Give Me a Free Essay Essay

When composing the Constitution in 1789, the Founding Fathers were anxious to stress that the executive branch of the new republic was to be subordinate to the peoples’ representation, the Congress. They achieved this through the Separation of Powers, a theory of government thought up by the French philosopher Montesquieu to prevent over-mighty or tyrannical government. The elaborate system of ‘checks and balances’ introduced greatly reduced the traditional authority of the executive, leaving some to argue that U.  S. presidents have been left with very little power, if only the power of persuasion. However to what extent is this true? Theodore Roosevelt famously stated that he was both â€Å"king and prime minister†, even though other presidents, such as Johnson and Truman have stressed the weakness of the presidency. The argument that presidents have only the power to persuade can be seen in many of the formal powers of the president laid out in Article II of the Constitution. This can perhaps best be seen in his powers of nomination, both for federal judges and executive branch officials. The president has only the power to suggest appointments to these positions; the final confirmation of the president’s choice lies with Congress. This will sometimes mean lengthy negotiations between the branches of government, with the president using his ‘pork barrel’ in an attempt to win over Senators. In 1987, Reagan’s nomination of Robert Bork was rejected by a Senate vote of 42 to 58, resulting in embarrassment for both the president and his nominee. Reagan was unable to do anything about this, other than to suggest a new nominee in the hope that they would be accepted instead. The president’s power of persuasion is also illustrated by his role as chief diplomat for the United States. In this position, he negotiates major treaties with foreign countries, such Carter’s Panama Canal Treaty or Bush Snr. ’s Chemical Weapons Ban. Even so, it is the job of the Congress to ratify the treaty; it has no legal authority until it has been accepted by the Senate with a two-thirds majority. As such, the president can only persuade the Senate to accept it, arguing for its merits or using his limited access to patronage. For instance, the Treaty of Versailles drawn up President Wilson in the aftermath of the First World War was rejected by the Senate, resulting in America being unable to join the League of Nations, a ‘pet-project’ of the President. Later in the C20th, the Senate refused to ratify a further six treaties, which presidents such as Eisenhower (1960) and Clinton (1999) had worked hard on the international stage to achieve. Similarly, the president’s powers to submit the annual budget and propose legislation both require Congressional action if they are to have any authority. The president’s State of the Union address comprises key pieces of legislation which the president would like to be introduced (such as more green jobs and banking regulations seen in Obama’s 2010 address). However, this is meaningless unless they are introduced to and accepted by Congress, a process that requires the president to act tactfully using bipartisanship to persuade Congressmen and Senators to follow his proposals.

