Professor Howard Zinn’s purpose for writing “A People’s History of the United States”

1. In a nutshell, Professor Howard Zinn’s purpose for writing â€Å"A People’s History of the United States† was to offer a history of the United States (from the first settlers all the way to the mid ­1970’s at the time of publishing) that did not outright lie or â€Å"sugar coat† our country’s past. Furthermore, Zenn seeks to avoid manipulating our history as a means to calm the reader, albeit causing controversy when his book first debuted.Additionally, in the word’s of the author himself, â€Å"If history is to be creative, to anticipate a possible future without denying the past, it should, I believe, emphasize new possibilities by disclosing those hidden episodes of the past when, even if in brief flashes, people showed their ability to resist, to join together, occasionally to win. I am supposing, or perhaps only hoping, that our future may be found in the past's fugitive moments of compassion rather than in its solid centuri es of warfare.†By this, I’m confident one of his goals was to demonstrate the impact of the human spirit and how even though â€Å"A People’s History of the United States† is filled with the sad reality that conflict is always present in our society, it also shows that sometimes good triumphs over evil and that maybe history doesn’t have to repeat itself once more. 2.The thesis for pages 1 ­11 of, â€Å"A People’s History of the United States† essentially revolves around the statement, â€Å"It is enough to make us question, for that time and ours, the excuse of progress in the annihilation of races, and the telling of history from the standpoint of the conquerors and leaders of Western civilization. † This is a concise summary of pages 1 ­11, stating the claim of Zenn’s underlying argument in regards to all the information presented in the first chapter. 3. Howard Zinn held the now ­mainstream idea that traditional (school) history

Beneath Clouds Speech – the Persona of Lena

Mr Teacher was kind enough to invite me here today to inform you of my journey to discover my personal identity and all of the trials and tribulations that came with it. For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Lena and I come from an Aboriginal Irish background. Everyone I want you to imagine feeling so alone, trapped, isolated and different from everyone around you. Feeling so alienated that you absolutely have to get out. That’s how I felt at the beginning of my journey. I was a white girl living in an aboriginal society, isolated by my own heritage. I lived with my mother, stepfather and younger brother in a rural area; they were a typical aboriginal family. My parents were alcoholics and smokers and my brother was a thief. There was no way I wanted to end up like them and I knew my only way out was to find my biological father. My biological father loved to travel so he left me when I was really young so he could live the life that he always dreamed of living. The last I heard he was living somewhere in Sydney. In my head that sounded perfect, I was old enough that he wouldn’t have to do much to care for me so he could still travel and almost anything was better than living with a family that couldn’t care less about me. So I left. I know it was somewhat selfish to abandon my family out of the blue but I was fed up with living a disadvantaged life when I knew I could accomplish so much more. To make matters worse I missed my bus to Sydney because I was busy retching in the bathroom since I ate some revolting food. I was pretty much stranded in the middle of nowhere with no options except to wait for the next bus. To my surprise one of the most unusual things happened, a young boy roughly around my age hopped out of the back of a milk truck. I was almost certain that Dairy Farmers milk didn’t produce young boys, so naturally I assumed there was something dubious about him especially since he reeked of immorality. However he did say something that set off a light bulb in my head. He asked ‘which way is it to Sydney? ’ and he just started walking. Then I thought why the heck was I sitting on my butt when I could be on my way to Sydney, so I set off on foot as well. Eventually I learnt the boy’s name was Vaughn, I tried to remain distant from him though because his whole essence was exactly what I was trying to escape from; the stereotypical life of an Aboriginal. He was on the run because he escaped from a detention centre. Don’t get me wrong, he did have some morals; the only reason he even escaped was to see his Mother because she was on her death bed. However Vaughn was in the detention centre for a reason and some facts are just hard to overlook. Vaughn was actually a relatively nice guy once you got to know him. I remember we both hitch-hiked a ride from a bunch of Aboriginals and the driver slapped a girl in the face. I found his behaviour so repulsive that I told him to stop the car; I would’ve rather walked than stayed in the car with the likes of him. Vaughn had the opportunity to stay with his buddies that he so kindly referred to as ‘cuz’ but he didn’t, instead he got out of the car and walked with me. I have a very tough exterior so the fact that Vaughn was able to break through that and make me feel touched was extraordinary. I think that was the first time that I actually started to trust Vaughn, unfortunately our relationship ran very hot and cold so that never lasted for long. By the end of our journey I believe Vaughn and I made lasting impressions on each other; he taught me the importance of embracing my heritage and I would like to think that some of my morals brushed off on him. Vaughn was such major part of my journey, without him I wouldn’t be who I am today. So when it came time to part ways it was very emotional; we barely spoke and our goodbye was a simple hug, then I was on a train to Sydney. It wasn’t until after the train pulled away that the true reality of the situation hit me, I was never going to see him again that’s when the tears started to roll freely down my face. I’m sure by now many of you are wondering ‘did she ever find her father? Unfortunately I didn’t. When I finally arrived in Sydney I discovered that my father had passed away several years ago which is why he hadn’t remained in contact. I guess it would be kind of difficult to remain in contact when you are on the other side. However my journey wasn’t entirely pointless, I am now living out my dream of being a writer and Sydney gave me all the opportunities that I always thought I deserved. I believe that this entire journey help ed me discover my personal identity. It made me realise that no matter what, you should always stand by your beliefs and persevere. There is a saying ‘the grass is greener on the other side’ but I don’t believe that’s true, I believe ‘the grass is greener where you water it’. So if you put in the effort you can achieve anything. I think that is one of the rules I now live my life by and it was highly influenced by my journey. I would like to thank you all for listening to my speech and I hope I didn’t take up too much of your time.

The Change in Male and Female Roles Before & Today Essay

The Change in Male and Female Roles Before & Today - Essay Example Speaking of social expectations for both, males are expected to provide for the family or pay for dates at all times while females are to manage the children, the household, and provide emotional support (Jaffari, TTS Holistic Counselor Mehdi, n.d.) Looking at the male and females roles in relationships today in contrast to what I have mentioned above, there has been a lot of reversal of roles. Females today are not secluded to giving signals when showing interest in a guy. Being direct and honest about the feeling, verbally or inaction is already welcome. When it comes to courtship, males are not the only ones who does the pursuing. There are a lot of aggressive girls today who will do everything to get what she wants, and taking a guy out for dates have started to be a common thing. When it comes to male and female responsibilities, males are not the only ones expected to bring in food in the table. Instead, women today are more empowered to take on a job and a journey towards self-actualization that does not stop when she finally gets married.

The use of the Alternative voting system in parliamentary elections Essay

The use of the Alternative voting system in parliamentary elections would improve democracy in the united kingdom - Essay Example These reforms are sometimes evolutionary in nature and take place gradually over a long time-period; sometimes are revolutionary in nature and takes place at the spur of a moment; while at other times are deliberately brought in through changes in the legislation. UK has seen in many such reforms that have made it a modern democracy with elected representatives, from being a monarchic state (Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor, 2007, 9). My article will examine the current electoral changes that have been proposed, which signal the ushering in of the Alternative Voting system (AVs). This topic has been in debate in the UK parliament for quite some years, and is currently under review, in the House of Lords and the Parliament. My article will explore to find out whether the changes in the electoral processes that will bring in use of the Alternative Voting System or AVs in parliamentary elections, would actually work towards improving democracy in United Kingdom. Discus sion What is AV: â€Å"AV represents a very simple change to our current First-Past-the-Post (FPTP) voting system. The principle behind AV is a no-brainer: the winner in an election should need the support of a majority of the people. AV makes this happen with ‘preference voting’. ... In the present electoral process that is known as the First-Past-the–Post or FPTP, Candidate ‘A’ has garnered the maximum number of votes, and is the clearly the winner, though he hasn’t received even 50% of the total vote share, that is, majority of the voters are not backing him, yet under the present legislation, yet he must be declared the winner, thus casting aspirations on the true nature of UK democracy. However, under AV we find there are certain changes in the whole process that are certainly more democratic in nature. â€Å"With AV voters’ ‘first preferences’ are counted as before. As no candidate has 50% support the last placed candidate, ‘D’, is eliminated, and her supporters’ second preferences are transferred to the others. Still no candidate has 50% support, so candidate ‘C’ drops out and his voters’ second choices are transferred. ‘B’ emerges with majority support. She wins!†(Ibid.) Is AV more democratic in nature? A basic problem of the FPTP system that undermines the very meaning of the word democracy is that, often under this process the candidate who does not have the support of the majority of the voters, emerge as the winner. AV addresses this fundamental problem, and ensures that the winner is the person who genuinely enjoys the support of the maximum number of the voters in UK. Thus, we find we find that this system represents a more fair form of the electoral procedure, which brings forth the person who is the actual choice of the majority. The FPTPs that is in use in present day UK general elections and also used for local councils in England and Wales, is an ancient and rather outdated process, which started during the

