Pessimistic Nature Of Holden Caulfield In The Catcher In...

Holden Caulfield is an interesting narrator and character of the novel The Catcher in the Rye. Unlike many narrators, he doesn’t seem one-dimensional and possessing only one trait. Many times throughout the novel, Holden’s actions and thoughts tend to conflict with each other, whether that be positive or negative. Therefore, this idea of his more complex nature gives readers differing perspectives of the character and their general preference or distaste of Holden. Regardless of his pessimistic viewpoint of the people around him and his surroundings, I predominately like Holden, specifically for how relatable he is to me and his genuinely caring nature towards certain people. Unfortunately, no person is perfect, and the pessimistic nature†¦show more content†¦As well as this, Holden has a deep desire for the world and the people that inhabit it to slow down. This is evident in the situation Holden finds himself in when looking at the Museum of Natural History, and after describing the fascinating aspects of the museum, he notes that, â€Å"The best thing, though, in that museum was that everything always stayed right where it was† (157). To conclude, Holden has wishes that are common to many people worldwide, therefore making him a relatable character. To add to the positive side of Holden, he does have a capability of caring for other people. Firstly, Holden has a deep love for children and preserving their innocence, to the point that he tells his little sister Phoebe, â€Å"What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff†¦I know it’s crazy, but that’s the only thing I’d really like to be† (224, 225). He wishes to keep children from falling off the cliff of innocence into the real world, and he even does this in a small way by rubbing off a profane message on a wall of the school Phoebe attends. As well as children, Holden has a deep affection for his fellow family members. Throughout theShow MoreRelatedCriticism Of Salinger s The Rye1382 Words   |  6 PagesCRITICISM Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye has been into continuous dispute and controversy since its publication in 1951. Some critics think that Salinger s narrative of the human plight is engrossing and enlightening, yet incredibly depressing. The leading character, Holden Caulfield, serves as the basis for critical discussion due to his psychological conflict. Salinger s portrayal of Holden, which encloses incidents of dejection, nervous breakdown, impulsive spending, sexual exploration, andRead MoreCatcher in the Rye984 Words   |  4 PagesENG 4U1 June 12, 2012 Catcher In The Rye Essay A role model can be can classified as one of many things, but what is it exactly that distinguishes a good one from a bad? The novel, The Catcher in the Rye, written by J.D Salinger is utilized to present the character Holden Caulfield as an unsuitable role model. Firstly, Holden relies on drugs for a way out of his problems instead of facing them. Also, he cannot find his place in the world, which arises, from his natural inclination to lie andRead MoreThe Catcher In The Rye Analysis892 Words   |  4 Pagesany young person. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, illustrates these ideas through Holden Caulfield, his main figure. By displaying how tough it is for him to grow up and admit that he cannot stay adamant in his belief and realize his interpretation of others is limited. The time that is presented allows Holden more ground for stereotypes and explains why his mindset is so set and why he interprets individuals and circumstances in his own sense. The perception of Holden help to present theRead MoreA Pessimistic Adolescent Is Not What Most Consider A Reliable Narrator1295 Words   |  6 PagesA pessimistic adolescent is not what most consider a reliable narrator, but author J.D. Salinger challenges this commonly held thought with his coming-of-age novel The Catcher in the Rye. The reader is introduced to Holden Caulfield, a secondary school junior that is outcasted and aimless upon expulsion from yet another preparatory school in a post-World War II world. Salinger weaves a myriad of comparisons of genuinity and disingenuousness into his work, each explored through a facet of Caulfield’sRead MoreRevealing Caulfield Essay790 Words   |  4 Pages In Salingers The Catcher in the Rye, the physical and psychological unraveling of the narrator, Holden Caulfield, is related through his inarticulate, but sincere voice. Salinger weaves Holdens narration in a way that reflects the young characters age through his words and thoughts. At 16 years yo ung, Holdens narration is often pessimistic, at times enthusiastic, and above all else contradictory. The same could be said about his thoughts concerning the topic of sex, which is a growing sourceRead MoreA Negative View Of Mental Illness1781 Words   |  8 Pagesmakes people think this way? Society has a negative view of mental illness because of media portrayal, the attitudes of individuals, and skepticism, and the novel, The Catcher in the Rye, makes a connection to these views of the world. In the novel The Catcher in the Rye, written by J.D. Salinger, the main character Holden Caulfield is clearly disturbed in some way or another. The opening paragraph begins to paint a clear picture of Holden’s unique and descriptive personality, â€Å"I’ll just tell you

Shakespeares Sonnets The Theme Of Love Essay - 1228 Words

Shakespeare’s poems are the monument of a remarkable genius but they are also the monuments of a remarkable age. The greatness of Shakespeare’s achievement was largely made possible by the work of his immediate predecessors, Sidney and Spenser. Shakespeare’s sonnets are intensely personal and are records of his hopes and fears, love and friendships, infatuations and disillusions that in turn acquire a universal quality through their intensity. The vogue of the sonnet in the Elizabethan age was brief but was very intense. Sir Thomas Wyatt and The Earl of Surrey brought the Petrarchan sonnet to England and with that an admiration for lyrical poetry. This had major consequences on English verse; it was not only due to the beauty of the†¦show more content†¦The mysterious dedication of Shakespeare’s sonnets has confused critics and readers. Some of them are addressed to a patron of letter who is also addressed as a friend and the latter ones to an imaginary and conventional mistress. But some of them are also philosophical in Nature and not addressed to any particular person. In some the theme of Carpe Diem has been emphasized, like in sonnet 123 â€Å"NO, Time thou shalt not boast that I do change.† Shakespeare has stated explicitly that the essence of the love he was celebrating in his sonnets was independent of reality and therefore was independent of change. Like in sonnet 124, when he says, â€Å"That it grows with heat, nor drowns with showers.† But the Romantics believed that the sonnets were autobiographical, and also the even now the critics feel the same way. But some of the critics view the sonnets as ‘purely literary exercises.’ The first 126 sonnets are dedicated to a young man W.H. who embodies the Renaissance cult of beauty and youth. Like in sonnet 14 the idea is presented that the Young man is the sole example of the perfect union of truth and beauty. â€Å"In him those holy antique hours are seen, Without allShow MoreRelatedComparing And Contrasting Two Sonnets1141 Words   |  5 PagesContrasting Two Sonnets ‘Sonnet 116’ by William Shakespeare and ‘What Lips My Lips Have Kissed, And Where, And Why† by Edna St. Vincent Millay are both sonnets that discuss companionship and a glimpse of each poet’s experiences. In ‘Sonnet 116’, Shakespeare illustrates how capability is weakened by its metaphysical stereotype and ideals such as, love, while on the contrary, in ‘What Lips My Lips Have Kissed, And Where, And Why† Millay feeds on the chaos between the ideal of love and its harshRead MoreSonnet 18 By William Shakespeare862 Words   |  4 PagesSonnet 18 is among the most famous of Shakespeare’s works and is believed by many to be one of the greatest love poems of all time. Like other sonnets, it is written in iambic pentameter form, consisting of four quatrains and a rhyming couplet. Shakespearean sonnets are very good works of literature to assess. They all have a universal theme, uses of figurative language, and othe r useful tools to make his points all clear. In â€Å"Sonnet 18†, Shakespeare is showing his love and affection towards oneRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Sonnet 116944 Words   |  4 Pages ‘Sonnet 116’ by William Shakespeare and ‘What Lips My Lips Have Kissed, And Where, And Why† by Edna St. Vincent Millay are both sonnets that discuss companionship and a glimpse of the poets’ experiences. In ‘Sonnet 116’, Shakespeare illustrates how capability is weakened by its metaphysical stereotype and ideals such as, love which never seems to wither away according to Shakespeare while on the contrary, in ‘What Lips My Lips Have Kissed, And Where, And Why† Millay feeds on the chaos betweenRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Poetry Of Love1612 Words   |  7 Pagesof William Shakespeare. Shakespeare was a world-renowned poet and playwright. Shakespeare had a romantic heart and his poetry is shaped by love. His poems usually depict the passion and sacredness of relationships. By comparing two poems from William Shakespeare it is shown how he has been able to articulate the poetic theme of love. This seminar will analyze and ex plore two of Shakespeare’s poems focusing on the particular theme of love. Shakespeare deals with deep and enduring love, as he appliesRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Othello 1386 Words   |  6 PagesStudent’s Name Professor’s Name Class Date Love comes in many colors. The blood-crimson of lust and the jade-green of jealously are but two of the vast palate required to paint this inescapable human passion. William Shakespeare’s store of colors is unrivaled. No human failing, foible or foolishness escapes his gentle, comedic reproof. He equally enjoins his audience to venture as bravely as he does into the palpable horror of love gone amiss. In â€Å"OTHELLO,†Ã¢â‚¬Å"MACBETH,† and many more dramas, love’sRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare and Edmund Spenser771 Words   |  4 Pagesthe works of William Shakespeare and Edmund Spenser it is clear that some similarities are apparent, however the two poets encompass different writing styles, as well as different topics that relate to each other in their own unique ways. In Shakespeare’s â€Å"Sonnet 18† and Spenser’s â€Å"Sonnet 75†, both poets speak of love in terms of feelings and actions by using different expressive views, a llowing the similar topics to contain clear distinctions. Although Edmund Spenser’s â€Å"Sonnet 75† and William Shakespeare’sRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Romeo And Juliet1263 Words   |  6 Pages Shakespeare is known for numerous literature achievements such as Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, MacBeth and so on. However, he is also known for his short but witty sonnets. While Shakespeare was known for more romantic stylistic poems and plays, his sonnets attack conventional notions in a number of ways. Shakespeare takes the ideas and attitudes of other sonnets and twists them into his own which goes against the habitual descriptions. Two sonnets, in particular, Sonnet 130 and also Sonnet 138Read MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Sonnet 73902 Words   |  4 Pages William Shakespeare â€Å"That time of year thou mayst in me behold† (Sonnet 73) The sonnet, originating in Italy, was formed by Francesco Petrarch. The Petrarchan sonnet, originally consisting of two quatrains and a couplet, was soon brought to England where William Shakespeare took an interest in this unknown form of poetry. Shakespeare revised the sonnet so it consisted of three quatrains with the rhyming scheme of â€Å"abab cdcd efef† and a rhyming couplet at the end. This revised sonnet was then referredRead MoreAnalysis Of Shakespeare s Sonnet, Let Me Not And The Marriage Of True Minds And Sherran s Composition953 Words   |  4 Pages Comparisons of Shakespeare s sonnet â€Å"Let Me Not in to the Marriage of True Minds† and Sherran s composition â€Å"Thinking Out Loud† In the poem â€Å"Let Me Not in to the Marriage of True Minds† also known as â€Å"Sonnet 116† Shakespeare uses the theme that love endures; to articulate that in spite of obstacles, true love never expires. First, he defines love as having a decree. For example, over time circumstances and a person can change, but Shakespeare declares that love can not be influenced. AfterRead MoreShakespeares Sonnet 181392 Words   |  6 PagesIn Sonnet 18, Shakespeare shows his audience that his love will be preserved through his eternal lines of poetry by comparing his love and poetry with a summers day. Shakespeare then uses personification to emphasize these comparisons and make his theme clearer to his audience. Shakespeare also uses repetition of single words and ideas throughout the sonnet in order to stress the theme that his love and poetry are eternal, unlike other aspects of the natural world. Using the devices of metaphor

