What We Learn From Kendrick Lemar s At Pimp A Butterfly

James Powell Ben Pack WRIT-340 31 March 2015 What We Learn From Kendrick Lemar’s To Pimp A Butterfly Life is a jungle, a beautiful, colorful landscape, often painted with harsh conflict and oppression. Navigating forward requires keeping healthy relationships with the community and those close to you, maintaining focus on your true identity, and not losing sight of larger than life goals. These ideals are the message that Kendrick Lamar wishes to bestow upon whomever experiences his latest album, To Pimp A Butterfly. Kendrick’s story originates in Compton, a jungle at its core, where he learned that survival depends on working with others and keeping intact with your roots. Because of the harsh living environment and unavoidable presence†¦show more content†¦Similar to Tupac, Kendrick wanted to demonstrate characteristics of a great leader so he too could be an example for his people. Unfortunately, the excessive fame and separation from Compton came with harsh consequences: Kendrick began to struggle with keeping in touch with his roots, and the ideals that hoisted him to the throne. He expresses these emotions in the track Momma, where he states how he knows everything about life, but goes on to realize that after reaching stardom, he may be out of touch with his roots and all he knew. Throughout the rest of To Pimp A Butterfly, we find out he felt lost in â€Å"the cocoon† a metaphor for the grasp media has on society, and desperately began to cling to his true identity as a way to break free from the cocoon’s bounds. Eventually, Kendrick emerges as a butterfly, wanting to return home and teach all the â€Å"caterpillars† what he learned. For Kendrick, African American oppression and Compton’s black-on-black crime is at the forefront of his frustration, and a prime inspiration for his need to teach the community about working together. On the track simply called â€Å"I†, a live recording, Kendrick is heard calling out to a crowd to join together. Unfortunately, his message seems to initially fall on deaf ears. Instead of listening, the crowd continues to fight over how to fix the problems in their community, rather than unite to fight them together. As he continues to speak, the crowd becomes quieter, and Kendrick goes on to condemn

Literary Analysis Of The Sun Also Rises - 1355 Words

The Great War of 1914-1918 had numerous consequences: millions of people died and the world was permanently altered. One of the most significant results of World War 1 was the formation of a â€Å"lost generation.† This term, first coined by author Gertrude Stein in conversation, refers to the young post-World War 1 men who were emotionally damaged by the horrors experienced during combat and as a result aimlessly wandered through life with a depressed attitude toward the world (â€Å"The â€Å"Lost Generation† 1). Author Ernest Hemingway, who was himself a member of the Lost Generation, perfectly encaptured the post-war lifestyle of a WW1 veteran in his novel, The Sun Also Rises. The story is narrated by Jake Barnes, a newspaper writer living in Paris,†¦show more content†¦Barnes’ use of alcohol began during the war, while trying to escape the stress of the unknown threats, and continued after the war’s conclusion. By drinking, Barnes is able to forget his melancholy post-war attitude towards the world. The dependence on alcohol is a side-effect of the mental damage Barnes sustained from the war. Drinking is also how Barnes’ friend Campbell copes with his outlook on the world after the war. After discussing his fiancee, Brett, and her relationship with a bullfighter, Campbell, also a WW1 veteran, exclaims, â€Å"‘I think I’ll stay rather drunk. This is all awfully amusing, but it’s not too pleasant. It’s not too pleasant for me’† (Hemingway 205). In order to deal with the stress of having his fiancee in a relationship with a bullfighter, Campbell decides to drink. He prefers to remain in a state of intoxication because it keeps him from thinking about his relationship issues with Brett and his other problems with the world by giving him a sweet escape. Hemingway’s use of the drinking motif, especially shown through Barnes and Campbell, demonstrates how the psychologica l and emotional damage of the war has caused the Lost Generation to become dependent on alcohol in order to cope with their depressed attitude toward the world. In addition to the drinking motif, Hemingway’s writing style conveys the theme of negative views towards the world created from the emotional suffering of World War 1. ThroughoutShow MoreRelated Ernest Hemingway Essay868 Words   |  4 Pages Ernest Hemingway: A Literary Marvel â€Å"One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh; but the earth abideth forever . . . The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to the place where he arose . . . The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits . . . .All the rivers run into the sea; ye the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they returnRead MoreThe Great Gatsby Compared to The Sun Also Rises793 Words   |  3 Pagesmoney. As we know, people of the ‘lost generation’ were not the happiest and had quite careless lifestyles. In this novel, even though characters are not poor, still, the only meaning of life they have left is wild and free lifestyle and love. Author also did not leave out the meaningless relationships to the society and conventions. One of the main characters, Jay Gatsby, a mysterious, wealthy man living in luxurious mansion in Long Island, throwing parties almost every weekend for people he doesn’tRead MoreErnest Hemmingway: Shifting Gender Roles in The Sun Also Rises782 Words   |  3 Pagesatrocious nature of war as a Red Cross ambulance driver in the Europe during World War I aided and further influenced his literary capturing of warfare and how it had affected the â€Å"Lost Generation†. Hemingway himself popularized this term, it indicates the coming of age generation during World War I. Ashley Torres, author of â€Å"Gender Roles Shift in Ernest Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises† claims that the â€Å"Lost Generation† mirrors the disenchanted and hopeless attitudes generated by the war. Although theRead MoreWriting Styles Of Ernest Faulkner And The Sun Also Rises By Earnest Hemingway And As I Lay Dying1528 Words   |  7 Pagesdifferent events and characters into play. T his is particularly true with the authors William Faulkner and Earnest Hemingway. Their writing styles are exponentially different, but both authors use their differing styles to their advantage. In both The Sun Also Rises by Earnest Hemingway and As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner, characters face issues such as feeling alienated and lost. The characters in As I Lay Dying deal with their issues through more complex thoughts and irrational actions, which is illustratedRead More Hemingway and Fitzgerald Essay1423 Words   |  6 PagesHemingway and Fitzgerald Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald, the parties of one of the most famously infamous relationships in literary history met for the first time in late April 1925 at The Dingo Bar, a Paris hangout for the bohemian set. In his novel A Moveable Feast (published posthumously) Hemingway describes his first impressions of Fitzgerald: â€Å"The first time I ever met Scott Fitzgerald a very strange thing happened. Many strange things happened with Scott, but thisRead MoreThe Dependence On Futility : An Analysis Of Brett Ashley1004 Words   |  5 PagesShivani Kapur Mrs. Moore AP English V 18 December 2014 The Dependence on Futility: An Analysis of Brett Ashley In The Sun Also Rises, Ernest Hemingway employs metafiction to reveal the nature of World War One and its effect on individual ideals. Narrating the novel from the first person perspective of the protagonist, Jake Barnes, Hemingway clearly contrasts between fiction and reality. Although the reader has a limited perspective on the events in the novel, the lack of emotional connection betweenRead MoreAnalysis of the poem Still I Rise1268 Words   |  6 Pages2014 An Analysis of the poem Still I Rise by Maya Angelou African Americans have been oppressed for centuries. Despite this discrimination, people of this race have fought hard for their freedom and respect. This pursuit of equality is evident inMaya Angelou’s poem, â€Å"Still I Rise†. Angelou integrates numerous literary ideas such as various sounds, poetry forms, and key concepts.The poetic devices incorporated in Maya Angelou’s work, â€Å"Still I Rise†,heightens theRead MoreI Have A Dream Rhetorical Analysis1346 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"I Have a Dream† Rhetorical Analysis The speech â€Å"I Have A Dream† was voiced by activist Martin Luther King Junior on the Lincoln Memorial during an era in which blacks suffered prejudice in America, a place in which whites could enjoy the land’s opportunities and freedoms but blacks could not. Martin Luther King’s speech was intended to express his present and future aspirations towards the upheaval concerning the inequality and racial injustice that the nation was experiencing however, lackingRead MoreLoving Un Truth, and Fain in Verse My Love to Show1407 Words   |  6 PagesLoving un truth,and fain in verse My love to Show Philip Sidney Analysis 1: Like other creative persons of the period, Sidney also came under the influence of sonneteering. Thus a series of sonnets addressed to a single lady, expressing and reflecting on the developing relationship between the poet and his love grew up. Though the story does not have to be literal autobiography and questions of ‘sincerity’ are hardly answered, Sidney’s love for Stella, on the artistic level, has been traced toRead MorePoem Analysis On His Coy Mistress By Andrew Marvell1319 Words   |  6 Pagesdoom of death, and hopes to transcend contemporary abilities to live forever in the love of another. While Marvell’s primary purpose in writing this piece may have been to woo a young maiden, he made a far more significant contribution to the era’s literary culture in the process. Marvell most directly addressed â€Å"To His Coy Mistress† to a woman he intended to court, as he spends a majority of the piece lamenting that he didn t have time sufficient to praise her features. In the opening stanza, Marvell

