Final Project Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Final Project - Research Paper Example Investment that was made in Brazil could have been overinvestment that made the business spend much on fixed assets. The production capacity that is not used in this situation does not generate any cash hence becomes a waste of cash. Negative flow of cash in Brazil could also be caused by too much stock in the country. The stock will tie up cash and through this; there is increase in risk that the stock become obsolete. Allowing too much credit during sales is a factor that is able to lead to negative cash flows (Chorafas, 98). Credit to customers is a way to build revenues but late payments are a problem that always arises but a strain on cash flows. Overtrading is a factor that could make Brazil has negative cash flows. Overtrading occurs when the business expands quickly putting on pressure on short-term finance. Seasonal demand in the products also is a factor that has led to negative cash flows in the country as the goods are mainly demanded during war times (Chorafas, 209). There are feelings by investors that the statement of cash flow is the most transparent and this makes it difficult to fudge. This makes it to be the most reliant in the business to discern the true performance of a business. The division of cash flow statements is divided into three major areas making to be the most effective for use in the business (Dominguez and Tesar, 204). The division includes operating activities that constitutes the revenue generating activities to the business. Investing activities are also a composition of a cash flow statement that constitute payments that are made to acquire long term assets as well as cash that are received from sales. Financial activities constitute activities that will change equity or borrowings of a business. Currencies that are to be hedged by Raptor International are those that are on sales and investments. The currencies when hedged will enable holding onto foreign currencies as an investment such that a

Celebrity Influence on the Community Research Paper

Celebrity Influence on the Community - Research Paper Example Celebrities influence makes the audience to admire their publications and their lifestyle according to Turner (2004). Some community members tend to imitate celebrities due to media influence, peer pressure as well as lack of self confidence. Media invades the society with variety of information about celebrities thus making the society create more interest in celebrities. For instance, Britney spears who was targeted by paparazzi sometimes back was reported in a popular magazine to have married her best friend after an out of control night. Afterwards the wedding turned to a nightmare despite the fact that it was exposed to the public. Therefore the media is said to have played a major part in celebrity influence to the community. Some members of the community are also influenced by celebrities due to their lack of confidence. Some individuals who are shy or lack personality is most cases find pleasure in imitating other people as suggested by Chaturvedi (2008). This way they had up being drawn to the lives of celebrities and try to fit in it. For instance in a movie titled Attracting Peers, a certain character, Mandy Moore acts as a shy high school girl who altered her appearance to that of Madonna. This attitude is in most cases encouraged by teenagers who believe that by imitating the lives of celebrities, makes them more acceptable to the society. Teens as they try to gain popularity, they had up being affected by celebrity influence. Peer pressure has also contributed to celebrity influence in the community. In high school, teenagers tend to copy the lives of their peers who are celebrities themselves. This is because most of the teenagers admire the lives of celebrities due to their fame and interest in fashion as suggested by Redmond and Holmes (2007). Therefore some individuals imitate the celebrities so as to become part of them and they had up being influenced. The various roles played by celebrities in Hollywood, attracts many people in the communit y to an extent that they admire them and thus imitate their lives. The society has been soaked up in celebrity holiday destinations as they are advertised in newspapers and other media. According to Bowen and Clarke (2009)., a study which was recently contacted by Internet travel community site, Trip Advisor, showed that sixty eight percent of the respondents visited a holiday hotspot which receives a lot of celebrity tourists. The celebrities’ holiday decisions are related with the type of lifestyle choices of many people and their social aspirations. For instance after Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban, celebrities in Australia, honeymooned in Bora Bora the number of people visiting the area increased tremendously. There has been a controversy regarding the influence of celebrities in tourist destinations according to Marshall (1997). Some argue that it halts the flow of tourists while others argue that it endorses it. This is because some incredible acts such as immorality ass ociated with celebrities create a negative attitude towards them. According to Choi and Yocam (2010), this results to negative influence to those who perceive celebrities in this perspective. Celebrity influence to the community has also been enhanced by marketing practices whereby companies and organizations use celebrities in marketing their products. This makes individuals in the society aspire to be celebrities so a

Reflect on the Way the Workplace Will Change During Career

Reflect on the Way the Workplace Will Change During Career Reflect on the way the workplace will change during your career. How will it affect you? How will you prepare? How will you respond to the changes? With the social development and progress of the times, people change their workplace. They prefer to work at home instead of working in the office. Every people has their own work methods. Some prefer to work in office ‘cause they can come up with a lot more new ideas. But I think it is better for workers to work alone. Because they are more productive when they sit there alone and think independently. By making a reasonable and flexible schedule, they can manage the time and control the pace and thus improve their working efficiency. Also, they are not easily distracted by some other things like noise, laughter, etc. Instead, they are more focused and trying to accomplish the task by themselves. When workers meet to work in office, they often waste time discussing matters that have nothing to do with their work. Another reason is working at home can save more dispensable time and fee. People can efficient avoid the peak of traffic jam. And also someone think home can provide more comfortable environment, in the noon, people usually want to sleep or have a break. But working in the office can develop worker thinking skills and sense of cooperation by discussing problems together. Since everyone thinks in different ways, they have to learn how to communicate and work well with others. And workers can help each other to analyze the problem and identify possible solutions quickly. I think that the high-tech will help us tackle almost everything we are faced with. Internet and cell phones supply us many possibilities and opportunities. What is more, with advancement of modern society, forms of communication become more and more convenience, we can communicate with leaders and colleagues any time and at any place. In conclusion, it is apparent that working at home could enhance the efficiency of working, enables us to save lots of money, and bring us more opportunities to take care of our family members. Assignment 2-6 Assignment Topic: Think of discrimination you have observed, been the subject of, or perhaps you were the perpetrator of. Reflect on the situations that you feel were (are) particularly unfair. Reflect on any situations that you feel were reasonable in the circumstances. We often meet in the life of discrimination. Most of people have experienced some kind of discrimination when seeking jobs some organizations pose ridiculous conditions when recruiting new employees. In recruitment advertisements, enterprises often list lots of discriminative prerequisites such as age, gender, height, graduate schools and specific location of household registration. I mainly talk about sexual discrimination, age discrimination living and habit discrimination. First, Sexual discrimination still can be seen frequently in our daily life. Compared to man, women have more difficulty in getting a job and more chance of getting demoted or denied when they are qualified for the job the same as or even better than man. What’s more, sexual harassment to women is another common phenomenon can be seen at office. In my opinion, I feel Sexual discrimination is particularly unfair. As far as I am concerned, to solve the problem, certain associations should be established to supervise companies and women themselves ought to increase the awareness to protect their rights. Second, some employers are who will choose not to hire someone or promote someone because of that persons age. Most elderly can communicate well, are experienced planners, can organize and prioritize, and are good problem solvers. On the other hand, Young people are missing out on opportunities to progress at work simply because some employers assume they are too young to cope with more responsibility. In my opinion, I feel age discrimination is particularly unfair. Age discrimination is illegal. Third, living and habit discrimination like smoking. Smoking causes many illnesses. A lot of people always cough because of smoking. Meanwhile smoking is a waste of money. Besidesà ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã…’ careless smokers may cause dangerous fires. In my opinion, I feel were reasonable in the As smoking habits discrimination. In order to keep healthyà ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã…’ we should get rid of the bad habit of smoking. In conclusion, I think that mostly discrimination is wrong and should be stopped. Assignment 3-6 Assignment Topic: Reflect on the situations outlined on the previous slide. Would you work for these companies? Why or why not? Do you think that most people would agree with you? But millions of people work for companies with these characteristics. How might their employees rationalize working for them? Wouldyou work for a company manufacturing legal products that have been found harmful to the health? Would you work for a company using cheap labor in India, China or other developing markets? Would you work for a company that has recently been embroiled in financial scandal? Would you work for a company that is often criticized in the media for exploiting the resources of third world countries? Would you continue working for a company that becomes involved in a bribery scandal abroad? Would you work for an organization whose product has never been proven and is criticized by most scientists? Applying for a job is one of the most suffering yet exciting things for human beings. People have to think about tons of realistic matters when applying for a job, such as salary, size of the company and working hours. But there are more important things to consider. First, I don’t work for a company manufacturing legal products that have been found harmful to the health. In my view, health is better than wealth. I think that most people would agree with me. But millions of people work for companies with these characteristics. My rationalize proposals is that it is obligatory for all employees to wear protective clothing. Second, I don’t work for a company using cheap labor in India, China or other developing markets. In my view,, the company exploited its workers with long hours and low pay. I think that most people would agree with me. But millions of people work for companies with these characteristics. My rationalize proposals is that the union is in talks with management about renewing the workers contract. Third, I don’t work for a company that has recently been embroiled in financial scandal. In my view, the company will close down.. I think that most people would agree with me. But millions of people work for companies with these characteristics. My rationalize proposals is that employees are going to get a new job. Fourth, I don’t work for a company that is often criticized in the media for exploiting the resources ofthird world countries. In my view, each countries must have an equitable share.. I think that most people would agree with me. But millions of people work for companies with these characteristics. My rationalize proposals is that employees were should give out advisable suggestion. Fifth, I don’t work for a company that becomes involved in a bribery scandal abroad. In my view, company has overthrown the basic standards of morality.. I think that most people would agree with me. But millions of people work for companies with these characteristics. My rationalize proposals is that the union is in talks with management about establishing the new basic standards of morality. Sixth, I don’t work for an organization whose product has never been proven and is criticized by most scientists. In my view, I just look for company whos honest to society no matter what.. I think that most people would agree with me. But millions of people work for companies with these characteristics. My rationalize proposals is that No making until the product is completely proven. Therefore, they are all important when deciding to work for a company.

