Tuesday, October 29, 2019

What pressures shaped the nature and timing of decolonisation in Essay

What pressures shaped the nature and timing of decolonisation in Palestine - Essay Example ine was not considered as a full country, but rather an informal settlement of non-Jewish Muslims whose influence would threaten the presence of the state of Israel. However, new forces began to emerge which led to the ultimate decolonization of the country and the current clamor to enter into the united nations under a full recognition charter. The pressures, intrigues and forces that gave impetus to the freedom struggle in Israel have been attributed to a number of factors inherent in the country and beyond. In this paper, various forces and activities that led to the final decolonization of Palestine will be discussed to illustrate the various interests and events that occurred during the process1. The beginning of the 20th century was marked by significant push and clamor to create a Jewish state in the Middle East for the settlement of the Israelis who were living in different countries across the world. The support of Britain and the United States was being sought for the creation of a Jewish community settlement in Middle East despite the opposition of the Arab countries2. This led to the Balfour declaration in 1917 which increased the hopes of the Israelis that the British and the Americans will finally support their resettlement in a region they believed was their ancestral home3. Before this declaration, Arthur Balfour scripted a letter to Lord Rothschild, one of the few Jewish people who had influence and wealth to determine the historical directions of the race. Rothschild had influence among the Americans and the British foreign secretary invoked his influence in beginning a process that will finally create a Jewish settlement within the Middle East. In this letter, Balfour declared that he will support attempts to create a permanent establishment for the Jewish people within the area under the control of the Palestine. He however highlighted that specific safeguards must be adopted to ensure that the non-Jewish Palestinians were also given

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Women in World War II

Women in World War II The changes that women underwent in the late 1930s and early 1940s would be felt by generations to come. Many women lives changed in many ways during World War II. Men went to war and went to work in factories in other parts of the country. With fewer men in the workforce, women had to fill more traditionally male jobs and had to pick up their husbands responsibilities. Most women thought there place was to be in the home and to take care of the wounded soldiers. Their main responsibility was cooking, cleaning, taking care of the children, and looking her best. Women were not only asked to complete daily chores and responsibilities that were normally expected of them, instead they were asked to go to work during war time. So when the war broke out, and it was clear that America would not be able to win the war without the help of their women. The traditional housewives and mothers turned into wartime workers. During World War II, many women found that their roles, opportunities, and responsibilities expanded dramatically. When World War II started, everyone agreed that workers were needed. They also agreed that having women work in the industries would be temporary. But the United States government had to overcome challenges to recruit women to the workforce. So the government decided to launch a propaganda campaign to sell the importance of the war effort and to lure women into working. WhenÂÂ  most men went off to fight, women were left to pick up the work the men left behind and forcing wives and mothers to keep life running smoothly. It was soon realized that, no matter how untraditional or unfeminine it was for a woman to work outside the home, it would have to be done. Women worked in all manner of production ranging from making ammunition to uniforms to aeroplanes. The hours they worked were long and some women had to move to where the factories were. Those who moved away were paid more. More than 1,000 women served as pilots associated with the US Air Force in the WASP (Women Airforce Ser vice Pilots) but were considered civil service workers, and werent recognized for their military service until the 1970s.(Lewis) Women became welders and riveters in the aircraft, shipbuilding, and ordnance industries, demonstrating their competence in what were male jobs. Women faced inequality while they went to work in industries. Management denied them equal status in the workplace. Women often encountered hostility from male coworkers and managers. Segregation by gender was common on the shop floor, and separate seniority lists were kept for men and women. They were also paid a lower wage than what I man would get paid. Even though women faced inequality they had jobs as mechanics, engineers, tank drivers, plumbers, building ships, and making bombs and aircraft parts during the war. As women were the managers of the home, the shortage of domestic resources fell more heavily on women to provide. Womens shopping and food preparation habits were affected by having to deal with stamps or other rationing methods, as well as the increased likelihood that she was working outside the home in addition to her homemaking responsibilities. Suddenly as a result of the war much of the supplies that a housewife used to complete her everyday chores were gone. A 1940s housewife could not buy a staple like sugar at the grocery store, because the sugar cane supply was significantly diminshed. What sugar was left was vital to the war effort, because it makes molasses; molasses makes ethyl alcohol; and alcohol makes the powder which fires guns and serves as Torpedo fuel, dynamite, nitrocotton, and other chemicals desperately needed by the American military. The availability of this product to the American people was very limited and as a result it was considered a rationed item. Man y worked in volunteer organizations connected with the war effort. Women were urged by organized propaganda campaigns to practice helping the economy by carrying groceries instead of using the car to preserve tire rubber for the war effort, to grow more of their family food in victory gardens, to sew and repair clothing rather than buying new clothes, raise money and contribute to war bonds, and give confidence of the war effort through sacrifice. However, more than 59,000 American nurses served in the Army Nurse Corps during World War II.(Osborn) Nurses worked closer to the front lines than they ever had before. With establishment of the Army Medical Department during the war, nurses served under fire in field and evacuation hospitals, trains, and ships, and as flight nurses on medical transport planes. The skill and work of these nurses contributed to low injuries among American military forces in every part of the war. Only a small number of black nurses were accepted in the Army Nurse Corps during World War II because of the Quota System. It was imposed by the segregated army during the two years of the war which held down the number of black enrollments. The Army limited the number of black nurses in the Nurse Corps to 160.(Osborn) Army authorities argued that assignments available to black nurses were limited because they were only allowed to care for black troops in black wards or hospitals. American soldiers who receiv ed care but could not be helped either died from wounds or diseases. The Womens Army Corps was successful because its mission, to aid the United States in time of war, was part of a larger national effort that required selfless sacrifice from all Americans. The war effort initiated vast economic and social changes, and indelibly altered the role of women in American society.ÂÂ   As a result, when the United States entered the war, 12 million women were already working and by the end of the war, the number was up to 18 million due to the promoting of the fictional character Rosie the Riveter as the ideal worker: loyal, efficient, patriotic, and pretty. Women responded to the call to work differently depending on race, age, class, marital status, and number of children.(Gluck) Half of the women that took the jobs were minority or lower-class women who were already in the workforce. They switched from low paying jobs to higher factory paying jobs. But with the women they had, it was not enough they recruited women that were graduating from high school. The demands in the labor market were so severe that women with children under six took the jobs. They did not really want married women with young children even if they were needed because their husbands would not want them to work in factories or industries. They were known as homemakers, which stayed home and c ared for the family. The government feared that the rise in working mothers would increase the rise in juvenile delinquency. Most women would quit their job if they were not happy with their pay, location, or environment. Unlike men, women suffered from double shift of work and caring for the family at home. Some working mothers had childcare problems and the public blamed them for the rise in juveniles behaviors. 90% of the mothers thought they could best serve the war effort by staying at home.(Hartmann) Women enjoyed working in male jobs but did not like the changes in mens attitudes. The women facedÂÂ  harrasment, teasing, andÂÂ  unwanted advances. One of the reason that men resentedÂÂ  women in the workplace was because, in the absence of a male majority, females demonstrated that they could survive without the domination and supervision of men. Men tried at every opportunity to return women to their proper place in the home and in society. Male employees were su spicious of women. Companies saw those womens needs and desires on the job as secondary to mens, so they were not taken seriously or given much attention. In addition, male employers denied women positions of power excluding them from the decision-making process of the company. Women wanted to be treated like the male workers and not given special consideration just because they are women. As time went on, more women entered the workforce and the attitude towards women changed. The employers praised them. As in every war, some spies and resistance fighters were women. Besides the obvious ability of women to use sexual favors and blackmail to get secrets, the image of womens purity and morality worked against suspicion of women. The wonderful needs faced by the United States during World War II created numerous new social and economic opportunities for American women. Both society as a whole and the United States military found an increasing number of roles for women. As large numbers of women entered industry and many of the professions for the first time, the military service took men and women from small towns and large cities across America and transported them around the world. After the war, many women remained in the workforce but employers forced them back to lower-paying female jobs. Most women were laid off and told to go back their homes and take care of the families. Their wartime experiences broadened their lives as well as their expectations.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Voluntary Executions :: essays research papers fc

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Voluntary Executions   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Legal executions in Californian were authorized under the criminal practice act of 1851. On Feb. 14, 1872 capital punishment was incorporated into the penal code. In 1937, the legislature provided that lethal gas replace hanging with August 27, 1937 as the effective date. The only lethal gas chamber in the state was constructed at San Quentin. The first execution by lethal gas was conducted December 2, 1938. From that date through 1967 a total of 194 persons were executed by gas, all at San Quentin. This total includes four women. For 25 years after 1967 there were no executions in California due to various state and United States Supreme Court decisions. In 1972 the California Supreme Court found that the death penalty constituted cruel and unusual punishment under the state constitution. As a result 107 individuals had their sentences changed to other than death. In November 1972, nine months after the decision, the California electorate amended that state constitution and overruled the state supreme court. The California State legislature re-enacted the death penalty statue in 1977. Under the new statue, evidence in mitigation was permitted. In January 1993, a new law went into effect allowing inmates to choose lethal injection or lethal gas as the method of execution. In October 1994, an U.S. District Judge, Northern District (San Francisco) ruled that the gas chamber was cruel and unusual punishment, barring the state from using that method of execution. (State) â€Å" This clearly permits the death penalty to be imposed and establishes beyond doubt that the death penalty is not one of the cruel and unusual punishment’s prohibited by the Eighth amendment. (Scalia) When the nation was younger, criminal routinely were put to death in public. Now, state prison officials and news media representives are locked in a fight over just how public today’s death row executions should be. News media groups in California contend that have a constitution right to witness executions in their entirety. But state officials have won court permission to bar reporters and the public until moments before poison is pumped into a condemned inmate’s veins. A federal appeals court recently ruled that California officials could bar the public and press while preparing inmates for death. The process takes about 20 minutes and includes strapping inmates onto a gurney and inserting tubes into the condemned inmates veins that will carry the lethal drugs. (Carelli)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday that the public and news media have little-if any-constitutional right to see an execution, although the judges stopped short of saying whether a state could bar reporters from executions altogether.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Internal Accountant’s Report to Management Essay

