Sergei Prokofiev

Ashley Owens Professor Lleweylln Music Appreciation 13 November 2012 Sergei Prokofiev How does music make us feel? Not what do we feel when we listen to music but more specifically, what is it about Music that triggers our human emotions? What effect did hearing those sad country songs on the radio during my morning drive to school have on the rest of my day? Why does upbeat hip hop music always make me nod my head with the beat? Why does a song like â€Å"Go rest high on that mountain† by Vince Gill always make me cry?Music is a large part of most of our everyday lives. Sergei Prokofiev understood that considering the feelings and emotions of the listener was vital in the production of music, and demonstrates in â€Å"Peter and the Wolf† how musical properties can persuade us emotionally. The road to Prokofiev’s growth to being one of the most unique composers of his time started in Sontsovka, Ukraine in the year 1891. His mother was a pianist and his first pian o teacher. Prokofiev began writing piano pieces at age five and by age nine had written his first opera.He studied at the St. Petersburg conservatory starting at ten years of age from 1904 to 1914. Prokofiev performed as a virtuoso starting in 1910 and began making a living in music. At his graduation recital he played his own first concerto. In 1915 during World War I he composed Scythian Suite and his first classical Symphony in 1917 (David Nice). In 1918 Prokofiev moved from Russia to the United States in search for greater artistic perspectives. After mixed experiences he moved to Paris in 1922 and finally returned home to Russia to be with his family in 1936.One of his first compositions upon returning home was Peter and the Wolf. Written in April of 1936, Peter and the Wolf were written as an introduction for children to the orchestra and were narrated by Prokofiev himself at the children’s theatre in Moscow. The story takes place in a meadow near young Peter’s h ouse. After watching the wolf swallow the duck, the young boy devises a plan with help of the bird, to capture the wolf and take him to the zoo. Each particular character in the story is represented by a musical instrument performed in the piece.The bird is played by the flute, high in pitch and quick in tempo. The duck is played by an oboe, slow in tempo and giving him a clumsy feel. The clarinet represents the cat, sneaky and methodical. Grandpa is represented by a bassoon deep in pitch giving him comedic properties. The wolf is played by a French horn which gives off a hominess and dark presence. The hunters are played by the Timpani and drums mimicking the sound of their guns as they try to shoot the wolf. Finally Peter is played by a mix of string instruments, Violin, Viola, String Bass, and Cello.Peter and the wolf show us how musical properties can persuade us emotionally. That we associate certain sounds with being happy or determined like Peter and the string instruments. W hile other sounds can be associated with sadness or generate fear like the wolf and the French horns. It is both the story, the composition of the music, and its ability to attach to parts of the story, that makes Peter and the Wolf so intriguing and timeless. These qualities also make it fun and enjoyable for multi age groups.The story itself quickly has us intently supporting our hero Peter as he is visiting animals in the nearby meadow. It builds a rapport with the core characters making us feel involved in the story, making us care for the bird as he narrowly escapes the clutches of the sly cat, and at the same time casting Peter as the hero in this story. It shows us the down fall of the duck, when he is swallowed by the wolf, pulling us in on the real danger there in the meadow. The climax comes when Peter, with help of the bird, capture the wolf and save the meadows animals from harm.True to his role of the hero Peter then stops the hunters from shooting the wolf and insists that he be taken to the zoo. The story seems to end on a happy note but leaves several questions unanswered and places for the story to continue. Questions like what happened on the way to the zoo, and would the duck ever escape from the belly of the wolf. The story is open-ended and allows us to form our own conclusions. The tune of Peter and the Wolf may be easily recognizable to some, since it is famous for its Disney interpretation and used regularly in classrooms for teaching.Personally I associate the style of orchestra with older cartoons in which a great deal of them were without much dialog and were backed by classical music, as was Looney Tunes – Pigs in a Polka which contained Brahms Hungarian Dances #5,7,6 and 17. It can be easily argued that Prokofiev is indirectly responsible for all of them, as his Peter and the Wolf were really the first of its kind. Over ten years after its original creation, an animated adaption was created by Walt Disney and released on Aug ust 15th 1946 introduced as part of its Make mine Music collection of shorts.Aside from narration by Sterling Holloway the cartoon is true to the original piece in that the characters are represented in sound by their respective musical instruments. The short animation does a great job of lining up the music with the art really bringing the characters and the music together. However trying to make the cartoon more child friendly the story is slightly altered and added to. During the introduction some of the characters are given names, â€Å"Sasha† the bird, â€Å"Sonia† the duck, and â€Å"Ivan† the cat.At the end of the Disney version we find that the duck was not really eaten by the wolf but instead had hid in a tree trunk and is happily reunited with Peter and the other pets once the wolf is captured. Since then Peter and the Wolf has been remade several times in various ways most recently in 2008 by Suzie Templeton. Having the music fit into the animations m akes it very easy for children of all ages to associate the sounds separately and really enjoy the story. Prokofiev’s music was sophisticated that almost a century later we are still using it to teach our children and entertain us all. Prokofiev was one of the great composers of the 20th century; arguably the greatest. I think the case for Prokofiev’s supreme greatness rests upon the likely premise that no other composer of the 20th century enriched the musical repertoire in as many different forms as did Prokofiev, and did so at such a consistently high level of quality and lyrical beauty† (Turlish). Though he is famous for only very few pieces of his work, the power of those pieces remains nearly unparalleled even to this day. Many artist credit Prokofiev for artistic inspiration in their creations.Unfortunately Sergei Prokofiev was in many ways a man out of time. He was product of 19th century music that had his own way of writing and composing. For many who l ived in the era this made him misunderstood and not taken seriously as a composer. In a recent interview, Barbara Nissman said, â€Å"he was such a natural talent, he followed his nose. Nobody ever dictated to him how to write and he wasn’t a member of any school of thought or academic theory. His music went where he thought it was supposed to go. You couldn’t put him in a box. Some people thought he was conservative but others thought he was way too out there.I think his unique approach to the instrument – his sense of originality – frightened a lot of people, especially the critics who had no idea which box to put him in. † Music, even if forgotten or put into the back of our subconscious for a long period of time can often trigger a memory or a feeling we had the first time we had heard it. Maybe an important time in our lives that we lived out while the radio was playing, we may or may not have even known it was there. However at any point we m ay stumble across that song on the radio, waiting in line at the bus station, or shopping at the local grocery store.For however brief a moment it allows us or forces us depending on how you look at it, to go back in time a memory and recall it with enhanced clarity. Sergei Prokofiev realized these things and implemented this epiphany into his music, which to me seems more than obvious in the classic piece Peter and the Wolf. For years to come both children and adults may associate the hominess sound of the French horn with the frightening wolf, they may hear a flute and be over taken by their first memory of watching the classical Disney short, where they were, or who they were with.Through concentrated listening we can learn to separate musical properties of any piece. However attaching those pieces to a character or a feeling is something that Sergei did way before his time. Prokofiev has touched so many lives, and through his music changed the landscape of how we all perceive it . Works Cited Turlish, Bruce. Kith. Org. Web. 18 Oct. 2012. Nice, David. Prokofiev: From Russia to the West, 1891-1935. Columbus. MT. Yale University Press Publication. 18 Oct. 2012. Print Nissman, Barbara. Adventures. In. Music. Biz. Web. 18 Oct. 2012

Cry the Beloved Country by Alan Paton Essay

Alan Paton is the clever author of Cry, The Beloved Country, a historical fiction book that displays the violences of injustice, discrimation, and imperialism that begins its story in the lonesome island of Ndotsheni where Kumalo lives. Stephen Kumalo, the main protagonist of Alan Paton’s Cry, The Beloved Country, is a meek Zulu pastor who has lived as a native in Ndotsheni. Kumalo discovers his sister Gertrude has fallen ill as addressed in a letter from a fellow priest in Johannesburg. Despite the cost of the strenuous excursion to Johannesburg, Kumalo flees Ndotsheni in hopes of Gertrude’s quick recovery and finding his son Absalom along his journey. Everyday seems to be a challenging obstacle for Kumalo (I used the black poster board to symbolize these hardships), either searching the metropolis for Absalom or coming to the realization his sister is a prostitute, he never loses his confidence. Therefore, it seems appropriate to ask this basic question: â€Å"Why is it so important to keep moving forward and have hope if your loved ones are not around to support?† because questions about life pop into each individual’s mind and life is a heavy package that comes with prices to pay (I used the package to symbolize this). The title is written symbolically because Stephen and Absalom Kumalo have been seperated, but suddenly Absalom reenters Kumalo’s life. The visual portion’s background contains the repetition of the book’s title because certain remarks are repeated throughout the course of the story, but the title must be read in a way so people turn the paper to fully understand life. The title has underlined letters because they are important messages and ideas I received from the novel. A major symbol, the dove in the center symbolizes that Christian faith is the center of Kumalo’s life where he acknowledges blacks are inferior to whites. Arthur Jarvis’s written words read, â€Å"The truth is that our civilization is not Christian; it is a tragic compound of great ideal and fearful practice, of high assurance and desperate anxiety, of loving charity and fearful clutching of possessions. Allow me a minute. . . .† (Paton 188). This pop-up quote represents that faith is as high as the heavens and an important element in Jarvis’s and Kumalo’s lives. Jarvis suggests blacks do not develop their God- given gifts like the whites do. The dove appears to  be carrying a heavy load because the Church is the place people go to be heard or to speak (I used the deaf person and the speechless person to symbolize this). However, the burdens on the dove make it difficult to fly. Therefore, the dove fails to conceal the injustices, crimes, punishments, and corruption like the leaky roof of the church in Ndotsheni. Next, injustice and ironically brightness are symbols in the novel. The sun is a clear image of both; the rings in the sun symbolize the corrupt cycle of racism and the sun itself is the depiction of generosity and warmness. Additionally, the image of the cross is split in half; the colorful half belongs to the whites representing their fruitful lands as opposed to the blacks’ land. The symbols are organized by rank so injustice and change gradually work toward enforcing freedom. Also, the signs generically symbolize the change that needs to be instilled between the whites and blacks, specifically, the â€Å"One Way† signs signify the progressive change that overcome the bloodshed and violence portrayed by blood. It is simply glaring that faith is valuable in the eyes of Kumalo, therefore, the praying hands signify the strength it provides and when lifted the representation is uplifting the souls of those who suffer from injustices. Although the issues discussed in the book are disheartening, the book changes my viewpoint on different ethnicities. I do not look at different people as just another person in the world but more as I person I should learn to appreciate more. The book is a significant work of several universal themes: endurance and bravery and love and confidence. Unfortunately, I wish the assignment allowed me more time to process my ideas, but it improved my thinking so I could realize digging deeper is always beneficial. I am quite impressed with the final outcome of my project because it took me a long while to think of images to use or images to remove.

