Common Stock Valuation and Cost of Capital Case Study - 1

Common Stock Valuation and Cost of Capital - Case Study Example From the above calculations, this stock is selling at $30 that is below $33.50 based on its predictable future cash flows. Therefore, it is undervalued since its selling price is relatively below the intrinsic value. From investments point of view, the company is priced below its true value. For this reason, it is rewarding investing this company’s shares because its stocks have a high probability of appreciating, hence a good investment opportunity that guarantees capital gains. This strategy (value investing strategy) has worked out well for Marquette Inc. given that its portfolio has consistently outperformed others in the broader market. Chief Financial Officers whose stocks are undervalued are less likely to issues them because such companies operate below their true value, thus have to pay more dividends in the future (Clayman, et al., 2012). Second step involves calculation of the cost of equity. With information on cost of debt available, it is possible to apply capital asset pricing model (CAPM) to compute the cost of equity. This is arrived at as follows: The company’s return on assets falls short of its WACC. This is an indication that this company is declining in value. This will scare away potential investors who would preferably invest their resources elsewhere that offer promising returns.The first step is the computation of cost of debt. Cost of debt represents bond’s yield to maturity. From yield to maturity calculator, this value is 7.51%.Therefore, the after-tax cost of debt is equal to 7.51% Ãâ€" (1 – 0.40) = 4.506%.  The second step involves calculation of the cost of equity. With information on the cost of debt available, it is possible to apply capital asset pricing model (CAPM) to compute the cost of equity.The company’s return on assets falls short of its WACC. This is an indication that this company is declining in value. This will scare away potential investors who would preferably invest their resources elsewhere that offer promising returns. Such decline in the value of the firm, there fore, raises concern about the company’s ability to raise capital in the future.

Role of Religion in Centralization of Nation States Essay Example for Free

Role of Religion in Centralization of Nation States Essay Religion was a major factor in the centralization of territories into modern nation states. Religion was crucial in the development of the modern nation state because of its ability to be a unifying characteristic. Religion also created common enemies which allowed groups with different religious views separate into individual states that be far more likely to have a more centralized government or monarch. While religion acted as a catalyst in the development of the modern nation state, religion hindered and tore apart developing nation states. Religion played both the role of an asset and a liability in the case of centralization during the age of the reformation. Religion was successful in creating a common characteristic, by which people categorized themselves. For example, Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile reformed Spain by requiring all citizens to be Catholic. This would allow them to have better control and a shared attribute with the citizens of Spain, which would allow for a more centralized territory that would become a nation state. Also during this time period the Calvinists in the Holy Roman Empire area controlled by Philip II were being persecuted for their religion. The common religion in these Dutch provinces allowed for them to form together and create a centralized territory which eventually would become the Dutch Netherlands. German principalities also used their religion as a common characteristic to hold themselves together. When Martin Luther told the German Princes to separate from the Pope and Holy Roman Empire, they unified under Lutheranism which led to the development of that nation state. While religion was used as a common characteristic, religion was also used to unify groups of people by creating common enemies. For example, William of Orange (William I) centralized the Dutch Provinces, who were primarily Calvinists, against the Holy Roman Empire who was trying to force them to become Catholic. Ferdinand II also tried to use religion to create a common enemy within the Holy Roman Empire, he did this through the Edict of Restitution. The Edict of Restitution made Calvinists the enemy and unified the Catholics against them and temporarily solidified the Holy Roman Empire as a nation state. Another example of religion creating a common enemy was when Henry VIII created Anglicanism which was against the Pope. This  negative disposition towards the Pope strengthened England and allowed the monarch of England to create a more centralized territory, which led to the development of the modern nation state that is England. While religion was good as bringing nation states together and solidifying them, it also slowed and destroyed developing nation states. For example, the religious diversity that occurred within the Holy Roman Empire led to differences in religion and sect breaking apart until there was no more Holy Roman Empire. Henry of Navarre (Henry IV) saw this problem when he became the King of France and witnessed the religious wars in France between the French Huguenots and Ultra-Catholics. This slowed the development of France as a nation state, this is because religion was placed ahead of the state. Another example of religion dividing developing nation states was when Philip II attempted to oppress the Calvinists in the Dutch provinces with the Spanish Inquisition. This difference in religion led to the Dutch Revolt and caused the territory to be separated. Religion was critical in the development and disestablishment of the modern nation state. Religion provided a common characteristic from which a nation state could develop; it also created a characteristic by which a nation state could divide. However, in a majority of the cases the separation was necessary and led to the creation of multiple independent nation states. Religion was both a centripetal and centrifugal force. Religion created created a common characteristic and enemy, which aided the development of the modern nation state, as well as a difference that was a major factor in the disestablishment of developing modern nation states during the age of the reformation.

A Review Of The Outsiders Club :: Free Essay Writer

A Review of "The Outsiders Club" Screened on BBC 2 in October 96 MA Diploma Disability Studies INTRODUCTION I decided to write a review on the social group known as The Outsiders. The group's main aim is to enable disabled adults to form personal relationships, including specifically sexual ones (Shakespeare 1996), either with each other or with non-disabled members. The group has been in existence for several years, and has attracted a great deal of attention, including reaction from present and former members, and in particular from within the Disabled People's Movement . Many of the comments made by former members of the group have been critical, sometimes highly condemnatory, and frequently made by disabled women (Rae 1984). In both my professional and private capacity I am interested in sexuality and disability, and specifically in the ways in which disabled adults can establish meaningful relationships with other people (disabled or on-disabled). Issues such as sexuality and the forming of relationships are regularly discussed in mainstream youth and community work, but rarely with regard to disabled people (which is not surprising since disabled people are often absent from mainstream groups). Indeed, it is only in the last few years that disabled people themselves have been in the forefront of this debate, and the leading protagonist have usually been activists within the wider disability movement, who are well aware of other social and sexual issues such as gender, sexism, homophobia, and so on. The Outsiders was set up (and is still fronted by) an able bodied woman who for many years has been well known in the controversial arena of sexual liberation and soft-core pornography, so it is hardly surprising that her group has both supporters and critics. A recent BBC-2 documentary series (From the Edge) devoted a whole programme to the group, and this essay picks up the main themes that were aired. SEXUALITY AND DISABILITY Morris (1989) writes "once we first become disabled we are usually denied any form of sexual identity." It is certainly true that among the many negative stereotypes of disability some of the most commonly held views are that disabled people are non-sexual, or sometimes asexual beings, or that they are likely to be attracted only to each other. THE OUTSIDERS CLUB The Outsiders Club was established by Tuppy Owens in 1979. Tuppy, a self- proclaimed stalwart campaigner for sexual equality, and a trained sex therapist. She conceived the idea of a social group for disabled adults after her close male friend, Nigel, became blind. Fearful of the effect of disability ever afflicting her own life - and blindness in particular - she became determined to

The Psychological Dimension of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Birthmark Essa

The Psychological Dimension of â€Å"The Birthmark†Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This essay will analyze Nathaniel Hawthorne’s â€Å"The Birthmark† in order to demonstrate that it is a â€Å"psychological† short story both in its themes and in its emphasis on the moral-psychological aspect of the main characters. There is probably unanimity among literary critics that Hawthorne is a â€Å"psychological† writer. Consider some of their statements chosen at random from various critiques of Hawthorne’s literary works: Stanley T. Williams in â€Å"Hawthorne’s Puritan Mind† says: What he wrote of New England was . . . .the subconscious mind of New England. It was. . . . unforgettable case histories of men and women afflicted by guilt, or, as he called it, by â€Å"a stain upon the soul.†. . . . His were grave and acute reflections upon the way in which the Puritan mind worked. . . .† (43) Edmund Fuller and B. Jo Kinnick in â€Å"Stories Derived from New England Living† state that Hawthorne liked to â€Å"explore uncertainties of belief that trouble a man’s heart and mind† (31). Clarice Swisher in â€Å"Nathaniel Hawthorne: a Biography† states that Hawthorne’s interest tended toward the heart and the psychological effects of these moral and ethical issues† (13). A. N. Kaul considers Hawthorne â€Å"preeminently a ‘psychological’† writer – â€Å"burrowing, to his utmost ability, into the depths of our common nature, for the purposes of psychological romance. . . . He was deeply preoccupied with the modern themes of alienation, isolation, and guilt consciousness – and with modern spiritual problems generally† (2). There appears to be more agreement among literary critics regarding the interpretation of Hawthorne as a â€Å"psychological† writer than upon any other aspect of his writi ng. .. ...athaniel Hawthorne, edited by Clarice Swisher. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press, 1996. Melville, Herman. â€Å"Hawthorne and His Mosses,† The Literary World August 17, 24, 1850. http://eldred.ne.mediaone.net/nh/hahm.html Peckham, Morse. â€Å"The Development of Hawthorne’s Romanticism.† In Readings on Nathaniel Hawthorne, edited by Clarice Swisher. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press, 1996. Swisher, Clarice. â€Å"Nathaniel Hawthorne: a Biography.† In Readings on Nathaniel Hawthorne, edited by Clarice Swisher. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press, 1996. Waggoner, Hyatt. â€Å"Nathaniel Hawthorne.† In Six American Novelists of the Nineteenth Century, edited by Richard Foster. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1968. Williams, Stanley T. â€Å"Hawthorne’s Puritan Mind.† In Readings on Nathaniel Hawthorne, edited by Clarice Swisher. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press, 1996.   