Private Equity Deals Essay

Private equity can be described as investing in a company through a negotiated process. Investment entails transformational, value-added and active management strategy. Private Equity investments can be undertaken following three categories. These are venture capital, Buy-out and special situation investment. Venture capital can be described as an investment to create a new company or expand a smaller company that is presently undeveloped. Buy-out investment involves acquisition of a significant portion of investment in a mature company so as to gain control or ownership of the company. Special situation investment involves changing government regulations or industry trends on investment due to availability of opportunity (Robinson and Cottrell, 2007). This paper will broadly analyze buy out investment in detail, discussing its history, growth, merits and failures.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Private equity firms accrue interest on investment through any of the three ways. These include an IPO, sale or merger and recapitalisation. Private equity firms sell unlisted securities directly to investors through private offering or private equity fund which attracts different sources of contributions from small investors who prefer to invest directly to investors due to the risks associated with private equity funds. Private equity fund require a large amount of money to allow entry which cannot be afforded by most private equity firms. Moreover Private equity firms prefer to invest in firms or investors where the firm can accrue returns after a short duration unlike private equity funds which can take up to twelve years to accrue interests. Private equity firms evaluate availability of opportunity to avoid investing in a failing company which, led to heavy capital losses by the firm. The risk has been noted to be higher in venture capital funds (Lasen, 2006).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Private equity industry was begun in 1946 by the American Research and Development Corporation (ARD) to encourage private institutions provides funding to soldiers who returned from World War II. ARD aimed to provide skills and funding to the management and this would stimulate success of the companies accrue profits. The success of the industry led to permeation of few wealthy families into the industry in 1970s. The industry focussed more on debt financed leveraged buy-outs (LBOs)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A Leveraged buy-out (LBO) occurs when a financial sponsor gains control of a majority of a target company’s stock ownership through the use of borrowed money or debt (Lasen, 2006). A Leveraged buy-out is a widely used strategy where a company acquires another company through significant amount of borrowed money. In most cases, the assets of the acquiring company and the company being acquired are used as security for the loans. Leveraged buyouts allow companies to make acquisitions without committing a lot of capital. In an LBO 70% debt to 30% equity ration is allowed though the debt can amount 90% top 95% of target Company total capitalisation. Private equity firm prefer to sue leveraged buyouts for two reasons. Use of debt that is widely used in US increased financial return to the private equity sponsor. Debts are exempted from taxation and hence the returns from debt are greater that from cash (Lasen, 2006; Robinson and Cottrell, 2007).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Many countries for example Germany have introduced new tax laws with an aim of discouraging leveraged buyouts through reduction of tax shield effectiveness. The performance of private equity firms that used LBO as their main source of financing went into bankruptcy in 1980s and 1980s.   The insolvency was largely contributed by excessive debt financing amounting up to 97%. This led to higher interest payment that exceeded the company’s operating cash flow. Most companies were taken over by other companies and government.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the recent past private equity industry has experienced a boom as noted in Great Britain as well as USA. Most pension scheme companies have invested in private equity firms and in particular LBOs. The size of private equity pool increased by 37% in 1994 in Great Britain. There is great disparity between foreign private equity pool and United States which present possibility of future growth. The rapid growth in the private equity industry has led to poor returns on capital invested. The returns from public equity deals are higher and this challenges the stability of private equity industry in using LBOs as way of financing (Clark and Whiteside, 2003).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   PED projects were initially known to have positive impact in paediatrics industry. The PED projects however are on the decline. This can be attributed to poor management and appointment of nationals who have worked in public service to oversee them yet they have little experience or knowledge that is needed. The PED has encountered pressure from fear of disappointing former and future employees and this has in most cases resulted in failure or problem in implementation of the projects (Saylor, Swenson, Reynolds and Taylor, 1999). References Clark, G. L., Whiteside, N. (2003) Pension Security in the 21st Century: Redrawing the Public-Private Debate. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Robinson, M. J., Cottrell, T. J â€Å"Investment Patterns of Informal Investors in the Alberta Private Equity Market† Journal of Small Business Management, 45, (2007):11-89. Larsen, D. L. â€Å"Challenges to the Private Equity Industry† Journal of Accountancy, 202, (2006):112-156. Saylor, C. F., Swenson, C., Reynolds, S., and Taylor, M â€Å"The Paediatric Emotional Distress Scale: a Brief Screening Measure for Young Children Exposed to Traumatic Events.† Journal of Clinical Child Psychology. 28.1. (1999): 34-70.

