UKCCA Event Project assessment Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

UKCCA Event Project assessment - Coursework Example All the activities listed above are potential fun filled activities that can be a good source of relaxation and the students that the communities living near the centre could engage in. the centre needs to clearly plan for the activity chosen and the target group of customers so that it achieves success in hosting any of the events. During this time the centre will host a couple’s night out and a special dinner party. The party should include a special dance session at the end which will be a performance by an artist to be decided upon by the organizing committee. The party whose main attraction group should be young couples who do not get the chance to go out during the year, should include themes that attract the young couples especially in collage and those that have just left collage. This group is targeted because they do not get the chance to go out often due to schooling commitments or work and at this festive time they would consider an outing. The dinner will include a meal preferably a buffet served at the restaurant. The guests who will have specific preferences will be allowed to send in their requests in time to facilitate earlier preparation. At the end of the dinner, a music band will entertain the guests and a dance will be in order to conclude the function. The party will include costs for hiring the venue in order to host the event. An ample seating space for the guests and parking should the visitors need the same. The seating allowance at each table will be as indicated by the management of the centre. The costs at each table will be at normal charges and the payment of the Disk jokey and the performing artist will be catered for by the event crew. In addition, more ushering staff will also be hired by the organizing committee. For the entire plan of financing the whole party, kindly see the

Patriot Act Essay Example for Free

Patriot Act Essay An act was created in the dark days following the terrorist attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001. It was created to allow the agencies of law enforcement and intelligence to have more authority in order to prevent any future attacks by terrorists on the United States. Additionally, it made available monitoring tools within the United States to aggressively address the Bush administrations domestic war on terrorism. The draft title of the act was â€Å"Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001†. However, today it is better known as the USA Patriot Act. The Patriot Act was responsible for drastic changes in over 15 important government and constitutional statues. All which lead to the increased ability of the government and law enforcement to secretly monitor, conduct surveillance, and investigate anyone at anytime. Previous to September 11, 2001 there were several attempts by the Republican Party to allow for the electronic surveillance of citizens within the United States however these provisions were highly criticized as being anti-constitutional and therefore anti-American. It was this single act of terrorism which promoted Congress to tear apart the rights granted to every citizen in the United States Constitution and allow the rights of privacy to be completely subordinated. When asked why, congressional officials always cite the 9/11 terrorists attacks. Even the former White House John Podesta challenged their decisions stating that the devastating events of 9/11 emotionally pressured the members of Congress to agree to allow new legal implements to help fight the terrorists. He continues â€Å"But we should not forget what gave rise to the original opposition- many aspects of the bill increase the opportunity for law enforcement and the intelligence community to return to an era where they monitored and sometimes harassed individuals who were merely exercising their First Amendment rights. † After the establishment of the specific content of the Patriot Act, congress was given only a single week to pass the act. John Ashcroft not only had a time limit but also required there would be absolutely no changes to the act. Several congressman headed by the the Vermonts Patrick Leahy did convince the Department of Justice to make some changes and gradually members of Congress worked together and improvements were made. The process was not fast enough for John Ashcroft and he pressured Congress and the public by repeatedly warning that additional terrorists attacks were upon the United States and only Congress had the power to stop them by passing the Patriot Act. At that point all the revisions to the act were taken away and was passed. The Act was passed 357–66 in the House of Representatives. President Bush signed the Patriot Act into law on 26 October, 2001. What is most baffling about the Patriot Act is very few people can actually explain what the Patriot Act is and what is says. John Ashcroft on several occasions tried to explain exactly what the details of the Patriot Act is: Prosecutors will seek judicial authority to intercept communications related to an expanded list of terrorism-related crimes such as: the development, possession, or use of chemical or biological weapons; financial transaction with a terrorist government; or providing material support to terrorists or terrorist organizations. Investigators will use `roving wiretaps to intercept communications and thereby thwart the ability of terrorists to evade surveillance by switching phones or communication devices. Investigators will now aggressively pursue terrorists on the internet. The legislation permits investigators to obtain senders and receivers e-mail addresses just as it is done with telephone surveillance. Terrorists employ sophisticated technologies to evade detection and the legislation updates the law to the technology. Investigators will use search warrants to obtained unopened voice mail and e-mail. However, the most important parts of the Patriot Act were left out of his description. Under the stipulations of the act, obtaining warrants are much easier. It also approves unspecified search warrants to be used without notification. These particular components are in direct contrast to those given to all citizens in the Fourth Amendment which gives protection against â€Å"unreasonable searches and seizures. † The the real power the Patriot Act is in the subpoena. This allows the authorities to search and find credit card and bank account information of any suspected terrorists on the world wide web. This â€Å"will allow investigators to identify the terrorist who hides behind a fictitious internet name. The question remains how does the government determine who is a potential terrorist or not- could it be you or me? The truth is there is no defined methodology. Therefore, this allows the FBI to order anyone  to turn over anything  for any  reason. These pieces of information can include library records, medical records, business records, emails, and student information. This is legal as long as the FBI believes the information will help in an â€Å"authorized investigation†. This is extremely vague and all inclusive. This is a clear violation of privacy rights outlined in the Constitution. The Patriot Act continues that only a single court order is needed to do a communication search that is world wide. Under normal circumstances the court order is only effective in the judicial district it was initiated in. It continues Law enforcement and intelligence committees will share information on terrorist activities and thus better coordinate their efforts to prevent terrorism. It is obvious that the Patriot Act is actually a secret tool which can be used against terrorism but can also be used anytime against anyone the government feels necessary. Mark Corallo of the Department of Justice, was quoted as saying â€Å"The Patriot Act was not meant to be just for terrorism. An article in Newsweek has reported that the government had used the provisions set up in the Patriot Act, to investigate 1000 people who have had absolutely no terrorisms connection. Many critics draw a comparisons to Orwells 1984 in which the general public was constantly monitored. Tampering with the founding document of the United States is a bad idea and no matter how many times the President of the United States states that The Patriot Act defends our liberty,† it simply is not true. Benjamin Franklin, a great American thinker, said decades ago Those who are willing to give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. By passing and using the Patriot Act we are giving up our liberty for safety and in this case pseudo it is safety. The Patriot Act allows the government to treat every citizens as a potential terrorist. Based on that idea the government has the legal ability to question, search, and detain anyone. In recent months the Patriot Act has been renewed temporarily. However, it is clear that both members of Congress and the general population have lost faith and confidence in George Bush – in his actions and words. There are a number of outspoken critics of the Patriot Act including the American Civil Liberties Union who believed that the â€Å"Act gives the attorney general and federal law enforcement unnecessary and permanent new powers to violate civil liberties† and these infringements go way beyond those necessary for fighting terrorism. Many congressional officials who voted for the act in 2001 believe they made a mistake. John Kerry has been extremely open of his opinion that the Patriot Act was misrepresented and misused by the government. To be passed again, the Patriot Act must have substantial changes which will restore those rights granted to all American citizens. In fact there are almost no supporters of the Patriot Act as is, excluding those directly involved the Bush Administration. The governmentally run site which lists the reasons why the Patriot Act is beneficial lists the reasons why the act improves â€Å"counter-terrorism efforts. † They list four reasons including the following: the ability to readily investigate organized crime and the trafficking of drugs, allows information to be shared between governmental intelligence agencies, addresses new technology which is used in potential terrorist organizations, and increased the criminal punishment for terrorist activities. They also had the audacity to include on their web pages quotes of the Declaration of Independence as support for the the constitutionally debilitating provisions of the Patriot Act. The Patriot Act not only contradicts the United States Constitution but makes a mockery of the the hard work our founding fathers did to secure liberties for all of America and its citizens. By enacting into law our governmental officials took way our unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Our actions in the passing of the Patriot Act, the mistreatment of those who simply â€Å"look† like terrorists, and our self righteous behavior abroad in Iraq supports the idea that the United States is gradually becoming what killed all those people on September 11th, 2001 – a terrorist nation. And how long will the world wait and placidly watch America reek the same devastation worldwide?

