International Relations Theory Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

International Relations Theory - Assignment Example This calls for less or no controls from the concerned governments thus eliminating government controls. The consumers are also free to choose the products and services they want from anywhere in the world. The international market exhibits such trends. This makes it possible for many countries to prefer capitalism to other ideologies such as communism. For those two reasons, capitalism and universal consumer culture sets a stage for liberal internationalism where individual choice to sell or buy is respected. The final engine is the democratization of governments across the world. Democracy entails self-rule forming a government of the people by the people where majority choice rules. The enjoyment of rights and freedoms that are seen in democratic governments constitute liberal practices in political structures (Marks, 1-19). Democratization works best if the state is ‘strong’. What does that mean? The formation of state is entrenched in there being a unified civil society and as such, the state remains imperative if civility in society is to be sustained. The people in a state do try their best not to harm the rights of others while they exercise theirs. This kind of scenario presents democracy where the rights and freedoms of others are respected and upheld. Without the exercise of upholding other people’s rights and freedoms and letting the people make their choice, there would not be democracy. For people to engage in democratic practices, there must be a civil society that is stable, sensitive to the rights and freedoms of others, and preservation of liberty, property and life of the people is upheld. For the stability of society, the state needs to operate within the limits of natural laws and civil laws. The need to become democratized emanates from the fact that people within a state demand that single interests be eliminated and the tyranny be checked for the b enefit of majority. A strong state has all the mechanism needed to establish civil obedience, upholds rights and freedoms of the people, the faults of the civil society can be corrected, and the state has the capacity and necessary authority to act that way. Strong civil society, stable governments, and strong civil structures in terms of institutions are better recipes for democratization as opposed to anarchy. Anarchy breeds tyranny. Democracy is constituted when limits to power is realized, mutual relations between the state and civil society are established, rule of law is upheld, constitutionalism promoted, and freedom and rights of all people are equally promoted through democratic participation, thus a strong state with functional democracy (Marks 1-19). What do realists think about ‘China’s rise’ and its implications for international order? The rise of China will transform the East Asia and this influence is set to spread to other parts of the world. Chi na’s take on international matters will be stronger and will bring about a huge drama. The rise of china is seen towards the direction of superpower

Law and Real Estate Essay Example for Free

Law and Real Estate Essay Executive Summary Pacific Grove Spice started as a small specialty grocer on the Monterey Peninsula of California in the early 1980s. Within 10 years they were the â€Å"place† to find spices in Central California and now have a widespread reach covering all 50 states. The spice industry that it is in has been growing steadily because of how important a role spices are getting in the kitchens and in cooking. The growing concern about obesity and diet has also left a positive impact because of the health conscious people that desire healthier meals that are still favorable. The demand for spices is at an all-time high and although multinational firms like McCormick Company dominate the industry, many small firms are competing successfully, Pacific Grove spice being one of them. The problem that Debra Peterson and Fletcher Hodges are having is that they have three choices to make. They have to decide whether they should accept an offer from a cable-cooking network to produce and sponsor a new program, raise new equity by selling shares of common stock, and/or acquire High Country Seasonings-a privately owned spice company. While making their decision they have to keep in mind that the bank financing their company wants them to reduce interest-bearing debt to less than 55% of total assets and the equity multiplier to less than 2.7 times by June 2012. We recommend that Introduction Debra Peterson is currently the Chief Executive Officer of the Pacific Grove Spice Company. The Chief Financial Officer, Fletcher Hodges, and she are trying to figure out what strategy to take to meet the demands of the bank that finances their company. The recent financial crisis had made the credit committee uneasy and they now want Pacific Grove Spice to reduce interest-bearing debt to less than 55% of total assets and the equity multiplier to less than 2.7 times by June 2012. They have three options they are currently considering and this case study illustrates the financial forecasts for the next few years and showcases what we feel is the best decision for them regarding their options and the banks demands. Analysis Pacific Grove Spice’s operations are not profitable enough to quickly bring  it into compliance with the bank’s requirements. It’ll take about four years with just the regular operations.

The Learning Development Program Should be Retained :: Argumentative Persuasive Argument Essays

The Learning Development Program Should be Retained The local community college cancelled the Learning Development Program (L.D.C.) in the summer of 1999. This program was designed to assess and implement learning deficiencies in potential new students. The academic subjects covered were General Math, English and Reading. It had been determined in the late 1980s that a large number of incoming students were inadequately prepared in these subject areas, and were not able to enroll in the lowest level courses. Assessment test scores confirmed this observation. As a consequence, the college began a program graded on a pass-fail basis, designed to bring these students up to speed. The cancellation of this program should be reviewed, and some instructional alternative must be offered in its place. At this time, students are either rejected for admission, or admitted and then fail their English and math classes. The case for removing the L.D.C. classes rests on two issues: a lack of student interest and a lack of classroom space. Enrollment began to drop after 1997, when a new alignment of supervisory personnel occurred. Students were not made aware of the potential benefits to themselves, and were not prepared for the rigors of college-level work in such areas as English and math. The administration maintained that adequate alternatives were being offered. Further, it was argued that the economic factor of providing for instructors and instructional materials for the small numbers of students enrolled in L.D.C. classes did not make sense. One alternative available for failing students involves tutoring programs for English and math. These are "drop in" labs where those students struggling in the subject areas can come and receive help from a qualified faculty member. For many this service is all that is required. Yet, other students cannot succeed in the "drop in" labs, which often are noisy, and where individual attention is limited. The college can then request a special tutor. This would involve one-on-one instruction. The cost factor here, touted by the administration as of the utmost importance, spirals upward. It is difficult to understand this kind of budgeting, where another program containing indeterminate costs supplants one program that was successful in the past. The second issue concerns a lack of classroom space. A multi-use classroom was designated as the Academic Support Center in 1995-1997.

Successful E-Business Systems: PayPal :: essays research papers

SUCCESSFUL E-BUSINESS SYSTEMS - PAYPAL ABSTRACT PayPal is an account-based system that allows anyone with an email address to send and receive online payments. This service is easy to use for customers. Members can instantaneously send money to anyone. Recipients are informed by email that they have received a payment. PayPal is also available to people in 38 countries. This paper starts with introduction to the company and its services. The information about the history and the current company situation are covered. Later some interesting and different technical issues are discussed. The Paper ends with analysis of the company and several future recommendations. KEYWORDS PayPal, Payment Systems, E-business, Money Transactions, PayPal Analyses. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Introduction 2. PayPal as e-Business 3. Technical Issues 4. Analysis (of PayPal as e-Business) 5. Conclusion 6. References 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 - PayPal –A Popular Company This paper is about a company called PayPal. First I will touch the general information about the company, then provide information about several details and finish with several useful future recommendations. PayPal (formerly X.com) that was founded in 1998 belongs to an Electronic Payment Systems, more precisely to Generic Systems subgroup. It is located in San Jose and carries out services that provide the possibility of sending and receiving money by means of computers in an easy, secure and fast way using an account-based system. This can be done by anyone (a private person or legal entity) who has an email address. When the money is transferred, a message is sent to the recipient’s email address notifying about the transaction. At the same time certain security measures are taken during these operations. One can still charge his or her account without having an electronic card, using the bank transfer or a paycheck. Transferring money is as easy as sending an email for customers. Page 2 2 (Fig.1, What is PayPal, retrieved on February 15 th , 2004 From: PayPal Developer Conference Keynote, Alex Kazim, VP Marketing, 05/08/03. Data available on http://paypaldev.org/ ) In 2002, PayPal was acquired by eBay. It has quickly become popular. Today the company offers services in thirty-eight countries and has about forty million customers for today. In most of these countries it supports bank withdrawal service and is especially popular among eBay customers. Fig.1 briefly illustrates Company’s business. The system enables its users to send money, using computers. The same can be done by means of mobile phones that are support Web.

Through Deaf Eyes Essay

Trough Deaf Eyes is a documentary outlining the history of the early deaf communities. The movie illustrates and touches the numerous achievements the deaf community has accomplished over the past years. It is startling to see and know the many obstacles that deaf citizens had to go through here in America to reach â€Å"acceptance†; this can almost be compared to years when African Americans were segregated. People these days might think that deaf citizens have it hard, but I’m pretty sure it is nothing compared to those years when it was punishable or looked down upon to use sign language to communicate with your family and friends. It is frustrating to know that deaf people were once forced to assimilate instead of just letting them sign. One of the movies speakers hints a good point when she shares that because she spent so much time learning how to assimilate words like â€Å"dog, cat, milk, and ext.† deaf people usually fell behind in their other topics. I can really relate to this and how frustrating it is because when I moved from Mexico to the U.S. I didn’t know any English at all. It was almost like being deaf because whenever I wanted to communicate to my teachers or fellow classmates most of my communication came from my hands since they all spoke mostly English and could not understand what I was saying or asking. Twice a week I was pulled out from my home classroom to go to another â€Å"special classroom† where another teacher would teach me English little by little along with another 5 other students. Thanks to that I also fell behind in my other school subjects in class; when it came down to grammar, reading, science, and cursive I sucked. Because of this small relation I found the movie to be really interesting.

the final steps into the ordinary essays

the final steps into the ordinary essays Its hard sometimes to put your finger on the tipping point of tolerance. Its not usually the Thurgood Marshalls and the Sally Rides, the big headlines and the major stories. Its in the small incremental ways the world stops seeing differences as threatening...And its finally happening for gay men and lesbians. Theyre becoming ordinary. In the September issue of Newsweek magazine Ann Quindlen wrote an article entitled The Right To Be Ordinary. In this article Quindlen addresses the issue of gays and lesbians becoming a part of every day life. The article states that even though there is still a lot of discrimination in our country; being gay or lesbian over the years has become more widely accepted. The author effectively argues this point by her use of anecdotes, her tone, and by. Quindlen successfully uses anecdotes to show readers how gay men and lesbians are becoming more commonplace. She builds her credibility by use actual anecdotes that have really occurred and have been reported in many newspapers. On incident that she reported was the Supreme Courts decision that the Boy Scouts had a right to keep out gay scoutmasters. This seems like a setback but it was actually a blessing in disguise. Even though the gay scoutmaster lost his trial, it was the Scouting officials that really took the beating. Men who had been Eagle Scouts for years began to send back their badges. The United Way would no longer support them and took away their funding. Cities and states soon prohibited the Boy Scouts from using public facilities. All this the Boy Scouts lost because of one little act of intolerance for a fellow human being. An additional example would be that during the summer in Vermont, nearly 500 gay and lesbian couples were united in civil unions. Even if these unions were on ...