Business Decision and Management of StayTogether Samples for Students

Question: Discuss about the Business Decision of StayTogether. Answer: Introduction Businesses today face a lot of challenges in attracting and retaining customers more so, because of the increased demands made by the consumers who want efficient services at minimal prices. The challenges have pushed the organization to adopt new and dynamic solutions that offer better financial outcomes. Decision management systems (DMS) are such solutions that offer operational efficiencies by outlining business decisions based on existing and future conditions (DMS, 2017). Now, StayTogether, a conglomerate or company merger between ten hotel chains serves a good example of the application DMS strategies as outlined by their business proposal. StayTogether outline four major decisions; one, rewarding loyal customers to enhance their relationship. Two, offering free meals inclusive of the hotel rooms payment. Three, giving rebates in the form of credit which can be used to pay for meals or accommodation and finally, enhancing their social responsibility. In light of these changes, this report will give a critical analysis of these business decisions on account of the existing market environments characterised by high demands and financial pressures. Furthermore, the report will provide substantial recommendations in the form of ICT systems that can enhance the companys performance thus increase its competitive advantage. Outline of the management decisions In many ways, organisations are similar in that they try to adopt the best business practices that will yield the best results (Yu, To Lee, 2012). Management and the decisions they take are part of these practices that can either result in the desired outcomes such as those of StayTogether where they hope to increase their customer base while retaining the existing customers. Moreover, they hope to improve their business performance by improving their brand while incorporating the concepts of information technology (IT) and Information systems (IS). However, in the modern era of globalisation these objectives are better said than done, for one, technology (IS and IT) will only work effectively if the underlying business concepts are satisfactory to meet the needs of the market (Namani, 2010). This requirement necessitates the business decisions taken. Customer loyalty schemes To engage customers and to enhance their overall experience, organisations like StayTogether will reward them with incentives such as free meals or holiday gifts. Moreover, these rewards are given to the most loyal customers as a show of appreciation and also as an added incentive to new customers on the treatment offered to those who constantly engage with the organisation. As a business strategy, loyalty programs are known to increase a businesss revenues as they enhance the relationship formed between the company and the consumers. Moreover, it facilitates a better brand image by giving the loyal customers a sense ownership through the reward and appreciation incentives given (bLoyal, 2016). Therefore, with this decision, StayTogether is set to realise its business objective more so those of retaining their existing customers as well as improving their brand's image. Furthermore, they can bank on the results seen in other organisations where the likes of Starbucks and Walmart have seen a substantial increase in revenues as a result of the reward programs they offer to their customers. For instance, Starbucks was noted to have highlighted a 13 percent increase in sales in 2013 as a result of their loyalty program (Fiscal annual report, 2013). Nevertheless, these outcomes are a result of the business advantages this decision offers; for one they drastically change the behaviours of the customers who increase their understanding of the companys product/services in an attempt of earning more rewards. In the process, they spend more and continuously engage with the said organisation (bLoyalty, 2016). Consequently, the clients are more satisfied with the services which encourage them to promote the organisation to other consumers thus increasing the business referrals (Butt, 2016). Free meals in the form of buffets A smart business decision that offers StayTogether a good promotional avenue where the marketing department can heavily advertise on. Basically, the branches having hotels and restaurants will offer free meals to customers through the overall package paid while booking the accommodations. However, despite the benefits of the strategy i.e. a promotional avenue, customer incentive and a better brand image etc. this decision does raise serious concerns particularly on the management of the free meals given (Ozimek, 2012). Free prices and rewards will always invoke the curiosity of the users, who in most cases will try to maximise of the plan provided. Moreover, customers today are more informed as facilitated by the digital medium and will have a deeper understanding of the free meal initiative i.e. its inclusive of the payment at hand. Therefore, they will maximise on the offer in an attempt to beat the conditions set. On the other hand, StayTogether will always try to maintain the consumption of the customers below the amount paid. So, how do the company maintain the consumption of the customers while satisfying their needs? A dynamic and holistic assessment supported by a modern IS system is needed to regulate the offers visa vie the existing market conditions. In essence, the restaurant should not offer extended services while making losses due to prices of raw materials. The system should adapt to offer what it can when it can and at the prices paid by the clients (Savolainen, 2010). Rebates in the form of credit StayTogether proposes a simple rebate program where customers who use the airlines affiliated with the organisation are offered rebates in the form of credit that can be used to earn extra services either as meals or extra night accommodation. According to Lu and Moorthy (2007), rebates, as well as coupons, are strategies of price discrimination where price sensitive consumer use them to earn services that they would otherwise not get without extra payments. Moreover, as a concept to enhance business performance, rebates affect a significant number of customers, 30 percent to be precise (Lu Moorthy, 2007) which increases the loyalty of the customers particularly the price-sensitive clients. In addition to this, consider the operational principles of rebates where users are given an opportunity to earn more rewards be it monetary or otherwise provided they put more effort on the terms offered by the organization (Tandon, 2017). In this case, rebates serve as an indirect promotional venture that not only reward customers but also one that gives a substantial reason to invest in the services given (Silk Janiszewski, 2004). Therefore, through this business decision, StayTogether will enhance its customer relations while improving its corporate image as a result of the client it will provide to the chosen travel agency or company. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) CSR offers organisation an avenue to promote their core values which in return engages the surrounding community and environment. In todays world, the concepts of environmental conservation and communal responsibility are at an all-time high and organisations like StayTogether are obliged to meet the needs of the society otherwise they risk losing business. Now, StayTogether initiative of providing customers with an avenue to give back to the community will enhance its relationship not only with the customers but also with the immediate community as a whole. For one, people will always feel a sense of fulfilment and accomplishment when they give back to the community. Therefore, customers will spend more on some occasions in an effort to increase the value of the 1 percent offered to the charity of their choice (Davis, 2017). Application of IS and IT In an effort to maximise its performance, StayTogether is set to reinvent it IS and IT systems by providing services through a single website, functioning across all mobile platforms i.e. PCs and other mobile devices. First, information system stands for the management tools used to perform an organisations operational activities while information technology is the underlying facilities that support these systems (IS). In both cases, several issues are set to affect the operations conducted by the business. For one, IS require quality data to operate which highlights the first problem of acquiring quality data in an era characterised by big data. Secondly, maintenance of the said system will fall on the organisation itself and its affiliated branches. Thirdly, the use of IS may be challenging to the users such as new customers who desire to book services, either internally or externally (Markgraf, 2017). On the other hand, IT will have two fundamental challenges, one compatibility and maintenance. Compatibility because the organisation is based in different areas having different facilities thus unifying communication will serve as a major challenge. Secondly, due to frequent market changes, the IT systems will have to adapt on a regular basis which further complicates the compatibility problems. In general, these issues could delay the objectives set by the organisation in increasing the customer base, for instance, users with minimal literacy may find it difficult to book facilities if the companys system is completely automated (Marthandan Tang, 1997). However, these setbacks are minimal as compared to the benefits that the technological systems can offer as highlighted below. Conclusion Its crucial to have versatile business strategies today especially in dynamic markets such as those exhibited in the Hotelling industry. Business decisions such as those highlighted above should be able to adapt and change based on the market trends to meet the objectives of an organisation. This versatility can be adequately provided by technology through information systems such as ERP (enterprise resource planning) where in-house resources are monitored and managed effectively to give optimal results. Furthermore, this system can be incorporated with SCM (supply chain management) and CRM (customer relationship management) systems to coordinate the external variables i.e. suppliers (input) and customers (end users). In essence, the integration of these concepts can lead to a holistic system that can offer a seamless transition of business operations that in the end increases the efficiency of the services offered to the clients. In addition to this, StayTogether can venture into other digital environments such as social media to increase its digital footprint thus increase its marketing avenues. Moreover, through social media, the organisation can engage more customers on a one-on-one basis meeting their needs at a minimal cost. Furthermore, it is through social media that the company can advocate for other business ventures such as automatic booking systems, tour guides and real-time service systems that can engage remote customers in different locations of the world. As an example consider a customer in Europe who could visit a park in Australia remotely through the real-time system offered. In the end, these ventures supported by good business decisions and technology can enhance the companys performance thus improve its overall earnings. References Butt. A. (2016). Pricing Strategies Top 7 Types of Rebate Deals. Deal track. Retrieved 09 May, 2017, from: https://blog.deal-track.com/pricing-strategies-top-7-types-of-rebate-deals BLoyal. (2017). Why Loyalty Programs are Essential for Every Retailer. Retrieved 09 May, 2017, from: https://www.bloyal.com/loyalty-programs-essential-for-every-retailer/ Davis. S. (2017). Examples of Social Responsibility Strategies. Chron. Retrieved 09 May, 2017, from: smallbusiness.chron.com/examples-social-responsibility-strategies-10633.html DMS. (2017). Decision Management Systems Platform Technologies Report. Retrieved 09 May, 2017, from: https://www.decisionmanagementsolutions.com/decision-management-platform-technology/ Johnson. S. (2017). Levels of Management Decision Making. Chron. Retrieved 09 May, 2017, from: https://smallbusiness.chron.com/levels-management-decision-making-58222.html Lu. Q Moorthy. S. (2007). Coupons Versus Rebates. Marketing science. Retrieved 10 May, 2017, from: https://web.nchu.edu.tw/pweb/users/hsiaolu/lesson/9909.pdf Markgraf. B. (2017). Common Problems in Management Information Systems. Chron. Retrieved 10 May, 2017, from: https://smallbusiness.chron.com/common-problems-management-information-systems-63376.html Marthandan. G Tang. C. (1997). Information technology evaluation: issues and challenges. Journal of Systems and Information Technology. Retrieved 10 May, 2017, from: https://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/abs/10.1108/13287261011032643 Namani. M. (2010). The role of information systems in management decision making-an theoretical approach. Information management. Retrieved 10 May, 2017, from: https://manager.faa.ro/download/561_1211.pdf. Ozimek. A. (2012). The Economics of All-You-Can-Eat Buffets. Forbes. Retrieved 09 May, 2017, from: https://www.forbes.com/sites/modeledbehavior/2012/05/23/the-economics-of-all-you-can-eat-buffets/#3cbda99c1d6a Savolainen. T. (2010). Improving customer loyalty through a regular customer program. Final thesis report. Retrieved 09 May, 2017, from: https://theseus32-kk.lib.helsinki.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/16386/Savolainen_Teemu.pdf?sequence=2 Starbuck Corporation. (2013). Fiscal 2013 annual report. Retrieved 09 May, 2017, from: https://s21.q4cdn.com/369030626/files/doc_financials/2013/Starbucks-Fiscal-2013-Annual-Report-FINAL.PDF Silk. T Janiszewski. C. (2004). Managing Mail-in Rebate Promotions. Retrieved 10 May, 2017, from: https://warrington.ufl.edu/departments/mkt/docs/janiszewski/Rebate.pdf Tandon. D. (2017). How to Transform Your Sales Rebate Strategy from Problematic to Profitable. The Kini group. Retrieved 09 May, 2017, from: https://thekinigroup.com/sales-rebate-strategy/ Timms. J. (2011). Introduction to business and management. Undergraduate study in Economics, Management, Finance and the Social Sciences. Retrieved 09 May, 2017, from: https://www.londoninternational.ac.uk/sites/default/files/programme_resources/lse/lse_pdf/subject_guides/mn1107_ch1-4.pdf Yu. B, To. W Lee. P. (2012). Quality management framework for public management decision making. Management Decision. Retrieved 10 May, 2017, from: https://www.irantahgig.ir/wp-content/uploads/10017.pdf