The rise of high

Background Information on EX. INC The company EX. is a high-end retail chain that sells luxury watches, jewelry and handbags. The company has decided that they would like to expand their organization on a global scale. The organization wants to begin a company in China for a period of 1 year, within that year they will begin to branch out to the countries of Brazil, India, and Russia. As the company begins to work on their short-term objective Of expanding, into China and into the B. R. I.C footprint, there will be small and large-scale changes that will occur doing the process, formulating and implementing a business plan that defines the organization structure and strategy is key to expanding the organization on a lobar scale. There will be many challenges associated when trying to navigate luxury brand items into operating environments across the B. R. I. C to capitalize on the growing wealth and booming middle class. It is speculated that by the year 2050, the B. R. I. C would be wealthier than most of the current economic powers in the world. The B. R. I.C represents more than 40 percent of the world's population. According to investigated â€Å"China and India will become the world's dominant suppliers of manufactured goods and services, respectively, while Brazil and Russia will become similarly dominant as appliers of raw materials. Due to lower labor and production costs, many companies also cite BRICE as a source of foreign expansion opportunity† Move. investigated. Com). Globalization has expanded and accelerated the exchange of many goods and services over vast distances. The recent pace of global integration within the B.R. I. C has dramatically increased, with changes occurring in technology, communication and transportation, these process have made businesses more interdependent than ever. Weiss states â€Å"In an increasingly globalizes world, in which change comes at an ever-faster rate, a DOD business must always have a set of short-te rm as well as long term goals and a detailed strategy for how to reach those goals†. (Weiss, 2012). With the economic growth process occurring through globalization, EX. Inc. Has decided to expand their high-end luxury brand stores globally.As the senior executive representative for EX. Inc. , have been put in charge of the company's first international expansion. It will be my responsibility to decide what organizational changes will take place. As the leader of this expansion, I need to use an appropriate change model that will find ways to improve and expand the organization. The choice Of expanding on a global scale can increase profit; bonus can be offer to future and current employees, and new partnerships are formed that bring new clientele into the EX. organization.China is a great choice for EX. Inc. Global expansion, china is the second largest country in the world, they have about 1. 3 billion people who live and work in a economy where high-end luxury items are wan ted and produce there daily. China is the hub for imported and exported goods, nothing moves into Brazil, Russia or India without coming through China first. The readerships made in China will have a long term affect on future expansion into the B. R. I . C. Knowing upfront the economic advantages in China will give EX. Inc. He competitive advantages that is needed to move forward in the global growing market. As the company begins to work on their short-term objective of expanding into China there will be small and large-scale changes that will occur doing the process, formulating and implementing a business plan that defines your organization structure and strategy is key to expanding the organization on a global scale. Implementing and planning the organization expansion is a lot of responsibility for the persons who have to implement the plan and for the managers and team members who has to enforce the plan.There are three types of changes that happen at the organizational level , the first change is developmental change, this involves an improvement of what already exist. The second change is the transitional change, consists of an â€Å"implementation to achieve a known desired stats that is different from the existing 2012). The last change is transformational change, which involves the emergence of anew, unknown state for the organization. The moved to China is transformational change. Making the transformational shift from the IIS to China will be hard if the proper planning and guidance is not clear.Five Dimension Change model gives the organization a forced guideline to use to stay on track and time with the planned move. This change model provides distinct implementation phases that help the leaders, managers and team members move to their desired destinations. There are a total Of five steps that will ensure that EX. will accomplish there assigned tasks, an take care of there managers and employees in the process. Motivating Change: preparing to l ead the change, s the senior executive of this organization it is my responsibility to ensure that prepare this organization for change on a global and international platform.My company leaders want to partner up with four of the largest countries in the world to become globally competitive. Am being asked to lead immediate change. I must prepare by learning the reality of the situation in B. R. I. C, studying the facts, numbers and details, will need to prepare a case while identifying if I have the right skill sets within my organization to lead the change. I must motivate change by creating readiness and overcoming the resistance for change. Step 2: Creating Vision,- the organization overall vision is to have stores open throughout the B.R. I. C. , to achieve this process, the team will kick at past, present and future conditions. There is no success in business without a vision or a plan. â€Å"A business plan lays out your company's goals so that everyone involved can keep foc used in the same direction. A strategic plan takes this process a step further by giving every division and employee in your company a step-by-step procedure for obtaining the goals set forth in your business plan. Keeping employees focused on the plan means communication and involvement.Every employee will implement your strategic plan as long as he knows his role and can monitor his progress as well as the progress of the company'. (www. Smelliness's. Chronic. Com) Step 3:Developing Political Support- an organization must have political support through transformation process. Step 4: Managing the Transition-according to Weiss ‘intervention must be designed and implemented in both motivating and managing the transition†. An organization can't be afraid of large-scale changes, leaders must know hat is needed within the organization to move towards the company vision.Step 5: Sustaining Momentum: while change and transformation are happening within the organization, leader s are often busy with many projects and are preoccupied with many task, this step allows employees to be engaged and involved with moving towards the organization goals. Open communication between leaders and employees are very important in this last and final stage, providing feedback on concerns, ideas plans goals and performance is important that all see and understand the planned vision of he organization. Used the Five Deem change model for my short and long term change model. Just go through the same process of leading my team Short Term Change Model: Dungy and State's Four Levels Of Change Model The Dungy and State's Four Levels of Change Model, will guide EX. Inc to the transformation that is needed to move the company to China, this change model will help them in 4 different levels achieve there expansion goals internationally. There are specific 4 levels that can occur in an organization. The first level: Fine Tuning, this change involves and ongoing process of itching and fitting an organization strategy, structure, and processes with the environment.This is the level where a strategic plan is laid out at the beginning of the move, every person within this process will be given a step- by-step procedure for obtaining goals sat forth in the organization strategic plan. Leaders and manager will play a very important role of keeping employees on track for the mission at hand. The ultimate responsibility of carrying out the goals set by all falls back on leaders and mangers when the task aren't completed to standard or on time.Level 2- Incremental adjustment: this change model predicts changes that evolve slowly and systematically at a constant rate over time within the organization to fit the external environment. Slightly larger than fine tuning, incremental adjustment to the organization can include correcting faulty processes, changing business emphasis, reallocating staff and so on. â€Å"This takes more work and has a greater risk of going wrong and So is more likely to use local improvement projects, where people take time out of their day work to engage in study of the situation and design of appropriate solutions.Companies that do this often have internal facilitators who are trained up in the methods of improvement and techniques of facilitating nappy, D. And State, D. (1993). Level 3-Modular transformation. Organizational change is radical in this type of change, but it is focused on subparts rather than on the entire organization; for example, restructuring departments or divisions; changes in key executives' and managers' responsibilities; introducing new processes in IT, human resources, or a business process. This type of change is related to transitional change. Weiss, 201 2) Beyond incremental improvement is ‘Business Process Reengineering', or BPR, where the principle is that where incremental changes have limited effect, significant improvements may be achieved by forgetting how the process is enacted at the present and starting with a clean drawing board. Such ‘clean slate' approaches both liberate the designer to entirely re-think how things are done and also give the opportunity for significant failure. A common failure in such projects is where a process gets automated but the software does not behave as well as intended. Level 4 – Corporate transformation.

Free Essays on Paul Sperry

For my first concert report, I opted to attend Paul Sperry’s guest appearance at the Staples Family Concert Hall on February 15th. I chose this date mainly because I had never heard of him and I’m always open to exposing myself to new artists. Also, he’s a tenor and so am I. My expectations were few seeing as how I had never heard of Paul Sperry prior to this concert. I suppose I would say that I expected a quaint evening of serenades; perhaps some Beethoven or even a piece by Stroope. What I experienced instead, was an unentertaining evening of very strange and whimsical selections that I later learned are referred to as â€Å"American Folksongs†. He performed Robert Beaser’s, â€Å"The Seven Deadly Sins†-a suite with one movement for every deadly sin. To me, this piece was fairly redundant and uninteresting. There was very little melodic variation and (to borrow a word from the mainstream music arena) it wasn’t â€Å"catchy†. I don’t know if I’m just shallow or unintelligent, but the lyrical content made little to no sense to me. It vaguely described consequences and actions concerning the particular â€Å"sin†. But they really didn’t follow much of a pattern. Mr. Sperry, however, performed the pieces well. His voice is well-trained and very powerful. I have no criticism for his execution of this piece. The next piece I’ll discuss is Tom Cipullo’s â€Å"Another Reason I Don’t Keep a Gun in the House†. This is suite written from the perspective of a middle-class neighborhood resident lamenting about household quirks and neighboring dogs that remind them of why they don’t own firearms. This piece was amusing at times; particularly the final movement that whines about the common neighborhood complaint of a barking dog. While I was able to relate to many of the quirks that Cipullo pointed out in this piece, I was less than entertained by it. It struck me as fairly shallow and poorly written. The music was plain and... Free Essays on Paul Sperry Free Essays on Paul Sperry For my first concert report, I opted to attend Paul Sperry’s guest appearance at the Staples Family Concert Hall on February 15th. I chose this date mainly because I had never heard of him and I’m always open to exposing myself to new artists. Also, he’s a tenor and so am I. My expectations were few seeing as how I had never heard of Paul Sperry prior to this concert. I suppose I would say that I expected a quaint evening of serenades; perhaps some Beethoven or even a piece by Stroope. What I experienced instead, was an unentertaining evening of very strange and whimsical selections that I later learned are referred to as â€Å"American Folksongs†. He performed Robert Beaser’s, â€Å"The Seven Deadly Sins†-a suite with one movement for every deadly sin. To me, this piece was fairly redundant and uninteresting. There was very little melodic variation and (to borrow a word from the mainstream music arena) it wasn’t â€Å"catchy†. I don’t know if I’m just shallow or unintelligent, but the lyrical content made little to no sense to me. It vaguely described consequences and actions concerning the particular â€Å"sin†. But they really didn’t follow much of a pattern. Mr. Sperry, however, performed the pieces well. His voice is well-trained and very powerful. I have no criticism for his execution of this piece. The next piece I’ll discuss is Tom Cipullo’s â€Å"Another Reason I Don’t Keep a Gun in the House†. This is suite written from the perspective of a middle-class neighborhood resident lamenting about household quirks and neighboring dogs that remind them of why they don’t own firearms. This piece was amusing at times; particularly the final movement that whines about the common neighborhood complaint of a barking dog. While I was able to relate to many of the quirks that Cipullo pointed out in this piece, I was less than entertained by it. It struck me as fairly shallow and poorly written. The music was plain and...

