Saturday, August 31, 2019

Market Revolution

The worldwide presence of the United States of America in terms of a gigantic political and economic power, as we see it today, is a result of the creative and relentless efforts of many political geniuses. After the War of Independence, the country was thrown in a state of depression and the late 17th century era marked a period of instability. The country had war debt of millions of dollars, negative speculation for foreign investment was inevitable, the army was negligible, the navy fleet was almost non-existent, relationship with England had severed and the Congress was unable to impose taxes until a proper law and order system was in place. Heavy adjustments to the political and economic regulations were required to drive the country out of the financial crisis. It were only through the relentless vision and efforts of Alexander Hamilton, the First Secretary of Treasury and Thomas Jefferson, the First Secretary of State, that a new political and economic ideal for the country was created and later, a stage was set for   full scale development of the American society and economic growth to all parts of the world. Similar article: Rise of Political Parties in the 1790s In a revolutionary era marked by political battles and public discord, these symbolic figures provided different, yet talismanic views of the power of government and enterprise in shaping the political and economic orders of the country that has enabled the rulers of the future to legitimatize their decisions for sustainable development. 2. THE FEDERALIST APPROACH: ALEXANDER HAMILTON Hamilton believed that the revival of the economy and subsequent growth depended on the creation of a strong central government that was increasingly proactive in the affairs of the country. He believed that a central, energetic government will not only be able to supersede the powers of the individual states in order to provide national stability but also provide a common framework for effective development and unionization of the big country. He denied the notion of self-interest, which he believed was prevalent in the political structure and destructive for the nation. His philosophy of centralizing the national economy was a product of his political stance. Hamilton believed that a structure of public credit facilities, immediate repayment of foreign debts and responsibility of states war debts, establishment of a new bank and protection of young industries were essential to promote business and develop competitive industries. Public credit facilities were to be financed through issuing government securities like bonds which can be used to settle the domestic debt and extended towards the industrial and manufacturing sector. The government should take over the responsibility of the debt incurred by the individual states during the war since the war was fought for the independence of the entire nation and â€Å"A national debt attaches many citizens to the government who, by their numbers, wealth, and influence, contribute more perhaps to its preservation than a body of soldiers† (Finseth). A banking structure with diversified branches will help the national government to carry out its basic functions like collecting taxes, financing debt and issue payments, issuing currency and generating income through interest on loans. A structure of no-tax for interstate commerce and protective tariff on imports will protect and promote national competition and young firms. Through his notion of a strong economic plan for a mechanized society, Thomas Hamilton gained support of a number of Congressmen and formed a Federalist Party in 1792. 3. THE REPUBLICAN APPROACH: THOMAS JEFFERSON In contrast to Hamilton’s view of an orderly mercantile economy, Thomas Jefferson advocated an agrarian economy, based on individual rights and a limited, decentralized government. He feared that the system proposed by his counterpart threatened the majority of the population who were agrarian laborers and resembled the British economic system. This would result in an emergence of tyranny against such a centralized rule. Jefferson compounded on a weak government structure because he believed that a proper government will not only restrict the liberty of individuals but also limit itself from creating individualism. He emphasized this concept in one of his political writings: â€Å"rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. I do not add ‘within the limits of the law’, because law is often but the tyrant’s will, and always so when it violates the rights of the individual† (Appleby). Thomas Jefferson reject Hamilton’s proposal of setting up a national bank, fearing that such a bank would serve the rich at the expense of the poor people and emphasize federal powers over state powers. In response to the Federalist movement, Jefferson formed the Republican Party in 1792 along with James Madison to oppose the policies of the Federalists. 4.THE MARKET AND INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION The influences set forth by the two politicians shaped the constitution of the country and paved way for a rapid development of the economy from 1815 to 1860. In 1792, the king of France was overthrown and a republic was established. France attempted to extend its powers throughout Europe and Britain was trying to curtail it. This resulted in Napoleonic Wars, of which the United States was a major victim in terms of foreign relations. The victory of the Republican Party in 1800 resulted in the nomination of Thomas Jefferson as the third President of the United States. This event marked the first significant change in American politics. After the War of 1812, Jefferson realized that his vision of an agricultural market economy was incompetent with the competition in global markets. This led to the adoption of a policy of expansion and competition for power in the global economy. The Industrial revolution had begun in the 1700s in Europe and was marked by new inventions and efficient methods of production. This revolution spread to the United States and local inventors came up with unique ideas to mechanize the agriculture sector and spur new industries. Cotton gin was a notable invention which revolutionized the cotton industry by creating new industries, promoting inter-commerce relations between the West and the East and exports. Manufacturing of shoes, woolen clothing and machinery were also expanding. By 1860, almost a third of the country’s income came from the manufacturing sector. The concept of agrarian labor was transformed to that of a wage worker who was paid to run the automated machines in the factories. Most of the urbanized industries were located in the South, whereas the agricultural sector was primarily located in the South. Government provided social capital in the form of national roads, waterways and railroads. These initiatives enabled the nation to establish a firm base for rapid industrialization that followed. Financial industry diffused with new scheme through which some investors made wealth and others lost their savings. Protective tariffs were imposed to sustain the growing industries and bank branches were set up in every city. Rapid development also attracted a great deal of domestic and foreign investment. 5. CONSEQUENCES OF THE TRANSFORMATION The market and Industrial revolution had several consequences, including religion and reform, for the American Society in the eighteenth century. In the north, Evangelicalism or individual holiness, emerged in the new republic and was the â€Å"grand absorbing theme of American religious life† (Religion and the American Republic 7). Progressive and conservative religious forces often differed in terms of religious opinions with the former advocating a mass dedication to the materialism of the market society. Reformism, as a result was an opposing view to that of the individual revivals. Nevertheless, the underlying belief was that â€Å"religion was a necessary spring† for the government to operate efficiently and people believed in â€Å"a close association between Religion and Patriotism† (Religion and the American Republic 7). Societies and communities sprang up with a clear objective of devotion towards the removal of social evil and re-enlightenment of the individual soul as a result of the energy created from the evangelical movement. The six largest societies created during 1826-1827 were the American Education Society, the American Board of Foreign Missions, the American Bible Society, the American Sunday-School Union, the American Tract Society, and the American Home Missionary Society (Religion and the American Republic 7). WORKS CITED: 1.   United States History, The Formation of a National Government, Retrieved on Mar 10, 2006 from: http://countrystudies.us/united-states/ 2. Finseth, Ian. The Rise and fall of Alexander Hamilton, Retrieved on Mar 10, 2006 from: http://xroads.virginia.edu/~CAP/ham/hamilton.html 3. Religion and the Founding of the American Republic, Retrieved on Mar 10, 2006 from: Market Revolution The Market Revolution AP U. S. History The impact of the Market Revolution was the dawn of new markets in land, labor and produce. It ultimately changed American society and reflected a turn away from agrarian ideals through various changes in business, transportation, and society. Overall, the Market Revolution impacted the nation through different regions; the northeast became industrial, while the south relied on farming. The Northeast was booming in industrial growth from the Market Revolution.With the new textile mills, there were many jobs and the economy was on the rise. However, two of the biggest ways the Northeast was able to improve was with its improvements on transportation and various innovations. For example, in 1825 the Eerie Canal was created by Dewitt Clinton and set the stage for faster and easier transportation for goods and people. Also, with New York growing into one of the nation’s largest cities, there were various railroad networks that linked major ci ties. Lastly, the Northeast region was also improving with the creation of companies.For example, in 1813 Francis Cabot Lowell created the Boston Manufacturing company created the first large scale manufacturing cities in the United States of America (Lowell, Massachusetts). With this company, Lowell was also able to create 6,000 jobs by 1836. Because of these important improvements, the Market Revolution industrialized the Northeast and definitely set it apart in comparison to the Southwest region. While the Northeast was improving vastly on industrialization, the South was concentrated on their growth of farming.Even though, the South lagged in the growth of industrialization and urbanization, they had just as fast growth in their economy. It was Eli Whitney’s invention of the cotton gin that made slaves last longer and the production of cotton much faster. For example, cotton growth went from around 75,000 bales in 1800 to over 2 million bales in 1850 with the improvements on producing cotton. Because of the faster production of cotton, the South was able to export to Europe and the Northeast for an advantageous profit. Even though the South obviously had most of their growth due to cotton, they were still able to improve technologically wise.They did have factories and large ports and harbors. For example, the Mississippi transportation helped businesses export across the country with the advances of the steamboat. Thus, having a similar growth in transportation in comparison to the north. From 1815-1860, the Market Revolution was able to have growth in both the Northeast and the South regions and even though they had many differences, the regions were brought together with their booming economies. The large improvements in farming and industrialization were able to shape America into a powerful and wealthy country.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Quality Metal Service Essay