The Human Cost of an Illiterate Society free essay sample

The Education Problems in America The United States is supposed to be one of the world’s most affluent and technologically-advanced societies. Unfortunately, education is not as effective as it should be. There are many problems with public education. I think redistributing funding, collecting the comments on education system from the public, could really make an impact on our education system. What is wrong with the education system? Referring to Rose’s â€Å"I Just Wanna Be Average†, there were spate of reports on the school criticizes parents for not involving themselves in the education of their children. We will write a custom essay sample on The Human Cost of an Illiterate Society or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Without the parents’ help, how would someone like middle or high school level student know what to ask? Not like in the past, our parents is not being very involved with our education, they neither won’t asked about your grades nor homework every day when you got home. They seem not interested in the school life of their children. However, an important consideration in the middle or high schools is the identity development which takes place during adolescence. The role of parents is coach and the mentor toward their kids. As a mentor, they should provide advices and training to their children in order to help them gain experience.It is the best way encouraging students to learn. Lack of parental involvement, students could not pass through the difficulty of studying or even give up learning. By reading what Rose’s experience during the vocational study, one main idea can be summarized. That is, there were a few teachers who worked hard at education. As mentioned, some of them only work for paid and mostly had no idea of how to engage the imaginations of the students. Lack of awareness of the significance of education makes them disinterested in teaching and lessons become bored. Thus, education is boring would branded into students’ mind.And, what is wrong in this society? In the United States, millions of adult illiterates are suffering in the courses of their routine existence. Illiteracy means not being able to read and write. Among the main causes of illiteracy the first is poverty. Teenagers might need to work for paid in order to help the family and cannot be spared for school. Although the government improves the education system even better than before, they still cannot benefit from it. Lake of educational facilities is also a major factor. Since the illiterates were not well-educated, so employers would not be willing to pay much for hiring them.If the school or other educational facilities are located far away from where they live, they probably cannot afford the transportation fee. A woman in Detroit, for example, brought home a gallon of Crisco for her children because she thought that she had bought the chicken that was pictured on the label. Looking at the reality described above by reading Kozol’s â€Å"The Human Cost of an Illiterate Society†, they are always misleading by the wrong information. You may say the illiteracy problem is just affecting the illiterates themselves, but the true is the America, even the world as a whole would be affected.Since they all have the right to vote for any US political organizations, if the unsuitable person was picked up, the whole country would be suffered. Nowadays, intelligence usually linked with well-educated in this society. Is there a correlation between people who score highly on the exam and those who seem to be more intelligence? According to Asimov’s essay, the answer would be â€Å"NO†. He argued that the exam result could only indicate you are very good at answering the type of academic questions but not really intelligence.Unlucky, the government is willing to provide more resources on people who did well on the exam than the others. Therefore, illiteracy is not caused by a lack of intelligence. It is caused by the resources wrongly located. The illiterates cannot get what they need for improvement. Illiterates who is suffer most from the education problems in the United States, so their comments are most important to make our education system better, to make our society, a better society. And we need to redistribute the resources in order to help them for improvement. The Human Cost of an Illiterate Society free essay sample The Human Cost of an Illiterate Society Illiteracy in America can have negative and devastating effects on society as a whole. The effects that illiteracy has range from embarrassment to low self-esteem as well as high crime rates. Illiteracy seems to have an even more devastating effect in the lower income communities. Based on that, Johnathan Kozol wrote â€Å"The Human Cost of an Illiterate Society,† that was an article in Illiterate America (1985) to show how illiteracy lowers people’s quality of life, reduce the education, and prevents them take part in democratic society fully. Negative effects of illiteracy in America are also heavy in politics. One has to wonder how someone who cannot read or write manages to vote. In order for a person to vote or make a wise decision about who they should vote for, and one must know how to read. As Jonathan Kozol writes†: The number of illiterate adults exceeds by 16 million the entire vote cast for the winner in the 1980 presidential contest. We will write a custom essay sample on The Human Cost of an Illiterate Society or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page If even one third of all illiterates could vote, and read enough and so sufficient math to vote in their self-interest, Ronald Regan would not likely have been chosen president. There is, of course, no way to know for sure† (253). Most illiterate people that do vote based on what the person looks like but not for what they know about the person and what he or she can do to help. If 60 million people in the United States cannot read, then they cannot cast a vote truly representation of their opinions. As Kozol Claims, the United States has in fact become a government â€Å"of those two thirds whose wealth, skin color, or parental privilege allows them opportunity to profit from the provocation and instruction of written word† (253). Every day, the illiterates suffer in the panic of life that they cannot understand. It can affect their parenting roles when the illiterates cannot read or write note to their children’ teacher, even they are not able to help with the homework. Illiterates cannot practice with many regular health measures or heed health dangers such as medications can pose a great danger on illiterates because they cannot read to educate themselves about instructions. Especially, illiterates are endangers by not being able to read stipulations. They would be scared and intimidated by lack of understanding. In addition, due to the illiteracy of some women and lack of help in under –privileged hospital, incorrect surgeries have been performed on unsuspecting women and taken away their right of child-bearing. Illiterates cannot manage living expenses. They cannot pay bills easily and often spend more than necessary. They also have to rely on others to know what is going on or explain things to them. Their rights are being violated as citizens because they are not fully informed; they need ask the others but some of whom are not really trustworthy. Illiterates lack the comfort of being able to even do such simple things as emergency phone numbers. In particularity, driving down a street and not knowing how to read the street sings can be scary to an illiterate person Small to big situations, such as ordering food to calling for help are all fears in the everyday life of an illiterate. The fear of not knowing, the fear of being humiliated, the fear of being insure of the rights are all sometimes more problematic than the issue at hand. Sometimes illiterates would rather suffer in silence than be humiliated by someone finding out they cannot read. Kozol uses the essay â€Å"The Human Cost of an Illiterate Society† to demonstrate the effects illiteracy has on society. He shows different examples, some of which are dramatic; to portray the dangers illiteracy poses in such simple everyday life tasks. He also explains how illiteracy can have effects on society as a whole. He feels that government has neglected this issue for too long. Kozol hopes this essay can recruit the reader into an effort to get the problem of illiteracy addressed and corrected.

How Work has Changed and its e essays

How Work has Changed and its e essays Employment and employees have changed a great deal since the eighteenth and early nineteenth century. In the eighteenth and early nineteenth century most employees didnt punch a time clock, get their time card electronically stamped, at the beginning and end of their work shift. They also didnt have a supervisor monitoring the work produced throughout the entire workday and they didnt get paid at an hourly rate. Unlike today, work was usually paid by the number of products or items a person could produce, resulting in what is known as piecework. This allowed employees to work at their own pace and gave them the ability to usually set their own work schedule by choosing the time of day they wanted to work. Some were able to even work at home where they werent supervised by anyone. These early workers were very skilled and respected by their customers and employers. Their type of trade could easily take years of apprenticeship to learn, making them valuable and hard to replace. However, the nineteenth century and the Industrial Revolution brought changes to the way the average employee viewed their work and how they worked. New ways of acquiring power were invented such as steam engines, the internal combustion engine, and electricity. The skilled workers of the eighteenth and early nineteenth century, who made a product on their own, were now making just one piece to the whole product. Another important difference was that the one piece was not made when and where the employee wanted. Instead, the employee, who was supervised by a manager, had to report to a factory where the product was split up into pieces and divided among several employees in order to be made. Managers or supervisors controlled what was being produced, who made the product and the speed at which the work was made. This made it easier to train an employee to perform tasks and it also cut the learning curve from years to weeks...

