Tuesday, December 24, 2019

Homosexuality in the Caribbean - 2169 Words

UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTHERN CARIBBEAN MARACAS ROYAL ROAD, MARACAS, ST. JOSEPH. Research Paper An Assignment Presented in Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Course ENGL215 ENGLISH COMPOSITION II INSTRUCTOR: Mr. Kevin M Holder By Shernelle Cyrus amp; Ramona Grant 5th July, 2012 Approval†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Table of Contents Definition of Homosexuality†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦4 Cuba’s statistics on homosexuality†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 4 Negative views about homosexuality in the†¦show more content†¦I feel them kinda people want killing, man. That type of people aint have no right living under this sun If I had my way I would burn all homosexuals in the place I feel them sort of men want putting off the earth They should burn all. Those people want putting on an island by themselves. These comments reveal a rather contradictory, but common, misconception: that one is capable of â€Å"beating† or eliminating homosexuality out of existence or beating the life of an individual through a violent intervention. Popular reggae artist Shabba Ranks, no stranger to controversy over issues of homosexuality, is quoted in the Village Voice as having said; â€Å"if a man is thinking of homosexuality, he is thinking of disease and wrong doings, so God almighty himself hates homosexuals. In Jamaica, if a homosexual is being found in the community, then we stone him to death.† It was also Shabba Ranks who proclaimed to the music world in his â€Å"wicked in bed† the punishment that should be meted out to homosexuals; â€Å"meh nah promote mama man. All mama fe dead.† To remove any doubt about their fate Shabba declares:†pam, pam. Lick a shot in a mama man head.† Buju Bantan outraged many with his 1992 reggae song â€Å"boom bye bye.† Like Shabba, Buju suggested that homosexual be eliminated at the barrel of gun ‘send for ah automatic and de Uzi instead. / Shoot dem now come let me shoot dem.† Boom! Bye Bye, in a batty bowy head Rude bowy nah promote no batty boy Dem hafi dead Shabba andShow MoreRelatedThe Caribbean Culture1669 Words   |  7 PagesThe Caribbean culture has a special showcase when it comes to expressing the masculine and feminine aspect of its living society. This paper will be able to introduce the argument of dealing with males and females in a masculine and feminine environment surrounded by the Caribbean culture and lifestyle. The first notion will speak about the author, Julia Alvarez, in turn how she is able to express the feminine aspect of four girls focused on her novel, How the Garcà ­a Girls Lost Their Accents. TheRead MoreAnalysis Of Makeda Silvera s Chapter 22 Testimony1312 Words   |  6 PagesMAKEDA Silvera s chapter 22 testimony is concerning her life as a lesbian woman in her home country, the Caribbean. She touches on certain aspects in her life like hearing gossip from her grandmother or mother about the local women in her community who were rumored to be lesbians and how they were punished for being so within that community. Her Caribbean community was deeply religious which brought out a homophobic energy amongst the locals. This energy is pronounced when Silvera describes thatRead MoreThe Roman Catholic Church And Caribbean Cultures Essay1615 Words   |  7 Pages in this paper I will be analyzing my two cultures as an individual. The experiences and practices that I have endured have made me the woman that I am today. Thus, my two cultures that I have chosen to address are the Roman Catholic Church and Caribbean cultures. Namely, the first one that I will be spiel is my Roman Catholic Church culture. The Roman Catholic Church culture has been an important stake in my life. As well as, it is being the largest Christian church in the world, with more thanRead MoreDescription of Three Homosexual Potential Veterinarian Position1747 Words   |  7 Pagesthe decisions and wishes of the client, or if they will they disregard them without thought. After consideration has been given to the employee’s attitude towards clients, thoughts must be turned towards employment discrimination laws and the homosexuality of the candidates. In both the United States and Grenada, there are laws protecting people against discrimination in all aspects of employment (cite?). However, these laws have a somewhat limited status, applying mostly to discrimination thatRead MoreThe Disney Departure : Differences Before And After The Death Of Walt Disney1459 Words   |  6 Pagesits founder’s guidance, and many believed that the positive American image would be threatened. However, the Disney corporation has done a remarkable job in staying true to society’s view on what is morally correct, and with the introduction of homosexuality, diversity of races, and the rise in their ratings to reach broader audiences, the brand has become even more universally enjoyed than ever before. Although this is not directly under Walt’s a uthority, and they are predominant shifts, the basicRead MoreEssay about Life in Trinidad and Tobago 2120 Words   |  9 Pageslarger role within the novel. Moreover, the colonial history of the island serves as a foundation to the present living of the citizens of Tobago. The two island republic of Trinidad and Tobago has been one of the most influential of the Anglophone Caribbean nations having attracted a succession of Spanish, English, French, African and Indian peoples and also having developed a Creole culture that particularly through its calypso music has influenced the world. Its population is fairly evenly dividedRead More Plantation and Race in the Caribbean Essay1738 Words   |  7 PagesPlantation and Race in the Caribbean The incredible history of the Caribbean is indeed, one of the most rich, and at the same time troubling, of the New World. Its incredibly heterogeneous population and its social racial base make it a very difficult place to, for instance, live and raise a family. While some children may have a future because of their light complexion, the others are doomed to a life of poverty in the unforgiving culture and society of the Caribbean. Three people have takenRead MoreSocial Acceptance Of Homosexuality Between Regions Essay1312 Words   |  6 PagesThe Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was conducted to determine whether there were any significant differences in the social acceptance of homosexuality between regions. Findings indicate a significant difference between the Midwest and Other (participants who indicated they were not from the listed regions) in the social acceptance of homosexuality, F=3.102 p=0.032. Using the Tukey HSD test the results indicated that the mean score for the Midwest (M=3.26, SD=1.07) was significantly different thanRead MoreSame Sex Marriage Has Become Legal And The View On Lgbtq Essay1255 Words   |  6 Pagesbehaviors were typically seen in a negative light. Sometimes even punished due to laws that were in place at the time, sodomy laws. Somewhere in the 1920s people began to assume that homosexuality could be changed through psychology. This movement was so popular at the time that even Freud stated that homosexuality could sometimes be removed through hypnotic suggestion. However, this fact was disproven by United States Surgeon General David Satcher in a report, â€Å"there is no valid scientific evidenceRead MoreAssess sociological explanations of the nature and extent of family diversity today850 Words   |  4 Pagesthat families are built in different cultural, religious and ethnic groups, which means that they also have different family structures because of this. An example of this is that there are a higher proportion of female-headed families among Afro-Caribbean households. Social class diversity is the next type of family diversity. This is where there are differences in family structure due to the result of income differences between households of different classes. An example of this is the royal family

