, Berger and Henigan present studies to support their statement that â€Å"Gun shows are a breeding ground for gun sales to terrorist [and that] nothing in federal law prevents terrorists from quickly amassing arsenals of weapons† (4). Opponents to the gun control movement also believe that there is not enough factual evidence to the other side’s claim that banning the sale of some kinds of guns result to lower crime rates (â€Å"Gun Control vs. Gun Rights†). Alexander accuses gun control groups of ‘demagogue-ing’ the issue and maintains that the root of the problem is culture, and not the gun. He even notes that â€Å"many of the problems in question are the result of Leftist doctrines. † The Brady Campaign believes that stricter rules on gun ownership will result in communities with minimal crimes since they correlate guns with most crimes committed. Proponents of gun control also base this belief on what they see as positive effects of enforcement of gun laws. The Brady Campaign, for example believes that â€Å"background checks nationwide stopped over 600,000 felons and other prohibited purchasers from buying handguns from federally licensed firearm dealers. † Gun rights proponents maintain that stricter rules could actually cause crime rates to rise as criminals only tend to go places with stricter gun rules. Alexander quotes Thomas Sowell as saying, â€Å"Most criminals aren’t that stupid; they tend to go where the guns aren’t. †(Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence). Proponents of gun control continue to push for the passage of new laws and/or amendments to existing laws to restrict gun ownership. For one, they are lobbying for legislation covering what they refer to as loopholes, specifically in issues such as juvenile access to firearms, and sales at gun shows and through the Internet (Brady Campaign). Opponents are also continuing efforts to gather support to counter the move of gun control advocates. The NRA is drawing support through massive information drive advocating Second Amendment rights and the protection of Americans’ hunting heritage. The NRA also performs studies and surveys contradicting the position of gun control supporters. In their survey on what Americans think of Right-to-Carry laws, results show that 79% of the voters stood in favor of such laws (National Rifle Association of America). The Brady Campaign notes, â€Å"according to an analysis of the FBI Uniform Crime Report, the percentage of violent crimes committed with firearms has declined dramatically after the Brady Law went into effect. † Supporters of gun control assert the need for more restrictions in gun ownership, especially in the federal level. They call for stricter background checks for people who intend to purchase licensed firearms. Gun rights supporters do not see additional laws and amendments to laws as a solution to increase in crime rates. Alexander writes, â€Å"Gun restrictions have not protected citizens in Atlanta, Washington, D. C. , New York or Boston, much less anyone in Columbine or Red Lake. Nor did such laws protect Jews from Hitler or Stalin or Chinese peasants from Mao, etc. , ad infinitum. † Alexander also advises politicians and gun controllers alike to look at the cultural aspects of the problem and not the instruments. The National Rifle Association of America has opposed every effort by gun control advocates, specially the Brady Campaign group, which they think will encroach on their rights under the Second Amendment. They maintain that gun ownership is their constitutional right and should not be limited to recreational purposes only. The NRA, in fact, is supporting enactment of laws involving Self-Defense and â€Å"freedom† to carry guns (Alexander, Mark 2005). Indeed, the right of law-abiding citizens to carry concealed firearms for purpose of self-defense has become a hot and controversial topic and one that will continue to be so for a long time. Schools need to protect the children from these gun-toting individuals and avoid another Columbine or Virginia Tech incident.

Hermeneutics and Philosophers

The word â€Å"hermeneutics† is derived from the Greek hermeneuo, which means, to interpret, to put into words, expressed in a language. Many times, it is synonymous with exegesis, explanation, and interpretation. In connection with the explanation of Scripture, these two words are equivalent to the eighteenth century, when the word â€Å"hermeneutics† assumes various shades of meaning according to the various schools and philosophical theories. Today we prefer to call â€Å"exegesis† to that of the biblical text analysis intended to discover what the author meant to his contemporaries, and â€Å"hermeneutics† to which the same text tells us today in a different context and in a comprehensible modern man. For Ricoeur, the â€Å"reflective philosophy† is part of â€Å"reflection† on itself, to establish the â€Å"I† of thought as first truth: â€Å"I think, therefore I am†. But Ricoeur thinks that â€Å"reflection is not intuition† of me because the â€Å"I think† is just an abstract truth and empty. The self can only be found in their objectification. Therefore, say that the reflection can only be understood as â€Å"the effort to apprehend the Self of Ego cogito in the mirror of its objects, their works and finally for their actions. † The lives lost and forgotten â€Å"I† himself to his works, which manifests his desire and effort to exist. The debate should not then go straight to the â€Å"I† but to their deeds and actions, which given its ambiguous nature, should be interpreted. Thus, philosophy becomes reflexive â€Å"hermeneutic philosophy† or interpretive. Lonergan and Aquinas were two philosophers that were in a same point. For example, both were students of theology. â€Å"Aquinas believes that humans are directed toward the transcendent God as the ultimate goal of their lives, and this transcendent goal is a beyond the power of human reason to grasp† (p. 47). Lonergan â€Å"understands the relationship between critical reason and faith as central to the practice of theology in the modern world â€Å" (p. 64). St. Thomas Aquinas see that theology does not seek an essence, but a living being who constantly challenges the man, instead of being presented as an object, is the â€Å"Unknown† is revealed in the vision-oriented faith. To address the issue thus appeals to the view that is taken into eternal bliss, in eschatology, which keeps the vital tension between theological discourse and praxis logos. The method according to Lonergan, not a set of rules to be followed strictly, but rather a framework to foster creativity and collaboration, by which all the operations that are necessary for the development of theology are susceptible to be printed, and giving mutually intertwined cumulative and progressive results.