Pornography as Art free essay sample

Art vs. Pornography I believe that pornography exists for the sole purpose of making money from arousal. Art is a form of expression that has essential meaning. Pornography is vulgar while art is expressive and enlightening. Art becomes pornography when it‘s not use in a right way, and when it expresses nothing but mere sexual arousal. Art makes you think, on the other hand, pornography does not, it makes you react by instinct, mere carnal desire. The subject of pornography is for sexual intentions only. Art has a very broad subject, though some of the artworks has a nude content on it, it is not use to give sexual pleasure but to represent something intelligently. Nudity as a form of art â€Å"They do this in the name of realistic truth†¦Ã¢â‚¬  In my opinion, nudity is very different in pornography, and it’s easy to determine the difference of these two things. We will write a custom essay sample on Pornography as Art or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Nudity can be consider as a part of an art but it has its limits, if the whole content of the work is only about nudity and sex, then I can say that its pornography. In art the subject is not the sexuality of the person, but the sensuality, innocence, and humanity of the subject as well as the vulnerability. Theres also a big difference in the way the subject is posed. In porn the sexual parts of the body are the main focus. In art you may see the sexual parts, but it is shown properly and surely not erotic. The lines of the body and the face are the true focus with the back and for grounds receiving just as much attention. Another way to tell this is by the lighting. If you look at the lighting in porn its not focused on the face, but the sexual areas. The light in art is focused on the face primarily since it is emotion that is the main focus. Opposed to truth about the human person It is clearly evident that the effects of pornography are harmful and destructive to the human mind and body. Pornography causes a lowering of the moral atmosphere of the individual, thus the community as a whole. It gradually destroys the values of that community What is the Christians Response? Is that not the main function of pornography? To cause the sexual arousal in its viewers. To arouse desires that can only be rightly fulfilled in marriage? Even as an art form, would it not cause the same effect? It can be seen that pornography is clearly a defiler of man and something that should be avoided, as all sin. The Christians response is obvious. If one is to be right in the sight of God then they must abstain from the lusts of the flesh. They must avoid pornography. .

