Van Gogh Quotes Essay Example For Students

Van Gogh Quotes Essay I feel that there is nothing more truly artistic than to love people. I put my heart and my soul into my work, and have lost my mind in the process. We will write a custom essay on Van Gogh Quotes specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now There may be a great fire in our hearts, yet no one ever comes to warm himself at it, and the passers-by see only a wisp of smoke. If you hear a voice within you say you cannot paint, then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced. I dream of painting and then I paint my dream. There is no blue without yellow and without orange. The fishermen know that the sea is dangerous and the storm terrible, but they have never found these dangers sufficient reason for remaining ashore. For my part I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream. Great things are done by a series of small things brought together. I often think that the night is more alive and more richly colored than the day.

The Chair, The Needle, The Gas Chamber essays

The Chair, The Needle, The Gas Chamber essays The Chair, The Needle, The Gas Chamber. The death penalty or capital punishment, is a controversial issue that a lot of people have debated. It has been part of the criminal justice system since the earliest of times. During the 1700 B.C., the Babylonians decreed death for crimes, even minor ones. The early Egyptians were also accustomed to the enforcement of the death penalty. Egyptians were sentenced to death for a crime, such as disclosing the location of sacred burial grounds. In todays world, capital punishment is still a part of the criminal justice system. Every time someone is sentenced to death a question of whether capital punishment is right arises. Should it be included in our justice systems? In dealing with the issue of whether capital punishment is right or not, we should consider all of the arguments involved. We must consider the economic argument, the deterrence argument, the retributive argument, and the utilitarian argument for capital punishment. After understanding these arguments, we will see that, although a majority of people thinks putting criminals to death is wrong and must be banned, the practice of capital punishment is nonetheless a justifiable option. Capital punishment is the oldest and most commonly used punishment since the earliest times. It is a punishment that is still used in our modern justice systems. Capital punishment is retained in 92 countries and territories in 1990, including the United States (37states), China, and Islamic Countries.1 In the Collins College Dictionary, Capital punishment is defined as the punishment of death for committing a serious crime. In Roman law the term had a wider significance and meant, besides the summum supplicium (death), those punishment that affected the caput (status) of the citizens, namely banishment (aquae et igni interdictio) under the republic or deportatio (deportation) un...

Judicial precedent Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Judicial precedent - Essay Example â€Å"Judicial precedent means the process whereby judges follow previously decided cases where the facts are of sufficient similarity. The doctrine of judicial precedent involves an application of the principle of stare decisis. In practice stare decisis means, inferior courts are bound to apply the legal principles set down by the superior courts in earlier cases (Tufal, p.1). The words stare decisis means standing by previous decisions. In other words, once a verdict has given by an upper court in a particular case, that verdict should be applied to all future cases of similar nature. It should be noted that only the verdicts given by the upper courts will come under judicial precedent. The verdicts or judgement of previous cases often considered seriously by the courts before making the final verdicts in the existing cases. Advocates often remind the courts about the verdicts of previous cases of they feel such verdicts help them in one way or another in the existing cases. It i s a common practice that lower courts will never try to change the verdicts of upper courts. So, lower courts will always try to follow the judgement of upper courts if the cases handled by them are similar in nature. There are two types of precedent existing; binding and persuasive. The reasons for reaching a particular judgement are often included in the final judgement. The judge will explain which factors forced him to arrive at the final verdict. â€Å"The reasons which are necessary for them to reach their decision amount to the ratio decidendi of the case. The ratio decidendi forms the legal principle which is a binding precedent meaning it must be followed in future cases containing the same material facts† (Judicial Precedent). The terms ratio decidendi means reason for decision. In short, binding precedent is mandatory while lower courts take decisions. On the other hand, persuasive precedence is not so. In persuasive precedence, Judges can decide whether they shoul d follow or not follow past verdicts. It should be noted that a judgement includes, many binding and not binding elements. All the binding elements should be followed in future cases whereas other elements need not be followed later. Thus, binding precedence is compulsory whereas persuasive precedence is not compulsory for the lower courts while taking decisions. Judicial precedence helps judges in deciding; Are the cases, for instance: (a) sufficiently similar that the decision of case (1) should be applied in case (2)?; or (b) sufficiently different that the decision of case (1) should not be applied (never mind be considered binding) in case (2)?; or (c) are the factual differences of minimal significance so that case (1) is likely to be applied to case (2)?; or (d) are the facts different, but the principle underlying the decisions in the cases similar? This can be a difficult one. Here you need to be sure what was the principle that was established in the past case: does the re asoning— the ‘why?’—in the past case apply to the second even though the facts differ? In some instances this may even involve using one case in, say, shipping law, to answer a question about the liability of a fairground company to a local authority in the law of contract (The Doctrine of Judicial Precedent, p.155) Judicial precedence helps courts in many ways. It should be no

Companies have always found it hard to balance pressing operational Essay

Companies have always found it hard to balance pressing operational concerns with long-term strategic priorities,DISCUSS - Essay Example This may be due to various reasons and mangers are often at the cross roads. Assigning priorities and making decisions becomes a challenge for the business managers when they have to decide what are the sacrifices that have to be made to get along in business. Hence, this essay focuses on the analysis of what causes the companies to compromise on their strategic plans. When a company formulates the strategy, first an internal and external environmental analysis has to be carried out. When we are planning for the future first the organization should have awareness about the internal and external environmental factors that can impact the organization. â€Å"When the environment audit is undertaken, the objective is to develop a finite list of opportunities, threats, strengths and weaknesses. Here the word finite list is emphasized because the job of the manager is t not make an exhaustive list of all the factors that may affect the organization. But focus should be on key environmental variables that could influence business†1. The importance of the environmental analysis is mostly realized by organizations but the depth of the analysis is often compromised. For example in Toyota corporation, there is a management concept â€Å"to go to the roots†. The meaning of this concept is that, when we are collecting information for analysis, th e information should be collected from the source or in other words from the origin. When an external environmental analysis is done with information collected from the sources and decisions are made based on such in-depth data, the applicability and durability of strategic plans are considerably increased. The information from the external environment should be used to tune up the internal environment to meet the challenges and make good of the opportunities. When an organization needs to possess a competitive advantage its focus should be internalized rather externalized. The ability of a business concern to focus on its