History Of The Internet Essays - Internet Hall Of Fame, Free Essays

History Of The Internet Essays - Internet Hall Of Fame, Free Essays History Of The Internet History of the Internet The Internet as we know today was not a concept that was quickly enacted when it was first thought up. It was a revolutionary process that was the result of visionary people who painstakingly brought forth the World Wide Web. These individuals saw a promising potential in allowing computers to share information on research and development in scientific and military fields. This is all started in 1962 when the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) initiated a research program. They selected J.C.R. Licklider of MIT to head the work and develop it. Later Leonard Kleinrock of UCLA who developed the theory of packet switching, which was used to create the basis of Internet connections. His thesis was titled Communications Networks: Stochastic Flow and Delay. This thesis examined what packet-switching networking could look like. Lawrence Roberts of NIT confirmed Kleinrocks theory by connecting a Massachusetts computer with a California computer over dial up telephone lines. This proved that it could be done and when he later joined DARPA in 1966 he developed his plan for ARPANET. ARPANET, also known as the Internet was brought online in 1965 under a contract let by the renamed Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) (Howe 2). It originally connected UCLA, Stanford Research Institute, UCSB, and the University of Utah. Soon after several other universities connected to ARPANET. In order for ARPANET to communicate via the telephone lines a series of protocols were developed Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and Internet Protocol (IP) came first then TCP/IP developed from these. These protocols communicated transparently across multiple, linked packet networks. The ultimate infrastructure was designed that if sites were destroyed by nuclear attack, routers would direct traffic around the network via alternate routes. Since this was a initially founded by the government, it was originally limited to research, education, and for government use. In order to work the Internet a person had to learn a complex system. The Internet matured in the 70s as a result of the TCP/IP architecture first proposed by Bob Kahn at BBN and further developed by Kahn and Vint Cerf at Stanford and others throughout the 70s.(Howe 3). It is interesting to note that at this time at Bell Labs the Unix to Unix Copy Protocol (UUCP) was invented. Newsgroups and discussions were exchanged through this means although it did not use TCP/IP. Usenet is not considered a part of the Internet but it did help those that used the Internet. It played a big part on creating the Internet network and its community. In 1986, the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) initiated the development of the NSFNET which today, provides a major backbone communication service for the Internet.(ISOC 1). In Europe, major international backbones such as NORDUNET and others provide connectivity to over one hundred thousand computers on a large number of networks. Commercial network providers in the U.S. and Europe are beginning to offer Internet backbone and access support on a competitive basis to any interested parties.(ISOC 2). In the early 90s commercial use on the Internet was allowed, before it was only allowed to serve the goals of research and education. Because of this lift commercial network use expanded beyond what anyone thought it could be. As with all growth there are pains to be dealt with. Users want quicker speed connections and wireless connectivity. The demand is heralding a response for these needs and it seems there will be no limit what to ask for. Bibliography Aboba, Bernard. How the Internet Came to Be. Addison-Wesley, 1993. Bell Laboratories. 22 Oct. 2000 . Cerf, Vint. A Brief History of the Internet and Related Networks. ISOC. 22 Oct.2000 Howe,Walt. A Brief History of the Internet. 22 Oct. 2000 0.delphi.com/navnet/history.html

The Female Breast In History Essays - Clothing, 19th-century Fashion

The Female Breast In History Essays - Clothing, 19th-century Fashion The Female Breast In History The Female Breast and the History of Western Civilization Throughout the ages, the female body has been revered as a work of art and beauty and as a source of life, from which all people are born. The breast is one of the most predominate features of a woman and stands out as a symbol of womanliness and livelihood. Eroticism, nourishment, abundance, hunger, feminine power, as well as feminine subservience, are different contradicting themes of the breast played out in time. Different repeating views of its importance and the way it should be displayed are used to reflect upon the views of women of the time and life in Western society in general. At times, it is near-worshipped as a sign of sexuality, or as a sign of nourishment. Other times it is secured down, sometimes a sign of the inferiority of women or, conversely, as a sign of women's liberation and their equality to men. Whether it is intentional or subconscious, how the breast is viewed throughout history is a direct reflection of the views of the time. Legends about the breast have appeared in a variety of cultures. Greek, Indian, and Native American myth all contain stories which involve biting a breast. For example, Hercules was said to have gotten his extra-human strength from biting the breast of Hera as an infant. This and other such stories can be symbolic of an attack on Mother Nature or the earth goddess, and of man's ability to overcome her (Latteier 146). Women with multiple sets of breasts are a reoccurring theme in Western society, symbolizing fruitfulness. The Greek goddess Artenis of Ephesus had nearly twenty breasts on her chest. Medieval Christian stories often involve the breasts and breast milk of the Virgin Mary. Next to the blood of Jesus Christ, her milk was the most holy and most miraculous of fluids, its wonders retold in numerous poems, stories, and songs (Yalom 44). She was said to have appeared to Saint Barnard when he was praying and offered him a stream of her breast milk to drink from (46). A fourth cen tury prostitute was said to have been spared the death penalty by baring her breasts to the judges, who were so impressed by their beauty that they acquitted her (20). Minoan society on the island of Crete honored the breast. Women's clothing was designed to let the breasts show through. Women were placed in high social positions and power. Their breasts stood for material wealth, political power, and sacredness. The Minoans are given credit as the first people to use a corset. They wore bodices that laced below the bust, lifting and exposing the breasts (Winston). Priestesses known as snake goddesses were notorious for large breasts and snakes that coiled around their arm, both symbols of their power, potency mixed with sustenance (Yalom 15). Classic Greek society praised masculinity and repressed femininity. Women were encouraged to stay at home and they few little rights. Only the Hetaerae, a special upper class of women, were able to participate in social activities of men. The apodemos, a linen article worn by the Hetaerae, was considered to be the first brassiere (Silverman). It, however, usually flattened the breasts instead of accentuating them, reflecting the anti-feminine views of the time. With the rise of Christianity, the breasts and the flesh in general were discouraged from being exposed. The stomach was considered to be more of an important center of female sexuality, with rounded bellies being more attractive (Broby-Johansen 131). This was modeled after the Virgin Mary whose round belly contained the savior (Yalom 40). It wasn't until the fourteenth century and the Renaissance that this began to change. Explosive creativity and art occurred despite great famine and disease. As people became more frivolous, clothing became more revealing, and the neckline lowered to show cleavage (Latteire 31). In the seventeenth century, the breasts once again became the predominate center of female attractiveness over the belly. It was fruitful like the stomach, but more sensual. It stood as a symbol of power and wealth at a time when mercantilism was on the rise in Europe (Latteire 32). The corset, which was previously used to flatten the breasts, was used

Contrast and Comparison of Three Famous Paintings Essay

Contrast and Comparison of Three Famous Paintings - Essay Example The essay "Contrast and Comparison of Three Famous Paintings" explores such famous paintings as Collision of Moorish Horsemen" of Eugene Delacroix, "The Stone Breakers" of Gustave Courbet and "Haystacks, (sunset)" of Oscar-Claude Monet. The painting "Collision of Moorish Horsemen" has embraced the brighter use colors that portray a romantic design of the art. There is the use of the expressive brushstroke that is used to present the bright colors. As a result, the color has been used to emphasize on the Moorish Horsemen. The painting's visual texture has been used to create a feeling of the battlefield as shown in the art. The background has become successful due to the rapid brushstrokes. The contrast and balance of the piece of art have been made possible by the presence of bright colors in the horses at the front and darker for the one at the background of the battlefield. The painting "The Stone Breakers" has also used bright colors that represent different aspects of the subject s involved in the art. The frontline has brighter colors than the background; hence, presenting different directions and values in the painting. Moreover, unity has been emphasized through the use of active, aggressive subjects. Visual texture has also been embraced where a rough consistency exists in the front (through the stones that the miners are working on) rather than at the background where there is a mountainous background. The painting "Haystacks" has a variety of colors mostly tertiary that present the main theme.

Media writing - Feature Story (media newspaper or magazine) Essay

Media writing - Feature Story (media newspaper or magazine) - Essay Example Modernising the dating domain as we recognise it, these Internet sanctuaries are reconstructing the boundaries of love and the search of love, from all over the world. â€Å"We’re trying to reach the whole world—people of all spiritual orientations, all political philosophies, all racial background,† (Kornblum 2005: para 10) declares Neil Clark Warren, originator of one of the largest on-line dating sites in the world, eHarmony.com. So how does on-line dating works? She met him on the Internet, his screen name was Gizzy. He only knew her by his first name, Sarah. They have not met each other personally. But they immediately knew that they are destined for each other, merely by communicating through the Internet. â€Å"We always have a lively conversation and I miss it every time,† reveals Michael Thompson, 43, a retail store manager who met his soul mate through an on-line chat room. â€Å"I always feel that she is very close to me every time we chat. When I heard her voice for the first time I promised to myself that I will do everything to make her mine.† Seattle supermall saleslady Sarah Martin spent the whole night chatting on-line, from 7 p.m. to 12 a.m. They then decided to call each other on their mobile phones. The couple talked throughout the rest of the next morning exchanging funny and embarrassing stories about each other. Sarah decided to give her address to Michael, and the latter was in Sarah’s doorstep the next day. One month later, the couple got married. â€Å"I enjoyed talking to him on the phone, and I really loved his humour,† says Sarah, a 35-year-old who works as a saleslady for a supermall in Seattle. â€Å"It’s funny but we started talking about our future together. Then he asked me if I am ready to settle down. I said ‘Of course, why not!’ Then we finally got married after a month. It was a very solemn wedding†. While it is seldom for a man and a woman who have not met each other face-to-face, and who are not aware of each

VIRTUAL WALKING TOUR ASSIGNMENT Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

VIRTUAL WALKING TOUR ASSIGNMENT - Research Paper Example Furthermore, he considers that the streets in Paris are narrower than those of American streets. Accordingly, parking lots in Paris are built on both sides of the streets. He also finds that the streets in Paris are smaller and unlike huge vehicles such as trucks that run across the streets of America, the trucks in Paris are relatively smaller in size and are designed according to the local culture and the widths of the streets. Jim tries to distinguish the streets of Paris with that of American streets. The sites across all the streets of Paris are accompanied by a number of small and big shops such as wine shops, beef shops, pork shops, bread shops, chocolate shops and many other different shops selling a variety of interesting products. He states that the buildings along side of the streets are maximum seven-storeyed. The most interesting thing that I find is the size of buildings along the streets. I find that almost all the buildings were similar in size, the majority of which were seven-storeyed. The diversity in the buildings was conspicuous only at the ground floor of the building while the rest of each was uniform with others. The widths of the buildings were greater than the width of the street and were more like monuments (Latour and Herment). I think Paris has one of the world’s stunningly beautiful urban landscapes. The uniformity in buildings depicts the unity of people in Paris. Each building is unique in itself. A building’s design does not depict the superiority over other buildings. Despite the streets being narrow, there are seldom traffic problems. The shops selling a variety of grocery products and other interesting products indeed offer people a wide choice. Moreover, the trees are planted alongside of the streets, and parking lots provide people with cool shade during the summer and help in controlling air pollution. Jim commented that French people probably make the best combination of formality and

