Stefan’s Diaries: Origins Chapter 2

The next afternoon, I found myself sitting on a stiff, low-backed velvet chair in the Cartwrights' sitting room. Every time I shifted, trying to find a spot of comfort on the hard seat, I felt the gaze of Mrs. Cartwright, Rosalyn, and her maid fall upon me. It was as though I was the subject in a portrait at a museum or a character in a drawing room drama. The entire front room reminded me of a set for a play–it was hardly the type of place in which to relax. Or talk, for that matter. During the first fifteen minutes of my arrival, we'd haltingly discussed the weather, the new store in town, and the war. After that, long pauses reigned, the only sound the hollow clacking of the maid's knitting needles. I glanced at Rosalyn again, trying to find something about her person to compliment. She had a pert face with a dimple in her chin, and her earlobes were small and symmetrical. From the half centimeter of ankle I could see below the hem of her dress, it seemed she had delicate bone structure. Just then a sharp pain shot up my leg. I let out a cry, then looked down at the floor, where a tiny, copper-colored dog about the size of a rat had embedded its pointed teeth in the skin of my ankle. â€Å"Oh, that's Penny. Penny's just saying hi, isn't she?† Rosalyn cooed, scooping up the tiny animal into her arms. The dog stared at me, continuing to bare its teeth. I inched farther back in my seat. â€Å"She's, uh, very nice,† I said, even though I didn't understand the point of a dog that small. Dogs were supposed to be companions that could keep you company on a hunt, not ornaments to match the furniture. â€Å"Isn't she, though?† Rosalyn looked up in rapture. â€Å"She's my very best friend, and I must say, I'm terrified of her going outside now, with all the reports of animal murders!† â€Å"I'm telling you, Stefan, we're so frightened!† Mrs. Cartwright jumped in, running her hands over the bodice of her navy dress. â€Å"I don't understand this world. It's simply not meant for us women to even go outside.† â€Å"I hope whatever it is doesn't attack us. Sometimes I'm scared to step foot outdoors, even when it's light,† Rosalyn fretted, clutching Penny tightly to her chest. The dog yelped and jumped off her lap. â€Å"I'd die if anything happened to Penny.† â€Å"I'm sure she'll be fine. After all, the attacks have been happening on farms, not in town,† I said, halfheartedly trying to comfort her. â€Å"Stefan?† Mrs. Cartwright asked in her shrill voice, the same one she affected when she used to chide Damon and me for whispering during church. Her face was pinched, and her expression looked like she had just sucked on a lemon. â€Å"Don't you think Rosalyn looks especially beautiful today?† â€Å"Oh, yes,† I lied. Rosalyn was wearing a drab brown dress that matched her brownish blond hair. Loose ringlets fell about her skinny shoulders. Her outfit was a direct contrast to the parlor, which was decorated with oak furniture, brocade chairs, and dark-colored Oriental rugs that overlapped on the gleaming wood floor. In the far corner, over the marble mantel, a portrait of Mr. Cartwright stared down at me, a stern expression on his angular face. I glanced at him curiously. In contrast to his wife, who was overweight and red-faced, Mr. Cartwright was ghostly pale and skinny–and slightly dangerous-looking, like the vultures we'd seen circling around the battlefield last summer. Considering who her parents were, Rosalyn had actually turned out remarkably well. Rosalyn blushed. I shifted on the chair's edge, feeling the jewelry box in my rear pocket. I'd glanced at the ring last night, when sleep wouldn't come. I recognized it instantly. It was an emerald circled by diamonds, made by the finest craftsmen in Venice and worn by my mother until the day she died. â€Å"So, Stefan? What do you think of pink?† Rosalyn asked, breaking me out of my reverie. â€Å"I'm sorry, what?† I asked, distracted. Mrs. Cartwright shot me an irritated look. â€Å"Pink? For the dinner next week? It's so kind of your father to plan it,† Rosalyn said, her face bright red as she stared at the floor. â€Å"I think pink would look delightful on you. Y ou'll be beautiful no matter what you wear,† I said woodenly, as though I were an actor reading lines from a script. Mrs. Cartwright smiled approvingly. The dog ran to her and jumped onto a pillow next to her. She began stroking its coat. Suddenly the room felt hot and humid. The cloying, competing scents of Mrs. Cartwright's and Rosalyn's perfumes made my head spin. I sneaked a glance at the antique grandfather clock in the corner. I'd been here for only fifty-five minutes, yet it might as well have been fifty-five years. I stood up, my legs wobbling beneath me. â€Å"It has been lovely visiting with you, Mrs. and Miss Cartwright, but I'd be loath to take up the rest of your afternoon.† â€Å"Thank you.† Mrs. Cartwright nodded, not rising from her settee. â€Å"Maisy will show you out,† she said, lifting her chin toward their maid, who was now dozing over her knitting. I breathed a sigh of relief as I left the house. The air was cool against my clammy skin, and I was happy that I hadn't had our coachman wait for me; I would be able to clear my head by walking the two miles home. The sun was beginning to sink into the horizon, and the smell of honeysuckle and jasmine hung heavily in the air. I glanced up at Veritas as I strode up the hill. Blooming lilies surrounded the large urns flanking the path to the front door. The white columns of the porch glowed orange from the setting sun, the pond's mirror-like surface gleamed in the distance, and I could hear the faraway sound of the children playing near the servants' quarters. This was my home, and I loved it. But I couldn't imagine sharing it with Rosalyn. I shoved my hands in my pockets and angrily kicked a stone in the curve of the road. I paused when I reached the entrance to the drive, where an unfamiliar coach was standing. I stared with curiosity–we rarely had visitors–as a white-haired coachman jumped out of the driver's seat and opened the cab. A beautiful, pale woman with cascading dark curls stepped out. She wore a billowing white dress, cinched at her narrow waist with a peach-colored ribbon. A matching peach hat was perched atop her head, obscuring her eyes. As if she knew I was staring, she turned. I gasped despite myself. She was more than beautiful; she was sublime. Even from a distance of twenty paces, I could see her dark eyes flickering, her pink lips curving into a small smile. Her thin fingers touched the blue cameo necklace at her throat, and I found myself mirroring the gesture, imagining what her small hand would feel like on my own skin. Then she turned again, and a woman, who must have been her maid, stepped out of the cab and began fussing with her skirts. â€Å"Hello!† she called. â€Å"Hello †¦,† I croaked. As I breathed, I smelled a heady combination of ginger and lemon. â€Å"I'm Katherine Pierce. And you are?† she asked, her voice playful. It was as if she knew I was tongue-tied by her beauty. I wasn't sure whether I should be mortified or thankful that she was taking the lead. â€Å"Katherine,† I repeated slowly, remembering. Father had told me the story of a friend of a friend down in Atlanta. His neighbors had perished when their house caught fire during General Sherman's siege, and the only survivor had been a sixteen- year-old girl with no relations. Immediately, Father had offered to board the girl in our carriage house. It had all sounded very mysterious and romantic, and when Father told me, I saw in his eyes how much he enjoyed the idea of serving as rescuer to this young orphan. â€Å"Y es,† she said, her eyes dancing. â€Å"And you are †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Stefan!† I said quickly. â€Å"Stefan Salvatore. Giuseppe's son. I am so sorry for your family's tragedy.† â€Å"Thank you,† she said. In an instant, her eyes became dark and somber. â€Å"And I thank you and your father for hosting me and my maid, Emily. I don't know what we would have done without you.† â€Å"Yes, of course.† I felt suddenly protective. â€Å"You'll be in the carriage house. Would you like me to show you?† â€Å"We shall find it ourselves. Thank you, Stefan Salvatore,† Katherine said, following the coachman, who carried a large trunk toward the small guest house, which was set back a bit from the main estate. Then she turned around and stared at me. â€Å"Or should I call you Savior Stefan?† she asked with a wink before turning on her heel. I watched her walk into the sunset, her maid trailing her, and instantly I knew my life would never be the same.