Wooden Bats versus Metal Bats in Baseball Essay

Wooden Bats versus Metal Bats in Baseball - Essay Example Wooden bats are heavier than metal bats because they are solid, and that is why they require more effort to sway than aluminum bats. They also have a smaller sweet spot due to which the hit remains within range, i.e., the hitting zone is small. In other words, the weight of wooden bats is concentrated far from hands, or in other words, the center of gravity lies in the barrel. Thus, the swing weight is higher, which keeps the ball within range and means that the ball will not go much farther. Metal bats are hollow from within. A metal bat is lighter because of a larger sweet spot (Zumerchik 52), and the weight is concentrated very close to the hands, which will make the hit swing much higher as the swing weight is lower. A ball thrown at a higher or faster pace will also go farther. Wooden bats are safer than metal bats because the exit speed of the ball is much slower in case of wooden bats. Thus, the ball comes off with slow speed, which is good as it reduces the danger of injury if the ball hits another player or pitcher. Also, there is no chance that the bat will get tossed away from the hands of the player. This is why major league baseball authorities endorse the use of wooden bats, considering the hit power of the professional players. Metal bats, as they are lighter, can easily get tossed away to injure another player. Also, the larger sweet spot in case of metal bats causes larger exit speed of the ball, i.e., the ball will jump off faster, which could injure anybody within the hitting zone very seriously. There have been many unfortunate events in the past, in which players or spectators got injured due to this issue, as the Associated Press states, â€Å"A New Jersey teenager left brain-damaged after being struck by a line drive while playing in a youth baseball game will receive $14.5 million to settle his lawsuit against the bat.