America And The Ludendorrf Offensive :: essays research papers

The Entry of the USA and the Failure of the Ludendorff Offensive. The Entry of the USA. Both of these factors were very important in determining the outcome of the war. The American factor was important because when America joined the war, it was a critical period for the allies (April 1917). At the time they joined, Britain only had six weeks supply of corn, the French armies were exhausted after Verdun and French morale was so low that ten divisions had mutinied so the American involvement boosted the allies morale. At the time the Russian army was disintegrating after the February revolution so the German army for the first time, could transfer all their troops on the Eastern front to the Western front, so for the first time in the war having numerical superiority on the Western front, also because of the treaty of Brest-Litovich the Germans had much more guns and equipment that the allies. Also at the time, the Italians contribution was much weakened by the battle of Caporetto in November, so the situation at the time for the allies was quite dire! The US navy, when America entered the war, sent lots of destroyers to Ireland to help with anti-submarine patrols. Also, US Admiral Simms enabled Prime Minister Lloyd George to overcome Admiralty resistance to the convoy system so cutting our ship losses from twenty five percent to one percent, which was vital, if Britain was to stay in the war. Also America closed off the submarine threat from Germany by laying a big mine barrage across the North Sea. Although it was not until June 1918 before the Germans had enough troops in Europe to do any serious damage to the Germans and it was not until September that the Americans were strong enough to launch a major offensive (the Meuse-Argonne battle that engaged 1.2 million Americans for 47 days). The US armies also gave the allies the margin of Victory by giving us many men and guns that we would not have otherwise had. I.e.: In April 1918 the Germans had 300,000 more men that we did on the Western front but by November 1918, the allies had 600,000 more men than the Germans on the Western front. This was in part because that Germans were losing many lives through the Ludendorff offensive but mainly because the Americans poured many men in to Europe. America And The Ludendorrf Offensive :: essays research papers The Entry of the USA and the Failure of the Ludendorff Offensive. The Entry of the USA. Both of these factors were very important in determining the outcome of the war. The American factor was important because when America joined the war, it was a critical period for the allies (April 1917). At the time they joined, Britain only had six weeks supply of corn, the French armies were exhausted after Verdun and French morale was so low that ten divisions had mutinied so the American involvement boosted the allies morale. At the time the Russian army was disintegrating after the February revolution so the German army for the first time, could transfer all their troops on the Eastern front to the Western front, so for the first time in the war having numerical superiority on the Western front, also because of the treaty of Brest-Litovich the Germans had much more guns and equipment that the allies. Also at the time, the Italians contribution was much weakened by the battle of Caporetto in November, so the situation at the time for the allies was quite dire! The US navy, when America entered the war, sent lots of destroyers to Ireland to help with anti-submarine patrols. Also, US Admiral Simms enabled Prime Minister Lloyd George to overcome Admiralty resistance to the convoy system so cutting our ship losses from twenty five percent to one percent, which was vital, if Britain was to stay in the war. Also America closed off the submarine threat from Germany by laying a big mine barrage across the North Sea. Although it was not until June 1918 before the Germans had enough troops in Europe to do any serious damage to the Germans and it was not until September that the Americans were strong enough to launch a major offensive (the Meuse-Argonne battle that engaged 1.2 million Americans for 47 days). The US armies also gave the allies the margin of Victory by giving us many men and guns that we would not have otherwise had. I.e.: In April 1918 the Germans had 300,000 more men that we did on the Western front but by November 1918, the allies had 600,000 more men than the Germans on the Western front. This was in part because that Germans were losing many lives through the Ludendorff offensive but mainly because the Americans poured many men in to Europe.

Management Planning – the Boeing Company

Management Planning – The Boeing Company Management Planning Boeing is an aerospace company, a manufacturer of commercial jetliners and military aircraft. Boeing also designs and manufactures rotorcraft, electronic and defense systems, missiles, satellites, launch vehicles and advanced information and communications systems (Boeing Company, 2010). The purpose of this paper is to evaluate management planning for the Boeing Company. The Boeing Company’s business is conducted by its employees, managers and corporate officers led by the chief executive officer, with oversight from the Board of Directors. The Board’s Governance, Organization and Nominating Committee periodically review the Company’s corporate governance principles and current practices (Boeing Company, 2010). Business planning at Boeing is persuaded by internal and external factors such as: legal issues, ethics, and corporate social responsibility. Factors such as laws, economic conditions, and competition influence the company’s strategic, tactical, operational, and contingency planning (Boeing Company, 2010). Legal Issues The planning process of the company can be problematical, at times, by legal issues, which can put the company in a bad position. In August of 2000, the Boeing Company settled two lawsuits that allege the Seattle-based manufacturer placed defective gears in CH-47D â€Å"Chinook† helicopters and then sold the aircraft to the United States Army; the amount of the settlement was for $54 million. Boeing used two subcontractors, Litton Precision Gear of Bedford Park, Illinois and SPECO Corporation of Springfield, Ohio to manufacture the flight-critical transmission gears for the helicopter. One of the gears, manufactured by Litton, failed in flight, causing an Army Chinook helicopter to crash and burn while on a mission in Honduras in 1988. Five servicemen aboard were killed. Two of the gears manufactured by SPECO failed in flight in Chinook helicopters. One craft, which crashed in January 1991 during Operation Desert Shield in Saudi Arabia, was totally destroyed. Two individuals aboard were injured. In another incident at Ft. Meade, Maryland in June 1993 during a training flight, a Chinook sustained over one-half million dollars in damage. The helicopters destroyed in Honduras and Saudi Arabia were valued at more than $10 million each (U. S. Department of Justice, 2000). Boeing suffered a huge monetary lost in addition to the bad publicity and reputation that these defective gears. Boeing has learned from these mistakes and has implemented processes to analyze the background checks for every subcontractor hired by the company. Ethics Boeing’s business plans cannot happen without integrity (Boeing, 2010). The Boeing Company has a strict ethics policy that was created to protect the company and its employees. All employees at Boeing are required to obey all the information given in the employee Code of Conduct handbook. Boeing has a hotline, which employees can call to ask questions or report violations of policies. The Finance department has additional policies that must be followed for the accurate reporting of company financial records. It is essential for policies to be followed so the integrity of the company is not compromised. An example of bad ethics that influenced the company dramatically was when Boeing was in June of 2006. A legal issue involving an investigation over the improper acquisition of proprietary documents from a rival, the Lockheed Martin Corporation, which Boeing employees used to try to gain government rocket launching business (Leslie, 2006). In the end, Boeing’s financial chief was sentenced to four months in prison for ethics violations for offering a job to a former Air Force official and in the rocket launching case, Boeing was suspended for 20 months from Air Force rocket business. Boeing was estimated to have lost $1 billion in government contracts because of the suspension. Boeing chairman, W. James McNerney Jr. stated the company was already moving forward with substantial efforts to strengthen the company’s ethics and compliance. Because of poor ethics, Boeing lost over $1 billion dollars for the company (Leslie, 2006). Cooperate Social Responsibility Giving back to the community is a Boeing core value. The company and its employees work in partnership with communities globally (Boeing Company, 2010). Currently they are partnered with community organization in 26 states, 14 countries and 6 regions outside the U. S. Boeing employees have contributed more than $10 million through a company gift-matching program, and volunteered thousands of hours of personal service. Boeing employees gave an additional $31. 5 million through the Employees Community Fund, one of the largest employee-owned funds in the world (Boeing Company, 2010). Economic Conditions Current economic circumstances are deciding factors on how Boeing plans operationally, strategically and tactically. Since the United States’ severe economic downturn in the past couple of years, Boeing has suffered due to airlines being in financial trouble. Business has reduced greatly and Boeing has forced some cancellations and deferrals of aircraft orders, but Boeing said it has other customers waiting in line for new, more cost-efficient planes. The recent economic downturn makes it clear that Boeing must retain flexibility in controlling global manufacturing plans. (Ann, 2008) Competition Competition is another reason why Boeing has to plan tactically and strategically. Airbus is Boeing’s biggest rival in the airline industry. Lockheed Martin is Boeing’s biggest competition in defense systems. In addition to conducting their own internal research and development, Boeing is collaborating with some of the best research agencies, universities, and companies around the world. In doing so, they are leveraging technologies, to ensure Boeing stays ahead of the competition by providing the most innovative, and affordable aerospace solutions the world has to offer (Boeing Company, 2010). Government Regulations The Government plays a central role in aviation safety and has done so from the industry’s earliest days (Boeing Company, 2010). The Air Commerce Act put the government in the business of establishing air routes; developing air navigation systems; licensing pilots, mechanics and aircraft; and investigating accidents (Boeing Company, 2010). Government regulation has a direct impact on the production of new airplanes. When manufacturers design a new airplane they must obtain a â€Å"type certificate† from government regulators certifying that the design is airworthy (Boeing Company, 2010). The government also requires Certification of airline personnel and airport certificates (Boeing Company, 2010). Conclusion Several factors are implicated with business planning at Boeing, such as internal legal issues, government regulations, corporate social responsibility, economic conditions and ethics. The legal department at Boeing manages all aspects of planning in regards to ethics. Many organizations are sponsored by Boeing through its associations to assist them in their philanthropic efforts. Corporate social responsibility is important because customers and potential clients assess businesses on the efforts the company makes to be socially responsible. The ethics in the code of conduct handbook created at Boeing are expected to be followed by every employee and subcontractor. Boeing needs to keep up with new technology and innovative ideas to be in the vanguard and ahead of the competition due to current economic conditions. The airline industry is influence much by government regulations, such as, certificates, regulatory standards, and enforcing rules affect how fast an airplane can be made. The planning process at Boeing is an ever-changing process due to varying changes in their internal and external environment. Reference Ann, K. (2008). 2nd Update: Boeing 3Q Hurt by Machinists’ Strik;: Stock Down. Retrieved April 17, 2010, from http://www. smartmoney. com/news/ON/? stroy=ON-2008 1022 -000844-1245 Boeing Company. (2010). About Us. Retrieved April 17, 2010, from http://www. boeing. com/companyoffices/aboutus/ Boeing Company. (2010). Corporate Governance. Retrieved April 17, 2010, from http://www. boeing. com/corp_gov/ Boeing Company. (2010). Ethical Business Conduct Guidelines. Retrieved April 17, 2010, from http://www. boeing. com/companyoffices/aboutus/ethics/ethics_booklet. pdf Boeing Company. (2010). Government’s Role in Aviation Safety. Retrieved April 17, 2010, from http://www. boeing. com/commercial/safety/government_role. html Leslie, W. (2006). Boeing Ethics Woes Take Toll on the Bottom Line. The New York Times. Retrieved April 17, 2010, from http://www. nytimes. com/2006/06/30/business/30boeing. html U. S. Department of Justice. (2000). Boeing to Pay U. S. For Selling Army Defective Helicopters. Retrieved April 17, 2010, from http://www. justice. gov/opa/pr/2000/August/450civ. htm