The Indigenous Populations In Trinidad History Essay

The Indigenous Populations In Trinidad History Essay The Spanish colonization of Trinidad began through Christopher Columbus. Columbus was born to a weaver in the year 1451; he began sailing in the early 1470s. During the days of Columbus, gold was very limited and it was believed that the wealth of a nation would be determined by the amount of gold its economy owned. He made his third voyage in the year 1498, with the sponsorship and the approval from Spanish monarchy in return for the title of lands and a great percentage of profits from his voyage. His voyage was an attempt to provide evidence to support his theory that the world was round, and he would be able to reach the Indies (located in the east) easier and faster by sailing in a westward direction. He wanted to sail to the Indies to acquire the immense riches he heard of in India, and return the wealth to the Spanish monarchy. The Spanish believed that it would be profitable to trade with India because they had precious gold and immense riches because of their resources. Howe ver in his attempt to reach the Indies it was at this point he rediscovered Trinidad, unfortunately he believed that he had reach India for the Spanish had no prior knowledge of the Americas. On July 31st the island of Trinidad was then claimed to the crown in this year and it stayed in the rulings of the Spanish until the year 1797. Upon Columbus arrival in Trinidad he was amazed that this theory was indeed right and that he had reached India. He immediately examined the native people with the biases eyes of his European nature. He recognized the indigenous people to be good factors of production (labour). Columbus also acknowledged that the Caribs were violent people but they seemed healthy and intelligent and would make good slaves to the queen. However the native saw the Spaniard as Gods because of their white skin complexion, so they immediately welcomed them. The native worshiped, served and granted the desires of the Spanish. They believed in doing so, the Gods as they called the Spanish would be pleased of them, and they would be richly blessed. Columbus entered Trinidad for reasons such as mercantilism, colonialism, and to expand their religion of Christianity upon the native people claiming titles and profits for the Spanish monarchy. The population of Trinidad was mainly comprised of two sets of indigenous tribes known as the Amerindians, recorded from written history; they were called the Tainos and the Kalinagos. They were known as the Arawaks and Caribs respectively, these names given by the Europeans. The Arawaks began to settle in Trinidad around 250BC. They arrived from the Orinoco region and were much more advance than the earlier settlers. The Arawaks were great hunters and farmers for the purpose of sustaining their food needs. Their religion had a selective mixture representing nature worship, ancestor worship and protective magic. They adorned themselves with mixtures of colored dye smeared in pattern on their bodies also with hanging ornaments. They created their own crafts and weapons using simple elements of nature. They developed small temporary village societies; their houses were round with steep thatched roofs. The Arawaks portrayed honesty, sympathy, generosity and put others before themselves. They were considered to be a little more civilized and humane than the Caribs. The Caribs arrived in Trinidad after the Arawaks around AD 1000. They also journeyed through the Orinoco region. Eventually they had great control of the entire Lesser Antilles. The Caribs aggressive by nature, the Europeans falsely address them as human flesh eaters. Their lifestyles were stemmed from the former settlers of Trinidad, the Arawaks. They adopted traits form the Arawaks, which made them very similar to the Arawaks. They were described from the Europeans to be taller, stronger and more beautiful than the Arawaks. The Caribs diet was similar to the Arawaks but they had more protein in their diet. They relied less on cassava and maize because they were excellent fishers. Their religions were similar to the Arawaks, as well as, the way they adorn themselves with dye smeared on their body. The Carib houses being woven thatch, they looked like beehives. Their social organizations were different from the Arawaks the males were separated from the females and were thought warrio r training. The Arawaks had no segregation. These traits uniquely represented the ethnicities cultures and lifestyles of the indigenous people of Trinidad. The Amerindians were simple, peaceful and free-willed humans. During Columbus conquest of Trinidad, the physiological destruction of the native came, by forcing the natives to accept the Roman Catholicism as the only acceptable religion and enforcing the role of slaves because the Amerindians were seen as subhuman. The physical destruction of the natives was also accomplished by the Spanish through exploitation of the native tribes for labour. They brought new diseases to the island which the indigenous people were vulnerable to, even hunting the native as a means of entertainment was done by the Spanish who adopted the hidalgo class attitude. The worth and essence of native races were destroyed through miscegenation. The Spaniards fought and killed the men of the tribes for their females because they came without wives. These cruel and malevolent changes which the Spanish imposed on the natives led to the decimation of the indigenous populations in Trinidad. The religion of the Spanish, Roman Catholicism remains the largest Christian denomination and the single largest grouping in the nation. Following the success of Columbus voyage the Spanish monarchy secured the religious title of Trinidad and by extension the entire western hemisphere. The Spaniards were convinced that if they could change the religious view of an individual to their religion Christianity, they would have great power or great control on the individual. They also believed that service to God was the sole legitimate purpose of all human beings and once their religion was delivered to the world, the Spanishs empire would be very pleased and powerful. The Spanish leaders regarded the right of the native mainly because they werent of Christianity and brutally enforced the religion of Roman Catholicism on the native. They made the religion mandatory, forbidding the natives to practice their own religious rituals and anything of Amerindian nature. The Spanish destroyed thei r zemis and places of worship which the native build to practice their rituals. Objection to the Spanish religion would result in extreme punishment or possible death. The force of Christianity impacted negatively on the natives for a huge amount of the population was killed in a short time also their unique cultures were slowly vanished. Despite the queens attempt to treat the natives fairly according to her Christian faith, she understood that force labour was necessary for the development of the country. The Repartimiento system was soon introduced by Columbus and was further developed to the Encomiendas systems. These systems were accepted and passed by the house of Castile. The system would distribute the natives in groups and submit them to wealthy Spaniards for the purpose of labour. The masters were to ensure the protection, civilization, payment and conversation of the natives passed by the Burgos law in return for their labour. However the masters completely ignored the crown. The native were made official slaves through the system of the Encomiendas. The Encomonderos (the masters) saw the system as a venue to produce force labour without paying any wages therefore gaining in a lot of profits for themselves. The native were unfamiliar with the harsh working conditions of the Encomiendas system, compared to t heir former lifestyle. The natives believed that the Gods were displeased, and they were being punished for their wrong doings. They began to commit suicide, infanticide and ran away instead of submitting their self and their infants to the Encomonderos. Through the extreme conditions of the masters daily labour, working the farms in the hot sun for long hours. This brought a number of deaths. Working the gold mines with extreme beatings and heavy loads also brought loss. As a result the native had little time and strength to attend to their own gardens (Conucos) which provided them with food to sustain the life of their families and themselves. The Spaniards also allowed their animals to trample and eat the produce of the native leading them to starvation. The Encomiendas system was the result of legal deaths of a vast amount of the indigenous people through starvation and physical strain of labour. Another major reason which caused the genocide of the native was the Smallpox and measles. These two diseases are the most famous diseases, brought to the indigenous people by the Spanish deliberate intension to kill the natives. They offered the natives blankets infected with smallpox. These diseases had a major influence on the decrease in population. Several tribes and villages had been completely killed out to extinct because they were unknowledgeable and unequipped to immune themselves of these new, strange diseases. Additionally, hunting and killing the native as a means of sport or entertainment to the Spanish significantly supported the genocide of the natives. They used steel swords, tipped pikes and cross-bows, they also used armor-covered horses and dogs because they had knowledge the native were very fearful of those large animal. They allowed the bloodhounds to tear there victims to pieces and the horses to trample over the natives. The Spaniards competed on their horses to cut off a native head with just one stroke and run their swords through the body and out the other side of the natives. They drown the native babies by dropping them of cliffs into rivers. The Nobbles and Chiefs of the Spaniards had the privilege to burn the native to death for this practice was reserved for their personal pleasure. The natives had simple weapons such as bows and arrows, stone clubs and wooden spears which were no match compared to the weapons of the Spanish. The Spaniards had great advantage over the natives. The native suffered severely at the hand of the Spanish. These cruel practices lead to several deaths of the indigenous population in Trinidad. Furthermore miscegenation was the factor which caused the value of races of the native to become abolished. On Columbus third voyage he was only able to gather mostly soldiers who fought in the battle to defeat the Moorish kingdom and criminal. These Spaniards were interested in adventure and had no concerns or regards for the natives. They came without their wives and began to seek interest in the female Amerindians. The Spanish began to take the females of the native tribes as their own. The Amerindian men were very displeased so they rebelled against the Spanish. The Spanish, being at the advantage with their weapons and animals quickly defeated the Amerindians attempt to protect their females. The Spanish exceeded once again in their horrible acts against the native and had their way. Soon after new form of races and cultures were introduced, a mixture of Spanish and Amerindian decent. Thus the rich values of the Amerindians races and cultures were slowly faded. Although the Spanish colonization mostly affected the natives negatively, they did also bring with them some positive contributions. The Spanish introduce technological development, with this new technology they learned to build advance ships and to use nautical instruments for navigation on their journeys. Crops such as banana, wheat, rice, coffee and olive where introduce to the natives through the Spanish. They cultivated many lands and harvest abundantly. Trinidad was recognized for their success in the development of its plantation economy and its mass production. The Spanish also imported their animals such as chickens, pigs, horses, cows and dogs. These animals were a factor of production for both labour support and produce. The animals also give Trinidad a variety in its animal species. The term colonization refers to the inhabitation, maintenance and expansion of colonies of an area from persons of a different area. In this context the Spanish certainly colonized Trinidad. Regrettably the Spanish colonization did undoubtedly cause the decimation of the indigenous population of Trinidad almost too extinct. This process started with the entry of Christopher Columbus and his crew members. The Spanish had obtained a greed to gain power and riches overall and lead the worlds economy. They also had a passion to convert the souls of others or heathens to the form of Christianity by any means possible. They believed it was their purpose for life on earth. They made their religion compulsory for the natives. They invaded the territories of the native and control them regardless of their persistent rejection. They made them slaves for their selfish need to obtain power and most of the natives were killed it the defensive wars to keep their freedom. They brought strange disea ses and hunted them for entertainment; they also caused miscegenation and therefore the native cultures and races slowly became nonexistent. Indeed the colonization is the cause of the extermination of the indigenous population of Trinidad.

