Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Babylonians and Sumerians Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Babylonians and Sumerians - Essay Example The researcher states that one of the points of commonality between Sumerians and Babylonians is religion. Babylonians and Sumerians were both highly polytheistic. At some points, as neighboring city-states, Babylonians and Sumerians shared the same gods. All these gods were based on the perceptions that people had towards forces of nature. To this extent, both the Sumerians and Babylonians had the god(s) of air, sun, moon, rain and sea. Both civilizations also had towers or ziggurats in the middle of their cities. Sacrifices were offered to the pantheon of gods in Sumeria and Babylon. Nevertheless, in the offering of sacrifice, there is a parting point since the Sumerians offered only crop harvests while the Babylonians sacrificed even their children. Both civilizations were city-states. Again, both civilizations had all-dispensing rulers. In Sumeria, the powerful political ruler, Gilgamesh was also a priest. However, in Babylon, Hammurabi (fl. ca. 1792 – 1750 BC) the ruler w as a king, priest and lawgiver. Both civilizations used the Sumerian language, though the Babylonians limited their use of the Sumerian language to religious purposes. The Babylonians used the Akkadian language for official purposes while the Sumerians had their own language. According to Finkel and Reade, Babylonians is no doubt one of the biggest city-states in Mesopotamia. For one, as touching architecture, Babylonians erected massive buildings and architectural structures such as the Hanging Gardens and the Ishtar Gates. The Babylonians among many other things invested advanced techniques of irrigation along the Euphrates and Tigris rivers. This helped the Babylonians grow a lot of crops. Gadotti observes that the Sumerians also had their inventions, even in the field of architecture and art. One of the most remarkable works of Sumerian art is the Erech vase in alabaster.

Monday, October 28, 2019

Christian and Islamic Art Essay Example for Free

Christian and Islamic Art Essay Christian and Islamic Art The difference between Islamic art and Christian art is that Christian art is of human objects and forms while Islamic art portrays the meaning and reflection of things. Unlike Christian art, people do not appear on Islamic art. Unlike Christian art, Islam art does not include pictures and statues of Prophets and Gods. Christian art however, brings religious forms and images to life. It represents spiritual beliefs through illustrated scenes from the life of Jesus. It gives us images of biblical episodes and even carries on stories and images of those now deceased. The Catacombs (Christian burials) represents the final resting place for Christians. It represents ultimate love, sacrifice and triumph. When I first entered into the Catacombs of Rome, I remember walking down into the catacomb and feeling bit nervous as I was surrounded by darkness. It was dark, humid, smelly and yet, so beautiful! There were religious carvings on the inside that almost looked like chalk drawings. The clearest memory I have is visiting the section where the martyrs were buried and putting myself in their position. Would I have been so brave? In Islam, calligraphy is a major Islamic art form. Writing, books, geometry and patterns are most important. In Islam art, geography reflects the language of the world and most importantly, it reflects their spiritualism. A circle for example has no end and represents infinity. It represents never ending love. For Islam, the circle is a reminder that Allah is infinite. My Muslim brother-in-law, born in Lebanon, doesn’t take pictures and explained to that in his culture, taking pictures of living forms is forbidden. They can take pictures of objects, but not of pets or humans. Of course, in my culture we save pictures for memory keepsakes. After 7 years of marriage, he agreed to take a family picture with my sister and their three sons. It was a huge sacrifice in his part but this also explains how art, religion and culture have an influence on each other.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

The Caracter of Meursault in The Stranger (The Outsider) Essay

The Caracter of Meursault in The Stranger      Ã‚   Albert Camus' The Stranger is a startling novel at worst and a haunting classic at best. Camus presents a thrilling story of a man devoid of emotion, even regarding the most sensitive, personal matters. The main character, Meursault shows no feelings after the death of his mother, during his romantic relationship with Marie, or during his trial for the murder of an Arab. Meursault never shows feelings of love, regret, remorse, or sadness. It takes a great amount of skill to portray such a seemingly inhuman character as someone who is complex and multi-faceted like Meursault is.    Camus shows a definite sense of audience in this book. His language and phrasing shows that he has aimed the book towards an older crowd, one that would understand the message he wants to portray. Even when the language is written in a simple tone, it still seems aimed at an older audience:    Fumbling a little with my words and realizing how ridiculous I sounded, I blurted out that it was because of the sun. People laughed. My lawyer threw up his hands, and immediately after that he was given the floor (103).    The subject matter itself is certainly aimed towards an adult audience. Some topics include sex, murder, death of a family member, and domestic abuse. Religion, or lack thereof, is a topic heavily discussed during Meursault's trial for murder. Meursault is a self-professed atheist, and there are numerous conversations between the main character and others he interacts with on this topic.    The author is an important part of The Stranger. Camus developed his theory of the absurd - the idea that life has no rational meaning - during World War II. ... ... Compare sentences from the first half of the novel to the second half:    "As soon as he saw me, he sat up a little and put his hand in his pocket" (58). "Especially when the emptiness of a man's heart becomes, as we find it has in this man, an abyss threatening to swallow up society" (101).    The first sentence has less detail and feeling to it; the second example seems to have more emotion and feeling in its structure    In conclusion, all of these elements help to make The Stranger a classic tale of murder and the absurd. Camus' treatment of Meursault's tormented world, where everything makes sense to only him is an ingenious way of looking at the sheer monotony and almost redundant tendencies of life in general.       Work Cited: Camus, Albert. The Stranger, trans. Mathew Ward. New York: Random House, Inc., 1988.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Shakespeares Soliloquies - Hamlet’s Soliloquy Essay -- The Tragedy of

Hamlet's Soliloquy  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚         The purpose of a soliloquy is to outline the thoughts and feelings of a certain character at a point in the play. It reveals the innermost beliefs of the character and offers an unbiased perspective as it is merely the character talking to the audience, albeit not directly, and not to any other characters who may cause the character to withhold their true opinions. Therefore, Hamlet's first soliloquy (act 1, scene 2) is essential to the play as it highlights his inner conflict caused by the events of the play. It reveals his true feelings and as such emphasizes the difference between his public appearance, his attitude towards Claudius in the previous scene is less confrontational than here where he is directly insulted as a "satyr", and his feelings within himself. In this essay, I will outline how Shakespeare communicates the turmoil of Hamlet's psyche.    Hamlet's despair stems from his mother's marriage to his uncle and it is this that is the driving force behind what is communicated. His constant repetition of the time in which it took the two to get married, "But two months dead...yet within a month...A little month...Within a month...most wicked speed", suggests his disgust at the situation and that it is not necessarily the nature of their "incestuous" relationship that troubles Hamlet; more the short time in which it occurred. In fact, this is especially well communicated to the audience as, throughout the soliloquy, the passage of time that Hamlet describes gets less from "two months" to "Within a month". This has the effect of outlining Hamlet's supposed contempt of his mother for only mourning a month whilst also highlighting that it is the time involved that is vexing him a... ...t only through the diction but also through the imagery, language and underlying messages of the text. It successfully highlights the divisions of character of Hamlet whilst aiding the audience in building a connection with him.    Works Cited and Consulted: Boklund, Gunnar. "Hamlet." Essays on Shakespeare. Ed. Gerald Chapman. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1965. Levin, Harry. General Introduction. The Riverside Shakespeare. Ed. G. Blakemore Evans. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1974. Mack, Maynard. "The World of Hamlet." Yale Review. vol. 41 (1952) p. 502-23. Rpt. in Readings on The Tragedies. Ed. Clarice Swisher. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1996. Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 1995. http://www.chemicool.com/Shakespeare/hamlet/full.html No line nos.      

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

In what way did post war prosperity bring social change to Britain 1951-1964?