People Who Influence Me

The Most Influential For each and every one of us, there has been at least one person who has influenced us. It can be a family member, a friend, or a teacher. It doesn't necessarily always have to do with doing better all the time, It can also be bad Influence as well. I chose good Influential people, which Is my father, my 5th grade teacher, and my best friend Junior. Although It can be anyone, those are the three people that have influenced me to do better in my life more than anyone else has. My mother, my brother, and a few other people in my life have also made a good difference.Even Hough I had plenty of other people be good influence to me, if I had to choose, I will still choose my father, my 5th grade teacher, and my best friend Junior again and again. My father immigrated to the United States from Mexico when he was only 16 years old all by himself. He started working immediately, and worked very hard. As soon as he turned 22 he bought his own house in the San Fernando Val ley. He didn't put 1,000 dollars down payment, he didn't put 10,000 down, nor did he put 50,000 down.He bought It all at once, he was so proud and now that he tells me about his story I am proud as well. Here Is a 16 year old boy who emigrated from Mexico, and worked so hard doing construction work. In about 5 years or so he managed to buy a 4 bedroom home. I mean when I think about it, who has a home this big by the age of 22? Let alone come from another country and learn everything on his own. He did this all by himself and even though he says it was hard, he never gave up. My father is about to turn 50 years old in a few months and till this day he is a hardworking man.He works a lot, but he still manages to communicate and spend time with his wife and children. The reason why my father is one of the most influential people in y life is because he taught me and still reminds me to never give up. No matter how far my dream Is or how big it is, he says to me â€Å"keep pushing and in a matter of time you'll get there. † It's great to see how much he had when he arrived to the US and how much he has at this moment. It's not all about the money, It's also the way he Is, the way he always keeps a positive energy around me when I don't feel motivated.For a man that has come this far, he has always stayed humble about it and I love that about him. Another person who has been a big influence in my life is my 5th grade teacher. Her name is Ms. Hollander and I believe she is around her ass's as of today. It's been 9 years since I was in the 5th grade and I know I will never forget her. This teacher always went out of her way for her students. Every time we had a test she would call her students the night before reminding us to get good sleep.The day of the test she would have breakfast for us to eat and always pushed us Into doing better. I had a lot of teachers every school year but she wasn't Just a teacher. Ms. Hollander was Like our second mother, literall y. She always brought In public speakers to talk to us, always got a hold of our parents and updated them. She gave us her cell phone number and her house number Just In case of an emergency. She was Just amazing! She always taught us to do well, in school, in life and overall in general. After we school.She would take us out shopping, to the movies and to theme parks Just to catch up on each other's lives. She was a teacher, a friend, a second mother, I cannot describe the feeling she gave to some of her students. She is one of the most influential people in my life because she never stopped pushing me into doing better. She also influenced me into doing the right thing all the time. To know how such a teacher could care so much about how a student is doing in school, not only for the 5th grade but up to college makes me feel good.She believes in her students, and no matter how much time passes by I know she will always care. The last person I chose for the 3 most influential peopl e in my life is Junior. Junior is 20 years old and has impacted my life greatly in many ways. He is one of the most caring people I have ever met in my life. He comes off hard, but he is the total opposite. I believe I have known him since I was 8 years young. This man has been here for me through my ups and downs since I could last remember. He has showed me throughout the years what a best friend truly is.One of the most influential things I appreciate him for is telling me the truth. When he sees me fall, he makes me pick myself up on my own so I can be strong. He has wise words that can change your whole point of view about something in a matter of seconds. He always makes me realize things that I don't want to realize. For example, I used to work and not go to school. I used to think work was more important than school. He gave me lectures, and gave me hard times until I literally went back to school. He always makes me realize what the right thing to do is.I thank him for givi ng me hard times about work because I can truly say If it wasn't for him I would not be writing this essay right now. I now I would of eventually went back to school but not as soon as I did because of him. That is one of the reasons why Junior is one of the most influential people in my life. He makes me want to do better in school all the time. These 3 people I mentioned are my top 3 influential people in my life. All 3 have made a drastic difference in my life for the better, and have also made me into the errors I am today.If I did not have my father I would not have the motivation I have today to reach my goals. If I did not have my 5th grade teacher in my life I would have never known how it feels to have a teacher who cares about me so much that she still wants to know how I am doing 9 years later. She is like an angel in disguise. If Junior was not in my life, I would not attend college as soon as I did or maybe never attended at all. He saw potential in me that I didn't see in myself. I love everyone who has influenced me in a good way and I will forever be grateful.

FORD BUSINESS REPORT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

FORD BUSINESS REPORT - Essay Example This paper has outlined some of the threats posed by other competitors, the unpredictable future especially on the issue of cheap fuel. The assessment has been done using the SWOT analysis in comparison with the competitors. By the end of this paper, one will understand the appropriate measures the company can take to deal with the competition, threats, opportunities and the stagnant European market, which has seemingly remained impervious to Ford. FORD is an automobile company based in the US states but operates in other countries where it manufactures various types of vehicles. Apart from owning various kinds of vehicles, the company has also bought some shares in other companies. For instance, Wilkins (2011) reported that Ford currently has a 21% stake in Japan’s Mazda. Additionally, Ford in UK owns 8% of Aston martin and China’s Jiangling offers 49% to the same company. The company has other ventures where it has worked with other companies like in Russia, Thailand and Turkey Away from the ventures and acquisitions, the company has gone various hurdles including the 2008 recession that saw many countries’ economies suffer adversely. It is during this time that fellow competitors like GM and Chrysler suffered greatly and only the US government’s efforts saved them. Having survived the crisis, Ford registered encouraging results and in 21012, the company had a $134 billion revenue and $ 5,665 billion profit (Grant 2012). At this time, the number of employees in this company had hit the 164,000 mark making it one of the best companies in the US. The essence of writing this report is to highlight its current position and offer recommendations on how to deal with its weaknesses and threats. Like in any other business, Ford has a number of competitors who could be a threat to its profitability unless measures are put in place. In the US, the number of companies rivaling Ford in the automobile business is pretty big. Firstly, the

Essay title Even young children can be involved in decision making in

Title Even young children can be involved in decision making in the family and in schools. Use the course materials to illustrate how children can be involved and also why involvement might be difficult - Essay Example Parents who are aware of these issues can begin to interact with their babies from the start. When a child is older, especially when they get to preschool or school age, it is important to begin the process of their decision making by allowing them to make decisions of what they want to wear or about a particular toy they want to use in their play. Another very important aspect of involving children into the decision making process is to help them form secure attachments when they are very young. Secure attachments make a child fell loved and help them to understand that they can talk about anything they need to talk about with a parent. Establishing this type of opportunity when children are young will give them another opportunity to find their place in the family. Decisions making for many things are easy for a parent to involve their child in, but when it comes to something like bedtime the child may not have much of a choice. According to the text book, there are many ways that a parent can work with a child who does not want to go to bed at a certain time. The challenge for parents is that sometimes they are working to get a child to conform to their wishes and the child has no reason to do so. A parent may decide that the child has several options for bedtime that are around the same time. They can then allow the child to pick one of those bedtimes and the child will think they have made their own choice. One of the challenges when a child does not conform or do what a parent says is that the parent may want to use corporal punishment (spanking) for the child. According to the text, this is never a good idea because children can bully other children with hitting, a child is taught to repress strong emotions, smacking can often make defian t or uncooperative behaviour worse and children can become angry and resentful which can change their attitude towards their family members (69). Instead of smacking, many parents use time outs for children and

An analysis of corporate governance in the GCC countries and the Literature review

An analysis of corporate governance in the GCC countries and the impact of sharia law on it - Literature review Example As mentioned before that the corporate governance mechanism differs from country to country because of varied reasons like the orientation, time zone etc. This section will help us understanding the functioning of corporate governance mechanism in different countries excluding the GCC countries. The practice of corporate governance policies has a deep influence on the managerial decision making in the UK corporations. It is regarded that the composition, size and duration of the member of the board are important factors that decide a good corporate governance mechanism (Zhang, 2012). The Corporate governance mechanism in UK is deeply influenced by the Cadbury & Green report also known as Cadbury code of best practices and Greenbury report on Director’s remuneration (FRC, 2013). ... It also suggested that the board of directors should constitute of at least three members which are also applicable to Australian companies (EOG, 2013). The chairman, directors and the auditors are selected by the shareholders of the company at the annual general meeting. In France voluntary disclosure of financial statements has been the object of paramount importance (Lakhal, 2005). There are two kinds of financial disclosure; mandatory and voluntary disclosure (Taylor et. al., 2005). In the year 2002 a new set of corporate governance law was introduced in the winter report for the European companies which focused on tightening the corporate governance law. One of the crucial components of the report was to strengthen the role and responsibilities of the auditors. The chairman has to communicate about the internal policies to the internal and external auditors clearly. The legal laws related to French corporate governance are composed of 3 basic laws which include law of new econom ic regulations, law of financial security and law on financial security. However, the ownership structure of companies in France is concentrated even with the increase in the number of shareholders in the privatized companies (Charreaux and Wirtz, n.d.). The ownership structure of the French listed companies has undergone a huge change. However, the presence of increased institutional investors does not mean that their controlling the capital stakes also increases (Braendle, 2011). In the year 2002, 11.3 percent of the French companies had institutional shareholders as the main shareholders of the company compared to a 40 percent and more in USA and UK companies. According to authors Faccio and

Industrial Engineering Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Industrial Engineering - Essay Example ess and present its advantages and disadvantages d) make a comparison between the casting and powder metallurgy processes 2- Manufacturing Steps 2-1 Raw Materials 2-1-1 Raw materials definition Raw materials are used in industries as a starting material or reactant to establish products. According to Oxford dictionary, a raw material is â€Å"the basic material from which a product is made†. These materials are often natural resources such as oil, iron and wood but some time it may also be synthetic resources well. 2-1-2 Types of raw materials There are various types of raw material among them five different main types of raw material are following A. Fossil fuels (oil, natural gas, gasoline, etc) B. Precious metals (gold, silver, etc) C. Industrial metals (copper, iron, etc) D. Agricultural products (wheat, coffee, cotton, etc) E. Animal husbandry (pork bellies, cattle, etc) 2-1-3 How it can be used The properties of raw materials can vary greatly and it depend upon the avail ability (season and storage) of raw material. Todd et al (1994, Pp. 36-42) claims that various raw materials can be similar to each other in their correlation, and differ in the inflation rate depend upon the demand and availability. The investors probably oil and gold are among the most sought after raw materials. To bring a little light into the darkness, we want to give below an overview of the various types of raw materials. We know that to make a company more profitable is to increase the sales price, but to manage cost efficiently, which ultimately depend the final value of the product. In addition, Degarmo et al (2003: Pp. 123-132) argue that the cost and quality of the final product depends largely on raw material. Raw material are a part of the most important aspects of a company and the... The properties of raw materials can vary greatly and it depend upon the availability (season and storage) of raw material. Todd et al claims that various raw materials can be similar to each other in their correlation, and differ in the inflation rate depend upon the demand and availability. The investors probably oil and gold are among the most sought after raw materials. To bring a little light into the darkness, we want to give below an overview of the various types of raw materials. We know that to make a company more profitable is to increase the sales price, but to manage cost efficiently, which ultimately depend the final value of the product. In addition, Degarmo et al argue that the cost and quality of the final product depends largely on raw material. Raw material are a part of the most important aspects of a company and the their cost. So the way forward is to be more efficient in managing costs.