Introduction Since our company is preparing for an upcoming government contract bid, management has decided that a full Financial Status Review (FSR) prior to the release of the bid is essential. This report is to provide supporting information prior to the bid in order to evaluate if any irregularities with regard to fraud and/or abuse of the company have taken place and if so, to what effect. The report is divided into four sections, which will cover information on the effect of potential occupational fraud and abuse on the company. It will also discuss U.S. government oversight of accounting fraud and abuse and its effect on the company. Section three will provide potential corruption schemes to be aware of in the company. Finally, some recommendations will be given of types of accounting evidence and methods of gathering evidence to support the FSR and to provide reasonable assurance that no irregularities have occurred. Occupational fraud and abuse According to 2009 Global Fraud Survey organizations lose about 5% of its gross revenues to all forms of fraud and abuse in the workplace. Moreover, having to report fraud is very unhealthy for the company and its stakeholders. It can result in some negative effects like remunerations and salaries, employee base, employee benefits, but also morale and profits. Also occupational frauds and abuses usually have an adverse effect on the reputation of the company. In case of a very significant fraud it may even lead to bankruptcy. U.S. governmental oversight of accounting fraud and abuse There have been many significant accounting scandals, like Enron, Computer Associates, Xerox, Adelphia, WorldCom and Royal Ahold, that have had extensive press coverage and, despite the fact that some of them are already some years in the past, they are still being discussed. Since then many new, different and strict accounting regulations and rules have been created in order to prevent or defer fraud, abuse or waste. Many of the frauds were with regard to revenue recognition, which has led to many improvements by now. Noticeable changes have been made in the way firms from particular industries book revenues as a result of the heightened SEC scrutiny of revenue accounting; companies have become more conservative when it comes to the timing of the revenue recognition. Particularly many Internet companies have reduced the total amount of the revenue being recognized compared to the situation before the heightened scrutiny. According to a survey in FORBES, less fraud cases have been reported recently. Enforcement cases and prosecutions over the last decade were very well publicized which had a positive effect on the attitude of many companies’ senior management. Also it is said that government’s enforcement efforts have had a deterring effect. Moreover, additional requirements imposed by Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) made senior executives more concerned about the financial results reported and on which they have to sign off. It is clear that the US financial reporting environment has changed and based on the positive current events, constantly improving reporting requirements, rules and regulations, even greater changes are expected in the future. Corruption schemes Corruption has unfortunately been a very common phenomenon in the work environment throughout the years. It is defined as  ¨an intent to gain particular personal advantage at the cost of organization ¨ he/she represents. Corruption schemes are usually divided into 4 main categories: * Bribery and Kickbacks * Commercial bribery is the offering, giving, receiving or soliciting of anything of value to influence the outcome of a business transaction * It usually involves the submission of invoices that are overpriced or fictitious * Is usually undertaken by employees such as purchasing agents * Economic Extortion * Money extortion from a potential purchaser or supplier * Example: a corrupt purchasing officer demanding a payment in exchange to make a decision in the vendor’s favor * Conflicts of Interest * The situation occurs when an employee, manager or executive has an undisclosed personal or economic interest (with a negative effect on the company) * For example, the victim organization is not informed that its employees have divided royalties * This scheme includes the exertion of the insider’s influence to the detriment of the entity * Illegal Gratuities * This type of scheme is similar to bribery schemes. The only difference is that there is an intent to reward a business decision, rather than influence it * A common example is when purchasing agents are promised expensive vacations, etc. after a vendor’s contact is approved Accounting evidence and evidence gathering methods Gathering accounting evidence is a very common activity in auditing. Accounting evidence is being collected using investigative and auditing practices. For investigations, this is the evidence that lawyers and government officials can rely on for very important and high profile cases. For more routine reviews as the FSR prior to the bid, it is the type of evidence that we can rely on to give reasonable assurance that no irregularities have occurred. In both situations, the accounting evidence should be based on the following important qualities: * Relevance * Materiality * Competency The types of accounting evidence we are referring to include: * Physical evidence * Third-party representations * Documentary evidence * Computations * Data Interrelationships * Client representations * Accounting Records Since this is a FSR and not an investigative procedure, I recommend the following auditing methods to gather evidence that will provide reasonable assurance that no irregularities have occurred and that our financial statements are relevant and have been compiled in a competent manner and contain no material misstatements: * Compliance testing – to ensure that we have an adequate internal control system and that it is working effectively; an adequate level of transaction testing will have to be performed to provide this assurance * Substantive testing – a. Test of detail – for the purpose of the FSR I recommend these only when and where the internal control system does not provide the assurance we desire b. Analytical testing – I recommend these to provide further assurance that our financial statements adequately reflect the financial position of our company References: Wells, J. (2011). Principles of fraud examination (3rd ed). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Singleton, T. W., Singleton, A. J. (2010). Fraud auditing and forensic accounting. (4th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Online Source: http://safeside.ch/safeside.info/index.php/fraud-schemes/corruption/224-corruption-schemes-

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

The Breathing Process

The first step in the breathing process starts with the brain. The brain sends a message to the diaphragm, telling it to move. The diaphragm is a large dome shaped muscle that divides the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity and attaches to the ribs at the sides and the sternum in the front of the body. When the brain tells the diaphragm to move, it flattens out, enlarging the thorax of the body, the ribs, and the chest. When the chest expands, it pulls on the lungs, causing a drop in pressure in the lungs compared to the pressure of the atmosphere and air is sucked into the lungs to balance the pressures. There are many muscles used in the process of inhalation. The diaphragm is the most important. The external intercostals are on the outside of the ribs, and extend from rib to rib, in between. These muscles help to pull the lower ribs up when the chest is rising to take air into the lungs. The levatores costorum are small muscles that extend from the vertebrae to the ribs. They also aid in lifting the ribs upward. The serratus posterior superior extend down and out from the vertebrae to the upper ribs in the back. These muscles also help raise the chest. The pectoralis major is the upper chest muscle that fans out from the humerus and inserts into the sternum and the clavicle. The pectoralis minor extends from the scapula and inserts into the second through fifth ribs. This muscle is also fan shaped and helps to raise the ribs. The lattissimus dorsi (or â€Å"latts†) is the large muscle on the back extending from the lower vertebrae to the hip bone and from the ribs to the upper arm. This muscle helps to expand the lower part of the thorax. The sternocleidomastoid extends from the skull to the sternum and clavicle. It helps to pull the chest upward. The last muscle important in the act of inhaling is the scalenes, This muscle extends from the neck to the first and second ribs and helps to pull the chest upward. Exhalation: The act of exhaling is pretty much the exact reverse of inhaling. The diaphragm relaxes and goes back into its dome-like shape. The ribs, chest, and thorax lower and return to their natural position. Gravity also plays a part in lowering the chest, ribs, and thorax. The lungs, elastic air passages, and chest wall recoil, and exhalation occurs. There are also many muscles that are involved with the process of exhaling. The abdominals are the primary muscles of exhalation. They pull in a down and out motion, helping to lower the chest and contract the diaphragm and other muscles. The internal intercostals are on the inside of the ribs and extend between them. They help to pull the ribs downward and inward. The subcostals are also on the inside of the ribs and extend upward and outward from the lower rib to the higher rib. These muscles also help to pull the ribs inward. The serratus posterior inferior extend up and out from the vertebrae to the four lower ribs and these muscles pull the ribs downward. The quadratus lumborum extends from the lowest rib to the hip bone and anchors the lowest rib from pull from the diaphragm. Finally, the transversis thoracis extends upward and outward from the lower part of the sternum and inserts into the second through sixth ribs. This muscle helps to pull the chest downward. Singing:  It is important in singing to have strong muscles and to use the muscles in a correct way to achieve the maximum potential of the air flow and of the voice. There are three types of respiration: Quiet respiration, forced respiration, and subglottal pressure. Quiet respiration is involuntary breathing. It is the type of breathing that occurs at any restful state and there is very little exchange of air. Forced respiration is voluntary breathing. It is used in yelling, loud talking, and singing. It requires active use of both the inhalation and exhalation muscles and there is a large amount of air exchanged within the lungs. Subglottal pressure is probably the most important in singing. It is the overpressure of air in the lungs, created by forced respiration. There is forced airflow against partially closed vocal folds. This type of respiration allows the singer to control airflow and have a constant sound. Using correct breath control and muscle control will allow a singer to achieve constant intensity and sound in their voice.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Free Essays on Advertisement