Monday, December 16, 2019

Night Creature Crescent Moon Chapter 41 Free Essays

â€Å"Stand back.† Mandenauer pointed his gun at Henri’s head. â€Å"Old man, you try my patience,† Elise muttered. We will write a custom essay sample on Night Creature: Crescent Moon Chapter 41 or any similar topic only for you Order Now Confusion swept over his face. â€Å"What did I do?† â€Å"You can’t shoot someone with a soul.† â€Å"Since when?† Her mouth moved as if she was counting to ten. I kind of thought she was. â€Å"We’ve been over this. Put the gun away.† â€Å"Never.† But he did lower it. â€Å"What do you suggest? A mad werewolf, soul or no, is not something I plan to let run free.† â€Å"I’m with him,† Adam said. Elise stared at Henri as if he were a brand-new science experiment. â€Å"I wish I could cage him until I’m certain what we’re up against† Adam and I exchanged glances. â€Å"I’ve got a cage,† I said. â€Å"I’d forgotten,† Mandenauer murmured, and Elise shot him a glare. â€Å"That’s not something that should be forgotten.† â€Å"I’m ancient.† He sniffed. â€Å"Sometimes I forget.† â€Å"One day you’ll forget to shoot the bad guys, and then you’ll be dead.† â€Å"Perhaps.† He didn’t appear concerned. â€Å"We must hurry and incarcerate Henri before the sun disappears.† A flurry of activity ensued, followed by a frantic trip to the mansion; then we practically dragged Henri through the swamp, and tossed him into the cage. Not a minute too soon. I turned the key on the padlock as he came awake with a howl of agony. His body bent; his clothes tore; hair sprouted from every pore. I’d seen him change from wolf to man; now I watched as he went from man to wolf. That had to hurt. His too human eyes peered at us from behind the bars. When I’d seen them before they’d been full of hate and hunger. Now the hunger was there, but the hate was gone. He paced back and forth, whining, pawing the ground, then throwing himself against the bars until he bled. â€Å"Give him the serum, Elise,† Mandenauer ordered. She’d already pulled a vial from the pocket of her shorts and snapped gloves onto her hands once more. Another migraine she didn’t need. â€Å"What’s de matter with him?† â€Å"The hunger is maddening. On the night of the full moon I have to run as wolf. Without this,† she held up the vial â€Å"I’d kill. I wouldn’t be able to help myself. For him, the same thing must happen under the crescent moon.† She shook her head. â€Å"One night a month is bad enough.† â€Å"Why is he whining?† I resisted the urge to cover my ears, the pathetic noise grating on my nerves like sandpaper. â€Å"Killing sickens him,† she whispered, â€Å"but he can’t resist the desire.† Elise walked to the cage, and Henri slammed against it right in front of her. â€Å"Be careful,† I called. â€Å"He can’t hurt me. I’m a werewolf already.† In a lightning-fast movement, she reached inside and grabbed Henri’s snout. Then she poured the contents of the vial down his throat. When she was through, he actually licked her hand before falling asleep. â€Å"Does Damien still get furry every full moon?† I asked Elise. â€Å"My touch cured him.† â€Å"But you can’t cure yourself?† Something flickered in her eyes, and she looked away. â€Å"Not yet† â€Å"And Henri? What’s his problem?† â€Å"I’m not sure. I’d like to take him back to the lab and figure that out.† â€Å"No,† Adam said flatly. â€Å"I can fix him,† Elise insisted. â€Å"I haven’t spent much time in the lab since this.† She lifted her palm. â€Å"Works better than any medicine. But not so long ago, I lived there. I’m sure I can discover what his secret is.† â€Å"You can’t kill him. If he dies, I’m cursed.† â€Å"The curse might be lifted. His soul is restored.† â€Å"De only way to know is for him to die. I’m not willing to take that chance.† â€Å"He’ll be safe with me. You should see the compound we built Impregnable this time.† â€Å"This time?† I asked. â€Å"Last one went boom. But the werewolves survived the blast.† â€Å"That really sets my mind at ease,† Adam muttered. Cassandra, who hadn’t said a word since we’d gotten here, moved closer to the cage. â€Å"I think I might know why your cure didn’t work.† â€Å"I’m all ears,† Elise said. â€Å"Henri was made a loup-garou through voodoo, not by science or by being bitten.† Cassandra stared at each of us in turn. â€Å"A voodoo curse can only be removed by voodoo.† My heart kicked against the wall of my chest. â€Å"You can fix him? Why didn’t you say so?† â€Å"Not me.† â€Å"Who?† â€Å"Only the one who placed the curse can take it away.† My shoulders slumped. â€Å"She’s gotta be long dead.† â€Å"Exactly.† Cassandra’s eyes met mine. â€Å"But the dead can rise.† â€Å"Zombie.† Elise’s eyebrows shot toward her silky blond hair. I was amazed that in her profession she could still be surprised. â€Å"Zombies are dangerous,† Mandenauer muttered. â€Å"And unpredictable.† â€Å"You’ve seen one?† Cassandra asked. â€Å"Ja.† â€Å"You know someone who can raise a zombie?† â€Å"I did.† He sniffed. â€Å"That means he killed the guy,† Elise said. â€Å"Grandfather, sometimes it’s better to keep them alive.† â€Å"Wait a second.† I held up a hand. â€Å"He’s your grandfather?† That the head werewolf hunter had a granddaughter who was a werewolf was a little hard to digest. â€Å"Yes,† Elise confirmed. â€Å"Neither one of us is too happy about it.† I could imagine. Adam turned to Cassandra. â€Å"Tell me about raising de woman who cursed my family. Could you do it?† â€Å"Not me, no. I’d need to find a practitioner powerful enough to perform that kind of magic. I’m not even sure it’s possible to raise someone who’s been dead that long.† Adam’s shoulders slumped. I moved closer and slipped my hand into his. â€Å"Until then, let me try,† Elise urged. I understood why Adam didn’t want to give anyone power over Henri. In relinquishing his grandpere, Adam relinquished control over his own and Luc’s destiny. But we’d exhausted our options. Protecting Henri wasn’t getting us anywhere. We needed the experts’ help. Adam must have thought the same thing, because he squeezed my hand and said, â€Å"OK.† The night passed; the sun rose; Henri became a man again. A very crazy man. Elise was forced to sedate him to get him back to the compound in Montana. She’d been right. The knowledge of all he’d done had sent him over the edge. He did a lot of moaning and muttering. If I hadn’t almost been one of his victims, I might have felt sorry for him. As it was, I was glad to see him go. Cassandra decided to take a trip to Haiti, courtesy of the Jager-Sucher society. â€Å"Mandenauer wants me to discover more about voodoo, zombies, and this goddess-of-the-moon question. I’m game.† She’d hired a local to run her store and take care of Lazarus when I refused to. Cassandra and I were friends, but I drew the line at snake-sitting. â€Å"I think we’ve proved I’m not a moon goddess,† I said. â€Å"Maybe. Maybe not. It won’t hurt to look into things a little more. You want Henri cured, don’t you?† â€Å"For all I care, Henri can burn in hell.† â€Å"He probably will. But if we can make certain Adam and Luc don’t follow him there – â€Å" â€Å"I’ll do anything,† I said. â€Å"That’s what I thought I made a few calls after you traveled to Ife and spoke to Erzulie.† â€Å"Do not tell me I’m a lost priestess of the voodoo nation. I’m a cryptozoologist from Boston. Period.† Cassandra’s shoulders shifted, as if something were crawling down her neck. â€Å"I think I sent you to Ife.† â€Å"What?’ â€Å"I performed the ceremony. The magic came from me.† Cassandra appeared sheepish. â€Å"I might be more powerful than I thought† â€Å"That’s good news, isn’t it?† â€Å"Don’t tell Mandenauer. He gets weird when people talk about power.† I couldn’t imagine why. â€Å"What’s next for you?† Cassandra asked. â€Å"I don’t know.† She tilted her head. â€Å"Love, marriage, mommyhood. I see it in the cards.† â€Å"You don’t read cards.† She put her hand over mine. â€Å"Your future is with them.† â€Å"I haven’t seen Adam or Luc since Henri went away.† Three days ago. I’d hung around the mansion waiting. Pathetic but true. I’d have to get a job soon, considering Frank hadn’t paid me. Since his butt was in jail, courtesy of me, I didn’t mink he was going to. Before Mandenauer had left he’d told Detective Sullivan there’d been one rabid wolf in the swamp and he had killed it. Case closed. I had no reason to hang around. â€Å"Adam loves you,† Cassandra said. â€Å"I’m not so sure.† â€Å"He put his son in your protection. There’s no greater love than that.† â€Å"Henri found a gris-gris under Luc’s pillow.† â€Å"Really? I guess that’s the love charm you were so worried about.† She narrowed her gaze. â€Å"You want me to give you one to counteract the magic?† â€Å"He burned it.† She peered into my face. â€Å"And you still love them both, don’t you?† â€Å"Desperately.† I’d realized sometime over the past few nights I’d slept alone that I’d fallen for Adam before I’d even met Luc. The gris-gris was irrelevant, even if it weren’t dust. â€Å"Maybe you need to say good-bye to your first love before you move on to the last one.† At my confused expression, she continued. â€Å"Simon. You’ve never really put him to rest† â€Å"And how do you suggest I do that? Another gris-gris?† She smiled and squeezed my hand. â€Å"Only you can say good-bye to him, Diana.† I wasn’t sure how I’d say good-bye to a dead man, but I certainly couldn’t do it long-distance. I packed my things and went to Chicago, where I’d buried Simon four years ago. The place no longer felt like home. I’m not sure it ever had. The cemetery was peaceful, deserted. No one would see me talking to a headstone. â€Å"You were right, Simon. There’s more in this world than anyone could imagine.† I sat on the grave and ran my hand over the grass. â€Å"I had to break my vow, and I’m sorry. I couldn’t clear your name. I’d only hurt more people. I figured you’d understand.† Absently I pulled out the gris-gris that contained the fire iris petal. A little truth wouldn’t be so bad. Where was Simon now? Had he truly come to me in the swamp? Was there any way of getting him back? Did I want to? When I touched the sack, the tie fell off, and when I peered inside, I discovered the petal had disintegrated into dust The wind swirled the particles away. I guess some truths are better left unknown. â€Å"I still miss you,† I said. â€Å"I probably always will, but I have to say good-bye.† The breeze, warm despite the autumn chill off Lake Michigan, stirred my hair. I wanted to smell Simon’s aftershave, hear his voice, feel his love, know that he’d heard me. I closed my eyes and wished for him, but he was as gone as the wind. When I opened my eyes, Adam was there. Talk about magic. â€Å"You scared me to death, cher. I thought you’d left for good.† How had he found me? â€Å"Cassandra,† I said as I got to my feet. He shrugged, then indicated Simon’s grave with a tilt of his head. â€Å"You were saying good-bye.† â€Å"I can’t live in the past anymore.† â€Å"Me, neither.† Hope lit my heart and probably my face, because he held up his hand. â€Å"There’s something I have to tell you. Luc and Sadie did a love spell.† â€Å"I know.† He started. â€Å"You do?† I nodded. â€Å"I was going to destroy it, but Luc can’t find de gris-gris.† â€Å"Henri burned it. One of his insane little mind games.† â€Å"But†¦ I still feel de same way.† â€Å"Which is?† â€Å"Crazy mad in love with you.† â€Å"Ditto,† I said. â€Å"And your little boy, too.† Adam gave me a rare smile. â€Å"I never thought I’d love anyone but my son.† â€Å"I never thought I’d love again.† â€Å"I guess we were both wrong.† He tugged on my hair. â€Å"What you think about fixing up de mansion?† â€Å"I thought you hated the place.† â€Å"Kind of grew on me. Lots of good memories there now.† My face heated at some of them. â€Å"I can’t promise a certain future.† I lowered my gaze to Simon’s headstone. â€Å"Who can?† After several moments of silence, Adam said, â€Å"Mandenauer offered us jobs.† â€Å"Us?’ He nodded. â€Å"We’d be perfect.† â€Å"What would we have to do?† â€Å"Same thing we’ve been doing.† I wiggled my brows. â€Å"He’s going to pay us for that?† Adam snorted. â€Å"He wants you to chase down rumors of paranormal beasts. He wants me to kill werewolves.† I frowned. â€Å"That sounds dangerous.† â€Å"I’ve been doing it for years, cher† â€Å"What about Luc? We can’t both traipse off, tra-la-la.† His lips curved. â€Å"You’re thinkin’ like a mother already.† I was. When had that happened? â€Å"You sure you want a ready-made family?† he asked. â€Å"I’m sure I want you and Luc.† â€Å"There’ll be no more children.† â€Å"I’ll be lucky if I can handle the one we have.† â€Å"You’ll do fine,† he said. â€Å"The boy was crazy about you from day one. That’s why he did de love spell. Couldn’t bear to lose you. I have to say I understand why, but he’s still grounded.† I stifled a laugh at the notion of being grounded for performing a voodoo love spell. My life certainly had taken a turn for the strange. â€Å"I figure if we take Mandenauer’s offer we can take turns bein’ away from home.† â€Å"Home,† I murmured. â€Å"That sounds nice.† Adam reached into his pocket For an instant I thought he’d brought another belly chain. I still wore the one he’d given me. I planned never to take it off. â€Å"Partners?† he asked, and held out his hand. In his palm lay a circlet of interlinked silver fleurs-de-lis with a moonstone center. The ring was so beautiful, I ached to put it on. But not yet â€Å"When you say partners†¦?’ â€Å"I’ll understand if you don’t want to marry me. Who knows when I might change under de crescent moon?† â€Å"I’d still love you, even then.† He just shook his head. â€Å"The only way I’ll do this is if we’re married,† I insisted. â€Å"I adopt Luc. I’ll protect him if you can’t Once that’s settled, we take the jobs, help save the world. Together, we’ll face whatever comes.† He hesitated so long, I feared he’d take back the offer and the ring. At last he slipped the silver circlet onto my finger, sealing the deal without saying a word. But there was one thing that still bugged me. â€Å"Did you really believe everything that was between us was the result of magic?† â€Å"I still believe that.† My startled gaze flicked to his. â€Å"What?† Reaching out, he touched my cheek. â€Å"Don’t it feel like magic to you, cher?† I couldn’t speak, could only nod, as he took my hand, then led me away from my past and into a bright new future. How to cite Night Creature: Crescent Moon Chapter 41, Essay examples