Free College Essays - The Strength of the Characters in A Raisin in the Sun :: A Raisin in the Sun

The Strength of the Characters in A Raisin in the Sun In A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry paints an impressive group portrait of the Youngers, a family composed of powerful characters who are yet in many ways typical in their dreams and frustrations. There is Lena, or Mama, the widowed mother; her daughter Beneatha, a medical student; Beneatha's brother Walter, a struggling chauffeur; and Walter's wife, Ruth, and their young son. Crammed together in an airless apartment, the family dreams of better days. The character Beneatha knows much about her African past. Mama is very proud of her African heritage and believing it's importance. During the stage directing of the play Lena has the "noble bearings of the women of the heroes of the Southwest Africa , but she totally ignores her African past and does not care much about it either" (Cheney 59). Asagai Beneatha's acquaintance talks allot about his African past and believes deeply in his culture and heritage. He is from Nigeria where there is a lot of poverty.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A Raisin in the Sun is a quiet celebration of the black   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   family the importance of African roots, the equality of   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   women, the vulnerability of marriage, the true value of   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   money, the survival of the individual and the nature of   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   mans dreams (Cheney 55). Africa is a great part of the play because it brings out good and humorous elements in the Younger family, such as Walter yelling out "Hot Damn!" "Flaming Spear!" as Beneatha walks out in her Nigerian robes (Cheney 60). Africa becomes a symbol of heritage and a troublesome but hopeful future (Cheney 56).   Ã‚  Ã‚   With the help of Paul Robeson, W.E.B Dubois and Frederick Douglass she created the play A Raisin in the Sun. Paul Robeson was a famous baritone singer. He inspired her to write A Raisin in the Sun. She loved his voice and the songs he sang. Hansberry learned from him "...the way that most blacks lived, and the dangers of being an artist" (Cheney 45-46). W.E.B Dubois was an original thinker and a sociologist. Hansberry "...gained admiration for black intellectual, socialism, and black leadership" (Cheney 40). Frederick Douglass was a another writer. Hansberry learned about slavery and its psychology. She also learned a "...invaluable lesson that the sufferings of a people may be presented truthfully in ways that rise above propaganda to the level of art" (Cheney 36-37). Free College Essays - The Strength of the Characters in A Raisin in the Sun :: A Raisin in the Sun The Strength of the Characters in A Raisin in the Sun In A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry paints an impressive group portrait of the Youngers, a family composed of powerful characters who are yet in many ways typical in their dreams and frustrations. There is Lena, or Mama, the widowed mother; her daughter Beneatha, a medical student; Beneatha's brother Walter, a struggling chauffeur; and Walter's wife, Ruth, and their young son. Crammed together in an airless apartment, the family dreams of better days. The character Beneatha knows much about her African past. Mama is very proud of her African heritage and believing it's importance. During the stage directing of the play Lena has the "noble bearings of the women of the heroes of the Southwest Africa , but she totally ignores her African past and does not care much about it either" (Cheney 59). Asagai Beneatha's acquaintance talks allot about his African past and believes deeply in his culture and heritage. He is from Nigeria where there is a lot of poverty.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A Raisin in the Sun is a quiet celebration of the black   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   family the importance of African roots, the equality of   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   women, the vulnerability of marriage, the true value of   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   money, the survival of the individual and the nature of   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   mans dreams (Cheney 55). Africa is a great part of the play because it brings out good and humorous elements in the Younger family, such as Walter yelling out "Hot Damn!" "Flaming Spear!" as Beneatha walks out in her Nigerian robes (Cheney 60). Africa becomes a symbol of heritage and a troublesome but hopeful future (Cheney 56).   Ã‚  Ã‚   With the help of Paul Robeson, W.E.B Dubois and Frederick Douglass she created the play A Raisin in the Sun. Paul Robeson was a famous baritone singer. He inspired her to write A Raisin in the Sun. She loved his voice and the songs he sang. Hansberry learned from him "...the way that most blacks lived, and the dangers of being an artist" (Cheney 45-46). W.E.B Dubois was an original thinker and a sociologist. Hansberry "...gained admiration for black intellectual, socialism, and black leadership" (Cheney 40). Frederick Douglass was a another writer. Hansberry learned about slavery and its psychology. She also learned a "...invaluable lesson that the sufferings of a people may be presented truthfully in ways that rise above propaganda to the level of art" (Cheney 36-37).

Making corporate boards more effective

Krishna Pale, Guan Submarines and Walter Salmon. Synopsis Presented by: Brent Lengthener, Chairman and CEO of Lengthener & Associates, Board Member of TAP Oil & Gas and Merit. Participants: Board members from various organizations. Half of the group was made up of international representatives with a strong contingent from Africa, Australia, the I-J and other destinations. This proved to be very interesting in that their insights were from a different perspective throughout.Preface: This is Part 2 of my notes and subsequent research performed from the week I spent with Jay Lowers and a handful of Harvard Business School faculty members discussing board effectiveness. I am trying to share this information to the best of my abilities so that others can gain additional insights for the companies they lead. Note, these are my notes but I do not necessarily agree with all of the comments and/or insights shared. Also note that these professors are all pro- business and serve on boards as w ell.In Part 1, we ended with Case Study 7-Bank of America and Merrill Lynch Case Study 8: Hewlett-Packard Company: The War Within This was a continuation of Case Studies 5 and 6. In September 2006, Haps Board of Directors was in despair. The acquisition of Compact (Case Study 5) had taken a toll. Board members were leaking confidential information and felony counts ensued. All of this marred what seemed to be a great turnaround for HP under Mark Hurt. Key Questions Included: 1. How and why did HP get into this situation? 2. What could have been done to prevent this? 3. How do we prevent this from happening to our boards?Key Takeaways on Board Dysfunction Mistrust Poor Communication No true team; too many â€Å"lone rangers† No consensus on strategy No boundaries between board oversight and management execution Putting personal agenda's first Independence. Integrity. Innovation. 2 Key Questions Included: 1 . Was Cancan Justified in attacking Target? 2. Who would you side with? Cancan or Target? Why? 3. Could Target's board have done anything differently to avoid the public conflict this created? 4. If Target can be attacked, then what are the implications for other boards, corporate governance, proxy access and more regulatory oversight?Key takeaways: Economic downturns create more stress, especially with investors. Rational thinking an quickly go out the door. Presently, think about anyone operating in the Gulf of Mexico and how the stress has increased. Target is one retail outlet that does not fear Wall-Mart. They have their own strategy and are very successful. They have no desire to be a copycat. They are proud of who they are. The board is constantly â€Å"revamping† itself and is considered excellent in governance. Even with all it had going for it, they still came under attack. Everyone is vulnerable- especially today with the new changes.The nominating process will become much more important going forward. Being prepared is ALWAYS key. Ad ditional Discussions: The day is coming when re-nominating boards will be very important. Investor Relations may want to aggressively share what board members are doing, press releases, website, etc, like they do with management. Companies should reach out to large and influential shareholders from time-time. Conference calls and shareholder meetings may need to be â€Å"rethought† so as to get more interaction. Make sure the board you have works well as a team. When crisis hits, they need to see themselves as a team versus individuals. Case Study 1 1: FL-CIO Office of Investment and Home Depot On January 3, 2007, Home Depot fired Robert Narrated, its CEO and Chairman, following controversy over his compensation package. Marinade's departure was partly the result of the focused efforts of the FL-Coo's Office of Investment. The office had executed a website and led an aggressive campaign focused on his pay. Narrated made $240 million in 6 years, but the stock had simply gone d own; even with a 19% buy back. Home Depot's number one competition (Low's) was beating them at every turn, including watching its market cap go from $16 billion to $47 billion.Key Questions: 1 . How can a company deal with a focused effort like this? 2. How did Marinade's compensation impact Home Depot? Key Takeaways: There can be a wide variety of different shareholder groups, all varying and all with different, and maybe opposing, agendas. It is important to think out compensation plans from beginning to end; not only the costs, but the reasoning, the optics, and the story. Make sure you proactively tell the â€Å"true story' regarding compensation versus letting someone else do it for you. Their perception can become other peoples' reality.Error as much as possible with performance based compensation versus fixed remunerates. Keep plans understandable and simple. For more good information on excellent pay practices, go to Case Study 4 (in Part 1) about Recruit Benchers PAL. Case Study 12: The Board of Directors at Morgan Stanley & Dean Witter On June 13, 2005, Phillip announced that he would retire as Chairman and CEO at Morgan Stanley & Dean Witter as soon as a successor was found. Morgan Stanley & Dean Witter had been performing poorly and was losing its key talent. His resignation raised two main problems for the board: 1 how to go about finding a new CEO; and 2. How to determine the future direction of the firm. 6 Key Questions: 1 . What is your assessment of how the board handled the situation? 2. How do you explain their decision? Terrible practices were in place and the company had become â€Å"institutionalized† Board became infatuated with a strong CEO personality or lost focus A possible successor being guaranteed the â€Å"CEO role† in five years is a terrible practice The board sacrificed the vision and mission of the company for friendship and interlocks Most did not understand the business, especially the huge difference between Morgan Stanley and Dean WitterTo remove the CEO, 75% of the board had to agree, which was virtually impossible The way they allowed the CEO to dictate any would-be successor cut them off from some great candidates Case Study 13: Citreous-Wichita-Wells Fargo On October 3, 2008, the CEO of Citreous, who had Just worked out an exclusive agreement to buy Wichita, received a call from Washout's CEO saying they had Just â€Å"cut a new deal† with Wells Fargo. Wells Farads offer was $7/share versus the $1 Citreous had offered. The matchmaker was the IBID. They first worked the deal with Citreous but later reworked a new deal with Wells Fargo.Even more interesting was new legislation that was being approved to let a profitable bank buy another bank and use its Net Operating Loss immediately. This, at the time, really only worked for Wells Fargo and is one of the reasons it could offer more. 1 . If you were on Agitprop's board and heard there was a new deal with Wells Fargo, what wou ld you do? 2. If you were on Washout's board, how would you handle the two opportunities? 3. If you were Wells Fargo, after the favorable tax law change, what would you do? 4. Evaluate what the IBID did by, in essence, brokering to both. Www. Lengthener. M 7 5. Key takeaways: Interestingly, we had one of Washout's negotiators in the room so he gave us some great insights: Citreous was going to â€Å"cherry-pick† Washout's assets and Wells Fargo was going to buy all. Citreous was not a cultural fit so chances that this would have worked were slim at best. Plus, Citreous did not know retail like Wells Fargo. Wichita believes Wells Fargo has been a â€Å"perfect fit. † The IBID Chair, Sheila Pair, brokered the deal first with Citreous and then, during the due diligence period, was working on a better deal with Wells Fargo. From a legal perspective:

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buy custom Schizophrenia essay Introduction This is a chronic, severe mental disorder that often interferes with the behavioral, responsive and perceptional abilities of an individual. It is sometimes referred to as split personality disorder. It is a psychotic mental disorder that is characterized by changes in thinking, behaviors and social characters of an individual. In most cases, a person suffering from schizophrenia will tend to think in a manner that is completely different and in complete contrast to the real world, a condition referred to as psychosis (Brown 3). Statistical data indicate that schizophrenia affects nearly five million people globally every year. The disorder is believed to affect mainly mental processes such as speech, attention, decision making among others. The discovery of schizophrenia dates back to the early 18th century when medical accounts on the disorder were published by Philippe Pinel and James Mathews. Eugene Bleuler described it as a split in the mind that affects a persons personality, thoughts, perception and memory. Types of Schizophrenia Schizophrenia can occur in different forms namely paranoid, disorganized, catatonic, undifferentiated and residual schizophrenia. Paranoid schizophrenia is where the patient is preoccupied with one or more delusions or auditory hallucinations. Disorganized schizophrenia is characterized by difficulties in speech and disorganized behaviors. Catatonic schizophrenic patients usually have difficulties in movements, high resistance to movements, excessive movements, abnormal movements and/or repetition of others actions or deeds. Undifferentiated schizophrenia is characterized by delusions and hallucinations, disorganized speech or behavior. Residual schizophrenia is where the condition is not very severe and the patient shows minor symptoms such as withdrawal, disinterest and not speaking (Beck, Rector Stolar 46). Symptoms At the inception of schizophrenia, the patient will show signs of thinking problems. He/she will think in a manner that is completely out of touch with the real world. He/she may experience hallucinations, have a disorganized speech, physically rigid behavior, significantly decreased emotional feelings and paranoia. A person suffering from schizophrenia normally experiences hallucinations and delusions. Usually, the patient would withdraw him/herself from social groups (social isolation), show low problem solving abilities, poor decision making, lack of intrinsic motivation and difficulty in movement and motions. According to Murray, symptoms of schizophrenia can be broadly grouped into two: positive and negative. Positive symptoms are usually not experienced by most individuals and include disorders in thoughts, speech, sight and smell (Murray 28). These are the major indicators of psychosis. On the other hand, negative symptoms refer to deficits in normal emotional and psychological responses and include alogia, avolition, anhedonia among others. Moreover, Shean suggests that patient with schizophrenia may exhibit the flattened effect. This refers to a state of being emotionless. He advises that even though the flattened can be found in other mental disorders as well it is most common in patients with schizophrenia. Excessive sleep can also suggest existence of the disorder (Shean 113). Causes of Schizophrenia For decades, the exact causes of schizophrenia have not been identified. There have been strong disagreements and debates pertaining to its causes and possible factors that were suggested have been exposed to either modification or complete rejection. However, medics have concluded that it either results from genetic disorders or environmental factors. Genetically, the disease is heritable through inheritance of genes from immediate relatives, usually parnts. Medical theories suggest that generic vulnerability to histone and zinc finger 804A proteins have direct link to heritability of schizophrenia (Mandal Nizamie 187). On the other hand, environmental factors such as long-term abuse of hard drugs and natural surrounding can as well lead to schizophrenia. When expectant mothers are exposed to severe prenatal stress, they may give birth to schizophrenic babies. Such stressors could be as a result of lack of employment, financial difficulties, domestic violence, discrimination and dysfunctional family settings. These social and life pressures have been viewed as major contributors to this disorder. According to Ross, those who frequently abuse drugs such as cocaine and cannabis sativa and excessive drinking of alcohol have higher risks of schizophrenia (Ross 24). Research by medical doctors from Duke University indicates that those who use cannabis have thrice the risk of psychosis and consequently schizophrenia. During pregnancy, when the mother is exposed to stressful conditions and malnutrition, chances of giving birth to a schizophrenic child are slightly increased (Shean 162). In addition, the disorder may result from infections especially when a child is born during winter. Other diseases such as polio, herpes simplex and muscles have been connected to the spread of schizophrenia. Ritsner summarizes these causes into five broad categories namely, genetics, brain structure abnormalities, abnormal neuro-chemistry, seasonal exposure to viruses and environmental factors (Ritsner 120). The Relationship Between Brain Functionality and Schizophrenia Various researches have been carried to determine the relationship between brain dysfunction and schizophrenia. Psychologists believe that schizophrenia has a great impact on cognition. Memory loss and neuro-cognitive deficits are symptomatology indicators of schizophrenia. They advise that psychotherapy is the remedy to the disorder. Neurologists, on the other hand, propose that schizophrenia results from changes in the brain structure, its chemical reactions and neuron activities. A miscommunication between the neurons and the receptors would, thus, lead to schizophrenia (Boyle 95). Prevention Prevention of schizophrenia has proved difficult to medical practitioners. This is because there is no direct and reliable link between the disease and other disorders such as psychosis. Diagnosis and Treatment The diagnosis of schizophrenia starts by seeking help from psychiatrists at reasonably early stages of development. Any person who shows the psychosis symptoms should be diagnosed as soon as possible, and medications given before the condition become severe. According to Ross, there are no laboratory tests for schizophrenia and diagnosis, thus, includes exclusive mental examination. Diagnosis will involve evaluation of the patients family background to determine if the disorder has been inherited, individual emotional history and responses to stimuli, the current symptoms he/she has, the developmental background of the condition and identification of any other disorder that might be affecting the patient (Ross 134). Treatment of schizophrenia involves administration of antipsychotic drugs. In case the patient responses poorly to first medications, Clozapine, Thorazine and Prolixin may be used. However, great caution should be undertaken when using Clozapine since it has adverse side effects on the white blood cells. Patients should also undergo psychological treatment that involves various types of supportive therapies ranging from family therapies to behavioral therapies. Furthermore, behavioral techniques which include socializing skills and how to build good relationships can provide fruitful benefits to the patient if well administered. Similarly, long term use of antipsychotic drugs may result into tardive dyskinesia, a disorder characterized by the increased body movements. Schizophrenic disorders that results from environmental exposure to stressful conditions can be managed by learning how to cope with such conditions effectively. Complications Schizophrenia has diverse effects on different people, though these complications are usually interconnected to thinking, emotional expressions and response to environmental stimuli. Some medical researchers have also shown that schizophrenic individuals may as well suffer from other mental illnesses and other diseases that have no direct relation to psychosis. Generally, schizophrenic patients usually suffer from increased depressions. More often than not, they are not able to care for themselves and hence, require close and personalized support from friends and relatives. They are unable to earn for themselves a living, possess poor relationship maintenance skills and cannot work properly. Psychiatrics have proved that schizophrenia has a great impact on the intelligence level of an individual. In a research study carried out by psychiatrists, doctors and psychologists from Medical Research Council, it was found that more than three quarters of patients reported a decline in their Intelligence Quotient (IQ). It is believed that the disorder usually damages the brain nerve at its early stages (Fatemi 248). According to Mahoney, most people suffering from the disorder have or at least attempted to commit suicide. This is because of increased loneliness and withdrawal from social groups and irrational thinking (Mahoney 173). The patients similarly excessively abuse certain drugs such as nicotine and alcohol. This usually results in increased mild response to antipsychotic drugs used during treatment, hence, a prolonged period of illness. Apart from the suffering of the individual, family members may as well suffer from guilt and grieves financial obligation and emotional and social disturbances. The patient may also behave in a self-destructive manner, for instance, by becoming extremely violent. Last but least, schizophrenia may also lead to overstretching of available medical resources of the state. When a greater percentage of the population suffers from this disorder, they will need for additional resources for medical supplies, and consequently larger proportions of a nations resources will be channeled towards prevention and cure of the disease (Tsung, Faraone Glatt). Schizophrenia and Children There have been fewer research studies on schizophrenia in children. However, previous investigations have found that children as young as six years can have schizophrenia, though the symptoms may not show clearly until their adulthood. Conclusion Schizophrenia is a deadly disorder that has no definite cure. It is, therefore, advisable that people take precaution on behaviors that are abnormal. The disorder could be easy to manage if it is diagnosed at its early development stage. Due to their poor decision making abilities, schizophrenic patients should be well taken care of. This would help to reduce the number of accidents or suicidal deaths they may commit. During medication, they should be strictly supervised to ensure that they take the correct doses of prescribed drugs for the stated time period. Patients with mental disorders should be taken to rehabilitation centers where they can receive appropriate emotional and psychological support. The society members as well should also be educated on symptoms of schizophrenia to enable them to take appropriate actions at early stages of development of the disease. Affected families can seek assistance from self-help groups where they will meet people with similar experiences. Buy custom Schizophrenia essay

Sir Gawain and the Green Knigh essays

Sir Gawain and the Green Knigh essays Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is about a challenge... A challenge no one would dare ever take except for Gawain. In King Arthurs court he came in, offering the challenge. This challenge was to strike down the Green Knight with his own axe but there was a catch. The challenger must be slain as well by the green knight in a year and one day later at a place called the Green chapel. When the Green Knight was sliced and was headless, people were shocked to find out that he could still move, thus having Gawain take the blow on that specific date. Around autum, Gawain left King Arthurs castle to journey to the Green Chapel, knowing it would be a long journey there. Boy was his journey hard! Gawain had to face beasts, hunger, and the cold that was growing as the days passed. A month or two has passed and Gawain faintly saw a castle to which he was welcomed. In this castle a deal was made, a sort of trade perhaps. Everytime the owner of the castle (Bertilak) hunted down any beast out in the wilderness, Gawain had to give him what Gawain earned at the castle for staying behind. So Betilak went and for the first hunt, got a deer. Gawain kissed him for that, since during his time at the caslte, Betilaks wife gave Gawain a kiss. Same thing for the next day, but two kisses instead, and the third day, a fox and three kisses BUT Betilaks wife also gave Gawain a cloth that would protect him from death. When Gawain gave three kisses to Betilak, he didnt give the cloth to him (cheater) and on the next day, Gawain left for the Green Chapel. Gawain finally reached the Green Chapel at that exact day to what the Green Knight mentioned about. The green knight comes and slices Gawain but Gawain survived. Then the green knight revealed himself to be Bertilak (this is when his name is mentioned in the story) and knew about the cloth. Gawain was still a very good warrior but wore the gridle on his arm to...