Third Party Conflict Resolution Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Third Party Conflict Resolution Paper - Essay Example Nevertheless, there are always chance of failure of all of those. Thus a contingency plan is required at all time if the fundamental strategy is rejected. Conflict resolution is the skill needed to solve a problem related to conflict. The concept of conflict resolution tends to convert conflict into creative conflict within teamwork that helps in approaching conflict management. This becomes operational once the members of a team are made to understand that the other party also possess a standpoint and it is helpful to listen to the other party and understand the thought process. Once this is clarified, the main aspects of conflict seize to exist and creative conflict arises out of general conflict. It should be mentioned that the chief reason behind conflict problem is mistrust. This mistrust arises from the parameters of low knowledge about the other individual. If it was possible to intermingle among all the individuals, it is certain the aspect of conflict would be completely abolished. This is a favorable undertaking to play down the possible tension among different working groups. It is almost like a plan to implement conflict management techniques where conflict tends to disappear as soon as an individual understands the position of the other and starts respectin

Decision Making, Decision Levels and Types of Problems Term Paper

Decision Making, Decision Levels and Types of Problems - Term Paper Example There are different levels of decision making and types of problems, different types of problems include semi-structured problem, structured problem, and unstructured problem. For every type of problem, there is a different level of decision to be taken and there is a different solution for each type of problem. Normally structured problem as easily solved as compared to the semi-structured and unstructured problems, the reason for that the problem identification is easy because the problem is well structured. The process through which humans resolve and perceive the distance between a current situation and a decided goal is called the problem-solving process. A person has to first identify the obstacles which he or she will face to reach the desired goal and after analytical thinking, a person can overcome these hurdles. (Hicks, 2004) When humans find a solution to a specific problem, they store this information in their memories to use them for future situations. When we closely analyze then we come to know that the steps involved in both decision making and problem-solving are identical and sometimes we use these terms interchangeably. (Skyttner, 2005) The purpose of the input phase is to have a clear understanding of a particular situation; we first recognize the problem or set of problems so that we have a clear picture in our mind. By identifying a problem means that we know to the distance between a present situation and our desired goal. The identification process of any problem is very important to talk to our selves and others. Normally we face four common types of situations. (Adair, 2007) 1. A situation in which we know that something is wrong and we need to correct it. 2. A situation in which we perceive something to be a real threat and we have to prevent it from happening. 3. A situation in which we simply accept the needs and invitations. 4. A situation in which we see something is really missing and it should be provided.     

Third Party Conflict Resolution Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Third Party Conflict Resolution Paper - Essay Example Nevertheless, there are always chance of failure of all of those. Thus a contingency plan is required at all time if the fundamental strategy is rejected. Conflict resolution is the skill needed to solve a problem related to conflict. The concept of conflict resolution tends to convert conflict into creative conflict within teamwork that helps in approaching conflict management. This becomes operational once the members of a team are made to understand that the other party also possess a standpoint and it is helpful to listen to the other party and understand the thought process. Once this is clarified, the main aspects of conflict seize to exist and creative conflict arises out of general conflict. It should be mentioned that the chief reason behind conflict problem is mistrust. This mistrust arises from the parameters of low knowledge about the other individual. If it was possible to intermingle among all the individuals, it is certain the aspect of conflict would be completely abolished. This is a favorable undertaking to play down the possible tension among different working groups. It is almost like a plan to implement conflict management techniques where conflict tends to disappear as soon as an individual understands the position of the other and starts respectin

Discuss Carson's view in the context of the history of management Assignment

Discuss Carson's view in the context of the history of management theory and evaluate the relevance of McGregor's theories to th - Assignment Example Valuing employees boosts confidence in employees to work harder than prior performance. An effective workforce allows the organisation to earn success and profitability in the long run as well. All future strategic planning of the organisation can be successfully accomplished via an effective workforce performance. All talented and skilled employees need to be retained by the organisation; they need to ensure that employees are satisfied with the organisation (Guest, 2011). The organisation should work towards developing loyal employees for the firm. In the last couple of years, various researchers have studied the implications of management gurus’ works in contemporary organisations and have realised that firms are using them either as a fashion or fad; they are not utilising them properly within their work context (Cennamo & Gardner, 2008; McLean, 2009). Implementing the strategies within the work context can allows the organisation to accomplish desired results of success. ... Majority of the researchers including Carson et al. (2002), Gallos (2005), Park and Ritson (2005), Tay and Diener (2011) and Wren, Bedeian and Breeze (2002) emphasised the need of modifying the applicable management theory according to the culture of a firm so that it can successfully design a work culture that will be supportive for its business operations. With changing times, the employee mindset and the ways of performing job roles have changed; hence the management theories developed by the earlier management gurus may require some modification in the present work culture. Carson’s viewpoint about history of theory of management According to Carson et al. (2002) who developed a theory known as ‘theory of management fashion’ concluded from their studies that now-a-days the organisations are relying on the models of management that are developed by newly skilled experts commonly referred to as management gurus, consulting firms, business schools and business pu blications in mass media in events of uncertainty. These management gurus are discussed as examples in many of the business schools so that the new generation is well aware of both the prior and new developments in management theories. These models of management have variations from the prior management theories developed in the field of management studies. This theory has been developed keeping in view the variables considered in the management models and how these have been applied in present business scenarios. Carson et al. (1999), cited by Mohr, Young and Burgees (2011), stated that under situations of ambiguity, the corporations who are classified as management fashion followers emulate the innovation models which are promoted by the fashion-setting companies

Accounting Standards Boards Essay Example for Free

Accounting Standards Boards Essay Increased globalization in the business world has brought to fore some of the issues and challenges that multinational businesses face in financial recording and reporting of foreign based operations. With operations based in different countries that operate under different accounting principles and with varying currencies, there has been a need for the accounting principles and standards to be converged. This has in the past nine years seen the accounting policy making suggesting a complete overhaul in the way financial statements are reported and a convergence between the USs generally accepted accounting principles (US GAAP) and the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). This has been through various meetings between the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) and US Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), two boards which determine these accounting standards. This paper therefore evaluates the history of the two boards and their relationship and looks at IASB equivalents to FASB original pronouncements. It also describes how a Master of Science in Accounting would prepare a student for an accounting profession. History of the Relationship between FASB and IASB US Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) is a board which is responsible for setting and improving financial accounting standards in the US and for governing and fostering preparation of financial reports by non-governmental organizations (Financial Accounting Standards Board, 2012).International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) on the other hand is also an independent board responsible for setting international financial reporting standards (IFRS Foundation, 2011). Whereas IASB and IFRS takes a principle based approach to accounting standards setting, FASBS GAAP does this through pronouncements which are based or rules. They both put a lot of emphasis on income statements, balance sheet, statements of changes in equity and cash flow statements as key reports that are important in financial reporting. Over the past decade these two boards which determine the accounting standards in the world have been working towards ensuring that the financial reporting all over the world converges. The convergence concept first took root in the 1950s in response to the cross border capital inflows that were as a result of the economic integration after world war two. These efforts initially focused on reducing difference in accounting principles between major capital markets globally otherwise referred to as harmonization of the accounting principles. By 1990s the concept had changed into convergence which sought to build high quality financial reporting standards to be applied internationally (Financial Accounting Standards Board, 2012a). Both developed in the 1970s, FASB and IASC (international Accounting Standards Committee) a predecessor to IASB, set a trend for expanding international accounting standards and with the reorganization of IASC into IASB in 2001, the use of IFRS among various countries has progressed rapidly. For instance, over 100 countries and the European Union use these standards issued by IASB. The U.S. mainly uses its own issued US GAAP (Progress Report, 2011; Cain, 2008). IASB and FASB have been working together towards converging the IFRS and the US GAAP since 2002. Even China and Japan have been working to bring together their accounting standards with IFRS as at 2009. Over the past decade the pace of convergence has been very fast with the internationalization of standards growing rapidly. In 2010, Securities and Exchange Commission in the US issues a report supporting the convergence of these standards through incorporation of the IFRS in the US financial system (Financial Accounting Standards Board, 2012a). This implies that the US has been increasing exploring adopting IASBs IFRSs, although there have been issues such as the fair value issues in IFRS and the cost of implementation that have slowed the progress. The IASB equivalents of the FASB original pronouncements As noted above, IASBs IFRS takes a principle based approach to accounting standard setting as compared to FASBs pronouncements which are viewed to be much stricter. In essence therefore, though IASB and FASB may address similar accounting concepts their approach to it may be different. It is these IASBs equivalents to FASBs pronouncements that bring the differences between GAAP and IFRS standards. Evaluating the FASBs original pronouncements and IASB, the manner in which accounting concepts are approached can be noted. These are: whereas IASBs IFRS requires that inventory costs of spoilage and idle capacity be excluded from the cost of inventory, FASBs GAAP does not; IFRS requires yearly comparison of financial statements unlike US GAAP which only views comparisons as desirable but require three year comparisons; IFRS permits but does not require reporting of comprehensive income unlike US GAAP which requires it; IFRS classifies liabilities as non-current if refinancing is complete before the date of the balance sheet unlike GAAP which classifies it as so, if refinancing is completed before the financial statements are issued; and prohibition of extraordinary items from the financial reports by IFRS unlike GAAP which permits but to a restricted items which affect profit and loss (Deloitte, 2004; FASB Report, 2002). Other accounting concepts that differ between IASB and FASBs original pronouncements are that IFRS requires that LIFO method of determining inventory cost be prohibited in IAS 2, unlike US GAAP which permits LIFO in SFAS 151, and that IFRS requires reversal of inventory write downs if given criteria are met unlike US GAAP which prohibits it. In addition FASB permits that inventory at net value be measured even if it is above cost unlike IFRS which restricts this to producers and broker-dealers inventories. FASB classifies the interest received and paid as operating activity in the cash flow statement unlike IASB which may classify it as financing, investing or operating activity. This leaves room for a number of interpretations. Furthermore, though FASB excludes overdrafts from cash, IASB includes it if it forms a critical and integral part of an organizations cash base or cash management (Deloitte, 2004; FASB Report, 2002). Other IASB equivalents to FASB pronouncements are enumerated as shown below (Deloitte, 2004; FASB Report, 2002): -IFRS restates previous financial statements in the event of non-mandated changes in accounting policy, unlike FASB which includes cumulative effects current financial statements net loss and profits -IASB uses change in estimated method to evaluate changes in depreciation of assets, unlike FASB which used change in accounting policy that is the net profit or loss cumulative effect. -IASB uses cost recovery method for construction contracts when the completed percentage cannot be determined for sure unlike the USA GAAP which uses completed contract method -IASB does not recognize deferred tax due to the an asset or liability tr ansaction that doesnt affect accounting or taxable profit and is not a business combination in IAS 12 unlike the US GAAP recognizes this these through its lack of initial recognition exemption as addressed in SFAS 109. -US GAAP has special exemptions due to the provision of deferred tax such as leveraged leasing, intangible developments in the gas and oil industry and undistributed earnings -IASB uses a tax rate that is substantially enacted to measure deferred tax liabilities and assets, which can be left to a lot of interpretations, unlike FASBs enacted tax rate which is sure and consistent -IASB uses rate applicable to undistributed earnings of an organization to measure the deferred tax on those earnings , unlike FASB which uses the higher of the tax rate between the one applicable to undistributed profits and the one applicable to distributed profits as addressed in SFAS 109 -IASB recognizes expense for share-based payment based on fair value of the payment whereas FASB recognizes this based on intrinsic value at grant date -IASB measures business combinations on the date of the acquisition whereas FASB does this on the date of consummation or closing date -IASB requires that recognizing a liability prior to acquisition restructuring be only if the one being acquired recognizes it under IAS 37, this is unlike FASB which recognizes it if the acquisition has already began -IASB recognizes in process RD as an intangible finite asset or good will, unlike FASB which recognizes it as expense How MSA Program prepares student for professional Accounting A Master of Science in accounting program is very important for anyone who intends to pursue an accounting career in the future. This program prepares a student by providing knowledge on the various accounting principles that need be applied in accounting profession. It also makes a student be aware of the various accounting standards that are existing in the world, how each differ, and how accounting records and done in each. In addition such a program provides analytical and critical thinking abilities. In addition, it offers a global perspective on accounting practices and business issues and provides a framework for effective development for team building and leadership skills, and ethical decision making in business. Lastly it will enhance interpersonal and communications skills through interactions which seek to learn ways of solving problems and issues in the accounting and finance realm. All these are critical for a career as an accountant. Conclusion This paper has discussed the history of the FASB and IASB boards and their relationship and has looked at IASB equivalents to FASB original pronouncements. It has shown that standardized management accounting and controlling concepts that transcend national boundaries are increasingly needed with concern on the need of an internationalized Accounting and financial reporting standard to help in comparing of financial statements of countries from different countries and also to make it efficient and less costly for multinational companies when they are conducting financial reporting of their performance. IASB and FASB have made tremendous progress thus fur in their bid to converge the global accounting standards.