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Financial Performance of Virgin and Qantas-Samples for Students

Question: Analyse and interpret the financial performance of two airlines from Australia. Answer: Introduction The main objective of the report is to analyse and interpret the financial performance of two airlines from Australia that is Virgin Australia and Qantas Airlines. The analysis and interpretation will be based on various ratio calculations like profitability ratio, liquidity ratio and efficiency ratio. Finally, based on the analysis some recommendation will be provided for increasing the revenue target. Qantas Airline was established in the year 1920 in Queensland and became the largest international and domestic airline in Australia. They are well known for excellence in operational reliability, safety, maintenance, engineering and the service provided to the customers. Main business of the company is to provide transportation service to the customers through 2 complementary brands of airlines that is, Jetstar and Qantas. The company also operate subsidiary business that includes other airlines and the businesses under specialist markets like Q Catering (Flights | Qantas AU, 2018). It operates international, domestic and regional services and employs more than 30,000 employees out of which near about 93% are based in Australia. On the other hand, Virgin Australia entered into the aviation market of Australia in the year 2000 and brought the real competition in the markets leisure sector. The main objective of the company is to revolutionise the air travel through all the market seg ments. The objectives will be achieved through delivering seamless experience all over the international and domestic market in addition to retaining same level of excellent services (Virgin Australia | Home, 2018). Ratio analysis Formula Qantas Airline Virgin Airline 2016 2015 2014 2016 2015 2014 Current assets/Current liabilities 0.49 0.68 0.66 0.62 0.69 0.64 Current assets less inventories/current liabilities 0.44 0.63 0.61 0.60 0.67 0.62 Net sales/Average account receivables 18.47 14.68 11.66 16.06 15.44 15.37 365/account receivable turnover 19.76 24.87 31.31 22.73 23.64 23.75 Total liabilities/shareholder's equity 4.12 4.09 5.04 5.72 4.66 3.45 EBIT/interest expenses 5.79 3.00 -13.01 -1.42 -0.53 -3.16 Net profit/Total assets 0.06 0.03 -0.16 -0.04 -0.02 -0.08 Net profit/Total equity 0.32 0.16 -0.99 -0.25 -0.09 -0.34 Given in the annual report (in cents) 49.4 25.4 -128.5 -7.4 -3.2 -11.4 Ratio analysis is the quantitative analysis with regard to the information included in the financial statement of the company. It is used for evaluating different aspects of the financial as well as operating performances like liquidity, efficiency, solvency and profitability (Grant, 2016). Most of the investors are familiar with various key ratios like current ratio, debt-equity ratio, return on equity ratio and return on asset ratio. Ratio analysis can be segregated into various groups like Liquidity Ratio it measures the ability of the company to pay off the short-term obligations as they become due and are met through the quick assets or current assets. Various ratios through which the liquidity of the company is measured are the current ratio and quick ratio. Current ratio it is the liquidity ratio that computes the ability of the company for paying off the long term and short term obligations. To measure the ability current ratio tales into consideration the total current assets of the company against the total current liabilities (Heikal, Khaddafi Ummah, 2014). It is calculated through dividing the current assets by current liabilities. It is called current ratio as as it incorporates all the current liabilities and current assets. Generally the ratio less than 1 represent that the current assets of the company are lower than its current liabilities. Looking into the annual report of Qantas airline and Virgin Australia airline and the calculation from the above table that the current ratio of Qantas airline reduced from 0.66 to 0.49 and for Virgin Australia it is reduced from 0.64 to 0.62 over the years from 2014 to 2016. Therefore, it presents that the financial health of both the companies are not good (Hevert, 2013). However, it do es not mean that the company will become bankrupt and various ways are there for the company to access finance if it has realistic expectation regarding the future earnings to pay-off the borrowings. Further, these ratios of below 1 will be acceptable to the investors if the companies are able for negotiating long term credit periods with the suppliers and at the same time offering lower credit terms to the customers. These companies will be able to maintain the minimum levels of the inventory under the balance sheet if the operations are carried out efficiently. Quick ratio the quick ratio that is also known as the acid-test ratio measure the efficiency of the company to meet its short-term financial obligations. It is calculated through dividing the current assets of the company reducing the inventories of the company by the current liabilities. Through the quick ratio of the company is similar to the current ratio, the quick ratio provides more precise analysis of the ability of company for paying off the current obligations (Jones Kulish, 2013). Looking into the quick ratio of both the companies it is identified that the quick ratio of Qantas airline are reduced from 0.61 to 0.44 and for Virgin Australia it is reduced from 0.62 to 0.60 over the years from 2014 to 2016. Therefore, taking into consideration both the liquidity ratios, it is observed that the liquidity position of Virgin Australia airline is better as compared to Qantas airline. However, the liquidity ratios assumed that the company will liquidate the current assets for paying the current liabilities that is not realistic always taking into consideration the thing that the company is required to maintain the same level of working capital for the operation management. Solvency ratios it is also called as he financial leverage ratio and it compares the debt levels of the company with the earnings, equity and assets for evaluating whether the company can sustain in the market for long-term period through paying off its long term borrowings and interests on that (Sunder, 2016). Various solvency ratios include interest coverage ratio or number of times interest earned and debt to equity ratio. Number of times interest earned it is used for determining the efficiency of the company to pay off their interest expenses on the outstanding borrowings. It is calculated through dividing the operating profit of the company by the interest expenses for the period (Brooks, 2015). The lower ratio represents that the company is burdened with debt expenses. While the interest coverage ratio of the company is 2 or lower than that the ability of the company to meet the interest expenses can be questionable. It measures the times that the company can pay the outstanding borrowings using the earnings of the company. It is considered as the margin of safety for the creditors of the company that can run into the financial difficulty for the company. The ability of paying off the debt obligations is major factor for determining the solvency of the company and it is a crucial statistic for the shareholders and potential investors (Drehmann Nikolaou, 2013). Looking into the calculation table i t is found that the Interest coverage ratio of Virgin airline for all the three years are in negative as the company was not able to earn any positive operating income throughout all 3 years. On the other hand, the interest coverage ratio for Qantas airline improved in 2016 as compared to the year 2014 and 2015. Debt to equity ratio the debt to equity ratio is calculated through dividing the total liabilities of the company by the shareholders equity. It is used for measuring the financial leverage of the company. This ratio indicates the amount of debt used by the company to finance the assets as compared to the amount of equity. If the company use higher amount of debts for increasing finance for its operations the company can generate higher level of earnings as compared to the amount that would have been earned if it did not opt for outside finance (Nobes, 2014). It can be identified from the annual report and calculation table that the debt to equity ratio of both companies is quite high. It represents that the total liabilities of both the companies are significantly high as compared to the total equities of the company. However, the debt to equity ratio of Qantas airline is better as compared to Virgin Australia as its debt to equity ratio is slightly lower than Virgin Australia. Profitability ratio it measures the companys ability to ear the profit and create return for its shareholders. While the solvency ratios and liquidity ratios states the companys financial position the profitability ratio and efficiency ratio states the financial performance of the company. Major profitability ratios are the return on assets, return on equity and earnings per share. Return on assets this ratio is the calculation of net income as compared to the total assets of the business during the financial year. It is used to measure the efficiency of business through using the assets for generating net income. It indicates the cents earned with each dollar of the asset. Therefore, the higher return indicates that the business is more profitable. However, this ratio shall be used to compare the companies under same industry. Increasing of ROA indicates that profitability for the company is improving (Luez Wysocki, 2016). Looking into the ROA of both the companies it is found that the ROA for Qantas airline for the year 2014 was in negative as the net income of the company was negative. However, for 2015 and 2016 the ROA of the company is in positive. However, the ratio is significantly low for Qantas airline. On the other hand, for Virgin Australia ROA, for all the three years are in negative as the net income of the company for all the 3 years are in nega tive. Return on equity - this ratio is the calculation of net income as compared to the total shareholders equity of the business during the financial year. It is used to measure the profitability on shareholders investment. It is the important measure for the companys profitability. Higher ratio represent that the company is efficient for creating income on the shareholders investment. When the capital is raised through debt for reducing the share capital the ROE will increase even if the income is constant (Kettunen, 2017). Looking into the ROE of both the companies it is observed that ROE of Qantas airline for the year 2014 was in negative as the net income of the company was negative. However, for 2015 and 2016 the ROE of the company is in positive. On the other hand, for Virgin Australia, ROA for all the three years are in negative as the net income of the company for all the 3 years are in negative. Earnings per share EPS are defined as the attributable net income to each of the companys common stock. It is the profitability ratio that indicates the income earned per share by the company in specific period. It is calculated through dividing the net income of the company by weighted average number of outstanding shares. While analysing the companys profitability the net income amount alone is not much useful as it is dependent on the size of business (Hill, Jones Schilling, 2014). Looking into the EPS of both the companies it is observed that EPS of Qantas airline for the year 2014 was in negative as the net income of the company was negative. However, for 2015 and 2016 the EPS of the company is in positive. On the other hand, for Virgin Australia, EPS for all the three years are in negative as the net income of the company for all the 3 years are in negative (Prasetyorini, 2013). Therefore, taking into consideration all the above mentioned profitability and efficiency ratios it is recognized that the profitability position of Qantas airline is considerable better as compared to Virgin Australia as Virgin Australia was not able to earn positive earning for all the three years under consideration. Activity ratios These ratios assesses the operational efficiency of the business. It attempts to find out the efficiency of the business to convert the inventories in sales and the sales into cash. In other words, it is the efficiency in using the working capital and fixed assets. Key activity ratios taken into consideration for the analysis of Qantas airline and Virgin Australia are account receivable turnover ratio and number of days the sales in receivables. Account receivable turnover it is the ratio of net credit sales of business to the average accounts receivables during the particular period, generally the accounting year (Ch, Patel White, 2015). It measures the efficiency of business in collecting the credit sales. High ratio represents the favourable condition and lower figure represent the inefficiency. It can be identified from the calculation that for 2014 and 2015 the receivable ratio of Virgin Australia is better as compared to Qantas. However, for the year 2016 the receivable position of Qantas airline is better. NO.of days sales in receivables it is used for measuring average number of days the business takes for collecting the trade receivables after the sales made (Acito, Hogan Imdieke, 2015). As it is the time taken to convert the sales into cash, lower days represent as favourable and the higher days are represented as unfavourable. It can be identified from the calculation that for 2014 and 2015 the days outstanding of Virgin Australia is better as compared to Qantas. However, for the year 2016 the receivable position of Qantas airline is better ?ermk, 2015). Revenue management As the nature of the airline business is of challenging type and requires continuous investment for updated and new technologies, the particular area for focussing is the revenue management (RM). The RM systems are used for determining optimum price for selling the seat at any given point of the time (Graf Kimms, 2013). The required information will be able to make the decision based on various factors. For increasing the revenue The company shall adapt to the conditions of changing market in the real time for the improves procedure Leverage the demand of customers across the revenue streams for increasing the revenue. Improve the forecast accuracy and analyst productivity through enhancing the decision making procedures (Board Skrzypacz, 2016). Enable the integration of unmatched business planning for enhancing the decision making. Conclusion It is concluded from the above discussion that if the financial position and financial performance of Qantas airline and Virgin Australia airline is taken into consideration it can be identified that Qantas is better investment as compared to Virgin Australia. The reason behind this is that Virgin Australia was not able to earn positive income for all the three years under consideration. Further, if the solvency ratios and activity ratios are considered, it is identified that Interest coverage ratio of Virgin airline for all the three years are in negative as the company was not able to earn any positive operating income throughout all 3 years. On the other hand, the interest coverage ratio for Qantas airline improved in 2016 as compared to the year 2014 and 2015. The debt to equity ratio of Qantas airline is better as compared to Virgin Australia as its debt to equity ratio is slightly lower than Virgin Australia. All the profitability ratios of Qantas airline are better as compared to Virgin Australia. Therefore, Qantas airline is better investment References Acito, A., Hogan, C., Imdieke, A. (2015).Integrated Auditing Stards Financial Reporting Quality. Working paper, Michigan State University. Board, S., Skrzypacz, A. (2016). Revenue management with forward-looking buyers.Journal of Political Economy,124(4), 1046-1087. Brooks, R. (2015).Financial management: core concepts. Pearson ?ermk, P. (2015). Customer profitability analysis customer life time value models: Portfolio analysis.Procedia Economics Finance,25, 14-25. Ch, P., Patel, A. White, M., (2015). Adopting international financial reporting stards for small medium?sized enterprises.Australian Accounting Review,25(2), pp.139-154. Drehmann, M., Nikolaou, K. (2013). Funding liquidity risk: definition measurement.Journal of Banking Finance,37(7), 2173-2182. Flights | Qantas AU. (2018). Qantas.com. Retrieved 13 February 2018, from https://www.qantas.com/au/en/book-a-trip/flights.html Graf, M., Kimms, A. (2013). Transfer price optimization for option-based airline alliance revenue management.International Journal of Production Economics,145(1), 281-293. Grant, R.M., (2016).Contemporary strategy analysis: Text cases edition. John Wiley Sons. Heikal, M., Khaddafi, M., Ummah, A. (2014). Influence analysis of return on assets (ROA), return on equity (ROE), net profit margin (NPM), debt to equity ratio (DER), current ratio (CR), against corporate profit growth in automotive in Indonesia Stock Exchange.International Journal of Academic Research in Business Social Sciences,4(12), 101. Hevert, S. R. B. (2013). Return on Equity. Hill, C.W., Jones, G.R. Schilling, M.A., (2014).Strategic management: theory: an integrated approach. Cengage Learning. Jones, C., Kulish, M. (2013). Long-term interest rates, risk premia unconventional monetary policy.Journal of Economic Dynamics Control,37(12), 2547-2561. Kettunen, J., (2017). Interlingual translation of the International Financial Reporting Stards as institutional work. Accounting, Organizations Society,56, pp.38-54. Luez, C. Wysocki, P., (2016). Economic Consequences of Financial Reporting Disclosure Regulation: A Review Suggestions for Future Research.J. Acct. Econ.,50, p.525. Nobes, C., (2014).International Classification of Financial Reporting 3e. Routledge. Prasetyorini, B. F. (2013). Pengaruh ukuran perusahaan, leverage, price earning ratio dan profitabilitas terhadap nilai perusahaan.Jurnal Ilmu Manajemen,1(1), 183-196. Scott, W.R., (2015).Financial accounting theory(Vol. 2, No. 0, p. 0). Prentice Hall. Sunder, S., (2016). Rethinking financial reporting: stards, norms institutions.Foundations Trends in Accounting,11(12), pp.1-118. Virgin Australia | Home. (2018). Mobile.virginaustralia.com. Retrieved 13 February 2018, from https://mobile.virginaustralia.com/virginaustralia/index.html