First Civilizations of the Early World Essays

First Civilizations of the Early World Essays First Civilizations of the Early World Essay First Civilizations of the Early World Essay This period of only 7,400 years held many great advances in technology, social interactions, government, and even economics. From the development of agriculture to the caste system of the Aryans, this era in time was one of great growth, development, and change In the earliest civilizations of our history. The beginning of all civilizations started with the migration of humans out of Africa. The hunters and gatherers Inhabited almost every region of the world less than 15,000 years ago. The groups traveled around as nomads for hundreds of years. During that time, they developed tools such as axes, knives, and needles. Fire was also utilized as a tool. Spoken language developed during this period in time as well. Though the nomadic groups lived for thousands of years off of simply hunting and gathering, the Neolithic Revolution and the discovery of agriculture changed how they lived forever. The breakthrough process of farming led to the settlement of these nomadic groups and the formation of colonization. Job specialization, definition of social classes, gender roles and the trading of goods? especially metals such as copper and bronze?were all advancements made in violations as a result of the development of agriculture. Some geographic areas were not sustainable for farming, thus pastoral nomadic developed. Cities with marketplaces and organized governments followed shortly after the development of the civilizations. Such cities were usually located on riverbanks due to the availability of fertile soil. : Mesopotamia, an early farming community, was located on the Fertile Crescent of Asia. Irrigation along the Fertile Crescent allowed for mass food production, and therefore, sustainability of a larger population than previous violations could hold. The population was so large, in fact, that it began to develop city-states. A city-state is a free governed city that shares the agriculture of the adjoining land. The city-states all had similar cultures, yet each one had a different god or goddess that guarded them. Along with the large population of Mesopotamia came a complex social order of the citizens. At the top of the social class were kings and queens; at the bottom, slaves. Egypt was another civilization which much like Mesopotamia, was able to thrive due to the fertile soil of a river bank. The Nile River revived Egypt with the soils it needed to develop irrigation systems and build villages. Pharaohs were in charge of the Egyptian villages, and were at the top of the social class. Elaborate pyramids were built as tombs for the pharaohs, due to the religious beliefs of an afterlife. The pyramids were home to many high level paintings and sculptures of the gods and nature at that time, as well as hieroglyphics. Unlike the history of Egypt or Mesopotamia, the history of the Indus River Valley Is very unclear, due to the mystery of their written language, made up of over 400 symbols. Urbanize cities with grinded walls, temples, marketplaces, broad streets, and even separated areas of social classes have been found. The Aryan peoples Inhabited Indus around 1 700 BCC, but left little trace of their existence In the valley. What Is known about the Aryans Is from Veda, or a collection of sacred hymns, songs, and poems. Social status was based on your Verna, which was a part of the Aryan caste system. Indus had trading connections with Mesopotamia and Persia, which held 1500 BCC. The Yellow River or Hung He was the first river valley civilization to develop in China. The valley was ruled by the Sang Dynasty from 1766 to 1122 BCC. An important achievement from the dynasty was the development of Chinese pictograph characters. Oracle bones are used to prove the existence of the Sang Dynasty, containing predictions about the future written in the bones. The ruling of the Chou Dynasty followed the end of the Sang Dynasty. The Chou lasted longer than the Sang, and also had a greater impact on Chinese culture. The Mandate of Heaven and the veneration of ancestors were two large themes that were practiced during the ruling of the Chou Dynasty. The Mandate of Heaven was a concept that told the people there was a direct connection between rulers and gods. Floods, earthquakes, and other disastrous happenings were thought of as signs from the gods that the end of a dynasty was near. Though the Chou Dynasty was very structured, it eventually lost its power around 771 BCC. In the river banks of the Gulf of Mexico, the Elms settled in around 1500 BCC. Their most important settlements were San Lorenz and La Event. San Lorenz was the center for all things religious, political, or economical. Social class of the citizens in the settlements could usually e determined based off of the elaborateness of their clothing. The more elaborate, the higher they stood on the social ladder. During their time in the Gulf, the Elms built Colossal Heads, but how they achieved this is unknown. How the fall of the Elms occurred is unknown due to the abandonment of their ceremonial centers. Around the same time as the Elms were settling in the Gulf, a religious cult called the Chapin was gaining influence in South America. Both the civilizations of the Elms and the Shaving had influences on the empires and civilizations that came later on in the Americas.

Management Accounting Scenarios and Applications Assignment

Management Accounting Scenarios and Applications - Assignment Example In this way, a proper mechanism can be developed which can easily assist the departmental head regarding the cost patterns (Drury, 2006). Variance Analysis Variance Analysis is the next tool which can be used by the departmental heads after the incurrence of actual costs (Drury, 2006). This tool supports the departmental managers as to identify the cost which is actually representing more deviations from the estimated/budgeted/standard cost. Once the cost is identified to have shown deviations, proper investigations should be conducted as to find out the causes of the deviations of that cost. The variance can be either favorable or adverse; however, the departmental heads should investigate both types of variances because at times the favorable variances occur due to using substandard raw materials or other similar issues. By utilizing the above mentioned tools, the departmental heads can easily trace as well as monitor and control the cost patterns of their department. Email 2: The following response is generated to guide Brenda in respect of the equipment to be included in the capital budgeting process: Identification of Cash Flows For any equipment to be included in the capital budgeting process, the first and foremost step of including the particular item is the identification of all possible cash inflows and outflows along with their evaluation (Garrison, 2009). All the equipments have a particular initial outlay followed by the benefits (cash inflows in monitory terms) over its remaining useful life. However, the exact amount of cash inflows to be received is a bit judgmental task and needs careful estimation and forecast. The scenario mentioned in the case, needs a little adjustment as the printing machine to be purchased has a useful life of less than a year. Generally, equipments which are included in the capital budgeting process have a useful life of more than a year and their cash flows are estimated on yearly basis. In this scenario, the situation is a bit different. Here, an adjustment can be made such that a discount factor on monthly basis should be used by Brenda, and the Net Present Value of the printing machine should be calculated on monthly cash flow basis. If the NPV of the printing machine comes in positive figures, then the printing machines should be recommended for the final capital budgeting process. However, in case if the negative figure comes up for NPV, then plan for acquiring the printing machine should be discarded as it is no more feasible for Brenda to exploit the machine in best possible manner (Gupta, 2001). Email 3: Breakeven Quantities This response is presented for Carl’s inquiry regarding the breakeven quantity. Under the existing situation when fuel changes are not added in the cost of the product, the contribution earned is $1.87. However, if the cost of fuel is added, then contribution is decreased to around $1.72. As a result of this change in the cost of the product, the breakeven quant ity to be sold is also changed such that before the increase in the cost, the breakeven quantity is around 445,283 units. However, after the increase in the cost, the breakeven quantity is increased to around 484,116 units. Target Profits Assuming if the company is also interested in earning some profits of let’s say $100,000 then in that case, the company needs to sell some more units so that they can earn this much profit. It can be

Art history comparison of two works Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Art history comparison of two works - Essay Example River in the Catskills captures the effects of industrialization which was slowly but surely making its presence felt even in the bucolic landscape of the Catskill Mountains. Albert Bierstadt’s The Buffalo Trail retains much of the landscape without depicting any interference of modern life. Coles work is in contrast from his earlier work, and here we see there are no large trees to frame the picture and thus what we get is an open landscape. In the middle distance can be seen a locomotive engine and some railroad cars. In the foreground can be seen a man looking out at these modern contraptions, while beside him can be seen trees which have been cut down. Bierstadt’s painting, on the other hand, binds the attention of the viewer by the tall trees in the foreground and the beginnings of a storm which just may unleash itself at any moment. The two paintings differ from each other most pointedly in the use of color. Coles painting uses a large number of colors from the palette, while Bierstadt’s landscape is made up of muted colors, the emphasis being on the grays and browns. In Coles work there is no large tree, while the other painting shows the grandeur of nature, both by incorporating the big trees as well as the herd of buffaloes crossing the river. Thomas Cole’s River in the Catskills has confounded scholars because it â€Å"does not readily fall into an established category of landscape painting† (Wallach, Alan, June2002) but there is no doubt that it is a pastoral scene where we can see the distress of the artist at the encroachment of modernity. This painting is also more realistic, since we see the artist bringing in the idea of change that will necessarily follow whenever inventions begin to coexist in this pastoral scene. Bierstadt’s landscape is on the other hand a work in which we can see how the painter has given us an illusion of space. He achieves this by keeping the middle ground and background clear of unnecessary details and in