A League Of Nations

A League Of Nations The First World War (1914-1918) caused horrible slaughter and destruction in the countries of Europe and Asia. It produced a horror of war and created an idea to set up an international organization which would prevent the outbreaks of wars in the future. As a result of such ideas, and as a result of such discussion in the Peace Conference in Paris, in 1919, an agreement was reached by the victorious governments to set up an international body to be called the League of Nations. An agreement was entered into for this purpose. It was called the covenant of League of Nations. The covenant described the purposes, the constitution and functions of the League of Nations. On January 10, 1920, the League of Nations was formally established, with Geneva, in Switzerland, as its headquarters. History of League of Nations: The league did not live long. After a period of nearly 20 years, it ceased to exist, when the Second World War broke out. The membership of the League of Nations varied from time to time. At first it consisted of 42 member states, for example, England, France, Japan and other. Germany was excluded because she started the war. Russia was not allowed to join it, because it did not serve her isolationist policy. After the failure of the league to check Italian and Japanese aggressions and conquests in 1935 and in 1937, it was practically dead. The outbreak of the World War two put an end to the existence of the league. Aims of the League: The covenant of the league declared that the aims or purposes of the league were three: namely To preserve peace in the world To settle international disputes by peaceful methods and not by war To promote cooperation among the peoples and nations of the world, so as to increase welfare and prosperity of these nations. League Structure: The machinery of the league consisted of an assembly, a council, and a secretariat. Before World War II (1939-1945), the assembly convened regularly at Geneva in September; it was composed of three representatives for every member state, each state having one vote. The council met at least three times each year to consider political disputes and reduction of armaments; it was composed of several permanent members, France, Britain, Italy, Japan, and later Germany and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) and several nonpermanent members elected by the assembly. The decisions of the council had to be unanimous. The secretariat was the administrative branch of the league and consisted of a secretary general and a staff of 500 people. Several other bodies were allied with the league, such as the Permanent Court of International Justice, called the World Court, and the International Labor Organization. Members of League of Nation: The Countries Involved In The League of Nations Are As Follows: Abyssinia Afghanistan Argentina Belgium Bolivia British Empire separate membership for: United Kingdom Australia Canada India New Zealand Union of South Africa Bulgaria China Colombia Cuba Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt Estonia Finland France Greece Iraq Iran Irish Free State Latvia Liberia Lithuania Mexico Netherlands Norway Panama Poland Portugal Thailand Turkey Sweden Switzerland Uruguay Yugoslavia V -LEGACY Never truly effective as a peacekeeping organization, the lasting importance of the League of Nations lies in the fact that it provided the groundwork for the UN. This international alliance, formed after World War II, not only profited by the mistakes of the League of Nations but borrowed much of the organizational machinery of the league. The Rise of League of Nation When League of Nations came into being, it did so much work and rose day by day. Some of its achievements by rising are as following: Settlement of Disputes: The League quickly proved its value by settling the Swedish-Finnish dispute over the Ã…land Islands (1920-21), guaranteeing the security of Albania (1921), rescuing Austria from economic disaster, settling the division of Upper Silesia (1922), and preventing the outbreak of war in the Balkans between Greece and Bulgaria (1925). In addition, the League extended considerable aid to refugees; it helped to suppress white slave and opium traffic; it did pioneering work in surveys of health; it extended financial aid to needy states; and it furthered international cooperation in labor relations and many other fields. Try to prevent the outbreak of another war: The league tried to prevent the outbreak, by outlawing war as an instrument of national policy of the sovereign state. An agreement not to resort to war by all great powers of the world was entered into, called the Locarno pact. Social and Humanitarian Achievemnt: The league of nations had several social and humanitarian achievements to its credit. Its health committee endeavored to fight against such cruel diseases all over the world, as malaria, cancer, syphilis, T.B and others. Further, the league had also controlled the trade and sale of such injurious things as opium. The Geneva agreement of 1925 proved that the retail, sale, import and distribution of opism shall be the monopoly of the states. Another committee of the league, called the permanent committee on arts and letters, performed two services, namely, it conserved the masterpieces of arts and letters and promoted intellectual cooperation. The league dealt with the important questions of labor and of the relations between the workers and employers. These functions were performed by the international labor organization (I.L.O). It is one of the bodies which has survived the league. Membership: The League grew in its membership, from 42 in 1920 to over 60 by 1929. More countries were showing commitment to the principle of peace-keeping. Peace-keeping Successes: During the first ten years of its existence, the league had several achievements to its credit. It settled several international disputes between states and nations and thus prevented the outbreak of war between them. During its twenty years of existence, the league settled thirteen political disputes. Among them the first important dispute was a quarrel between Italy and Greece over the island of Corfu in 1923. The quarrel was amicably settled by the intervention of the league. The second serious dispute was between Greece and Bulgaria over their boundaries in 1924. Both countries were about to fight but the dispute settled by the league peacefully. Improved Relations with Germany: League increasingly seen as a peace-keeping organization rather than a winners club, Germany was allowed to join the League in 1926. Fall OF LEAGUE OF NATIONS The success of League of Nations can be judge on the basis of its handling disputes and international conflicts incidents. The authenticity of any organization can be checked by its utility of solving political and social issues. During 1920s League provided a useful but modest addition to international diplomacy where round of negotiations and diplomatic relations develop. Stress was made on sitting together of nations for the settlement of disputes. Security was provided to frontiers and problems of Disarmaments were solved. but unfortunately League was helping and solving matters of minor states because of influence of BIG POWERS on world League failed to implement its will on them which gave a true picture of its contradiction of covenant. League failed in its main object of maintaining peace in the world. In spite of its efforts for two decades , the whole world was involved in a war in 1939. By that time, the machinery of the League Of Nations had completely broken down. The failure of League Of Nations can be attributed to many causes. They are: 1. Absence Of Great Powers : It was unfortunate that the covenant of the League of Nations was made a part parcel of the peace settlement. It would have been better if it had kept separate. There were many states which consider the Treaty Of Versailles as a treaty of revenge, and were not prepared to ratify the same. By not ratifying the treaty, they refused to be the members of the League. The absence of the great powers from the international organization weakened her and was partly responsible for its ultimate failure. Japan, Germany and Italy also left the League and their defection must have weakened the League. 2. Domination Of France and England: It was felt that the League Of Nations was dominated by England and France and consequently the other states began to lose their confidence in that organization. 3. Rise of Dictatorship: The rise of dictatorship in Italy, Japan and Germany also weakened the chances of success of the League of Nations. Japan was determined to acquire fresh territories and her unscrupulous patriotism threw to the winds of all principles of international law and morality. If the League was prepared to condone her fault of conquering Manchuria. She was prepared to give up her membership of the League and that is exactly what she actually did. When the League of Nations decided to take action against Italy on account for her aggression in Abyssinia, Italy left the league. In the wake up spreading dictatorship states continued to be the members of the League so long as their national interest were not in any way endangered and sacrificed. 4. Limitations of Legal Methods: The League Of Nations demonstrated the limitations of the legal methods. The League was fairly efficient in structure and probably would have worked if there had existed a realization of a community of interest. Law grows out of public opinion cannot operate in disjunction with it. In the case of League law proposed and opinion disposed. According to Lincoln: Public sentiment is everything. With public sentiment nothing can be fail ; without it nothing can be succeed. 5. Loss of Faith In League: Small nations lost their faith in the effectiveness of The League to save them from any aggression. The principle of collective security was not applied in actual practice. Each state decided to follow her own policy, the principle of security weakened and thus there was nothing to check the aggressive policy of Hitler. 6. Constitutional Defect: The League of Nations failed because of certain constitutional defects. In the cases of disputes brought before the council of the League under Article 11, decisions of the council had to be unanimous in order to adjudge a nation guilty of having violated the covenant by resort to war or unjustifiable aggression, In Article 15. If the decisions were not unanimous verdict under Article 11, the disputing parties were free to resume the hostilities after a period of 3 months. By allowing exceptions, the covenant seemed to assume that was remained the normal solution of international disputes. 7. Narrow Nationalism: Narrow nationalism was still the dominant among the peoples of the world. France was increasingly concerned with her national security, while Great Britain considered that problem less urgent than promoting commerce by fostering international trade. Japan intoxicated by her emergence as a world power, while Italy was desperate to redress her damage. Germany was indulged to retain her national prestige even at the cost of an aggressive military adventure. 8. Lack Of Mutual Co-Operation: The member of the league lack mutual co-operation which is always essential for the success of an organization. For France the League was an instrument for providing her security from Germany. On the other hand Great Britain wanted League protecting her imperialist interest. Hitler found League a great hurdle on the way of rise of Germany. 9. Separate Lines of Thoughts: The League was the offspring of a marriage of two separate lines of thoughts. In one of these which were developed my Mr. Taft and others in the U.S. The stress was on organized forces. There has to be League of enforced peace On the other hand the British attitude was extremely hesitant in its approach to the nation as enforced peace. If the fourteen points of Woodrow Wilson are consulted we find that a general association of nation is projected for the purpose of affording mutual guarantees of political independence and territorial integrity In its proposal the world peace is not mentioned and international co-operation is restricted to one limited object. These two inconsistent principles were incorporated in the fabric of the League itself and no wonder it failed. 10. The Depression undermined the League: The League was weakened by the Great Depression that swept the world after 1929. At a time of economic crisis governments were less interested in what happened in faraway places. Japan and Italy were able to invade other countries without being punished effectively by the League. 11. Manchurian Crisis: On the night of Sep. 18-19, 1931 some Japanese soldiers making an attempt to blow off the railway line near Mukdan. Japan took full advantage of this minor incident and on the 18th Sep, 1931 she invaded Manchuria and also occupied all Japanese cities north of Mukdan. League of Nations failed to implement sanctions on Japan and on March 27, 1933 Japan decided to withdraw her membership of League of Nation. CONCLUSION: According to most of the thinkers , existence of League Of Nations was at wrong time .Then , all the nations was indulge in the concept of narrow nationalism and sovereignty. Situation would have been much more different had except the concept of Internationalism. It is wrong to believe League Of Nations done nothing, it paved the way of United Nations Organizations.