The study of sociology and its applications Essay

The study of sociology and its applications - Essay Example However, in order to be successful, I know that I need to get an in-depth knowledge of how sociology is efficiently done. Thus, in recognition of the availability of various resources in the World Wide Web, this paper will include mostly articles from the internet together with books and magazines where doing sociology can be easily understood and efficiently taught. The best starting point in undertaking the research in doing sociology is Lee Harvey and Morag McDonald's Doing Sociology: A Practical Introduction which is published by Palgrave and McMillan in 1993. Though the edition is quite old, the book is still valuable in the sense that it encourages readers to learn by doing "combining sociological theory with research methods and social philosophy in an accessible way." Being focused on first-year degree students, this book is a must for starters. On the other hand, Sociology: The Core with PowerWeb written by Michael Hughes and Carolyn Kroeler provides a more recent discussion of sociological issues. After a straightforward presentation of what sociological imagination is, the book specializes in applying the functionalist, interactionist, and conflict perspective to the various sociological debates and issues. The best feature of this book is its ability to relate real world examples to the theories and concepts presented inside the classroom. Recognizing the popularity of internet in the provision of data and information used in understanding the happenings and situations of an individual nation and the world as a whole, visiting the Virtual Explorations in Sociology created by Prof. Robert E. Wood of the State University of New Jersey also proves very helpful. This virtual tour is designed to introduce students to the resources for sociology in the internet. T is broken down in areas most discussed in sociology like deviance, race and ethnicity, and the field where I am most interested at-economics. The websites presented in the tour comprises "official U.S. and U.N. sites, academic sites, advocacy sites, personal sites, and others" which are very important for data mining. The virtual tour also tests the progress of students by giving quizzes. This is a fun way of interactive learning. Focusing on the relation of business and sociology, much information can be gathered in the websites where recent business news and ideologies are presented like Times online and Financial Times. These websites contain the most recent news in the global arena and is also organized in a way that readers and users can choose the geographic region the news comes from. It should be noted though that these articles do not directly relate sociology to real world cases but stimulates the readers by making them think how sociological imagination explains the recent trends in the business arena. I find searching the archive for specific news and articles about human interaction, behavior, and global trends as an exciting way to learn and explore how sociology is imprinted on business activities. For example, I am amused at how business organizations are increasingly turning to use of social corporate responsibility in order to enhance their image and increase their bottom line. For me, this is a new trend that sociology can explain through its theory of social contract and social

Describe the impact of neuronal and neurotransmitter abnormalities on Essay

Describe the impact of neuronal and neurotransmitter abnormalities on brain function - Essay Example All of them are associated with decreasing patients’ intellectual abilities and certain physical abnormalities that affect significantly normal human activities (Deb S., McHugh R, 2010). Neurons are special nerve cells in human organism, which are able to transfer the information from one cell to another within the whole human body, and in such way support normal human activities and provide adequate reactions for all outside and inside irritants. According to Stufflebeam, â€Å"neurons  are the basic information processing structures in the CNS† (Stufflebeam, 2008).   Neurons are joined in some kind of network with neuroglial cells that support and protect them providing all the conditions for transmitting electric impulses and special chemicals called transmitters. â€Å"Every information processing  system  in the CNS is composed of neurons and glia; so too are the  networks  that compose the systems (and the maps)†¦   Glia  (or  glial cells) are the cells that provide support to the neurons.  Ã¢â‚¬  (Stufflebeam, 2008).   There is a huge amount of different categories of neurons, which are quite diverse within their structure. Usually, the types of neuron cells are classified in the following way (Stufflebeam): sensory neurons  serve for transmission of the information from sensory receptors to CNS by means nerve impulses though their long axons. Motor neurons  are also equipped with comparably long axons and convey nerve impulses from CNS to muscles and glands in human body. Interneurons  are also known as relay or connector neurons and commonly have cells of smaller size with a lot of interconnections to transfer information among different types of neurons. Neurotransmission process The main function of neuron cells is to receive the needful information from other neurons and to send it further through the whole human body. The process of information transferring is quite sophisticated and even nowadays th ere exist a lot of disagreements concerning its certain features. â€Å"Neurotransmission  (or  synaptic transmission) is communication between neurons as accomplished by the movement of chemicals or electrical signals across a synapse† (Stufflebeam, 2008).   There are two main stages in neuronal information transmitting (Stufflebeam): intracellular signaling represents communication between neurons through the instrumentality of special chemical mediums called neurotransmitters. intercellular signaling means that information is transmitted inside one neuronal cell in a form of electric impulses, which speed could reach 150 m/s. These impulses are called action potentials and are transferred through neurons’ axons. Further, they are transformed into transmitters at chemical synapses. According to Stufflebeam, â€Å"for any interneuron, its function is to receive INPUT "information"  from other neurons through synapses, to process that information, then to send "information" as OUTPUT to other neurons through synapses† (Stufflebeam, 2008). Brain abnormalities Peter and Singer (2006) state that most of the brain’s cognitive functions are founded on the synchronized communications of many neurons, which leads to the obvious conclusion that even tiny deviations in normal neurons functioning could cause quite serious

Current legal topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Current legal topic - Essay Example The lead prosecutor on the case was Joel I. Klein. This essay aims at explaining the United States versus Microsoft corporation lawsuit tussle. When governmental and privately owned corporations are lawfully at loggerheads as much as justice must prevail, the government interests must be sublingually served. In this case, for instance, it was 20 American states versus Microsoft Corporation (The United States Department of Justice). Firstly, the legality of business practices by Microsoft Corporation in the American technological marketing structures was questionable. In the American corporation policy, it is often provided for a capitalistic competition rather than monopolistic competition. This country is a capitalist hence various businesses are allowed in the money market. Becoming a monopoly, therefore, made Microsoft Corporation as self-interested business entity as opposed to the government, which serves the interest of the people. The Plaintiffs alleged that Microsoft Corporation abused the monopolistic competition legal framework by using Intel-based personal computers (The United States Department of Justice). Acco rdingly, Microsoft operating system and web-browser sales were acquiring a larger sales portion than other market competitors were. To reduce this monopoly, the American government had to act swiftly to serve its capitalistic nature interest. Overly, the issue central to this case was whether Microsoft would be left at the epitome of the flagship internet explorer web browser software in its Microsoft windows system or pave way for other corporations. Seemingly, Microsoft did not emerge the winner in this legal battle as the government rightfully accused the company. Additionally, the government was serving the interest of many in the America corporate world. In conclusion, the law according to this case should allow for a free and fair market competition among the computer marketing structure. For

Strategies in Teaching L2 Writing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Strategies in Teaching L2 Writing - Essay Example There is heightened cognitive interference when these procedures are jumbled with second language processing cognitive mechanisms. The degree of interference varies depending on a student’s proficiency level whereby students with a higher proficiency level have less interference, and the reverse holds true for students with a lower proficiency level. More often than not, L2 learners depend on their L1 writing to gain proficiency in their L2 writing; however, the extent of usage also varies based on the level of proficiency. L2 learners with a high proficiency level rely on their L1 writing skills less due to their heightened L2 knowledge, which in turn gives them the autonomy to sustain the writing process without the risk of a complete breakdown. This is far from the case for lower L2 proficiency learners, a factor that has triggered scholars’ interest in researching teaching strategies designed to help the former develop proficiency despite their drawbacks. These stra tegies vary among scholars; for example, for Cuming and Uzawa (1989), they included two distinct strategies- â€Å"lowering the standard†, and â€Å"keeping the standard†. The former allowed instructors to teach L2 writing within a reasonable timeframe while utilizing minimal mental effort; it included strategies such as simplification of syntax, and reduction of information among others. On the other hand, the latter strategy allowed instructors to teach L2 writing by maintaining the standards achieved by learners in L1 writing; it included strategies such as extensive revision (Uzawa, and Cuming, 1989). In contemporary society, technology continues to play a vital role in students’ acquisition of L2 writing. Explored in this essay is the use of technology in teaching L2 writing, impact of the educational environment, teaching strategies used for lower proficiency L2 writing learners, and the effect of peer and

Analysis and Response Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Analysis and Response - Movie Review Example But the desperate situations make him fight back. Remarkably, he wins over the enemies and destroys even one who betrayed him. Finally, in the climax he realizes that a drifter does not deserve a woman therefore; and leaving away his girl friend he walks towards the Club. Seijun Suzuki, a well known director of Japan introduced many techniques and tactics in this film, making it a significant one. The specific feature to be discussed and appreciated is the camera techniques. The film is the combination of black and white and color. Initially, the film received many compliments for the editing and different processes involved in image telecasting in unique style and in color. Color is rightly used at different occasions matching with the mood and situation. Most of the scenes are outstanding as color is appropriately applied. One such example for this technique is that the movie begins with black and white in color. And vibrant color is applied during the action sections, realizing th at vibrant images of action scenes evoke the emotion of the viewer. The particular fight scene shows the real anger and intensity of the fighter. Therefore, the story is clearly explained without any difficulty. Color is not just given priority at a violence scene but throughout the action scenes, understanding the real applicability of it. In addition, the editing of color gained many appreciations. Moreover many believed that color is the key factor for the success of the film in the box office. Of course, it deserves certain kind of worldwide recognition. Secondly, the music and sound technique play a vital in the movie. It is the well known fact that the music is an inevitable for the achievement of every film. Surprisingly, the movie Tokyo Drifter is an exemplary example for this. Techniques used behind the music and sound demand high value. Apart from this, the song sung by the actor has greater importance which was also introduced in the film. The music of Tokyo drifter is so mething unique in its presentation unlike other Japanese style of music. Every music piece is organized with the proper meaning, the situation of different feelings and melodious voice. Music is as soothing to the years and mind as one of the theme related song â€Å"Tokyo drifter song† clearly indicates it. As he sings the wordings â€Å"I’m a Drifter, the man from Tokyo’ a real feeling of circumstance is experienced. Therefore, such songs tell the story and attract the attention of everyone. Eventually, no matter one would come to a conclusion that a movie with ineffective music will have a negative impact on the overall success of the movie in the box office. The most significant filming technique of the film Tokyo Drifter is nothing but the very nature of storytelling. The style of storytelling is quite unconventional. Initially, a relevant theme is selected and organized with creative and innovative ideas. Unlike all other themes he rightly selected a soci al issue of gangs. Although the hero shows loyalty to the boss even after a defeat, the situations push him to a new world of wandering like monk leaving everything aside. Thereafter, he takes revenge on enemies, precisely not a revenge but can be rightly said a kind of survival tactics. Since the theme and activities undertaken are adventurous, the fight scenes gained its right rhythm. The most significant part of the storytelling is the unusual and unexpected ending of the film. Such kind of climax and

Reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 73

Reflection - Essay Example I have taken this concept of leadership from the leader of Starbucks where he consults and engages the low level staff before making a decision. Thirdly, and lastly, I have learnt the concept of objectivity and subjectivity in relation to financial management and asset acquisition. This is from the considerations that the Starbucks Company has to consider some aspects accepting offers. All these concepts that I have learnt apply both to my professional and personal life in terms of being an effective resources manager pertaining to corporate resources and making personal budgets to avoid spendthrift activities (CheckMate, 2009). Leadership also applies to both professional and personal life in that I will engage the junior employees in a company once employed and even in my personal life I will be an effective leader. Lastly, the concept of critical analysis and subjectivity and objectivity applies in my professional life in terms of assessing all aspects before making decisions on taking or dropping offers or venture g into a certain activity. This applies in my personal life as well since it can help me in making a decision with first assessing the different

If the gold standard was in use today, would it hinder economic growth Essay Example for Free

If the gold standard was in use today, would it hinder economic growth Essay The gold standard refers to a monetary system in which the unit of account of money will be fixed with the weight of gold. There are many people who argue that the gold standard should be implemented to bring down the inflation. By fixing the supply of money with gold, the government will not be able to issue money without having gold in reserve. However, on the other hand, there are experts who argue that by fixing the supply of money with gold, economic growth will be hindered as the amount of gold available on Earth is limited (Mises, 2009). This paper will show that the gold standard will hinder economic growth. I’ll firstly argue that there is a limited amount of gold in this world. Secondly, economic growth is seen as limited. Lastly, the amount of commerce will eventually reach a level equal to the gold holdings by the central bank of the country. Economic growth will be hindered if the gold standard is applied as there is a finite amount of gold in the world. Economic growth requires that there should be sufficient liquidity in the system. By adhering to the gold standard, economic growth will be hindered as to supply more money, the government will first need to buy gold. (Skousen, 1997) Secondly, economic growth is seen to be unlimited. This doesn’t complement with the gold standard, as the amount of gold is limited in the world. If economic growth is to be unlimited, then there must be enough money supply to finance it. The gold standard makes to difficult for governments to issue money, which in fact limits economic growth. (Cagan, 1982) Lastly, if the value of the dollar is limited by the amount of gold, then amount of commerce would reach a level equal to the gold holdings. In order for more money to be issued, the government would have to purchase more gold to back the increase in dollars issued. All the three points written above are influenced by the single factor that the supply is limited, while the demand for gold seems to be unlimited. (Cagan, 1982) Another problem with the gold standard is how to determine what weight of gold will equal to one unit of account. Furthermore, the gold standard can be suicidal for developing economies. Developing economies will need to buy gold to finance their economic growth, which might already be to expensive to buy for them. Currently, these economies are able to finance it through a budget deficit. Moreover, how will the gold standard be able to handle the speed and complexity of today’s financial transactions? Lastly, if the world shifts to a gold standard, then all the governments will need to burn huge amount of fiat money to make sure that the money supply equals to the amount of gold in the economy. Eichengreen Marc, 1997) In conclusion, I believe that although by adhering to the gold standard the level of inflation will come down. However, the economic growth of a country will be hinder. The major reason for this is the limited supply of gold. Furthermore, if the gold standard is implemented the prices of gold will shoot up, making it more difficult for developing economies to grow up. Last ly, the government will need to burn huge amounts of fiat money to make sure that the there is no extra money in the economy.

Impact That Jerzy Grotowskis Poor Theatre

Impact That Jerzy Grotowskis Poor Theatre Jerzy Grotowskis poor theatre is an experimental concept which influences performers to go back to theatrical roots using the voice and body as the main production. Just like many avant-garde artists he strived to pull away from the regular theatre conventions through other influences. Grotowskis main theatrical idea was depicted by the theatrical devices used throughout performance, such as lights, sound, sets, costume and makeup; the way which theatre is portrayed on stage was to compete with cinema and television which was perceived as Rich Theatre. Grotowski argued that if theatre cannot be richer than the cinema, then let it be poor. (Grotowski, 1968, p. 41) Stripping the stage of all its technical and aesthetic parts leaves just the actor and the audience; this creates a more emphasised performance for the audience as all their left to watch is the performance its self. Throughout this essay, I will be discovering how poor theatre has impacted contemporary theatre practice. Grotowski became a massive influence towards Peter Brook and through working together and discovering new exercises Brook learned how to make poverty an ideal (Brook, 1996, p.72) he saw firsthand just how his methods works with actors: To verbalise is to complicate and even to destroy exercises that are clear and simple when indicated by a gesture and when executed by the mind and body as one. (Brook, Grotowski, 1968, p. 13) Grotowski believed that the actor should be fully aware of his own body making full use of gestures and facial expressions, and the use of costume, makeup and sound is just a mask covering what an actor can really produce. To further an actors technique requires Intense physical training which Grotowski concentrated more on the body and developing natural resonators. His exercises were given very little instruction in order for an actor to interpret them in their own way. In contemporary practice we can see how Grotowskis physical ideas of performance has had its influence. Physical theatre groups such as DV8 has had a major impact through Grotowskis methods. Lloyd Newson who is the founder of DV8 describes physical theatre as a Grotowski based term: DV8 were one of the first groups in Britain to call their work physical theatre, which is a Grotowski-based term (Giannachi, and Luckhurst,1999, p. 109) Many physical theatre groups work without money, in order to create their own scenery and props with their own bodies, just as Grotowski strived his actors to work on a bare stage, physical theatre could be seen as a concept of poor theatre. Another of Grotowskis techniques of poor theatre was the awareness between the actor and audience relationship, believing that theatre can exist without the set, costume etc. but it cannot exist without an audience. Grotowski wanted the actors to experiment with how the audience are perceived: The actors can play among the spectators the actors may build structures among the spectatorsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the actors may play among the spectators and ignore them, looking through them. The spectators may be separated from the actors - (Grotowski, 1968, p. 20) He experimented with the space, shape, and size of the audience trying to find a both a spiritual and spacial awareness for the audiences relationship with the actors. Above all this Grotowski believed that an actor audience relationship was essential, his methods and ideas of the relationship can now be perceived as environmental theatre. (Slowiak and Cuesta, 2007, p. 12) However Grotowski believed the intention of the performance can distinguish the audiences involvement of the performance. As well as Grotowski, there are other practitioners such as Brecht and Artaud whose influence was to break down the fourth wall; in contemporary practice more theatrical groups experiment with this. Groups such as Thà ©Ãƒ ¢tre de Complicità © and kneehigh began to form through the eighties who based their performances with no fourth wall and full audience participation. One of Grotowskis major influences was Artaud, they both had ideas of how theatre should be depicted with symbolism, eastern theatrical and ritualistic senses. Grotowski used many oriental techniques throughout his exercises and workshops in order to bring out the best of body movement: Also particularly stimulating to me are the training techniques of oriental theatre (Grotowski, 1968, p. 16) His most undetermined pragmatic approach to eastern physicality was yoga which he used as the foundation for his physical exercises. However he became increasingly sceptical about the use of yoga throughout theatre and rather than disregard the yoga movements he adapted them. In more contemporary practices yoga is used between physical theatre groups. DV8 in specific use yoga using Grotowskis exploration, where he insisted that the mood after yoga is one that puts you under rest; which generally destroys the enthusiasm for expression: Grotowski called it an internal sleep, an inexpressive equilibrium, a great rest which ends all actions.' (Callery, 2001, p. 27) DV8s analysis was also that yoga gave a different energy, but also that other physical exercise such as aerobics also gave a different energy. They therefore discovered their own means of physical exercise in order to find new potentials. (Callery, 2001, p. 27) In conclusion, many contemporary theatrical groups and practices all use forms of Grotowskis practices. Groups without money tend to form the black box stripped theatre in order to create poor theatre focusing mainly on body and facial expressions. Physical theatre companies also use the bare stage in order to create their own props and scenery through body language and movement. Also the spectator and actor relationship can be seen through many of todays performances as well as other practitioners work. Grotowskis physicality and experimental exercises can be seen through contemporary practice, but can only be portrayed through an actors own discovery.