Advertising is a collective term for public announcements designed to promote the sale of specific commodities or services. Advertising is a form of mass selling employed when the use of direct, person-to-person selling is impractical, impossible, or simply inefficient. It is to be distinguished from other activities intended to persuade the public, such as propaganda, publicity, and public relations. Advertising techniques range in complexity from the publishing of simple, straightforward notices in the classified-advertising columns of newspapers to the concerted use of newspapers, magazines, television, radio and modern Advertising Advertising falls into two main categories: consumer advertising, directed to the ultimate purchaser, and trade advertising, in which the appeal is made to dealers through trade journals and other media. Both consumer and trade advertising employ many specialized types of commercial persuasion. A relatively minor, but important, form of advertising is institutional advertising, which is designed solely to build prestige and public respect for particular business concerns like advertisements of TATAS, SAIL etc. Each year millions of rupees are spent on institutional advertising, which usually mentions products or services for sale only incidentally. Another minor, but increasingly popular, form of advertising is cooperative advertising, in which the manufacturer shares the expense of local radio or newspaper advertising with the retailer who signs the advertisement. National advertisers occasionally share the same space in magazine advertising. Advertising may be local, national, or international in scope. The rates charged for the three different levels of advertising vary sharply, particularly in newspapers; varying rates are set also by newspapers for amusement, legal, political, financial, religious, and charitable advertisements.... Free Essays on Advertisement Free Essays on Advertisement Bare Bodies Victoria’s Secret is an easily recognized brand. I chose to write on a Victoria’s Secret ad featuring their new line called, â€Å"Body Bare†. The ad shows a delicate, skinny, model, with her back slightly arched, gazing into the distance. Her shiny, bronze skin greatens her sensuality and specialized prowess. The dim lighting implies mystery and seduction. This ad exudes an image of pampering and sexiness. It doesn’t depict comfort, but a glamorous model in seductive attire. Lingerie advertisements are designed for women ages 15-30, who are the most likely to wear what is advertised. These are the people who read the fashion magazines in which Victoria’s Secret ads appear. Advertisers are trying to reach the group that is most image conscious. The people behind this ad and others like it have failed to grasp the female audience. This is ironic considering the fact that women are the ones that wear lingerie. Men are the target audience of ads such as this. Lingerie ads picture attractive, barley clothed women. Victoria’s Secret catalogs, runway shows, and magazine ads are all pointedly geared towards men. They specifically target men over 35. At 35 years old, most men are either married or in serious relationships. They spend money on Victoria’s Secret products for the woman in their lives. Advertisements were aired during the Super Bowl. Victoria’s Secret models were even featured in Sports Illustrated. Women are not affected by lingerie ads the way men are. In the Body Bare advertisement, the model’s matching underwear set go perfectly with her unreal eye color. The shadowing creates a slimming effect and this strikes on the nerves of female consumers. Advertisements like these embody the â€Å"perfect† woman, primarily thin, but also almost exclusively white, young, and affluent. Advertisers are not using real women to model their products. This is sending a message to average women that they are... Free Essays on Advertisement â€Å"Look† Magazine November 27th, 1956 The 1950’s was a decade that reconstructed the American dream and cleaned up after the 40’s. Things were structured and strict, and the importance of knowing the difference between right and wrong were common values that were practiced at home. Men were usually the ones that made the money to support the family, and women primarily stayed at home to take care of the family and the home. Society was very different from now, and so was the media. Look magazine, the magazine that I got my advertisement from, was started in the 1950’s and portrayed and advertised many ideals that American families valued. This particular advertisement is for the new Zippo SLIM-LIGHTER and was in black and white. I was at first somewhat surprised that this advertisement had both men and women seemingly as equal and balanced. As you can see, the man is lighting the woman’s cigarette and she is lighting his for him. However, her eyes are closed and his are open. The way I interpreted this gesture is that men look at women for their sexuality and beauty. It is important for the man to be looking at the woman because she symbolizes beauty, purity and innocence. Men relied on women to be naà ¯ve and preciously childlike during these times. Just like the television shows and commercials of the 1950’s, this advertisement reflects the basic message that women are inferior to men. This magazine came out in the peak of the baby boom, when reproducing and creating a family were the most prominent ideals in American culture. On the other hand, the woman has her eyes closed. I interpreted this as the woman is inferior to the man so she can not look at him. However, Elaine Tyler Ma y observes that during this year (1956) reports were suggesting that women were overpopulating as well as other â€Å"inferior† groups of people in society. Although there are reports and other sources that propose that women ... Free Essays on Advertisement There comes a time when we all must get away; weather it be from a stressful job or a frantic home. But the fact of the matter is that the reality of being able to pack all your things and leave on a week long vacation to the Bahamas is not going to happen. This is why in today’s society, there is a ever demanding need the sensation of escape. Because of this need to escape people have turned to several different ways that their need could be filled. One way of escape that is found is our society today is the role that media plays in advertisement. When someone turns on a television in today’s society several types of advertisement is used in order to get people to believe that they need something that they do not. The need for escape is ever changing, and because of this our societies need will never be filled because of human nature that demands more and more until nothing is left to give. There are three main sources that advertisement is found in today’s society. The first and most common is the advertisement that is found on television. One example of this is the Buick LaCrosse commercial, this is where a attractive young women is swept away by the car of her dreams, while she is day dreaming in her shower. This is a perfect example of the need to escape, that illustrates even how something simple as a car can be used as an item of escape. This is one of the many advertisements that us the need of escape to get their product out on the market so. This is not the only way that companies push their material, but because of the demands on vacations, weekend getaways, or a simple evening out on the town. Human sight is the easiest way for companies to endorse their product. It does not take much for the human mind to captured, most of the time is just takes a shinny object or an attractive man or women.... Free Essays on Advertisement Advertising is a collective term for public announcements designed to promote the sale of specific commodities or services. Advertising is a form of mass selling employed when the use of direct, person-to-person selling is impractical, impossible, or simply inefficient. It is to be distinguished from other activities intended to persuade the public, such as propaganda, publicity, and public relations. Advertising techniques range in complexity from the publishing of simple, straightforward notices in the classified-advertising columns of newspapers to the concerted use of newspapers, magazines, television, radio and modern Advertising Advertising falls into two main categories: consumer advertising, directed to the ultimate purchaser, and trade advertising, in which the appeal is made to dealers through trade journals and other media. Both consumer and trade advertising employ many specialized types of commercial persuasion. A relatively minor, but important, form of advertising is institutional advertising, which is designed solely to build prestige and public respect for particular business concerns like advertisements of TATAS, SAIL etc. Each year millions of rupees are spent on institutional advertising, which usually mentions products or services for sale only incidentally. Another minor, but increasingly popular, form of advertising is cooperative advertising, in which the manufacturer shares the expense of local radio or newspaper advertising with the retailer who signs the advertisement. National advertisers occasionally share the same space in magazine advertising. Advertising may be local, national, or international in scope. The rates charged for the three different levels of advertising vary sharply, particularly in newspapers; varying rates are set also by newspapers for amusement, legal, political, financial, religious, and charitable advertisements....

Monday, October 21, 2019

Janus Words

Janus Words Janus Words Janus Words By Maeve Maddox The Roman god Janus–the personification of a Latin word meaning â€Å"doorway†Ã¢â‚¬â€œwas depicted as having two faces, each pointing in opposite directions. He was the god of doorways and gateways, beginnings and endings. The term â€Å"Janus words† is applied to words that can mean opposites. A common example is the verb cleave, which can mean either, â€Å"to stick together† or â€Å"to cut apart†: Gawain cleaves off the strangers head in one blow, but the stranger does not die. And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? –Matthew 19:5, KJV. Such words are variously known as auto-antonyms, antilogies, enantiodromes, and contranyms. Because of the long-established term antonym as the word for â€Å"a word that is the opposite or antithesis of another,† it seems that auto-antonym is the most practical choice. Here are three examples of auto-antonyms: Sanguine The adjective sanguine is from the Latin for â€Å"bloody.† It can be used in a literal sense: â€Å"The sanguine murders were the work of a serial killer.† In medieval philosophy, people were believed to be governed by the â€Å"four humours†: blood, yellow bile, black bile, and phlegm.† These humors embodied certain characteristics: blood: courageous, hopeful, amorous yellow bile: easily angered, bad-tempered black bile: despondent, sleepless, irritable phlegm: calm, emotional Someone of a â€Å"sanguine temperament,† for example, is governed by a cheerful disposition. The auto-antonym sanguine can mean either â€Å"bloody, bloodthirsty,† or â€Å"cheerful, loving.† Sanction The verb sanction comes from a Latin noun, sanctionem, which meant something that was so important or sacred that it was required; the law even imposed a penalty for failure to perform it. Both good and bad notions, therefore, attached to the word. As an English verb, sanction can mean either, â€Å"to endorse or authorize,† or â€Å"to punish.† For example, Court will sanction Prenda lawyers if they don’t appear April 2 (i.e., will punish them) Illinois Becomes 20th State to Sanction Therapeutic Use of Cannabis (i.e., approve) Dust The verb dust originated with a Germanic noun that probably meant â€Å"that which rises or is blown in a cloud, like vapor, smoke, or dust. † In modern usage, the verb dust can mean either â€Å"to remove dust particles from a surface,† or â€Å"to sprinkle dust particles on a surface.† For example, I want you to dust the furniture before the guests arrive. (remove the dust) The last step is to dust the cake with powdered sugar. (apply a dusting of sugar) The use of auto-antonyms usually offers no difficulty to native speakers because the meaning is usually clear from their context. ESL speakers may have trouble with them. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Punctuating â€Å"So† at the Beginning of a SentenceTime Words: Era, Epoch, and Eonâ€Å"Least,† â€Å"Less,† â€Å"More,† and â€Å"Most†

