Wednesday, July 31, 2019

History in the Making Essay

History†¦it’s who we are and where we come from. From cave men to cars that run on compost, history happens every day. Everything that has happened in history is absolutely fundamental in our current day existence. From the Revolutionary Era to the Cold War, America has come so far, and through the War on Terror, we continue to march on†¦ making every action history. The Revolutionary Era: After the British spent an extreme amount of money defending the Colonies against the French, they decided to shift some of the expenditures to the colonists. The result led to the Boston Tea Party in 1773 (Lib. Of Congress, p. 1), when the colonists rebelled against the British and their absurd tax on tea in order to re-coop defense expenditures. Reactions such as this led to the necessitation of order, which led to the Declaration of Independence, and the Revolutionary Era. The Constitution: As a result of deciding not to amend the current Articles of Confederation, a new frame of government was born. 55 delegates from age 26 to age 81 debated, redrafted and created what is now known as the Constitution of the United States. These articles clarified many topics such as how much control the government should have in certain areas, how representatives should be elected, and many other issues we still live by today. Since it’s publishing in 1787, there have been 27 amendments to the original version. Jeffersonianism: Derived from the term Jeffersonian, and named for its discoverer, the Jeffersonianism philosophy held that each man had a right to have a say-so in government, believed in the expansion of human freedom, and believed that every person had a right to be educated. It also supported reliance on the farmer and agriculture, instead of relying solely on History in the Making 3 industry to boost the economy. Hamiltonism, which followed Jeffersonianism, was believed to be an evil stigma to Jeffersonianism by Jeffersonians. Civil War: Brother against brother, the revolutionized nation could not decide whether or not the government should have control over the states, industrialization, and most importantly, slavery. The southern states, or the Confederate States of America, decided to take matters into their own hands and individualized themselves to make their own rules. This led to the Civil War, where one nation quarreled with its counterpart. Although the North won, losing over half a million soldiers did not make the impact any easier for anyone to handle. Reconstruction: After the period of the Civil War, a period of Reconstruction began. Attempts were made to solve differences between the Union and the 11 Confederate states that had seceded from the Union. Though opposition from the Radical Republicans was evident, the Reconstruction Act of 1867 was passed, and military districts in the South were re-established. The South had no choice but to accept the 14th and 15th amendments of the Constitution (39th Congress, p. 1). The New South: Although the days of slavery had ended, the Southern states continued to retain control over their civilization. With the abolition of slavery came anger from loss of control, which led to the birth of the Black Codes. The Black Codes allowed whites to control the newly freed slaves by regulating the type of work black people could do, the hours they worked, and prevented blacks from raising their own crops. Freedom was not freedom after all. Foreign Affairs: Lack of support from the European economies post Civil War distressed the cotton crops, as the producers became overstocked. The North added some restriction to the History in the Making 4 Southern ports, and our foreign allies soon found other sources to fulfill their needs, which hurt the South tremendously. Industrialization: As America advanced, so did the way work was performed. Not only did industrialization bring forth machinery, it also was the birth of transportation and communication. Andrew Carnegie’s steel industry revolutionized transportation. The rails made from refined steel created necessary use of the railroad system, as did communication with the use of the telegraphs and telephone systems (Feldmeth, p. 1). Progressive Era: Along with industrialization came those who felt that anything old was inefficient and useless. These reformers brought forth the Efficiency Movement, which argued that the economy, society and government were inefficient. Frederick Winslow Taylor coined the term â€Å"one best way† with the idea that there was one best way to fix everything. He, along with several other engineers improved industrial efficiency. World Wars: Taking place mostly in Europe, the First World War between the Allied Powers (France, the Russian Empire, the British Empire, Italy and the U. S) and the Central Powers (Austria-Hungary, the German Empire, Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire) was a result of the assassination of the Austrian throne heir Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife. This event soon led to a full fledged war. The Treaty of Versailles would end the first war, and stake victory for the Allied Powers, but controversy over its contents would soon lead to World War II. The second war between the Allied Powers and the Axis Powers (Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and the Empire of Japan) would be the deadliest war to date, killing over 60 million people. This war resulted in victory for the Allied Powers. History in the Making 5 The Depression: In 1929 our nation suffered the worst market plunge to date. The stock market crash, in conjunction with the outrageous cost of WWII, led to great losses for many people. Soon, supply exceeded demand. Cities based heavy in industry-type operations, including those outside of the U. S. were hit especially hard. Farmers were also a target, as the price for crops fell between 40 and 50 percent. The New Deal, or restructuring of the economy, enforced by President Roosevelt, would help lead the nation to recovery. The Cold War: The Cold War, as dubbed by Bernard Baruch and Walter Lippmann, is a term used to describe the growing tensions between the US and the Soviet Union. It would be the longest war to date, lasting from the mid 1940’s to the early 1990’s. Post WWII, the two nations could not agree on how to reconstruct the post war world. Wars including the Korean War, the Cuban Missile Crises, and the Vietnam War were possible threats to lead into a third world war. The Cold War came to an end when Gorbachev launched his reform programs, Perestroika (reconstruction of the Soviet economy) and Glastnost (introduction of publicity and openness) (Wikipedia Staff, p. 1). It is almost impossible to summarize our nation’s history. So many events, far too many to place in a single composition of words, played key roles in the structure of how we live today. Needless to say, history continues to ensue every day. From our nation’s birth to the Cold War to the hanging of Saddam, America will continue to write a story we all should be so eager to read. References 1. Library of Congress (1998). Revolutionary Period. Retrieved in January 2007 from www. americaslibrary. gov/cgi. bin/page. cgiljb/revolt. 2. 39th Congress (1866). 14th Amendment to the US Constitution. Retrieved in January 2007 from www. nps. gov/archive/malu/documents/amend14. htm. 3. G. Feldmeth (2000). American Industrialization. Retrieved in January 2007 from www. home. earthlink. net/~gfeldmeth/lec. indust. html. 4. Wikipedia Staff (2001). Definitions for Perestroika and Glastnost. Retrieved in January 2007 from www. en. wikipedia. org.

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Warhol: the Flatness of Fame

