Currency Future Contracts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Currency Future Contracts - Essay Example Some buyers and sellers of the instrument used it for speculation. The named instruments are not only used to hedge against unfavorable movements in the value of currency but also in other economic factors such as interest rate, exchange rates and natural calamities (CME group, n.d .). These contacts are reliant on some underlying assets thus are called the derivatives. First, swap is a derivative that involves an agreement between two or more traders to exchange the denomination of their cash flows. For instance, consider two investors from the US and the UK, who have invested in the local government securities. The two investors would agree that the US investor receives the cash flow of the UK investor, denominated in Sterling pound. The same would happen to the UK in investor. Secondly, an option is a contract that grants the buyer rights but not an obligation to participate in the contract, on maturity. On the other hand, the contract obliges the seller to participate when the co ntract matures. Thirdly, a forward is a contract between the counterparts to exchange currencies at a predetermined exchange rate. That is, the parties agree to exchange their currency at a given exchange rate agreed now, but during a future transaction, say after one year. Lastly, a future is a contract between parties to exchange currencies in the future, at a pre-determined rate. The nature of the contract is similar to that of forwards. The only difference is that futures are exchange traded whereas; the forwards are traded over the counter (CME group, n.d .). Have the current future prices fallen or risen? In the recent past, the currency future prices have demonstrated a downward trend. The reduction of the prices is said to have been caused by a high level of uncertainty about the future prices. Another reason for the fallen prices is the deteriorating US economy (CME group, n.d .). Types of exposures Most companies sign future contracts mainly to hedge against the unfavorabl e move of the exchange rates. A volatile exchange rate presents an environment that is too risky for businesses to operate. The risks are categorized into a transaction, operating and translation. A transactional exposure arises from the various trading activities that a company engages in. Globalization has made the world a small village where companies in the various parts of the world are well connected. The process of globalization has facilitated the sharing of resources between different companies. Businesses that operate in the international markets face greater risk of future price movements. This is because they borrow, lend and invest in those markets using foreign currencies. It is from the trading activities of a business that transactional risk arises. Secondly, operating risk is the adverse changes in a company’s revenue elements due to unfavorable movements in the currency prices. For instance, the prices of caterpillar tractors were at one time high in the int ernational market because the US$ gained more strength against other currencies. Other countries had to give up more of their currency in exchange for one dollar. This situation caused the tractors to be more expensive as compared to the competitor’s (Rheinla?nder & Sexton, 2011). During the period, the caterpillar company recorded lower sales due to the influence of the currency price fluctuations. Lastly,

Recruitment Case Study Essay Example for Free

Recruitment Case Study Essay _________ affect recruitment policies because firms often give preference to current employees in promotions, transfers, and other career-enhancing opportunities. Typically, the first step in an employees introduction to company policies, practices, and benefits is a (n) _________ program. Which of the following statements about an aging organization is true? The information least likely to be obtained in reference checks and recommendations is: The step following recruitment is ________, which is basically a rapid, rough selection process. The role of organizational culture in staffing is best applied if companies: When implementing recruitment activities, initial consideration should be given to a companys __________, especially for filling jobs above the entry level. Promotion-from-within policies must ______________, coupled with a company philosophy that permits employees to consider available opportunities within the organization. Read more:  Recruitment Case Study Recruitment begins by specifying __________, which are the typical result of job analysis and workforce planning activities. Which of the following statements about a company using a passive nondiscrimination posture is true? A soft-quota system: Which of the following is a concerted effort by the organization to actively expand the pool of applicants so that no one is excluded because of past or  present discrimination? Which law gives students the legal right to see all letters of recommendation written about them and also permits release of information about a student only to people approved by the student at the time of the request? Which act requires third-party investigators to secure the applicant’s written consent prior to doing a background check? This type of management style is often associated with organizations in the embryonic stage.

Essay --

Is human nature fundamentally good or bad? Mengzi argues for the instinctive goodness of human nature; however, admits our inherent goodness must be encouraged through propriety. Mengzi treats nature as one’s natural â€Å"potential, inclinations, or capacities† (Liu 68). It is important to note, however, that he only views nature as the beginning. Mengzi believes that the way we behave as mature humans is the result of how successful we are in fulfilling our nature. Other Confucians, like Xunxi, argued â€Å"human nature is bad; his goodness is the result of man’s deliberate effort† (86); however, Mengzi believed the contrary to be true. According to Mengzi, nature refers to the natural inclinations of humans. Thus, any development in the opposite direction is a direct consequence of some form of external stimuli. Mengzi views nature as a â€Å"species-specific notion† (68) that separate us from lesser animals. More specifically, humans are distinct from animals because they are born with moral virtues. Mengzi believed that because all humans belong to the same species, all humans possess the same universal nature. He goes further by claiming that due to our collective universal nature, any differences demonstrated by mature humans are owing to an â€Å"external environment and individual effort† (69). For the purposes of this paper, let us assume that Mengzi is correct in his argument for the innate goodness of human nature. So if humans naturally tend toward virtue and all possess the sprouts of morality within, what rationalizes the inconsistency between instinctive goodness and manifested badness? Although Mengzi highlights the heart/mind of our nature desires moral virtue, he also acknowledges that â€Å"desire for physical comfort and material g... ... chef. While it is true that a human’s physical and biological attributes are determined biologically, no two humans are actually identical. That being said, how can all human’s morals be a biologically determined constant? It would be more plausible to think that while humans have the capacity for moral virtue, the extent on which they are able to actualize this capacity differs as much between people as physical traits such as taste. This leads us to another criticism. The second example is also flawed. Consider the Iron Chef Bobby Flay. He is known for, amongst other things, being a world renowned chef as well as a television show called BBQ with Bobby Flay. Although many people would view his cooking as amazing, these tastes are not shared by all (a vegetarian for example). This is just another example of his flawed belief of a shared and universal human nature.

Strategies by Apple for Successful Change

Apple’s CEO Steve Jobs recently described apple as a mobile device company. Apple once considered a desktop computer company is slowly moving towards mobile devices. This statement shows how apple’s strategy has changed significantly in past few years. Challenges faced in the past – The major challenge Apple faced in the past was the isolation it has created from other products and companies in the market. Apple users had very limited options. The other challenge faced by the Apple was the compatibility of its product with the other products available in the market. Core Competency – Apple’s core competency is to provide exceptional experience through superb user interface. Apple provide this experience along with very large ecosystem of various online distribution system (App stores) where user can find almost every application they need. Strategy – Apple’s strategy is to provide superior product in the market through innovation. Apple also charges premium price for these product and keeps high margins. Strategy Execution – Moving towards mobile products -Apple identified the customer behavior of moving away from desktop computers towards mobile products at the very early stage. Apple realized it much earlier then any other computer manufacture or software company. In last few years Apple created two superior mobile products, iPhone and iPad. iPhone was superior then any other mobile phone product in the market and because of that Apple captured the big percentage of smartphone market. iPad had the first mover advantage in the market backed by superb marketing of the product and created a new market space for product. Ecosystem Creation – Apple also created a very effective ecosystem of apps store for their products. This ecosystem gave Apple more acceptances in the market and among the customers. Apple also created the ecosystem for developers to develop the application for their products, which help them to get continuous supply of very good application for their products. High Margins – Apple charge premium price for its products and makes big profits since manufacturing cost is considerable low once product is designed and developed. Apple also charges a big percentage of the data plan price from the mobile service provider and big percentage from apps store application and it is another big source of profits for them. Also by managing and keeping tight control on these distribution channels, Apple dictates the terms to their suppliers. Timing for implementation – Apple’s timing of the implementation in last few years has been very good. They understood the need of the customers in the market in advance and developed the products to meet that need much in advance then any other competitors.

My trip to the San Diego Museum of Man

A museum is an institution that collects artistic documents, objects and artifacts with scientific and historical value. It is an open to public place that enables people to widely see and explore collections for the purpose of learning, education and enjoyment. Museums preserve collections and make them available for the benefit of public viewing. The San Diego Museum of Man is a museum that contains various artifacts related to anthropology. Anthropology is the study of human kind throughout time and across all cultures. It is the science that deals with the origin, behavior, and also the physical, social and cultural development of human beings. The San Diego Museum of man is a non profit institution that preserves life and history of human kind. The San Diego Museum of Man is definitely a lot more impressive on the inside than the outside. After a long walk from the parking lot, I laid eyes on the old building and did not have high expectations. I merely thought of this as a `class project` something I `had to do`. Once inside I asked the ticket salesman where I could find the museum`s mission statement. He quickly pointed at a wall to the left side of the building, which read: `The museum of man gathers and shares discoveries of anthropologists. Right underneath the mission statement was the first exhibit, the first humans (hominids). Hominids are human like creatures divided into Australopithecus known as the oldest and Homo known as the youngest. I remembered this from chapter one. The museum had an impressive exhibit that allowed for me to see and reinforce all that I had learned about the first humans. I liked the realistic displays that allowed for me to visualize what each hominid actually would have looked like. I liked the exhibit that compared the different tools used throughout time, from the earliest stone tools used by humans compared to those used now. I enjoyed the interactive exhibits. One in particular allowed for me to attempt to guess what group of hominid certain skulls belonged to. I learned that the cheek bones and eye sockets were used to identify. I was also able to try to guess the age of remains. It was very interesting to see and actually get a chance to practice how this is done. The exhibit is unique in such a way that it allows the guest to actually touch almost all of its content. Inside the museum you can see yourself traversing millions of years, it is like you can actually see the way of life and the image of our ancestors. The museum not only offers a view about the past of human kind but its future as well. Visitors can also go through the human lab in which they can see a glimpse of the future of human evolution, the future of human race influenced by scientific innovations in the form of gene selection and cloning. It is like going through different worlds, the past and the future. There was also a small exhibit on the ancient Egyptians whom I always find fascinating. I was able to view the ancient Egyptians way of life and learn the importance of anthropologist and archeologist in the understanding and interpretation of their culture. I was able to see some mummified remains of children which I have never actually seen before. The ancient Egyptians mummified their dead because of their belief that when someone died their soul would temporarily leave the body. After the body was buried, the soul would then return and be reunited with the body. However, the soul needed to find and recognize the body for it to live forever. It is said that the earliest ancient Egyptians buried their dead in the desert letting the heat and dryness of the sand to dehydrate the bodies. This process of burying creates lifelike and natural mummies. Later the Egyptians began to bury their dead in coffins to protect them from the animals of the desert. And then they developed a method of preserving bodies, the process include embalming the bodies and then wrapping them in strips of linen. Today, this process is known as mummification. This mummified remains and other rare artifacts for over 3,000 years old including coffins and amulets show the Egyptians concern for the after life and their value for their dead love ones. I enjoyed the exhibit however I felt it could have been larger. I wanted to learn more about the ancient Egyptians, their culture, society and their religious beliefs, rituals and ceremonies. My favorite exhibit of all was the Mayan exhibit. The society of Maya includes art, astronomy, mathematics and literature. I was fascinated by these people hearing about them in class. It was very intriguing to be able to visualize these people. I learned a lot about Mayan architecture and was amazed by the giant Stella's with Mayan hieroglyphics. I can say that the Mayan architecture if of a unique beauty. The walls are made of mud or stone covered wood poles that hold together  the two sided hay roof. Outside of their internal economic attention, architecture consumed their time and energy so much. I gained more insight into their culture and learned that they had their own form of dance. They had very decorated dress and weapons with feathers and beads. I read and learned that they had what is called `Xibalba` or `the ball game`. It is said that this ball game is a confrontation between good and evil. This ball game has played an important role in the Mayan's culture and sometimes takes the form of sacrifice rituals and sometimes a game of chance. In whatever form, it always symbolizes the timeless struggle between good and evil in which the outcome is governed by supernatural powers, something beyond human skill and capability. This ball game is a vital part of the Mayan creation story and a fable of light defeating darkness and life prevailing over death. I have lived in San Diego for a long time and this was my first trip to the museum. I think the museum did live up to it`s mission statement. It does contain discoveries and artifacts about anthropology that sure is important and really interesting. Visiting the San Diego Museum of Man is really worth the time and effort and the new knowledge is really worth storing in the mind of every visitor. In addition, it does not only provide knowledge and information but enjoyment as well. You will surely be fascinated with all of the exhibits in the San Diego Museum of Man. I would definitely recommend it to others and I plan on going back again in the future. It is one spot that San Diego should be proud of. Works Cited: San Diego Museum of Man. 2006 Retrieved August 8, 2007 from Anthropology . 200). Retrieved August 8, 2007 from Sheldon, J.   2000. Explore Ancient Egypt. Retrieved August 8, 2007 from http://www.mfa.org/egypt/explore%5Fancient%5Fegypt/         