The Middle Ages Essay Example For Students

The Middle Ages Essay May you live in interesting times. -Ancient Chinese curseThough many historians discount the Middle Ages as a time period when nothing much important happened, may interesting and important things did in fact occur then. This is especially true of the late Middle Ages. Over time the Roman Catholic Church was working to increase its prestige and power until Europe was dominated by it. However, as everyone knows what goes up must come down. History is filled with patterns. People swing from one extreme to the other. A very significant and interesting part of the Churchs history is the period when Philip IV was king of France. He was able to greatly affect the course of history through his dealings with the popes; especially Boniface VIII and Clement V. Boniface and Clement dealt with Philip in different ways however they somehow worked to the same end. We will write a custom essay on The Middle Ages specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Philip IV, also known as Philip the Fair reigned as king of France in the late thirteenth and early fourteenth centuries (1285-1314). Supposedly he was a hard man to know and modern historians still believe this to be true.1 His contemporaries seemed to believe that he was dominated by evil counsellors sic who ruled in his name.2 Modern historians tend to doubt that he was completely ruled by his counselors. Although they do indicate that he would let them make decisions for him, it seems as though he always knew and approved of their decisions. 3 Without a doubt, Philip believed in his own sovereignty in France. It was this belief and his desire to have everyone under is own control that led to his many conflicts with the church.4Pope Boniface VIII, born Benedict Caetani, was the Bishop of Rome from 1294 to 1303. He was elected pope after the resignation of Celestine V, which will be discussed later. As a French historian put it, Il est tout fait improbable quil ait t le matrialiste , le blashphmateur, le contenpteur des croyances et de vertus communes que ses ennemis lont accus dtre. Mais il navait ni modeste, ni moderation, ni sang-froid.5 Also he was overbearing, blunt, implacable, egotistic to an offensive degree, and possessed of a blind, insatiable thirst for power.6 He was energetic, proud, stubborn, and ambitious.7 Given these strong qualities, he should have been able to accomplish a great deal during his time as pope, however this was not the case. There was nothing new in his doctrine; it was simply traditional elements.8 Boniface, unhappily for himself, lived in a time which needed a pope as great as himself but wiser, more temperate, more far-seeing.9 At the beginning of his reign, the Papacy was most powerful and yet when he died he left it weak.10Philip the Fair originally had no problems with the election of Boniface VIII. It was later, after they had come into conflict that he objected to the means by which Boniface became pope.11 Growing natio nal powers and Bonifaces continued instance on medieval papal claims caused the clash between Philip and Boniface.12 Boniface and Philips difference concerned well-worn questions: the right of the king to tax clergy and royal jurisdiction over clerics.13 Philip and Boniface were at odds so frequently because they were both men who felt that they deserved to have absolute rule over their domain. At one point, Boniface urges everyone in the Holy Roman Empire to not have any allegiance to France.14 The battle of wills between the two men ends poorly for Boniface but is only a slight victory for Philip. The first quarrel between Pope Boniface VIII and Philip IV was about the papal bull Clericis laicos. The French had become accustomed to having clerical tax money to support military activities and wanted to continue this in order to aid in the war against England.15 Boniface, however, believed that clergy should not pay royal taxes. In 1296, Boniface issued the bull that basically stated that the clergy were not to pay local taxes. Those who demanded payment from the clergy and those clergy who paid were to be excommunicated. Philip responded by stopping export of all money and other valuables. Because the Holy See depended heavily on the money being exported from France, Boniface eventually had to give in. He decided that if it was an emergency the clergy could pay taxes and eventually even left the king to define emergency. However, these additional rules mostly only applied to France, which put England at a disadvantage.16 Interestingly, this is one of the few things that histori ans are not in accord about related to Philip and Bonifaces relationship. For the most part, researchers have come to the same conclusions, which is strange considering how colorful history can be. Edgar Boutaric and Joseph Strayer hold the view that Philips implentation of the ban on certain exports is not a direct result of Clericis laicos. Strayer indicates that Clercis laicos was not aimed specifically at France but it did start a quarrel between Philip and Boniface. Although he argues that Philips ordinance was not a direct result of this bull, he does say Philip and his councillors cannot have ignored the possibility of such embarrassments, andit doubtless caused no grief in the French court when Boniface found himself in difficulties.17 Boutaric indicates that it was issued in a moment of irritation and was too exaggerated to be enforced.18 He suggests that the bull Ineffabilis amor was a correction to the earlier bull and a means of questioning Philips edict (which also caus ed pain for England and the Flemings). Boniface did, however, have to make concessions. In the bull Romana mater ecclesia he allowed levying of taxes without the consent of the papacy in certain cases.19 So whether or not Philip was responding the Boniface this was the first clash but it ended without much of a problem for either side. .u4c7d17d8952bdc76c9de19ce7b408342 , .u4c7d17d8952bdc76c9de19ce7b408342 .postImageUrl , .u4c7d17d8952bdc76c9de19ce7b408342 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u4c7d17d8952bdc76c9de19ce7b408342 , .u4c7d17d8952bdc76c9de19ce7b408342:hover , .u4c7d17d8952bdc76c9de19ce7b408342:visited , .u4c7d17d8952bdc76c9de19ce7b408342:active { border:0!important; } .u4c7d17d8952bdc76c9de19ce7b408342 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u4c7d17d8952bdc76c9de19ce7b408342 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u4c7d17d8952bdc76c9de19ce7b408342:active , .u4c7d17d8952bdc76c9de19ce7b408342:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u4c7d17d8952bdc76c9de19ce7b408342 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u4c7d17d8952bdc76c9de19ce7b408342 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u4c7d17d8952bdc76c9de19ce7b408342 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u4c7d17d8952bdc76c9de19ce7b408342 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u4c7d17d8952bdc76c9de19ce7b408342:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u4c7d17d8952bdc76c9de19ce7b408342 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u4c7d17d8952bdc76c9de19ce7b408342 .u4c7d17d8952bdc76c9de19ce7b408342-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u4c7d17d8952bdc76c9de19ce7b408342:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Les Murrays Widower in the country EssayThe beginning of the major blow to the relationship between Philip the Fair and Boniface VIII came in 1301 when Philip arrested Bernard Saisset, bishop of Pamiers.He was accused of wanting to incite rebellion in Languedoc.20 It is suggested that this was a cause clbre for Philip who was attempting to expand royal jurisdiction.21 Boniface insisted that the bishop be set free and sent to Rome and he revoked the privileges that had been granted to Philip.22 Eventually this led to the papal bull Unum Sanctum that developed out of a Council at Rome in 1302.23 This basically stated, Every human creature is subject to the Roman pontiff.24 I t further suggested, The papacy was to the Empire as the sun to the moon: the moon has no light of its own, it all comes from the sun.25 It was the first papal bull to address theological rather than legal matters.26 Basically it served to announce the common idea that the Church ruled all. However, this idea was not working any longer. This was perhaps the last and most desperate attempt to hold onto the days of the Churchs glory. This led the French (and eventually others) to the belief that the pope must be curtailed in his power.27Boniface VIIIs dispute with the Colonna family ended up causing him future harm. Stephen Colonna, brother to a Colonna cardinal, tried to take vengeance on the pope by seizing some of the popes treasure traveling from Anagni to Rome.28 Boniface excommunicated the Colonnas to the fourth generation, leveled their castle, plowed the ground and had it sown with salt. There is some suggestion that his desire to wreak havoc on the Colonnas and others who res isted him influenced his decision to make peace with Philip the Fair about taxing clergy.29 The Colonnas fled; some of them came together in Philips court.30Originally, Philip IV tried to encourage the idea of Bonifaces illegitimacy due to his election but eventually he moved on to accusing Boniface of heresy and other criminal activities.31 Philip calls the first Parlement of all three estates (clergy, nobility, and commoners). He manages to bring up twenty-nine charges against the pope.32 Some of the charges include: blasphemy, simony, heresy, murder (of Celestine V), and fornication. Furthermore, the idea that the pope should stand trial was spread throughout France.33 Philip had some good and some false evidence against Boniface.34 It is this, however, that leads to Philips victory over Boniface. Philip attempted a coup. He sent people to Italy in order to remove Boniface from power. These people included William de Nogaret, some members of the Colonna family, an Orsini cardinal and even some people whose families were under the patronage of the Caetani family.35 On the night of September 7, 1303, Nogaret and the others stormed the Bonifaces palace in Anagni and demanded that he turn himself over and resign. He was easily captured but the people of Anagni were outraged and the rose up against the intruders. Nogaret left empty-handed but the attepted coup took its toll on Boniface. He died shortly thereafter on October 12.36 Legend surrounding this event grew quickly. Eventually the store