THANK YOU all for being here this brisk March afternoon. I’d like to thank the GRAM for the invitation to speak in conjunction with such a wonderful exhibition, and especially Jean Boot for all of her diligent coordination on my behalf. (There are 3 parts to my presentation. First, a virtual tutorial on the process of screen-printing; secondly, a discussion of the formal and conceptual potential inherent to printmaking, and the way in which Warhol expertly exploited that potential. Finally, I will conclude with an actual demonstration of screen-printing in the Museum’s basement studio. In coming weeks, you’ll have an opportunity to hear much more about the cultural-historical context for Andy Warhol’s work from two exceptional area scholars, beginning next Friday evening with a lecture by my colleague at GV, Dr. Kirsten Strom, and on _______ Susan Eberle of Kendall College of Art & Design. As Jean indicated in her introduction, I teach drawing and printmak ing at GVSU. In other words, I’m approaching Warhol’s work very much as a studio artist. As a printmaker in particular, I’m predisposed to note the large degree (great extent? to which the innate characteristics of the medium – in this case screen-printing – enable and inform the meaning of Warhol’s work. At the outset of each printmaking course I teach at Grand Valley, I provide students a brief overview of the social history of the print; I divulge its rich heritage in the service of dispensing and preserving our (collected cultural discourse, from†¦) verbal and pictorial languages, knowledge and history, cultural discourse, from ancient scripture to textile design to political critique. In addition I cite the formal qualities specific to the print – multiplicity, mutability, and its recombinant capabilities. I open with this background as a means of framing the work students will produce in the course. I’d like to provide a similar overview here, as a means of framing the work of Warhol, which is so richly informed by the native characteristics of his processes. As the expression goes: the medium is the message; form and content are inseparable. First I offer a brief tutorial on the process of screen-print, in the hopes of providing a bit of context and a richer appreciation for the images/discussion to follow. â€Å"With silk-screening, you pick a photograph, blow it up, transfer it in glue onto silk, and then roll ink across so that the ink goes through the silk but not through the glue. †) The Imagery Warhol screen-printed images onto canvas in the early 1960s, and he began simultaneously to translate this technique to printing on paper. His subjects related directly to his paintings of the same period: James Cagney, the Race Riots, and Ambulance Disasters. These works on paper were printed in monochromatic tones and screened in a method that retained the graininess and immediacy of the mass media images on which they were based. Warhol considered these works to be unique drawings. Changes in the ink saturation and/or in the composition during the printing process created variations in each work. Screen-printing was ideally suited to Warhol in two distinct ways: First – technically, it allows him to harvest images from a vast bounty of sources. Secondly – he fittingly adapted a â€Å"low culture†, commercial process for the production of images chronicling life in celebrity-crazed, consumer-driven, Post-War America. One of the well-known strategies of Pop Artists – Warhol and Lichtenstein, among them – was their appropriation of the visual characteristics of mechanical reproduction (which you can see clearly here in Lichtenstein’s Ben Day dots pattern. Warhol went further than borrowing the language, employing the means of commercial printing itself. As of the 1930s, screen-printing was a widely-practiced process for the printing of posters, t-shirts, and other graphics in the US. In other words, Warhol chose this medium for its associations with the culture of advertising and shopping/consumerism. I want everybody to think alike. Russia is doing it under government. It’s happening here all by itself. I don’t think art should be only for the select few. I think it should be for the mass of American people. † But how exactly does one represent â€Å"the mass of American people†? Through it’s proxies: (A) Through the objects of its consumption : Campbell’s cans, Coke bottles, Brillo pads and Mobil Gas (B) Through the media icons it reveres, and (C) Through the images of anonymous tragic figures Disaster and death were not his primary concerns, but rather the anonymous victims of history – the masses. D and D evoke this mass subject, for in a society of spectacle this subject often appears only in stories and images of mass death. â€Å"I want to be a machine†: The History of the Print as a means/tool for social and political critique) Although screen-printing as Warhol practiced it is primarily a 20th century advent, the tradition of the print as a vehicle for disseminating ideas and information (as the vox populi) is centuries old. Among the earliest surviving printed artifacts in Western civilization are these two contradictory images: a Holy Picture on the left, and playing cards on the right. Each dates from the mid-15th century, each is the product of the same â€Å"technological innovation†, the wood block (and in the eyes of the Catholic church, working at cross purposes with one another! ) Many of the most widely reproduced and well-known prints in the Western world are images of cultural unrest and political and social critique. These are a few examples: Francisco Goya, 18th C Spanish printmaker William Hogarth, 18th C English printmaker Honore Daumier, 19th C French printmaker Kathe Kollwitz, early 20th C German printmaker Jose Guadalupe Posada, late 19th C Mexican printmaker â€Å"All of what I have to say is right there on the surface – Remarks such as this one are at times misconstrued as superficiality – a dismissal of content – suggesting to some that Warhol’s choice of imagery was indiscriminate. Especially today, Warhol is often mischaracterized through his studied, stoic affect – as an artist who felt nothing more for his work than for the contents of his local grocery store. I would argue that Warhol’s imagery is anything but indiscriminate, and is instead engaged in the popular tradition/rich heritage of the print as a means of social and political critique, especially obvious in the years between 1962 and 1980, from the â€Å"Death and Dying† series to the â€Å"Endangered Species† series. (Over this prolific period, Warhol’s ouvre included references to the Civil Rights movement, the death penalty, and of course the Cold War. Even the artists’ early celebrity portraits are shrouded with both private and public tragedy: Marilyn, Elvis, Liz Taylor, JFK and Jackie O†¦ ) To me, Warhol’s deadpan cynicism has always seemed a calculated critique of the turbulent social and political climate. It’s an ironic persona reflected in his works – an expression of apathy intended to induce the appropriate response from his viewers: shock and bewilderment that any artist, could produce images of graphic violence and human trauma with such apparent passivity. Multiplicity – The first of three formal qualities innate to printmaking â€Å"I like boring things. † â€Å"I don’t want it to be essentially the same – I want it to be exactly the same. Because the more you look at the same exact thing, the more the meaning goes away and the better and emptier you feel. † Such statements suggest a strategic, pre-emptive embrace of the very compulsive repetition that a consumerist society demands of us all. If you can’t beat it, Warhol implies, join it. More: if you enter it totally, you might expose it; you might reveal its enforced automatism through your own excessive example. These remarks reposition the role of repetition in Warhol. Here repetition is both a draining of significance and a defending against effect. This is one function of repetition in our psychic lives: we recall traumatic events in order to place them into a psychic economy. Yet the Warhol repetitions are not restorative in this way; they are not about a neutralization of trauma, for his repetitions not only reproduce traumatic effects, but sometimes produce them as well. Repetition in Warhol is neither a simple representation of the world nor a superficial image. His repetition serves to filter traumatic reality, but it does so in a way that points to this reality nonetheless. Ultimately I would suggest that Warhol’s use of the multiple functions as a form of potent cultural critique, whether it emphasizes the horror, or whether it desensitizes us to the violence in many of his images. Mutability – (â€Å"With silk-screening, you pick a photograph, blow it up, transfer it in glue onto silk, and then roll ink across so that the ink goes through the silk but not through the glue. That way you get the same image, slightly different each time. It was all so simple – quick and chancy. I was thrilled with it. †) The screen-printing technique affords artists the latitude for simple yet dramatic changes, from impression to impression. With little trouble, one can shift color, and even scale. The image can be altered through adjustments to the matrix (or stencil, in this case), or during the printing process itself, through the irregular application of ink. When I originally conceived of this talk, I intended to speak primarily to this one formal aspect of Warhol’s prints: his exploitation of the process to produce deliberate imperfections that (reflect the true disposition of his subjects) (inform the meaning behind his images. ) (further enable the content of his work. ) contribute to the flatness of his subjects – thus emphasizing their artificiality. Purposefully crude printing and mis-registration disrupt the pictorial illusion, drawing attention to the flatness of each image that, in a metaphorical sense, speaks to the nature of fame. Warhol’s arbitrary colors suggest the un-reality and artifice of each subject. These aren’t real people, but products, and you can have them anyway you want them. We construct reality the way we desire it to be – the lips are larger, more red, the hair is more golden; they remain young and beautiful forever. Marilyn image that disintegrates and fades out. Elvis that overlaps. – (silver screen/motion Recombinant Potential – The screenprint is among the most versatile of print techniques in regards to substrate. In other words, one can print on a diverse array of surfaces, including paper, wood, glass, plastics, textiles. The exhibition here at the GRAM demonstrates Warhol’s affinity for the aesthetic of the print on canvas – a practice that effectively elevated screen-print – a low-art technology of commerce – to the privileged status of painting. Their visual translation into the language of screen-printing homogenizes every subject; the queen, a skull, a shoe, a can, Marilyn, all become part of the same glossy, colorful language. In addition to one’s ability to print on a wide spectrum of surfaces, screen-printing allows an image to be â€Å"saved† (one may simply store and re-use the stencil or matrix in a later situation. Thus we see Warhol’s â€Å"vocabulary† (lexicon? ) of celebrities and other iconic images juxtaposed in shifting circumstances – being exercised in a language of signs. These (printed signs) juxtapositions can homogenize even the most horrific of images, emphasizing our mediated relationship to the trauma depicted. T his homogenization leaves space for interpretation – it can be argued that Warhol has intentionally treated the car crash and the Campbell soup as equal – not as references to the actual world. Alternately, it might be argued that the images are intended to shock a complacent consumer culture back to reality through conspicuously violent juxtapositions. By positioning such horrorific images in the proximity of the celebrity portrait, in the â€Å"low art† language of the advertisement, Warhol critiques a consumer culture lulled into apathy since the War by the numbing effects of Television, advertising, glossy celebrity tabloids, and the veritable glut of shiny new objects available for purchase on every store shelf. I’d like to congratulate the GRAM on a wonderful exhibit. Curator Richard Axsiom has done a marvelous job of pulling together a broad spectrum of Warhol’s strongest/most resonant images†¦and I’d like to invite you all downstairs/to the museum’s studio for screen-printing demonstration. THE IMAGERY: Celebrities or anonymous – these are images to represent the â€Å"masses†. Art should be for the pubic, but how do you represent the â€Å"public body†? – through the icons they look to, or the anonymous Marilyn image that disintegrates and fades out. Elvis that overlaps. – (silver screen/motion Warhol’s remark that all of what he has to say is right there on the surface is misinterpreted as mistaken as superficiality – a dismissal of content – argued that it supports indiscriminate images and passivity. I would argue that Warhol’s imagery is anything but indiscriminate, and is engaged in the long history of the print as a means of social critique. I want everybody to think alike. Russia is doing under government. It’s happening here all by itself. I don’t think art should be only for the select few. I think it should be for the mass of American people. How does one represent â€Å"the mass of American people†? Through it’s proxies, through its object of consumption, soup cans, Coke bottles. Media icons stand it for the body of the masses. Disaster and death were not his primary concerns, but rather the anonymous victims of history – the masses. D and D evoke this mass subject, for in a society of spectacle this subject often appears only in stories and images of mass death. Celebrity and anonymity represent the mass subject. Enter into/immerse himself in the language of pop culture. With silk-screening, you pick a photograph, blow it up, transfer it in glue onto silk, and then roll ink across so that the ink goes through the silk but not through the glue. That way you get the same image, slightly different each time. It was all so simple – quick and chancy. I was thrilled with it. † Warhol hand-printed unique silkscreen images on canvas in the e arly 1960s, and he began simultaneously to translate this technique to printing on paper. He experiments with subjects that directly relate to his paintings of the same period, as in Cagney, Race Riot, and the Ambulance Disaster. These works on paper were printed in monochromatic tones and screened in a method that retained the graininess and immediacy of the mass media images on which they were based. Warhol considered these works to be unique drawings. Changes in the ink saturation and/or in the composition during the printing process created variations in each work. Popular impressions of Pop reduced to candy – it was almost too effective in its critique, ceased to function as a critique – irony and sardonic qualities become eye candy only – another commodified visual confection. The profound flatness of images such as the soup cans – these images exaggerate the lack of roundness – these are cylindrical objects – void of their substance/their mass. Warhol Prints Not to overlook the obvious Flatness Repetition Imperfection Juxtaposition The multiple, mutable, recombinant image – Warhol’s prints are responding/exploiting each of the inherent potentials of the print. Reality as a mediated phenomenon is the subject of Warhol. Private fantasy and public reality is a primary concern of Warhol’s brand of Pop.