?In what way did post war prosperity bring social change to Britain 1951-1964? Britain as a country in the year 1951 stood as a country widely effected by the Second World War and the country reflected visible damage which the war had caused. Many young men were on the National Service, rationing was only just coming to an end and also social life in Britain felt like it was in the past.However some felt that the year 1951 was a year of change, they felt as if they were on the way to a new modern world which presented technological and social progress, Children who were born during the â€Å"baby boom† were born into a different society to which their parents grew up in. Leading up to the year 1964 there were many social tensions, changes in attitudes and significant shifts i population which can identify how Britain’s society had changed dramatically.After 1951 you could say Britain experienced a â€Å"demographic change† . Birth rates ran consistently against d eath rates, an explanation for this could be the advances in medical treatments which improved under the influence of the welfare state this then led to an increase standard of nutrition and hygiene.Another factor which could contribute to the demographic change was the increase of inward migration , in the year 1948 around 250,000 immigrants arrived in Britain from the West Indies Particularly those from the common wealth had become a vital part of British society, and in the process, transformed important aspects of British life although it eventually led to overpopulation, and immigration caused racial tension and segregation for example the Nottingham riots.Britain encouraged immigrants to come to the â€Å"mother land† to help recover from the ravages of war however this caused racial tension between the immigrants and the British, the tension was more apparent as the lack of housing became a problem as did the competition for jobs. The increase of immigrants led to less scopes for jobs as did the fact people were living longer due to the up and running free service of the NHS which many felt immigrants didn’t deserve. Many British people that had a skill in a specific trade were forced to take up trades that required no skill at all which angered them .Due to immigration, discrimination in jobs was open, for example shop keepers put a sign up saying what kind of workers they were looking for, and this gave many British people the advantage of the immigrants as a confidence trick to govern the country due to being imperial. Excluded from much of the social and economic life the immigrants began to adjust the institutions they had brought with them, for example their churches and the fact they had a British education which meant that the government gave them the right to follow their own traditions and reduced the challenges of schooling.However this also increased segregation between the immigrants and those who opposed, conflict and discrim ination was very common, it became easier to recognise people’s origins and social background from their dress scene and accents. The government weren’t prepared for the reaction of the public immigration would cause regarding the unhappiness of being restricted in the job market, they then introduced the immigration act which stopped immigrant wanting to come into the country although if left the ones already in Britain feeling very isolated and betrayed which sparked their rebellion.The conservative government had traditional views upon empire and they were objective to change which socially changed the views of the public and changed the country into a closed racist country portraying how uneducated Britain was at the time and how post war prosperity wasn’t the only thing that sculpted social change in Britain . On the other hand there was also a strong amount of outward migration. Australia was appealing to British citizens as it had many jobs and a good amo unt of housing available.Affluence began to become more apparent in every class, which meant people were becoming a lot wealthier due to the rise in wages. However this lead to competition regarding jobs and housing and even schooling due to people having more money to spend. This created a more distinctive overview between classes meaning that people could recognise immediately what class you belonged to and what your origins and social background was. The class spilt became more evident throughout the schooling system.Schooling during 1951-64 was a major social problem due to the psychological strain on pupils had to pass their 11+ in order to achieve a better education by their parents as they wanted to avoid the social shame. The technical and grammar schools only took the most capable students which left the working class children with very basic education as they couldn’t afford any private tuition and often weren’t capable at the age of 11 to enter the grammar s chools although after a few years they were ready to undergo more strenuous studying but by this time it was too late.The natural progression was from the most private boarding schools, to the most prestigious colleges at Oxford or Cambridge and thence into positions of power and influence this in turn led to the working class feeling discriminated. Eden for example went to Eton and Oxford and found himself in the prime ministers position. It was easy by this time to distinguish people’s class and social background from their dress sense and their accents, which demonstrates the growing social tensions including immigration and violence.Post war prosperity brought along social change in education due to the shift in attitude and the ideal that the government wanted to compete with other countries. The government wanted the best education for the new generation so they can go into better jobs in order to boost the economy in the future. But during the conservative government t here wasn’t any change regrinding the removal of social tension until Labour secured dominance in 1964 issuing the Education Act which introduced middle schools (which eliminated the 11+).The media influenced views on society that escalated tension and competition between classes, the class system split became more distinctive because of this. This was seen throughout various films such as ‘Saturday night’ and ‘Sunday Morning’, big hit in the 1960’s, it portrayed the alienation of young working class males. The influence of the media led to segregation as many films portrayed the racial tension, for example the theme of the film Sapphire (1959).The media opened the way for a more individualist and less conformist society, for example the Profumo affair– the girl on the wrong side of the tracks. This resulted in people, especially the younger generation, becoming less willing to follow the lead set by the British ‘establishmentâ₠¬â„¢. The newspapers also influenced the things that people began to believe in, they exaggerated stories and made things out to be worse than they actually were which resulted in the society building their views on lies causing tension between classes and even new â€Å"trend† groups like the Teddy Boys.Due to the more rebellious attitudes there was a sharp increase of crime rates and violence due to the development of a more liberal attitude obtained by youths. Examples of the increase in crime can be seen via the Mods and Rockers who used the influence of music to give them a drive into developing a liberal attitude and their views sometimes sparked violence with other groups seen through the Bristol brawl. Gang violence was chillingly portrayed in Antony Burgess’s 1962 novel, ‘A Clockwork orange’.However, the war brought opportunities to allow society to modernise in terms of attitude and social change although it was mainly due to the loss of dominanc e from the government. The governments weaknesses were exposed via the media, the television portrayed satire, which led many people to gain a more liberal attitudes, which demonstrates that it wasn’t just post war prosperity that brought social change to Britain. In what way did post war prosperity bring social change to Britain 1951-1964? In what way did post war prosperity bring social change to Britain 1951-1964? Britain as a country in the year 1951 stood as a country widely effected by the Second World War and the country reflected visible damage which the war had caused. Many young men were on the National Service, rationing was only just coming to an end and also social life in Britain felt like it was in the past.However some felt that the year 1951 was a year of change, they felt as if they were on the way to a new modern world which presented technological and social progress, Children who were born during the â€Å"baby boom† were born into a different society to which their parents grew up in. Leading up to the year 1964 there were many social tensions, changes in attitudes and significant shifts i population which can identify how Britain’s society had changed dramatically.After 1951 you could say Britain experienced a â€Å"demographic change† . Birth rates ran consistently against de ath rates, an explanation for this could be the advances in medical treatments which improved under the influence of the welfare state this then led to an increase standard of nutrition and hygiene.Another factor which could contribute to the demographic change was the increase of inward migration , in the year 1948 around 250,000 immigrants arrived in Britain from the West Indies Particularly those from the common wealth had become a vital part of British society, and in the process, transformed important aspects of British life although it eventually led to overpopulation, and immigration caused racial tension and segregation for example the Nottingham riots.Britain encouraged immigrants to come to the â€Å"mother land† to help recover from the ravages of war however this caused racial tension between the immigrants and the British, the tension was more apparent as the lack of housing became a problem as did the competition for jobs. The increase of immigrants led to less scopes for jobs as did the fact people were living longer due to the up and running free service of the NHS which many felt immigrants didn’t deserve. Many British people that had a skill in a specific trade were forced to take up trades that required no skill at all which angered them.Due to immigration, discrimination in jobs was open, for example shop keepers put a sign up saying what kind of workers they were looking for, and this gave many British people the advantage of the immigrants as a confidence trick to govern the country due to being imperial. Excluded from much of the social and economic life the immigrants began to adjust the institutions they had brought with them, for example their churches and the fact they had a British education which meant that the government gave them the right to follow their own traditions and reduced the challenges of schooling.However this also increased segregation between the immigrants and those who opposed, conflict and discrimin ation was very common, it became easier to recognise people’s origins and social background from their dress scene and accents. The government weren’t prepared for the reaction of the public immigration would cause regarding the unhappiness of being restricted in the job market, they then introduced the immigration act which stopped immigrant wanting to come into the country although if left the ones already in Britain feeling very isolated and betrayed which sparked their rebellion.The conservative government had traditional views upon empire and they were objective to change which socially changed the views of the public and changed the country into a closed racist country portraying how uneducated Britain was at the time and how post war prosperity wasn’t the only thing that sculpted social change in Britain . On the other hand there was also a strong amount of outward migration. Australia was appealing to British citizens as it had many jobs and a good amoun t of housing available.Affluence began to become more apparent in every class, which meant people were becoming a lot wealthier due to the rise in wages. However this lead to competition regarding jobs and housing and even schooling due to people having more money to spend. This created a more distinctive overview between classes meaning that people could recognise immediately what class you belonged to and what your origins and social background was. The class spilt became more evident throughout the schooling system.Schooling during 1951-64 was a major social problem due to the psychological strain on pupils had to pass their 11+ in order to achieve a better education by their parents as they wanted to avoid the social shame. The technical and grammar schools only took the most capable students which left the working class children with very basic education as they couldn’t afford any private tuition and often weren’t capable at the age of 11 to enter the grammar sch ools although after a few years they were ready to undergo more strenuous studying but by this time it was too late.The natural progression was from the most private boarding schools, to the most prestigious colleges at Oxford or Cambridge and thence into positions of power and influence this in turn led to the working class feeling discriminated. Eden for example went to Eton and Oxford and found himself in the prime ministers position. It was easy by this time to distinguish people’s class and social background from their dress sense and their accents, which demonstrates the growing social tensions including immigration and violence.Post war prosperity brought along social change in education due to the shift in attitude and the ideal that the government wanted to compete with other countries. The government wanted the best education for the new generation so they can go into better jobs in order to boost the economy in the future. But during the conservative government the re wasn’t any change regrinding the removal of social tension until Labour secured dominance in 1964 issuing the Education Act which introduced middle schools (which eliminated the 11+).The media influenced views on society that escalated tension and competition between classes, the class system split became more distinctive because of this. This was seen throughout various films such as ‘Saturday night’ and ‘Sunday Morning’, big hit in the 1960’s, it portrayed the alienation of young working class males. The influence of the media led to segregation as many films portrayed the racial tension, for example the theme of the film Sapphire (1959).The media opened the way for a more individualist and less conformist society, for example the Profumo affair– the girl on the wrong side of the tracks. This resulted in people, especially the younger generation, becoming less willing to follow the lead set by the British ‘establishmentâ€⠄¢. The newspapers also influenced the things that people began to believe in, they exaggerated stories and made things out to be worse than they actually were which resulted in the society building their views on lies causing tension between classes and even new â€Å"trend† groups like the Teddy Boys.Due to the more rebellious attitudes there was a sharp increase of crime rates and violence due to the development of a more liberal attitude obtained by youths. Examples of the increase in crime can be seen via the Mods and Rockers who used the influence of music to give them a drive into developing a liberal attitude and their views sometimes sparked violence with other groups seen through the Bristol brawl. Gang violence was chillingly portrayed in Antony Burgess’s 1962 novel, ‘A Clockwork orange’.However, the war brought opportunities to allow society to modernise in terms of attitude and social change although it was mainly due to the loss of dominance from the government. The governments weaknesses were exposed via the media, the television portrayed satire, which led many people to gain a more liberal attitudes, which demonstrates that it wasn’t just post war prosperity that brought social change to Britain.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Biography of Yuri Gagarin, First Man in Space