became that Boniface confronted his assailants seated on the papal throne and holding the papal cross in his hands (this seems unlikely, especially given his age but he probably did at least put on his papal robes).37 Boniface was, indeed, and old man at this time and he was unable to recover. Thus, Philip did have the final victory, even if it is only that he outlived his enemy. Bonifaces immediate successor was a pope who took the name Benedict. However, he only lasted a few months. The next man elected pope was Clement V(Bertrand de Got). Clement was a Gascon who served from 1305 to 1314. He loved his native countryAquitaineand he wanted the war between France and England over the land to stop. Part of the reason he ended up staying in France was because he wanted to help Aquitaine. (Also, peace was needed in order for there to be a crusade.) There were other problems (including his poor health) that kept him in France as well.38 He was never in the best of positions. His policy in general was clearheaded, subtle, and rather weak. His predecessors had left him grave problems.What he sought was balanced moderation.39 Spiritually, he harmed the church by allowing people to be bishops in more than one place (pluralism).40 Although he attempted to free himself from Philip the Fairs influence, he spent a good deal of time appeasing him. For example, Philip dema nded that Clement remove all of Boniface and Benedicts acts from the papal register.41 In general Clement set the papacy up for many years of problems. Clements election itself was an appeasement to Philip the Fair. Clement had been the archbishop of Bordeaux. Clement was a subject to Philip but also a vassal to the Duke of Aquitaine (Edward I of England). He had previously shown some independence from Philip by attending the council summoned by Boniface in Rome. He intended his coronation to be at Vienne on the Rhone.42 Philip wanted him to be coronated in Lyons and Clement agreed because he was trying to buy time to keep Boniface from being posthumously put on trial since he feared that would be a severe blow to the Church.43 Clement ends up at Avignon for many reasons. He wanted to be out of France and independent of Philip but he also wanted to remain close enough so that he could continue trying to help Aquitaine. He had other problems to deal with as well. The reason the papacy remains at Avignon for quite some time is because he gathers curia around him.44 French cardinals will likely choose a French pope. .ua293392a2e9977864ae31a6a156dec5c , .ua293392a2e9977864ae31a6a156dec5c .postImageUrl , .ua293392a2e9977864ae31a6a156dec5c .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ua293392a2e9977864ae31a6a156dec5c , .ua293392a2e9977864ae31a6a156dec5c:hover , .ua293392a2e9977864ae31a6a156dec5c:visited , .ua293392a2e9977864ae31a6a156dec5c:active { border:0!important; } .ua293392a2e9977864ae31a6a156dec5c .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ua293392a2e9977864ae31a6a156dec5c { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ua293392a2e9977864ae31a6a156dec5c:active , .ua293392a2e9977864ae31a6a156dec5c:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ua293392a2e9977864ae31a6a156dec5c .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ua293392a2e9977864ae31a6a156dec5c .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ua293392a2e9977864ae31a6a156dec5c .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ua293392a2e9977864ae31a6a156dec5c .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ua293392a2e9977864ae31a6a156dec5c:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ua293392a2e9977864ae31a6a156dec5c .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ua293392a2e9977864ae31a6a156dec5c .ua293392a2e9977864ae31a6a156dec5c-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ua293392a2e9977864ae31a6a156dec5c:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Gary Soto's Guilt EssayOne of the biggest events when Philip pressured Clement was in dealing with the Knights Templar. The original purpose of the Knights Templar had been to help protect the Holy Land but they grew to be a large banking organization and after the loss of the Holy Land they really did not have much else to do. Philip arrested Templar knights in his land in 1307. Apporximately 2000 where charged with denying Christ, spitting on the crucifix, practicing sodomy (and encouraging others to practice sodomy as well), not saying the words of consecration at mass, and worshipping an idol. Of course, most of these crimes were confessed to because of torture. Once C lement heard of the knights confessions he ordered other monarchs to seize the Templar knights in their lands but then many knights withdrew their confessions. Eventually Clement suppressed the Knights Templar but did not condemn them. However, as per Philips instructions, many of them were burned at the stake. The probable reason for this entire event was that Philip was after the money that the Knights Templar controlled. He did in fact gain a large portion of the money.45One of Philips main problems with Boniface and a source of appeasement from Clement centered around Bonifaces predecessor, Celestine V. Celestine had been a hermit before being elected pope46. According to many, he was helped along in his decision to resign the papacy by the future Boniface VIII.47 After Boniface is pope, he feels he needs to protect his papacy at all costs. He summons Celestine who then flees. Celestine is captured and brought to Anagni. Boniface has him imprisoned in a castle at Fumone where he dies in May of 1296. Boniface is later accused of starving Celestine to death, but given Celestines age it is not unreasonable that he died.48 When Clement is pope, Philip IV demands that Celestine is canonized as a saintly victim of Bonifaces atrocities.49 Clement had to agree to this, but did not canonize him as Celestine V, rather he is canonized as Pietro da Morrone. This implied that Celestine had every right to resign which is something that the French (as well as the Colonna) denied.50Philip the Fair seems to have gotten what he wanted from both Boniface and Clement, which is interesting because historically, the pontificates of Boniface VIII and of Clement V depict the two extremes to which the papal pendulum had swung.51 Boniface thought to preserve the Church by denying that which Philip demanded until it resulted in more harm coming to the church whereas it appears Clement attempted to protect the Church by appeasing Philip often. Somehow both of these methods work in Ph ilips favor overall. The increase in national sovereignty is apparent over this time period (though the most recognizable of Bonifaces achievements is Unum Sanctum which goes directly against that idea). Clement accidentally sets up an Avignon papacy for many years. Despite the fact that Avignon was not an actual part of France at the time, it was without a doubt a cultural possession of France. Philip is victorious. His reign sees a decline in the power of the Church and an increase in the power of nations as well as an increase in nationalism. His relationships with Boniface and Clement help set the stage for much of the Renaissance, which was an interesting time indeed. 1 Strayer p. 32 Strayer p. 33 Strayer p. 44 Fawtier p. 895 French book p. 1306 Flick, p. 177 Boutaric p. 308 Riveire p. 709 Powicke p. 11010 Flick, p. 1711 French book p. 13112 Book p. 22913 Ullmann, Papacy, p. 27314 Walsh p. 12415 Langlois p. 3416 Walsh p. 12417 Strayer, p. 251-218 Boutaric p. 3119 Boutaric p. 32-320 Rocquain p. 4921 Hughes p. 5522 Hughes p. 5623 Ullmann, Papacy p. 27524 Renouard p. 1525 Walsh p. 12426 Walsh p. 12527 Ullmann, Schism p. 18428 Langlois p. 3929 Boutaric p. 3330 Walsh p. 12231 LeClercq p. 4632 Walsh p. 12433 Ullmann, Papacy p. 275-634 Ullmann, Papacy p. 27935 Walsh p. 12436 Ullmann Papacy p. 27637 Boase 8138 Renouard p. 2039 Renouard p. 2440 Walsh p. 12841 Walsh p. 12942 Renoard p. 2043 Walsh p. 12744 Renouard p. 21-2245 Walsh p. 12946 Villani p. 2047 Baillet p. 1948 Walsh p. 12349 Walsh p. 12450 Walsh p. 12451 Ullmann, papacy p. 282 The Middle Ages Essay Example For Students The Middle Ages Essay During the English middle ages law often took on the form of an ordeal. An ordeal is a method of trial in which the accused was given a physical test that could only be met successfully if he or she was innocent in the eyes of God. I will discuss specifically three types of ordeals that were commonly used. I Ordeal of White Hot IronThis ordeal was used to test a persons honesty. If a person was accused of lying to an official pertaining to a crime supposedly committed, then the individual would be given a choice. If the accused held the white hot iron and did not get burned by it then he was innocent. If the accused held the iron and was burned then he was considered to be guilty and then punished according to the law. The accused would also be held as guilty if he chose not to undertake the ordeal at all.II Ordeal of FireThis ordeal was the only ordeal administered to women accused of cheating on their husbands. The suspected woman, dressed in white cloth, was made to walk through fire. If the clothing singed or turned black, then she was guilty and faced punishment.III Trial by Combat Of all medieval ordeals, this one may be considered the most fatal. To settle a dispute in this manner the plaintiff and the defendant would agree to wage a combat with each other until the death. Armor, if allowed would be scanty and only a sword or dagger would be used. Often the event would be conducted in a public meeting place such as the town square. This led to the entertainment aspect of the ordeal. The townsfolk would often demand one arm tied behind the back or have weights tied around each leg to contribute to the fun of spectatorship.While these methods of trial may seem unjust or even cruel by todays standard they were widely accepted by the people on the basis on religious beliefs that God would reign as the supreme judge over the matter. However, rarely did one ever walk away from ordeal by white hot iron with an unblemished hand. And very few times did the Dav id slay the Goliath in trial by combat. Yet the townsfolk continued to support these events, even after the Fourth Lateran Council of 1215 outlawed clerics to take part in the trials. The ordeals lasted unofficially until the early nineteenth century. We will write a custom essay on The Middle Ages specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now