Genetically Modified Foods Essay Example for Free

Genetically Modified Foods Essay Introduction The world is slowly running out of food. Impoverished people have nowhere to turn. Biotechnology researchers think they have found a way to reverse the world famine. This way is through genetically modified foods which are foods that come from genetically engineered organisms. Examples of such organisms are sheep, cows, and fish. However, since it is a new invention, it is being met with harsh and legitimate concerns. While it may help the world’s food crisis, it may also do that at the expense of human health. Moreover, In the 90’s in the USA, the Food and Drug Administration decided that genetically modified food was safe and did not require special regulation. They stated that is was, â€Å"not inherently dangerous. † (FDA, 1998). This allowed genetically modified food such as soybean oils and tomatoes to enter the market. There are lots of ideas about the GMF. Some scientists say that it is no harmful affects of GMF and it may be a solution for scarcity of food and even it is healthy. However, some others say that GMFs are dangerous for public health. And It can damage biodiversity. Genetically modified foods may be a good solition to increase the amount of food. The problem is there are lots of people go to sleep hungry everyday and the number of hungry people is getting bigger. And International Food Policy Research Institute state there are â€Å"120 devoloping countries† which are very close to limit of hunger and â€Å"57 of which with a serious or worse hunger situation. †(Global Hunger Index, 7) The reason of this hunger is there is not enough food to feed them and because the world population is getting higher but the areas which use in farming are getting smaller. Farmers could not find suitable area to plant their crops. That is why, They have to find a different solution to be productive. Conko argues that biotech agriculture is the method by which we can increase agricultural productivity without resorting to increases in harmful chemical fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides. In the Genetic Modification it says that genetic modification provides a means to confer resistance to broad-spectrum herbicides into crops where current weed control is considered difficult. In this way, farmers can be more productive and they can get more product on their fields. â€Å"In the United States, in 2002 about 5. 5 million farmers in 145 nations were planting more than 145 million acres worth of GM crops. † (Conko) On the other hand, genetically modified herbicide tolerant crops might have a negative impact on biodiversity. Genetically Modified crops have an impact on birds and insect. A crop plant modified to be toxic to insect pests can have a direct harmful effect on non-target insects if they eat the plant. It can also have an indirect effect by reducing the insects that are a food source for other wildlife, such as farmland birds. Genetically Modified crops that are tolerant to herbicides could also lead to a reduction in weed populations that act as refuges for beneficial insects, and those that are eaten by birds. This process takes time because of this GM crops evaluate as a good solution but it can destroy the biological diversity. And US conservation organization Royal Society,founded in London In 1660 is a learned society for science, support it. They state that the likelihood of the spread of Genetically modified into the wild populations, the risk of superweeds being produced, the impact Genetically modified introductions might have on the colonies of micro organisms living in the soil and how such risks can be assesed and analysed. Also John Innes Centre, Founded in England is an independent centre for research and training in plant and microbial science, state that Monarch butterfly larvae fed only on leaves covered in pollen from Bt corn grew more slowly and suffered higher death rates and pink bollworm fed on cotton producing the Bt toxin. Aphids fed on Genetically Modified potatoes producing a different toxin were also reported to have a harmful effect on ladybirds feeding on the aphids. Genetically Modified crops can be beneficial for health in terms of their food value. Foods include lots of vitamins which are necessary to our body. In early days, our foods were full of vitamins, proteins, carbohydrate and they were occupied with value. However, now there are not enough foods which are full of value. Because there are lots of environmental factors like global warming which causes to summers takes long time, and scarcity of water, and also some pests. These factors effect the crops and farmers have to use pesticide and this cause to decrease food value. And it leads lots of health problems. And the one of the most important health problem is Vitamin A deficiency. This is the cause of at least â€Å"1 million childhood deaths† each year and is â€Å"considered the single most serious cause of blindness amongst children† in the developing countries. â€Å"A possible solution to this problem is the genetic modification of rice. † ( Potrykus, quoted inGenetic Modification) Although GM foods are benefical for the food value, in some circumstances, it can be very harmful for human health. Without too much control eating genetically modified food can be dangerous and it can lead lots of diseases like Eosonophil Myalgia Syndrome. In this debate, the Physicians and Scientists for Responsible Application of Science and Technology, is a website to educate the general public about genetic engineering in general and foods, revealed that After eating a food supplement produced by genetically engineered bacteria, â€Å"37 persons were killed 1500 people were permanently disabled† in the US in a disease called Eosonophil Myalgia Syndrome. It was caused by one or more extremely poisonous substances that unexpectdedly appeared in this food supplement. This accident confirms the predictions of molecular biologists that genetic engineering can cause the appearance of dangerous unexpected substances. As a Conclusion, there are lots of arguments in the GMF. Maybe It can be a solution for lots of problems, maybe it can be invention of the this century. I think, however, without too much researching about GMF we cannot use it to gain profit. Because human health is important than anything. We have to more careful. In the future, After very deep research about the GMF, we can solve the sustanibility problem. Works cited Chapter 8: Genetic Modification. Agricultural Pollution. 193-211. n. p. : Taylor Francis Ltd / Books, 2002. Environment Complete. Web. 20 Mar. 2013. Genetically Modified Plants and the Environment. Royal Society Submission to the Governments GM Science Rewiev. The Royal Society, 1 May 2003. Web. 31 Mar 2013. http://royalsociety. org/uploadedFiles/Royal_Society_Content/policy/publications/2003/9827-Environment. pdf. New evidence indicate that genetic engineering was the cause. Most important news. PSRAST, 06 Jan 2007. Web. 31 Mar 2013. http://www. psrast. org/demsd. htm. U S Food and Drug Administration Home Page. Web. Conko, G. The benefits of biotech: as the world’s population grows, environmental stewardship will require science to find ways to produce more food on less land. Regulation, 26(1), pp. 20-25. Print. Spring 2003. Ringler, Claudia ,Rosegrant, Mark W. , Olofinbiyi, Tolulope, Wiesmann, Doris, Fritschel, Heidi, Badiane, Ousmane, Torero, Maximo, Yohannes, Yisehac, Thompson, Jennifer, von Oppeln, Constanze, Rahall, Joseph, Von Grebmer, Klaus, Claudia, Ringler Global Hunger Index. International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), 2012. Print. Impact of growing GM crops on biodiversity. John Innes Centre. Norwich Research Park, n. d. Web. 18 Apr 2013.

Mouring in the Victorian Era Essay -- Victorian Era

Mouring in the Victorian Era The actions of Victorians upon a death is a intricate web of rituals and etiquette. In Vanity Fair, William Thackeray gives modern readers a brief glimpse into deep mourning through Amelia Sedley-Osborne. The idea of deep mourning was introduced by Queen Victoria upon the death of her husband, King Albert, who died of typhoid in 1861. At that time and for forty years after(the time of her death), the Queen mourned the loss of her beloved husband. She commanded her court to dress in mourning with her for the first three years post-mortem. Because of the Queen's extreme actions, the Victorians elected to mimic her ethics. After her death, the world came out of mourning and began to change fashion, which began the Edwardian Period. Death Death was a commonplace occurrence in the Victorian Age. "Three of every twenty babies died before their first birthday, and those who survived infancy had a life expectancy of only forty-two years" (Douglas) Death would take place most often in the home. When a death occurs, the entire house stops and takes up deep mourning. Windows are closed. Clocks are stopped. Mirrors were covered. Mirrors were covered because it was believed that a mirror, or reflective surface, could because trapped in it. Bodies would be stored in homes until they were buried. Poor families in their small houses would have to kept the dead in the same quarters as the living until the time of the funeral had arrived. Even children were not sheltered from the deaths around them. They were instructed at all ages on the meaning of death and its rituals. As the Industrial Revolution developed, Middle Class and proper etiquette were defined. Rules and regulations of what was proper was decided... ...ictorianflair.net/VictorianMourning.html http://www.datavista.co.uk/ctic/thread.asp?threadid=39 http://www.gbacg.org/mourning98.htm http://www.msu.edu/user/beltranm/mourning/mourning.htm http://www.victoriaspast.com/LadyinBlack/ladyinblack.htm Works Cited "Death: the Last Taboo." Victorian Era. Australian Museum. 2004. . Douglas, Anne. Victorian Mourning Customs. Pagewise, Inc. 2002 . Hell, Kyshah. "Victorian Mourning Garb." Morbid Outlook. . "Victorian Mourning." Webster Dictionary. 1931. . Weston, Pauline. Mourning Fashion History. Fashion-era. .

Art Over Life Essay

An ode is a form of lyric poetry where the poet reveals his personality. He shares his thoughts, feelings and opinions as we see through his eyes. Keats’s odes were very majestic and full of imagination. The two poems Ode to a Nightingale and Ode on a Grecian Urn are very similar in their structure and message. Keats was tired of the mortal world and could only see the negative things in his life and so he looked for an escape. It wasn’t only his own pain that depressed him, it was the pain of his brother who was dying and we can see evidence of this in this quote; â€Å"The weariness, the fever, the fret. Here, where men sit and hear each other groan. Where palsy shakes a few last grey hairs. † Both Ode to a Nightingale and Ode to a Grecian Urn have similarities in them. In Ode to a Nightingale and Ode the speaker opens with a declaration of his own heartache. He feels as if he is numb and â€Å"as though of hemlock I had drunk,† he then addresses a nightingale he hears singing somewhere in the forest. He says in this opening stanza that he is not envious of the nightingale because it is so happy. Keats appreciated nature and saw it in some ways superior to humans. In â€Å"Ode To A Grecian Urn† Keats imagine what the people on the urn were doing when the picture on the urn was painted. He reflects on the idea of a thing of beauty living on past his lifetime and he rejoices in the fact that the urn will never change. As you can see in both poems Keats’s glee is based on the fact that both the Nightingales song and the people on the Urn will never change and they will live on past his lifetime. This is the same for Keats’s poems; all the beauty within them live on past Keats’s lifetime and generation. Both poems convey immortality one through a living thing and one through a still object. We can almost sense that Keats uses beauty in his poems to escape the harsh life of the mortal world and he sees beauty in things that are not human. This is the case in both of the poems. Beauty is almost compensation for life and Keats fully appreciates beauty and escapes through writing about beauty. He realises then at the end of the Ode to a Nightingale poem that escaping to the nightingale’s world is not as good as the mortal world. He bases this decision on the fact that in the mortal you experience both the good and bad intensely but this is better than no intense feeling at all. There is also a complicated ending in â€Å"Ode To A Grecian Urn† in the part he says â€Å"Beauty is truth, truth beauty, – and that is all ye know on earth, and all ye need to know†.