A Third Leg In The Strategy Tripod Commerce Essay

A Third Leg In The Strategy Tripod Commerce Essay In recent times strategy has become a major and significant part of international businesses (IB). A strategy is there to help the organisation to achieve its objectives and goals. There are various factors in the industry that multinationals can take to make investment decisions, nevertheless in the international business environment, it has been dominated by both industry and resource base views. A resource base view lies within the company and not on the outside, it also tells us how the company or organisation will deliver a sustainable competitive advantage and how these resources will be controlled and managed in a way that its end results cant be copied by its competitors and would create a competitive barrier and generate a competitive advantage at a sustainable level Porter 1980).An industry base view is based on a clear understanding of the organisations competitive and economic structure, the challenge here is to position the company in a way that it could gain a bigger po rtion of the profits in the market that the company is operating in and even with new entrants coming into the market place , the organisation should turn its core competencies in an advantage. According to the journal the authors (M.W.Peng, D.Y.L. Wang and Y. Jiang) state that the view of international business strategy emerged through and institution base. They also state that this one of the legs that support and uphold the tripod strategy, and the other two part of the tripod strategy is based on a resource base view and an industry base view. In the journal the authors did a review of four distinct characteristic s or qualities of important research , these four characteristics are :(1)antidumping as entry barriers;(2)competing in and out of India;(3)growing the firm in China and the fourth being governing the corporation in emerging economies. According to the authors they state that there were questions confronting the international business raised by (Peng 2004a), where he identified emerging nations in Asia to indicate a realistic and intermediate phase during the early and late stages of institution transitions. In the article the authors stats two arguments that is based on network strengths and network content. To determine strategy and performance the authors cite (Porters 1980) competitive strategy, which a frame works for industry analysis (Porters Five Force analysis). A third leg in the strategy tripod In the third leg of the strategy tripod the authors state that the industry-base view is rooted in a way the MNEs strategy is based on certain conditions within the nature of the industry that the company has a focus on. They (authors) also state that with a resource based view IB concentrate more internally that externally, as most of the value lies within the organisation. With both industry and resource-based views, it still brings up questions to investment locations. In the tripod strategy the authors cite (Scot 1995:33) where he define institutions as concrete structures , e.g. buildings and as human capital , including political and social aspects which they state , e.g.corruption,economic liberations and ethical norms , these are a few examples from the article that also affect the stability of markets that MNEs operate in. Research by (Lawrence Lorsch , 1969) clearly shows that the dominate part of research is a task environment view , where economic variables were looked at and what the market demand are and a change in technology.(Peng 2008) states that shaping strategies and performance have an impact on both formal and informal institutions. Antidumping as entry barriers Peng citing (Porter 1980) states one of the five forces that govern competitiveness within an industry is entry barriers. Within the IB environment entry barriers give rise to a new term known as liability of foreignness. Dumping is legally defined as an exporter selling goods below price abroad. Mexico is an active user of anti-dumping policy and they have initiated investigations against China. Anti-dumping is a contingent protection and is permitted by the WTO, the law is there to protect market price and minimum pricing protection is inconsistent with regards to anti-dumping legislation. The law was primarily used by four nations, USA, EU, Canada and Australia. During the period 1995-2000 South Africa had 173 anti-dumping investigations and 113 anti-dumping measures imposed, compared to USA with 354 and 219 and India with 400 and 302. In Australia, Customs is responsible for anti-dumping and the Department of Commercial Defence in Brazil and discrimination is also evident, whereb y cases are filled by local companies. Competing in and out of India (Dacin, Goodstein Scot, 2002) state that institutional logic is what shapes a companys strategy. Peng cites (Kapur Ramaurti, 2001) that Indian and non-Indian company strategies are affected by politics, societal and legal changes, also documented in the article is the rise of Indias information technology (IT) and there emergence as the 2nd largest player in the IT field behind the USA. The reason for the growth in India is due to government investing in higher education. Since 1991 India made major changes to its legal and regulatory reforms and this has liberalized the economy and made it a competitive market for IBs. Indian companies abroad are having issues with the local or host countries, where the western countries are passing laws to protect jobs and a ban on contracts to the Indian companies.(Lewin Peeters 2006) state that a lot of MNEs have invested in India because of the quality of work and the value created by the IT industry .MNEs that invested in India are Cisco , I BM , SAP and GE to mention a few , these MNEs also tap into the talent pool and with the arrival of so many MNEs in India , it has forced the local IT companies to be more competitive. Growing the firm in China Chinas growth started in 1978, it embarked on economic reform and prior to that everything was state controlled. The government liberalised foreign investment and trade and relaxed on prices. They invested by educating their workforce and industrial production. IMF research shows increase worker efficiencies are the major factors behind the growing economy, together with new factories , machinery for manufacturing and communications. (Peng Heath , 1996 ) did research that shows the local managers in China and the interpersonal networks has helped informal substitutes and has translated micro into macro , thus linking alliances to grow the company. According to (North, 1990) strategic choices are formed through networks of formal and informal structures, where he states the weakness come from formal institutions and informal institutions with governing relations play a bigger role in organisation strategies and performance. Governing the Corporate in Emerging Economies According to (Jensen Meckling 1976) the system used to govern developed economies is known as the Anglo-America system, they also state that conflicts by both the shareholder and managers are the key conflict issues.(Morck,2000:11)states that concentrated ownership is how most companies throughout the world is controlled. In emerging nations the authors raise issues where key conflicts are based on two principles and this is controlling and minority shareholders. Emerging nations that do not understand the nature of conflict policies in corporate governance becomes disastrous and irrelevant. In South Africa which is an emerging nation, directors are appointed from outside to assist the company in improving its performance. , e.g. Pick n Pay a south African company employed its CEO from the UK (Tesco) , Pick n Pay is a family owned company (90%) with a smaller interest from outside shareholders. IB in emerging economies have to focus on various things other than the companies capabilities and the nature of the business .IBs have to focus on the political aspect , as well as cultural and language. In South Africa they have to understand the countrys diverse race groups, religions and languages as the country has eleven official languages, as for China MNEs are operating on their door step via Hong Kong and with India now a leader in the IT field, the west must work together with both China and India so that capitalise on their resources. Industry-base view and resource-based view are there to maintain a tripod strategy, thus giving the opportunity to IBs to invest in foreign countries and to gain market share

The Importance of Friendship in Mark Twains The Adventures of Hucklebe

The Importance of Friendship in Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Aristotle was once asked what he thought friendship was. His response was, "One soul inhabiting two bodies." This was the kind of relationship that Huckleberry Finn and Jim shared in Mark Twain's epic novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. This novel is a tool that Mark Twain, whose real name was Samuel Langhorne Clemmons, was using to impress the great benefits of friendship upon society. However, others feel that Clemmons was using this book for another motive, to promote racism and ever since The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was published in 1885, there have been people trying to ban it from public bookshelves and trying to remove it from required reading lists, alleging that it promoted racism. This was not Mark Twain's motive; rather, he was trying to show how the prejudices that society places upon people could be overcome by friendship. Mark Twain's novel has caused much controversy from the beginning. In 1885, the year the book was published, the Concord, Massachusetts Public Library banned the book and described it as "trash and suitable only for the slums" (Haight 1). Other than saying that the book was trash, the library did not express any reason for the book's banning, but it can be assumed that the reason was racism. The complaints did not end there: in New York City, seventy-two years later, Twain's publication found itself "dropped from a list of approved books for senior and junior high schools, partly because of objection to frequent use of the term 'nigger' and famed character 'Nigger Jim,'" (2). The statement from New York showed from where the popular misconception of Twain's intent comes; the usage of the word, "nig... ...t Huck and Jim shared, Huckleberry probably would have never seen Jim as an equal. Huck and Jim showed that friendship is so powerful that it can overcome any obstacle, even prejudices created by society - this was the message that Mark Twain was promoting, and certainly cannot be counted as offensive to anyone. The classic tale of Huck and Jim's travels down the Mississippi River dealt with many complex issues, but the most important of these is friendship. This is what Mark Twain was promoting, not racism. Friendship does not need to be banned from our society; neither does The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Works Cited American Library Association. "Challenged and Banned Books." Haight, Anne Lyon & B., Chandler. "'Tom Sawyer' and 'Huckleberry Finn.'" Phan, Giang & Nguyen, Diep. "Pro Huck Finn." Twain, Mark. "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn." The Importance of Friendship in Mark Twain's The Adventures of Hucklebe The Importance of Friendship in Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Aristotle was once asked what he thought friendship was. His response was, "One soul inhabiting two bodies." This was the kind of relationship that Huckleberry Finn and Jim shared in Mark Twain's epic novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. This novel is a tool that Mark Twain, whose real name was Samuel Langhorne Clemmons, was using to impress the great benefits of friendship upon society. However, others feel that Clemmons was using this book for another motive, to promote racism and ever since The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was published in 1885, there have been people trying to ban it from public bookshelves and trying to remove it from required reading lists, alleging that it promoted racism. This was not Mark Twain's motive; rather, he was trying to show how the prejudices that society places upon people could be overcome by friendship. Mark Twain's novel has caused much controversy from the beginning. In 1885, the year the book was published, the Concord, Massachusetts Public Library banned the book and described it as "trash and suitable only for the slums" (Haight 1). Other than saying that the book was trash, the library did not express any reason for the book's banning, but it can be assumed that the reason was racism. The complaints did not end there: in New York City, seventy-two years later, Twain's publication found itself "dropped from a list of approved books for senior and junior high schools, partly because of objection to frequent use of the term 'nigger' and famed character 'Nigger Jim,'" (2). The statement from New York showed from where the popular misconception of Twain's intent comes; the usage of the word, "nig... ...t Huck and Jim shared, Huckleberry probably would have never seen Jim as an equal. Huck and Jim showed that friendship is so powerful that it can overcome any obstacle, even prejudices created by society - this was the message that Mark Twain was promoting, and certainly cannot be counted as offensive to anyone. The classic tale of Huck and Jim's travels down the Mississippi River dealt with many complex issues, but the most important of these is friendship. This is what Mark Twain was promoting, not racism. Friendship does not need to be banned from our society; neither does The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Works Cited American Library Association. "Challenged and Banned Books." Haight, Anne Lyon & B., Chandler. "'Tom Sawyer' and 'Huckleberry Finn.'" Phan, Giang & Nguyen, Diep. "Pro Huck Finn." Twain, Mark. "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn."

The Lost Identitiy of Othello Essay -- GCSE Coursework Shakespeare Oth

The Lost Identitiy of Othello  Ã‚   Othello's identity in the Venetian society is his role as "the Moor". Few people use his real name when talking about him. When speaking the given quote, Othello is telling the Venetians how he won Desdemona's heart by telling her the story of his life, and he now retells it to the Venetians. This tale-telling is a way of employing the linguistic system to reshape for himself a new identity with more positive connotations than "the Moor" can offer. "The Moor" is an expression the Venetians connect to other expressions in the linguistic system which all have a negative value. Examples are such expressions as "old black ram... The above excerpt is provided as reference only.   The complete essay begins below. When considering the identity of Othello, in Shakespeare's play Othello, it is beneficial to ponder the quote "I am not what I am.". Perhaps Othello finds his identity threatened by Desdemona's reaction to his tales. In order to understand this better, it is useful to note a quote from Pam Morris: Literature and Feminism, (Blackwell, 1993) where she discusses the resolution of the Oedipal crisis. For Freud the outcome of the child's fear of castration is its submission to the reality principle and hence its entry into the social order. For Lacan this must coincide with the child's entry into the language system.....Language is thus the Law of the father; a linguistic system within which our social and gender identity is always already structured. (p. 104) Othello's identity in the Venetian society is his role as "the Moor". Few people use his real name when talking about him. When speaking the given quote, Othello is telling the Venetians how he won Desdemona's heart by tel... ... in himself he found it impossible that anybody else should do so. This insecurity proves his undoing. His positive self-image gone, he is left a choice between "the Moor" or nothingness. The moment Emilia realizes Othello is the murderer she reverts to calling him expressions connected to the negative image of "the Moor": "And you the blacker devil!...thou art a devil." (V, ii, 129, 131) He can't stand being this person, the only one society and the symbolic order can offer him. To construct his own identity has proven impossible. To be without an identity, a non-personn implies death. He chooses to free himself of this unwanted identity by stepping out of the social order and the language system by means of suicide. Works Cited: Shakespeare, William. Othello. The Complete. Moby (tm) Shakespeare. Online. Mass. Institute of Technology. Internet. 16 Nov. 1996

