Inside Job Documentary Essay

The documentary Inside Job does a very good job of explaining what happened in a relatively short period of time and in an accessible way. The film also has compelling villains and outrageous behavior that is bound to engage and enrage viewers. It’s basically an overview of the financial crisis of recent years, which we are still recovering from. The thesis seems to be that the regulations that were put in place after the Great Depression have been systematically dismantled since the Reagan years (powered by Wall Street lobbyists) which played a pivotal role in this meltdown and lesser ones in previous years. And very little is being done to fix this faulty system and the ones who should be held liable are not and still filthy, filthy rich and very powerful. The most breathtaking fact is that the arrogance, greed and corruption that these people exhibit and the fact that none of them have been indicted for fraud and violation. This film not only makes me angry but also furious . This shows concept of capitalism at its worst. It is not about right, left, democrat or republican nor the failure of capitalism, it was about pure greed and corruption. What happened and continues to this day is not capitalism. It is corporatism I think which is also known as fascism. If it were truly capitalism, there would be no such thing as â€Å"too big to fail† and there would be so many fines and prison sentences handed down it would hugely dwarf the savings and loan scandal. This film portrays lots of psychopaths that only care about one thing: furthering their own personal gain and the ends justifies the means is their mantra. Over here psychopaths means the people who are over obsessed with money and they just want more and more. There is a lot of wrong doing which is not ethical but legal because the American government helped them to make it legal like CitiGroup acquiring Traveler. Why does the financial system have to grow more complex, in the sense of allowing high leverage, moral hazard, opaqueness, and brittle interconnections to flourish? Of course panic will continue to exist and be unpredictable. But the system itself needs to be transparent, properly capitalized, compartmentalized, and policed, so bankers don’t extract mountains of money in good times and then have it go down in flames in bad times every few years. If we can build a robust Internet or electrical grid, we can build a robust financial system. They should all be able to get bigger and more capable without being at risk of constant collapse. You can’t eliminate risk of failure, but you can keep it reasonably small. There is simply no excuse for building a system which can collapse in its entirety without government bailouts. And ultimately, that’s what makes the financial crisis so scary. The complexity of the system far exceeded the capacity of the participants, experts and watchdogs. Even after the crisis happened, it was devilishly hard to understand what was going on. Some people managed to connect the right dots, in the right ways and at the right times, but not so many, and not through such reproducible methods, that it’s clear how we can make their success the norm. What makes me sad is that our key systems are going to continue growing more complex, and we’re not getting any smarter, or any less able to ignore risks that we know we should be preparing for. In my opinion, the movie has a bright side and a dark side. I enjoyed seeing known people talk about the economical crisis and giving their side of the story. I enjoyed seeing witnesses given in Washington by bankers accused of their shameful practices. I think the movie put my attention on the deep problem of lobbying, which results in inefficient regulation and creates a threat for the whole system. The big problem with the movie, however, is black and white approach it takes. It presents 10% of a complicated picture and makes one to believe that it is 100%. For example, deregulation is widely accepted as one of reasons for the economical crisis. In the movie, it is represented in such a way that it looks ridiculous how a law on deregulation could pass – corrupted officials is a hint. The facts are well presented in the movie. Some of them are true like: 1) Banks want to be Too Big To Fail because they know that if they’re too big, they’ll be bailed out. 2) The progressive deregulation of the financial sector since the 1980s gave rise to an increasingly criminal industry. 3) The industry has made more money since the crisis. 4) The average salary of a Goldman Sachs employee is $600,000. 5) AIG paid Goldman Sachs $13 billion in taxpayer money. 6) AIG’s Joe Cassano made $315 million after the company took at least $85 billion from taxpayers. But some of the facts shown were not true. Like the one where it says Dick Fuld earned $485 million, on the other hand it was less than $310 million. It also says that in 2008, the collapse of Lehman Brothers and AIG triggered the crisis. But that is not true as the origins of the crisis can be traced back even further, to the implosion of two Bear Stearns hedge funds run by Ralph Cioffi and Matthew Tannin, the Bear Stearns High Grade Structured Credit Strategies Fund and the Bear Stearns High Grade Structured Credit Strategies Enhanced Fund. It actually all started back in early 90’s. I don’t fully understand the working of the derivatives and credit swaps we’ve heard so much about. But I’m learning. These are ingenious, computer-driven schemes in which good money can be earned from bad debt, and Wall Street’s Masters of the Universe pocket untold millions while they bankrupt their investors and their companies. The crucial error was to allow financial institutions to trade on their own behalf. Today, many large trading banks are betting against their own customers. In the real estate market, banks aggressively promoted mortgages to people who could not afford them. These were assembled in packages. They were carried on the books as tangible assets when they were worthless. The institutions assembling them hedged their loans by betting against them. When the mortgages failed, profits were made despite and because of their failure. There is no moral justification for how Wall Street functions today. One of the most fascinating aspects of â€Å"Inside Job† involves the chatty on-camera insights of Kristin Davis, a Wall Street madam, who says the Street operated in a climate of abundant sex and cocaine for valued clients and the traders themselves showing themselves as psychopaths. She says it was accepted parts of the corporate culture that hookers at $1,000 an hour and up were kept on retainer and that cocaine was the fuel. There’s a lot to dislike about Wall Street that I have generated after watching this film mainly the pay, the culture and in many cases, the people. A lot of observers understood we had a housing bubble — Dean Baker, for instance, had been sounding the alarm for years — but few of the housing skeptics saw everything going on behind the bubble: That the subprime mortgages had been packaged into bonds, that the bonds had been sliced into tranches, that the formulas being used to price and rate the tranches got the variable expressing correlation wrong, that an extraordinary number of banks had purchased an extraordinary amount of insurance against getting that correlation wrong from AIG, that AIG had also priced the correlation wrong and would be unable to pay its debts in the event of a meltdown, that a meltdown would freeze the mostly unregulated shadow market that major financial institutions and players used to fund themselves, that the modern financial system was so fragile that an uptick in delinquent subprime mortgages could effectively crash the global economy. What’s remarkable about the financial crisis isn’t just how many people got it wrong, but how many people who got it wrong had an incentive to get it right: journalists, hedge funds, independent investors and academics regulators. Even traders, many of whom had most of their money tied up in their soon-tobe-worthless firms. I don’t think anything can change my views about US markets. After watching this movie and my own views from reading day by day news articles and after President Barack Obama again reelecting those people to run the government who got us into this mess.

How democratic was Andrew Jackson? Essay

Andrew Jackson may have been the most popular president in the history of United States. Andrew Jackson was elected as a president for his democracy and he was still getting votes from electors fifteen years after he died. But was Andrew Jackson democratic at all? He didn’t democratically act in a lot of circumstances like being partial to the poor, not paying attention to the Native Americans or not listening to Van Buren that caused a big scandal in society. Jackson was born in 1767 on the border between North and South Carolina. He was a kid with a wild streak that grew up in a poor family. His childhood was so dramatic and full of events that they made him be brave and experienced in situations. Jackson was voted for the presidency in 1828 and was reelected in 1832. He was said to create a new era of real democracy in America. But like other men, Jackson was not democratic at all and he was also claimed as behaving more like the king. First of all, Andrew Jackson was not democratic because he gave more power to the poor and seemed to be partial to them. While it was democratic that he tried to balance the power between the rich and the poor but in this circumstance, he totally took down the rich. In Document 3 which is a political cartoon, Jackson holds a veto in the left hand and a scepter in the right and tramples on the Federal Constitution and The United States Bank. It was said that Jackson was fear on the rich and powerful who may cheat the acts of government to their own selfish benefits so he vetoes the Congress’s bill to recharger the Bank in July in 1832 and removes the deposit. In fact, Jackson was doing more damage to the bank and he biased against the wealthy men in command. He may have little or no trust in what the Congress and government had deemed to be in the country best interest. In Document 5, Jackson â€Å"inflame the poor against the rich†, The rich and powerful are also People but Jackson didn’t listen to and follow their wishes. That was not democratic. In Document 2, Daniel Webster compliments that Andrew Jackson was democratic. It seemed to be contrary to his reply to Andrew’s Bank veto that Daniel totally criticizes Andrew for turning against the rich. But we can see that Webster claimed that: â€Å"Jackson was the hero of the dirt farmer.† It supported that Andrew Jackson is so partial to the poor and just stand for their sides. Jackson did have democratic ideas but his ideas didn’t actually benefit all people. This was undemocratic as it didn’t benefit all people that he took the rich down and just cared for the low class. Additionally, Jackson also acts undemocratically that he didn’t include the Native Americans. In Document 3, Andrew looks like a king although he is president because of not taking care of the Native Americans and some tribes. Since a president takes to care for all people, Jackson just cares of part of them and abuse for his power and acts only in his best interests. Based on Document 8, Jackson persuaded the Native American but actually forced them and some tribes to west of the Mississippi. It means that he kicked them out of U.S. Jackson was not democratic because he moves them to such useless land as the land was ruined and poor. Despite looking to the citizens of U.S. well, Jackson wasn’t paying attention to the suffering that he was inflicting on Native Americans. This one side shows that Jackson was not a democratic president as many people think he was. The pinnacle of being undemocratic of Jackson was in Document 7, â€Å"Jackson refused to listen. He liked Swartwout because he had been an early supporter.† Jackson appointed Samuel to the office of the collector of Port of New York instead of Buren because Swartwout was offered by people more than Van. It is contrary to his democracy of following people’s wishes that he didn’t listen to Buren. Andrew went against all reason and showed a great lack of good judgment when he appointed one of his homies who is a notorious thief. Since Samuel was in office, there was a scandal that â€Å" Swartwout absconded with $1222705.09. It was a monumental theft†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This ended up hurting the country economically and totally affected the common goods. This selfish act was a foolish one. Although Andrew Jackson, as I stated, was an undemocratic president, he was still kind and compassionate and still has little democracy. Based on Document 11, Jackson adopted a child and took care of him. He wrote letters to his wife that he would adopt an Indian son, Lynconya, â€Å"I send him to my little Andrew and I hope he will adopt him as one of our family. And the letter on December 28th, 1823, Jackson wrote that â€Å"Tell Lyncoya to read his book and be a good boy and obey you in all things.† We can see, Jackson was still democratic as he adopted an Indian boy and also buried him in the family cemetery when he died at age 14. Throughout Jackson’s life and his presidency and with the above evidence, Andrew Jackson was not a democratic president at all. He unfairly acted in several circumstances but he was also democratic and kind of adopting an Indian boy. I conclude Andrew Jackson was not as democratic as many people thought he was. His action towards people didn’t benefit everyone.