Cultural Diversity in Music and its positive and negative effects on Society Essay

American music is a melting pot of various genres of music. From the times when the country was colonized American music has come a long way. Rock and Roll, Hip-hop, Rhythm and Blues, Jazz and Country are among the internationally renowned genres. The more indigenous genres include Gospel, Louisiana tejoles, and Hawaiian music and American Folk music. Music intertwines with various aspects of American identity such as race, ethnicity, gender and social class. Of these race is perhaps the biggest driver of any particular genre of music. Hip-hop, jazz, soul and R&B have long been considered as an African –American tradition as has the country music genre been the tradition of whites in America. The mixing of cultures from has permeated popular culture in an unprecedented fashion. Because of its crossover appeal, music is a great unifier of diverse populations. It has gone from the fringes, to the suburbs, and into the corporate boardrooms. Over the last forty or fifty years music has been one of the biggest influential factors in teenage society. So, there’s no problem in assuming that our present adult society is built with some of the ideas taken from the music industry of the yesteryears. Positive Effects: Music in America has and continues to play a very positive role in the society. The emergence of folk music during the 20th century, and particularly the rise of popular folk music of the 1960’s, is probably the best example of music affecting society. The Civil Rights Movement was in full swing and the largely unpopular war in Vietnam was well underway. Folk music is, inherently, music played and sung by and for everyday people—music for the masses, so to speak. Naturally, when a culture becomes aware of radical changes that awareness gives way through expression. Folk singer and songwriter Woody Guthrie began writing â€Å"protest music† and songs in support of popular movements of the day. Other folk singers such as Bob Dylan and Joan Baez followed suit. For the first time, music was not only a vehicle for expression, but it was also a way to mobilize and inspire listeners to think differently and take action. Country music typically embodied idealistic thinking, shunning capitalism and material comforts. It is about everyday people doing everyday things-the bars they go to, the people they have lost, their dreams, their loves, and their friends. Country gives people something to relate to besides urban hip-hop, rap, heavy metal, and pop. As far as society as a whole, for the most part country singers are considered fairly wholesome-they aren’t in the tabloids for drugs and explicitly wanton behavior (not saying they don’t & they are all perfect! ) but their images tend to be cleaner than musicians belonging to other genres so it gives the younger generations people to look up to. Both Hip-Hop and R&B have impacted society in many ways, mainly well. R&B and Hip-Hop have, in their own way, addressed the challenges of African-American individuals, provided help and strength, and left an impact that has been widely debated throughout the years. Many people equate gangsta rap and other isolated artists or songs with all rap and, even worse, Hip-hop in general. This is a huge fallacy because 90% of rap is either something that helps society or at least something that doesn’t hurt it. Consider, for example, feminist rap. Feminist rap goes against any misogyny in other types of rap and forces society – especially men who objectify women—to take a step back and see that what is going on in the cases of gangsta rap is wrong. Another example of a form of rap that helps society is political rap. Political rap from artists such as Public Enemy encourage the black community to stand up for their rights and to become politically active so that they do not get taken advantage of. Rock musicians too have sometimes attempted to address social issues directly as commentary or as calls to action. During the Vietnam War the first rock protest songs were heard, inspired by the songs of folk musicians such as Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan, which ranged from abstract evocations of peace Peter, Paul, and Mary’s â€Å"If I Had a Hammer† to blunt anti-establishment diatribes Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young’s â€Å"Ohio†. Other musicians, notably John Lennon and Yoko Ono, were vocal in their anti-war sentiment both in their music and in public statements Negative Effects: The introduction of rock and roll music in the 1950’s brought with it the fear that its lyrics and new rhythms would adversely affect young listeners. That fear has carried over into the twenty-first century, but now the criticism is focused primarily on heavy metal and rap. It has been suggested that the lyrics in these types of music promote aggression, bigotry, deviant sexual activity, suicide, violence, drug use, and homicide. This issue also arises in the field of medicine. The American Academy of Pediatrics fears that rock lyrics are potential threats to the health and well being of adolescents. These concerns include pregnancy, drug use, sexually transmitted diseases, accidents, and suicide. Rap music is infamous for its inflammatory remarks towards women. Thus the two most popular forms of music for adolescents revolve around themes of disrespect and sexual imagery. Furthermore, the effects music lyrics have on mood, suicidal ideation, aggression, and stereotyping have been questioned. The massive popularity and worldwide scope of rock and roll resulted in an unprecedented level of social impact. Far beyond simply a musical style, rock and roll influenced lifestyles, fashion, attitudes, and language in a way few other social developments have equaled. From its beginnings, rock and roll has been associated with youth, rebellion, and anti-establishment. The blend of black influences, suggestive lyrics, and wild response by the younger set made rock and roll appalling and threatening to the older generation. The ability to shock the elders in turn became part of the appeal of the music to young generations. The rock and roll lifestyle was popularly known as being associated with sex and drugs. Many of rock and roll’s early stars (as well as their jazz and blues counterparts) were known as hard-drinking, hard-living characters; during the 1960s a decadent rock lifestyle became more publicly known, aided by the growth of the underground rock press which documented such excesses, often in exploitative fashion. Conclusion: The impact of American music on society is definitely a positive one. An artist’s music can be positive through lyrics by saying all the things the person listening wants to say. It can also inspire other people to do good things such as the song Imagine by the Beatles. Music enhances creativity. Writers block, it is said, can be cured by a bout of music listening. Although there has been a great deal of negativity that has centered on music, the positive far outweighs the negative. The negative effects of some genres of music, which are the commercialization of music, the loss of creative edge, and the sex, violence and misogyny, are over shadowed by positive effects like political awareness, societal awareness, anti-sexism, and racial awareness. References: 1. How Music Affects Society http://www. musicguidebook. com/articles/how-music-affects-society 2. Cultural Diversity in Music http://www. areditions. com/rr/index/set_musa. html 3. Effect of Rap and Heavy metal http://library. wcsu. edu/dspace/bitstream/0/35/1/tropeano. pdf

Critically evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of labour process Outline - 1

Critically evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of labour process theory for our understanding of the impact of information and communication technologies in the workplace - Outline Example In this regard, the workers will lack an opportunity to develop and build on their talents. It is important to note that the adoption of LPT leads to the compromised output to the work done. The affinity of the machines to making mistakes is higher than that of human skills. LPT limits the aspects of innovation in that discoveries are hard to be deduced by the use of machines as opposed to the use of skilled work force (Price & McConney, 2012). Conversely, LPT fosters management control in that by using the ICT, the management system of the organization enables the management of the organization network and monitors all transactions done by the respective employees. LPT enables the use of various softwares such as the use of the Transaction processing systems among others. Data mining and cloud computing enables the activities of the organization to be managed from one central point. This is beneficial to the organization in that it is able to monitor the trend and performance of its employees (Downard 2009). Price, A, Mansfield, C, & McConney, A 2012, Considering ‘teacher resilience’ from critical discourse and labour process theory perspectives, British Journal Of Sociology Of Education, 33, 1, pp. 81-95. Pushenko, SL 2013, Risk-management and its integration to the system of labor safety management. (Russian), Vestnik Volgogradskogo Gosudarstvennogo Arhitekturno-Stroitelnogo Universiteta. Seriya: Stroitelstvo I Arhitektura, 34, 53, pp.

Weak Form Market Efficiency Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Weak Form Market Efficiency - Essay Example However finance theory assumes idealistic models for the stock markets and formulates the investor utility functions and expectations accordingly. These models are based on perfect competition and passage of information in an unfettered manner. As Wikipedia (2007) seems to point out, "In economics and financial theory, analysts use random walk techniques to model behavior of asset prices, in particular share prices on stock markets, currency exchange rates and commodity prices. This practice has its basis in the presumption that investors act rationally and without bias, and that at any moment they estimate the value of an asset based on future expectations. Under these conditions, all existing information affects the price, which changes only when new information comes out. By definition, new information appears randomly and influences the asset price randomly. Empirical studies have demonstrated that prices do not completely follow random walk. Low serial correlations (around 0.05) exist in the short term; and slightly stronger correlations over the longer term. Their sign and the strength depend on a variety of factors, but transaction costs and bid-ask spreads generally make it impossible to earn excess returns. Researchers have found that some of the biggest prices deviations from random walk result from seasonal and temporal patterns. In particular, returns in January significantly exceed those in other months (January effect) and on Mondays stock prices go down more than on any other day. Observers have noted these effects in many different markets for more than half a century, but without succeeding in giving a completely satisfactory explanation for their persistence. Technical analysis uses most of the anomalies to extract information on future price movements from historical data. But some economists, for example Eugene Fama, argu e that most of these patterns occur accidentally, rather than as a result of irrational or inefficient behavior of investors: the huge amount of data available to researchers for analysis allegedly causes the fluctuations. Another school of thought, behavioral finance, attributes non-randomness to investors' cognitive and emotional biases". Taking an apposite viewpoint Leverton () states, "Without market fundamentals being able to predict prices, the investor is forced to learn new ways of investing.. Ratios and trend analysis are important to picking a winning portfolio. Subscribers to the adaptive expectations theory believe investors are backward looking in deciding on the correct price to pay for a stock". Realized and expected rreturns from the stock markets have been the subject of intense debate since a long period of time .Several theories suggesting various constructs and factors responsible for determining the returns from the stocks have been postulated thus far.It was not until the late 1960s and early 1970s that a fully-developed, empirically-supported theory of share prices' behavior emerged in the form of the Efficient Markets Hypothesis (EMH).Prior to the development of the EMH , analysts assumed some degree of dependence across successful price changes. Very many efforts were made towards identifying a predictable trading pattern which could be used for chasing profitable deals. From the mid-1950s to the early 1980s, a random walk theory (RWT) of share prices was developed based on the past empirical evidence of randomness in share price movements. RWT