Marks and spencer group

Marks and spencer group 1. Vision (mission Statement) Marks and Spencer Group (MS) is a retailer of clothing, foods and Homeware. It operates through owned stores and franchise stores. The company has two reportable geographic segments: UK and international. MS operates through a chain of 622 stores across UK and 278 international outlets throughout 34 countries worldwide The companys operations can be categorized under two divisions: food and general merchandise including clothing and home ware. The food division focuses on fresh, natural, healthy food; special celebration products; authentic ready meals and exceptional everyday food such as Oakham chicken and Aberdeen Angus steaks. It chain of 205 franchised Simply Food stores operates in railway stations, Heathrow Airport and motor service areas. These stores offers its customers an opportunity to shops between visits to the companys main stores. The clothing division product portfolio includes womens wear, mens wear, lingerie childrens wear and footwear. Hong Kong, India, Bangladesh , Sri Lanka and Turkey offices provides the raw materials to the division. This division offers some prominent brands which includes: Autograph, Limited Collection, Cellozione, Blue Harbour, Girls Boutique, Per Una and Ceriso. The home division product and services caters homeware and home accessories; kitchen and tableware; lighting; and furniture products. The division also offers catalogue and online services (Company Overview 2009) The vision of this project would be to bring up the Limited collection brand of Marks Spencer the most sought after product in the market. This research will put up strategies which in turn make the limited collection brand to be most popular in both UK and international segment. 2. Aims Rebrand the Marks and Spencer Limited Collection to resonate with the brands long standing vision. Expand the brands current target market. Create an in-store environment that represents the aspirations of the brands target consumer. Market research is an orderly, objective way of learning about people. The people who buy from you or might buy from you (AG strategies 2003). This research will mainly aim at setting market targets against which results can be evaluated. It also works out the time needed to make the presence felt. To calculate the right price as the price is the value of the product we offer and a sum which can be afforded by the customers. 3. Objectives; Tactics Expand the brands target audience to the demographic of women aged 30-45 over 12 months, aiming for a 15% increase in sales within each 6 months period. Develop and maintain successful relationships with its target customers in order to capture a value from customers to create profit and customer equity. Exploiting the opportunity to mace process of comparing the companys products and processes to those of competitors or leading firms in other industries to find ways to improve quality and performance. 4. SWOT Analysis Situation Analysis Internal Analysis Corporate Social Responsibility at Marks and Spencer has traditionally been interpreted as a paternalistic regime for the large labour force of shop assistants which provides a provision of quality and value for money for the customers. As 90 per cent of these were women cared for by women supervisors, perhaps ‘maternalistic would be a better word. The welfare facilities were no doubt appreciated by the Companys numerous retail workers (Chapman, S 2004). Though the clothing market faced a difficult year many factors, Marks Spencer remain the number one brand on the High Street. MS continued to develop their brands, with particular focus on improving their value, while injecting newness and style across their ranges. The three fold aim we had at the time of beginning the womens wear brands two years ago have been established and fulfilled successfully. They were mainly to clearly segment all our brands in line with our clear customer profiles; to keep our brands fresh; and to offer great quality and value at all price points. ‘In 2000 Sir Harry Djanogly, Chairman of Coats Viyella, announced to an incredulous textile world that it was no longer profitable to supply MS. Then Charnos closed its dedicated factories for the same reason, whilst Bairds, Gents and Bentwood were axed by new bosses at MS head office, and Dewhirsts sharply cut back and were forced to close several factories. The chain store group finally decided it could manage with three major British clothing suppliers (Coats Viyella, Courtaulds and Dewhirsts) but when the first of these severed the connection, MS was left with serious problems (Chapman, S 2004). The market we are dealing with very little lead time so that we need to get new products into the stock more frequently than anticipated. External Risks and Opportunities Concentrating solely on the youth may not be the wisest thing to do. As the youth can be very unpredictable, moreover now the youth are sheltering back home due to the recruiting freeze. The demographic between the young and the retired will provide the best opportunities. In our ageless society, for those in their late 30s and beyond looking or feeling young has retail appeal. Appealing accessories will also help to put the limited collection to the main stream of sought after brand. Peronis latest promotion offers customers the chance to win an Antonio Berardi leather laptop case (Birra di Moda), pitching this accessory as something aspirational and exclusive. In reality, a series of factors might make the man bag an increasingly practical and popular purchase. The trends of 50s and 80s now again making an uproar, if one exploit the opportunity in a right manner on could capture the attention of potential buyers. 5. PESTEL Analysis Political Analysis The global nature of the crisis will make it far more difficult for many countries to rely on devaluing currencies to make their economies more competitive and increase export volumes. Deflation will affect emerging economies especially if the national currency is depreciating sharply. There is also then a danger that imported inflation will get out of hand. That said raising interest rates to strengthen the local currency in a time of recession and low liquidity is pure poison for the respective economy (Verdict 2009). Among the Top Five economies, the major mature economies of western Europe (Germany, France, the UK, Italy and Spain), rankings remained stable with the UK ahead of France. And in the Top 10 Polands consumer expenditure has leapfrogged Belgiums. However, Greece has displaced Austria in the Top 10 and has overtaken Sweden in the process (Verdict 2009). Economical Analysis ‘Marks Spencer is the leading retailer in the clothing market, with a market share of 10.4% in 2008. It has wide price architecture and targets a broad customer base through its variety of sub brands, though mainly attracts older, more affluent customers. Intense competition from value players as well as other department stores has placed Marks Spencer under great pressure, particularly in clothing where the difficult economic environment is forcing consumers to be much more selective about what they spend their money on (How Briton Shops 2009). ‘As an effect of the recession customers have become savvier in their shopping habits and are increasingly concerned about value. As a result, shoppers are buying from a bigger pool of retailers to ensure they are getting the best value for money. Though Marks Spencer continues to focus heavily on the value of its clothing, its offer is not as enticing as those of value retailers Asda, Primark and Matalan, which have all increased their main user shares'(How Briton Shops 2009). Social Analysis ‘However, customers mainly visit other clothing stores that are at the value end of the market. Five of the eight other clothing stores used by loyal main users of Marks Spencer are value retailers, highlighting how important it is for the retailer to stay competitive on price while also offering superior quality to ensure its success (How Briton Shops 2009). Technological Analysis ‘Opportunities for cross-shopping across departments remain. Though it sells electricals, food, footwear and homewares as well as clothing, Marks Spencer does not appear as the main store in these categories for its main customers for clothing. Footwear in particular should be a focus for the retailer, given the close proximity of the department to clothing and the opportunity to point out to customers co-ordinating themes for outfits (How Briton Shops 2009). In menswear, MS has looked to differentiate with technical product innovation, such as water and stain repellent Stormwear finish in trousers and a silver finish on the Freshfeet range of socks said to reduce the presence of bacteria that cause smelly odours (Mintel 2009). 6. Competitor Analysis According to Verdict research report 2009, Next is observed to be positioned in the second largest retailer after Marks Spencer with 7.1% share of the market in UK. Their main target market is aimed at 25-45 years old women and men consumers. They offer a wide range of products such as womens wear, menswear, children-wear, accessories, footwear, homewares and furniture (Verdict, 2009). While the other retailers have dropped their price and launched valued products During the recession in 2008, Nexts marketing strategy had been successful by retaining their products at same level of quality, design and price where other retailers have launched value ranges and dropped price. By assuring their quality and design, they also achieved positive impression on their brand image from the customers. However, they are still failing to attract young customers ranging 25-34 year olds. Over the past two years, Next had achieved very strong and solid online sales as known as the Next Directory, which ranked them as the highest online market share among the competitors. As one of Nexts marketing strategy, Next does not use their brands to target different segments of its customer base. Unlike Marks Spencer and Debenhams, Next limits and narrow its apparel resulting low loyalty from consumers. 7. Strategy Tactics Segmentation We want our customers to get what they are looking for. Mintel international group has announced that MS is the destination for clothes shopping for the over-45s, according to our consumer research, and is thus well placed to benefit from the expected ageing of the population. Where as the under 25s group had very limited appeal to the product MS carried. It is very clearly with in the plan that the aim of new strategy will be to make it appealing to the all three segments with more frequent stock updates at least by each week. On the one hand this means keeping the door open to the 30-somethings, encouraging an easy transition to MS shopping later. The recently launched Indigo range of casualwear and denim suggests a step in this direction, but the range falls short of offering anything really attention grabbing, in Mintels view. However, the more catwalk-led autumn 2009 collection could succeed in this. A strong childrenswear offer could also contribute, by bringing mums into the stores (Mintel 2009). The 40-somethings of today are the contemporaries of supermodels like Naomi Campbell and Claudia Schiffer, while the 50-somethings share their birth decade with Madonna, and while they may not aspire to look like these celebrities, they are influenced by the whole younger for longer trend. Catering for increasingly young attitudes with flattering cuts and materials is likely to be key, and something we believe the new Portfolio range has not fully succeeded in yet (Mintel 2009). Now the targeted segments will be a) 18-25, b) 25-40, c) 40-50, 50 and above The 18-25 segment will be the one that is shying away mostly from the wants they have due to the economic back down turns, and the alluring styles and pricing will be crucial for the revival of that segment to the expected out come. 7. Marketing Mix Making best use of the 4Ps Product The product offer has now expanded beyond the capacity of any individual store, underlining the importance of seamless integration between the physical stores and the back catalogue. While MS reports that it is trialling in-store ordering, Mintel feels this is an area where ensuring ease of access across channels would maximise synergies (Mintel 2009). MS has traditionally been all about one brand show room for clothes They always had From underwear to outerwear Across occasions from casual through business to formal Across price points in the middle mass market For almost all ages (perhaps with the exception of teens and young adults) Including footwear and accessories Now this has got to change a bit more appealing to todays tastes to make it an impacting product stock. The sub-brands divide the collection by fashionability/quality and, to a certain extent, by price, though segmentation of the offer in-store sometimes falls short of supporting this to maximum effect.