An overview of cost, profit, revenue, and investment centers Cost classification in accounting also involves the allocation of costs, revenues and responsibilities to various centres or departments. These centres include: == Cost centres == Revenue centres == Profit centres == Investment centres Cost Centres A cost centre (CC) is a unit, location or department where cost data is collected. The purpose of the cost centre is to collect, analyze and ascertain costs in its immediate context. Cost centres usually have cost units—units or equipment for which costs are determinable or attributable. Overheads and direct costs constitute the cost structure of a CC. Since many activities in an organisation involve costs, a cost centre is a fundamental aspect, especially as profit and investment centres can be cost centres. According to the ACCA Study Text (Management accounting, c 1999), cost centres can manifest themselves as a project, a machine, department or overhead costs. One should note that a specific cost centre might not necessarily have other functions. CCs are not limited to production and manufacturing, since they can also be attributed to service centres, like commercial bank branches for example. Revenue Centres These centres deal exclusively with revenue. Even though costs may arise from these areas, the revenue centre is not accountable for costs. Its purpose is primarily to maximise sales and revenue. Profit centre The profit centre addresses both costs and revenue. Therefore, the manager responsible for a profit centre is accountable for the purchases and sales for that unit, department or branch. Since both revenue and costs fall under the purview of the profit centre, it is both a cost and revenue centre, although a revenue centre is not a profit centre and a cost centre might not necessarily be a profit centre. Investment centres Investment centres are profit centres that are accountable for cost, revenues and net assets for capital investment. This unit is assessed by return on investment and is a cost centre. Managers in an investment centre are responsible for purchasing capital or non-current assets and making investment decisions with capital. Investment centres Investment centres are profit centres that are accountable for cost, revenues and net assets for capital investment. This unit is assessed by return on investment and is a cost centre. Managers in an investment centre are responsible for purchasing capital or non-current assets and making investment decisions with capital. Responsibility centres are the umbrella term for cost, profit, revenue and investment centres, since their performance is under the direct control of a manager. The cost centre concept is present in profit and investment centres. The profit centre can be stand alone or, with additional responsibilities, an investment centre. Revenue centres operate in a similar manner to cost and profit centres, but their managers are primarily responsible for maximizing revenues and sales. An accountant needs to know the different types of centres to understand the information needs and requirements of the managers of the various units. Responsibility Centres A responsibility centre is an organizational subsystem charged with a well-defined mission and headed by a manager accountable for the performance of the centre. â€Å"Responsibility centres constitute the primary building blocks for management control.† It is also the fundamental unit of analysis of a budget control system. Aresponsibility centre is an organization unit headed by a responsible manager. There are four major types of responsibility centres: cost centres,revenues centres, profit centres and investment centres. Cost Centre A cost centre is a responsibility centre in which manager is held responsible for controlling cost inputs. There are two general types of cost centres: engineered expense centres and discretionary expense centres. Engineered costs are usually expressed as standard costs. A discretionary expense centre is a responsibility centre whose budgetary performance is based on achieving its goals by operating within predetermined expense constraints set through managerial judgement or discretion. Revenue Centre A revenue centre is a responsibility centre whose budgetary performance is measured primarily by its ability to generate a specified level of revenue. Profit Centre In a profit centre, the budget measures the difference between revenues and costs. Investment Centre An investment centre is a responsibility centre whose budgetary performance is based on return on investment. The uses of responsibility centres depend to a great extent on the type of organization structure involved. Engineered cost centres, discretionary expense centre, and revenue centres are more often used with functional organization designs and with the function units in a matrix design. In contrast, with a divisional organization designs, it is possible use profit centres because the large divisions in such a structure usually have control over both the expenses and the revenues associated with profits.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Costa Rica

Costa Rica Costa Rica By: Micah Shibley Ever since I got home from my trip to Costa Rica I haven’t been able to take my mind off the amazing things I did there. Whenever I’m at school learning stuff I already now or stuff I have no idea what it means I just image myself snorkeling or taking a hike or watching animals in the wild that I normally have to go the zoo to see. I have decided that I am going to save all the money I get or make for when I’m older so I can go back.I know your probably thinking Micah your only 13 years old and you are already saving money for something you are probably not even gonna do. I just can’t get Costa Rica off my mind and I went 2 years ago!!!!!! So I’m gonna try to write some of my ideas for the future down. High school class ideas: * Spanish * Art * Theater * Language Arts * Math * Choir * Social Studies * English * ScienceThis is the trickiest thing I think because I can’t go to college in Costa Rica well I can only I don’t want to and I promised my best friend Tayah that we would share an apartment through are college years only what if I meet an amazing guy or get an awesome job So now I’m going to write some places I might go to college†¦ * Portland State University * Oregon State University * University of Portland * Lewis and Clark College * University of Oregon * University of Virginia * University of Idaho * Harvard University * University of New YorkOkay I also was thinking about once I go to Costa Rica how am I gonna make money to stay there? I have a couple good ideas but I don’t know†¦ * Yoga Instructor * Tour Guide * Waitress * Art Teacher * Therapist * Kid Doctor * Life Guard * Professional Soccer Player * Owner of a Gift Shop Now I’m going to write everything that I remember even the littlest details from that trip. Ok here it goes†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ When we first touched down in Costa Rica (sorry can’t remember the c ity name) I will never forget the humidity and warmth!!!!

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

GLOBAL ISSUES &INST Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

GLOBAL ISSUES &INST - Essay Example If the U.S. leads the pack in hunting for cleaner energies then surely we would save face for our previous misdeeds. But global warming transcends merely saving face. The reality of the abnormal and harmful weather patterns is something we must live with today. Scientists have linked our current explosion of weather related tragedies to the global warming increase. Hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans and heat strokes have become a feature of summers are but to name a few of the extremes of weather. Statistically, the hottest years were experienced in the last decade (ESS, 2008). Other health risks have also been cited due to the continued depletion of O-zone, caused by global warming. Cancer of the skin caused by UV-radiations, cataracts and decreased immunity are some of the health risks you face as a result of depletion. The environment, especially animal live suffers from the same and this causes extinction of some species. Failure to recognize the role of organic fuels, chiefly oil, would lead to unprecedented weather and calamity increase, disease and massive financial strains in the efforts to repair (Jackson, 94). Another benefit of clean energy is the reduced dependency on foreign oil. The USA consumes the most amount of oil globally and is the biggest importer of the same. This has led to many problems including exploitation by the oil cartels, the biggest being OPEC. Oil has become an instrument of political and diplomatic exploitation, especially with matters concerning the Middle East. This has been so especially after the 6 Day War. A country bearing oil has become a major voice in international affairs as they can cause the destabilization of world markets practically overnight (Zycher, 2008). The last few weeks have borne witness to this fact where the impact of the oil fields of the remote Arabian deserts cause tremors at the very pinnacle of Wall Street. Reducing dependency has very obvious advantages in this light: it would reduce the bargaining power of these countries at the international and domestic front. Humanitarian issues such as modern day slavery, women emancipation and g ross abuse of democracy by these countries are very difficult to handle since they have oil power. They can refuse to sell if they perceive you as hostile causing an energy crisis of great magnitudes. Mr. Obama is on the long term strategy road to finally rid them of their bargaining platform and allow them to be subject to the rules of humanitarianism. The third benefit as cited by the President-elect is the revival of the economy. This statement seems like an oxymoron bearing in mind that clean energies require expensive infrastructure. Though this is true, the long term benefits of this investment would pay off. Imagine having hybrid automobiles that run on electricity and hydrogen drawn from water. The electricity would be generated from nuclear energy and other forms. We would use solar energy to light our houses. Create proper insulation so that we cut down on heating costs and harness wind energy for various other chores. This dream of an oil-free energy sector would result in the saving of billions of dollars incurred in buying and importing this resource. This would result in savings from government, household and business levels. These savings from the household could be channeled to increase domestic demand or saved. Both of these options are good for the economy. The

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Editi a paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 6

Editi a paper - Essay Example By doing these things, the researcher will be inspired to come up with brilliant ideas and these will open new paths to conducting a well-structured research. There are some steps and characteristics that make a good researcher what he is. The most important characteristics he has to have, in my opinion, are open-mindedness, constantly seeking the truth and adapting a critical way of thinking, and by this he not only criticizes, but also knows how to expand and develop the research topic into something more than what has already been done. Being an open-minded researcher means understanding, accepting other peoples` ideas and respecting their opinions. When writing a research paper, the researcher should seek the truth to develop a trustworthy and valid research. A researcher should be a critical thinker, which means that he has to search for, compare different perspectives and clarify important concepts on the target topic. Moreover, a researcher should be honest, should never cease to ask even the seemingly easy questions and should base his judgment on good evidence. In the overall research writing, a good researcher is the one who nev er ceases to ask the hows and whys. Before enrolling in this master program, I only had a little knowledge on how to write a research paper or conduct a study due to the lack of research method curriculum in my university. After enrolling in this program, I learned a lot about research methods and how to write a well organized paper. I also learned how to collect data and find reliable resources, which, in my opinion, are some of the most important factors of a research. Finally, I would encourage graduate and undergraduate students to be enrolled in a research methods course and to read more about writing research papers, as this also helps to develop the way they think and deal with whatever data they may be presented in the

Monday, August 26, 2019

Discussion 1 Week 2 Apple's New Strategy Assignment

Discussion 1 Week 2 Apple's New Strategy - Assignment Example ed toward maintaining an edge in the industry is to venture outside of the iPhone product or explore potentials for changing the interface into something totally new. 2. Using Porters Five Forces Model located in Chapter 2 of your textbook, assess Apples strengths and weaknesses of each dimension of the model in comparison with those of Samsung, Apples strongest competitor. Justify your response by utilizing at least one (1) example based on customer focus. Risk of Entry: Apple’s iPhone had been identified to be a product that is imitated by other phone manufacturers. The risk of entry or imitation by competitors is strong; yet there are legal regulations that protect the product’s copyright. Rivalry Among Established Companies: Rivalry is still strong given the popularity of the iPhone. Recently, Samsung was noted to have averred that Apple was actually imitating Samsung’s Galaxy Note (Matyszczy, 2014). Power of Complement Providers: No power of complementors for Apple’s iPhone which expect all applications to be provided by Apple. Samsung has strong power of complementors where third party providers of applications add value to their products. As such, customers could prefer Samsung’s products due to the ability to access other applications in a more convenient manner. Matyszczy, C. (2014, September 13). Apples big iPhones are a big imitation, Samsung says subtly in new ad. Retrieved January 10, 2015, from c/net:

Basic characteristics, management and performance of Apple 02245 Essay

Basic characteristics, management and performance of Apple 02245 - Essay Example The profitability, market share, degree of competition and the growth strategy of the company will be thoroughly evaluated in this paper. The management approach and the performance of the company in the recent times are also analyzed. Apple Inc. has a unique corporate culture. It does not govern through many layers of management. The top management directly communicates with its employees. It tries to attract the employees by offering both, facilities and challenges. The enterprise is committed in maintaining an innovative and collaborative environment. It also trains its retail employees so that they can make their customers feel comfortable and also provides them scope for moving upward to the level of a manager. Thus, the enterprise attracts retail employees (Sawayda, 2011). Apple’s transition into a consumer electronics manufacture from a computer manufacturer was unpredictable and was successful due to the remarkable leadership skills of Steve Jobs, the company’s highly skilled employees and its determined corporate culture. (A description of the organization’s basic characteristics) The production function of a firm expresses the functional relationship between the quantities of outputs and inputs. It shows that to what extent the output changes with variations in input within a specified time period. The equal products curves or isoquants shows all those input combinations which are capable of producing the same output (Moschandreas, 2000). The marginal rate of technical substitution (MRTS) is the rate at which the inputs can be substituted for each other in order to maintain the same level of output. It can be expressed as the ratio of the marginal products of two factors (Moschandreas, 2000). In the short run, at least one input of the firm must be fixed while in the long run, all the inputs of the firm are variable. The total cost function of a firm comprises of the total variable costs and the total fixed

Sunday, August 25, 2019

The Similarities Between Hotmail and Mozilla Essay

The Similarities Between Hotmail and Mozilla - Essay Example As far as the similarities between Hotmail and Mozilla Thunderbird are concerned, they are quite few in number as Hotmail leads Mozilla in the market for an email client. First, both Hotmail and Mozilla Thunderbird are supported by 36 languages. These are two of the very few email clients that are offered in so many languages. Also, both Hotmail and Mozilla Thunderbird have themes which give users the power to control the appearance of the respective accounts. Furthermore, both are supported on multiple operating systems and both support POP3 and IMAP4 protocol. When we contrast Hotmail and Mozilla Thunderbird, we find out that the number of Hotmail users is too many when compared to Mozilla Thunderbird. Part of the reason for this is the earlier launch of Hotmail. Furthermore, Hotmail has more features than Mozilla Thunderbird. Examples could include integration with different programs such as MSN Messenger. This is a service whereby users can see which of their friends are online w hile logged in to their Hotmail accounts. Furthermore, Hotmail also has an audio player to play audio files and it also includes a spell checker. One of the most exciting features about Thunderbird is the fact that it allows users to view email messages from other email clients such as Hotmail, Yahoo, and Gmail etc. POP stands for Post Office Protocol. The addition of the number 3 indicates the third version, which is also the latest. POP3 is a standard internet protocol that helps to retrieve an email message. On the other hand, IMAP stands for Internet Message Access Protocol. The number 4 in front of the symbol ‘IMAP’ indicates the fourth version.

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Criteria of Nursing as a Profession Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Criteria of Nursing as a Profession - Essay Example This paper illustrates that from the first requirement of a profession, nursing is a specialized body of knowledge which combines sciences and technology, with interpersonal skills such as compassion and communication skills. Nursing is a specialized body of knowledge since nurses are required to know specialized tasks such as cure and coordination of patient safety. The knowledge includes topics such as cell biology and human anatomy. Other specialized courses in knowledge body of nursing include pathology, immunology, reproductive health, medical microbiology, and embryology. Nurses are also supposed to be aware of specialized issues like human nutrition, clinical pharmacology, occupational health and safe motherhood issues. The caring aspect of nursing requires all the professionals in the field to understand a patient’s needs and use clinical nursing knowledge in determining the outcomes of treatments. Nurses are supposed to accurately diagnose the patient illness and resp onse to medication and treatment offered by physicians and medical doctors. The body of knowledge in nursing is constantly increasing. The emergence of new types of diseases and medical treatment discoveries have increased the body of knowledge in the nursing profession. Nurses are expected to participate in ongoing education in order to enhance nursing practice and health issues. Nurses are expected to utilize creativity and innovativeness in delivering quality care to patients. The body of knowledge has increased due to many academic and professional research studies that aim at improving the quality of patient care. Many institutions of higher learning have embarked on finding the most effective means of providing low cost and quality care to patients. New knowledge in nursing is developed to improve education and professional practice. New nursing patient-care models and theories have been developed over the years to enhance learning and nursing practice. For instance, nurses ar e expected to demonstrate their commitment to lifelong learning. Nurses are also supposed to have required experience and skills before they can be allowed to practice privately. As a professional requirement, all the nurses should furnish records of their commitment to lifelong learning and evidence of competency in their areas of practice.

Friday, August 23, 2019

The Topic is Post Merger Integration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Topic is Post Merger Integration - Essay Example A merger can be seen as the coming together of two or more firms of fairly the same size following a joint decision to form an entirely new firm, sharing power equally. (Gustafsson and Hukkanen, 2002; Randeniya and Roivas, 2004). Three types of mergers can be identified: vertical integration where two firm engaged in different stages of production of the same good/service come together, horizontal mergers where two firms at the same stage of production come together and conglomerates where two firms producing unrelated goods/services come together (Gustafsson and Hukkanen, 2002; Randeniya and Roivas, 2004). Vertical can further be split into forward vertical and backward vertical mergers.(Gustafsson and Hukkanen, 2002). A merger may occur to achieve the following results. An acquisition on the other hand is a union of two firms in one of them survives while the other goes out of existence. (Gustafsson and Hukkanen, 2002). In certain occasions, the absorbed company may retain its individual identity if it is an important strategic element, for example, when Ford acquired Volvo, Volvo was still allowed to keep its brand name.(Randeniya and Roivas, 2004). ... (Gustafsson and Hukkanen, 2002; Karin and Elisabet, 2006). The distinction between mergers and acquisitions can viewed from three angles, viz: The strategic reason or purpose underlying the decision; Whether it is a friendly or hostile consolidation; The degree of integration between the firms. (Gustafsson and Hukkanen, 2002) Generally speaking, the motives for mergers and acquisitions can be broadly divided into two, viz, the financial and non-value maximizing reasons. The financial reason: This deals with the financial value of the firm as a whole and looks at aspects such as increasing overall performance and creating shareholder value. (Risberg, 2006). This is due to the gains of synergy and overcoming of information asymmetry which might have been existing in the stand alone firms. (Risberg, 2006). Also, the firm's inability to fund certain marginally profitable projects as stand alone institutions is a motivating financial factor behind mergers. There is also the non-value-maximising marginally based motive behind mergers. This arises mainly due to the manager's desires to increase power, sales or growth. This reason is also known as personal or strategic reasons. (Risberg, 2006). In a merger, the newly formed firm has a completely new name while in an acquisition, the absorbed firm may retain its name, though management is handled by the acquiring firm. (Randeniya and Roivas, 2004). Other remote reasons for mergers of acquisitions are psychological motives which is mainly fear. Thus, we find a situation where firms come together or acquire others or due to the fear of being acquired by other larger more efficient firms. (Risberg, 2006). Again, as firms grow old, they become rigid and more

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Urban regeneration assessment Essay Example for Free