A Story About WWF Essays - American Christians, WWE Hall Of Fame

A story about WWF "Welcome everybody to 'Raw IS War'! Tonight's main event is Sting verses Shawn Michaels for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship. Before we begin, here is a little information on the challenger, Sting," announced Vince McCann. "He hails from Death Valley, California. At 7 feet tall and over 300 pounds, he is the biggest wrestler in the WWF. He is the 'Man from the dark side'," Jim Ross stated. "Ladies and Gentlemen..... here is your challenger........ Sting!" The crowd cheers as Sting walks down the ramp. He is stopped at the bottom of the ramp to be interviewed by Gene Oakerland. "Sting, if I can ask you one question. Why do you want the title so badly?" " Well Gene, ever since I was a child, the championship belt has been held by disrespecting degenerates. I feel it's time for a real champion get the belt. That is why I'm here, I'm the people's cham....." Before sting could finish his sentence he is attacked by HHH. HHH's partner distracted the referee long enough for him to deliver the devastating 'Piledriver'. With Sting's head exposed, HHH drops to the ground and drives Sting's exposed head on the cement floor. The force was enough to break his neck. Sting was knocked out from the force of the impact. When he awoke, he was in an ambulance. "Where am I? Somebody please tell me where I am," Sting pleaded. The paramedic treated him to calm down. "I can't move! I can't move" he would say. It took about half an hour to Sharp Hospital. Two doctors were waiting for him when he arrived. The immediately took him to the operating room. It was here that Sting found out that he had suffered a broken spine. The doctor ordered an experimental operation. It was a highly dangerous operation. One mess up could kill the superstar. It took five hours to complete the difficult operation. Sting was wheeled into his private room. To make him feel more at home, the room was decorated with WWF merchandise. When Sting woke up, he had a sharp pain in his neck. The doctor gave him some medicine to help. It worked a little bit. About three hours after he woke up, a doctor came in and told him that he probably never be able to wrestle again. Sting heart sunk. He didn't want to hear that. It was about seven in the morning when Sting went to sleep. It had been nearly ten hours since he arrived at the hospital. For the first two months, all he did was sleep. The medicine they were giving him making him very sleepy. When he was awake, he would move his hand a little. The slight movement of his hands made the doctors extremely happy. They now were sure that he wasn't paralyzed. It took him another fours months before he could move his arm perfectly. With the confidence he had gained, he tried to walk out of bed. As soon as he was off the bed, he feel flat on his face. Sting was soon transferred to the San Diego Rehabilitation Center . For the first few months, he would just sit in bed thinking of ways to get back HHH. One Sunday, he happened to watch church on t.v. He saw a man who claimed that God cured him of paralysis. Sting started to pray immediately. "Dear Lord, It's me Sting. I know you are really busy and all but if you could, I would really like to wrestle again. Amen." Sting recited this prayer for the next two weeks. On the fifteenth day, he tried to move his feet

CRJ Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

CRJ - Essay Example There are several examples which serve as proof for the fact that children raised in households by parents who had previously committed suicides or crimes like the report in the San Diego Union Tribune about two step-brothers, whose father had committed suicide, strangling and chopping off their mother’s body. In another case a two brothers attacked their father with a baseball and followed it by setting the house on fire in order to hide the evidence. They were raised in a foster home as their mother left them and were later returned to the custody of their father as the foster parents were unable to handle them (Morse, 2003). There are several theories that support the fact that children who are raised without a father lacked maturity and in their later years they tend to assert their maleness by committing acts of delinquency. In the 1920s boys who were lodged in reformatories in New York majorly hailed from broken homes (Juvenile Delinquency, n.d). Morse has also stated that a 1994 report from the Wisconsin Department of Health and Social Service found that a majority of juvenile delinquents came from broken families or single-parents homes (Morse, 2003). The explanation given to such problems was greater exposure to criminal activities due to parental conflicts or other reasons such as alcoholism and drugs in single-parent households. Additionally in single parent households, the parent finds it difficult to supervise and control their child and prevent them from engaging in criminal activities. There is a general lack of family interaction in such households which are further burdened by emotional an d economic problems. Another criteria pointed out by Morse is the lack of educational attainment by children raised by single parents who drop out of school early. This in turn encourages them to engage in criminal activities in order to make a living. A similar

SECURITY AND STABILITY IN THE GULF, 1979-2003 Essay

SECURITY AND STABILITY IN THE GULF, 1979-2003 - Essay Example The may come into an agreement with a certain nation to help fight violence among others. For example, in 1990s, United State government, intervened on a number of occasions for humanitarian reasons; sending troops to the Balkans, northern Iraq, and Somalia to succor refugees, feed the hungry, and otherwise alleviate suffering There are many reasons why countries come together to form multinational coalitions, whether it is meant to be on short term, long term, or upcoming dealings, restoring peace and order is basically the main reason. A long term coalition involves formation of an alliance that is not affected by future changes such as leadership takeover and will always exist as long as cases of uncertainty situations arise. For a multinational coalition to be effective there has to be a certain command chain that is clear to both parties. This is important especially in situations where the nations have to involve the army in their efforts of achieving desired peace and order. Decision making should be done by certain known individuals in order for the forces to move in one specific direction (Kahn 430). It might be objected that the betterment of humanity is not the only reason for alliance formation. Some countries may have hidden agendas in their alliances such as extracting of minerals from the d eveloping countries or attacking a certain specific nation. However, it is only few nations which can form alliances for such selfish reasons. Another factor that can stimulate the multinational coalition to achieve its desired aims is by equitable sharing of responsibilities. Responsibilities may include war resources such as tankers and jets, the required human power and technology. In addition, responsibilities may vary depending with the coalition size. A big coalition makes it considerably difficult to manage and maintain clear effective strategies as compared to smaller coalition. The rules