A Double Standard in “A Doll’s House” Essay

In today’s society, all are taught the social structure that is meant to be followed and not changed; yet, are also taught to stand up for something if enough belief is put into it- a double standard by most accounts. Such standards exist in the play A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen. Set in the time where women’s equality was a joke and with an ending too shocking for the German public, this play brought into light the â€Å"two kinds of spiritual law one in man one in women† (Rosefeldt) this view outlines the distinct standards held for each gender that can be seen throughout different works of literature and even in today’s society. Rosefeldt emphasizes Ibsen’s view that this world is â€Å"exclusively a male society†¦with prosecutors and judges who judge women’s behavior from the male standpoint.† (Rosefeldt) From this, it can be agreed that such a standard exists. Looking back on literature, many unique examples can be found. In the epic, The Odyssey, Odysseus’s wife, Penelope, is remains faithful to her husband, of which has been gone for twenty years. Just in the act of being faithful lends to the fact that she was automatically expected to by her peers. No matter how much suffering, she was still to go with the social norm and wait. In stark contrast, Odysseus was presented with many chances of infidelity (the Sirens & Calypso) as the gods pressed obstacles in the way of his journey home. Despite the gods’ attempts, Odysseus’s own morals prevented the expected to occur. From this view, the story directly contradicts itself in regards to gender standards. Between the non-chalant attitude towards Odysseus if he were to cheat and the â€Å"Penelope must always stay faithful under and circumstance† perspective, it is implied that women are not at the same liberties as men when put in the same situation. In the play itself, the double standards set between Nora and her overly-dominant husband, Torvald, can be clearly seen. Many times throughout the play, Nora is referred to as a bird or squirrel as Torvald is always called by his name, implying that their relationship is â€Å"an overly-close bond† (Rosefeldt) – with Torvald in charge. As Nora struggles with her secret transaction throughout the play, she deeply ponders leaving Torvald and her family or even killing herself. Her deep consideration bluntly differs Torvald’s instantaneous decision to get rid of her as soon as he found out about her under-the-table loan. Greatly improved from the times this play was written, women aren’t property and most have their own jobs and careers. Even with their jobs though, women are still expected to be the homemaker. Throughout history, women have always been seen as the child-bearing counterparts to their bread-winning husbands-just look at any classic American sitcom. Although, much in those ways have changed in the past few decades, modern sports still hold the standard to a degree. Cheerleading, previously thought to be an exclusively girl sport, is increasingly growing popularity as a unisex sport. On the contrary, seldom is a girl seen playing football; rather rare to see a girl playing on a team other than in a pee-wee league or a backyard family game. In the end, whether agreed or not, there is, in fact, a double standard between men and women- though some subtle, these age-old and well-known lines aren’t and probably won’t be getting crossed anytime soon. Either way you look at it, one simple question sums it perfectly; would there be a story if it were Torvald who had borrowed the money?

Free Essays on Humanties Primary Source

Analysis of Art â€Å"The Maids of Honor† by Diego Rodriguez de Silva Velasquez is a canvas painting created in 1656-57. This piece of art is rather dark, Velasquez is controlling what it is that you see. He uses natural light such as from a window and shows how some parts of a room may be seen and other parts not. We see three maids of honor dressed in elaborate clothing preparing for a painted portrait. Servants are also in the room assisting with the activity. The artist has painted himself in the picture along with the King sneaking a peak at the preparations. Everyone seems to be looking in your direction to infer that you are in the picture or they are looking in to a mirror. As an observer of this painting I feel that a very important activity is taking place. The use of straight lines have made the figures of importance very clear. These lines are somewhat defined leaving a crisp picture. I feel this picture is very direct in imaging but confusing of what is happening. The use of color is very calm, cool and kind of vivid, only being able to see that natural light allows. The shapes in the picture seems to be people and objects that are easily recognized, yet the picture also creates an illusion and hides what is really going on (ie, what are they looking at). This picture has depth with a since of a crowd but also an impression that there is a lot of room. This painting shows how the artist used the brush to imply actual creases in the fabric to give it a real appeareance. This painting leaves a question for the viewer, a question that is complex and confusing. I feel this painting is trying to break through the bounders restricted by the canvas and try to involve the viewers. The artist restricts what we see; color creates us to look at different places in the picture. The over design makes you feel that there is more to see than meets the eye. I would value understanding the picture, being able to s... Free Essays on Humanties Primary Source Free Essays on Humanties Primary Source Analysis of Art â€Å"The Maids of Honor† by Diego Rodriguez de Silva Velasquez is a canvas painting created in 1656-57. This piece of art is rather dark, Velasquez is controlling what it is that you see. He uses natural light such as from a window and shows how some parts of a room may be seen and other parts not. We see three maids of honor dressed in elaborate clothing preparing for a painted portrait. Servants are also in the room assisting with the activity. The artist has painted himself in the picture along with the King sneaking a peak at the preparations. Everyone seems to be looking in your direction to infer that you are in the picture or they are looking in to a mirror. As an observer of this painting I feel that a very important activity is taking place. The use of straight lines have made the figures of importance very clear. These lines are somewhat defined leaving a crisp picture. I feel this picture is very direct in imaging but confusing of what is happening. The use of color is very calm, cool and kind of vivid, only being able to see that natural light allows. The shapes in the picture seems to be people and objects that are easily recognized, yet the picture also creates an illusion and hides what is really going on (ie, what are they looking at). This picture has depth with a since of a crowd but also an impression that there is a lot of room. This painting shows how the artist used the brush to imply actual creases in the fabric to give it a real appeareance. This painting leaves a question for the viewer, a question that is complex and confusing. I feel this painting is trying to break through the bounders restricted by the canvas and try to involve the viewers. The artist restricts what we see; color creates us to look at different places in the picture. The over design makes you feel that there is more to see than meets the eye. I would value understanding the picture, being able to s...

Where the Heart is essays

Where the Heart is essays Novalee is unlucky. She's seven months pregnant, homeless and headed to California for an unknown reason. Her dreams of houses, family and love seem far away. Willy Jack wants money. He craves boozes, sex and freedom. He finds himself jobless, with a pregnant girlfriend, and a beat up Plymouth destined for California. In the Billie Letts novel, Where the heart is the American dream involves family, friends, and material goods. Both Novalee and Willy Jack are in search of their dreams, the success of which relies on the decision they make along the way. Family is an important part of Novalee's dream. Novalee's childhood was filled with sadness. Her mother deserted her when she was young and thereafter, she bounced between foster homes until she met Willy Jack. In Willy Jack, Novalee believes she finds love. To her disappointment she does not. However, she finds happiness the baby that they made. Her baby becomes center of strength and her good fortune. "She ran her fingers across her navel and thought of the baby attached to the other side of it, imagining it could feel her touch so that it might even reach out to her." Page 53. Americus brings Novalee, the love and family she wants. Willy Jack sees family as an obstacle to pass in achieving his dream. He has a narrow view of his life. He desperately wants money and believes nothing else matters but it. Willy does not realize that he needs the love of others to help him through life. Willy passes up the option of family early on his quest for his dream. He deserts his pregnant girlfriend in the parking lot of a Wal-Mart. Leaving her with only $7.77 and the clothes she is wearing. "She could see herself running, calling his name- the parking space was empty, the Plymouth gone. He was going to California and had left her behind..." Page 16. Willy's desire for money compels him to ditch his family. Novalee cherishes the help and support friends provide du ...

What Makes Aphid Reproduction So Efficient

What Makes Aphid Reproduction So Efficient Aphids thrive by the sheer force of their numbers. Their secret: Because just about every insect predator looks at them as an appetizer, their only chance of survival is to outnumber them. If aphids are good at one thing, its reproducing. Consider this fact from entomologist Stephen A. Marshall in his book Insects: Their Natural History and Diversity​: In optimal environmental conditions and lacking any predators, parasites, or disease, a single aphid could produce 600 billion descendants in one season. Just how do these tiny sap suckers multiply so prolifically? They can change the way they reproduce and how they develop as environmental conditions change. Aphids Can Reproduce Without Mating (No Males Needed!) Parthenogenesis, or asexual reproduction, is the first key to an aphids long family tree. With few exceptions, aphids in spring and summer are all females. The first wingless matriarchs hatch from eggs in early spring (from eggs laid late the prior year to overwinter), equipped to reproduce without the need for male mates. Within a few weeks, these females produce more females, and soon after that, the third generation arrives. And so on, and so on, and so on. The aphid population expands exponentially without a single male. Aphids Save Time by Giving Birth to Live Young The life cycle goes much quicker if you skip a step. Aphid mothers are viviparous, meaning they give birth to live young during the spring and summer, rather than laying eggs during these seasons. Their offspring reach reproductive maturity much sooner since they dont have to sit around waiting to hatch. Later in the season the females and males both develop.   Aphids Dont Develop Wings Unless They Need Them Most or all of an aphids life is spent feeding on a host plant. It doesn’t need to go very far, so walking suffices. Producing wings is a protein-intensive task, so aphids wisely conserve their resources and their energy and remain wingless. The aphids do quite well in their apterous state until food resources run low or the host plant gets so crowded with aphids that the group must disperse. Only then do they need to grow some wings. When the Going Gets Tough, the Aphids Get Going High populations, which occur quickly in light of the aphids prolific reproduction, lead to less than optimal conditions for survival. When there are too many aphids on a host plant, they begin competing with each other for food. Host plants covered in aphids are rapidly depleted of their sap, and the aphids must move on. Hormones trigger the production of winged aphids, which can then take flight and establish new populations.   Aphids Adapt Their Life Cycle to Environmental Conditions All would be for naught if the aphids in cold climates just froze to death at years end. As days become shorter and temperatures fall, aphids begin producing winged females and males. They find suitable mates, and the females lay eggs on perennial host plants. The eggs will carry on the family line, producing next years first batch of wingless females.