Saturday, November 30, 2019

The Grapes of Wrath Importance of the Title

'The Grapes of Wrath Importance of the Title The Grapes of Wrath, a Pulitzer-prize winning book written by John Steinbeck and published in 1939, tells the story of   the  Joads, a poor family of  tenant farmers driven out of Depression-era Oklahoma also referred to as Oakies by drought and economic factors, who migrate to Californa in search of a better life. Steinbeck had trouble coming up with the title for the novel, a classic in American literature, and his wife actually suggested using the phrase. From Bible to Battle Hymn The title, itself, is a reference to lyrics from The Battle Hymn of the Republic, written in 1861 by  Julia Ward Howe, and first published in The Atlantic Monthly in 1862: Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord:He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored;He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword:His truth is marching on. The words have some important resonance in American culture. For example, Martin Luther King Jr, in his  address  at the conclusion of the Selma-to-Montgomery, Alabama, civil rights march in 1965, quoted these very words  from  the hymn.  The lyrics, in turn, reference a biblical  passage in  Revelations 14:19-20, where the evil inhabitants of Earth perish:    And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great wine press of the wrath of God.  And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the wine press, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs. In the Book The phrase grapes of wrath does not appear almost until the end of the 465-page novel: In the souls of the people, the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage. According to eNotes; The oppressed such as the Okies are ripening in their understanding of their oppression. The fruit of their anger is ready to be harvested. In other words, you can push the downtrodden so far, but eventually, there will be a  price to pay. In all of these references from the tribulations of  Joads, to the battle hymn, the biblical passage and Kings speech the key point is that in response to any oppression, there will be a reckoning, likely ordained by God, and that rightness and justice will prevail. Study Guide QuotesThe Battle Hymn of the RepublicQuestions for Study DiscussionJohn Steinbeck Biography

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Prejudice essays

Prejudice essays Watkins v. United States (1957) 354 U.S. 178 Facts: Watkins was subpoenaed to testify in a congressional hearing to investigate alleged wrong doings of the Attorney General and the department of justice. Throughout the questioning the congressional committee asked questions that could result in Watkins incriminating himself because of his political beliefs. Due to this Watkins evoked his 5th Amendment right not to answer the question. By doing so the congressional committee indicted him and the Court of appeals upheld Congress's claim. Question: Does Article one of the Constitution bestow to congress the power to interrogate citizens out of a court of law? And can the 5th amendment be used in a congressional committee hearing? Decision: The decision was to reverse the judgement of the Court of Appeals and to dismiss the indictment. Reason: Congress must be able to conduct investigations especially into "surveys of defects in our social, economic, or political system," claimed Chief justice Warren, in order to allow congress to relive those issues. With that in mind Congress has no authority to expose private affairs of persons without it being pertinent to the legislation in question. The Bill of Rights was applied to the Constitution to ensure safety of individual rights from and overbearing Congress. Congress can not ask vague questions to accidentally fall onto the answer(s) they want, specific questions must be used to retrieve the needed information. Barenblatt v. United States (1959) 360 U.S. 109 Facts: Lloyd Barenblatt was a college professor called to testify before the congressional subcommittee House of Un-American Activities. When questioning began Barenblatt refused to answer regarding any past involvement with the Communist Party, firmly believing that past political beliefs are protected under the 1st Amendment of the Constitution. The Supreme Court vacated hi ...