Women An object of Sex Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Women An object of Sex - Essay Example The equality between men and women is near to non-existent. Generally, it is believed that this world is a man’s world. Even the English language does not support gender equality. According to transforming a rape culture, page 125, there are almost 220 words for sexual promiscuous women and around 20 such words for men. This language of rape culture has surrounded our daily lives and we have become ignorant to the inequality. We regularly ignore the degrading images and stereotypes of women created and reinforced by media. In the current world scenario, where males dominate, glamor is restricted to the people who are classified above middle class. Females are treated as sub-ordinates, emotional support seekers and a sex object. Media helps create and reinforce a gender duality based on traditional views of men and women. Often, females and males are shown in advertisements according to the roles they play in patriarchal structure i.e. males as dominating creatures and women as helpless ones. Media shows women as giving advices on how to please men, how to cook, and how to look attractive by loss of weight. These stereotypes, however, have become a part of our daily lives and are hardly escapable from the advertising industry. An average person is exposed to over 2000 ads a day. These ads sell a lot more than just the product. They promote values, images, love, success, popularity and worth. Unfortunately, these ads show images of female body to promote the product. Women sell everything from food to cars to deodorants. All leading models are shown as slim, tall, long-legged, white, and young. Now the question is why are all standards of beauty being imposed solely on females? B.Earl Puckett quoted in Stephen Donadio that the task of media is to make women feel dissatisfied and unhappy with their natural looks. A woman will, then, opt for beauty products, cosmetics, diet plans, and other such services. The messages from these advertisements indicate that a woman has only her body to offer. Women are considered as an object of sex and violence which can increase the sales of the products . It’s their body which can enable them to get whatever they want. They feel dissatisfied with their looks and body appearance and try to improve their appearance by using cosmetics, and going on diet. The images of young, thin, beautiful female models create a desire, a strong desire, in males to feel the body warmth. Such degrading images show women as just a sex object. Ads like those made for cigarettes and deodorants (AXE, etc.) show women half naked, craving for the sexual pleasure. If one believes in these images, then to some extent one actualizes them. These submissive, sex object roles have dehumanized women and give the power to men. These ads indicate that men are to rule, control females whereas females only seek to please males. The TV commercials for an age controlling cream, Pond’s age miracle by Lever Brothers (Unilever), depict men only love women who stay white, spotless, and young. These ads use women as an object of sex. Certain ads also portrayed that to gain one’s husband’s love and attention wife has to look young and fair. A TVC by pond’s – telecasted in 2009 on all media channels in South Asia – showed a wife using the pond’s age miracle cream. The husband expressed his love and feelings to the wife because she looked young and beautiful. The tag line for this ad was â€Å"see the change of your husband in just 7 days.† (Pond's, Pond's Age Miracle) Another ad telecasted in Thailand showed a girl who uses Pond’s age miracle. The concept of ad is that a girl will look beautiful and attractive only with fair color, spotless skin, and less wrinkles. The cream claims that within 7 days a girl can look beautiful and control the aging signs. Again the typical stereotype has been reinforced that a girl can only be attractive if she has fair complexion, spotless skin, and a younger looking skin. (Pond's, Pond's A

Compare and contrast the relationships which evolved between Essay

Compare and contrast the relationships which evolved between technology subjectivity and space of concentration camsp factory Manhatten project cinema and the - Essay Example e to this led to one of the most violent expressions of individuality recorded in human history as Nazi Germany exalted the Aryan and vilified the Jew. The response to this violence, assisted through the use of yet further technology such as cinema and the exhibition to educate and influence the cultural mind, led the way to the current trend of increasing subjectivity within the Metropolis. Thus, there are numerous complex relationships apparent between the advances in technology to the degree of subjectivity inherent in a particular society as shown through the space of the factory, the concentration camps, the Manhattan Project, the exhibition and the cinema. One of the most important features of capitalism in industries was the capacity to impose a work discipline with uniform and regular patterns while eliminating the possibility of self-organizing (Thompson, 1967). Within the factories, many artisans were brought under the same roof and, more importantly, expected to work within the mills, a radically different production technique from that used previously within the cottage industries. â€Å"The nineteenth century demanded the functional specialization of man and his work; this specialization makes one individual incomparable to another †¦, this specialization makes each man the more directly dependent upon the supplementary activities of all others† (Simmel, 1903). The factory eliminates the need for the individual even while it works to separate the individual into appropriate work classifications for greatest effect, making each worker depend upon the work of another to function. Yet, this â€Å"colossal centralizati on, this agglomeration of three and a half million people on a single spot has multiplied the strength of these three and a half million inhabitants a hundredfold† (Engels, 1987) creating a need to institute some sort of control. Therefore, bringing all these people together also made surveillance possible at the least as a means of

Discuss the different outlooks and experiences of Native Americans and Essay

Discuss the different outlooks and experiences of Native Americans and the Spanish Conquistidors during the colonial period of american history - Essay Example For the Indians part, the arrival of the Spaniards was originally thought to be the return of a god, Quetzalcoatl. This is indicated in many reports by the Spanish that tend to highlight the naivetà © of the Indians, but is also mentioned in the written record of the Indians: â€Å"It was as if he [Motecuhzoma] thought the new arrival was our prince Quetzalcoatl. This is what he felt in his heart: He has appeared! He has come back! He will come here, to the place of his throne and canopy, for that is what he promised when he departed!† (Leon-Portilla, year). However, while the Spanish insisted that this impression was long-lasting, the Indians themselves indicate that they quickly understood that this was not the god they had expected. While those in Tenochititlan understood this as the Spaniards proceeded to burn all their sacred treasures with eyes filled with greed, the Cibola tribes and other plains tribes similarly could not submit their own religious beliefs and lives t o the greed and domination of the Spaniards. For their part, the Spanish seem not to have been completely unsympathetic to the plight of the Indians that had been encountered. Juan Jaramillo (1896) describes his expedition with some detail, indicating highly practical Indian populations who had not only two-story houses, but innovative constructions such as hot rooms built underground against the chill of the winters and the hide-covered constructions (teepees) that others used as a means of portable housing to follow the herds of buffalo. While he does not indicate these people were rich by any means, he does indicate that they were courteous, welcoming and content with their lives upon their first encounter. However, investigations into reports of â€Å"cruelties† committed by the Spaniards turned out an interview of Juan Troyano, whose testimony seemed somewhat puzzled as to why the Indians would not immediately and peacefully surrender everything they

The different types of buisness in the UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The different types of buisness in the UK - Essay Example Else, they do not run the day-to day operations of their businesses. The latter approach has the owners of the businesses simply as shareholders. In this case they own business shares. Salaried directors see to the operations of the business and further, still the organisations of businesses may be publicly run by the state. There are two major sectors in the U.K; private and public sectors. However, most business organisations are owned privately in U.K .The individual owners are usually referred to as entrepreneurs and all the risks associated with running the businesses lay on these individuals. Often, the most popular types of private-business ownerships include; partnerships, sole proprietors, public and private limited companies. There are also less common kinds of business that also fall under this category of private businesses (These are; cooperatives and franchises). Partnerships have two or more persons being in a joint ownership of the business organisation. Sole proprietorship, on the other hand is the smallest business type and it’s owned and run by a single person. Public limited companies is the biggest type of privately owned organisation and private limited companies consist of the most minute incorporate business enterprises. Cooperatives emanate from a group of persons together operating as well as sharing gains and the losses of the enterprise. Franchises refer to a situation where big business organisations let a trader to dispose their commodities and utilise their name at a cost and also a share of gains. ( Carysforth, et al, 2000 p 124) The public sector is a constitution of local and central governments. Here the government owns these businesses. The last two decades have had the magnitude of government-business ownership shrinking a great deal. As a matter of fact there are very few kinds that can be cited (For example; the Royal

Personal impression of Car designer Chris Bangle and his design Essay

Personal impression of Car designer Chris Bangle and his design - Essay Example BMW simultaneously passed Mercedes Benz and took the global leader title in sale of premium cars. He stood firmly for his designs and defended them against any criticisms. He retired from BMW after introducing GINA, a car of stunning concept, in 2009 (Bangle 4). In 2010, he brought his unique insight and extensive knowledge of design as he featured in annual design festivals in Victoria. Chris Bangle has inspired many people in the world of automotive design including children (Braes 12). However, Bangle states that art is the only secret to great cars. He says that automobiles refer to the embodiment of art, sculpture and entertainment that coincidentally provide transportation. In order for automobile design to be successful, the designer has to make very decisive designs. Bangle is the founding father of BMWs, which are very popular up to-date. He believes that automobile design is the only pinnacle of design, while others are only substrate forms. Today, the automobile has become a product with very high significant impact and emotional properties in the society. After houses, they are the second biggest purchased major properties in Bangle’s view. Developments in Automobile industry Automobile design has evolved from the frontier between science, art, and market, to progressively becoming an aesthetic reference (Bangle 5). Aspects like aesthetic appeal, brand expression and impression, and emotional response are greatly influenced by the appearance of the product and therefore it has become an area of great concern among automotive manufacturers and designers today. Factors that are related to aesthetic and identity like interior and exterior styling that increase a car’s attractiveness are the number one criteria in purchasing across the world. Bangle was very keen on this and that is what has made his car models very popular and classic until today. Activities in automobile design involve shaping the car until all its aspects are visible. This is in styling the shape of the outer body and interior’s graceful appointments, together with arrangement of the engine compartment components. Bangle (17) says that before technical features are evaluated, the direct perception of the vehicle plays a much bigger role in determining whether the vehicle will be accepted or rejected. According to Bangle, automobile design involves taking into account many elements like car function, market, distribution, production, promotion, safety, price reduction and environmental concerns. The Effects of Bangle’s Design Movement to the Industrial Design Industry Regardless of many sentiments from many critics, Bangle has significantly affected the industrial design industry (Braes 21). His one and half decade of service in automobile designs for Munich manufacturers was marked in his 2009 retirement. To understand the contributions that he has had in automobiles industry, it is important to take a look at BMW’s styling before and after his service. Since the 1960s stunning CS couples, BMW design was so conservative that getting more progress was rare. Conservativeness was like the polite way of saying and staying dull. However, the pr esence of Bangle really transformed the styling of BMW. It is not a wonder that within a short while, it overtook great cars like Mercedes Benz in demand and price in the market. The BMW’s driving dynamics and power trains were the envy of many manufacturers (Georgano 56). Its styling made their rivals spend sleepless nights, hence striving to improve their designs. Consequently, there was marked improvement in the industrial de