Tea Introduction Essay Example

Tea Introduction Essay Example Tea Introduction Essay Tea Introduction Essay GOAL: I am going to introduce about Dragon Well Tea, the first-grade tea of Chinese green tea. I want my audience to pay attention to their health and know the benefit of drinking green tea. I will persuade audience to try the Dragon Well Tea, to like this kind of tea. This tea will be a great thing in their daily life. INTRODUCTION (30 sec – 1 min) Attention Getter: Let’s go green. One of the secrets to having a longer life is to have a nice and healthy body. Why do you think you need a cup of Dragon Well Tea everyday? Here’s what you exactly need to know: how to have a longer life that is with a nice and healthy body. Preview: I will focus about the benefit of the green tea to human’s health, the feature and the benefit of the Dragon Well Tea. BODY/DEVELOPMENT 1, summary and the benefit of the green tea A, it is a famous and good beverage around the world B, rich sources of antioxidants C, high amounts of Gatechin D, help weight loss programs and protect teeth 2, the feature of the first-grade of green tea, Dragon Well Tea A, Dragon Well Tea is flat and smooth in shape B, The color is green, yellow and luster. C, Dragon Well Tea is well-known around the world due to four wonders, namely, â€Å"green color, sweet smell, mellow taste and beautiful shape†. D, Boiling water of about 80 degree  into the cup, the tea liquor is dark green and smells sweet and mellow. 3, the benefit of the Dragon Well Tea A, Its taste, aroma, health benefits and most of all slimming and beauty effects B, safe, organic, effective and affordable C, stay fit and healthy D, it tastes good and you can drink any time CONCLUSION What are you waiting for? Grab a box of Dragon Well Tea now. Start changing your unhealthy habits by eating right and having your daily exercise. And most of all, do not forget your daily dose of Dragon Well Tea for a healthier you. You can drink it as your afternoon tea. And you can also drink it instead of water. It is convenience and taste great.

Mycobacterium leprae essays

Mycobacterium leprae essays Mycobacterium leprae is a chemoorganoheterotroph microbe that causes the disfiguring disease called leprosy. Leprosy is also known as Hansens disease because it was first discovered by Dr. Armauer Hansen is 1873. Leprosy has been around since biblical times but there was no treatment available until the 1940s. Mycobacterium leprae has never been grown in artificial cultures but can be grown in the footpads of mice and armadillos. Mycobacterium leprae closely resembles the size and shape of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Mycobacterium leprae is acid-fast, gram-positive, and rod shaped. It also has a thick, waxy coating. Leprosy has a gradual onset which can take years due to the long incubation period which can be as long as three to five years. This disease is transmitted through the skin or the mucus lining of the nose and throat. Children are more susceptible than adults to contracting the disease. Some of the symptoms of leprosy are one or more skin lesions with decreased sensation, lesions that have not healed after several weeks to months, numbness in extremities, and muscle atrophy. There are two common forms of leprosy, tuberculoid and lepromatous. Tuberculoid leprosy causes the loss of sensation of the skin and atrophy of the muscles. This is the mildest form of leprosy and there is nerve damage but it is non-progressive. The more severe form of leprosy is lepromatous leprosy which is also the progressive form of this disease. Less nerve damage is associated with this form but facial features, fingers, and toes disintegrate. People with long-term leprosy may lose the use of their hands or feet because the absence of sensation can cause injuries to go unnoticed. Inadequate care causes infection of open wounds. Gangrene may also follow, causing body tissue to die and become deformed. The person infected could also experience blindness if the disease continues to advance. ...

Short Biography of Hugo de Vries

Short Biography of Hugo de Vries Hugo Marie de Vries was born on February 16, 1848, to Maria Everardina Reuvens and Djur Gerrit de Vries in Haarlem, The Netherlands. His father was a lawyer who later went on to serve as the Prime Minister of The Netherlands in the 1870s. As a young child, Hugo quickly found a love of plants and even won several awards for his botany projects while he attended school in Haarlem and The Hauge. de Vries decided to pursue a degree in botany from Leiden University. While studying at the college, Hugo became intrigued by experimental botany and Charles Darwins Theory of Evolution and Natural Selection. He graduated in 1870 from Leiden University with a Doctorate in botany. He taught for a short time before attending Heidelberg University to study Chemistry and Physics. However, that adventure only lasted only  about a semester before he went off to Wurzberg to study plant growth. He went back to teaching botany, geology, and zoology in Amsterdam for several years while returning to Wurzburg on his vacations to continue his work with plant growth. Personal Life In 1875, Hugo de Vries moved to Germany where he worked and published his findings on plant growth. It was while he was living there that he met and married Elisabeth Louise Egeling in 1878. They returned to Amsterdam where Hugo was hired as a lecturer at the University of Amsterdam. It was not long before he was elected as a member of the Royal Academy of the Arts and Sciences. In 1881, he was given full professorship in botany. Hugo and Elisabeth had a total of four children - one daughter and three sons. Biography Hugo de Vries is best known for his work in the field of genetics as the subject was in its so-called infancy stages. Gregor Mendels findings were not well known at the time, and de Vries had come up with some very similar data that could be put together with Mendels laws to create a more fully developed picture of genetics. In 1889, Hugo de Vries hypothesized that his plants had what he called pangenes. Pangenes are what is now known as genes and they carried the genetic information from one generation to the next. In 1900, after Gregor Mendel published his findings from working with pea plants, de Vries saw that Mendel had discovered the same things he had seen in his plants as he wrote his book. Since de Vries did not have Gregor Mendels work as a starting point for his experiments, he instead relied on writings by Charles Darwin who hypothesized how traits were passed down from parents to offspring generation after generation. Hugo decided that the characteristics were transmitted via some sort of particle that was given to the offspring by the parents. This particle was dubbed a pangene and the name was later shortened by other scientists to just gene. In addition to discovering genes, de Vries also focused on how species changed because of those genes. Even though his mentors, while he was at University and worked in labs, did not buy into the Theory of Evolution as written by Darwin, Hugo was a big fan of Darwins work. His decision to incorporate the idea of evolution and a change in species over time into his own thesis for his doctorate was met with a lot of resistance by his professors. He ignored their pleas to remove that part of his thesis and successfully defended his ideas. Hugo de Vries explained that the species changed over time most likely through changes, which he called mutations, in genes. He saw these differences in wild forms of evening primrose and used this as evidence to prove that species did change as Darwin said, and probably on a much quicker timeline than what Darwin had theorized. He became famous in his life due to this theory and revolutionized the way people thought about Darwins Theory of Evolution. Hugo de Vries retired from active teaching in 1918 and moved to his large estate where he continued to work in his large garden and study the plants he grew there, coming up with different discoveries he published. Hugo de Vries died on March 21, 1935, in Amsterdam.

Hollywood goes to history books Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Hollywood goes to history books - Essay Example This supposedly unsinkable ship was laid waste by an iceberg and this tragic event has been pasteurized many times over. The most successful of them being, the starrer â€Å"Titanic† directed by one of the greatest Hollywood names, James Cameron. This movie uses the real incident of the sinking Titanic while weaving a beautiful love story between Rose, the high-society English girl and Jack Dawson, the drifter, who was in the hope of making a better life for himself by migrating to America. James Cameron has taken great pains to recreate the ship, the ambience, the costumes, the language, and the sensibilities of the era, but falls short in his depiction of the romance between Jack and Rose. The social structure of the era was extremely rigid and romance between a lady of high society and a poor lad was something unheard of. Though the romance between the two characters was fictional, yet the onus lies with the director to portray society in the way it existed. â€Å"Titanic† the movie is more a feast for the eyes, a tale of puppy love, where action and romance are treated with such extravagance, that the ship and its tragedy get relegated into the background that served more like a prop, than the real incident that took place. â€Å"Pocahontas† is one of the most successful movies from the Disney studios. It is an animated version of the real story of Pocahontas, the daughter of the Red Indian Chief, Powhatan. It deals with the friendship between Pocahontas and the Englishman Captain John Smith and of how she saves his life by putting her head on top of his, when he was sentenced to die by being clubbed to death. As with all forms of art, here also artistic license is quite evident. The story differs from the actual sequence of events in more ways than one - the age of characters, their physical appearance with the

The Coast Guard Academy and what you will get as a Cadet Personal Statement

The Coast Guard Academy and what you will get as a Cadet - Personal Statement Example The researcher will begin with the statement that his particular interest is within the Coast Guard Academy. The author has rightly presented that he believes that life is short and one should do what one wants to in entirety. This is the reason why the author tilt is towards becoming a Cadet which shall, in essence, take care of his future professional domains. His four years as a Cadet would teach the author discipline in the sternest manner possible. It will inculcate in him a sense of understanding how life shapes up and what needs to be done in order to bring sanity to his life. The basic understanding underlining the case study is that the researcher’s goals are to achieve what he has always dreamt of within his professional life. The researcher states that this has meant that he shall take care of the important factors within his stay at the Coast Guard Academy which will pave the way for my success in the times to come. The paper tells that other goals that the researc her has established for him include his adherence towards keeping him motivated, especially under difficult circumstances and extraordinary situations. The efforts that the author has put in all this while bank on his educational qualification and his reliance on making his way through the different pathways to achieve his goals. The researcher will conclude with an example of time management which he is good at.