Topic Selection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Topic Selection - Essay Example visit to the branch and for this I need to create a list of employees that are working there and who would be in a position to give me information regarding the issues that they are facing. I can access the names of the people that I want to interview and I have to remember to tell them to keep the interview and the material that would be discussed in the interview confidential. As part of my interview process, I have to ensure that the company is meeting all its contractual obligations and that it is fulfilling the regulatory and compliance policies in this regard. This would include the questions about why the company is not paying employees for overtime and who is overseeing the employees at the branch office. These are the basic questions that I intend to seek answers for. Further, the question that why not all employees are complaining needs to be answered as well. As a HR manager, I have to find out if there are other reasons for employees quitting and since the process of attrition comes under the HR manager’s competency as well, I need to find out and take appropriate steps to stop the flow of employees leaving the organization. After I have framed the questions, I have to prepare a questionnaire of sorts and then take it to the employees of the branch office and get their answers to the same. Finally, as part of the researching assignment, I have to design surveys to be used by the employees. Now comes the part where I have to organize the material and this would require merging the answers from the employees by collating all the responses and then consolidating the information that is given in the surveys. I have to list down the problems that are being faced by the employees and then find the solutions for each. It would help if I can list down the problems in a bullet point format and create a matrix where the solutions are listed against the problems that have been described so far. After the surveys and the collection of data, I need to find

Financial options are easier to value than the common stocks to which Essay

Financial options are easier to value than the common stocks to which they relate. Discuss - Essay Example In case of payment of dividends also, the common stocks are allocated dividends only after the preferred stockholders are paid in full. Thus the valuation of common stock is an area of interest for the investors as it gives an idea of the financial health of the company and also a forecast of the future in terms of profit and loss to be incurred by the company. The valuation of common stock is represented in terms of its present value or fair value or intrinsic value (Moyer,  Moyer, McGuigan,  Rao  and Kretlow, p.249). Financial Options Financial options are contracts which give the right to the owner of the Option to buy or sell an underlying stock at certain agreed upon price within a certain period of time. The owner of the financial option is, however, not obligated to buy or sell the underlying stock within the specified time frame. The agreed upon price is called the strike price. When the buyer executes the option of buying the underlying security at the strike price, it is called â€Å"call† option. When the buyer executes the option of selling the underlying security at the strike price, it is called â€Å"put† option. ... Financial options are a part of the financial derivatives. The valuation of option depends on the difference between the market price of the underlying security and the strike price and subsequently the discounted expected value of that difference at the time of expiration of the option (Brigham and  Ehrhardt, p.273). Valuation: Financial Options and Common Stock The valuation of common stock is based on the determination of present value of the stock taking into account the expected cash flows of the company in future. The methods applied for valuation of common stock are discounted cash flow method, dividend discount model, etc. The DCF (discounted cash flow model) takes into account the forecasted future cash flows which are determined on the basis of growth rate and terminal growth rate of the company. Factors like depreciation, net profit, capital expenditure, change of working capital, cost of equity as discounting factor is considered for determining the fair value of common stock (Pinto, CFA,  Henry, CFA,  Robinson, CFA,  Stowe and CFA, p.183). The DDM (dividend discount model) for common stock valuation assumes constant payment of dividends by the company. The model includes forecasting future dividend payout ratio and earnings per share in order to calculate future dividend payments by the company. The determination of present value of common stock is done by discounting the future dividend payments by the cost of equity. The valuation of common stock thus takes into account the expected future cash flows which are affected according to the risk factors. Therefore, valuation of common stock is affected by the company risk, industry risk and market risk. The company risk and the overall industry risk of common stock could be mitigated by

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

Employee Relations - Assignment Example It offers all technical, professional and operational support employees for the hospital. Services being offered include; cleaning, security, estate maintenance, porterage, catering and car park management. Workers in the unions available are approximately 60 percent; they have memberships in GMB, TGWU and Unison. Due to the recession, the government fiscal policy and budget deficit is likely to cut the Trusts funds by 10 percent. The government policy has also provided for the emergence of other healthcare providers in the area. The expectations of the government is to see the Trust increase the number of patients that are seen, improve the service quality, effectiveness and efficiency. In order to meet the required target with a constraint budget, the Trust has been forced to offer competitive tender which has led to outsourcing of its services. The internal departments have been offered service contracts and in turn it has translated into providence of better value for money and the retaining of in house service. The relationship between the workers of the Trust and the unions is quite fair and there are 2 regular monthly meetings between the management and the union. The government in the past has brought changes that have elicited negative response from the staff. The aim of the organization is to offer good information to its staff regarding the government policy changes. There has been gradual development of communication policies by the hospital management and this has led to the improvements of staff feedback through the staff attitude survey. The survey evaluates the medical staff confidence in the top management. The support staffs presently works in groups of between 4 and 6 and this is dependent on their roles; there is a supervisor assigned for each of the groups. These groups are permanently assigned to the various departments within the hospital. The groups operate on a rotating 8 hours shift pattern; the number of shifts in a day is

Changes in Faith and the Coming of Age Essay Example for Free

Changes in Faith and the Coming of Age Essay In â€Å"Bless Me Ultima† by Rudolfo Anaya, Ultima represents the benevolent guide for Toni, in â€Å"Night† by Elie Wiesel, God serves as Elie’s benevolent guide. Both of these guides serve to help Toni and Elie decide where they stand in terms of their faith and religion and come to age in the process. In â€Å"Bless Me Ultima† Toni starts out firmly believing in God as taught so vehemently by his own mother, Elie also starts out by having faith, even more so than Toni as is shown by his admiration, even adoration of Moshe the Beathe and when he says â€Å" Why did I pray?-Why did I live? Why did I breathe?†. Both Toni and Elie believe what they have been taught too believe but Elie believes even more whole-heartedly than Toni which is why his seperation from God is much more brutal and sudden than Toni’s own seperation. Both boys are on the brink of being thrown into turnmoil and hardships that their fragile minds, bodies and beliefs are not ready for. When Ultima first comes to live with Toni and his family, Toni is intimidated by her precense but quickly warms up to her and in the process begins to witness and experience a side of spiritualism he never knew existed. Elie’s faith does not change but rather begins to dissipate throughout the novel due to his experiences as does Toni’s faith in God.Ultima serves as Toni’s protector, guide, and nurturer as does the figure and belief in God for Elie. The death of Lupito plants the seed of doubt in God in Toni’s mind as does the death of the pipel in Elie’s mind. None of these events succeed in shattering their faiths but it suceeds in managing to make them question their faith. With Narcisso and Florence’s death comes the further loss of faith in God for Toni and the further witnessing of pain, death, and cruelty makes Elie alternate between belief and disbelief in his once precious God. Both Toni and Elie are let down by their own God’s silence. Toni says â€Å" There was nothing, only silence† when he is in the confessional waiting for a reply from God and Elie says â€Å"Why should I sanctify His name? The Almighty, the  eternal and terrible Master of the Universe chose to be silent, what was there to thank him for?† when everybody else is praying to God. The constant days and nights full of terror, fear, torture, and the desolation that came with the death of his father finally broke Elie and his faith in God if even for a moment. Elie says â€Å"Never shall I forget those moments that murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to ashes.† The same happens to Toni due to the deaths he has been witness to and especially the death of Ultima. In the book Toni says â€Å" Everything I believed in was destroyed. A painful, wrenching in my heart made me cry aloud, â€Å"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?†. The difference between Toni and Elie was that Toni’s benevolent guide who was Ultima gave him the ability to regain faith even if it was not towards God himself. Elie’s benevolent guide was God himself so when his faith was shattered he had no other place to direct his faith towards. At the end of the novel Toni manages to hold on to a form of faith prompted by others that could not have been managed without the influence of Ultima and Eli begins to regain faith in God himself even through his ordeals due to the unwavering faith he had in God in the beginning. Both characters learn that only through experiences and hardships can innocence be lost and maturity be gained as shown when Toni says â€Å"The tragic consequences of life can be overcome by strenght that resides in the human heart.†, and when Elie says â€Å" There are victories of the soul and spirit, sometimes even if you lose, you win.† Ultima and God, the symbolic benevolent spirits of both of these characters helped them decide what they believe in in the form of faith and come of age through this process.