Monday, July 29, 2019

Approaches to error correction in language teaching, and how it has Literature review

Approaches to error correction in language teaching, and how it has evolved - Literature review Example Language is correlated to culture, and understanding a people’s language is a prerequisite to understanding their culture. A second language is very vital to the lives of many people because it affects their careers, identities and future lives. It is therefore, an important task when one engages in helping people to acquire a second language (Cook, 2008, p. 1). In fact, it would be very difficult for tourists to enjoy their tour in a foreign country, for instance, if they were unable to express themselves in the language that is commonly spoken in that language or if the tour guides in the foreign country did not have sufficient spoken and written knowledge on the tourists’ language. However, language teaching, especially second language teaching, is associated with errors among learners. This means that language teaching incorporates error correction. Various approaches to error correction in language teaching have been proposed by various scholars and researchers. Initially, attention was focused on the language that the learner produced and the technique of error analysis focused on the differences between the learner’s speech and that of the native speaker. Language teachers or instructors were interested to know how the learner’s language was like (Cook, 2008, p. 6). Naturally, it is very difficult for a foreigner to attain the same language proficiency as that of a native speaker. Therefore, this approach could not be effective in evaluating achievement of a language learner because it is not guaranteed that such learner can attain absolute proficiency in spoken or written language. It has been noted that second language learners do not achieve proficiency in language which can measure up with native-speaking individuals in terms of speaking and writing. One of the reasons why this phenomenon is varied is becau se of instructional issues (House, 2011, p. 61). During the 1950s and 1960s, the

Sunday, July 28, 2019

Reflections on history Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Reflections on history - Coursework Example This era also saw new kingdoms and technology. In fact, the Middle Ages set the stage for the birth of modern Europe. This is divided into two parts: the early middle ages and the high middle ages. The Early Middle Ages saw the Fall of the Roman Empire. The fall started on the second century. The debate still goes on today about the theory of the fall of the Roman Empire but generally, what happened was mismanagement. The Roman Empire was suddenly too big for some of the leaders and they failed to maintain the civic infrastructures that they built, like libraries, public baths and schools. Because of this, merchants also lost the confidence in investing in the empire and the intellectual development of the empire stagnated. It also became unsafe for traders to trade, thus economic collapse followed. This vulnerability offered the barbarians the chance to attack the empire. This event led to the fall of the empire and some Romans migrated to lands as far as Iberia. The Roman Empire fe ll because of the repeated Gothic invasions. The felled Empire saw a wave of Germanization in their culture, and it was controlled by many barbaric tribes. Charlemagne was an important character in this era. He was the king in the largest territory in Europe that time. He was named by Pope Leo III as the Emperor of the Roman Empire. This is not to be confused with the Byzantine Empire which is the medieval Roman Empire since his territory is called the Carolingian Empire. This period also saw Byzantium and Avar Khanate.