Mans Impact on the Everglades Essay

Man has never been content to leave the natural preserved in the state in which it was discovered. Likewise, the Everglades ecosystem has been bombarded by this pressure as man seeks to â€Å"redesign† the environment to suit the needs of the ever encroaching human population. This has brought about profound changes in this system and the way it operates. Collectors were among the first to extract a toll on this area because of its exotic indigenous creatures. Species which now face extinction include: several varieties of unusual Orchids and ferns, Florida tree snails, and the indigo snake. But the impact of collectors is not merely limited to the disappearance of species. For example, collectors burned Hardwood Hammocks to facilitate collecting tree snails. The high demand for feathers as the plumes of ladies’ hats also endangered the Snowy Egret at one time. Another source of destruction includes off road vehicles such as air boats and swamp buggies used to negotiate the difficult terrain. These vehicles create ever widening soil ruts because the tracks are slippery and subsequent vehicles avoid them. Because hydroperiod plays a powerful role in habitat determination, even a slight change in water depth can profoundly effect the composition of the ecosystem. Channels interrupting sheet flow provide an alternate route for the water. Vegetation is uprooted and lost, as a result, enhancing the likelihood of invasion by opportunistic species such as cattails. In some areas, off road vehicles have resulted in the damage of tree islands. Melaleuca, an Australian tree, poses a different kind of the threat: that of introduced species. The trees overtake Sawgrass marshes and Cypress swamps in areas reduced by drainage. Their tolerance of fire further enhances their spread. Eventually, dense forests form which exclude the natural vegetation and dry up the environment. Brazilian pepper began its stay in the Florida area as an ornamental. Like the Melaleuca, it forms a closed forest, destroying feeding areas of many water birds. Brazilian pepper primarily overtakes coastal lowlands and pinelands. Over 200 plant species have been introduced â€Å"successfully† into the Everglades environment. Plants are not the only successful invaders. The Blue Tilapia, an animal intruder, grows too large to be eaten by the wading birds, while creating a devastating effect on the aquatic plant life. By far the most serious effect of man on the environment remains the alterations of water flow patterns for agricultural and metropolitan purposes. The direct channeling of fresh water from Lake Okeechobee to the coast alters sheet flow, causing soil fires and saltwater backflow. Faced by these ever worsening scenarios, the Central and Southern Florida Project for Flood Control and Other Purposes (C&SF) took over the project in 1948. First, the C&SF built a perimeter to prevent encroachment of the sheet flow on developing metropolitan areas. Second, agriculture reclaimed the Okeechobee by draining the Lake swamp and rerouting the water to the Water Conservation fertile land directly south of Areas to the south. Total, Water Conservation Areas, which regulate water flow toprevent flood and drought, now represent 32 % of the original Everglades ecosystem. Everglades National Park, established in 1947, only contains 25% of the historic freshwater system. Other problems facing this ecosystem include the loss of wild life species diversity. Like the Snowy Egret, alligators, hunted for their hides, almost reached extinction until their sale was prohibited by law. Since that time, populations rebounded, however, bird populations still face intense reducing pressures. Wading birds follow the drying front during the drydown as the water flow concentrates prey at its border. Wading birds, therefore, only need make minor adjustments to determine the position of food daily. Consequently, larger rookeries and breeding seasons coordinate with the water flow so the drydown approaches the nest, allowing the parents to fly less distance every successive day. The intrusion of the Water Conservation Areas though places this pattern in serious jeopardy. The levee system interrupts the drydown as conditions on one side may not correlate with conditions on the other. For example, birds following a drydown front may reach a levee only to discover that the across the embankment, the water is too deep or the drydown in that area may have already occurred. The birds then must search other areas for other prey concentrations which may not exist, seriously impairing successful reproduction. Use of the conservation areas for flood control and unnatural releasing of water also adversely effects these communities. Often this reverses the drydown fronts. Changes in the dry/wet season cycle, likewise, affect alligator reproduction, interrupting courtship and often drowning their eggs. Alteration of alligator nesting patterns adversely affects the wading bird population because their holes customarily congregate prey during the low water season. Although, the canal construction provides alligators a substituted habitat, these canals are sufficiently deeper and steeper than traditional gator nesting holes. Consequently, wading birds can not effectively harvest prey. Nutrient rich agricultural water released from the land reclaimed below Lake Okeechobee has increased the proliferation of cattails. Cattail encroached areas do not encourage food supplies for wading birds, essentially removing this wetland area from use. However, the South