Gupta Empire free essay sample

Used by permission. Photograph of three Pygmy Chimpanzees (Image No. KA001090), copyright  © by Karl Ammann/Corbis. Used by permission. Excerpt from â€Å"The Ride Home† by Natale Ghent, from No Small Thing, copyright  © 2003 by Natale Ghent, ? rst U. S. edition 2005. â€Å"Once Upon a Time† by Beverly Patt from Guideposts for Kids Magazine, copyright  © 2000 by Guideposts, Carmel, New York. Used by permission. â€Å"Freaky Farm† by Teresa Milanese from Boy’s Life magazine’s October 2003 issue, copyright  © 2003 by Teresa Milanese, photograph courtesy of the Cz Family. Used by permission. Excerpt from The Island by Gary Paulsen, text copyright  © 1988 by Gary Paulsen. Used by permission of Scholastic, Inc. Developed and published by CTB/McGraw-Hill LLC, a subsidiary of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 20 Ryan Ranch Road, Monterey, California 93940-5703. Copyright  © 2008 by New York State Education Department. We will write a custom essay sample on Gupta Empire or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of New York State Education Department. Book 1 Reading D irections In this part of the test, you will do some reading and answer questions about what you have read. For the multiple-choice questions, you will mark your answers on the answer sheet. For questions 27 and 28, you will write your answers directly in the test book. Go On  ¦ SECURE MATERIAL  ¦ Do not reproduce. Do not discuss contents until end of designated makeup schedule. Book 1 Page 1 D irections Read this article. Then answer questions 1 through 4. Conversations with Apes by Aline Alexander Newman Raring to go! Panbanisha, a female bonobo (buh-NO-bo), often hitches a ride—but she’d probably rather drive. One day, while out in the woods of Georgia, Panbanisha suddenly leaped into a parked golf cart. By pushing the accelerator with her foot, she started the engine. Gripping the steering wheel with both hands, she looked over her shoulder and backed up. Next she shifted gears and zoomed ahead. The only reason she stopped was because she rammed the cart into a tree! (She wasn’t hurt. ) â€Å"We never taught her to drive,† says Sue Savage-Rumbaugh, the primatologist in charge of the Georgia State University Language Research Center in Atlanta. But that didn’t prevent this smart ape from teaching herself. Of the great apes—bonobos, gorillas, orangutans, and chimpanzees—bonobos are the most like humans. Savage-Rumbaugh decided to study them to see whether they could pick up language on their own, as humans do. It turns out that they can. In fact, Savage-Rumbaugh has discovered that bonobos can learn to do lots of things on their own. Growing up in the language center lab, Panbanisha and her brother, Kanzi, had human caretakers, watched TV, and played with toys. Both drink from a glass, brush their teeth, and use the toilet. They also communicate. At ? st, the apes simply listened—picking up the meanings of words by hearing people talk. Later they learned to say things by pressing symbols on a portable computer. One day, a young female bonobo named Tamuli stole Savage-Rumbaugh’s keys. The researcher begged and pleaded and even offered food in exchange. But the mischievous ape laughed and refused to give them back. Finally Savage-Rumbaugh asked Kanzi to tell T amuli to return the keys. â€Å"Kanzi turned, made a series of sounds to her, and she came right over and handed them to me,† says the scientist. Did Kanzi actually â€Å"speak† to Tamuli? Savage-Rumbaugh thinks he did. She knows they communicate in many ways. She wasn’t surprised when Panbanisha took a piece of chalk and drew a long line on the ? oor leading to the door. â€Å"She wanted to go outside,† the researcher says. Page 2 Book 1 Do not reproduce. Do not discuss contents until end of designated makeup schedule.  ¦ SECURE MATERIAL  ¦ But on another occasion, Panbanisha’s behavior astonished even Savage-Rumbaugh. The ape hadn’t been allowed outside for days and was staring longingly out a window. Suddenly she hopped down and drew on the ? oor. SavageRumbaugh looked at her sketch and gasped. Panbanisha had written an upside-down V—the symbol from the portable keyboard that stands for a hut in the forest. Clearly, Panbanisha was telling Savage-Rumbaugh she wanted to go there! Savage-Rumbaugh frequently takes the apes hiking in the forest. â€Å"Kanzi likes to make ? res,† she says. He learned by watching her make them. Kanzi walks around picking up sticks, which he snaps with his foot and piles in a heap. Then he borrows a lighter to ignite the blaze. The apes use the ? res for roasting marshmallows! When it’s time to leave, Kanzi douses the ? mes with a bucket of water. Savage-Rumbaugh hopes that as people learn more about bonobos, they’ll grow to respect them and feel as strongly as she does about protecting them in the wild. 1 According to the article, which of the great apes are the most like humans? A B C D bonobos chimpanzees gorillas orangutans 3 What will most likely happen to Panbanisha a nd Kanzi next? A B C D They will speak just like humans. They will teach each other to drive. They will begin to live by themselves. They will learn more human behaviors. 2 Which detail best supports the main idea of the article? A B C D Bonobos sometimes live in language labs. Bonobos can take hikes through the forest. Bonobos can learn language on their own. Bonobos sometimes take objects from humans. 4 Read this sentence from the article. When it’s time to leave, Kanzi douses the flames with a bucket of water. The word â€Å"douses† means about the same as A B C D contains in? uences seizes soaks Go On  ¦ SECURE MATERIAL  ¦ Do not reproduce. Do not discuss contents until end of designated makeup schedule. Book 1 Page 3 D irections Read this passage from the book No Small Thing. Then answer questions 5 through 10. The Ride Home y Natale Ghent In this passage, Nathaniel and his sisters, Cid and Queenie, cannot believe their luck when they are the ? rst to answer an advertisement for a free pony. They waste no time in claiming Smokey as their very own. Since Smokey has never been ridden, they need to tame him enough to ride him. I take the reins and walk Smokey through the gate and down the lane. Queenie is skipping along next to me. We haven’t even hit the road when Cid starts in about how she wants to ride him. â€Å"You have to wait. I don’t want them to see us riding him in case Smokey kicks up and one of us falls off. â€Å"You’re not the boss of everything,† Cid says. At this point I want to hit her with the reins, because I know it would hurt a lot. â€Å"Just wait until they can’t see us,† I hiss at her, my eyes squinting. She can see that I’m serious and backs off. Queenie is walking with one hand on Smokey’s neck. She hasn’t said a thing, but her eyes are as wide as saucers. I run my hand along the pony’s neck. I can feel his muscles moving in an easy rhythm as he walks. His eyes are dark and kind, and his nostrils are bright pink and dewy on the inside. When we can’t see the farm anymore, I tell Cid she can ride him. I’ll hold the reins while you get on. † She hands me the bag of brushes, then swings her leg up. Smokey quickly steps to one side. Cid hops on one foot like a pogo stick, her other leg still slung halfway over Smokey’s back. â€Å"Hold him still! † she says angrily. â€Å"Just hurry up and get on! † I tell her, and then I talk to Smokey the way cowboys do in the movies. â€Å"Whoa now, easy, boy. † I stroke his muzzle for extra assurance. He snorts and tosses his head. He doesn’t know what to think. I rub his forelock and talk softly in his ear until Cid slings herself up. Smokey’s back legs buckle slight ly as he considers her weight. I hold the reins near the bit and hand the rest over Smokey’s head to Cid. When I let go, Smokey lays his ears ? at. I can tell he doesn’t like the idea. Cid taps his sides with her heels—and the ride is on! Page 4 Book 1 Do not reproduce. Do not discuss contents until end of designated makeup schedule.  ¦ SECURE MATERIAL  ¦ Smokey springs forward, then steps quickly to one side. His back legs compress, and then he prances like a Lipizzaner. 1 Queenie watches with her big eyes. Cid holds the reins tightly with one hand and clutches a handful of Smokey’s mane with the other. She keeps her legs pressed to Smokey’s sides. Her teeth are clenched and her face is serious. I have to admit I’m impressed with her guts— really impressed—but I would never tell her that. Horse Terms in the Story †¢ reins: narrow straps used to guide a horse †¢ muzzle: the part of a horse that includes the nose, jaws, and mouth †¢ bit: a bar connected to the reins that goes into a horse’s mouth †¢ withers: the part of a horse between its neck and back â€Å"Give him another little kick,† I say, when Smokey stops. Cid kicks him, and he lunges forward again. Despite all the snorting and stamping, Smokey never goes really wild. I can tell by his eyes that he feels obliged to put up a bit of a fuss—for dignity’s sake—but that his heart isn’t mean at all. He soon settles and gets used to the idea of the weight on his back. He walks quickly, blowing through ? ared nostrils and swinging his head from side to side. His mane dances up and down and his tail streams out behind him like a comet. Queenie trots beside him, her hand against his neck like she’s afraid to let go in case he disappears into the summer air like a mirage. 2 By the time Cid lets me on him, Smokey is pretty much broke. He doesn’t try to step away when I get on, but stands and waits for me to gather the reins. He whinnies loudly while he waits, and I can feel the air pushing through him, his sides quivering against my legs. His coat is soft and warm, and I ? t comfortably behind his withers like he was made for me. I give him a nudge with my heels, and he lurches forward, picking along the gravel road w ith quick, even steps. The sunlight is fading now. We move in and out of the shadows, the trees casting long, dark bands across the road. I am so happy, I feel like I could ride forever. 1 2 Lipizzaner: a breed of horse trained for jumping mirage: something unreal 3 broke: tamed Go On  ¦ SECURE MATERIAL  ¦ Do not reproduce. Do not discuss contents until end of designated makeup schedule. Book 1 Page 5 5 This passage is told from the point of view of A B C D Cid Smokey Queenie Nathaniel 6 At the beginning of the passage, why is Nathaniel irritated with Cid? A B C D She refuses to take the reins from him. He realizes she is a stronger rider than he is. She pesters him to let her ride Smokey. He thinks he should ride Smokey before she does. 7 Overall, Nathaniel’s behavior is best described as A B C D friendly sel? h responsible uninterested 8 Which statement is most likely true of the characters in this passage? A B C D Nathaniel is older than Queenie and Cid. Nathaniel likes to tease Queenie and Cid. Cid and Queenie have fallen off Smokey before. Cid and Queenie have always wanted to own Smokey. Page 6 Book 1 Do not reproduce. Do not discuss contents until end of designated makeup schedule.  ¦ SECURE MATERIAL  ¦ 9 The author helps the reader understand Smokey’s nature mostly through the use of A B C D Cid’s behavior toward Smokey Nathaniel’s descriptions of Smokey Nathaniel and Cid’s dialogue about Smokey Nathaniel and Queenie’s dialogue about Smokey 0 Read this sentence from the passage. Smokey’s back legs buckle slightly as he considers her weight. Now read the dictionary entry below. buckle v. 1. Become fastened. 2. Surrender to authority. 3. Prepare with vigor. 4. Bend under pressure. Which de? nition is closest to the meaning of â€Å"buckle† as it is used in the sentence above? A B C D de? nition 1 de? nition 2 de? nition 3 de? nition 4 Go On  ¦ SECURE MATERIAL  ¦ Do not repro duce. Do not discuss contents until end of designated makeup schedule. Book 1 Page 7 D irections Read this article about clocks. Then answer questions 11 through 15. Once Upon a Time by Beverly Patt Imagine three of your closest friends are late for school. When the teacher asks them, â€Å"Why are you late? †: Friend #1 says, â€Å"Sorry, but the wind blew out my alarm clock. † Friend #2 says, â€Å"My dog drank up my alarm clock. † Friend #3 says, â€Å"I have a cold and couldn’t smell what time it was. † As weird as it sounds, all three of your friends are telling the truth. They’re just a little behind the times. If you go back in history far enough, you’ll come to a time where there were no clocks, watches, or VCRs blinking 12:00. But people still needed a way to keep track of how long they worked, how long to leave the bread over the ? e, and when their favorite TV show was on (just kidding! ). Shadow clocks, such as sundials, were a â€Å"hot† item around 1500 B. C. But these were only useful during the daytime—and only on sunny days! Soon better ways to mark time were invented. In the â€Å"Wick† of Ti me Ever set your clock on ? re? Many cultures did! The Chinese took a dampened rope, knotted it in equal intervals, and set it a? ame. As ? re passed each knot, a period of time was counted off. (They dampened the rope to make it burn more slowly. ) Later, they spaced weights evenly along the rope and placed something like a bell beneath it. As the rope burned, the weights would drop and â€Å"chime† the time! Other cultures did the same thing with evenly spaced pins in a candle. When the candle burned down low enough, the pin would drop and strike the pan below. (It must have been â€Å"quiet enough to hear a pin drop! †) There were also calibrated1 candles—they had numbered lines along one side where the time could be read as the candle burned down. Oil lamps had lines on their reservoirs, marking the time as the oil level dropped. The award for the most unusual burning clock goes to the Chinese. They could actually smell time passing! Incense was laid in a maze-like tray, with different types of incense used for different hours. As the incense burned, sniff, sniff, they knew it was time to get up! 1 calibrated: marked for measurement Page 8 Book 1 Do not reproduce. Do not discuss contents until end of designated makeup schedule.  ¦ SECURE MATERIAL  ¦ Filling Time From time to time you may play a board game that uses an ancient clock. Can you guess what it is? Time’s up! It’s called a sandglass—or hourglass (although in your game it probably measures minutes or seconds instead of hours). And can you guess what these ancient sandglasses were ? lled with? Time’s up! If you said, â€Å"Duh, sand,† you are wrong! In most cases, the available sand was too coarse to trickle smoothly, so powdered eggshells were used instead. Ancient Greeks used the sandglass to measure cooking time, and in medieval Europe sandglasses were employed to time church sermons! Contrary to what their name implies, hourglasses can measure anywhere from two minutes to four hours, depending on the amount of sand, er, eggshell in them! Clocks using ? owing water were popular, too. A clepsydra came in two styles, both using two bowls, one with a hole in the bottom. One clepsydra measured water dripping from the â€Å"holy† bowl into the other. In the second style, the holy bowl ? oated (and slowly ? lled) in a bigger, water-? lled tub. These bowls had markings on the inside to tell the â€Å"time† indicated by the rising or sinking water level. And if your baby sister spilled the bowls and made you late for class? You had to convince your teacher you had a good excuse for being tardy. That’s a timeless fact! clepsydra 11 What does the author mean by the phrase â€Å"behind the times†? A B C D imperfect outdated overlooked unusual 12 Read this excuse for being late to school. â€Å"My dog drank up my alarm clock. † According to the article, which type of clock is this student most likely using? A B C D a sandglass a calibrated candle a clepsydra a shadow clock Go On  ¦ SECURE MATERIAL  ¦ Do not reproduce. Do not discuss contents until end of designated makeup schedule. Book 1 Page 9 13 Which sentence from the article best supports the main idea of â€Å"Once Upon a Time†? A B C D â€Å"But people still needed a way to keep track of how long they worked, how long to leave the bread over the ? e, and when their favorite TV show was on (just kidding! ). † â€Å"Later, they spaced weights evenly along the rope and placed something like a bell beneath it. † â€Å"Oil lamps had lines on their reservoirs, marking the time as the oil level dropped. † â€Å"Contrary to what their name implies, hourglasses can measure anywhere from two minutes to four hours, depending on the amount of sand, er, eggshell in them! † 14 The information in this article would be most useful for someone who wants to A B C D ? nd an ancient clock measure time exactly learn about the background of clocks arrive at school on time in the morning 5 Read this sentence from the article. Ancient Greeks used the sandglass to measure cooking time, and in medieval Europe sandglasses were employed to time church sermons! What does the word â€Å"employed† most likely mean in this sentence? A B C D applied ? lled suited used Page 10 Book 1 Do not reproduce. Do not discuss contents until end of designated makeup schedule.  ¦ SECURE MATERIAL  ¦ D irections Read this article about a man with an interesting hobby. Then answer questions 16 through 19. Freaky Farm by Teresa Milanese In the 1930s, an Ohio farmer had the creepiest pumpkin patch in town. David Pethtel walked through the overgrown grass and weeds on a farm he bought in 1986 in Madison, Ohio. Most of the ? elds had been neglected for years. Suddenly, he stumbled upon a pile of metal objects shaped like human heads. Aged and covered in grime, the heads would reveal an interesting story about the farm’s previous owner, John Cz. Cz, a pumpkin farmer, was determined to grow pumpkins that looked like humans. The hobby brought Cz international fame. Molding His Craft During the 1930s, Cz shaped human heads in plaster and had metal molds made from these forms. He used each mold to encase a young pumpkin while it was still on the vine. During the initial growth phase, the pumpkin took on the shape of the mold. When the mold was removed, the pumpkin grew to full size, retaining its form. Grow Somebody You Know Local legend says Cz’s pumpkin patch was a scary place at night. Moonlight shone on the grinning heads in the ? eld. Sharp explosions periodically sounded when an iron mold burst open under the pressure of a growing pumpkin and a human-like head popped out. Later, Cz patented several kinds of aluminum molds, which held up better than iron. Many were made to look like celebrities of his day. He gave his pumpkins a life-like appearance by painting in eyes and other features. Some of his creations sold for $10 to $50—a substantial amount of money in the 1930s. Getting a Head Cz and his pumpkins made national and international headlines. A German magazine ran a feature story on his pumpkin-growing methods. Curious people from all over the United States sent him letters asking about his molds. In 1938, he received a round-trip railroad ticket and an invitation to appear on Dave Elman’s â€Å"Hobby Lobby† radio program in New York City. Go On  ¦ SECURE MATERIAL  ¦ Do not reproduce. Do not discuss contents until end of designated makeup schedule. Book 1 Page 11 After more than a decade of growing unique pumpkins, the duties of operating a large farm left Cz little time to pursue his hobby. He packed away his molds, along with an idea he was developing for a new plastic mold. Cz died in 1984. But his pumpkin molds have become collector’s items in Madison and surrounding communities. 16 According to information in the article, John Cz could best be described as A B C D hesitant ? exible stubborn imaginative 7 Which statement best summarizes the information in the section titled â€Å"Getting a Head†? A B C D Cz decided to create a new plastic mold. Cz had an unusual hobby that people found interesting. Cz grew pumpkin heads that resembled famous people. Cz made molds and planted pumpkins in them. Page 12 Book 1 Do not reproduce. Do not discuss contents until end of designated makeup schedule.  ¦ SEC URE MATERIAL  ¦ 18 Read this sentence from the article. Sharp explosions periodically sounded when an iron mold burst open under the pressure of a growing pumpkin and a human-like head popped out. The author most likely included this sentence to show A B C D that the pumpkin ? eld was a dangerous place the dramatic way in which some pumpkins appeared that the pumpkins looked like celebrities the inappropriate size of the pumpkin molds 19 Read this sentence from the article. After more than a decade of growing unique pumpkins, the duties of operating a large farm left Cz little time to pursue his hobby. Which word means about the same as â€Å"pursue†? A B C D change discuss follow start Go On  ¦ SECURE MATERIAL  ¦ Do not reproduce. Do not discuss contents until end of designated makeup schedule. Book 1 Page 13 D irections Read this excerpt from The Island. Then answer questions 20 through 28. The Island by Gary Paulsen Wil Neuton had just gotten used to city life in Madison, Wisconsin, when his family moved again—this time to a small house in the woods, far away from the nearest town. At this point in the story, Wil has gone for a bike ride and has discovered a lake with an abandoned rowboat pulled up on its shore. It took him only a minute to jump in, push off with an oar, and get settled on the old dry seat in the middle. As heavy as it was, water-soaked for years, the boat still moved easily to the oars, and in ten more minutes he was bumping against the small rocks at the south edge of the island. He hopped out, standing in the water in his tennis shoes, and skinned1 the boat up onto the rocks. Then he turned it on its side and stuck the oars up inside and turned and looked around. â€Å"See,† he said aloud. â€Å"See what I have found—an island all for myself. † He felt only a little strange talking to himself, and he smiled and walked along the shore wondering why he had taken the boat out to the island in the ? st place; what pull had brought him? He had seen other islands, yet there was something about this one. It . . . ?t him, somehow. Seemed to ? t him. He went to the right and soon was up on the north end of the right side of the U, where he turned left, started around the corner, and came to the large, square table rock that jutted out into the bay. Two mallards2 lifted off the bay—a male, all green-headed 1 2 skinned: scraped mallards: a kind of duck  ¦ SECURE MATERIAL  ¦ Page 14 Book 1 Do not reproduce. Do not discuss contents until end of designated makeup schedule. ith white wing ? ecks, and a dappled gray-brown female—and Wil jumped when they took off. There were birds singing, and some insect sound, but the sun was keeping the mosquitoes down and the quiet was very peaceful. He walked onto the rock and sat on the outer edge, letting his feet dangle over the side. His heels almost touched the water, and when he rocked his toes forward they just broke the surface; some small sun? sh came to investigate the disturbance, which might be a meal. They hovered in the shade of the rock, darted in and out with each ripple, ? shed their sides in the sun, golden blinks that came up through the water into Wil’s eyes and into his mind. He sat for some time, watching the ? sh, looking across the bay, listening to the birds, and the place felt, in a way, like home. It felt like he was supposed to be there, and when he stood and brushed the rock dust off his pants and walked back t o the boat, some of the day was gone. But the newness ? lled him, and he did not think of Madison or feel lonely as he rowed back to the main shore, left the boat upside down in the brush, found his bike, and got out on the road. He did not think of Madison or his friends there; he thought only of the island, the sun? sh coming to his toes, the mallards jumping into the sky the way they did, the sun, the birds. And he knew he would come back. He knew it with a kind of basic, fundamental knowledge; he would breathe in and out—and he would come back to the island. 20 What is this passage mostly about? A B C D a boy watching wildlife on an island a boy learning how to use an old rowboat he ? nds a boy easing his loneliness when he explores a nearby island a boy realizing how much he misses his old home and friends 21 This passage is told from the point of iew of A B C D Wil’s family Wil’s friends an outside narrator the main character Go On  ¦ SECURE MATERIAL  ¦ Do not reproduce. Do not discuss contents until end of designated makeup schedule. Book 1 Page 15 22 What does the island most likely represent to Wil? A B C D the past a hardship old friends new freedom 23 Which statement from t he passage best shows how important the island is to Wil? A B C D â€Å"He hopped out, standing in the water in his tennis shoes, and skinned the boat up onto the rocks. † â€Å"He went to the right and soon was up on the north end of the right side of the U, where he turned left. â€Å"He walked onto the rock and sat on the outer edge, letting his feet dangle over the side. † â€Å"He sat for some time, watching the ? sh, looking across the bay, listening to the birds, and the place felt, in a way, like home. † 24 The author’s description of the wildlife on the island helps to create a sense of A B C D calmness pride sadness tension 25 Read this sentence from the passage. Two mallards lifted off the bay—a male, all green-headed with white wing flecks, and a dappled gray-brown female—and Wil jumped when they took off. In the sentence, the author creates an image in which Wil is A B C D chasing the ducks surprised by the ducks pleased to see the ducks pretending to ? y like the ducks Page 16 Book 1 Do not reproduce. Do not discuss contents until end of designated makeup schedule.  ¦ SECURE MATERIAL  ¦ 26 The next time Wil feels lonely, he will most likely A B C D row out to the island search for a new island bring his parents to the island call his friends from the island 27 At the end of the passage, the author says that â€Å"the newness ? lled† Wil.