KOSOVO PEACE ACCORD :: essays research papers

Kosovo Peace Accord Kosovo is the southern province of Yugoslavia and is spread over an area of approximately 4300 miles; of the two million population, 90% are Muslims and 10% are Serbs. The Muslims had been demanding independence for the past few years but the Yugoslavian President Slobodan Milosovic played the butcher's role by shelling and destroying valleys of the Albanian Muslims. The Serbs, under his orders, committed heinous crimes, which included gang rapes of Muslim women and torturing thousands of Kosovers to death. The world condemmed Serb atrocities but Milosovic was unmoved and continued his brutal behavior. When the situation got worsened, the European Council and the NATO took a serious note of it. NATO threatened Yugoslavia with air strikes if Milosovic did not come to terms. Peace talks were arranged in France and draft of the peace Agreement was prepared. The Kosovo Albanians signed an international peace plan in 1999 but Milosovic did not sign it, and consequently NATO gave March 24, 1999 as the deadline to Milosovic to sign the peace plan failing which Yugoslavia would face NATO air strikes. NATO started its air strike when Milosevic failed to sign the peace accord by March 24, 1999. It bombed civil and military targets all over the Yugoslavia, which included military installations, oil refineries, ammunition stores, airfields, Radio and T.V. Stations etc. These air strikes continued for 79 days till 10 June 1999, but during this period, the Serb atrocities continued, which forced about half the Muslim population (Muslim Albanians) to leave Kosovo and seek refuge in Albania and Macedonia. Apart from supporting NATO, the United Nations also helped the refugees by providing them food and shelter. The NATO strikes inflicted heavy damages upon Yugoslavia, which forced Milosovic to accept the international peace plan. With the acceptance of the peace plan by Belgrade, the 79 days NATO bombing was temporarily suspended on 10 June 1999. Simultaneously the Serb troops were withdrawn, and NATO and Yugoslavia military commanders held talks in Macedonia to implement the peace terms. The Serb troops were replaced by the UN peacekeeping force (KFOR); thus, began the "Operation Joint Guardian" aiming at the return and rehabilitation of Kosovo refugees in Kosovo. It was a huge and challenging task as the province of Kosovo was badly damaged due to the war. The UN Security Council, on 10 June 1999, had adopted the peace plan for Kosovo by 14-0 votes which asked for the replacement of the Serb forces by the 50,000 peace-keeping force (KFOR) in Kosovo.