Analyze the business environment of China Essay

Analyze the business environment of China - Essay Example However, even if only economic considerations are used, we can see that economic trends justify investment in China. As indicated by Figure 1, which is a graph of year-on-year growth on every quarter of the year from 2006 to 2010 latest figures, the real economy of China has been growing within the neighborhood of 10% per annum during the last 4 years. It can be deduced from Figure 1 that the source of Chinese economic growth is mainly internal rather than external. The contribution of net exports in the last four years was from about negative to about half of real growth. However, even in periods where net exports have been decreasing at a high 10%, Chinese economic growth has continued to be in the neighborhood of 10%, confirming that growth is largely internally driven rather than driven by exports. Looking at figure 2, we also see that despite the uncertainties and threat of a global crisis in 2009 arising from the crisis in the United States originating from its sub-prime housing market, real economic growth in China has remained respectable at around 5 or 6%. External conditions, especially US economic conditions, can affect China but based on the US crisis years of 2008, 2009, and 2010, the effect will not be of a magnitude that will drive Chinese economic growth into the negative territory. The real economic growth from 2001 to 2010 is likely over and above the Chinese annual population growth, implying that with the economic growth; the quality of life in China is more likely improving. Or, at least, the growth figures are of the type that has the potential to significantly improve the quality of life for many of the people of China. Figure 2 is also showing that China has ceased to be an agricultural country. First, growth figures are higher in industry and services sectors rather than agriculture. Second, growth in the agricultural sector

Ebay Case Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ebay Case Analysis - Assignment Example These include SWOT analysis, STEEP analysis, competitor analysis, and financial comparison. These analysis will enable the management determine whether the company has the prospects of growth and success in its operation and will assist in the formulation of policies required in overcoming the threats and the challenges (Campbell and Craig 73). The tools further reveals the opportunities and the strengths that eBay must continue to pursue to remain a market leader. In as much as eBay recorded growth since inception, recent growth rate has slowed and revenues have declined for the first time. The company growth was achieved because of the strategic alliances and acquisitions that were entered into by the company. Acquisitions and strategic alliances is a faster way of entering new markets and increasing the market share. eBay has started losing market its market share to new innovative competitors and is faced by a host of challenges. Through analyzing the case Donahoe, the company pr esident, aims at determining the following: The greatest opportunities and threats that faces eBay external environment eBay’s greatest weaknesses and strengths whether eBay purpose statement is sufficient in directing the management in making important decisions. Whether shifting of eBay shift from the core competencies is a right strategy for the company’s success. ... STEEP analysis will help in determining the competitiveness of eBay. Factors considered in this analysis are the social, technological, economic, environmental, and political environment. The social factors provide eBay with an opportunity to increase its returns and performance. With an increasing number of people using the internet, eBay is in a position to attract new entrants and increase the number of people buying through the company market place. The youthful population access most of the information online and eBay management can capitalize on this to market their products on face book, twitter, and even Skype. This will reduce marketing costs and further increase the scale of operation. The increasing aging population on the other hand will likely to hamper the performance of eBay because it reduces the company’s primary customers. Economic factors also influence the operations and performance of eBay. First, the economic downturn provides eBay an opportunity to incre ase the number of buyers. With the decline in the disposable income, increased unemployment, and mortgage crisis will make customers look for discounts and therefore prefer eBay as a market place (Campbell and Craig 76). On the other hand, economic downturn also poses a threat on eBay competitiveness as it could result into fewer buyers and force the company to lower the fixed prices by more than 70% to become competitive. This could therefore shrink the revenues and profits of thee business. Furthermore, the fees on charged on infrequent sellers could have a negative impact on the revenues. In addition, the expansion of developing countries would give eBay an

Evaluation of critical areas of an information system Coursework

Evaluation of critical areas of an information system - Coursework Example †¦.†¦10 3.1 Capturing International Companies by use of Information Systems†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦.11 4.1 Complex Information in IT†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦11 4.2 Solutions to the IT Issues†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.13 5.1 Case study†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦....†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..13 6.1Summary†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦14 References†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.....16 Evaluation of Critical Areas of an Information System 1.1 Introduction Information system is used in management of organizations in order for decisions concerning the organizations to be made. Information systems help the management to improve the performance of the organization in order to expand its production and bring out an understanding of the information in the organization. The Unilever Company is one of the organizations which use information systems for the purpose of bringing in an effective working condition and thus contributing to competitive advantage. An organization may use different information systems which help in improving the performance of the organization. 1.2 Organization u nderstanding of the information system Unilever Company uses the information system to ensure that the business goals and objectives are met. Therefore, the organization uses technologies and techniques which help in planning for the systems which can be used to improve the working environment of such an organization. The use of information systems at Unilever Company brings in an effective and proper working condition... The information system is one of the systems which help the management of an organization to make decisions which have a great effect on the organization’s operations. With proper management in the organization, it means that the decisions made are proper, which have bees accessed, interpreted and evaluated. The various types of information systems are used to ensure that each person in the organization is in a position to come up with the best decision which affects the organization. A successful organization is that those decisions are made effectively and efficiently by the proper individuals. The decisions made are made so as to bring in an effect in the organization’s operations. All the activities in the organization are considered because they affect the success or failure of that particular organization. The information systems affect the human resource and the marketing environments of the organization as well. However, there are issues which come along with th e decision making in the organization, which affect the making of decisions that are well valuated. These issues should be dealt with in order to bring in a better organizational perspective that is able to solve all the organizational problems.

The service Encounter (Human resources management) Essay

The service Encounter (Human resources management) - Essay Example For that the human resource department can use various people management tools. The following reports gives an insight into factors which determine customer and employee satisfaction. These factors are justified on both empirical and theoretical grounds. This is followed by suggestions and recommendations of the best practices of the hospitality industry which are commonly practiced to increase customer satisfaction. ... The economy of advanced countries is dominated by services which contribute to up to 70% of their economy. (Ostrom, 2010).It is unanimously agreed that all industries are customer driven but it is these selection of services about which customers are the most particular and drivers of optimum service and customer satisfaction lead to the most growth and success. Thus service organizations worldwide are shifting their focus to service quality as a priority to carve a niche in the current competitive environment. This allows for differentiation and sustainable global advantage in the market place. (Gounaris,2003) The hotel industry is no different and the customers judge the service according to perceived service quality. This perceived service quality is in turn determined by many indicators which include assurance, empathy, reliability, responsiveness and other tangibles. These are the five service quality dimensions which are based upon the Golden rule. (Jac Fitz-enz)Other factors w hich determine perceived service quality are communications, human resource and employee management standards and employee attitudes.(Snipes,2005). Thus all employee improvement tools that lead to employee satisfaction and affective commitment can mediate the relationship between service culture and customer perceived service quality. (Hung Trong Hoang, 2010). These employee tools have to affect the five service quality dimensions either directly or indirectly to have a positive effect on the hotel. It should also be noted that different subsets of customers have different notions about service quality and thus a variety of service standards must be met for customer satisfaction. (Shannon Anderson,2008).

Individual Strategic Business Planning portfolio Essay

Individual Strategic Business Planning portfolio - Essay Example By virtue of the sophisticated technology JetFan Ltd expects to capitalize on the demand for sophistication by the consumers. The amount of money required for the business initiative has been stated as $2.5 million worth equity capital. Moreover by way of ‘intellectual property’ rights the company will be able to avoid any duplication of the impeller technology in the market besides giving it a good brand name. So the Executive Summary portion of the business plan clearly highlights all the aspects relating to fund requirement, project worthiness etc. Overall it can be said that the portion covers all the relevant questions making it an ‘excellent’ one. Business Description The business plan has been stated as ‘commercialization’ of impeller technology in worldwide market by entering into alliances with the leaders in the fan manufacturing market. The product offered by the business has been stated clearly in section â€Å"Creating the JetFan R evolution† where it has been stated that the business plans to offer small-sized, quieter and convenient fans to the consumers. This is an expansionary business opportunity. The reasons for the success of the plan has been outlined in the section â€Å"Why use JetFan and why now†. Here the benefits of adapting to the new technology have been stated as stall-free, miniaturization, less power consumption, reduced noise etc. The pressure differential advantages of JetFan over the conventional axial flow have been presented by way of a chart. The growth forecast for the JetFan market has been anticipated to be 15 percent every year. The section â€Å"Creating the JetFan Revolution† highlights the unique features of the JetFan’s unique impeller design. It has been mentioned how the JetFan scores over traditional plans in terms of higher airflow, improved efficiency, long battery life etc. Besides it has been stated how the JetFan reduces the inventory and tooli ng costs for the manufacturers. So overall in the business plan the details relating to nature of the business, products offered, its unique benefits, future growth prospects, salient product features and the unique business characteristics have been clearly outlined. So overall a good description of the business has been given. Marketing The market size has been conservatively estimated at 350 million small fans. This has been expected to grow by 15% annually. The market trend has also been anticipated to be strong owing to the fast replacement of the desktop computers with portable computers. The business plans to sell its impellers to the manufacturers in various industries. This implies that the business will not supply to the customers directly rather it will function as an intermediary as the plan clearly states that the sale of the impellers will be mainly to the manufacturers. The plan states that the business faces direct competitions from the manufacturers of specialist fa ns like Papst, NMB and Sunon. In the event JetFan decides to manufacture complete units of fans then it is expected to face significant direct competition. These fan manufacturers occupy a sizable portion of the market. However, it has also been stated that if the company sticks to the production of fan impellers instead