The Musical Influence of Johann Sebastian Bach Essay -- Composers Musi

The Musical Influence of Johann Sebastian Bach   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Among the influential composers of baroque music, there have been few who have contributed so much in talent, creativity, and style as Johann Sebastian Bach. Bach was a German organist and composer of the baroque era. Bach was born on March 21, 1685 in Eisenach, Thuringia and died July 28,1750. Bach revealed his feelings and his insights in his pieces. Bach’s mastery of all the major forms of baroque music (except opera) resulted not only from his genius talent, but also from his life long quest for knowledge. In some parts of Germany, the name, â€Å"Bach† became a synonym with the word, â€Å"musician.† Extremely talented in the art of baroque composition, Bach placed his heart, soul, and ingenuity in his music as it is clearly illustrated in his childhood, throughout his career, and of course through his musical works.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Bach’s connection to music is already evident through his childhood. Bach was born into a musical family in Eisenach. His father, before dying, taught him the basic skills of strings and an organist at a church taught him how to play the organ. When both of his parents died, he continued to devote his early life to music. His brother Johann Christoph continued to teach him how to play the organ. Furthermore, he won a scholarship and became part of the school choir of poor boys in Luneburg. Already seen was his sheer genius and talent that he possessed for music. Clearly, his childhood played a big factor...

Greek Myth Book Report: Prometheus Steals Fire From Heaven :: essays research papers

Greek Myth Book Report: Prometheus Steals Fire From Heaven Title - Prometheus Steals Fire From Heaven Author - Shortened, Simplified version of real story. Author Unknown I. Setting:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The setting for the story Prometheus Steals Fire From Heaven is In heaven, Earth, Olympus, and Mt. Caucasus. The time period is that of when there were only the (Greek) gods, and no men on earth, and none of the animals seemed worthy to rule the rest. II. Point of View: Omniscient point of view III. Characters: Zeus - Zeus is the ruler of the universe. At one point in the story Zeus was Jealous of others' powers. Zeus also had a bad temper and was mad at Prometheus for stealing heavens fire and chained Prometheus high on Mt. Caucasus, forever. He is one of 2 antagonists in the story. Hera - Queen of heaven, no significant part in story. Prometheus - The major protagonist in the story. Prometheus was one of the Titans (parents of the gods). He always thought of the positive side of things, and never let anyone or thing phase him. He proudly endured pain and showed his agony to none, all for inferior humans. Epimetheus - A minor part in the story. Epimetheus was the brother of Prometheus. Hephaestus - This minor character is heaven's lame smith. His part is somewhat significant later in the story, but he has no say in what he does, even if it is wrong. Pandora - Pandora was made by Zeus. She was made to curb man's power. As beautiful as a goddess, the immortals bestowed gifts on her to make her more captivating. Pandora is the 2nd antagonist in the story. IV. Theme   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The hero's mission is to create a man like figure on the Earth, with the power of fire. Pandora accidentally opened a jar full of disease, envy, revenge, spite, and other evils which went on man, down on the earth, but she closed it. The only thing left in it was hope. That is all man had now - hope. Prometheus completed his mission, even though he was chained up on the side of the mountain and tormented the rest of his life. V. Plot   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There was a time when there was no gods, and Heaven and Earth alone existed. From their union sprung the Titans, and the children of the Titans, the gods rebelled and overthrew them. Now there was no men on Earth so Prometheus had a task of making one. He mixed clay with water, kneaded it, shaped it, and made it look rather god like in shape. He made it stand upright Greek Myth Book Report: Prometheus Steals Fire From Heaven :: essays research papers Greek Myth Book Report: Prometheus Steals Fire From Heaven Title - Prometheus Steals Fire From Heaven Author - Shortened, Simplified version of real story. Author Unknown I. Setting:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The setting for the story Prometheus Steals Fire From Heaven is In heaven, Earth, Olympus, and Mt. Caucasus. The time period is that of when there were only the (Greek) gods, and no men on earth, and none of the animals seemed worthy to rule the rest. II. Point of View: Omniscient point of view III. Characters: Zeus - Zeus is the ruler of the universe. At one point in the story Zeus was Jealous of others' powers. Zeus also had a bad temper and was mad at Prometheus for stealing heavens fire and chained Prometheus high on Mt. Caucasus, forever. He is one of 2 antagonists in the story. Hera - Queen of heaven, no significant part in story. Prometheus - The major protagonist in the story. Prometheus was one of the Titans (parents of the gods). He always thought of the positive side of things, and never let anyone or thing phase him. He proudly endured pain and showed his agony to none, all for inferior humans. Epimetheus - A minor part in the story. Epimetheus was the brother of Prometheus. Hephaestus - This minor character is heaven's lame smith. His part is somewhat significant later in the story, but he has no say in what he does, even if it is wrong. Pandora - Pandora was made by Zeus. She was made to curb man's power. As beautiful as a goddess, the immortals bestowed gifts on her to make her more captivating. Pandora is the 2nd antagonist in the story. IV. Theme   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The hero's mission is to create a man like figure on the Earth, with the power of fire. Pandora accidentally opened a jar full of disease, envy, revenge, spite, and other evils which went on man, down on the earth, but she closed it. The only thing left in it was hope. That is all man had now - hope. Prometheus completed his mission, even though he was chained up on the side of the mountain and tormented the rest of his life. V. Plot   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There was a time when there was no gods, and Heaven and Earth alone existed. From their union sprung the Titans, and the children of the Titans, the gods rebelled and overthrew them. Now there was no men on Earth so Prometheus had a task of making one. He mixed clay with water, kneaded it, shaped it, and made it look rather god like in shape. He made it stand upright