Automobile Industry History Essay

You are here: Home †º World Industries †º Auto Industry †º Auto Industry | Automobile Industry | Car Industry Auto Industry | Automobile Industry | Car Industry. Automobile Industry History : In the year 1769, a French engineer by the name of Nicolas J. Cugnot invented the first automobile to run on roads. This automobile, in fact, was a self-powered, three-wheeled, military tractor that made the use of a steam engine. The range of the automobile, however, was very brief and at the most, it could only run at a stretch for fifteen minutes. In addition, these automobiles were not fit for the roads as the steam engines made them very heavy and large, and required ample starting time. Oliver Evans was the first to design a steam engine driven automobile in the U.S. A Scotsman, Robert Anderson, was the first to invent an electric carriage between 1832 and 1839. However, Thomas Davenport of the U.S.A. and Scotsman Robert Davidson were amongst the first to invent more applicable automobiles, making use of non-rechargeable electric batteries in 1842. Development of roads made travelling comfortable and as a result, the short ranged, electric battery driven automobiles were no more the best option for travelling over longer distances. The Automobile Industry finally came of age with Henry Ford in 1914 for the bulk production of cars. This lead to the development of the industry and it first begun in the assembly lines of his car factory. The several methods adopted by Ford, made the new invention (that is, the car) popular amongst the rich as well as the masses. According the History of Automobile Industry US, dominated the automobile markets around the globe with no notable competitors. However, after the end of the Second World War in 1945, the Automobile Industry of other technologically advanced nations such as Japan and certain European nations gained momentum and within a very short period, beginning in the early 1980s, the U.S Automobile Industry was flooded with foreign automobile companies, especially those of Japan and Germany. The current trends of the Global Automobile Industry reveal that in the developed countries the Automobile Industries are stagnating as a result of the drooping car markets, whereas the Automobile Industry in the developing nations, such as, India and Brazil, have been consistently registering higher growth rates every passing year for their flourishing domestic automobile markets. Those who are interested in gathering more information about the Automobile Industry, may browse through the following links :

Ethical Marketing Reflective Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Ethical Marketing issues by Trump on Aberdeen Wind Farm - Essay Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that the Aberdeen Wind farm has resulted in ethical and legal battles between the Scottish government and entrepreneur, Donald Trump who believes the construction of the wind farm will result in an ugly sore adjacent to his greatest golf course. According to Trump, building his $ 1 billion golf course in Aberdeenshire was because he was informed that the wind farm project would not continue. However, â€Å"former and current first ministers, Jack McConnel and Alex Salmond† denied that they agreed to have the project stopped owing to the plans for the building of the golf resort by Trump. The current minister says Trump wanted the current government to be held accountable for the promises of the previous government, which he believes is not possible and resulted in a court battle filed by Trump’s legal team. In a bid to halt  the development of the wind farm, Trump appeared before the Scottish Parliament’s committee on e conomy, energy, and tourism and he said the wind farm was the most serious problem facing Scotland. From the research, the aim of the wind farm includes the creation of 28,000 jobs, generation of 100 MW of electricity that would supply power to half of Aberdeen city, and act as a pilot project for the aims of turning the country into Europe’s green energy. The Scottish government approved the development of the wind farm resulting in Trump taking to the courts to challenge the project to which he subsequently lost despite the use of misleading campaigns and threats about the fall of the Scottish economy. He also made use of his celebrity status through different media channels and campaigns to influence the court decision, but he was not successful.

Importance of songs and music in bollywood films Essay

Importance of songs and music in bollywood films - Essay Example Ganti (2004, p. 13) describes presence of music in the films as a ‘masala’ which literally means spice. This captivates the audiences and makes the movies more interesting. Arguably, because of the interesting and captivating nature of the films, the people will in turn buy more of the films and thus record high sales for the Indian films. This has been the case since Bollywood films dominated Asian market. Music has for long been used in films to construct narrative. Morcom (2007, p. 31) notes that narrative is not only structured by visual means but also through music. Music functions as part of the process that broadcasts narrative information to the audience. In essence, music is a narrative agent. Emotion, mood, characterization, point of view and the action in the films are all structured in a multifaceted visual and oral interaction in which music is a significant aspect. Punathambekar (2008, p. 16) demonstrates the role of music and its significance in the Bollywood films through application of the linguistic tool to the film studies. From his application Punathambekar (2008) noted that any music can be used in a film but will be accompanied by different meanings (p. 18). Bollywood film makers have for long made no efforts to hide the fact that what the film represents on the screen is an illusion, a creation and a fiction. This implies that Indian films are self-conscious and aware of its audiences. The sequences of song and dances in the films break away from the practicality of the cinema and exist within a different modus operandi. These changes between distinct modes of pragmatism cause the cinema to be conscious of its illusionary set-ups (Ranade, 2006, p. 56). The audience by this time must apprehend the break in practicality, causing a relationship between the movie and the audience that is distinct from the Hollywood

Family communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Family communication - Essay Example The belief system allows resilient families to make meaning of any challenge or crisis that they are currently facing while maintaining a positive outlook at the same time. Organization allows resilient families to remain flexible and stay connected. Finally, family communication allows resilient families to openly share their views, express their emotions and solve problems jointly. Thus, family resilience could be said to be the process through which a family copes with challenges as one functional unit. By having open communication avenues, a family would be able to identify their problems and challenges (Simon, Murphy, & Smith 224). At the same time, avid communication would allow the family to openly hold discussions on what these issues are all about as well as means through which the challenges could be averted. Communication within the family greatly enhances resilience by allowing the family members to engage in emotional expressions of views, open and clear communication. These aspects of communication within the family promote family resilience by bringing forth collaborative problem solving mechanisms that allow for conflicts to be solved and managed within the family unit (Simon, Murphy, & Smith 231). After all, communication is a two way traffic that heads to one single

Visual Analysis paper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Visual Analysis paper - Assignment Example Having emerged around 1910 in Europe, abstractionism disrupted the idea of classical beauty and aesthetics in art. It believed that the first steps towards new concept of abstractionism were made by Vasily Kandinsky, a remarkable painter of Russian descent, who created his abstract watercolors around 1910. Naturally, two world wars made a great contribution to changes in perception of painting and use of abstract concepts in visual art. Abstractionism ran through the works of such prominent innovators of the 20th century as Kazemir Malevich, Mark Rothko, Vasily Kandinsky, Piet Mondrian (and his De Stijl group) and Frank Stella. The core of their legacy is represented by the basic principles of abstractionism, though their styles and perceptions of reflecting the reality in painting differ in certain aspects (for instance, Malevich’s special philosophy of suprematism). Specifically, the two most visible approaches seen in paintings of these artists are surely color field techni que and hard-edge painting. Moreover, there are tendencies of minimalism that could be traced in their styles. Among the mentioned artists, Frank Stella’s period of activity began later (which isn’t surprising as the author was born in 1936) and has endured until nowadays. The artists seems to have absorbed influence of abstractionist school and embodied key concepts in his works. The set of directions preferable for Stella includes hard-edge painting, minimalism and post-painterly abstraction. The latter presupposes distinct edges, harmony or contrast of simple forms and monumentality. Post-painterly abstraction finds its reflection in many works of this prolific painter, and – notwithstanding new elements in the style – it is clear from Stella’s paintings that this style is based mainly on traditions of abstract expressionism, lavishly cultivated by Malevich, Rothko, Kandinsky and Mondrian. It could be stated that Stella’s way of self-expr ession through abstract

Women and the advancement they have made in society Essay

Women and the advancement they have made in society - Essay Example They have come at par with men and work shoulder to shoulder with men in every matter. The per capita income of women has increased over the years. Women have made their representation noticeable in the social and political scenario. â€Å"Moreover, extensive local, national and global networks of women have succeeded in putting women’s concerns on the global agenda and catalyzed the creation of legal and institutional mechanisms to address these concerns† (â€Å"Perspective: The eradication of violence†). Today, many NGOs are functional that work for the rights of women. Despite the rapid advancement of women in the society, women have continued to be the victims of domestic violence. A lot of women are mutilated, humiliated, raped and abused every day. However, the reaction of society to such issues has changed in the favor of women. In the past, many such cases went uninvestigated for many reasons. Either women were too shy to bring such issues in front of the society and put their modesty at stake, or else, the systems were not as established to ensure an efficient working against the criminals. However, in the contemporary age, women have become quite vocal regarding the injustice they are offered which has shaken the foundations of violence in the society.