Urban regeneration assessment Essay Looking at the politics behind the drive for urban regeneration is about communities, integrating the social and private sectors to create mixed, sustainable communities, with housing, retail and commercial development which are the key to the regeneration process. In order to bring private and commercial participation, the government has set aside an annual sum of 4 billon pounds for its annual spending; the drive of the government is to encourage social and affordable housing and to establish eco-towns. The government is also seeking to ensure greater private sector in the financing of, and the delivery of regeneration and sustainable targets in the various communities. Role of private sector partnership in urban regeneration Hence developers are being asked by the government to participate in building now by accessing this funds and then pay later as part of the initiative of the government to kick-start the economy. It has plans to relax red tape and give a boost to construction of properties some authorities are offering land for free. With developers only paying once the depression is relax. The authorities have promise upfront compensation on green space development and the government is more prescriptive on the distribution of its annual housing grants to individuals and corporate institutions that are willing to participate. Understanding urban regeneration has improvement by means of a focus on redevelopment of obtainable crucial aspect of urban regeneration. It is the contribution of public authorities and public money as private developers would have no incentive redevelop an area themselves basically because there are more eye-catching investments else where Urban regeneration is one of the nearly everyone serious financial troubles of Cities all over the world, the larger the city the greater the problem Local establishment cannot finance urban regeneration themselves; there needs to be private participation are capital; therefore town and cities are redeveloped often on a partnership basis between local authority and private developer. The major elements in redevelopment are the land legislative body, the finance, and the tangible development. Schemes have evolved whereby the local authority assembles the land and develops the public services whilst the private developer concentrates on the reminder of the scheme. Each scheme is resolute by means of bargain between developers looking for to maximize returns and planners seeking the maximum community benefit. Much policy is based on a ‘planning gain agreement where, for example, approval of profitable office development is granted in exchange for some area benefit. For some time now the scope has broaden in the direction of the provision of housing and other social amenities Risk analysis of private developer There are some certain risks that may arise such as poor annoyed government working results in failure to put into practice the key priorities in the agreed region regeneration. Action Plans to deliver the area regeneration plan in addition to the gap between the quality of life for people in underprivileged urban areas to the rest The requirement of Housing Corporation They are several perspectives required by the housing corporation. The pre- prospectus sets out a frame work for programmed, and invites organizations and spirited individuals that are interested in becoming investments partners to apply for pre-qualification. The pre-prospectus also allow for five year funding if you are successful with the pre –qualification exercise. The corporation always encourage dynamic and efficient of organizations from different sectors who are qualify to always apply. Since the pre qualification exercise is base on technical ground for participation. Once a business, pass the prequalification exercise, You’re asked to summit the bidding The Housing Corporation places great importance on good programmed management by bidding organizations during the post bids process. Responsibility for the delivery of milestones, appropriate and timely warning of any problems with delivery and accurate maintenance of forecast and delivery data on the Corporation’s Investment Management System (IMS) lies with successful bidding organizations. Assessment of bids is carried out at a regional level by Housing Corporation regional investment teams. In the modern form of urban generation, there is always a need for more partners to be involved . urban regeneration and private-public partnership are form more frequently as part of environment actors, which is form by actors involved in the urban regenerating field. The role of this actors is to bring to the table the needed ingredients and resources, to bring about the needed change and development of the environment. Due to the high cost of regeneration of land and buildings, this raise the question of the availability of finance for the private sector participation, because the more intense the level of development the more the process is dependent on financial markets and funds from the capital market. This was usually the case when the economy was booming, but due to the depression at the moments private participation is does not carried greater risk as its use to be. Because of grants and low tasks and the authorities have lower down bottlenecks considerable? Hence private participation would be quite lucrative on the long run. Recommendation This assessment tries to make the client to understand why investing in our urban community regeneration should be the priority at this critical period. Even with risk involved, when spread it is considerable worth why when you succeed. It’s also trying to bring in subsequent effort that the government of the United Kingdom is doing to encourage such practice. I therefore recommend the following. My perspective is that of a practitioner in the field of urban regeneration. And with the trend of event it’s seriously encourage private participation and will yield good rental income on the long run. I seriously recommend that private and public partnership with the government is the only sustainable way to achieve greatly in the pursuit of urban regeneration. And it’s the major way private developer could benefit from obtaining huge income arising from the development and renewal of our communities. References: Boxmer, B. etal (2005). Public-private partnership in urban regeneration. European journal of housing policy, volume 5, issue 1 April 20 http://www. housingcorp. gov. uk/server/show/ConWebDoc. 10780 05, pages 1-6. http://www. the-infoshop. com/study/ah66533-regeneration. html http://www. theherald. co. uk/news/news/display. var. 2468789. 0. build_now_pay_later_plan_to_boost_city_economy. php

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Touchstone anthology of contemporary creative nonfiction Essay Example for Free

Touchstone anthology of contemporary creative nonfiction Essay Comparative essay assignment Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"In the Trenches† written by Charles Yale Harrison and â€Å"This Is Not Who We Are† written by Naomi Shihab are two different pieces of work which outline almost the same message. The analysis of these two stories differs in various ways such as application of styles, themes and imagery as articulated in each of the writings. Both contexts give a description about the occurrence of wars in the twentieth century in America but in different parts.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the trenches which are written by Canadian writer Charles Yale Harrison is a story about the Canadian war which starts in Monreal, a place where an unidentified soldier who is twenty years old is together with Canadian soldiers formulating to set up the Germans in Belgium and France. In this writing, a horrifying and realistic portrayal is described in an antiwar statement. This story is expressed from the first person point of opinion of a soldier who is in a trench. The writer begins the story by describing his close relationship with his fellow soldiers; Anderson, Brown, Broadbent and Cleary and then shifts to the scenes of the infamous World War 1 trenches whereby the conditions are filthy and the soldiers are continually exposed to the flesh-looting rainfalls, lice and huge rats (Harrison, 2002).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, Naomi Shihab, Arab-American poet is the writer of â€Å"This is not who we are† which is almost similar to the â€Å"in the trenches† although the writer of this story depict it in form of a poem. This story begins with the writer’s personal life who seek relative safety in the American southwest which is a place torn by war. She describes her marital and emotional connection to Palestine since this is her ancestral homeland. The writer offers evidence of life in safer environment which she feels the disgrace of being an Arab in America at a time when every Arab is considered suspect, including her (Nye, 1997). Nevertheless, the introduction of these two stories brings a perspective on what the entire story is all about. The ideas between the two stories are presented in a different way depending on the kind of structure and form of each author. Therefore both contain different or similar themes, styles and li terary devices in delivering the message which the author wants to communicate. Styles   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Both stories have employed styles in communicating the message to the targeted audience in form of simile, metaphor, personification and imagery. Similes is the main style applied in both contexts, Naomi Shihab, the writer of â€Å"This is not who we are† begins by describing Arab-American skillful violinist as a stylish man who dresses decorous black suits and white shirts and plays like an angel. The writer adds that she wish for world symbols rather than the expensive American vehicles which wear American flags like hula skirts. This shows how she wished that the war could end rather than being prosperous and rich in a violent land. Moreover, the writer proceeds to describe the world that she wished to be and there is application of another simile when she states that she can â€Å"treasure the welcoming world of women, smiling, nurturing, fixing, tending and wrapping language around one another like a warm cloak†. Similar ly, Charles Yale Harrison has also applied similes in his writing when he was in the trench and states that he seen the whole army of wire posts beginning to move like a silent host towards him (Harrison, 2002). As the condition of war worsens, the writer depicts the boys who were in firing-step saying that they were like dead men.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In addition, as the soldiers struggles in the dirt trench to save their lives, the writer applies simile by stating that they try to hideaway into the ground like frightened rats. However, Charles Yale Harrison describes the red-tailed comets which were sent by the Germans as looking pretty like the fireworks they have left in Monreal adding that the sky is lit by hundreds of extravagant fireworks like a night carnival which sounds very ironical. During the process of protecting themselves from the explosives, the writer illustrate using a simile stating that the soldiers thrown their faces downward on the bottom of the grovel and trench like savages before that demoniac havoc. The application of similes in these two stories helps the audience to generate a kind of comparison which improves the understanding of what is going on.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Moreover, metaphors and imagery has been applied in these two stories. Naomi Shihab (1997) describes the terrorist as men with hard faces who do vicious things. Although the terrorists are Arabs, the writer does not refer them as Arabs since she is one of them and wants to show that all Arabs are not terrorists. The behavior of men with the hard faces causes the writer to defend herself and her people against the idea that she is one of those with hard faces who choose fierceness over words. This demonstration serves a major drive of explaining that blaming all Arabs because of behavior of the few terrorists is unfair. The writer states a story about a gentleman who approaches her; this makes her afraid because she a half Arab thus this makes her to be momentarily tongue-tied but later finds her voice. Correspondingly, Harrison applies much of imagery and metaphors while describing the nature of the trench during war. He states that the tr ench is unsanitary due to the presence of mud, huge rats, flesh-rotting rainfalls and lice (Reid, 2004). The condition of the trench does not keep soldiers comfortable since they struggle to protect themselves from explosives of their enemies yet the place they are hiding is not safe. This story is distressing and upsetting; illuminating the certainties of war through the eyes of a young soldier and the impressions they fragment. Themes   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Theme of war is general from both stories since the principal message is about the occurrence of war. This theme develops strongly in â€Å"In the Trenches† written by Charles Yale Harrison, war between his fellow soldiers and the Europeans begins from the first line up to the last line. According to the writer, the war is horrifying and we find a sense of shock at the cruelty of war which alters depression to the soldiers. Charles Yale Harrison’s memoir leads us to wonder about why humans continue to retort to war in response to worldwide clashes while being fully conscious of its ferocity (Williford and Martone, 2007). The writer states how one of his fellow soldier said loudly as they argue that no wonder they are losing the bloody war. Moreover, the writer keeps stating that â€Å"so this is war† in many parts of the story thus depicting that the war is occurring. Conversely, Naomi Shihab describes the theme of war in form of terrorism which is caused by the men with hard faces. She describes his ancestral land as â€Å"a place torn by war†, (Williford Martone, 51). This can evidently show the presence of war when she was writing this story.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, theme of suffering is another theme which has been described in both pieces of writing. Harrison begins describing the theme of suffering by describing how his friend by the name Fry suffers with his feet, as he keeps sliding into holes and creeping out, all the way up. The writer adds that he can hear his friend coughing and panting behind him. In addition the writer states that his nose is bleeding from the force of the detonations (Reid, 2004). Generally, Harrison gives description on how they are affected by the conditions of the trench as they try to protect themselves from the explosives; this brings the theme of suffering plainly. Similarly, Naomi Shihab states that she cannot forget the fate of the people who suffer the daily indignities of surviving in a world at war, of persistent pain caused by the men with hard faces. In addition the writer says that she hold in heart so many distressed individuals because all friends and families of innocent victims affected by war are everywhere. This means that there were many people suffering due to the violence which was happening (Nye, 1997). Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Generally, by comparing the two pieces of writing, I can conclude that they portray the same message but in a different manner and style because both stories focuses heavily on the conceit of war and violence in relation to the society. Harrison brings a clear perspective of the soldiers who were simply unexperienced youths, fighting ineffectively for meaningless ideals. Naomi Shihab brings a general explanation that blaming all Arabs for behavior of the few terrorists is absolute unfair. Both stories shape the future altitudes to war and develop a strong enthusiasm to the audience. References Harrison, C. (2002). Generals die in bed. Toronto: Annick Press. Nye, N. (1997). Habibi. New York: Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers. Reid, J. H. (2004). Award-winning films of the 1930s: From Wings to Gone with the wind : the definitive guide. Morrisville, NC: Lulu Press. The Canadian republic magazine. (1929). Montreal: s.n. Williford, L., Martone, M. (2007). Touchstone anthology of contemporary creative nonfiction. New York: Simon Schuster. Source document