The American Elections of 1896 essays

The American Elections of 1896 essays The election of 1986 is considered as one of the most important in the nation's history since it marked a sea change in the evolution of the modern presidency. Though the status of this election was unclear, it is frequently considered as a realigning election that stands for a serious difference from previous patterns of voting. Mainly, it refers to any one of several United States presidential elections in which geographic bases of power for each of the two parties were radically altered, resulting in a new political power structure and status quo. It is believed that a realigning election happens only after a shift in partisan preferences in the general populace. Furthermore, in this case, James Weaver of the People's Party, who had finished a reputable third four years before, threw his aid to the Democratic candidate William Jennings Bryan. John M. Palmer of the National Democratic Party received 133,435 votes (1.0%), and the Prohibition Party's Joshua Levering 125,072 votes (0.9%). Many of the Prohibition voters went to Bryan in this election, but this was insufficient to overcome Republican candidate William McKinley. Besides, this election was one of huge importance to money. It's main issue was which metal should back U.S., gold or silver. Bryan supported silver whereas McKinley supported gold. The Populists had supported Bryan because they as well supported the silver issue. The diverse political parties had some support for each but the main ones were gold for Republicans and silver for Democrats. On November 3, 1896, 14 million Americans went to the polls, giving Republican William McKinley a winning total of over 7,100,000 votes (51%) and 276 in the Electoral College against about 6,500,000 popular ballots (46%) and 176 electoral votes for Democrat William Jennings Bryan. It was the largest margin of victory since President Ulysses S. Grant's reelection in 1872. William McKinley's political back up ca...

Criminal Law Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Criminal Law - Assignment Example Common law has fundamental roots from judicial and customs precedents and not statutes. It forms part of English law that mostly contrasts statutory law. Common law relates to English law modified and adopted differently by federal governments (Casenotes and Briefs 77). Mores describes the conventions and identifiable customs of the community. Mores relates to habits, ways of life or traditions embraced by the community. Mores defines the moral attitudes acceptable in an individual society. Stare a decisi relates to the doctrines of precedent in the creation of legal principle of determining points in a lawsuit. It defines the principles of law on which the court used to rest an erstwhile decision. Statute law, as opposed to customary or oral law, refers to written laws by legislators and legislatures. Legislators write statute laws in monarchy states. Legislative rules prescribe, declare, or commands specific requirements. Substantive Criminal law relates to written rulings that explain the duties and rights in criminal and civil law. States can enact substantive criminal law by initiative processes (Cole, Smith, and DeJong 75). It includes component items that usable to qualify and make a case as a crime. It involves breach of the constitution. They include an act involving physical action and criminal intent. Winning criminal trials involves proving that an element of necessity is absent. Bill of Attainder is a statutory act imposing punishment on an individual or a group of easily recognizable individuals. In most instances, decision on treason is executed without trial. The American constitution prohibits

United States Constitution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

United States Constitution - Essay Example What are these characteristics, what causes them and how fixed is human nature are some of the questions that we face for us to be able to to understand hat human nature human nature is like. In addressing these questions about the implications of understanding humanness, it is wise to keep in mind the end results of whichever study about Human Nature. This will be necessarily be limited by the focus of the investigation and the techniques used. ( Jeeves, 1). It is good to understand what American development is before we go deep into the subject. American Political development is the study of American political growth from a historical viewpoint. And on the the hand when we talk about institution it all paints the picture of customs, practices, or organization, frequently rooted in the rules and law that defines and structures political and social activities. United States of America constitution was written in an under democratic age. Those who researched on it and documented some findings had no intention having democratic constitution. Their findings intended to check, balance and limit political powers while protecting the citizens and property right of the whites. Most critics of the U.S. Constitution find most of it vital elements of argument under democratic and call for their removal or revision (Jillson, 52). Jillson in his book about the government of America highlights some of the prominent people like Robert A. Dahl as the greatest theorist of the second half of the twentieth century. Dahl in his book, how democratic is the constitution; he levels some criticisms in elections of those holding government positions. And also Jillson second him in his allegation, a factor that leads them to break down the constitution into four principles that governs it. This principle has in them the essence of equality includes the idea of republicanism, representative government, sovereignty of the people, limited government, bills of right, tripartite separation of power, independence of the judiciary in the exercise of [power of judicial review, supremacy of the civilian over military authority and supremacy of the constitution over all the the laws of the land. Jillson summarizes this principle into four main principles as follows; The ancient world which usually means Athens and Rome thought that government should foster human excellent Medieval Christendom thought that government should facilitate Christian life Early modern Europe came to believe that should establish and maintain order and prosperity (Jillson, 5). The Ancient: Who rules and for what purpose Rome and Athens formed the centers of the greatest European societies of those old days. Athens gives the definition of human and political values as justice, openness, and excellence hat western countries still goes after them. Rome entrenched these values in political and lawful institutions as fairness before the law federalism, balances and checks that are still central to the way we think about politics. This is clear because Athens and Rome were slave societies. They prepared their vaunted right and liberties accessible only to citizens and both fell to social and political unsteadiness. Rome and Athens learned that much of the way Europeans and the American think about politics was spearheaded, by two Greek political theorists. These men are Plato and Aristotle who both lived in Athens (Jillson, 6). Aristotle had no interest in the normative

Generation Limbo Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Generation Limbo - Essay Example The current job crisis is a problem that requires critical thinking. To deal with this reality, I will have an open mind concerning which job I can do. I will have to accept any kind of work outside law field. In the event that nothing is forthcoming, I will initiate personal project, for example, open a fast food shop. I believe trying my hand at entrepreneurship will help me to face the problem of job crisis bravely. With the current state of the job market, no single graduate feels safe after graduating because of dwindling job opportunities. Like any other graduate, I must admit that I am very anxious and stressed at the same time about my future. I have invested a lot in education and failing to get a job would be very disastrous. In my opinion, college can help graduates by forming an alliance with various employers so that when students graduate, they can have direct links to potential employers. Also, establishing guidance and counseling program to deal with unemployment challenges can help reduce the level of stress among

Aristotles View of Friendship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Aristotles View of Friendship - Essay Example A rich man would need friends to bestow some of his riches on them. According to Aristotle, it is friends who would safeguard his riches. And for the poor man, or the man in trouble, it is only friends who are his refuge. Friendship helps the elderly because friends help them when they are weak and in need. Similarly, young people also benefit by friendship as friends advise them and keep them from following wrong ways. Talking about justice and friendship, Aristotle says that there is no need of justice between friends, and the just need friends too. Although philosophers differed on where friendship grows- whether between similar people or between opposites, Aristotle is not bothered by it. According to him just feeling goodwill towards another, which is not reciprocated, is not friendship, but goodwill. He categorizes friendship in three different kinds. Friendship blossoms where the other person is lovable. According to Aristotle, everything is not lovable but only the good, pleasant and the useful. Thus, in friendship too, there is love when the person is good, or pleasant or useful. Aristotle argues that since usefulness changes with time, the friendship cultivated for the sake of usefulness would soon dissolve. Similarly, friendship which grows because it is pleasant is also not permanent. Aristotle defines perfect friendship as that which exists between men who are both good and have the sa

Shared Practice Evaluation Methods Part II Assignment

Shared Practice Evaluation Methods Part II - Assignment Example soda is concerned, I strongly believe that you could have chosen at least two of the alternatives instead of wanting to use all of them at one point or the other. This notwithstanding, it is a good thing that you recognized that there will be different stages of decision making and thus the need to diversify your decision making tools. Â  Hello John, it is great to read about how you identify instances where each of the decision making tools is relevant and the advantages and limitations that come with each of them. I have always believed that companies have failed in the implementation of decision making on investments because they refuse to weigh out their options very well. This is because in most cases, the companies overly rely on the advantage that a particular decision making tool would bring without looking at possible disadvantages. But as stressed by quote (year), it is very important that at every point in time, decision making will be made around whether the company’s priority is with time value of money or with the quantitative outcomes from investment. Regarding your current project, I believe it is a very good thing that you decided to select only two methods which are discounted payback and NPV. With such specification, you will be able to stay focused on the monitoring of your

Greek art vs egyptian art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Greek art vs egyptian art - Essay Example Some religious functions were processions that started at, visited, or ended within the temple or shrine. The architectural concept of the Roman temple originated from the Etruscan model. As a matter of brief description, the Etruscans were an indigenous race found in Italy that dominated the 17th Century BC. On their part, the Etruscans had borrowed their building skills mainly from the Greek architecture. It is, therefore, worth stating that the Greek architectural concepts played a vital role in the development of Roman temples. The temples had the same pattern characterized by triangular shaped roofs supported by great pillars. There were steps that lead to the main doorway whereas the main doorway was built behind the pillars. The main emphasizes was in the front building, dominated by portico with columns, a pronaos. Importantly, this takes a different concept from the Greek model that emphasized on the temple as the totality. That is; the Greek temples were characterized by simple rectangular shrine with protruding side walls called antae. This formed a small porch. The primary building material for the roman temples was concrete, and this explains why many of the temples ‘survived the storm’. During the construction process, the constructors effectively mixed the concrete and the structural shape of the arch hence resulting to the base of the temple. Due to the immense weight of the temples, it was necessary to use strong building materials. In this regard, the integration of the arch in building the temples ensured that the temples remained strong and solid. On the other hand, the first Greek temples were built from mud, brick and marble structure on stone foundations. In order to reinforce the mud-brick walls, wooden posts in a type of half-timbered technique was used. This resulted to all vital architectural techniques that were to influence the development of Greek temples for a long time. Although the Roman