African American Religion Essay

Before Africans were brought to America during the slave trade, they had their own culture and society. They had their own language and dance. They also had their own religion. History tells us that the Europeans justified their abuse toward the Africans as helping them become more civilized because the Africans lifestyle appeared primal to them and not as developed and industrialized as theirs. What is often overlooked is that even though Africans were taken from Africa and Americanized and have been stripped of their religion, culture, language and even their name, the very essence of the African as a people did not go away. Some African American slaves rejected Christianity’s religion because they saw it as the â€Å"white man’s religion†. History tells us American Slave Masters abused the Africans by whipping them like animals and by treating them inhumane. The fact that these slave masters wanted the African American to worship their god was unacceptable for some because they could not fathom why they should worship a god who allowed people to be so badly treated. Some Africans accepted Christianity’s religion and faith by identifying with Jesus Christ, the son of God who according to the Bible was innocent of sin and yet he was beaten, bruised and crucified for the sins of the world. Some African Americans wanted to remain faithful to their heritage yet did not agree with the conjure practices. Seth Holly’s character is a good example of conforming to the economic prosperity of America which was founded by Christians. White Christians enforced Christian beliefs, values, and some practices based on the Euro American Christian interpretation of Christian text. Seth developed a kind of hatred for his own people proving that he has adopted the practices of white America in the early 1900s. â€Å"Niggers coming up here from that old backwoods†¦ coming up here from the country carrying Bibles and guitars looking for freedom. † Seth says. â€Å"They got a rude awakening† (6). Seth signifies the African American who resents assimilation to the white American culture. But, at the same time, he too attempts to connect with his heritage by simply allowing Bynum to live in his home and bless it with his conjures rituals. Seth also participates in an African dance ritual called the Juba. Bynum’s character is introduced by practicing conjure rituals. He cuts open pigeons and spreads its blood onto him as a type of cleansing to communicate with spirits. Bynum represents the African American who chose to remain faithful to the religion of his heritage. Others who have chosen the faith of Christianity view conjure rituals as evil, witchcraft, or demonic. Some African Americans wanted to remain faithful to their heritage yet did not agree with conjure practices anymore. Loomis walks in on the juba dance and goes into a trance after dinner at the boarding house. He had a vision of skeletons emerge from a body of water. â€Å"Loomis: I done seen bones rise up out the water. Rise up and walk across the water. Bones walking on top of the water† (53). Loomis recognizes through the vision, his state of ignorance to the knowledge that will lead him to the new way of thinking. Bynum serves as a supporting character reacting to Loomis’s trance. â€Å"Bynum: They walking around here now. Mens. Just like you and me. Come right up out the water† (56). Loomis’s trance and Bynum’s interpretation of it is a turning point in the story. The skeletons coming from the bottom of the sea in Loomis’s vision represent the slave ships, the disorientation experienced by the slaves during emancipation, and the confusion of his release from Joe Turner. Both Loomis and Bynum have tapped into their ancestral religion. The difference between the two is that Bynum represents the African who never renounced his religion and Loomis is the African-American who turned from conjure religion and converted to the faith of Christianity. After Joe turner took his life away from him, Loomis questioned his Christian faith and his identity. By walking in on the ancestral ritual of the Juba dance, Loomis literally walked into what he had actually been looking for, his religion, consequently, his ancestral identity and this is why he fell into the trance. Throughout the play conjures is encompasses four generations; Bynum’s father, Bynum, Loomis, and the neighbor boy Reuben. Reuben’s vision is of Seth’s mother by the pigeon coop, she encourages Reuben to release the caged pigeons. Wilson writes in a way that leads the reader to believe that Loomis needs to find his missing wife. Martha Pentecost is not the one who was lost; Loomis was the one who was lost, wondering around from town to town, searching. Loomis came into the state of belief when Bynum helped him translate his vision. That vision represented Loomis going back to his ancestral conjure religion. Loomis needed to find Martha Pentecost simply to say good-bye to her and their life former together. Up until this point of the story, I believed that Loomis needed to find his wife so they could live out the rest of their lives as a happy free family with their daughter. However, it is made pretty obvious this was never Loomis’s intentions. â€Å"That goodbye kept me out on the road searching,† Loomis says, â€Å"now that I see your face I can say my goodbye and make my own world† (90). Martha Pentecost, a woman of Christian faith, represents the African who assimilated into white America’s culture and Loomis needed to find her to say good-bye to her and the Christian faith. Martha stands by her Christian faith by accusing Loomis â€Å"you done gone over to the devil† (91). White man’s religion believed that conjure was evil or the way of the devil. Loomis finds it easier to reject her for her Christian beliefs. â€Å"Loomis: Great big old white man†¦your Mr. Jesus Christ. Standing there with a whip in one hand and a tote board in another, them niggers swimming in a sea of cotton† (92). Loomis proves with his statement, his version of a bible story that differed from other African Americans but was similar to that of the white man who believed that they were on a level below God and the African’s were beneath them, African’s were one third of a person. Loomis now believes that if African’s are going to be free then they have to take charge of their own destiny. Martha Pentecost represents the African American’s religion, she identifies that Loomis needs to â€Å"be washed in the blood of the lamb† (92) and â€Å"you done gone over to the devil. (91) Through class lessons I learned that African American slaves compared themselves with stories in the bible to instill hope of a life free from oppression, violence, and bondage. Jesus according to the bible was innocent of sin and yet he was beaten, bruised and crucified for the sins of the world. The hope of reigning in heave with Jesus is considered the ultimate reward for suffering life’s trials and tribulations. It is the faith of the African Americans who accepted Christianity religion. Blacks trusted in the Lord instead of man. America was Egypt in the exodus story and as long as the enslaving and oppressing took place America would face the same wrath as Egypt. â€Å"Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. † The bible was depended on in justifying and motivation rebellion for the blacks and used as a tool to keep blacks enslaved by the whites. African Americans used sermons, song, and prayer to convey and teach their message of travail and triumph of Israel. Some African Americans could not get past the treatment from the white people that called themselves Christians and