George Saunders Analysis

George Saunders Analysis Unexpressed Internal Conflicts Conflicts are not only essential for the story but essence of the story. Readers prefer writing styles in which they can involve themselves through the entire story and feel the ‘anxiety of the protagonist or other characters to achieve the goals set by them. George Saunders reflects this writing style in some of his short stories, especially The Wavemaker Falters and The 400-pound CEO. His brilliant satirical writing in these stories portrays the narrators hidden emotions and feelings which lead to ill fate. He is ingenious in the way he describes the thought processes of his characters with authenticity. This detailed and blunt description of the tumultuous strings of thought of the characters helps us understand the reason behind all their lives pitfalls. We understand that self expression goes a long way in keeping ones sanity in the troubled and dark world created by Saunders. The protagonists of Saunders stories retain their genuine emotions inside of themselves which eventually lead to their downfall. In The Wavemaker Falters, the narrator is forced to suppress his anger he feels towards Leon as he is hard pressed under the guilt of killing a young boy by gross technical carelessness. He is overpowered by passivity and resignation, two elements by which he leads his day to day life. This leads to his downfall as he loses his happiness, his wife and all that had once been significant to him. In this short story, Leon constantly reminds him of his guilt by asking him not to feel guilty which instead of being of any help simply served to add fuel to the fire (Saunders 38). Furthermore, his life becomes nightmarish as he gets Clive in his dreams, in a state of utter disappointment. â€Å"One night he shows up swearing in Latin while another time with a wild story about an ancient African culture that used radio waves to relay tribal myths†(Saunders 39 ). Narrator does not resolve this issue by consulting a specialist, but continues to get depressed by the fact that he ended an innocent life. On the other hand, Jeffery in The 400 pound CEO suppresses his anger and indignation caused by day to day treatment bestowed by his colleagues. He is good natured and optimistic about life and thinks he deserves a second chance at happiness. He is portrayed as an optimist with a high degree of hope throughout the story. He believes that if he is good natured and sociable; it might change peoples behaviors and perception of him. In the story, he kills Tim in the process of trying to save an innocent girls life. He commits the murder ‘sick with rage knowing that Tim was a cruel monster. He always exposed Tim as a guilty person. Although Jeffery commits the crime, his intention is always to protect others, which he has difficulty expressing due to fear of being mocked (Saunders 59). This lack of self expression was the cause of the bottled up anger. Saunders writing style expresses optimism and fatalism in both the short stories to make his satire thoughtful. In the Wavemaker Falters, Saunders mentions narrators pessimistic character in his dealings with Simone. The narrator shows extreme cupidity with Simones happiness. He goes to Leons office and waits for Simon to come out ‘flushed and happy. â€Å"He wants to jumps out and confront her but he doesnt† (Saunders 42). Even when he gathers courage to confront his wife regarding her affair with Leon; he is put down by Simone who openly accepted her affections for Leon. He accepts the fact that Simons relationship with Leon will continue no matter what he does (Saunders 43). Hence he becomes all the more dejected and lacks enthusiasm to recapture what is truly his. On the other hand, Jeffery in The 400 pound CEO is optimistic and hopeful till the end. But on the other hand, he makes a strong atheistic statement because of the strong feelings of being cheated by God himself â€Å"I have a sense that God is unfair and preferentially punishes his weak, his dumb, his fat, and his lazy. I believe he takes more pleasure in his perfect creatures, and cheers them on like a brainless dad as they run roughshod over the rest of us†(Saunders 63). He is clearly dissatisfied with his physical appearance. He hopes that there is a God who controls the SubGod. He wishes his reincarnation with more â€Å"beautiful baby, destined for a different life in which I am masterful, sleek as a deer, a winner† (Saunders 64). He does not lose hope. In addition to that, he shows his willingness to secure another chance at life by asking Freeda out. She deceives him into believing that she wanted to date him, when the truth was that she wanted the money Tim offered for it. Moreover, Jeffery, a 400 pound CEO, accepts responsibility for Tims murder. He wished everything would turn out well if he speaks the truth in front of the judge. In fact, â€Å"the judge appreciated his honesty for saving a girls life† (Saunders 63). As a conclusion, Saunders authentic satire in these stories hooks up the audience to read his literature. The narrator from The Wavemaker Falter evinces the qualities of pessimism and demonstrates that he believes that he is powerless to change his destiny. On the other hand; Jeffery from The 400 pound CEO possesses an optimistic view in of life and never loses hope till the end. Also, the exaggeration was a great help as it facilitated the precise understanding of the narrators and other characters in the stories. It brings home the fact that lack of self expression clutter the mind, making it hard for the individual to live peacefully. Works Cited Saunders, George. CivilWarLand in bad decline. New York: The Berkley Group, 1996.

The Apprenticeship Of Duddy Kravitz Essay -- essays research papers

The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz by Mordecai Richler is the tale of a young greedy boy who feels that money is his path to happiness and pride. Duddy simply stomps all over his friends and his family as well (to a certain extent). Richler feels unreserved sympathy towards Duddy because, in essence, Duddy is Richler written down and diversified. Duddy is a character based on Mordecai’s own personality. Duddy Kravitz is a crook, a blackmailer and a cheat. However, Duddy Kravitz is Richler’ s crook and Duddy will never be abandoned. In The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz, everyone but the Richler himself shuns Duddy. The entire concept of the novel was for Duddy to learn an important lesson, what makes someone significant. The following is an instance where Richler does force pity on the reader through his writing: â€Å"We betrayed you I suppose.† â€Å"Yes you did.† He had spoken with such quiet and certainty that she began to doubt herself. â€Å"You’ll come crawling,† he said. â€Å" I want you to know something. I’d sue you. I’d even get Irwin Shubert to take the case. But Virgil won’t let me. He doesn’t even want to hear about it any more.† â€Å"You hate me,† Duddy dais. â€Å"Is that possible?† â€Å"I think you’re rotten. I wish you were dead.† â€Å"You don’t understand, Yvette. Why can’t I make you understand? Listen, Yvette, I—â€Å" But she turned away from him. The paragraph above does show how the readers’ emotions are in turmoil because of the sort of double standard created when the story is t... The Apprenticeship Of Duddy Kravitz Essay -- essays research papers The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz by Mordecai Richler is the tale of a young greedy boy who feels that money is his path to happiness and pride. Duddy simply stomps all over his friends and his family as well (to a certain extent). Richler feels unreserved sympathy towards Duddy because, in essence, Duddy is Richler written down and diversified. Duddy is a character based on Mordecai’s own personality. Duddy Kravitz is a crook, a blackmailer and a cheat. However, Duddy Kravitz is Richler’ s crook and Duddy will never be abandoned. In The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz, everyone but the Richler himself shuns Duddy. The entire concept of the novel was for Duddy to learn an important lesson, what makes someone significant. The following is an instance where Richler does force pity on the reader through his writing: â€Å"We betrayed you I suppose.† â€Å"Yes you did.† He had spoken with such quiet and certainty that she began to doubt herself. â€Å"You’ll come crawling,† he said. â€Å" I want you to know something. I’d sue you. I’d even get Irwin Shubert to take the case. But Virgil won’t let me. He doesn’t even want to hear about it any more.† â€Å"You hate me,† Duddy dais. â€Å"Is that possible?† â€Å"I think you’re rotten. I wish you were dead.† â€Å"You don’t understand, Yvette. Why can’t I make you understand? Listen, Yvette, I—â€Å" But she turned away from him. The paragraph above does show how the readers’ emotions are in turmoil because of the sort of double standard created when the story is t...

Mark Twain a Racist? Absolutely not! Essays -- Literary Analysis

Celebrating its 135th anniversary this year, Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a classic of American literature and is read by millions across the nation every year. However, many claim that the book promotes and endorses the heinous act of racism. In their attacks on the classic, many of the book’s critics employ evidence such as the use of the n-word 211 times (Powers, 2010) and the novel’s repeated inferior depiction of African-Americans. Many supporters of the novel, though, hail it for being so controversial. They claim that the dialogue started when discussing the book is a great chance for students to broaden their views on many controversial topics. As Harris puts it (2000), "If it isn't a dangerous book, there really is no reason for anybody to read it or teach it". Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn unquestionably does not promote racism, and actually serves to question the very idea of racism itself, as shown by T wain’s use of realism, the use of a child narrator, and the author’s deliberate intention to criticize the act of slavery and racism. Throughout Huck Finn, Mark Twain employs realism to accurately portray life along the antebellum Mississippi River. Merriam-Webster defines realism as â€Å"the theory or practice of fidelity in art and literature to nature or to real life and to accurate representation without idealization.† Throughout the novel, Twain uses realism to show readers how life was and how blacks were treated. Many critics of the book criticize the language used in the book. As Powers puts it (2010), â€Å"The controversy exploded in 1957, when the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People condemned its 211 uses of the n-word, the infamous epithet for African ... ...-old boy show them the true path of equality and fairness. Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn clearly does not promote racism, and actually defames it, and the universal lessons taught in the book can still be applied today. Works Cited Camfield, G. (2005). Race. Retrieved from http://dig.lib.niu.edu/twain/race.html Harris, E. (2000, September 26). 'huck finn' still pushes buttons, professor says. Retrieved from http://www.freedomforum.org/templates/document.asp?documentID=3637 Powers, M. (2010, May 05). Mark twain’s â€Å"adventures of huckleberry finn†. Retrieved from http://www.america.gov/st/peopleplace-english/2010/May/20100505151725naneerg0.2608759.html Salwen, P. (Unknown). The quotable mark twain . Retrieved from http://salwen.com/mtquotes.html Twain, M. (1986). The adventues of huckleberry finn. New York, NY: Penguin Books Ltd.

Motivation other than Money in the Workplace Essay -- Business Managem

The Motivation of Money Many people believe that they are motivated by earning money, but this is not always completely true as there are many other factors such as the conditions of the workplace and the need to be appreciated. There are many arguments that are both for and against money being the key motivator in the workplace. Some argue that being paid a good salary is important in attracting employees to a job and helps to keep them in the job. Although this money can become less of a motivator once the employee has been working for a time and the pay has become routine and expected. Although money may not be the only motivator in the workplace, it is the basis for the attitudes and behaviours of employees. If an employee feels they are being well paid and rewarded financially for their hard work and any extra effort, then they will be more likely to work hard and strive to gain these financial rewards. However if an employee is unhappy with the money that they are receiving for their work then it will be very difficult for them to be motivated in their work. One other view that supports money being a key motivator is that people feel that they are highly valued if they are receiving a decent salary. The higher their salary the more valued they feel within the organisation and so the more likely they are to work hard in their job and be motivated in their work. Cash awards can be a very effective way of motivating employees to meet targets and excel in their work. McGregor's theory of the reasons why people work shows that using these sorts of 'carrot' methods of motivating employees are often successful with the Th... ...ir needs have been met at a lower level before moving upward. For example, a person will not be motivated by love until they have had both their physiological and security needs met. Maslow's Model So in conclusion it is not always money that motivates, as although for a lot of people it is money that drives them this is not always the case. Money does however provide people with the ability to make choices and improve their quality of life. In order to motivate people, you need to find out what their wants are. It may be money, but this may not always be the case. People are motivated by a variety of items. It is the responsibility of the manager to find people's individual wants. In order to have motivated workers it is important for a manager to try to meet and attempt to satisfy these needs in some way.