Strategic Marketing Plan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Strategic Marketing Plan - Assignment Example There exists cut throat competition and rivalry with nearly all cafes coming up with certain packages, promotions, and offers to attract clients, as the service being offered is highly homogenous. Our firm wants to operate in such a competitive environment and wants to get the major chunk of the market share, attract customers, and develop loyalty towards our services. Our organization aims at developing a cyber caf that provides the teenagers and the office and retired people a complete new experience of the internet as well as entertainment. The cyber caf will have a coffee shop in addition to the usual internet access that the ordinary cyber cafes offer. Thus the people visiting our cyber caf will get addicted to come again due to the relaxation and a complete new experience offered here. Our target market is mainly the students and the teenagers but we also focus the office going people and the retired old persons that can spend a new life here and enjoy the coffee and experience and search a massive amount of interesting and informative information on the internet. The corporate objectives of the business are to achieve at least 5 percent of the market share of the current i... Mission statement To provide our customers with a complete new experience of internet access and relaxation and to provide employee satisfaction to our employees Corporate objectives To become a market leader in the industry of internet cafes by providing the best services to the customers The corporate objectives of the business are to achieve at least 5 percent of the market share of the current industry in the forthcoming year. These are the least set objectives but the company aims to achieve more than that. The company aims to achieve sales of roughly $275,000 in the first year and then this figure increasing at least 10% annually. 3. Application of Strategic Management Tools & Techniques SWOT Analysis SWOT Analysis is a double impact tool that analyses both internal and external factors influencing an organization on the whole; Strengths and Weaknesses are internal, while Opportunities and Threats are external factors. As understandable by the name, internal factors are within the spam of control of the organization while the external ones are not. The application of SWOT to an environment ensures that resource allocation can be analyzed and the strengths can be appropriately capitalized, while minimizing the weaknesses' impact for assuring maximum from the opportunities and minimizing the threats. Following is the application of SWOT analysis to Hot Coffee Cyber Caf: S Strengths -The entertainment offered by the caf which is not available at other cafes -The awesome internet speed and the equipment offered to the customers -Quality of services provided to the customers -Quality of the coffee and other beverages provided -Qualified Staff that can

Individual Strategic Business Planning portfolio Essay

Individual Strategic Business Planning portfolio - Essay Example By virtue of the sophisticated technology JetFan Ltd expects to capitalize on the demand for sophistication by the consumers. The amount of money required for the business initiative has been stated as $2.5 million worth equity capital. Moreover by way of ‘intellectual property’ rights the company will be able to avoid any duplication of the impeller technology in the market besides giving it a good brand name. So the Executive Summary portion of the business plan clearly highlights all the aspects relating to fund requirement, project worthiness etc. Overall it can be said that the portion covers all the relevant questions making it an ‘excellent’ one. Business Description The business plan has been stated as ‘commercialization’ of impeller technology in worldwide market by entering into alliances with the leaders in the fan manufacturing market. The product offered by the business has been stated clearly in section â€Å"Creating the JetFan R evolution† where it has been stated that the business plans to offer small-sized, quieter and convenient fans to the consumers. This is an expansionary business opportunity. The reasons for the success of the plan has been outlined in the section â€Å"Why use JetFan and why now†. Here the benefits of adapting to the new technology have been stated as stall-free, miniaturization, less power consumption, reduced noise etc. The pressure differential advantages of JetFan over the conventional axial flow have been presented by way of a chart. The growth forecast for the JetFan market has been anticipated to be 15 percent every year. The section â€Å"Creating the JetFan Revolution† highlights the unique features of the JetFan’s unique impeller design. It has been mentioned how the JetFan scores over traditional plans in terms of higher airflow, improved efficiency, long battery life etc. Besides it has been stated how the JetFan reduces the inventory and tooli ng costs for the manufacturers. So overall in the business plan the details relating to nature of the business, products offered, its unique benefits, future growth prospects, salient product features and the unique business characteristics have been clearly outlined. So overall a good description of the business has been given. Marketing The market size has been conservatively estimated at 350 million small fans. This has been expected to grow by 15% annually. The market trend has also been anticipated to be strong owing to the fast replacement of the desktop computers with portable computers. The business plans to sell its impellers to the manufacturers in various industries. This implies that the business will not supply to the customers directly rather it will function as an intermediary as the plan clearly states that the sale of the impellers will be mainly to the manufacturers. The plan states that the business faces direct competitions from the manufacturers of specialist fa ns like Papst, NMB and Sunon. In the event JetFan decides to manufacture complete units of fans then it is expected to face significant direct competition. These fan manufacturers occupy a sizable portion of the market. However, it has also been stated that if the company sticks to the production of fan impellers instead

“Death of a Salesman” by Arthur Miller Essay Example for Free

â€Å"Death of a Salesman† by Arthur Miller Essay Death of a Salesman â€Å"Death of a Salesman† by Arthur Miller is a narration about American society, its expectations and attitudes that shape people’s lives. It is told through the lives of a salesman Willy, his family and several other people who, in some way, have an impact on them. Willy, who falls into his imaginary word of the past frequently during the day, is regretful for some of his actions in the past that ‘prevented’ him of becoming rich. Now, he wants his sons to succeed who are in their 30s and are of different characters. Although the genre of the play is realism, the author uses attributes of surrealism that help in developing the story. The protagonist of the play has an imaginary word that reminds him of his past; thus helping the audience to see the motives of his or his family’s current actions. The play starts when Willy has already gotten into a trouble because of dreaming while driving which suggests that the play is not about an ordinary person. For the reader, the shift from reality to dreams of Willy is sometimes warned by the long speech of his or by the reaction of the people around him. As for the audience, there are visual effects that the author recommends for the play in order to illustrate his story clearly. â€Å"†¦ in the scenes of the past these boundaries are broken, and the characters enter or leave a room stepping â€Å"through† a wall onto the forestage†. Moreover, the play is full of symbols and diverse characters. The ‘new† critic would notice the significance of the names. Some of the names of the characters reflect to their personalities; such as the name of the younger son of Willy whose name is Happy and he is careless and self-assured. Biff (which also means a hit, a clout), is the elder son who has a troubled relationship with his father. He goes against his father’s wish of getting a prestigious job in New York since he finds himself unfit for it. In contrary to his father, he finds his strength and self-esteem in the end of the play. However, the marxist critic would notice the positions and actions of the rich and poor. Uncle Ben who visits Willy’s imaginary world time to time is the brother of his. He became rich after he went to Alaska, and this continues to disturb Willy throughout the play and has a huge impact on his behavior because he had overlooked the chance. Also, Willy faced the bitter truth when he got fired from his job. Although, he had worked f or the company for thirty-four years, he received no sympathy when he asked to stay and work in the town he lived in and be paid a small amount of salary. Consequently, he was worried that his sons won’t think of him good and nobody will remember him. â€Å"†¦Because he thinks I am nothing, see, and so he spites me. But the funeral, Ben, that funeral will be massive! They’ll come from Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont†¦ -I am known, Ben, and he’ll see it with his eyes once and for all†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The feminist critic would observe the behavior and the status of Linda who is the wife of Willy and how she was portrayed. She is caring and patient with Willy. All through the play, she takes the side of her husband and encourages him. She is also presented as humble and tolerable towards their financial and social status. The only thing she dreams of is paying off the house mortgage and the bills so they can enjoy a free life. Despite these ‘perfectâ₠¬â„¢ traits, Linda is passive in her actions and lacks of understanding some situations and her husband’s behavior. After the suicide of Willy, she says, â€Å"Why did you do it? I search and search †¦I can’t understand it. I made the last payment on the house today†¦We are free and clear†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Possibly, Willy’s suicide is part of the consequence of her character. In this play, Arthur Miller introduces a society by developing a story about a salesman and involving several other people. Ironically, those people have some impact on Willy’s fate and his family. Biff loses his self-confidence and drive when he discovers his father with ‘the woman’. He fails math class which becomes the foundation of his future failures and career choices. There is also Willy’s neighbor and his son Bernard who is a friend to Biff and a foil to Willy. However, nothing is told about Bernard’s life until Willy loses his job and meets Bernard on his way to borrow some money from his father. The author lines the scenes and the actions in a way that support in showing the psychological and emotional effects on Willy and Biff. Willy wonders how Bernard became successful, but his son is still struggling and they were childhood friends. Here Bernard ‘reminds’ him of the math class which Biff failed and refused to continue after discovering his father with another woman. Although Uncle Ben is Willy’s brother who shows up in his imagination and gets into a conversation with him, his replies to Willy are more likely Willy’s own answers and opinions about himself. The fact that he could not become more than a traveling salesman and be known and respected is haunting Willy throughout his life. The author tries to show that Willy’s desires and attitude towards life had an effect on those around him and the other way around; the people around him had an impact on his actions and fate. Consequently, this is how a society behaves.