Writing for Media Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Writing for Media - Assignment Example ually might have lived a little bit nicer, because gas was so much cheaper.† His comments were mirrored by his girlfriend, Marla, who laughed when asked about savings and interest rates, saying â€Å"I haven’t made enough to put any money away for years, what do you think? If the interest rate were 0 or 10% it couldn’t make a difference to me.† Though state budgets have been viciously slashed by the recession, neither of these two people seemed to notice the difference: they made too much money to be eligible for Medicaid already, and so did not face rollbacks there, and relied on very few other modes of social support. Certainly other people who made less or who were more reliant on social welfare may have had a very different experience, but for some, it is clear that being poor meant that the recession did not take a huge bight out of standard of living. The economic situation seemed much more dire to those in the lower middle and middle classes. Younghee Jan, 62, for instance, had worked as a welder and a post office clerk respectively for 35 years before attempting planning to retire around 2010. Planning to retire to a smaller but distinctly nicer house in a nicer neighborhood than he had lived for most of his life, Mr. Jang decided to buy a house in 2006, having moved here from northern California. His divorced wife tells a similar story. They sank a great deal of their nest-egg into a down payment, negotiating what seemed then like a low fixed interest rate and feeling certain that they could make their payments based on their pensions, especially given how much of the house they had already managed to pay off in a large down payment. As the recession worsened, however, they suddenly found themselves holding the bag on an unsustainable mortgage. The low interest rate they locked in at was almost twice as high as what one could get for a home loan now, and they find themselves, like many people, with a house that could not clear the mortgage

Privatization of Solid Waste Management Case Study

Privatization of Solid Waste Management - Case Study Example Since time immemorial, the government (federal and state) took primary responsibility of dealing with the management of solid waste; however, this has since changed due to a lot of factors. One of these factors is the fact that most governments have been incurring huge amounts of costs in providing such services for the benefit of the public despite the minimal revenue generated after provision of these services. In order to cut down on expenses, most governments have resulted to privatization of such services. This in turn, facilitates the government’s ability to concentrate on providing services that are more crucial to the public such as security. The private sector can easily provide these services at low costs and even offer better and more efficient services as compared to the state.There are various ways in which privatization of solid waste management can be carried out. One of them is through the ownership of entire solid waste system by the private sector. Another wa y could be through ownership of portions of this system by the private sectors. This in turn, will enhance the government’s focus on providing more crucial services to the public (Bel & Warner, 2008).Over time, privatization’s appeal continues to increase with other sectors embracing the trend. Various reasons support the shift in thought among within different fields. This change is through the use of firms which have broad experience in solid waste management as compared to those in the public sector; as a result, such firms tend to offer better services.

Role of a Management Consultant Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Role of a Management Consultant - Essay Example B., 2001). The same brand is part of a long, classic, one-on-one competition with its archrival, PepsiCo. Inc. Coca Cola experienced a rapid growth in sales and consumer –preference, thanks to Roberto Goizueta who raised Coca Cola to the heights of performance while he was CEO from 1981 to 1997. Using his sharp analytical skills and market foresight and risk-taking tendency, Goizueta took Coca Cola into the direction of high sales, increasing market-share, revenue gains and high profit margins. He revolutionized how the soda industry is run and showed the world that just by focusing on Coca Cola’s principle black beverage; the company became a top-notch giant. This very philosophy inspired Coke’s followers, and even the Board of Directors, which included tycoons such as Warren Buffet, Herbert A. Allen and Donald Keough. They remained admirers of this approach and frowned upon any notions of diversification, unlike what was happening inside PepsiCo. Throughout the nineties, through this very approach, Coca Cola saw its rise in the world of beverage as an undisputed winner over PepsiCo. Inc. Goizueta took some very successful decision during his time, one of which was to form a new company under the name Coca Cola Enterprises, in 1986, which handled the US bottling operations for Coca Cola. This, immediately, helped Coca Cola in terms of the debt burden and also, raised their stock volumes, while reassuring quality bottling and distribution. (Cravens & Piercy, 2009). According to Cravens and Piercy (2009), this move turned out to be quite a profitable one as Coca Cola could erase off $2.4 billion from the balance sheet. Moreover, having formed Coca Cola Enterprises, US bottling operations were handled well and timely distribution channels were assured. He was known to be risky, as he himself used to admit. His believes were of the nature that risk-taking is a necessity for growth and development. In a growing consumer-market, playing safe all the time could mean losing out on opportunities and business. Goizueta is renowned for another important move: his non-contemporary approach of globalization of brands. ‘Think global, act local’ was the underlying philosophy of Goizeuta to expand and capture foreign markets. Unlike the general wave of globalization, he insisted that, to develop a successful multinational brand, it was important to think globally while acting in the local context. He explained that standardization and uniformity represent a strong and consistent image of a brand and it triggers a sense of surety in the minds of consumers worldwide. This uniformity can help create a very powerful image of the brand; while also considering vital selling points and marketing campaign specifics of differing cultures and geographies. At the very end of all this positive period, it did become quite apparent that the direction in which Coca Cola was heading into, had a dead-end. Arguably, his headstrong, upfro nt style of leadership, even though raised Coca Cola to reach new heights in the short-run; however, his moves, somehow, created a recipe for future disaster. His decisions focused more on the bottling operations than the actual customers. It is important to note that Mr. Roberto Goizueta maintained that Coca Cola did not need diversification to increase revenue. Instead, according to Suhaib Riaz (2008), he borrowed millions

Implement a data warehousing solution alongside the formation of a Assignment

Implement a data warehousing solution alongside the formation of a business analytics - Assignment Example The concept also encompasses multiple other functional aspects such as data mining and process optimization (Kearney, n.d.). Apart from these, the system design of the data warehouse also varies depending on an organization’s functional needs. The detailed elaborations regarding such system variations are discussed in relation to which data warehousing can be performed effectively. Moreover, the present scenario also illustrates the structuring and implementation of a data warehousing solution within Morrison Plc, a leading supermarket chain currently functional within the UK. The company has been performing operations with the intention of meeting the needs of customers in an effective manner. In this regard, the company has adopted and implemented different strategies that are centred on the customers by providing distinctive products that .include food, integration with manufacturing business and craft skills. Subsequently, the company with the aim of attaining a competitiv e position has focused on value and quality of products and/or services provided to the customers (Kimballb, n.d.). The objective also encompasses the formation of a ‘business analytics department’ within the ‘corporate headquarter of Morrisons Plc’. Likewise, the discussion entails an in-depth elaboration of all the potential issues that may emerge during planning, implementation and systematic utilization of the data warehouse system (Kimballb, n.d.). Morrisons Plc was founded during the period of 1899 as a small retail business process within the domestic markets in the UK. However, over time, this brand has projected drastic levels of expansion within its functional structure and thus, has eventually transformed itself as the fourth largest supermarket business within the UK. Morrisons plc currently holds a market share of approximately 11 per cent of the total supermarket retail business of the UK (Wm Morrison

Role of a Management Consultant Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Role of a Management Consultant - Essay Example B., 2001). The same brand is part of a long, classic, one-on-one competition with its archrival, PepsiCo. Inc. Coca Cola experienced a rapid growth in sales and consumer –preference, thanks to Roberto Goizueta who raised Coca Cola to the heights of performance while he was CEO from 1981 to 1997. Using his sharp analytical skills and market foresight and risk-taking tendency, Goizueta took Coca Cola into the direction of high sales, increasing market-share, revenue gains and high profit margins. He revolutionized how the soda industry is run and showed the world that just by focusing on Coca Cola’s principle black beverage; the company became a top-notch giant. This very philosophy inspired Coke’s followers, and even the Board of Directors, which included tycoons such as Warren Buffet, Herbert A. Allen and Donald Keough. They remained admirers of this approach and frowned upon any notions of diversification, unlike what was happening inside PepsiCo. Throughout the nineties, through this very approach, Coca Cola saw its rise in the world of beverage as an undisputed winner over PepsiCo. Inc. Goizueta took some very successful decision during his time, one of which was to form a new company under the name Coca Cola Enterprises, in 1986, which handled the US bottling operations for Coca Cola. This, immediately, helped Coca Cola in terms of the debt burden and also, raised their stock volumes, while reassuring quality bottling and distribution. (Cravens & Piercy, 2009). According to Cravens and Piercy (2009), this move turned out to be quite a profitable one as Coca Cola could erase off $2.4 billion from the balance sheet. Moreover, having formed Coca Cola Enterprises, US bottling operations were handled well and timely distribution channels were assured. He was known to be risky, as he himself used to admit. His believes were of the nature that risk-taking is a necessity for growth and development. In a growing consumer-market, playing safe all the time could mean losing out on opportunities and business. Goizueta is renowned for another important move: his non-contemporary approach of globalization of brands. ‘Think global, act local’ was the underlying philosophy of Goizeuta to expand and capture foreign markets. Unlike the general wave of globalization, he insisted that, to develop a successful multinational brand, it was important to think globally while acting in the local context. He explained that standardization and uniformity represent a strong and consistent image of a brand and it triggers a sense of surety in the minds of consumers worldwide. This uniformity can help create a very powerful image of the brand; while also considering vital selling points and marketing campaign specifics of differing cultures and geographies. At the very end of all this positive period, it did become quite apparent that the direction in which Coca Cola was heading into, had a dead-end. Arguably, his headstrong, upfro nt style of leadership, even though raised Coca Cola to reach new heights in the short-run; however, his moves, somehow, created a recipe for future disaster. His decisions focused more on the bottling operations than the actual customers. It is important to note that Mr. Roberto Goizueta maintained that Coca Cola did not need diversification to increase revenue. Instead, according to Suhaib Riaz (2008), he borrowed millions

Painting And Sculpture Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Painting And Sculpture - Term Paper Example The essay "Painting And Sculpture" talks about the contemporary theme, as well as the modern theme for the museum and paintings along with the sculptures regarding the theme, are placed in combination. In the opening ceremony of the museum, there are certain paintings which will be shown in exhibition. Some paintings show contemporary theme and some paintings show modern theme. In the exhibition photographic paintings, abstract are paintings and the paintings depicting the symbolism, political and emotions are displayed in the exhibition, while similar strategy is followed regarding the sculptures. Metallic, wooden, fiber glass, glass and plastic sculptures are displayed at various locations. In the exhibition paintings of William Kentridge are displayed in which political and poetic designs are shown. In his work apartheid system, colonialism and totalitarianism are shown. His works gives powerful message to viewers. There are also certain modern paintings of Stephen Rodefer are dis played in the opening exhibition in which messages are written. Messages are motivating and based on modern theme. One painting of Pablo Picasso is displayed. The painting shows the affection between mother and child. One painting of Jackson Pollock is displayed. The painting consists of graphic design in which various colors are used however yellow color is mainly used. There are also some sculptures, which also displayed. Sculpture of McClure is displayed; one sculpture is designed in a sitting.