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Concepts of Retribution and Revenge

Concepts of Retribution and Revenge Question Retribution and revenge are, and must be, strictly distinguished one from the other. Discuss Introduction It is not necessarily ideal to begin a discussion paper with a direct challenge to the veracity of the statement under review, but that is exactly what is demanded here. The first step in this analysis is easy to take: Retribution: noun recompense, usually for evil; vengeance.[1] Revenge: noun 1. (act of) retaliation 2. desire for this. verb ((-ging) 1. Avenge 2. revenge oneself or in passive; often + on, upon) inflict retaliation.[2] The statement for discussion concretes itself in absolute terms, but that, it is submitted, is no more than a faà §ade. It is confidently submitted that retribution and revenge are far from â€Å"strictly distinguished one from the other† in 21st century Britain. The average man or woman on the street on whose behalf the law is maintained and enforced would struggle to put clear blue sky between the two concepts, even in the abstract.[3] Once a factual scenario is added to the mix for context, once flesh and blood and sentiment are brought into the equation, the edges of these respective notions blur yet further. Indeed, the words retribution and revenge are so closely associated in the mind of the ordinary man that they are practically interchangeable. In the glossary to Oxford University Press’s Criminology textbook[4], retribution is defined as: the act of taking revenge upon a criminal perpetrator. Given the mutuality of this definition it would seem difficult to divide the two concepts quite as sharply as the statement under review suggests. From a cynical perspective, it could be argued that retribution is merely revenge with slightly better P.R. In the auspicious words of Sir Francis Bacon in Of Revenge[5] the issues seem to be distinguished by the notion that, while revenge is essentially a private affair, retribution has more public, and perhaps publicly acceptable, application and connotations. Whereas retribution may be seen to exercise a positive social function, revenge is forbidden fruit a sin perhaps if not, a luxury dressed in vice. ‘Revenge is a kind of wild justice which, the more mans nature runs to, the more ought law to weed it out. For as for the first wrong, it doth but offend the law; but the revenge of that wrong putteth the law out of office†¦ Certainly, in taking revenge, a man is but even with his enemy; but in passing it over, he is superior; for it is a princes part to pardon. And Salomon, I am sure, saith, It is the glory of a man to pass by an offence. Some, when they take revenge, are desirous the party should know whence it cometh. This is more generous, for the delight seemeth to be not so much in doing the hurt as in making the party repent. But base and crafty cowards are like the arrow that flieth in the dark.’[6] Contextual Analysis It is submitted therefore, that retribution and revenge are in fact closely related concepts. Together they probably comprise the most basic, most deeply engrained and most pervasive elements of human social justice reactions and drivers. That said however, at least one mode of distinction should be clear in the mind. While academic comment on revenge and retribution has in the past tended to revolve around the issue of criminal justice,[7] it is a trite observation that retribution is of prime significance in steering the justification and rationale of other legal matters. For example, beyond the criminal arena, discrimination, medical negligence and malpractice, and a veritable constellation of other species of civil litigation can hinge around and be fostered by a base desire for retribution and retributive justice.[8] Retributive motivation can also burn at the heart of intractable personal, family or business disputes. Retribution is a fascinating psychological and social phenomenon. It can be analysed from a variety of legal, philosophical and other social science perspectives. Discussion of the topic should address the full range of psychological, societal and sociological functions that punishment serves, embracing the cognitive, behavioural and emotional dynamics of retribution in context.[9] Almost all of the world’s cultures operate an organised system of social regulation and conflict resolution. Among them, legal systems predominate as the most popular and widespread. Law is retribution and conflict resolution by public administration under the unchallengeable authority of the state. Retributive justice is that which is state sponsored.[10] It is possible to distinguish the concept from other forms of retribution and conflict resolution on several grounds. First, law can be said to be retribution or conflict resolution that is managed by a centralised authority or federal structure. Under this model, retribution for wrongdoing and conflict resolution should not be in jeopardy of escalation into a deleterious cycle of mutual and personal revenge. There is of course always the danger of complimentary retribution: if I penalise you for hitting me, youll penalise me for punishing you theoretically an unending cycle of reciprocal and ultimately destructive violence. A legal system, under the administration of a central body, removes responsibility for retribution from the hands of individuals and puts it at the discretion of the state. Given that it is vast, impersonal and all-powerful, it is unlikely that those convicted and punished would attempt to revenge themselves in any direct or specific fashion against the state. The seductive revenge element of the law is manifest in notorious crimes including for example the killing of Polly Klaas in California and the popular revulsion and controversy inspired as a consequence.[11] That case can be compared with the United Kingdom public reaction to the sentencing of the Jamie Bulger killers, themselves children.[12] One essential point of observation is that the respective families of the victims, no matter what punishment they aspired to visit on the killers, are not the ones who decide on the penalty and they are not the ones who administer the punishment. Because most law is written and long established it can be argued that it assumes an independent and distinguished persona beyond the emanation of the state that is charged with its administration. This matrix conspires to derive a collective sociological fiction that it is the inalienable Law that governs those who implement the law, and that it is somehow the law that exacts retribution, not individual human beings or the servants of the state. This neat trick ensures that the law stands above and apart from the real world as something conceptually flawless in essence if not reality, something truly independent of human frailty, vicissitudes, fallibility and instability.[13] There is a simple and thus cogent argument that Law is, at its beating heart, no more than a mechanism for revenge. This should not come as a surprise. It is submitted that the fundamental response, the base socio-cultural mechanism for addressing unacceptable activity and behaviour, is to exact revenge. Incompatible activities that fell outwith the sphere of revenge were not initially embraced within the world’s legal systems. Generally speaking it was only later hundreds of years later in many cases that retribution-neutral disputes were encompassed within legal regimes.[14] The earliest-dated code of laws available for scrutiny is the Code of Hammurabi,[15] which sees it origins around 1780 BC. Significantly, the Babylonian King’s rules were obsessed with mechanisms for retribution. This early legal system assumes the form of a lex talionis the law of retaliation providing for exact retribution. The biblical mantra is: â€Å"an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, an arm for an arm, a life for a life.†[16] Mankind’s very earliest systems of law were almost exclusively species of lex talionis. As can be seen from the aforementioned quote, in the tone of Hebrew Scripture the lex talionis is a law of equal and direct retribution. Revenge, in this context is arguably surplus to requirements. King Hammurabis legal code and the nascent Syro-Roman and Mahommedan systems that followed,[17] almost wholly founded on the explicit principle of equal and direct retribution. In so doing it reveals the origins of law and justice per se in the gore of retributive violence. Concluding Comments In light of the fact that something similar to the lex talionis is typically the foundation stone of every legal system, it is argued that we can deduce that the basic functions of law are those of revenge and retribution†¦ and in no particular order. However, unlike systems of direct retribution (which are in one sense the fast food of societal sin), legal systems are implemented and enforced by the state and its human embodiment in dislocated fashion. The individuals responsible are normally insulated from the threat of reciprocal revenge in return. While revenge and retribution may jeopardise less well regulated societies as protagonists attempt to inflict reciprocal revenge on one another, retribution as it is embodied in established legal orders and controlled by the state entity in theory strives to prevent a deleterious circle of mutual revenge from undermining the fabrics and glues of society. In a perfect world the concepts of revenge and retribution would indeed be distinguished uniquely and precisely, one from the other. Alas, this is far from a perfect world and the legal matrix in which these terms sit is an organic hotch-potch of socio-political compromise. Thus, both in respect of their common and legal meanings, it is likely these concepts will be employed interchangeably by journalists, judges and the world at large. In closing, it is pertinent to note that, with a few notable exceptions, most countries, including the U.K., have abolished the death sentence. International war crime tribunals now award only life sentences for the most appalling crimes against humanity. It is submitted that this global shift in emphasis away from revenge-based sanctions has been driven by the emerging philosophy among criminologists that punishment in the form of revenge and retribution sits incongruously in a modern civilised society.[18] The Bible has a great deal to say on the subject of revenge and retribution. Much of the sentiment expressed therein has coloured the legal systems of the Christian and Western worlds for hundreds of years, in the interpretation and application. It is a matter of regret and stifled consternation that even in that highest of resources contradiction, ambiguity and confusion is rife. Two quotes end this commentary, leaving objectivity in the eye, and at the disposal, of the reader. If the person strikes another and kills him, he must be put to death. Whoever strikes an animal and kills it is to make restitution, life for life. If anyone injures and disfigures a fellow countryman it must be done to him as he has done. Fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. Book of Leviticus, Chapter 24:17-20 You have heard that it was said, `Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth. But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. Matthew, Chapter 5:38-41 END WORD COUNT 2122 (exclusive of footnotes) This is the sole intellectual and creative work of the author. Bibliography English Legal System, Elliot, C. and Quinn, F., 3rd edition, Longman (2000) Criminology, Hale et al., Oxford University Press, (2005). Smith and Keenan’s English Law, Keenan, D., 13th edition, Pitman Publishing, (2001) Sir Francis Bacon: The Essayes or Counsels, Civill and Morall, Kiernan M, (editor), Oxford University Press, (2000). Clint Eastwood and Equity: The virtues of revenge and the Shortcomings of Law in Popular Culture, Miller, W. I., Law in the Domains of Culture, University of Michigan Press, (1998). Perceptions of Neighborhood Safety and Support for the Reintroduction of Capital Punishment, Keil T.J., et al, International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, Vol. 43, No. 4, 514-534 (1999) The Practice of Punishment: Towards a Theory of Restorative Justice, Cragg W, Routledge, New York (1992). Restorative Justice and Civil Society, Braithwaite J, and Strang H, (editors), Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, (2001). You can kill a burglar if you have to, but not if you want to, Gibb F, The Times, February 2 2005. Babylonian Law The Code of Hammurabi, Johns CHW, Encyclopaedia Britannica, (11th ed). Restorative Justice: An Overview. Home Office, United Kingdom. Available at: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs/occ-resjus.pdf Restorative Justice: When Justice and Healing Go Together, Zehr H, http://ccrweb.ccr.uct.ac.za/archive/two/6_34/p20_restorative.html Empowerment and Retribution in Criminal and Restorative Justice, Barton C, Victim Offender Mediation Program. (1999): http://www.voma.org/docs/barton_empre.pdf 1 Footnotes [1] The Oxford Paperback Dictionary and Thesaurus, Oxford University Press (1997) [2] Ibid. [3] See, inter alia, Perceptions of Neighborhood Safety and Support for the Reintroduction of Capital Punishment, Keil T.J., et al, International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, Vol. 43, No. 4, 514-534 (1999) at pp.522. [4] Criminology, Hale et al., Oxford University Press, (2005). [5] See, Sir Francis Bacon: The Essayes or Counsels, Civill and Morall, Kiernan M, (editor), Oxford University Press, (2000). [6] Ibid, and see http://www.ardue.org.uk/library/book3/revenge.htm. [7] For broad-based comment see Smith and Keenan’s English Law, Keenan, D., 13th edition, Pitman Publishing, (2001), chapter 25. [8] The Practice of Punishment: Towards a Theory of Restorative Justice, Cragg W, Routledge, New York (1992). [9] Clint Eastwood and Equity: The virtues of revenge and the Shortcomings of Law inPopular Culture, Miller, W. I., Law in the Domains of Culture, University of Michigan Press, (1998). [10] See for insightful comment: Restorative Justice and Civil Society, Braithwaite J, and Strang H, (editors), Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, (2001). [11] See for comment: http://pollyklaas.ga0.org/law/law_enforcement.html [12] Justice? This is insanity : http://www.papillonsartpalace.com/jamie.htm. [13] For supporting analysis and a uniquely positive perspective see Empowerment and Retribution in Criminal and Restorative Justice, Barton C, Victim Offender Mediation Program. (1999): http://www.voma.org/docs/barton_empre.pdf [14] You can kill a burglar if you have to, but not if you want to, Gibb F, The Times, February 2 2005. [15] Ancient History Sourcebook: Code of Hammurabi, c. 1780 BCE: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/ancient/hamcode.html [16] Babylonian Law The Code of Hammurabi, Johns CHW, Encyclopaedia Britannica, (11th ed). [17] See for background: http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~dee/MESO/CODE.HTM. [18] Tamilnation.org, 10 December 1999: http://www.tamilnation.org/intframe/india/rajiv/99unfairtrial.htm.