Biography of Yuri Gagarin, First Man in Space Yuri Gagarin (March 9, 1934–March 27, 1968) made history on April 12, 1961, when he became both the first person in the world to enter space and the first person to orbit the Earth. Although he never again went to space, his achievement was one of the most significant events of the space race which eventually saw men land on the moon. Fast Facts: Yuri Gagarin Known For: First human being in space and first in Earth orbitBorn: March 9, 1934 in Klushino, USSRParents: Alexey Ivanovich Gagarin, Anna Timofeyevna GagarinaDied: March 27, 1968 in Kirsach, USSREducation: Orenburg Aviation School, where he learned to fly Soviet MiGsAwards and Honors: Order of Lenin, Hero of the Soviet Union, Pilot Cosmonaut of the Soviet Union; monuments were raised and streets named for him across the Soviet UnionSpouse: Valentina GagarinaChildren: Yelena (born 1959), Galina (born 1961)Notable Quote: To be the first to enter the cosmos, to engage single-handed in an unprecedented duel with nature- could anyone dream of anything greater than that? Early Life born in Klushino, a small village west of Moscow in Russia (then known as the Soviet Union). Yuri was the third of four children and spent his childhood on a collective farm where his father, Alexey Ivanovich Gagarin, worked as a carpenter and bricklayer and his mother, Anna Timofeyevna Gagarina, worked as a milkmaid. In 1941, Yuri Gagarin was just 7 years old when the Nazis invaded the Soviet Union. Life was difficult during the war and the Gagarins were kicked out of their home. The Nazis also sent Yuris two sisters to Germany to work as forced laborers. Gagarin Learns to Fly In school, Yuri Gagarin loved both mathematics and physics. He continued on to a trade school, where he learned to be a metalworker and then went on to an industrial school. It was at the industrial school in Saratov that he joined a flying club. Gagarin learned quickly and was obviously at ease in a plane. He made his first solo flight in 1955. Since Gagarin had discovered a love of flying, he joined the Soviet Air Force. Gagarins skills led him to the Orenburg Aviation School, where he learned to fly MiGs. On the same day he graduated from Orenburg with top honors in November 1957, Yuri Gagarin married his sweetheart, Valentina (Valy) Ivanovna Goryacheva. The couple eventually had two daughters together. After graduating, Gagarin was sent on some missions. However, while Gagarin enjoyed being a fighter pilot, what he really wanted to do was to go to space. Since he had been following the Soviet Unions progress in space flight, he was confident that soon his country would send a man into space. He wanted to be that man, so he volunteered to be a cosmonaut. Gagarin Applies to Be a Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin was just one of 3,000 applicants to be the first Soviet cosmonaut. Out of this large pool of applicants, 20 were chosen in 1960 to be the Soviet Unions first cosmonauts; Gagarin was one of the 20. During the extensive physical and psychological testing required of the chosen cosmonaut trainees, Gagarin excelled at the tests while maintaining a calm demeanor as well as his sense of humor. Later, Gagarin would be chosen to be the first man into space because of these skills. (It also helped that he was short in stature since Vostok 1s capsule was small.) Cosmonaut trainee Gherman Titov was chosen to be the backup in case Gagarin was unable to make the first space flight. Launch of Vostok 1 On April 12, 1961, Yuri Gagarin boarded Vostok 1 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome. Although he was fully trained for the mission, no one knew if it was going to be a success or a failure. Gagarin was to be the very first human being in space, truly going where no man had gone before. Minutes before the launch, Gagarin gave a speech, which included: You must realize that it is hard to express my feeling now that the test for which we have been training long and passionately is at hand. I dont have to tell you what I felt when it was suggested that I should make this flight, the first in history. Was it joy? No, it was something more than that. Pride? No, it was not just pride. I felt great happiness. To be the first to enter the cosmos, to engage single handed in an unprecedented duel with nature- could anyone dream of anything greater than that? But immediately after that I thought of the tremendous responsibility I bore: to be the first to do what generations of people had dreamed of; to be the first to pave the way into space for mankind. * Vostok 1, with Yuri Gagarin inside, launched on schedule at 9:07 a.m. Moscow Time. Just after lift-off, Gagarin reputedly called out, Poyekhali! (Off we go!) Gagarin was rocketed into space using an automated system. Gagarin did not control the spacecraft during his mission; however, in case of an emergency, he could have opened an envelope left on board for the override code. He was not given the controls because many scientists were worried about the psychological effects of being in space (i.e. they were worried he would go mad). After entering space, Gagarin completed a single orbit around Earth. The Vostok 1s top speed reached 28,260 kph (about 17,600 mph). At the end of the orbit, Vostok 1 reentered the Earths atmosphere. When Vostok 1 was still about 7 km (4.35 miles) from the ground, Gagarin ejected (as planned) from the spacecraft and used a parachute to land safely. From launch (at 9:07 a.m.) to Vostok 1 touching down on the ground (10:55 a.m.) was 108 minutes, a number often used to describe this mission. Gagarin landed safely with his parachute about 10 minutes after Vostok 1 came down. The calculation of 108 minutes is used because the fact that Gagarin ejected from the spacecraft and parachuted to the ground was kept secret for many years. (The Soviets did this to get around a technicality about how flights were officially recognized at the time.) Right before Gagarin landed (near the village of Uzmoriye, near the Volga River), a local farmer and her daughter spotted Gagarin floating down with his parachute. Once on the ground, Gagarin, dressed in an orange spacesuit and wearing a large white helmet, terrified the two women. It took Gagarin a few minutes to convince them that he too was Russian and to direct him to the nearest phone. Death After his successful first flight into space, Gagarin never again was sent into space. Instead, he helped train future cosmonauts. On March 27, 1968, Gagarin was test-piloting a MiG-15 fighter jet when the plane plummeted to the ground, killing Gagarin instantly at the age of 34. For decades, people speculated about how Gagarin, an experienced pilot, could safely fly to space and back but die during a routine flight. Some thought he was drunk. Others believed that Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev wanted Gagarin dead because he was jealous of the cosmonauts fame. However, in June 2013, fellow cosmonaut, Alexey Leonov (the first man to  conduct a spacewalk), revealed that the accident was caused by a Sukhoi fighter jet that had been flying too low. Traveling at supersonic speed, the jet flew perilously close to Gagarins MiG, likely overturning the MiG with its backwash and sending Gagarins jet into a deep spiral. Legacy Nearly as soon as Gagarins feet touched the ground back on Earth, he became an international hero. His accomplishment was known around the globe. He had accomplished what no other human being had ever done before. Yuri Gagarins successful flight into space paved the way for all future space exploration. Sources Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. â€Å"Yuri Gagarin.† Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica.Biography.com, AE Networks Television. â€Å"Yuri Gagarin.†

Monday, October 21, 2019

out of africa essays

out of africa essays The story is about a Danish girl, her name is Karen Blixen who went to Africa after she married with Baron. In Africa and more precisely in Kenya she started to run a coffee-farm. But its failure in 1931 caused her to return to Denmark. Baroness Karen Blixen spent 17 years in Africa. Karen began the coffee-farm with her husband, and continued to oversee the farm even after she separated in 1925. Th e farm was an unprofitable venture. Blixen shares her experiences in her book. actually she is not like all the other colonists. She helps the Kikoejoes, they are the native population Ngong Hills. When the children are sick she helps them and she gives them medicines. Kamante is her cook and he his a native child. Kamante is her cook because one day Karen helped him whit a disease . Denys is a friend of Karen, he liked to her a story tolded . Denys lived in her house between safari. He was a good friend. Denys also had a plane and from time to time Karen flew with him over Africa. When Karen left Africa she had to say goodbye to a lot of peoples. E everybody liked her. She was a friendly girl and when she was in Denmark she received letters from her friend sin Kenya. It is not a book like an other. Karen describes her surroundings -Africa's people, she pays careful attention to detail. I have chosen this book because I have lived in Africa for 11 years and while I was reading the book I recognised a lot of things. I knew what she was talking about. It looked so familiar to me. ...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Show how the production of an Inspector calls enhanced the script and furthered your understanding of the play Essays

Show how the production of an Inspector calls enhanced the script and furthered your understanding of the play Essays Show how the production of an Inspector calls enhanced the script and furthered your understanding of the play Essay Show how the production of an Inspector calls enhanced the script and furthered your understanding of the play Essay and learns lessons which will influence her forever. She is not a likable person at the start of the play but her personality changes when the inspector calls. She knows Gerald is lying about last summer Act 1 except all last summer, when you never came near me, and I wondered what had happened to you. When I went to the production of an inspector call it furthered my understanding of Shelia by the way that when she confesses about her part in Eva Smiths. She went to the front of the stage and the light shone on her most and it made it fell like she was asking your opinion like a judge and jury. This furthered it as it showed they she felt bad about what she had done and wanted forgiveness. Eric didnt seem to develop much in the play as he did very little in it as he was always sulking but quiet at ease, half shy half-assertive. He seems very polite when he spoke but when drunk he babbled and groaned also when he is speaking to someone he seems a bit ignorant in the way he express himself and is childish. Act 1 What about war He seems to be innocent but really he is a drunk who used Eva Smith for sex and nothing else, but his parents dont notice. His sister Sheila has started to notice the way he drinks and the amount he is having. This turns out to be a main part in Shelias personality as she was very observant on how much he was drinking. My understanding was furthered when we went to the production as when he was confronted he was completely drowned in alcohol and didnt know what to say for instants when he was being questioned he was very badly stumbling on words Act 3 you know didnt you?. But in the scripted we dont get a good idea of what he is really like as the y cant express theyre self-much. The inspector was an quite old man of about 50 in a brown trench coat and a black suit underneath. He seems to be straight to the point. When Edna introduced him she emphasized the word Goole as if it was a ghoul (a person intrigued by death or an evil spirit or phantom). Act 1 A police inspector his says his name is inspector Goole. This helped me understand as it made it clearer that maybe he wasnt real at all in the production when he was confronting them the light shone hard on them as if it was an interrogation. I feel he was there to weaken their defences so that they would tell the truth to the real inspector who would follow after he left. In the script he seems to talk to them all in the same way but in the production he talked nicely to both Shelia and Eric. I feel that he know they would change their ways. But was nasty to Mr and Mrs Birling and Gerald, as they wouldnt change their ways. In the second part of this essay I will talk about two themes they are war and who is the inspector. War is used in many different ways in the play. The first is when Mr Birling is talking to the whole family. Then Eric asks about war Act 1 what about war. To which Mr Birling replies just because the Kaiser make a speech or two or a few German soldiers have too much to drink and begin talking nonsense, youll have some people who say war is inevitable and I say fiddle-sticks! The Germans dont war, nobody whats war except some half-citizens in the Balkans and why theres too much at stake these days. Everything to lose and nothing to gain in war. This means that he doesnt believe there will ever be a war. In the production when he said this an unusual noise like a horn is heard this is to represent dramatic irony (when either you know something that they dont know). This furthered my understanding of the play as it showed the irony far clearer then in the text. It was also used when the inspector is warning them. Act 3 and I tell you the time will come when, if men will not learn that lesson. They will be taught it in fire, blood and anguish when he says this he means there will be war. (WW1 and WW2) they use the noise again when he says this. The inspector has a large part to play in this even more so is the fact you dont know who he is it is as if you are not to know. It is very hard to pinpoint who he is as he could be so many different things. He is gentle yet aggressive but I feel this may be because he needs to use force on some to get what he needs to hear. He seems to talk nicely to Shelia and Eric but aggressive to the rest of the family(as I have said). I feel his name is not accidental, as Goole seems to be a pun as a similar word is ghoul meaning a person interested in death or an evil spirit or phantom. You get this idea, as when hes introduced Edna seems to express the word Goole Act 1 he says his name is Goole. He is no evil spirit but seems to be the policeman of conscience. As it seems to me as if he is trying to weaken their defences with help from Shelia. When he enters on to the stage he gives an immediate sense of massiveness, solidity and purposefulness even though he is in no way large. When I watche d the production he seemed to always look hard at whom he was talking to so as to make them tell the truth. This furthered my understanding as it showed what he was like to different people in different ways and what a good devise he was as I feel that Priestley used him as a device to show what well happen if they do wrong. I conclude that the production furthered my understanding a lot and that in my essay I have commented on many different things like devises that were used like the inspector also it shows more of what each character is like and how they react to being and the way in which they express there feelings for Eva Smith.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Free will Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Free will - Essay Example determinism. Though both the sides bring evidence in support of their claims, yet the discussions endorse the very point that most of human actions, as well as man’s fate, are dependent of determinism though humans have been granted some powers to get involved into the activities of their choice to some extent in the wake of their whims and wishes. Hence, the topic under investigation observes great philosophic significance in its nature and scope. The Paper: Renowned theologian Jonathan Edwards (1754) has provided a detailed account of the concept of free will in his works, where he views the free will to be the desires prevailing in the human breast, and produce pleasure for man. Since it is mind that maintains the powers to direct the physical organs for the performance of an act or abstinence from the same, the mind issues commands whether some specific act in the wake of the desire should be performed or refrained from executing the same. Hence, there always appears some motive that results into the accomplishment of various tasks because of the desires that affect human mind. Nevertheless, man cannot perform every act out of his free will due to the prior knowledge of the Lord regarding all the things and incidents that would take place in man’s life. ... knowledge God maintains in respect of the future developments by alluding to the Scripture, where the predictions about the future developments have been made by God, which do not actually come under the definition of the uncertain guesses (393). In addition to this, since God is also already aware of the whims prevailing in the minds and hearts of the coming human generations, He has determined the actions the individuals belonging to these generations would perform and execute during their life span at large, which could be the products of the volitions of their moral (and immoral) agents (393). Hence, the actions and volitions appear to be the predetermined phenomena over which humans could have little or no power, according to Edwards’ doctrine (394). Hence, the foreknowledge of God about all events and actions that are actually the product of volitions provides an indirect pardon to the human actions due to the very reality that these steps had already been determined, ag ainst which humans could not be held responsible for. Another very important argument made by Edwards in support of his claim regarding the determinism includes the evident existence of the human actions that would occur in future years to come, to which he called the nature of Necessity (394). Furthermore, a thing existence of which is necessary in the universe, why it could be endorsed that the thing itself is not necessary. Hence, the action and event that has been preserved as the Foreknowledge in the possession of Nature would certainly occur one day in exactly the same manner as it has been preserved as the part of the Foreknowledge of the Providence. In other words, the argument indirectly refutes the possibility of free will due to the existence of actions and events as an essential