Lifespan Development and Personality Paper Essay

Adolescence, also known as â€Å"teenage years† is a time of dramatic change. This phase of life marks a developmental period that follows childhood and comes before adulthood. Adolescence is closely associated with puberty, which is also considered as a developmental milestone, particularly in the western countries. Puberty refers to the period of adolescence when a person becomes capable of reproduction (Carpenter, S. & Huffman, K., 2008). In this paper, I will discuss the various factors that affect the physical, cognitive, social, moral, and personality development of adolescents. Adolescence is a time of rapid physical growth which is illustrated by the drastic growth spurt in the height, weight and skeletal muscles. In this phase, rapid development of tests, scrotim and penis develops in adolescent boys whereas development of ovaries, uterus, and vagina occurs in adolescent girls. I believe some of the factors that lead to this rapid physical development can be held responsible to both hereditary and environmental influences. Hereditary influences are also referred to as â€Å"inherited† qualities which are passed on from the parents to the offspring. Therefore, these are also known as â€Å"nature† influences. On the contrary, environmental influences are those experiences that one gets from their surrounding environment as one grows and matures. Such influences are also referred to as â€Å"nurture†. Genetics play an important role in the physical development of an adolescent. For instance, if the parents of a child are extremely hairy, then there is a high probability that the child will also become hairy earlier in life. Also, if both the parents are tall, then there is a high probability that the child will also become taller in their puberty years. Moreover, environment also plays a major role in one’s physical development. Environment encompasses family surroundings, media influences, culture and so on. For instance, one of the Asian countries requires girls to wear metal bands around their necks from early age so that when they get into the puberty years, they can develop long and slender necks. This is so because it is considered beautiful in their culture for girls to have long and slender necks; it is a part of their culture. In addition, environmental and cultural factors such as television, internet, and media amongst others can play a major role to influence de velopment in adolescence. Adolescence is also a time of changes occurring in the development of cognition. Piaget developed a theory of cognitive development which emphasize on the four stages that children must go through. The four stages of Piaget’s stages of cognitive development are as follows: sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational stage. Since the focus of this paper is adolescence, I would discuss the formal operational stage in depth as it is developed in ages of 11 and up. Formal Operational stage can be characterized by abstract thinking, logical thought and hypothetical reasoning. In Piaget’s Formal operational stage, the children acquire the ability to think abstractly and hypothetically. In other words, children can ask themselves â€Å"what if† type of hypothetical questions, which further illustrates their ability to create and test concepts. In addition, Formal operational thinking also allows the adolescent to construct a well-reasoned argument based on hypothetical concepts and logical processes (Carpenter & Huffman, 2008). In addition to attaining the ability to think abstractly, children in this phase have very egocentric way of thinking. In other words, they cannot differentiate between what they are thinking and what others are thinking. This egocentric thought may be characterized into two ways: personal fable and imaginative audience. The factors that influence cognitive development in adolescents can be held responsible to both genetics and environmental influences. In terms of hereditary influences, if either of the two parents (biological) of the child is suffering from mental health disorder such as schizophrenia, then it is very likely that the offspring will also develop this disorder. Hence, this will in turn disrupt the development of cognitive processes such as formal operational stage in the child. Moreover, environment can also play a vital role in the cognitive development of an adolescent. For instance, if a child has grown up in a happy and a healthy environment where parents practice an authoritative parenting style then the child is more likely to reach the formal operational stage earlier and successfully in the adolescence years. Also, such an authoritative style of parenting facilitates good decision making in children. In other words, when given a choice between healthy and unhealthy behaviors such as having unprotected sex, driving experimenting with drugs and alcohol; these children are less likely to take such decisions and act on it. This is because they have  attained the formal operational stage and hence, gained the ability to think abstractly, hypothetically and logically about their decisions. Social development is studied by reflecting on the significance of attachment in ones life. Adolescent’s tend to develop strong attachments with people who are not their primary caregivers, particularly peers, teachers, social clubs, sports clubs and so on. Adolescence is a time when individuals tend to spend more time with peers than the primary caregivers. Not only that, adolescence is also a time when children group together to form cliques, intimate relationships and experiment with sexuality. The factor that affects social development is attachment. Vast amount of research has been done on the relationship between the type of attachment style formed in the younger years and the relationships formed later in the adolescent and adult life. Researchers found that an average, adolescents’ perceptions of the quality of the parent-child relationship declined consistently and moderately between age 11 and age 14. Furthermore, conflicts with parents increased and this was particularly true for girls than boys (McGue et. al, 2005). Morality can be explained as the ability to differentiate between right and wrong. Moral development also begins to develop in the adolescent years. Kohlberg, one of the most influential researchers in psychology has developed a model of moral development. His stages of development include Pre-conventional level, Conventional level and Post- conventional level. Since the focus of our paper is on adolescence, I will investigate conventional level in detail as it is developed in this age. Conventional level consist of stage 3 (good child orientation) and 4(law-and-order orientation). In Stage 3, the primary moral concern is with being nice and gaining approval. In stage 4, the individual takes into account a larger perspective-societal laws. Stage 4 individuals understand that if everyone violated laws, even with good intentions, there would be chaos. Thus, doing one’s duty and respecting law and order are highly valued (Carpenter, S. &  Huffman, K., 2008). Personality development is studied mainly with Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory of development. Erikson’s theory consists of eight stages of psychosocial development; these theories are in the following order:Stage 1 – Trust vs. MistrustStage 2 – Autonomy vs. Shame and DoubtStage 3 – Initiative vs. GuiltStage 4 – Industry vs. InferiorityStage 5 – Identity vs. Confusion (Adolescence: ages 12-20)Stage 6 – Intimacy vs. IsolationStage 7 – Generativity vs. StagnationStage 8 – Integrity vs. DespairThe stage 5 of Erikson’s theory reflects the adolescence period. Erikson claims that during this period, the individual questions and searches for their own identity and their role in society. Furthermore, he mentioned that those individuals who do not overcome the identity crisis do not form a stable identity, indulge into delinquent acts and behaviors, and have difficulty in forming and maintaining close relationships in life. Klimstra et. al (2009) examined adolescent personality maturation on the Big Five personality trait model and found that agreeableness and Emotional Stability increased during adolescence. In addition, mixed evidence was found for the increase in traits such as Extraversion and Openness. Furthermore, it was found that in terms of gender differences in the timing of adolescent personality maturation, girls tend to mature earlier than boys. Adolescence is a stage of development which occurs before adulthood and after childhood. In this stage of development, a drastic growth spurts in height, weight, and skeletal muscles. This paper mainly focused on the various aspects of the human development in adolescence. The various factors affecting physical, cognitive, social, moral, and personality development of adolescents were also discussed in this paper. References Carpenter, S. & Huffman, K. (2008). Visualizing Psychology. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Klimstra, T., Hale, W., Raaijmakers, Q., Branje, S., & Meeus, W. (2009, April). Maturation of personality in adolescence.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 96(4), 898-912. Retrieved April 19, 2009, doi:10.1037/a0014746McGue, M., Elkins, I., Walden, B., & Iacono, W. (2005, November). Perceptions of the Parent-Adolescent Relationship: A Longitudinal Investigation. Developmental Psychology, 41(6), 971-984. Retrieved April 19, 2009, doi:10.1037/0012-1649.41.6.971

Blind Ambition Leads to One’s Destruction Essay

Talmud once said, â€Å"Ambition destroys its possessor. † People who are overly ambitious will ultimately be destroyed on the way to the top. It is a warning that those who are not humble will stumble on their way to greatness. He enlightened a major event by one of the world’s most well-known writers, William Shakespeare. There were many conflicts in Shakespeare’s tragedy, Macbeth, but one of the major conflicts was Macbeth’s determination to become King. Macbeth was a brave and courageous soldier who, unfortunately, let his blind ambitions lead to his downfall in the end. Three primary reasons this happened was because of his wife, his gluttony for power, and his betrayal toward his friends. The first example is Lady Macbeth, otherwise none his wife, who wants power and will do anything to get it. The second example is Macbeth’s growing lust for power after he kills the king. The last significant example is when Macbeth kills his friends and their families. His wife, his gluttony for power, and the betrayal of his friends exemplify of what it truly means to be blinded by a want for something that is potentially untouchable in the end. First off, Lady Macbeth is Macbeth’s sneaky wife who convinces him to kill the king. King Duncan was a trusting man who loved and respected Macbeth. Lady Macbeth’s thirst for power all started when she received a letter from her husband. The letter mentioned how the three witches told Macbeth that he was going to become Thane of Cawdor and now he wants to celebrate, but doesn’t want Lady Macbeth to tell anybody. After she reads the letter, she looks up and says â€Å"Yet do I fear thy nature; /it is too full o’ th’ milk of human kindness/To catch the nearest way: thou wouldst be great, /Art not without ambition, but without/The illness should attend it† (1. 5. 3-7). Although Lady Macbeth didn’t have any hard feeling towards Duncan, she wanted to be queen. She was willing to do anything to achieve her goal. Overall, even though she knows her husband wants to be king, she thinks he is too weak to actually pursue what is wanted. Moreover, Lady Macbeth’s thirst for power fed Macbeth’s want for power. At first, Macbeth was very hesitant and scared to kill Duncan because he thinks that there will be consequences awaiting him in the next world. â€Å"If it were done when ’tis done, then ’twere well/It were done quickly. â€Å"If the assassination/Could trammel up the consequence, and catch/With his surcease/success; that but this blow/Might be the be-all and the end-all here, /But here, upon this bank and shoal of time, /We’d jump the life to come† (1. 7. 2-7). More specifically, Macbeth says that if he could achieve his goals merely by killing Duncan, without any consequences here on Earth, he would risk the dire consequences that could await him after death. Furthermore, Duncan was his friend who had high respects for him as a soldier. After Macbeth killed Duncan, his lust for power grew more and more with each passing day. Furthermore, Macbeth’s lust for power led to the betrayal of his friends. One day, while Banquo was in the forest, Macbeth sent 3 murderers to assassinate him. Banquo was Macbeth’s best friend, a brave and noble general. His children, according to the witches’ prophecy, would inherit the throne of Scotland. Macbeth murdered them to eliminate threat. Banquo was also ambitious like Macbeth, but those thoughts never translated into actions. In addition, Macduff was a Scottish nobleman who was the leader of the crusades. He was opposed to Macbeth becoming King from the very beginning. The witches told Macbeth that Macduff had gone to England and to get back at him, Macbeth killed Macduff’s wife and son. The crusade’s mission is to place the rightful king, Malcolm, on the throne, but Macduff also wanted revenge on Macbeth. â€Å"If thou beest slain, and with no stroke of mine, /My wife and children’s ghosts will haunt me still† (5. 5. 18-19). Macduff also wants Macbeth’s head because he thinks his wife and kid’s ghosts will haunt him forever if someone else kills Macbeth. Even though ambition is a good quality to have, it can still have tragic results if it becomes the center of a person’s life. In Macbeth’s case, there were three many concerns that caused Macbeth’s downfall Lady Macbeth, a growing lust for power, and the betrayal of loved ones. Lady Macbeth is a deeply ambitious woman who thirsts for power and will do anything, even corrupt her own husband to obtain the position as the queen. Macbeth’s want for power came from his wife’s lust for power. The gluttony for power that was caused by Lady Macbeth led Macbeth to do murderous things such killing the king and his best friend. Ultimately, sometimes it’s not always the goal that leads to one’s destruction, but the path they choose to make it happen.