Responsibilities in William Shakespeares Merchant of Venice Essay

Responsibilities in William Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice The small and seemingly insignificant details in a story often hold together an entire theme of the work. This phenomenon is recognizable in the plays of William Shakespeare, as a speech or incident with a minor character can point the audience to a much larger truth about the work as a whole. The Merchant of Venice contains such a minor character, Lancelot, whose story gives a clue to the reader about the roles of the other characters in the play. Lancelot abandons his servitude to Shylock, and thereby weakens his own value as a member of society fulfilling a role. Lancelot’s decision is noteworthy because it represents a conflict of responsibilities that can be found in some of the main characters. These other characters (with the exception of Portia) behave similarly to Lancelot, and Lancelot’s story helps to illuminate their shortcomings. Lancelot’s speech about running from Shylock captures the greater conflict between inconsistent responsibilities that is present throughout The Merchant of Venice. Every servant has a responsibility to his master before he is responsible to himself. Lancelot violates this basic principle of servitude, and thus brings shame upon himself. Not only is Lancelot under a contractual obligation to Shylock, he has both social and religious obligations to remain in Shylock’s service. It is no surprise that the one who counsels Lancelot to leave Shylock is â€Å"the fiend† himself. â€Å"To be ruled by my conscience I should stay with the Jew my master who, God bless the mark, is a kind of devil;† reasons Lancelot (2.2.17-19), thinking that it is probably a better idea to stay with Shylock. He also knows that â€Å"to run away fro... ... ones. Because The Merchant of Venice is a comedy, no real harm comes to Lancelot or Bassanio because of their poor choices, but they are all made out to be foolish in comparison to Portia. These characters are lucky—in comparison with some of Shakespeare’s other characters that are faced with inconsistent responsibilities (such as Hamlet or Juliet, who both die), the non-role-fulfillers of The Merchant of Venice have extraordinarily happy endings. It is interesting to note that most of Shakespeare’s plays that include conflicting roles or responsibilities are tragedies, while the happy resolution of The Merchant of Venice makes it a comedy. The mistakes in The Merchant of Venice are all fixable, so even though the characters neglect their roles on occasion, the quick thinking of Portia allows them to retire with their spouses safely as a new day is breaking.

Monday, August 19, 2019

Summary of Cinderella Essay -- essays research papers

As children most of our life lessons were acquired through the simplicity of fairy tales. Subliminal messages taught us to always believe in true love and that good wins out over evil. Young and naà ¯ve, as children, all we desired was a good story and a nap, but the lessons we learned lasted a lifetime. Growing up my beloved fairy tale was Cinderella, not only does true love win but good wins over evil and eventually the world is set right. Once upon a time in a kingdom far away, lived a beautiful girl and her frail father. Fearing he would leave his young daughter an orphan he married a young widow, soon after he brought his bride and two daughters to live with him on his manor. Almost exactly a year later, he past away in his sleep leaving his entire household behind. His young daughter Cinderella wept for three years without delay and when she wiped her tears away she found herself a sixteen year old servant in her own home. Daily life was much the same she waited on Heather and Kim, her stepsisters, and satisfied her stepmothers every whim. Mundane and downright boring, Cinderella had amazingly evolved into a beautiful and charming young woman. Being as meek as a mouse and having a voice as sweet as honey Cinderella was loved by everyone she encountered except her own family, who is envy, leaked from their pores. One dazzling spring morning, Cinderella awoke to a great commotion. ?The prince is having a ball, the prince is having a ball,? Heather screeched and they all squealed with delight. Quietly standing in the shadows Cinderella timidly asked, ?Stepmother may I go to the ball ?Well I suppose, if you get this house immaculately clean and mind... ...s her carriage galloped away. Scouring the countryside the Prince fitted the slipper to every woman he saw but his search seemed fruitless. The last house he came to was a midsize manor in great-disrepair, inside he found four women. Shoving and scratching to go first Heather tried on the slipper, to small. Then Kim tried but her fat feet were much too wide. Next Stepmother insisted she be fitted with the shoe fortunately it was too large. Finally Cinderella got her long awaited turn, she gingerly sat down and tried on the shoe. Perfect fit! Taking her in his arms the Prince proposed and Cinderella accepted. They were married shortly after in a small private ceremony. Cruel and unfair the stepfamily cleaned up after the royal hounds for the rest of their days. As for Cinderella and her prince of course they lived happily ever after.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Comparing Poe’s Fall of the House of Usher and Gardner’s The Ravages of

Edgar Allan Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher and John Gardner’s The Ravages of Spring Edgar Allan Poe’s â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher† and John Gardner’s â€Å"The Ravages of Spring† are two literary works which are unique; however, at the same time indistinguishably similar. Poe’s short story is a piece, which characterizes eighteenth century philosophy whereas Gardner’s tale is more modern. In fact, â€Å"The Ravages of Spring† is a story based on Poe’s â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher,† which â€Å"contemporizes its horror† (Fenlon 481). Both stories are inexplicably gruesome and leave a reader overwhelmed by the bizarreness of the tales. Nevertheless it is the strangeness of the two stories that distinguishes them within the literary world and makes Poe and Gardner authors of gothic literature. â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher† and â€Å"The Ravages of Spring† parallel within their eerie tones towards the stormy environments and the supernatural houses wh ich set the basis for both of the stories. However, by the conclusion of both tales Gardner’s remake of â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher† is still a considerably lighter version of Poe’s gothic story. Both stories correlate within their morbid tones as the narrators of the two tales discuss the stormy environment, which plagues the beginning of the stories. Poe characterizes the storm as â€Å"abroad in all its wrath†¦with huge masses of agitated vapour† (Poe 412). Then he goes onto describe an â€Å"unnatural light of a faintly luminous and distinctly visible gaseous exhalation which hugh about and enshrouded the mansion† (Poe 412). Thus, it is evident through Poe’s language that he is exerting a frightening and supernatural tone to describe this malevolent storm. ... ...oe’s tale and successfully does so when analyzing the paralleled tones towards the atmospheres and the houses which plague the two stories. However, when concentrating on the end result of both pieces the works are easily distinguishable from one another. One must still note that â€Å"The Ravages of Spring† is a brilliant reverence to â€Å" The Fall of the House of Usher† and both works are truly thought provoking and ingenious. Works Cited Fenlon, Katherine Feeney. â€Å"John Gardner’s The Ravages of Spring as re-creation of The Fall of the House of Usher.† Studies in Short Fiction. 31.3 (1994): 481-488. Gardner, John. â€Å"The Ravages of Spring.† The King’s Indian: Stories and Tales. New York: Ballantine, 1974: 39-71. Poe, Edgar Allan. â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher.† Tales and Sketches. Cambridge: Belknap, 1978: 397-417. 4452 - 1 – Marlow Engl. 12.37