Aaron Zuniga-Bennett Essay

In the early 1980s, the American people elected Ronald Reagan as President of the United States of America. Many people claim that Reagan was one of the greatest presidents of all time, while others believe that the country would have been much better off had Reagan never been elected. Regardless of their political preferences, it is undeniable that Ronald Reagan changed the world in the 1980s and his work as president will be forever remembered in the countless books of history. Ronald Reagan ran as a Republican and was the absolute spirit of a conservative. He worked to bring forth the ideal of conservatism in America and successfully captured and isolated that belief in the presidency. As president, Reagan worked to bring the ideal of American exceptionalism back to the country, to set the economy on the right track, and to end the Communist threat that had been present since the end of World War II. For all practical purposes, Ronald Reagan was a president who accomplished more t han he set forth to do and did so famously; some would say infamously. Nonetheless, Reagan accomplished more in his eight year presidency than most presidents of the 20th Century. He is widely hailed as the man who ended the Cold War and will forever be remembered as the man who led to the conservative resurgence in America. He was a man of profound ability and charm and America is better off for having Reagan as the Commander-in-Chief during the latter portion of the 20th Century. Ronald Reagan was born on February 6, 1911 in Tampico, Illinois. His mother, Nelle, was a homemaker; and his father, Jack, was a traveling salesman (Ronald Reagan). The Reagan family moved often as Jack searched throughout the state for work and Ronald Reagan grew up in a very poor family. Despite the hardships his family encountered, Reagan graduated from high school in Dixon, Illinois and earned a football scholarship to attend Eureka College (Reagan, â€Å"American Life† 43). After graduating from Eureka, Reagan pursued a career in Hollywood where he starred in over fifty movies and eventually became the president of the Screen Actors Guild. As president of the Screen Acto rs Guild, Reagan worked to remove all suspected Communists from Hollywood; all the while encouraging conservative values in the liberal slanted film industry. In 1964, the former actor, Ronald  Reagan, delivered a nationally televised political speech on behalf of conservative presidential candidate Barry Goldwater. The speech became one of Reagan’s most fundamental speeches that completely changed his life. In his speech, Reagan presented the country with his ideals of a perfect country, supported by his conservative values. He also spoke about how America needs a strong national defense, a reduction of taxes, and the need to defeat the Communist threat in the Soviet Union. He also stated, â€Å"We will preserve for our children this, the last best hope for man on earth, or we will sentence them to take the last step into a thousand years of darkness† (Reagan, â€Å"Speaking† 36). After his speech, Reagan was approached by many influential Republicans who urged him to run for Governor of California. His speech, on behalf of Barry Goldwater became one of his greatest triumphs. Reagan initially refused when he was asked to run for governor; nevertheless, many influential Republicans got together and formed a fundraising group called â€Å"Friends of Reagan.† They raise d a great deal of money and in 1966; Reagan defeated the needed Democrat Governor of California (What Would Reagan Do?). At that moment, his political career began and in 1981, Reagan assumed the role as President of the United States of America. Throughout his presidency, Reagan set America on a course to defeat the Communist threat in the Soviet Union, to boost military funding, to cut taxes, and to return optimism to the American people. Reagan worked relentlessly to accomplish his goals and in the process changed the world. Many of his critics view the 1980s as a decade of unmitigated wealth and greed; and they praise Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev for ending the Cold War. From the beginning of his presidency, Ronald Reagan worked to end the Cold War, not to appease the Soviets. Former presidents had worked to open relations with the Soviet Union. President Nixon had formed compromise and Carter worked to appease the Communists. However, â€Å"Reagan rejected Communism, dà ©tente, and containment, and set us on a course to win – not manage – the Cold War†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (The Great One). Reagan met several times with General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev of the Soviet Union, and together they worked to compromise and create treaties that would eliminate the threat of short range nuclear weapons. Many of the meetings with Gorbachev were productive, yet Reagan’s ideal of foreign policy was not as clearly defined as many of his critics may have wished.  The Reagan Administration dealt with foreign policy on the manner of â€Å"Peace through Strength,† they worked to isolate any world menace and to direct all immediate attention to that threat. This ideal of foreign policy worked to threaten the Soviet Union and to make them aware that any danger they may pose would be dealt with in a quick and decisive manner. In 1983, Reagan ordered the United States Marines to invade Grenada. A coup d’à ©tat was taking place and a revolutionary group was trying to take control of the government to align with the Marxist Soviet Union (Reagan, â€Å"American Lifeà ¢â‚¬  449). Although the troops were only in Grenada for a short period of time, they did suppress the threat of a Communist uprising and Reagan shocked the world with his tough stance on global threats. During his presidency, Reagan increased federal defense spending by 35 percent and began building nuclear weapons at an unprecedented rate (Ronald Reagan). In 1986, one American serviceman was killed in a bombing in Berlin that injured 63 other members of the American military. It became evident within hours that the terrorist attack had been planned and carried out by Mu’ammar Qadhafi, the leader of Libya. Reagan was quick to order an air raid on key ground targets in Libya. The strike was a success and many important buildings were destroyed. Reagan addressed the nation shortly after the air raid and made several comments that were illustrative of his firm stance against terrorist actions. He said, â€Å"When our citizens are abused or attacked anywhere in this world†¦ we will respond so long as I’m in this Oval Office,† and to terrorist leaders around the world he said, â€Å"He [Qadhafi] counted on America to be passive. He counted wrong† (Reagan, â€Å"Speaking† 288). With that speech, Reagan imposed his views upon the world and he let the country know that he would not succumb to any foreign national threat. For all practical purposes, nearly all of the military actions of the 1980s were directed in some manner towards the Soviet Union. The preemptive attacks on Grenada and Libya were used as threats against the Soviet Union and were meant to be symbolic of the fact that America would not hesitate to act. Reagan used his strong military presence as a threat against the Soviets and many of Reagan’s naysayers still believe he used force in a manner contradictory to the astute power of the President of the United States. However, the Reagan Administration used their military ability to inflict fear into all Communist threats worldwide. The political  philosopher, Niccolo Machiavelli, speaks of powerful leaders, he writes, â€Å"†¦it is much safer to be feared than loved†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Machiavelli 66). Therefore, regardless of what criticizers may say, it would seem that Reagan’s use of military force throughout the world was effective and that Gorbachev feared his American equivalent. Reagan used his superiority to his advantage when he met with Gorbachev to discuss the reduction of nuclear missiles. During the 1980s, Reagan increased the defense spending more than any president had done before; it was a part of his â€Å"Peace through Strength† foreign policy. During this time, the production of nuclear missiles surged and the United States found itself in a mini-arms race with the Soviet Union. In principle, the Reagan Administration outspent the Soviets in defense and nuclear weapon production. In an effort to compete, the Soviets bankrupted themselves and had no choice but to dismiss their Marxist values. Between the years of 1985 and 1988, Reagan met with General Secretary Gorbachev four times; in Switzerland, Iceland, Washington D.C., and Moscow (Reagan, â€Å"American Life† 545). The meetings between the two world leaders were dramatic and Reagan walked out of the meeting in Reykjavik, Iceland after Gorbachev failed compromise. The tensions were high during all of the meetings and many people feared that any mistake could lead to an immediate nuclear Armageddon. Fortunately, no nuclear weapons were launched and the Reagan Administration triumphed over the Soviet Union. In 1987, Reagan visited East Berlin and spoke at the Brandenburg Gate. During his speech, he called for an end to Communism and a strengthening of individual liberty. His speech as the Brandenburg Gate is often viewed as one of the most successful speeches of his presidency. While speaking to a crowd of thousands, Reagan said to the General Secretary of the Soviet Union, â€Å"Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall† (Reagan, â€Å"Speaking† 352). Two years later, the Soviet Union agreed to tear down the Berlin Wall and within the year, Communist nations around Europe began to crumble. Many Democrats in Congress and the mainstream media admired Gorbachev for bringing peace to European countries; they praised Gorbachev for surrenderin g and for keeping the warmongering Ronald Reagan from leading the country on the road to a nuclear war. Many Americans who opposed the Reagan Administration were more than happy to give the credit to the Soviet Union; they believed Reagan was  too overpowering and heartless to have been so successful. Nevertheless, conservative talk show host, Rush Limbaugh writes, â€Å"The end of the Cold War and the defeat of Communism in the Soviet Union was a clear victory for American values, for the American way of life, for the republican, democratic, free-marked ideals of the United States of America† (Limbaugh â€Å"Ought to Be† 230). Therefore, it would seem that Reagan played a major role in bringing an end to the 40 year Cold War. Regardless of the beliefs and values one holds, Ronald Reagan ended the Cold War and suppressed the Communist threat worldwide. He changed the world! Although his greatest success may have been bringing closure to the Cold War, Reagan also accomplished a great deal in the United States of America. When he left office in 1989, the economy was breaking records and benefitting from the longest period of peacetime prosperity without recession or depression (Ronald Reagan). People were making money in America and thanks to Reagan’s tax cuts; they were able to keep more of what they earned. The Reagan Administration began an economic policy that became identified as â€Å"Reaganomics† or trickle-down economics. Reaganomics was the belief that tax cuts for the rich, middle class, and poor would work to stimulate the economy. If the rich had more money, they would create more businesses and opportunity, the middle class would then be able to become business owners, and higher the poor. It is a social hierarchy of job creation and the nation experienced 96 months of peacetime economic growth (Limbaugh, â€Å"Told You So† 122). In 1990, George H.W. Bush disbanded the policy of Reaganomics and the 96 months of economic growth ended almost immediately. Many historians , to this day, view the 1980s as a decade of greed where the rich got richer and the poor got poorer. They also discredit the policy of Reaganomics because they do not believe the rich paid their fair share of taxes. However, economic figures are illustrative of how much the rich truly pay in taxes. It seems that the top 1% of income earners pay nearly 40% of all federal income taxes in the United States (What Would Reagan Do?). Therefore, even if the 1980s were deemed as a decade of greed, it would seem that greed is good. Reagan worked to reduce onerous taxes in order to return the wealth to its rightful owners, the workers. The Reagan Administration did not hand out money; rather, they let people keep more of what they had already earned. In return, consumerism rose and the money was  immediately deposited back into the national economy. Therefore, it would seem that the tax cuts and policy of Reaganomics worked very well in the 1980s; the economic growth experienced in that decade has yet to be matched. Regardless of one’s political affiliation, it is undeniable that tax cuts work and the economic policy of the Regan Administration should be implemented into our system now, during th e present economic crisis. The implementation of tax cuts, both on income and corporations, provided working class Americans with the incentive to work and to achieve. No longer were people afraid of earning; the tax cuts prevented hard working Americans from being punished with difficult and total taxation. This era of economic growth restored a feeling of optimism in America, especially after the failures of the Carter Administration and the record setting unemployment rate of the late 1970s. Ronald Reagan’s policies, both foreign and domestic, made people proud to be Americans once again. During the 1980s, Americans were not being villainized and condemned, they were being praised. Reagan restored the feeling of confidence in America and brought forth a generation of strong, nationalistic Americans. Ronald Reagan was a success as President of the United States, not only because of his charisma and communication skills, nor simply because of his policies. Ronald Reagan was a success because the American people loved him. In 1984, during his campaign for a second term, the electorate illustrated their reverie for him and he won in the large st landslide victory ever recorded. He was unanimously re-elected in 49 of the 50 states (What Would Reagan Do?). His unprecedented victory astonished the world and many of his political detractors wondered how he could be so popular. Once again, the political philosopher Machiavelli offers insight into how a person should be a successful leader. Machiavelli wrote in 1513, â€Å"†¦he should inspire his citizens to follow their pursuits quietly, in trade and in agriculture and in every other pursuit of men, so that one person does not fear to adorn his possessions for fear that they be taken away from him, and another to open up a trade for fear of taxes† (Machiavelli 91). In essence, Reagan accomplished all of these aforementioned goals during his presidency. His policy of a strong national defense worked to make people feel comfortable and unafraid of a Communist attack, and his policy of Reaganomics allowed people to become entrepreneurs without a fear of being taxed out of  business. For all practical purposes, Reagan epitomized the values of a good leader as prescribed by Niccolo Machiavelli; he restored the power and the faith to the people while simultaneously ruling under the facade of being a decisive and fearful leader when handling foreign threats. In the end, it is apparent that Ronald Reagan accomplished a great deal during his administration. His most important accomplishments stem from restoring optimism in Americans, the total growth of economic prosperity, and bringing an end to the Cold War. Many of his political opponents still work to destroy the successes of his administration and they blame him for being too demanding and too dangerous. They thought his actions during the 1980s were detrimental to the growth and prosperity of America. On January 11, 1989, during his farewell address to the nation, he said, â€Å"My friends: We did it. We weren’t just marking time. We made a difference. We made the city stronger. We made the city freer, and we left her in good hands. All in all, not bad, not bad at all† (Reagan, â€Å"Speaking† 418). The Reagan Administration was one of growth and success. During his presidency, he changed America, let alone the world, for the better. He had done what no president before him could, he set the nation on a course for unprecedented economic growth, and he led to the downfall of Communism and the Cold War. His opponents viewed him as a failure; however, his policies greatly impacted the world. If Ronald Reagan were alive today, he would still be the last best hope for this country. Reference Coulter, Ann. What Would Reagan Do?. http://anncoulter.com/cgi-local/article.cgi?article=77. 21 September 2005. Web. 4 April 2014. Limbaugh, Rush. See, I Told You So. New York: Pocket Star Books, 1993. Limbaugh, Rush. â€Å"The Great One.† National Review 28 June 2004: 36. Academic OneFile. Web. 7. April 2014. Limbaugh, Rush. The Way Things Ought to Be. New York: Pocket Books, 1992. Machiavelli, Niccolo. The Prince. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1998. Reagan, Ronald. An American Life. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1990. Reagan, Ronald. Speaking My Mind. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1989 â€Å"Ronald Reagan.† http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/ronaldreagan. Web. 7 April 2014.