as a result they rejected Christianity. Selig’s role suggests that the link between characters is the acquisition of material goods. Selig admits that his ancestors have always made their living pursuing African Americas; his great grandfather transported slaves from Africa, his father captured runaway slaves and returned them to their masters for a reward, and Selig locates displaced people for a fee. Selig attains his ecstasy through consumer capitalism, through the selling of material goods. African Americans are objects for exploitation and exchange in the new economy. He binds African Americans to the economic system, demanding payment of his services and products which necessitates subsistence labor by taking them from one construction site or work site to another, similar to a temporary employment agency today. You pay for an employee to work for some time, but Selig is getting paid by the person looking for work or a ride to a chance of freedom. Selig cannot find a person that has not purchased a dustpan from him because he keeps the names of his customers. Seth is determined to achieve material success, he has very little patience for African Americans migrating north looking for the same prosperity that he desires. Seth is very demanding of his patrons, insisting on advance payment in full, and is preoccupied with maintaining a respectable house. â€Å"It’s hard enough now without all that ignorant kind of acting. Ever since slavery got over with there ain’t been nothing but foolish-acting niggers. Word get out they need men to work in the mill and put in these roads†¦ and niggers drop everything and head north looking for freedom. †(5, 6) Seth wants to blend in with the white man’s world; therefore he keeps a link with Selig by negotiating the manufacturing and sale of dustpans. Seth does not have any idea of what it would be like to be a slave, as he was born free in the North and was educated. He demonstrates his education with his math calculation when dealing with the boarding house patrons and the quick notation of him letting Selig know that he is trying to overcharge him for the dust pan materials. Educational differences played a role in tension with Southern blacks, most of who were forbidden from learning to read, saw religion as a matter of oral tradition and immediate experience and emotion. Northerner blacks, stressed that one could not truly be Christian unless they was able to read the Bible and understand it. This play denies individual worth and identity for some of Wilson’s characters. To be defrauded of the products of one’s labor or to see that creation diminished, like with Jeremy and the guitar contest, is to be denied a reflection of individual worth and identity. If people have been separated from this truth of individual worth and identity through oppression their capacity to bond with one another, form friendships, or couples, families are undermined. Social alienation in Wilson’s characters are expressed in their stores of broken relationships, uncertainty, or suspicion that they feel toward one another. â€Å"Seth: Something ain’t setting right with that fellow, Bynum. He’s one of them mean-looking niggers look like he done killed somebody gambling over a quarter. †(20) Connection between oppression, alienation from self and inability to form bonds with others is displayed in the character of Loomis. Joe Turner’s ability to oppress Loomis carried a judgment of non-worth. â€Å"Loomis: He told me I was worthless. Worthless is something you throw away. Something you don’t bother with† (73) Turners judgment of worthlessness forced Loomis to accept the reality of the white man’s power; he was marked as â€Å"one of Joe Turners niggers and forced to forget his song. †(71) Being alienated from himself and displaced with his relation to the world, Loomis is unable to establish bonds with people around him. The oppression encountered by Wilson’s characters is material or economic, that oppression is spiritual as well in the capacity to deprive the individual of a sense of himself or his unique song. The reawakening of Loomis after his encounter with cultural wisdom is not the self discovery of an average African American but creation of a new source of cultural wisdom, a new African holy man. Wilson uses many metaphors throughout the play. The song is a metaphor for Loomis’s identity and the African American cultural identity. Music is a large part of African American identity, so it makes since that in search of one’s identity they are searching for their song. The boarding house serves as an inn for traveling folk, but the tenants actually receive a form of healing during their stay. Tenants get direction and guidance from Bertha and Bynum. The shiny man that Bynum is in search for signifies African American independence. The man that Bynum met on the road was an independent African American, just as Loomis was freed by his past when he cleansed himself in his own blood. â€Å"Bynum: Herald Loomis, you shining! You shining like new money! †(94) Loomis has dismissed that the blood of Christ can wash away his sins and make him the man he used to be, but by washing himself in his own blood he has sacrificed the old life to begin his new journey on his terms. Bynum’s shining man has been found, meaning his work is complete; he has passed his powers on to the next generation, Loomis. â€Å"They tell me Joe Turner’s come and Gone† is a song that is sung by Bynum, when I first read the story I thought that the meaning was came and now he is dead however, the second time I read the play I realized that it meant that Joe Turner has come and snatched the men and now he is now gone. August Wilson uses symbolism in the play as a very important part in conveying the meaning of the story. Wilson’s use of symbolism is demonstrated through Mr. Wilson’s use of the road, Martha Pentecost, and Herald Loomis. Symbolic importance is give to the word freedom. The word freedom has instilled hope into the lives of African Americans: during slavery, hope for the release from bondage; after emancipation, the right to be educated, employed, and to move about freely; twentieth century, social, political, and economic justice. Freedom has always stood for the absence of any restraint, because God made all men from his image. There are a number of characters that travel around searching for their place in the world. Mattie, mentions that she keeps on looking, seems like she just keeps starting over, I ain’t never found no place for me to fit. † (76) Reuben tells Zonia, when he finds out that she is leaving the boarding house in search of her mom, â€Å"when I get grown, I come looking for you. †(84) Jeremy does not seem to care much when he loses his job because, â€Å"don’t make me no difference. There’s a big road out there, I can always get my guitar and find me a place to stay. I ain’t planning on staying in one place for too long noway. † (64) Martha & Reverend Tolliver moved the Church up north because of the trouble the church was having. When the Civil War finally brought freedom to previously enslaved African Americans, the task of organizing religious communities was only one element of the larger need to create new lives, to reunite families, to find jobs, and to figure out what it would mean to live in the United States as citizens rather than property. August Wilson’s play, Joe Turner’s come and Gone, examines African Americans search for their cultural identity following slavery. Bibliography Murphy, L. G. (2000). Down By the Riverside. New York: New Yourk University Press. Wilson, A. (1988). Joe Turner’ Come and Gone. New York: Penguin Group.