Winter texans essays

Winter texans essays The main issues discussed in this section of the film are the shortage of water on the border of Mexico and the U.S., and the pros and cons of factories in this area. There is a lot of conflict regarding these issues. First of all, Americans use as average of 250 gallons of water per day, while Mexicans use a mere 90 gallons each day. Secondly, Mexicans get paid immensely less then Americans do for the same type of work. Here in Minnesota we normally arent worried about having enough water to get by. This is completely different down on the border. Researchers have calculated that if the water from the Rio Grande is used at the same rate it is being used, the resources will be exhausted in 15 to 25 years. Poor communities outside of town dont have access to running water. A truck from town delivers them water once a week, but this water takes a lot of work to keep clean so it is suitable to drink and cook with. Mexicans greatly value water and wouldnt consider wasting it, while just across the river, us Americans have underground sprinkler systems and water parks where millions of gallons of water are constantly going to waste. Maquiladoras are the Mexican equivalent to a U.S. factory. These factories are situated in town, along the great Rio Grande River. They are placed here because they need energy from the river to operate, and the cities are a good source of employees. Maquiladoras bring both good and bad aspects to Mexicans. They are helpful because they provide many job opportunities for poor families. They are hurtful because the hours are long and not very flexible. This makes it really hard to have a close family life. Most people who rely of factories for money are too poor to live in the city, so they are bussed an hour to a factory to work. This takes up a lot of valuable time, and the wages arent that great so it is very hard to have a stable family. ...

Sterling Price - American Civil War - Major General

Sterling Price - American Civil War - Major General Sterling Price - Early Life Career: Born September 20, 1809 in Farmville, VA, Sterling Price was the son of wealthy planters Pugh and Elizabeth Price.   Receiving his early education locally, he later attended Hampden–Sydney College in 1826 before departing to pursue a career in law.   Admitted to the Virginia bar, Price briefly practiced in his home state until following his parents to Missouri in 1831.   Settling in Fayette and then Keytesville, he married Martha Head on May 14, 1833.   During this time, Price engaged in a variety of enterprises including tobacco farming, a mercantile concern, and operating a hotel.   Gaining some prominence, he was elected to the Missouri State House of Representatives in 1836.   Sterling Price - Mexican-American War: In office two years, Price aided in resolving the Mormon War of 1838.   Returning to the state house in 1840, he later served as speaker before being elected to the US Congress in 1844.   Remaining in Washington a little over a year, Price resigned his seat on August 12, 1846 to serve in the Mexican-American War.   Returning home, he raised and was made colonel of the  Second Regiment, Missouri Mounted Volunteer Cavalry.   Assigned to Brigadier General Stephen W. Kearnys command, Price and his men moved southwest and aided in the capture of Santa Fe, New Mexico.   While Kearny moved west, Price received orders to serve as military governor of New Mexico. In this capacity, he put down the Taos Revolt in January 1847.    Promoted to brigadier general of volunteers on July 20, Price was appointed as military governor of Chihuahua.   As governor, he defeated Mexican forces at the Battle of Santa Cruz de Rosales on March 18, 1848, eight days after the ratification of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.   Though reprimanded for this action by Secretary of War William L. Marcy, no further punishment occurred.   Leaving military service on November 25, Price returned to Missouri.   Considered a war hero, he easily won election as governor in 1852.   An effective leader, Price departed office in 1857 and became the states banking commissioner.    Sterling Price - The Civil War Begins:        Ã‚     Ã‚   With the secession crisis following the election of 1860, Price initially opposed the actions of the southern states.   As a prominent politician, he was elected to head the Missouri State Convention to debate secession on February 28, 1861.   Though  the state voted to remain in the Union, Prices sympathies shifted following Brigadier General Nathaniel Lyons seizure of Camp Jackson near St. Louis and arrest of the Missouri Militia.   Casting his lot with the Confederacy, he was appointed to lead the Missouri State Guard by pro-Southern Governor Claiborne F. Jackson with the rank of major general.   Dubbed Old Pap by his men, Price embarked on a campaign to push Union troops out of Missouri. Sterling Price - Missouri Arkansas: On August 10, 1861, Price, along with Confederate Brigadier General Benjamin McCulloch,  engaged Lyon at the Battle of Wilsons Creek.   The fighting saw Price win a victory and Lyon killed.   Pressing on, Confederate troops claimed another victory at Lexington in September.   Despite these successes, Union reinforcements compelled Price and McCulloch, who had become fierce rivals, to withdraw into northern Arkansas in early 1862.   Due to the conflict between the two men, Major General Earl Van Dorn was dispatched to take overall command.   Seeking to regain the initiative, Van Dorn led his new command against Brigadier General Samuel Curtis Union army at Little Sugar Creek in early March.   While the army was on the move, Prices major general commission was finally transferred to the Confederate Army.   Leading an effective attack at the  Battle of Pea Ridge on March 7, Price was wounded.   Though Prices actions were largely successful, Van Dorn was beaten the fo llowing day and forced to retreat. Sterling Price - Mississippi: Following Pea Ridge, Van Dorns army received orders to cross the Mississippi River to reinforce General P.G.T. Beauregards army at Corinth, MS.   Arriving, Prices division saw service in the Siege of Corinth that May and withdrew south when Beauregard elected to abandon the town.   That fall, when Beauregards replacement,  General Braxton Bragg, moved to invade Kentucky, Van Dorn and Price were left to defend Mississippi.   Pursued by Major General Don Carlos Buells Army of the Ohio, Bragg directed Prices enlarged Army of the West to march from Tupelo, MS north towards Nashville, TN. This force was to be aided by Van Dorns smaller Army of West Tennessee. Together, Bragg hoped  this combined force to would prevent Major General Ulysses S.  Grant from moving to aid Buell.         Ã‚   Marching north, Price engaged Union forces under Major General William S. Rosecrans on September 19 at the Battle of Iuka.   Attacking the enemy, he was unable to break through Rosecrans lines.   Bloodied, Price elected to withdraw and moved to unite with Van Dorn at Ripley, MS.   Rendezvousing five days later, Van Dorn led the combined force against Rosecrans lines at Corinth on October 3.   Assaulting the Union positions for two days in the Second Battle of Corinth, Van Dorn failed to achieve victory.   Angered by Van Dorn and desiring to take his command back to Missouri, Price traveled to Richmond, VA and met with President Jefferson Davis.   Making his case, he was chastised by Davis who questioned his loyalty.   Stripped of his command, Price received orders to return to the Trans-Mississippi Department. Sterling Price - Trans-Mississippi: Serving under Lieutenant General Theophilus H. Holmes, Price spent the first half of 1863 in Arkansas.   On July 4, he performed well in the Confederate defeat at the Battle of Helena and assumed command of the army as it withdrew to Little Rock. AR.   Pushed out of the state capital later that year, Price ultimately fell back to Camden, AR.   On March 16, 1864, he took command of the District of Arkansas.   The following month, Price opposed Major General Frederick Steeles advance through the southern part of the state.   Misinterpreting Steeles objectives, he lost Camden without a fight on April 16.   Though Union forces had won a victory, they were short on supplies and Steele elected to withdraw to Little Rock.   Harried by Price and reinforcements led by General Edmund Kirby Smith, Steeles rearguard defeated this combined force at Jenkins Ferry in late April. Following this campaign, Price began advocating for an invasion of Missouri with the goal of reclaiming the state and endangering President Abraham Lincolns reelection that fall.   Though Smith granted permission for the operation, he stripped Price of his infantry.   As a result, the effort in Missouri would be limited to a large-scale cavalry raid.   Moving north with 12,000 horsemen on August 28, Price crossed into Missouri and engaged Union forces at Pilot Knob a month later.   Turning west, he fought a string of battles as his men laid waste to the countryside.   Increasingly hemmed in by Union forces, Price was badly beaten by Curtis, now leading the Department of Kansas Indian Territory, and Major General Alfred Pleasonton at Westport on October 23.   Pursued into hostile Kansas, Price turned south, passed through the Indian Territory and finally halted at Laynesport, AR on December 2 having lost half of his command. Sterling Price - Later Life: Largely inactive for the remainder of the war, Price elected not to surrender at its conclusion and instead rode to Mexico with part of his command in the hope of serving in the army of Emperor Maximilian.   Turned down by the Mexican leader, he briefly led a community of Confederate expatriates living in Veracruz before growing ill with intestinal issues.   In August 1866, Prices condition worsened when he contracted typhoid.   Returning to St. Louis, he lived in an impoverished state until dying on September 29, 1867.   His remains were buried in the citys Bellefontaine Cemetery. Selected Sources: Civil War Trust: Major General Sterling PriceHistory of War: Major General Sterling PriceEncyclopedia of Arkansas: Major General Sterling Price