Concepts Learned to a Real-life Simulation Experience Research Paper

Concepts Learned to a Real-life Simulation Experience - Research Paper Example Now, on the right hand side of the equation, ‘e’ is taken as the number of times the interest is compounded. Now if we substitute the values in the equation we can get the following results. National First    Prime Rate 3.25% Floor Rate 6.75% Number of times compounded Semiannually i 0.1 e 2 a 10.25% Regions Best    Prime Rate 13.17% Number of times compounded Monthly i 13.17% e 12 a 13.99% (ii) Thus it is apparent from the above calculation that the company should borrow from National First Bank as it is charging interest at a lesser Equivalent rate which is 10.25%. If we suppose that the company acquires loan amounting to $ 8 million, then following will be the annual interest charge that the company will have to record in its income statement Loan Amount Bank Rate on interest Interest Charge $ 8,000,000 National First 10.25% $ 820,000.00 $ 8,000,000 Regions Best 13.99% $ 1,119,200.00 Thus it is apparent from the above calculation that in case of National First Ban k, the company would have to pay lesser amount of interest as compared to that if the loan amount was obtained from Regions Best Bank. By adopting to obtain funds from National First, the company will save $299,200 on account of interest payments. (iii) Evaluating the proposal of Regions Best, the following formula is to be used (Figure a) The above mentioned formula is termed as the formula for ‘annuity’ in which â€Å"P† is the present value of the cumulative amount, â€Å"R† is the period payments, â€Å"I† is the period interest rate and â€Å"n† is the number of period for which the funds were borrowed. As per the terms decided with the Regions Best, the company will pay interest at 8.6% which shall be compounded monthly (that is why the ‘I’ in the formula of annuity has been divided by 12). Substituting the values we get P $ 6,950,000 i 8.60% n 5 years R $142,925 monthly Following is the loan schedule further explaining the computation Loan Schedule Months Opening Balance Annual Payments Interest Charged (8.6/12) Principal Paid Closing Balance 1 6,950,000 142,925 49,808 93,117 6,856,883 2 6,856,883 142,925 49,141 93,784 6,763,099 3 6,763,099 142,925 48,469 94,456 6,668,643 4 6,668,643 142,925 47,792 95,133 6,573,510 5 6,573,510 142,925 47,110 95,815 6,477,695 6 6,477,695 142,925 46,423 96,502 6,381,193 7 6,381,193 142,925 45,732 97,193 6,284,000 8 6,284,000 142,925 45,035 97,890 6,186,110 9 6,186,110 142,925 44,334 98,591 6,087,519 10 6,087,519 142,925 43,627 99,298 5,988,221 11 5,988,221 142,925 42,916 100,010 5,888,212 12 5,888,212 142,925 42,199 100,726 5,787,485 13 5,787,485 142,925 41,477 101,448 5,686,037 14 5,686,037 142,925 40,750 102,175 5,583,862 15 5,583,862 142,925 40,018 102,907 5,480,955 16 5,480,955 142,925 39,280 103,645 5,377,310 17 5,377,310 142,925 38,537 104,388 5,272,922 18 5,272,922 142,925 37,789 105,136 5,167,786 19 5,167,786 142,925 37,036 105,889 5,061,897 20 5,061,897 142,92 5 36,277 106,648 4,955,249 21 4,955,249 142,925 35,513 107,412 4,847,836 22 4,847,836 142,925 34,743 108,182 4,739,654 23 4,739,654 142,925 33,968 108,958 4,630,696 24 4,630,696 142,925 33,187 109,738 4,520,958 25 4,520,958 142,925 32,400 110,525 4,410,433 26 4,410,433 142,925 31,608 111,317 4,299,116 27 4,299,116 142,925 30,810 112,115 4,187,001 28 4,187,001 142,925 30,007 112,918

Greek art vs egyptian art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Greek art vs egyptian art - Essay Example Some religious functions were processions that started at, visited, or ended within the temple or shrine. The architectural concept of the Roman temple originated from the Etruscan model. As a matter of brief description, the Etruscans were an indigenous race found in Italy that dominated the 17th Century BC. On their part, the Etruscans had borrowed their building skills mainly from the Greek architecture. It is, therefore, worth stating that the Greek architectural concepts played a vital role in the development of Roman temples. The temples had the same pattern characterized by triangular shaped roofs supported by great pillars. There were steps that lead to the main doorway whereas the main doorway was built behind the pillars. The main emphasizes was in the front building, dominated by portico with columns, a pronaos. Importantly, this takes a different concept from the Greek model that emphasized on the temple as the totality. That is; the Greek temples were characterized by simple rectangular shrine with protruding side walls called antae. This formed a small porch. The primary building material for the roman temples was concrete, and this explains why many of the temples ‘survived the storm’. During the construction process, the constructors effectively mixed the concrete and the structural shape of the arch hence resulting to the base of the temple. Due to the immense weight of the temples, it was necessary to use strong building materials. In this regard, the integration of the arch in building the temples ensured that the temples remained strong and solid. On the other hand, the first Greek temples were built from mud, brick and marble structure on stone foundations. In order to reinforce the mud-brick walls, wooden posts in a type of half-timbered technique was used. This resulted to all vital architectural techniques that were to influence the development of Greek temples for a long time. Although the Roman

Unethical Business Research Conduct Essay Example for Free

Unethical Business Research Conduct Essay Ethics and the behaviors associated with them have the highest significance for different reasons within a business organization. Companies must ensure they follow all levels of ethical behavior when any activity is performed at their premises; especially activities related to business research. Business research is the systematic inquisition that provides information to direct managerial decisions (Cooper Schindler, 2011). Its purpose is to allow companies access to valuable information on company policies, customer service and consumer buying habits. Business owners can use this information to discover which products and services are important to the public, worker morale and behaviors, as well as what they can do to set themselves apart from the competition. However, wrong methods and/or unethical research conduct can obscure results and lead to the damage of a companies’ process, financial statue and image. An example of unethical business research can be found in the 2004 discrimination lawsuit against the restaurant Cracker Barrel. A number of bad research methods contributed to the courts’ order to convict and discipline the retailer for a number of consumer accusations. The leading cause of the court’s decision was the companies’ bad research and investigations into the basic problems and the flawed information that was turned into the Department of Justice following said investigation. Cracker Barrel Restaurant and Old Country Store, a nationwide retail chain, underwent random testing of its facilities and stores to monitor the possibility of racial bias in customer service. This research and observation was not only to screen for the possibility of racism, but to expand culture and diversity training to employees as part of a settlement with the Department of Justice on May 3, 2004. This agreement was made after a number of African Americans (and other minority groups) customers of the establishment came forward with complaints through the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People or NAACP, stating â€Å" they were made to wait longer for tables, were seated away from white patrons, received inferior service and wer e otherwise discriminated against at Cracker Barrel restaurants† (Fears, 2004). As part of a court agreement, Cracker Barrel conducted its own corporate research into the accusations against its company. They concluded that no wrongdoings were committed, asserting that its company has always maintained anti-discrimination policies to all consumer no matter what gender, race and sexuality they are. Upon the reception of Cracker Barrel’s results, the Justice Department decided to hire an independent auditor to check their claims. The Justice Departments investigation included interviews with approximately 150 persons, [of which consisted] mostly [of] former Cracker Barrel employees; and found that 80 percent stated that they experienced or witnessed discriminatory treatment of customers at a Cracker Barrel restaurant,† according to R. Alexander Acosta, Assistant Attorney General for the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division. The conclusion suggested that some managers directed, participated in, and/or encouraged stereotyping and discrim inatory behaviors from employee, Acostas added (Schmit Copeland, 2004). Though this suit ended with the court’s judgment for Cracker Barrel to pay fines and damages to a number of customers and their attorneys, the company’s reputation for discrimination is continuously being investigated a number of private and federal groups, including the Department of Justice, NAACP, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or EEOC. The first issue with the company began with management not taking customer complaints seriously, however, the major issue is how the company went about resolving the issue. Had they taken the time to actually brainstorm and come up with a logical way to resolve the issue, the accusations probably wouldn’t have turned into a class-action lawsuit. And when the Department of Justice demanded the company conduct a private, internal investigation, they should have gone about doing it the right way. However the company and managerial lack of interest in proper investigation and research skills lead them to produce questionable results of value to the case. With this, the Department of Justice chose to proceed with its own investigation to prove or disprove the case and integrity of the company. Reference Cooper, D., Schindler, P. (2011). Business research methods (11th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw- Hill/Irwin. Retrieved from the University of Phoenix eBook website: https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/content/eBookLibrary2/content/TOC.aspx?assetid=8e4d9544-fa8b-4402-8f2d- 624db889e46dassetmetaid=179f7507-93d0-431c-826f-d663a33b6057 Fears, D. (2004). Crackle Barrel, Government Settles Discrimination Suit. The Washington Post Company. Retrieved January 21, 2012 from http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/articles/A639242004 Schmit, J. Copeland, L. (2004). Cracker Barrel customer says bias was flagrant. USA Today. Retrieved January 20, 2012 from http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money/companies/2004-05-07-cracker- barrel_x.htm