Mathematics Project Based & Game Based Learning vs. Traditional Dissertation

Mathematics Project Based & Game Based Learning vs. Traditional Repetition Learning - Dissertation Example Bouris, Creel and Storz (2004) state that the game based approach is an innovative approach of teaching Mathematics. It involves the use of games and technology. The method entails both simple tasks and difficult tasks, which are done individually or in groups. Traditionally, people learned mathematics through memorization of mathematical concepts as teachers demonstrated procedures in class. After the lesson, a teacher would give students homework based on the concept covered in class. This mode of learning advocates memorization of Mathematical concepts by the students (Bouris, Creel and Storz, 2004). Certainly, math skills required for students to function effectively in the 20th century are completely different than present skills requirement, hence the need to change the way mathematics as a subject is taught. Presently, there is an ongoing debate as to the best way to effectively teach mathematics and whether the traditional method is still effective. The present study will see k to compare Project- Based Learning (PBL) and Game-Based Learning (GBL) with the Traditional Repetitive Learning (TRL) to determine the most effective method of teaching mathematics. Significance of the Study Following increased pressure by the United States Department of Education, as well as the state of Tennessee Department of Education on mathematics teachers to enhance students’ mastery of mathematics as a key subject; teachers are increasingly adjusting their teaching methods to help improve students understanding of the subject. However, to some mathematics educators, the focus of academic achievement never goes beyond classroom and quizzes given to students. This notion has created an environment that continues to bar students from appreciating the applicability of mathematics to real-world problems (Afari et al., 2013). Even though continuous research has been done on teaching mathematics, little has been done on the effective methods of teaching the subject. Previo us researchers have tried to prove and provide evidence that mathematics is a critical subject for societal development while others sought to establish students’ performance in this subject. For instance, in 2012, the US Department of Education found that 8th grade students from the US were ranked 24th out of 29 countries in mathematics literacy. This was a clear indication that there was a big problem in the way mathematics as a subject was taught. Compared with other students from countries where PBL and GBL teaching methods had already been implemented, the US students’ scores were found to be low. Such low test scores and considering the impact of using different approaches when teaching mathematics, led to this study that seeks to establish the effectiveness of PBL, GBL and TRL approaches of teaching mathematics. This study will be conducted at Pine Elementary School which has a total population of 747 students. Departing from other previous researches that sough t to compare performance in mathematics relative to other subjects, this study will focus on effective teaching approaches that can enhance students’

Most people believe they directly and completely perceive the world Essay - 1

Most people believe they directly and completely perceive the world that surrounds them - Essay Example It is the very sense that causes us to come up with innovative things and creative ideas. Often, we come across illusion images concentrating upon which for some time, we acquire the image in our eyes that we retain for some time, though there are none other than biological reasons behind this. The images are reflected against plain white background for a matter of seconds. As we see around after that, the memory of the image fades away. Contexts in which stimuli are experienced greatly affect human perception and remembrance of those stimuli. This was confirmed in a research conducted by Palmer. In his study, Palmer first made the research participants see a kitchen scene, and the participants were immediately then shown a loaf of bread, a drum and a mailbox (Sternberg, Mio, and Mio 112). Later when the participants were asked to memorize the things they were shown, all of them remembered the loaf of bread much better than the other two things because the loaf of bread was consistent with the context that the participants were originally shown. Taking the results of this research into consideration, it can be safely said that human perceptions of things are determined by the contexts in which they experience the stimuli. The doctrine of constructivism makes a lot of emphasis upon the meaning. Constructivism, is in itself a theory that revolves around learning. The main idea behind the doctrine of constructivism is that an individual constructs knowledge on the basis of his/her mental activity. The doctrine of constructivism considers learners as the organisms that actively seek knowledge and meaning. Initially, meaning is constructed in such a way that its relationship is very weak with reality, like the mindset of children, who are in constant phase of discovering the world and perceiving it. However, with the passage of time, as an individual gains more and more experience, the concepts become

Professional Development and Research Dissertation

Professional Development and Research - Dissertation Example The main purpose of this dissertation proposal is to determine whether outsourcing has any effects on cost and labour in an organisation. Outsourcing has many effects to both the organisation and the consumer. The effects can be both negative and positive. This mainly depends on the considerations made by the organisation before it embarks in outsourcing. Enough inquiries should be made before a company decides to outsource to another firm. This research will help industries decide on when it is necessary to outsource, the benefits and the limitations. Though there might be short-term price benefits, there are lasting costs connected with reduced edification of workers, less devotion of the employer and reduced employer devotion. This research seeks to understand the effects of outsourcing on cost cutting and labour. Outsourcing depends on the different business situations that different industries have. Before any organisation sets-off for outsourcing, assessment and careful plannin g are considered a necessity for any industry. In conclusion, empirical results on the relationship between outsourcing to cut costs and labour present that there are mixed results and impacts on different industries. The expected performance result of outsourcing was tested and the outcome illustrated efforts by industries to slash costs by mechanizing the business tasks in existence. The results showed unenthusiastic irregular returns. The analysis has shown incompatible outcomes on how tactically stimulated outsourcing influences an industries presentation.

Edgar Allan Poe Essay Example for Free

Edgar Allan Poe Essay Edgar Allan Poe, those who are familiar with that famous name always allow a chill to run down their spines when they hear it. Poe has always been known for his dramatic and eerie writing style that has entertained readers for centuries. Of course we, as the reader, believe it is simply his brillance that sends a cold shudder through our bodies as we curl up on the couch with The Raven or The Masque of the Red Death, but there is still something more that we can attribute to his writing style. The techniques Poe used in his many stories are what created the fantastic sensation of acutally being a part of the story. In the following paragraphs, I will discuss the chilling techniques this legendary figure, Edgar Allan Poe, used to rope in his reader into the horrible, grotesque, and disturbing world of Prince Pospero and the age of The Red Death. Poe provided us with three major techniques to lead us through this disquieting and disconcerting world that is the reality of Prince Prospero, Poe provided us with, setting, tone, and props. Simply using these three sutble yet powerful techniques, Poe has created an imaginative and mind-boggling universe. First of all, Poe introduced us with surreal, but profound imagery to paint the landscape and life of Prince Prospero and his friends. Setting, one of the most dominant techniques in this short story, can be find around every corner of Prince Prosperos dark maze. Poe described seven rooms that connected to each other in a sick and twisted maze. In order to leave this maze you had to walk through all seven rooms which ranged from color to color and when you finally reached the end you found yourself inside a room, closely shrouded in black velvet tapestries that hung all over the ceiling and down the walls, falling in heavy folds upon a carpet of the same material and hue. This obviously represented the room of the red death and the eventual downfall all the masqueraders would certainly meet.