Review of related literature and studies Essay

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES Teenagers and Part-Time Jobs: Benefits, Drawbacks and Tips Adolescence is that difficult period of time when carefree children transition to responsible adults†¦ we hope. That is the goal, after all, for teens to develop into mature, productive, responsible members of the community. One method for assisting this transition is obtaining part-time employment. A job can help teenagers better develop their identities, obtain increased autonomy, achieve new accomplishments, develop work experience, and become more independent from their parents. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, 50 percent of American teenagers hold informal jobs, such as babysitting or yard work, by age 12. Boys tend to begin their jobs at younger ages and work more hours than girls. By age 15, nearly two-thirds of American teens have had some kind of employment. By the time teens graduate from high school, 80% will have held a part-time job at some time during the school year. The average high school student works 20 hours per week, and about 10% work full time (35 hours or more). There are many obstacles to teens obtaining employment. Finding reliable transportation is critical, and that can be difficult if the job is not close by and the teen’s parent(s) work. Fighting stereotypes that employers have about adolescents, such as poor attitudes or lack of skills, can be challenging. In this particular economy, there aren’t very many job opportunities for teens. Teens want to work for a variety of reasons, but more than half report their involvement in work is motivated by the desire to buy things. Typically, teens spend their money on car expenses, recreational expenses, clothing, educational expenses, saving for college, and helping their families with living expenses (e.g., rent, groceries). Researchers have studied and debated the benefits and drawbacks of teens and part-time jobs for more than 2 decades. Many researchers, including those o n government panels like the National Commission on Youth, praise part-time work and say it contributes to the transition from youth to adulthood. Other studies have found significant negative consequences to students working over 20 hours a  week. We will take a close look at both. Benefits of Teens Holding a Part-Time Job There are many benefits to adolescents obtaining employment, including: Obtain valuable work experiences, which are excellent for a resume. Learn how to effectively manage finances. Even if the teen is simply using their earnings to pay for their own expenses, they will learn to budget between clothes, movies, and car expenses. May provide networking possibilities and set a child on a rewarding lifetime career path. Provide constructive use of free time. An after-school job can also provide adult supervision, especially if you work longer hours than those in a typical school day. Employment gives teens less time to engage in risky behaviors. Learn time management skills. Form good work habits. Gain useful, marketable skills such as improving their communication, learning how to handle people, developing interview skills and filling out job applications. Instill new confidence, sense of responsibility and independence. Drawbacks of Teens Holding a Part-Time Job There are also negative consequences of teen employment that may outweigh the positive benefits, such as: Less time for homework. Working students may not have or make the time to complete their work. Higher rates of absenteeism and less school involvement. Employment may place constraints on the student’s study and sleep time. Fatigue or lack of preparation for the day’s academic activities may discourage the working teen from going to school and a job may take the place of extracurricular activities. Lower grades in school. Students who work more than 20 hours a week have grade point averages that are lower than other students who work 10 or less hours a week. More likely to use drugs and alcohol. Research suggests that substance abuse is higher for students who work 20 or more hours per week. Development of negative views of work itself. Early entry into a negative or harsh work environment may encourage negative views of work. This would depend greatly on the maturity level of the teenager and the type of job obtained. Increased stress. Balancing work and school can prove to be too much for any  student. Research seems to suggest that students that work 10 hours or less a week gain the benefits of employment, while students that work over 20 hours a week suffer the negative consequences of work mentioned above. Other factors that affect how students handle employment and school life include the intensity and difficulty of the work done. Summer Employment Summer employment is an excellent alternative, as it does not interfere with schooling and provides teens with a constructive use of their free time. It allows adolescents to garner all the benefits of employment without overtaxing their busy school schedules. Teens should begin looking for summer employment during Spring Break. Possible jobs for teens are: landscaping, delivering newspapers, babysitting, retail stores (such as grocery stores or clothing stores), movie theaters, working at a theme park, being a camp counselor, lifeguarding at a pool, and dog walking. April 2, 2010 by middleearthnj Work careers begin after the completion of formal schooling. This is a fundamental assumption of life course research, which identifies â€Å"the school to work transition† as one of the most critical stages of the early life course. Yet the reality is that most students are also workers. A third or more of high school students are currently employed, as are the majority of college students (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2005a). The paucity of research on the overlap of student and worker roles and on the occupational structure of teenage workers is almost certainly due to the assumption that most students work in part-time jobs that are unrelated to post-schooling work careers. Indeed, one of the major â€Å"problems† of the first Occupational Change in a Generation Survey (the data source for Blau and Duncan, 1967) was that the measurement of â€Å"first job† may have conflated student employment and post-student employment (Duncan, Featherman, & Duncan, 1972: 21 0–224). 1 However, the high level of labor force participation among students, and the fact that teenagers comprise four percent of the American workforce, suggest the need for more research on the prevalence of work and the structure of employment among adolescents prior to the completion of schooling. In this study, we explore patterns of social stratification of teenage workers. Prior research on teenage employment has focused almost  exclusively on the impact of work on educational outcomes, including grades and dropping out. The primary theoretical and policy issue is the hypothesis that the roles of worker and student are incompatible, or at least incompatible with educational success (Greenberger & Steinberg, 1986). Yet most studies have concluded that there is little observable harm if students work a moderate number of hours per week; indeed, students who work less than 15 h/week generally have better educational outcomes than students who do not work at all (Carr, Wright, & Brody , 1996; McNeil, 1997; Mortimer & Finch, 1986). Students who work longer hours, especially more than 20 or 25 h/week, do have lower grades and are more likely to drop out of school (D’Amico, 1984), however, it is unclear whether high intensity work is a cause, a consequence, or just a correlate of poorer educational outcomes. The hypothesized causal impact of teenage employment on educational outcomes hinges, in large part, on the selectivity of students into employment and different types of jobs. Before addressing this question, we describe the occupational structure of teenage employment and its relationship to the adult labor market. With in the teenage labor market structure, we attempt to identify the dimensions of occupational status and preferable job characteristics. Then we address the question of selectivity of students to jobs within the classic analytical framework of social stratification research. Specifically, we ask if family background and ascriptive characteristics, such as gender, and race and ethnicity, influence teenage employment and the attainment of higher status jobs. Although we refer to teenage employment in general, our empirical focus is on the employment patterns held by several cohorts of high school seniors in a West Coast metropolitan area. Although this is a limited geographical and temporal sample, the patterns reported here are likely to be representative of teenagers more broadly. We find that there is a clear structure between the social backgrounds of students and the jobs they hold. Advantages of family origins and school achievement are positively associated with paid employment, and advantaged students are especially more likely to hold â€Å"good jobs† outside of prototypical teenage concentration in the fast food sector and related service sector jobs. 2. Why do teenagers work? Although there are many reasons why people work, economic necessity ranks  near the top of the list. Most high school students, however, live as dependents in parental households, and very few teenagers have to work to provide their food and shelter. Indeed, state laws â€Å"protect† adolescents from becoming regular workers by limiting the hours and nature of paid employment. The one gray area is family employment, especially when families run small businesses. Families that run small businesses generally depend on the unpaid labor of all family members, including school age children and adolescents, as part of a strategy of economic survival. If teenagers are not working to support their families, the most plausible alternative interpretation is that most students work to support their consumption and related lifestyle activities, such as saving for clothing, a car, or other â€Å"extras† beyond their family’s economic resources or willingness to provide. Another potential explanation is that students work in order to invest in their future. Students may seek jobs that provide opportunities for achievement, exposure to possible career choices, or to develop ties with persons who could serve as mentors. These explanations are not mutually exclusive, and many teenagers may be motivated by both objectives. Regardless of the motivations of students, there must be a job market in which employers seek to, or are at least willing to, hire teenagers. Many teenagers may be working in part-time jobs in the general labor market where there is an insufficient supply of relatively cheap and flexible workers. In these jobs, teenagers can be considered as supplemental workers for adults who are the predominate workforce. For example, teenagers often work as receptionists in offices and as cashiers in grocery stores, but teenagers comprise only a small minority of workers in these positions. There may also be niches of teenage jobs where adolescents comprise a significant share of all workers in an occupation or industry. For example, teenage workers appear to be the mainstay of fast food establishments. The proportional representation of teenage workers (ages 16–19) in the major occupational categories, and their relative share of all workers (employed persons age 16 and above) in each occupation, is presented in Table 1 based on data from the 2005 Current Population Survey. These data do not differentiate teenagers by their enrollment status.