Friday, October 18, 2019

Alternative Energy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Alternative Energy - Research Paper Example There are various alternate energy incentives that the United States Federal Government can offer. It should focus more on promoting renewable energy and for that, there are various incentives that it can offer. The government needs to promote new technology and offer incentives to investors who deploy that technology. Secondly, it should offer opportunities such as tax exemptions for businesses that make use of wind or solar power energy. There is a new law that was recently passed which propagated tax exemptions for homeowners who made energy-efficient improvements in their current homes. The law is under Residential Energy Property Credit (Section 1121) (IRS)This alternative energy incentive was subjected to improvements at home such as adding insulation, constructing energy-efficient exteriors and having energy efficient heating and cool systems at home. The government during Bush’s tenure had chalked out a plan to convert all taxis to hybrids by 2012. Various incentives w ere offered to back this motive by the government. Ethanol producers were given 50 cents per gallon credit. (Renewable energy is a job creator, 2011) Solar technology as the name implies uses sun’s energy to generate heat, light, and electricity. There are various types of solar collectors which are used to trap the sun’s energy. Passive solar buildings designs are built to trap the sun’s heat; photovoltaic cells are designed to trap sunlight and to convert it into electricity directly. It is a renewable form of energy. On the plus side, this is an abundant source of energy, is renewable and clean.

Critical Perspectives of Management and Organisations Essay

Critical Perspectives of Management and Organisations - Essay Example 87). These behaviours have become so common in the workplace to the point that they are viewed as normal and legal steps are rarely taken to discourage the same (Thomson Reuters, 2007). Although various countries have established laws to control this behaviour and minimize its effects to the employees, which are usually negative to their productivity and psychological health, most companies still tolerate them especially in the cases where seniors harass subordinates (Crosby, 2007, p. 45-50). Most of these cases are not reported as individual are usually afraid of losing their jobs. Desexualizing the work place is important both for the sake of the organization and for the employees who may become tormented by unwelcome advances of their bosses. Desexualizing is the change in direction with respect to suppressing sexuality as a way of establishing managerial control on employees. The topic of sexuality in the workplace is very important both for the employees and for the employers (O erez & Liberman, 2010, p. 102-107). The employees benefit by knowing that they have the right to be provided with a healthy working places without sexual discrimination of any kind. In addition, the topic provides information to the employees on possible steps to take in the case that they may be subjected towards sexual discrimination (Williams et al., 1999, p. 77-79). On the other hand, the employer is made aware that they may be subject to lawsuit in the event that sexual discrimination takes place in the organization and they fail to take steps to avert the same. In this essay, I am going to present the work of Katie Sullivan who outlines various claims connected to the case of sexualisation in the work place. In the essay, I am going to show how the society has accepted this behaviour and present facts to show how it can be averted especially in the profession of massage. Sullivan

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Oral History Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Oral History - Term Paper Example After Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait on august 2nd 1990, the United Nations Security Council responded by calling for Iraq’s withdrawal from Kuwait on August 3rd. After Iraq had failed to comply with the United Nation’s Security Council directives, the board responded on august 6 the same year through imposing a worldwide ban relating to trade with Iraq. Iraq failed to relent on its objective or hinder to the warnings imposed and on august 8, the same year, it formally annexed Kuwait. The invasion of Iraq and subsequent threat it posed Saudi Arabia, considering it as the world largest oil producer, prompted the United States (U.S) as well as western European allies to send troops to Saudi Arabia with an aim of deterring any possible attack. Other Arab nations among them Egypt, contributed by sending forces to the region. The military build up gained from the U.S, its western allies and other countries won a name operation desert shield (Gregory, 2010). After these cou ntries had ganged to defend other nations from the arrogant behaviours shown by Iraq, Iraq strengthened its military base in Kuwait through increasing the number of military to almost thirty thousand troops. The UN Security Council declared an offensive action against Iraq on 29th November if Iraq will not withdraw its forces from Kuwait by mid-January 1991. On 16nth January, 1991, the allied forces began a military offensive against Iraq with the U.S leading a massive air campaign that lasted throughout the war. Continued attacks remained the order of the day with sustained aerial bombardments regarded as Operation Desert Storm. Within the first few weeks, the aerial attacks and adequate ground cover became successful in destroying Iraq’s air defences and consequently launching attacks on communications networks, weapon plants and government offices among other essential structures of the Iraq’s government. By mid-February, the focus of the attacks

Denver Gem and Mineral Guild Show Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Denver Gem and Mineral Guild Show - Essay Example The show exhibits some of the most beautiful minerals across the state of Colorado and the entire world. The show usually last for three days featuring dealers in geology, jewelry, lapidary as well as fossil-related wares. The show also features private collectors, museums and rock clubs. The show is run in accordance with the principles and regulations of American Federation of Mineralogical Societies. There are usually various professionals lecturing about different topics throughout the period of the show with each annual event having a different theme. Many organizations across the state participate in the annual show and offer teachings about various topics. Local Denver clubs have a portion of the Show floor set aside for them. The show is a great fun and learning occasion in which local schools are usually invited. The show mainly focuses on promoting exhibition, exploration as well as education in earth

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Oral History Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Oral History - Term Paper Example After Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait on august 2nd 1990, the United Nations Security Council responded by calling for Iraq’s withdrawal from Kuwait on August 3rd. After Iraq had failed to comply with the United Nation’s Security Council directives, the board responded on august 6 the same year through imposing a worldwide ban relating to trade with Iraq. Iraq failed to relent on its objective or hinder to the warnings imposed and on august 8, the same year, it formally annexed Kuwait. The invasion of Iraq and subsequent threat it posed Saudi Arabia, considering it as the world largest oil producer, prompted the United States (U.S) as well as western European allies to send troops to Saudi Arabia with an aim of deterring any possible attack. Other Arab nations among them Egypt, contributed by sending forces to the region. The military build up gained from the U.S, its western allies and other countries won a name operation desert shield (Gregory, 2010). After these cou ntries had ganged to defend other nations from the arrogant behaviours shown by Iraq, Iraq strengthened its military base in Kuwait through increasing the number of military to almost thirty thousand troops. The UN Security Council declared an offensive action against Iraq on 29th November if Iraq will not withdraw its forces from Kuwait by mid-January 1991. On 16nth January, 1991, the allied forces began a military offensive against Iraq with the U.S leading a massive air campaign that lasted throughout the war. Continued attacks remained the order of the day with sustained aerial bombardments regarded as Operation Desert Storm. Within the first few weeks, the aerial attacks and adequate ground cover became successful in destroying Iraq’s air defences and consequently launching attacks on communications networks, weapon plants and government offices among other essential structures of the Iraq’s government. By mid-February, the focus of the attacks

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Creativity in music and children learning in 3-5 years Annotated Bibliography

Creativity in music and children learning in 3-5 years - Annotated Bibliography Example Creativity in music helps children build their confidence. Children learn to be independent by taking the initiative of forming their own songs. This could be with the help of their parents or their teachers. Examples of these songs are songs on responsibility. The songs help children face the world by making them know their talents count.Creativity in music helps enhance the quality of a child’s life. This is by enabling the child express his or her ideas and experiences by the use of music. Examples of these songs are songs on trust. These songs help guard a child around strangers. A child will remember the message in the song and know what to do when a stranger talks to him or her.Creativity in music allows a child to express his or her feelings through music. When children are given a chance to be creative, they can openly say what they feel or think confidently. Examples of these songs are the ones on compassion. These songs teach them how to behave and how to handle them selves around grownups and around their friends. This book explains that nurturing a child’s talent at an early age is important. Children can use their musical talents to earn a living when they grow up. At these stages, children are usually curious and they are always looking for answers. This stage is not of serious study and exposing a child to critical theory, makes him or her loose the desire to learn. When asking a child, what he or she learnt in school, it is possible that the child will not have a clue of a hint.