The Mediating Effects of Time Structure on the Relationships between Article

The Mediating Effects of Time Structure on the Relationships between Time Management Behavior, Job Satisfaction and Psychological Wellbeing - Article Example Macan’s (1994) model conceptualizes how individuals manage time to achieve performance and maintain well being. Bond and Feather (1988) termed â€Å"time structure† to â€Å"the degree to which individuals perceive their use of time as structured and purposive† (p. 321). How employment provides individuals with a sense of structure and purpose, and how the absence of such a structure has negative influences. In a recent study, Kelly (2003) examined the relationship between worry and time usage amongst university students. Kelly found that the negative impact of Time Structure is worry. Kelly’s finding is inconsistent with many previous studies, which suggest that Time Management Behaviors (TMB) positively predict psychological consequences, such as personal wellbeing, work and life satisfaction. Macan and her colleagues developed the Time Management Behavior scale (Macan, 1994; Macan et al., 1990) by the twin surveys of college students and organization employees. Macan classified time management behavior into three categories Setting goals and priorities; mechanics of time management behaviors, and preference for organization. Setting goals and priorities includes â€Å"items that tap the setting of goals the person wants or needs to accomplish and prioritizing of the various tasks to achieve these goals† (Macan et al., 1990, p. 761). Mechanics of time management refers to the â€Å"behaviors typically associated with managing time, such as making lists and planning† (Macan et al., 1990, p. 761). Preference for organization refers to a reverse-scored factor that includes items measuring â€Å"a general preference for disorganization in one’s workspace and approach to projects† (Macan et al., 1990, p. 761). Based on this categorization of time ma nagement behaviors, Macan (1994) proposed the process model, which hypothesized that time management behaviors predict an individual’s perceived control of time, which in turn predicts job

Saturday, July 27, 2019

The Function of Seduction in Maupassants novels Bel-Ami, Pierre et Essay

The Function of Seduction in Maupassants novels Bel-Ami, Pierre et Jean and Une vie - Essay Example First, the male characters in Bel-Ami and Pierre et Jean use seduction appealing to women in order to be accepted by them because perhaps they do not accept themselves the way they are. George Duroy (Bel-Ami) seduces all the women in the novel because he does not have what Roy (Engendrement du Romanesque) calls the â€Å"ideal self†. It is this lack of self-confidence, the weakness of his ego, that pushes him to seduce. Duroy comes from a modest family which he wants to change by becoming wealthy. Second, male protagonists often use seduction to change their identity, to take one some other identity. . In Bel-Ami, Duroy is frustrated of being part of the lower social rank, so he always tries to dissimulate his poverty from others. For example, when Duroy invites Mme de Marelle to his place, he changes the decor of his â€Å"shabby apartment† in order to hide his poverty. Also, in order to hide his peasant background, Duroy â€Å"forgets† to invite his parents to his wedding with Madeleine Forestier. Similarly in ‘Une vie’, Julien de Lamare disconcerts us by his successive metamorphoses all along the novel. The narrator portrays Julien as a handsome man, a seductor and as someone full of disguise and dissimulation. In fact, we realize that Julien is just a fortune hunter who knows how to play his physical appeal for seducing. Once he marries Jeanne, he drops his mask and reveals his true personality. Third, men use seduction to reach wealth and power. Indeed, in Une Vie, Julien de Lamare comes from a ruined family and that had a great impact on him. Julien will do anything to seduce and marry a rich commoner (Jeanne) in order to regain legitimacy and the glamour of his name (Ball 56). In Bel-Ami, on Madeleine Forestier’s recommendations, Duroy seduces Mme de Marelle and then Mme Walter. One provides him with housing and money while the other makes him chief editor. After Mme de Marelle remark about Mme

Friday, July 26, 2019

Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 106

Summary - Essay Example For instance, in order to justify its allegations, Russia argues that men in masks attacked and opened fire on peaceful demonstrators in the city of Kharkiv injuring some people. The statement said that some Russian journalists had been arrested and detained in the city of Dnipropetrovsk, which implies that Western countries and the new government in Ukraine were not committed to media freedom (Reuters, n.p). Despite the outcry from the Russian government, Ukrainian foreign ministry refuted the allegations asserting that they were irrational and unfounded (Reuters, n.p). It refuted that law officers have fired shots on peaceful demonstrators and no demonstrator had been injured in the Eastern City of Kharkiv. In addition, the statement confirmed that no journalist or media personnel had been arrested and detained as alleged by the Russian government. Russia has been accused of attacking Ukraine in an attempt to guard Russians living there. For example, eyewitnesses in Easter Ukraine who watch media freedom argued that after visiting Crimea, they realized that Russia orchestrated violence in the region in order to justify their reasons for invading

Thursday, July 25, 2019

Rock and Roll History Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Rock and Roll History - Research Paper Example Traditional blues was quite popular during the 1950's. Different forms of blues evolved from the original rhythm and blues, distinguishable from other genres by the use of electric guitars, which was a form of popular music that evolved in the 1950's from rhythm and blues, characterize by the use of electric guitars, a strong tempo with a curious accent and lyrics that are slanted towards the youth. 1 Rock ‘n’ Roll is a combination of different genres of music, particularly blues, country, jazz and gospel. An earlier form, popularizing rock and roll is rockabilly, and in today’s age, the evolution of this genre brought us what we know as â€Å"rock† music that encompasses a broader crowd. Rockabilly is a category of rock and roll that surfaced during the 1950’s, popularized by Caucasian singers like Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins. Technically speaking, pianos and saxophones used to be the main instruments used in this type of music, but the evolution soon used guitar to either supplement or take the lead. Basically, the backbeat usually provided by a snare drum provides the beat for this music. The classic or traditional rock and roll however utilizes two guitars for the lead and the rhythm, a string bass, an electric bass guitar, and of course, the drums. Rock and Roll was, quite definitely popular by 1960’s becoming popular all over the world and the popularity soon became wide enough to have a social impact. This genre was a definite innovation that brought the music industry into liberation, like breaking from a cage of the old culture. The impact it had on society not only affected the taste in music of a lot of societies, but it also affected the movie industry, but also the attitudes adapted by the supporters, expectedly becoming a norm, but also the language, the fashion styles followed, which could probably account for the hairstyles in that generation. In one instance, a seven million dollar la wsuit was even filed against Motley Crue due to the loss of hearing suffered by fans that went to one of their concerts. The judge however said that the fans were well aware that the music will be loud before they went into it. 2 It was more than music. Somehow, there are also beliefs that the cause of civil right movements was accelerated with the continued patronage of both white and black American youth. It surfaced on the scene during the time that tensions pertaining to race was evolving into a different phase altogether. Desegregation issues were being pushed by the civil rights movements, which moved the Supreme Court to rule the abolishment of the policy â€Å"separate but equal† in 1954. Abolishing a policy however was easier said than done. The enforcement of the abolishment proved to be extremely hard in certain parts of the country. Incorporating elements that are from black Americans and white Americans, as you might expect, goaded strong reactions within the cou ntry, and was blamed for the racial barriers’ based on skin tone’s breakdown. The other side of the argument however, is white musicians performing African American music, and black performers being watched and liked by white audiences. It heralded the way in creating a new music that encourages the audience to cooperate as a race through the use of mutual experiences, motivating the desegregation process. As mentioned earlier, rock and roll used lyrics that are youth oriented, talking about things that they can relate to. One of the more common topics started with car issues, dating and clothes. The lyrics were very simple and indeed, usually about something that any regular Joe would be able to relate to, may it be past