Holocaust Memorial Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Holocaust Memorial - Essay Example When I see it, I don’t know how to react. It is like walking through a distorted field of black blocks. I think the memorial is supposed to invoke fear, confusion, and a feeling of orderliness. This is probably what the Jews felt during the holocaust. They were afraid for their lives and were confused about ever surviving. The only thing they knew was to work in an orderly fashion. Much like ants work relentlessly to meet the goals set by their ruler. The structures themselves make no sense but their meaning is deep. They lack any form identity, or individualism. The structures are separate only by their height. I think that Eisenman is an architectural genius. He is able to evoke so many emotions from something so simple. But why does it only commemorate the Jews? There were many other people convicted for reasons other than being Jewish. Amongst those who were victims to the holocaust were the handi-capped, gays, Gypsies, and Soviet prisoners of war. It is not just the Jews who need to be remembered but the others who fell to Nazi Germany’s regiment. Nevertheless, the memorial achieved its purpose- to represent subliminally a dark age in man’s history.

Methodology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Methodology - Essay Example The research undertakes a mix of qualitative and quantitative aspects of study in order to arrive at desired observations. The questionnaire is circulated online to access a wide range of responses. Additionally, few open ended questions allow for greater knowledge on certain areas of study through the questionnaire format. The study has also undertaken a telephonic interview apart from the secondary data research to support quantitative facts by reliable and verifiable information sourced from the interview and qualitative research. According to Tobin and Joseph, (2006), research philosophy is the manner in which one gathers, organizes and analyses the data for the purpose of researching a particular problem. The common research philosophy has two main principals associated which are known as the positivist philosophical process and the interpretivism or the phenomenological style. Both the models are effective tools for carrying out the research activity but the difference arises in the objectivity of the model. According to the positivist approach, theory is established prior to conducting the research activity. The positivist research can be carried out in a two pronged approach, the descriptive research and the experimental research. The research model based on the positivist approach is primarily focused upon bringing together an analysis of the dependency of the external factors and the internal factors of the research. Philosophically, the positivist research method is based on ontological and axiological perspectives of a research problem. The phenomenological model of interpretivism was developed by Edmund Husserl and is the way of research that conducts the research in a manner that is influenced by human perceptions (Somekh and Lewin, 2004). The particular model of research lays focus on the micro level sociological issues like the prime motives behind the behaviour of people. Such