The Importance Of Imaginary Places

The Importance Of Imaginary Places Id like to begin my essay from one quotation that helped me to understand the main direction of this work discussion. This quotation explains the main content of the notion imaginary places and their meaning for people. Lets look at it attentively and analyze how the World Trade Center site in New York City is now an imaginary place. Leonard Mcclure stated that Such sites are, of course, actual places. We can go there today, stand, look, and know we are in the place. Yet, at the same time, these actual places are mythic because they embody meanings far beyond the scope of the events that happened and even beyond the limits of the physical locations themselves. In that sense, they are imaginary places. (Leonard Mcclure, 2003) I want to mention in this paragraph that such imaginary places are very important for 21st century Americans. In our consciousness the notion imaginary place can be interpret as a place that exists only in imagination, it can be imagination of one person or it can be imagination of group of people, who are interested in one problem or question; also imaginary place is a place said to exist in fictional or religious writings. In our case it is one taken website that reflects events that had a place in American society several years ago. The date of awful catastrophe will never be forgotten by people who lost there their relatives and I think that the whole country will never forget that tragedy. Saying about the World Trade Center (WTC) we can say that it was a complex in Lower Manhattan in New York City. In 2001 in the September 11 the World Trade Centers seven buildings were destroyed by terrorist attacks. The site is at present being rebuilt with six new skyscrapers and a memorial to the casualties of the terrorist attacks. Now this website considered an imaginary place that exists as a part of memory for people who know this place and for people who will never see beloved people. It will be very honest answer to say that people should remember their history and visiting imaginary places all people receive such possibility. Young people need to know how the place that they can see every day looked like several years ago and they should know its history. Old people can visit this place in their imagination and remember some events from their past life. Imaginary places are important part of todays life, because everyday we are looking for something new and sometimes even forget about historical places and people who were connected with these places. It is a good idea to create imaginary places and it is also a good idea of creation of imaginary communities. Im not promoting against real places and real communities, but in my opinion people should have a chance to talk about their memories with people with the same interest and our past is the wonderful base for our future success and happiness. Id like to talk about imaginary communities in this paragraph as a component connected with the notion imaginary places. Famous American researcher Benedict Anderson named nations the  «imaginary associations ».  «Imaginary » as their representatives, not knowing the most compatriots, even never meeting them; however feel the involvement to them. By other words,  «imaginary associations » exist in imagination of their members. Like imaginary places we cant visit in real life and touch to its things and ground where they based. Imagination is a really interesting notion, because it allows us to create something new and important, or unimportant, but pleasantà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ it depends from our necessities and wishes. Role of imagination in the process of creative cognition it is possible to define as one of methods of the use of present for a man knowledge. The functions of imagination are probed in-process on row procedures of scientific cognition: hypothesis, evident des ign, and mental experiment. The purpose of imagination is ability to create new appearances. It gives birth from necessities to correlate accessible to the man with that it is not given to him straight. It is understandable that for research of cognitive role of imagination it is necessary to find out its features. Complication of exposure of specific of imagination is conditioned that it closely interlaces with all types of cognition. This circumstance is reason of origin of tendency to the denial of existence of imagination as the special form of reflection. To decide this problem, it is necessary to expose actual nature of imagination. From all above stated determinations evidently, that the substantial sign of imagination is consider ability of subject to create new appearances. But it is not enough, because it is impossible then to conduct distinctions between imagination and thought. Creation of new knowledge and concepts in the field of logical thought can take place and with out participation of imagination. Thus, we should take into account circumstance that imagination is creation of new appearances, and transformation of past experience, and what transformation is accomplished at organic unity perceptible and rational. I think that imagination as a main aspect of imaginary places creation should be discussed with more details. We will consider specific forms of activity that is revealed in which perceptible reflection of reality, and also that role which execute feeling in the processes of forming of appearances. Very often feelings examined straight as valuable appearance of reality. Feelings primary appearances of certain properties of reality straight or indirectly join in forming of all (including generalized) mental appearances. Imagination, creating evident appearances, absorbs in itself feelings. But at it imagination leans against their semantic moment. Therefore, imagination physiological does not depend on activity of sense-organs. Imagination is product of transformation foremost of functional descriptions reflections. Perception is appearance of object on the whole, in it already very full semantic descriptions of subjectivity open up. During perception a subject is able to construct whole complexes directly not these parameters of object. The elements of imagination find out itself in a perceptible reflection only then, when along with ability functionally to finish building appearances these objects ability of man to expose is clearly revealed on your own functional meaningfulness of the perceived objects and to do this meaningfulness by the article of the special consideration and special procedures. Circumstance that in perception of persons capable from data separate to finish building elements the failings sides of object, see unit at to the real availability only its parts, testifies to development of subjective and active descriptions of perceptible appearances. Complexity such appearances, included in them experience individual and collective there is a display of nascent imagination activity. Essence of imagination consists in that appearances of imagination are consciously produced by a man. Thus, by a basic line which distinguishes imagination from different forms of activity in a perceptible reflection, there is original realized by the subject of imagination of human (social, cultural and other) grounds of this activity. The outer world comes forward the financial base of process of imagination in everything riches of its relations, from which the new impressions are dipped out and new images are created. Imagination can be examined and as a process (form) and as a result of (table of contents) reflection of objective to reality. It executes functions: heuristic, anticipatory, practical, cognitive, aesthetic and others. Imagination is capable to transform the whole world without an exception. Imagination it one of capabilities man to product new images. By the feature of imagination as facilities transfer of knowledge from one area there is an original alloy on other perceptible and rational. Analyzing information about imagination as a form of our mind work we should emphasize that imagination is the specific reflection of reality and serves by the mean of its cognition. Activity of imagination necessarily flows in evident plan. It necessarily destroys a subject outside available situations, forms appearances, not having a direct original in to reality. Thus, based on our research data we can conclude that imaginary places allow people to be involved in imaginary activity and it also allows Americans to be involved in the history of their country, because it is necessary for all people remember what had happened in their country and I believe that such imaginary place also can help to avoid some catastrophes in future.

Moral and Ethical Implications of Gun Ownership

Moral and Ethical Implications of Gun Ownership Have Gun, Will Travel . . . to Work Do you have a moral, not only a legal, right to own a gun? Assume that either the Second Amendment or state law gives you a legal right to keep a gun in your car when you drive. Do you also have a moral right to do this? Do you have either a moral or a legal right to park a car with a loaded gun in a privately owned public parking lot regard-less of what the lot’s owner wants? I as a citizen am of the opinion that I do have a moral right to own a gun. I earn a right to protect myself from any danger or threat, legally. Therefore It is morally acceptable too if somebody wants to own a gun without hurting the innocent. When the state law allows a person legally to keep the gun, it is morally correct to have the gun in the car or anywhere else until and unless the owner of the place does not have any problem with it. But in conditions where the owner of the parking-lot doesn’t support the decision, it is legally and morally incorrect to practice your own will in somebody else’s property. . In your view, do employees have either a moral or a legal right to park cars with guns in them in the company parking lot? If so, what about the property rights and safety concerns of employers? If employees don’t have this right, would it be good policy for companies to allow them to stow guns in their cars anyway? Do companies have good grounds for being concerned about weapons in their parking lots? In my opinion, employees have the moral and legal right to park cars with guns in the company parking lot if the company allows. If the company I concerned about the property rights and safety issues of the employers and stops the employees to stow the guns in the cars, it is legally incorrect and the employees would be charged of practicing illegal acts without the consent of the owner. Companies have grounds for being concerned about the issues as any kind of mishap can take place in the parking area if the place would be loaded with guns and therefore the company would be held responsible for the issue. In order to avoid that, companies have all the right to stop the employees from stowing guns without their permission. 3. Do you agree with the NRA that if companies ban guns from their parking lots, this restriction would take â€Å"a wrecking ball to the Second Amendment† or nullify the right of people to have weapons for self- defense? Explain why or why not. In your view, have gun advocates been guilty of politicizing this issue? Do you think state legislatures are right to get involved, or should the matter be left to companies and employees to settle? I agree with NRA that if the companies ban guns from their parking lots, this would nullify the right of the people to have weapons for self-defense, because even though the second Amendment allows the use of guns foe the self-defense, it does not allow to practice something without permission of the owner on a private property. Therefore In my view, the gun advocates should have been guilty because there is no second thought about it. If the owner does not allow the guns, they cannot be forced. Rules are defined by the owner of the property. State legislatures should not get involved in the matter as the legislature allows the keeping of guns and also to abide the rules of the owner. Therefore it is a matter of the employee and the companies to handle the issue. Because the workplace is the company’s private property, the company could choose, if it wished, to allow employ-ees to bring guns not only into the parking lot but also into the workplace itself. Are there ever circumstances in which doing so might be reasonable? Or would the presence of guns automatically violate the rights of other employees to be guaranteed a safe working environment? If the company does not allow the employees to bring guns into the parking lot, there is no condition that it might be reasonable to bring in the guns until and unless the company allows the particular employee or all the employees to stow in their guns on a given day. Otherwise it will be against the law and would be illegal. It would violate the laws and the rights of the other employees. Rule defined by the companies is that do not put guns in the cars, then keeping them would be considered a violation of the rule. What would a libertarian say about this issue? What considerations would a utilitarian have to take into account? What conclusion might he or she draw? The libertarian would be against the ban on having guns in the cars of the parking lots of the companies as their basic concern would be the employee’s right to keep whatever the state has allowed him to. He will be of the opinion that the employees can keep anything they want to keep themselves safe from any sort of danger on their way from home and office. They have a right to protect themselves on their own. He would conclude that the companies are irrational in putting such demands and they are being self-centered by not giving a thought to the employee’s security. The state should be involved in the matter as if the state allows the legal right to keep the guns, the companies should not prohibit it. If you were on a company’s board of directors, what policy would you recommend regarding handguns, rifles, or other weapons in employees’ cars? In making your recommendation, what factors would you take into account? Would it make a difference how large the company was, the nature of its workforce, or where it was located? If you support banning firearms from the parking lot, what steps, if any, do you think the company should take to enforce that policy? If I were on the company’s board of directors, I would make a policy to partially ban the stowing of guns and rifles in the cars. I would suggest to make a safe place where every day my employees who wish to keep their guns with them can deposit them and can claim those on their way back to home. Keeping the guns in the parking lot is not safe, therefore they can be kept in a well-guarded place. This would please the employees that their issues are taken care of and thus wont effect the company’s policies as well. The nature of workforce and the location would not make a difference as the policies are same everywhere. Explain whether (and why) you agree or disagree with the following argument: â€Å" If employees have a right to keep guns in the parking lot, then they also have a right to bring them into workplace. After all, we’re only talking about licensed, responsible owners, and the same rationale applies: An employee might need a weapon for self- protection. What if a lunatic starts shooting up the company?† No I do not agree with the argument mentioned above as that is totally based on the owners will that what does he/she permits its employee’s and to what extent. If the company allows the employee’s to bring in the guns in the parking lot and does not allow the guns in the company, the employees cannot practice that. No body earns a right to practice something on other’s property without the permission of the owner. The safety concerns of the company are justified and I support the decision of the company. It is the responsibility of the company to take care of its employees. Union Discrimination: Assuming the Foundation’s description of the case is accurate, was Paul Robertson treated unfairly? Was this a case of discrimination? If Robertson was an â€Å"at- will† employee, does he have any legitimate grounds for complaint? Considering the given issue and assuming that the description is accurate, I am of the opinion that yes Paul Robertson was treated unfairly. No state rules that if the employee does not join a union or pay union dues, he or she cannot work. It is the basic human right that he can work without any external policies. It is up to the employee if he/she wants to get associated with a union or not. Companies cannot force or make a deal with the union that they will hire only employees that will deal with union. It was a strong case of discrimination as Paul Robertson was deprived of his basic rights without any legal reason. If Robertson was an â€Å"at-will† employees he might not have any legitimate grounds for the complaint as he won’t be treated differently and unjustly and would to be able to complain. Does it make a difference to your assessment of the case whether someone like Robertson knows, when he accepts a job, that he must join the union or that non- union employees will be the first to be laid off? No, this might not make any difference to my assessment as any company cannot put such allegations on the employees. It is on the free will of the employees that they could join or do not join the union. The employees are hired on the basis of their skills and aptitude regardless of the fact that they will join the union or not. This an extreme case of discrimination as the future employees are judged on the basis of their willingness to join the union or not despite of their skills and hard work. My assessment that this is a case of discrimination would remain intact even in the given scenario. If union employees negotiate a contract with management, part of which specifies that management will not hire non- union employees, does this violate anyone’s rights? Would a libertarian agree that the resulting union shop was perfectly acceptable? Libertarian would never agree on this company and union setup. Every person should be hired for a job he is eligible of and fills in the criteria. Keeping such restrictions would be a biased decision and the violation of human rights. Every person has the freedom to choose what they want. This is not an acceptable scenario. A person should be rejected from a job if he doesn’t have the skills to fulfill the job not on the basis of tagging them as union or non-union employees. Presumably Paul Robertson could have joined the union, but he chose not to. What principle, if any, do you think he was fighting for? Assess the union charge that people like Paul Robertson are â€Å"free riders† who want the benefits and wages that unionization has brought but try to avoid paying the dues that make those benefits and wages possible. Paul Robertson could have joined the union but he did not because he was fighting against the discrimination policy that the company had utilized. His basic fight was for the rights that he possess even if he does not join the union. The Union’s charge of Paul Robertson as a â€Å"free rider† is inacceptable ad vague. The wages and the benefits that employees like Paul Robertson enjoy are the benefits they get because of their hard work and their job. They do not need to be associated with any union to get tat. Those are the benefits they earn it through hard work. What do you see as the likely motivations of Bechtel Power and the union? How would they justify their conduct? The Bechtel Power and the union wished to hire the employees that would join the union and pay the union in order to earn money and increase the union employees. They would justify their conduct that they offered Paul Robertson to join the union if the employee cannot meet the demands of the organization, the company bears the right to fire him/her. The company would justify by implying that meeting the criteria of the company is the basic need of the company and Paul or employees who do not join the union are not meeting the criteria so it is not a discrimination case if they do not hire such individuals. Why did the Foundation run this ad? Is the ad anti- union propaganda? Do you think the Foundation is sincerely interested in the rights of individual workers? Or is it simply interested in weakening unions vis- à  - vis management? In my opinion, the foundation run this ad to help the people and to aware those individuals that actions are taken against the discrimination. It is not an anti- union propaganda but an effort to help the individual workers who are deprived of their basic rights. The foundation is boosting the people to speak up for their rights and building a trust that they are there to help them in such circumstances and they should fight for their basic rights. The aim of the ad is not to target the union or to propagate against the union. It was to highlight the issues of the individuals. Assess union shops from the moral point of view. What  ­conflicting rights, interests, and ideals are at stake? What are the positive and negative consequences of permitting union shops? Morally, the union shops are incorrect. The rights of individuals are at stake. The right to work without any restriction is sacrifices. Even form the company’s point of view it might lose hardworking individuals because they might not be willing to join the unions. The company could be at stake too with such restrictions. The positives of permitting union shops is that the company could bloom with the employees paying the union charges but keeping in account the negatives, it might lose skilled employees and only those will be hired that would be willing to accept the union and pay charges.