Baz Luhrmann and Franco Zeffirellis film Essay Example for Free

Baz Luhrmann and Franco Zeffirellis film Essay Having watched two different film adaptations of Romeo and Juliet, it is clear to see that the two directors have used a number of different techniques, quite differently at times, to put across their particular interpretations of the play. These methods and different interpretations are very obvious if one studies the same scene as portrayed in each film. We looked at Franco Zeffirellis 1970s version of the play and Baz Luhrmanns recent adaptation produced in 1996 and focused on their interpretation of the scene where Romeo and Juliet meet for the first time. The first thing I noticed is that costume is very important in Zeffirellis scene. Juliet, played by Olivia Hussey, is wearing a traditional styled red and gold dress, which highlights wealth. It is not as detailed as most at the party which points to the fact that it is not just material wealth she has but also the huge amount of natural beauty she has. The bright red contrasts with her pale complexion and jet-black hair to make her look very striking. Romeos outfit is also very noticeable as he is wearing a mask. It adds to the air of mystery around him as Juliet meets him for the first time. It also helps to make a point about the nature of their attraction: when she first sees him, Juliet sees only Romeos eyes, yet is still drawn to him. Therefore, here there is something more than physical attraction. Instead, it seems to be a communion of souls since eyes are often considered to be the windows to this part of ourselves. The choreography of the scene also reveals something about Romeos feelings towards Juliet. His attention is fixed upon a lady which we assume to be Rosaline who is dancing and then twirls out of shot to reveal Juliet to R0meo. It is here that he proclaims he has never seen true beauty until now. It is showing to us that although Romeo thought he was in love with Rosaline, it is nothing compared to his feelings for Juliet. When the chance arises for Romeo to join Juliet in a dance, he dismisses other ladies for the opportunity to dance with Juliet. As the dancing gets faster, long shots are used to show the amount of people present at the party. The dancing changes and people begin to spin around in a circle; the camera shots change, letting people flow past the camera at a very high speed. It looks like flashes of colour flying through the shot; no faces can be seen  clearly. The fast dancing reflects the sheer excitement that they are feeling, that they are so in love that it is truly exhilarating. It is here that Franco Zeffirelli shows how love at first sight really can be true as amongst the chaos and frivolity of colour, the camera jump cuts to Romeo to the party of moving colour and to Juliet. He has done this to show how amongst the chaos of their feuding families, they have their own world where no one else matters except each other. When the bard starts to sing, Romeo and Juliet speak for the first time. As they do, the words being sung in the background have a large resemblance to their lives. It tells of their willingness to be together but their struggle to make it possible as they are torn apart by their feuding families. As the choreography reflects the emotions of the characters, the score that plays in the Zeffirelli film reflects their emotions again as when Romeo sees Juliet, he sees her beauty and the score changes to a softer, more gentle tune. Franco Zeffirelli contrasts Romeo and Juliet when they are together with the music. It changes from loud, frantic music to gentle, heavenly tunes, the score changes to a minor key as she is not sure about him and then surges as they kiss. In the play, Shakespeare also juxtaposes scenes that are chaotic with very calm peaceful ones. As I have said, the score changes as Juliet and Romeo are together and in the play, Shakespeare shows their love by constantly comparing scenes with them in to scenes with fighting, frantic happenings and chaos. In Baz Luhrmanns film adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, the scene I have studied begins with Romeo played by Leonardo Di Caprio with his face submerged in water, washing his face, which clears his mind of drugs and he sees Juliet in a clearer light. The lovers first meeting is a sequence where each is on either side of a lavish fish tank. The lighting used is a pale blue, making it seem slightly surreal, almost dream like. As Romeo and Juliet playfully look at each other through the tank, camera shots cleverly portray their meeting to look like they are together inside the tank. In this scene, camera distances vary from medium close-shots to close-ups and  back again, their eyes are depicted throughout, as the camera shots change, it portrays them watching each other, discovering each other every feature, every move. The idea of social and physical barriers is presented by having the fish tank between the two of them, keeping them apart thus visualizing to the audience the other aspect of Romeo and Juliets love. The fish tank serves as a physical barrier between the two lovers, even though there are also a lot of emotional barriers. Even though Romeo is dazed from the ecstasy pill and his infatuation with Rosaline, it is the water that purifies and cleanses his mind and it the free, flowing nature of water that Luhrmann uses as a representation of love. When the two lovers kiss in the lift, the cameras encircle them, thus suggesting that Romeo and Juliet are at the centre of their own universe, in total disregard or lack of awareness of the social chaos as suggested by the blurred images around them. The way in which the imagery of water is used to symbolise their own world, camera shots, lighting and music also add to the depth of their love. The beautiful melody of Kissing You marks the initial meeting of Romeo and Juliet, and Desrees deep, soulful voice glides gently through the house as the strangers playfully observe each other through the fish tank. The score is a brave and eclectic mix of atmospheric music from Radioheads Talk Show Host to Wagners Liebstod. The emphasis is on music that is emotive and suitable for a particular scene rather than creating a soundtrack rooted in one genre as in the Zeffirelli adaptation. The Capulet Ball is one of the most outstanding sequences in the movie. The decorations are spectacular, and the costumes are magnificent. However, the party is not all just glitz and glamour. Upon closer investigation, we can see that it is also a perfect opportunity for Luhrmann to accentuate the individual motivations of the characters with clever use of costumes. Romeo is the knight in shining armour who has been sent to rescue Juliet, and Juliet is a bright angel, innocent and pure, who has been sent to relieve Romeos confusion and despair. Luhrmann supplements this image by showing Romeo and Juliet as innocent, beautiful and youthful. This is achieved by the continuous focus of the cameras on the freshness of their skin, their  sparkling eyes, flushed cheeks and pink lips in addition to the words of Shakespeare. In conclusion, these two films, although based upon the same play, come across very differently. The fact that Franco Zeffirelli has set his in the time Shakespeare intended it to and Baz Luhrmann has set his in 20th century Verona beach, Florida has a considerable amount to do with these differences. It is interesting to see that both directors have used the concept of the young couple existing in their own world, although both of them use different techniques to present this, their outcome is visualised to the viewer the same. Baz Luhrmann has had certain advantages to his film as he had technology to help him portray the initial meaning in a more dream like manner with the help of special lighting and specific camera shots. Also, this adaptation was a major Hollywood blockbuster with millions of dollars to be spent on it. Whereas, 40 years ago, I imagine that Franco Zeffirelli would have had to deal with a budget and obviously, did not have the technology to portray special effect s and sounds.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Should There Be Censorship On Arts And Film Media Essay

Should There Be Censorship On Arts And Film Media Essay Censorship of art and film has been a rather controversial and debated issue in these past years and is yet to be resolved. While there are certain laws in different countries that permit artists to express themselves freely, there are many who still oppose these laws and feel the need for restrictions to be imposed, as the content created may not be appropriate to society. Yet, the question remains who is to decide what is what is acceptable and appropriate to society? This then brings me on to the main topic, Should there be censorship on arts and film? Slide 2-How is the content related to the document? This presentation is based on the issue of freedom in the expression of art and film that has been discussed in Document 8 regarding Art History and Film. This research attempts to evaluate whether there should censorship in the expression of arts to avoid misdirection in society. In the modern world with strict censorship in film, directors cannot fully express their vision of an adaptation. At the same time there are false interpretations and portrayals of history in film leading to misconceptions in history, especially in the eyes of the youth. Many may not see in unison with censoring art and film, especially those who believe in freedom of expression. This presentation also focuses on evaluating the reasons for and against censorship on art and film and also to provide its global impact. Slide 3- Definitions of Key Terms Before moving ahead I would like to define some key words to ensure clarity throughout the presentation. Freedom of expression: Freedom to communicate ideas without restraint, whether orally or in print or by other means of communication. Censorship: Supervision and control of the information and ideas that are circulated among the people within a society. In modern times, censorship refers to the examination of books, periodicals, plays, films, television and radio programs, news reports, and other communication media for the purpose of altering or suppressing parts thought to be objectionable or offensive. Art:   The expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power. Slide 4- Types of Censorship. In this slide I will use the USA as an example to discuss the types of censorship. Regulative  Censorship: This form of censorship is where  regulatory  bodies  monitor obscene words  and pictures on the Internet and public domains. This  type  of censorship tries to draw levelness between free speech and the right to privacy. In the USA, regulatory bodies such as the Federal Communication Commission scan airwaves for  obscene  content.    Constitutive Censorship: This type of censorship is when a community agrees on rules regarding the  acceptability and decency of content. Censorship is applied when a group imposes  disapproval, isolation and banishment from the community. Speak Your Mind, but Pay the Price   This is a form of censorship in the USA This is when you pay the price when speaking your mind at the wrong place. For example,  expressing  thought  about a court judge when in court. Motion Picture Rating System: This type of censorship is for movies, and restricts the audiences for films in accordance with the content of the film such as violence, mature content and profanity. Slide 5- Statistics 1 (World Map) Censorship around  the World analysis: This slide shows levels of censorship  around the world. In this map, it is evident that China and the Middle East have pervasive censorship, in other words, extensive and extreme censorship. This is due to strict government regimes. North and South America have almost no censorship and this is due to the democratic ideology.   Slide 6- Why there should be censorship of art and film.   Art   It is often argued that censorship is necessary in todays world not only because of our influential youth but also, as various art forms become increasingly popular, people are subject to their meanings and this could be potentially harmful. Firstly, it can be stated that censorship allows the preservation of the moral values of a nation or society. Art forms, which go against the values held by society, can result in heated arguments and very controversial protests. For example, the caricature of Prophet Mohammad by a Danish cartoonist caused massive uproars amongst Islamic groups worldwide resulting in an approximate of 100 deaths. Censorship would have resulted in this piece of art not to be released thus not causing destruction. Sometimes, censoring of art is required for the betterment of the parties involves. In the case of Arundhathi Roy a Booker Prize-winning Indian novelist, her portrayals of the Indian Government as being anti-people and containing the potential to influence the youth has led the Indian government to take action. Thus literary works such as this can potentially destabilize a country causing havoc and controversy. The censoring of arts can also be approached from a psychological point of view. Plato, the writer of The Republic states that arts, specifically painting and poetry, should be censored the re ason being that these are imitations and pertains to the truth. Due to this being a representation of the truth it appeals to the irrational part of our brain. Therefore art can corrupt character by influencing undesirable emotions and should indeed be censored. Film As time progresses, films are becoming more realistic and this can allow for mis-interpretation of film; making them more influential to the public. Films have the ability to cause controversy and chaos, therefore censoring films can avoid this to a certain extent.   The Roman Catholic Church criticized the movie, The Da Vinci Code and several bishops asked members to boycott the film. When it comes down to religion, censorship can help to a great extent to avoid conflict such as in this case, where there were massive protests  against  the writer of the script and book, Dan Brown. Sometimes  some government intervention is also needed in the film industry. As stated in Document 8, the movie Mangal Pandey exhibited a false rewrite of history, and this could be potentially dangerous as could scholars  misconceive  this directors interpretation of the events in contrast to the actual  occurrences.  Government  intervention or and sort of credible censoring is needed to check the historical accuracy of films and to draw the fine line between truth and entertainment.   Slide 7 Why shouldnt there be censorship of arts and films. The first amendment protects the rights of freedom of expression from any government intervention. Hence it can be inferred that the First Amendment should  protect the creative process of an artist and the works produced as art is assumed to be a form of freedom of expression. Censorship would violate this human right and may prove unlawful. Also, artists describe censorship are a strangling to creativity. With a vice-like grip, censorship forbids artists from fully expressing their creativity and ideas and can be considered to be an injustice. According to basic human standards, everyone has the right to know. Yet, censorship can prevent this dis-allowing people from gaining access to knowledge that should not really be restricted or kept hidden. Censorship assumes that the audience of this material is immature or incapable of understanding the full extent of the censored material. This does not necessarily respect us and asserts that we are not capable of mature responses t o the censored material. Censorship allows good art and suppresses bad art. Who can really define what is good and bad art as art can mean different things to different people. As U.S. Supreme Court Justice John M. Harlan II quotes One mans vulgarity is another mans lyric. Censorship can be viewed from an economic angle as well. When films are censored, this limits the audience to the film, therefore restricting the revenue made from the production of the film. If censoring were to be banned, more revenue would be returned to the government as tax, in turn helping the people of the country, considering the filming industry is huge and the revenue earned is immense. This would also allow people to choose what they want to view using their value judgments, resulting in more independence of choice. When films released in theatres are censored, it encourages piracy, as people would want to know what has been censored, resulting in an increase in piracy. Also underage viewers are encoura ged to illegally obtain these films through the Internet as what is banned is desired. Slide 8- Case Study: Censorship of arts and films in China In China, there is no film rating system as in the UK or the USA. For films to go into production, they must be deemed suitable for all audiences. According to award winning  Chinese director Xie Fei, he claims that censorship is killing  artist  expression in China. Also many Western films are cut in order to be appropriate for audiences compromising the quality of the film. There is also a quota on the number of foreign films that can be displayed in China. Yet after 30 years of reforms in China after Communism, censorship is the least changed facet of the States rule. As a result artists and writers are forced to navigate the allowances of the party and their freedom of expression.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   Slide 9- Mapping Book Censorship Books too art considered to be a form of art. This map shows the number of book banned in curricula, school libraries and public libraries in the USA from the period of December 2006 to May 2009. A total of 250 books were censored or banned in this two and a half year period because they were deemed unsuitable for students. From this, it is evident that censorship is increasing at a rapid rate, in the USA, a country that is very liberal in terms of censorship.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