Welcome to The City of God Rethinking the Movie Experience

Welcome to The City of God Rethinking the Movie Experience Whenever there is a major feature film interpretation of a painfully topical issue, the audience takes the on-coming film with a grain of salt, which is quite understandable – there is practically no way in which the movie director can handle the complex issue; as a matter of fact, a movie adaptation is often not about how good the directors’ interpretation is, but how much the movie twists the original idea.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Welcome to The City of God: Rethinking the Movie Experience specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, much to the audience’s surprise, The City of God turned out not as much palatable as the source material, i.e., the numerous criminal reports on the Rio de Janeiro suburbs, but also quite unique and different from the original in its own way. With the help of elaborate planning and the use of various technical approaches, as well as the casting choices and oth er essential elements that make a bulk of a good movie, The City of God manages to convey a number of messages concerning essential social issues in the Latin countries, as well as stet the existing problems within a typical Latin society. The first and the foremost planning element to speak about are the actors. The cast defines the movie, shaping it and giving it additional shades. In the given case, the cast was truly brilliant. Taking into account that the movie was shot as a crime drama, it was crucial to pick the cast who would not overact yet add drama to the movie, and Alexandre Rodriguez handled this task perfectly well. He obviously knows what to say and when to: â€Å"The sun is for everyone, the beach is for those who deserve it† (The City of God), yet he does not have the answer to every question, which makes him a believable character. The rest of the cast leaves rather vague impression, yet there is also nothing terrible about their performance. Like any crime movie, this one is packed with all sorts of stunts and smooth movements. However, the tricks in The City of God concern not the artists, but the movie itself, or, to be more exact, the way in which different eras are switched. The transition between the epochs is rather smooth, which is achieved with the help of rather unusual means. For instance, I one of the transitions, the gap between the two epochs is marked near a car passing by (The City of God). In addition, it is still questionable whether the level of the stunt performers matches the existing standards. The given edits make one think of the gaps between different social groups, which are as hard to cross as the time boundaries. Speaking of the way in which the movie floats between two time periods, the visuals of the two worlds are quite stunning, too. Meirelles managed to capture the striking reality of both eras in a bottle. The Rio de Janeiro suburbs are your typical Rio de Janeiro suburbs, the way an average stranger w ould think of them, yet the stylization of the background does not stretch to the point where an average Rio de Janeiro dweller will consider it offensive.Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In regard to the settings, the color cast of the movie is to be mentioned as well. It is rather peculiar that the color balance is shifted in the movie in such a way so that every single detail in it looks extremely sharp. The given shift is especially obvious in the scene where one of the kids during the conversation asks another one, â€Å"Shall I shoot you in the hand or in the foot?† (The City of God). Adding much to the atmosphere in general, the sharpness of the colors allows to stress the tension within the society and the anger that has been brewing there for the last few decades. The sound effects and the sounds in the background are not to be forgotten, either. It is e ssential that the movie uses the traditional Latin American music for the background in most of the scenes; adding the unforgettable genuine effect, it helps create the atmosphere and allows to plunge into the Latin world completely. Finally, the story comes as the most important element of the movie planning. Helping to reveal even more ideas which the director and the author of the book wanted to convey, the plot must be on par with the visuals, i.e., the most important detail of the entire movie. It is quite impressive that the reference to the book by St. Augustine of Hippo is there in the movie, which makes the latter all the stronger. On the other hand, the comparison of the modern movie about the gangs of Rio de Janeiro to the book written centuries ago with a completely different idea in mind and for completely different purposes might seem inappropriate, there is still a common thread in the two. Both convey the idea of justice as it should be. The only difference is that A ugustine’s work conveys the message of ideal state showing what the perfect order must look like (St. Augustine), while The City of God, the movie states its moral grounds by showing the audience the lowest of the low. Hence, the idea of what the City of God must not be, is shaped. Indeed, the negative imagery can be as impressive as the positive one; sometimes, the effect of the former can be even stronger, since it does not possess the loathsome taste of moralizing. Moreover, when referring to Augustine’s work, it is necessary to keep in mind that Meirelles did not go with taking all the ideas from the book by Augustine – on the contrary, Meirelles created a modern story only slightly seasoned with the moral concerns which have been voiced in St. Augustine’s book. Hence, Meirelles managed to locate the movie in the present-day reality and add a couple of modern features to it, keeping the key characteristics of the genre intact.Advertising We wi ll write a custom essay sample on Welcome to The City of God: Rethinking the Movie Experience specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Hence, it is obvious that the specifics of the movie planning, especially the ones concerning the visual elements, contribute to the effect that the movie makes considerably. With the help of a careful, well-developed planning, the movie conveys such social issues as the reasons for high criminal rates in Rio de Janeiro, as well as explains the specifics of the city development, touching upon its history. Therefore, the background for a number of current social issues which are extremely topical for the present-day Brazil is being set as the plot of the movie unwraps. Unmasking the social and political flaws of the existing system, the movie sets a number of moral dilemmas for the audience, leaving the latter to guess whether the leading characters have chosen the right track. The City of God. Ex. Prod. Fernando Mei relles. New York City, NY: Miramax Films. 2003. DVD. St. Augustine. The City of God. Edinburgh: TT Clark, 1871. Print.