Compare and contrast Shakespeare Essay Example for Free

Compare and contrast Shakespeare Essay Both poets discuss the treatment of women within their world. In each case, they indicate their disgust with the way men behave. Shakespeares sonnet offers a mocking tone to the courtly gentlemen of his day whilst Zephanaiahs tone is more angry. Shakespeare writes to a strict ABAB rhyming pattern within the fourteen line sonnet structure. Benjamin Zephanaiah however does not stick to any sort of standard rhyming pattern and the poem is not written in a regular western structure, more so in a reggae rhythm. The effect Shakespeare obtains from this structure is one of a mordant tone. The audience of the time would have expected a poem of love like Bartholomew Griffins Fiddesa. The audience expects My mistress eyes to be described as on a level with the warm brightness of the sun, and are stunned to read nothing like the sun. This evidently gives an image of Shakespeare mocking Griffin and other poets that wrote love poems at the time. I think that Zephanaiah, however, is not writing in a regular western structure and rhythm because he wants to break convention. His poem is deeply rhythmic but he clearly avoids using Eurocentric rhyming patterns and structures. This encapsulates an angry atmosphere to the poem. The reggae rhythm is often used to attack western culture. The Caribbean culture used the reggae rhythm to speak out in times of despair when Negroes were persecuted. Reggae has a distinctive sound, which originates from the West Indies. Zephanaiah writes put de judge in the grave,. The word grave is a very strong word. He is almost suggesting the judge should be killed. When he says, judge I do not think he is only referring to the judges of these so called Miss World beauty pageants but anybody that is judgemental in this way. Every person on the planet has judged somebody at some time in his or her lives, so does everybody deserve to die? It becomes apparent that Zephanaiah is also unhappy with other types of persecutions, namely racism. Zephanaiah makes several references to slavery and how his sister dont want to go to the market to be viewed like a slave and be viewed like her ancestors were, like second class citizens. He carefully intertwines womanhood and slavery. He is clearly referring to women that have been forced to become prostitutes in the red light districts of the world. Zephanaiah shows his rage to these activities as well as his disgust with how some people feel that women are tradable. Both poems use non-comparisons. Shakespeare say his mistress eyes are nothing like the sun; and that no such roses see I in her cheeks;. Shakespeare clearly mocks the love poets of the era; for example in the poem Fidessa by Bartholomew Griffin his ladys eyes the brightest stars the heavens hold; Her cheeks, red roses, such as seld have been; Fidessa line 3 Benjamin Griffin wrote Fidessa in 1596. Sonnet 130 was written just thirteen years later in 1609. Fidessa is written in the style typical to the love poetry of the time. Shakespeare clearly detests this style of writing, so writes a poem to mock it. Shakespeares poem is written in a sarcastic manner. Zephanaiah, however, uses different types of non comparisons like her value is not prize money. She is priceless. Human souls are not designed for trading; a price cannot be put on a life. The difference in effect is a much angrier feeling to the more modern of the two poems. Neither one of the poems describes the female as a woman, lady or even wife. Shakespeare uses mistress. Mistress are associated with power and control; they are on a level with any male equivalents. Zephanaiah uses the word sister. Again he is trying to show the female as an equal to the male. In both poems this has the same effect; the female is treated in the same way as a man. Both poets are trying to give a certain amount of respect to women. Both poems feature the same basic themes of sexual discrimination, the only difference being the tone they are written in. Sonnet 130 is written to mock the poets of the time whilst Miss World is written in resentment and exasperation.

Essay --

The term 'branding' in modern marketing is generally originated in the agricultural practices of the medieval age. The farmers 'branded' their animals with the iron and then they were able to identify to whom a particular animal belonged. Artisans 'branded' their products, for example, expensive silver tableware. Smiths 'branded' their swords. The role of the brand is to identify products by the same way as for medieval farmers and for modern corporations as well. Every company seeks to create its own brand - a unique and effective image. Purpose of brand is attracting and retaining customers in its market share. Branding in marketing is a complex technology, aimed at making advantageous position a brand from the competition. Facilitating the search for the necessary goods to the buyer, branding in marketing becomes more effective if the consumer product features meet market requirements. It is especially necessary to identify the goods, for a case of unprepared buyer which can not assess the competitive characteristics (for example, high-tech products). The development of technology has had a huge impact on human society. It is reflected in the fact that we are surrounded by complex technical devices that we use every day and sometimes we have no idea of how this thing is located within. Here the brand comes to help the consumer that stands out from all those product characteristics that are important to the consumer and facilitates the unde rstanding of the product. The second problem was solved by the brand is a simplification of choice. Every day consumer is faced with many similar products, and he just physically does not have time to compare all the annotations, the percentage composition, indications and specifications (f... ...ll one advantage and this is petrol stations. The Tesco â€Å"Clare Hall† has a petrol station and prices there are always lower than usual. The ability of the management in positioning and establishing the product is a success in any company that operates for marketing and profit acquisition. Furthermore, the ability of the company and its management to complete and maintain a competitive edge among its competitor throughout the product differentiation is another basis to say that is successful. Also, innovation and the constant development on the product lines and the growing number of customers also define the corporate standing of a company. Effective branding strategy and strong brand name are an important part of the profitable business. But, all the strategies and all marketing theories can be worth nothing without the compliance of the desires of consumers.

Self-discovery in Shakespeares King Lear :: King Lear essays

Self-discovery in King Lear Through the course of the play, King Lear goes through a process of attaining self-knowledge, or true vision of one's self and the world. With this knowledge, he goes through a change of person, much like a caterpillar into a butterfly. In the beginning, King Lear's vanity, and the image and exercise of power dominate his person. But a series of losses (based on his own bad decisions), a "fool" of a conscious, a powerful storm, a "supposed" crazy man, and the death of the one who truly loved him, clear his vision and allow him to see the himself and the world as they truly are. The pain and suffering endured by Lear eventually tears down his strength and sanity. Lear is not as strong, arrogant, and filled with pride as he was in the beginning of the play instead he is weak, scared, and a confused old man. At the end of the play Lear has completely lost his sanity with the loss of his daughter Cordelia and this is the thing that breaks Lear and leads to his death. In the beginning, King Lear shows his need for praise is how he chooses to divide his kingdom among his daughters. The one who praises him with the most "gusto" shall receive the largest area of land. This is even more evident when you consider that he already has divided up the kingdom before the praising even begins. As evident as he gives each daughter her land before hearing the next daughter's praise. Thus the who thing is just a show and an ego boost to himself. It is because of his love for praise that makes him react so strongly to Cordelia and Kent when they do not act as he would like them to. It could be said he is like a child who doesn't remember all that his family has done for them, but only sees them saying no to a piece of candy. In the play, this is shown in his banishment of Cordelia and Kent. Kent is probably one of the most loyal people in the room (not to mention his kingdom), and it is Cordelia that truly does love Lear. But because they choose not to contribute to this "ego trip", they are banished. In fact, he threatens to kill Cordelia if she is found in ten days. Lear says, "Upon our kingdom; if, on the tenth day following, Thy banished trunk be found in our dominions, The moment of thy death.

Cause and Effect of Cigarette Smoking

It is mandatory for this message to be printed on every pack because of how serious the effects of smoking are and how easy it is to become addicted to smoking them. There are millions of campaigns and advertisements against cigarette smoking communicating to the world that this terrible habit causes many illnesses ultimately leading to death. But a threat to health obviously does not seem to be a good enough reason for people to quit anymore, people somehow block this important information and ignore all of the possible consequences they are facing themselves with when they continue to smoke. The purpose of this essay is to discuss some of the many effects of cigarette smoking, including the broadly mentioned possibility of developing cancer or dying. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death for both men and women. Cigarette smoking is directly responsible for 87 percent of lung cancer cases in the United States annually. Both non small cell lung cancer and small lung cancer can be caused by cigarette smoking, cigar smoking and second hand smoke. It can be difficult to diagnosis lung cancer early because the symptoms often do not present themselves aggressively until the disease is in advanced stages, which puts people in an even worse situation. If cancer is found, the doctor will take the time to do some staging which is determining whether it has spread to other parts of the body such as the brain or bones. One of the stages is referred to as Stage 0 non-small cell lung cancer which is also called carcinoma. It is the earliest stage that lung cancer can typically be detected but unfortunately for people bound to consume this cancer, it is rarely found at this stage, and when it is, it is normally an incidental finding when testing is done for some other reason. Lung cancer should be completely curable at this stage, meaning not in all cases. With that being said, many people with stage 0 lung cancer, have or will develop second primary cancers. 20 percent of all deaths from heart disease in the United States are directly related to cigarette smoking. The heart is the most important organ in the body, pumping blood, life-giving oxygen and nutrients to all tissues of the body. If the pumping action of the heart becomes inefficient, vital organs like the brain and kidneys suffer, like a chain reaction. Death will occur within minutes if the heart stops working altogether. It is astonishing how life itself is completely dependent on the efficient operation of the heart and people still decide to take up the habit of smoking, leading to this disease. There are many kinds of heart disease, each of them affecting the heart in several ways, one of them being coronary artery disease which is directly related to smoking. Coronary artery disease is atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries, creating blockages in the vessels that nourish the heart itself. Atherosclerosis occurs when the arteries become clogged and narrowed, restricting blood flow, ultimately starving the heart of oxygen and other vital nutrients it depends on to work properly. Lungs become damaged due to reactions to irritants entering the airways and alveoli and lead to emphysema. The major cause of emphysema is smoking. When people are exposed to cigarette smoke, the air sacs of the lungs create defensive cells known as macrophages, which eat the inhaled particles. Macrophages are stimulated to release materials which can destroy the proteins that allow the lungs to expand and contract, called collagen. This causes difficulty for a person to exhale so the next breath taken is started with more air in the lungs. The trapped old air takes up space so the alveoli, tiny air sacs in lungs, are unable to fill with enough fresh air to supply the body with the appropriate oxygen. This causes someone to be short of breath and diminishes the ability to properly exhale. Will all of the information provided in the world and all of the advertisement including the warning posted on every pack of cigarettes against the use of these harmful vises, you would think we would have less smokers, but that is incorrect. You would also assume that with all the damage that comes with smoking over the years, including death; that we would have fewer smokers, but again, that is incorrect. People still insist on putting themselves in harm’s way and continue to be smokers.