Friday, November 22, 2019

The Decline of the Olmec Civilization

The Decline of the Olmec Civilization The Olmec culture was Mesoamericas first great civilization. It thrived along Mexicos Gulf coast from approximately 1200 - 400 B.C. and is considered the mother culture of societies that came later, such as the Maya and Aztec. Many of the intellectual accomplishments of the Olmec, such as a writing system and calendar, were eventually adapted and improved by these other cultures. Around 400 B.C. the great Olmec city of La Venta went into decline, taking the Olmec Classic era with it. Because this civilization declined two thousand years before the arrival of the first Europeans into the region, no one is absolutely certain which factors led to its downfall. What Is Known About the Ancient Olmec The Olmec civilization  was named after the Aztec word for their descendants, who inhabited Olman, or the land of rubber. It is primarily known through  the study of their architecture and stone carvings. Although the Olmec had a writing system of sorts, no Olmec books have survived to modern day. Archaeologists have discovered two great Olmec cities: San Lorenzo and La Venta, in the present-day Mexican states of Veracruz and Tabasco respectively. The Olmec were talented stonemasons, who built structures and aqueducts. They were also gifted sculptors, carving stunning colossal heads without the use of metal tools. They had their own religion, with a priest class and at least eight identifiable gods. They were great traders and had connections with contemporary cultures all over Mesoamerica. The End of the Olmec Civilization Two great Olmec cities are known: San Lorenzo and La Venta. These are not the original names the Olmec knew them by: those names have been lost to time. San Lorenzo flourished on a large island in a river from about 1200 to 900 B.C., at which time it went into decline and was replaced in influence by La Venta. Around 400 B.C. La Venta went into decline and was eventually abandoned altogether. With the fall of La Venta came the end of classic Olmec culture. Although the descendants of the Olmecs still lived in the region, the culture itself vanished. The extensive trade networks the Olmecs had used fell apart. Jades, sculptures, and pottery in the Olmec style and with distinctly Olmec motifs were no longer created. What Happened to the Ancient Olmec? Archaeologists are still collecting clues that will unravel the mystery of what caused this mighty civilization to go into decline. It likely was a combination of natural ecological changes and human actions. The Olmecs relied on a handful of crops for their basic sustenance, including maize, squash, and sweet potatoes. Although they had a healthy diet with this limited number of foods, the fact that they relied so heavily on them made them vulnerable to climate changes. For example, a volcanic eruption could coat a region in ash or change the course of a river: such a calamity would have been disastrous to the Olmec people. Less dramatic climate changes, such as a drought, could severely affect their favored crops. Human actions likely played a role as well: warfare between the La Venta Olmecs and any one of a number of local tribes could have contributed to the societys downfall. Internal strife is also a possibility. Other human actions, such as over farming or destroying forests for agriculture could well have played a role as well. Epi-Olmec Culture When the Olmec culture went into decline, it didnt disappear entirely. Rather, it evolved into what historians refer to as Epi-Olmec culture. The Epi-Olmec culture is a link of sorts between the classic Olmec and the Veracruz Culture, which would begin to thrive to the north of the Olmec lands about 500 years later. The most important Epi-Olmec city was Tres Zapotes, Veracruz. Although Tres Zapotes never reached the grandeur of San Lorenzo or La Venta, it nevertheless was the most important city of its time. The people of Tres Zaptoes did not make monumental art on the scale of the olossal heads or the great Olmec thrones, but they nevertheless were great sculptors who left behind many important works of art. They also made great strides forward in writing, astronomy, and calendrics. Sources Coe, Michael D and Rex Koontz. Mexico: From the Olmecs to the Aztecs. 6th Edition. New York: Thames and Hudson, 2008 Diehl, Richard A. The Olmecs: Americas First Civilization. London: Thames and Hudson, 2004.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Theatre Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Theatre - Essay Example One of the ‘true masterpieces of modern drama ’as described by Robert Cohen is Tony Kushner’s ‘Angels In America.’ This thrilling panache of a play received critical acclaim right from its inception and went on to win laurels such as the Tony Award and the Pulitzer Prize, in 1993. It is a seven hour long play made up of two parts that captured the contemporary theatre scene in America and by the year 1995 was absorbed into the international repertoire of drama festivals across the world. Described as one of 20th century’s most humorous plays, the centrifugal point of Kushner’s AIDS crisis is no laughing matter. He deftly brings to the forefront many of the unsettled ethical issues in American culture such as religion, race, politics, gender and sexual orientation. The play revolves around a heterosexual couple who is pitted against a homosexual couple and both stories are interwoven with each other highlighting the hate and trauma of the Jewish lawyer who is a gay with AIDS, but is in great self- denial. Many critics have criticized the play for the in your face kind of ethical issues of nudity on stage, the horrifying depictions of people suffering from AIDS, satire that is savagely religious, the cursing and swearing with invectives and to top it all the gross miming of homosexual acts which goes against the conservative nature of a major part of the audience. Quite similar where an odd couple romance is concerned is Neil LaBute’s humor – studded play titled ‘Fat Pig’ which is a genuinely engaging love story of two quite different characters, Tom, the totally sympathetic character and the heart-wrenching and amply endowed Helen. Unlike the ethical issues in Angels, LaBute jogs our memory to the kind of attitude we have towards ethical issues such as plastic surgery, stomach stapling and our association of success with youthful and athletic looks. Though the idea of a sweet romance between a stout

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Global Technology Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Global Technology - Research Paper Example I only have to focus on what I can do as a healthcare professional in my level and try to find out how this can be scaled up to macro levels. I realized that I have to be perceptive of my work and the conditions of my patients. For instance, when working with pregnant women, I also have to examine what their problems are that deter them from getting adequate health care. Some patients have problems with having regular check-ups, because their transportation system is as bad as Bihars. And if there is a scarcity of healthcare personnel, few of them can conduct monthly check-ups in scattered communities. My suggestion is that the government should train local women to be midwives, so that the latter can provide some form of regular check-ups for pregnant women. This solution will not only improve healthcare among communities, but also address the employment needs of many impoverished women. In addition, this midwifery training framework can also be applied in similar cases, so that solutions at the micro level can be raised to global levels

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Working With Couples Considering Divorce Essay Example for Free

Working With Couples Considering Divorce Essay The video documentary entitled â€Å"Working with Couples Considering Divorce† is an enlightening presentation about the rigors of divorce which individuals go through. Dr. William J. Doherty demonstrates the techniques he implored in dealing with people who are in a dilemma of resorting to divorce as a solution to marriage problems (Doherty, n. d. ). A couple visited Dr. Doherty’s therapy clinic to seek for advice and therapy regarding their situation. They are thinking of dissolving their marriage which has run for twelve years, and which has given them two children. The husband has already moved out recently and is considering divorce with his wife, who considers it as well. By listening to each of them, Doherty is able to highlight a prognosis of their situation, see its overview and finally treat is as a unit. The couple is able to resolve their ambivalence in their commitment with Dr. Doherty’s six-month therapy in which both of them will try to work on their marriage for six months before making a decision regarding their marriage. The doctor’s manner of dealing with the issue is talking to both of them as a couple, to each individually, taking turns, and then back together. Dr. Doherty is able to demonstrate the importance of communication between couples in resolving the dilemmas they encountered about their marriage – whether to keep the marriage or to discard it. Several couples in the United States encounter the same ambivalence, which often leads to deciding towards divorce since divorce is a common thing and is usually being resorted to most often as an immediate recourse. Couples wouldn’t normally sit down and talk about their differences, and would give up after a few tries. Divorce is usually the easiest way out for several couples in the midst of an assailing matrimonial problem. This is the reason why only a few marriages in the United States survive, and couples are left with facing a new life, a new perspective, and a new dimension as a divorcee, usually battling depression and emotional turmoil as an outcome. This is not to mention the financial losses that go with the divorce process, especially on the payment of alimony on the part of the ex-husband. The video documentary entitled â€Å"Working with Couples Considering Divorce† is able to demonstrate to us that there is a sure-fire way to get out of the divorce parameters, and that couples, given a chance for a paradigm shift otherwise known as a change of view about their marriage structure, would not opt to look at this devastating occurrence. Oftentimes, as couples are carried away with the social bandwagon of divorce in which several married couples ride on so easily, they look at this direction to why not ride as well and view divorce as an immediate recourse for the ultimate solution to their problems. As American society is highly oriented towards individualism, the surge towards divorce is a very likely and favorably convenient option especially if one sees his/her marriage as burdensome or makes him carry several responsibilities. The easiest way is the way out, or so several couples thought. The strong attachment to commercialism is also one factor that may contribute to the rising statistics of divorce in the United States, apart from the strong stances towards individualism as the society’s goal. This leads us into an inference that since couples are inclined towards material fulfillment, several marriages are assailed by this objective and are often lost in the enhancement of their jobs and career, with the marriage and the family left in the sidelines. The fast-paced lifestyle of most American households also holds witness to its link with divorce occurrences, as people are used to resolving issues and problems in a speedy manner and divorce is one speedy remedy for a trembling and unstable marriage. However, the video documentary is able to put forward a conclusion that divorce is not always the way out, and that it is not easy at all. Hence, couples should not view it as the easiest remedy. There are emotional, psychological, and mental investments which couples have invested in their marriage, one of them are their children and the emotional attachment already established in years of being together. Thus, foregoing the marriage out of a more convenient living is not a likely solution for letting people who used to be part of one’s life and are closed to one’s heart slip away that easy. Dr. Doherty is aware of the potential rigors that each of the couple would go though had they considered divorce. It is clear that in the video review, the couple’s problems are not that unbridled or epidemic, nor was there any element of domestic violence for example, which is a very likely rational reason to end the marriage, for both the wife’s sake and that of the children’s. Rather, the issues involved in the couple who visited Dr. Doherty for marriage counseling and therapy only include drifting away of the husband and the wife, making them feel as if they were not couples anymore or were not functioning as such. Hence, ending the marriage through divorce is one solution they both consider. As communication is important in couples in order to find the right solution to their problems, it is evident that the couples had lack of it or seemed to have gone inutile in properly dealing with it regarding their differences. As such, their visit to Dr. Doherty is both a timely and advisable one, since they are able to redirect themselves towards it again. It takes a marriage therapy for both of them to be enlightened about their marriage situation, see it as a whole unit in a positive perspective, and seek only positive remedies that are both beneficial and appropriate for it. The couples are able to undertake this successfully in their consultation therapy with Dr. Doherty. With the therapy, they are able to view the internal causes of their marriage, which slowly but surely drifts apart, see it as a personal obligation and commitment to repair, undertake a fresh way to deal with the dilemma, and finally decide to start anew, not by opting for divorce but through renewing each other’s commitment in the marriage. It is necessary that the couples be guided accordingly on viewing their situation, not merely offering them a concrete solution, but leading them towards seeing their problems individually and as a couple, creating and re-creating a solution for these problems, considering the entire scenario in the decision making, and renewing and redirecting earlier stances into more stable and ground-founded ones. This is how Dr. Doherty is able to lead the couple in dealing with their ambivalence about divorce. Certainly, a marriage therapist like Dr. Doherty always aims for the preservation of marriage, and he is able to do this successfully in the couple through their own analysis of their situation and by being redirected into a different perspective on their marriage. It is clear that Dr. Doherty used Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in his dealing with the couple’s problems, which is geared towards modifying cognitions, assumptions, beliefs, and behaviors (Stuart, et al. , 2004). Dr. Doherty is able to outline potential unrealistic and unhelpful beliefs and assumptions which the couple considers, along with trying out new ways of behaving and reacting. This is illustrated in the view that â€Å"the marriage is doomed,† that â€Å"it won’t work out no matter how much we try,† that â€Å"we cannot settle our differences and we have to file a divorce and move on with our new lives. † These perspectives are the perspectives that the couple in the video documentary had upon visiting Dr. Doherty’s clinic, which was then refocused after a thorough therapy of six months. With the six-month therapy, the couple is able to see the importance of their marriage and the significance of nourishing the time of being together through a renewed perspective. Through this, the manner of behaving and reacting on their marriage is changed into a more favorable and beneficial one. The ambivalence for divorce is solved this way though Dr. Doherty’s help. References: Doherty, W. (n. d. ) Working with couples considering divorce. DVD. ISBN: 1-59147-440-X Stuart, R. B. , Broderick, C. , and Gurman, A. S. (2004) Helping couples change: A social learning approach to marital therapy. The Guilford Press.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods Essay -- Social Researc