Clovis lithic technology: Investigation of a stratified workshop at the Gault Site Essay

Environmental philosophies Introduction According to Martin (â€Å"Pleistocene Overkill†), what disproves the so- called â€Å"overkill hypothesis†?                  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ The loss of small animals, vertebrates, marine life, aquatic organism and plants, is not anywhere substantiated through fossil records; the records do not indicate the loss of organism mentioned above.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   2. According to Martin, what is the primary cause of mass extinctions during the Late Pleistocene?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   -Extinction is a rapid process that occurs with changing times and climatic conditions as the evolution of new species. This is evidenced by a close examination of fossil records. Partly, this was caused by the prevailing habitant which led to significant extinction of North American horses(Collin & Kay, 1999).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   3. According to the Scientific American Frontiers documentary â€Å"Coming Into America,† how old are the remains of Arlington Springs Woman?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   -In this documentary, the remains are approximately 13,000 years of age.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   4. According to the documentary film â€Å"Coming Into America,† what is the current accepted theory in archeology regarding the identity of the first Americans?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   – A study of â€Å"coming to America† opposes the notion and theory of Clovis, this documentary upholds the theory of Arlington spring. It provides more truth and is better substantiated as opposed to Clovis theory   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   5. According to the documentary film â€Å"Coming into America,† why is the Arlington Springs Woman so puzzling to archeologists?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   -The reason that made scientist to get puzzled is because they had the notion that as earlier as 50, 000 years ago, there was no way a person could have boats, as means of water transport. This is accurately true of any person, who would reflect on the nature of life that people lived 50,000 years ago.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   6. According to the documentary film â€Å"Coming Into America,† what prehistoric stone point was lethal against large animals like mammoths, horses, and bison?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   – Archeologists found an entirely new form of stone point which they named Clovis. This points were at various points located in other geographical sites. They were always found with nothing deeper. Therefore, archeologists came to perceive that the inventors of these points were the very first to be found in this land. At the current times, Dennis Stanford reveals that making of Clovis involved basic processes to be implemented. It was very efficient in hunting down large animals including mammoths and lions which at that time had very heavy teeth and were not able to effectively chew bones as it is the case today(Chapdelaine , 2012). The points had flakes on all their sides, they had characteristics which had thin bases, thus allowing the end points to be joined into the spear shaft. After the name was struck, the shaft was then removed, leaving that particular point embedded. After this, the hunters would apply another load in or der to target their next kill. This proved to be very lethal and efficient in bringing down large animals.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   7. According to archeologist Michael Collins (â€Å"Coming Into America†), what was the number one game animal of the people who lived at Gault 13,000 years ago?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   -It is certain that the people who resided, 13,000 years ago, at Gault, were very active and sophisticated game hunters. They however exploited all the resources at their disposal to ensure that they got food and lived happily. Due to the challenges that they encountered they opted to gather berries and small game animals. Therefore, turtles formed an essential part of their meal. They were normally found at the creek.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   8. According to the documentary film â€Å"Coming Into America,† which South American site has called into question the â€Å"Clovis-first† theory and why?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   – Alan learned that there were multiple discoveries which led to the questioning of the theory of Clovis first theory. There was one site called Monte Verde in Chile, which has led to so many controversies for many years. It is believed to be more than a thousand years older than Clovis. At the same time, there was a site in Topper located in South of Carolina. This site also offers powerful evidence as to why Clovis first theory does not suffice. It shows that people resided in Northern, East, and America even before the Clovis people arrived.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   9. According to archeologist Steve Holen (â€Å"Coming Into America†), what evidence is there that might allow us to push the peopling of America back to 18,000 years?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   -Holen Steve of the Museum of Denever believes that he can drive the American people further by even 18,000 years with the help of mammoth bones exposed at five sites in the US. Critics claim that the bones might have been broken by animals, but Steve shows Alan why it’s impossible.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   10. According to the documentary film â€Å"Coming Into America,† via what Alaskan land bridge is it believed that the Clovis people traveled?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   -For many years it’s assumed that Clovis people originated through Alaska using a bridge from Siberia, they traveled through the south because ice sheets were all over larger part of Canada(W2aters et al., 2011). It is this reason that archeologist have tried to locate any signs of the Clovis people in the Alaska.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   11. According to archeologist Dennis Stanford (â€Å"Coming Into America†), how might the Solutrean people of Europe have traveled to America?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   – Dennis believes that fossils jaw that is found in Chesapeake, suggest how Solutreans got their way through to the northen part of America. Around 15,000-20,000 years, ice-loving walrus could have made their way through the northern part of America. Dennis also believes that the solutreans got to Chesapeake bringing with them their boats which stretched across the waters of the ocean.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   12. According to Guthrie (â€Å"Primitive Man’s Relationship to Nature†), in what ways do primitive cultures differ from modern society?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   – The modern man seems so isolated and disconnected from nature, perhaps due to the advances in nature and evolved styles of living (Bradley et al., 2010). This unnatural attitude is a result of the notion that man, the primitive man, lived in total harmony with nature as evidenced by the Indians. Contrary the current man, there is a notion that primitive man more so the American Indian was so much attuned to nature.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   13. According to Hutchinson (â€Å"The Remaking of the Amerind†), what evidence supports the claim that the notion of Native Americans as â€Å"noble savage† in North America is a myth?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   – This concept faced a lot challenges and criticism with the reality that the Amerind was not meant to be a romantic symbol. Regardless of the brutal attacks of nearly three centuries, that were marked with ‘settler’ and ‘redskin’, the objective the Noble savage could not completely dissipate.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   14. On what bases does Hutchinson reject the claim that the pre-Columbian Amerind did not upset the delicate balance of nature?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   -The core reason is that movements of population started with early wanderers of Asia who passed through Bering Strait. The strict and harsh competition for agricultural land and hunting grounds forced some groups of communities to move to different regions. This led to exhaustion of agricultural among other natural commodities. The prevailing climatic conditions especially in the valley of upper Missouri, led to movements. Therefore the pre-Columbians did not offset nature. References Bradley, B. A., Collins, M. B., Hemmings, A., Shoberg, M., & Lohse, J. C. (2010).  Clovis technology. Ann Arbor, Mich: International Monographs in Prehistory. Chapdelaine, C., & Association des archeÃŒ ologues du QueÃŒ bec. (2012).  Late Pleistocene archaeology & ecology in the far Northeast. College Station: Texas A & M University Press. Collins, M. B., & Kay, M. (1999).  Clovis blade technology: A comparative study of the Keven Davis Cache, Texas. Austin: University of Texas Press. Waters, M. R., Pevny, C. D., & Carlson, D. L. (2011).  Clovis lithic technology: Investigation of a stratified workshop at the Gault Site, Texas. College Station: Texas A & M University Press. Source document

Socialization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Socialization - Essay Example Symbolic meanings in symbolic interactionism refer to the way social interactions are interpreted within a given context. Roles are defined by each relationship within the context of the participants in that relationship. Therefore, the role of husband or wife may not necessarily be literally gender oriented as much as role specific. In this, way, relationships need not conform to traditional constructs; therefore there is no need for the traditional approach to marriage to ensure its success. A healthy marriage is dependent upon the extension of â€Å"me† in the role of â€Å"I†. In order for a person to make a healthy choice for marriage, four important concepts must be well defined within the individual: 1) the concept of knowing the self well, â€Å"me† - who I am, 2) the concept of what â€Å"me† means to the world around me, how â€Å"I† perform my roles, 3) knowing what I have to offer of myself to another individual, â€Å"I†, and 4) what I need to receive from another individual with regards to their performance of â€Å"me†, in order to feel accepted, connected, and valued in that relationship. ... This is the first step in preparation for choosing a marriage partner. Our socialization through the life cycle offers abundant feedback regarding who others perceive us to be. If we agree with that perception, then we continue in those roles; if we don’t agree, then we begin to investigate ways to change that might influence other’s perception of us. This kind of fine tuning takes on a heightened awareness as we move toward adulthood. Young people try on many roles before finding what’s comfortable for them. When we have arrived at a comfort level in whom we are as perceived by the world around us, then our roles are more established; from this springboard, we begin to search for fulfillment. The next step is in looking around to find another person with whom we can begin to relate on a close and personal level. The satisfaction of this basic need is not necessarily equally important for all individuals; however most find it a driving force in adulthood. Sociali zation in adulthood is largely defined by the interactions between associates in the workplace, peers, and significant others, comprising our continued growth and development along the human journey. The roles we assume in each area give us a chance to further define who â€Å"me† is. When â€Å"I† perform the role of â€Å"me†, then I am either attracted to or repelled by others. Often in relationships there is conflict between who â€Å"me† is because â€Å"I† am acting in a role where there is role strain and a sense of discomfort. Such conflicts usually surface in a negative way to also strain the relationships. It is only through careful communication and acceptance of that role by the significant other that the relationship can be saved while the relationship is in