Striving for a First Class Restaurant Experience

No matter what type of business you have it is imperative to command a well educated staff who understands the importance of service excellence with every last interaction with the customer. Service excellence as it relates to the restaurant industry is a requirement since there are so many areas in which perfection is an expectation of the experience.These areas include but are not limited to customer service, education and appearance of your staff; as a subset this must include a certain level of enthusiasms, and always meeting and exceeding customer expectations. This is not limited to face to face interactions but it also includes the appearance of the establishment, the quality of the food, and the hygiene used to prepare the selections. It doesn’t matter how flashy your ads are, or how attractive your staff appears if the customer leaves feeling unfulfilled at the end of the experience.â€Å"†¦there are some basic truths about service. First, it’s always def ined from a customer’s perspective, never from ours.† (http://waiterbell.wordpress.com/2006/05/17/article-service-the-real-product-of-your-restaurant-you-know-it-so-do-your-customers/) This statement couldn’t drive home the point any more clearly. That is why it is so essential to train all staff employees in a consistent and engaging manor, while giving them some ownership of the corporate mission, and philosophy. It has become to regular of a process in this day and age of fast food giants, to want the customer in and out of the establishment as soon as possible with no regard to there lasting impression of the service.To mention a few chains, that I personally find less than delectable, such as the infamous McDonald’s who has allowed the quality of their food slip along with the comprehension of their employees. So much for service with a smile, most times you will find a miserable individual behind the counter with a distinct lack of enthusiasm waiting for their shift to be over.On the other end of the spectrum you find establishments such as The Cheese Cake Factory where service excellence is reflected through there training allowances. â€Å"†¦The firm spends an average of $2,000 on training per hourly worker each year. Everyone within the organization benefits from training and development initiatives.† They have truly set up policies to live by, which gages their turn over rate as a return on there investment. They are about fifteen percent below industry standards which currently hovers around 106% turnover.The key to having motivated employees and helping them to understand that they are part of something bigger comes first with the managers recruited. â€Å"†¦Most managers think that employees are motivated solely by money. But research shows that intangible items — such as appreciation for doing a good job, open communication and involvement in decision-making — often play a more crucial ro le in employee motivation.  These non monetary recognitions help to promote confidence, and ownership in the company as it relates to on going service expectations. In order for people to improve or get better at there jobs they must have regular feedback as to a â€Å"job well done† or needed improvement in certain areas. From a managers perspective it comes down to the definition of clinical insanity â€Å"doing the same thing and expecting different results.† A good manager knows how to motivate their employees, and will recognize opportunities to get different personality types to open up, and perform at their best.Involvement in decision making policies is another way to motivate employees, giving them an active role in when changing corporate infrastructure, makes them feel as if their opinion matters. Not only will most people with ambition jump at the change to take on additional responsibility but it will also create a forum to recognize other management abi lities already with in the organization.This forum will also allow for individuals to communicate openly with regards to there feelings about management, and where improvements could be made to the entire system. It easy for the â€Å"higher ups† to get disconnected with the flow of day to day operations, and for them to loose contact with there ever changing customer, with ever changing needs. Keeping an active pulse on these issues will allow for efficient adjustments to these changes, and a distinct competitive advantage.When talking about learning curves and on going education it is important to work with every individual inside of the organization, from the cooks to the managers. The frequency of the training sessions is a delicate line that must be addressed carefully. It is important to take the staffs availability, relevant changes to corporate processes, along with varying levels of learning abilities into consideration when outlining the training schedule.These fact ors are important because you do not want to spend to much time training those who already understand, while neglecting those that may require more a more detailed explanation. â€Å"Waiters, waitresses, chefs, and fast-food workers demonstrating potential for handling increased responsibility sometimes advance to assistant manager or management trainee jobs. Executive chefs need extensive experience working as chefs, and general managers need experience as assistant managers.†This is especially true for established businesses that need to keep the same quality expected from the presentation, to the ingredients. It is very easy to look towards cutting corners, and saving pennies when sales decrease, or when operating cost rise. This is more of a question when, and having strategies in force to circumvent these changes allow for longevity, and continued success.For this success to continue the training systems, and corporate philosophy must have exceeding expectations build in to the employees requirements.â€Å"THE contented woman, savoring Marko’s warm bread, stopped in mid-bite, looked puzzled, turned to her tablemates and asked ‘Why didn't I ever know this restaurant was here?’†Awe invoking service is a difficult task to attain especially when the customers perception of these services is becoming more and more expected. If this same awe invoking service is seen on a regular basis, then steps must be taken to bring the â€Å"awe factor† up a degree as time passes. If a customer is used to outstanding service and that one time receives a less than stellar dining experience the repercussions could be staggering. Bad news travels ten times faster and farther than good news, and that hard earned reputations could go right out the door with that one instance.In closing knowing all the techniques to provide a professional level of service in the industry is not enough to keep the business running. It also requires a clear u nderstanding of the foundations of good service and developing the staff and management to best to fit in the restaurant, and the customer. The key is to maintaining the most professional service of any kind and learning the consequences of not having the power of good service.

Edith Cavell Essay

In 1914, Edith Cavell had already finished her nurse training and was giving four lectures a week to doctors and nurses, taking care for her friend’s daughter who was a morphia addict, a runaway girl, and also her two dogs. She lived a fairly mundane and busy life as a nurse; however, that changed on August 3rd, 1914 when she was back in Brussels dispatching the Dutch and German nurse homes and also making sure everyone knew that his or her first duty as a nurse was to take care for the wounded irrespective of nationality. The place she worked in became a Red Cross Hospital and so she treated anyone – including the Germans and Belgians. With war going on – Brussels fell and so the Germans commanded for the wounded and sixty nurses to go back home. Edith Cavell was one of the two people who remained in Brussels. By autumn of 1914, two stranded British soldiers discovered Edith Cavell’s training school and stayed there for two weeks. Others followed suit and then came the birth of an ‘underground’ lifeline created by the Prince and Princess de Croy at a chateau at Mons. Within this ‘underground’ lifeline, about two hundred allied soldiers were helped to escape and this secret organization lasted for one year, despite all the risks. Many of those who took part in this dangerous covert ‘mission’ knew that once they were caught for harboring allied soldiers, they’d definitely die. And Edith Cavell was one of them. Although Edith Cavell knew better to not stay involves, as she was a ‘protected’ member of the Red Cross, she made the strong decision to sacrifice her own life for the sake of her fellow men – her country. She thought her action to protect and hide the allied soldiers to be the same as tending for the sick and wounded. Edith Cavell knew very well of the consequences and by august 1915, only just a year after all the events; someone from Belgian found out and uncovered the truth. Her nursing school was searched at the same time as the soldiers escaped out through the back garden. Edith Cavell was calm throughout the whole search and not a single bit of evidence was found of such actions. She had managed through the year of keeping her ‘underground’ activities well hidden. Nurse Cavell may have been successful of not getting caught; the group of soldiers that  had escaped was not. On July 31st, 1915, two members who were escaping were caught and arrested. Five days later, Edith Cavell was arrested and ready to be interrogated. After hearing that several people had already confessed, she too admitted to all the charges against her and confessed. Following the confession, she was going to be executed. United Stated and Spain heard the news about Edith Cavell and tried their hardest to commute her sentence, but failed to do so. And so on October 13th, 1915, Edith Cavell was sentenced to death for hiding and protecting allied soldiers. It was revealed that Edith Cavell was very willing to use anything in her power to save the soldiers. She has said she would have rather died and sacrificed herself than have the soldiers get shot. Her whole life, she had been trained to protect others and heal them and even risk her own life – and so she did. On the night before her execution, Edith Cavell had said to Reverend Horace Graham one of her now most famous quotes: â€Å"I realize that patriotism is not enough. I must have no hatred of bitterness towards anyone.† Her execution led people in the United States and Great Britain to form an anti-German group. They used her as a heroic martyr to the war and honored with a statue. Works Cited: â€Å"British nurse Edith Cavell executed .† 2013. The History Channel website. Oct 31 2013, 7:00 http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/british-nurse-edith-cavell-executed. â€Å"War Declared.† War Declared. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Oct. 2013. http://www.revdc.net/cavell/page41.html

Latin Christian and Russian Orthodox Traditions Term Paper

Latin Christian and Russian Orthodox Traditions - Term Paper Example Rivalry between the Roman popes and the patriarchs of Constantinople for leadership in the Christian world initiated the split of the Christian Church.  Ã‚  The Latin Christian church was formed finally in 1054. Historically, Orthodoxy presents the eastern branch of Christianity.  It is distributed mainly in Eastern Europe, Middle East and the Balkans.  First, the name "Orthodox" (from Greek) appeared in II century.  Ã‚  The Orthodox Christianity did not have a single church center. Ecclesiastical power was concentrated in the hands of four patriarchs.  With the collapse of the Byzantine Empire, each of the patriarchs headed an independent (autocephalous) Orthodox Church. Prince of Kiev, Vladimir Svyatoslavovych, established Orthodoxy as a state religion in Russia.  On his orders, Byzantine clergy baptized people in the capital of Ancient Russia, Kiev, in 988. Both Christian communities accept the basic Christian doctrine and sacramental. Religious life includes magnifice nt church services, the worship of many saints and holy relics.  The confession of the Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and the worship of Christ, the Savior, who suffered, died, resurrected from the dead and ascended into heaven is the gospel truth for any believer of the Christian communities. It is the same regarding the acceptance of the doctrines, such as: Mary is the Mother of God  as Christ is God incarnate; the Bible is the inspired word of God; the Holy Spirit dwells in the Church and guides it through the ages; Mary, being Mother of God, is the greatest of the saints. Both Churches profess seven sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation/ Chrismation, Eucharist, Holy Orders, Matrimony, Anointing of the Sick. Nevertheless, along with similarities, there are some differences in the main creeds, cults, and organization of the Latin and the Orthodox Christian Churches. The most significant differences are that the Latin Christians  accept the Bishop of Rome as the spiritual leader of the Church, while the  Orthodox  look to the Patriarch of Constantinople, but only as "First Among Equals" rather than as a pope. The Latin Church  holds that the Holy Spirit proceeds from both Father and Son whilst  Orthodoxy teaches that the Spirit proceeds only from the Father.  Latin Christians  state that Mary was full of grace (sinless) from conception whilst  Orthodox Church  would tend to say that she entered this state only after accepting God's wish that she become Theotokos (Mother of God). Latin Christianity  tends to be prescriptive whilst  Orthodoxy  is mystical, however, both believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Married men may be ordained as  Orthodox priests (but not bishops) whilst in  Latin Christianity  only single men may be ordained. The style of worship in Orthodoxy is more elaborate. Regardless of the existing theological and non-theological differences, both Christian confessions consider sacramental rituals, the cult of saints, icons and relics a priority. Moreover, the concept of  saints  is common to all branches of Christianity. The Apostle's Creed affirmed by all Christian denominations, states belief in the "communion of saints." In Christian doctrine, the term "saints" refers to all deceased persons who are now in heaven. Saints are special group of holy people, who are

Blood Pressure Programme for African-Caribbean Essay

Blood Pressure Programme for African-Caribbean - Essay Example Accordingt o the report finndings high blood pressure is a common health challenge in the UK, especially within the African-Caribbean community. As a result, UK residents need to know about this risk and ways they can minimize them to increase lifespans and lower healthcare costs. Researchers Michelle Hubbard, Mark Avis, and Ken Brown conducted a study to acquire an insight of the way health beliefs affect the manner in which the African-Caribbean community suffering from diabetes deal with the disease. Hubbard, Avis, and Brown used one-to-one interviews on subjects from Inner-city Nottingham between 2003 and 2004. The study recorded and analysed a sample of 16 African-Caribbean subjects diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. This research found out that childhood memories from the Caribbean, migration to the UK, and peers and relatives’ experiences with living with diabetes affected study subjects significantly. This effect affected the way the subjects dealt with their diagnoses of diabetes. The subjects’ insight and awareness of diabetes was below average, which possibly caused them to distrust or undervalue treatment and advice from professional medical practitioners. The research deduced that the discovered effects and relationships between memory and experience determine the way African-Caribbean suffers of diabetes deal with the illness. The programme will apply Beattie’s Model of Health Promotion to complete its objectives.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL ETHICS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