European society Essay Example for Free

European society Essay The eighteenth century saw a revolution sweeping Western philosophy and a simultaneous upheaval and transformation in Western social life. In this period, the west, particularly the European society and state seemed cold and heartless. The dislocations of industrialization and urbanization exposed the weaknesses of the old system and stimulated a need for more innovative political institutions adaptable to the new socio-economic conditions. This desire for change was accompanied by strong nationalist sentiments. Initial Western nationalism was lauded as a liberal form of mass political engagement and allegiance to the secular power of emerging states, consistent with popular rule. Accordingly, its birth was announced with the representation, rights, and toleration of Englands constitutional monarchy and its banner the â€Å"liberty, equality and fraternity† of the French Revolution against absolutism. Many scholars estimate the birth of the American nation from 1750-1775 (see for example, Weeks, 1994). In the late nineteenth century to the early twentieth century, social, political, and economic turmoil and instability transformed many Western countries into the world’s most chaotic amphitheater of disruption. People who thought that their cultural and political borders were violated waged a series of insurrections and rebellions. This strong feeling and desire to fight violations of inalienable natural rights came to be known as nationalism. Nationalist feelings became a decisive power in the Romantic Era. In nationalism, the individual is â€Å"the very center, the arbiter, the sovereign of the universe† (Kedourie, 1993, p.17). The political implication of this was that self-determination constituted the supreme good. Later political philosophers building upon Kantian ideas proposed that: humanity is naturally divided into nations; each nation has its peculiar character; the source of all political power is the nation; for freedom and self-realization, people must identify with a nation; loyalty to the nation-states overrides other loyalties; and the primary condition of global freedom and harmony is the strengthening of the nation-state (Smith, 1983). In the early years of the twentieth century, the striking similarity displayed by the nationalist movements throughout Southeast Asia derived from their common inspiration in Western ideology and their largely identical economic bases – the former guiding the intellectuals who lead the movements in their respective countries; the latter supplying the driving power from the masses. However, it must be pointed out that nationalist movements in this region did not have the support of more than a very small fraction of the native peoples, who for the most part are not aware that the question of autonomy even exists, and whose major concern is simply survival (Emmerson, Mills, and Thompson, 1942). In Southeast Asia, native nationalism has been the forced growth of a transplanted Western seed. In spite of the centrifugal forces of a plural society artificially bound together solely by the profit motive, nationalism has taken root among the indigenous peoples. It has penetrated most deeply among the native peoples who are united by a common language, pride of race and glorious historical traditions (Emmerson, Mills, and Thompson, 1942). Thus, â€Å"Within each group, nationalism has proved to be a cohesive force, welding people who were until its advent hardly conscious of the existence of compatriots beyond their own village, absorbing disparate religious and regional loyalties, and nationalizing such international influences as they experienced. However, from the perspectives of Southeast Asian countries as individual units, nationalism has proved a disruptive force. It has made each racial group more self-conscious, more prone to assert itself at the expense of other groups, and either tends toward a disastrous break-up of the present mosaic by some vigilant outsider playing upon this grave weakness in the body politic and social, or leads toward the forced assimilation of the weaker minorities by the most powerfully placed group. † (Emmerson, Mills, and Thompson, 1942, p. 144) The establishment of national unity through was essential ingredient in the emergence of democracy. According to Marx (2003), nationalism is an essential prerequisite to democracy, since â€Å"it establishes the boundaries of the community to which citizenship and rights are then accorded, without which democracy is impossible† (p. 31). And the birth of nationalism was related to the political baptism of the lower classes whose empowerment helped bring democracy, with both nationalism and democracy thereby relatively and impressively inclusive (Marx, 2003). While many have witnessed nationalism and democracy going together, for the past few years, nationalism has been largely considered a disruptive force on the prospects for democratization. For one, national unity gives rise to the question of the state and its boundaries, which is believed to be more fundamental than that of regime type and that can disrupt debate about appropriate political forms. Nationalism in this sense is a disruptive force because it gives rise to issues regarding religious beliefs, language, and customs. Moreover, nationalism is largely seen as being potentially disruptive to achieving democratic outcomes since it stimulates mass mobilization which frightens authoritarian rulers, causing them to suppress activities that may stop the progress of the whole process of political change. The argument that nationalism is a disruptive force is validated by the experiences of southern Europe and Latin America. The disintegration of all of the federal Communist states along republican lines adds force to this argument; however, it is not as clear-cut as this in the post-Soviet experience. According to McFaul (2002), ten years after the collapse of communism, only Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania are democracies, while the other republics are under regimes that are either facade democracies or nondemocratic. Nationalism was also seen as a disruptive force on the eve of the First World War. It played an important role in the rivalries between superpowers: Germany vs. France (revenge for 1871), Russia, vs. Austria-Hungary (expansion into Balkans), and Germany vs. Great Britain (control of seas, arms race). Nationalism was also a disruptive force regarding the emergence of unsatisfied nationalities: Poles, Irish, Serbs, Czechs, and many others In Poland, following the 1830 uprising, conservatives began to drift away from nationalism. By the 1850s, only few on the right were interested in talking about nationalism, which came to be seen as a dangerous term signifying disruption, disorder, and even revolution (Porter, 2000). Within Poland itself many nobles may have shared the hopes of the Czartoryski circle, but since they could do little to further such a cause, they retreated to apolitical lives (Porter, 2000). Not only were the conservatives uncomfortable with the politics of the patriotic activists, but they found it difficult to speak the language of national romanticism. â€Å"They might appreciate some of the poetry of Mickiewicz or Slowacki, but they soon discovered the disruptive force of the progressive historiosophies to which the concept of the nation had been so firmly linked. † (Porter, 2000, p. 31) References Emerson, R. , Mills, L. A. , and Thompson, V. (1942). Government and Nationalism in Southeast Asia. New York: Institute of Pacific Relations. Kedourie, E. (1993). Nationalism, 4th expanded ed. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers. Marx, A. W. (2003). Faith in Nation: Exclusionary Origins of Nationalism. New York: Oxford University Press. McFaul, M. (2002). The Fourth Wave of Democracy and Dictatorship: Noncooperative Transitions in the Postcommunist World. World Politics 54(1), 212-44. Porter, B. (2000). When Nationalism Began to Hate: Imagining Modern Politics in Nineteenth Century Poland. New York: Oxford University Press. Weeks, W. E. (1994). American Nationalism, American Imperialism: An Interpretation of United States Political Economy, 1789-1861. Journal of the Early Republic, 14, 485-495.

Philip Pearlstein Two Models with Blow-Up Chair & Salvador Dali Essay Example for Free

Philip Pearlstein Two Models with Blow-Up Chair Salvador Dali Essay Through the development of art, the fascination of the female body has been a main motif. It is Venus, Roman Goddess of love who has intrigued the artist, and held their attention for well over a few centuries. She has been not only Venus, but also Aphrodite (the Greek Goddess of Love), she has been Mary, mother of Christ in Gothic tradition and she had been found in the countless faces of women depicted by Picasso, Monet, Degas, Warhol (for isn’t Monroe a goddess? ). The link in these references is that this goddess, whomever she is, is holding the fascination of male artist. This is not to say that female artists have not taken up the trend which she invokes, but the purpose here is to discover how differently she is seen through their eyes in comparison with male visions of ‘love’. Pearlstein’s innovation in completing this project is one of Modernism, mixed with Realism. Pearlstein paints an oil painting of two females. They appear plastic wrapped within the canvas due to the severe highlights Pearlstein applies to both of their bodies. They lay beside each other, one on the chair the other next to the chair, and they both appear to be asleep. These two models or Venus’ are full frontal nude. The viewer is unable to see if they are ashamed or not from their faces because one of them is hiding her face and the other one’s head extends beyond the canvas (this is a trademark of Pearlstein). Though both Venus’ are or appear asleep they are active with the coloring and highlights which Pearlstein has seen fit to attribute to them. The line of light glares down the frontal figures body, highlighting the left breast, the stomach wrinkles and over the curves of both of the legs. This mimics the curves and highlights given to the plastic chair which she ‘sleeps’ upon. The other model fades into the background, yet still has that tiny shot of highlight upon the same appendages and other body parts which the first Venus had on her. The interesting item in this painting is that there are two female figures being painted. This is coupled with the fact that here too, like all the ones before it, Venus is apathetic, or at best the viewer is unable to tell what she (they) are feeling. Never mind the composition, Venus is still without a ‘voice’ in this painting. Through the very brief glimpse of feminine fecundity, and pulchritude, Venus remains elusive, and stoic. It has taken the art movement of the 20th century to see the full force of Venus. She has, with the help of female artists, broken her silence. In Dali’s oil on canvas The Persistence of Memory (1913) the theme of paranoia is persistent in this dreamscape. The distortion of the piece exudes a frightening use of spatial mobility and form. Surrealism is a way in which the expression of fantasy can be forthcoming in the world of Art. Dali exemplifies this notion in his use of foreground and background shapes and the pure psychic automatism which is symbolized in the clocks. Dali’s focus in this work is mainly about freedom; although the context of this work is based on paranoia and the weightiness of time the work is also free from previous constraints of other artistic movements in that it is not a painting dedicated to reason or moral purpose. Dali’s painting is that of a dream and reason becomes a series of disjointed objects in space; there is no rhyme in his work unless it is free verse; that is to say that there is no structure as prior to surrealism the viewer is used to seeing structure. Dali’s work often reflect what Virginia Woolf was so diligently experimenting with, which is unconscious writing or free narrative. Dali painted as though the conscious mind was sleeping, and that is why his paintings are so often reminiscent of dreams as Janson states, â€Å"The notion that adream can be transposed by ‘automatiatic handwriting; directly from the unconscious mind to the canvas, bypassing the conscious awareness of the artist, did not work in practice. Some degree of control was unavoidable. Nevertheless, Surrealism stimulated several novel techniques for soliciting and exploiting chance effects† (Janson â€Å"The History of Art 807) . Even the central figure in The Persistence of Memory is portrayed as though it were sleeping. The unfinished background is almost anachronistic with the foreground as it exhibits a cliff sliding off into a body of water. It seems as though Dali made the background on purpose to confuse the viewer since dreams are intended to be symbolic of personal meaning. The sky in the background also seems incomplete with no visible clouds but merely a color palette that drifts off into a sfumato haze. The background however is not what Dali wanted the viewer to be stricken with as a first impression. The central figure of the painting is unfinished as well. Dali painted an eyeball, and a nose and made no more attention to the rest of the figure. This feeling of incompleteness is unnerving and truly embodies the emotional state and perception of dreaming. The painting is purely inspired by that part of Dali’s unconscious mind. Although the painting exhibits that Dali used controlled in certain aspects of the work such as the use of diagonals, and linear shapes, but the overall impression of the painting lies within the angles, the objects and the general ambience of the piece. The clocks themselves prove to be unnerving both their positions and their lack of solid form, as though they are oozing across the plane in the foreground and the limb near the horizon of the painting, as well as across the half finished face. Another artistic ploy that Dali uses in The Persistence of Memory is his use of shadow; not merely darkness but the chiaroscuro so prevalent in the piece. This furthers the theory of this paper that Dali uses surrealism to tap into the unconscious and the dream world. Dali does the opposite in this painting of previous artists; he places the darkness in the foreground of the painting and the brightness in the background. This is symbolic because Dali wants to evoke to the audience that in the dream world the objects that are in front of the dreamer’s face are not always tangible but looming and undefined. In the background the objects are illuminated but this illumination does not add in defining the object because Dali here uses space to further illustrate his unconscious perspective; the objects in the background are too far away and cannot be seen. Thus, each part of the painting is uncomfortably defined. It is almost nonsensical; these objects of Dali’s in space without a coherent theme except for these persistence clocks. The clocks are the main meaning and focus of the painting and it is through these objects that the theory of this paper rests. The clocks present the theme of paranoia (as mentioned prior). Not only are they draped over the main objects in the foreground but their rendering is disconcerting. Each clock offers a different time, and one clock is closed so that the viewer cannot decipher its time. It is interesting that Dali did not distort the closed clock; it signifies a secret and further exemplifies the state of the dream world present in this painting; that is, the one clock that could offer a valid time is closed and unable to be seen by the painter, or the audience. The contention in the painting is that the central figure of the face is sleeping and is thus oblivious to the clocks, to time, to the unfinished landscape. That is the quintessential meaning of a dream; the sleeping figure is unaware to symbolism, to action, to time, and that is how Dali exudes incoherence in the dream world.