Constantine The Great Essays - Constantinian Dynasty, Valerii

Constantine The Great Essays - Constantinian Dynasty, Valerii Constantine The Great Constantine Constantine was one of the best known of the Roman emperors. Some important events of his reign include the Edict of Milan, which ended the persecution of Christians and made their worship legal, the battle of the Milvian Bridge, and the completion of the political and economic reforms that begun under Diocletian. Constantine was born in Naissus in Serbia. The date of his birth is not certain, being giving as early as 274 and as late as 288. His father Constantius was a member of an important Roman family. His mother, Helena, was the daughter of an innkeeper. When his father had become Casear of Gaul and Britain, he sent his son to the Eastern Emperor Galerius as a hostage. There he was kept at the court of Galerius. But Constantine returned soon after that to his dying fathers side in Britain. Soon after his fathers death, Constantine was immediately proclaimed Caesar by his troops. For five years Constantine was content with ruling Gaul and Britain. On of the famous stories about Constantine is of his vision from God on the night before the battle of the Milvian Bridge. Maxentius, the Roman emperor in Italy, had gathered a great number of legions against Constantine. Galerius had decided to tax the citizens of Italy, who had been exempt from taxes ever since Republican days. The Italian citizens resented this and proclaimed Maxentius emperor in an effort to get the taxes removed. According to the legend, Constantine saw the symbol of Jesus Christs power in the clouds and a message written in Latin, that read In this sign thou shalt conquer. Immediately, Constantine ordered artisans to place the sign of Christ on his soldiers shields. Constantine won that day with a great victory. Maxentius, was thrown from the Milvian Bridge into the Tiber River, making Constantine sole emperor of the Western half of the empire. After his victory he gave gratitude to the God of the Christians. About a year later, he announced the end to the pers ecution of Christians. From Milan, he granted both to the Christians and to all men freedom to follow the religion that they choose. By this famous Edict of Milan, Christianity became a religion approved by the emperor and in 395 Theodosious made Christianity the empires official religion. Eventually Constantine became sole emperor of the entire empire. He was also the president over the Council of Nicaea. His role at the Council of Nicaea, were important points in the early catholic church where the Holy Trinity was worked out. He also increased the role of the Catholic Bishops in high political office. In 325, Bishops from all over the Roman world gathered together to have Constantine help them decide on the nature of God. They worked out a doctrine of the Holy Trinity, in which Father, Son, and Holy Ghost were found to be equal persons in one God. The Arian heresy was denounced at the Council of Nicaea. The Arians believed that Jesus Christ was somehow of lesser importance, and had been created by, God the Father. The personalities for the most power of Constantine and Licinius caused trouble between the two. War broke out soon between the two over an incident in which Licinius chased some raiding barbarians into territory ruled by Constantine. Constantine defeated Licinius in two battles at Hadrianopolis and Chrysopolis. Next, Constantine moved the capital from Rome to the Greek city of Byzantium in what is now Turkey. He enlarged and enriched the city at enormous expense. They built massive walls and stately buildings to protect their new capital. Six years later the new city was finished and it was called Constantinople or city of Constantine. Coins that have Constantine with a helmet on were made for the new city. Two years later, tragedy struck the house of Constantine. Constantines wife, Fausta, had accused Constantines eldest son, Crispus of adultery with her and plotting to seize the throne. Without checking the truth of these accusations, Constantine had his son murdered. When Constantine discovered Fausta lied to him, he had her suffocated or boiled alive in her bath by slowing running up the temperature of the water. Constantine died at Nicomedia in

The Biggest Error of a New Freelance Writer

The Biggest Error of a New Freelance Writer Here lately Ive received a rash of emails asking me how to become a freelance writer and make money. Well, actually, they ask how they can write and get paid So, lets look at this for a moment . . . Im supposed to take on someone who is not a commercial writer, teach them how to write such that it IS marketable, then pay them $50 for 500 words that fit FundsforWriters. Some submitters become quite disgruntled when I refuse them. Some pitch me anyway, then when I reject (always with reasons to help them learn), they get angry that I am not giving a new writer a chance Note to writers everywhere: It is not an editors job to teach you how to write. When you pitch, you are professing to already know the craft. It should be only a  matter of the writers pitch fitting the need of the publication. The best ways to learn how to write for a publication: 1) Read all the freelance chapters in a Writers Market. 2) Read enough of the publication youre pitching to understand their style. 3) Read the guidelines and study the editorial calendar (if available). 4) Ensure your writing is polished enough so that the editor wants to read more. 5) Know the Chicago Manual of Style. Second note to writers: Editors are not there to edit your work for you. They are there to edit for the publication, to find the best topics for their readers and then edit the stories to fit the space. Take the time to learn how to write well. Then take the time to learn how to pitch smart. Do not use editors for your trial and error learning process. Find beta readers and critique groups to test drive your work. You cannot undo a first impression, and yes, many editors remember. An idea that doesnt quite fit is one thing.not knowing how to write is quite another. Freelance writing resources for the new freelance writer: therenegadewriter.com/ makealivingwriting.com/ writersmarket.com/

Supply Change Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Supply Change Management - Essay Example At the heart of supply chain is information; such that its efficiency and effectiveness depends on a company’s ability to create, process, and communicate information from both ends of the chain ensuring that the right things get to the right places, at the right time.2 However, information can often be distorted, with fluctuations increasing as the supply chain moves from customers, ordering products and services, to manufacturers and suppliers of raw materials, compromising a company’s ability to manage information.3 In this respect, the Internet, as an enabling technology with the ability to automate the supply chain, integrate business activities, supply real-time data, and reduce costs presents a powerful resource to improve SCM. One of the biggest challenges companies are facing insofar as SCM initiatives are concerned is streamlining the supply chain to reduce cycle time without having to maintain high inventory levels. On one hand, these goals can often be conflicting such it will be difficult to provide on-time delivery of products without maintaining high inventory levels; while on the other hand, such operations can be difficult to maintain given high holding costs, warehouse and production-line storage costs, and insurance costs among others.4 In order to resolve this, companies have traditionally resorted to forecasting customer demand and matching inventory levels to these forecasts, as much as possible. However, given the uncertainties and fluctuations in the supply chain, this can often lead to inefficient operations and customer dissatisfaction. In this respect, Internet-enabled SCM strategies, by automating the supply chain and linking the supply chain activities presents an effective and effici ent way to reduce cycle times, reduce inventory levels, and reduce costs. Looking at the example of Dell, and its Command and Control Model, one can illustrate how an