Budgeting for Your Indie Novel

Budgeting for Your Indie Novel Budgeting for Your Indie Novel Michael Doane is the author of   "The Crossing"  and book strategist at Writing Inbound. When he’s not writing novels, he’s working with other authors to promote, launch, and sell their books. In this article, he talks about the budget he set for self-publishing his debut novel, "The Crossing" and how he was able to stick to it.  A couple of months ago, Reedsy put together a comprehensive infographic on what it costs to self-publish a book. The infographic breaks down costs associated with the various stages of editing as well as cover design and typesetting. According to the data, a 60,000 word book will cost you an average of $5,260 if you purchase each service individually. That’s a fair amount of money if you’re going into self-publishing for the first time and aren’t generating any revenue from your books yet.While Reedsy has the data on average costs, I’d like to share what authors really care about: a story. My debut novel, The C rossing is just under 60,000 words, so I’m going to judge my own progress up against Reedsy’s $5,260 average.My budgetWhen I got serious about publishing, I set a budget of $3,500 on editing and design services. This was money I had in my PayPal account from helping other authors market their books. That meant I had to find shortcuts and alternatives to cut costs and save myself money. One thing I wasn’t willing to compromise on, however, was quality.This was going to be quite the challenge: save about 50% on professional publishing services and STILL come to market with a quality, professionally designed product that’s been vetted by top-notch editors. I also didn’t want to haggle with professionals by negotiating unnecessary discounts.Spoiler alert: I was able to stay within budget.The steps I took to get my book ready to self-publish1. I started with myself†¦The first thing I did was read my own book. I read it critically and made lots and lots of notes. Then I edited the thing. I cut about 15,000 words from the first draft and added an additional 7,000 words to the manuscript.Then I did it again. I re-read, cut, and re-wrote. It’s not easy. Some may even call it soul-shattering. The thing is†¦ it’s necessary.I made "The Crossing" the best possible product I could make on my own before sharing it with anyone.2. I shared with friends and family†¦I have a funny story about the ending of "The Crossing"†¦It is late, about 1am on a Tuesday night, and I have to get up for work at 5am the next morning. My wife, Emily, is always my first-reader and she is just finishing the first draft of the manuscript. She is so disappointed with the ending that she wakes me up, shaking me. â€Å"Mike, Mike. What the†¦!? This book is SO GOOD, but the ending†¦Ã¢â‚¬ It was so bad, she said, she couldn’t sleep. I love my wife, so I got up and wrote her an acceptable ending. I was up until about 2 am making it work. I brought it back to her and watched her read it. â€Å"This is better,† she said, â€Å"but still not the best it can be.†It took three more tries and two editors to get to the best possible ending - the one that made her cry!All this to say, it’s important to share with family and friends. Most of them will tell you they like it (giving you a slight boost in confidence). The best ones will be totally honest with you and encourage you to make art that’s beautiful and worthwhile. Share your writing with friends. It'll encourage you to make something worthwhile.†@medoane 3. I enlisted a small but dedicated group of beta readers†¦My beta readers are my most important asset. Seriously.I put it out there - on my blog and social media - that I was looking for people to read my book and provide feedback. About 50 people signed up and out of those 50, about 15 gave me good, valuable feedback.I sent my manuscript for "The Crossing" to them no strings attached and, over a few months, scheduled calls and exchanged emails with them to solicit direct feedback. I had a very diverse group, who gave me amazing perspective on my work.Once I was finished with all my calls and emails with my beta readers, I made yet another round of personal edits based on the feedback.4. I hired  an editor for an assessment†¦At this point, I knew there was little more I could do on my own and with the honesty and encouragement of my friends, family, and beta readers. I turned to Reedsy and put out proposals for an editorial assessment.I ended up hiring Rebecca Heyman, who was not the least expensive nor the most expensive of the five editors I’d reached out to.While I don’t want to share exactly what I paid for her services, I’ll say that it was (what I thought at the time) a big chunk of change. I’ll also say that the big chunk of change was totally worth it.Becca delivered an 8-page document detailing the parts of the narrative that worked and - more importantly - the parts of the narrative that didn’t work. We then had a pretty heated conversation via Skype about details and alternatives.The best part of working with Becca is that she brought me back to earth, tore down the hard work I’d already done, and pointed me back to the drawing board.What an editorial assessment does for an author is provide perspective. It gives you insights on your work from an experienced professional. Becca was able to create a comprehensive overview of my manuscript for "The Crossing" and help me refine it to a publishab le work. "What an editorial assessment really gives an author is perspective.† @medoane 5. I went back to the drawing board†¦I didn’t make all the edits Becca suggested (there’s that freedom of self-publishing coming into play), but what I did do was re-read the book with fresh eyes and tended to the problem areas that Becca pointed out. I ended up cutting and adding a lot more. Re-read, re-consider, re-write. That’s what it’s all about.Then I recruited more beta readers and had a few from the original group have another go at it and give me feedback. This time they were giving me pointers on not only the narrative, but also grammar and spelling.6. I hired a  cover designer†¦While my beta readers were busy reading, I went back to Reedsy and put out quotes for a cover designer. I ended up going with Matthew Cobb, who just so happens to be a Reedsy co-founder as well.We spent time going back and forth on different iterations and I was able to have complete control over the final product.7. I hired copyeditor/proofreader†¦Since I used so many other resources, like my beta readers, for copyediting and content development, I put out a final round of proposals on Reedsy for a mix of copyediting and proofreading services. I ended up hiring Rachel Small.Rachel’s profile mentioned that she dealt with YA, coming of age, and travel stories, so I knew I wanted to work with her before I even heard any responses back. I also read Reedsy author  Stacey Dyer’s article about working with Rachel, which seemed like a wonderful, collaborative process. Luckily, Rachel came back with a quote on point with what I expected to pay.At this point "The Crossing" was a pretty solid, final, and publishable narrative. I read through one more time, made most of the edits Rachel suggested, and made some tweaks to the narrative that the beta readers had suggested (such moving around chapters, and adding some overlooked elements).8. I  did my own typesettingWith the average cost of typesetting being $840 (according to R eedsy’s infographic),  this could’ve easily been the expense that took me over budget. However, I used the free Reedsy Book Editor  to do the typesetting for me.  You simply copy and paste your chapters into the tool (or use it to write your book), then hit export and you get a nice print-ready PDF and ebook reader-friendly ePub file.So, what does self-publishing a book really cost?Time! Writing, editing, learning how to publish, working with various editors and beta readers, sharing with friends and family and waiting for a response. Having your work torn down by editors so you can build it back up. Patience and effort. This is the true cost of self-publishing. "Time is the true cost of self-publishing."@medoane From the time my first draft was complete until the time the book was published, everything took about two years. I approached it like a second job and spent hundreds of hours, during nights and weekends, learning how to publish a book. But if you’re up to learning new processes, putting out the upfront investments, and working with a team of skilled professionals, the costs certainly are worth it.Thankfully, I was able to stick to the budget I set for myself. According to my $3500 budget, I spent an average of $145 per month in expenses, and if I did extend past my budget to the average cost based on Reedsy’s infographic, it still would have only been about $219 per month. With my current sales numbers, I’m set to make back these costs within the next few months.What’s next?Here is some  last minute advice for those who are ready to take the same path:Set a budget before anything else.Find an audience early.Promote to friends and family.Engage your beta readers.Hire a professional editor (or two).Get a well-designed cover.Learn as much as you can about the industry.Network with other authors.If you’re a detail-oriented and you want to bypass the publishing industry’s red-tape, then self-publishing is definitely worth the cost. Just know that it’s a long road if you’re going to do it right - and come into it with an entrepreneur’s perspective, because you  need to invest money if you want to create a beautiful product that will earn you money in return.  Good luck!"The Crossing" is available on Amazon in paperback and on Amazon Kindle.  Mention this article to get a 25% discount on your next book marketing plan through Michael Doane on Reedsy.Michael set himself the task to not cut corners, to create a book he would be proud of, but also to stay within his allocated self-publishing budget. And he did! What have been your experiences with taking on the cost of publishing yourself?  Leave y our thoughts, experiences, or any questions for Michael  in the comments below.

The Writers Diet

The Writers Diet The Writer’s Diet The Writer’s Diet By Mark Nichol How does your writing style rate regarding balanced use (or overuse) of parts of speech? An online test will evaluate your compositions for you. The writing handbook The Writer’s Diet: A Guide to Fit Prose has a companion website that features not only a blog (and a newsletter you can subscribe to) but also a test that analyzes writing passages. Naturally, I took a test drive (seven test drives, actually). Choosing some of my favorite essay-type posts on DailyWritingTips.com, I plugged them into the Writer’s Diet Test, which scores content in parts-of-speech categories equivalent to the ones the book’s author, academician Helen Sword, focuses on in the book: verbs, nouns, prepositions, adjectives and adverbs, and what she calls â€Å"waste words† (it, this, that, and there). The test scores on a scale labeled in keeping with the health-conscious them: Lean, Fit Trim, Needs Toning, Flabby, and Heart Attack. One by one, I copied and pasted seven of my posts into the tool and read the results of my writing physical. I was not surprised to see that for the most part, my writing tended to be at the Lean/Fit Trim end of the spectrum. (I’ve been writing professionally for four decades, so I’d better be in good shape.) However, four of the seven cumulative scores were in Flabby territory. Why? My use of nouns was usually restrained, though the test result for one post registered their use as decidedly unhealthy. Apparently, however, I’m living on borrowed time because of an excessive employment of verbs. And though my restraint with prepositions is admirable, and I was generally carefully about not overdoing it with adjectives and adverbs, I did binge once in the latter category. In addition, I was usually pretty good about minimizing the little words that Sword lists as inimical to clear, concise writing, though I had a couple of lapses. What does this mean? Objectively, it means that I should be more alert to avoiding inserting too many of what Sword calls â€Å"academic ad-words†- the adjectives and adverbs ending in -able, -ant, -ary, and the like- that are often used in stodgy scholarly writing. And though I am vigilant about avoiding using expletives (â€Å"it is,† â€Å"there are,† and so on) and repeating the pronouns it and that, I could do better. And especially, it seems, though I often advocate using vivid verbs and minimizing use of forms of â€Å"to be† (is, am, being, and the like), I am remiss in practicing what I preach. You may, after taking the test, argue that you know you’re a good writer and don’t deserve your check-up to result in admonitions to go on a diction diet. Or perhaps, after you slyly copied and pasted a passage from a Work of Great Literature, you scoffed when Tolstoy or Twain, or Faulkner or Fitzgerald, earned â€Å"failing† scores. Sword acknowledges that the test is a â€Å"blunt instrument†: Good writing can earn low scores, bad writing can result in a complimentary result, and titans of literature sometimes simultaneously break the rules of composition and produce masterpieces. (Hello, Samuel Beckett.) Furthermore, the test is not a directive to adopt a prose style of Hemingwayian simplicity. It merely calls attention to areas that may need some attention. Check out the website for an outline of the principles Sword advises that you attend to in order to achieve a lean (or at least fit and trim) compositional composition, or read the book for more details. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Writing Basics category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:English Grammar 101: All You Need to Know41 Words That Are Better Than GoodHow to Punctuate Introductory Phrases