Impact of Pop Art and Design on British Culture of the 1960s

Impact of Pop Art and Design on British Culture of the 1960s Pop Art is a 20th century art movement and style that had its origins in England in the 1950s and spread across the globe (most notably the US) in the 60s. Pop artists often utilised the techniques and imagery of pop culture, incorporating everyday objects such as comic strips, billboards, supermarket products, pictures of celebrities and magazine advertisements into their work. The most well-known and influential artists were Richard Hamilton and David Hockney (British) and Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Jasper Johns and Robert Rauschenberg (American). This paper will examine the impact of Pop Art on British culture of the 1960s, with a special emphasis on the movements leading figure, David Hockney. While Pop Art in its earliest incarnation in late 50s Britain had a nostalgic flavour, as it spread, it was consistently linked more to the wealth and prosperity of the post World War II era (Biddington, 2007). The term was first coined by the English critic Lawrence Alloway in a 1958 issue of Architectural Digest to describe the paintings that celebrated post-war consumerism, defied the attributes of Abstract Expressionism, and worshiped at the alter of materialism (Pioch, 2002). Practitioners of Pop Art replaced the epic with the everyday and the unique with the mass-produced, eroding the fixed divide between high and low art, good and bad taste and fine art and commercial art (ibid). Advertising and the media were some of Pop Arts favourite subjects, and the artists seemed to simultaneously celebrate and critique consumer society: Oftentimes the work itself suggested the depersonalized processes of mass production in areas of popular taste and kitsch previously considered outside the limits of fine art. It rejected the attributes associated with art as an expression of personality. Works were close enough to reality and at the same time it was clear that they were not ready-mades but artificial re-creations of real things (Damjanovic, 2006). Considered by many to be the first Pop Art piece is Richard Hamiltons Just What Is It that Makes Todays Home so Different, so Appealing?, which incorporated numerous references to popular culture and materialism (Biddington, 2007). Jasper Johns and Robert Rauschenberg followed his lead and used popular imagery such as the American flag and beer cans in their paintings, collages and prints, while Andy Warhol favoured the use of famous people and everyday objects in his silkscreens (ibid). Alternatively, Roy Lichtenstein utilised a comic strip style in his paintings. However, perhaps the most important artist of them all (and certainly the most famous and highly publicised British artist of his generation) was David Hockney. By age eleven he had already decided that he wanted to be an artist, and years later he attended the royal College of Art in London, where, in his own words, he realised that there were two groups of students there: a traditional group, who carried on as they had done in art school, doing still life, life painting and figure compositions; and then what I thought of as the more adventurous, lively students, the brightest ones, who were involved in the art of their time. They were doing big Abstract Expressionist paintings on hardboard (Lucie-Smith, 1999). Hockney, in turn, tried his hand at abstraction, but found it too bleak. In search of his own style, he rejected figure-painting as anti-modern and experimented by including words in his paintings in order to humanise them; these, however, were soon joined by figures painted in a deliberately rough and rudimentary style which owed a great deal to Jean Dubuffet (ibid). After a prize-winning career at the Royal College of Art, Hockney achieved international success by the time he reached his mid-20s with a show at the Young Contemporaries Exhibition in January, 1961 (Pioch, 2002). This show marked the public emergence of Pop Art in the UK, with Hockney as one of the movements leaders. His paintings of this period were often playful and witty (very much in the vein of Pop Art), although he was also adept at more serious and traditionally representational portraiture, such as Mr. and Mrs. Clark and Percy (Tate, London, 1970) (ibid). Hockney was also a skilled draftsman and graphic artist, and his work in this field including etched illustrations to Cavafys Poems (1967) and Six Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm (1969). Hockneys success was so rapid that after leaving school he did not have to rely on teaching to make a living, like the majority of his contemporaries (Lucie-Smith, 1999). In the early sixties he travelled to Egypt, Italy, Germany and the United States. He fell in love with Los Angeles, where, in his own words: Within a week of arriving there in this strange big city, not knowing a soul, Id passed the driving test, bought a car, driven to Las Vegas and won some money, got myself a studio, started painting, all within a week. And I thought, its just how I imagined it would be (ibid). Upon his return to England he began to make a series of prints which were an updated version of Hogarths Rakes Progress, and which reflected his American experiences (Gurewitsch, 2006). He also began using acrylics rather than oil paint, which led to five one-man shows in 1966 throughout Europe, and later his first major retrospective exhibition, at the Whitechapel Art Gallery in London (Lucie-Smith, 1999). By this time, Pop Art, with Hockney as its patron and star, was widely popular in Britain, and   coincided with the youth and pop music phenomenon of the 1950s and 60s, and became very much a part of the image of fashionable, swinging London. Peter Blake, for example, designed album covers for Elvis Presley and the Beatles and placed film stars such as Brigitte Bardot in his pictures in the same way that Warhol was immortalizing Marilyn Monroe in the USA (West, 1996). It could be argued that while Hockneys work was the impetus for the growing acceptance and influence of the movement, in many ways he himself was the reason for its success. For Hockney wasnt simply a talented artist; he was a personality. With his bleached hair, his outward homosexuality (the subtext of which was also found in his work), his vocal admiration of Whitman and Cavafy, his eccentricity and gregariousness made him instantly likeable (Lucie-Smith, 1999). There was an even a film about him, his life and his work (Jack Hazans A Bigger Splash) that was widely popular. People saw in Hockney the embodiment of the freedom and newness of the 60s, the tearing down and humanising of the sacred and the revered, along with a newfound openness to sexuality, and it is difficult to say where the work stopped and the person began; that is, was Pop Art the influencer, or was it Hockney himself? Were the widespread effects attributed to the movement (low art rising to the status of high and vice-versa; the pasts powerful icons suddenly relegated to mere products and everyday objects achieving the level of works of art; pop culture supplanting tired, traditional culture; the old art world establishment being turned on its head; etc.) because of his paintings or his personality? Furthermore, was Hockney himself the catalyst for this, or was he merely following the zeitgeist? While it is difficult to say, two things are certain: Hockney was an important figure during this time, and 60s Britain was forever changed. Hockney eventually turned away from Pop Art painting, and branched out into other forms, including photography, set design, costumes, lithographs and even work made using colour photocopiers. As for Pop Art, while it still survived in Britain, thanks to artists such as Hamilton, R.B. Kitaj, Allen Jones, Eduardo Paolozzi and Peter Blake, for the most part it became more associated with its American counterparts, ending up the territory of Warhol and the like. But the movements effects on the artwork and cultural climate lingered for a long time, virtually transforming television, advertising and packaging, not to mention photography (David Bailey, John Cowan, Robert Whitaker) and architecture (Cedric Price, Alison and Peter Smithson). Bibliography Biddington, J. Pop Art: What is it? Pedigree and Provenance, 2007. http://www.biddingtons.com/content/pedigreepop.html Damjanovic, Sasa. Pop Art. HuntFor.com, 2006. http://www.huntfor.com/arthistory/C20th/popart.htm Dormer, Peter. Design Since 1945. London: Thames Hudson, 1984. Green, Jonathon. All Dressed Up: The Sixties and the Counterculture. London: Pimlico, 1999. Gurewitsch, Matthew. David Hockney and Friends. The Smithsonian, 2006. Lucie-Smith, E. Lives of the Great 20th-Century Artists. London: Thames Hudson, 1999. Pioch, Nicolas. Pop Art. WebMuseum, Paris, 2002. http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/tl/20th/pop-art.html West, Shearer (ed.). The Bulfinch Guide to Art History: A Comprehensive Survey and Dictionary of Western Art and Architecture. Boston: Little Brown and Co., 1996.

The Life of Saint Peter :: essays papers

The Life of Saint Peter Peter Tosh was born into this world without a father or mother with the responsibility, or the time to raise young Peter. He was raised by his aunt, although Peter's personality would have you believe that he raised himself. An extremely self-reliant, self-dependent entity, Tosh fought for those who could not fight themselves. He was a voice for those who had not the means, nor the ability to speak to a worldwide audience. While those with power on the island of Jamaica saw Peter as a threat to the existing regime (A regime comprised of corrupt 'politricksters' who ally with Jamaica's small, wealthy, land owning class), the people saw Peter as a rebel hero. A champion of human rights, throughout his life Peter fought against the vampires and the duppies and all evil spirits, the spirits which Peter himself feared more than anything. Peter Tosh was a saint. Not a saint in the conventional, religious definition, but insofar as that he was put on this earth with a purpose. He was to expose the filth and corruption and expunge the wickedness of the ghosts which haunted him his entire life. Peter was a savior, sent to liberate the people of Jamaica, both physically and mentally. As for the majority of Jamaicans, life was spent scrounging for a dollar, struggling to put food on their children's table, and a roof over their head; That was if you can find some brush or metal with which to build one. It was difficult to find employment, and many of those that were employed were done so temporarily. Peter had greater visions for the Island of Jamaica. He was upset with the treatment of his people, and he did nothing to hide his feelings. It is believed by many that this is the very character trait which led to Tosh's murder. The voice of the people was eliminated by three supposed robbers who stole not one material object. At the tender age of forty three, Peter Tosh was silenced, as were the hopes of many Jamaicans. On October ninth, 1944 Winston Hubert McIntosh was born into this world. The only child of Alvera Coke, a resident of Church Lincoln, Westmoreland on the island of Jamaica. Winston's father, James McIntosh was the preacher at the local church in Savanna-la-Mar, which Alvera attended. However, Winston was just one of the many children which James McIntosh fathered and neglected to help care for.

Essay --

The earliest beginnings of anatomy could be traced back to the Egyptians in 1600 B.C.E., when early examinations of sacrificial victims were taking place. From this time, scholars have found the earliest medical document, known as the Edwin Smith Papyrus, in which it described early anatomical observations made by the Egyptians, most likely due to their knowledge gained from mummification. The papyrus displayed organs such as the bladder, uterus, kidneys, liver, spleen, heart, and blood vessels. Following the Egyptians were the Greeks, who began their study of anatomy around fifth century B.C. (400 B.C.) with the works of Alcmaeon and Empedocles, two Greek scientists. It was during this time that the anatomy of animals was studied and medical schools were built in cities such as Crotona, Italy and Cyrene, Africa. Alcmaeon of Croton was most likely the first person to dissect the human body for research purposes, while Empedocles was the person to first propose the idea that an ethereal substance called pneuma flowed through the blood vessels. Hippocrates was another famous person from Greece. Regarded as the Father of Medicine and one of the founders of anatomy, he was also a physician who studied anatomy and hypothesized about physiology. Hippocrates made anatomical inferences without dissection and instead through observations. He proposed the idea that diseases were not caused by supernatural forces or were punishments from the gods. The well-known Aristotle also contribu ted to the history of anatomy as he was the first to distinguish the difference between nerves and tendons and between arteries and blood vessels using knowledge gained from animal dissections. Herophilus, another anatomist, is known as one of the earliest â€Å"Fa... ...certain scientists. During this time, many medical students began to rob graves in order to obtain bodies to perform dissections on. This then led to the development of the Anatomy Act of 1832 in order to supply a sufficient amount of dead bodies to perform dissections on. The nineteenth century also experienced an expanding amount of knowledge on developmental anatomy due to the many experiments and research being done to study it. In addition, England became the main focal point for medical and anatomical research. As the years continued to pass, more advancements are being made in the field and study of anatomy based on continuing research from scientists, researchers, and doctors. With new technology, more information and a better understanding can be gained about the structure and function of organs, organ systems, and DNA among other various parts of the body.