The Great Gatsby :: Essays Papers

The Great Gatsby In the story The Great Gatsby, many corrupted relationships are found. George & Myrtle, Myrtle & Tom, Tom & Daisy, Daisy & Gatsby, Gatsby & everyone are all perfect examples of misleading relationships seen in the novel. Fitzgerald may seem pessimistic in portraying every relationship as a fraud. I however, must agree that the time this novel was written, which was around the same time that the story took place in, was a very materialistic time. This is why I feel Fitzgerald could not have made these relationships seem any more realistic than he did. Friendship was seen a lot throughout the story. A good example to speak of would be Gatsby and all of his friends. Apparently Gatsby had many friends during his life, none of which decided to go to his funeral. While he was alive, throwing huge parties, Gatsby actually seemed to have friends. When he died, it seemed like he had never existed. The only friend who decided to go to Gatsby’s funeral was his neighbour, Nick. Marriages seemed quite transparent in this story. None of them were solid. Tom and Daisy would come across as a nice, happily married couple, you would never be able to tell that Tom had a mistress and Daisy was still in love with another man. Tom’s mistress, Myrtle, was married as well. She was married to George Wilson, Tom’s mechanic. Sure, it all seems a little bit unreal but if you think about it, do things like this not happen today. Why would it have been any different back then? Maybe it was more difficult to pull off having an affair but it still could have been done, and I’m sure it was. Affairs seemed to be what corrupted marriages, but affairs are still relationships. They seemed to be the healthiest relationships because they were built on the individuals’ desire for one another, not money or possessions. Tom and Myrtle were together regardless of the fact that they were both married. They loved eachother much like a married couple would only they weren’t married, at least not to eachother. The fact that these relationships were considered wrong didn’t make them bad, these were just people following their hearts.

Freud’s Interpretation of Sophicles’ Oedipus Tyrannus Is Ridiculous

â€Å"Freud's interpretation of Sophocles’ Oedipus Tyrannus is ridiculous. † Discuss This essay will discuss the interpretation of Oedipus Tyrannus by Freud and whether his interpretation holds any weight in using it to aid his own theory, the Oedipus complex, or whether it was a ridiculous reading of the play itself. Freud’s theory will be explored first, before moving on to look at the interpretation itself. This will give a strong sense of how the Oedipus complex comes about in a young child and help in the discussion as to whether Oedipus may have been fulfilling this unconscious desire.The discussion will also touch upon Freud’s belief that it is his own theory that explains the reason for the play’s long-lasting success. Sigmund Freud is the father of a branch of psychology that he named psychoanalysis, as well as having a tremendous influence in how modern psychology has developed since the turn of the 20th Century. Freud was born on May 6th 1856. The first reference to Freud having used Sophocles’ Oedipus Tyrannus to help strengthen his theory of the Oedipus complex, which is explained below, and also the first mention of the Oedipus complex altogether comes in 1900 in Freud’s The Interpretation of Dreams.However, in The Interpretation of Dreams the theory is clearly only just beginning to be devised by Freud as it is not until 1910 that the term ‘Oedipus compex’ is first used. To be able to understand Freud’s interpretation of Oedipus Tyrannus it is vital to grasp what the Oedipus complex actually refers to. Before discussing the Oedipus complex it is important to discuss the earlier psychosexual development of a child, which leads into the development of the Oedipus complex. The first two stages, or the ‘pregenital’ stages, begin very early in life.The first is the oral stage, unsurprisingly, as infants first derive sexual pleasure primarily through the mouth; such as ta sting, sucking, and making sounds. This stage is followed by the anal stage, in which the infant has discovered the anus. This stage is focused on the control of the self and gives the infant the first opportunity to gain a sense of independence and achievement through learning to control the bowel and bladder. With the next stage, the phallic stage, the Oedipus complex tarts becomes apparent. It is during this time that the infant discovers the difference between a boy and girl, the boy begins to see the father as a rival for his mother’s affections, but also develops a fear of the father becoming a rival for the mother’s affections. Alongside these developments the child finds the genital area as an erogenous zone. The ‘castration complex’ can develop throughout this period and it is important to think of the male and female child as, ‘with penis’ or ‘castrated’, relatively.Freud believed that the male child saw the female child as a castrated boy and thus the result of, what seemed to be common in the turn of the century, the threat of parents telling young boys to stop playing with their genitals or they will be cut off. The young boy now believes that the father becomes a real threat to the affections for his mother. Between the age of four and five, Freud believed that the young child develops sexual feelings for his mother, and alongside this wants to have complete possession of her and thus hostile feelings develop towards the father.However, the possibility of castration that the young boy has understood to be seen in the naked girl, poses a horrific possibility to the boy. With the loss of his penis at stake, as in the young boy’s mind this is the form of retaliation the father will take to any hostile action from the child, the boy focuses his attention towards other feminine sources for sexual satisfaction. This is the Oedipus complex laid out as unimpeded development of the young boy and variations to this development through childhood is how Freud can explain ‘abnormal’ sexual behavior.For the young girl the Oedipus complex follows a different path once the difference between boy and girl has been realised. The lack of a penis is seen, through the young girl’s eyes, as the fault of her mother, because of this the girl moves away from the need to possess the mother and begins to long for the father in a similarly sexual manner and the wish for him to impregnate her. It is the resulting child that Freud imagines can ‘cure’ the girl of her ‘penis envy’ seeing the baby as a replacement for the missing organ.For Freud however the female never really surpasses this stage of penis envy. With Freud’s interpretation of Sophocles’ Oedipus Tyrannus it is the male side of the Oedipus complex that is discussed. It is obvious that Oedipus indeed performs the actions that one would attribute to the desires of the Oedipus complex being fulfilled: The murder of his father and the sexual union with his mother. Freud’s interpretation, however, seems to conveniently ignore certain aspects of Sophocles’ Oedipus Tyrannus, which upon inspection provide obstacles for Freud’s theory to navigate.In the development of his theory on the Oedipus complex, Freud undertook a great deal of self analysis and as such it is questionable as to how generalised his thoughts can be used to understand the human development. Freud had seen the play Oedipus Tyrannus and; â€Å"saw himself in a very concrete sense as Oedipus. † With this in mind Freud’s interpretation of Oedipus Tyrannus is not lessened in itself, but this does have bearings on his interpretation as proof of the Oedipus complex. Tragedy, as in all art forms, is open to interpretation no matter what the original artist intended as the meaning.For Freud, Oedipus represents the fulfilment of the early sexual desires towards the mother and the aggressive behaviour towards the father. However, that Oedipus does not know that these two people are his biological parents seems to belittle Freud’s use of Oedipus as an exemplum for his theory. Freud’s use of Oedipus is meant to show that the Oedipus complex â€Å"transcends time and place. † That Oedipus has a lack of knowledge of his true parents doesn’t seem to affect Freud in his use of Oedipus in this way. In my opinion, however, this use is severely at odds to the point that Freud attempts to make.A child, according to the Oedipus complex, that grew up with non-biological parents should have had little to no effect upon the early stages that lead to the development of the Oedipus complex, thus little to no effect upon the complex itself. Oedipus was sent away as an infant to be killed, but instead grew up with different parents. This, therefore, gives no reason to think that the idea that Oedipus sleeping with his biological mothe r and killing his biological father is the Oedipus complex realising itself within Oedipus.The interpretation by Freud seems to have used the popularity of Oedipus Tyrannus, at the time he was developing his theory, to help in popularising and explaining the Oedipus complex. Although Freud himself seems to have believed that Oedipus was, indeed, a good example of his theory: Broken down simply his argument runs, 1. There is a universal psychological conflict (Oedipus complex), as I have discovered in my clinical experience. 2. This is confirmed by a drama which has universal effectiveness. 3.Why this drama is universally effective can only be understood if my hypothesis is correct. This reference to why the drama is universally effective is Freud’s belief that the play in itself is not that challenging a concept. According to Freud it is only if his theory is correct that the ability of Oedipus Tyrannus to have had the â€Å"universal power to move† at all. This scient ific sounding argument leaves little option for Freud to be wrong, as the play has indeed enjoyed thousands of years of success.This, however, is according to Freud. Freud’s interpretation of Sophocles’ Oedipus Tyrannus seems to continually leave absolutely no room for a lack of the Oedipus complex being present. Throughout Freud seems to have missed what many people miss in Oedipus Tyrannus, Some readers of the Oedipus Rex have told me that they find its atmosphere stifling and oppressive: they miss the tragic exaltation that one gets from Antigone or the Prometheus Vinctus. They miss the courage of Oedipus, he knows of his fate and yet he carries on.His blinding represents the fumbling of humanity for the truth in the world and it is in this strength portrayed Oedipus that one can gain the tragic exaltation normally expected from a Tragedy. Freud’s interpretation of Sophocles’ Oedipus Tyrannus cannot be said to be an outright ridiculous interpretation. It is clear to see, when looking at the Oedipus complex, that Oedipus fulfils the exact fantasy of the young ‘Freudian’ boy. The Killing of his father and having a sexual relationship with his mother, however, when the interpretation is looked at closely it is obvious to see that there are clear flaws.The process of the development of the Oedipus complex cannot occur properly if one of the parents is absent from childhood, let alone both of them. Oedipus fulfils the fantasy of the young boy, but with the ‘wrong’ parents, even though they are his biological parents. The idea that the Oedipus Tyrannus portrays the idea that no matter who, where, or when we exist, the complex is inescapable even if it remains in the subconscious ‘is’ ridiculous. If this was the case then it would have been the king and queen of Corinth that were involved in this play, Oedipus’ adoptive parents.That Freud felt a great similarity between himself and Oedipus i s not ridiculous, in and of itself, it is the belief that his own self-analytical thoughts and the actions of Oedipus are actually similar that brings the interpretation into question. Oedipus acted without knowledge of his true parents, whereas Freud knew his parents and is discussing fantasy from childhood as opposed to actual action. The idea that Freud’s theory provides a reason for Oedipus Tyrannus’ success is definitely ridiculous in nature. Oedipus is the representative of the, albeit tragic, character of perseverance.He knows his fate yet carries on to find the truth, even after he has blinded himself he does not rest until he has made it to the site where he is prophesied to come to peace. Freud’s interpretation of Sophocles’ Oedipus Tyrannus has many ridiculous aspects to it, but the use to which Freud uses his interpretation does retain an aspect of credibility. Bibliography * Armstrong, R. H. Oedipus as Evidence: http://www. clas. ufl. edu/ips a/journal/articles/psyart1999/oedipus/armstr01. htm (1998) * Gay, P the Freud reader (Vintage 1995) * Storr, A. Freud, A very short introduction (Oxford Uni. Press 1989) * Dodds, E. R.On misunderstanding the Oedipus Rex Ed. E. Segal (Oxford Uni. Press 1983) * Simon, B. And Blass, R. The development and vicissitudes of Freud’s ideas on the Oedipus complex Ed. Neu, J (Cambridge Uni. Press 1991) ——————————————– [ 1 ]. Gay (1995) xxxi [ 2 ]. Gay (1995) 273 [ 3 ]. Storr (1989) 33 [ 4 ]. Storr (1989) 34 [ 5 ]. Simon and Blass (1991) 170 [ 6 ]. Simon and Blass (1991)171 [ 7 ]. Oedipus as Evidence: http://www. clas. ufl. edu/ipsa/journal/articles/psyart1999/oedipus/armstr01. htm (1998) [ 8 ]. Oedipus as Evidence: http://www. clas. ufl. edu/ipsa/journal/articles/psyart1999/oedipus/armstr01. htm