Slave Trade in 1807 Essay -- England

In order to ascertain how significant beliefs and ideologies were in contributing to the abolition of the slave trade in 1807, and the eventual abolition of slavery in 1833, this assignment will consider moral, political,economic and religious factors which culminated into these two distinct reforms. It will explore the influence of Enlightenment; the impact of non-conformists; the role of individuals and resistance from slaves themselves. Additionally, it will look at the attitudes concerning the Atlantic slave trade and slavery from different perspectives. Justifications which were gleaned from the Bible, and from Antiquity, regarding the differences between white and black people meant that for much of the eighteenth century enslaving Africans was generally accepted. However, from the 1800s these beliefs and ideologies were challenged, and both slavery and the slave trade were progressively questioned and condemned. Enlightenment thinkers were instrumental in debates in which reason and intellect were dominant. They believed that individuals had the capacity to improve both themselves, and their environment. Underpinning Enlightenment ideas were the concepts of human and natural rights. Furthermore, the idea that the fundamental right of property is one's own person diminished the argument that any attack on slavery was an attack on property. Enlightened ideas influenced individuals such as Adam Smith who was concerned with economic policy,and Elizabeth Heyrick, who was a middle-class Quaker who pushed for immediate emancipation. (Unit 16,pp.87) Anthology 4.4 (a) and (b) provides definitions of slavery and the slave trade. The principal points raised are that men were born free and equal so slavery was contrary to natural... ... ideologies which resulted in the anti-slavery stance which was integral for political reform. The abolition of the slave trade did not result in the immediate emancipation of slavery, the role of individuals who worked tirelessly with the development of campaigning techniques such as, mass petitioning, door-to-door campaigning, public meetings and the gathering of evidence were extremely valuable to the anti-slavery movement. Even still this process was a long one, and one that involved ordinary people, resistance from slaves themselves and pressure groups. Beliefs and ideologies, were therefore, the most fundamental factor for the abolition of both the Atlantic slave trade (1807) and slave emancipation (1833). The position of parliament and the enactments which resulted were heavily influenced by the beliefs and ideas of people who collectively made a difference.

Classical Greek Architecture Essay -- Greece Greek Essays

Classical Greek Architecture The reuse of older art works in contemporary times is not an uncommon occurrence, and many examples can be seen throughout the day as one goes from place to place. Even when one is browsing through the World Wide Web can many uses of older art and architecture be seen, as with the example shown. This image was found on the internet at the American Express homepage (http://www.americanexpress.com/student/), which functions as a resource for college students to find access to many commercial advertisements about discounts and products relevant for students. This homepage caters mostly to students, as non-students would not apply to the majority of the goods or services available. The picture itself is not exemplary of any one classical Greek building, but contains many elements of classical Greek architecture and design. The columns are what stand out the most in the architecture of this picture. The original Greek columns came in three different styles, or orders: Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian. All Greek columns consist of both a shaft and a capital, and sometimes there is a base as well. The shaft is made from round drums stacked one on top of the other. The main difference among the orders comes from the differences in the capitals. The Doric capitals are usually very simple and look like the weight of the roof is flattening them out. The Ionic capitals are a little fancier with a large volute, which looks like rams horns rolling off of the shaft. The Corinthian capital is much more complex with smaller volutes and many stylized acanthus leaves and rosettes, accompanied by a boss on the top of each side. All three types of columns rest on the floor of the b uilding, which is often a temple. The fl... ... draw a connection between the ability of a large Greek temple to draw people to it and the large amount of people that can view this one graphic on the web page. The relationship is direct; one temple in ancient Greece is visited by many, and one web graphic is accessed by many. The temple in ancient Greek times gave its message symbolically an directly to a large group of people via sculpture and statues. This one web graphic relies on associations of ancient symbols to convey its message to a large group of people. Therefore we can say that although the function of the temple and graphic are different, the properties are the same: they are both meant to be looked upon by a large amount of people. Thus the connection between ancient art and modern use is evident when one looks at everyday life, and even the latest in technology still uses the creations of the past.