Final Project IEP Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Final Project IEP - Essay Example Other skills exhibited by gifted and talented children include leadership and organization. These skills are unique and they make talented children standout. However, talented children need special guidance to enable them achieves their potentials and evade destructive behavior (Whtmore & Maker, 1985). Individualized educational systems were found to be critical in enabling the young talents achieve their full potentials. Individualized educational programs, are programs that describes the goals and expectation of a child within an academic year under given conditions and support Adam is a six-year-old boy in the second grade. After his second birthday, his parents started noting a difference in his growth and development as compared to that of his peer. Unlike his peer, Adam had an outstanding ability to read since he was a two-year-old child. However, his parents were not quick to notice that Adam had a unique reading talent. Having a child who is good in almost everything, puts th e child and the parent in an awkward position because, the parents do not want to seem like they view their child as more special than their friend’s children. In addition, Adam wanted to fit in his age group, but his exceptional talents put him in constant trouble. His parents have reported that his interest in various matters is very intriguing. For example, Adam is interested in international and national matters such as environmental issues and terrorism. His curiosity makes him relentless in demanding answers, and he will not give up, until he finds an answer. He cannot stop asking about questions concerning God and life after death, the interesting bit is that, this has gone on for the past one and a half years. Unlike other children, Adam is not only interested in knowing whom God is, but also where he can be found. Adam is also very sensitive and he usually scrutinizes the validity of all responses given to him before accepting them. His talent in visual and performin g arts is evident from his intense interest in music and very impressive drawings, which his parents agree could be on an exhibition wall. Adam’s teachers report that he always wants to please his teachers and, therefore looks for their approval in everything he does. Although this habit might be beneficial to him in the short-term, it might prevent him from acquiring other important skills in life. His ability to grasp concepts is far beyond that of his peers; this makes him to complete his class work before other students. He usually uses his free time staring into space or scribbling imaginary shapes on a piece of paper. Adams prefers the company of children in older grades because; his age mates perceive his intense knowledge about various concepts as abnormal. The fact that his academic performance is excellent also makes him unpopular with his friends. According to the Federal Bureau of Statistics, approximately 5-7% of all United States youth and children have a specia l talent in a particular field (Whtmore & Maker, 1985). This translates to about three million children in the country being in possession of a special talent. It has also been noted that the ability of children to grasp concept varies with states. Whereas some states have 5% of their children having this special talent, others have 3% of their total children population. Teachers are therefore required to ensure that such children develop

Risk management Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6500 words

Risk management - Literature review Example A probabilistic incident like oil spill event or oil spill contact to an environmentally responsive area cannot be forecasted; only an approximation of its likelihood can be quantified (Scarlett, Linkov and Kousky, 2011, p.20). Before applying the risk management practices; risk assessment should be done in order to know that what can go wrong at a definite time period and what the outcome will be if it does. Therefore, it is necessary to find out the probable occurrences that could lead to an oil spill, together with the feasible resulting impacts. (Imo, 2010, p.3). This paper will focus on the methodology and structure, purposes of risk management, application of risk management in oil exploration programs, identification of spillage risks, risk assessment of oil spillage risks, risk response planning for oil spillage risks and risk monitoring and control for oil spillage risks. 1.1. Aims and Objectives Aims: The aim of this paper is to develop a framework that will help the compan ies in order to control their oil spillage risks in oil exploration programs. Objectives: The objectives will be to investigate the nature of oil spillage risks; identify and summarize the existing understanding about oil spillage risk management; discover good practices in managing oil spillage risks and to provide a new framework that summarizes the findings and can be used further for managing oil spillage risks. Besides this, the paper has also focused on different methods used to manage the risk of oil spillage. 1.2. Background 1.2.1. The nature of oil spillage risk in oil exploration program The oil industry is concerned with a long history of spills on the North Slope and the probability of future spills is high. Indeed, there has been an oil spillage once a day, on... From this research it is clear that the oil industry is concerned with a long history of spills on the North Slope and the probability of future spills is high. Indeed, there has been an oil spillage once a day, on average, from the time when gas and oil development began on the North Slope. In order to make the subject worse, ocean currents move the chemicals and oil hundreds of miles. Further, in the Arctic Ocean, cleaning up oil spills would lead to enormous challenges. Suppression and recovery at sea hardly ever leads to the removal of more than a comparatively small fraction of a large oil spill, i.e. only 10-15% and often significantly less. Till date, no technology subsists in order to clean up oil in the sea ice circumstances and late-season spills would stay behind until the following year. Furthermore, cold water splits down oil much more slowly than the warm water. Climate change has considerably weakened the basis on which Arctic ecosystems function. Species mainly at ris k include polar bear, walruses, ringed seals, beluga and bowhead whales and coastal birds. So, it is found that the environmental risk is associated with the oil exploration programs. Oil spillage refers to an unintentional release of oil in a water body due to human activity and is regarded as form of pollution. Oil spillage occurs due to release of crude oil from underwater wells and pipeline, or offshore drilling rig, or a tanker, frequently presenting a danger to marine life and environment.

Homeland Security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Homeland Security - Essay Example As is always the case, individual rights cede way to national security concerns and not vice versa. While public order advocates argue that this should be the case, civil rights advocates gainsay this standpoint. The tension has been aggravated following September 11 Terrorist Attacks. As already stated, September 11 Terrorist Attacks serve as a watershed in the development of the tension between national security policy and the protection of civil liberties. As a way of responding to the September 11 Attacks, the US Congress passed the US Patriot Act 2001 on October 26, 2001. While the Patriot Act 2001 would serve as a strong instrument for waging the War on Terror, there were concerns that it was also a harbinger for mass violations of individual or civil rights. Particularly, Section 206 of the US Patriot Act 2001 allows Homeland Security officials and other security officers to use roving wire taps to provide law enforcement agencies with surveillance and intelligence. This move is a violation of the right to privacy which is well protected in the Fourth Amendment to the US Constitution (White, 2003). Again, Section 215 of the Patriot Act 2001 gives law enforcement agencies the legal authority to access tangible pieces of details of American citizens and the rest of inhabitants in the United States. This is in violation to some civil rights that are enshrined in the Fourth Amendment to the US Constitution. The Fourth Amendment accords US Citizens the right to be secure or safe in their person, areas of residence, papers and personal effects from unreasonable searches and seizures. The Fourth Amendment continues that these rights shall not be violated unless there is an issuance of the arrest or search warrant and/ or probable cause. This probable cause had to be in turn confirmed by the Oath of Affirmation. Section 215 of the Patriot Act 2001 is an affront to the right to privacy and the freedom from unlawful arrest. As if the foregoing is

DP-2 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

DP-2 - Coursework Example During the next few days I would reiterate my opinion that according to the video I saw and my view the police definitely used excessive force and fired unnecessarily when the suspect was attempting to flee. It did not appear he had a weapon and at no time faced the Officers as if to threaten them. 3. I observed the police cars stop at which time the suspect was shown running away from the Officers with what appeared to be his pants in a low position, the Officer then began firing on the suspect as his back was turned and he was attempting to flee. 1. After a short chase by the police Officers the suspect appears to stop in front of a store front at which time Officer’s attempt to manually subdue him without weapons and he is resistant and continues to struggle to escape. Two officers were unable to bring him down and it looked as though he may have pointed a weapon with the position of his arms. When he continued to not stop for the Officers shots were fired at him. The suspect at one point faced his arms and hands towards the Officers as if he may have had a weapon that he intended to use, this was the look of the stance he assumed in the video, at this time shots were fired. 2. To allegations of police conduct I would have to say that it could not be immediately determined because it looked from this view that it is possible the suspect had a weapon and actually pointed towards the officers with the position and stance he took during the altercation. He also turned to face them once more with arms as though in a position that may have been going to use a weapon before he was fired upon. 3. In testifying before a grand jury my statement would be similar, from my view it was impossible to tell for certain if the suspect had a weapon and that from my view point it looked as though this was possible as he also turned towards the Officers with arms out towards them as though he may be a threat and assuming the stance of using a weapon. Officer’s initially

Speech Recon Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Speech Recon - Assignment Example It is not unreasonable to assume therefore that in the future advanced speech recognition software will govern more and more of our common day to day activities (Li, 2004). One particular aspect that it is likely to replace is the job of the drive thru order taker. Everyday, tens of thousands of orders are placed and received by a human being; however, the fact of the matter is that there is no reason why speech recognition software would not be capable of doing the exact same task. Further, technical support automation is already something that has experienced a great deal of success. As such, it would not be a stretch to assume that at some point, calling your banking institution, cell phone provider, or electrical company could all be handled by speech recognition software; with a human only acting as a last resort back up for very complex and convoluted issues. Authors and futurologists have long feared the time in which computers/robots will take over a high number of jobs from humans; thereby stripping humanity of its wherewithal and ability to perform certain functions on their own. In the same way, having voice recognition software conceivably performing a majority of customer care/relations jobs will doubtless have a negative effect on consumer satisfaction as the consumer feels as if their business is unworthy of the time it would take a â€Å"real human† to answer their questions. In the end, the technology in and of itself is not a bad thing; however, its application if overused is troubling for the

DP-2 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

DP-2 - Coursework Example During the next few days I would reiterate my opinion that according to the video I saw and my view the police definitely used excessive force and fired unnecessarily when the suspect was attempting to flee. It did not appear he had a weapon and at no time faced the Officers as if to threaten them. 3. I observed the police cars stop at which time the suspect was shown running away from the Officers with what appeared to be his pants in a low position, the Officer then began firing on the suspect as his back was turned and he was attempting to flee. 1. After a short chase by the police Officers the suspect appears to stop in front of a store front at which time Officer’s attempt to manually subdue him without weapons and he is resistant and continues to struggle to escape. Two officers were unable to bring him down and it looked as though he may have pointed a weapon with the position of his arms. When he continued to not stop for the Officers shots were fired at him. The suspect at one point faced his arms and hands towards the Officers as if he may have had a weapon that he intended to use, this was the look of the stance he assumed in the video, at this time shots were fired. 2. To allegations of police conduct I would have to say that it could not be immediately determined because it looked from this view that it is possible the suspect had a weapon and actually pointed towards the officers with the position and stance he took during the altercation. He also turned to face them once more with arms as though in a position that may have been going to use a weapon before he was fired upon. 3. In testifying before a grand jury my statement would be similar, from my view it was impossible to tell for certain if the suspect had a weapon and that from my view point it looked as though this was possible as he also turned towards the Officers with arms out towards them as though he may be a threat and assuming the stance of using a weapon. Officer’s initially