Patchwork 3 †Analysis and Comparison of Both Pre-Existing

The Musee du Louvre and its Pyramid, and St Paul’s Cathedral with the nearby 30 St Mary Axe were the chosen topics by both members of our group. All of these buildings are iconic building within their cities, and all were designed and built with vastly different contexts and purposes in mind. In this essay we will compare and contrast the different buildings in a manner that will help us understand the juxtaposition of old and new buildings.We will also investigate what made the contemporary buildings in question switch status from controversial to widely accepted as unique and brilliant pieces of architecture. After considering the different context(s) and style(s) of the building we will present our informed personal opinions based upon our research, to reach a conclusion in accordance with the research question. Before we undertake an analysis we will quickly summarise what has been aforementioned in Patchworks 1 & 2. The two buildings that one of the members of the group r esearched were the Musee du Louvre and the Pyramide du Louvre.The Musee as it stands now, was designed by Pierre Lescot for the King of France (at the time Francis I), however the designed and context of the building was radical and completely out of context with the western European style of its time (THOMPSON, Renaissance Paris: Architecture & Growth 1475-1600, p183). The style of architecture that the Louvre is of Renaissance origin, the architect; Pierre Lescot was said to have never visited Italy, and studied Italian Renaissance architecture only from third parties.Meaning his point of reference was only that of textbooks, sketches and other architects (HANSER, Architecture of France, 2006, p116). However this does not mean he didn’t manage to create a Renaissance style building, the design and style of the Louvre is typical of the Renaissance, with the over-ornamentation and relief, and not plain surfaces. These are examples of typical French Renaissance over-decoration (MOORE, Character of Renaissance Architecture, 1905, p200). In patchwork 2 the focus was on the Pyramide du Louvre (a. k. a.The Louvre Pyramid), the design of which was done by I M Pei (as part of a commission by the president Francois Mitterrand). The need for a reception/ welcome area for the museum was urgent, but space was scarce. Pei constructed an idea to go underground, topped with a pyramid made of glass and steel. A somewhat radical idea when considering a high-tech architectural construction would be positioned next to the Renaissance era architecture of the Louvre Museum (PIMLOTT, Without and Within: Essays on Territory and the Interior, 2007, p255; HEYER.American Architecture: Ideas and Ideologies in the Late Twentieth Century, 1993, p275-278). Of course placing a pyramid (being a symbol of burial, and of an entirely different culture) in front of The Louvre did not go too smoothly with the public, and many criticised both Pei and Mitterrand’s intentions. However the pyramid was not a direct connotation to Ancient Egypt, but rather a fresh approach to a classical design.Mitterrand was also criticised for blocking the view of the historical buildings by putting the pyramid in the middle of the courtyard, but due to its semi-transparent nature the pyramid juxtaposes The Louvre perfectly with the contrast of transparency and opaqueness (RUSTOW, ‘Transparent Contradictions’: Pei’s Pyramid at The Louvre, 2006, p6). The two buildings that the other member of the group researched were St Paul’s Cathedral designed by Christopher Wren, (construction finished in 1677), and 30 St Mary’s Axe designed by Norman Foster and partners, (construction finished in 2003).Both these buildings were built to replace previously destroyed buildings. St Paul’s was built to replace old St Paul’s which was one of the biggest buildings in Europe at the time. Most of the building was destroyed by the Great Fire of London an d in 1668 a Royal Warrant was issued for the complete demolition of old St Paul’s (GERAGHTY bbc. co. uk). Also in the time period between 1540 and 1650 the population grew by five or six fold. (ALLISON – Architects and architecture of London page 48) Ken ALLINSON notes, â€Å"it is against this background that Wren set about creating St Pauls cathedral†.Wren chose white Portland stone which had been used to great success by architects before him, one example being Nicholas HAWKSMOOR’s St Mary’s Church (GLANCY- The story of architecture page 84-85). 30 St Mary Axe was designed by Norman Foster and Partners and AUP Engineers and was built for the insurance company Swiss RE. Swiss Re had been working out of a number of buildings in London and the company was looking to build one building that would replace all previous buildings to help unify the company.The purpose of this focusing on one building was â€Å"getting people to interact, exchange ideaà ¢â‚¬â„¢s, become a creative community† in the words of John COOMBER the then CEO of Swiss Re when they planned to build 30 St Mary Axe. Many locations were considered for the building but in 1992 a bomb with 100lbs of Semtex destroyed the Baltic Exchange (POWELL, 30 St Mary Axe A tower for London, 2006, page 14). This presented the ideal location for 30 St Mary Axe to be built. The initial plans for 30 St Mary Axe were for a much bigger building than the one finally constructed.To gain planning permission Norman Foster and partners had to scale down the design. The design was described by London advisory committee as being â€Å"unduly dominant and assertive by reason of its height, form, bulk, massing and relationship to nearby high buildings†. (POWELL, 30 St Mary Axe A tower for London, 2006, page 19) One comparison to be made between St Paul’s Cathedral and the 30 St Mary Axe, and The Louvre and its Pyramid; is that of context at the time of design and constru ction. The London buildings were both designed and created within the context of their era.St Paul’s was designed at the start of an English-Baroque movement (similar to that of other European movements, but much more conservative). (WHINNEY, Wren, 1971, p81; GLANCY, The Story of Architecture, 2000, p84), It follows very baroque traits, which would have appeared on other buildings built before it. The Cathedral was built in the context of its surroundings. The same could also be said about the 30 St Mary Axe. It was built in a very modern era where the style of high tech/modern architecture is very common. Therefore relating to the quote at hand, we believe that the London buildings are rooted in the context of their surroundings.On the other hand, this conclusion cannot be said for The Louvre, and especially not for The Pyramid. The Musee du Louvre, (at the time, Palais du Louvre) was built as a one of a kind building, it did not follow a style that was already prominent in Paris, or indeed most parts of France at time of design and construction. We did agree that following completion; The Louvre did fit the style more closely when the renaissance and baroque movement swept through France, therefore more buildings of a similar style/context appeared.Thus creating relevance to the Louvre’s style. As for the Pyramid, although it is an interesting juxtaposition with the older style Louvre; its context is not rooted with The Louvre. Had it been constructed near l’Arche de la Defense, in the more industrial part of Paris, then yes it would have context within it’s surrounding(s). This is probably the reason that it caused so much controversy upon completion, and seen as such an out of place building.Another comparison that we made is that the London buildings were used to replace buildings that had been pre-existent and consequently destroyed (Old St Paul’s by the Great Fire of 1666, and The Baltic Exchange by an IRA terrorist at tack). This means that the context of which the new buildings are built upon is relevant to their purpose now. Old St Paul’s and the previous buildings before it had always been that of a religious context: Roman temple, Saxon church and a Norman church (ALLINSON, Architects and Architecture of London, 2006, p49).The Baltic Exchange being the predecessor of the St Mary Axe means that the financial context of the building has remained, being in the heart of London’s financial district brings this truth home, along with the unison of all five ‘Swiss Re’ buildings into one, again follows the financial context of the building (Swiss Re is a major insurance company). The difference between them and The Louvre and The Pyramid is that both Louvre and Pyramid were built for purpose and not to replace older buildings.The Louvre, originally a fortress-turned-palace was stripped of its living necessities and turned into a museum, no building was required. The Pyramid was designed and built because of a lack of reception and link to all wings of the museum. Both are original builds and as a result have created their own context within their surroundings as opposed to relying on the context of its surroundings to determine the style. To conclude, as a group we believe that the context of a building is not simply rooted in the setting, and building can determine the context of a setting just as much as a setting can determine the context of a building.We were given two examples, one in London where the setting has driven the context, and the other in Paris where a new style had changed the context. So to relate to the original quote by Dalibor Vesely, the relationship between buildings and intervening spaces is formal, but where the context is rooted is a chicken-or-egg question; one will govern the other, but this is likely to change based of multiple factors including location and the purpose of the building. [Word count with references: 1619] W ord count without references: 1512] Bibliography †¢Renaissance Paris: Architecture and Growth 1475-1600, David THOMPSON, University of California Press, Los Angeles 1984 Extract paraphrased, page 183 †¢Architecture of France, David A. HANSER, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2006 Extract paraphrased, page 116 †¢Character of Renaissance Architecture, Charles Herbert Moore, The Macmillan Company, New York, 1905 Extract paraphrased, page 200 †¢Without and Within: Essays on Territory and the Interior, Mark PIMLOTT, 2007, Episode Publishers.Extract paraphrased, page 255 †¢American Architecture: Ideas and Ideologies in the Late Twentieth Century, Paul HEYER, 1993, John Wiley and Sons. Extract paraphrased, page 275 – 278 †¢Ã¢â‚¬ËœTransparent Contradictions’: Pei’s Pyramid at The Louvre, Stephen L. RUSTOW, 2006 Paper given at the Annual Meeting of the Society of Architectural Historians Extract paraphrased, page 6 †¢30 St Mary Axe A tower f or London: Kenneth POWELL, published by Merrell 2006 Page 13 – 15 †¢2000+ London: Sam LUBELL, published by Maconcelli press 2008Page 164 -165 †¢Article published by Dr Anthony GERAGHTY 17-02-2011 http://www. bbc. co. uk/history/british/civil_war_revolution/gallery_st_pauls_01. shtml(Referenced on the 19-11-2011) †¢Margret WHINNEY: Wren, Published by Hudson 1971 Page 81 – 84 †¢Christian NORBERG-SCHULZ: Baroque Architecture, published by Electra architecture, 2000 Page 194 – 195 †¢Jonathan GLANCY: The Story of Architecture, published by DK, 2000 Page 84 – 85 †¢Ken ALLINSON – Architects and Architecture of London, published by Architectural Press, 2008