Introduction The qualitative and quantitative research methods are typically applied in the field of social research. There has been a lot of debate on the relative advantages between the two designs among researchers almost more than on any other issue of methodology. The quantitative research design encompasses methods which focus on numbers, that is, quantities. The data collected in this design is usually in numbers which are then analyzed using statistical and mechanical methods. This design is highly associated with the field of science such as in practical done in a laboratory (Gall et al 2003). On the other hand, qualitative design normally uses words to explain wider concepts that cannot be captured mathematically such as beliefs, feelings and intentions. The data collected in this design may be in form of words, field notes and transcripts. The data in this design cannot be understood mathematically (Timmons 2005). This article is an attempt to pinpoint what may be regarded as stark dif ferences and importance of each method. Quantitative Method This research involves use of questions whose options of response have been predetermined (Bogdan & Biklen 1992). This design of research employs the use of a large number of respondents. The measurement in this design must theoretically be objective, in numbers and statistically valid. Due to the large number of respondents, the sampling method used is random. Before carrying out the research, the researcher applies a statistical method using formulas to determine the size of the sample which when studied would give findings within acceptable limits. Researchers using this method generally agree that the sample sought should yield findings with 95% confidence interval or there... ..., ‘Origins of Randomization in Experimental Design’. Journal of Special Issue on Experiment & Artifact, 79 (3), pp.427–451. Jick, T 1979, ‘Mixing Quantitative & Qualitative methods. Triangulation in action’. Administrative Sciences Quarterly, 24, pp.602-611. Lather, P 1992, ‘Critical frames in Educational Research’. Theory into Practice, 31(2), pp.87–99. Schostak, J 2006. Interviewing & Representation-Qualitative Research Projects Berkshire; Open University press. Spector, P 1981. Research Designs. Quantitative Applications in the Social Sciences. London; Sage Publications. Timmons, S 2005. Qualitative & Quantitative Research. Web. 21 March 2015. http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/nmp/sonet/rlos/ebp/qvq/3.html. Walker, W 2005, ‘The strengths & weaknesses of research designs involving quantitative measures’. Journal of Research Nursing, 10 (5), pp. 571-82

Monday, November 11, 2019

Antitrypsin Deficiency: The Genetic Disorder

Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency (AAD) was first described in 1963, and of the five patients identified, three were found to have severe emphysema at an early age. Subsequent studies that the deficiency was inherited, and in most of the early studies, emphysema and chronic bronchitis were common features.The deficiency was shown to be associated with a marked reduction in the ability of the plasma to inhibit the serine proteinase trypsin, and later studies showed that this also reflected an inability of the serum to inhibit the enzyme neutrophil elastase (Pauwels, Postma, and Weiss, 2004 p.446). Human neutrophil elastase was shown to produce both emphysema and chronic bronchial disease in animal models. Emphysema can be directly inherited via a single gene defect. The genetic disorder, known as alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency, results from a defective gene transmitted by each parent equally to the affected offspring. This gene codes for the enzyme antitrypsin, which, when deficient, res ults in the loss of normal lung elasticity and in progressive overinflation and destruction of lung tissue.Antitrypsin deficiency is also the most common genetic cause of childhood liver disease (cirrhosis) and the most common reason for liver transplantation in children. A family history of early onset emphysema or childhood liver disease points toward this diagnosis, which can be confirmed by DNA analysis. DNA testing can be used to detect carriers of alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency as well as to facilitate prenatal diagnosis for a couple found to be carriers, who face a 25 percent risk of having an affected child (Millunsky, 2001 p. 128-129). Scope and LimitationsAAD is one of the rarest diagnosed conditions in our current time; hence, focused study of such condition is essential. The case study involves the subject of pathological conditions linked with the condition of progression of defective genetic manifestations. Utilizing physiological and genetical approach, we shall cente r into the discussion of the disease causation, processes and manifestations involved. It is indeed essential to employ the principles of wellness and its components. The following shall be utilized in the overall study. A.To be able to determine and elaborate the actual disease processes involved, as well as the disease conditions manifested B. To be able to relate genetic causalities and factors in the aspects of disease progression utilizing the domains, components, and principles of wellness C. To be able to provide necessary health interventions, suggest enhancing lifestyle modifications and preventive behaviors related to the condition imposed Purpose of the Study The value significance of this study provides awareness to the public especially in terms of what can these contributing factors impregnate to the condition occurrence.Most likely, the degenerative character of AAD is very much rehabilitated if this awareness is enhanced through education. The study mainly expands he alth awareness on both AAD patients and non-patients who are greatly may or otherwise exposed in factors that contribute to its genetic occurrence. Moreover, the knowledge on this topic may further aid the patients and those involved in the reduction of anxiety and ignorance of the condition imposed. Discussion The Functions of ? 1-Antitrypsin and Involved MediatorsBlood and other body fluids contain a serum protein classified as an alpha-a globulin that is capable of neutralizing trypsin and many other proteolytic (protein digesting) enzymes such as fibrinolysis and thrombin (Bross and Gregersen, 2003 p. 39; Crowley, 2004 p. 399). This specialized protein is called alpha-1 antitrypsin, and its concentration in the blood is generally determined. Most individuals produce normal amounts of antitrypsin, others are severely deficient, and a third group have subnormal levels of this protein (Crowley, 2004 p. 399).?1-Antitrypsin (AA) is an inhibitor of serine protease in general but its m ost important targets are neutrophil elastase, cathepsin G, and proteinase 3, proteases released by activated neutrophils. Several line of evidence suggest that inhibition of these neutrophil proteases is the major physiologic function of AA (Bross and Gregersen, 2003 p. 39). †¢ First, individuals with AAD are susceptible to premature development of emphysema, a lesion that can be induced in experimental animals by instillation of excessive amounts of neutrophil elastase.These observations have led to the concept that destructive lung disease may result from the perturbation of the net balance of elastase and AA within the local environment of the lung. †¢ Second, the kinetics of association for AA and neutrophil elastase are more favorable, by several orders of magnitude, than those for AA and any other serine protease. †¢ Third, AA constitutes more than 90% of the neutrophil elastase inhibitory activity in one body fluid that has been examined, pulmonary alveolar la vage fluid (Suchy, Sokol, and Balistreri, p. 549).AA is the archetype of serine protease inhibitor (SERPIN) supergene family. Its primary function is inhibition during the host response to inflammation/tissue injury, for which it has been termed a hepatic acute-phase reactant (Suchy, Sokol, and Balistreri, p. 549; Bross and Gregersen, 2003 p. 39). AA acts competitively by allowing its target enzymes to bind directly to a subrate-like region within its reactive center loop. The reaction between enzyme and inhibitor is essentially second order, and the resulting complex contains one molecule of each of the reactants (Bross and Gregersen, 2003 p.39; Fessler, reiley and Sugarbaker, 2004 p. 155). A reactive-site peptide bond within the inhibitor is hydrolyzed during the formation of the enzyme-inhibitor complex. Hydrolysis of this bond; however, does not proceed to completion (Suchy, Sokol, and Balistreri, p. 549). The predominant site of synthesis of plasma AA is in located biologically in the liver wherein in most clearly shown by conversion of plasma AA to the donor phenotype after orthoptopic liver transplantation (Bross and Gregersen, 2003 p.39; Suchy, Sokol, and Balistreri, 2007 p. 551). It is synthesized in human hepatoma cells as a 52-kDa precursor; undergoes post translational, dolichol phosphate-linked glycosylation at three asparagines residues, and undergoes tyrosine sulfation. It is secreted as a 55-kDa native single-chain glycoprotein with a half time for secretion of 35 to 40 minutes (Suchy, Sokol, and Balistreri, 2007 p. 551). The absence or insufficiency of AA initiates genetic anomaly in terms of failure to suppress immunity response (Porth, 2007 p. 501).

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Compare and contrast the ways in which both writers deal with these themes Essay