Cause and Prevention of Type2 Diabetes in Urban China Essay

Cause and Prevention of Type2 Diabetes in Urban China - Essay Example Rapid economic growth after reformation has lead to lifestyle changes in China's population. Reduced physical activity and unhealthy eating habits inevitably lead to obesity and diabetes, and in fact such lifestyle changes have led to rapid increase in the incidence of Type2 diabetes in urban China. Furthermore, China has now overtaken India as the country with the largest number of diabetes patients in the world, with 50 million patients currently, and an annual incremental rate of 1-2 million. It is predicted that 100 million of China's 1.3 billion people will have diabetes by 2025. In urban regions of China, around 50% of Type2 patients are children. Type2 diabetes in children is easily overlooked, and delays in treatment can have serious consequences. Hence, medical experts warn that vigilance is essential to prevent and treat the disease in children. Lifestyle intervention will play an important role in diabetes management, particularly because insulin injections are too expensi ve for the majority of Chinese. First, a systematic review of existing literature will consider information about the following: causes of Type2 diabetes, medical treatments (effectiveness, cost and benefit), and lifestyle intervention approaches (effectiveness, cost and benefit). Following this, a number of methods will be used to gather and evaluate relevant data. Using the deductive approach will require starting with a general hypothesis; for example, "lifestyle changes are directly increasing incidence of Type2 diabetes and prevention strategies should be implemented". Inductive research, on the other hand, will allow the researcher to account for the possibility that there may be less obvious influences on the rising frequency of Type2 diabetes in China. A mixture of research strategies designed to obtain qualitative and quantitative data, such as questionnaires and interviews, will be applied on selected groups of diabetics, medical staff, schools, doctors and hospitals. Surveys and questionnaires will gather data used in the deductive approach, while interviews will gather qualitative data for an inductive approach. Various research methods used together will help cancel out the 'method effect'. (Smith 1975) Face-to-face interviews are essential to this research topic, and gaining qualitative data is the primary focus. Economic evaluation will involve a comparison of the costs and benefits of treatment versus prevention strategies. It is suggested that such a comparison will show that it is far more beneficial from an economic standpoint to prevent diabetes rather than to treat it. Feasibility Primary data will be obtained from publications by the World Health Organisation, China's Ministry of Health, and Official Chinese News Agents. A systematic

Consider the development Essay Example for Free

Consider the development Essay The word sonnet is the English translation of the Italian word sonetto, a little sound or song. A sonnet is a poem consisting of fourteen lines, ten syllables in English and Italian and generally twelve in French. There are three basic sonnet forms, the Petrarchan, which is an eight lined and a six lined (octave and sestet) sonnet with no rhyming couplet; the Spenserian, consisting of three quatrains and a couplet; finally the Shakespearian, consisting of three quatrains (four lines) and a couplet. There are different styles of sonnets all over the world. For example, France has its own unique structure that their sonneteers write in and the same with other countries. With all these different countries having different styles of writing that also means there are also different rhyming schemes. Reading sonnets is a great way of learning about different cultural aspects of life; for example during the seventeenth century the central theme of most sonnets was religion. During this time it gave people a great opportunity to learn about many different religions. The use of enjambment occurs in many sonnets. Enjambment is the running on of the thought from one line, couplet, or stanza to the next without a syntactical break The first sonneteer was Italian, his name was Francesco Petrarch. He was famous for a collection of Italian lyrics which include a long series of love poems. Petrarch wrote his poems about a lady called Laura, whom he met in a church. Laura became the central theme of his poetry. In total Petrarch wrote three hundred and sixty five sonnets. Petrarchs poems were meant to convey his love and devotion to the love of his life Laura. Sonnets moved to England in the sixteenth century. The seventeenth century saw the theme of sonnets change from love to religion. Donne is a good example of a sonneteer of religion. For two-hundred years a minute amount of sonnets were written. This was because they fell out of fashion. However during the nineteenth century sonneteers began to write about the theme of the natural world. William Wordsworth wrote poems such as Composed upon Westminster Bridge. War poetry became popular during the time of 1914-1918. This was because The First World War was happening at the time. War was on everybodys mind. The Poetry was read to the soldiers going off to war to motivate and encourage the soldiers to fight for their families and country. The poem Shall I Compare Thee written by William Shakespeare is about an unknown woman that Shakespeare compares to a summers day as summer is a picturesque time of year. The poem is written in the Shakespearian form. In the second line Shakespeare writes Thou art more lovely and more temperate This quotation informs the reader that although she cannot be compared to a summers day as she is more than the beauty of summer. Shakespeare writes Rough winds do shake the darling buds of Mai, this quotation is about the winds of summer; Shakespeare describes them as a type of rage. The woman could never be like summer as she is kind and caring. At the conclusion of the poem, (the rhyming couplet) Shakespeare writes So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee. This quotation informs the reader that she may die. However she will stay alive through the poem. The poem Composed Upon Westminster Bridge written in 1802 by William Wordsworth is about Wordsworth love of natural world and the city of London. The first line of the sonnet reads Earth has not anything to show more fair. In this quotation Wordsworth is sitting on Westminster Bridge looking across the beautiful city of London and is besotted with the picturesque view and feels the world has nothing to compare to it. William Wordsworth writes All bright and glittering in the smokeless air. This quotation informs the reader of the beautiful sunrise and how it glitters across the city. Wordsworth writes The river glideth at his own sweet will. This quotation means that the Thames has many bends on its path through the city of London and has not got a straight journey like other rivers. Wordsworth metaphorically states that the river glides freely. This sonnet is very popular and was voted 24th most popular poem in 1998. The mood of the sonnet is uplifting. The poem Death be not proud written by John Donne is about Donnes personal interpretation of death. John Donne does not fear death; he does not see it as a bad aspect in life. Donne writes Death, be not proud, though some have called thee mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so. This quotation informs the reader that some people may find death an awful, petrifying experience; however it is not, death is a new beginning. Donne writes Thourt slave to fate, chance, kings and desperate men, and dost with poison, war and sickness dwell. This quotation informs the reader that in life bad things will happen such as diseases and devastation. The mood of this poem is low key and dark. Donne writes One short sleep past, we wake eternally. This quotation informs the reader that after death our souls go to heaven and we awake eternally. John Donne was born in 1572 and died in 1631 at the age of 59. During Donnes lifetime this would have been considered an old age to die. There was a short life expectancy during this period because of all the disease and drug taking. The poem Peace written by Rupert Brooke is a war poem and it appealed to readers in the First World War as it informs them why their loved ones died in battle. Brooke was a very popular sonneteer as his poems would get the soldiers pumped up and ready for the gruesome activity that is war. Brooke encouraged people to be patriotic, to fight for their country and beliefs. Brook writes Leave the sick hearts that honour could move. This quotation conveys the fact that there are masses of casualties in a war just as there were in World War One. The sonnet The Vanity of his Passion written by Petrarch is addressed to his love, Laura. However he feels unreciprocated love. This could be for two reasons. Laura only exists in his mind or she is out of his league and could never fall in love with him. The sonnet is written in the first person; this is because Petrarch is expressing his love to Laura (There is a direct address to the lady). Petrarch uses many abstract nouns in his writing; he uses two in the title, vanity and passion. The reason for Petrarch using several abstract nouns is that it reflects the abstract nature of his love. Petrarch writes Throughout my song, by hopes and vain griefs bed; this quotation means that Petrarch recognises that he was vain ever to believe that she might ever love him. When Petrarch was younger he thought he was in love; he now realises what it means to be in passion drowned; Petrarch writes That worldly pleasure is a passing dream. This quotation informs that the love is short and cant last. His love is like a dream. The mood of the poem is very desolate as Petrarch wants something he is unable to achieve. In conclusion the central sonnet theme has not changed in hundreds of years, many are still written today. As time has progressed different forms have been introduced such as the Spenserian and the Shakespearian. My favourite sonnet is Shall I compare thee because Shakespeare uses many descriptive language associated with summer and his mysterious woman, this shows the depth of his love for her.