Leaving the Cave by John Artibello Essay

It is only through a man’s deliberate attempt to understand his world and ultimately himself that he is able to achieve a truly meaningful life. True, ignorance saves a person from the tedious process of knowing the answers to every difficult question, yet it is ignorance that imprisons the person to what is superficial and illusory. In a day and age of a market-driven society, people easily fall into the trap of the same run-of-the-mill desire for material things and for the glitz and vivid colors of the media (Artibello YEAR). Indeed, so much so that their blind adherence to material and physical pleasures prevent them from breaking away of such a cycle. Such a problem is not new but in fact has been addressed by Socrates two thousand years ago. He said that most men cannot see beyond the illusions of life and are stuck with the shallow and false appearances of the world the surface level. This is so because they are like men chained to the ground inside the caves since childbirth that they are unable to plumb the true meaning of what they see. However, once a person is set free to investigate the outside world, he will at once begin to perceive reality in all its overwhelming plenitude, and from there pursue, a life full of meaning and significance and then achieve lasting happiness (Artibello YEAR). Reference Artibello, J. (YEAR). Leaving the cave. [Insert PLACE OF PUBLICATION: PUBLISHER].

Religion Essay

He was the Lord of Hosts and the god of battle. B) He was believed to inspire battle ecstasy in some warriors; called Berserks who would fight welcomed into the Paradise of Valhalla those who died in battle. 9. Odin was often depicted as a Middle aged man with long curly hair and a beard. He was attended by two ravens, Hug in (though) and man in (memory). Which he sent out into the world every day to gather information for him. 10. Odin crucified himself on the world tree in a mysterious ritual of sacrificing himself to himself to advance his quest for sacred knowledge. For nine days and nights he hung, pierced by a spear, until magical ‘runes’ (mystical symbols) appeared before him. 11. Thor the god of thunder, lightning and storms, was Odin’s eldest brother, his mother was the earth. 12. This hammer was made for him by the Dwarves, and would magically he turn to his hand whenever he needed it. 13. Thor the of thunder, lighting and storms was Odin eldest brother and his mother was the earth. Thor was supernaturally strong and renowned for his huge appertite. He drove about the heavens in cart pulled by his two fierce billy gods. Tooth Cnasher and tooth Grinder. 14. Loki helped the giants trick the thunder god. * Loki the trickster god was notorious among the deities. * He was the foster- brother of Odin, and the one who gave the fishing net to the Nordic people. * He was actually a giant who had been adopted into the Aesir because of his lively wit. 15. Capable of both good and evil Loki was an ambiguous figure who later came to be linked with Christian images of the devil. 16. Bader, a son of Odin and Frigg was the god of light. Balder was the most beautiful and gracious of the Aesir in Asgard. His mother extracted oaths from all things in nature not a harm her son. Horde and aimed it for him at balder who was killed by it. The gods grieved inconsolably over his death. 17. Freyr ( twin brother of Freya, and originally once of the vanir) * Njord was the god of the sea and father of the twins Freyr and Freya. * Tyr (aka Tiwaz) was the sword god, the hideous Fenris wolf bit Try’s arm off as Fenris was bound for the third time. * Helmdall, the god of the rising down, stood guard at the Asgard end the Bifrost Bridge and carried Gjallar, the mighty war horn. 18. Female deities featured quite strongly in Nordic religion and were seen to be as sashed and powerful as the male gods. 19. Frijj, Odin’s wife and Queen of the deities, was goddess of lone and death. 20. Freya the most renowned of the god desses ‘was twin sister of Freyr, she lame to be worshipped in a variety of fields, from warfare to lone of fairs, beauty, soothsaying (prophecy or truth telling). Freya lived (ever greedy for knowledge); she taught him the shamanistic (spiritual) magic known as seider. In return, she received half of all the warriors slain in battle and brought to Asgard. 21. The Valkyries, foster- daughters of Odin, were supernatural women who lived in Valhalla where they were cupbearers to the shades (spirits) of dead warriors. Valkyries were copse goddesses, unromantically represented by the raven. Contrary to popular depiction they did not ride winged horses. Often in a troop of nine, they rode fierce wolves into battle and allocated victory and defeat to the combatants. 22. The rode fierce wolves into battle and allocated victory and defeat to the combat ants. Those who died in battle were taken by the Valkyries to Valhalla, the golden feasting hall of the gods in Asgard. 3. The Norns were the three Fates, three terrible sisters named. Urd (Fate), verdanda (Being), and skuld (Necessity) originally from the land of the giants the norns spun the threads of life that allocated each individual’s destiny. 24. They wore the threads that shaped the lives not only of numars but also of the gods themselves. For that reason, the norns were often regarde d as more powerful than the deities, some traditions say that the two eldest Norns (Urd, the Fate of the past, and verdanda, the Fate of the present). 25. The Norns also tended to Yggdrasil, the word tree, and kept it healthy. Every day they drew pure water from the spring of Fate, whitened it with clay and poured the mixture over the tree so that the water fell down to earth as fresh life giving dew. In this way, they preserved the always nibbling at Yggdrasil buds and new leaf shoots, the Norns kept the tree green and growing. 26. Hela was the Queen of the dead. She lived in the underworld of Niflheim, the northern land of ice and darkness, all who died from sickness or old age passed into Hela’s world. The giants were older than the gods, and know so much more about the past that the gods had to go to them for wisdom. The Norns of underlying implication that even the gods themselves would come to an end in time is a continual haunting theme throughout the stories of Nordic mythology. 28. Mimir (memory) a very old and very wise giant who was keeper of the spring of wisdom. * Vafthrudner was called the all wise among the giants in Jotunheim. * Hrimthurs, was the rock giant who but Asgard fortifications sart, was the southern land of prim evil fine which devoured all the world all the world at the end of time. 9. The Nordic mythology is threads that shaped the lives not only of numans but also of the gods themselves. The Norns after regarded as more powerful than the deities. The gods were not permitted to see their life threads, suggested that they were subject to a fate beyond their divine control. The Norn who fixed the length of the thread of life by some accounts, unravelled what he sister had made. The Norns also tended to Yggdrasil, the world tree, and kept it healthy.

RAL's Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

RAL's - Research Paper Example In spite of the high fees associated with RAL’s, most of those coming from the poor families are the ones who usually apply for it. There is an on-going battle between the government, the consumer advocates and tax preparation companies on the continued offering of Refund Anticipation Loans. Part I Refund Anticipation Loans (RAL’s) Defined A refund anticipation loan is a type of short term loan that is applied by a taxpayer, who wants an early claim on his tax refund. The amount that is acquired through the loan will be repaid by the taxpayer’s anticipated tax refund. It may also be called as â€Å"Rapid Refund† or â€Å"Instant Money.† A contract is provided by the financial institution to be signed by the taxpayer that serves as an assurance that the loan will be paid back through the taxpayer’s tax refund (â€Å"Refund Anticipation Loan Fraud†). Common interest rates for RAL’s start from 50% up to over 500%, the basis of whic h is the length of the time that is needed to process tax forms at the Internal Revenue Services (IRS), that is According to the Center for Responsible Lending. Although this type of loan has been claimed as a way for taxpayers to have their tax refunds earlier in their pockets, more often than not it is advanced only for just a few days or less as compared to the actual date that the IRS releases the tax refund (â€Å"Tax Refund Resources for Consumers†). RAL’s give taxpayers the opportunity to get their tax refund at a sooner date and be able to use the money earlier rather than wait for a couple more days. Even so, problems occur when someone opts to use a refund anticipation loan. Basically the lender knows that the money borrowed will be paid no matter what since the guarantee is the taxpayer’s tax refund; therefore, it is considered as a safer type of loan compared to the other types, but then risking everything just to get the money sooner seems to not so und good at all (Pritchard). Refund Anticipation Loans reflect the taxpayer’s income tax return. Those who would want to avail of this can apply in banks or lenders if they can’t wait till the IRS distributes the tax refunds (â€Å"Advantages of Refund Anticipation Loan†). Some Advantages of Refund Anticipation Loan Speed It will take just a couple of days for the borrowed money to reach the borrowers’ hands. So for those who will encounter any emergencies and are desperately in need, a refund anticipation loan is an instant solution to their problems, instead of waiting for weeks or months from the government (â€Å"Advantages of a Refund Anticipation Loan†). Ease While some people struggle to find companies that will allow them to borrow money due to a bad credit history or the incapacity to pay, with RAL’ s it may not be that difficult. Simply because there is security on the lenders’ part that the borrowed money is repaid through the tax refund, so getting the loan application approved is not at all hard (â€Å"Advantages of a Refund Anticipation Loan†). Fees Fees for services rendered are instantly deducted by the tax preparer from the refund. This could be advantageous to those who cannot even afford the fees that professional tax preparation companies charge (Deutch). Disadvantages of Refund Anticipation Loans It may be the solution to some people’s financial problem, but still there are things that have to be considered