Sunday, October 20, 2019

HMS Dreadnought - The 1906 Battleship that Changed Everything

HMS Dreadnought - The 1906 Battleship that Changed Everything In the early years of the 20th century, naval visionaries such as Admiral Sir John Jackie Fisher of the Royal Navy and Vittorio Cuniberti of the Regia Marnia began advocating for the design of all-big-gun battleships. Such a vessel would only feature the largest guns, at this point in time 12, and would largely dispense with the ships secondary armament. Writing for Janes Fighting Ships in 1903, Cuniberti argued that the ideal battleship would possess twelve 12-inch guns in six turrets, armor 12 thick, displace 17,000 tons, and be capable of 24 knots. He foresaw this colossus of the seas as being capable of destroying any existing foe though recognized that the construction of such vessels could only be afforded by the worlds leading navies. A New Approach A year after Cunibertis article, Fisher convened an informal group to begin assessing these types of designs. The all-big gun approach was validated during Admiral Heihachiro Togos victory at the Battle of Tsushima (1905) in which the main guns of Japanese battleships inflicted the bulk of the damage on the Russian Baltic Fleet. British observers aboard Japanese ships reported this to Fisher, now First Sea Lord, with the further observation that the Imperial Japanese Navys 12 guns were particularly effective. Receiving this data, Fisher immediately pressed ahead with an all-big-gun design. The lessons learned at Tsushima were also embraced by the United States which began work on an all-big-gun class (the South Carolina-class) and the Japanese who commenced building the battleship Satsuma. While planning and construction for the South Carolina-class and Satsuma began prior to British efforts, they soon fell behind for a variety of reason. In addition to the increased firepower of an all-big-gun ship, the elimination of the secondary battery made adjusting fire during battle easier as it allowed spotters to know which type of gun was making the splashes near an enemy vessel. The removal of the secondary battery also made the new type more efficient to operate as fewer types of shells were needed. Moving Forward This reduction in cost greatly aided Fisher in securing Parliamentary approval for his new ship. Working with his Committee on Designs, Fisher developed his all-big-gun ship which was dubbed HMS Dreadnought. Centered on a main armament of 12 guns and a minimum top speed of 21 knots, the committee evaluated a variety of different designs and layouts. The group also served to deflect criticism away from Fisher and the Admiralty.    Propulsion Including the latest technology, Dreadnoughts power plant utilized steam turbines, recently developed by Charles A. Parsons, in lieu of the standard triple-expansion steam engines. Mounting two paired sets of Parsons direct-drive turbines powered by eighteen Babcock Wilcox water-tube boilers, Dreadnought was driven by four three-bladed propellers. The use of the Parsons turbines greatly increased the speed of the vessel and allowed it to outrun any existing battleship. The vessel was also fitted with a series of longitudinal bulkheads to protect the magazines and shell rooms from underwater explosions. Armor To protect Dreadnought the designers elected to use Krupp cemented armor which was produced at William Beardmores mill in Dalmuir, Scotland. The main armor belt measured 11 thick at the waterline and tapered to 7 at its lower edge. This was supported by an 8 belt that ran from the waterline up to the main deck. Protection for the turrets included 11 of Krupp cemented armor on the faces and sides while the roofs were covered with 3 of Krupp non-cemented armor.   The conning tower utilized a similar arrangement to the turrets. Armament For its main armament, Dreadnought mounted ten 12 guns in five twin turrets. Three of these were mounted along the centerline, one forward and two aft, with the other two in wing positions on either side of the bridge. As a result, Dreadnought could only bring eight of its ten guns to bear on a single target. In laying out the turrets, the committee rejected superfiring (one turret firing over another) arrangements due to concerns that the muzzle blast of the upper turret would cause issues with the open sighting hoods of the one below. Dreadnoughts ten 45-calibre BL 12-inch Mark X guns were capable of firing two rounds per minute at a maximum range of around 20,435 yards. The vessels shell rooms possessed space to store 80 rounds per gun. Supplementing the 12 guns were 27 12-pdr guns intended for close defense against torpedo boats and destroyers. For fire control, the ship incorporated some of the first instruments for electronically transmitting range, deflection, and order directly to the turrets. HMS Dreadnought - Overview Nation: Great BritainType: BattleshipShipyard: HM Dockyard, PortsmouthLaid Down: October 2, 1905Launched: February 10, 1906Commissioned: December 2, 1906Fate: Broken up in 1923 Specifications: Displacement: 18,410  tonsLength: 527 ft.Beam: 82 ft.Draft: 26 ft.Propulsion: 18 Babcock Wilcox 3-drum water-tube boilers w/ Parsons single-reduction geared steam turbinesSpeed: 21 knotsComplement: 695-773 men Armament: Guns 10 x BL 12 in. L/45 Mk.X guns mounted in 5 twin B Mk.VIII turrets27 Ãâ€" 12-pdr 18 cwt L/50 Mk.I guns, single mountings P Mk.IV5 Ãâ€" 18 in. submerged torpedo tubes Construction Anticipating approval of the design, Fisher began stockpiling steel for Dreadnought at the Royal Dockyard in Portsmouth and ordered that many parts be prefabricated. Laid down on October 2, 1905, work on Dreadnought proceeded at a frenetic pace with the vessel being launched by King Edward VII on February 10, 1906, after only four months on the ways. Deemed complete on October 3, 1906, Fisher claimed that the ship had been built in a year and a day. In actuality, it took an additional two months to finish the ship and Dreadnought was not commissioned until December 2. Regardless, the speed of the ships construction startled the world as much as its military capabilities. Early Service Sailing for the Mediterranean and Caribbean in January 1907, with Captain Sir Reginald Bacon in command, Dreadnought performed admirably during its trials and testing. Closely watched by the worlds navies, Dreadnought inspired a revolution in battleship design and future all-big-gun ships were henceforth referred to as dreadnoughts. Designated flagship of the Home Fleet, minor problems with Dreadnought were detected such as the location of the fire control platforms and the arrangement of the armor. These were corrected in the follow-on classes of dreadnoughts. World War I Dreadnought was soon eclipsed by the Orion-class battleships which featured 13.5 guns and began entering service in 1912. Due to their greater firepower, these new ships were dubbed super-dreadnoughts. With the outbreak of World War I in 1914, Dreadnought was serving as flagship of the Fourth Battle Squadron based at Scapa Flow. In this capacity, it saw its only action of the conflict when it rammed and sank U-29 on March 18, 1915. Refitted in early 1916, Dreadnought shifted south and became part of the Third Battle Squadron at Sheerness. Ironically, due to this transfer, it did not participate in the 1916 Battle of Jutland, which saw the largest confrontation of battleships whose design had been inspired by Dreadnought. Returning to the Fourth Battle Squadron in March 1918, Dreadnought was paid off in July and placed in reserve at Rosyth the following February. Remaining in reserve, Dreadnought was later sold and scrapped at Inverkeithing in 1923. Impact While Dreadnoughts career was largely uneventful, the ship initiated one of the largest arms races in history which ultimately culminated with World War I. Though Fisher had intended to use Dreadnought to demonstrate British naval power, the revolutionary nature of its design immediately reduced Britains 25-ship superiority in battleships to 1. Following the design parameters set forth by Dreadnought, both Britain and Germany embarked on battleship building programs of unprecedented size and scope, with each seeking to build larger, more powerfully armed ships. As a result, Dreadnought and its early sisters were soon out-classed as the Royal Navy and Kaiserliche Marine quickly expanded their ranks with increasingly modern warships. The battleships inspired by Dreadnought served as the backbone of the worlds navies until the rise of the aircraft carrier during World War II.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Philosophy Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Philosophy - Assignment Example He gets emotional because his son thinks he is a good dad but the society in general doesn’t believe that homosexuals can be good parents. Shaw tries to cheer up the mood. Brady reveals that his marriage is a fraud but he will continue to play along because it is the right thing to do. His wife is expecting another baby. Their conversation ends on a dilemma that if Brady reveals his sexual orientation he might lose his family but if he doesn’t he will abandon a part of himself. The conversation ends and they both depart. The essay is written in the narrative rhetoric, filled with dialogues and history about the characters. Giving insight to an adult homosexual male probably could not have been done with other rhetorical modes. It is more emotional than critical or argument-driven. As the famous philosopher says that one needs three things to convince someone; credibility, logic and emotional appeal. In this case the emotional appeal dominates the rest. It creates empathy in the readers for Brady. Shaw has not touched the philosophical debate on homosexuality as either right or wrong. She has only given an insight to the life a homosexual man who apparently has a wonderful family but his homosexual nature is restless. There are many instances where Shaw gives the narrative. For instance she brings in the comparison between Brady and David. David is mentioned to strengthen the narrative that he is a confident gay male while Brady is shy. Shaw calls him â€Å"very gay† (paragraph 8). Just like a fictional story, the use of dialogues to describe personality has been used extensively. For instance Brady’s own words are quoted to describe what sort of a person he is. On not telling his wife about his homosexuality he says; Had Shaw used any other mode like exposition, argumentation or description it would have either created a debate or it would have lacked the emotional appeal.

Friday, October 18, 2019

Speaker Presentation Response Papers (the lecture is recorded) Assignment

Speaker Presentation Response Papers (the lecture is recorded) - Assignment Example Indeed, her work area broadly caters to meet the needs of the children, especially those coming from less privileged segment of society. The sports events have become major platforms through which she ensures the benefits of society in myriad ways. Deb has discussed the activities of the organization and the various ways people can contribute to make the world a better place. Kroenke supports and raises funds for various non profit organizations which are working in areas like education, health, recreation, fitness etc. It has especially been very supportive to sports and sports related activities amongst children. While being sponsors for various sports team like Denver Nuggets Basketball team, Colorado Avalanche Hockey team, Colorado Rapid Soccer team etc., they also organize sports clinics for children where they are coached by famous sports persons. Most importantly, the sports events sponsored by Kroenke and myriad other creative ways are designed towards raising funds for the c auses which benefit community. There were four issues that seemed particularly important: community relationship is a real life profession; how one can respond and make life better for others; one person can make a difference; and media is a two way sword. While each of the four issues is different, the common factor that they share is the commitment to the cause. Dowling is an exemplary leader because she is capable of motivating others to a common goal. She has termed community relationship as a profession because it needs full commitment of the person. A person who can network with variety of people and convince them to a cause to an extent that he or she becomes a positive contributor to it, is indeed a true professional. This revelation has really raised my confidence because till now, I believed that my love for community work was just a hobby or part time social work. I had never realized that it had such huge scope of expansion. Like Deb Dowling, I can also make efforts in b uilding partnership and forge strategic alliances with public and private enterprises to make significant difference in the lives of people in the community. I think being an intern in the company would give me huge exposure to the myriad way that I can contribute towards the wider welfare of society. A community has various needs, part of which is met by government and the rest must come from within the society that is endowed with more privileges in life. Cut throat business and financial success has become major goals of contemporary society. When Deb said that a person must contemplate as to ‘how one can respond and make life better for others’, she has actually given a great insight into the life of people. We are all so busy in our own agendas of life that we forget we are also part of society which may require our help. The aged, the infirm, physically and mentally challenge children and adults or the poor who cannot even afford basic human necessities like food, cloth, shelter, education etc. are few of those people who should be extended help and provided with opportunities to improve their standard of living. We have often been very touched by the plight of people living in under developed countries who die of hunger or cold. Even amongst us, we are often indifferent to the needs of others because we are losing the sensitivity and compassion. There is a Mexican family in my