European Model Of Corporate Governance

European Model Of Corporate Governance Corporate governance comes into play in cases where the management of the organization has to be carried out by a manager or a group of managers who are not the owners of the organization. In essence, corporate governance is implemented by a business financers in order to monitor and regulate the organizations utilization of their investments (Becht, Chapelle Renneboog, 2000). In this case, the individuals hired to manage the business are paid employees and are responsible for the effective execution of the organizations processes. As a result of this arrangement, it is only natural for a separation to exist between the ownership of the organization and the management of the organization (Brickley, Coles Jarrell, 1997). While this may appear to be a simple concept, modern day business models have allowed corporate governance models to develop rapidly over the last few years and this has led to the development of differing corporate governance models. The implementation of these cor porate governance models generally varies in accordance with the region in which the organization is functioning and the nature of business of the organization. This paper will attempt to compare and contrast the Anglo-American model and the European Model of Corporate Governance. The paper will attempt to perform this comparison in order to ascertain which of the two models more accurately reflect emerging corporate trends. Furthermore, the discussion will make international comparisons based on a variety of different economies. Before moving on with the discussion, it is essential to come to terms with the role of the board of directors of the organization. The board of directors play a pivotal role in corporate governance models. This is because of the fact that they serve as the bridge between the stakeholders of the organization and the management team responsible for the organizations processes (Brickley, Coles Jarrell, 1997). The sensitivity of the role of the board of directors can be judged through the fact that an extensive degree of research has been performed on the functions and composition of the board of directors. Regardless of the corporate culture in the organization, the board of directors remains present as a critical connection between the organizations human capital and the organizations stakeholders. Another reason because of which the board of directors are given extensive relevance is the fact that almost all corporate governance models look towards the board of directors when it com es to the implementation of the corporate governance models (Becht, Chapelle Renneboog, 2000). The characteristics of the board of directors tend to vary with regard to the size of the organization, the region/regions in which the organization is functioning, the existence of the company as a listed or unlisted company and the industry/industries in which the organization is operating. A practical example of the implementation of the European model of corporate governance and the Anglo-American model of corporate governance can be observed in the case of the US and Europe respectively (Brickley, Coles Jarrell, 1997). In Europe, a small number of investors are capable of making pivotal investment decisions and these decisions are generally aligned with the interests of the selected investors responsible for the decisions. In comparison, the system generally followed and proffered in the US calls for the inclusion of multiple opinions and perspectives (Becht, Chapelle Renneboog, 2000). The corporate strategy that is developed and eventually implemented is not finalized until all the investors are and shareholders are in unanimous agreement. Managements role In the case of the Anglo-American countries, it is often considered that the Anglo-American system of corporate governance gives unquestioning support to the management (Becht, Chapelle Renneboog, 2000). This creates a scenario in which the management appears to have a role that is limited to the short run and does not encompass the long run. It can therefore be surmised that the management, in the case of the Anglo-American system of corporate governance, frequently communicates with the stakeholders. As a result, managers in the Anglo-American system of corporate governance try to implement strategies that will show outcomes within the span of a year or two (Brickley, Coles Jarrell, 1997). In comparison, when the management implements the European model of corporate governance, decisions are taken with outcomes expected around five years. In such cases, the shareholders generally hold more decision making authority than that which is given to the managers. Furthermore, controllin g and holding structures are significantly common in organizations making use of the European model of corporate governance. In such cases, the European model of corporate governance is also often referred to as the concentrated shareholder model because of the extensive authority that it gives to the shareholders. This concentration of ownership can often lead to the development of complications in cases where financial resources have to play their part (Becht, Chapelle Renneboog, 2000). The number of equity suppliers is generally deficient in the European model of corporate governance because of the concentration of ownership. Another characteristic of the European model of corporate governance that merits highlighting at this point is that which pertains to the role of the capital market. The capital market holds importance for corporate governance on account of the fact that the developments in the capital market have a direct influence on the corporate controls of the organization (Brickley, Coles Jarrell, 1997). While the Anglo-American model of corporate governance relies heavily on the capital market and seeks to takeover threats in the capital market, the European model of corporate governance gives primary relevance to the stakeholders. Internal Differences Labour motivation is a critically important factor when it comes to the organizations performance. Since labour in the European model of corporate governance is always a part of the decision making process, it is generally more motivated than the labour force in the Anglo-American model of corporate governance. Since the labour is relatively highly motivated, they choose to contribute to the organizations development aggressively (Brickley, Coles Jarrell, 1997). This active participation on the labours part tends to place a limitation on the degree to which the supervisory board can exercise authority (Hanson Song, 2000). Influences of the labours active participation can generally be seen in the development of the organizations human resource management policies. The realist theory of codetermination understands co-determination as labour representation. Labour as the most important stakeholder group besides the shareholders should be represented and have a right to participate in the decision making on the level of the second board, i.e. the advisory board in the two-tier-board system (Hanson Song, 2000). Co-determination as representation does not aim at consent about all matters of corporate governance. It is rather geared towards the right to participate and to be included and heard in corporate governance for the sake of workers recognition as well as for the sake of other stakeholders of the firm because workers participation in decision-making enhances the quality of board decisions. If the shareholders prevent the shirking of the employees of the firm according to the theory of the firm introduced by Alchian and Demsetz (1996), codetermination by labour results analogously in the prevention of shirking by shareholders and managers th at causes damage to labour as shirking by employees causes damage to the shareholders. If the shareholders and/or managers do not perform optimally labour will prevent them from shirking, from not making their contractual contributions to the firm. Industrial relations are traditionally better in continental Europe than in the USA which leads to higher work place satisfaction and higher identification with the firm (Becht, Chapelle Renneboog, 2000). These, in turn, cause higher productivity rates. In the last two decades since 1988, the process of the globalization of capital markets seemed to support the shareholder principle, not the participation principle. In the context of globalization As globalization continues to influence the development of the global economy, corporate governance also becomes subjected to standardization based on the successful implementation of strategies by management teams around the world (Hanson Song, 2000). The case of General Motors and Ford presents an excellent example in this regard. General Motors and Ford have produced in Germany in huge production sites for over seventy years and did not find it unprofitable to adjust to codetermination legislation which is about 35 years old in 2008. In the European institutional setting, there is a greater complexity on the second board level that causes certain additional costs. There is, however, also the gain of additional information about the firm and of greater labour alignment with the aims of the firm as a result of labour representation in corporate governance on the level of the second board level. The participation or co-determination principle can increase corporate performance if it is understood as a principle of representation and not as a consensus principle and if it is instituted together with the control principle of hostile takeovers (Hanson Song, 2000). Codetermination as representation of the employees on the board increases the learning capacity of the organization and also fulfils a pacification function in conflict situations within the enterprise as long as the majority vote of the shareholders or owners is safeguarded. The synthesis between the Anglo-American principle of the capital market as the market for corporate control and the German principle of co-determination as employee representation in corporate governance on the second board level is possible, even under conditions of globalization (Becht, Chapelle Renneboog, 2000). The point to which the two systems of corporate governance, the USA and the Continental European, converge to is the strengthening of capital market control of management in Europe and the strengthening of labour repr esentation in corporate governance in the USA. The purpose of the firm Another difference between the Anglo-American and the Continental European theories of corporate governance concerns the idea of the purpose of the firm (Lipton Lorsch, 1992). The purpose of an institutional part or subsystem of a society is the major resource from which ethical analysis and decision-making draws from since the purpose of action is the most important and defining feature of an action. The purpose of any human action is the major criterion for the ethical assessment of an action or institution (Becht, Chapelle Renneboog, 2000). The reason is that the purpose or aim of an action or institution is the central cause of an action or institution and, therefore, the central criterion for its success and value in economic, cultural and ethical respect. Ethics gives the conditions under which value creation must take place as constraining and as enabling conditions (Hanson Song, 2000). Value creation can take place under the neglect of the personal right of the person or of human dignity if the market conditions cause such groups of individuals to have a weak competitive position. If there is an over-supply of labour its competitive position is weak. The law might have to protect human dignity against exploitation and abuse when competition in the market does not preserve the human rights of the market participants (Becht, Chapelle Renneboog, 2000). Situations of prisoners dilemma in which it is advantageous for the individual to behave opportunistically require the affirmation of ethical and legal rules independent of the utility calculus of the acting individual. Loyalty to contracts e.g. is a principle that cannot be derived from individual utility maximization for each act but must be asserted by the individual on its own meri t for ethical reasons (Thompson Wright, 1995). It can only be justified by rule utilitarianism for the general rule and not by act utilitarianism for each single act. This implies that one has the duty to be loyal to a contract even if a more advantageous contract is available instead. The non-conditional hyper-norm of the economy must be distinguished from the second order positive norms of the institutional setting of business. Some of these positive norms are sometimes suggested to be ethical or normal rules of the first order although they are in fact norms or virtues of economic organization that imply some degree of freedom of specification although their organization touches on ethical virtues, or norms of the second order. The European model of the firm emphasizes that the firm is a multi-purpose institution in which shareholder value plays the central but not the only role (Becht RÃ ¶ell, 1999). The Anglo-American model of the firm emphasizes shareholder value as the onl y or last purpose of the firm to which the other (stakeholder) purposes are instrumental or, at least, functional. At this point, the development will go in the direction of the European model since it is more inclusive and interprets the stakeholders to be of more then instrumental value to the firm. The recent global recession has led to the development of a scenario in which it has become imperative for organizations to exercise corporate governance. It therefore comes as no surprise that the last few years have seen a significant increase in the volume of literature on corporate governance. Furthermore, the increasing trends in globalization and the rapid developments in international businesses have placed organizations in a position where it has become crucial for them to revisit their corporate governance methodologies (Becht RÃ ¶ell, 1999). These recent changes in corporate governance, and the processes of globalization that have induced them, are obviously of historic proportion, radically altering as they have economic, political and social structures. The stakes in these reforms are high and they may be literally life and death for the most vulnerable organizations. Conclusion In the literature of corporate governance, there has been an on-going debate about whether financial or banking models are more effective. As noted above, it is currently being argued that the key to effectiveness does not depend upon whether a country adopts one or the other model, but whether it has a well-functioning legal system which allows for the timely enforcement of contracts. If this position is correct, then the ability of developing countries to enforce a model of corporate governance may be ultimately tied to larger questions of democratic political reform a prospect which many critics feel is being undermined by the very forces of globalization promoting an Anglo American model of governance. An important question that the experience of developing countries raises but one which it was not possible to systematically investigate in this issue is whether individual countries acting alone will be able to effectively enforce an Anglo-American model of governance in a globa l economy. The above discussion attempted to present an in depth insight into the differences between the Anglo-American model of corporate governance and the European model of corporate governance. The discussion made it clear that the fundamental distinction between the two models lies in the fact that they are present in differing business contexts (Warner, Watts Wruck, 1988). These contexts are dictated by the shareholder identity, shareholder concentration, stock liquidity and interlocking ownership. It can be observed here that there is a difference between the two approaches in how they address the two issues of ownership and control. The strengthening of labour representation in the American firm can improve the firms ability to discover chances and weaknesses within the organization and to use this knowledge for increased performance. The strengthening of the market for corporate control through a more active capital market in Europe will improve the performance of management. Furthermore, globalization will move corporate governance in the direction of such a synthesis. It is likely that this model will radiate to the global market. The question of whether economies will converge towards a common corporate Anglo-American governance system, or sustain the present diversity of institutions is one of the key issues facing countries in Europe, the Asia Pacific and throughout the rest of the world (Malette Hogler, 1995). Lower economic growth and higher unemployment in Europe compared to the Anglo-American countries since the mid-1990s, undermined some of the confidence in Europes social model (though by 2005 Germany had returned to its former position as the worlds largest exporter). Despite the pressures towards adopting Anglo-Saxon modes of corporate governance, the divergences in both the policy and practice of corporate governance in Europe have thus far resisted any move towards European standards. However with greater market integration and the developing influence of Anglo-American institutional investors, it is possible the market will play a greater role. Yet debates on company law harmonization in the Eur opean Union have been held up by countries not wishing to see elements of their own systems of corporate governance disappear in the process. One explanation for this impasse is the institutional complementarily thesis which justifies the continuing diversity of systems, rejecting the one-best-way strategy adopted by the convergence thesis. Instead a plurality of models is assumed, each corresponding to local circumstances, supported by a cluster of social norms and regulation, enabling balanced economic development. It can also be argued that the Anglo-American models can serve as an effective method for breaking unhealthy state business relationships and imposing more discipline on domestic corporations (Yermack, 1996). The diversity of corporate models is valuable and is rooted in societal characteristics that together shape the competitiveness of the different models. Though shareholder value may be gaining ground due to the influence of Anglo-Saxon institutional investors, a stakeholder approach is closer to the reality of European social democracies, and the outcome of the confrontation between the two competing philosophies is highly uncertain. It is unlikely that imported Anglo-Saxon capital market related features of corporate governance will work well with Continental labor-related aspects of corporate governance as represented in supervisory boards. It is likely any such European compromise would be more unstable than existing systems. The attractiveness of the Anglo-American finance and governance institutions permeated with inequality and subject to recurrent severe market cycles and financial crisis is open to question as a model for universal applicability. Indeed the damaging consequen ces of the 2008 financial crisis will impact severely upon the world economy, and could well dislodge the faith that the market based governance system is the only rational and efficient one for the future. It is more likely that solutions will be found to pressing problems of equity, sustainability and innovation in a diversity of finance and governance systems, responsive to deeper and wider concerns than the self-interest of the executives who control corporations, financial institutions and hedge funds. The paper served to clarify that while the Anglo-American model of corporate governance seeks to implement external discipline methodologies. This entails the concentration of the organizations resources and attention towards elements such as proxy fights in the competitive landscape, handling liability management claims and the sustenance of management reputation. The Anglo-American model of corporate governance is somewhat aggressive and appears to be a model that continuously demands the organization to function as a challenger in the competitive landscape. In comparison, the European model of corporate governance seeks to make use of extensive alignment between the organizations stakeholders. The external methodologies brought into use by the European model of corporate governance tend to increase coordination and communication across the organization in an attempt to streamline the organizations functions in accordance with the organizations objectives. In addition, the European model of corporate governance also seeks to ensure that the organizations objectives are understood and that the management, stakeholders and board of directors are in mutual agreement on the objectives of the organization. The comparison of the two corporate governance models has served to reveal that the Anglo-American model of corporate governance is an aggressive corporate governance model and in order to exercise the Anglo-American model of corporate governance the organization needs to have a strong foundation (Wolfenzon, 1998). This is because of the fact that the Anglo-American model of corporate governance often requires the managers to make decisions that are in favour of their own perspectives and require over-investment. In this case, the managers do not seek the approval of external stakeholders and proceed with the implementation of their decisions. In this regard, the European model of corporate governance comes forth as the preferred corporate governance model. This is because of the fact that the European model of corporate governance gives the organization the margin of deciding on an orientation that is best suited for the competitive landscape in which the organization is functioning (Wolfenzon, 1998). While the Anglo American model of corporate governance demands that the organization plays aggressively continuously, the European model of corporate governance gives the organization the margin it needs to adapt to changing needs. As a result, the organization can choose to function passively and steadily when it chooses; and functions aggressively when it chooses. In essence, the increased communication and coordination between the strategic, operational and tactical elements of the organization allows the organization to ensure that it does not get exposed to any high-risk scenarios. The recommendation of the European model of corporate governance is based on the pretext that recent global economic trends have proved that it is feasible for organizations to adopt an organization that minimizes their exposure to risk. Managerial reputation and status cannot be given importance over the organizations sustained growth because most organizations that have been successful in the last few decades have chosen to follow their expansion strategies with consistency; regardless of the speed at which they grew. While some organizations chose to grow rapidly by intentionally engaging in high-risk investments, others chose to implement the European model of corporate governance by reducing their risk exposure. Organizations such as these proceeded by studying internal and external scenarios closely before finalizing and implementing a strategy. It is because of this reason that such organizations were able to minimize the degree to which they were impacted by the recent global recession. It can be observed that the European model of corporate governance requires the management to engage in a level of coordination that the Anglo-American model of corporate governance does not call for. As a result, the European model of corporate governance places the management in a position where every decision that materializes into action is of a nature such that is supports the organization and is not influenced by a desire to drive up managerial reputation and status. Another key reason because of which the European model of corporate governance is recommended over the Anglo-American model of corporate governance is because the European model of corporate governance satisfies the need for the generation of shareholder profitability. The Anglo-American model of corporate governance does not give primary relevance to shareholder profitability because the authority to make investment decisions is placed and limited in the hands of a few individuals. In comparison to this, the European model of corporate governance places the organization in a position where the generation of shareholder profitability enables the organization to attract more investors. In this regard, it would be just to bring the paper to a concluding note with the statement that the European model of corporate governance accurately reflects emerging corporate trends. The examples and elaborations presented in the above discussion make it clear that the European model of corporate go vernance responds far more adequately to modern day business needs than the Anglo-American model of corporate governance.