The Marketing Role in a CSR Company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Marketing Role in a CSR Company - Essay Example The marketing angles are also in line with what the different publics require from the aegis of Shell and how Shell as a global company has brought about these deliverables in a quantifiable capacity. Â  Shell has concerned itself with health, safety, and other significant issues on a worldwide basis. This has meant that quite a heavy spending has been focused towards the CSR ranks, which indeed is a very positive aspect that is brought forward by the top management at Shell. Shell believes in empowering small and medium business entrepreneurs through its different programs (Ralston 2002). It has also endeavored to provide the poor and needy the much-needed food and shelter through a series of programs, all of which are geared to uplift the image of Shell in the long run. What is more understandable is the fact that Shell has been able to give in its best for quite a while now and the same will continue to be the case in the times to come, since its measures and initiatives are very coherent and strong. Â  The role of marketing within the CSR domains is also very important for Shell since the global player within the oil company understands that if it does not involve its own self in a very reasonable way within the minds and hearts of the customers, then it would be very difficult for it to claim its place within the relevant industrial settings as well (Sims 2003). Hence Shell’s role is to come out as an honest player which it is trying its best to project in different walks of life (Bennett 2002). However, there are times when controversies do arise and more so within the aegis of whistleblowing patterns making the rounds of the top organizations in the present times. Shell’s responsibility does not end here at all. It has to keep moving forward and satisfy its publics in such a way that they feel privileged and has a very positive view of the oil company that has changed the CSR definition. Â  

BP ENERGY CRISIS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

BP ENERGY CRISIS - Essay Example The company operates in many countries internationally, however its performance is not stabilized. In fact, it seems that severe gaps exist in existing organizational strategies; reference can be made to the last year’s accident in the firm’s operational unit in the Gulf of Mexico. The above event proved the actual aspects of crisis in the energy sector: firms operating in this industry focus on the increase of their production rather than on the effects of their activities on the environment. In the case of BP it is noted that ‘total industry production from the Gulf of Mexico provided the biggest single increase in world oil supplies last year -- of nearly 400,0000 barrels per day’ (Pagnamenta, 2010). Of course, the efforts for the increase of production in this sector are related to the energy crisis – the need for continuously higher amount of energy, as a result of the increase of the relevant human needs. ... The Competing Values Framework (see Figure 1, Appendix) is based on the principle that organizational strategies need to be based on three different values – which compete each other: ‘the control versus flexibility, an internal versus the external focus and an emphasis on means versus end’ (Amos et al. 2009, 266). The concept of value on which the above framework is based is related to certain process. More specifically, Cameron (2006) notes that within modern organizations ‘value can be created whenever an organization develops competencies in Control, Compete, Create and Collaborate that collectively generate output that exceeds what individuals could do on their own’ (Cameron 2006, 29). Moreover, O’Connor et al. (2009) suggest that the use of the Competing Values Framework for the development of organizational strategies can help to the resolution of a common organizational problem: when organizational plans have to be designed and executed a series of conflicts is likely to appear mostly because within organizations there are different perceptions on priorities and ethics, i.e. there are different values (O’Connor et al. 2009, 57). In other words, O’Connor et al. (2009) note that conflicts in regard to the form and the content of organizational plans are inevitable in organizations of all sizes. However, through using appropriate strategic management tools, like the Competing Values Framework helps towards the identification of these values and their simultaneous promotion these conflicts can be minimized (O’Connor et al. 2009, 57). On the other hand, Amos et al (2009) make clear that the successful implementation of the Competing

Global Trade Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Global Trade - Essay Example th reference to the guardian, the governments will be in a position to pass international restrictions that protects domestic industries (The Guardian, pp. 1-3). Furthermore, the governments will be promoting national security. It will be a means of implementing a foreign policy targeting enemy states. According to Reimer, by intervening in trade, the governments are trying to adhere to the strategic trade policy (Reimer, pp. 1-50). By encouraging domestic employment, governments may raise their tariffs to influence trade. Additionally, they may use the strategic policies to mitigate influences of big corporations. It will be assisting growing companies domestically. Governments may raise taxes on goods that trade with enemy country to implement their foreign policies (Reimer, pp. 1-50). Trading in the past mostly dwelt in trade politics. Nowadays international trade has advanced and trade laws have replaced trade politics. Additionally, trade has transformed gradually till nowadays countries trade with a body called World Trade Organization supervising the activities. According to Pauwelny, trading system has developed from power based to rules based trade (Pauwelyn, pp. 1-20) Poverty is an issue that affects current global trading. The major cause of poverty is structural adjustments by the World Bank. Additionally, the loans to third world country are another issue in trade. The loans undermine developments and reduce trade

Shear Testing in Made Ground Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Shear Testing in Made Ground - Essay Example guided by the quantitative risk assessment, backed up by understanding wider issues of projects, including civil and geotechnical engineering aspects. To assess risks properly, sufficient quality data is critical, so there is a need to carry out extensive sampling and analysis. The aim is to produce remediation strategies which will integrate with the overall engineering objectives. Regulatory bodies such as the Environment Agency and the local planning authorities has developed links with leading remediation contractors to ensure the viability of options in terms of cost-effectiveness and statutory requirements and environmental practices. Remediation involves physical, chemical and biological methods, including soil treatments. Contamination is defined as a coming into contact something so as to make it impure, unclean or corrupt. It emphasizes effect over cause and implies that some measure of decay or corruption has taken place. Contaminated site is defined as the site that poses considerable risk to the human health and the environment. The contaminated soil functions are endangered because of the impacting of contaminant level. In the local contamination assessment, there were problems that were found. The industrial activities landfills, mining sites radiation comprises the different problems of contamination. The extent are estimated 1.5 million contaminated sites from a preliminary surveys across Europe. Remediation would cost 2,000 million Euro per year all across Europe. Wide contamination extents from limited to strongly polluted; from small sites petrol stations, (petrol stations) to mega sites (thousand of hectares each). Our objective for prevention is to avoid deterioration of soil quality, l oss of soil functions and water resources degradation. One question is: does relevant legislation apply and protect the soil efficiently? Diffuse contamination is the application of acceptable input levels that is generally sufficient for remedial measures. A

Terminal Cancer - Palliative Care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Terminal Cancer - Palliative Care - Essay Example The current symptoms of the patient vary from day-to-day. The metastasis to the bone means that the client has progressive pain which is generally worsening. The liver metastasis has caused a loss of appetite, nausea and occasional bouts of very severe abdominal pain. The patient also has a chronic cough which is thought to originate from lung metastases, and will occasionally complain of chest pain. This has been confirmed by an abnormal chest X-ray. Overall, the patient has expressed dissatisfaction and at times feels unable to enjoy life, with an overall feeling of ‘sadness’. The patient also claims to have difficulty remembering some things, which is a common symptom of terminal cancers in general (Karabulu et al, 2010). Pain as a Symptom One of the most distressing symptoms for the patient, as with many terminal cancer clients, is the pain and the anxiety which comes from fear of increasing amounts of pain. Pain management is important in terminal cancer, but is not always effective. Hemming & Maher (2005) examined the management of pain and the difficulties which arise. The article highlights the fact that terminal cancer patients often have pain coming from many areas of the body, as seen in our case study above. Bone and nerve pain arising from metastases may be causing extreme pain, which is more difficult to treat. Hemming & Maher (2005) also highlight the fact that pain may be holistic, whereas treatments tend to focus purely on treating physiological pain with analgesics and other pharmaceuticals. The article also notes that pain is an extremely complex system and the mechanisms of this are not completely understood, again making pain management an extremely difficult process. Hemming & Maher (2005) examine the multiple ways in which pain should be approached. Firstly, they highlight the understanding of different types of pain; somatic, visceral, neuropathic and bone. Knowledge of this can help appropriate pain management systems to be correctly found. There is also an importance placed on the spiritual elements of the pain, which Hemming & Maher (2005) suggest need to be approached simultaneously with the more traditional physical approach. From here, the attending clinician could use an ABCDE of assessment of the pain to help them understand the location and type of pain, again helping to highlight what type of pain management may be necessary. Pharmaceutical interventions can then be considered. This should be approached in three ways. Firstly, ‘by the ladder’, which means that treatment should start from the non-opiod option and become progressively stronger by need. The article also highlights the importance of giving pain medications ‘by the clock’, or regularly, to maintain relief. Finally, Hemming & Maher (2005) advocate that pain relief be given ‘by the mouth’ through oral administration. Lynch & Abrahm (2002) focused on the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and their ap proach to pain management in terminal patients. The approach here was done in a number of steps. The first of these involved assessment, with the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute advocating using numeric, verbal and a Wong-Baker-like FACES scale to judge the standard of pain of the individual. After this, patient education is conducted. The patient should be knowledgeable about the medication and approaches to pain that they are taking, particularly as a fear of addiction and the problems with