Acc 561 Week 2 Wiley Plus Assignment E13-5, E13-6, E13-9

E13-5| | The comparative balance sheets of Nike, Inc. are presented here. | NIKE INC. | Comparative Balance Sheets| May 31| ————————————————- ($ in millions)| Assets| 2007| 2006| Current assets| $8,076| $7,346| Property, plant, and equipment (net)| 1,678| 1,658| Other assets| ————————————————- 934| ————————————————- 866| Total assets| ————————————————- $10,688| ————————————————- $9,870| |   |   | Liabilities and Stockholders' Equi ty| | | Current liabilities| $2,584| $2,612| Long-term liabilities| 1,079| 973| Stockholders' equity| ————————————————- 7,025| ————————————————- 6,285| Total liabilities and stockholders' equity| ————————————————- $10,688| ————————————————- $9,870| | | | | | | | | | Correct. | |   | Complete the horizontal analysis of the balance sheet data for Nike using 2006 as a base. (If amount decreases, use either a negative sign preceding the number, e. g. 45 or parenthesis, e. g. (45). Round all percentages to 1 decimal place, e. g. 12. 5. ) NIKE, INC. | Cond ensed Balance Sheet| December 31| ————————————————- ($ in millions)| |   |   | Increase or (Decrease)| | 2007| 2006| Amount| Percentage| Assets|   |   |   |   | Current assets| $8,076| $7,346| $ 730 | 9. 9 %| Property, plant and equipment (net)| 1,678| 1,658| 20 | 1. 2 %| Other assets| ————————————————- 934| ————————————————- 866| ————————————————- 8 | ————————————————- 7. 9 %| Total assets| ———â€⠀Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€- $10,688| ————————————————- $9,870| ————————————————- $ 818 | ————————————————- 8. 3 %| |   |   |   |   | Liabilities and stockholders' equity| | | | | Current liabilities| $2,584| $2,612| $ -28 | -1. 1 %| Long-term liabilities| 1,079| 973| 106 | 10. 9 %| Total stockholders' equity| ————————————————- 7,025| ————————————————- ,28 5| ————————————————- 740 | ————————————————- 11. 8 %| Total liabilities & stockholders' equity| ————————————————- $10,688| ————————————————- $9,870| ————————————————- $ 818 | ————————————————- 8. 3 %| | | | | | | | | | | | Correct. | |   | Complete the vertical analysis of the balance sheet data for Nike for 2007. (Round all of the percentages to 1 decimal place, e. g. 12. 5. NIKE, INC. | Condensed Balance Sheet| ————————————————- May 31, 2007| | $ (in millions)| Percent | Assets|   |   | Current assets| $8,076| 75. 6 %| Property, plant and equipment (net)| 1,678| 15. 7 %| Other assets| ————————————————- 934| ————————————————- 8. 7 %| Total assets| ————————————————- $10,688| ————————————————- 100. 0 %| |   |   | Liabilities and stockholders' equity| | | Current liabilities| $2,584| 24. 2 %| Long-term liabilities| 1,079| 10. 1 %| Stockholders' equity| ————————————————- 7,025| ————————————————- 65. 7 %| Total liabilities and stockholder's equity| ————————————————- $10,688| ————————————————- 100. 0 %| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ————————————————- Top of FormBottom of Form| E13-6| | Here are the comparative income statements of Winfrey Corporation. | WINFREY CORPORATION| Comparative Income Statements| —à ¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€ For the Years Ended December 31| | 2010| 2009| Net sales| $598,000| $520,000| Cost of goods sold| ————————————————- 477,000| ————————————————- 450,000| Gross profit| $121,000| $70,000| Operating expenses| ————————————————- 80,000| ————————————————- 45,000| Net income| ————————————————- $41,000| ——†”—————————————- $25,000| | | | | | | | | Correct. | |   | Complete the horizontal analysis of the income statement data for Winfrey Corporation using 2009 as a base. (Round all percentages to 1 decimal place, e. g. 12. 5. ) WINFREY CORPORATION| Condensed Income Statements| ————————————————- For the Years Ended December 31| | | | Increase or (Decrease)| | | | ————————————————- During 2010| | ————————————————- 2010| ————————————————- 2009| —â₠¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€- Amount | ————————————————- Percentage | Net sales| $598,000| $520,000| $ 78,000 | 15. 0 %| Cost of goods sold | ————————————————- 477,000| ————————————————- 450,000| ————————————————- 27,000 | 6. 0 %| Gross profit| 121,000| 70,000| 51,000 | 72. 9 %| Operating expenses| ————————————————- 80,000| ————————————————- 45,000| â₠¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€- 35,000 | 77. 8 %| Net income| ————————————————- $41,000| ————————————————- $25,000| ————————————————- $ 16,000 | 64. 0 %| | | | | | | | | | | | Correct. | |   | Complete the vertical analysis of the income statement data for Winfrey Corporation for both years. (Round all percentages to 1 decimal place, e. g. 12. 5. ) WINFREY CORPORATION| Condensed Income Statements| ————————————————- For the Years Ended December 31| | ————————————————- 010| —à ¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€- 2009| | ————————————————- $| ————————————————- Percent| ————————————————- $| ————————————————- Percent| Net sales| $598,000| 100. 0 %| $520,000| 100. 0 %| Cost of goods sold| ————————————————- 477,000| ——————————————â €”—- 79. 8 %| ————————————————- 450,000| ————————————————- 86. 5 %| Gross profit| 121,000| 20. %| 70,000| 13. 5 %| Operating expenses| ————————————————- 80,000| ————————————————- 13. 4 %| ————————————————- 45,000| ————————————————- 8. 7 %| Net income| ———————â€⠀Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€- $41,000| ————————————————- 6. 8 %| ————————————————- $25,000| ————————————————- 4. 8 %| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ————————————————- Top of FormBottom of Form| | E13-9| | Armada Company has these comparative balance sheet data: ARMADA COMPANY| Balance Sheets| ————————————————- December 31| | 2010| 2009| Cash| $25,000| $30,000| Receivables (net)| 65,000| 60,000| Inventories| 60,000| 50,000| Plant assets (net)| ————————————————- 200,000| ————————————————- 180,000| | ————————————————- $350,000| ————————————————- $320,000| |   |   | Accounts payable| $50,000| $60,000| Mortgage payable (15%)| 100,000| 100,000| Common stock, $10 par| 140,000| 120,000| Retained earnings| ————————————————- 60,000| ————————————————- 40,000| | ————————————————- $350,000| ————————————————- $320,000| Additional information for 2010: 1. | Net income was $25,000. | 2. | Sales on account were $375,000. Sales returns and allowances amounted to $25,000. | 3. | Cost of goods sold was $198,000. | 4. | Net cash provided by operating activities was $48,000. | 5. | Capital expenditures were $25,000, and cash dividends were $18,000. Compute the following ratios at December 31, 2010. ( Round to 3 decimal places, e. g. 2. 515. ) Current|    3. 00 :1| Receivables turnover|    5. 6 times| Average collection period|    65. 2 days| Inventory turnover|    3. 6 times| Days in inventory|    101. 4 days| Cash debt coverage|    . 31 times| Current cash debt coverage |    . 87 times| Free cash flow | | | | | | Current ratio| =| ————————————————- $150,000| =| 3. 000 :1| | | $50,000| | | Receivables turnover| =| ————————————————- $350,000| =| 5. 600 times| | | $62,500(1)| | | (1) ($65,000 + $60,000) ? Average collection period = 365 days ? 5. 600 = 65. 179 days Inventory turnover| =| ————————————————- $198,000| =| 3. 600 times| | | $ 55,000(2)| | | (2) ($60,000 + $50,000) ? 2 Days in inventory = 365 days ? 3. 600 = 101. 389 days Cash debt coverage ratio| =| ————————————————- $48,000| =| 0. 310 times | | | ($160,000 + $150,000) ? 2 | | | Current cash debt coverage ratio| =| ————————————————- $48,000| =| 0. 873 times | | | ($60,000 + $50,000) ? 2| | | Free cash flow = $48,000 – $25,000 – $18,000 = $5,000