Florida Water Management District has begun an experimental program using peat soil beds to remove this phosphorus from the water supply entering the Everglades region. Methylmercury, a highly toxic form of mercury, recently has been found in regional fauna in unusually high levels. The food web concentrates this chemical in the system’s top predators, causing mutations, abnormal growth and neurological disorders. Although, agriculture was originally blamed for this elevation, historical evidence provides a more accepted theory. According to this hypothesis, soil formations naturally trap small amounts of mercury. Recent drainage and oxidation of the soil caused its release. Sugarcane burning, and incineration of other products including fossil fuel have also received blame for this phenomenon. Interestingly though, an inverse relationship appears to exist between phosphorous and mercury levels. The diversion of freshwater directly to the ocean from Lake Okeechobee also adversely affects Florida Bay. The lack of water cycling through the bay caused a severe increase in hypersalinity, killing seagrass beds, mangroves, fish, sponges, and birds. The hypersalinity level approximately doubles that of sea water. However, projects undertaken to remedy this situation appear to at least initially effective. Other reasons for this salinity increase include the lack of major storm systems recently in this area. Accumulation of sediments and shoaling prevent the bay from flushing out naturally, causing stagnation. Also the construction of Highway 1 and the Overseas Railroad may have contributed to the problem, hampering further the circulation of water. Any attempt by man to undo the damage perpetrated must come from a comprehensive understanding of the function and operation of the original ecosystem in order to prevent further â€Å"well intentioned† catastrophes. Wading birds, because of their high position on the food chain, serve as trustworthy indicators of change on this fragile environment. However, the main problem to be address is not one of abuse of the Everglades in particular, but mankind’s underlying philosophy concerning our environment. We must realize that our survival remains closely linked with that of our surroundings. Any threat to our biosphere will eventually cycle through and return to affect us. The restoration of the Everglades is an ongoing effort to remedy damage inflicted on the environment of southern Florida during the 20th century. It is the most expensive and comprehensive environmental repair attempt in history. [1][2] The degradation of the Everglades became an issue in the United States in the early 1970s after a proposal to construct a jetport in the Big Cypress Swamp. Studies indicated the airport would have destroyed the ecosystem in South Florida and Everglades National Park. [3] After decades of destructive practices, both state and federal agencies are looking for ways to balance the needs of the natural environment in South Florida with urban and agricultural centers that have recently and rapidly grown in and near the Everglades. In response to floods caused by hurricanes in 1947, the Central and Southern Florida Flood Control Project (C&SF) was established to construct flood control devices in the Everglades. The C&SF built 1,400 miles (2,300 km) of canals and levees between the 1950s and 1971 throughout South Florida. Their last venture was the C-38 canal, which straightened the Kissimmee River and caused catastrophic damage to animal habitats, adversely affecting water quality in the region. The canal became the first C&SF project to be reverted when the 22-mile (35 km) canal began to be backfilled, or refilled with the material excavated from it, in the 1980s. The restoration of the Kissimmee River is projected to continue until 2011. When high levels of phosphorus and mercury were discovered in the waterways in 1986, water quality became a focus for water management agencies. Costly and lengthy court battles were waged between various government entities to determine who was responsible for monitoring and enforcing water quality standards. Governor Lawton Chiles proposed a bill that determined which agencies would have that responsibility, and set deadlines for pollutant levels to decrease in water. Initially the bill was criticized by conservation groups for not being strict enough on polluters, but the Everglades Forever Act was passed in 1994. Since then, the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) and the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers have surpassed expectations for achieving lower phosphorus levels. A commission appointed by Governor Chiles published a report in 1995 stating that South Florida was unable to sustain its growth, and the deterioration of the environment was negatively affecting daily life for residents in South Florida. The environmental decline was predicted to harm tourism and commercial interests if no actions were taken to halt current trends. Results of an eight-year study that evaluated the C&SF were submitted to the United States Congress in 1999. The report warned that if no action was taken the region would rapidly deteriorate. A strategy called the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) was enacted to restore portions of the Everglades, Lake Okeechobee, the Caloosahatchee River, and Florida Bay to undo the damage of the past 50 years. It would take 30 years and cost $7. 8 billion to complete. Though the plan was passed into law in 2000, it has been compromised by politics and funding problems.