Cultural Dimensions of Two Countries

According to Geert Hofstede there five dimensions of culture. The five dimensions are Power Distance, Individualism or Collectivism, Masculinity-Femininity, Uncertainty Avoidance, and Short or Long-Term Orientation. Power Distance The dimension of Power Distance is the attitude toward the inequalities amongst individuals in a society. Power Distance is â€Å"the extent to which the less powerful members of institutions and organizations with a country expect and accept that power is distributed unequally† (Hofstede). Trinidad scores low in power distance with a 47 (Hofstede).Individuals in Trinidad tend to be very independent. The hierarchy present is merely for convenience. There are equal rights for all. Superiors are very accessible and coaching. Management facilitates and empowers the individual. Power is decentralized. Managers rely on the experience of team members and individuals expect to be consulted. Relationships between managers and employees is informal and genera lly on a first name basis. The United States also scores low in power distance with a 40. The US also has equal rights, a hierarchy for convenience only, accessible managers, and informal communication.Individualism Individualism is â€Å"the degree of interdependence a society maintains among its members† (Hofstede). It is whether an individual views their self-image as â€Å"We† or â€Å"I†. A society that is Individualistic, its members look after themselves and their direct family only. Trinidad scores low in the dimension of Individualism with a 16 (Hofstede). It is a collectivist society. Its members have close long-term commitments and strong relationships. Relationships between employers and employees are seen in moral terms. Hiring and promotions take into account the employees of the group.Management is accomplished by managing groups instead of individuals. The United States is a very individualistic culture. The US scores 91 in this dimension. People look after themselves and their immediate family (Hofstede). Individuals are expected to be self-reliant and display initiative. Hiring and promotions are merit based. Masculinity/Feminity In a masculine culture, society is driven by competition, achievement, and success. Successful individuals are considered to be the winners or the best in their field. A feminine culture has cares for others. The quality of an individual’s life is a sign of success.Being different is not a trait that is admired. Trinidad, with a score of 58 is a masculine culture (Hofstede). Management is decisive and assertive. Competition and equality is stressed. Conflicts are resolved by fighting it out. The United States is also considered a masculine culture with a score of 62 (Hofstede). In the US, people tend to talk about their successes and achievements. The goal is always to win. Conflicts are resolved individually. Uncertainty Avoidance Uncertainty Avoidance is how a society reacts to the fact the future is not known. Different cultures deal with the anxiety that this can bring.The people of Trinidad prefer to avoid uncertainty and score a 55 (Hofstede). They have strong beliefs and expectations for behavior. The Trinidad culture is not accepting of beliefs and behaviors that are outside the norm. The people are very precise, punctual, hard working, and busy. Their culture is very resistant to innovation. The US scores a 46 and is uncertainty accepting (Hofstede). In the US, new ideas and products are welcomed. Individuals are open to trying new ideas and technology. The culture does not require many rules. People in the US do not express their emotions are openly.Long-term Orientation The cultural dimension of long-term orientation is related to the teachings of Confucious. It deals with a cultures search for virtue. A society with a high score in long-term orientation has a future oriented view. A society with a low score has a short-term point of view. Trinidad has no score in this dimension. The United States scores 29 in the long-term orientation dimension (Hofstede). It has a short-term point of view. Its people focus on tradition. American business measure their success with financial statements issued quarterly. Individuals work for fast results.

Race Stage Play by David Mamet

Race Stage Play by David Mamet David Mamet is an expert perturber. Within ninety minutes he unnerves his audience, giving couples something to argue about on the way home. Ive listened to supposed soul mates debate to the verge of relationship meltdown, all because of the sexual harassment issues presented in Mamets play, Oleanna. Likewise, in other plays such as Speed the Plow, the audience is never quite sure which character is right and which character is wrong. Or perhaps we are meant to be perturbed by all of the characters, as we are with the unethical batch of salesmen in Glengarry Glen Ross. By the end of David Mamets 2009 drama Race, we meet several caustic characters, all of whom will leave the audience with something to think about as well as something to argue about. The Basic Plot Jack Lawson (white, mid 40s) and Henry Brown (black, mid 40s) are attorneys at a burgeoning law firm. Charles Strickland (white, mid 40s) a prominent business man, has been charged with rape. The woman accusing him is black; the lawyers realize that the case will be all the more difficult because race will be the dominant factor throughout the trial. The men expect Susan, a new attorney with the firm (black, early 20s) to help determine whether or not they should accept Strickland as their client, but Susan has other plans in mind. Charles Strickland He was born into wealth and, according to the other characters, never had to listen to the word No. Now, he has been accused of rape. The victim is a young, African American woman. According to Strickland at the beginning of the play, they were in a consensual relationship. However, as the drama continues, Strickland begins to unravel as shameful moments from his past come to light. For example, a college roommate (a black male) drudges up an old postcard written by Strickland, in which he uses racial slurs and profanity to describe the weather in Bermuda. Strickland is stunned when the lawyers explain that the humorous message is racist. Throughout the play, Strickland wants to make a public apology to the press, not to confess to a rape, but to admit that there may have been a misunderstanding. Henry Brown One of this characters most fascinating monologues is delivered at the top of the show. Here, the African American attorney suggests that most white people maintain the following views about black people: HENRY: You want to tell me about black folks? Ill help you: O.J. Was guilty. Rodney King was in the wrong place, but the police have the right to use force. Malcolm X. Was noble when he renounced violence. Prior to that he was misguided. Dr. King was, of course, a saint. He was killed by a jealous husband, and you had a maid when you were young who was better to you than your own mother. Brown is an insightful, no-nonsense lawyer who is the first to detect just how toxic the Charles Strickland case will be to their law firm. He thoroughly understands the justice system and human nature, so he foresees how both white and black jurors will react to Stricklands case. He is a good match for his law partner, Jack Lawson, because Brown, despite Lawsons keen understanding of prejudice, is not so easily fooled by the crafty young attorney, Susan. Like other wake up call characters featured in Mamet plays, Browns role is to shed light on his partners poor judgment of character. Jack Lawson Lawson has been working with Henry Brown for twenty years, during which time he has embraced Browns wisdom regarding race relations. When Susan confronts Lawson, correctly believing that he ordered an extensive background check on her (due to her skin color), he explains: Jack: I. Know. There is nothing. A white person. Can say to a black person. About Race. Which is not both incorrect and offensive. Yet, as Brown points out, Lawson might believe he is above the social pitfalls of race issues simply because he understands the problem. In reality, Lawson says and does several offensive things, each of which can be interpreted as racist and/or sexist. As mentioned above, he decides that it would be a wise business decision to conduct a thorough investigation of black applicants at the law firm, explaining that the extra-level of precaution is because African Americans have certain advantages when it comes to law suits. Also, one of his strategies to save his client involves re-wording Stricklands racial hate speech into racially charged erotic banter. Finally, Lawson crosses the line when he provocatively suggests that Susan wear a sequined dress (the same style worn by the alleged victim) in court so they can demonstrate that the sequins would have fallen off if a rape actually took place. By suggesting that she wear the dress (and be thrown onto a mattress in the middle of the co urtroom) Lawson reveals his desire for her, though he masks it with a detached attitude of professionalism. Susan For the sake of not giving away any more spoilers than I already have, I will not divulge much about Susans character. However, it is worth noting that Susan is the only person in the play whose last name is never revealed. Also, though this play is titled Race, David Mamets drama is very much about sexual politics. This truth becomes perfectly clear as the audience learns the true intentions behind Susans character.