Bated vs. Baited

Bated vs. Baited Bated vs. Baited Bated vs. Baited By Sharon The expression with bated breath is recorded as appearing for the first time in William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice towards the end of the 16th century. It refers to having subdued or restrained breathing because of some strong emotion. The verb to bate, which means reduce the intensity of; take away; or lower in estimation or amount (an archaic usage), has long since disappeared from common use. So its no surprise that its often misspelled as baited. According to Merriam Webster, bait means to persecute, harass or lure. Heres an example to illustrate the two meanings: She waited with bated breath to see if he would take the bait. Here are some quotations illustrating their usage: the end of the year approaches, practically everyone in the fashion, beauty and interior design industries waits with bated breath to see what Pantone will proclaim as the official color for the upcoming year. (www.chicagotribune.com) the world - or at least, the American public - waited with bated breath on Thursday for the National Archives to release its final batch of records related to the assassination of (www.usatoday.com) Channel and blue catfish are good on hot dogs, shrimp, Spam, and frozen shad. Yellow catfish are good on juglines baited with live perch. (www.chicagotribune.com) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Idioms About Talking"Gratitude" or "Gratefulness"?Present Participle as Adjective

The eNotes Blog Happy Bloomsday! How Will YouCelebrate

Happy Bloomsday! How Will YouCelebrate Love it or hate it, Bloomsday is the annual day of celebration for James Joyces polarizing novel  Ulysses. It takes place on June 16th each year, to mark the first day of the protagonist Leopold Blooms journey across Dublin. To mark the occasion some Joyce fans follow the tradition of reading the novel in Edwardian garb- though Marilyn Monroe did it back in 1955 in decidedly modern attire her bathing suit. image via Open Culture Nowadays, though, celebrations can consist of two weeks of lectures, film screenings and readings surrounding the novel that the majority of  people (at least all the sane ones) find impossible to read. And while to these readers, including  yours truly, suffering through lectures on Ulysses is a punishment  only slightly worse than actually reading a chapter of  Ulysses (and very marginally better  than  suffering the fate of  Prince Oberyn vs The Mountain), in Vanity Fairs opinion, Bloomsday has become a travesty for another reason: The celebration that came closest to the spirit of the novel might have been the very first one, in Dublin in 1954, when four of the city’s literary notables attempted to trace the novel’s steps around the city, only to crap out halfway through, too drunk to go on Nowadays it would be nice to think that swelling readership of  Ulysses  drives the Bloomsday boom, but it’s more likely that Bloomsday provides an opportunity for cultural validation that’s about as substantial as sharing an author quote on Instagram. Reading  Ulysses  is a slow, immersive, and ultimately private experience; Bloomsday is a social-media-ready event, where like-minded people convene to celebrate their own taste. Which reminds me which Instagram filter should I use for my Ulysses selfie? Just kidding. Like Id own that thing. Check out #bloomsday on the Twitterverse  here  for lots of cool news about the impact  Ulysses has had around the world, including how one Iraqi poet translated the 1922 text into Arabic (you can watch that video here). Want to know what the fuss is all about? Check out study guide, Homework Help, quizzes and trivia for  Ulysses here. How will you celebrate Bloomsday? Share it with us @ on Twitter and @com on Instagram. (Feature Image via Yeats 2015)

The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman Essay

The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman - Essay Example By taking her away from things that are important to her, such as her ability to read and write, John causes the narrator to become insane. Although The Yellow Wallpaper has all the elements of a fictional short story such as plot, setting, characters and a common point of view, the story gives us an insight into the author’s world and time, especially the subjugated role of woman in the 19th century. Gilman’s short story â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† begins when the main character, an unnamed woman, her husband, their newborn baby and her sister-in-law go to a rented summer house. The house, especially the room the narrator stays in, is the setting of the story. The story takes place at about the time it was written, the late 19th century. At the beginning of the story, the narrator is suffering from postpartum depression, and the summer house will function as a place for her to recuperate. The narrator feels uneasy in the rented mansion and wishes to spend her ti me writing and socializing. She is of the opinion that activity and interesting work will help her condition. However, the narrator’s physician husband, John, forbids her from engaging in any type of physical activity and does not even allow her to see her baby. This causes the narrator to feel lonely and bored. The conflict results in the narrator’s repression. She begins her secret journal, Sebastian 2 writing about her thoughts. As the narrator is forced to lie in bed all day and rest, she becomes entranced by the yellow wallpaper in her room and tries to decode its design. First, the narrator sees the wallpaper as ugly. Next, she sees patterns and shapes in it and finally, she sees a woman trapped behind it and trying desperately to get out from it. The climax of the story is when the narrator who has gone completely crazy, tears off the wallpaper so that she can never be put back into her prison. When John comes home, he finds the door to his bedroom locked. Later , John sees his wife creeping on the floor and faints. At the conclusion of the story, the narrator continues to strip off the wallpaper, convinced that she has found freedom at last. The narrator who is unnamed in the story is the protagonist. She is a new mother and the wife of a doctor. When she suffers from nervous depression, she and her husband rent a country house so that she can rest and recover. She is confined to a room that used to be a nursery. Despite her love for writing, her husband, John, does not allow her to read, write or engage in any mental activity. â€Å"He hates me to write a word†, she says. The narrator, however, has a different opinion: â€Å"Personally, I believe that congenial work, with excitement and change, would do me good. But what is one to do?† (Gilman). The narrator is feeling trapped in a marriage that does not allow her freedom to express herself. Thus, she begins to write a secret journal and becomes obsessed with the yellow wall paper. First, she sees the soiled, ripped and an unclean yellow wallpaper. Then, she notes, â€Å"But there is something else about the paper – the smell! †¦The only thing I can think of that it is like, is the color of the paper! A yellow smell† (Gilman). The smell shows the progression towards insanity. She is first bothered by the sight of the pattern and now the smell. Her mind has completely overpowered her senses, making her believe these things. Eventually, she associates herself with the woman who appears to be behind bars or in a Sebastian 3 cage. Her final act of

Reaction paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 15

Reaction paper - Essay Example This movie follows the war in a systematic manner whereby there is periodic music that supplements the letters. The movie starts in a very jovial and interesting manner on the beach and boys singing. There are kids diving into the waves and coming up wet, on the shores of the beach there is a cooler of beer placed under a palm tree .This place is called Vietnam looks to be fun and happy place to be. The soldiers are very excited and carefree you would think they are kids or high school children. There is also a soundtrack behind the scenes of the voices of the soldiers express through the words they wrote in their letters (Edelman 2002). They are speaking of the confidence they had gained in order to fight and the developing friendship as they were each brother’s keeper. They also say that Vietnam is a world very different from the American cities; most of Vietnam is covered with vegetations and thick forests that look scarily. This place cannot be compared to the towns and cities they left back home. It reaches a point when war gets very tough and the voices of the soldiers drastically change and you can sense some pain and sorrow in their tone. There are soldiers being injured very badly, they bleed profusely and eventually die due to the gun shots and boom attacks they get from the enemies. Some of the soldiers don’t get the chance to survive they die while others are left seriously wounded. The words in this movie are of the soldiers themselves, most of the images in this film are taken from TV news footage of the war. There are also soldiers cleaning their weapons to get ready for the war. Most of these soldiers did not survive as they died in the war. The friendly South Vietnamese and the hostile North Vietnamese get into war and in the process they wound and kill many U.S. soldiers. In retaliation U.S. considers a nuclear response. The letters range from poetic ones to bitter and sarcastic ones .This movie offers an emotional scene with a lot

Coursework assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Coursework - Assignment Example It is estimated that the expenditure of US% 2 billion will boost the secondary school enrolment rate (expressed as a percentage of the secondary school age population) by about 6%, from the current figure of 55% to an estimated 61%. However, since the previous meeting of the committee, the country has experienced a financial crash. Senior representatives from the banks have been lobbying furiously for financial support to enable the banks to continue lending, in an attempt to avert a full-scale economic recession. They have argued that by providing emergency financial support now, the government can prevent the banks from shrinking their balance sheets, and maintaining a strong and vibrant banking sector is essential if the country is to achieve the targeted growth in its per capita GDP over the medium term. It has been estimated that US$ 2 billion allocated to the banking sector now will prevent a drop in the ratio of Private Credit by Deposit Money Banks and Other Financial Institutions to GDP, from the current figure of 0.52 to an estimated 0.38. You have been asked by the Minister of Finance to investigate the empirical evidence as to whether the sum of US$ 2 billion would be spent more effectively on boosting secondary school education, or on bailing out the banking sector. You can recall an empirical model that addresses exactly this type of question, which was presented in a series of tutorials/workshops in which you participated during your time as a masters student at Bangor University in the UK. You are concerned, however, that the data that were used in this exercise are now several years out of date, and you have decided that it would be a good idea to update the data and re-estimate the model. In order to complete this task, you have been assigned the following electronic resources: 1. An Excel file struct2.xls, which has been downloaded from Ross Levine's website, in which can be found data on the financial development indicator to be used in the empirical model, the ratio of Private Credit by Deposit Money Banks and Other Financial Institutions to GDP (see column M) 2. An Excel file tab396.xls, containing United Nations data on rates of secondary school enrolment per head of the secondary school-age population in selected years: 1980, 1990 and 1997 (see column BI for the 1990 data). 3. A link to the Centre for International Comparisons at the University of Pennsylvania website, from which you can download data on all of the other variables that are used in the model. http://pwt.econ.upenn.edu/php_site/pwt63/pwt63_form.php You intend to use these data sources to compile data for the following 50 countries: Brazil, Canada, Chile, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, Uganda, Zimbabwe Australia, Bangladesh, China*, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Phillipines, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, South Korea, Syria, Thailand When downloading Chinese data from the University of Pennsylvania website, select 'China version 2'. The specification of the empirical model is as follows: dlypci = 1 + 2lypc90i + 3lsecedi + 4govgdpi + 5openi + 6infli + 7crediti + ui where