Read the instruction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Read the instruction - Essay Example James Madison assumes, in his own opinion concerning the human nature that factions are strong in the propensity of humankind, such that humankind can fall into mutual animosity where there is no any presentation of substantial occasion, in most frivolous and vivid distinctions, which have resulted to rekindling the unfriendly passions and the most violent conflicts between the two. The federalist 10 is the most interesting essays of James Madison, written in 1787. This essay talks about the liberty, the role of the factions, and the remedies and the extent to which the government should control the concerns that result from the factions. James Madison follows the description of the factions as the group of citizens that either mounts to the majority or as the minority of the whole citizens, united and prompted by a common interest concerning the rights of the citizens or based on the common interest of the society. Madison interest is majorly on the political and social insecurity c aused by the opponent factions; this implies that Madison has to discover the core structure of the government as a whole. His interest id to discover the best structure of a government that will be able to provide remedies for this faction thus he came up with the Federalists 10, which Madison found to provide the best remedy (Hrebenar, and Bryson 41). James Madison bases his arguments on the effects of the factions and he says that the effects of the factions and the case of liberty are the same thing (Hrebenar, and Bryson 40). Therefore, he opts to go about identifying the effects of the factions and looks forward to identify how the effects of the factions may be controlled. This is evident where he compares liberty to faction and he compares air to fire, he continues to say that none of the two exists without the existence of the other. However, it could not cause a lot of trouble to abolish liberty, which is only important in politics and nourishes the faction rather. This bri ngs out the fact that the factions are very essential to the government and thus removing the factions’ means that the government would oppress some people, which is against what the government should be doing. He also sees that liberty and factions are very important aspects of the government and he comments that as far as the reasons for man to live are outlined and they have the liberty to exercise it, very various opinions will exist. Therefore, a healthy government is one, which allows expression of citizens, and on the other hand, the government ceases to be healthy incase the causes of factions affect it. However, James Madison suggests that the Republican structure of government can deal and tackle the issues concerning the causes of factions. The Republican mode of a government, as Madison suggests, is able to control the effects of factions more than the way the Democratic structure of government does. The Republican type of government made up of the representatives who carry out the beliefs and the passions of the majority of the citizens representing it. Both the Democrats and the Republicans make up the republic, the two groups, the Democrats, the Republicans cast many varied opinions, and thus they form factions. James Madison also suggests that the structure of the Republican form of government has the ability to defend the rights of the minority and the rights of t

Social networking Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Social networking - Research Paper Example However, the use of these sites has caused many concerns especially due to the privacy risks involved. At this point the following issue has appeared: should the use of social networking sites be free from limitations or not? Six academic studies have been identified and are presented below for showing that social networking sites are valuable in terms of communication and exchange of information, both at individual and at business level, but their use should be set under monitoring so that the privacy of users is not threatened. Lewis (2010) explored the role of social media in a particular business sector: public relations. He found that for the specific sector the use of social media is quite important, at the level that public relations practitioners consider social media as a unique tool of communication (Lewis 1). However, this role of social media may not be clear to their users. For example, the research developed by Lewis proved that the individuals who study public relation s are not aware, at least not fully, of the potential value of social media in public relations (Lewis 17). It should be noted that most of the participants were proved to be heavy users of social networking sites (Lewis 17). ... These people, even if they do not state it clearly, prefer communication than trust; such view is verified by the fact that the existence of trust among millions of people who are unknown to each other is not feasible (Dwyer, Hiltz and Passerini 2). In the survey conducted among the members of two, popular, social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace it was revealed that the members of Facebook feel that their privacy is protected at higher level than the members of MySpace (Dwyer, Hiltz and Passerini 5). In other words, privacy in social networking sites can be protected, at least up to a level, even if the members of these sites actually set ‘the development of new relationships and the exchange of information’ (Dwyer, Hiltz and Passerini 3) as priorities. The above studies verify the first of this study’s hypothesis, i.e. that social networking sites are quite popular as tools of communication and for promoting business activities. The second of the ab ove studies reveals a critical fact: the involvement of social networking sites in privacy risks does not seem to discourage the users of these sites. The privacy risks related to the use of social networking sites are further analyzed below. Zilpelwar et al. (2012) highlight the popularity and the risks of social networking sites. According to Zilpelwar et al. (2012) a high range of social networking sites has been established for meeting the different needs of people. Indeed, apart from Facebook which is popular worldwide, there are also other social networking sites that address specific categories of people, such as Bebo, for people living in UK and Ireland, LinkedIn for professionals and Ning for those who wish to develop their own