Amercian History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Amercian History - Essay Example Although the colonies were self-governed from thirty years earlier, the straining relationship with the British crown became more acute with the passage of each new tax law. The series of tax laws, including the Sugar Act, the Stamp Act and the Currency Act aggravated the grievances of an already over-taxed colonial population. Almost all trade-related shipments to and from the Eastern American coast was deemed taxable. While some of the taxes were reasonable, others were plainly unjust, given that the colonists were not granted representation in the affairs of the Crown. The British Crown reasoned that such taxations were necessary to keep up its expansive and expensive naval operations. But its use of authoritarian methods in enforcing tax laws proved to be the decisive spur for American Revolution. For example, when some of the governing officers in the colonies expressed their solidarity with fellow colonists, the British Crown took a hasty decision to dismiss and replace all dis loyal officers and took more stringent measures to enforce taxation laws. This move further alienated the colonists and primed their thoughts for independence. Studying the American declaration of independence in retrospect, we see that the British rule, by its obstinate, inconsiderate and high-handed approach to dealing with colonial affairs, had triggered the revolt. By 1770 the movement for independence had gathered substantial following, making it a full blown war against Britain. Colonists gathered in huge numbers and participated in protestations. They applied paints on their faces, wore Mohawks as a mark of identifying with America, while simultaneously distinguishing themselves from British troops. It was at this juncture that the famous Boston Tea Party happened. Acting in disobedience to the orders given from England, the colonists marched down onto the ships that sat in the bay that contained crates of tea. After

Wester Civilization II paper #1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Wester Civilization II paper #1 - Essay Example The Prince by Machiavelli focuses on the dos and don’ts of a prince. According to him, a prince is not a public entity so his activities and life style should never be conventional like his subjects. According to Machiavelli, a prince always needs to build a kind of aura around him so that he can be easily identified someone superior and above the average human lot. The focus on the activity of a prince or the head of the state reshaped the treaty a lot and made the doctrine on one of the most valuable treaties of the political theory and diplomatic strategy. Machiavelli’s ‘The Prince’ focuses further on the military duty of a Prince. It also deals with the functional and the compositional aspect of the various troops with the special focus on the Mercenaries. The book is also focused on detecting and scrutinizing the reason behind appraisal or criticism of a man and especially that of a prince. The doctrine deals with the theory of cruelty or clemency and decides whether it is better to get love or to be feared. The other three important facets on which the treaty focuses are the way; the world of a Prince should be kept, the process by which he should acquire reputation and the impact of destiny of humans and the way to fight with it. All these theories and diplomatic treaties suggested in the book under any circumstance w ill help a prince to rule his kingdom with full sovereignty and have a stable government in his province. Machiavelli’s ‘The Prince’ is considered as the most important political work of the period. There is no second opinion regarding the effectiveness of the book but then the book also gained its pinnacle of popularity during the renaissance period because the book reflected largely about the political situation of the period and discussed issues to pacify the situation in Italy and particularly in Florence. Although there were numerous city – states by the beginning of the fifteenth

Fashion - Mexican Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Fashion - Mexican Culture - Essay Example The essay "Fashion - Mexican Culture" concerns the Mexican culture and fashion. The modern Mexican clothing differs in various ways from the traditional modes of clothing. The difference signifies transformations that have taken place in the Mexican culture. The traditional Mexican clothing was as a result of past generation’s inheritance. In simple terms, the style’s pieces used by indigenous Mexican people evolved with Spanish colonization. It possessed strong and vivid colors and used natural fibers such as wool, agave and cotton. The women’s typical clothing included a skirt, a rezobo, a huipil and a quenchquemitl. The traditional men’s clothing incorporated shirts and trousers. They had unique garments in a couple of things and also possessed numerous interesting details. The modern Mexican clothing, on the other hand, resembles most of the western types of clothes. However, the Mexican clothes may have more colorful character that adds on them a nati ve feeling. Other clothing may possess styles and designs with Mexican graphics and symbols. The aspect makes the Mexican clothing unique from many other cultures across the globe. In various ways, many Mexican individuals nowadays are more formal and conservative in the clothes they wear as opposed to their counterparts in the United States or Canada. Currently in Mexico, there has erupted a trend for the general Mexican public to make use of modern garments with great influence from the traditional clothing. The women have a tendency of wearing rezobos.