The Traffic Congestion Problem In Toronto

The Traffic Congestion Problem In Toronto Traffic congestion is a problem which faces many large cities around the world. Many cities face the problem of traffic gridlocks especially during rush hour periods when employees are rushing to or from work. In Toronto, this is a major problem which threatens the long term economic growth of Canada mainly due to economic losses attributed to the congestion. In North America, Toronto is the fourth most congested city after San Francisco, Chicago and Los Angeles. Toronto was actually ranked last among cities in North America based on the average time employees spent commuting per day, which was eighty minutes. This rating is worse considering that it involved assessment of all transport forms and not only automobiles. In addition, only 30% of car owners in Toronto leave vehicles at home, which add to the congestion (Steve 2010). This congestion has an adverse cost to the economy especially due to idle time by employees, fuel wastage during traffic jams or lateness in deliveries. These costs add up to over $2 billion annually which is a great concern to any economy. In addition to these economic losses, there are other repercussions of traffic congestion including environmental pollution, which translates to millions of dollars in health care costs to affected people. It is important to understand reasons behind traffic congestion in Toronto in order to develop effective solutions to this problem. This paper will evaluate the traffic congestion in Toronto, assess the possible reasons for the problem and advance viable solutions which will help end the traffic problem in the city. The discussed issues will be summarized at the end. Traffic congestion in Toronto As has been discussed, Toronto is the most congested city in North America judging by the transport delays experienced by residents. Traffic congestion is experienced when traffic volume is generally higher than the available road capacities. This is also known as saturation and it is simply a situation where demand for roads is greater than the supply. Generally, causes of traffic congestion are categorized into two; recurring and non-recurring causes. Recurring causes of traffic congestion are caused by traffic issues which recur such as ineffective management of capacity, unrestrained demand and insufficient capacity. Non-recurring causes are those which occur due to unique circumstances which are not normally experienced. These include work zones, car accidents, bad weather, disabled vehicles and emergencies. For purposes of this paper, the recurring causes of traffic congestion will be addressed since this forms the major part of congestion of traffic in Toronto. Key reasons for increase in congestion There are several reasons which have played a role in increasing traffic congestion in Toronto. Some of the causes of recurring traffic congestion in Toronto will be briefly discussed below; Increased automobile use The increase in use of automobiles is one of the major causes of traffic congestion around the world. As has been discussed, Toronto is the most congested city in North America with over 70% of automobile owners driving to work. In addition, pedestrians and bicycles also compete for the limited road resource. This causes a strain on roads and contributes heavily to the congestion experienced in Toronto (Halberstam 14-17). Many automobiles carry one or two passengers as opposed to public transport where several people are transported by buses. This also increases congestion since more private vehicles are used to ferry very few passengers between various locations. The increase in automobile use also has adverse effects on the environment since there is more pollution from automobiles. Idle time experienced by automobiles as a result of traffic jams also increases pollution by automobiles. This pollution not only harms the environment but also causes respiratory infections and illness es to humans which translate to a huge cost to the economy. Poor planning Every government planning department or ministry is tasked with the responsibility of ensuring that the population growth matches available resources to reduce strain. It is therefore the responsibility of the government to ensure that resources such as roads are well planned and developed to cater for the population growth. However, the Canadian government has performed poorly in developing roads which cater for the large population in the country (Conrad Finkel 55-58). For instance, some experts have pointed out that on some roads, bike lanes have been placed in poor locations. These lanes have not been connected to other routes, which is wastage of space and money. In addition, some bike lanes have been placed in thoroughfares which are major and in addition to contributing to the congestion, parking and stopping spaces are drastically reduced. Some pedestrian crossings have been placed in dangerous locations where they cause a reduction in traffic flow as opposed to easing traff ic. Lapse in implementation of laws There is a notable inconsistency in implementation of the law which regulates traffic. It is unclear whether this is done intentionally but experts have blamed it on ignorance and corruption. Parking and traffic laws are generally not evenly applied for all types of vehicles. In addition, many motorists who commit traffic offenses are not dealt with in a harsh manner in order to act as a deterrent to other motorists. This creates a situation where motorists are ignorant of traffic laws, which further complicates the problem of congestion. Effects of traffic congestion in Toronto There are various effects of traffic congestion in Toronto and these will be discussed below; Pollution Due to the increase in the number of automobiles in use in Toronto, the city has experiences high pollution levels than many cities in North America. Toronto is one of the most congested cities in North America and pollution levels are high due to high automobile usage. Many automobiles used emit high levels of carbon monoxide and other gases which harm the environment and the health of the public (Lerner Wilmoth 74-81). Over 1500 people die annually in Toronto due to diseases which are related to environmental pollution. In addition, over 6000 people are admitted to hospitals in Toronto annually due to complications related to pollution and motor vehicle usage is a large contributor to this problem (Ruddiman 81-87). Pollution due to increase in automobile use is therefore a major problem which causes economic costs to Toronto through damage to the environment and adverse effects on the health of residents. Traffic congestion also results in idling of automobiles which leads to more pollution on the environment. Idle time and opportunity costs A lot of time is spent by workers in Toronto commuting to and from their place of work. Toronto was ranked last in terms of commuting time spent by employees when using different forms of transport and this was seen to be an average of eighty minutes. This is a lot of time since workers spend over an hour commuting daily to and from their place of employment. The costs of this idle time to the economy have been estimated to be over $2 billion annually (Roess et. al. 34-37). These are opportunity costs which would have brought even greater value to the economy. In addition to idle time by employees, there are the costs of fuel used during traffic by the many automobiles which use the roads. Such costs also run into the billions as vehicles burn fuel in traffic each day. These costs experienced due to idle time are opportunity costs which would have been used for development purposes and development of infrastructure by the Canadian government. Delays Traffic jams usually lead to delay for either employees to reach their work stations or for products to be delivered on time. It also makes employees be late for meetings, flights or other opportunities which further their career. Delays may have a negative impact on individuals, the government or businesses at large. When individuals get delayed, they may miss certain opportunities which may result in earning lower disposable incomes which adversely affects their families. When there are delays, businesses suffer from lower sales due to delays in supplies or other factors. When delays occur, the government may also earn lower revenue due to lower tax received from decline in opportunities associated with the delay. Delays should therefore be avoided since they have negative effects to the society at large. This can only be achieved if viable solutions to the problem of transport congestion are implemented. Barriers to emergency services When there are traffic delays, it becomes difficult for emergency services to reach people in need. Emergency vehicles usually find it difficult to navigate through Toronto due to the problem of traffic congestion. Ambulances and fire trucks usually take longer than necessary to reach their destinations due to traffic congestion. This is very dangerous for Canadians since many people may continue losing lives due to delays in emergency service provision. It is imperative that urgent solutions to the problem of traffic congestion in Toronto are developed in order to ensure residents have access to fast emergency services. Viable solutions to the problem There are several solutions which will help reduce traffic congestion in Toronto and these will be discussed below; Encouraging commuters to use public transport It has been discussed that one of the reasons why there is traffic congestion in Toronto is that over 70% of automobile owners use their cars as opposed to public transport. Since private cars mostly carry one or two people, there are very many private cars which are needed to transport employees to and from work. These private cars cause congestion in roads due to their large numbers. In order to ease congestion, public transport should be encouraged since it involves transporting many people simultaneously hence easing traffic congestion. Trains and public buses carry hundreds of people simultaneously which reduces the number of private cars on roads. The government should discourage the use of private cars especially within the city through making it expensive to drive and park private cars within the city. Parking fees for private cars should be increased to discourage use of these vehicles within the city. This will encourage more people to travel by train or buses which will ea se traffic on roads. Decongesting public transport Although public transport is very effective in reducing traffic congestion, it has to be effective to achieve this goal. The public transport system in Toronto faces certain weaknesses which contribute to the traffic congestion experienced in the city. Many subways including the Yonge subway is very crowded yet this is one of the most important subways in Canada. Although there is a plan to computerize control and signals system in order to enable a greater number of trains to run closer together, this plan will take some years to implement, which means that Canadians will continue facing transport congestion in the short run (Preville 2010). There are also problems with train capacity and speeds with commuters complaining some trains are too slow and have low capacities. This is a problem which should be addressed by the government through increase in number, speeds and capacities of transport trains. Decentralizing businesses from the Greater Toronto Area There are very many businesses which are present in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). As a result, many employees commute from suburbs into the GTA each day. The large number of people who commute to the GTA is one of the major reasons why there is traffic congestion. In order to reduce congestion, it is important for the government to encourage investors to invest in suburbs or the outskirts of the city (Wallace 65-69). This is one of the most effective solutions to this problem since fewer people will travel to the GTA. When many businesses are decentralized and established in suburbs and outskirts of Toronto, the traffic systems will face lower congestion due to the reduced number of users. In addition to benefits of decentralization to the transport system, decentralizing businesses will also ensure that there is balanced development in Toronto and Canada as a whole. This will raise the standards of living of people and reduce the gap between the poor and the rich. Investing in transport infrastructure In order to cater for the growing population, the road infrastructure should match population growth. Since the transport system in Toronto is congested, it is important to invest in new and more effective transport infrastructure to ease the congestion. One of these types of infrastructure is investment in subways. Subways which run under major roads are very effective means of easing traffic congestion in most major cities. The government should construct such subways and offer commuters a variety of choices to make when making transport decisions. Other infrastructures include billing systems which discourage the movement of private cars into the city. These billing systems may resemble that used in London where cameras monitor vehicles entering congested zones and require motorists to pay a certain sum of money. Motorists who do not pay receive very heavy fines. Such a billing system may be required to adjust the rates according to traffic movements. This will ensure that traffic congestion is eased in Toronto. Passing relevant transport legislation In order to ensure motorists comply with changes which have been suggested in the paper, stronger legislation is required to ensure that private cars are discouraged from entering the city and that any traffic offenders receive harsh punishments. This will serve as deterrent to other offenders who are not keen to be part of the traffic decongestion efforts. For instance, in London, private cars entering congestion zones pay 8 pounds in fees. However, people who do not observe this rule pay a harsh fine of 120 pounds. There are cameras which records all registration plates of motor vehicles hence it is difficult not to comply with the rule. Toronto requires legislation and policies which support traffic decongestion to be passed in order to develop long term solutions to the problem of traffic congestion. Dialog with stakeholders in transport industry In order for the government to ensure that changes required to the transport industry are effectively implemented, all stakeholders should be involved in the changes. The government should convene a meeting with stakeholders in public and private transport with the aim of developing long term solutions to the problem of traffic congestion (Quentin 16-22). These people may offer very effective solutions to this problem since they are the major road users. The general public will also be keen to follow changes and recommendations made to improve the transport sector once it is involved in developing solutions to the problem. Dialog with stakeholders will provide the government with an opportunity to listen to a variety of suggestions on how the transport problem can be resolved. Summary and conclusion Various aspects of traffic congestion in Toronto have been analyzed in detail. It is clear that Toronto is facing a serious problem of traffic congestion since it is the most congested city in North America. Traffic congestion in Toronto costs over $ 2 billion annually and it is caused by a variety of factors. These factors are categorized into non-recurring and recurring factors. However, the paper focused on recurring factors which contribute to the largest proportion of traffic congestion in Canada. These include increased automobile use, poor planning and lapse in implementation of laws which govern traffic systems. This leads to the use of many private cars by employees who commute to work as opposed to use of public transport systems resulting in congestion. Traffic congestion in Toronto has various adverse effects including barriers to emergency services, delays, idle time and opportunity costs as well as pollution. These effects have adverse effects on the health, welfare and economic development of the society as whole. All stakeholders in society suffer either indirectly or directly from traffic congestion. There are several solutions which should be implemented to reduce traffic congestion in Toronto. These include encouraging commuters to use public transport, decongesting public transport, decentralizing businesses from the Greater Toronto Area, investing in transport infrastructure, passing relevant transport legislation and dialog with stakeholders in transport industry. These solutions aim at discouraging the use of private vehicles and increasing the effectiveness of public transport to increase the capacity and speeds needed to reduce congestion in Toronto. However, it is important to involve all relevant stakeholders when developing solutions to the transport congestion since as earlier discussed, these people may offer very effective solutions to this problem since they are the major road users. The general public will also be keen to follow changes made to improve the transport sector if it is involved in the change process. This will ensure that Toronto has one of the best t ransport systems not only in North America but across the world.