Hobbes, Machiavelli and Moral Relativism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Hobbes, Machiavelli and Moral Relativism - Essay Example The morality that The Prince espouses has immortalized the famous notion that the ends justify the means, that a ruler should not concern himself with abstract concepts of virtue and ethics in the effort to hold power. In this realist construct, since the ruler is power, the idea of sacrificing power in the interest of the virtuous rule is not only an irrelevant idea, it becomes illogical. In this perspective, Machiavelli argues that the ruler must â€Å"learn to be able not to be good and to use this and not use it as necessity dictates.†1 â€Å"Necessity† is the operative word in this idea, and emphasizes the â€Å"real-world† morality of Machiavelli’s invention. â€Å"The Prince must govern in the real world with men as they are, and not in some ideal world where men behave as they ought to.†2 To Macchiavelli, actions bear an intrinsic â€Å"virtue† of their own, regardless of whether those actions can be identified as â€Å"evil.† In other words, if the ruler, by his actions, is able to solidify his power and thus keep his rule secure from those who seek to supplant him, then he has, by definition, done good. Though Thomas Hobbes disagreed with Macchiavelli concerning the role of the state, the two agreed on this 2 point: â€Å"In stressing the power of the sword and the inefficacy of mere words, Hobbes was following Macchiavelli.†3 Both Hobbes and Macchiavelli concur in the political â€Å"virtue† of fear and power, and that â€Å"there should be no limitations placed upon the rights of rulers.†4 For both Hobbes and Machiavelli, metaphysics has no place in the real world of men, the world in which power is the only real currency. The effective ruler is never one who would consider virtue to be anything more than an abstraction, which can in no way aid him in wielding and maintaining power. Morality has a slightly different meaning for Hobbes, who proposes a â€Å"natural condition of ma nkind,† in which there is chaos, a condition devoid of political organization or power.5 In this natural state, Hobbes argues that there is no possibility of morality because there is nothing to give it context and meaning. Hobbes counters that in a commonwealth, the organized political state in which all have a place, it is essential, and the individual’s bounden duty, to obey those who hold power. Hobbes may have followed Machiavelli in the fundamental beliefs concerning the primacy of power and authority over ideas and moral ethic, but he diverges from Machiavelli over the doctrine that morality is something that not only exists within the bounds of the political state, but is something that the individual must concede to the state for his own well-being and that of society. Hobbes was writing from firsthand knowledge about religious warfare, specifically, the horrific experiences of the English Civil War, the outcome of which had forced Hobbes to flee England to avo id Cromwell’s wrath over his proposition that obedience to unrestrained royal authority must be absolute. 3 Hobbes postulated a form of human equality for which Machiavelli does not allow. Yet Hobbes’ â€Å"equality† is not in the same vein as that of the ancient Greeks, or the great philosophers and writers of the Enlightenment. In Hobbes’ view, â€Å"men should be seen to be equal politically because of a decisive point of equality: every human being, even the strongest and smartest, is susceptible to being killed by others.†

Work Breakdown Structure Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Work Breakdown Structure - Assignment Example The time frame for completing all activities at the terminal ends must be within the confines of one reporting period. If the activity may spill over to the next period, then it should be further subdivided. It is possible to contract out the terminal elements of work as single units of activities. For instance, all the activities in the above WBS can be contracted to specific individuals or groups. The terminal elements should represent work activities that realistically are not possible to break further (Miller 98). The Tree Structure Format was employed in developing the work breakdown structure. This is the commonly used format in presenting the WBS. The major advantage over other methods is that it is easy to understand just by taking a quick glance (Miller 109). Users can quickly be able to view the flow of work and what they are expected to do. The downside is that it may be difficult to create compared to others such as the Tabular Format. In project management, certain activities or whole project may spiral out of control and take longer than usual to complete. This may occur due to lack of proper planning of the scope of the project ahead of its implementation. This is referred to as the scope creep. IT projects are highly susceptible to scope creep. For example, FoxMeyer Drug, a large pharmaceutical company experienced scope creep on trying to install a multimillion IT system that would manage all critical operations. The scope of the project experienced a continuous growth until the costs became prohibitive (Schwalbe 209). The IT system also experienced billing errors. The cause of scope creep in this case was the lack of a clearly defined scope of work. There were no elaborate work limits during the initial stages of the project. Product testing could also have helped eliminate failures in the new system which resulted to errors (Schwalbe 210). Northrop Grumman, a manufacturing company experienced scope creep during implementation