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

SPEACKER Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

SPEACKER - Essay Example According to the speaker, entrepreneurship is governed by huge risks and we can observe from the history that most of the startup companies fail. This primarily happens because people jump into the entrepreneurship without prior experience and knowledge of the changing market trends. Moreover, the fail entrepreneurs do not have a very clear mission and vision for their companies or their managerial operations are not consistent with the strategic decisions (Feinleib). All these factors play a vital role in the failure of any start-up business. However, this also gives entrepreneurs the insight knowledge of their business and hence failure is also important for the betterment of future decisions. Entrepreneurial failure discloses the basic methodologies through which an individual can refrain from significant losses. The speaker has identified the basic principles which can actually save people from instant business failures. For example, diligent planning is necessary especially in t erms of finances because start-up companies usually go out of cash if the inflows and outflows are not managed thoroughly. Additionally, there was an emphasis upon the significance of peculiar business details which are often ignored by the new entrepreneurs and hence they face immediate failure. For instance, entrepreneurs are required to be extra sensitive towards the changing market trends and overall consumer behavior. With the advent of modern technology customers have altering choices and hence there is a possibility that they might get product substitutes very soon. Another important aspect which requires greater attention from the entrepreneurs is their attitude after entering into the market. They must maintain profound behavior while analyzing business opportunities. They need to have a very soft and calm attitude to deal with different situations. This is further connected with the fear of business failure. People who initially fear the financial loss actually make more p roductive decisions which foster their future progress and development. Leadership and entrepreneurship are interconnected with one another. For instance, strong leadership is one of the major contributors of successful business startups. Moreover, leadership based on hard work, passion and integrity actually ensures the long term sustenance of business. This is subsequently correlated with organizational culture and employee involvement. The failure of startup businesses was a more interesting topic for me because I have personally suffered from such experience. I entered into the market without developing a diligent plan, business forecast or an outline of consumer demands. My plan was to introduce fragrance soap particularly, for women which can perform as a regular soap and an attractive fragrance at the same time. I was supposed to target middle class working women whose professional expenses could be reduced with an integration of perfumes and soaps. However, my business plan failed within three years of its operations because the product positioning was very wrong. I had to face immense competition from soap manufacturers and perfume producers whereas I got out of cash just after two years of setting up the business. Hence one of the most interesting perspectives which I have identified after experiencing a failed enterprise is the perfect market segmentation and product positionin

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Labor and Birth Case Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Labor and Birth Case Review - Essay Example The process included conducting a pelvic exam in order to determine how the patient was progressing (Stevens, 2004). Notably, the active stage was faster than the latent phase with the patient experiencing contractions in every two minutes. However, the contractions were more painful. The transition to second stage began when the cervix dilated to about 8 – 9 cm. Second stage By the time the second stage started, the baby’s head had appeared at the top of the cervix. It is worth noting that the mother was advised on when to push. Notably, uterine contractions were also getting stronger (Tharp, 2000). With assistance from abdominal muscles contraction together with mother’s pushing, the baby passed through the birth canal. It was noted that active pushing played a significant role during the stage. More importantly, an epidural anesthetic was administered in order to make the mother to manage the abdominal muscles better. Consequently, crowning occurred as the inf ant filled the lower vagina. After the head was out, then the shoulders followed, and the baby’s mouth and nose was suctioned in order to ease the baby’s first breath. Third stage During the final stage of labor, the continuing uterine contractions push the placenta out of vagina. ... This called for use of a stethoscope known as fetoscope. Consequently, after child birth, the patient was given some pain relief. This involved an epidural being placed in the patient while she lay on her side. Then her back was scrubbed with antiseptic, while the local anesthetic was injected in the skin. The anesthesia provided complete pain relief. Natural birth preparation The patient together with the family selected Lemaze method for preparing for childbirth. The method entails practice of breathing exercises together with concentration at a focal point (Tharp, 2000). This was done to assist the patient to control her pain while at the same time being conscious. In addition, the method made the flow of oxygen possible in the baby as well as to the muscles. I coached the mother during the birthing process. Conclusion The birth process was successful as expected. The mother did not experience any complications although the baby was noted to have heart murmurs. All in all, all the procedure that are involved in the birth process were a success. References Korte, D. (1992).  A good birth, a safe birth. Harvard: Harvard Common Press.   Stevens, L. R. (2004). "Gimme a C: Is Choosing a Cesarean Section for a Nonmedical Reason Wise?"  Fit Pregnancy  April-May: 40-42. Tharp, A. J. (2000).  This giving birth: pregnancy and childbirth in American women's writing. Bowling Green, OH: Bowling Green State University Popular Press.   Evidence based care Evidence based care refers to an evidence based solution that addresses a clinical dilemma and calls for defining the problem, in addition to conducting an efficient search in order to obtain the best evidence (Walsh, 2007). This is then followed by appraisal of the evidence, which is then

Monday, July 22, 2019

Internal public relations action plan at Burt’s Bees Inc Essay Example for Free

Internal public relations action plan at Burt’s Bees Inc Essay The objective of the Burt’s Bees Inc is quite simple â€Å"Practicing what we preach. † Concerning the philosophy, I recall what Koran, Moslem’ Holy Qur’an, says about the countless benefits of honey, which is also created by bees. Since the company aims at manufacturing products from natural ingredients, the company decides to put the idea of earth-friendly on the company’s packaging. Natural also underlies the company business philosophy, saying that sustainable business practices are keys to successful business since it promotes best practices. The company says that this philosophy is reflected in its ingredients and packaging designs that carefully take pay attention to environmental preservation including all living things on the planet Earth. In terms of industry leadership Burt’s Bees is still a small player in personal product sector. In 2003, the company generated revenue $50 million. Although this number was considerably huge for the 20-year old company, I see that the revenue achievement of Burt’s Bees was not noteworthy if we compare it to the company’s three main competitors; they are Nature’s Sunshine Products Inc, Procter Gamble, and Wyeth. Unlike communication to customers or other external entities, internal public relations do not use television as communication media. This is because television target wide level of audience except in the company there is restricted internal television station that only broadcast within the company’s facilities. This condition suggests that in developing internal public relation action plan, a company needs to assess what communication media is appropriate to communicate an event or a program and at what time the company should deliver the information. Therefore, a company will provide careful plan so that their message in internal magazine/newspaper, web site, and internal television will convey similar message. Table 1 Internal Communication Action Plan at Burt’s Bees Inc in 2007 Issues Action Accountability Delivery Date Measurement Comm. Medium 1. Distribute Information Regarding New Products/Offerings Compile documents regarding new program/products and distribute them to all employees Vice President of Marketing Once every one week and every time new programs are commercialized ? The number of employees response (read the distributed message) reaches minimum of 100% of total employees ? Vast Participants/Audiences Feedbacks ? E-mail ? Corporate Website ? Internal Magazine 2. Employees are unsure the benefits of beeswax and other natural ingredients 1. Invite health scientists regarding the benefits of natural products for our health 2. conduct product demo showing the benefits of natural products 1. Vice President of Marketing 2. Vice President of Research and Development December 2006 and June 2007 Participants understand the benefits of natural ingredients for health care industry and become marketing spokespeople to customers (family, neighbours etc) ? Employee Gathering ? Seminars ? E-mail ? Corporate Website †¢ Internal Magazine 3. Corporate e-mail is full of viruses attack Create regulation regarding the use of Internet for business purpose only Vice President of Information Technology Every employee logs into corporate network ? The number of viruses attack decreased ? Network resources are used efficiently ? E-mail ? Corporate Website? Internal Magazine 4. Employees do not known Burt’s Bees strategic position Informing the comparison with competitors of Burt’s Bees Vice President of Marketing Every Quarter ? Compare products from competitors (Nature’s Sunshine Products Inc, Procter Gamble, and Wyeth) ? E-mail ? Corporate Website ? Internal Magazine 5. Salespeople do not know the approach to customers Setting sales session that teach the strategy to market Burt’s Bees products Vice President of Sales Every Month ? Salespeople understand the strategy to approach customer in selling natural-ingredient products ? Training session (role play) The action plan shows that Burt’s Bees may employ different type of communication media and events in order to inform internal entities (employees) regarding current products, program, and offerings. The brief explanation of each communication medium highlighting the benefits and its audiences is as following: ? Web Si te The key points when conducting promotion via online media is that the message should clearly describe and inform about what Burt’s Bees is offering and had better to provide some links to close the deal (e-commerce ready) for employees who want to but products at a special prize. In Burt’s Bees web site (http://www. burtsbees. com) there should not be overwhelming applications such as Flash Media or pop up. Since not all employees are equipped with have high-speed computers that can access the flash media quickly. In my experience, opening a web site that are equipped with flash media like www. habitat. net can provide guests with dullness since it takes much time to see the animation appear in my screen. ? Print Media. It includes internal magazine/newspaper, poster, and brochures. Since Burt’s Bees are associated with natural ingredients that are safe for human beings, therefore, in the communication message, the company must clearly convey message that employees understand the benefits of natural ingredients like beeswax compared to chemical products. ? Seminars or discussion. In this communication media, Burt’s Bees invite health physicians, celebrities that use natural ingredients products so that employees are confident to communicate the benefits of Burt’s Bees natural products to their families, neighbours, and friends, to name a few. Bibliography Burt’s Bees Inc. (2005). Company Profile. Retrieved November 6, 2006 at: http://biz. yahoo. com/ic/104/104522. html Douglas, Susan P. and Craig, C. Samuel. (1995). Global Marketing Strategy. McGraw Hill, New York. INTERNAL COMMUNICATION ACTION PLAN. Retrieved November 5, 2006 from www. campus. manchester. ac. uk/medialibrary/internal-comms/comms-audit-action-plan. pdf RD Marketing. (2006). Creating an Integrated Marketing Communications Plan. Retrieved November 5, 2006 from http://www. rd-marketing. com/communications-plans. htm.