France's Resistance to the Membership of Turkey in the European Union Essay

France's Resistance to the Membership of Turkey in the European Union - Essay Example Since 1963, Turkey has had the privilege of being an associate member of the European Union. (ARIKAN, H. 2006). On 14 April 1987, Turkey officially forwarded an application to accede to the European Union. The events that followed the membership bid, has become a major controversy over the last two decades. Turkey, apart from the ten founding members, was one of the first countries to become a member of the Council of Europe in the year 1949. Furthermore, Turkey was also one of the founding members of The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). (JOSEPH, J. S. 2006). Since 1992, Turkey has had an associate membership with the Western European Union. Moreover, Turkey also fulfills its services in the United Nations, as a member of the Western Europe branch of the Western European and Others Group (WEOG). (BELKE 2004). In 1995, a Customs Union Agreement was signed between Turkey and the European Union. At European council’s summit held on 12 December 1999, Turkey was recognized as a candidate for membership in the European Union. Despite the fact that Turkey has contributed tremendously for the welfare of European countries, ironically its accession to the European Union remains at a standstill. Furthermore, France has always resisted Turkey’s membership in the European Union. (JUNG, D. et al 2008). The motive behind the resistance is not entirely based upon religious affairs. Moreover, the resistance has not stemmed due to a single reason, it is however, a cumulative result of numerous underlying issues. This Paper includes an overview on the ongoing enlargement process of the European Union and attempts to throw light at some of the major reasons forcing France to neglect strong Europe-Turkish ties and fiercely resist Turkey’s accession to the EU. The paper also attempts to weigh Turkey’s chances of accession to the European Union. Furthermore, the paper also attempts to speculate on whether France’s resi stance is justified. Overview: The long awaited accession negotiations finally opened on 3rd October, 2005. Turkey embarked on a long difficult journey of negotiations and it might take a decade before a decision is finalized. (ARIKAN, H. 2006). The terms of accession and the future benefits that turkey could give to the European Union, if its membership is confirmed, are two issues which have created an unclear and perplexed scenario. (JUNG, D. et al 2008). In order to become a member country, Turkey has to make tremendous efforts to fulfill the Copenhagen Criteria. Firstly, Turkey has to stabilize its political conditions by creating stable institutions which would ultimately guarantee and follow a democratic system and fulfill all the norms of a full European democratic country. Secondly, Turkey must transform into an economically strong country by creating a sound functioning market economy. Moreover, the EU expects Turkey to adopt and strictly adhere to the â€Å"acquis commun autaire† i.e. a set of EU laws. Thirdly, Turkey must reform its foundation in an effort to fully adopt and implement the political, economical and monetary Laws of the European Union. (TOGAN et al 2005). Opponents of turkey consider the country to be too big and too poor to join the European Union, on the other hand, some opponents consider Turkey to religious to be allowed to become a part of the European Union. Proponents of Turkey consider such opponent claims to be nothing but dubious notions because they recognize Turkey as an economically strong nation. Furthermore, they recognize the fact that Turkey is not bounded by a single religion as the Nation has no official religion thus, the issue of religion should not be treated as a major stumbling block to Turkey’s dream of accession to the European Union. (ENGERT, S. (2010). Turkey’s accession to the EU-A long, troubled journey: Since 200 years, Turkey has been trying to

ERP story Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

ERP story - Case Study Example Another big challenge was regarding the data definitions and standardization among the three member companies and their systems. The project should enable consistency in data. Also the data should be available to everyone on a real time basis unlike current situation. A big challenge was also identified in non-standardization of interfaces for different applications and companies. Similar interfaces were desired for all systems as a result of the project. This would enable rotation of employees and easier knowledge transition. A major desired characteristic of the project was to ensure that the accounting and financial systems of the 3 companies are in sync and there is minimal manual intervention and control. There is also a need to make the human resource management processes more efficient by realizing economies of scale and leverage the individual capabilities of the 3 companies to the advantage of the whole group. Another characteristic of the project would be to create a uniform sales and marketing environment for the 3 companies and to leverage the use of internet and social media. Jean Roberge has identified his challenges and characteristics in mainly 2 areas which are obviously very important. However, he seems to have neglected challenges in a very important area which is People Management. In such a huge ERP project, the implementation would change the entire way in which people are going to work. Therefore, the required change in the mindset of the people is a big challenge (Wong et. al.). Therefore, a desired characteristic of the project should be to have training and counseling sessions for people to enable a smooth transition. These sessions would also enable them to overcome their apprehensions regarding lay-offs and job-cuts. Another challenge which should be considered is data migration. Migration from old systems to new systems especially in case of huge historical data could be a big challenge and can take days or

Nike Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Nike - Essay Example According to Timothy Ryan, a director for the American Center for International Labor Solidarity, the collapsing of the factory was due to lack of regulations by the governments while Nike is constructing its factories. Prior to the collapsing, Nike workers noticed cracks in the building but they were informed to report to work the following day. This was an indication of negligence on the part of the management. The management team in Bangladesh and at the parent company in US experienced bitter regret due to the death and injuries that occurred within Nike premises. Nike, a company that was established in 1964 as Blue Ribbon Sports and later rebranded as Nike Inc in 1971, undertook various strategies to deal with negative public image that arose out of the collapsing of the building. The accident resulted into a bad relationship between the company and the families who were affected. The employees on their part lost motivation and feared working for the company. Nike undertook ultimate action of checking all its factories globally and maintenance was initiated in most factories. The company also started extensive corporate social responsibilities such as joining Michelle Obama’s ‘Lets Move campaign’ that aims at reducing child obesity. In this way, it regained a certain amount of value. Currently, Nike has strong value for ethics and continues to provide proper working conditions. The situation could have made better if the company employed more workers from the affected families and freely provide them with needed skills as well as giving them higher

Research Paper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Assignment - Research Paper Example Therefore, arguments that Information technology has lost its strategic value are baseless. According to Carr, companies were investing too much of their resources on IT (Carr, 2003). He therefore argued that it’s the high time that they turn their focus on risks rather than competitive advantage. However, this is not the case. After the entry of information technology, there was a boom as each company wanted to align itself effectively in the market. At the same time, globalization intensified as a result of liberalization of markets, efficient flow of information, and integration of economies. Consequently, companies were expanding their markets and operations in order to expand their sources of revenues. Therefore, they needed the necessary IT to enable them to monitor and manage various operations by the subsidiaries. This increased the demand. However, over the years, companies have reduced their spending on IT and have now focused on improving the existing infrastructure. Therefore, it is not right to argue that the value of information technology has diminish ed. On the contrary, new firms still invest heavily on IT. Nevertheless, with time they reduced this spending spree and focus on training and equipping their subordinates with the necessary skills to enable them maximize the returns through the use of IT. Carr argues that the greatest IT risk is overspending (Carr, 2003). He states that this puts the company at a cost disadvantage. However, this is not the case with the changes being experienced in the market. Initially, there were only few firms in the market. However, with the increasing levels of liberalization, multinational companies have entered different markets across the world in order to reduce the risks and uncertainties associated with concentrating on a single market. Research indicates that these companies

Indonesian Position Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Indonesian Position Report - Essay Example The RC/RC Climate Centre and the global amalgamation of the Red Cross/Red Crescent (IFRC) distinguish this conference as an imperative venture to champion the government and other stakeholders about the significance in addressing the detrimental effects of climate change on the defencelessness of the people around the world, precisely in embryonic countries and what necessitates, to be the global adaptation support strategy. Duval-Smith, Alex. (2005). Ecological anomalies are frequently pointed out as a prominent example of issues transcending national borders which relatively demands international and political coordination. 1This prompts environmental consciousness that should be integrated within the social fabric of the society in mobilizing relentless for environmental conservations stipulated by the UNFCCC. Besides this enormous outcry, latest surge on globalization has still been centred on national issues where national actors or institutions have been targeted. Indonesian government has vowed to support the composite projecting by pumping in $10 million that is issued in three trances. The scientific assistance is evident throughout these phases. This monetary juncture will support the GEF's objective in plummeting the risks of climate transformation by avoiding imperative methane gas production from the decomposition of organic dissipate in landfills and the consequential emission of greenhouse gas. These remunerations will be achieved by transforming the organic division of the solid waste torrent to agricultural manure, rather than trucking it to and discarding it in landfills. Tonne for tonne, a 20- fold decrease in GHG emissions can be achieved if the organic wastes are degraded aerobically. Rogers, Paul (2004). The Background of the UNFCC In the direction of the end of the second last decade of the last century, World Meteorological organisation (WMO) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) time-honoured the Intergovernmental Panel on climate change, as a reply to growing scientific and well structured methodological concerns on climate change. Climatic anomaly was first discovered in 1990 by the IPCC's first report, it nevertheless, emphasised that human actions probably played a causative role, noticeably adding to the natural process already taking place. The fourth Analysis was produced in this years June report; the report outlined that it's now unequivocal that the climatic changes are on a rampage and the probability of this happenings is blamed on the human activities. Myriad aspects of excessive whether all round the world are already shifting. United Nation in the early nineties organised for a conference on the Environment and Development (the Earth Summit). 2At this conference governments agreed on the Uni ted Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The Convention was signed and later ratified by 192 countries and thus enjoys universal membership. These countries that had approved concurrently ratified the UNFCCC have since been convening as from 1995 under the umbrella of the Conference of parties (COP). Graced with the presence by all members; these meetings are the highest verdict-making influence of the conference. Penny, C (2005). They have been conduits that have been used to