Gender Representation in the Media

Gender Representation in the Media A comparison of representation between genders and how different genders are portrayed in childrens media Introduction I have chosen this EPQ topic because I wanted to address possible issues in the world we live in today. Its no secret that in society sexism, under representation and/or bad representation of both genders run wild and the issues greatly affect males and females. Representation is the description or portrayal of someone or something in a particular way, whether that be good or bad. This essay will explore the differences and similarities of the way males and females are portrayed in childrens media, and even dig deeper into the intersectional theory which is the view that people experience oppression in varying configurations and in varying degrees of intensity, for example, that be the fact they are a member of the LGBT community or a POC (Person of colour). For this essay, I define childrens media as: Television Shows (Animation and Sitcoms) and Films. Originally, I included childrens literature as one of the areas I would analyse but I decided against this idea as I felt I was working with too much and I wouldnt be able to complete my project on time. I knew that focusing on too many things wouldnt allow me to work to my full ability and on the other hand, its a lot easier to watch something than it is to read something and fully comprehend it. I have many films and shows that I have used to base my research, for example I have taken a selection of the most popular shows (based on opinions from online critics and some factual evidence also) from the Networks dedicated to the ages of 8-16 so CN (Cartoon Network) and its sister channels affiliated with it and Disney, along with their related channels. Some of these programs include the popular programs like Steven Universe, Gravity Falls and Spongebob Squarepants. Its no use just watching these shows of course, I aim to make detailed notes showing the percentages of male and female character appearances in episodes, how certain genders and minorities are portrayed and to debate the question of which gender really receives the best and most realistic representation. For example, some questions I have asked myself during my research include, are there any obvious stereotypes that stand out to you and how do they make you feel? By doing this I believe I can form a solid opinion on the shows I have watched. However, its important that my opinions are not one sided so I aim to really argue with myself over the issues and weigh up the positives and the negatives in my conclusion. Furthermore, I wanted to discover how other people felt about gender representation in childrens media also. It would allow me to see if people really thought there was an issue and to try and understand those who believed that what their children were watching on television was okay. I have used questionnaires to gather opinions from both parents and children in hope that they will allow me to generalise the opinions further. Television: Cartoon Network Starting with Turners Cartoon Network I have chosen two programs from the channel, Johnny Bravo and Steven Universe. Johnny Bravo Starting with Johnny Bravo; it premiered on July 14, 1997, making it the earliest show on the Cartoon Network list, and the first season completed production in December of that year. [1]The series stars a muscular young man named Johnny Bravo who dons a pompadour hairstyle and an Elvis Presley-like voice. He has a forward, woman-chasing personality and the plots typically revolve around him trying to get a woman that he has targeted throughout the episode to fall in love with him. He is often beaten up or stunned by his target or companions, or is ditched by them in the end. Almost immediately I believe this sort of program to contain very sexist messages towards both men and women. For men, it shows that its normal to lust after young beautiful women and treat them as nothing but sexual objects that you can try and win over. Then, theres also the problem that the main character is promoting unrealistic standards for young boys. Adults or older viewers may see this as a joke made by the creators however I believe young children may comprehend this differently, they may believe this is the proper way to act. Steven Universe Finally, we have Steven Universe. it premiered on November 4, 2013 as Cartoon Networks first animated series to be solely created by a woman, Rebecca Sugar. I think the fact Rebecca Sugar is the first woman to create an animated series says a lot about the show because we can see that a woman is writing women which will lead to more accurate women characters. It is the coming-of-age story of a young boy named Steven Universe, who lives in the fictional town of Beach City with the Crystal Gems Pearl, Garnet, and Amethyst, three magical humanoid aliens. Steven, who is half-Gem, goes on adventures with his friends and helps the Gems protect the world from their own kind[2](Wikipedia, 2017). I decided to watch Steven Universe instead of other popular CN television shows, for example Adventure Time or We Bare Bears because its very different from your usual cartoon. What I mean by that is we have four main characters, three of them are women who sport different body shapes which shows great body representation for women and theres even one character who is coded black, which means that outside of the shows context, she is seen is a black woman[3]. When watching some of the episodes for the show, I expected to see a lot of good representation for both genders and minorities too. I didnt expect to see any themes or characters that were LGBT, but if there were, Id expect them to be secondary characters or not that important at all. However, I was proved wrong and the show surpassed what I expected. Well start with the very first episode of Steven Universe, Laser Light Canon. Not even a minute into the episode and 3 out of the 6 characters weve seen are plus size which is very surprising as you dont normally have that many characters that arent just slim or curvy in childrens television shows. Two minutes in and we meet the crystal gems; Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl. We see these characters fighting against corrupted beings, not even breaking a sweat. The first impression we have of these women is that they are powerful and that they dont conform to the norm. Amethyst is very relaxed, she lassos the monster and calmly says, Sup Steven? while doing a peace sign. From this we can see that shes the laid back one of the group, she doesnt take things too seriously and she likes to have fun with what she does. One thing to note is that Amethyst is plus sized, a very deliberate characteristic the story boarders have given her. In media, overweight characters (mostly girls) are virtually absent.[4] In the Prix Jeunesse study for childrens television in the UK, 431 (63.7%) of the sample were of average weight, 192 (27.4%) of the characters were very thin, and 55 (8.9%) very overweight. 63.7% of all characters represented in British childrens TV are of a normal body range. Females are more often thin, males more often overweight. Out of the female characters 159 (55.2%) are in the normal range, 112 (38.9%) are very thin and 17 (5.9%) are very overweight. 272 male characters (69.9%) are in the normal range, 79 (20.3%) are very thin and 38 (9.8%) are very overweight. [5] This shows that the cartoon is obviously aiming for representation of larger characters and so far, this is good representation. The next character Pearl is then seen, she moves carefully and her strikes are precise as a melodic tune from a piano plays in the background. From this small part we can see that Pearl lives up to her gemstone symbolism; shes pure and innocent. Disney  Movies: Disney and Pixar For this part of my report, I would like to refer to the studios Disney and Pixar both as Disney. It is my understanding that they are different but fundamentally they stem from the same studio. Mulan The first film we have from Disney is the 1998 classic, Mulan. This film is heavily praised and noted for being a feminist film but why is that? What makes Mulan feminist? The basic plot of the film is that Mulan takes the place of her father in the war as she is concerned about her health. Mulan tackles the idea of how gender roles are worthless and that anybody can do anything as long as you have the right attitude however some may argue against this. After her male disguise fails and she is banished, Mulan doesnt give up and instead saves the whole of China and winning the heart of her once captain, Shang. One of the problems that have arisen already is the use of gender identity and what makes you a man or a woman. Mulan plays with the idea that to be a man you must à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦be swift as a coursing river, with all the force of a great typhoon which are lyrics from the song, Ill make a man out of you. This is a problem as it reinforces the idea that you should be a man but what does it mean to be a man? This is giving young children, young boys in particular, a very obscured impression of what men are; that they should be powerful and forceful. This also links to the idea that men are praised for taking charge and women are brandished as bossy[6] (see figure 1) and commanding. In addition, the opening song, honour to us all includes the lyrics, men want girls with good taste, (who are) calm (and) obedient and who work fast-paced, with good breeding and a tiny waist. This is obviously sexist and demonstrates that in the past women were seen as nothing more than objects for men to a dmire. A further problem with gender identity in the film Mulan is that it could be regarded as transphobic as its ideas of what it means to be a man or woman only reference the physical aspects, for example the way we look or the way we talk which can be seen when Mulan cuts off her hair and uses a deep tone when pretending to be Ping who is her male alter ego. The film does not reference the mental aspects of gender and could possibly offend a minority of people. However, some argue that Mulan isnt transphobic in the slightest, its just all about gender performance, much like drag in real life. In the Feminist and Queer Analysis of Disneys Mulan by Juliane Fung they suggest that using the queer theorys idea of gender performativity, it can instead be argued that Mulan is a film about gender performance and not gender itself. The film is supported by Butlers idea that gender is not an inherent set of traits, but rather it is performed (Ott and Mack 2009).[7] Furthermore, the film explores the pressure that is put on young women and how the anxieties can affect the. In the song, Reflection Mulan considers about her roles she has. She claims that she will never pass for a perfect bride, or a perfect daughter which shows the unrealistic demands that she was asked of. Mulan also hopes that she can free (herself) from their expectations which also demonstrates that women are In conclusion, many would argue that Mulan executes feminism ideals very well and that the theme of women empowerment is the most prominent in the whole film while others would disagree and claim that the film portrays the belief that men are in fact superior to women and that feminine traits will always be subordinate to those of the superior male class, as explained in Juliane Fungs analysis.[8] Throughout the whole movie, the emphasis is on gender roles, not Mulans aim to save China or her fathers life. Moreover, I believe that no gender here is represented in a more positive way than negative. Its very obvious that Mulan reinforces gender stereotypes with males being strong leaders and females serving no other purpose than looking after their husbands and being beautiful. Something I felt was completely unnecessary was giving Mulan the love interest too, this film was supposed to show Mulan being strong and independent and break free of the stereotype that women should be wives a nd dedicate their life to domestic life so I felt having Mulan and Shang share a romantic relationship completely went against the films intended message. The Princess and the Frog The second film we have from Disney is The Princess and The Frog which is the modernised version of the Brothers Grimms The frog king. This film excited many people as it was the first Disney film to have an African American lead role who was female. It also strays away from the typical damsel in distress trope that Disney have frequently used in the past. Tiana is a hardworking woman from New Orleans from 1930s America. She works two jobs to try and fund her dreams of owning a restaurant but due to discrimination she is left without the chance to buy an empty property. Her friend Charlotte is the daughter of the mayor, shes rich and beautiful yet her and Tiana have a very honest and open relationship. This is really refreshing to see as you would expect Charlotte and Tiana to have a very unfortunate relationship however they work really well together. One problem however is that there are the stereotypes of the smart brunette and the dumb/helpless blonde. (Gà ¶tz, 2006). Tiana is a headstrong character while Charlotte is constantly obsessed with marrying princess and being a princess herself, many would argue that she is a very one-dimensional character as she has no other tropes other than the one previously mentioned. As I previously mentioned, Tiana was the first female African American lead of a Disney movie so a lot of people would be excited to see what role she would take on and how she would be represented. A positive of Tianas character is that she shows that its important to work hard for what you want and that you should always follow your head. Her happily ever after isnt that she is married to a prince, although that does happen, it is more about the fact she finally has her restaurant after working hard for so many years. Its very inspiring to see that Tiana finally reaches her goal after all of the hardships she faced but there are many problems attached to this as well. One problem that I have found is the fact that Disney likes to include love interests when theyre clearly not needed. By showcasing male-female romantic love as something out of the ordinary, special and magical childrens films further the notion of heterosexuality normative. (Kazyak and Martin, 2009) Furthermore, it seems at the end of the film that Tiana was only able to purchase the restaurant she wanted because of Naveens money and his status as a prince. Its understandable that this is more realistic as his privilege would have helped Tiana in the 30s but what sort of message does it promote to young women? That you have to rely on a man to reach your goals? In my opinion this is bad representation as it is showing that women cannot be independent in the long run. Another problem that could be argued is that even though Disney made a huge breakthrough with their first African American lead, Tiana spends the majority of the film as an amphibian. Obviously, she has to be so the film can be progressed but what does it say if we hardly have any moments with a humanised Tiana? It could be claimed that because of the way Disney gave human Tiana hardly any screen time they didnt want a woman of colour to be the main lead and that is understandable. However, on many pieces of merchandise Tiana is very much always presented as a human and not as the frog character we know so this could dispute that claim. On the other hand, Prince Naveen also has troubles with representation in the film. Disney have come under fire from many fans and black man who accuse Disney of erasing their identities. Stroman (1984) states that black characters on television shows are more likely to be unemployed and impoverished[9] so by making Naveen racially ambiguous, Disney have offended many people. From a blog online people have argued that this was a slap in the face of black men who are only portrayed as criminals and sidekicks and not heroes and romantic love interests.[10] In conclusion, I feel like Disney did try to represent both genders and minorities in this case well yet it didnt work. There are many problems such as the fact that the two main people of colour spend the majority of the film as amphibians and not portrayed as humans, that the female character has to rely on the male character for her dreams to come true and the forced hetero-romance between the main characters. On the other hand, there are many positives too. Tiana is overall a very inspiring character for young girls and especially little black girls. Its important for children to not only be encouraged by a character but that they can relate with them also. Tiana teaches them not to give up on your dreams even if the world is against you and thats an important life lesson for anyone. Prince Naveen is also a good role model for young boys, but mostly towards the end of the film when he has come to the end of his character arc. He goes from a penniless prince to a man who is loving and caring of his friends and family. He is concerned about his own ego at the start but changes to become more compassionate. Whats more is that Naveen loves his music and encourages others to play, something which is considered quite feminine. Bibliography Figure 1 http://articles.bplans.com/gender-equality-white-paper/?_ga=1.15604406.1436524096.1490723092 (Accessed Feb, 17) (Ott and Mack 2009) Ott, Brian, and Robert Mack. Critical Media Studies. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, 2010. (Accessed Jan, 17) (Gà ¶tz, 2006). Gà ¶tz, M. (2006). Die Hauptfiguren im deutschen Kinderfernsehen (The main characters of German childrens TV). In: TelevIZIon, vol. 19, no. 1, pp. 4-7. (Accessed October, 16) (Kazyak and Martin, 2009)   Ã‚   Martin, K. A., Kazyak, E. (2009). Hetero-romantic love and heterosexiness in childrens g-rated films. Gender and Society, 23(3), 315-336. (Accessed October, 16) (Stroman, 1984) Stroman, C.A. (1984). The socialization influence of television on black children [Electronic Version]. Journal of Black Studies, 15(1), 79-100. (Accessed January, 17) [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Bravo#cite_note-8, 2017 [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Universe, 2017 [3] https://www.reddit.com/r/stevenuniverse/comments/3j7r23/does_garnet_count_as_black/cun2a4f/, 2016 [4] http://prixjeunesse.de/images/PDF/GenderInChildrensTVWorldwide_2008.pdf [5] http://www.prixjeunesse.de/childrens_tv_worldwide/studies/CTV_WW_23_UK_IZI_PJ_2008.pdf [6] http://articles.bplans.com/gender-equality-white-paper/?_ga=1.15604406.1436524096.1490723092 [7] http://mulananalysis.weebly.com/ [8] http://mulananalysis.weebly.com/ [9] The Portrayals of Minority Characters in Entertaining Animated Childrens Programs, http://etd.lsu.edu/docs/available/etd-05282004-130909/unrestricted/Smith_thesis.pdf [10] https://tcdh.wordpress.com/2009/12/14/the-princess-the-frog-controversies-and-criticism/