“Animal Farm: A Fairy Story” Essay

A book that is based on a fable usually contains characters that act and talk like human beings while retaining their human traits. George Orwell wrote a book that was called ‘animal farm: a fairy story’ and was most likely based on the Russian Revolution which occurred during 1917 to 1945. There are many reasons to which why George Orwell would have used a fable in his condemnation of Soviet communism and totalitarianism. George Orwell used talking animals to show their interaction of these animals to help link things about humans that he can link to animals in the world. George Orwell’s book contained many animals which seemed to be imprisoned on a farm by their owner Mr. Jones, it is recognised by many people that this symbolised the Russia and the Soviet Union under Communist Party rule. The pigs seemed to represent the leaders because they made all the decisions that involved the animals and the farm. The rest of the animals seemed to be the citizens that lived on the farm and were controlled by Mr. Jones then the pigs. The battle at cow shed represented the civil war which ravaged Russia until1920. The battle of the windmill is linked to the German invasion of Russia during World War II. Throughout time, many animals have gained a reputation for their unique actions or even physical looks. These animals have been used to insult or describe someone or what they were doing. When George Orwell wrote this book, he was able to choose particular animals as particular characters to help forebode that character’s particular characteristics and their role in the story. Orwell would have had the animals in the story chosen to help link intelligent human characteristics with dirty farm animals. Orwell is able to use animals to link them to behaviours of humans and even end the book by saying that it is difficult to tell the difference. When George Orwell wrote this book, it would have been clear to him that the topic he was writing about was very controversial and would have angered or annoyed many people in powerful or influential positions that could do some harm to him or his career as a writer by making an influential comment or action. By writing a fable, he is able to protect himself from the criticism or denigration he might receive from those that believe they are being  slandered. Orwell was able to write the book to create an unspoken link with his work and the events that are happening around them that the readers are able to connect without the author making a direct connection. This would have been a very good reason for Orwell to write the book in the way he did. As George Orwell wrote the book, he would have wanted his work to be remembered or recognised for as long as possible. By writing in a fable, his message can be referred to in any situation or any point in time because he has not made any specific references to a specific event. By having his message written in such a way he can now have it spread because the message is universal. By writing the book as a fable, Orwell was able to write his story without having to explain what and why things were really happening because the story was most likely based on politics which can be very difficult to understand. Orwell was able to create reasons to which why things were happening and still have it linked to the complicated topic of politics. Many more readers of the book would have found it much easier to read and understand because Orwell explained it all in a new way without having to complicate it with other topics. Having a wider audience for his book would have helped him spread his thoughts and message with more people reading his book. Based on your understanding of the Russian Revolution, do the characters and events in Animal Farm take on any new significance?When George Orwell wrote this book, he might have wanted his message to be universal though it is quite clear to many readers that he based the story and the many characters on the environment he was living in and the people he knew much more about. The farm itself would have represented Russia as a country and the farm’s transformations would have represented the government changes which Russia undertook during the time which the book was written. The farms surrounding and interacting with Animal Farm would have symbolized the other countries in the world which related with the country during that time which tremendous change was happening in Russia. Farmer Jones is easily linked to Czar Nicholas II because Nicholas was the leader or Russia and Jones was the owner of the farm which represented Russia. Both leaders were beginning to be questioned and hated by their followers and soon lost what they had control of. Jones came back with other farmers to come and attempt to regain control of the farm though was met with all of the animals who did not allow Jones to come out of the battle victorious with some animals rising from the group and inspiring them to fight harder. Nicholas also came back with help from other countries to help him regain control of the country which he once controlled. The animals of the farm obviously represent everyone and everything that was under the control of Mr. Jones. In reality, this would represent all the citizens and working class who were struggling in those times which were many in numbers. Karl Marx and Old Major have an obvious similarity because Karl Marx was one of the first to proclaim his vision of a better country and Old Major was the pig who tells all of the animals on the farm of the dream he had that had resurrected an idea and thought which he had forgotten long ago but was able to remember and then pass those ideas onto the other animals. Both Marx and Old Major died before the revolution had come. Old Major spread his message of the vision that he had by teaching a song which he heard as a little pig called the ‘Beasts of England’. This ideology of communism was very popular with the animals and even got them excited where the ideas of communism began to spread throughout the world. A real song was also written by the followers of communism which was called ‘Communist Internationale’. Napoleon seems to be an obvious metaphor for Stalin who was able to become the new leader after Jones had been defeated. Stalin also became the new leader after the rebellion was able to take over. Both Napoleon and Stalin seemed to have the best interest of the country or the farm though both seemed to give into the evil temptations which arose while they were in  those positions. Napoleon began to slowly become greedier for more power which then began to influence his actions such as training the puppies not to read but to train them to become his personal protectors and even attackers. Napoleon soon begins to shower himself with more luxury and fort such as sleeping in a bed and even drinking alcohol. Stalin was also overwhelmed with new found luxury and power and soon let the peasants whom he was meant to help suffer. Snowball seems to be the symmetry of Leo Trotsky. Snowball was a pig that had the same interests of the farm as Napoleon in mind though it is how they each approached their ideas which got them into fights. Snowball was always disagreeing with Napoleon’s ideas and it was soon that Napoleon’s physical way of forcing his thoughts onto others that conquered over Snowball’s less taunting approach. Trotsky was soon seen as a traitor by the country and left as Snowball did when he was forced out by Napoleon. Squealer seems to represent the media in those times who attempted to influence everyone’s thoughts as to what they thought about why Napoleon did such acts as the media did with Stalin. Squealer becomes the only link to Napoleon to the rest of the animals on the farm and was the persuader and influential speaker who was able to hide or conceal the true intentions of the pigs. The media in those times were able to influence so well because the working class in those times were quite uneducated and needed something to think for then and it was that source of media that they depended on. Boxer is quite clearly the metaphor for the working class in those times. Boxer was a very hard working animal on the farm that made great efforts throughout his life and always had a simple motto to help him work even harder. The uneducated workers in those times were easily influenced by Stalin because it seemed as though they would prosper most in the new system as did Boxer. Boxer was a very dedicated follower of Stalin who was later on betrayed by being sent to the glue factory. Mollie is the representation of the middle class workers who are educated and understand the true effects under the new government which was being presented. Mollie would wear a ribbon and lick sugar when Jones was in charge of the farm though as the animals took over, Mollie was not aloud to wear ribbons or lick sugar for she had to make sacrifices. In reality, the middle class did not like the new system for they would be lowered to everyone else’s level. Mollie then leaves the farm after being caught being patted by another farmer and lives as she did when Jones was in charge. The puppies which were taken away from their mother by Napoleon became the bodyguards or defenders of Napoleon. These dogs that Napoleon trained to help keep his strong grip on the country attack Snowball and force him out of the farm which leaves no significant challengers for Napoleon to face. These dogs also attacked anyone that opposed or betrayed Napoleon in anyway. This easily represents the police or army which Stalin had control of when he took over as the leader of Russia. The windmill seems to represent the economy of Russia in those harsh times. The animals worked hard together to build the windmill even though there was a shortage of food and it was promised that this would help them significantly. This was just like in reality where Stalin had a five year plan to help Russia and just like the windmills, they failed to succeed. The book is easily linked to many things around Orwell as he wrote the book. Even though the message of Orwell was attempted to be made universal it is most likely connected to the significant Russian revolution.

Life As a Fashion Designer Essay

The career in which I am most interested in the textile industry is that of the fashion designer. A fashion designer is the person who comes up with the ideas and designs today, for the clothes that we, the consumers, will be wearing tomorrow. This alone, the power to inspire the world of fashion , would be enough to make me want to become a designer, but designing clothes is also a way of expressing yourself. Each designer is unique and thus the clothes that each create are just as unique. Although the job of a fashion designer may seem easy, there are many abilities involved in the job. Some of these abilities, which I posses, include a love for fashion, understanding of color and combinations of color, and the ability to convey design ideas through pictures. Along with the possessed above qualities, taking clothing classes in school has made me realize the many ideas that I have for clothing and becoming a fashion designer would allow me to convey these ideas to those around me. Life As A Fashion Designer In essence a fashion designer is a person who develops new styles for clothing or clothing accessories. These new styles can be achieved by creating original designs or by adding personal ideas to old styles to suit popular trends or environmental requirements. â€Å"For The job of a fashion designer involves many different duties. Typically a fashion designer must first develop an idea for a garment and then convey this idea graphically through drawing or computer visuals. Once this is done a pattern must be created and thus the designer must meet with pattern makers. Along with creating the pattern, the designer must choose the fabric type and color for the garment. After these choices have been made, samples of the garment must be created and shown to the management, sales and manufacturing staff. Once prices for the garment are calculated, finishing samples are created and must be approved before they go into production. Finally, once the garments are in production, the designer meets with the production staff to ensure quality control. Along with this immense amount of work, a designer is still expected to stay in tune with current fashion trends not only where they  presently live, but all over the world. It is almost as if learning and putting that information into action never ends for a fashion designer. To become a fashion designer, one must have a lot of creativity, imagination, fearlessness and passion. † I am really passionate with making clothes.† (said by Francesca Marotta in interview) People in the fashion design world must also have a strong sense of the esthetics. This is an eye for color and detail, a sense of balance and proportion, and an appreciation for beauty. Although computers have aided in fashion design, the ability to sketch design images is an important skill that all prospective fashion designers should possess. It is also necessary to keep a good portfolio, a collection of examples of a designer’s best work, so that prospective employers can have a sense of the quality of your work. Fashion design may seem like a career that involves no school training, but this is not true. Along with a portfolio, as mentioned above, designers are usually require to have a 2 or 4-year college degree in design. One example of a designer who attended college is Francesca Marotta, who attended the London College of Fashion. Education in fashion will be important, especially for prospective fashion designers, because statistics are now showing that the employment rate in the design industry is growing faster than the average. People looking for jobs in the fashion design industry should expect to face fierce competition for designing positions. People with little to no education in design, along with those who lack creativity and imagination, will find it extremely hard to start and maintain a career in fashion design. In terms of money the median annual earnings for fashion designers were $48,530 in 2000. The middle 50 percent earned between $34,800 and $73,780. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $24,710, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $103,970. Benefits vary with employers. Designers often negotiate their salaries and benefits individually with employers. Some firms provide vacation and group health insurance plans. Self employed designers must supply themselves with their own insurance, but it also means that their schedule is very flexible and allows them to take time off to  travel for business or pleasure at any time which is convenient to them. Interview Basement Couture by Marian Buckley In a Ladbroke Grove basement studio flat, I sit down with designer Francesca Marotta. This is couture heaven, W11 style. Francesca says she always knew she wanted to be a fashion designer. â€Å"When I was 4 I said to my Mum, ‘I am going to work in fashion’.† By the age of 10 Francesca was whipping out the family Singer to run-up dolls’ clothes. â€Å"I remember when my Mum used to go shopping, I would open up the sewing machine and make clothes for my sister’s dolls, and then when I heard the car come back I would quickly put the sewing machine away again.† After studying at university in Belgium (her family relocated to Belgium, leaving Sicily when she was 5) Francesca moved to London to study for a BTEC National Diploma at The London College of Fashion. She never completed the course. â€Å"They never liked my style,† she explains. â€Å"The London College of Fashion is very good for technique, but at the time they weren’t broadminded, they weren’t like St Martin’s – the crazier you are the more they like you! But there it was very different. It was good, but there were about 20 people who just didn’t fit in.† Despite having a rough time at LCF, Francesca fell in love with London and has made the city her home ever since. â€Å"There is a London style,† she says. â€Å"whenever I go away and I am coming back I can feel the buzz on the plane†¦ there’s a London smell.† Since LCF, Francesca has designed for Souled Out, worked for a retail company, taken a business course and is now looking at expanding her business. In March 2002 she came 2nd at the Neuvieme Concours Jeunes  Creaturs, an award for new design talent in Lille. Her latest collection is in a suitcase. â€Å"I start by finding the fabric first,† she tells me as she unsheathes reams of gorgeous textures – a crystallized piece of mesh that’s she discovered in a fabric shop, it looks like woven gold wire with glittering beads, but feels like a piece of jewelry. Francesca describes how this will form a top with just a fastening at the back. Her inspiration for the collection was, â€Å"What do I want to wear next winter?†. She adds â€Å"It’s very feminine.† Don’t expect any easy, straight to the high street trends going on here. Forget jackets and other cold weather items. Francesca loves ball gowns. For this collection she’s created a bonkers straight-at-the-front-curved-at-the-back skirt with an under wired petticoat, leather tops, feather arms bands. She’s using taffeta, silk, curtain fabrics and has a magpie’s stash of feathers (chicken and turkey bought from a basement sh op just off Oxford Street), chicken wire, camping tent rings, pendant earrings and leather. From this amassed material 8 outfits are to emerge to be shown at The Cobden Club in a few weeks time. â€Å"I am really passionate with making clothes,† she confesses, and you know this woman is telling the truth. Marotta has developed her own unique couture – it could never officially be labeled couture because it doesn’t comply with the rigid rules that govern the practice – but it is her own version. â€Å"I love couture,† she admits. â€Å"If I could, I would make a million pound dress†¦ Most people think of couture as something for mature women. I like edgy couture. It’s not French, it’s more avant garde.† The collection will be handmade and most elements are designed on the fly. She doesn’t work with a toile and although she can sketch, she prefers to dive in and design without one. Her mother is fantastic knitter and she contributes to the collections: â€Å"All the knitting you see in my collections my Mum makes for me. She could have been a designer because she does some really funky pieces.† Her parents are also her main backers, but Francesca is hoping to find some investors, people who like her vision. â€Å"I am trying to find investors to be able to do the London Fashion Week. I would really  like to do that,† she says with a beaming smile. â€Å"I’ve always liked the idea of becoming a band stylist, where each song has a new theme so you design a mini collection for the band. With bands you can always go over the edge and use your imagination.† Which bands would she ideally like to work with? â€Å"Ms Dynamite, I think she’s funky or So Solid Crew.† In the meantime, she’s building up her personal client list by making one-off pieces. â€Å"If a friend says to me I want a top I know exactly what to do†¦ a friend said they wanted a velour tracksuit I say we don’t do velour we do suede with crystals. I have people say they want a fake Versace and a fake whatever and I can do that – you know you have to make ends meet.† She’s approached a few shops but local retailers feel she would be better in the West End. â€Å"I went to a few shops in Portobello and they said my designs were too futuristic. I am hoping that Pineal Eye, Tokian To Zai somewhere like that will take some pieces.† Conclusion Being a fashion designer had many advantages, but it has many disadvantages as well. Below is a chart of most of each. Being a fashion designer is not a job that I would like to pursue professionally. I love to create clothes for myself, but only for my pleasure, almost like a hobby. If I were interested in pursuing the career, there are a few things that I could do. These include taking clothing courses and designing courses. As a junior it is also important to look for good colleges that specialize in fashion design. Through college there are some co-op programs that make the transition to the work place easier. Bibliography Buckley, Marian; Basement Couture [interview on-line] (London, England: WideMedia Ltd., 1995, accessed May 20, 2003); available from http://www.widemedia.com/fashionuk/fashion/marotta/index.html ; Internet. Battock, Tina ; In Style [magazine online] (Boulder, Colorado: About Inc., 2003 accessed May 20, 2003); available from http://sewing.about.com ; Internet. Ungless, Simon. â€Å"Careers in the Fashion Industry.† The Career Center [magazine article] May 31,2002.