to build a fire :: Papers

To Build a Fire To Build a Fire A Paper Jack London?s short story, ?To Build a Fire?, incorporates the struggle for a man and his dog to survive the forces of nature. The story also demonstrates how man is a creature of intellect and dog is a creature of instinct. Ignoring advice about traveling alone in the brutal Alaskan winter, the man begins his journey with his dog. Never realizing the ramifications of exposure to such brutal weather when temperatures are fifty degrees below freezing, he pushes forward, thinking he can beat nature and reach the camp before dark. As he continues his excursion, chances for survival diminish when many mistakes are made attempting to build a fire. Also, the ignorance and conceit of this man would not allow him to follow the dog?s instincts in the freezing weather. Therefore, he succumbs to mother nature and dies. Consequently, the forces of nature are greater and can outsmart a foolish man. In the story called ?The Necklace?, Guy de Maupassant wrote about an unhapp y woman, Mathilde Loisel, who desired the riches of life. However, she was married to a man with minimal wealth. One day Loisel, her husband, surprised her with an invitation to an exclusive social gathering. Instead of responding with glee, she only could worry about how she would look for the event. She took the little bit of money they had and purchased a gown. Then Mathilde borrowed a beautiful necklace from a friend of hers. At the end of this special evening she realized that the necklace had been lost. Her and her husband took out many loans to pay for the replacement. All of their earnings went to pay these loans. After ten years of hardship the loans are paid and she meets the friend who lent her the necklace. Mathilde finally finds out that the original necklace was not even made of real gems.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Essay --

The essential intent regarding NIBCO's alternative to help actualize an association large ERP platform was to combine all the procedures from the connection more than a merged, one point, so troubles determined having coordinating data and also facts coming from separate frameworks might be mortally wounded along with the connection can figure even more effectively. One of several important data in the crucial coordinating which prompted the ERP rendering was that the connection could hardly thrive using its recent data frameworks. (Brown, Dehayes, Hoffer, Martin & Perkins. 2012) Many people frameworks them to have been at the moment making use of had resulted in the patchwork of heritage frameworks and also credit reporting gadgets which could hardly communicate together. (Brown, Dehayes, Hoffer, Martin & Perkins. 2012) Your absence of frameworks interchanges have been with the approach which in recent times, NIBCO had a building package which jogged in H . p . as well as a bookkeep ing platform which jogged in IBM as well as a conveyance package that has been repackaged running in I...

Friday, October 11, 2019

Bancolumbia: Talent, Culture and Value Creation Management in Mergers Essay

Any organizational culture interventions are designed to address issues that affect almost everybody within that culture. These interventions are done for a number of reasons. There are always enormous pressures on organizations to reduce costs, increase productivity, speed up cycle time of product development, clarify direction, improve morale, and increase participation. Sometimes organizations approach large scale interventions consciously and intentionally, such as when they develop a 3 to 5 year strategic plan, engage in a culture change initiative, or acquire/merge with another organization like in the case of Bancolombia. Change may also be forced on the organization unintentionally due to changes that occur inside the organization such as an unexpected structure change which was also the case for the parties involved in the Bancolombia merger. Organizations often choose a large-scale intervention when the task is complex or urgent, or when multiple people are required to accomplish it. Whatever the reason, the purpose of a cultural intervention in a large system is to make lasting change in the character and performance of an organization, a standalone business unit, or a large department. The large-scale organizational interventions significantly affect integral aspects of the organization’s functioning, structure, and processes. Thus, these interventions are visible, wide-ranging, and require significant commitment and attention of organizational leaders and members. Once culture is established and accepted, it becomes a strong leadership tool to communicate the â€Å"new† organization’s beliefs and values to its members, and especially new comers. When leaders promote the culture, they become successful in maintaining organizational growth, the good services demanded by customers, the ability to address problems before they become disasters and consequently are competitive against rivals. Ultimately, if executed properly, corporate culture can be the only truly sustainable competitive advantage.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