Cloning: A Good Thing Essay -- Science Genetics DNA Clone Essays

Cloning: A Good Thing A growing controversy in the world today is cloning. One stance is that cloning and cloning research should be banned altogether. Another position is in support of no restrictions of cloning and that scientists should be able to test on animals if they deem it necessary. Many other views are squeezed into different gray areas on the topic. It would be beneficial to explore the methods, benefits, moral and ethical conflicts involved with human cloning to fully understand the pros of cloning. The methods of human cloning and the research that accompanies them can provide a great deal of benefits. The benefits of human cloning include important medical breakthroughs, reproduction, and morality issues. Animals and plants could be cloned to produce lifesaving medicines through the research obtained on the way to human cloning. Human cloning research could cure many incurable diseases. â€Å"Medical breakthroughs from cloning research could cure cancer and heart attacks, lead to organs for organ transplants, and a revolution in cosmetic surgery. A balding man could have grafts made of his own hair and have it transplanted onto his scalp† (Human Cloning Foundation). Human cloning technology could allow children to lead better lives than their parents did, because of medical breakthroughs. Cloning could lead to the fountain of youth. It could allow reproduction of organs so people could transplant organs and never die. Infertile couples co...

In Favor of the Network Cap :: Internet Technology Essays

In Favor of the Network Cap Iowa State’s internet administrators had a problem: several computers around campus had been being used as Internet servers for illegitimate data distribution, and these select computers were using a severe amount of bandwidth on the ISU student network. The undeniable fact is that these are students illegally serving copyrighted software and media to people outside the ISU network, and they are taking up an extreme proportion of the network’s available bandwidth. Although this abuse had not yet caused consistent detrimental network problems for many users, the problem was getting worse, and AIT’s network cap decision has halted it. AIT’s 500 megabyte network cap is justified. Warez servers on the ISU campus send out a huge amount of data and slow the network down. We should be greedy about our network speed because our tuition is paying for ISU’s internet connection. It is true that an alternative method, such as filters based on complex data rate monitoring algorithms, might do a better job preventing the warez servers network abuse, and keep many intensive users from protest. But such measures are likely unfeasible, due to limitations of AIT’s network software, and time limitations of AIT network analysts. If the 500 meg cap does indeed cause real problems for a number of legitimate users, investigation of these other methods can be pursued. The 500 megabyte cap was a good and timely solution. Those who disagree with the cap argue that it would affect their legitimate network usage, such as Quake 3 game servers, or people with websites that they serve from their own computers. Instances where these users will actually peak 500 megs in a day are rare, however. Even a moderately trafficked user web site might never send 100 megabytes a day; the simple reality is that 500 megs per day is, 99% of the time, only surpassed when a user is illegally serving a large amount of data such as music, movies, retail software, or pornography to a large audience. This is precisely the user that clogs the bandwidth for those of us who need it to get work done, and this is precisely the type of network abuse that the network cap targets.