ARCHAEOLOGICAL ETHICS - Essay Example However, they were unable to identify where the American Indians came from. Later, many scientists described them as the lost tribes of Israel based on their traditional values, similar cultural ethics and languages. However, the new discovery of remains of Kennewick man opened many new discussions in this regard. Controversy of Kennewick Man Kennewick man case came up with many disputes among the people of different origins and classes. First, controversy is the legal controversy that was played in the courts and congress about the possession of the remains. Second was the dispute of emotional attachment to the theories of evolution versus intelligent design. In 1996, Washington was under the management of U.S Army Corps of Engineers (COE) who found a skeleton near the banks of the Columbian River. They asked an anthropologist, James Chatter to examine the skeleton. James Chatter considered it to be related to Caucasian people who lived in the Caucasian region and had more flat face s. Later, an ultraviolet examination of the bones made it one of the oldest complete set of remains found in the America. It was found to be 9000 years old. In 1996, Umatilla filed a case to return the remains to them and get it buried under The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) that Corps of Engineers (COE) accepted. Later in the year 1996, eight scientists sued the CEO and Department of Interior saying that remains of Kennewick does not fulfill the demands of NAGPRA. It is neither related biologically nor culturally to any of the modern Indian tribe. They asked for the possession of the remains for scientific research purpose. On the basis of Chatter’s claim that Kennewick has Caucasian background, Asatru Folk which was a religious group from Northern California claimed that the Kennewick should be handed over to him as he shares the ancestors with him. The controversy continued for the possession of Kennewick man and in 1997 a United States Re presentative, Richard Hasting introduced a bill in the assembly to make amendments in NAGPRA that would allow the study of remains of Kennewick man and will help to solve the issue. After a long struggle, in 1999 some federal scientists were able to study Kennewick Man and they found that it belongs to Asian people rather than the tribes of America claiming its remains. They also claimed that DNA test should be done to prove this claim that was opposed by the tribes saying that for scientists ‘race’ is a social construct and is unable to be determined biologically. Also, biological affiliation is not necessary as per NAGPRA rule and it concentrates more on the affiliation of cultural affiliation. Origin of the People in the America When it comes to origin of the people in America, the major fight is between two groups of two very different schools of thought. First, who belief the creation of humans is by the God. Second those who strongly belief in the â€Å"theory of Evolution†. Both sides, proponents of evolution and those who reject it on the basis of religious belief, have emotional sentiments over this issue. Theory of evolution says that humans are the descendents of a tiny cell of primordial protoplasm washed up on an ocean beach about thirty two billion years ago. Those who reject the theory of evolution are of the view that if it is purely by chance then there is no point of existence of God.

MYOB's Interdepartmental Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

MYOB's Interdepartmental Communication - Essay Example This is referred to as interdepartmental communication. Every department needs to communicate with the other departments to inform them as to what are the updates and/or changes that a particular department would be implementing. It is not to know whether the department is doing its designated task, however it is more on knowing how the change would affect the organization as a whole. A particular department’s change would definitely affect the whole company as each department is linked to one another (Carroll, 2010, pp. 10-12). Though working in just one company, people from different departments still find it difficult to communicate with other people belonging to another department. As Carroll (2010, p. 11) expressed, â€Å"interdepartmental communication is a challenge in many industries – one department may not know how its action or inaction affects another department. The managers may incorrectly assume that other departments understand what they need and why.â €  It is not good to assume that everything is okay when memorandums are sent. There should be counter-checking with regard to the comprehension of the memos that were transmitted. MYOB has been providing Australia and New Zealand with downloadable computer software which aids many professionals in their jobs since 1991. Since the company uses the worldwide web as its medium in disseminating this software, the company has options to expand its market internationally without any additional cost (MYOB, 2012). It is known that when a company starts expanding, there would be a need to create departments that would focus on particular aspects of maintaining the website and running the company as a whole at the headquarters. Though working in the same company, there would be instances that employees would not be given the chance to meet everybody on the payroll. The usual mode of communication used in companies in recent years is through company’s electronic mail or e-mail. If s uch is the case, an employee should habitually check his company e-mail for the latest memos or updates circulated to everyone, or an e-mail directly addressed to the person for any issues that need clarifications, or just any direct instruction or message. With the numerous tasks waiting to be accomplished, there would be times that an employee would only be able to check the e-mail at least twice a day, which would be upon coming to work and before leaving the workplace. Since the company is dealing with customers purchasing their products online, people who are using the software can either use the phone numbers listed on the website or just click on the picture on their Contact Us page to be redirected to the proper support group. For this kind of company, it is the support group and the technical department that need to ensure that their interdepartmental communication is synched. Other department that should be synched with each other are the finance and the advertising depart ments. During the latter part of 2011, MYOB released the latest version of one of its accounting software. This should be kudos to the technical department. However, as reported by Sholto Macpherson (2011), there were bugs present in the newer version that either slows down the program itself or makes it unusable at all. Surely, the support group received complaints regarding the bug; however, the technical team was not properly informed about the concern. The scenario would be likely as the latter statement or the technical team

The History and Future of Social Networking Research Paper

The History and Future of Social Networking - Research Paper Example Apart from this, they may make use of the additional services offered online, such as joining of groups or communities. Social networks are mostly established over the World Wide Web and give the users an opportunity to interact with each other, via messaging, email and sharing of pictures or videos. Often in scenarios, online community service may also fall under the aforementioned banner, as they tend to be group-centered. Social networking sites may give birth to new innovations and ideas amongst people. Body There are numerous types of social networking sites or services; however the most common types are those which allow the users to connect with friends maintain categories and introduce recommendations. Most of the social networking sites are based in America and include the likes of Facebook, Google Plus. Linked In and Twitter are used globally by billions of people, across the globe (Meyerson, 2010, p.141). It must be noted that the authorities have carried out several effor ts at homogenizing the social networking service. These steps were taken in order to reduce duplication on the social networking sites. In the year 2011, the results of a survey showed that more than forty seven percent of the Americans were avid users of social networking sites and services. ... The conception of social networking services was done through the Bulletin Board System. The Bulletin Board System was a software that permitted the users to connect to the system, making use of the respective program, making communication effective. However, the Bulletin Board System proved rather ineffective in the longer run, as connections could not be established through longer distances and it was expensive in cost. Before the Internet could come into limelight as the sole medium for social networking services, there were other avenues that opened along the way too. CompuServe was one of such initiatives, introduced in the 1970s and later made public during the 1980s decade. This service permitted its members to have access to news and events across the world. They also enjoyed the liberty of sharing files and pictures with each other, sending instant messages via email and joining the discussion forums of CompuServe. â€Å"But if there is a true precursor to today’s so cial networking sites, it was likely spawned under the AOL umbrella. In many ways, and for many people, AOL was the Internet before the Internet, and its member-created communities, complete with searchable â€Å"Member Profiles,† in which users would list pertinent details about themselves, were arguably the service’s most fascinating, forward-thinking feature† (Goble, 2012). The year 1995, gave birth to the revolution in the Internet industry with the evolution of websites, such as Yahoo, Amazon and MSN, which were to set the foundations of the current social networking strata in the world. The social networking services have observed an emerging trend in the recent past. These social bookmarking websites are increasing in numbers day after day, every day a new website is launched

Tell Me About Blood Essay Example for Free

Tell Me About Blood Essay 1)What is the significance of a lower-than-normal hematocrit? What is the effect of a bacterial infection of the hematocrit? Can cause bleeding destruction of red blood cells causing sickle cell anemia and an enlarged spleen it can also cause decreased production of red blood cells which in turn can cause cancer and bone marrow suppression. Nutritional problems as well as over hydration are caused by lower-than-normal hematocrit levels. Bacterial infection may lower your hematocrit levels. 2)Compare the development of lymphocytes with the development of the other formed elements. Lymphocytes and other formed elements are developed from pluripotent stem cells. The pluripotent stem cells generate myeloid stem cells and lymphoid stem cells. Lymphoid stem cells begin development in the red bone marrow, but some are completed in the lymphatic tissue, where they give rise to lymphocytes. Myeloid stem cell begins and complete their development in the red bone marrow and give rise to red blood cells, platelets, basophils, monocytes, neutrophils, and eosinophils. 3)What is erythropoiesis? Which factors speed up and slow down erythropoiesis? Erythropoiesis is a process in which red blood cells are produced. It is stimulated by decreased O2 in circulation, which is detected by the kidneys which then secrete the hormone erythropoietin, increased level of physical activity can also cause an increase in erythropoiesis. It slows down when there is sufficient oxygen carrying capacity of the blood. 4)Explain what would happen if a person with type B blood were given a transfusion of type O blood. Nothing would happen type O is a universal donor. 5) References Li, W., Wang, J., Long, R., Su, G., Bukhory, D., Dai, J., Wang, Z. (2014). Novel Antibody against a Glutamic Acid-Rich Human Fibrinogen-Like Protein 2-Derived Peptide near Ser91 Inhibits hfgl2 Prothrombinase Activity. Plos ONE, 9(4), 1-13. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0094551 Sreenivasamurthy, S. K., Dey, G., Ramu, M., Kumar, M., Gupta, M. K., Mohanty, A. K., Keshava Prasad, T. S. (2013). A compendium of molecules involved in vector-pathogen interactions pertaining to malaria. Malaria Journal, 12(1), 1-7. doi:10.1186/1475