What Can Affect Us Today Essay Example for Free

What Can Affect Us Today Essay When you’re walking down the street and see the kids out and about, what are some things that you see that can affect their behavior or even their future possibly? The things that go on in today’s society have played a major role in how this generation, along with others turn out. An individual being raised in a single-parent home, in an immoral community, or maybe even losing someone that meant everything to them can affect their lives in ways that can either send them down the right or wrong road. Also, a person’s choices or decision-making skills can affect their life in a major way. â€Å"Your choices will determine your future† was always something I was told as a youth. When reading The Other Wes Moore these problems played a major role in both Weses’ lives; they determined not only their future but also their fate. A single-parent home can truly affect an individual’s life in many ways. Being without a father in the home is more normal than not having a mother in the home. In the book, the other Wes made a rich comment about how both would mourn over their father’s absence by stating â€Å"Your father wasn’t there because he couldn’t be, my father wasn’t there because he chose not to be. We’re going to mourn their absence in different ways† (pg.3). When he made this statement he was referring to the fact that author Wes lost his dad to a sudden death, while the other Wes dad picked not to be in his life. The author used the good memories of his dad, while the other Wes looked up to his oldest brother Tony as his father figure. Even though Tony wanted Wes to stay away from the drug game and the streets, he turned to what he had seen Tony doing. The writer Wes used his good memories of his dad to make him a stronger and wiser man. He saw how his dad did what he had to do to provide for his family. From personal experience I know how it feels to not have your dad in the home. Your home feels incomplete and all you can do is hope that daddy will come home one day. My dad left when I was two because of the problems between him and my mom. He was never abusive nor an addict; he just left me. I used to blame myself for him leaving, but he eventually explained everything to me. When you grow up missing a parent in the home it can lead to drug/ alcohol abuse, emotional distress, suicide, and other harmful things and that’s what happened with the other Wes Moore. A person’s community can also determine their lives. If an individual lives in an immoral or ruthless community, they are subjected to immoral and ruthless actions. One may think a community is just a place where one resides but it is much bigger than that, it’s a second family. It was stated that â€Å"The basketball court is a strange patch of neutral ground, a meeting place for every element of a neighborhood cohort of young men†¦We were all enclosed by the same fence, bumping into one another, fighting, celebrating. Showing one another our best and worst, revealing ourselves—even our cruelty and crimes—as if that fence had created a circle of trust. A brotherhood† (pg.45). The streets can teach one various life skills that a parent cannot, especially in a rough neighborhood in the heart of Maryland. The author Wes and his family moved into his grandparents’ home and the same rules that applied to his mother applied to him. â€Å"†¦ My grandparents figured if these rules had helped their children successfully navigate the world, they would work on their grandkids too† (pg.42) states the author Wes as he discussed how he had to be in before the street light would come on. His family was sterner on him and his sister because they wanted what was best for them. They lived in the nicest community and went to the nicest white school for the reason that their mom wants her kids to stay away from all the trouble and how bad Harlem had changed since she left. Not saying the other Wes’ mother didn’t want what was best, but she wasn’t always around to enforce the rules. Tony was the head man and whatever Tony did Wes did. Wes looked up to his big brother and when Tony found out about Wes being in the drug game it really frustrated him because he did all he could to keep Wes away from it, yet his community only drew him in. He lived in a community were the drug dealers ran the streets, the citizens were afraid of the crack heads, and were the poverty was higher due to lack of education; without an education, there is no chance in someone finding a job. Finally, the choices one make will determine whether your life sinks or floats. Everyone makes mistakes in life but as Wes says â€Å"†¦sometimes it’s hard to distinguish between second chances and last chances† (ch.4 intro). My family has always told me that â€Å"everyone deserves a second chance, no matter right or wrong† and I find this to be true. An individual can be sweet as honey and go out a mess up one time and that’s their life; gone forever. I personally feel as though some choices or decision can be made off of the crowd someone is following, and following the crowd will have your future either ideal or torment. By the other Wes following the crowd and doing what he saw others do his life will be spent behind bars for murder, while the author Wes will be spending his life doing something he loves and that is writing.

Examining Marks And Spencer Group Plc Business Essay

Examining Marks And Spencer Group Plc Business Essay This report examines the Marks and Spencer Group Plc. It begins with the main objectives and purpose of the organisation and follows with the key features of the organisations Business Environment. It then goes on to analyse the impact of European economic and political integration in terms of trade. Marks and Spencer Group Plc was founded in 1884 by Michael Marks with the opening of a Penny Bazaar stall at Leeds Kirkgate Market. Today it is one of the UKs leading retailers with over 600 stores nationwide. In addition to its successful UK business it holds an expanding international business which comprises of over 295 stores throughout 41 territories. Marks and Spencers core business is general merchandising (clothing and home) and food. Its main competitors are Waitrose, Tesco, Asda and Primark. 2. Define, list and explain the main objectives and purpose of the organisation Marks and Spencer has five key principals which define how it runs its business these are: Quality Value Service Innovation Trust These five principals are fundamental to the success of the business and they remain as important today as they have done over the past 125 years. Marks and Spencers core objective is to ensure their brand will continue to offer Quality, Value, Service, Innovation and Trust. One of the aims of the business is to improve value, without compromising on quality. Mark and Spencers uppermost priority is to lead the business through the recession whilst continuing to invest for the long term. Six objectives were put in place in November 2008 In order to achieve this and are as follow: Retain their market leading position in GM Improve their performance in food Drive their international business Optimise margins and tightly control cost Maintain a strong balance sheet Uphold high ethical standards Marks and Spencer intend to be the worlds most sustainable business by 2015. This target is to be achieved through their Plan A commitments. (187) 3. Identify and explain the key features of the Business Environment The Business Environment is a combination of internal and external factors that affect an organisations ability to operate, grow and continue to exist. The Business Environment can be divided into the micro-environment which consists of; customers, employees, suppliers, shareholders, media and competitors and the macro-environment which includes regulations, government activities, the economy, demographics, social and cultural factors, innovations, and technological developments. In order to ascertain the Business Environment of an organisation a number of strategic tools can be used. A SWOT analysis can be effective in identifying an organisations strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, whilst a PESTLE analysis can be valuable in analysing an organisations macro-environment. (106) SWOT analysis of Marks and Spencer Group Plc Strengths Weaknesses Unrivalled reputation for Quality, Value, Service, Innovation and Trust UKs biggest clothing retailer Top UK retail website Diverse range of products clothing , food and wine, home and furniture, technology, flowers and gifts and financial products Leading premium quality food retailer Brand awareness Consumers perception of MS is that their products are highly priced Consumers perception of MS is that they are not always in touch with the latest fashion trends Reduction in money back guarantee whilst competitors are increasing theirs Leading shareholders furious over Rose and Bolland salary packages Opportunities Threats Growth of international markets in particular India The world has an ageing population M Ss core target market is already the older generation Product diversification into Home Energy Services, Telecoms and MS-branded cosmetics Ability to reach new target market through new advertising campaigns aimed at younger generation Economic conditions remain uncertain Decline of the high street due to consumers doing more of their shopping online Competitor product ranges which directly compete with M S food such as Tesco finest Competitor Asda to offer 100 day money back guarantee on its George clothing Takeover bids (204) PESTEL analysis of Marks and Spencer Group Plc Political Key political factors that are of relevance to Marks and Spencer are as follow: Government type and stability The imminent general elections are to some extent going to leave many businesses feeling a high degree of uncertainty. Trading will get tougher this year as taxes rise and public spending falls to bring down government debt. (51) Economic Key economic factors that are relevant to Marks and Spencer are as follow: Economic conditions affect how easy or how difficult it is to be successful and profitable at any time because they affect both capital availability and cost, and demand. (28) Social Key social factors that are relevant to Marks and Spencer are as follow: Aging population Marks and Spencers has always been seen as an organisation whose target market is the older generation. The population of the UK and the world in general is continuing to age. Figure 1 below shows the increase in which the UK population will age by 2033. (46) Figure 1 Ageing Fastest increase in the oldest old Population by age, UK, 1983, 2008 and 2033 Office for National Statistics (2009) Technological Key technological factors that are relevant in assessing Marks and Spencer are as follow: Marks and Spencer were the first company in the world to use revolutionary teardrop trucks. The trailers are capable of carrying up to 16% more load and the aerodynamic shape offers a 10% reduction in fuel consumption. Xerox solid ink technology helps Marks and Spencer with Plan A commitments. (49) Environmental Key environmental factors that are relevant to Marks and Spencer are as follow: Weather Adverse weather conditions in the UK have had a devastating effect on businesses up and down the country. (18) Legal Key legal factors that are relevant to Marks and Spencer are as follow: EU legislation has recently been introduced to protect the Marks and Spencer has become the first high-profile retailer to be hit by new Prosecco regulations after 14,400 bottles of its Rosecco brand were seized. The market structure of Marks and Spencer can be considered as perfect competition. (13) PORTERS 5 FORCES analysis of Marks and Spencer Group Plc Competitive rivalry within the industry Threat of new entrants Cortefiel: launching standalone stores in competitive UK market (8) Bargaining power of suppliers Bargaining power of customers Threat of substitutes 4. Analyse the impact of European economic and political integration in terms of trade 5. Conclusions

Cyber-Communism: The New Threat in the New Millennium :: social issues

Cyber-Communism: The New Threat in the New Millennium My expedition into cyber-communism began when I read Brock Meeks' "Hackers Stumble Toward Legitimacy"[1]. The article addressed a recent hackers' convention. Interestingly, the keynote speaker was Eric Boucher[2] (alias Jello Biafra[3]), a rock star with no technical background. Numerous questions ensue. Who is Eric Boucher (alias Jello Biafra)? What does he believe? More importantly, why schedule someone with no technical background to speak at a hackers' convention? Addressing his beliefs, his proposed Green Party platform[4] is not inconsistent with the "Manifesto of Libertarian Communism"[5]. This answer produces a more troubling question. Was his speech against corporate America mere socialist babbling or was his speech part of something more sinister, a subversive cyber-communist movement? I am not the first to see possible communist subversion of the digerati[6]. Corey Winesett's "Are Linux Users Really Communists?"[7] questions the nature of the relationship, if any, between open source and communism. Scott Billings' "Heresy and Communism"[8] ponders that the Linux community's knee-jerk reaction to negative opinions about Linux could be the result of being "under the [communists'] spell." Before I can evaluate cyber-communism's merits, I must define communism's true nature and communism's real threat to America. Communism Revisited Theoretical communism and practical communism have long been held as different political sociologies. Despite Marx's call for the working class to revolt, the communist revolution's leaders always ascend from the intelligentsia. John Stormer's "None Dare Call It Treason" supports this fact saying: "Fidel Castro was a product, not of the cane fields of Cuba, but of the halls of Havana University." "Joseph Stalin was not a simple peasant rebelling at the oppression of the Czar. He became a communist while studying for the priesthood in a Russian Orthodox seminary." "The membership of the first Communist spy ring uncovered in the U.S. Government was not spawned in the sweat shops of New York's lower east side or the tenant farms of the South. [The conspirators] came to high government posts from Harvard Law School." Communism's fallacy is the belief in everyone's benevolence; yet, human nature proves otherwise. Communism cannot create a perfect society with imperfect people. Hence, to direct Utopia, communism produces a totalitarian government over the less-perfect people, ruled by the perfect people - communists. Thus, communism's true nature creates a controlling government in the name of a better world. Not every supporter needs be a knowing conspirator.