Clifton Suspension Bridge Essay -- History Historical Bridge Architect

Clifton Suspension Bridge The Clifton Suspension Bridge is located in Bristol England, and spans the beautiful Avon gorge. This bridge has become the symbol of Bristol much like the Eiffel tower has of Paris, and the Opera house has of Sydney. The story of the Clifton Suspension Bridge began in 1754 with the dream of a Bristol wine merchant who donated his life savings to build a bridge over the gorge. To decide on a suitable design for the bridge a competition was held. Thomas Telford, the leading civil architect of the time was the judge. Mr. Telford attempted to submit his own design; however the decision to declare himself the winner was overruled and a second competition was held. This time, contrary to the recommendation of Thomas Telford, 24 year old Isambard Kindom Brunel was declared the winner and appointed project engineer. Brunel’s design consisted of a suspension bridge that spanned the breath of the gorge. Telford disagreed with the concept of erecting a suspension bridge of this size in such an exposed position. His doubt was likely a result of the near destruction of his last project the Menai suspension bridge. Nonetheless Brunel was given his first commission, and construction on the bridge began. The foundation stone was laid in 1831, however the project was plagued with political problems and by 1843 the project was abandon with only the towers complete. Before the political and funding problems could be resolved Brunel died an unexpected death at just 53 years old and the project had to be finished with out him. The design of the bridge was altered after his death. The original scheme was far more ornate with stone lions and Egyptian inspired decoration, these were left off the engineers who finished t... ...le plagued this project and by the time it was complete it was no longer the largest spanning bridge, though it is still a spectacular bridge sitting 76 meter above a deep gorge. Certainly a site worth seeing, apparently it is breathtaking to drive down the road to Bristol, turn a sharp corner and the white structure spanning the gorge. Today it costs 30p to cross the bridge in a car, pedestrians are not charged, and the speed limit has recently been raised to 25 miles per hour. Work Cited 1.) http://www.clifton-suspension-bridge.org.uk/index.php, October 27, 2004 2.) http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Clifton_Suspension_Bridge.html, October 27, 2004 3.) http://www.farvis.com/bridge,htm.htm, October 27, 2004 4.) http://www.about-bristol.co.uk/lnd-00.asp, October 27, 2004 5.) http://www.brantacan.co.uk/suspension.htm, October 27, 2004