The Difference Between Administrative Management

CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF ADMINISTRATORS AND MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS-GHANA POST EXPERIENCE QUALFYING PROGRAMME SUBJECT: PROFESSIONAL ADMINISTRATION PREPARED BY: KWEKU OKOAMPAH SARPONG STUDENT NUMBER:ST/PEQP/AU/12/002 DATE: 10TH NOVEMBER 2012 Question 1 Discussed the difference between Administrative Management and Professional Administration In any business venture the collective responsibility of the personnel running it, is to make it profitable and work with a common goal of giving it an annual growth.A good and disciplined administration combined with efficient management is the prerequisites for running a profitable business and giving it annual growth. Professional Administration and Administrative Management are like two hands of a business that work in synch to achieve the goals that are set by the organisation. Administration is sometimes used to refer to the activities of the higher level of the management group who determine major aim and policies. This can be called the broad er use of the term which often used in government department (e. g. he civil service). It is also used in the narrow sense of controlling the day to day running of the enterprise. Administration on one hand provides the organisation with the required goals and workforce whereas management provided the means to achieve the goals effectively and efficiently. Brech defines administration as: ‘that part of the management process concerned with the institution (development) and carrying out of procedures by which the programme is laid down and communicated, and the progress of activities is regulated and checked against targets and plans. Robert C. Appleby (1994) describes administrative management as a sub-system within the total environment of an enterprise. The Institute of Administrative Management defined administrative management, within the context of office management, as: „that branch of management which is concerned with the services of obtaining, recording and anal yzing information, of planning, and of communicating, by means of which the management of a business safeguards its assets, promotes its affairs, and achieves its objectives?The administrative management function facilitates planning, coordinating, directing and controlling activities across all functional areas in organizations. As such, it can be seen as the nervous system of organizations, directing and coordinating all parts and ensuring that the whole body functions smoothly and efficiently. Administrative Management can also be said to be the process of creating information system and supervising its flow from, and to others within an organization.Most job functions within a business involve performing some form of administrative management in order to store and pass on information to those within the company who need to use it in order to contribute to the business. Professional administration on the other hand is the study of contemporary organizational principles with an em phasis on their applications in the modern workplace whether in the administrative and leadership skills of private, public organization, and non-profit organizations. This discipline is closely associated with public administration.The International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) defines administrative professionals or professional administrators as individuals who are responsible for administrative tasks and coordination of information in support of an office related environment and who are dedicated to furthering their personal and professional growth in their chosen profession. Professional Administration is also about a framework of corporate governance, communication, and the handling of information, in a rational approach to identifying needs, making and implementing decisions, and monitoring and reviewing performance.Professional Administration is a business management principle, concerned with total stakeholder interest, organizational security, sound an d strategic economic decision process, and ethical discipline There is a continuous debate whether or not management or administration is a profession. The following are the difference between Administrative Management and Professional Administration. †¢ In Administrative Management, there are no formal educational requirement for entry †¢ It does not require specific clients. They serve a broad group of organisation. ‘stockholders’ There is no system of accreditation or licensing †¢ In Administrative Management there is no clear code of management ethics that is universally enforced by peer review. †¢ There are no common bodies of knowledge that are required for someone to be a manager. Where as in Professional Administration: †¢ There exist a body of principles, skills and techniques and specialized knowledge. †¢ There are also formal methods of acquiring training and experience. †¢ There are code of ethics regulating relations of pr ofessional persons with clients and colleagues. Such as the Hippocratic Oath of medical professionals. There exist also mandatory continuous professional development programmes for members. Despite the above differences, we can say that management is coming closer than ever before to satisfy these criteria for professionals. This is seen in the development of skills and techniques, more training facilities and greater use of management consultants. Question 2 Identify communication barriers and describe ways to remove them Effective communication is the essence of leadership and management. It is neither top-down nor bottom-up, but two-way and continuous. Related article: Limitations of Administrative ManagementCombine different media and techniques to give the right message to the right people at the right time. Good communication of any kind always aims to meet the needs of all parties. Definition – Communication is the discriminatory response of an organism to a stimulus. It is a process by which information is exchanged between or amongst individuals through a common system of symbols, signs and behavior (- Himstreet). Communication is the key factor in the success of any organization. When it comes to effective communication, there are certain barriers that every organization faces.People often feel that communication is as easy and simple as it sounds. While this is true on one level, what makes it complex, difficult and frustrating are the barriers that come in its way. There are several barriers that affect the flow of communication in an organization. These barriers interrupt the flow of communication from the sender t o the receiver, thus making communication ineffective. It is essential for managers to overcome these barriers. The main barriers of communication are summarized below. |Perceptual and Language Differences: Perception is generally how each individual interprets the world around him.All generally want to | | |receive messages which are significant to them. But any message which is against their values is not accepted. A same event may be taken | | |differently by different individuals. The linguistic differences also lead to communication breakdown. Same word may mean different to | | |different individuals. | | |Information Overload: Managers are surrounded with a pool of information. It is essential to control this information flow else the | |information is likely to be misinterpreted or forgotten or overlooked.As a result communication is less effective. | |Time Pressures: Often in organization the targets have to be achieved within a specified time period, the failure of which h as adverse | |consequences. In a haste to meet deadlines, the formal channels of communication are shortened, or messages are partially given, i. e. , not | |completely transferred. Thus sufficient time should be given for effective communication. | | | |Distraction/Noise: Communication is also affected a lot by noise to distractions.Physical distractions are also there such as, poor | |lightning, uncomfortable sitting, unhygienic room also affects communication in a meeting. Similarly use of loud speakers interferes with | |communication. | |Emotions: Emotional state at a particular point of time also affects communication. If the receiver feels that communicator is angry he | |interprets that the information being sent is very bad. While he takes it differently if the communicator is happy and jovial (in that case | |the message is interpreted to be good and interesting). |Complexity in Organizational Structure: Greater the hierarchy in an organization (i. e. more the number of ma nagerial levels), more is the | |chances of communication getting destroyed. Only the people at the top level can see the overall picture while the people at low level just | |have knowledge about their own area and a little knowledge about other areas. | |Poor retention: Human memory cannot function beyond a limit. One can’t always retain what is being told specially if he is not interested or| |not attentive. This leads to communication breakdown. | |There is a lot of communication barriers faced these days by all.The message intended by the sender is not understood by the receiver in | |the same terms and sense and thus communication breakdown occurs. It is essential to deal and cope up with these communication barriers so | |as to ensure smooth and effective communication. | | | |How to Remove/overcome these barriers of communication: | |Eliminating differences in perception: The organization should ensure that it is recruiting right individuals on the job.It’s the | |responsibility of the interviewer to ensure that the interviewee has command over the written and spoken language. There should be proper | |Induction program so that the policies of the company are clear to all the employees. There should be proper trainings conducted for | |required employees (for e. g. : Voice and Accent training). | |Use of Simple Language: Use of simple and clear words should be emphasized. Use of ambiguous words and jargons should be avoided. | |Reduction and elimination of noise levels: Noise is the main communication barrier which must be overcome on priority basis.It is essential| |to identify the source of noise and then eliminate that source. | |Active Listening: Listen attentively and carefully. There is a difference between â€Å"listening† and â€Å"hearing†. Active listening means hearing | |with proper understanding of the message that is heard. By asking questions the speaker can ensure whether his/her message is understood or | |n ot by the receiver in the same terms as intended by the speaker. | |Emotional State: During communication one should make effective use of body language.He/she should not show their emotions while | |communication as the receiver might misinterpret the message being delivered. For example, if the conveyer of the message is in a bad mood | |then the receiver might think that the information being delivered is not good. | | | |Simple Organizational Structure: The organizational structure should not be complex. The number of hierarchical levels should be optimum. | |There should be an ideal span of control within the organization.Simpler the organizational structure, more effective will be the | |communication. | |Avoid Information Overload: The managers should know how to prioritize their work. They should not overload themselves with the work. They | |should spend quality time with their subordinates and should listen to their problems and feedbacks actively. | |Give Constructive Fee dback: Avoid giving negative feedback. The contents of the feedback might be negative, but it should be delivered | |constructively. Constructive feedback will lead to effective communication between the superior and subordinate. |Proper Media Selection: The managers should properly select the medium of communication. Simple messages should be conveyed orally, like: | |face to face interaction or meetings. Use of written means of communication should be encouraged for delivering complex messages. For | |significant messages reminders can be given by using written means of communication such as: Memos, Notices etc. | |Flexibility in meeting the targets: For effective communication in an organization the managers should ensure that the individuals are | |meeting their targets timely without skipping the formal channels of communication.There should not be much pressure on employees to meet | |their targets. | | | | | |Question 3 | |What are the advantages and disadvantages of having o ne person hold the offices of Chairman of the Board and CEO? |Corporate management usually consists of a board of directors and corporate officers. The board appoints the senior corporate officers, such| |as the chairman, and chief executive officer. Some companies combine the Chairman and CEO roles, while others appoint different individuals | |for each position. | |Advantages: | |Having clear and unambiguous authority concentrated in one person is essential to effective management.Unity of command creates clear lines| |of authority to which management (and the board) can respond more effectively | |Another advantage is, in an environment where strong, directive, stable, and unconfused leadership is seen as critical to organizational | |success; this kind of legitimacy is an important signal to stakeholders about who is accountable. | |Having one person combining the CEO and Chair positions enhances the board’s management performance. The board ‘management responsibili ties | |require that it make key decisions affecting the company. |A combined CEO-Chair, provides the board with more complete and timely information about the company, provides the company with a unified | |command structure and a consistent leadership direction, and creates a collaborative and collegial environment for board decision making | |Board Chair who also serves as the CEO is likely to spend more time at the company, to have more detailed information about the strengths | |and weaknesses of the company, and to have a deeper understanding of the operational and financial health of the company. |Disadvantages: | |There is a conflict of interest on one person hold both position of a board chairman and a CEO of an organization. | |When the chairman is also the CEO, Management has a de facto control. Yet the board is supposed to be in charge of management. Checks and | |balances have been thrown to the wind. | |Having a one acting as a board Chair and a CEO of the company it d oes not bring fresh knowledge and an insight to the board’s | |decision-making process. | |Another disadvantage is that once the there is a of separating the CEO and Chair positions the board will not be able to performs its | |monitoring role better when there is a nonexecutive Chair.The monitoring role requires directors to exert oversight over corporate managers| |in order to detect and discipline managerial inefficiencies and misconduct. Thus, duality may cause failure by the board to effectively | |monitor and control. | | | | | | | 3. b) What are the pros and cons of selecting an insider versus an outsider?Pros for an insider: †¢ A positive wave in the next line of managers that hard-work will pay off and they can get a promotion if they can prove themselves. †¢ Being well known to the decision makers †¢ He /she would know the existing processes and flows in them and would be easily able to identify the weak-links easily and can cure with their expertise. Existing domain business and organization culture knowledge would help internal CEO. †¢ Will increase the confidence in level of every employee and make them believe that everyone will have equal opportunity of getting promoted to next if they can perform. Would be able to team up easily with existing team and would be able to guide them in showing them new path or direction. Cons for an insider: †¢ The inevitable presence of adversaries within the organization who may work subtly to tarnish the performance of the new CEO †¢ Sometimes if he/she is not able to bring up the new ideas it could washout the bringing in new person. †¢ Acceptance of new CEO from within would be a question when he/she has been picked up from the second line of management. †¢ Having their weakness well known to the selection groupPros for an outsider: †¢ Would be able to bring new ideas based on their experiences from different work culture where they have been working †¢ Will be able to see things as an outsider easily and so will be able to provide corrective actions whenever required. †¢ Could bring a positive energy into existing workforce when they were not able to see any light of hope with existing process or management. Would bring in best practices from the other organisations he/she might have worked with and very much helpful if he is having past experience in similar domain. Act as a catalyst for change, for example loosen established patterns. †¢ Entering into an atmosphere of optimism and hope to capitalize strongly on the opportunity at hand. Cons for an outsider: †¢ Recommending precisely what insiders had been unsuccessfully suggesting for ages or missed recommending what insiders had been unsuccessfully suggesting for ages. †¢ Absence of strong relationships with both major vendors and customers and perhaps a narrow window within which to build them †¢ Explaining things in ways that annoyed insiders or made them feel misunderstood, under-represented or wronged. Initials board skepticism of the candidate’s ability to lead the enterprise as a result of the new CEO’s lack of understanding and the appreciation of the enterprise. Question 4 What elements would characterize an effective working relationship between a Board and a CEO? The board of directors chooses the CEO and delegates to him or her, the responsibility for running the company. Thus begins a hopefully productive, albeit complex, relationship. The board’s role in this relationship is first to understand and approve of the CEO? s strategies and plans and then to monitor the execution of those plans and to periodically evaluate the results.Finally, the board must decide whether, when, and how it should intervene. How the board executes its role is critical to the success of the relationship and, ultimately, of the business. The essential relationships will