Analysis of The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton

Analysis of The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton Context By the time the bloody chaos of the First World War finally came to an end on November 11, 1918, the American novelist Edith Wharton had already been living as an expatriate in Paris for five years. During that time, she had essentially ceased to write fiction and had turned her energies instead to the Allied effort by providing war relief for soldiers and refugees. Her devotion and enthusiasm for her work was, in fact, enough to win her the French Legion of Honor. By the end of the war, however, Wharton found herself disturbed by what she saw as the profound social disruptions that had been brought on by the war. In the months after the armistice, she again picked up her pen to write what many critics consider to be her war novel. One would be hard pressed, however, to find any elements within The Age of Innocence that even remotely address the disruption and the bloodshed of the First World War. Set in 1870s New York, Whartons novel depicts a society that is in many ways the antithesis of war-devastated Europe. Old New York, Whartons term to describe this wealthy and elite class at the top of the developing citys social hierarchy, was a society utterly intent on maintaining its own rigid stability. To Wharton, Old New York imposed on its members set rules and expectations for practically everything: manners, fashions, behaviors, and even conversations. Those who breached the social code were punished, with exquisite politeness, by the other members. The differences between the fractured society following the First World War and the Old New York of The Age of Innocence are without a doubt dramatic. However, there is more of a connection between them than may first appear. Edith Wharton herself was born into the claustrophobic world of Old New York. When she began, at the age of fifty-seven, to write what would become her Pulitzer-prize winning novel, she had already witnessed an astounding amount of social change. Both horrified and fascinated by the chaos and the freedom of the new century as it headed towards modernism and war, Wharton was prompted to compare this new age with that of her own past. The Age of Innocence, then, stands as both a personal recollection of the culture of Whartons youth and an historical study of an old-fashioned world on the brink of profound and permanent change. It is believed that the expression keeping up with the Joneses once specifically referred to Edith Jones Whartons parents, who were known throughout New York for their lavish social gatherings. Born into such an atmosphere of opulence, Wharton had access to all the privileges of an upper- class upbringing: education, travel, and the assurance of a good marriage. Yet for all the luxury of her youth, Wharton felt her individuality continually stifled by the rigid expectations and narrow perspectives of her class. Not surprisingly, these sentiments become central themes in The Age of Innocence. Unhappily married at an early age to a man thirteen years her senior, Wharton faced, like Ellen Olenska, the temptations of adultery and the censure of divorce. As a writer, too, Wharton faced the criticisms of her class, who disdained and feared what they called the bohemian life of artists and writers. Post-war Paris was a far cry from this stifling environment, and Wharton was interested in tracing the differences between her past and present not only on a personal level, but also a historico-anthropological level. By the end of the War, rigid Old New York appeared as a lost world, a defunct civilization that bore little similarity to the present era. Like many authors of her time, Wharton was interested in evolutionary theories and the newly developing field of anthropology. To a great extent, it is this interest in the sociology of Old New York that gives the novel its keen sense of detached irony. While post-Civil War New York saw itself as the pinnacle of civilization, Wharton undercuts this picture by comparing its unbending societal customs to those of the most primitive tribes. Plot Overview Newland Archer couldnt be more pleased with his recent engagement to the beautiful debutante May Welland. However, his world is thrown upside down by the sensational arrival of Mays cousin, Countess Ellen Olenska. Recently returned to America after separating from her husband, a philandering Polish count, Countess Olenska shocks the staid New York aristocracy with her revealing clothes, carefree manners, and rumors of adultery. Because the Countesss family, headed by the powerful Mrs. Manson Mingott, have chosen to reintroduce her into good society, Archer and May feel it necessary to befriend her. As Archer comes to better know the Countess, he begins to appreciate her unconventional views on New York society. Meanwhile, Archer becomes increasingly disillusioned with his new fianceà ©, May. He begins to see her as the manufactured product of her class: polite, innocent, and utterly devoid of personal opinion and sense of self. The Countess Olenska soon announces her intention of divorcing her husband. While Archer supports her desire for freedom, he feels compelled to act on behalf of the Mingott family and persuade Ellen to remain married. At a friends cottage near Hudson, Archer realizes that he is in love with Ellen. He abruptly leaves the next day for Florida, where he is reunited with May and her parents, who are there on vacation. There, he presses May to shorten their engagement. May becomes suspicious and asks him if his hurry to get married is prompted by the fear that he is marrying the wrong person. Archer reassures May that he is in love with her. Back in New York, Archer calls on Ellen, and Archer admits that he is in love with her. Just then, a telegram arrives from May, announcing that her parents have pushed forward the wedding date. After their wedding and honeymoon in Europe, Archer and May settle down to married life in New York. Over time, Archers memory of Ellen fades to a wistful image. But on vacation in Newport, he is reunited with her, and Ellen promises not to return to Europe as long as she and Newland do not act upon their love for each other. Back in New York, Archer learns that Count Olenski wants his wife to return to him and that Ellen has refused. After the stroke of her grandmother, Ellen returns to New York to care for her. She and Archer agree to consummate their affair. But suddenly, Ellen announces her intention to return to Europe. May throws a farewell party for Ellen, and after the guests leave, May announces to Archer that she is pregnant and that she told Ellen her news two weeks earlier. Twenty-five years pass. In that time, the Archers have had three children and May has died from pneumonia. Now Archers son convinces him to travel to France. There, they arrange to visit the Countess Olenska at her Paris apartment. However, at the last minute Archer sends his son alone to visit her, content instead to live with his memories of the past. Character List Newland Archer The novels protagonist. Archer is a wealthy young lawyer married to the beautiful debutante May Welland. He is in love, however, with Mays cousin Countess Ellen Olenska, who represents to him the freedom missing from the suffocating environment of the New York aristocracy. Archer is torn between his duty to May and to his family, and his passion for Ellen. In the end, he remains faithful to his wife and comes to be known in society as a philanthropist and civic figure. Countess Ellen Olenska Mays cousin and Mrs. Manson Mingotts granddaughter. Ellen was educated and raised in Europe. There, she married a Polish count, who cheated on her and prompted her to leave him. Upon her return to New York family, she hopes to be reintegrated to American life, but she finds only judgmentality and stifling mores. Her behavior is deemed too unorthodox for her to fit in to Old New York. To Archer, however, she is free and truly alive, her own person. May Welland The dewy-eyed and artless young thing who marries Archer. May appears to be unassailably innocent. Over time, Archer comes to see her as the living embodiment of New York society: incapable of thinking on her own, conditioned to act as she is expected. Despite her apparent innocence, May is not as naà ¯ve as Newland thinks. However, she remains a loyal wife even after she suspects that Newland is having an affair with Countess Olenska. Mrs. Manson Mingott Grandmother to May and Ellen, Mrs. Mingott is a fat and fiery old aristocratic lady who wields great influence over the New York clan. While her moral standards are irreproachable, she has some unorthodox social views. She insists on family solidarity and remains confident in Ellen, supporting her financially when she leaves New York to return to Europe. Henry and Louisa van der Luyden The descendants of pre-Revolutionary Dutch aristocracy, this elderly couple is the last word in social authority. They are last in a long line of powerful social leaders. Very quiet and non-adventurous people, they are rarely seen in public and only rarely invite guests to their solemn Madison Avenue mansion. Julius Beaufort Little is known about this British bankers past, but it is widely rumored that he left Europe after some shady business deals. With his elaborate annual balls, Beaufort is one of the most important and lavish hosts of New York entertainment. Following a scandalous business failure, he is swiftly exiled from good society. Mrs. Archer and Janey Archer Mother and sister of Archer, these two women act almost like sisters. Somewhat socially timid, they love to gossip, grow ferns, and make lace. While they are devoted to Archer, they are nonetheless frequently shocked by his social views. Lawrence Lefferts Widely considered to be the arbiter of good taste and moral values, Lefferts is also a huge gossip and an unfaithful husband. There are suspicions that he courted Countess Olenska soon after her arrival and was soundly rejected. Sillerton Jackson An elderly gentleman and good friend of the Archer family. Jackson is the unofficial archivist of all New York gossip and family history. Medora Manson The eccentric old aunt of Ellens, Medora raised her after the deaths of Ellens parents. A penniless itinerant, she is repeatedly widowed, and is tolerated by society only because of her family connections. Ned Winsett The bohemian journalist friend of Archer. Ned Winsett is one of the few people with whom Archer can really converse. He sees him as both an emblem of social freedom and its immense costs. Mrs. Lemuel Struthers Although as heir to a shoe polish fortune Mrs. Struthers is considered common, she becomes a popular hostess known for her artistic gatherings. Summary The novel opens in the new opera house, where all of New Yorks high society has assembled in its expensive box seats to see and to be seen. Newland Archer, the protagonist, has just arrived fashionably late and joins his friends in time for the climax of the opera. As he glances across the filled theater, he spots May Welland, his new fianceà ©, seated in the box of her aristocratic old grandmother, Mrs. Manson Mingott. Archer, struck anew by her pure and innocent beauty, dreams of blissful married life with May. His reverie is abruptly interrupted by his acquaintance Larry Lefferts, who notices a stranger entering the Mingott box. A slim young woman wearing a theatrical and low-cut dress takes a seat in the box, seemingly unconscious of all the attention she attracts. With shock, Archer realizes that this woman is no other than the Countess Ellen Olenska, cousin to May Welland, who has returned to New York after having lived abroad for many years. Lefferts, considered to be the authority on form, or style and fashion, and Sillerton Jackson, the unofficial archivist of all family histories and scandals within the upper class, are both shocked that the Countess would appear in good society with the rest of her family. We learn through their gossip that it is rumored that she had left her unfaithful husband, a Polish count. Newland admires the fiery and somewhat unorthodox determination of Mrs. Manson Mingott to support this black sheep of her family by not only hosting her indefinitely in her home, but also by allowing her to appear publicly in the family box at the Opera. Yet at the same time he is bothered that all of New York society will see such a scandalous figure sitting next to his innocent young fiancee. As the men continue to gossip, Archer feel compelled to take decisive action. As the fiancà © of May Welland, he decides that he has the responsibility to defend the Mingott clan. During intermission, he hurries over to the Mingott box. Although no words are exchanged between May and himself as to the reason for his sudden appearance, she shows her understanding of the situation and her gratitude to Archer with her smile. Both she and Archer are aware that by appearing in the Mingott box with the Countess Olenska, Archer is demonstrating his connection to that family and his support of their decision to include the Countess in their social activities. Archer is introduced to Olenska, who was one of his childhood playmates. He is struck by her flippant, friendly manners and finds her descriptions of New York society rather disrespectful. After the opera, many of the wealthy New York families attend the annual ball at the Beaufort residence. Julius Beaufort, we learn, is a handsome, charming, and disreputable Englishman with a shady financial history and a strong tendency toward infidelity; his wife Regina is a pretty but dull woman of reputable family background. Although many consider the Beauforts to be common, no one would ever pass their elaborate and ostentatious balls, which provide a cornerstone for New York social activities. At the ball, Archer and May officially announce their engagement. In a moment alone together in the conservatory, they express their happiness. May suddenly asks Archer to announce their engagement to her cousin Ellen Olenska. Ellen, to the relief of her family, did not attend the Beauforts ball. Analysis In the opening chapter of The Age of Innocence, Wharton immediately evokes a specific time, a place, and a society. Her panoramic description of the opera is highly effective as an introductory setting, for it not only acclimates the reader to the fashions and entertainment preferences of Old New York, but it also presents the members of this society as if they were an assembly, a closely-knit collection of individuals and families. The fact that everyone in good society attends the opera demonstrates immediately their similar tastes in art and entertainment. Yet the opera does not serve merely as a bonding activity for the very rich. Indeed, the members of the audience scrutinize each other far more than the opera itself, singling out in particular the fashions and manners of their peers. One goes to the opera to see and to be seen, to judge and to be judged. This may explain why Wharton is quick to introduce two characters who are otherwise minor to the plot. She singles Larry Lefferts out of the crowd as the foremost authority on form. Form, or a code that indicates the acceptable tastes in fashion and manners, is extremely important to this society, which is so concerned with appearances. And an unusual dress or a flippant attitude may, in fact, signify more than just a lack of taste but also a lack of proper moral values. Such a potential wantonness threatens to destabilize the delicate existing code and is therefore judged harshly. In addition to Lefferts, Wharton pauses over the character of Sillerton Jackson, the unofficial archivist of family histories. Not only does Jackson know every blood and marital relationship within