Starbucks Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Starbucks - Essay Example Each company faces problems and obstacles, even successful ones like Starbucks. One of the main challenges that Starbucks is facing is dealing with competitors. Coffee retailers are scattered all over the world in huge numbers. By involving thousands of shops operating in the coffee field, and as the competition increases, it makes the task more difficult for Starbucks to maintain its place. Also, the most obvious challenge that Starbucks is dealing with is the current financial crisis in America. Compared to other cafes prices, Starbucks is one of the most expensive cafà © shops in the world, and a number of consumers find the prices are exaggerated (Fellner 2010). A recent research made by a team of mystery coffee researchers shows that, the rates in Starbucks compared to Costa Cafà © and Cafà © Nero is the highest (Burks 2009). As seen on the graph above, Starbucks has experienced fluctuations in profit, starting from 2005 with a steady increase in the net income, and then it dropped down in 2008, decreasing the net profit from more than $600 million to less than $400 million. On the other hand, sales grew in 2010 getting the highest net income over the earlier 5 years. In 2010, Starbucks turned about 11% of its revenue into free cash flow (FCF). The company earned more than  £600 million cash on net income (Nadine 2008). Also, there has been a surprising increase in the company’s net income in the last year. In the third quarter of 2011, the income rose up to 33%, earning more than $880 million net income. Howard Shultz stated on July 11, 2006, "First and foremost I want to thank you for making Starbucks the $6.4 billion global company it is today, with more than 90,000 employees, 9,700 stores, and 33 million weekly customers." Taking the 33,000,000 weekly customers and dividing it by 7 you will get 4.7 million customers per day. Since that time Starbucks has added many, many new stores so

International Accounting Standard 19, Employee Benefits Research Paper

International Accounting Standard 19, Employee Benefits - Research Paper Example This paper will also focus on how to improve the financial reporting regarding the pension benefits and identify the main problems in the current financial reporting system for pension. IAS has issued several directives on employee benefits. Employee benefits can be subdivided into short term, long term, post-employment and termination benefits. The new IAS 19 is a great achievement because it offers many advantages to the employees. On the other hand, it also suffers from certain disadvantages, which can be mitigated in due course of time with suitable amendments. Roadmap: The paper first deals with the IAS 19 frameworks and explains the standards of IAS 19 relating to employee benefits. IAS 19 is the framework for evaluating the employee benefits. Then the paper takes up the controversies in IAS 19 standards relating to various schemes especially pension related issues. The next discussion segment in the paper is the old IAS 19 standards and the latest IAS 19 standards. The last di scussion segment is the latest amendments made in the IAS 19 standards. The papers dwell not only on the latest amendments but also such amendments which have been proposed to be implemented. All specific points relating to the IAS 19 have been stated considered in the paper. Evidences taken to support the ideas projected in the paper have been provided as references. Lastly, appropriate conclusions have been drawn and stated in the paper. Subheadings with specific points supported by evidence The IAS 19 framework: Under the wide term of IAS 19 come all employee benefits which include short term, long term, post employment, retirement, termination and compensation benefits. The short term employee benefits can be categorized as salary and bonus payments, paid and unpaid leaves and other short term non monetary benefits like medical and housing facility etc. The long term benefits include the employee’s long term leave and service benefits. The main aspect in IAS 19 is the pos t employment benefit section or to be more specific, the subject of pension. IAS 19 is the direction provider to post employment and post retirement benefits and pension benefit is one of the most important post employment benefits. Controversies in IAS 19: IAS 19 became a controversial standard and one of the main reasons for this was that the accounting standard for pension was not correctly adhered to. IAS 19 is an accounting standard which covers the reporting of all employee benefits and the most debated topic is the discussion on pensions, especially the employer sponsored, defined benefit pension plans. Pension plans can basically be divided into two categories. It can either be a defined contribution or a defined benefit plan. In the defined contribution plan the employer has to bear a lot of expenses because the unfunded benefits are usually recorded as a liability in the balance sheet. â€Å"Under IAS 19 recommendations, unfunded benefits are to be recorded, as a general rule, as liabilities in the balance sheet of the sponsoring employer. In defined contribution plans, the employer’s annual contribution under the terms of the occupational plan should be recognized as an expense.† (Yermo& Stewart, 2007, P.48). IAS 19 has been subjected to several amendments but still organizations have been incurring high losses due to several reasons. IAS 19 has