Philosophy Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Philosophy - Assignment Example For Kant, experience perfects knowledge and argued that experience alone is purely subjective if not processed by reason. While reason in itself is a mere theoretical illusion if not applied to experience. With regard to empiricist philosophers such as Locke and Hume, they consider experience and feeling as the sole bedrock of the source of knowledge. For them, a human mind started as empty and only evolves with experience and learning. Lockes theory of mind defines the self as a conscous thinking thing and is capable of sensing. It is capable of sensibilities like pain and happiness, pleasure and misery. In Lockes theory of the self, the self is a self-reflective consciousness present within us. It continuously evolves with experience, learning and sensation which are the sources of our ideas. Hume agreed with Locke that all knowledge are derived from experience. But he did not recognize every idea-forming operation that Locke presupposes. Hume also did not accept the possibility of any necessary connection between simple ideas, where Locke does and so some ideas which count as simple for Locke-extension and space, for example are complex for

Basel committee's risk categories in relation to financial Essay

Basel committee's risk categories in relation to financial instituitions in relation to financial and non financial organisations - Essay Example In banks, there is a possibility for financial data to disappear. Financial information on loans given, repaid, capital, withdrawals and deposits made can be stolen by the employees or simply disappear due to poor technological procedures. The Basel Committee identifies that internal loss of data can occur due to poor risk management processes, new technological methods and upcoming business activities. Basel Committee identifies that a company is not able to have the right documentations in its accounts if it has loss of data. This means that its profit and loss margins will be under estimated. This is dangerous to the company as it will not reveal the real amount of capital used to carry out the activities (Basel, 2006, pp. 141-153). Case studies on non-financial organisations reveal that they are at a risk of internal fraud. This is so because they also use money or capital in purchasing their materials for their use. The case studies revel that non financial organisations mainly undergo the risk internal fraud by making misstatements on the financial statements. This does not indicate the true financial state of the organisations. The case study reveals that both financial and non-financial organisation can show fraud by looking at the growth in terms of their revenue and how it keeps changing. The margin of their growth of revenue is not very consistent. For a company to know where it lies in the financial market, the growth change in revenue is supposed to be a bit consistent. It is not supposed to have big margins. According to Erickson’s and other scholars, the audit sector is normally not able to detect fraud because of the lack of understanding of the organisational environments they are working o n (Erickson, 2001, pp.166-193). According to the studies made on Basel Committee, external fraud occurs is mainly done against the organisations. It undergoes external fraud due to misinformation from its clients in

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Do social networks encourage sport participation Dissertation

Do social networks encourage sport participation - Dissertation Example Individuals started to build online persona. In reality, some information is very confidential to the extent no one would want to share with their family and certainly not with a professional hiring manager. Individuals are using this new data base in of personal information in questionable ways ethically. The lack of regulations, clear guidelines, has led to dissemination of information across the internet for a purpose other than that intended. Employment screening is one of the more infringements to the rights to Facebook users. This is a paper that responds to the question: do social networks encourage sport participation? List of Contents Introduction Aim and objectives Rationale Literature review and theoretical framework Methodology Findings, Analysis and Evaluation Final discussion and Recommendations Recommendations for further research Do social networks encourage sport participation? Introduction Social Media is a great way to encourage sport participation by spreading the word about local sports and other general physical activity programmes. Social media can be used as a tool to further participation in sports. A social networking service is an online platform, or site that is used for social interaction. They focuses on facilitation of building social relations or social networks among people sharing same interests, backgrounds, real-life connections or sporting activities. A social network service is constituted of each user (often represented through a profile), the individual’s social links, and some additional services. Most social network services are web-based and provide an online form of interaction among the users through the Internet. Nowadays the world is changing rapidly and marketing styles should follow people trends. Social media has become a platform that is easily accessible to anyone with internet access. Increased communication for organizations fosters brand awareness and often, improved customer service. Also, social me dia is a cheap and effective platform for organizations to implement marketing campaigns. Social networking websites allow people to interact with each other and build relationships. Business organisations join these sites, so that people could interact with the product or company. That interaction feels personal to users because of their previous experiences with social networking site interactions. Social networking users are allowed to â€Å"retweet† or â€Å"repost† comments made by the product being promoted. In consequence, when people repeat the message, that company posted, all other users are able to see the message, therefore reaching more people. What is more, through social networking sites like Facebook or Goolge+, organizations can create their own group, where interested people follow the company and see different news and promotions1 every day, when simply checking their social feeds. As well as, the organisation itself can choose who to invite into the ir group, thereby reaching narrow target market. Cell phone is another aspect of social media marketing that makes it even more effective..Today, many cell phones have social networking capabilities: individuals are notified of any happenings on social networking sites through their cell phones, in real-time. This constant connection to social networking sites means products and companies can constantly remind and update followers about their

Kant, Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics Research Paper

Kant, Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics - Research Paper Example What brings about such illusions in the traditional metaphysics is the predilection of past human understanding of sourcing for the natural, untouched things, that is, to harbor an array of concepts to its perceived conclusion even when the ultimate prize is unachievable by the mere natural senses. Kitcher suggests that an individual’s understanding may reveal that complete things are made up of small parts or pieces, and sensibility may prompt human understanding to arrive at a smaller section of any particular whole item; but only understanding suggests that disintegration into parts has to dawn on something too simple, an item that human beings could never notice by the use of mere senses (547). Future metaphysics therefore will utilize senses data and explore other ways of unearthing the rationale behind what mere senses cannot notice. Technically, reason as the epitome of future metaphysics, may generate concepts of the natural world, such as the concept of the general suitability of adages of action, which do not fall short of providing adequate information with regards to the natural environment, since they do not mention anything relating to the environment, only how it should be. But in its philosophical employment, reason seems to provide vital, deeper insight s into the world that the traditional metaphysics relying solely on human senses or on incompatible perception could not resolve. According to Allais this analysis of traditional metaphysical shortcomings best explains Kants theoretical approach in the text, where he delivers an array of incompatibilities between the nature and extent of sensibility as influenced by reason, on the one hand, and the affectations of limitless understanding, on the other (183). In classical conceptions of the text, Kant argues that all the pretensions of traditional metaphysics were structured along these lines. In this critical text, the philosopher singles out a number of metaphysical

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Do social networks encourage sport participation Dissertation

Do social networks encourage sport participation - Dissertation Example Individuals started to build online persona. In reality, some information is very confidential to the extent no one would want to share with their family and certainly not with a professional hiring manager. Individuals are using this new data base in of personal information in questionable ways ethically. The lack of regulations, clear guidelines, has led to dissemination of information across the internet for a purpose other than that intended. Employment screening is one of the more infringements to the rights to Facebook users. This is a paper that responds to the question: do social networks encourage sport participation? List of Contents Introduction Aim and objectives Rationale Literature review and theoretical framework Methodology Findings, Analysis and Evaluation Final discussion and Recommendations Recommendations for further research Do social networks encourage sport participation? Introduction Social Media is a great way to encourage sport participation by spreading the word about local sports and other general physical activity programmes. Social media can be used as a tool to further participation in sports. A social networking service is an online platform, or site that is used for social interaction. They focuses on facilitation of building social relations or social networks among people sharing same interests, backgrounds, real-life connections or sporting activities. A social network service is constituted of each user (often represented through a profile), the individual’s social links, and some additional services. Most social network services are web-based and provide an online form of interaction among the users through the Internet. Nowadays the world is changing rapidly and marketing styles should follow people trends. Social media has become a platform that is easily accessible to anyone with internet access. Increased communication for organizations fosters brand awareness and often, improved customer service. Also, social me dia is a cheap and effective platform for organizations to implement marketing campaigns. Social networking websites allow people to interact with each other and build relationships. Business organisations join these sites, so that people could interact with the product or company. That interaction feels personal to users because of their previous experiences with social networking site interactions. Social networking users are allowed to â€Å"retweet† or â€Å"repost† comments made by the product being promoted. In consequence, when people repeat the message, that company posted, all other users are able to see the message, therefore reaching more people. What is more, through social networking sites like Facebook or Goolge+, organizations can create their own group, where interested people follow the company and see different news and promotions1 every day, when simply checking their social feeds. As well as, the organisation itself can choose who to invite into the ir group, thereby reaching narrow target market. Cell phone is another aspect of social media marketing that makes it even more effective..Today, many cell phones have social networking capabilities: individuals are notified of any happenings on social networking sites through their cell phones, in real-time. This constant connection to social networking sites means products and companies can constantly remind and update followers about their