Analyze Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Analyze - Assignment Example In this regard, it becomes less expensive to settle sovereign debt and penetrate integrated financial markets (Figge, 2010). Similarly, currency unions also help to promote trade liberalization because of the uniformity in the exchange values. For instance, during global inflationary periods, countries worst hit do not suffer from financial losses when trading with their partners (Figge, 2010). However, challenges also occur due to currency unions, sovereign debts and integrated financial markets. For example, there is the loss of an independent monetary policy, which affects the moderation of demand stocks and curbing of inflation rates (Figge, 2010). This implies that a country may be unable to execute monetary policies during inflation because it might affect international trade. It is apparent that introducing other monetary policies might involve the formation of a central bank to oversee the process. Another disadvantage is that currency unions may have a negative influence on developing countries when making investment decisions (Figge, 2010). This is because it limits the budget of the developing countries that cannot raise the required funds to initiate investments in the developed economies. The evolution of money involves the development of a medium of exchange unit during transactions. The first transaction was barter trade, which entails trading goods and services for other similar commodities. This implies that one would exchange his goods with other goods he needs or suits his wants. One of the cons of this system is that it enabled people to get what they wanted easily. This is because the two parties would agree on the commodities to exchange without problems (Davies & Julian Hodge Bank, 2002). Alternatively, it faced the problem of double coincidence of requirements in which one party had to fulfill the wants of the other. For instance, a person who had goats and wanted grains would not do

Weekly Journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Weekly Journal - Essay Example After reviewing our procedures, I became increasingly impressed by their effectiveness. I became more conscious of the means we use make our parents and clients comfortable, and the necessity for incorporating that into the educational environment. I considered how it’s necessary to establish a friendly environment by staging the initial meeting in a comfortable library room with a fire place. This removes the issue of being over authoritarian. In my own experience with language learning I remember "No hacer gestos obscenos", and how I figured out "gestos" means gestures and "obsenos" is obscene, intuitively using cognates. The articles motivated me to begin web searches to obtain lists of cognates and to look for additional methods for implementing them while working with ELL learners. I’d like to develop a lesson plan that would appeal to Junior and High School language-learners, rather than just primary students. My theory is that within the lesson on cognates the actual nature of grammatical differences between the languages could be addressed. For instance, pointing out to students that English allows consonant endings where in Spanish you will consistently see cognates ending in vowels. This is a key distinction in the Helman article and I believe consistently addressing this in lessons, as a supplement to the lesson on cognates, would be of great effectiveness to older students. As I compiled a list of words that will be helpful to students, I developed a new understanding and empathy for ELL learners. I realized first-hand the effort it takes to complete work in a language that isnt my own, and how it is very easy to discredit the home language. Attempting to do class work in a foreign language, acquire vocabulary and develop proper syntax in a foreign tongue is intensely challenging and all methods of sheltering should be used to promote cultural

Elements of a total rewards communication program Assignment

Elements of a total rewards communication program - Assignment Example The external force that shall necessitate this action by management is a decrease in demand for the company products. This directly impacts negatively on the company’s revenue thus there shall be no sufficient funds to pay the employees. Inflation can also result to such an action (WorldatWork (Organization), (2007). When general prices increase, the commodity prices shoot up. This implies that the management shall have to spend more funds in purchasing materials, current operating expenses, replenishment of stock, research, marketing and sales expenses increase as well. This consequently reduces the retained earnings of the firm. Stiff competition from competitors and rival firms can result to drastic decrease of sales by the company which will lead to low returns hence reduction of salaries and benefits will be inevitable. The government rules and regulations can be too prohibitive for the company to uphold its echelon of presentation in market. This will also result into reduction in sales revenue hence reduction in the employees’ salaries and benefits (Pauley & Pauley, 2009). The elements of media choices required should be the most appropriate ones that ensure the objectives are achieved. One of the elements that should be employed is the use of graphics and themes which advocate for and complement the mission and values of the organizations. Another element is the use of specific colors, which communicate clear messages to anyone in the public domain. The use of certain words repetitively which philosophically highlight appropriate internal rewards for the employees. Furthermore, there should be internal reward branding that relates closely with the organization objectives, mission and culture. Branding constitutes packaging of benefits, compensation, performance and recognition into symbols. The use of graphics and themes is the hardest to

O2 transfere in human buddy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

O2 transfere in human buddy - Research Paper Example Chemical engineering treats circularly system as a chemical process that involves the heart as a pump while the blood vessels act as passageways for oxygen. Generally, chemical engineering uses mathematical equation to show a complete oxygen transportation process in the body. Moreover, chemical engineering involves two basic terms including convection and diffusion that helps in calculating oxygen transport in the human body. Convection is more common in the large blood vessels like arteries while diffusion is more likely to occur in the small blood vessels such as capillaries and veins. The two main mathematical equations involved in determining oxygen transport are the overall flux that describes oxygen flow via pipes and Fick’s law that explains diffusion of fluid along a concentration gradient. Oxygen moves in the human body in the breathing process through nose and mouth then goes via the lungs and dissolves in the water lining of alveoli. Oxygen then sticks to red blood cells while passing through the alveoli capillaries. Circulatory system plays a significant role in transporting various materials in the human body. Circulatory system ensures that nutrients, water and oxygen are transported to the body cells while transporting waste products produced by body cells such as carbon dioxide away from the body. The circulatory system acts as a highway with network throughout the human body and it involves the heart, and the blood vessel. The heart is responsible in pumping blood and maintaining blood flow in the whole of the body system while the blood vessels transport blood away from the heart to other parts of the blood. The whole of the circulatory system transports oxygen from outside the body into the blood stream and carries away waste from the blood cell, carbon dioxide to the outer part of the body. The blood vessels

Annual Reports for Organization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Annual Reports for Organization - Essay Example Even the clarity of the information and the data presentation will be analysed through the annual reports of the concerned companies. The analysis is generally based on the annual reports because by analysing it we can come to the decision that whether the operational and financial activities are in tandem with the policies laid for the same (Weng, 2011, p.9). Difference in the approach each organization presents in its annual performance Steel industry is very popular as far as occurrences of fatal injuries are concerned in factories. Thus Arcelor Mittal has improvised the steps in the prevention of the fatalities and injuries of the workers because this also leads to increase in the LTIFR (lost time injury frequency rate). So health and safety has been the main focus in the present annual report of the company. Since the prevention measure has already been achieved by US Steel they are targeting a zero LTIFR. In the recent annual report the main focus of US Steel Corp. is the inves tments made for coke and coke substitute products which will take care of both their purpose of long-term self sufficiency as well as environmental performance. Thus both the companies’ area of focus is different from the other in the sense that while Arcelor Mittal is more concerned about the preventive measures; US Steel is concentrating towards the achievement of the environmental performance. Clarity of data presentation and information Presentation of data and information is more systematic and is clearer in Arcellor Mittal as compared to US Steel Corp. Different department of the steel industry has been bifurcated in the annual report of Arcelor Mittal and a proper explanation follows the same which can be even understood by the investors who may not have much idea about the steel industry. The data sufficiently supported by charts makes the presentation of Arcellor Mittal much more acceptable in comparison to US Steel Corp. In US Steel Corp the data though presented in tandem with the information is not easily understood by investors not having much knowledge in this field. Thus Arcellor Mittal is clearer than US Steel Corp. with respect to data presentation and information. Goals, Challenges and Plans emphasised by the organisation in their discussion The study of Arcelor Mittal gives a clear understanding regarding its goals which are, to be the safest steel and mining company in the world, to be the most preferred supplier in iron-ore and coal industry with huge customer base and long duration of contracts, strengthening linkage between company and its employees, to lead in the field of manufacturing, processing and marketing of steel and all metallurgic products. The main challenges of Arcellor Mittal is in maintaining reliable records related to safety of the employees, reviewing the cost structure of the company on a regular basis, work more closely with upstream businesses to manage stocks better in order to reduce the cyclical volatility of the company in the share market. Recruitment of right personnel for the correct designation at right time is another challenge faced by the company and lastly lack of transportation infrastructure and environmental concerns may be a debacle for the company. The plans of Arcelor Mittal to be