Art Institute Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Art Institute - Assignment Example It was not just a picture of women crying, but also had lots of expressions on it. The overall experience was great, although there were certain areas that really put me off. For instance, the employees who worked there did not seem to be very friendly. In addition, flash photography was not permitted inside the museum and, therefore, one could not really experience the fun of walking around the museum. I took interest in a medieval painting of a child being held by the parent. This child looked like a miniature adult and that is one common thing from the painting of the medieval times. However, neither the name of the artist nor the school of art has been provided for this particular painting (Gardner et al. 126). I particularly enjoyed various works of sculptures, but there is mostly one that caught my attention. This was a work done by Richmond Barthe of ‘The boxer’. The piece of art depicts African Americans. In the year 1942, the boxer corresponded to the period of time where boxers, especially the blacks like Joe Louis, used to fight with their white rivals and ended up beating them. It meant a huge step for the African Americans and on the basis of equality at least while boxing (Gardner et al. 99). In the institute there is a widely known arms and armor collection that have been put on a special display. There are half and full suits, cannons, pole arms, a knight mounted on a horse that if fully arrayed and a shield in the company of two swords. There are ceiling which are high enough to allow for the Baroque tapestries and Renaissance to be included along with a sculpture. In addition, some paintings and objects imply a wide range of settings. The installation looks at the close association between the arms and armor and the contemporary art and style hence demonstrating the different ways hose objects put emphasis on the social status of the owner (Gardner et al. 226). There is a

Financial services Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Financial services - Essay Example Transactions on derivative contracts occur between two parties in which a financial agreement is done whose payments depend on the value of the underlying assets and securities. Derivative contracts are broadly categorized into lock and option products. Lock category derivative contracts bind the two parties into an obligation of executing the contract according to the terms and conditions over the period for which the contract is agreed upon. Option product derivatives are contracts that provide the right to the buyer but not the obligation to execute the contract over the period of the contract (Whaley, 2007, p.121). The derivative contract includes an agreed upon price between the two parties to buy or sell the product within a specified period of time. The derivative contracts may be traded in the exchange in which case these are called exchange-traded-derivatives or may be privately traded in which case these are called Over-the-counter derivatives. Over the counter derivatives are not traded in specialized exchanges. Recent examples of banks and companies making heavy losses from using derivatives The financial meltdown of 2007 in US was largely due to the fall in the mortgage prices which served as underlying assets for loan products. Irresponsible lending, relaxed policies of the banks, corporate houses and happy-go-lucky attitude of the regulators in assessments of the derivative products led to the fall of big banks like Lehmann Brothers. After a meagre financial recovery from the support of the government, derivative market is again one of the biggest markets in today’s global financial scenario (Schwartz and  Smith, 1997, p.499). Banks today are carrying out transactions on derivative markets on a much larger scale than ever before. The banks are more opaque and are indifferent to the risky derivative products. Banks, however, are unwilling to disclose the face of the derivative contracts to their investors. It is understood that a change i n the underlying market factors would lead to massive losses of the world economy as a result of devaluation of the underlying assets. The size of the derivative markets has grown from $500 trillion in 2007 to $707 trillion in 2011. Lack of transparency in trading of derivative contracts reflect the risk involved as a result of probable fluctuation of underlying market factors. This can be observed in the light of recent examples. J P Morgan has registered a loss of $6 billion due to trading in risky derivatives. The increasing size of derivative markets and declining due diligence in investments in order to achieve higher profits imposes higher risk. Several high ranked officials from big companies like Meryl Lynch, Morgan Stanley, and Citigroup commented that the banking industry is vulnerable in the wake of huge losses in derivative markets. After the earthquake in Japan, J P Morgan decided to reverse their position in derivatives due to the huge losses to be incurred. In 2011, D eutsche Bank decided to reduce the foreign currency exposure of Post bank by â‚ ¬8.1 billion looking at the heavy losses in their investment in derivatives. Deutsche bank themselves lost $1.74 billion in US derivative markets. A huge foreign exchange option for Hewlett Packard was executed early in order to reduce the losses predicted out of market uncertainty. Due to lack of transparency on the investments in derivative ma

Principles of Microeconomics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Principles of Microeconomics - Essay Example The river which the company emits chemical waste has plenty of uses to the society. The society fetch water for domestic use from the river, practice fishing on the river and swim on the river for leisure. Emission of chemical waste onto this river pollutes it discouraging fetching of water for domestic use and swimming. This pollution also contaminate the water killing fish and other aquatic lives discouraging fishing which create income to some individuals in the society. Due to the seriousness of these adverse effects, the manufacturing company’s activities have to be controlled to reduce the impact of these effects. The company itself can initiate projects to reduce these negative effects. The company can do that by cleaning the river to avoid contamination of the water. The company can also channel its chemical waste into another site or devise a good means of disposing them. In a bid to control this negative externality, the local government can impose rules and regulations that prevent the water pollution. Some of these laws will include heavy taxation of this company and charging it fines on water pollution. Regulations that control the disposing of waste in the water would also help the situation (Mankiw,

Banned Books Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Banned Books - Essay Example There are also racial slurs throughout the novel. Moreover, the book does not also contain traditional values of friendship and love. There is also foul language and violence in the conversations of the characters (â€Å"Of Mice and Men,† Marshall University). The ban of the book was actually banned as per the request of a parent in Kansas in 2008, but it was banned in Illinois earlier in 1997. The problem with the book is that it has derogatory statements against women, as well as derogatory description of African Americans (Redwin). Nevertheless, another source stated that Of Mice and Men was banned since the 1950s to the 2000s. Other reasons for the banning of the book was because of the promotion of euthanasia, lack of mercy for the retarded and the mentally ill, the anti-business attitude, and the idea that the Great Depression would somehow make mice out of men (â€Å"Of Mice and Men: Steinbeck’s Controversial†). â€Å"Of Mice and Men: Steinbeck’s controversial banned book for 50 years."  Books.  Examiner.com, 2014. Web. 22 Apr. 2014.

I Think, Therefore I Kant Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

I Think, Therefore I Kant - Essay Example The essay "I Think, Therefore I Kant" overviews the philosophy works and the revolutionary thinking of Immanuel Kant at the turn of the 19th century and his philosophy of reason still resonates in the Western world. In his attempt to reconcile religion and science, he drew criticism from all sides. His works, often heavy and lengthy, have at times made Kant difficult to understand. Yet beneath the surface lies an eloquent approach to philosophy and morality. Whether being praised or criticized, he has been called the "finisher and conqueror of Illumination". A close examination of Kant's ethical theory reveals why it drew such controversy and why it continues to persist. Kant's individual uniqueness stems from his belief in what is called deontological ethics or the study of duty. According to Kant, an action's moral value does not stem from the consequences of the action, but rather from the motivation behind the will to act. When the action is universal and is motivated by only good will, it is a categorical imperative. In Kant's words, "Act only according to that maxim by which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law". Thus an action that is motivated by good will is universally good. Kant criticized the Utilitarian theories that evaluate the action based on the happiness it produced. According to Utilitarianism, whatever produces the most happiness in the most people is the moral course of action. This could lead to the happiness of many at the expense of a few people's misery.

Finance Problem Solving Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Finance Problem Solving - Assignment Example Therefore, Amber has a net working capital of $200 and a current ratio of 1.20. This indicates that the company will be able to pay any short term obligations that arise unexpectedly due to some investment in the working capital. On the other hand, Barbie has no current assets, but has $600 worth of current liabilities. Therefore, Amber has a net working capital of negative $600 and a weak current ratio. This indicates that the company will not be able to pay any short term obligations that arise unexpectedly due to no investments in the working capital. Amber Barbie Current Assets $1,200 $0 Current Liabilities $1,000 $600 Net Working Capital $200 ($600) Current Ratio 1.20 0.00 Therefore, it is important for a corporation to invest some of its funds in the financing of the working capital. A company must be able to pay its creditor when payment becomes dues, and possess ample inventory and cash to ensure the smooth functioning of the company. Question 4 A firm achieves optimal level of working capital only when the constituents of the working capital achieve optimal position. The company must have a favorable level of inventory determined by the economic order quantity. It must work upon optimal lead times that ensure no shortfall and no excess inventory at any point in time. This will ensure minimum costs association with the inventory handling. Likewise, the company must forecast future cash inflows and outflows, risk tolerance and borrowing capability to ensure an optimal cash level. An excess surplus must be invested in short term securities, whereas a shortage must be immediately handled with an overdraft with the bank. Similarly, the company could determine its advantageous day’s sales outstanding which will allow it to make an effective policy toward the management of its receivables. (Brigham and Gapenski 1988) Question 6 The matching principle of the working capital financing states that the non-current assets and permanent current assets must b e financed by long term debt; whereas fluctuating current assets must be financed by short term debt. (Brigham and Gapenski 1988) For instance: A retail store balance sheet shows inventory, cash, account receivable and fixed assets. At any point in time, this store has a minimum amount of all current assets which becomes a part of the permanent current assets. Therefore, according to this matching principle, these permanent current assets and fixed assets are to be financed by long term debt. There is low cost associated with this technique as most of the assets are finance low interest long term debt. Likewise, it results in a higher profitability as interest expense is low in this strategy. It also provides the company with more liquidity and a better current ratio. (Brigham and Gapenski 1988) Problem 17-3 Company A Company B Current Assets $1,400 $960 Current Liabilities $900 $600 Net Working Capital $500 $360 Current Ratio 1.56 1.60 Company A appears to be more liquid as compare d to company B. This is because it has a higher net working capital. Even though company A has slightly lower current ratio, it holds more of its assets in the liquid form. Problem 17-6 a. Working Capital = $160 b. Net Working Capital = Current Assets – Current Liabilities Net Working Capital = $160 - $170 Net Working Capital = ($10) c. The company is following a very aggressive approach to working capital financing. This is indicated by a low net working capital; which shows that all of the current assets –