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

The Securities and Exchange Commission Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Securities and Exchange Commission - Essay Example The International Monetary Fund approximated â€Å"more than $1 trillion on toxic assets and from bad loans† were lost by big western banks â€Å"from January 2007 to September 2009† (Reuters 1). The individual losses and exposures were undisclosed by these institutions in order â€Å"to prevent ‘runs’ on their banks or trading against their positions by their competitors in the markets† which can further escalate their losses (Dobbs & Minyard 1). Hence, what the banks and other companies/institutions did was to refrain from lending money â€Å"among themselves or to other businesses† since they were uncertain as to their trading partners’ financial health and considered that â€Å"the risk of loss was too high,† opting to preserve their cash to compensate for any probable future losses (Dobbs & Minyard 1). The â€Å"sources of liquidity† was said to have desiccated for a number of companies with capital markets failing to perform properly (Dobbs & Minyard 1). This resulted to breakdown and bankruptcies of influential companies or â€Å"land-rich/cash-poor situation† for energy companies (Dobbs & Minyard 1). The global economy then was said to be in recession as â€Å"the financial markets seized† (Dobbs & Minyard 1). ... SEC 1). The federal statutes and rules require companies to have â€Å"full disclosure and transparency† whenever it â€Å"sells stocks or bonds to the public† (Johnson 993), or to supply â€Å"a detailed public disclosure document† to both â€Å"investors and regulators† (Securities Act of 1933  §Ã‚ § 5, 10, 15 U.S.C.  §Ã‚ § 77e, 77j (2006); 17 C.F.R. pt. 230 (2011), whenever private businesses make public offerings (Johnson 993). The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) reviews â€Å"these disclosure documents,† which in the case of Groupon, the SEC they required the latter to revise its disclosures in order to improve their accuracy (U.S. SEC, Letter from Larry Spirgel 1-14). This requirement however is not applicable to private placements wherein â€Å"a company sells an investment outside of the normal public securities markets† (Securities Act of 1933  § 4(2), 15 U.S.C.  § 77d(2); 17 C.F.R.  § 230.506 (2011)), which often times evade examination by federal and state regulatory bodies (Johnson 151). Because these placements are private, they are concealed (Johnson 993) and the issuers tend to divulge â€Å"far less information to investors† than that required for public offerings (SEC v. Ralston Purina Co., 346 U.S. 119, 125-26 (1953) and SEC rule 506 under 17 C.F.R.  § 230.506). Issuers also divulge this information â€Å"only to qualified investors† (17 C.F.R.  § 230.506 and 17 C.F.R.  § 230.501(a) (2011)). â€Å"Regulators and even academics have little or no access to the private placement disclosures† (Johnson 993). Private placements are also said not to be liquid, â€Å"difficult to price,† and bear significant risks (Johnson

Monday, October 14, 2019

The World According To Garp English Literature Essay

The World According To Garp English Literature Essay The story is set in the past. It starts in the year 1942, when Jenny Fields injures a man at a movie theater. The exact date at the end of the story, is somewhat more difficult to determine. Garp was born at the end of the second World War, I think around 1944 or 1945. He lived to be 33 years old. The book ended when he died, so that should be in the year 1977. It quite easy actually to determine, because of the books first line: Garps mother, Jenny Fields, was arrested for wounding a man in a movie theater. Altogether the story takes about 35 years. The story is set in a couple of different places. It starts of in the US, when Garp is at Steering school, where his mother is head nurse. When he graduates from Steering, he decides to go to Austria, to develop himself as a writer. He lives in Vienna for about 1 or 2 years. Then he returns to the US. Their he decides he finally wants to marry the love of his live, Helen. For quite some time he lives with Helen, in a house of their own. The exact location isnt known. When the accident happens (for a precise description: see the summary), they go to live with Jenny, who is taking care of them at that moment. The last couple of years they live at Steering school (again), where Helen is teaching English. The story tells us about the life of an extraordinary man, T.S. Garp. He is the son of the famous feminist Jenny Fields, which will hunt him for all his life (and eventually is an indirect cause of his death). In his younger years Garp lived at Steering School, where his mother was head nurse. As soon as he graduates, he goes to Vienna with his mother, where he resides for about one or two years. Then he return to the US, to marry Helen. They bought their own house and lived happily for a couple of years. Then Garp finds out Helen is unfaithful. Then the accident happens and the Garps move in with Jenny, who starts nursing them. When the family Garp was ready to live by themselves again, they bought a house at Steering, where Helen starts teaching English. Eventually Garp was murdered by a feminist (for specific details see the summary). The storys main characters are: T.S. Garp, Helen Holm and Jenny Fields. T.S. Garp: Garp is the lead character in the story. Actually it is his story (which is quite obviously concerning the books title). The story is that of Garps life. What happens to him, what people are involved, and how it affects him mentally. He is a strange man in some ways. His ideas of what is normal, and what isnt, are different from the common perceptions. On the other hand he is a real funny guy. His sense of humor is real good (which makes the book much more fun to read). Helen Holm: Helen is the daughter of Garps wrestling coach Ernie Holm. Garp met Helen when he started wrestling, and he always liked her. But Helen said she would only marry a writer. Therefore Garp decided to become a writer. When Garp returns from Vienna, he started to live with Helen. They got two children: Duncan and Walt. Helen studied English and taught at a university, before she eventually taught English literature at Steering School. Jenny Fields: Jenny Fields is the mother of T.S. Garp. She became famous by writing the first feminist novel. This will be a disadvantage for Garp for all his life. He will always be knows (even with the sales of his own novels) as the son of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Jenny was nurse a Boston Mercy Hospital during the second World War. There she met Garps father. When Garp was born, she took him to Steering, where she became head nurse. It was at Steering and Vienna that she wrote her famous book. She stopped being nurse as soon as she became rich and famous, and started working for charity. The books minor characters are: Duncan Garp, Walt Garp, Ernie Holm, Cushie Percy, Roberta, Ellen James, John Wolf and Dean Bodger. The message of the story is not so obvious in this story. You learn a lot about the different characters, what kind of people they are, and what theyre capable of. So maybe thats the message: people arent all bad, except some. You should always be aware of the dangers ahead. Thats what eventually killed Garp. But still, I think the author wrote this book to entertain people. He always making fun of characters, or making a quick little joke. I dont think he wrote it to learn the reader something. Its not that kind of story. The story ends with Garps death. Before he was murdered, the narrator says things like: If he noticed it, he might have prevented it. So he should have seen the danger ahead. He should have noticed something was wrong. Your Opinion Well of course, Garp is the most sympathetic character in the story. Besides him, Helen is always considered sympathetic by the narrator. So these two are the (main) characters, that I found the most sympathetic. Garp is a very humoristic man, but also a loving father and husband. He always good towards others, willingly to help someone if necessary. Helen is a somewhat strange woman. Is diffecult to explain in what way. Maybe she doesnt really show her emotions. But still, she is always kind and nice to others. The most unsympathetic characters are Pooh Percy and Mrs Ralph in my opinion. Pooh Percy is quite obvious: she kills Garp for some ridiculous reason. She jealous at him, therefore thinks her problems will be solved by killing him. Mrs Ralph is a lot less obvious. Her attitude isnt that of an unsympathetic person. But still, she neglects her son Ralph, and tries to get Garp in trouble by seducing him. Shes full of self-pity, and tries to get advantage out of others. When I read the story I was constantly surprised. You really dont know whats going to happen. Garp as a person is unpredictable, but his environment might be even more unpredictable. Thats an important element for the story, because it inflicts on Garps personal life. On the other hand, the story is full of humor. Not only jokes that Garp makes, but also events that take place. Irving writes with a great ironic tone in his story, which I consider is brilliant. My favorite part of the book is where Garp is trying to catch the child molester. The child was raped in the park by a man with a mustache, so Garp went of and soon he saw a man with a mustache: Garp yelled at the figure, an elderly gentleman with a white mustache, who looked over his shoulder at Garp with an expression so surprised and ashamed that Garp was sure hed found the child molester. He thundered through the vines and small, whiplike trees to the man, who had been peeing and was hastening to fold himself back into his trousers. He looked very much like a man caught doing something he shouldnt have done. I was justà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ the man began, but Garp was upon him and thrust his stiff, cropped beard into the mans face. Garp sniffed him over like a hound. If its you, you bastard, I can smell it on you! Garp said. Funny thing is, that the man wasnt involved in the rape at all. He was just taking a leak over there. Imagine, youre just taking a leak, someone yells at you, is sniffing your genitals and accuses you of being a child molester. Irving did make me aware of certain things, that I probably already knew before I read the book. The world is unpredictable, you dont know what lies ahead. This novel is a great example of what can happen. This message becomes clear by the storyline in the novel, but also by the short stories that Garp wrote. They are strange, especially the world according to Bensenhaver. This is a great example of strange things that can happen to you. But if this message is important? I dont really know. It probably is, but you dont learn this kind of ethics by reading a book. I gained by gaining more experience in life, not by reading a book. If I could ask Irving a couple of questions, It would be these: how did you manage it to make up such a story, where everything is unpredictable but afterwards explainable? Because thats the strength of the novel. Afterwards everything makes sense. Every event is for the sake of the novel. I would like to know if it was all Irvings imagination or he did it otherwise. why didnt you make the story that long? Its getting quite boring the last hundred pagesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Like I said, the last hundred pages are just too much. I think its also for the sake of the book. how did you manage to write a novel within a novel? You can see the similarity in Garps writing style and Irvings, but there are some differences. Is this done purposely, or not? C. Sumamry The story starts with the life of the nurse Jenny Fields. She doesnt like men and she loathes the feeling she calls lust. Because shes a nurse and cares a lot about people, she wants to have a child but she doesnt want to have anything to do with a man, she isnt searching for sex or a relationship, so it seems almost impossibleto get pregnant. But in a very special way, she manages to get pregnant. When the baby is born she calls him T.S. Garp because this was the fathers name, and the only thing he was able to say. She stops working at the hospital and finds a job, as a nurse, at Steering, a school for boys. Garp grows up there and when he is old enough he attends school there too. The Percy familie that lives at Steerings too, has a dog called Bonkers. It is not a very friendly dog, one day he bites a piece out of Garps ear. Stewart Percy isnt nice eather, he refuses to put the dog down. Garp doesnt care much for sports but he is obligated to preform at least one sport. His mother chooses wrestling for him and becomes friends with the coach. The coach has a daughter, Helen, and garp is fond of her, but she isnt really interested in him. Garp is a talented wrestler, but he decides that he wants to become writer and when he has finished high school, Garp and Jenny leave for Vienna. A few days before they leave, Garp and Cushie Percy, Stewart daughter, have sex in the infirmary. On their way there, Garp meets Bonkers and bites off a piece of the dogs ear. Garp and Jenny both start writing in Austria. Jenny is writing a book about her life as a nurse and her opinion on lust. Garp is about eighteen years old now and often visits the whores in Vienna. he likes women and sex and this is very weird for Jenny because she cant imagine why someone would enjoy anything like that and she finds it peculiar that her son can have these feelings while she loathes thins like that. Garp writes a lot to Helen because she promised him that if he writes something she likes, she will marry him. In the beginning he ony writes letters, the real writing of a book, hasnt really started. Finally he finishes a stroy called the pension Grillparzer Helen really likes it. She also read Jennys book and she really liked that too. Garp finishes a whole book, Procrastination. Jenny and Garp fly back to the U.S. and Helen and Garp get married. Jenny and Garp find a publisher for their books. His name is John Wolf. Jennys book turns out to be a huge succes. It is found to be a controversial book about feminsme. Jenny doesnt really like this label but she does like it that her book is such a succes. She has a lot of fans, including a group of women who call themselves Ellen Jamesians, after a girl who got raped and got her tongue cut off. The women have also cut their tongues off and arent able to say a word. Garp finds them really weird but his mom takes care of everyone. She becomes very popular, even the nurse dress she always wears is copied by many women. Garps book doesnt become as succesfull as his moms work but it isnt a failure either. Garp and Helen have a child, a boy called Duncan and Jenny and Garp move. Onde day, Garp hears that Cushie Percy has died in childbirth. He calls Stewart Percy to offer his condolences but what he doesnt know is that Cushie died motns before, and he is calling Percy on the day Bonkers died. Stewart thinks that tis is another one of Garps cruel jokes. Garp writes a second novel, called Second Wind of the Cuckold, the success of it is smaller than that of his first novel, and Helen takes on a second job. Their friends, the Fletchers, have marital problems and the Garps try to help them. But this doesnt really work out. For a while, Garp is involved with Alice and Helen with Harrison Fletcher. Jenny introduces them to Roberta Muldoon, she used to be a man and a famous football player but she got surgery and now shes a woman, and Jennys bodyguard. Garp and Roberta become close friends and play a lot of squash together Helen and Garp have a second child, a boy again, they call him Walt. Because Helen works a lot, Garp takes care of the house keeping. He cookes, cleans the house, does the laundry and takes care of the children. He is often very worried about them and when Duncan spends the night at a friends house, he doesnt trust it because he thinks the mom is verry sloppy and isnt able to take good care of her child. He goes there in the middle of the night and finds the house to be very dirty. The mother is drunk and tries to seduce him but he doesnt fall for it and takes Duncan home. One day he finds Helen reading a story written by one of her students, called Michael Milton. He isnt like Garp at all and that is what attracts Helen to Michael. An ex-girlfriend of Michael tells Garp that his wife is having an affaire. Garp is very angry and forbids Helen to see Michael again and tells her to phone Michael to break with him. He gives Helen the time for it by taking the children to a movie but he calls to their house to check if shes still home. When she doesnt answere the phone he drives home like a maniac though the weather is very bad. He crashes into Michales car, Helen and Michael are inside of it. Walt is killed and Garp, Helen Duncan and Michael are seriously injured. The Garps move to Jennys house and she nurses them. While the family gets well, Garp starts writing again. In his new novel he puts all his grief. While he is writing the book, Helen and Garp have a third child, a girl and they call her Jenny. John Wolf reads the first chapter of Garps new book, but he really dislikes it and doesnt want to publish it. Theres a woman called Jillsy Sloper, she cleans Johns office and he often gives her a novel to criticize it. She reads Garps new book and she doesnt like it but she isnt able to put it away and finishes it, something she rarely does, so John decides to publish the book anyway. John writes the jackets of the book himself and is afraid that Garp wont approve them. He is also affraid of bad reviews and he advices the Garps to go on a holiday abroard.They decide to go to Vienna and they have a great time there, until Roberta calls them to tell that Jenny Fields got killed, someone shot her. The Garps fly immediately back home. The funeral that is organised for Jenny will be the first feminist funeral ever, and not even Garp is allowed to come, but Roberta dresses him in womens clothes to make sure no-one will recognise him. But Bainbridge Percy, Cushies younger sister recognises him anyway. She accuses him of murdering her sister. Garp runs away and takes the next plane home. On the plane he meets the real Ellen James. She lost her parents a little while ago and she was on her way to see Jenny Fields. Garp allows her to come and live with his family. When he is back at steerings, the dean tells him that both Stewart Percy and Helens father have just died. The Garps decide to stay at Steering. Helen will teach and Garp will be the new wrestler coach. Jennys house is turned into a foundation supporting all women with problems that is runned by Roberta.. Garp wants to keep the Ellen Jamesians out of the house because he thinks theyre insane. One day Garp is training with his wrestling team in the gym. Helen is also there, she is reading a book in the corner of the room. Then Bainbridge Percy wakls in and killes Garp by shooting him. Helen lives to be quite old and never remarries. Roberta looks after Duncan. Ellen James becomes a writer. Jenny Garp outlives all the others and becomes a doctor.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Explanatory Synthesis on Gunsmoke :: American Culture Essays