The Importance Of Relationships

The Importance Of Relationships To better understand the argument of friendships and their potential cause of instability in the hierarchical structure of Confucian thought put forth by Norman Kutcher (2000), I examined three sources discussed in this paper. In his article The Confucian Concept of Man: The Original Formulation, Scott Morton (1971) presents the general idea of Confucian thought and explains the ideas and concept of man. To go into further detail, Donald Blakeleys (2008) Hearts in Agreement: Zhuangzi on Dao Adept Friendship explores friendship in both philosophies and defines friendship according to the Analects giving readers a better understanding of friendship and its role in society. Finally, Arthur W. Hummels (1960) article titled The Art of Social Relations in China emphasizes the importance of relationships in China and society, the role of relationships in ones maturity, emphasizing the importance of friendship on ones road to success once he leaves the family nest. These articles provide add itional insight and understanding the function of friendships in a mans maturity and growth process, emphasizing the need and necessity and importance of friendship, overall providing a bigger and clearer picture of friendship and its potential effects. The Importance of Relationships: Its roles and Responsibilities Upon reading Norman Kutchers (2000) article on friendships titled, The Fifth Relationship: Dangerous Friendships in the Confucian Context, I was left with several questions. In Kutchers (2000) article, friendship was defined and separated from the other relationships because of its uniqueness of its members and nature. He argues that friendship is an unstable relationship that could potentially upset the hierarchy in state and family relations (the other four relationships). However, his argument left me with several questions about the topic. I wanted to be better understand the role of the individual and the concept of man in Confucian thought to see how this related to relationships and human conduct in these relationships. I also wanted to comprehend and firmly grasp the ideas of relationships and friendships, in particular, its definition in Confucian terms. In addition, I also wanted to comprehend, in depth the importance of relationships in the growth and maturity of a man, wh ether friendship was something that was actually needed and required or just something voluntary as Kutcher (2000) argued in his essay. These concerns led me to research on the history of Confucian thought, the concepts and its beliefs on relationships, and the importance and role friendships played on growth and maturity. Through my research, I came across the following three academic sources. The first article is titled The Confucian Concept of Man: the original formulation about the formulation of man and the concept of man in Confucian thought by Scott Morton (1971). Morton begins by introducing the beginning of Chinese philosophy and their interest in the creation of an ethical framework for human conduct. In Chinese philosophy, especially Confucianism, it is difficult to differentiate between philosophy and ethics. The first question that Morton (1971) wants to answer is how Confucius views man. The first concept is that Man is always considered as Man living inside of society. People are individuals, but all individuals live in societies and relationships; these societies, communities, whatever you want to call them exist in a network of duties, obligations, and rights (Morton, 1971). Secondly, there is also a stated hierarchy in Confucian thought as men in society are divided into two groups, the rulers and the ruled. And finally, probably Confucius most notable contribution to Confucian thought, is the idea of Chun Tzu or nobleman. The noble man is born noble and this is shown through his actions. Morton (1971) continues to define moral character and the nobleman. Using translations mainly from Legge and Waley, Morton (1971) suggests six groups of characteristics and moral qualities that are important to the nobleman. The first is his resolution and firmness. The nobleman must be firm and decided. He is proud but not quarrelsome. He does not quit or give up on the right or the good way. The second group of moral characteristics consists of mildness, modesty, and humility. In third place is a well-balanced character. This refers to not only a perfection of delicately balancing all previously mentioned moral characteristics but also refers to his human life and relationship as a whole, reciprocity. What one man does not want done to him, he must not do to others. He knows what to do and when to do it, his style and mannerisms are very important in this balance of moral characteristics. The fourth is faithfulness; the gentleman must be one in whom others can trust. The fifth char acteristic of the gentleman is his ability to admit to fault and imperfections. If he knows his mistake, he can correct it and perfect himself; if a man lacks this characteristic, he will become the inferior man. Finally, the sixth and last moral characteristic is independence. What the Analects mean by this is not his ability to be independent, but his ability to be separate and have general moral qualifications, not a specialist or a tool trained for a specific purpose. The nobleman is one who is fit and able to do anything. According to Morton (1971), the man who is in the relationship must not only follow the rules and obligations of being in a specific relationship, but he must also be a nobleman in all cases. He must have the ability to determine and differentiate between the right and the wrong, and with resolution follow his path down the Good way. Every man has an important role to play, and depending on his situation, he should know the style with which he should perform in each. Though this article does not directly discuss relationships and Confucian thought on friendship, Morton (1971) helps to shed light on the philosophies of Confucian thought, in particular Mortons (1971) analysis on human conduct and the nobleman according to the Analects, and provides significant background information to help better understand the ideas put forth by Kutcher (2000). Mortons (1971) particular analysis and detail about the nobleman adds to Kutchers (2000) argument about friendship because it details the priorities about a man and the way he should act towards his rulers, his family, and his friends. This helps me to analyze the argument because I can better analyze and critique Kutchers (2000) argument. The second article is titled Hearts in Agreemtn: Zhuangzi on Dao Adept Friendship by Donald N. Blakeley (2008). This article by Donald Blakeley (2008) begins with an introduction to friendship in the Daodejing and then continues to compare this thought to the friendship defined in the Analects in Confucian thought. An understanding of friendships and how they are viewed in detail will help us better understand Kutchers (2000) suggestion of friendship and how it connects and plays a role in hierarchy in Confucian China. Blakeley defines friendship (which is taken from the Daodejing) as a relationship where one accepts and recognizes the other and his qualifications; people who are friends often share skills and expertise, and often times similar thoughts and values. Throughout the article, Blakeley (2008) defines friendship and analyzes it from a Daoist perspective. It is not until later in the article that Blakeley observes friendship in the terms of Confucianism and Ren. According to Blakeley (2008), priority resides in cultivating the fullness of a virtuous life as defined by proper understanding of the cultural values of the past (Blakeley 2008, p. 330). A ren person is cultivated and guided by ceremony and rituals, li. This li is then grounded in dao, or the way, of relationships and society which all operate under Heaven. In terms of friendships, the Analects and the Mencius advise that friendships have the following traits. The first is that the relationships must be based on a particular value and similar perspectives. Befriend only the right persons and Cultivate friendship with the good. The second is that friendship requires trust and sincerity, faithfulness and honesty. Good friends are ones that are devoted to virtuous living, exemp lary persons or sages. The third characteristic is that friendships must work and embrace the wider contexts of human existence (such as family, political, government, ruler-ruled settings). This relationship must work within the grand matrix of the world. The fourth is that friendships are voluntary. The fifth is that friendships are equal (otherwise, it would belong with another of the five relationships). The sixth characteristic of friendships is that they are based on mutual respect and reciprocity, which also falls within the action and behavior of the nobleman in the aforementioned article by Morton (1971). Finally, friendship is conditional. This is a relationship meant to enhance all other human relations and roles. If a friendship mistakenly affects your ability to perform your duties and obligations in another relationship, this would not be a good friendship and should be ended. Blakeley (2008) explores friendships in Chinese philosophy beginning with the Zhuangzi and then comparing that to the Analects. Through this analysis, we are able to better understand the context of friendship and how it is defined in the books and the philosophies of Confucius and other Chinese thought. By gaining an improved grasp on friendships in this context, will be able to have a more encompassing evaluation of Kutchers (2000) argument. The finally article that will be taken into consideration upon evaluation of Kutchers (2000) article is Artuher W. Hummels (1960) titled The Art of Social Relations in China. The Chinese believed that life was about relationships, and how one managed those relationships would determine his success in society. There were a total of five relationships: the relationship of the ruler and the ruled, the father and son, the elder and younger brothers, husband and wife, and friend and friend. In every relationship, there are obligations and duties, there are also right and privileges granted by one or the other in that relationship. Hummel (1960) then begins to discuss and introduce Mencius and Confucius philosophy on man and their natural goodness. Through this goodness is virtue, and the gentleman is one who is able to share and give virtue and goodness to all. Hummel (1960) then also discusses the Confucian gentleman. The Confucian gentleman is one who has manners and is style and proper ; he knows the situation and understands the accurate manners and performance in each. Human conduct, thus, became a large part of Confucian thought and consequently, Chinese thought. In his article Hummel (1960) states that is a mistake to think of Confucian ethics as a code, rule, or law. Instead, they are mere suggestions and persuasions, techniques used and highly prized in the Confucian world. Suggestion is the power to share and allow others to discover ideas almost by themselves. The gentleman and the loved man is one who is humble and large-minded. It is the ability to overlook small failings and care about the more important things and more significant things; it is the ability to differentiate between the small and the large things in life. In this article, we are given a bigger and greater practical view on how relationships are managed and should be managed according to Confucian thought. Friendships, specifically, should be looked at to help develop and cultivate virtue. According to Hummel (1960), one must be able to relate to those with virtue, and be able to maintain friendships throughout ones life. It is important to surround yourself with those who are better able to help you in the case of something happening. The Chinese place great importance on friendships because it is through friendships that one is better able to advance. The man who grows up and becomes a self-made man will be a lonely man; in the event of some unfortunate events, he will still be alone, with no one to help him along the way. Understanding friendships through Hummels (1960) analysis helps better evaluate Kutchers (2000) assumptions about friendship and the importance and need of friendship in a persons maturity, according to Confucian thought. This idea complements Blakeleys (2008) analysis of friendship based on Confucian texts such as the Analects. Blakeleys more detailed analysis on friendship thus helps us better understand friendship and its roles in society and to the individual in their maturity and growth. Finally, both of these contribute to a better understanding of Confucian thought presented by Morton (1971). Mortons (1971) presentation on Confucian thought and values, along with Blakeleys detailed analysis of friendship based on Confucian texts, together with the concept that relationships are the most important aspect according to Confucian thought allows us to grasp and better evaluate Kutchers (2000) argument on friendship and its role and effects in society and its members.

Lakatos and MacIntyre on Incommensurability and the Rationality of Theory-change :: Science Scientific Philosophy Essays

Lakatos and MacIntyre on Incommensurability and the Rationality of Theory-change ABSTRACT: Imre Lakatos' "methodology of scientific research programs" and Alasdair MacIntyre's "tradition-constituted enquiry" are two sustained attempts to overcome the assumptions of logical empiricism, while saving the appearance that theory-change is rational. The key difference between them is their antithetical stand on the issue of incommensurability between large-scale theories. This divergence generates other areas of disagreement; the most important are the relevance of the historical record and the presence of decision criteria that are common to rival programs. I show that Lakatos' rejection of the incommensurability thesis and dismissal of actual history are motivated by the belief that neither are compatible with the rationality of theory-change. If MacIntyre can deny the necessity of dispensing with the historical record, and show that incommensurability and the consequent absence of shared decision criteria are compatible with rationality in theory-change, then Lakato s' argument will lose its force, and MacIntyre will better honor the intention to take seriously the historicality of science. I argue that MacIntyre can dissolve tensions between incommensurability and rationality in theory-change if he is able, first, to distinguish a sense of the incommensurability thesis that preserves genuine rivalry between theories, and second, to show that the possibility of rationality in theory-change depends not on the presence of common decision criteria, but on the fact that traditions can fail by their own standards. After reconstructing and examining the argument, I conclude that the notion of a tradition's "internal failure" is coherent, but that it leaves crucial questions about the epistemology and ontology of traditions that must be answered if MacIntyre's proposal is to constitute a genuine improvement on Lakatos. Although he is not primarily a philosopher of science, Alasdair MacIntyre has drawn on post-Kuhnian methodological reflection in his formulation of an historicist theory of knowledge (1984a: 271) or what his more recent work terms tradition-constituted inquiry (1988: 354). In many respects, MacIntyres traditions are similar to the research programs described in the work of Imre Lakatos (1977). Both thinkers propose a shift in focus from atomic propositions to some type of holism by making an entire theory, or series of theories, the proper object of evaluation. Each argues that the issues investigated by participants in research traditions are not timeless questions, but are crucially shaped by their own problematics. Without devaluing consistency and logical rigor, each supposes that incoherence of a certain sort is the motor of intellectual progress.