Shop Online Or At The Malls? :: essays research papers

Shop Online or At the Malls? Radiation, sore eyes, fatigue carpal tunnel syndrome and characteristics of a hermit. These are the common â€Å"sickness† people get when working with computers too long. Shopping is one of the largest industries in the world. For the people who decide to shop on the Internet, have to face many disadvantages. Many people prefer to shop in malls because they are able to see and feel the texture of the things that they want before they purchase it. Usually when purchasing a product online through the net, people do not know what they are really getting. Maybe the picture or the way the product is described on the Internet could be imprecise and incorrect. When shopping at the malls, consumers are able to interact with sales people and be able to get the highest quality of service. Technology may be an essential part of our lives, but it will never take over our daily lives. Computers are a valuable source of technology to humans these days. Everyday people use these machines to do their work, but when it comes down to shopping, it is a different experience. Shopping on the Internet may seem like an easy way out from the traffic and the crowded malls, but nothing can beat the hands on experience of shopping. Shopping in malls gives the consumers the chance of using their four out of five senses: to look, feel, smell and hear. The consumers are able to look at every little detail there is on the product they want before purchasing it. Where as, when using the Internet the consumer is only able to see a small picture of what they want without any details. Also the consumer can feel the quality of their product that they are purchasing. On the Internet, it is impossible to feel anything, but ones own computer.

Law Assignment Essay

Q1- Shambu Dayal started ‘self service’ system in his shop. Smt. Prakash entered the shop took a basket and after taking articles of her choice into the basket reached the cashier for payments. The cashier refuses to accept the price. Can Shambu Dayal be compelled to sell the articles to Smt. Prakash? Decide. Answer Invitation to offer The offer should be distinguished from an invitation to offer. An offer is the final expression of willingness by the offeror to be bound by his offer should the party chooses to accept it. Where a party, without expressing his final willingness, proposes certain terms on which he is willing to negotiate, he does not make an offer, but invites only the other party to make an offer on those terms. This is the basic distinction between offer and invitation to offer. The display of articles with a price in it in a self-service shop is merely an invitation to offer. It is in no sense an offer for sale, the acceptance of which constitutes a contract. In this case, Smt. Prakash in selecting some articles and approaching the cashier for payment simply made an offer to buy the articles selected by her. If the cashier does not accept the price, the interested buyer cannot compel him to sell. Q2- Ramaswami proposed to sell his house to Rajiv who sent his acceptance by post. Next day, Rajiv sends a telegram withdrawing his acceptance. Examine the validity of the acceptance in the light of the following:- Answer The problem is related with the communication and time of acceptance and its revocation. As per Section 4 of the Indian Contract Act, 1872, the communication of an acceptance is a complete as against the acceptor when it comes to the knowledge of the proposer. An acceptance may be revoked at any time before the communication of the acceptance is complete as against the acceptor, but not afterwards. a) The telegram of revocation of acceptance was received by Ramaswami before the letter of acceptance Ans- Yes, the revocation of acceptance by Ramanathan (the acceptor) is valid. b) The telegram of revocation and letter of acceptance both received together Ans- If Ramaswami opens the telegram first (and this would be normally so in case of a rational person) and reads it, the acceptance stands revoked. If he opens the letter first and reads it, revocation of acceptance is not possible as the contract has already been concluded Q3- X’ agreed to become an assistant for 5 years to ‘Y’, who was a Doctor practicing at Ludhiana. It was also agreed that during the term of agreement ‘X’ will not practice on his own account in Ludhiana. At the end of one year, ‘X’ left the assistantship of ‘Y’ and began to practice on his own account. Referring to the provisions of The Indian Contract Act, 1872, decide whether ‘X’ could be restrained from doing so Answer An agreement in restraint of trade / business / professional is void undersection 27 of the Indian contract act, 1872. But an agreement of service by which a person binds himself during the term of the agreement not to take service with anyone else directly or indirectly to promote any business in direct competition with that of his employer is not in restraint of trade. Therefore X can b restrained by an injuction from practicing on his own account in Ludhiana. Agreement expressly declared as void. Q4- Akhilesh entered into an agreement with Shekhar to deliver him (Shekhar) 5,000 bags to be manufactured in his factory. The bags could not be manufactured because of strike by the workers and Akhilesh failed to supply the said bags to Shekhar. Decide whether Akhilesh can be exempted from liability under the provisions of The Indian Contract Act, 1872. Answer Delivery of Bags According to Section 56 of Indian Contract Act, 1872 when the performance of a Contract becomes impossible or unlawful subsequent to its formation, the contract becomes Void, this is termed as ‘supervening impossibility’ (i.e. impossibility which does not exist at the time of making the contract, but which arises subsequently). But impossibility of performance is, as a rule, not an excuse from performance. It means that When a person has promised to do something, he must perform his promise unless the Performance becomes absolutely impossible. Whether a promise becomes absolutely Impossible depends upon the facts of each case. The performance does not become absolutely impossible on account of strikes, lockout and civil disturbances and the contract in such a case is not discharged unless otherwise agreed by the parties to the contract.. In this case Mr. Akhilesh could not deliver the bags as promised because of strike by the workers. This difficulty in performance cannot be considered as impossible of performance attracting Section 56 and hence Mr. Akhilesh is liable to Mr. Shekhar for nonperformance of contract. Q5-Miss X, a film actress agreed to work exclusively for a period of 2 years, for a film production company. However during the said period she enters into a contract for another film producer. Discuss the rights of the aggrieved film production company under The Indian Contract Act, 1872. Answer Where a party comments a breach of negative term of a contract i.e., where he  does something which he promised not to do, the aggrieved party can go to court which may be issue an order restraining him from doing what he promised not to do. Such an order of the court is known as injunction. Since Miss X has agreed to work exclusively for the film production company for a period of two years, the aggrieved film production company can go to court and get injunction order restraining Miss X working for another film production company.

Mexicans and Discrimination Essay

Wetback, spic and beaner are a few of the words people use when talking about a Mexican. Mexican Americans have been the victim of discrimination throughout the history of the United States. Mexicans have a very big stereotype against them. One of the main reasons that they are discriminated against is because of their illegal immigration into the United States. Like many other groups Mexicans immigrated to the United States in search of a better life. Many Mexicans are left with no choice but to come to the U. S illegally because of the cost and obstacles that one has to go through to become a citizen. Because many Mexicans come to the U. S. illegally they are often forced to work physically demanding jobs for less money. Mexican Americans have a long history of experiencing nativism and racism which has resulted in a number of discriminatory conditions and consequences such as, social and geographical segregation, employment discrimination, patterns of abuse at the hands of law enforcement officials, vigilante murder and justice, substandard education, electoral fraud, exclusion from petit and grand juries, forced dislocations from their neighborhoods, voter intimidation, and language discrimination. (Galaviz 2007) Mexicans work under the secondary sector of the Dual labor market. The secondary Dual Labor market has low incomes, little job security, and little training. There are also no rewards apart from wages. Mexicans are forced to work for very low wages either because, as non-citizens, they lack options, or because they may realistically perceive themselves as â€Å"best off† here, even at very cheap wages, than they were back home. (Aponte 1990) For example, many companies offer very poor working conditions and minimum wage because they know that illegal immigrants have no choice but to accept these conditions because of their status. After the United States victory in the Mexican-American War in 1848 a forced treaty was signed. The treaty was known as Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. This treaty required Mexico to give up over half its land to the United States in exchange for 15 million dollars. Land given up by Mexico included California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo also guaranteed that Mexican citizens living in surrendered lands would be able to keep property rights and would be given United States citizenship if they remained in surrendered lands for at least one year. However, the property rights of Mexicans were ignored by the United States government and local officials. Mexicans were slowly forced from lands which their families had held for generations in many cases. Many organizations, businesses, and homeowners associations had official policies to exclude Mexican Americans. In many areas across the Southwest, Mexican Americans lived in separate residential areas, due to laws and real estate company policies. This group of laws and policies, known as redlining, lasted until the 1950s, and fall under the concept of official segregation. In many other instances, it was more of a general social understanding among Anglos that Mexicans should be excluded. For instance, signs with the phrase â€Å"No Dogs or Mexicans† were posted in small businesses and public pools throughout the Southwest well into the 1960s. Mexicans were also restricted from being jurors, even if the case involved a Mexican. Schools also discriminated against Mexican children and eventually Mexicans were made to open their own schools. Though times have changed Mexicans are still discriminated against because of the stereotype they are associated with. Many believe that all Mexicans come over here illegally and do not deserve the same rights as citizens do. Even now people believe that Mexicans should be sent back to Mexico and an example of that is Phoenix, Arizona and its Immigration Law.

My aunt Gertrude is a rare gem.