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Music of Mexico and Central America Essay

Musical expressions in Central America and Mexico are very diverse. Types of music in this geographic region have similarities with other types of Latin American music but have their distinctive differences. For instance, the marimba of Guatemala cannot be compared to a charcarera melody from Argentine. Also, it is quite easy to mariachi for merengue and vice versa if one doesn’t know the subtle differences between the two genres. The wide variety of instruments, the varied aspects of texts, poetic structures, languages, and dance rhythms in the music of Central America and Mexico prove the richness of these regions’ culture (Campbell et al.  9). Music tends to reflect the cultural values, behaviors, and surroundings of a given geographic region and its people. For this reason, musical traditions in Central America and Mexico have grown very diverse through centuries. Descendants of Native Americans, Africans, and Europeans who settled in Central America, Mexico, and the entire Latin America retained many features of their musical roots and creative various blends of Latin American music. Latin American songs touch on various themes. Mexico, and countries in Central America such as Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Nicaragua have many love songs that are passionately sung by people, often with lyrics expressing loneliness, longing, and unconditional love. Aside from love songs, music in the Latin American region also have themes of current events and history, such as the nueva cancion of Chile and corridor of Mexico. Some songs also try to establish a connection between the singer and the supernatural, such as the songs that Chilean female shaman singers sing or the dances and chants that believers of Afro-Brazilian bahia perform. These types of songs are quite different from other musical traditions in the rest of the world but they are quite typical in Latin America. In addition, Mexico and Central American countries also have a huge collection of children’s songs, tribute songs, and songs of the seasons. Instruments used in the music of Central America and Mexico usually involve the guitar. The instrument is quite prominent in most Latin American cultures, especially those influenced by Hispanic traditions. Artists from Mexico and other Latin American countries like Brazil, and Venezuela usually make use of the maracas, clave, and guiro to produce the effect they want. Drums are also very important in the music of the region and various types of drums are used for different genres. Melodies are usually composed of notes in the minor key and rhythms which are crosses of threes and twos. Native Americans are known to produce pentatonic melodies while people of African descent frequently employ syncopation in their musical styles. Perhaps the best known feature of Mexican and Central American music is its ability to make people dance. It’s easy to dance to Latin American music, whether alone or in synch with partners (Campbell et al. 9). Over the years, radio, film, and television have popularized Mexican music to higher levels. Listeners worldwide are able to recognize Mexican music although they sometimes confuse it with other types of music from the Latin American region. The icon of Mexican music is the mariachi – a Mexican musician wearing a charo costume (Hutchinson 1192). Mariachis are known all over the world to transmit the meaning of being a Mexican. This musical group can sing anything, from ballads to songs about the revolution, from songs describing bar scenes to odes to regions and towns. Mariachis are also popular for their uniforms called charros. A charro consists of a bolero-type jacket, tight pants with a belt of intricately woven design, and a wide-brimmed hat filled with ribbons, chains, and silver buttons. This unique Mariachi costume is very similar to the simpler costumes that cowboys wear. Aside from the costume, Mariachis and cowboys also have origins in the same place, which is in Jalisco and other neighboring states (Kermecker 49). A mariachi band usually consists of three or four guitarists. Bands would usually play together for townspeople at gazebos or â€Å"quioscos† in the Main Square or â€Å"zocalo. † Today in Mexico, up to eighteen mariachi musicians can organize in a main square and play any song that the townspeople want to hear. Aside from the guitar, mariachis use instruments such as vihuelas (smaller guitars with five strings), guitarrones (six-string vihuelas with big bellies), violins, harps, and trumpets for the energetic accents of Mexican songs. The term â€Å"mariachi† could have originated from the French word â€Å"mariage,† which would make sense since mariachis usually play at weddings. However, experts today insist that mariachis have existed long before the French came to Mexico. The name might have originated from the Mexican word â€Å"mariachi† which refers to a small platform for musicians and dancing couples. Mariachis can be found all over Mexico, but especially in places such as Garribaldi in Mexico City and in Guadalajara, in the Plaza de Los Mariachis located at the intersection of Independencia Sur and Mina. Visitors at these places can pay mariachis to play them any Mexican song they want (Kernecker 49). Mariachis can employ other Latin American musical instruments to play their songs. They can use the the marimba, a hugely popular musical instrument in Central and South America. Marimbas are xylophones that consist of several wooden plates of different sizes and thickness. Modern versions of the instrument have hardwood bars of uniform thickness and tubular metal resonators that encompass six to seven octaves. Two to five players would play these xylophones with warm, mellow tones (Apel 505). Central America is a geographic region that is located in the southernmost part of the North American continent connecting South America to the southeast. A large part of Central America rests above the Caribbean Plate, making the region geologically active and the site of relatively frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Cities in Central American countries have been destroyed by earthquakes before, such as Managua, capital of Nicaragua and El Salvador. However, the volcanic lava from eruptions has made the region agriculturally fertile, enabling it to sustain huge populations of people. While modern Latin American music is recognizable throughout Central America, indigenous music in the region have received the least exposure among other types of music in the Western Hemisphere. For instance, Garifuna music from the Garifuna people of Belize, Nicaragua, Honduras, and Guatemala has quite a limited audience. Instruments used in this type of music include tree â€Å"garaon† or drums: the primera which improvises the segunda which produces counter rhythms, and the tercera which takes care of bass lines. Two wires are stretched over the tops of the drums to generate the buzzing sound that is typical of West African music. Other instruments used in Garifuna music are guitars, claves, shakers, scrapers, and bottle percussions (Nidel 291). In terms of modern music, one popular genre is Punta rock which is a dance music similar to Trinidadian Soca. The standard ensemble to play Punta rock includes instruments such as synthesizers, brass, electric bass, and keyboards. The song â€Å"La Punta† of the Punta rock genre became popular in Honduras during the 1980s (Nidel 291). People in Central America absolutely love listening to the marimba. In Guatemala, the xylophone used is considered the national instrument. Marimbas of all sizes and styles are made in the country. Some models are designed to be played by a single player while others are so big that seven people are needed to play them. Musical genres like the meringue and other dance compositions usually rely on the xylophone to produce the bass rhythms (Apel 505). During the later parts of the 20th century, marimba in Mexico became popular in the southernmost state of Chiapas. The instrument is also played in neighboring states of Tabasco, Oaxaca, Veracruz, and in the nation’s capital. Mariachis and other musical groups playing marimba are scattered all throughout the country but they are especially concentrated in Mexico City and Chiapas. In terms of performance, multiple players playing marimbas are more common in Mexico than single players. In Mexico today, marimba music is mostly a regional phenomenon. It is associated with the southern part of the country and is often placed in the same category as popular music genres like jarocho from Veracruz, mariachi from Jalisco, and norteno from northern Mexico (Beck 9). In the state of Veracruz, street musicians called â€Å"ambulantes† typically play marimba for people. These musicians would perform and compete with each other for twenty-four hours a day in the streets and in buildings. The type of marimba in this seaport city is known for its sharp-edged and heavily syncopated style. The unique characteristics of marimba in Veracruz indicate its Afro-Cuban influences (Beck 224). Mexican music is primarily of Hispanic flavor because of the imposition of European musical culture on the natives by Spanish conquistadors. In Mexico today, nobody knows what real pre-Columbian music sounds like. Even the type of music that natives play in Indian communities is noticeably influenced by the Spanish. African slaves though tempered this music by adding their own style to it. Mexicans are proud of these traditional musical genres, although many of them now listen to Western rock and pop (Hutchinson 1192). There are many popular genres of Mexican music that are meant for singing instead of dancing. One is the corrido, a narrative form of music that’s derived from old Spanish ballads. The genre spread throughout the country as armies of the revolution roamed across the land. Corrido has since become a popular mode of expression for regular citizens and artists. Another genre is called cancion which means â€Å"song,† literally. Cancion highlights the romantic and sentimental aspects of Mexicans, and is therefore naturally languid and slow. An example of cancion is â€Å"Las Mananitas,† which is usually sung to serenade people on their birthdays. Finally, there’s the ranchera genre which is a mix of Mexican country and Western styles. The genre was originally associated with the cattle men from the Bajio region. Ranchera featured prominently in many Mexican films from the 1930s to the 1940s and consequently became known all over Latin America as the typical music of Mexico (Hutchinson 1192). The Mexican Film and recording industry are powerful forces throughout the entire Latin American region. They helped several Mexican artists to become household names, drawing fans and profit to the industry. Some of the most popular Mexican artists include Pendro Infante, Pedro Vargas, Miguel Aceves Mejia, Jorge Negrete, and the Trio Los Panchos. Songwriters and composers can also gain popularity in Mexico, such as Agustin Lara who is a prolific composer of romantic â€Å"boleros,† which are Latin dance types of music However, despite the popularity of these artists, mariachis are still the most popular musical groups in the country (Hutchinson 1192). Musica tejana, Texas-Mexican music or simply Tex-Mex has attained a huge following all over Mexico, Central America, and the whole Latin American region today. The genre contains influences from various musical styles, such as bolero, ranchera, and cumbia. It is very flexible and can even draw beats from other genres such as reggae, country, rap, pop, and disco. Musica tejana is also known as â€Å"tejano† music in Mexico, Texas, and other parts of the United States (San Miguel 3). The term â€Å"tejano† may also refer to people of Mexican descent who live in Texas. Musica tejana has been created by Tejanos to reflect the sensibilities of their fellow Tejanos and Mexicans. Tejanos started demanding that traditional Mexican music meet their sensibilities as early as 1920s. Early in the twentieth century, much of musica tejana was formed by accordion sounds. After World War II, Tejano musicians tried to adapt elements of Mexican music to their musical style. Artists incorporated female duet and vocal singing into musica tejana, which was previously instrumental in nature. They also continued to use the bajo sexton and accordion to produce their music. Saxophones, and trumpets later known as â€Å"los pitos† or horn section, were also employed to create musica tejana. During the second half of the century, Tejanos continued to adapt Mexican music by using instruments such as guitars, keyboards, organs, and brass instruments (San Miguel 7). Tejanos have lived alongside Anglos for a long time and conflicts between the two races are discernible in the musica tejana that evolved from this relationship. Corridos expressed the historical conflict between Mexicans and Anglos in South Texas during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. According to experts, old corridos were basically narrative ballads that told the adventures of a hero and were sung to simple tunes. In many ways, singing corridos was a symbolic means to fight the dominant Anglo culture. An example of this type of corridor is â€Å"The Corrido of Gregorio Cortez,† a narrative ballad that tells the story of a hero who single-handedly fought the law of the Anglos and won (San Miguel 8). Traditional Mexican songs like canciones reflected the changes that occurred and the attributes that were retained by Tejanos in the state. Canciones are composed of various types of songs, including: corridos, canciones romanticas, canciones rancheras, and canciones tipcas. The corridor and cancion tipica dominated vocal music by Tejasnos throughout most of the nineteenth century. During the late nineteenth century, the cancion romantica started to emerge and compete with other types of cancion. In the twentieth century however, the cancion ranchera attained a huge following, which made it the dominant type of song among Mexicans in Texas and for those who lived near the border (San Miguel 8). Aside from musica tejana, there are many other musical genres that has gained wide popularity in Central America. One is cumbia, a Colombian style of folk dance music that’s considered to represent Colombian culture, like Vallenato. Cumbia is especially popular in Panama, another country in Central America. The region is mostly inhabited by mestizos who are people of European, African, and indigenous descent. The culture of the Azuero region located in the west of the country has come to dominate Panama. The country’s preference for music such as cumbia is very similar to the musical preferences of its neighboring country, Colombia. The most significant native instrument in Panama is the mejorama, a guitar with five strings, which looks quite similar with the Venezuelan cuatro. The mejorama are often used by musicians in the country to play songs termed â€Å"torrentes. † The most recognized Panamanian musician in the world is Ruben Blades who became a star in the Fania stable of New York musicians. Blades started his career with doo-woop but branched off to different musical styles later (Nidel 291). While it is true that music is the universal language, the music of Mexico and Central America is still very unique in their own social and historical contexts. The mariachi of Mexico reflects the energetic Mexican people and their passionate tendencies. Dances with fast beats illustrate the festivity of Mexican culture while slow and languid songs show the longing of Mexicans for intangible things such as love, honor, and the past. Whether it’s marimba, corridor, cancion or ranchera, Mexican music stands out as among the best and most colorful types of music in the world. Central America also has a rich collection of Latin American music, such as musica tejana, bolero, and cumbia. Each country in this region has a different past that is reflected in their preferred musical styles. As each style crosses and mixes with each other, the music of Central America is bound to get richer in the future. Through modern forms of communication and broadcast such as the Internet, Latin American music in Central America may gather more followers in regions far away from it. The various kinds of Mexican and Central American music all have their own flavors and they must be preserved for generations to come. They contain the spirit of the Latin American culture and must therefore be listened to by new generations of Latinos and other artists and ordinary people outside of the region. Works Cited Apel, Willi. Harvard Dictionary of Music. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1969. Beck, John. Encyclopedia of Percussion. London: Taylor & Francis, 1995. Campbell, Patricia Shehan et al. Songs of Latin America: from the Field to the Classroom. Van Nuys: Alfred Publishing, 2001. Hutchinson, Peter. Central America & Mexico 2004. Bath: Footprint Travel Guides, 2003. Kernecker, Herb. When in Mexico, Do as the Mexicans Do: The Clued-in Guide to Mexican Life, Language, and Culture. Columbus: McGraw-Hill Professional, 2005. Nidel, Richard. World Music: the Basics. New York: Routledge, 2005. San Miguel, Guadalupe. Tejano Proud: Tex-Mex Music in the Twentieth Century. College Station: Texas A&M University Press, 2002.