Comparison †Rendezvous and American Psycho Essay

Rendezvous and American Psycho both have an antihero – a narcissistic psychopath, but do they at all have more in common? And are the two antiheroes comparable? American Psycho is a psychological thriller with satire, black comedy and horror. Rendezvous is a psychological short story. The American Psycho takes place in New York in the mid-eighties. Patrick Bateman is the main character, a young, good looking man who works at an investment firm called Pierce and Pierce. He spends his leisure time among his extremely wealthy friends and colleagues from the yuppie class. In the yuppie culture, which started under the boom in the eighties, the stereotype is a greedy antithetical well-paid man in the financial sector with a conspicuous personal consumption. A stereotype which could as well be a description of Patrick Bateman. He is successful, rich and engaged, seemingly a good life. He eats at the right places, wears the right designer clothes, drinks the right drinks and listens to the right pop music on the right stereo. But Payton is simply empty, he does not have a self. In his search for identity and need for social integration in the yuppie class he get obsessed with the images narrated incessantly by pop music, advertising, movies and the television. He tries to find his identity through consumer products, or more the product narratives. In his battle for identity his self becomes commercial, his whole identity and conception of reality gets composed by mass medias narratives – I consume, therefore I am. He believes in the rewards implicitly promised in advertising and he has undertaken from his culture the belief that consumption somehow will satisfy him. But Bateman does not feel the satisfaction, and the rewards are never as promised. Therefore Bateman has to get the satisfaction otherwise, which results in him killing and torturing people – from prostitutes and homeless to models and colleagues. Even when he murders, he have to find his identity elsewhere. When he murders his colleague, Paul Allen, he find inspiration in axe-murders. Afterwards he uses Paul Allens name to commit crimes – he tortures i. a. Christie and Sabrina in Pauls apartment. He also adopts identity from the chainsaw-massacre in one of his murders. It is possible that the murders also are the result of attempts to live his life after cinematic ideals, because he as mentioned builds his identity of narratives, among the cinema. The murders does not seem to have any rational reason – he is neither advantaged nor protected by them. Bateman is best characterized as immoral, extremely narcissistic and, as he says himself in the monologue at the start, greedy. A funny detail which underline Batemans narcissism is that he have reflective surfaces all over his house, for instance his kitchen, made in high-reflective materials, and the big mirrors in his bedroom. Many times through the movie Bateman is asked about his line of work. â€Å"I’m into, uh, murders and executions, mostly. † At last he confesses all his murders on his lawyers answering machine. When Bateman next day confronts him with it, he thinks it is a joke but with â€Å"†¦one fatal flaw. Bateman is such a dork. Such a boring, spineless lightweight. Now, if you’d said Bryce†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and when Bateman tries to convince him he says that it cannot be true â€Å"because I had dinner with Paul Allen twice in London just ten days ago. † It is a funny, equivocal statement. Everyone in his social circle looks like him. No one listens to him, since everyone around him are just as empty and self-absorbed as him. Through the movie he becomes more insane and kills more and more people. At the end-monologue he confesses that â€Å"there are no more barriers to cross† He wants his pain to be inflicted on others, and even after admitting this he feels no catharsis. His confession has meant nothing. Bateman is not just a psycho – he is an American psycho. He is a consumer which does not feel satisfied by consuming and he builds his identity on impossible narratives by mass media and in his hunting for satisfaction and identity kills. Bateman is actually a victim of narratives, he is in a state of chaos because â€Å"inside doesn? t matter†, the perception by others define ones identity and not the actual actions and thoughts. He is in a world of narratives where everything which cannot have a price mark is worthless – and he believes it, and form his identity subsequently. Bateman’s search for identity through consumer goods, does not make him more satisfied, his consumer lust transforms into bloodlust. Rendezvous have two main characters, Payton and Kim, it takes place on an interstate in USA. Kim is a 15-year-old girl in tenth grade, doing a little youth rebellion – or the way she sees it, proving a point. She regrets a little that she is not at home, eating dinner, instead of being out in the cold, but tries to stay cool. At least she has a great story to tell her friends. She is almost a stereotypical runaway. Payton is selfish and have – as Patrick Bateman – some narcissistic traits. It is implicitly told that he has murdered five people ,â€Å"the priest wasn? t even sympathetic about him sending the flowers and visiting the funeral home, which he had done three out of five times after he d gone out on the Interstate. We must assume that Payton have killed people, even though it is not definitely. The same applies to Bateman, where the clean apartment, his many drawings of murders, and the lawyer who says he had lunch in London ten days ago, may indicate that all the murders was Batemans fantasy. Since the story ends with the rendezvous between Payton and Kim, where Kim hitch a lift, opens a door and hears loud drums, we must suppose that the five killings Payton have committed are on hitchhikers. Even though he does not seem to understand the priest, he have sense of guilt for his murders, but tries to entitle them or play them down. Payton properly hope to get some â€Å"indulgence† by sending the flowers and tell the priest – why else would he meet and tell the priest? When the priest says it is wrong and he should tell the police, he tries to convince himself that the priest is senseless and forget what the he have said, by speeding up. He has a cobra tattoo which tells us something about his personality, a cobra symbolizes something bad, sneaky and dangerous. Maybe it could also symbolize temptation referring to Adam and Eve, where the snake coaxed Eve into sinning, which explains why he have killed several people. He is fixed at the outer assets, he have the two ultimate male status symbols, a Firebird and a Budweiser. The firebird is an expensive car with high status and self-promotion build in. His mood changes after the music, indicating that he is spontaneous and impulsive. Rendezvous and American Psycho have not much in common, except for the two narcissistic psychopathic antiheroes, Payton and Bateman. Their murders have no rational reason and they both attach importance to the outer assets. Apart from that they do not have much in common. Payton is cynic, but Bateman even more and also clarified. I do not think Payton? s murders are a fight for identity. American Psycho handles some completely other subjects than Rendezvous. As I see it, the American Psycho questions the consumer mindset and the narratives in the mass media. I see no obvious subject in Rendezvous. It could be a search for excitement and new adventures, which both Payton and Kim does.

Imperial Presidency

Richard Nixon’s presidency is labeled as ‘imperial presidency’[1] due to its hunt for and utilization of regal authority and supremacy. Certain other presidents in American history like Andrew Jackson and Theodore Roosevelt sought kingly control but that expansion in the executive power manifested the merits of that extension. During his presidency, Nixon and his administration put forward legislations to get the maximum control over such areas that remained exclusive domains of Congress like the power to declare war, the power of the purse, and the power of immunity from legislative oversight. This style of administration, absolute authority and legal privileges capacitated Nixon to involve Watergate scandal. Immunity from legislative oversight helped him to cover up his involvement in this scandal. His craving for a absolute authority and measures taken in this regard is best described by his attorney general, Elliott Richardson. He said that â€Å"a government of laws was on the verge of becoming a government of one man.† Despite these absolute powers, his government miserably failed in the domestic arena as he was unable to address the issues facing the American people. Notwithstanding his failure in the domestic affairs, Nixon attained extraordinary progress in the international affairs and explored new horizons for American foreign policy. He established reciprocal and positive relationships with china and was first American president to visit communist China. It goes to the credit of Nixon that he not only developed commercial relations with Russia but also succeeded in signing the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty. This marked the beginning of steadier and constructive relations between the two super powers. [1] This term was first used by Arthur M. Schlesinger in his book ‘The Imperial Presidency’ in 1973.   