Book Reviews Essay

1. To what does the title of the book refer? Having a detailed and well-constructed setting in Packingtown, Chicago, Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle can easily be mistaken as a story that has its central on the setting. Therefore, it is but natural to point out that the title is referring to Packingtown itself. Reading thoroughly into the book, though, one is led to realize that the jungle actually refers to something larger than just the city where the story happens. Aside from a vivid description of the setting, which greatly resembles the darkness and gloominess of the jungle, a reader has to note what the characters in the story have to go through. The novel depicts scenes where characters do everything in their power to survive the cut-throat environment in which they live in. These scenes point to what the title actually refers to: the concept of survival of the fittest. Much as the most cunning animals in the jungle are those who survive, The Jungle reflects that those who are devious reign supreme. 2. What is the main point(s) of the book? Why did the author write it? Did the author achieve his objective? Upton Sinclair wanted to reveal the evils of the meat-packing industry during his time. But more than just wanting to abolish the barbarity of the meat industry, Upton Sinclair wanted to take a jab at the evils of capitalism and the meat industry was just a start for him. Being a socialist, the author wanted to show how capitalism is detrimental to the poor as it only makes the rich richer. Though Sinclair was not totally successful in abandoning capitalism, he was, at the very least, successful in urging the government to take a look at the meat-packing industry and take steps in bettering the said industry. To date, The Jungle remains one of the most influential books in American history. 3. When was the book written? Is that relevant in this case? The novel was written in 1906, which holds significance as to why the story was written. The setting depicted in the novel is one that Upton Sinclair has experienced, urging him to write the book. 4. What do you know about the life of the author that would have led him to write The Jungle? Upton Sinclair was born to a family who once enjoyed aristocratic status but was thrown into the binge of poverty towards the end of the 1870’s. Growing up in a poor environment and hearing stories of the rich lifestyle from his once wealthy grandparents had its mark on young Sinclair. This contrast between the rich and the poor greatly affected his writings. Aside from this, though, something that led him to write The Jungle was the introduction to the socialist philosophy during his college years. Not only did the philosophy instill the principles that were apparent in The Jungle, it literally pushed Upton Sinclair into the industry he represented in the novel. Being an avid fan of socialism, the author became a writer for a socialist paper that sent him to investigate the lives of stockyard workers – those working in the meatpacking industry included. 5. How well does The Jungle reflect political, urban, business and immigrant life in America in the early twentieth century? Do you think it is an accurate reflection? Why or why not? Upton Sinclair is often criticized for his tendency to exaggerate; hence, it can be assumed that his portrayal of what was happening in the meat-packing industry is sort of larger-than-life. Assuming that this is true, one can still not deny that The Jungle still is a reflection of the political, urban, business and immigrant life in America during the early twentieth century. Despite whatever embellishments were written in The Jungle, Upton Sinclair still truthfully revealed the atrocities regarding the capitalist society – how the immigrants have to fight for their lives in order to ensure survival in the city and how the authorities turn a blind eye to industries that have the capacity to â€Å"pay†. 6. What were the problems immigrants faced at the turn of the twentieth century? Are those problems still evident? How or how not is that the case? That is, what has changed or not changed in the last hundred years for immigrants? The face of immigration in the United States has changed several times in the past decade. Towards the end of the 19th and during the earlier parts of the 20th centuries, immigrants faced numerous kinds of discrimination. Coming to America under circumstances where the country was riddled with poverty, crime, and disease, the immigrants in this period were feared and ridiculed. They were seen by the majority as the source of everything bad in American society during that period. Also, the growing number of immigrants has led the U. S. government to take some steps to curb the entrance of more people into U. S. shores. Positive changes have occurred for immigrants as well. The quotas were eventually removed, welcoming more immigrants to fulfill their â€Å"American† dream. Also, the concept of white ethnicity shifted from scientific evidence to common knowledge – making race dependent on social boundaries rather than scientific definitions. 8. What did you like most and least about the book? I could have done without the overly vivid depictions of the meat-packing industry, though I also have to admit that it was those depictions that made the novel deliver an effective message. The fact that the book spoke truthfully of the anomalies in the food industry and urged changes that up to now I am benefitting from is what I loved most about it. Rarely do we come across a literary piece that affects lives as much. 9. What was the most important and/or interesting thing(s) you learned from reading the book? The most important thing I learned from the book is the beauty of socialism and an appreciation for the kind of capitalism that America has at the moment. I also found it interesting how a literary fiction greatly affected one aspect of corruption in the country. 10. Are there any other comments you would like to make that were not addressed above? Whether or not socialism would have been a better system for the United States is something that we all have to just imagine. I guess despite the evils that capitalism may present, one cannot deny that capitalism is not such a bad thing, considering how much growth it has brought to this country. We all just have to be wary of possible corruptions and act upon these when spotted. QUESTIONS FOR GRAPES OF WRATH 1. Who was John Steinbeck? Why did he write his book? What was there in the author’s background or the time period of the book’s writing that might have led him to write the book? Living in California most of his life (with just a brief stay in New York), John Steinbeck has been exposed to the events that went down in Californian history. Grapes of Wrath was a direct result of the happenings that transpired in America during the 1930’s. With the Great Depression dawning over the â€Å"Dust Bowl† states of Oklahoma and Texas, many of the farmers migrated to California. Steinbeck was a witness as to how California became crowded, making job and food scarce for the migrant farmers who became known as ‘Okies’. 3. What is the time period of the book’s action? The book’s action occurs mostly in the 1930’s – mostly 1930’s when the migration of the ‘Okies’ to California and when the discrimination occurred. 4. What were the attractions of California? Are there any parallels today? California was seen as the ‘salvation’ of the Okies farmers. It was a land that promised fertile lands which equated to jobs. Though California is no longer the agricultural land that it once was, it still is a refuge for people who want to get good employment. Instead of lands to till, California offers movie studios that equate to jobs for aspiring actors and actresses. 5. What was the opposition to the Okies? Was any of it valid? The ‘local’ Californians were greatly opposed to the Okies because they saw the migrants as threats wanting to take over the land as they once had over the Mexicans. Though total land domination was not what the Okies intended, 6. When was the book written? Why is that relevant? First published in 1939, Grapes of Wrath was penned in 1938. The time period is relevant as it tells a lot as to why Steinbeck chose the subject matter for the novel. 7. To what does the title of the book refer? Grapes of Wrath refers to the fruits of wrath. John Steinbeck wants to communicate the good thing about maintaining a sense of anger towards people who intend to clip your wings or who attempt to trample your dignity. There’s this line in the novel that clearly depicts this: â€Å"as long as fear turn to wrath† – when fear turns to wrath, self-respect is maintained. 9. How well did the book expose what some would call the social ills of the nation? Many have criticized the book to be merely a sentiment rather than a true exposure of the social ills of America during the time of its publication. However, its continuing popularity to date – not just with casual readers but with students as well – reflects just how effective Steinbeck was in exposing the ills of society. Even though the story was something central to the setting, the morals and themes exposed still rings true at present times, making Grapes of Wrath a truly classic story. 10. Do you think the book is an accurate reflection of America at that time? Why or why not? I guess even with the contention from some Americans, Grapes of Wrath is an accurate reflection of 1930’s America. With the Great Depression dawning over America, one cannot blame the people for being selfish and doubtful of other people. And though Steinbeck’s novel is considered fiction, the stories depicted in it are those that have been painted in history books as well. 11. What have been some of the racial criticisms of Steinbeck? Why? In this novel, John Steinbeck focuses on â€Å"white† racism. He mostly deals with a rich white to poor white discrimination. He wanted to paint the discrepancy between the rich and poor at that time. Though he also touched on discrimination of the black Americans in Chapter 19, â€Å"Why, Jesus, they’re as dangerous as niggers in the South! If they ever get together there ain’t nothin’ that’ll stop ’em. † Steinbeck wanted to reiterate the fact that racism exists and that it is still an issue Americans have to address. 12. What does the book say about the state of socialism or communism in America at that time? What are the author’s greatest criticisms of capitalism? Are they valid? Explain. John Steinbeck portrayed America in a state of unrestricted capitalism. His greatest critique of this kind of philosophy is that the â€Å"haves† continually drive the â€Å"have nots† into extreme poverty. Because of inconsideration and a desire to constantly acquire more wealth, the landowners and bank people deprive the small landowners and share-croppers of the basic needs of survival, such as the case with oranges being spilled with kerosene. Basing on accounts of the Great Depression, one can say that Steinbeck did paint a realistic picture. Given that, one can say that his criticisms are valid in that they needed attention from the people and action towards change. 13. If the author’s points are valid regarding problems depicted in the book, then why weren’t there more violent uprisings? Violent uprisings were not possible given the fact that most of the poor people have survival as their primary concern. With families starving, small landowners and share-croppers worry more about where their next meal will come from rather than how they can better their lives through insurgency. 14. Do you think Steinbeck supported or rejected the New Deal? Explain. Explain what the book has to say about the effects of technology, both negative and positive. Though the ending of Grapes of Wrath shadows Steinbeck’s belief that communism may be a better way of living (the breastfeeding scene tells that sharing of resources is a better option as compared to capitalism), I think Steinbeck may have accepted the New Deal in that it aimed to put a control over capitalism. 15. How did the philosophy of Jim Casey, who some critics say embodied the ideas of Steinbeck more than any other character, fit the philosophy of the New Deal? Jim Casey was the voice of reason in Grapes of Wrath. His philosophy meshes well with the New Deal as it speaks of how Steinbeck wanted ‘structure’ in the capitalism ruling over America. New Deal streamlines programs that will attempt at balancing the scale that at that time favors the rich and tip it to favor the oppressed. 16. What did you like most and least about the book? Steinbeck’s novel had too many characters that one needs to keep track of. However, his point of view and manner of narration was effective, making one crave for the pages to come. 17. What was the most important and/or interesting thing(s) you learned from reading the book? Much like Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle, The Grapes of Wrath makes one see into commercialism as not entirely the evil that everyone may lead to believe. Proper control of the businesses and willingness in everyone to help each other out is just what we need to make capitalism work and to have it fair for all involved. 18. Why did some Americans not like the book? Some, if not most, Californians and Oklahomans at the time of publication did not appreciate Grapes of Wrath because of the thinking that they were poorly – if not wrongly – represented in the novel. They argue that the books’ depiction of the events were not true to life. 20. Are there any points you would have liked to see developed more in the book? I would have liked to see more of what kind of steps Steinbeck wanted America to partake. It would have been a more effective read had there been more suggestions as to what the citizens or government needed to do to alleviate poverty. 21. Would you recommend this book to others? Why or why not? I would certainly recommend this book to others because I enjoyed reading it. It gave me a look into American history that I never would want to be repeated in present times. Given this, it made me realize what I need to do to prevent history from repeating itself. 22. Are there any other points you would like to make that were not addressed above? I guess all points have been discussed in the above questions. QUESTIONS FOR IN RETROSPECT, The Tragedy and Lessons of Vietnam 1. Who was Robert McNamara? Why did he write his book? Robert McNamara was the United States’ 8th Secretary of Defense. The book IN RETROSPECT: The Tragedy and Lessons of Vietnam was born out of his experiences as the Secretary of Defense during the Vietnam War. 2. What are topics covered in the book? What is the book’s time period? Why? After a brief autobiography of his life up to the point when he was appointed by President John F. Kennedy as Secretary of Defense, Robert McNamara went on to discuss everything he knew about the Vietnam War. In each chapter, he outlined how America came to a point of deep involvement with South Vietnam’s fight against succumbing to communism. He detailed JFK’s decisions and on to President Lyndon B. Johnson’s plans on Vietnam. Since this is mostly about the Vietnam War, the book covers the 1960’s. 3. What were the arguments for staying in Vietnam during the 1950s and ‘60s? JFK’s reason for involvement in Vietnam is containment, suppressing communism and ensuring American influence in Asia. When JFK started to withdraw U. S. troops in Vietnam, he was shortly assassinated. When LBJ took over, U. S. troops were still highly visible in Vietnam. On top of pressure for more military support, LBJ’s reason was that he wanted to retaliate for attacks on the American presence in Vietnam. 4. What does McNamara say are the false assumptions the U. S. had about the Vietnam War in the early and mid 1960s? Being a strong to reckon with, America has falsely assumed that it can – single-handedly – prevent communism and help South Vietnam fight off the force of the North. What America failed to see was that it needed the support of other nations regarding the causes being fought in the Vietnam War. Also, America thought South Vietnam needed Americans to fight their war when in fact all they would have needed was mere aid. 5. Why did the U. S. escalate the war in the mid 1960s? The attacks on the U. S. troops at the Tonkin Gulf led to the escalation of the war in 1965. 6. What does McNamara say were some of the basic questions we failed to ask and answer before committing U. S. forces in Vietnam? McNamara listed the following basic questions that we failed to ask ourselves before involving ourselves deeper into the Vietnam War: (a) Was it true that the fall of South Vietnam would trigger the fall of all Southeast Asia? (b) Would that constitute a grave threat to the West’s security? (c) What kind of war — conventional or guerrilla — might develop? (d) Could we win it with US troops fighting alongside the South Vietnamese? And (d) Should we not know the answers to these questions before deciding whether to commit troops? 7. Why does McNamara feel that a greater U. S. military effort in Vietnam would have been disastrous? McNamara felt that escalating war in Vietnam will have its grave effects mostly because the effort will not be something that the Congress has agreed upon, leading to unrest from the American people. Also, the fact that America has failed to answer the â€Å"five basic questions† prove that America really is yet unready to take things a step further in Vietnam. 8. Are there any lessons from the Vietnam War that might have significance for America’s current policy in Iraq? Though unified agreement on a looming war is impossible, America should have learned from Vietnam the lesson that the nation needs to be unified in the causes of a war. Also, America should wholly ready in facing any impending war instead of making head-on collisions without any preparations. 10. What is the most important thing you learned from the book? The book taught me about a period in my country’s time that I was not able to bear witness to. It made me understand as to why Americans had the sentiments about Vietnam and why the same sentiments are being applied to Iraq. 11. Did you like the book? Why or why not? Though the book was a historical account rather than a fictional stab at past events like the books above, I did enjoy reading it. It also made me look into events that have unfolded as of late. 12. What sources did the author use to make his points? McNamara pointed to his own experiences to drive his point. 13. Does the author achieve what he set out to do? I think Robert McNamara was fairly effective in opening the eyes of the nation to the truths about the Vietnam War. The objective was achieved because for the first time, Americans were able to get a perspective from an insider. It was a relief to actually get an admission of the mistakes of the Vietnam War straight from the â€Å"author of the Vietnam War† himself. 14. Are there any points you would have liked to see developed in the book more? I guess the book pretty much covered all bases, especially since we were getting an â€Å"insider’s perspective†. 15. What have you learned from reading this book? I have learned that by looking deep into the inner workings of the Vietnam War will prevent America from making the same mistakes over again. Also, I learned that a deliberation of the nation’s actions will yield better results than making hurried decisions. 16. Would you recommend this book to others? Why or why not? To any American who cares to have a glimpse of one of the most eventful periods of America, I will recommend this book because this is a really good insight to the Vietnam War. Also a lot of lessons can be learned from it. 17. Are there any other comments you would like to make that were not addressed above? None, everything has been said above. QUESTIONS FOR THE KITE RUNNER 1. What is the time frame and location of the book? Kite Runner takes us to Afghanistan during the last days of monarchy (1973) into recent times. We also get glimpses of America but the story mostly occurs in Afghanistan. 2. What did you learn about the history of Afghanistan from reading the book? Afghanistan’s history is very much described by socioeconomic class, with the lower classes having little to almost no hope of moving up the ladder. Discrimination was central to the poor and this discrimination led to uprisings and upheaval of monarchy. I have also learned how the history of Afghanistan was riddled with a lot of turmoil such as civil war and the Soviet invasion. I also got a glimpse of how the Talibans started to try and take control. 3. What did you learn about the Cold War? The Cold War left Afghan in a more turbulent state, having been in the center of two superpowers’ desire to take over. Having acquired help from Soviet Union, Afghanistan became sort of a target for the U. S. , who saw an opportunity to bring down the communist country. 4. What did you learn about the immigrant experience from reading the book? Did it support or change your views about immigrants? The book supported my view about immigrants. Immigrants are not entirely a trouble to a country, as one may have been led to believe by previous media works. Immigrants, who have as much difficulty leaving their homelands as settling in a new place, can actually contribute something good to the country. Amir, in one hand, lived in America righteously. 5. What part of the book was the most memorable or meaningful to you? For me, the part where Amir tells Sohrab about his father Hassan is the most memorable part of the book. Not only was it emotionally-laden but any child who has had a good relationship with his/her father can relate to it. It proves that bonds within families are the most important of all. 6. Farid (Amir’s driver) tells Amir that Amir has always been a tourist in Afghanistan – he just didn’t know it (page 323). Do you agree or not? Why? Do you think it’s true for you in your country? I do agree with what Farid told Amir. Amir’s story is not a story that tells what a normal Afghan will go through during the time of the story’s writing. Amir was born of money, something that only a few Afghans have the privilege of having. I don’t think I am like Amir though, because my lifestyle and family stature are what one can describe as being in the middle spectrum of American society. 7. What did you learn about Afghanistan and the Middle East from reading this novel? I learned that the turbulences that we hear in the news of Afghanistan and the Middle East are something that has deep roots in the nations’ histories. 9. Were you surprised to read about the racial tension between the Pashtuns and Hazaras? Why do you think the oppression existed? Does it have parallels in America? I guess I can say that I was surprised to read about the racial tension between Pashtuns and Hazaras. I think the oppression came from the fact that the majority group (Pashtuns) wanted to eliminate the minority (Hazaras). This was mainly because they had different beliefs and they wanted one belief to reign supreme. Though in present-day America, this kind of oppression no longer exists, one can recall the kind of racial tension during the American Civil War. 10. Did the end of the book express hope for the future? Why or why not? The ending, for me, presented a lot of hope as I think Sohrab’s little smile is a step towards achieving better things not only for Sohrab himself but for Afghanistan and the Afghanis. Amir allowing a link of the past and the present and a reversal of roles symbolizes the fact that if one is willing to give way, things will eventually be better. 11. How did the book get its title? Who was the kite runner? The original kite runner was Hassan. The act of flying a kite expresses â€Å"controlled† freedom as flight is controlled by that string that binds it. 12. What did you like most and least about the book? The book was generally a sad one, painting stories that are almost heart-wrenching. But since it was a book that presents hope and is a book that has great potential to move people into action, I loved reading it. 13. Why did Baba like Ronald Reagan? Why do you think the neighbors disliked the president? Known for his acceptance of immigration, it was but natural that Baba liked Ronald Reagan. The neighbors, though, disliked the president because he was known to have passed policies that sank America into greater poverty. Baba’s neighbors blamed the president for the oppressed state they were in. 14. Who are the Taliban and how are they portrayed in the book? Do you think the portrayal is accurate? The Talibans were portrayed as the â€Å"bad people†, being shown to do random killings and unjust executions. If one is to believe the things being aired in the news, one can say that the portrayal was accurate. Given that the story was written by an Afghan, one may also assume that the portrayal can only ring the truth. 15. The book talks a lot about courage. Cite some examples of how courage was displayed. Who do you think was the most courageous character? I think the most courageous character was Hassan. His acts of covering up for Amir and standing up against the Talibans are prime examples of courage. 16. With which character did you feel the greatest attachment? Why? I had the greatest attachment to Hassan. He was a real friend and a real admirable character, making him someone that people easily want to know. Please let me know if you have any further question.