Explanatory Synthesis on "Gunsmoke" Gunsmoke the radio program, which aired on the CBS Radio Network, was first broadcast on April 26, 1952 and the final broadcast aired on June 18, 1961. During its nine year radio run, Gunsmoke would air 413 radio stories and six of the seasons would coincide with Gunsmoke the television series. Many of the original cast members of the radio show would go on to have memorable television careers: William Conrad, who played Matt Dillon, went on to play in "Cannon", "Nero Wolfe" and the "Fat Man", from "Jake and the Fat Man". Parley Baer, who played Chester, would go on to play Darby in the television show "Ozzie and Harriet", and Howard McNear, who played the doctor, would go on to play Floyd the Barber in the old "Andy Griffith Show" (http://comp.uark.edu/~tsnyder/Gunsmoke/gun-radio.html). Gunsmoke sought to capture the essence of the west and those individuals who would tame it. Matt Dillon was a hard-bitten, independent, self-reliant and just law man. His character summed up all of t he stereo-typical ideas of the old west hero. As with many men on the move west, Matt Dillon is driven by a need for independence and self-reliance. As a law man Matt was dedicated to making sure that justice was served in the ruff and tumble town of Dodge City. The episodes; "Cyclone", "Pussy Cats" and "Jay Hawkers" all give examples of those characteristics. To not be beholdin' to any person, to feel the sun on his back and the wind in his nostrils, that was freedom. In "Cyclone" Matt is thinking through a problem regarding the sale of a ranch and the subsequent disappearance of the owners. He doesn't want help from anyone in trying to solve the mystery. In "Pussy Cats", Chester offers to stay behind with Matt when a sticky situation develops with two strangers in town. Matt tells Chester to leave because he would be okay without him. In "Jay Hawkers" Matt is summoned to join a Texas cattle herd that is being harassed by Jay Hawkers. In the narration he describes the wide open space of the prairie and the smells of the green g rass. There is a hint of nostalgia in his voice about missing the freedom of the open prairie. Self-reliance is another characteristic of the men of the old west; In "Cyclone" Matt and Chester head off into the night to reconnoiter the Cyclone Ranch for signs of mischief.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

The Jealous Husband by Robert Browning :: essays research papers

The Jealous Husband That's my last Duchess painted on the wall, Looking as if she were alive. I call That piece a wonder, now: Frà   Pandolf's hands Worked busily a day, and there she stands. 5 Will't please you sit and look at her? I said Frà   Pandolf'; by design, for never read Strangers like you that pictured countenance, The depth and passion of its earnest glance, But to myself they turned (since none puts by 10 The curtain I have drawn for you, but I) And seemed as they would ask me, if they durst, How such a glance came there; so, not the first Are you to turn and ask thus. Sir, 'twas not Her husband's presence only, called that spot 15 Of joy into the Duchess's cheek: perhaps Frà   Pandolf chanced to say 'Her mantle laps Over my lady's wrist too much,'; or 'Paint Must never hope to reproduce the faint Half-flush that dies along her throat';: such stuff 20 Was courtesy, she thought, and cause enough For calling up that spot of joy. She had A heart—how shall I say?—too soon made glad, Too easily impressed; she liked whate'er She looked on, and her looks went everywhere. 25 Sir, 'twas all one! My favor at her breast, The dropping of the daylight in the West, The bough of cherries some officious fool Broke in the orchard for her, the white mule She rode with round the terrace—all and each 30 Would draw from her alike the approving speech, Or blush, at least. She thanked men—good! but thanked Somehow—I know not how—as if she ranked My gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name With anybody's gift. Who'd stoop to blame 35 This sort of trifling? Even had you skill In speech—(which I have not)—to make your will Quite clear to such an one, and say, 'Just this Or that in you disgust me; here you miss, Or there exceed the mark';—and if she let 40 Herself be lessoned so, nor plainly set Her wits to yours, forsooth, and made excuse –E'en then would be some stooping; and I choose Never to stoop. Oh sir, she smiled, no doubt, Whene'er I passed her; but who passed without 45 Much the same smile? This grew; I gave commands; Then all smiles stopped together. There she stands As if alive. Will't please you rise? We'll meet The company below, then. I repeat, The Count your master's known munificence 50 Is ample warrant that no just pretense Of mine for dowry will be disallowed; Though his fair daughter's self, as I avowed At starting, is my object. Nay, we'll go Together down, sir. Notice Neptune, though, 55 Taming a sea horse, thought a rarity,