Disabled By Wilfred Owen Essay example -- English Literature

Disabled By Wilfred Owen In my essay,"Disabled" by Wilfred Owen. I am going to describe how successfully he uses poetic techniques to present the true effects of war in his poem. The main technique used in the poem is contrast, as well as other techniques. Which makes the fate of the young man more pitiful. The use of irony, word choice, and powerful images, all create the sense of atmosphere in each stanza. The contrast of mood and tone is used in the first and second stanza, which creates a change of mood. In the first stanza words like "ghastly" and phrases like, "saddening like a hymn", are used by Owen to create a dull and depressing mood. Which represents the mans present life in which he is stuck in. Then in the second stanza words like "gay" are used to create a mood that is very happy and joyful. Which represented the mans past life, before the injury. Contrast is also related to the irony in the poem. Firstly, before his injury all the girls loved him and were fighting to get their hands on him. One of the main reasons he went to war was to "please his...

Lincoln Electric expansion to India Essay

Market entry strategy involves the essential requirement for a company to get into international level. The need of involving other companies whereby two companies join together is referred to as joint venture entry. They get into a similar market and make the same production with the aim of sharing risk and at the same time they share the profit according to their terms of agreement (Kretzberg, 2007). Therefore, Lincoln Electric Company has a chance to join with other company to venture in the Indian market. Through the joint venture strategy in Indian market, Lincoln Electric has a chance of attracting wider market share in the region. The major consideration is done through extensive study of the market situation through various considerations. Market environment has a wide consideration depending on the factors such as political, social and economic integration. The basic considerations that Lincoln Company has to consider are directed in achievement in the market increase (Hastings, 1995). Concerning the Indian market structure, introduction of welding company is essential in reference to the technological improvement. The factors concerning the technology in the region, it covers the different aspects especially in developing market. While considering joint venture strategy in international market, the major considerations are made depending on business environment. This involves political, economic and social culture of the region. External environment Political status of the region helps in decision making regarding international marketing and business establishment. The major factors are on the risks that are involved while setting the business and the response from the market. The references are done in respect to the intention of the company and the level of investment (North & Trabajo, 1997). Lincoln Electric has a high chance of introducing its operation at Indian industries due to stability in the political field. The issues regarding the political  situation in India are attractive to the investors. There is no major threat regarding the Lincoln Electric company investing in the region. The Lincoln Electric company has to take advantages of the political situation in India. The Indian government offers full support in the provision of security and ensuring investments are safeguarded. On international investors, the government acknowledges their participation in the provision of employment in the region (Theobald, 2008). Therefore, they take high initiative in protecting the companies through different acts regarding business and industries. The political will in Indian government in upholding the foreign companies ensures development throughout. Therefore, political stability of the country has a major effect on the business setting and its operation. Economics background India has a promising economic situation whereby investors consider it as a strong initiative leading to prosperity. Lincoln Electric Company has to consider long term condition regarding the market and economy of the region. The basis of market and competition helps in introducing appropriate measures regarding the future of the Lincoln Electric company. The management has chosen appropriately the markets that have a promising future and having the market structure that have the capability of improvement (Majumdar & Saad, 2005). The competitions in the region are based on the development capacity. Lincoln Electric Company deals with the electrical materials and hence taking advantage of Indian market. Through the technological improvement in the region, the Lincoln Electric company has the chances of improving the production. The major aim is connected to market share increase through innovative strategies in technology. India is a superior country that the company ought to invest in since it has a wider market that requires the electrical materials. Few industries in the country provide the required electrical materials. Hence, it would be vital for the Lincoln Electric Company to expand its operations in this country. Huge profits will result from the company expanding its operations to India. The average sale of the company’s products will improve; it will hence be able to produce more products for the India market (Fratianni, 2006). Different tools can be used to analyze the expansion of this company in India. The expansion of the company will have different inferences; the company may get  high level of profits or get losses. Profits can use as a good measure of the company’s expansion in a certain region. The success of the company is normally measured by the level of profits that it generates by involving itself in a certain venture. In this case this company is completing whet her to enter the India market or not. It is recommendable for the company to enter India market since there is high demand for its products in the country (Hafford-Letchfield, 2010). Though its products received mixed reactions from China and Japan, the company can take encouragement from the fact that the Indian market did not compose of many electrical companies like in the case of china and Japan. The degree of competition in India is low while the demand is high. Applying the law of demand and supply, entry to the Indian market will signify an increase in the profits of the company (Kuada, 2008). The demand for its products would be in the rise in this country. The performance of the welding materials in Asia countries for the country in the early years was not as expected for the country. There were mixed reactions for its products across the consumers. The reactions arose from trade restrictions that were imposed by the governments. Companies were to produce consumer products at low cost, and hence they would be provided to the consumers at low costs. This then gives the company a hectic decision, and they have to resolve to enter the market of not (Combe, 2006, p. 108). If the company enters this market, it can expect anything to happen, it may either get improved profits or in turn it would get losses. The companies to India would imply that the company will increase its market share across different regions in India. It would then be possible to market itself to the locals by having its local company. The company’s improved sales would also imply that the company would be able to compete with other multinational companies that deal in the manufacture of welding and electrical products. India is among the growing countries, and attributed by the country’s GDP growth is high. The market is important, and its annual GDP is relatively high that of Latin countries combined together. India is projected to be an economic powerhouse in the next coming years (Kretzberg, 2007). This implies that the country is doing well economically, and it is, therefore, vital for the Lincoln Company to join the Indian market. The company need o considerate some vital aspect before it have resolved on expanding to the Indian market. It should  carefully analyze the market situation in the country (Chadwick, 2002). This helps the company to analyze the competitors of its products. Competitors are vital; the company should be more realistic and come up with strategies that would help it deal with competition. Strategy that the company should use to enter the Indian market (joint venture) Joint venture is essential for the Lincoln Electric company entering new market; it can enter the market on different grounds. The Indian welding market is made of three large competitors and small companies that sell their products at low discount (McClave & Benson, 1988). Considering the performance of the three companies in this market, the level of competition is high. The entry of Lincoln Company would hence impact the market, and high level of compilation would be witnessed. Since the Lincoln Company is well-establis hed company with different multinational companies in different countries, it should then stand on its own and provide its products to this market. As noted from the provided context different companies that tried to enter the market by either merging or acquisition found it rough to make it in the market (Miles, 2014, p. 153). Since the company is well financially grounded and wants to establish itself as a global, multinational, it should then make all the necessary structures required to enter this market. All the basic installation needed should be adopted by the company so that it can be in a position to compete with other companies in the market The company should establish itself on its own since it would signify an element of intent that would increase competition with its rivals (Tsoukas & Chia, 2011, p. 421). The company is also in a position to expand its production capacity when it has formed the company on its own. It would not be tired to commitments resulting from companies merging. The joint venture is a strategic entry of this company should be based on the formation of a new company that would use different inp uts in the production of its product. This strategy is important since- as noted in the China case the company should form the establish itself on its own since legal issues might arise in the case that the company enters the market in partnership with other companies. Partnership would restrict the growth of the firm, and there would be a dispute in profits sharing. It was also noted that the right decisions could not be made in the right time, and it took time while making decisions affecting the company. Due to the increase in the demand welding materials  in South Korea the company’s distributor could not cater for the requirements needed by the shipping companies. The Company could have catered for the demand if it had established its own company dealing in the production of welding materials. This then forms the base for the company to establish its plant in demand so as to cater for the future changes in demand (Tompkins, 2005). This is possible in the case that the company is able to adopt new technology in manufacturing its products. Lincoln could not cater for the demand of his products across South Korea since his was not involved in the manufacture of the materials while in South Korea. In Japan, the company production was limited; the company did not have any market link and hence was not involved in the final market demand of the products. The company faced many challenges while in its operation like the poor power supply. The power system was impaired hence the company could not function to optimality (Robert French & Vince, 1999). The company should have entered the Japan market with all the necessary machines that are needed to produce its product hence it would be in a position to compete with the other competitors in this region. It is hence ideal for a company to enter the Indian market on it owns since it would cope with all the challenges without delaying its production. Entering the market in any other form would imply that the company would not be to handle the pressure that results from competitors (Daft, 2001, p. 212). The Indian market is demands welding materials hence the company should establish a renowned plant to help in the manufacture of its products. Challenges faced by adopting this approach It is hard for the company to establish itself with the other competitors in India. The Indian market is made of different companies that deal in the production of welding materials. Establishing its products requires the company to use advanced marketing strategies that would outdo the competitors. Conclusion The company needs to apply strategic management rules, which would help it establish its strength and weakness. This approach requires the company to sets its goals and objectives that would help it to identify the risks that are associated with its operations. The company should keenly analyze the  key aspects that might hinder its operations, and the factors might be internal or the external factors. Analyzing the situations would help it to gather momentum, and, hence, would cope with competition from rivals. The company might find it hard to make in the market since some of the consumers would not regard its products. Another challenge, which the company would face, is a huge capital outlay that it requires to establish itself. Since the company is establishing a new plant, it would need a lot of money to make the structures and buy equipments. The legal process needed to establish the plant may be cumbersome; hence the firm may take time to start its operations in the country. Some government procedures required to establish the company may take time before they are provided by the government, these are like the licenses needed to establish the company. References CHADWICK, R. ( 2002). Business and economics. London: Routledge. COMBE, C. ( 2006). Introduction to e-business : management and strategy. Amsterdam ; Boston: Butterworth-Heinemann. DAFT, R. L. ( 2001). Organization theory and design. Cincinnati, Ohio: South-Western College Pub. FRATIANNI, M. (2006). Regional economic integration. Amsterdam ; Boston : Elsevier JAI. HAFFORD-LETCHFIELD, T. (2010). Social care management, strategy and business planning. London ; Philadelphia: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. HASTINGS, D. F. (1995). The Lincoln Electric Company: the actual is limited– the possible is immense. New York, Newcomen Society of the United States. KRETZBERG, A. (2007). Market entry strategies for emerging economies. Frankfurt am Main, Peter Lang KUADA, J. (2008). International market analysis theories and methods. Adonis and Abbey. MAJUMDAR, M. A., & SAAD, M. (2005). Transition and development in Algeria : economic, social and cultural challenges. Bristol: Intellect. MCCLAVE, J. T., & BENSON, P. G. (1988). Statistics for business and economics. San Francisco: Dellen Pub. Co. MILES, J. A. ( 2014). New directions in management and organization theory. Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing. NORTH, K., & TRABAJO., O. I. (1997). Environmental business management : an introduction. Geneva: International Labour Office. ROBERT FRENCH, M., & VINCE, R. ( 1999). Group relations, management, and organization. New York: Oxford University Press. THEOBALD, R. H. (2008). Environmental management. New York: Nova Science Publishers. TOMPKINS, J. (2005). Organization theory and public management. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning. TSOUKAS, H., & CHIA, R. C. ( 2011). Philosophy and organization theory. Bingley, UK: Emerald.

Free Essays on Eliza

DAUGHTER OF FORTUNE â€Å" †¦.there is a message that love is transient and illusory, that is the beginning of a journey of self-discovery, not the end†. To what extent is this true for Eliza and Rose? Eliza met Joaquin Andieta and in this moment she fell in love with him. She dreamed about him, he was perfect. He appeared in her dreams every night. It became to be an obsession. Love is illusory, â€Å"she came to have such mastery of this art that her illusory lover appeared in bodily form, she could touch him, smell him, and heard his voice†. In this part of the book, we can see, that the sentence â€Å"love is illusory† becomes to be true. Eliza did not know Joaquin very, but she had exalted him so much in her dreams that she was meeting somebody who did not exist. At first all was perfect. She thought that love between them was romantic and sincere. It was romantic and passionate, but not sincere. This love did not last very long. Joaquin went to California to look for gold, and he never came back to Eliza. She spent a big part of her life looking for him, but it was impossible to find him. Eliza traveled through California with the hope to see him. She did not realize that the Joaquin of her dreams did not exist. One of the reasons of the search was that Eliza was pregnant of Joaquin, but in her travels, she lost the child. Even so, she wanted to find him. Never found him. She only found a boy whose name was similar to Joaquin. She found a dead boy who had been a killer and a bandit in his life. I think that Eliza realized her big mistake when she found Joaquin dead and different. He was not her lover, she had spent a lot of years looking for a illusory love. Joaquin Andieta did not exist. He only existed in her dreams. For this reason, love is illusory. People need to have this kind of love, but only a few, achieve it. Love is transient. Transient mean, that it has an ending. Eliza had love for a short time. ... Free Essays on Eliza Free Essays on Eliza DAUGHTER OF FORTUNE â€Å" †¦.there is a message that love is transient and illusory, that is the beginning of a journey of self-discovery, not the end†. To what extent is this true for Eliza and Rose? Eliza met Joaquin Andieta and in this moment she fell in love with him. She dreamed about him, he was perfect. He appeared in her dreams every night. It became to be an obsession. Love is illusory, â€Å"she came to have such mastery of this art that her illusory lover appeared in bodily form, she could touch him, smell him, and heard his voice†. In this part of the book, we can see, that the sentence â€Å"love is illusory† becomes to be true. Eliza did not know Joaquin very, but she had exalted him so much in her dreams that she was meeting somebody who did not exist. At first all was perfect. She thought that love between them was romantic and sincere. It was romantic and passionate, but not sincere. This love did not last very long. Joaquin went to California to look for gold, and he never came back to Eliza. She spent a big part of her life looking for him, but it was impossible to find him. Eliza traveled through California with the hope to see him. She did not realize that the Joaquin of her dreams did not exist. One of the reasons of the search was that Eliza was pregnant of Joaquin, but in her travels, she lost the child. Even so, she wanted to find him. Never found him. She only found a boy whose name was similar to Joaquin. She found a dead boy who had been a killer and a bandit in his life. I think that Eliza realized her big mistake when she found Joaquin dead and different. He was not her lover, she had spent a lot of years looking for a illusory love. Joaquin Andieta did not exist. He only existed in her dreams. For this reason, love is illusory. People need to have this kind of love, but only a few, achieve it. Love is transient. Transient mean, that it has an ending. Eliza had love for a short time. ...