My aunt Gertrude is a rare gem. She remains unmarried till this day, and has no desire to do so even though she is exiting the prime of her life in a few months’ time. I asked her once whether she ever contemplated being alone during her twilight years, without the comforting companionship of a husband or the dutiful doting by her children.She looked straight at me in a gaze that at once appeared as if she was reaching deep into the recesses of her being.She spoke in a barely audible whisper that she once had such a dream as I mentioned, but no longer. I was gripped with a curiosity that was tinged with a certain sadness, as I detected that within her voice and readily embraced it as my own in empathy and identification with this woman whom I love.She started tearing, and continued slowly the sad poetry that had haunted her for the past decade. When she was younger, just out of college, my aunt was engaged to a gentleman from Chicago, by the name of Mollier. He was a dealer in antiques, and had a thriving business by the time he became acquainted with my aunt Gertrude.They were a loving couple, always together, engaged in frequent intimate conversations and shared many common interests and tender moments. He was the man that my aunt was destined to marry, and to love and hold till eternity.Alas, one evening as he was making the trip home from California, he ran into a road accident and was tragically killed. My aunt did not receive the call from the coroners till a day later, after they had verified his identity and checked through their databases. Her life there and then was thrown into disarray.She left her newly-begun job, and hid in her parents’ home for the next five years. She had to learn how to live again. As she conveyed these to me, it was not her who sobbed and cried. It was me, one still young and too tender to know just what it meant and how she must have felt.She told me the pain that she carried within her heart, and how that very m oment she had died to her own ambitions, plans, and sensitivity.Her life as she knew it, was over. She had died with him. I learned from her that day what courage meant, and how with silent purpose and prayer, one can emerge from a forest of lost dreams and darkened hope still intact, at least in person. I also learned just how great love can really be, and what lovers go through each time their love disappears, even for a moment on an errand.Aunt Gertrude will never marry. She will live out the rest of her days as a spinster, having come so close to living her life with the man she truly loved and losing it all at once.She will still go about her days bustling about in a cheery manner, loving her nephews and nieces, tending to their moments of despair and immature concerns. She now lives outside herself; a woman constantly challenging herself to focus her love on others in order not to drown in the despair of her own unfulfilled love. She is a beacon of light and hope to us all in the family, and she is what makes us strong and secure.

Organizational Behavior †Management Essay

Organizational Behavior – Management Essay Free Online Research Papers Within every organization there are guide lines and tasks that must be preformed to insure that the organization will run properly. Each company has their own culture developed by all those within the company. Each person brings with them their own personal background and behavior. These differences contribute to the company forming the organizations own culture and behavior. The shared belief and values of an organizations members, is the organizations culture. There are three types of organizational cultures. In the passive/ defensive culture the members are seeking job security. Members are not concerned with helping a fellow employee. Another organizational culture is described as an aggressive/ defensive culture where members act oppositional towards one another to protect their status within the group. Both of the previously mentioned cultures are very effective organizational approaches to having productive, satisfies members. However, the constructive culture is the most advantageous of the three. Members are helpful in their interactions and they encourage and empower their fellow employees. This last organizational culture encompasses teamwork and motivates its members (Schermerhorn, Hunt, Osborn, 2008) Ch.1 Understanding ones organizational culture is essential to the satisfaction level felt within the company. Never the less understanding the organizations behavior is equal in importance to employee satisfaction. Managers should be aware that they are accountable for how the employees feel about their workplace and duties they are required to perform. Effective managers help their employees get things done in a timely, high quality, and personally satisfying way. Managers’ plan by selecting goals and ways to meet the goals selected, organizing another duty implemented by management, by work systems with structure leading, by example and hard work are other attributes of an effective manager. Thus allowing the manager to calculate results and measure performance of the employees. Monitoring control within the organization is another attribute of a manager (Schermerhorn, Hunt, Osborn, 2008) Ch. 1 The effectiveness of all the roles is what sets the mood for an organizations behavior. Ethnical diversity within an organization is considered invaluable. Members draw from each others strengths, they learn from each others differences, and break down the barriers that have crippled society with stereotypes for decades. Each member of an organization contributes to the organizations culture by using their own collective experiences. Emerging these experiences into one organization help to make a unique culture and provide an advantage, competitively for the organization. (Shermerhorn, Hunt, Osborn, 2008)Ch.16 Communication is a major aspect of any well running organization. Members will make decisions, set goals, and allocate resources and direct activities within an organization to provide the best overall productivity of the company. Communication is relatively the largest contribution to success. Managers who are successful and managers who are effective have very different emphasis. Effective management seeks the satisfaction of their employees along with full commitment and exemplary performance (Robbins and Judge, 2009) Ch. 1 Within the organization in which I am associated with we hold monthly meetings to analyze our past, present, an future accomplishments, events and activities we have or will have to better help the community within our meetings we briefly summarize the minutes of the previous meeting so that members will be informed and have the opportunity to ask questions if necessary. Next we have the treasurer’s report and new business. During the new business sections members may call attention to problems we may be having within the organization, share accomplishments, and bring new ideas before the board for consideration. In addition to the meetings we hold can food drives, clothes drives, and even toiletries drive that we donate to charitable organizations. The women’s crisis center, Dells children hospital, and the helping center, food distribution are a few of the organizations we donate to. The organization encourages those who can help, and communicates with those who need help to better meet the needs of the family or community faced with difficulties. Every year during the holidays our organization will â€Å"adopt† a family and donate food, clothing, toys and other specific requests depending on the circumstances of the family. Communication and diversity are very important in our organization. Each member contributes their own thoughts and ideas based on their background and past experiences. We draw from all of these different, personal cultures to obtain the best outcome fro everyone involved weather it be those donating or those receiving the donation. Each organization has their own culture created by combining each individuals own life experiences. Beliefs, communication, diversity, organizational behavior are important aspects of any successful organization. Robbins, S., Judge, T. (2009). Organizational Behavior (13th ed). . Schermerhorn, J., Hunt, J., Osborn, R. (2008). Organizational Behavior (10th ed.). . Research Papers on Organizational Behavior - Management EssayThe Project Managment Office SystemAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalResearch Process Part OneThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andOpen Architechture a white paperInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesTwilight of the UAWMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever Product

Free Essays on Federalism

Federalism is a basic provision of the U.S. Constitution. The founding fathers included this principal in their outline for the nation’s government in order to prevent a single centralized power from becoming overbearing. However, although at the time the Constitution was written federalism seemed like the answer to a number of problems, it does not always work in today’s modern world. Federalism, which come from the Latin foedus or â€Å"covenant†, is: one, the philosophy that describes the governmental system created by the Framers, and two, the sharing of power between the states and the national government (Marshall, 2). When the government was formed in 1787, the Constitution delegated limited or enumerated powers to the national government. Some of these enumerated powers granted included the right to coin money, conduct foreign relations and declare war. The Necessary and Proper clause also reserved any additional â€Å"implied powers† that the national government may deem necessary to carry out its enumerated powers. Four years later when the bill of rights was ratified, all remaining powers were granted to the states. Such state responsibilities include police power, managing budgets and enforcing laws in policy areas (Marshall 2). Other powers, such as taxation, establishing courts and chartering banks and corporations are powers shared by both powers. Ultimately, due to the way that the Framers designed the government, both the state and national powers are directly accountable to the people. Worldwide, government has been divided into three basic types: unitary, confederate and federal. Unitary is the most prevalent. In this system, the vast majority of power is held at the national level and very little is left to the small political subdivisions. An obvious example of a unitary government system is that of Great Britain. Confederations are the least popular type of government. In a confederation, all st... Free Essays on Federalism Free Essays on Federalism After the Revolutionary War the United States of America was a new nation free of the power of the British King. The country’s leader wanted a government whose powers rested in the hands of the people and not the national government. They did not want to live in a country where one ruler dictated what the nation was going to do and how they were going to do it. They decided that a federal government based on federalism would be the government for their new country. Federalism is a two level, or more government that specific powers are specified in the constitution for each level. # Federalism has been through changes since the Constitution of the United States was written in 1787. Our forefathers started this country on a dual federalism, in which the state and national governments have separate areas of authority. Under this type of federalism the national government had only the powers enumerated to them by the Constitution. The powers to coin money, regulate foreign and interstate commerce, establish a post office, declare war, and to spend the money necessary to promote the common good of the people of the United States were all stated in the Constitution.# The State government’s powers were strictly written in the Constitution under the Tenth Amendment , which reserved all other powers â€Å" to the states respectively or to the people.† These reserved powers written in the Constitution allow the States to have more powers on the general welfare of the citizens of this country. The States have the Power to administer the election process, conduct most court trials, operate the public school systems, and to maintain most of the public services in America. # # Harrigan, John J. & Nice, David C. Politics and Policy in States and Communities. Eighth Edition. Pearson and Longman, 2004. # Keefe, William J. Parties, Politics, and Public Policy in America. Eighth Edition. Congressional Qu... Free Essays on Federalism Federalism is a basic provision of the U.S. Constitution. The founding fathers included this principal in their outline for the nation’s government in order to prevent a single centralized power from becoming overbearing. However, although at the time the Constitution was written federalism seemed like the answer to a number of problems, it does not always work in today’s modern world. Federalism, which come from the Latin foedus or â€Å"covenant†, is: one, the philosophy that describes the governmental system created by the Framers, and two, the sharing of power between the states and the national government (Marshall, 2). When the government was formed in 1787, the Constitution delegated limited or enumerated powers to the national government. Some of these enumerated powers granted included the right to coin money, conduct foreign relations and declare war. The Necessary and Proper clause also reserved any additional â€Å"implied powers† that the national government may deem necessary to carry out its enumerated powers. Four years later when the bill of rights was ratified, all remaining powers were granted to the states. Such state responsibilities include police power, managing budgets and enforcing laws in policy areas (Marshall 2). Other powers, such as taxation, establishing courts and chartering banks and corporations are powers shared by both powers. Ultimately, due to the way that the Framers designed the government, both the state and national powers are directly accountable to the people. Worldwide, government has been divided into three basic types: unitary, confederate and federal. Unitary is the most prevalent. In this system, the vast majority of power is held at the national level and very little is left to the small political subdivisions. An obvious example of a unitary government system is that of Great Britain. Confederations are the least popular type of government. In a confederation, all st...