Short article prom promises by amy L. best Essay - 1

Short article prom promises by amy L. best - Essay Example The article very well establishes that â€Å"the relative local success of the Prom Promise often depends on the support of individual communities and schools, and of course, the students.† (p 78, â€Å"Prom Promises - Rules and Ruling: Proms as Sites of Social Control† by Amy L Best) It maintains that the success depends on the students’ consent to their own regulations. The article is very effective, with personally observed examples and conversations with the students, in expressing the actual reasons of the failure of many prom promises. For example, it states and illustrates that â€Å"students sign this contract with every intention of violating it. Consider a conversation I had with Scott, a White student from Woodrow, about the Promise, which his school had once tried to implement, successfully...† (Bests). The article goes on to analyze the various levels of the imposed rules in a prom promise and expatiate the view that the forced strategies of the school authorities to check the uncontrolled behavior of students are ineffective to draw any good results. The author is successful in expressing how the students respond to the rules that aim at the modification of their behavior supplementing it with the real life examples of the students of Rudolph and the like. Trickery of the different schools that aim at the effective implementation of prom promise is analyzed objectively and criticized firmly. The strategies of Stylone with table cards, of Woodrow and Hudson with signing of the names in a guest book and the formalized strategy of Rudolph â€Å"checking kids in† are found, for example, ineffective. The article is also very successful in pointing out the exact reasons for the failure of the program. â€Å"That the teacher received the kids contributed to the sense that the pr om belonged to the teachers and not to the kids. It seemed emblematic that of the direct control the school itself exercised