THe Glass Ceiling in the US Military

THe Glass Ceiling in the US Military Free Online Research Papers Being a member of the United States Armed Forces I believe that since entering the service in late 2003, I have personally witnessed the glass ceiling in affect as well as it be nonexistent in numerous situations, positions, and places. The military overall is still primarily made of males, with males making up roughly about 80% of the total military force. With percentages like that it would be easy to see why some military service members would be hesitant if not resistant to women having equal advancement and command opportunities. In 1948 the Law 625, The Women’s Armed Services Act was signed into effect by President Harry Truman, allowing women to serve in the armed forces in fully integrated units during peacetime. Throughout the following 62 years post Law 625 being passed, women have slowly achieved more and more milestones related with military service. On December 20 1989 Capt Linda L. Bray, 29, became the first woman to command American soldiers in battle. However to the date they still as a whole have not achieved a complete level playing field. As of November 2008 there is only one female currently serving as a 4-star general. So overall it’s been a slow transition for females military speaking. One of the many reasons that this overall process has been slow is due to the still overall thought and assumption that women cannot perform certain task, and jobs currently performed by males due to physical restrictions and inabilities. Currently, women are not allowed to serve in the United States Marine Corps as an infantryman of any type. Many still have the misguided belief that women don’t have the strength or â€Å"guts† to be in a combat unit, that they lack the killer-instinct and the ability to kill if need be. It is widely thought that with today’s given technology and the way current wars are fought that there is absolutely no reason women cannot serve in every capacity allowed or designated to men. Utilitarianism is the idea that the moral worth of an action is determined solely by its usefulness in maximizing utility/minimizing negative utility, meaning that the moral worth of an action is determined by its outcome. From a Utilitarian standpoint, the allowance of women into every job field and duty currently held by men as well as the allowance to command better the military as a whole. By providing more bodies and personnel for assignment currently held only by males, the frequency and duration of certain assignments could possibly be changed, this benefit than trickles down to reduce hardships possibly felt by families with loved ones abroad for long periods or in dangerous areas. There are few negatives that can be discussed, such as possible unit cohesion issues with female integration into units and duties held prior only by males. Also a certain level of distraction may exist with males and females working in close proximity and relationships can cause unnecessary grief and tension not need on the battlefield. With a deontological view and it being based around an adherence to rules and regulations some may look at women’s entering into all military capacities as a failure to follow the guidelines currently in place and that in breaking those guidelines may cause undue hardship and unrest as a whole. I believe it would be hard-pressed however, to truly show a greater negative affect than positive in this manner. In conclusion I believe overall the glass ceiling has and is continuing to disappear, only remaining in select conditions and jobs within the military. As time goes on, though a slow process, I believe women will begin to fully equalize in terms of military service. Let us hope that the majority of us who serve will accept this greater good benefit for all active duty service members. Research Papers on THe Glass Ceiling in the US MilitaryInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married Males19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraThe Fifth HorsemanResearch Process Part OneOpen Architechture a white paperAppeasement Policy Towards the Outbreak of World War 2Twilight of the UAWThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeRelationship between Media Coverage and Social and

Perception of The Vietnam War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Perception of The Vietnam War - Essay Example However, America’s involvement in Vietnam began long before the decision to send troops into the region. Near the beginning of 1950, the Ho Chi Minh regime in Vietnam had been recognized as the governing body by Communist China, and the Soviet Union3. Thus, the Truman administration was faced with the decision of whether to allow communism to extend throughout Vietnam, or to attempt to fight it. Three key sources will be examined as part of this discussion, which take different perspectives and approaches to discussion on the war. These are, Vietnam Wars 1945-1990, A Rumor of War and the movie Platoon. This article focuses on the perceptions of the Vietnam War as portrayed in these three sources and argues that to understand the way that the Vietnam War occurred, and its true cost, it is important to examine many different perspectives. The first aspect of this argument is to understand the way that Vietnam veterans were treated, and the attitudes of the country to war. Becaus e of the high controversy that surrounded the Vietnam War, many veterans felt ostracized and mistreated on their return to America. To help mitigate this, some books and movies, such as the ones being discussed in this article, attempted to portray the Vietnam War in a different light. Platoon attempted this by showing harsh reality of the war from the American perspective, without glamorizing the events through propaganda. The film tells the story of a young, naive soldier, Chris Taylor, who enters the war full of high hopes and the desire to serve his country. The director uses the experiences of Chris to enlighten the audience about the confusion that soldiers felt during the war, and to create a connection between the people that viewed the movie, and the soldiers. The approach of personalizing the soldier that was used in Platoon, was also used in the book A Rumor of War, which is a war memoir written by Philip Caputo about his own experiences in the war. Both of these sources take a highly personal and emotionally charged approach to explain the difficulties that soldiers faced during the war. In addition, this perspective helps viewers to sympathize with the soldiers, and to better understand the role that they played in the war. One of the biggest contentions about Vietnam is the politics, specifically, whether the United States should ever have become involved in the war. This approach is considered differently in the sources. In Platoon, Stone does not address the morality of the presence of Americans in Vietnam. His characters do discuss the desire to go home, it is not because of the morality of the war, but because of how bad it is for them. As Chris comments â€Å"Someone once wrote: â€Å"Hell is the impossibility of reason.† That’s what this place feels like. Hell.† Thus, for the soldiers, the politics of the war matter little; they are all involved in their own personal, and deadly, hell. In A Rumor of War, the author expr essly states â€Å"This book does not pretend to be a history. It has nothing to do with politics, power, strategy, influence, national interests or foreign policy†4. In contrast, The Vietnam Wars 1945-1990 focuses almost exclusively on the political aspect. This is indicated by the fact that the author opens the introduction with the question â€Å"Why are we in Vietnam?†5 This question suggests a very different focus to the book, one that is expanded on throughout the introduction and then the rest of the

Outline and discuss the evolution of CSR, including its history, role Essay - 1

Outline and discuss the evolution of CSR, including its history, role in the financial crisis and prospects for the future. Supp - Essay Example The topic of social responsibility is a highly debated one, as several theorists think that â€Å"business is obligated only to make profits.†2 On the other hand, many believe that all business entities have a social obligation it is bound to fulfill. However, there is no denial of the fact that while operating to make profits, a business organization has to ensure that they keep the interest of the society and environment in mind because basically the revenues they make have to primarily derive from the same society and environment. Definition: Corporate Social Responsibility can be defined as the â€Å"relationship between global corporations, governments of countries and individuals citizens.†3 CSR is also encompasses the relationship between corporations and their stakeholders. The EU Commission further defines CSR as a concept where â€Å"companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations†4 as well as during their interactions with stakeholders on a â€Å"voluntary basis.†5 Thus, in simple terms it is the responsibility corporate organizations have towards the society they work and operate in. Furthermore, this responsibility is not limited to the present generation in a particular society, but also extends to coming generations, that is the â€Å"future members of the society.†6 CSR is greatly related with â€Å"corporate citizenship, business responsibility, business reputation, ethical corporation, sustainable business†7 etc but is different from them. The CSR approach believes that stakeholders such as â€Å"consumers, employees, the community at large, government, and the natural environment†8 are supposed to be given a stronger focus. Social responsibility of the firms basically stems from the fact that they are using the natural resources available in the area where they function. Thus, they are bound to give something back to the society. In the present day, the wellbe ing of society has become increasingly important, and community is given the main priority in all spheres. In such a community centered world system, the question of who is responsible to safeguard the interests of the people cannot simply be answered by government. While government has a key role, the growing private sector companies including corporate entities need to focus not only on making profits, but also consider the impact of their operations within the society. History and Evolution of Corporate Social Responsibility: The basic idea of CSR has its roots in the era before the birth of Jesus Christ and is first seen when in â€Å"1700 BC†9 the ancient Mesopotamian ruler brought into practice a code that imposes punishment on â€Å"builders, innkeepers or farmers†10 by death if as a result of â€Å"their negligence†11 any inconvenience is caused to local citizens. The people engaged in any trade related activities have to abide by this code, not merely b ecause they feared â€Å"legal consequences†12 but because of their strong sense of â€Å"moral conviction.†13 On the other hand, ancient Roman senators were upset with the fact that businesses were unable to provide adequate taxes in order to â€Å"fund military campaigns,†14 therefore unsuccessful to â€Å"contribute to the war programme.†

International bussiness performance appraisal Essay

International bussiness performance appraisal - Essay Example The elements of benchmarking notably considered are time, quality and cost (Schiffauerova and Thomson, 2006, pg. 650). Benchmarking involves a methodology whereby the management of a firm identifies the leading companies in the industry then compares and contrasts their processes with those of their own. Benchmarking employs several methods, but all of them are geared to enabling the company achieve a competitive advantage over its rivals. In evaluating how benchmarking can be used in measuring the performance of the organisation, there are three key aspects and issues that relate to benchmarking. This includes why organisations should engage in benchmarking, the scope and limitations of benchmarking and the possible solutions. In tackling these key aspects, a business will know whether to use benchmarking and how to use it best (Goetsch and Davis, 2014, pg. 9). Benchmarking as an appraisal mechanism offers various advantages to the firm executing the approach. One of the key benefits that accrue to a firm when benchmarking is the performance improvement. Benchmarking sets the basis of performance development intended for facilitating competitiveness. In the quest for finding ways to outperform competitors, benchmarking ensures the fundamental survival of any business. Moreover, Camp (2003, pg. 29) suggests that benchmarking identifies best practices in the industry then establishes what comprises better-quality performance. The process of also benchmarking enumerates the gap between the actual performance and the anticipated performance thereby instituting real objective facts about the business. Consequently, this provides the business entity with what improvement entails and the rationale to improve (Dragolea and Cotirlea, 2009, pg. 820). Benchmarking also helps organisations to focus on transformation and presents the direction for the transformation process. Organisational