In what way is cultural and national identity a major concern in this extract Essay Example for Free

In what way is cultural and national identity a major concern in this extract Essay The extract makes constant references to cultural and national identity through the style of the text, the imagery of the clothing and appearances of people. There is also indication to context through the beliefs of people in the places that Jonathan visits and their rejection towards him. Bram Stoker uses this cultural and national identity to contrast the one of that Jonathan possesses. Throughout the text, there is extensive description on the appearances of the people and sometimes architecture of the differences places the protagonist visits, depicting the differences of culture and national identity. They wore high boots, with their trousers tucked into them, and had long black hair and heavy black moustaches very picturesque, but do not look prepossessing. † These descriptions give clues to their context and when the appearance shifts rapidly, there is a clear understanding that the protagonist is travelling to new places quickly. This travelling is another clue to his context, with the existence of travel writing and trains. The culture and national identity of the different places that Jonathan travels to is an indication that he is no longer in his modern society but travelling deeper and deeper into a culture that almost lives in the past. This is shown by the imagery of the people in the different towns, â€Å" with short jackets, and round hats, and home-made trousers. † These people are highly superstitious and this is conveyed by the landlady’s concern for Jonathan as he is leaving on the 4th of May. In her culture, there is superstition upon the next day as it believed to be the day where â€Å"all the evil things in the world will have full sway†. The crucifix and rosary are symbols of her culture and nationality and are used to wear away the abhuman. This â€Å"old† way of life seems almost primitive and uncivilised compared to the â€Å"new† modern context that Jonathan comes from. As he travels from the West to the East, there is contrast between the clothing that they wear and also the beliefs within the people. Jonathan clearly comes from a more technologically and academically advanced society and this is shown through the epistolary form of the text which can be identified from the dates and locations stated prior every entry and the recount-like narration style. The train in Jonathan’s world is contrasted with the horse and carriage in the less advanced world he has travelled to. â€Å"[He] cracked his big whip over his four small horses, which ran abreast, and we set off on our journey. The late-Victorian context, anti-modernism and anti-rationalism is reflected in the locations Jonathan travels to. It is especially obvious when he passes groups of people and they call him names such as â€Å"â€Å"Ordog† Satan, â€Å"Pokol† – hell, â€Å"stegoica† – witch†Ã¢â‚¬ . The people of the town show a rejection towards Jonathan as his modernity clearly does not belong in their society. They criticise him as a notion to criticise his modern kind for the abnormal behaviours of their world and the beings that possess these characteristics, the abhuman. Although there are differences in the nationalities, the identification of the abhuman in this area is uniform – â€Å"â€Å"vrolok† and â€Å"vlkoslak† – both mean the same thing, one being Slovak and the other Servian for something that is either werewolf or vampire. † This again depicts the large amounts of superstition and rejection towards science which is then contrasted with the rationality of Jonathan. The Eastern towns that Jonathan travels to are seemingly ‘abhuman’ as they believe in strange superstitions and do not believe in modernity and change. They are relatively primitive and do not embrace modern technology such as trains. This behaviour gives the reader that sense of abnormality and the abhuman as they see things through first person narration trough Jonathan’s point of view. Summarily, Stoker has used an epistolary style and other features to convey Jonathan’s context which is then contrasted with the descriptions of the unfamiliar locations that he travels to. This strange superstitious behaviour is used to contrast between the civilised and uncivilised, progressive and regressive, human and abhuman.

Sunday, July 21, 2019

Ocean Acidification and Climate Change

Ocean Acidification and Climate Change Most of us have heard about global warming and what it is doing to our world, including our oceans. Global warming is simply a climate change. A slow and steady increase in the temperature of the earths atmosphere, environment, and its oceans is believed to be permanently changing the earths climate. Climate change involves rapidly changing temperatures and unpredictable weather patterns on huge scale. In addition, these changes cause an increase in concentrations of gases which trap heat in the atmosphere, often called greenhouse gases. The most commonly released gas is carbon dioxide. The increase volumes of carbon dioxide and some other gases released by the burning of fuels, clearing lands, agriculture, and other human actions are believed to be the most important sources of global warming. This has occurred over the past fifty years. Ocean acidification has destructive and harmful results to our earths underwater environment. The absorption of carbon dioxide by the earths oceans is increasing the acid levels, producing harmful and long-term destruction to our oceans coral reefs, which causes them to dissolve by reducing their calcification. Changes in the earths ocean environment is not often seen or felt, so it is essential to discuss the importance of this process on the coral reefs and the dangerous effects of global warming. Coral reefs are the most biodiverse ecosystems of the oceans. Coral reefs are estimated to shelter around one-third of all marine species; about 500 million people rely on coral reefs for food, income, and medicine. Coral reefs also act as barriers during inclement weather. Human activity is causing the earth to get warmer and warmer, especially by the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation, the clear cutting of forests. When we dig out and burn fossil fuels, like coal and petroleum, we cause the release of carbon dioxide and other gases into the atmosphere. Clearing of the forests also allows for large amounts of carbon dioxide to be released all over the entire world. The future of coral reefs is threatened by humans and natural disturbances. Typical ocean pH levels vary due to the effect of the environment. When the pH of water falls below 5.0 or rises above 9.6, harmful actions become obvious. pH levels below 7.6 will cause coral reefs to dissolve as a result of the lack of calcium carbonate. Efforts to alleviate global warming and ocean acidification by reducing emissions have been unsuccessful. Scientists have become more interested in climate engineering to prevent the dangerous outcomes of climate change. Artificial ocean alkalization is studied as a way to decrease local ocean acidification and to protect coral reefs ecosystems. Several readings focused on the possibility of changing ocean pH by increasing water alkalinity. In these studies, alkalizing agents, such as calcium carbonate or calcium hydroxide, were used to increase the oceans alkalinity and the potential of protecting coral reefs against ocean acidification. This approach is logical but doubtful because of the constant changes (variation) of carbon dioxide concentration from season to season, day to night, and the species variety and ability to adapt. Also, increasing the oceans surface pH stimulates an additional absorption of carbon dioxide. In another study, a team of international scientists, including a Texas AM University researcher, examined the Tree Reef, bordering the Australian coast. The team added sodium hydroxide to the water to reverse acidity and increase alkalinity of the water. With the increase of water pH, the reef grew quickly as a result of the experiment. Scientists concluded that it is possible to increase the growth of coral reefs if ocean acidification is reversed. In addition, according to a new study published in the journal Environmental Science Technology, blowing tiny bubbles though seawater could remove carbon dioxide from the water and help offset (counteract) water acidification. However, installing bubbles anywhere where coral reefs are present is expensive. The idea of increasing the alkalinity of ocean water to protect and preserve coral reefs is like turning back the clock hundreds of years. Back then, the carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere was lower, and the oceans were much healthier. The best solution would be to stop emitting carbon dioxide and prevent ocean acidification.