History of Fast Food Essay Example for Free

History of Fast Food Essay Fast food has been a growing phenomenon for since its introduction in 20th century. The changes in American culture pushed the fast food industry into a staggering growth arena and have changed the way consumers purchase and eat forever. The fast-food industry that now extends throughout the world has its roots in the United States. Fast-food restaurants are often regarded as emblematic of a new global culture, but the industry has indisputably been shaped by its American origins. (Leidner 8). Fast Food has developed from being a convenience to a necessity, widened the financial gap and became an international phenomenon. The first drive-in restaurant, Royce Haileys Pig Stand in Dallas, Texas, was opened in 1921, and offered pulled pork BBQ and introduced Texas Toast. As one southern fan of Royce Hailey’s pig stand put it: â€Å"Folks went hog wild when the first Pig Stand opened in Dallas in 1921. Agile car hops leaped onto running boards of Model-Ts to deliver curb service to a generation on the go. It was the age of the automobile, and Pig Stands multiplied across America faster than you can say soooo-eeee. It took the Great Depression of the 30s to slow The Pig down. †(Sowa). Drive-in services were not very popular at this time because automobiles were expensive and few and far between during the Great Depression. Then nearly three decades later the drive-in restaurant enjoyed a degree of success during the 1950’s. Drive-ins celebrated the cultural importance of the automobile and Drive-in restaurants proved (to be the) most popular, places where carhops served customers directly in their parked automobiles (Young, and Young 29). This convenience which enabled people to order their food and eat it in the open air without having to unbuckle their seatbelts changed American fast food forever (Woloson). Car hops, as they were also called, became familiar congregation centers for teenagers as well† (Woloson). The rise of the fast food restaurant would not have been possible without constant changes in American culture. The 1950’s brought about American lifestyle changes. With the end of the war Americans had saved money and moved to the suburbs. For the first time in history middle class married women with women with children were entering the work force. â€Å"Married women comprised the majority of the growth in the female work force throughout the 1950s, and between 1940 and 1960 there was a 400 percent increase in the number of working mothers; by 1960, women with children under the age of eighteen accounted for nearly one-third of all women workers†(Coontz 161). The working women and the decrease of free time may be a direct contributor to the growth of the fast food industry. The development of an affordable automobile and the simultaneous governmental support of new road systems physically reinforced this cultural melding, enabling car owners, especially, to go to places they had never been before. There was a boom in the tourist industry in the 1950’s and 1960’s. The key to the expansion of tourism demand was the rise in disposable incomes in the 1950s and 1960s. (Beauregard 225). Travelers, who once went by rail, boat, or horse, were now moving faster by car. Consumers began to value things such as speed and convenience as part of their trips. Fast food restaurants began making their food faster and faster and Americans love the convenience of letting someone else do the cooking, especially when they are vacationing (Bijlefeld, and Zoumbaris 51). As travelers not only did they need affordable and reliable places to stay they needed quick, convenient, and inexpensive eateries. The need for fast, reliable, affordable, and convenient food, along with an increasing acceptance among Americans of more fast pace culture, led to the rise of the fast food industry. Fast food restaurants sprang up in both urban areas and along the nations highways in record numbers after the introduction of the fast food phenomenon known as McDonalds. â€Å"The first fast food restaurant (was) opened by the two McDonald brothers in 1937 in Pasadena, California. Their established restaurant had experienced high demand at specific times (for example, workers’ lunchtimes) and they responded with a circumscribed menu (burgers) and were able to serve large numbers at high speed and low price. The assembly line procedures, with food preparation and serving made into simple repetitive tasks, combined with a specialized division of labor for each stage, have been recognized as constituting the first ‘fast food factory’† (Beardsworth, and Keil 120). This enabled people to get their food faster and set the standards for the future of the fast food industry. As the McDonalds chain grew and other chains started to sprout up people began to accept the new culture of food service. The working-class food held largely in disrepute. The gaining widespread popularity of fast food made it a staple food in diets of many Americans diets. The most successful of these stands quickly multiplied, taking advantage of the growing popularity of this new fast food and applied industrial principles of standardization to its development. McDonald’s is considered the first fast food restaurant and recognized the potential of this relatively fast and simple food. The organization of McDonalds created standardized methods in its production. The history of White castle dates back to the 1920’s is seen as the first and most influential restaurant chain (â€Å"White Castle†). â€Å"White Castle is credited for beginning the franchise system that inspired many â€Å"(Woloson). White Castle set standards, began standardization of the cooking line, and created the first restaurant which duplicated the original. In retrospect it can be said that White Castle was the start and set high standards for all the other franchise restaurants in the United States. The hamburger fulfilled economic as well as cultural needs for inexpensive food. Although there was not a food shortage during the great depression food was expensive and affordable food options like the local hamburger stand was a blessing. By the end of 1930, White Castle had sold over 21 million hamburgers and then by the end of 1937, this number had increased to over 40 million (Woloson). Fast food began to make a steady incline towards the end of World War II. â€Å"Franchises were not unique to the 1950s; they had been around since the early decades of the twentieth century, patronized by a public increasingly used to and insistent upon the supposed reliability and trustworthiness of branded goods†(Woloson). White Castle, A W Root beer, and Howard Johnsons, were some of the first and most successful restaurant franchises. Although it took the ideals of postwar culture to wholly support the fast-food franchise it laid the foundations for the companies to make billions of dollars. In 1955 Ray A. Kroc, a Chicago Milkshake salesman, discovered the McDonald’s restaurant in California and saw a goldmine. He partnered with the McDonald’s brothers, opening 228 franchises by 1960. Kroc happily bought out the McDonalds’ shares of the company in 1961. Kroc, an incredible entrepreneur, wanted to make the customers to identify with the restaurant and make it seem homey. â€Å"By 1988, McDonald’s had opened its ten thousandth restaurant and today there are over 30,000 McDonald’s restaurants worldwide† (â€Å"History of Franchising†). â€Å"Krocs success lay in his approach not specifically to cooking individual food items, but in conceiving of his franchise operation in its entirety† (Woloson). The methods and success of McDonald’s Franchises have set a tone for the fast food industry. Although â€Å"White Castle was the first restaurant that encouraged carry-out for those customers on the go the restraint developed standard floor plans and architectural designs that could be easily duplicated† and set these standards for others in the industry (Woloson). McDonalds uniform restaurants, kitchens, dining rooms, and methods of standardized cooking techniques set this great restaurant apart and distinguish it from the other fast food restaurants. Ray Kroc had some competition with the introduction of popular fast food restaurants such as Taco Bell, Wendy’s, and Burger King. One may say ethnic food could be considered a genre for the fast food franchise system, Taco Bell originated in 1962 and was the first ethnic franchise restaurant, paving the way for many more. â€Å"Wendys, specializing in bigger, better, and more expensive hamburgers and introduced the first drive-thru windows at their restaurants, which were so popular that Burger King and McDonalds had to follow suit†(Woloson). As an industry fast food will continue to grow, change, and adapt to the needs of the culture around it. Expanding to international markets the fast food industry offers cultural acceptable products. â€Å"Multinational fast-food chains have now become household names, and in terms of sales and units tend to dominate national markets. Indeed, the industry is becoming more internationalized with brands like Burger King being bought by the British multinational Diageo; and McDonalds has recently bought a stake in Pret a Manger. However, some of the largest brands in this sector are still American-owned, such as McDonalds, KFC, Pizza Hut, and Wimpy†(Royle and Towers 3). One great concept is international fast food chains often support the local economy, buying local products, but sticking to the same well known recipes to get desired results. The fast food franchise of the 20th century has set and defined a world-renowned concept of the way people order, eat, and enjoy the food that they purchase. The fast food industry is one of enormous power and economic strength. Fast food restaurants represent Americas cultures and, in many ways, how other cultures strive to be like America.