Bread Givers By Anzia Yezierka

The correct date of the birth of Anzia Yezierka is not know but it was in between 1880 or 1885 in a village in Poland. Her father being a Talmudic scholar could not earn therefore the family was living on the money her mother was earning by selling peddling goods and also from the neighbors contribution that were thrilled they way the entire family was being run without her father earning anything. THE NOVEL BREAD GIVERS Her story Bread Givers is based upon the life of a 10 year old American Jewish female who is doing stuff beyond her age.This story is about Sara Smolinksky. She lives with her father Reb Smolinsky, her mother Shenah Smolinsky and her three sister Mashah, Bessie and Fania in a East side apartment in New York. The story opens with the mentioning of the family who are very poor with five women who are besieged for cash just to survive and the man of the house Reb Smolinsky is only concerned with studying the sacred text of Jews. The family is about to starve. Saraâ€⠄¢s elder sisters Fania, Bessie and Mashah are jobless and Mashah spends what money she has on herself just to make her beautiful.The man of the house Reb Smolinsky sits at home all day long, just reading the holy books of Jews and confiscating whatever money his daughters bring home, and this is his duty as a father. When Sara’s mother Shenah Smolinsky shows hopelessness over the entire condition, the youngest daughter Sara goes to the outside world to make some money for the family by selling herring. Than later her elders sisters also find some jobs and Shenah (their mother) gives the second room on rent which somewhat enhances the financial position of the family.Well behaved and quite Bessie soon starts to love a young man name Berel Berenstein. She asks him to come home for dinner. The entire family is happy for Bessie other than her very own father, who thinks that he won’t be able to survive as Bessie was bringing the most money. Berel wants to get married to B essie with nothing in return but her father says that Berel should give money for the whole wedding and also set him a business. This offer is refused by Berel and he goes out of the house. Later he asks Bessie to leave her father and marry him; this offer is rejected by Bessie.Berel gets engaged to another girl, which crushes Bessie’s heart. The next daughter to find love is Mashah. Her love is also believed to be inappropriate by her father. Her love is from a rich family who is a piano player by the name of Jacob Novak. Reb Smolinsky totally disapproved and somehow blackmails Jacob so that he may stay away from Mashah for numerous days thus breaking her heart. Later Jacob asks for pardon which Mashah does not give him and asks her father to kick him out of the house. Fania’s lover is also disapproved by her father who happens to be a poet who is poor.His name is Morris Lipkin. Morris is shown the door by Fania’s father again. Reb Smolinsky than finds his own suitors for his three daughter which makes them all sad. The youngest daughter Sara watches all of this and is very angry at her father because what he has done to her elder sisters, but because of she being a girl and her tender age leaves her helpless. Reb Smolinsky spends almost his entire life ready the Torah and other Holy Jewish books. He is living in his own world where there is only religion, a place which is highly unsuited with what the rest of his family are living.His entire day and night are mainly concerned on the assurance of heaven and contributing generous assistance to other people, which makes him not to realize that on Earth, a man needs to assure that his family are being fed before the strangers. When on a holy work, men seem to be kind and good and also they value the significance of the study, he tries to explain this knowledge to the outside world where sometime people do not even care what your reason is for not giving them anything and try to deceive you t hrough any means. The thing which is most damaging not only to him but also the outside world is he being extremely knowledgeable.He takes this the wrong way and thinks that the outside world is as knowledgeable as he is and at times makes some rather silly decision without consulting his wife who is more sensible. After his decisions thought to be badly made, he does not accept it and makes the decision to be more shameful rather than admitting that he was wrong about it. In Spite of the numerous warnings by Mrs. Smolinsky, her husband Reb takes all the money which he had gotten from Bessie’s marriage and invests into a grocery store which the last owner had fake stock kept all over. He is double crossed. Mrs.Smolinsky and Sara must again act quickly to survive and each day they get more anger from Reb. A day comes when Sara loses it and runs away and decides that she wants to become a teacher. She decides to stay with her sister Mashah or Bessie but because of a bad marriag e and being too poor she does not. She gets her own private room which is dirty and small. She finds a job in a laundry shop to pay for the room and her nights are used up in either taking classes or studying. The main motivating force in the life of Sara is to find her own description of light that she sees glowing from her father.When she was a child she desired for anything that would motivate her, like the poetry of Morris Lipkin did sometimes. She dreamt of becoming a teacher when she was just a teen, so that all of the eyes are focused on her like they are on her father when he is preaching. She manages to find books which motivate her day after day. She later gives up Max Goldstein as because of him she would have left her education, she calms herself by saying that this sacrifice by her is like the rejection of the world’s success by her father to better study the Torah.When she gets to know that what is meant by inner light, the first thing that comes in her mind tha t this she would like to share with her father, thinking that he is the one who will understand what she is thinking. She decides that she wants to gain knowledge more than anything else in the world and she gives her entire time and force to obtain that knowledge like her father does when he is studying his books. In her mission to find internal light, Sara is perfects her logic of fury at the unfairness by many people.Even though she has no sort of man backing, still she is tough to be angry at a restaurant cook who gives her a less amount of meat only due to the fact that she is a woman. She is also angry at Jacob and Berel for breaking her sister’s heart and her hate for her father starts when she sees that he is denying them a life of their own. This fighting of injustice is what makes Sara and her father to reunite again and this is motivated by the promise of her mother to take care of her father when she is lying on her death bed.When she sees the way his new wife is treating her father, she decided to live with her father under the same house. The light of her father seems to be finishing but only Sara knows that it is vital that it should be lit. The path that Sara chooses is not easy. She faces favoritism for being a woman and also because she is living alone, her fellow employees shuns her, her mother wants her to come back, her elder sisters who are unhappy with their life want Sara to find herself a husband.Sara is very lonely and when she meets a friend of Fania, whose name is Max Goldstein, she thinks of getting married to him but later refuses as she comes to know that Max is not interested in her but her possessions. When her father hears about this, he is so angry at Sara that he quickly says that Sara is no longer his daughter. For Sara another fight is her College besides the loneliness and poverty she faces, but Sara wants to live a good, clean and a beautiful life like the people who are around her.She later graduates and finds a job at a New York school. She gets a good salary and with that she buys better clothes, rents a bigger and better apartment. But this ends quickly as she gets to know that her mother is sick. Even though her mother is on the sick bed, her father married another women Mrs. Feinstein who is a widow living upstairs. She is a cruel woman who decides to take money from her new stepchildren. All of the Reb’s four daughters decide to stop talking to their father. Due to her unanticipated poverty, Mrs.Feinstein writes a letter to the principal of the School where Sara is working. The principal, Hugo Seelig after reading the letter becomes more close to Sara and their friendship turns into love after they get to know that they share the same cultural heritage. This relationship helps Sara to get rid of her loneliness and after finding her happiness she decides to go back to her father, Hugo agrees with her and the novel ends with Hugo and Sara inviting Reb Smolinsky to live with them, thus making Sara’s life a happy one. Conclusion:This novel by Anzia Yezierska is based on fiction; the story of the Jewish family of the Smolinsky’s is quite the same which in reality was faces by many Jews who traveled from the Eastern part of Europe. This story tells how did Sara a young girl to struggle and than gained what she always wanted to gain. This novel tells that good knowledge is essential. It is important that you look after your family besides doing religious preaching. This story tells us that if your strong from the inside than you can overcome anything in this world. Conclusion †¢ Yezierska, Anzia. Bread Givers Publisher: Persea Books; New Ed edition (May 1

Musical Theaters Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Musical Theaters - Assignment Example The first factor that made musical theater leap from â€Å"Oklahoma† to â€Å"Rent† is attributed to the uniqueness of the performances in theaters. (Everett & Laired, 2009). Theaters became revolutionized in that performances included singing, acting and dancing. The actions of; singing, acting and dancing instilled new life in the theaters, and eradicated the old fashion theaters, which only involved acting. In essence, the musical, â€Å"Oh what a beautiful morning† portrayed both aspects of signing and acting. The theme of the musical contained lyrics, which inspired a great number of people, and this made the musical very appealing (Everett & Laired, 2009). The second factor that made musical theaters leap from â€Å"Oklahoma† to â€Å"Rent† is related to the society. The musical â€Å"I will† by Jonathan Larson is performed by individuals from impoverished societies faced with negative issues such as poverty and AIDS. Through this, the theater became appealing since many individuals found relevance while in the theaters. Individuals in American societies and around the world, mostly the youths, found themselves on the negative side. Musicals such as â€Å"Oh what a beautiful morning† flourished as it touched a great number of individuals. The inspiring nature of the two musicals â€Å"Oh what a beautiful morning† and â€Å"I will† added with the drama and music definitely appeals (Everett & Laired, 2009).

Exploring Your Family's or a Friend's History of Immigration and how Essay

Exploring Your Family's or a Friend's History of Immigration and how it connects to some of the stories in The life stories - Essay Example When the opportunity came for Filipinos to be in America as Navy recruit or contracted worker, grandfather Protacio’s parents seized the opportunity and enlisted him to join the latter. As the oldest child in the family, grandfather Protacio was forced to accept the opportunity to help his family and build a better future for himself in the United States. Grandfather Protacio left the Philippines to be one of the â€Å"1946 boys† who arrived in U.S. territory as a contracted worker in farmlands. Much like the Syrian immigrants who were awed with the grandeur of New York (Holt 249), grandfather Protacio was equally awed by the richness of American farms compared to the ailing farms in his province and spent so much time at the farm during the day and exploring the city at night that he forgot his responsibilities in the Philippines for a while. Grandfather Protacio has heard a lot of America and its greatness as â€Å"the land of freedom and civilization† (Holt 25 7) thus, he was caught off guard to the racial discrimination when he arrived the same with the Japanese who felt humiliated because of discrimination and abused in his domestic job (Holt 260). At the time grandfather Protacio arrived in the U.S., the Congress has passed a law that permits Filipinos to qualify as American citizens. Despite of this, racial discrimination to Filipinos was very high. According to Melendy in his article â€Å"Filipino Americans†, Filipinos were discriminated due to their skin color and inability to speak English like the white Americans. Like the story of the Chitkara family and the Indian Ab-nen-la-de-ni who experienced the language barrier, grandfather Protacio had difficulty expressing his thoughts and feelings at work due to his limited English. He must â€Å"speak English or remain silent† (Holt 210) not only as a requirement but because the other employees were also immigrants of different nationalities and the only language they can communicate to each other is in English. Although farm works were not new to grandfather Protacio since he came from a family of farmers, the intense labor requiring more hours in the field, irregular meal provision, and unfit clothing for different seasons has taken its toll on his health. Striving to get off in his current situation, grandfather Protacio bargained with his employer to allow him to be a working student. Like Ab-nen-la-de-ni, grandfather Protacio â€Å"went to school in the morning and work in the afternoon† (Holt 211) and did his home works at night in a dimly lit room shared with the other farm workers. The bargain though has been difficult because the wife of his employer did not agree to allow non-American workers to attend school. If the Indian suffered from the attack and mismanagement of the Head Directress in the Institute (Holt 216), grandfather Protacio suffered from mistreatment of his employer’s wife by working unpaid overtime and was accu sed of stealing and selling boxes of fruits in the city. Worst of all, his employment visa was not renewed forcing him to resign and looked for another job that could ensure his stay in the country since he cannot afford to go back empty handed in the Philippines. Grandfather Protacio was desperate but his desire to succeed and help his family fueled him to continue despite the meager amount of money left in his wallet. Fortunately, he found a job in the