Saturday, July 20, 2019

The Role of Culture in Shaping us as Individuals :: Sociology Essays

The Role of Culture in Shaping us as Individuals Culture has a big impact on how we all fit in as individuals in today’s society, and since this assignment is about that I decided to include some of my own experiences to illustrate my point of view and compare it with those of my classmates and some of the readings. My family and I moved to United States in 1998 from Albania. My parents believed that I and my sister would get a better education here and also it would be useful and interesting to learn another language and its culture. Considering I didn’t speak a word of English I was very scared about starting high school. I was scared about fitting in with the other kids, I was scared about not being able to understand them, and not sure how my culture would impact the way how I looked at things. I remember my first day at the bus stop, when this very handsome guy approached me and said â€Å"Good morning, you must be new†¦What’s Up?† At that momement I kept looking up thinking†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Gosh I don’t really see anything up there†¦what is he referring to?† His name was Michael and he kept repeating the phrase â€Å"What’s up† thinking maybe I didn’t hear him. All I remember is turning red in my face and using the same phrase I had told myself many times that I was never going to use†¦ â€Å"I don’t speak English.† When we moved here I told myself I was going to try my best however I wasn’t going to be like another one of those foreigners you see in the movies that move to a different country and make no attempt to learn the language. I also told my self that I was going to repeat every word that I heard in my brain and then later using the dictionary to find out what that word meant. My favorite subject in highs cool was math, since it required little English knowledge and my least favorite subject was Physical Education. I would have never thought that I was going to hate Physical Education because usually that’s a class most students would probably like to take again and again.

Comparing the Voice of Frost in Mending Wall, After Apple-Picking, and

The Voice of Frost in Mending Wall, After Apple-Picking, and The Wood-Pile    The "persona" narratives from the book - "Mending Wall," "After Apple-Picking," and "The Wood-Pile" - also strive for inclusiveness although they are spoken throughout by a voice we are tempted to call "Frost." This voice has no particular back-country identity, nor is it obsessed or limited in its point of view; it seems rather to be exploring nature, other people, ideas, ways of saying things, for the sheer entertainment they can provide. Unlike poems such as "Home Burial" and "A Servant to Servants," which are inclined toward the tragic or the pathetic, nothing "terrible" happens in the personal narratives, nor does some ominous secret lie behind them. In "The Wood-Pile," for example, almost nothing happens at all; its story, its achieved idea or wisdom, the whole air with which it carries itself, is quite unmemorable. A man out walking in a frozen swamp decides to turn back, then decides instead to go farther and see what will happen. He notes a bird in front of him and spends so me time musing on what the bird must be thinking, then sees it settle behind a pile of wood. The pile is described so as to bring out the fact that it has been around for some time. With a reflection about whoever it was who left it there, "far from a useful fireplace," the poem concludes. And the reader looks up from the text, wonders if he has missed something, perhaps goes back and reads it again to see if he can catch some meaning which has eluded him. But "The Wood-Pile" remains stubbornly unyielding to any attempt at ransacking it for a meaning not evidently on the surface. This surface is a busy one, as when the speaker meets the bird: A small bird flew be... ...essing it, when he has no audience to be bullied or flattered, when he is free, and speech takes one form and no other." Despite the presence of back-country characters and scenes in this "book of people," it is as a book of sentence sounds that it most truly exists, as a triumphant vindication of the poetic theory Frost had designed, and as a monument to how much could be accomplished by trusting to the rendering of speech. At the end of "Home Burial," the wife lashes out at her husband in exasperation: "You - oh, you think the talk is all . . ." But for the composer of these poems, the talk is all, whether that of his imagined characters or of himself speaking aloud. Works Cited Frost, Robert. "Mending Wall." The Norton Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Julia Reidhead. 5th ed. 2 vols. New York: Norton, 1998. Frost: A Literary Life Reconsidered.

Friday, July 19, 2019

The Rime Of The Ancient Marine :: essays research papers

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner The Mariner is not in the hands of a merciful God because his agony always returns. He asks for forgiveness of his agony but still after he tells his tale the agony returns at random times. A merciful God would grant permanent mercy. For all, the Mariner has been through death and hardship of his crew because of the killing of the albatross. The thought of his crime is enough agony but the Mariner's agony returns until he has to relive the tragedy of the killing of his crew by telling his tale to another person. The fact that the agony always returns is particularly horrible about the Mariner's punishment because no matter how hard he tries or how much he prays his sin is carried along within him. The pain of his sin goes away right after he tells his tale but it returns shortly afterwards. The Mariner says that, after telling the Hermit his story, 'Since then, at an uncertain hour that agony returns.'; Since the first time the Mariner confessed his crime to the Hermit at an inconsistent hour God reminds the Mariner of the sin he has committed by piercing his heart with agonizing pain. He tells the Wedding Guest that, until he tells his story, 'The heart within me burns.'; This is God's way of expressing his anger to the Mariner for the curse he put on his crew when he killed the Albatross. God makes sure that the Mariner has and will fell agony, that the agony will always return, and that the agony will return at an unsure hour each day which causes the Mariner to relive his tale and to liv e in agony for the rest of his life. The Mariner is granted relief from his agony by telling his tale which releases his agony for a short while. The Mariner is telling the Wedding Guest why he must continue to tell his tale, 'Which forced me to begin my tale; And then it left me free.'; God has granted him the power to tell his tale which sets him free for a short while. Maybe God is merciful for letting him tell his tale but his agony always returns. He can't enjoy his little time of freedom because he is uncertain when the pain will return again. The Mariner travels, looking for the right person to tell his tale to, the face which relieves his agony and lets him feel free.