VISIONARY LEADERSHIP, CROSS-CULTURAL LEADERSHIP, FACILITATING CHANGE Research Paper

VISIONARY LEADERSHIP, CROSS-CULTURAL LEADERSHIP, FACILITATING CHANGE - Research Paper Example The dimension of Power-distance addresses existing inequality level across the cross-cultural workforce. The inequality operational is acceptable within the power setting of the organization with regard to positions held in the work environment. In a low PD leadership system, power is well distributed as opposed to a high PD system where the management positions held are key in decision making in the organization. As such, closed-door meetings are done and communication is different in the different states that are created. Visionary leadership applies a hybrid system that allows acknowledgement of everybody’s role in decision-making. During crisis, a high PD system is preferable in making decisions while low PD useful where the decisions made affects policies. In addition, the dimension of Individualism-collectivism (IVD) that focuses on the strength of ties within the organizational community should be applied. An organization with high IDV displays characteristics of loose connection, little responsibility and a demand for high privacy. On the contrary, organizations with low IDV display qualities of respect, loyalty and strong cohesions within the work force in the organization. Visionary leadership lays down strategies that emphasize the benefits of working as a community with the aim of motivating labor force intrinsically and encouraging teamwork. Similarly, visionary leadership assesses the role of the dimension of Masculinity (MAS) in its environment. It refers to the ability of an organization to appreciate the traditional male and female roles in workforce. Organizations where the score of MAS is high expect men to be assertive and tough. In this setup, men occupy the managerial positions. In a leadership where the MAS score is lower, the roles played by men and women are related and are assigned in regards to professionalism and qualification. Visionary leaders embrace workforce based on qualification and professional

Commodity Chain Analysis Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Commodity Chain Analysis - Case Study Example The recently multiple-disc clutch in the centre differential comes to the scheme's support when friction between the tires and ground is specifically low, such as when driving over snow or ice. (Horn 2008) Redefining the way ones belief as regards to driving with C-Class, and with the totally redesigned C230, one should consider about the value the fourth generation C2304MATIC offers. Its features such as the dynamic innovative exterior, power V-6 engines, agility control suspension, permanent all-wheel-drive scheme, and an instinctively designed interior that sets the whole thing at the driver's command, plus added feature of Bluetooth connectivity. The V6 dedicated a great deal of concentration to whatever that would add to the finest goal. Sophisticated computer schemes were used to calculate the flow of air, thus helping to optimize the flow of air from the air filter twin-chamber. This type considerably contributes to fuel Economy, hence the engineers of Mercedes Benz C2304MATIC refer to these as tumble flaps, which some measure signifies their intention: they literally produce the fuel/air mix to tumble, escalating the turbulence of the airflow and making it to penetrate the combustion chambers at higher speed, with a more consistent distribution. (Booth 2008) Commodity Chain The automotive industry, according to Gereffi 1994, is commonly considered as a typical illustration of a producer-driven commodity chain. It is differentiated by sizeable scale, intensive capital, and controlled by technology product cycles; manufacturer driven commodity chains are networks of global production wherein several final assemblers, one of which is Mercedes Bens, control the industry's major markets. The power and productivity of these incorporated final manufacturers get from their power over volumes, technology and domination over the chain's forward and backward connections, including product design, product specification, brands and R&D networks. Currently, it is noted in the literature, that three key trends have fashioned the modern structure of competition in the global automotive trade; and the same fashions have shaped new possibilities for competition for improving country auto-firms. These three fundamentals of Commodity Chain Analysis Page 3 global modifications in the auto trade for more that fifteen years now are: 1) consolidation in the top levels of the industry through a brandish of amalgamations and achievements in the 1980s and 1990s; and the outcome of which, the similar set of major players control markets internationally; 2) a stronger levelling of suppliers that has increased the value of a minor group of design-competent and global primary level dealers, whereas portioned the rest into contract producers and lesser level sub-contractors has drastically changed consumer and dealers relations, and the employer and employee relations; and 3) an increasing and unrelenting focus by the major assemblers and their primary level dealers on benchmarking dealers down the chain on the cost, deliverability and quality basis, has changed the basis

Australian Prime Ministers-Sir John Kerr Essay Example for Free

Australian Prime Ministers-Sir John Kerr Essay Sir John Kerr was an eminent lawyer. He was the 13th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New South Wales and the 18th Governor-General. He is best known for being the controversial figure at the centre of the dismissal of the Labor government of Gough Whitlam on 11 November 1975, an event which sparked the most significant constitutional crisis in Australian history. On that day Kerr dismissed Prime Minister Whitlam and appointed Malcolm Fraser to form a caretaker government, pending elections. The dismissal was the most dramatic event in the history of Australian federal politics. For the first time since Federation, the unelected representative of the Queen had removed a government which commanded a majority in the House of Representatives. The Dismissal, as it is known, remains a highly controversial event in Australian political history. Kerr was born in 1914 in Balmain, a then working-class suburb of Sydney, where his father was a boiler-maker. After studying at Fort Street High School he graduated in law from the University of Sydney and became a barrister in 1938. At Fort Street, Kerr met Dr H V Evatt, later to become a High Court judge. As a prominent lawyer, Kerr was known for representing trade union clients and had strong ties to the Australian Labor Party. At one stage, in the 1950s, he even intended to stand for parliament as a Labor candidate. In the 1960s Kerr was promoted to other judicial positions (as well as working for a government intelligence agency), and in this period his political leanings became more conservative. He became close with Sir Garfield Barwick, the Liberal Attorney-General who had become the Chief Justice of the High Court in 1964. Kerr was appointed Chief Justice of New South Wales in 1972, and when Sir Paul Hasluck retired as Governor-General in July of 1974, Prime Minister Whitlam recommended to the Queen that Kerr take up the position. It has been said that Whitlam seemed to have faith in Kerrs political reliability due to his former membership in the Labor Party. However, Kerrs political views had changed over time and he had come to see the role of governor-general in a different way from Whitlam. The Whitlam Labor Government had come to power in December 1972 after 23 years of Liberal/Country Party coalition rule. Campaigning on the slogan Its Time, the ALP seemed to have the support of the nation, although in reality their margin of victory was relatively narrow. Whitlam was the first of a new type of Labor prime minister. He put in place a number of progressive legislative proposals, implementing free education policies, reaching out to Asia and breaking with the US on foreign policy. His approach, however, did meet with some resistance. The Senate, with great determination opposed and rejected some of Whitlams key legislative proposals. This included Bills designed to institute a free health insurance system; to provide Senate representation for the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory; to reform the organisation of electorates; and to allow the government to oversee the mining of oil and minerals. The repeated rejection of Whitlams bills led to the calling of a double dissolution election, in which all members in both Houses are up for re-election. A political scandal also forced the election. Prior to the double dissolution election, Whitlam maneuvered to create an extra Senate vacancy in Queensland by offering a sitting senator, Vince Gair, an ambassadorship. Whitlam hoped Labor could win the vacant seat and take control of the Senate. The so-called Gair Affair infuriated the Opposition, who threatened to block supply in the Senate, which meant exercising its power to reject or defer appropriation or money bills. It is a constitutional necessity that the government be allocated money by the parliament through the passing of annual appropriation bills. These bills give the government the money it needs to govern the country and to run parliament for the financial year. In response to these blockages and hoping to secure his position with a strong re-election, Whitlam went to the then Governor-General Hasluck, and gained the double dissolution election which was held in May of 1974. The Whitlam government was re-elected, although with a reduced majority, and the Senate continued to present an obstacle the agenda of the government. During 1975, the Government also was involved in the Overseas Loans Affair. The Whitlam government had a number of plans it needed funded. These included the construction of a natural gas pipeline, the electrification of interstate railways and a uranium enrichment plant. Some of Whitlams ministers seeked to raise an overseas loan of $4 billion to fund these projects, but rather than go to the usual American and European sources, they seeked financing from the oil-rich Middle East. A Pakistani broker was used to secure the loan and the entire process was considered questionable by members of the government, media and public. In the end, no loan was ever gained and no broking commissions paid, but Whitlams government was made to look reckless and foolish. In the face of economic difficulties and the political impact of the Loans Affair, Whitlam remained vulnerable throughout 1975. After a series of resignations in 1975, Opposition Leader Malcolm Fraser announced that the Opposition would use its numbers in the Senate to block supply until Whitlam called another election. Whitlam refused, and this confrontation was followed by several weeks of constitutional crisis, which raised a number of crucial questions about Australian democracy and the roles of the House of Representatives and Senate in the Australian system. Governor-General Kerr took an active interest in the crisis and became convinced of the need to dismiss Whitlam from office. In a later statement, Kerr said he believed that it was the democratic and constitutional solution to dismiss a prime minister who could not guarantee supply and to let the Australian people decide the conflict. Kerr sought the advice of his friend Chief Justice Barwick, who endorsed the legality of the action on Monday, 10 November 1975. On Tuesday 11 November 1975 (Remembrance Day), Whitlam proposed calling a half-Senate election, but the Governor-General rejected this proposal and instead, officially dismissed Whitlam from power. Fraser was asked to step in as a caretaker prime minister. A double dissolution election was held on 13 December of that year. Although the House of Representatives passed several motions of confidence in the Whitlam Government and instructed the Speaker, Gordon Scholes, to send this message to Kerr, the governor-general was steadfast in his decision. Scholes subsequently wrote to the Queen, who replied that there was no place for her involvement or interjection in an internal Australian political conflict. At the 13 December election, Frasers Liberal-National coalition was elected with a large margin. For Whitlams supporters the events of November 1975 were shocking and an abuse of the governor-generals power. In Kerrs statement of reasons for the dismissal, he made the case that he was simply doing his job to uphold democracy, stating that The decisions I have made were made after I was satisfied that Mr Whitlam could not obtain supply. No other decision open to me would enable the Australian people to decide for themselves what should be done. In the wake of the Dismissal, Kerr remained a controversial figure for the rest of his life. Due to a public problem with drinking he was later forced to resign as the Australian Ambassador to UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). He lived in England for some years and died on 7 April 1991. After another defeat in 1977, Whitlam resigned from parliament. Malcolm Fraser went on to be Prime Minister for almost eight years until his defeat by Bob Hawke in 1983. The Dismissal remains a controversial subject in the history of Australian politics, and is particularly relevant to happening debates about Australia becoming a republic and further empowering the Head of State. The constitutional and political effects of the Dismissal remain of importance to anyone interested in Australian politics and the structures of power in Australia.