Pirandello and Reality TV: When Fine Lines Get Blurred Essay

Introduction Pirandello’s play Six Characters in Search of an Author broke ground by challenging our perceptions of what is real and not.  Ã‚   In the play, the â€Å"invisible barrier†Ã¢â‚¬â€setting apart the actors from their play—is torn down as characters otherwise trapped within the confines of text from a novel or short story emerge into real life, and burst through in the middle of a rehearsal of actors to give themselves life.  Ã‚   The roles are reversed and the actors become the prop by which the â€Å"characters† criticize stage-life, the dynamics of a story, and even the questions of humanity’s existence. His play is most noteworthy, however, by being ahead of its time; the act by which the â€Å"characters†, in need of being given life in any form, act out the very nature of their lives would be reminiscent of the trend of Reality Television today. In fact, the play’s criticisms about the formula of the theatre echo in the present time.   The play’s characters from the prop-actors to the characters-in-need-of-a-medium, represent the different aspects of Reality Television. How accurate was Pirandello’s play in predicting this trend?   What were his criticisms of it, and how much did it hit its mark?  Ã‚   What then was the play’s sentiment towards â€Å"Life forced to play Art†?  Ã‚   This essay will explore this through the evolution of the play itself, from the characterization, to the progression of the themes, and will conclude through the medium of a finished product. Finding a Cast The â€Å"Six Characters† in the playwright’s story that force themselves on a hapless Manager represent various individuals with their respective prejudices, ideas, and reactions towards their need for public expression. They also represent the different people, who are forced upon the klieg lights, particularly under the constant glare of the cameras of Reality Television. The two of the aggressive characters are of the Father and the Stepdaughter.  Ã‚   Pirandello depicts the Father as one who has volunteered to depict his role as truthfully as he can, in order to redeem himself before the eyes of his family, and hopefully smother the guilt, which had been buried in him for some time. The playwright focused much on this character, using him as instrument to question the truths of Man’s existence, his prejudices in life and as mouthpiece for the criticism of the artificialness of the theater.  Ã‚   He is out to superimpose a version of his life that would be acceptable and palatable to his audience, as well as his family. Unwittingly, though, the Father also represents characters in Reality programs such as Big Brother who volunteer to be part of the show to project a positive image of themselves, by acting out what they see themselves as who they are, and through helpful â€Å"confession booths† where they try to explain their thoughts and feelings to the camera.  Ã‚   Pirandello used the Father to explain that persons have their subjective interpretations of the world, which is just as much prejudiced as the person observing them.   This subjective depiction of oneself is magnified through the â€Å"confession booths† of reality television. The Stepdaughter is caught in the trauma of a moment and would like nothing else to perpetuate that moment of outrage as a form of punishment for her father.   She is the most vitriolic critic among the characters of the stage, and the playwright used her as an instrument to attack the formulae that the theatre and plays use to depict â€Å"truer reality†.  Ã‚   Her agenda, of course, is less than noble.  Ã‚   Her character represents those individuals who are forever caught within a traumatic moment that they painfully perpetuate to punish those close to them. This has also been absorbed by reality television in the form of show such as Temptation Island, where situations are force upon people in order to vindicate distrust or even contempt. The Mother, the Son, and the two children are the passive characters who, in one way or another, would rather not be part of the play.   They are, however, trapped to play their part for one reason or another.  Ã‚   The most active of these, the mother and son, represent those who are resistant to their parts, and virulently opposed to it, but tied to it for one reason or another.  Ã‚   In Reality Television, a program My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiancee, forced an individual to fake a wedding and coerce her family to acceding to it. The most tragic of these characters, however, are the children who are silent throughout the general duration of the play only to act the final and central sequence of it through their parts.  Ã‚   These are the persons who are unwittingly trapped in a situation that they would rather have not entered, had they known.  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thus, Joe Schmoe and Joe Schmoe 2 have people who are not aware that they are in fact in a reality show centered on how they were being fooled. Finding a Theme The Stepdaughter bitterly criticized that the actors trying to portray them are too unnatural in acting out her family’s characters.   Indeed, she pointed out that there were distinct differences in a scene with her father, which she acted with him, and the same scene, which the actors tried to portray. The Father later explained that actors have already begun to act them not in their true form but in a prejudiced idea of what they have observed of the characters or the scene.  Ã‚   This is true enough of media today trying to interpret an event or people by projecting them in a way that explains how they saw the event, rather than how it really was. In the Reality show The Osbournes or Growing Up Gotti for example, the scenes were edited to focus more on the heated moments where the family are caught heaping curses, invectives, or insults at each other, when these are in fact merely isolated instances of it.   The Manager in the play explains that this is only to make the fact â€Å"truer†, and more believable.  Ã‚   Indeed, the most dramatic moments of a reality show are the ones that are given most airtime, and are edited to make it, as the Stepdaughter protested, a â€Å"romantic drama† rather than what it really was. The play’s Manager in one scene explained to the Stepdaughter that a character could not be overemphasized to overshadow another character.   Indeed, that was what both the Father and the Stepdaughter were trying to do.   The inexistence of an actual central character (only a consistent plot and theme) in the play mirrors how some reality shows do not focus on a central character but let the show work out according to how the characters interact amongst themselves.  Ã‚   Survivor and Big Brother are such programs. Conclusion: Unintended Consequences The Manager in the play was caught up in the possibilities of entertainment of using the dynamics of a family’s life, while his acting ensemble watched on.   Faithful through every scene, the tragedies of the characters are indeed perpetuated right to the end (at least, to how far the â€Å"writer† wrote), and it is at this end that the Manager realizes and bewails to what fate it has turned to.  Ã‚   For such is the danger of trying to stage a play based on dynamic characters and true life. It is only the dynamism of the characters—and their respective prejudices—that sets them apart from the static of a written play. Like the Manager in Six Characters, this dynamism can sometimes go out of control and individuals will clash, so a balance is made as to what is aired and what is not.   The â€Å"true form† then, becomes compromised, and prejudiced to what is perceived.  Ã‚   It is entertaining to the audience, as they have a sense of it being an illusion (an illusion of reality, as one character described it), but as the Father adamantly explains, it is real to them. The reality show Temptation Island once seemed to appeal to the audience as a sort-of drama that is often seen in the movies about the test of love.   Ã‚  Reality bursts in, however, when one of the contestants, who just saw her husband flirting with one of the girls from a separate island, was actually pregnant with their child.  Ã‚   With the real prospects of having to break up a family, these candidates are offered an apology and immediately whisked away, and off the program.  Ã‚  Ã‚   It was not an illusion to them; it was real life. Pirandello’s critique is clear: having to stage reality before the audience is only entertainment only as far as they feel detached from it.   Within the glare of the cameras, however, lives are destroyed and perpetuated in â€Å"edited moments† that twist the very nature of it. WORKS CITED Pirandello, L. (1921). Six Characters in Search of an Author. In A. Caputi (Ed.), Eight Modern Plays.   New York: W. W. Norton & Company Inc., 1991.

The Advantages of Having Good Communication Skill

Communication is undoubtedly one of the most important skills to hone. Being able to communicate effectively and clearly in your own environment and comfort zone may seem challenging enough, but it increases exponentially in a different culture. Globalization is unavoidable in this day and age, and therefore being able to communicate in the face of cultural diversity is more important than ever. There are two parts of communication that hold true no matter what culture you are in. Verbal and nonverbal communication exists regardless of the surrounding environment.Last summer I studied abroad in Valence, Spain. Obviously the verbal communication was completely different due to the language barrier, but the most difficult part was understanding and using the appropriate colloquialisms and metaphoric phrases. Informer the bomb† and â€Å"Chill out† when directly translated do not take on the same meaning as they do here. It was interesting learning the different phrases and the locals found it funny when we told them they were explosives or to cool off in a refrigerator as they understood it. The most challenging difference of communication in Spain was the nonverbal specs.To best explain, Americans typically speak at an arms length distance. The Spaniards, however, have a completely different concept of personal space. If you were to hold out your arm and touch the person's shoulder in front of you that you are speaking to, you would be at an appropriate distance away from he or she in our culture. Now if you both fold your arms at the elbow and take a step closer to where your elbows are touching, you are at an appropriate distance in the Spanish culture. I found that very difficult to get used to. It was as if our noses were touching.Personal space was Just one of many of the nonverbal aspects of communication that was different in this culture but it is by the far the one I remember most. Although there are many topics that can be covered under th e umbrella of communication I chose communication in the face of cultural diversity because I have recently had a personal experience with it and hope to have many more in my lifetime. It is critical that I learn and understand how to communicate in different cultures for my future career and I am excited about future opportunities to do so. Conflict Management andNegotiation Recently I have learned the importance of conflict management in a leadership role. I am planning formal for my sorority this year, and have been in the process with my co-chair for over a year. In December 2010 we had a venue and date booked for this Saturday, February 18, 2012. Eleven days before the event, close to one hundred girls signed up after the specified deadline almost doubling the guest count to four hundred people. This has caused my co-chair and me to go into a craze with changing transportation, catering, and venue costs for the additional people.The aroma was originally free as we had been plan ning and budgeting extremely well for over a year, yet changing the numbers exponentially less than two weeks before the event incurred breach of contract fees, additional staffing fees, additional security fees, additional transportation fees, and additional catering fees per person. Unfortunately after promising our sorority a free formal for the first time in history of formals, we are now having to charge eleven dollars a person or twenty-two dollars a couple due this Thursday by 5:PM.Obviously any manager or individual in a dervish role can imagine the conflicts this additional charge has caused between my co-chair and me and the members of our sorority. We have received very inconsiderate emails and are dealing with explaining to two hundred why a week before the event there is a charge to attend. Through the assigned reading I have realized I am going through an interrupt conflict, or a conflict between groups or teams in an organization. Unfortunately the groups are incredib ly unevenly divided, as it is two against two hundred.My co-chair and I have been frantically trying to explain the situation and accommodate everyone o ensure a positive atmosphere surrounding the event without severing the relationships and bonds we have with out sisters. Although some understand the situation and are still appreciative of the hard work that we have put in for over a year, others are still upset and we receive emails everyday with questions and concerns that are not always written as appropriately as we would like.The biggest issue that my co-chair and I have been coping is the idea of losing trust amongst our sisters. Although some understand the situation, the few that do not have made it clear they do not appreciate the last minute details, even though ecological it was not our fault for the situation. We have not placed blame on anyone but unfortunately others have placed blame on us causing a mix between functional and dysfunctional conflicts within the inter rupt conflict.We are sure the event will still be pleasant and everyone will enjoy it, but if I have learned anything from this it is that no matter how much time, effort, and organization a person puts into the planning of an event, something will always go wrong and someone will always be dissatisfied. However, it is important to manage the conflict with those that I can and o ensure that I take care of myself and enjoy the event Saturday that I have worked so hard planning for. Customer service is truly an industry that is not the fantasy it is glorified to be and I am thankful to have learned that now.Power Influence Influence is the process of affecting the thoughts, behavior, or feelings of another person. Personally, influence is the determining factor of all decisions I make. The ethical question behind influence, however, is where does it come from and which influence tactic is most appropriate and effective in a given situation. Ideally I hope that all decisions I make com e from within. However it is difficult to determine how and what has shaped my basis of beliefs. Do I make my own decisions, or does my faith, family, boss, or group of friends influence my decisions?In addition to where influence comes from, another driving force behind decommissioning is influential tactics. According to the reading, there are four influential tactics used most frequently. These four tactics are consultation, rational persuasion, inspirational appeals, and integration. Tactics are used for impression management, which refers to individuals' use of influence tactics to control others impressions of them. Determining which influential tactic to implement depends on the target audience and target goal.For example, I am actively involved in Relay For Life on campus as I hold the Marketing Executive Co-chair position benefiting the American Cancer Society. We are always looking for new ways to influence the student body and ourselves to get involved and remain enthusia stic. At each of our meetings and events, we implement the inspirational appeal tactic. We open each meeting with a student's story of why he or she relays. Often these stories as very heart-wrenching and appeal to everyone s we all have gotten involved due to some effect of a loved one suffering from cancer.Influence is a powerful tool in everyday life and especially in high involvement decisions. It is important to utilize ethics when influencing a person though. Determining which appeal is most appropriate may be difficult but is essential to avoid coercing another's decision that he or she may not be satisfied with at a later date. Overall, influential basis and tactics can and should be used appropriately to help another individual's decision process and not abuse power over someone else.