Hardy and Hill both present the reader with female characters who are isolated and ostracized by society. Compare and contrast the ways in which both writers deal with these themes. Susan Hill and Thomas Hardy are clearly both interested in the role of women and their position in society. The female protagonists, in `I’m the King of the Castle and `The Withered Arm’, are insecure as they lack a man to provide them with social status and respect. As a consequence of their troubled pasts, they are rejected from society, and are both left vulnerable and desperate. Helena Kingshaw represents a certain class of women in post-war England, the setting for Susan Hill’s novel, who found themselves lacking the emotional and financial support of a man. The superstition in those days left these genteel, unskilled women in a shameful position. Society rejected those spurned by men and many became objects of gossip of a malicious nature. Similar nonsensical teachings in Victor ian times, the setting for `The Withered Arm’, also left abandoned women, such as Rhoda Brook, viewed as social outcasts. Thomas Hardy is clearly sympathetic to such women, especially those reaching the stages of their lives where he suggests, through a careful adjective selection â€Å"worn†, they may be becoming desperate for a husband. He seems to consider them as isolated victims of the stereotypical image of women as a possession, classed by looks and fortune, and his novel exposes the hypocrisy in society. The isolation of the female protagonists is immediately obvious in their places of residence. Warings is â€Å"some distance away from any other house† and Brook lives in â€Å"a lonely spot high above the water meads†. Also, references to their past hint at their isolated feelings, â€Å"Tis hard for she†, and this is confirmed in how they act around others. Brook’s way of coping is to silently work â€Å"somewhat apart from the rest.† Conversely, Kingshaw tends to babble and desperately try to please others and make a new start in life. Hill’s language choices for Mrs. Kingshaw’s affected speeches reflect her desperation to belong to a certain class. This is the opposite of Brook, who would rather survive without pity and stay in isolation. Neither woman ever admits that it is isolation and loneliness which make them act as they do, for example, their unusual attitudes towards their sons. Kingshaw practises superficial mothering gestures, â€Å"she always wanted to lean over him†¦,† whereas Brooks’ life is completely lacking in affection towards anyone, until she meets Gertrude Lodge. However, at least then it is genuine, unlike Kingshaw’s desperate attempts to `do things by the book,’ without actually meaning any of it. She just wants to be satisfied that she has all she can get, while Brook is more accepting of her fate. Brook is however similar to Kingshaw, in that she is extremely self-absorbed; she asks her son to discover, â€Å"if she’s tall, tall as I,† and was, â€Å"not observing that he was cutting a notch†¦in the chair.† This could be compared to how Kingshaw never realises the trauma Edmund Hooper puts her son through, as again she is not observant enough. In spite of the women’s preoccupation, both children are very accepting and obedient to their mothers. The more archaic language of Hardy’s novel makes it easier for us to identify with Rhoda’s concerns which seem, especially to the modern reader, to be over small things, such as how â€Å"ladylike† a woman is, and this again promotes the roles of women in both societies. In `I’m the King of the Castle’ it is frowned upon for a woman, with the status of housekeeper, to wear make-up and dress up. As in `The Withered Arm’ this is because a woman’s dress sense reflected their position in society. We see how the Farmer Lodge’s pretty wife’s wealth gives her the right to wear, â€Å"a silver coloured gown†. On the other hand, the affect a woman’s appearance on the male protagonists of each novel is different in that Hooper’s opinion of her looks seems relatively insignificant to how he had been â€Å"impressed by the graceful letters of Mrs. Helena Kingshaw.† Whereas, Gertrude was worried about her disfigurement because in `The Withered Arm’, â€Å"men think so much of personal appearance.† Both writers also convey to the reader how lack of status generates a fear within the women to change from their set principles. We notice this in Kingshaw’s displays of stereotypical motherly affection and more subtly in Brook, through her indignancy when her son suggests she goes to see her successor; â€Å"I, go to see her!† The two women are forced into these ways of dealing with their isolation by their shared insecurity. Their two different ways of coping both have their drawbacks: Kingshaw is so busy trying a good impression and secure her future with Kingshaw that she cannot form a proper relationship with her son. Brook is so busy ignoring her past and avoiding her problems that she bottles up her bitterness, again destroying a relationship, with her friend, Gertrude Lodge. Eventually, their sad positions lead both women to make a â€Å"last, desperate effort† to conquer the things on their minds, but in both cases it results in another’s unhappiness. For Kingshaw, achieving a life with Mr. Hooper lead to her son’s suicide. For Brook, trying to overpower the â€Å"confronting spectre† in her dream lead to disfigurement of her only friend. This also shows how, like Kingshaw, her isolation makes her romanticise things and let her imagination get carried away. However, where Brook gets upset by guilt of what she brings upon others, â€Å"I hope your arm is well again ma’am?†, Kingshaw is portrayed as a much shallower character and never notices her effect on others. Instead, she romanticises things such as her relationship with Mr. Hooper; â€Å"He likes me.† Effective grouping of words, such as the description of Brook being held to Gertrude Lodge by a â€Å"gruesome fascination† also show the obsessive behaviour of the female characters, due to the amount of time they spend alone, thinking. Kingshaw is obsessed with determination to believe that her â€Å"life is changing, everything is turning out for the best.† In contrast the simple platitudes of her speech, Hardy writes in long, complex sentences, allowing us to see the depth of Brook’s worried fixations. Through these obsessions, there is an underlying fear for both women that they will lose the person in their lives who means something to them, and could save them from complete ostracization. This adds a sense of dread to both novels, and pathetic fallacy reflects this darkness in the hostile environments surrounding them; â€Å"the wind howled dismally over the heath.† Hardy is able to convince us of Brook’s isolation through her introspective t houghts and memories. However, the limited capacity of Mrs. Kingshaw to think and understand leaves even her speech artificial. So Hill uses `flashback’, interspersed with the episodic narrative to emphasise Kingshaw’s troubled past, showing us how her life has been shaped and influenced, convincing us of her isolation. Also, being a rather claustrophobic text, we given an increasing fear of unavoidable disaster in `I’m the King of the Castle’, as all the action takes place over a ten-month period. On the other hand, ‘The Withered Arm’ is set over a much longer period of time and informs the reader of ill-feeling towards Rhoda from outside the immediate circle of protagonists. Through these very different structures, Hardy and Hill both create an increasing sense of doom for the two female protagonists. The absence of love in both characters’ lives undermines their confidence and relationships, resulting in isolation. Warings reinforces the theme of isolation as it is completely set apart from events in the normal world and, as in `The Withered Arm’, the accumulation of hostile imagery of the surrounding countryside further emphasises their loneliness and vulnerability. In both novels the main requirement of women was dynasties, so those rejected by men were despised and ostracized from society. This put both Brook and Kingshaw lacking status and in a very pitiable position. Nevertheless, due to the way the two writers deal with the themes of isolation and ostracization of the female protagonists, as a reader I never felt for Kingshaw quite the sympathy I did for Brook. As Hill presents Helena Kingshaw as so shallow a character, we feel so much anger at her dismissive attitude to her son that it is almost as though she deserves anything. By contrast, Hardy deliberately presents Rhoda Brook, â€Å"her red eyes weeping†, as a more pitiful character who seems much more the victim of her bad luck.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

metropolitan instrument essays

metropolitan instrument essays The musical instruments collection of the metropolitan museum holds approximately five thousand examples from six continents and the pacific islands dating from about 300B.C. to the present. In this exhibit we can find all categories of instrument present in our history. Indeed, classified by continents and different region of the world, the categories of instrument presented are: wind instruments (brass, wood), string instruments, percussions, and other typical ancient instruments. We can make a point on the fact that even 2000 years later these categories of instruments still being used by contemporaneous musical players. One of the most ancient categories could be the wind section with an typical aborigene's instrument called the didgeridoo. Found on the Australian continent B.C., this wind instrument was made with an empty branch of eucalyptus. This instrument still being used nowadays. Music has played an important role in the human civilization, indeed music was present in all ancient societies (B.C. and A.C.) , then in all parts of the world. The most ancient instruments were found on the following continents; Australia, Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, and South America. On the Australian continent, the didgeridoo (mentioned before) was played B.C by local aborigenes in ritual and ceremonial purposes. This woodwind instrument is the oldest one of the Australian continent. In Asia, the diversity of ancient instruments found is more important than in Australia. All sections are represented. Percussions section is represented by a lots cymbals, and tambours such as the khol , used to accompany kirtan the sacred Vaisana devotional music of Bengal and East India. In ancient South and Central Asia civilizations there was also a lot of wind instruments, the Dung chen , a wood and brass long trumpet (early 17 century) was one of the major religious instruments. Made first in China this instrument w...

Monday, November 4, 2019

S.C. Johnson Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

S.C. Johnson - Essay Example In 1914, just 28 years after its, owner Samuel C. Johnson opened its first subsidiary in Great Britain and became what is now known as a multi-national corporation. Currently, SC Johnson operates subsidiaries in over 70 countries internationally. Although the SC Johnson has been a multi-national corporation since 1914, over the past 10 years the global economy has been expanding at an unprecedented rate. Large economies such as those of the United States and Great Britain are transitioning from a predominately manufacturing or production based economy to a technology and service-based economy. Historically, the number of people employed in the manufacturing industry has been steadily dropping in developed nations and rising in less developed nations such as Mexico in favor of lower labor costs. Although this mass exodus of manufacturing in the U.S. to Mexico has been a relatively recent phenomenon, SC Johnson opened its facilities in Bosque de Chapultepec, Mexico in 1954. Lower labor costs, as well as, relatively lower operating costs are the main comparative advantages for operating in Mexico. Mexico also has a comparative advantage over other host countries due to its proximity to the United States and the adoption North American Free Trade Agreement. The North American Free Trade Agreement has effectively eliminated tariffs and barriers on trade between the countries of Mexico, Canada and the United States. Tariffs that were not immediately eliminated are scheduled to phase out over the course of the next 5 to 15 years (NAFTA 2006). Faced with the possibility of increased pollution due to often less stringent environmental regulations in many developing nations, environmental concerns regarding NAFTA were addressed in 1993. As a result, the North American Agreement on Environmental SC Johnson 3 Cooperation was developed. Even with the NAAEC pact, free trade is still not without fault. In the ever-increasing global economy further environmental protection issues must continue to be addressed. While free trade does not necessarily promote pollution, it does place environmental strains on local communities. As manufacturing communities grow at an explosive rate, waste water and water treatment plants are over burdened not only from the dramatic increase in residential growth, but by the negative environmental by-products of the manufacturing plants. Additional agreements must continue to be drafted and implemented to help curb pollution attributed to expanding multi-national corporations. Especially so in less developed nations where environmental policies may be lacking. Environmental issues have been of great concern to SC Johnson since 1935 when H.F. Johnson traveled to Brazil to explore less devastating ways to harvest wax from the Carnauba Palm. In 1955, the corporation introduced water based aerosol sprays and in 1975 eliminated the use of chlorofluorocarbons ("Protecting the Environment," 2005). Dedicated to corporate social responsibility, SC Johnson currently has tools and guidelines for the reduction of green house gas emissions. Beginning with its largest production plants, the corporation has reduced its green house gas emissions by 30 percent worldwide ("Sustaining Values," 2005). SC Johnson is not only dedicated to environmental issues

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Communication and Conflict Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Communication and Conflict - Essay Example It is hot and pounding and threatens to deform our lives. Conflict is a blacksmith’s forge. It is the process of going through searing fire and being hammered and pummelled and twisted into shape. It is struggling at the hand of the blacksmith but being helpless to defend oneself. It is undergoing tribulation to the point where one feels he could go no further, and then getting his second wind and finding he could go a bit further. But there is something good about going through the forge and suffering the blacksmith’s blows. The searing heat burns away the impurities to expose the glowing metal beneath. The blows shape and the grind sharpens until a metallic masterpiece materializes from the shapeless clump of matter. The challenge is to be brave enough to go through the forge. In this sense, conflict is good because it brings out the best in us. It makes us aware that we can go as far as we can, and then a bit further. It tells us that to be shaped into a work of art or a samurai sword, we have to first be malleable and compliant, and allow change to happen. Finally, conflict is beneficial, because it means we trust the Blacksmith to create a thing of beauty out of us that initially only He can see, and trust that He shall not pass us through the forge more than is necessary to bring out the remarkable strength hidden within us.