Friday, August 16, 2019

Fireweed is written by Skye Brannon Essay

The short story â€Å"Fireweed† is written by Skye Brannon, it is a story about a young man named Baluta. He emigrated from West Africa to US, with his brother Jato and his sitster in law Sama. The story is about how an ordinary workday can trigger memories from the past. In the beginning his memories are filled with happiness, because it is about his family back in Liberia. But as the story evolves, his memories, which he desperately ties to forget presents them selves. The main character, Baluta immigrated to US about 1980-1990’s because of the civil war in Liberia. In the short story it is written thatâ€Å" The war will be coming our way soon. It was the first time Baluta saw fear behind his father’s strong eyes†. This may be the reason why Baluta left Africa and immigrated to US. Baluta and jota is not very articulate. And their problem with the English language is portrayed by the author substituting a normal English vocabulary and choose to write sentences frenetically, for instance â€Å" Dese Americans, Joto said, if you tell demy out Mandika name, dey look like you have given dem a riddle†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Though the characters may have some problems with the language, it is not said directly that they are stupid. Furthermore is seems that Baluta is a very thoughtful young man, who pays attention to the people around him. He is keen to make the people around him feel good in his company, and he finds it sad when he is incapable of making life easier for others. He feels very sad that he need to use the car, to get to work, because then his family have to get up early to cheat the buss to work. And another example is that he makes sure that the people he works with doesn’t have any problems pronouncing his name and therefore chooses to take the name Joel. He is very kind to other people, even though he had a very hard childhood in Liberia. He was an eyewitness to the murder of his family and unfortunately the memory of this still haunts him. His bad childhood, have made him in to a very sensitive person. Even though he has immigrated to US to get a better life, he stills live in a ghetto[1] which is seen in 8th sentence in the beginning of the text â€Å"Baluta washed in the shower, cold after his brother and sister-in-law had had theirs† this quotation shows how poor they are, because they don’t have enough hot water for three people to shower in the morning. But not only the problem with the hot water shows how poor they are, the car Baluta use to go to work every day is in such bad condition that Jota refers to it as the â€Å" Swiss Chevy† like the Swiss cheese. And the attempts of the duct-tape patchwork and the whistling sound the car makes at speed, clarifies the state of it. The short story follows a chronological storyline, with some flashbacks. It all starts with Baluta thinking of his little sister Alanso. His memory of her is loving and happy like her self when she was alive. Which is mentioned in the text â€Å" It was Alanso’s laugh, flowing like doves out of her bright smiling mouth. It was Alanso’s laugh, out from between those cheeks caught the sun and held it in a warm glow the rest of the day†. After having the first flashback, his day carries on as normal. On his way to work, he passes a lot of golf resorts and drives trough a big gate, this gate can symbolize a â€Å"gate back in time†, to his time in Liberia, because on the other side of the gate he gets a another flashback. The neighborhood he drives in reminds him of his father and the monkeys he used to train. Another flashback comes to him as he sees Tiffany’s diamond ring reflects the sunlight into his face. He can hear his father telling him â€Å" they found some diamonds in their mountain†. He returns to his work, just to be reminded of his past ones again. Just by hearing the word Fireweed, he is drawn back to the time where he lost his family or some of it. He relives it all, and are ones again forced to stand face to face with death and loss. There are many themes in this short story, but some of the main themes are loss, he looses his family or some of it, which he are trying to forget, the proverb, Wherever you go, your problems will follow you, even though you try to run or somehow try to get away from your problems they will follow you until you deal with them. This seems to underline theme here. Another theme is immigration. Some people flee from their homes, go get to some kind of safety. This short story is able to twists our reality, and puts in an immigrants’ shoes. This short story makes us think about life and death, and how easy it is to loss someone you love and are force to leave everything to get to safety.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Sun and Late Evening Light

Not a cloud sailed on that particular Sunday evening. The climbers, John and Mary had reached the tops of the cliffs as the sun was setting. They looked over the town to one side and the water on the other. The whole scene appeared strikingly beautiful in the late evening light, for it was sunset. Their hearts began to fill with emotions as the vast open sky started to turn from a baby blue to an autumn red, the clouds changed from cotton white to a flaming yellow orange giving the clouds a fluorescent laser lined effect.Birds chirped melodiously while flying away to their homes in the pleasant breeze, they too enjoying the spectacular sight. The crystal clear water sparkled like diamonds. Everything was almost still and the effect of the light made the scene look like one in a painting. It was so perfect. The climbers gazed upon the picturous scene as the autumn sky turned darker. The sun seemed to be at peace, making the climbers feel good and warm.The sun slowly began to fade away , as if it were about to fall off the edge of the water. John and Mary suddenly began to feel alive as they sat on the hill to take in the epic event right before them, they felt alive, reborn and inspired. They slowly watched the autumn red sun disappear behind the murky blue sea and said to themselves, what a glorious sunset. One that would be etched in their memories for life.