Thursday, July 18, 2019

Cost Accounting Terminologies Essay

Cost accounting, as a tool of management, provides management with detailed records of the costs relating to products, operations or functions. Cost accounting refers to the process of determining and accumulating the cost of some particular product or activity. It also covers classification, analysis and interpretation of costs. The cost so determined and accumulated may be the estimated future costs for planning purposes, or actual (historical) costs for evaluating performance. The Institute of Cost and Management Accountant (ICMA), London, defined cost accounting as â€Å"the process of accounting for cost from the point at which expenditure incurred or committed to the establishment of its ultimate relationship with cost centers and cost units. In its widest usage it embraces the preparation of statistical data, the application of cost control methods and the ascertainment of profitability of activities carried out or planned.† Costing Cost accounting and costing have distinctly different meanings. The Institute of Cost and Management Accountant (ICMA), London, defined costing as the ascertainment of costs. Costing includes the â€Å"techniques† and â€Å"processes† of ascertaining costs. The technique refers to the principles or rules which are applied for ascertaining costs of products manufactured and services rendered. There are mainly two methods of costing job costing and process costing. The process includes the day to day routine of determining costs within the methods of costing adopted by the business enterprise. Within such a process, there could be historical costing, marginal costing, absorption costing and standard costing etc. Objectives of Cost Accounting There is a direct relationship among information needs of management and cost accounting objectives and techniques and tools used for analyses in cost accounting. Cost accounting has the following three important objectives: 1. To determine the product cost.  2. To facilitate planning and control of regular business activities. 3. To supply information for short and long-run decision. Product Costing The objective of determining the cost of products is the prime importance of cost accounting. The total product costs and cost per unit of product are important in making inventory valuation, deciding price of the product and managerial decision making. Planning and Control Another important objective of cost accounting is the creation of useful cost data and information for the purposes of planning and control by management. The different alternative plans are evaluated in terms of respective costs and associated benefits. The management control over business operations aims to establish balance between actual and budgeted performance. A properly designed cost accounting system includes the following steps in the control process: 1. Comparing actual performance with budgets and standard 2. Analyzing the variances between budget and standards and actual by causes, and management responsibility so that corrective actions may take place. 3. Providing managers with data and reports about their individual performances and performances of subordinates. Information for decision Another important objective of cost accounting system is to provide data and special analyses for short and long-run decisions of a non-recurring nature. Appropriate cost information must be accumulated to make a wide variety of short and long run decision. According to Henke and Spoede, the following are the cost information developed in cost accounting: 1. As a basis for valuing manufactured inventories and cost of goods sold in externally presented financial reports. 2. In controlling operations through the evaluation of operating results and the placement of responsibilities for the uses of organizational resources on the shoulders of specifically identifiable persons within the organization. 3. In planning operations through the establishment of cost and budgetary goals. 4. In making day- to- day operating decisions. The cost information is used for two purposes in most organizations: 1) the cost accounting systems provide information to evaluate the performance of an organizational unit or his manager, and 2) also provide the means for estimating the unit cost of products or services that the organization can manufacture or provide to others. a) Performance measurement: This measurement can be done by comparing current costs with those who were expected – or standard costs budgeted cost – to the degree of knowing which of them have been controlled. Deviations of expected with the current – variances – can be identified, evaluated and discussed by managers. b) Cost of goods and services: In manufacturing companies, the costs of goods must be measured to determine the cost of items transferred from work in process inventory to finished products. To meet the demands for information, a cost system should measure all the costs of manufacturing process and allocate a portion of those costs to each unit of output. The cost to obtain, maintain and manage the manufacturing plant or building should be added to the cost of material and productive work that requires each unit. The first are called indirect costs and the two last are called direct costs. c) Profit analysis. Information in costs is essential to analyze the profits obtained from a product or product line. The information on the cost of a product enables managers to assess the contribution margin – the difference between the price and variable costs – and the gross margin – the difference between the price and the total cost of the product. d) Product mix. For the companies that offer more than one product or service the cost information is key to handle the mix of products or services offered to customers. With information on cost-profit, a manager can lead the effort in sales and advertising for products that generate greater value. The products that do not create any profit can be removed, have a price reassignation, or tied up with products that have greater utility. e) Price assignation. Regardless of where prices are determined by the forces of market demand, product differentiation and advertising offer to many managers some sort of idea to assign prices to products or services. The costs of products and trends commonly offer signals to managers that prices should be changed. An example could be the change in the cost of a material or critical component which can give a signal to reassess the price of a product or service. f) Cost of service. Many products require the seller to provide additional services to customers. In such cases, the information about the cost of service is so important for managers as the cost of production. The same for companies that offer services only, unless the cost of service is measured, there is no way to know whether providing the service is profitable or not, or whether changes in prices or advertising are needed. Looked from another angle, the uses that the administration of a company can give to the costs can be grouped into 4 categories, specified below Method of costing As state earlier, the term costing refers to the techniques and processes of determining cost of a product manufactured or a service rendered. Different methods are applied in business enterprises to ascertain cost depending upon the nature of the product, production method and specific business conditions. For example, in a textile or steel company, raw material passes through different stages and production is done continuously. In some other industries, production is done at different customers specific orders and each job is different from the other job.

Wednesday, July 17, 2019

Henkel: building a winning culture Essay

Introduction chief executive officer in 2008 Kasper Rorsted, Studied Economics and has experience in technological companies. Management style was base on face-to-face conversations and pushing for more(prenominal) efficiency.Henkel until 2008Founded in 1876 as a pay backr of detergent, by 1920 it was a leading German detergent en glue maker. aft(prenominal) WWII fellowship restarted as a producer of detergent, glues and personal care products. In 2008 14 billion euros gross revenue over one hundred twenty-five countriesEMEA 64%North America 19%Asia-Pacific 11%Latin America 6%Executive group mainly Germans and members of the Henkel Family 3 major avocation unitsAdhesive Technologies (48%) laundry and Home care (30%)Cosmetics/Toiletries (22%)Competition P&G, Unilever and LOreal(See exhibit 1,2,3)2012 Goals 14% EBIT boundary line2008 14 billion in sales (+8%) EBIT-margin (10,3%) = no competitive aliveness? (The happy underperformer) 2nd expose of 2008 Financial crisis Pri ce increase by Henkel = growth in all in all the business units fell. reaction of Rorsted (CEO) transform the company into a leaner and more work punctuate company by setting 4-year fiscal goals (2012) for Sales growth (3-5%)EBIT-margin (14%)EPS (Earnings per Share) (above 10%)Reaction of the market they will not make it.Building a winning kitchen-gardeningRorsted k juvenile that the tar necessitates were high, but he wanted to get in that respect by installing a winning culture within the company. 3 main strategic prioritiesAchieve the to the full business electromotive force revolve approximately more on the customersStrengthen the global team up2008-2009 investments in backsheesh-performing brands and high potential markets e.g. Biggest science ever of 3,7 billion euros for the adhesives and electronic physical businesses of the National Starch and Chemical Company. telephone dial brand high investments in North-America = top brand in body cleanse markets. Selling underperforming brands.Searching for cost-efficiencies.2009-2012 from promise to human beingsRorsted first do the hard things (close plants, locate off people) then the softer things. For the softer things everybody in the company needed to be on senesce = emotional buy-in. redefining Henkels vision and determineimplementing a new motion counselling systemVision and ValuesFocus on financial goals and priorities = becoming a winning competitor 10 set (see exhibit 5) but they had little implication inside the company BUT the CEO Thought they had..2010 Henkel a global attractor in brands and technologies putting customers centralvalue, dispute and reward peopledrive superior sustainable financial carrying outsustainabilitybuild the emerging on the family foundationThey organised workshops all over the company to introduce the employers to these new values. New tagline Excellence is our passion in early 2011performance circumspectionA lot of employees have careers of ove r 20, 30 or even 40 long time within the company. 2009 new performance management system for 4 layers of management. For each employee there was 1) the current rating of hisperformance and 2) potential performance for the future. These were put in a grid (exhibit 7) with scores going from L (low), M (moderate) to T (Top) For potential performance numbers were used from 1 to 4 with 4 the limit of performance of someone. These rankings were set up during a Development round table (DRT), a collaborative forum with a group head and his direct reports. Afterwards, the results were discussed during a one-to-one with the employee. DRT-processes were done bottom-up. Targets were set about how many employees should be fitted in a certain category. E.g 5% had to be L = caused a new way of military rank within the company. Bonus compensationBonusses were tie in to the overall company financial performance, team performance and singular performance.Group performance KPI (e.g. EBIT,..) 3 pe r yearTeam performance idemIndividual performancePerformance on 2 equally weighted individual KPIsPerformance from the DRT process.Each manager could get a target bonus as well. A round table discussion with Henkel Executives about the Winning culture.See case.