Thursday, October 31, 2019

Economic Implications of the EU's Single Currency on German Economy Dissertation

Economic Implications of the EU's Single Currency on German Economy - Dissertation Example Methodology 3.1 Research approach and technique ----------------------------------------------------26 3.2 Sources and collection of data --------------------------------------------------------27 3.3 Data analysis ----------------------------------------------------------------------------28 3.4 Ethics in research------------------------------------------------------------------------28 3.5 Research limitations---------------------------------------------------------------------29 3.6 Credibility and verification ------------------------------------------------------------30 4. Results from macroeconomic data 4.1 German economy after the adoption of euro--------------------------------------32 4.2 Current effect on Germany----------------------------------------------------------32 4.3 Understanding the macro level effects on the economy-------------------------34 5. Discussion----------------------------------------------------------------------------------46 6. ... Germany is considered to be a very strong economy and its economic performance has been remarkable. The adoption of euro as the single currency has been an important event. The adoption of this policy was thought to bring about favorable changes to employment, growth and budget allocation but it was seen that since the adoption of the above stated policy the country had faced serious problems and that has been shown with the help of various macroeconomic indicators like unemployment, Gross Domestic Product, Inflation, and Gross Fixed Capital Formation (Hishow, 2007, p.3). CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION Economic and monetary union was suggested by the European Commission in the year 1998. They had predicted that this would encourage more investment, help increase competition, rejuvenate the European economy and the single market, and benefit the population of Europe with respect to their work and travel requirements. Some of the greatest arguments in favor of the single currency move were th at, it would result in integration of the markets of Europe and the removal of uncertainties that result from an unpredicted exchange rate. It was also expected to increase the mobility of capital and induce transparent pricing. The European Commission carried out a research and came out with estimation that 0.33 percent of European GDP was lost in the process of conversion of currency or as transaction costs. A traveler in Europe could have spent nothing but still would have lost a significant amount of money by only changing currencies. The system was seen as one which would introduce lesser volatile interest rates, thereby supporting low inflation and higher growth. Optimists believed that the Euro would reach the same state as of the Dollar and share the spotlight. It would make

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Your choice Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Your choice - Term Paper Example The shooting and development also includes motion pictures. For a movie to be successful, the relationship between cinematographer and director must be safe and comfortable with each other. Cinematographers need their independence at work in order to give good results. At the beginning of both the movies â€Å"Troy† and â€Å"Hunger Games,† the cinematography uses the extreme long shots. These enable them to show their audiences the entire location where the scene is to take place. This type of shot can also be called the establishing shot. When a movie shooting is on, how close the camera gets to the actors depends on the amount of details that the producer intends to show to the audience. The background of the location in video scenes is always instrumental to the viewers understanding of the theme of the story. The first impression that an audience gets from the opening scene determines their attitude towards the film as a whole. In â€Å"Troy† when Achilles a rrives at Troy walls, the cameras are placed in different angles to bring all the actors to view. The number of soldiers going to battle in this particular scene is enormous; as a result not all of them can be individually viewed. The cameras, therefore, need to be located at an angle where a large group can get captured at a time. It is I such instances that several cameras go into action at the same time. Extreme long shots are also necessary for capturing of these scenes with large number of actors at the time. The intention of these types of shots is to give the audience the idea circumstantial effect that is necessary for interpretation purposes. The long shots also came in handy and the filming of Troy, the moving soldiers, were spread in a large group a fact that was important for the audiences to note. Therefore, this type of shot was able to discern individuals face and at the same time show the others who were on the far end of the line covering an extensive view of the

Sunday, October 27, 2019

The Representation Of Marginalised Voices In Poetry English Literature Essay

The Representation Of Marginalised Voices In Poetry English Literature Essay Marginalisation can be understood as being outside or on the edge of the rest of society. A person can be considered marginalised because of factors such as race, social class or gender, which make them separate from the rest of their social surrounding. At the time when Carol Ann Duffy and Sharon Olds wrote their first poetry, female poets where marginalised under patriarchy; a social system which believed males to be the superior race. Through their works both poets give a voice for marginalised members of society by using poetry to speak the truth about everyday issues such as love, sexuality and family, from a female perspective. Although marginalised because of their gender, both Carol Ann Duffy and Sharon Olds use of strong subjects have been able to make an impact for the female voice within their poetry. Sharon Olds is highly religious due to her upbringing as a Calvinist; her poetry echoes a lot of this belief in the sense that her works speak a truth and hold a strong theme of morality. Moreover Olds uses her own honesty and morality to often question issues which are ongoing in society, be it a question directed towards the politics of the time or a question about family and love. Because of her honestly Olds poems can often appear controversial or paint a slightly disturbing image. Sex Without Love[1] for instance is a poem which questions sex outside of marriage and love, it begins with a direct question how do they do it, the ones who make love without love?, she then goes onto answer the question herself. Rather than use complex imagery and symbolism to allow the reader to make their own interpretation, Olds uses irony to make her view on the subject clear and detailed. On the other hand, Carol Ann Duffys poems pose the exact opposite approach; through her poems she is also sp eaking a truth using irony, however, she often does this by using surreal imagery and complicating her words to create a usual cynical view towards the subject. Like Olds, Duffy also addresses the issue of love within her works. Duffys Valentine[2] renders a highly cynical view towards love, and the thought conventional gestures of showing affection. Unlike Olds who instantly outlines the poems meaning as a starting point, Duffy begins Valentine by using traditional images of a valentine before revealing her own suggestions on the subject. Duffy uses an extended metaphor in asserting that an onion is more like the true nature of love and therefore it can ultimately be destroyed or destructive on many different levels, just like an onion has many different layers which can be peeled. Both poets reveal a different idea about love, while Sharon Olds is implicating that love is sacred and true; Duffy seems to be suggesting that love isnt as beautiful as it would appear on the surface. Females were often marginalised within literature and therefore their work was not given the recognition it truly deserved, often resulting in females writing poetry but not being considered poets because of their gender. This is because of the once social, economic and cultural marginalisation under patriarchy which ruled a male dominated social and cultural system. Geoffrey Summerfield once stated I regret the omission of women poets from this book. This is simply due to the fact that Britain in the last fifteen years has not produced a woman poet of real stature [3], although spoken before their time as writers, poets such as Duffy and Olds have made an impact from their writing that would arguably change this opinion. Sharon olds Sex Without Love is an attack on people that have sex outside of marriage, her religious background shines through in her choice of word and metaphor in this poem. While she chooses to use words that would usually be seen as beautiful, the choice of word play holds a negative tone throughout making it obvious that she does not approve. The metaphor Beautiful as dancers, gliding over each other like ice skaters, over ice would on surface appear that she is accepting, however, the deeper meaning unveils that she is actually implying that like the ice, sex without love is cold and therefore it is simply a performance, just as ice skating is a performance. Unlike Sex Without Love which holds the message that only true love will make you happy or whole, it would appear that Duffys Valentine is in fact a message that is perhaps warning the reader from love. Duffy ends with the lines Lethal, its scent will cling to your fingers, cling to your knife., this cynical metaphor leaves us with the idea that the true nature of love will ultimately destroy us. Although the messages of these two poems contradict each other completely, the marginalised voice in poetry is still established and heard. Both poets represent marginalised voices in poetry as being underestimated and overlooked, by creating powerful poems that touch subjects that affect all people in society, they have been able to establish a place for the female poet ultimately making them no longer marginalised. The strong and somewhat controversial use of the theme of love in these two poems clearly establishes a voice for marginalised groups, therefore allowing them to be recognised. While both Duffy and Olds fall into the same marginalised category because of their gender they do not hold the same morals and values within their poems, this difference between the two reveals to the maybe ignorant eye, that people of the same marginalised category are in fact individuals within themselves. Therefore Duffy and Olds represent marginalised voices as having the same individualities as the people in the centre of society. In the same way that Olds expresses her religious views within her poetry, Duffys works can be perceived as feminist, however similarly they both raise issues such as social class and relationships in the course of their works. Duffys Warming Her Pearls[4] is a poem centrally about a relationship between a servant and her employer, a maid and her mistress. This poem deals with the issue of social class more than it does with gender, the lower social class can also be deemed as marginalised within society this poem recognises this problem and provides a negative attitude towards social, economic and political status and gives a voice to these outsiders. Warming Her Pearls begins Next to my own skin, her pearls. My mistress bids me to wear them, warm them, the pearls may be seen as a symbolic rope that bides the maid to her mistress moreover the fact that she literally gives the warmth of her body to the pearls immediately questions the relationship between the two classes, outlining the ridiculous extremes that the power of higher classes can actually reach. The relationship between the two characters can be viewed as bidden, because the maid is of lower class therefore she must provide a service for the pri vileged. On the other hand Sharon Olds True Love[5] is centrally a poem about the relationship between a man and a woman that appear to be married as the poem progresses. True Love opens In the middle of the night, when we get up after making love, we look at each other in complete friendship the initial reading of this line leaves the reader somewhat confused by the use of the word friendship, are these two people in love or is their relationship purely friendship? Furthermore that later image of them being Bound to each other like mountaineers. leaves us with the idea that the reason they are still together is because they are married. This assumption comes from Olds religious background, wherefore her belief would hold the idea that marriage is sacred and for life. Therefore perhaps this couple are no longer in love, however they are bound together because of the vows they once took. Both poems address the issues of relationships, however clearly they identify different issues wh ich have binned their characters together. As Duffys poem unravels it reveals a sinister attitude from the maid towards her mistress, she believes that her persistent scent on the pearls are preventing her mistress from ever finding love. This could also be an attack on the social hierarchy in the sense that the maid is not allowed to communicate with her mistress to tell her the problem, so instead she burns All night with the satisfaction of this possible secret revenge she is gaining against her mistress. On the other hand, Olds True Love does ultimately unveil itself as describing exactly what it is titled as. The poem ends I cannot see beyond it., leaving us with the idea that the characters are indeed in love and that it is everything that should be wanted from a relationship. Sharon Olds poem seems to begin somewhat ambiguously with its room for interpretation. None the less its ending reveals what is believed to be the truth about love, making it personal to perhaps her own experiences and definitely representing her own morals on what she believes to be right. These two very different poems represent marginalised voices in poetry as being opinionated, self aware and controversial, it is clear that these marginalised figures of society do indeed have a strong place in society and should therefore be heard. Sharon Olds and Carol Ann Duffy hold similarities and differences within their works, they both appear to me as being fearless and unconventional making them have a strong effect on society. Their highly controversial poems raising issues such as social class, relationships and love have undoubtedly made room for the female poet to be accepted and recognised, not only in poetry but in society as a whole. Along with representing a voice for females their works also question other existing marginalisation within our culture, attacking the politics and beliefs of the culture with live in allows scope for these outsiders to be recognised and ultimately heard. While Olds makes her poetry personal by directly inputting her religious beliefs and morality, Duffy makes her works personal by her complication of words and playful inventiveness to pass of messages that perhaps a conventional writer would not attempt. It is figures such as Olds and Duffy that are needed in our society to provide a truth on such controversial issues. Their open honesty on issues within our culture allows a truth to be heard from these marginalised voices, and it is clear that they have had a large impact within writing and on the society in which we live.