Observation Narrative Essay Example for Free

Observation Narrative Essay Days of Old When Knights Were Bold Growing up, I was never that girl that fantasized about becoming a princess and meeting that special prince that would sweep me off my feet and save me from all misery. Even sorcery books such as the Harry Potter series did not appeal to me. I did not believe in any of that quirky fantasy land stuff so the idea of being dragged to the Michigan Renaissance Festival with my family over Labor Day weekend did not appeal to me; I would have much rather been out having fun in the sun barbequing with friends just as any other American typically celebrates the holiday. Staring out the car window all I saw was cornfields and the occasional Ma and Pa family owned restaurant or ice cream parlor. Mt. Holly came into view a little further down the road, but the slopes were dry and scarce due to it being summer. Tucked behind all the forestation was a small fairground where police orderly directed cars into the lot. The parking lot, overwhelmingly large in size, branched in two directions. One led to a general area and the other took cars single file down a long and winding path. This brought butterflies to my stomach. License plates were country wide varying from fellow Michiganders to visiting guests from neighboring states such as Indiana and Ohio and some traveling from as far away as Florida or Kansas. Once we secured our designated spot and our legs were fully stretched after sitting stationary for the hour drive we merged with the herd of people and marched together through the forest to discover this new unknown world. The walk was a journey in itself. The weeds in the wasteland of the parking lot stood knee high and tickled my leg with every movement. There appeared to be no end in sight as it was at least a mile long containing various obstacles such as logs barricading the path and bridges. Surprisingly there were no mosquitoes but the sound of the crickets chirping and the leaves crinkling all echoed loudly. I so badly wanted to turn around and hike back to the car but as I got closer I could catch glimpses of the festivities through bare spots between branches and heard ear piercing screeches and rowdy whistles along with bursts exiting out the tall vintage buildings. This shot my curiosity level through the roof and the excitement continued to build. The path had ended and before my eyes was a new world; something I had only seen before in movies. The spirit of the festival had overtaken my  body and the feeling was enchanting. Giant castles awaited me along with colorful flags and banners streamed over the entrance with cheerful greetings labeled, â€Å"Huzzah!† I was suddenly willing to give this all a chance and I had a new frame of mind that was open to adventure. Walking in those front gates was a lot to take in and represented a totally new side of the social spectrum when compared to a normal festival. People were dressed in a wide range of attire and it was hard to differentiate the workers from the tourists. The main clue was that tourists casually walked around grinning whereas the staff tended to get fully into character by perfecting their accent. Each got the chance to live out a life they had always dreamt of through roll play and step outside their comfort zone without being judged. There were fair maidens, juggling court jesters, wizards, elves, and fairies. All fantasy elements were covered and all of this contributed to the illusion of taking a step back and reliving medieval times. Coming from a family of macho men it was absurd to see a men proudly sporting kilts along with boots accented with bells that jingled with every step creating a musical tune of its own. Even more shocking was the fact that they all had a strong family support system lined up behind them all dressed matching in theme as well. It seemed that the more eccentric the outfit, the better. Long velvet capes with matching feathered hats or flowery garland in the women’s hair were also common while others dressed as mystical animals and pranced around with tails and ears. These costumes were all things that I would never be caught dead in but after a while strangely enough, we all blended together. There was an aroma of sweat due to everyone dressed in multiple layers but no one seemed to mind as it was a mere part of the ambiance as back in the Renaissance Period people did not shower for days. There was a plethora of patrons however that attended dressed in causal street clothes that sought a gratifying day out with friends and family but even they got sucked into the spirit of things and unexpectedly started curtseying and using the language. Dressing in garb expressed the true rapture of upgrading from being a patron to now a participant. This event catered to all ages. Fairy Godmothers rested on stones along the pathway making them readily approachable and eager to share their tales with anyone willing to listen. Their voices were so soft spoken it was impossible for anyone to simply pass by. Street peasants welcomed on goers  into their dancing circle as they chanted traditional hymns. I have never been much of a dancer due to my lack of rhythm but I must say once they got me started with the basics I refused to stop and entirely forgot others were watching. The petting zoo provided a wonderful hands on experience featuring encounters with livestock as well as other exotic animals such as lion cubs, kangaroos and toucans that could be bottle fed if you wished to do so. The king set aside a playscape for the kids to interact, swing and slide but also had other ways to test one’s knightly skills. The bungee jump seemed to draw the most attention but the archery, king of the log challenge and axe throws did not fall short in interest. Little girls had the chance to learn proper waves, curtsies and poise through a boot camp run by the village Princesses themselves. The Mermaid Lagoon was a disappointment in my opinion. After patiently waiting in a line for over thirty minutes I expected to see a luxurious area with mermaids whose tails sparkled elegantly in the sunlight, when in reality all it turned out to be was one girl in a cheesy costume floating in a dunk tank. On the flip side there was a wonderful replica wooden horse hung between two massive oak trees that allowed kids to race down full speed to master the art of ring spearing just as they had seen the real knights do out on the playing field at the nearby arena. The smiles on the children’s faces were contagious and it was a continuous chain reaction of happiness that spread rapidly. The adults had just as many activities to keep busy as well. Throughout the day various competitions were held to win bragging rights and often at times, gold chalices. Some of these included beard competitions where one could show off his whiskers and have the chance to win in the following catego ries: longest, thickest, most unique, and best overall. Part of me felt as if the cast and crew of the reality television series Duck Dynasty should have guest appeared at the ceremony to distribute the prizes but my wish fell short. The tattoo contest was run in the same manner but instead with the categories being: best black and grey tattoo, best color tattoo, best overall, and worst overall. I was amazed to see that the male to female contestant ratio was relatively close to equal. To continue the friendly competitions, in one of the main colorful tents was a Root Beer belching competition that some competitors were proudly capable of rumbling the stage. It was impressive yet disturbing all in one. Good sportsmanship was  well displayed and no one took the loss to heart by sincerely congratulating the winners. The objective of the Pub Crawl was to drink one beer at each of the four stations while led by entertainers to keep the atmosphere cool, calm, and relaxed. Upon the departure from each bar, fairies would splatter glow paint on one’s chest. The streets were flooded with an abundance of vendors ranging from apparel and candles, to plants and paintings. This is how most vendors earned a living so without surprise, they pushed their products diligently. Unfamiliar musical instruments such as bird whistles and bongos brought a new sense of relaxation as I closed my eyes and let my mind take me elsewhere. I was utterly fascinated with the number of people willing to pay for palm reading to uncover different aspects of future life including successes and love. Superstitions were more common than I thought. As some would say, there is no harm in jumping on the bandwagon every once in a while. With that being said, a hookah station was set up encouraging tourists to take a break and get a little weird. Men dressed in puffy shirts and flared out pantaloons walked around carrying large, woven baskets overhead selling flowers to all the fair maidens. All were very well mannered and charming. The patrons were invited to participate in the annual fairy house competition in which the top three winners received awards for their hard work and creativity. The rules advised artists to make durable houses that could withstand any weather using entirely natural materials and furnishing the inside and outdoor with landscape. Out in the open area stood two actors that mastered the art of pretending to be a statue and were covered head to toe in grey body paint. Their movements were slow and swift as they changed poses to be photographed by on goers. My dad was the only one to spot the man standing in a pot to look like a shrub while the rest of us nonchalantly walked by completely oblivious to such a phenomenon. In this man’s case, he could join in the fun but also camouflage his true identity. The festival as a whole is made up of hundreds of very diverse and multi-talented entertainers that never fail to please and in most circumstances is what keeps people coming back year after year. There is always a show going on ranging from group or stand-alone comedians to singers and quartets greeting newcomers at the welcome gate. A group of the finest acrobats were selected to show off their coordination and extraordinary balance doing tricks requested by audience members. A  costumed human chess game took place behind the jousting arena and was played using actors instead of volunteers to bring out true combat when one tried to take ou t another piece. With this new twist whoever won the choreographed fight earned the right to the spot on the game board. The captain and his fellow ship mates auctioned off one of a kind items from his pirate ship. Here, buyers could purchase things such as swords and daggers at extremely low prices. Zoltan the Adequate was another street entertainer that did anything to please his audience. He did bizarre tricks such a balloon swallowing to fire eating to nearly severing his own arm. As one would assume young children would be the easiest to deceive although Zoltan was able to keep all age groups tuned in with his sense of danger, excitement and edgy interactive magic. An unsuspected audience member was selected to assist him in a few tricks and that individual coincidentally turned out to be my mother. My mother is very shy and certainly does not like being the center of attention so we were dumbfounded that she did not object or throw a tantrum about going on stage. She faced her fears and as result, all we heard for the remainder of the afternoon was how we should be proud of her. The most attended event of the day included the heart stopping jousting tournament which had trained professionals of this skill that were willing to fight to their death to win the honor and respect of their town’s people. I really liked the concept of this because nowadays it is no t as common to find gentlemen of this caliber. Back then, men were raised to be chivalrous towards women and the less fortunate, strongly serve God and do their King proud. Each knight and their noble horse were fancily clothed and color coordinated all promising to use the strength in their hearts to ride their opponents to the dirt. As in any highly competitive sporting event, both the crowd and the contestants heckled one another and at times, I would witness the crowd unite as one as we raised up our drinks and roared together with great enthusiasm. These knights did just as they had promised and played with blood, sweat, grace, and complete dedication never losing focus. The three main events were the warm up which consisted of squires holding the rings and after a few run-throughs, actually tossing them into the air as the knights rode by spearing them. Then proceeded with the joust face off which was quite physical being that the one knight intentionally knocked an opponent off resulting in an injury that sought  immediate medical attention. By the end of the joust all four knights hobbled their way to center stage to face each other one last t ime in a traditional sword fight. A little girl from the sidelines managed to escape her mother’s arms and ran out to an injured knight and healed him with a kiss on the cheek. The show shortly wrapped up after that and the barriers of the different cheering sections vanished as the knights mingled with the crowd and allowed the young children to pet their steed. The royal tavern had an endless array of food that would easily satisfy the heartiest of appetites. From savory turkey legs and Barbarian burgers to deep fried desserts and apple dumplings, there were plenty of options to choose from. The portion sizes were generous for the prices being so reasonable. Most things served to eat came on a stick whether it was hot pickles, which were conveniently sold at every street corner or frozen bananas and cheesecake. Table manners and common eating etiquette did not apply at the festival hence why they did not supply utensils or napkins. In fact, the most lady-like way of eating the authentic turkey leg was to take two fingers and rip off pieces. Most importantly, there was plenty of beer to wash it all down and for the nonalcoholic attendees; sodas, smoothies and other beverages were sold. Stepping out of one’s comfort zone opens a whole new world filled with opportunity and adventure. The biggest setback for exploring something new is fearing what others will say or think. The people involved with this festival clearly did not care abo ut any of that and it was enjoyable to see and appreciate their colorful imaginations. I gained a lot from this experience because going in, I had no clue what to expect it created an exhilarating suspense. I learned that is completely acceptable to be silly to whatever extent and people often tend to respect you more for it because you are willing to take that risk of resisting society’s norm.