From Strategy to Business Essay

Strategy scholars have used the notion of the Business Model to refer to the ‘logic of the firm’ e how it operates and creates value for its stakeholders. On the surface, this notion appears to be similar to that of strategy. We present a conceptual framework to separate and relate the concepts of strategy and business model: a business model, we argue, is a reflection of the firm’s realized strategy. We find that in simple competitive situations there is a one-to-one mapping between strategy and business model, which makes it difficult to separate the two notions. We show that the concepts of strategy and business model differ when there are important contingencies on which a well-designed strategy must be based. Our framework also delivers a clear distinction between strategy and tactics, made possible because strategy and business model are different constructs. Ó 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Introduction The ï ¬ eld of strategy has evolved substantially in the past twenty-ï ¬ ve years. Firms have learned to analyze their competitive environment, deï ¬ ne their position, develop competitive and corporate advantages, and understand better how to sustain advantage in the face of competitive challenges and threats. Different approaches – including industrial organization theory, the resource-based view, dynamic capabilities and game theory – have helped academicians and practitioners understand the dynamics of competition and develop recommendations about how ï ¬ rms should deï ¬ ne their competitive and corporate strategies. But drivers such as globalization, deregulation and technological change (to mention only a few) are profoundly changing the competitive game. Scholars and practitioners agree that the fastest growing ï ¬ rms in this new environment appear to be those that have taken advantage of  these structural changes to innovate in their business models so they can compete ‘differently’. IBM’s Global CEO Studies for 2006 and 2008, for example, show that top management in a broad range of industries are actively seeking guidance on how to innovate in their business models to improve their ability to both create and capture value.1 In addition to the business model innovation drivers noted above, much recent interest has come from two other environmental shifts. Advances in ICT have been a major force behind the recent 0024-6301/$ – see front matter.interest in business model innovation. Many e-businesses are based on new business models e Shafer, Smith and Linder ï ¬ nd that eight of the twelve recent business model deï ¬ nitions they present relate to e-business.2 New strategies for the ‘bottom of the pyramid’ in emerging markets have also steered researchers and practitioners towards the systematic study of business models. Academicians working in this area agree that ï ¬ rms need to develop novel business models to be effective in such speciï ¬ c and challenging environments (see work by Thompson and MacMillan, as well as by Yunus et al. in this issue), and socially motivated enterprises constitute a second important source of recent business model innovations. Advances in ICT and the demands of socially motivated enterprises constitute important sources of recent business model innovations. While it has become uncontroversial to argue that managers must have a good understanding of how business models work if their organizations are to thrive, the academic community has only offered early insights on the issue to date, and there is (as yet) no agreement as to the distinctive features of superior business models. We believe this is partly because of a lack of a clear distinction between the notions of strategy, business models and tactics, and the purpose of this article is to contribute to this literature by presenting an integrative framework to distinguish and relate these three concepts. Put succinctly:  Business Model refers to the logic of the ï ¬ rm, the way it operates and how it creates value for its stakeholders; and  Strategy refers to the choice of business model through which the ï ¬ rm will compete in the marketplace; while  Tactics refers to the residual choices open to a ï ¬ rm by virtue of the business model it chooses to employ. To integrate these three concepts, we introduce a generic two-stage competitive process framework, as depicted in Figure 1. In the ï ¬ rst stage, ï ¬ rms choose a ‘logic of value creation and value capture’ (i.e., choose their business model), and in the second, make tactical choices guided by their goals (which, in most cases, entail some form of stakeholder value maximization). Figure 1 thus presents our organizing framework: the object of strategy is the choice of business model, and the business model employed determines the tactics available to the ï ¬ rm to compete against, or cooperate with, other ï ¬ rms in the marketplace. The article is organized as follows. In the next section we deï ¬ ne and discuss the notion of business models and present a tool to represent them, while the following section considers the stage two ‘choice’ in our framework, presenting and discussing the notion of tactics in relation to that of business model. The following section then moves back to examine the ï ¬ rst e strategy e stage, after which we revisit our process framework to integrate the three notions. We discuss the connection between strategy and business model, arguing that both notions can be clearly separated. A detailed example is developed in the following stage, followed by some concluding remarks. Business models Although the expression ‘business model’ has gained in prominence only in the last decade, the term has been part of the business jargon for a long time, its origins going back to the writings of Peter Drucker. Although (as Markides points out) there is no widely accepted deï ¬ nition, Magretta deï ¬ nes business models as ‘stories that explain how enterprises work’, and follows Drucker in deï ¬ ning ‘a good business model’ as the one that provides answers to the following questions: ‘Who is the customer and what does the costumer value?’ and ‘What is the underlying economic logic that explains how we can deliver value to customers at an appropriate cost?’ While not formal, her implicit idea is that a business model is about how an organization earns money by addressing these two fundamental issues e how it identiï ¬ es and creates value for customers, and how it captures some of this value as its proï ¬ t in the process. Amit and Zott’s deï ¬ nition, in contrast, is less broad (as it focuses on e-businesses) but more precise. Reviewing the contributions of several theories – including virtual markets, Schumpeterian innovation, value chain analysis, the resource-based view of the ï ¬ rm, dynamic capabilities,  transaction cost economics and strategic networks – they point out that each contributes elements to the notion, but that none, by itself, explains business models completely. They analyze a sample of U.S. and European e-business models to highlight the drivers of value creation, and present the following integrative deï ¬ nition: ‘A business model depicts the content, structure, and governance of transactions designed so as to create value through the exploitation of business opportunities.’ The content of a transaction refers to the goods or information exchanged, as well as to resources and capabilities required; the structure refers to the parties that participate, their links, and the way they choose to operate, and governance refers to the way ï ¬â€šows of information, resources and goods are controlled by the relevant parties, the legal form of organization, and the incentives to the participants.5 In this issue, they build on this deï ¬ nition to propose an ‘activity system perspective’ for the design of business models, arguing that activity systems capture the essence of business models and proposing two sets of aspects for designers to consider: design elements (content, structure and governance) that describe the activity system’s architecture, and design themes (novelty, lock-in, complementarities, and efï ¬ ciency) that describe its sources of value creation. The common thread across all of these approximations to the notion of busin ess model is well captured by BadenFuller, MacMillan, Demil and Lecocq in their deï ¬ nition ‘the logic of the ï ¬ rm, the way it operates and how it creates value for its stakeholders’, and we adopt their deï ¬ nition as the starting point for our argument. To make progress toward understanding business models, we ï ¬ nd it helpful to use the analogy of a machine e by which we mean a mechanical device that transmits energy to perform tasks. (Of course, real organizations are different from machines in many important respects, but the comparison is helpful, especially to our thinking in contrasting the notions of strategy and business models.) Any given machine has a particular logic of operation (the way the different components are assembled and relate to one another), and operates in a particular way to create value for its user. To be more concrete, different automobile designs have different speciï ¬ c logics of operation – conventional engines operate quite differently from hybrids, and  standard transmissions from automatics – and create different value for their ‘stakeholders,’ the drivers. Some may prefer a small car that allows them to navigate congested city streets easily, while others may prefer a large SUV with a powerful engine to enjoy the countryside to the fullest. Automobiles are made of parts – wheels, engines, seats, electronics, windshields, and the like. To assess how well a particular automobile works – or to create a new one one must consider its components and how they relate to one another, just as, to better understand business models, one needs to understand their component parts and their relationships. (We return to this analogy during the paper: readers will gain more value from it if they understand the design and building of the car as representing strategy; the car itself as the business model; and the driving of the car as the available set of tactics.)

Reaction Paper on SONA 2014 Essay

There were many highlights on the recent SONA President Benigno S. Aquino stated last July 28, 2014 and these are the 3 things that intrigued me the most: Under the controversial DAP, PNoy said that around P1.6 billion fund was given to Training-for-Work Scholarship Program of TESDA. A total of 223,615 beneficiaries have graduated with an equivalent of 146,731 graduates currently working. I would say I really applauded him for his insights on education. True, Education is very important in every country. A country consists of people, now if those people are mostly illiterate what do you think would the country become of? And yes, after spending a couple of pesos to those students through scholarships, how much do you think those students would pay for their taxes when the will graduate and have their own jobs? see more:sona 2017 reaction paper The ugly side of this though is the reaction of COA and politics involvement. Did you know that according to COA these amounts were not fully utilized by the agency, casting doubt on Aquino’s figures. COA said that out of the P1.1 billion funds from DAP obtained by TESDA in 2011 for TWSP, only 92.47% was utilized. Now how about that?! People and even projects are not perfect. When will they accept that?! I am still thankful though because at least he is showing positive numbers and facts. President Benigno S. Aquino III, during his 5th State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, cited attainments in the country’s aviation industry as having contributed to the country’s steady economic growth the past year. First on the list of citations was when the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) last March 2013 lifted the significant safety concerns it had previously issued for the Philippines.In the same year, the European Union lifted its ban on Philippine Airlines, allowing it to fly once again to Europe. But with the improved aviation system, President Aquino said, Filipinos can now fly directly from Manila to London. President Aquino also welcomed the FAA’s decision to upgrade the Philippines’ aviation status back to Category 1. He said that because of this upgrade, it is likely that there  will also be an increase in routes going to the United States â€Å"The increase in flights of our local airlines to the United States and participating countries in the EU is a big help to both tourism and business,† the President said in his speech. I am also thankful for this one. Philippines being an accessible country worldwide is a Go Go ! what I meant is its a definite plus for us if we don’t spend too much on connecting flights just for us to get to our destination. I not sure if ever you experienced connecting flights before and I really hope youd never do . Because, Oh my! it is such a hassle with time and money. Imagine you being excited but you need stopovers, sleeping in the airport just catch the earliest flight to your destination and pray to GOD the weather will cooperate or else you’re stuck! Meanwhile, President Aquino also pointed out how the country’s hosting of the World Economic Forum on East Asia this year was a huge success, showing the world the country’s capacity in business.â€Å"†¦With the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) Summit the Philippines will be hosting next year, we will be able to inform even more people of our progress, and the opportunities that this has opened up for all,† he said. This is my biggest concern of them all. I hope he will exert more effort on this one. As a regular consumer I don’t see myself having a positive sides on this one. Yes I know we are eventually experiencing Mother Nature’s reminders on how we should take care of the resources she has given. But by God! even the spices that is very common and needed in every household (ex: GARLIC – my favourite spice with chicken) costs too much. Including our staple food which is rice. This one needs to be alleviated! Remember County c onsists of People, People needs Education but most of all it needs to FOOD in order to survive!