F. Scott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby Essay -- essays research papers

Wealth, Love, and the American Dream It has been said that F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby is about the pursuit of the American dream. It has also been said that the novel is about love, ambition, and obsession. Perhaps both are true. Combined, these themes may be understood in their most basic forms among the relationships within the novel. After all, each character’s reason for belonging to a relationship speaks very strongly of what really makes him tick; each character’s manifestation of his own desires is found within his lover. Throughout the novel, what universally unites each character beyond anything else is the love of a dream or position and involvement in relationships for the success of that dream. Jay Gatsby has loved Daisy Buchanan since their romance of his youth. Beautiful, rich, and refined, Daisy serves as a symbol of Gatsby’s wealth- she represents what 17-year-old James Gatz invented himself to be. The product of years of unfulfilled waited and longing by Gatsby, she becomes a sort of trophy dream. "Her voice is full of money", Gatsby says (Fitzgerald 127). This delightful figure of speech shows precisely what Gatsby desires. The poor boy from the mid-west hoped to be a great man; Daisy has become the manifestation of this desire. Thus, he believes that by impressing her and being accepted by her he can fully posses that dream. After all, Gatsby believes that with his fabulous wealth he can buy anything he wants, especially Daisy. Longing for the love of his youth, he shapes his whole life around this objective of becoming worthy of her. "He had waited five years and bought a mansion where he dispensed starlight to casual moths so that he coul d ‘come over’ some afternoon to a stranger’s garden" (Fitzgerald 83). Daisy had become the be-all and end-all of his mad ambition, and yet, his approach is passive and wasteful. Instead of actively seeking Daisy, he throws lavish parties, hoping she will stumble in. He finally resorts to a poorly planned meeting, using Nick as an accomplice and stumbling through a reunion that he had planned for all the years she had been away. Unfortunately for Gatsby, Daisy has married in his absence the hulking, brutish Tom Buchanan, the sort of man one would have expected her to marry all along. Tom represents old money, Ame... ...re within Myrtle to make public her new station in life. Unfortunately, there is not much structure within the apartment or the relationship itself. Neither can support the goals and ambitions brought into the relationship. Just as their apartment seems cramped due to more furniture than the building allows, their relationship is crowded and messy without any real feeling or structure. What is common in these relationships is the desire for the attainment of one’s dream through the use of one’s lover. Gatsby loves Daisy because she represents wealth and success, Daisy loves Tom because he holds the promise of a continued place as a member of American aristocracy, and Myrtle loves Tom because she believes that her relationship with him will grant her a place in high society. Although these relationships may exhibit pure ambition they do not exhibit pure love. Perhaps the novel is making a statement about the nature of ambition itself. When intertwined and mistaken with love, ambition causes hurt, disillusionment, and tragedy. And thus, perhaps Fitzgerald is saying that when the American dream is one based on money and mistaken for love, tragedy occurs.

Essays --

The Hagia Sophia was a former Greek Orthodox basilica church, and later became a mosque, and now is a museum in Istanbul, Turkey. It is definitely a architectural beauty. The name means "holy wisdom". It contains two floors centered on a giant nave and has a dome ceiling, with smaller domes that tower above. From 537-1453 it served as an Eastern Orthodox cathedral, except between the dates 1204-1261, where it was converted to a Roman Catholic cathedral under the Latin Empire. The building was a mosque from 1453-1931. It was then opened as a museum in 1935. There are many original parts of this structure, although it has gone through two fires. The first fire occurred in year 404, when rioters burned the church down in protest. The church took 10 years to be re-built. It was burned down again about 100 years later by the Nica Riots. The church was again rebuilt, but then in 1346 the church faced some damage due to an earthquake (Hagia Sophia: Facts, History & Architecture). The Dome of the Rock is a edifice that is located on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. According to Jewish belief, Abraham offered his son, Isaac, as a sacrifice. It has also survived earthquakes. The inscriptions on the inside of the dome glorify and praise Islam as the true revelation of the faiths of Judaism and Christianity. The building is not considered a mosque, but a "scared site". It "enshrines" the rock from which Muhammad is believed to have ascended to heaven. The Dome of the Rock was the first domed shrine to be built, and is considered a masterpiece of Islamic architecture. It's significance stems from religious traditions regarding the rock, also known as the Foundation Stone, which is considered the "heart" of the structure (About Dome of ... ...as crossed boundaries and tested the limits of arts, and has inspired art to tell stories. Technology has definitely changed the way we view art from prehistoric times to now. For example digital art. Modern technology has transformed from more traditional art such as paintings, sculpting, or drawing, and allows artists to use digital technologies in the production of their pieces. Graphic designers are now able to create images through programs through the computer that can't be done by a simple piece of paper. 3D art looks more detailed, and art can often be flawless with the use of technology and computers. So to summarize what I just said, there are many different factors in the evolution of art throughout the years. Cultural change, new materials being used, values, technology, religion, belief systems, increased freedom have contributed to the change of art.