the tight clan of Old New York, he also knows each familys scandals, whether real or rumored. Thanks to Jackson, ones private history does not remain a secret for long. Here and throughout the novel, Wharton employs certain imagery by which to portray Old New York society. She describes the evening at the opera as an extremely predictable event: one arrives there fashionably late, every family has a carriage waiting for them at the entrance, and even the ball at Beauforts that follows is an annual tradition. On a basic level, Whartons language indicates how boring such a world can be; no one acts differently from anyone else and there is no variation in the course of events from year to year. In the following chapters, Archer will become more and more frustrated with the monotony of this stultifying environment. On a more symbolic level, Wharton ironically compares the traditional behaviors and codes of cultured Old New York with those of primitive or ancient cultures. Both are obsessed with ritual events and behaviors, she indicates, and Archers concern with acceptable behavior is no different from the totem terrors that had ruled the destinies of his forefathers thousands of years ago. It is, of course, the arrival of Countess Ellen Olenska that brings tension to this perfectly ordered scene. Thanks to the good memory and loose tongue of Sillerton Jackson, Ellens appearance is preceded by her reputation. It is important to note Jacksons exclamation upon seeing Ellen in her familys opera box: I didnt think the Mingotts would have tried it on. With this statement is the implication that the actions of an individual reflect upon the family. Jackson is shocked not only because a woman of somewhat ill repute is seen amongst good society, but also because her family is choosing to support such a black sheep. Newland Archer is aware of the crucial importance of the Mingott familys sense of solidarity. When he sees how his friends negatively respond to the appearance of Ellen, he rushes over to the Mingott family box. Since May is a member of this family and Archer soon will be, it is his duty to defend their decision to include Ellen. Simply by appearing in the Mingott box, Archer is sending a clear non-verbal signal to the rest of the New York clan. This gesture, just like Mays grateful glance at Archer, is a subtle but unequivocal form of communication. Throughout the novel, Wharton must interpret these actions for her readers, for often the spoken words of her characters do not contain as much meaning as (and in some cases relate the opposite meaning of) the gesture. In the third chapter, the character of Julius Beaufort provides a clear example of the discrepancy of appearance versus reality. His personal history is spotty at best, and he is notorious for his womanizing. But because of his immaculate dress and public display of manners and hospitality, he is accepted by the New York clan. As long as Beaufort-or anyone, for that matter-can hide the unpleasantness of his past, he will be welcomed into good society. Chapters 4-6 Summary As is expected of all newly engaged couples, Archer and May begin a series of betrothal visits to their friends and relatives. The first is to Mrs. Manson Mingott, who lives by herself in a grand and unorthodox mansion near Central Park. Because of her tremendous obesity, she is confined to her house; but because of her social influence, she is not isolated from the rest of society. Mrs. Mingott happily receives the couple and instructs May on wedding preparations. As they are about to take their leave, Ellen Olenska returns home from shopping with Julius Beaufort. Archer notices that Mrs. Mingott greets them both cordially; she does not seem to consider it improper, as he does, that a married man should be seen in daylight with a recently-separated woman. As Archer leaves, he speaks briefly to the Countess about his engagement to May. She is very pleased and asks Archer to call on her soon. As Archer leaves, he inwardly remarks that the Countesss behavior with Beaufort is most likely acceptable in Europe. All the same, he is glad he is marrying a member of his own New York clan. The next evening Sillerton Jackson dines with Archer and Archers mother and sister at their home. Jackson and the two women are eager to gossip about the arrival of the Countess Olenska. When the conversation inevitably drifts to discussing her appearance in public with Beaufort, Archer shocks his family by claiming that she has the right to go where she chooses and that he hopes the Countess will get a divorce from her brutish husband, even if such things are seldom done. He remarks that he is tired of a double standard for the affairs of men and women and that it is time for women to be as free as men. Alone in his study after dinner, Archer contemplates his approaching marriage to May. Regarding her picture, he wonders to what extent she is the product of her society. Recalling his assertion at dinner that women should have the same freedoms as men, he now concludes that the nice women of his class were brought up to never desire freedom. Archer suddenly realizes that although he wants his future wife to be free and to form her own thoughts, she has been carefully trained by her family not to possess such traits. To him, May is innocent because she is ignorant. While he remains unwavering in his decision to marry her, he begins to feel that his marriage will not be entirely what he had previously expected. A few days later, the Mingott family is in great distress. After having sent out invitations for a formal dinner to be held in honor of the Countess Olenska, they have received refusals from practically all of the invites. It is clear that New York has decided to scorn the Count ess Olenska by not attending her welcoming dinner. In protest, Archer appeals to his mother to talk with Henry and Louisa van der Luyden. The van der Luydens, a frail old couple who are seldom seen in public and receive only their most intimate friends at home, are regarded as the most powerful and most elite figures in New York society. Archer hopes that their influence can atone for the slight that has been dealt to the Countess and her family. Analysis Chapter 4 opens with one of the most humorous character sketches in the novel. The immensely large Mrs. Manson Mingott is an intriguing character to Archer because of her slightly unorthodox living arrangement and her candid way of speaking. Because of her impeccable moral character and high societal status, her free style of conversation does not scandalize others or disrupt the given social standards. As such, she can easily get away with making some perceptive and occasionally critical insights into the society of Old New York. When Beaufort arrives with Countess Olenska at Mrs. Mingotts home, she asks him if he will be inviting Mrs. Lemuel Struthers and remarks that New York is in need of new blood and new money. While Old New York is intensely close-knit and hostile to nouveau-riche outsiders, it is also in risk of isolating itself completely from the rest of the world, to the detriment of its own health. The character of Newland Archer also takes on several nuances in these cha pters. In the opening Opera scene, Archer appears to be as preoccupied with correct appearances as his friends. At Mrs. Mingotts house, Wharton demonstrates how Archers thoughts on form depart from the norm. He admires Mrs. Mingotts strong personality and the slight sense of impropriety in the arrangement of her house. Yet Archer is relieved when he discovers that Ellen is out for the day, for he fears the controversy associated with her. His acceptance of unconventionality, then, is limited. Mrs. Mingotts harmless banter is not nearly as destabilizing as Ellens behavior in walking in public with Beaufort, which threatens the social code to which Archer is accustomed. In chapters five and six, we also get a glimpse into Archers thoughts on women. At dinner with his family and Sillerton Jackson, Archer attempts to defend Ellens right to have an affair following the infidelities of her husbands by proclaiming that women should be as free as men when it came to their personal relations hips. Yet Archers attempts at gender equality are belied by many of his other comments. Later that evening, he remarks to Jackson that he is sick of the hypocrisy that would bury alive a woman of her age if her husband prefers to live with harlots. While he does here defend Ellens right to manage her own affairs, he labels other women who have made similar choices as harlots. Archer also shows his unequal treatment of women in regards to his own past. In the novels elliptical allusions to his former mistress, Archer is always inclined to judge her actions harshly. Archer is also led to wonder about the usefulness of asserting such rights for women. Although he loves and admires May, he sees that she has been brought up to be a nice woman, one who would never request the right to have an affair. With this revelation, Archer begins to realize just how circumscribed the lives of May and other women in New York society really are. They have been brought up never to question inequalities or double standards. In fact, it is as if they are not even aware that such inequalities exist. They exist in a state of perpetual innocence, untroubled by what they do not know. With this revelation, Archer becomes further disillusioned with the strict codes of Old New York. Chapters 7-9 Summary At the van der Luydens formal and ostentatious Madison Avenue home, Archer and his mother relate the slight given to the Countess Olenska. The van der Luydens decide to stand by the Countess on principle: if her family has already decided to support her admittance into society, the rest of society must support their decision. To make amends, the van der Luydens decide to include the Countess at their reception for the Duke of St. Austrey. In the course of the next week, before attending the reception for the Duke, Archer learns much about the past of the Countess Olenska. After the early deaths of her itinerant parents, Ellen was left under the guardianship of her aunt Medora Manson, an eccentric and frequently widowed woman. After the death of Medoras most recent husband, she packed up and left with Ellen in tow. For years nothing was heard of them, until news reached New York that Ellen had married the extremely wealthy Polish Count Olenski. A few years later, the marriage ended in disaster, and Ellen decided to return to her New York family to recuperate. After learning of Ellens history, Archer is curious to see how-if at all-she will adapt to New York society. At the Dukes reception, the Countess raises eyebrows by appearing late and somewhat disheveled. After dinner, she leaves the side of the Duke (with whom she is expected to converse) in order to talk with Archer. They discuss, primarily, his engagement to May. The Countess reveals her ignorance of New York social customs by asking Archer if the marriage was arranged. When Archer corrects her, she embarrassedly admits that she often forgets that what is bad in European culture is good, by contrast, in American culture. As the conversation is interrupted by the other guests, Countess Olenska bids Archer to call on her at her new home the next day. Archer arrives late at the Countesss shabby, slightly bohemian flat that following day, only to find her away. He decides to wait in her living room until she returns. While he waits, he examines the room, which is artfully decorated with European bric-a-brac and exotic works of art. To Archer, who is used to the standardized Italian art appreciated by those in his class, the Countesss furnishings are novel and intriguing. Suddenly, from the window he sees the Countess descend from Beauforts cab. Inside the flat, Archer is interested by the Countesss novel, if slightly shocking, opinions on the fashions and the families of Old New York. She, in turn, looks to Archer for advice about fitting in to the New York clan. When he explains how misleading appearances are in New York, Ellen responds by bursting into tears. She remarks to Archer that the most lonely aspect of living in New York is that she is required to live around well-meaning people who insist that she pretend to be someone she is not in order to spare them any unpleasantness. Their conversation is interrupted by the entrance of the Duke and Mrs. Lemuel Struthers. Archer leaves, somewhat relieved to be spared any more upsetting emotion. As he stops by the florist to send May her daily bouquet of lilies-of- the-valley, he decides impulsively to send a bouquet of yellow roses to Countess Olenska. Analysis Wharton commences Chapter 7 with a detailed account of the nature of the power structure and chain of command within the tight-knit high society of New York. As the sole descendants of one of the most wealthy and aristocratic families in the city, Henry and Louisa van der Luyden serve as legislatures, executives, and judges in regards to certain social problems. It is they who determine the laws of family solidarity. Because Ellens family supports her, everyone outside the family must honor their decision and treat her as one of them. It is also they who judge the severity of the offense against Ellen Olenska; Wharton describes them as the Court of last appeals. And finally, it is they who decide that action must be taken to amend for the insult. By inviting the Countess to their formal reception for the Duke, the van der Luydens send an unmistakable message to those who have previously slighted Ellen. Wharton makes her depiction of the van der Luydens ironic by several different means. First of all, she shows the inconsistencies between the van der Luydens as individuals and as leaders. For all the stuffy splendor of their house and the formal quality of their interview with the Archers, Henry and Louisa are shy and retiring people who dont much like to entertain. They seldom leave their home, due both to health problems and a genuine fear of venturing out in public. Secondly, Wharton describes them in anthropological terms. The van der Luydens are mouth pieces of some remote ancestral authority which fate compelled them to wield. Wharton subtly hints that there is something primitive about the van der Luydens influence over society and that their power is due more to wealth and bloodline than to their capability and temperament. For a society that prides itself on its high culture, such a hierarchy of power seems rather crude and primeval. And finally, Whartons physical description of this harmless old couple involves a large amount of death imagery. Louisa looks like she was rather gruesomely preserved in the airless atmosphere of a perfectly irreproachable existence. This is not unlike the way Wharton sees Mrs. Mingott as a doomed city trapped under her own weight in Chapter 4. In both these cases, Whartons juxtaposition of authority figures with death imagery indicates the ineffectual nature of their power. Ruled by such archaic individuals, Old New York potentially faces a waning of power itself, or even extinction. In Chapters 8 and 9, we begin to get a better grasp of Ellens personality. Up until this point, we have seen Ellen primarily through the eyes of others: through the gossip at the opera and through Archers opinions based on their brief encounters. Now the picture of Ellen becomes more complete through the recounting of her personal history, the descriptions of her exotically furnished apartment, and through her own conversations with Archer. The very nature of their discussion proves to Archer Ellens foreignness and her lack of traditional manners. Unlike May and the rest of New York who communicate indirectly through glances and euphemistic speech, Ellen is quite candid in her opinions. She directly criticizes