provide both the board and CEO with a clear understa nding of the effective CEO-Board relationship and to enable boards and CEO to both assess and improve their current performance in delivering against each of their relationship attributes. The following are some of the identified element that will characterize an effective relationship between a Board and a CEO: †¢ Commits to act in the best interest of the organisation.All parties recognize and embrace their obligation to work in the best interest of the organisation †¢ Builds close but independence relationships: Board members should not let personal friendships with the CEO interfere with carrying out their responsibilities. Independence of board members from a CEO does not require an adversarial relationship; to the contrary, the parties must establish and develop effective ways of communicating and working together in a collaborative partnership built on mutual respect.All parties work to build robust professional relationships but ensure that these relationships demo nstrate the independent required for the CEO to do his/her job and for the board to maintain objectivity in reviewing the CEO’s recommendations and performance. †¢ Establishes distinct roles and responsibilities: both the Board and the CEO maintains clearly defined and communicated roles and responsibilities. All parties are completely knowledgeable about their own responsibilities and the responsibilities of their counterpart. †¢ Effectively advises the CEO: the board serves as a critical mentor and advisor to the CEO.Beyond ability to advice on the content of strategic decisions, the chairman provides thoughtful, actionable guidance on how to effectively translate strategy into action. The board maintains an open-door policy for the CEO to seek guidance. †¢ Establishes precise expectation: all parties set distinct expectations for themselves and for each other. All parties establish clear objectives. All parties keep their promises. †¢ Demonstrates humil ity, self-awareness and a â€Å"low-ego approach†: all parties bring a genuine level of intellectual and professional humility to each interaction.They are all self aware of their strength, weakness and limitations. They are comfortable with having their ideas rigorously challenge. †¢ Board members should not let personal friendships with the CEO interfere with carrying out their responsibilities. †¢ Demonstrate honesty, trust, respect and transparency: all parties work to establish relationships characterized by the highest standards of honesty, trustworthiness, respect and transparency. All parties work to create an environment characterizes by mutual respect and are fully transparent regarding their opinions, plans and underlying motivations.To execute its responsibilities well, the board must have a workable governance model. Such a model should address issues central to establishing and maintaining an effective process for making and administering corporate pol icy. A governance model should include routine approaches to the following: †¢ Choosing or clarifying the business or businesses in which the corporation will operate †¢ Hiring the right people in terms of both their abilities and their values †¢ Aligning the interests of the board and management with those of the shareholders Developing mutually agreeable goals, policies, and standards of performance for the CEO †¢ Evaluating plans to achieve agreed-upon goals †¢ Remaining knowledgeable about the firm’s activities and performance and evaluating the results †¢ Reacting appropriately to the results by holding management accountable and rewarding or intervening as necessary Boards of directors creating and following this or a similar governance model should be well on their way to establishing productive partnerships with their CEOs. Board members are advised to recall the paramount importance of hiring an effective CEO for the firm.The right perso n for the situation will strive to solve Problems that might exist and seek to improve upon established methods. The wrong person, however, is likely to create new problems for the firm and the board. Question 5 a) Examine the importance of eradicating white collar crime and its impact on the integrity of the CEO. Criminologist and sociologist Edwin Sutherland first popularized the term â€Å"white collar crime† in 1939, defining such a crime as one â€Å"committed by a person of respectability and high social status in the course of his occupation. Sutherland also included crimes committed by corporations and other legal entities within his definition. Sutherland’s study of white collar crime was prompted by the view that criminology had incorrectly focused on social and economic determinants of crime, such as family background and level of wealth. According to Sutherland’s view, crime is committed at all levels of society and by persons of widely divergent so cio-economic backgrounds. In particular, according to Sutherland, crime is often committed by persons operating through large and powerful organizations.White collar crime, Sutherland concluded, has a greatly-underestimated impact upon our society. Sutherland’s definition is now somewhat outdated for students of the criminal law. As white collar crime began to capture the attention of prosecutors and the public in the mid-1970s, the term came to have definitions quite different from the one Sutherland used. Indeed, studies have shown that crimes we generally consider â€Å"white collar,† such as securities fraud and tax fraud, are committed not just by persons of â€Å"high social status† but by people of divergent backgrounds.Thus, although the term â€Å"white collar crime† is a misnomer, it continues in widespread use. This is probably so because â€Å"white collar crime† provides a convenient moniker for distinguishing such crime in the public mind from â€Å"common† or† street† crime. Definitional, therefore, white collar crime is an activity „committed by a person of respectability and high social status in the course of their occupation?. Furthermore, crimes undertaken by corporations and other legal entities are also encompassed in this definition. Types of White-Collar CrimeThere are several types of white collar crimes, which include, but not limited to: Corporate fraud: This can involve activities such as: falsification of financial information including: false accounting entries, bogus trades designed to inflate profit or hide losses; and false transactions designed to evade regulatory oversight. Self-dealing by corporate insiders, including: Insider trading, kickbacks, backdating of executive stocks option, misuse of corporate property for personal gain, and individual tax violations related to self-dealingFinancial fraud Healthcare fraud: Altered or fabricated medical bills and other doc uments, excessive or unnecessary treatment or surgeries, Internet pharmacy fraud, auto accident insurance fraud, Medicare prescription drugs, prescription of dangerous drugs, medical equipment, and hospital fraud. This is usually carried out by different aspects of a health care system and could include billing for services not rendered; payment claims different from the rendered services, double billingMortgage fraud; Mortgage fraud indicators includes: – inflated appraisals, increased commissions/bonuses, falsification of loan applications, fake supporting loan documentation,. Such mortgage fraud schemes include: property flipping, corporate identity theft, use or threat of bankruptcy to dupe home owners, inflated appraisals Insurance fraud; premium diversions, workers compensation fraud Asset forfeiture or money laundering; and Occupational Crime Occupational crime occurs when crimes are committed to promote personal interests.Crimes that fall into this category include: A ltering books by accountants and overcharging; or cheating clients by lawyers. Organizational or Corporate Crime/fraud A much more costly type of white collar crime occurs when corporate executives commit criminal acts to benefit their company. There are a variety of corporate crimes that include: the creation of inferior products: drugs. Eradicating white collar crime and its impact on the integrity of the CEO To eradicate white collar crime and its impact on the integrity of the CEO, the following measures needs to be put in place: †¢ Law and punishmentAccording to Ball and Friedman (1977:320), â€Å"statues aimed at economic regulation (white-collar crime) often provide multiple, alternative sanctions. The sanctions may include cease and desist orders, injunctive divestiture proceedings, and awards of damages, monetary fines or forfeitures, seizures of goods, revocations of business or occupational licenses and prison sentences. † They concluded that direct imprisonme nt is generally considered criminal sanctions whereas fine or money penalty, awards or damages and other forms of non-criminal sanctions are classified as â€Å"civil† or regulatory sanctions. †¢ Increased surveillanceInstitutions may decide to increase surveillance that aid in crime prevention, such activities may include auditing of accounts by external auditors in cases that involve embezzlement of funds in institutions, retraining staff so that there will be reduced frauds in an institution. †¢ Social control theory The social control theory was developed by Travis Hirsch, this theory states that the socialization process helps individuals to develop social control and also help individuals to restrain from antisocial behavior; however he stated that there are three forms in which crime could be eradicate or controlled.From the above explanation of the social control theory the occurrence of white collar crime can be prevented by direct control which involves in creased threats of punishment, conscience will also help individuals to refrain from criminal acts, the close relatives will also restrain people from committing crimes and finally the need satisfaction which will lender the individuals not to involve themselves in crime.For the white collar crimes there is need to compensate those who hold high offices with a sustainable amount of salary or wage, this will build control as depicted by the need satisfaction form of control, these officials will have no need to engage in criminal activity, direct control should also be reinforced through the judicial system and the police force, this will increase threats that will eventually reduce the occurrence and frequency of white collar crimes. †¢ Judicial systemThe judicial system has a major role to play in the prevention and control of the white collar crimes, corruption in the judicial system has also resulted to the increased occurrence of these crimes, wealthy people who commit this crimes have the funds to hire and corrupt the judicial system to win their way out of prison, therefore it is important to eradicate corruption in the judicial system in order to control such crimes. Corruption can be reduced by increased salaries to judges and also the development of organizations which specializes in dealing with corruption cases in the judicial system. Corporate initiatives Companies, banks, and financial institutions should play a vital role in fighting or eradicating white collar crime. For instance the Bank of Ghana has directed commercial banks to enhance the security characteristics of cheques to prevent fake cheques scams. The characteristics include the paper which is sensitive to chemical substances, the watermark, ultra-violet ink . on-the-job training is essential to ensure that the staffs are competent to detect fraud. †¢ Ethics A lot of white-collar crimes are committed by persons at managerial and executive levels.Hence, the root of the matter would be that ethics should be observed by those in these positions of trust as they are more prone to committing such crimes because of the opportunities available to them by virtue of their positions. In a capitalist society, management and corporate subjects do not give emphasis to the questions of ethics. Career development of employees is based more on their job performance rather than high ethical standards. The capitalist framework which demands profit maximization and the corporate structure that emphasizes on production deadlines and quota have often created an arena for unethical business practices.To arrest this problem, corporate leaders and top level management should be exemplary examples of ethics and integrity. An explicit code of conduct and business ethics should be adopted that managers and executives are required to read, sign and follow. Apart from this, companies must develop a corporate climate that places ethical values above others. 5. b) Discussed the chall enges in the fight against white collar crime. White collar crimes invoke non-threatening images of guys in suits. And naturally we treat such individuals with respect and courtesy rather than fear and severity.It appears at times that our justice system does not place adequate emphasis on fraud and other white collar crimes especially when it is considered a non-violent victimless crime. One disturbing fact is how the offense is perceived, not as a criminal offense at all, but as simple bad judgment on the part of victims, by both the general public and by the victims themselves. This perception can lead to a tendency to blame the victims for their own losses. It affects how society sees the victims, and how the victims see themselves.This in turn can influence the way the offense is treated by law-enforcement and regulatory agencies, and when offenders are convicted, by the courts which sentence them. Compared to the murderers, rapists and urban gangsters that get the headlines, w hite-collar criminals just don’t scare the public very much. They don’t leave a chalk outline on the sidewalk or blood spatter on the wall. So while violent crimes demand a high profile response from the police, the cost of white collar crime is significant but hard to measure in human costs. The following are the challenges in the fight against white collar crime: †¢ Underestimation of LossesThe price tags attached to some economic crimes are so staggering that they are difficult to comprehend. As an example, the price of bailing out a single corrupt savings and loan institution surpassed the total of all the bank robberies in American history. Recent FBI statistics place the average take of an armed bank robbery at $3,177 while the Data Processing Management Association reports that the average computer crime loss to banks may be as high as $500,000. †¢ The Best Lawyers A white-collar criminal, now rich off the spoils of others, can afford the best lawyers. †¢ LeniencyMany law-makers and judges are of the mind that, with an already overloaded justice system, jails should be used for violent offenders only, so fraudsters are given what are perceived as lenient sentences, or an absurdly low penalty in comparison to the crime committed, such as alternative sentencing (e. g. warnings, probation etc. ) or by â€Å"buying their way out† of prison by paying a fine or restitution. †¢ Police Resources While few laws are enforced 100%, white collar crime has a much lower margin of non-enforcement. Fraud and other white collar crime is not a priority for police departments.They are required to devote their resources to crimes of violence and, due to lack of trained personnel and financial resources, are not always able to investigate and prosecute suspected fraud and other white collar crime cases. †¢ Favourable Laws Laws are generally written in favour of the white-collar criminal. People who commit white-collar crimes are sometimes the same people who are in a position to see to it that their crimes are not defined too negatively. †¢ Individual Perception Whereas the impact of white-collar criminals on the nation is great, the cost to each individual is small.White-collar crimes do not impact individuals with the same intensity as when one individual is victimized by a petty criminal. REFERENCES 1. Institute of professional Administrators: www. iqps. org/ 2. International Association of Administrative professionals: www. iaap-hq. org 3. What is an Administrative Professional? Who are Administrative Professionals? By Karen Porter: (http://www. theeffectiveadmin. com/articles-for-administrative-assistants/administrative-professionals/) 4. Elthan F Becker and Jon Wortmann(2009) Mastering Communication at Work 5. www. utor2u. net/business/people/communication_barriers. asp – communication Barriers 6. Effect of Communication Barriers in Business Communication www. managementstudyguide. com/ef fect-of-communication. 7. Robert C Pozen. (Nov 2009), Harvard Business Review 8. www. managementstudyguide. com 9. www. slideshare. net 10. Journal of Corporate Finance 3(1997) 189-220 11. White collar crime in Malaysia 12. www. articlesalley. com 13. www. crime-of-persuation. com 14. Professional Administration: Guiding Principles and Discipline for the Timeless Executive, (2011) Samuel Mawusi Asafo CMC, CIPM.SMA International Printrite Inc. Ghana CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF ADMINISTRATORS AND MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS-GHANA P. O. Box LG 645, Legon, Accra. Tel. 028 954 0066 POST EXPERIENCE QUALIFYING PROGRAMME TAKE HOME EXAMINATION BATCH: JANUARY, MAY & SEPTEMBER 2012 SUBJECT: PROFESSIONAL ADMINISTRATION SUBMISSION DATE: SATURDAY 10TH NOVEMBER 2012 Reference Material: Professional Administration: Guiding Principles and Discipline for the Timeless Executive, (2011) Samuel Mawusi Asafo CMC, CIPM. SMA International Printrite Inc. Ghana ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS, TYPE WRITTEN IN 1. 5 SPACING ALL QU ESTIONS CARRY EQUAL MARKS QUESTIONS 1.Discuss the difference between Administrative Management and Professional Administration. 2. Identify communication barriers and describe ways to remove them 3. a) What are the advantages and disadvantages of having one person hold the offices of Chairman of the Board and CEO? b) What are the pros and cons of selecting an insider versus an outsider? 4. What elements would characterize an effective working relationship between a Board and a CEO? 5. a) Examine the importance of eradicating white collar crime and its impact on the integrity of the CEO. b) Discuss the challenges in the fight against white collar crime.