Friday, October 11, 2019

Cape Literature Ia “Much Ado About Nothing” by William Shakespeare Essay

The 1993 film adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Much Ado about Nothing, by Kenneth Branagh, differs in many aspects from the original script written by Shakespeare. Branagh employs brilliant cinematography, manipulating lighting, camera angles to produce a carefree version to the original text. The soundtrack is dazzling and his interpretation breathes life and vitality into this old world play. According to critic Vincent Canby, â€Å"He has taken a Shakespearean romantic comedy, the sort of thing that usually turns to mush on the screen and made a movie that is triumphantly romantic, comic and, most surprising of all, emotionally alive† (May 7th, 1993). Lighting, music and technology enhance the various moods that perpetuate the film and Branagh is thus able to overcome language barriers, which enables the performance to be more understandable for a modern audience. The movie is assumed to be more light-hearted and free flowing than the original text. According to critic Todd McCarthy â€Å"The film is continuously enjoyable from its action-filled opening to the dazzling final shot. † Much Ado about Nothing is a tale of friendship, betrayal and the power of love to conquer all obstacles. It is one of Shakespeare’s comedies and though it has a dark side, staying true to being a comedy, serious issues are treated light heartedly. Branagh moves the setting from Messina to the verdant hills of Tuscany. His choice of setting therefore determines his overall mood for the film. The production begins with the recitation of Balthazar’s song by Beatrice (Emma Thompson). When the scene comes to light the audience is exposed to a striking panoramic shot of the rich rural setting. The shot then pans down to a society picnicking under the Tuscan sun. The society seems relaxed and warm as they loll on the grass listening to Beatrice (Emma Thompson), who is perched in a tree, reciting the song. The pace quickly changes from lethargy to one of excitement, as a messenger brings news of the forthcoming arrival of Don Pedro (Denzel Washington) and his men. Men and women scurry to the villa amid screams and laughter to get ready for the prince. Thoughts of war are abandoned and replaced by thoughts of love. The plot then revolves around two couples, Hero (Kate Beckinsale) and Claudio (Robert Sean Leonard), and Beatrice and Benedict (Kenneth Branagh). Claudio seeks Don Pedro’s help in wooing Hero. Once successful the prince then turns his attention to older, warring couple of Beatrice and Benedick and plots to gull them into falling in love. However, Don John (Keanu Reeves), the bastard, plots to destroy harmony in the play as he tries to foil the plans of marriage between the younger couple. His victory is fleeting as his evil plans are unearthed by Dogberry and his night watch. All ends well and the production ends in dancing and merriment. From the very beginning Branagh utilizes the advantages that technology has made possible producing a zesty film that is emotionally alive. He employs many techniques to make his production a success the first being the manipulation of different camera angles. As the film begins the audience hears the recital of what was originally Balthazar’s song by Beatrice, the words to the song appearing in white against a black backdrop, to the gentle lilt of a guitar. In this opening scene the screen comes to light with a magnificent panoramic shot of the countryside scenery. This establishes a very light-hearted and airy mood, and thus sets the tone for the production as blithe and jocular. Branagh sets his film at the Villa Vignamaggio in the hills of Tuscany, the bright Tuscan sunshine adds to the nature of the film giving it a jovial feel. The scene ‘pans’ down to men and women, sitting in the grass, occasionally playing with each other’s hair, allowing time to pass in a carefree manner. This slow ‘pan shot’ then quickly changes to a rapid flicking from scene to scene as Don Pedro arrives. The mood that is then highlighted is one of excitement as the camera switches from focusing of the scurry of characters to the villa and the victorious entrance of the prince and his men. As the film progresses Branagh exploits the use of the different camera angles to provide emotional information about the characters involved in the scene which thus allows the audience to form judgments about those said characters. For instance, when Benedick first speaks, the camera angle changes to focus on Beatrice – she scowls. This close-up allows the audience intimate details of the character’s emotional state. Here it hints to a history, a painful one at that, between the two. Even in the shaming scene, Branagh is able to focus on Margaret. In the original text Margaret is completely left out. Shakespeare was not privy to the advances of technology thus he was not able to do as Branagh did, thus Margaret was left out of the original scene. However through her show of guilt Branagh is able to reassure the audience that this will not last a feat Shakespeare achieved through manipulating language and plot structure. Significantly, when the villains tell of the â€Å"betrayal† of Hero the plan is never revealed however, and the camera angle switches to show Hero in her bed alone again reaffirming to the audience the truth something Shakespeare attained through language. Also as Branagh abridges the two gulling scenes, he is able to then superimpose the end of each scene, one over the next to show both characters experiencing the same thing. The cameras focus on their faces highlighting the immense joy they are both experiencing and relaying it onto the audience. Benedict is playing in the fountain and Beatrice is swinging on a swing, love is triumphant over the squabbles and the characters are now content. Another noteworthy technique that Branagh employs is that of character placement. In the opening scene Beatrice is shown perched in a tree, unlike the other women who are sitting, this immediately signifies that she is different. Shakespearean comedies usually have heroines possessing qualities beyond their time. Shakespeare is able to establish Beatrice’s character a witty and independent through her language and interaction with other characters. Through her interaction with the messenger who yields, and her witty repartee with Benedick, Shakespeare produces a character way beyond her time. However, managing simple character placement Branagh is able to visually complement what is set by language and that is an independent, strong character. Even when the soldiers arrive from war, the riding formation is to character role and status: Don Pedro, the prince, is place in the middle to the forefront and he is flanked on both sides, to the left by the ‘villains’ Don John and his henchmen and to the right by the ‘heroes’ Claudio and the others. Also in the shaming scene all the women take Hero’s side with the exception of Benedick who stays to support his love Beatrice, while the men are on the opposite side defending their honor against the ‘unchaste’ Hero. Costuming in this film is quite simple. The characters are dressed in white cotton which evokes a sense of simplicity which matches his vision for the play and complements the setting perfectly however, it does then produce a society that is quite leisurely and not like original society which was overly concerned with outward appearances. In Shakespearean times, dress was very important especially since it shows status and that was one of the most important things even in the original script of the play. However Branagh makes simple variations which are quite as successful. For instance Don Pedro and Don John don leather pants; all soldiers wear the same uniform with the exception of color to show their roles. The villains’ pants and jacket collars are black while the heroes don blue pants and blue collared jackets. The prince is the only character seen wearing a gold chain and pendant. With these slight variations in costuming Branagh is able to achieve the same means and stays true to his vision for the play. The soundtrack to the film was brilliant, at the beginning a cadence of guitar complements the languid feeling at the picnic as the mood changes so too does the music. The soundtrack soars to add excitement and hint victory as the Prince arrives. When the scene changes and Don John takes center frame the tune is ominous, the music is threatening and thunder booms as he puts his first plot to work. The soundtrack take on a melancholic tune as Claudio believes that the Prince is wooing Hero for himself. Shakespeare knew the importance of music. It is Balthazar’s song that Branagh employs suitably as the theme song for the film as it comments on the inconsistencies of men who â€Å"are deceivers ever†. Branagh’s use of props not only adds visual insight but comedy as well. In the beginning when the men arrive from war the flag thrusted upwards symbolizes their victory. For the masked ball, the characters wore appropriate masks which related to characteristics of the characters that wore them. Leonato wore a skull which signifies his old age, Borachio had a Cyclops mask which highlights his evil, Beatrice wore a cat mask which symbolizes her cunning nature and sexual prowess, Benedict wore a fool’s mask as he is frequently the joker, Hero had a pure white mask showing her purity, and Claudio had a baby mask symbolizing his youth. Benedict is seen fidgeting with his mask as Beatrice bashes him mercilessly, which shows his deflating ego as he endures the verbal abuse. Benedict has a fold chair as his prop for his soliloquy; he fidgets with the chair to add comedy. Once again this shows that Branagh uses his ability to have props to his advantage to make the movie more appealing to a modern audience. Branagh chose Denzel Washington to portray Don Pedro despite the fact that all Shakespeare’s actors were white. It was a smart thing to do however, because he is instantly recognized, being the Prince, and this blatantly shows the infidelity due to the stark contrast between him and Don John who is played by Keanu Reeves. The actors for Benedick and Beatrice are Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson who were married in real life and their natural chemistry comes out while portraying these characters. Shakespeare uses language to emphasize incompetence. Critics say that Dogberry’s language is lost in the squabble of Michael Keaton’s overacting. While Shakespeare depends on language Keaton is more dependent on his movements and antics to be comedic. According to critics from ‘Cinema For Crazy’ â€Å"Some of the characters are a bit annoying, like the constable played by Michael Keaton, and some of the scenes are overly dramatic, but it is Shakespeare after all and when it comes to playing with words, there’s no one better. Branagh and Thompson are wonderful together, Leonard and Beckinsale embody everything young lovers should be, Washington is powerfully sexy as the lonely leader and even Reeves delivers as the sullen villain. † Branagh makes full use of the lighting and setting, some of the things that Shakespeare was not fortunate enough to have in his time. All of the scenes where love blooms are usually outside in Branagh’s production; the outdoor landscape is very light-hearted and highlights the affectionate nature. The talks of love and courtship take place out in the green, in an airy setting where the mood is tranquil and cheerful. Villainy thrives in dimly lit areas. When the audience is exposed to Don John’s true nature it takes place in the dark sort of dungeon-like place, which is suited for evil. Branagh must also be commended on his use of the outdoors; he takes advantage of his environment by taking his production outside whereas Shakespeare was limited to the stage. Branagh’s use of this also enables his production to be more appealing to the audience and more understanding as most of the playful scenes take place outdoors. The wedding scene takes place outside in a merry environment which is supposed to make the shaming scene lighter. Branagh’s rendition of Much Ado about Nothing is very similar in meaning to that of the original text and deserves a certain level of credit for his precision. Branagh saw to the needs of a modern audience and set his production to their appeal. His use of comedy, lighting, cinematography and costuming each contribute significantly in their own way to the play. Although Branagh made a few mistakes; for example casting Keaton as Dogberry, which was the most negatively critiqued character. The critic James Berardinelli also says that Reeves’ casting has â€Å"missed its mark† and â€Å"modern actors who seem out of place in the period setting†. Branagh chose to base his main focus on the Elizabethans’ preoccupation with loyalty and chastity rather than on their fixation with outward appearances. It can be concluded that Kenneth Branagh’s interpretation of Much Ado about Nothing is without a doubt considerably accurate in terms of its acquiescence with the text. Despite the fact that he does not capture everything in the play, the pieces which he does, enables a clearer understanding of the play for a modern day audience.