Good Readers Good Writers V Essay

â€Å"Good Readers and Good Writers† (from Lectures on Literature) Vladimir Nabokov (originally delivered in 1948) My course, among other things, is a kind of detective investigation of the mystery of literary structures. â€Å"How to be a Good Reader† or â€Å"Kindness to Authors†Ã¢â‚¬â€something of that sort might serve to provide a subtitle for these various discussions of various authors, for my plan is to deal lovingly, in loving and lingering detail, with several European Masterpieces. A hundred years ago, Flaubert in a letter to his mistress made the following remark: Commel’on serait savant si l’on  connaissait bien seulement cinq a six livres: â€Å"What a scholar one might be if one knew well only some half a dozen books. † In reading, one should notice and fondle details. There is nothing wrong about the moonshine of generalization when it comes after the sunny trifles of the book have been lovingly collected. If one begins with a readymade generalization, one begins at the wrong end and travels away from the book before one has started to understand it. Nothing is more boring or more unfair to the author than starting to read, say, Madame Bovary, with the preconceived notion that it is a denunciation of the bourgeoisie. We should always remember that the work of art is invariably the creation of a new world, so that the first thing we should do is to study that new world as closely as possible, approaching it as something brand new, having no obvious connection with the worlds we already know. When this new world has been closely studied, then and only then let us examine its links with other worlds, other branches of knowledge. Another question: Can we expect to glean information about places and times from a novel? Can anybody be so naive as to think he or she can learn anything about the past from those buxom  best-sellers that are hawked around by book clubs under the heading of historical novels? But what about the masterpieces? Can we rely on Jane Austen’s picture of landowning England with baronets and landscaped grounds when all she knew was a clergyman’s parlor? And Bleak House, that fantastic romance within a fantastic London, can we call it a study of London a hundred years ago? Certainly not. And the same holds for other such novels in this series. The truth is that great novels are great fairy tales—and the novels in this series are supreme fairy tales. Time and space, the colors of the seasons, the movements of muscles and minds, all these are for writers of genius (as far as we can guess and I trust we guess right) not traditional notions which may be borrowed from the circulating library of public truths but a series of unique surprises which master artists have learned to express in their own unique way. To minor authors is left the ornamentation of the commonplace: these do not bother about any reinventing of the world; they merely try to squeeze the best they can out of a given order of things, out of traditional  patterns of fiction. The various combinations these minor authors are able to produce within these set limits may be quite amusing in a mild ephemeral way because minor readers like to recognize their own ideas in a pleasing disguise. But the real writer, the fellow who sends planets spinning and models a man asleep and eagerly tampers with the sleeper’s rib, that kind of author has no given values at his disposal: he must create them himself. The art of writing is a very futile business if it does not imply first of all the art of seeing the world as the potentiality of  fiction. The material of this world may be real enough (as far as reality goes) but does not exist at all as an accepted entirety: it is chaos, and to this chaos the author says â€Å"go! † allowing the world to flicker and to fuse. It is now recombined in its very atoms, not merely in its visible and superficial parts. The writer is the first man to mop it and to form the natural objects it contains. Those berries there are edible. That speckled creature that bolted across my path might be tamed. That lake between those trees will be called Lake Opal or, more artistically, Dishwater  Lake. That mist is a mountain—and that mountain must be conquered. Up a trackless slope climbs the master artist, and at the top, on a windy ridge, whom do you think he meets? The panting and happy reader, and there they spontaneously embrace and are linked forever if the book lasts forever. One evening at a remote provincial college through which I happened to be jogging on a protracted lecture tour, I suggested a little quiz—ten definitions of a reader, and from these ten the students had to choose four definitions that would combine to make a good reader. I have  mislaid the list, but as far as I remember the definitions went something like this. Select four answers to the question what should a reader be to be a good reader: 1. The reader should belong to a book club. 2. The reader should identify himself or herself with the hero or heroine. 3. The reader should concentrate on the social-economic angle. 4. The reader should prefer a story with action and dialogue to one with none. 5. The reader should have seen the book in a movie. 6. The reader should be a budding author. 7. The reader should have imagination. 8. The reader should have memory. 9.  The reader should have a dictionary. 10. The reader should have some artistic sense. The students leaned heavily on emotional identification, action, and the social-economic or historical angle. Of course, as you have guessed, the good reader is one who has imagination, memory, a dictionary, and some artistic sense–which sense I propose to develop in myself and in others whenever I have the chance. Incidentally, I use the word reader very loosely. Curiously enough, one cannot read a book: one can only reread it. A good reader, a major reader, an active and creative reader is a rereader. And I shall tell you why. When we read a book for the first time the very process of laboriously moving our eyes from left to right, line after line, page after page, this complicated physical work upon the book, the very process of learning in terms of space and time what the book is about, this stands between us and artistic appreciation. When we look at a painting we do not have to move our eyes in a special way even if, as in a book, the picture contains elements of depth and development. The element of time does not really enter in a first contact with a painting. In reading a book, we must have time to acquaint ourselves with it. We have no physical organ (as we have the eye in regard to a painting) that takes in the whole picture and then can enjoy its details. But at a second, or third, or fourth reading we do, in a sense, behave towards a book as we do towards a painting. However, let us not confuse the physical eye, that monstrous masterpiece of evolution, with the mind, an even more monstrous achievement. A book, no matter what it is—a work of fiction or a work of science (the boundary line between the two is not as clear as is generally believed)—a book of fiction appeals first of all to the mind. The mind, the brain, the top of the tingling spine, is, or should be, the only instrument used upon a book. Now, this being so, we should ponder the question how does the mind work when the sullen reader is confronted by the sunny book. First, the sullen mood melts away, and for better or worse the reader enters into the spirit of the game. The effort to begin a book, especially if it is praised by people whom the young reader secretly deems to be too old-fashioned or too serious, this effort is often difficult to make; but once it is made, rewards are various and abundant. Since the master artist used his imagination in creating his book, it is natural and fair that the consumer of a book should use his imagination too. There are, however, at least two varieties of imagination in the reader’s case. So let us see which one of the two is the right one to use in reading a book. First, there is the comparatively lowly kind which turns for support to the simple emotions and is of a definitely personal nature. (There are various subvarieties here, in this first section of emotional reading. ) A situation in a book is intensely felt because it reminds us of something that happened to us or to someone we  know or knew. Or, again, a reader treasures a book mainly because it evokes a country, a landscape, a mode of living which he nostalgically recalls as part of his own past. Or, and this is the worst thing a reader can do, he identifies himself with a character in the book. This lowly variety is not the kind of imagination I would like readers to use. So what is the authentic instrument to be used by the reader? It is impersonal imagination and artistic delight. What should be established, I think, is an artistic harmonious balance between the reader’s mind and the author’s mind. We ought to remain a little aloof and take pleasure in this aloofness while at the same time we keenly enjoy—passionately enjoy, enjoy with tears and shivers—the inner weave of a given masterpiece. To be quite objective in these matters is of course impossible. Everything that is worthwhile is to some extent subjective. For instance, you sitting there may be merely my dream, and I may be your nightmare. But what I mean is that the reader must know when and where to curb his imagination and this he does by trying to get clear the specific world the author places at his disposal. We must see things and hear things, we must visualize the rooms, the clothes, the manners of an author’s people. The color of Fanny Price’s eyes in Mansfield Park and the furnishing of her cold little room are important. We all have different temperaments, and I can tell you right now that the best temperament for a reader to have, or to develop, is a combination of the artistic and the scientific one. The enthusiastic artist alone is apt to be too subjective in his attitude towards a book, and so a scientific coolness of judgment will temper the intuitive heat. If, however, a would-be reader is utterly devoid of passion and patience—of an artist’s passion and a scientist’s patience—he will hardly enjoy great literature. Literature was born not the day when a boy crying wolf, wolf came running out of the Neanderthal valley with a big gray wolf at his heels: literature was born on the day when a boy came crying wolf, wolf and there was no wolf behind him. That the poor little fellow because he lied too often was finally eaten up by a real beast is quite incidental. But here is what is important. Between the wolf in the tall grass and the wolf in the tall story there is a shimmering  go-between. That go-between, that prism, is the art of literature. Literature is invention. Fiction is fiction. To call a story a true story is an insult to both art and truth. Every great writer is a great deceiver, but so is that arch-cheat Nature. Nature always deceives. From the simple deception of propagation to the prodigiously sophisticated illusion of protective colors in butterflies or birds, there is in Nature a marvelous system of spells and wiles. The writer of fiction only follows Nature’s lead. Going back for a moment to our wolf-crying woodland little woolly fellow, we may put it this  way: the magic of art was in the shadow of the wolf that he deliberately invented, his dream of the wolf; then the story of his tricks made a good story. When he perished at last, the story told about him acquired a good lesson in the dark around the campfire. But he was the little magician. He was the inventor. There are three points of view from which a writer can be considered: he may be considered as a storyteller, as a teacher, and as an enchanter. A major writer combines these three—storyteller, teacher, enchanter—but it is the enchanter in him that predominates and makes him a major  writer. To the storyteller we turn for entertainment, for mental excitement of the simplest kind, for emotional participation, for the pleasure of traveling in some remote region in space or time. A slightly different though not necessarily higher mind looks for the teacher in the writer. Propagandist, moralist, prophet—this is the rising sequence. We may go to the teacher not only for moral education but also for direct knowledge, for simple facts. Alas, I have known people whose purpose in reading the French and Russian novelists was to learn something about life in gay Paree or in sad Russia. Finally, and above all, a great writer is always a great enchanter, and it is here that we come to the really exciting part when we try to grasp the individual magic of his genius and to study the style, the imagery, the pattern of his novels or poems. The three facets of the great writer—magic, story, lesson—are prone to blend in one impression of unified and unique radiance, since the magic of art may be present in the very bones of the story, in the very marrow of thought. There are masterpieces of dry, limpid, organized thought which provoke in us an artistic quiver quite as strongly as a novel like Mansfield Park does or as  any rich flow of Dickensian sensual imagery. It seems to me that a good formula to test the quality of a novel is, in the long run, a merging of the precision of poetry and the intuition of science. In order to bask in that magic a wise reader reads the book of genius not with his heart, not so much with his brain, but with his spine. It is there that occurs the telltale tingle even though we must keep a little aloof, a little detached when reading. Then with a pleasure which is both sensual and intellectual we shall watch the artist build his castle of cards and watch the castle of cards become a castle of beautiful steel and glass.