Morality and Sister Essay

Apr 27, 2009 – It is a ve ry moving story and when I read the book I cried my eyes out. If you have not yet read the book, do yourself a favor and do so. Some issues I †¦ What is the major bioethical issue in my sisters keeper †¦4 answers19 Apr 2012 Parents: Who else has seen the movie â€Å"my sisters keeper †¦3 answers19 Sep 2011 My Sister’s Keeper! Moral Issues? – Yahoo Answers3 answers17 Aug 2011 What was a social issue , in the movie â€Å"My Sister †¦2 answers29 Mar 2011 More results from answers.yahoo.com CNS Movie Review: My Sister’s Keeper www.catholicnews.com/data/movies/09mv069.htm‎ NEW YORK (CNS) — The moral issues of â€Å"My Sister’s Keeper† (New Line) are laid out for us even before the opening credits have finished rolling. Narrator †¦ My Sister’s Keeper (Review of the Film, a tothesource article †¦ ecclesiaofwomen.ning.com/forum/topics/my-sisters-keeper-review-of‎ Jul 9, 2009 – The film â€Å"My Sister’s Keeper† depicts the confusion and suffering that †¦ The Island, My Sister’s Keeper takes on a real-life issue commonly known as â€Å"savior sibling. †¦ Technology, apart from any ethical or moral compass, has †¦ Ethical Issues On My Sister s Keeper Movie Free Essays 1 – 20 www.sparknotes.com †º †¦ †º Literature Study Guides †º My Sister’s Keeper‎ In 2004, Picoult published My Sister’s Keeper. Like most of her works, the novel takes on a range of morally complex issues, from the ethics of genetic †¦ My Sister’s Keeper Health, Social, Ethical and Moral Issues.

Profiling of Street Crime in Philippines Essay

Introduction Street crime is – criminal activity that happens in a public place usually in a town or city, for example stealing people’s personal possessions or snatching, vandalisms, theft, physical injury and extortion. Street Crimes are usually committed in outdoors and it can be happen in strange or to an unfamiliar places. It can even take place to your own community. Street Crimes can be done in many different forms such as pick-pocketing, bag, necklaces, earrings and gadget snatching, car theft, motorcycle theft and even hit and run and many other related criminal acts that takes place within a street. (http://www.thepoc.net/thepoc-features/buhay-pinoy/buhay-pinoy-features/15180-how-to-protect-yourself-from-street-crimes.html). These Street crimes are very wide spread in the area of responsibility in of DV-Soria, police community precinct 01. Criminals usually choose to commit these crimes in a specific places and specific times to attack their victims. Does the street crime only exist in the night time? Or, does the street crime is rampant in day time? Who are the usual victims of street crimes? Male or Female ? Young or adults ? These questions will be answered by means of this study. Actually, the researcher was a victim of this street crime. Way back then, when he was in high school his class schedule ends at night time and he could still remember the time when he was walking alone along the Velez St. heading home to Capt. Vicente Roa St., there was a group of people who blocked his way and threatened him while asking a big amount of money, but he have nothing to do but to give what he has. Being a victim of Street Crimes is not a good experience, at first it could leave a trauma to the victim such as being afraid to walk alone in the evening especially if there is a group of people gathering to a particular area. Everyone could be a victim of Street Crimes especially all of us go out to our houses. The researcher decided to pursue the study of street crimes received in police station 01 because it was introduced by his instructor and he wanted to know how it contributes outcome in our community in terms of the percentage of crime volume. The Community Precinct 01 was placed in the heart of the city along Abejuela /T. Neri /Burgos Sts, Cagayan de Oro city. Station is one of the very high populated areas in Cagayan de Oro because of the affordable items in stores and many other business establishments which bring a large number of people to visit the place. The Police Station No.01 (PS 01), formerly Operation Kahusay ug Kalinaw (OKK), is located at the heart of the city along Abejuela /T. Neri /Burgos Sts., this city, with the boundaries from North – Barangay 17 and 18, South – Barangay 01, West – Carmen River and East – Barangay 03. PS 01 composed of Twenty (20) Urban Barangays from 01 to 20 with a total land area of ninety three point seven hundred twenty five (93.725) hectares. Based on present statistics, it is inhabited by more or less 18,446 inhabitants. Vital installations located in the Area Of Responsibility (AOR), Twenty Nine (29) commercial establishment and Four (04) government banks, Three (03) churches, Fifteen (15) government offices, One (01) water reservoir, One (01) mall, Three (03) communication towers and Four (04) private hospitals.. In the Independent Variables of this study includes the: Classification of Street Crimes Theft / pick pocketing: Is an act where any person taking the property belonging to another person without force or violence. Any person who steals objects or items from the pocket or shoulder-bags of the other person in a public places or of any establishments along the street. Physical Injury: is an act of any person inflecting pain, damage, harm or hurt to another person. Robbery / Extortion: The act of securing, seeking, money or favors by means of threat, blackmail or intimidation. Hit & Run: It involved in or denoting a motor-vehicle accident in which the driver leaves the scene without stopping and give assistance to the harmed or injured person, or give information to the police. Vandalism: Is an act of a certain person writing the wall or any part of the establishment by use of paint, coal, of any forms of writing instrument by destruction. In the dependent variables of this study includes the: profiles of street crime victims Profile of Victims: refers to the profile of any person or individual being injured, extorted, snatched, pick-pocketed, and more being stated in the independent variables. Age of the Victim: Refers to the age of the victim during the incident, if the common victims are children, teenagers, adult or even old. Gender of the Victim: corresponds to the sex of any person and which is integrated in this study to see the usual victims of street crimes. MALE: refers to a boy [Masculine] FEMALE: refers to a girl [Feminine] Time of Incident: refers to the time when crime was committed if it is dawn, morning, noon, afternoon, evening and midnight, it is being included to this study to discover what time usually a certain street crime will occur. Date of Incident: Refers to the month of the incident when crime was being committed, and it is included in this study to determine what month, a certain street crime will be having a large number of existence. Location of Incident: Refers to the Address or place were the crime was committed, and it is included in this study to identify which place of the community precinct 02 area of responsibility crime was much uncontrolled. Statement of the problem This research studied the classification of street crimes from January to December in the year 2011. Specifically, it sought to answer the following questions. 1.What is the most extensive street crime in the area of responsibility in Police Station 02 in the year of 2011 and 2012. a.Theft / Pick Pocketing b.Physical Injury c.Robbery / Extortion d.Hit & Run e.Vandalism 2.What is the profile of victims in each street crimes in terms of a.Age of the Victim b.Gender of the Victim c.Time of Incident d.Date of Incident e.Location of Incident Significance of this study The objective of this study is to collect information or data on the classification of street crimes received in police station 02 in the year 2012 and to be a reference of the for future researcher for related studies and compare the volume of street crimes before and nowadays in the record of police stations specifically in station 02, next is to present to the community precinct 02 the exact place and time were a certain crime is over exceeding. PNP Personnel, this study will serve as the basic guidelines of the police personnel to perform their job well and to be more alert to a certain area in a certain time; it will also help them to make plans for their future action in preventing the occurrence of the street crimes. To Community, On the other hand the police community relation could disseminate the information to its community and make the civilians aware to the existence of such street crime existing to a specific area and time, and to avoid being a victim of it. Barangay Officials, the local government unit will also be alert and Should deploy barangay police to a specific place where a high incidence of street crime is existing in order to maintain the peace and order and prevent those criminal minds in committing such street.