Family communication | The Glass Castle

Family communication | The Glass Castle   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In The Glass Castle Jeanette tells us about the story of her life as she had lived it. She and her siblings had lived a life that she describes as having a lot of stressors. Her story has memoir in which she proves to the reader that living with bad parents and poverty do not really determine that the kids will lead a miserable future just as their parents. In this book, Walls reveals her life as difficult during her bringing up but yet love existed within the family. In this paper, we are therefore going to look at those stressors that the family went through;   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jeanette sees her mother coming out of a dumpster with some lagged clothes tied around her neck. Her mother lucks a home to live in and this lives her with no choice but to look for any place that she can lay her head and also find something that can fill her stomach. It is very sad for Jeanette to see her mother this way as it would feel for anyone to watch their mothers go through this type of embarrassments.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Back in her childhood life, Jeanette suffers some serious burns as she boils hotdogs and her dress catches fire from the stove she is using. This lives her to spend many days in a local hospital near her home area in Arizona. Her parents prove to be so irresponsible as they dont take as much care as it would be imagined even by the hospital staff. The rumor goes throughout the hospital but Jeanette does not discuss this issue with the parents.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Her father takes the risk of grabbing and sneaking his little daughter out of the hospital escaping all the bills that he was intended to pay for the hospital to release the daughter. This happens even before she heals completely. The escape lives the family with no choice but running away from their hometown for they would highly deal with the low. They have to travel long distance and through hot deserts. They later settle in several towns in which the father is unable to pay house rent and this makes them keep on vacating.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The father becomes a drunkard and cannot hold onto his job despite his intelligence and talent on mechanical background. This makes the families life a living hell full of poverty and problems that never come to an end. His promise to his children to build a good house for the family fails as he cannot raise the amount to put up such a house. The fathers behavior and failure lives the children helpless and end up begging their mother to work and bring food to the table.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Luckily, the mother holds a degree in teaching but cannot get herself a job for she is lazy and the children have to drag her out of bed. This behavior has severally made her loose her job despite the fact that her residential area lucks qualified teachers. She later secures a job but her salary does not fully help the family. The father demands for her paycheck and spends the money on his drink and his own benefits.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This miserable state keeps on taking place for a long time living the children to go on sleeping on uncomfortable hard boxes and watching their parents fight in daily bases. The childrens bellies rumble every time due to hanger. They feed on anything that would fill their bellies and not for the sake of having a balanced diet meal like in other families. For this case, the mother has to teach them how to take rotten food down their throat while they hold the noses.The family went through these stressors and it affects their relationship since the kids see the father as irresponsible and harsh as they fear him. It also affects the husband-wife relationship since the mother has to fight her husband daily. The communication is on its negative side for the mother does not hold any ability to fight for her right to manage the salary she earns. The children also suffer silently as they have to spend their nights on hard boxes but cannot communicate to the fa ther and express their grievances.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Despite all poverty and stressors that they experience, the family has a genuine and strong love towards each other. They remain loyal and the familys father Rex is very encouraging, tender and wise when handling his children and wife whenever he is sober. As Jeanette gives the reader her memoir, she explains her life so well to ensure that she gives the real story that has experienced in her growing up.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jeanette and her siblings grow in the worst conditions that no one can ever deserve or think of but it does not change their feelings towards their parents. They continue loving them without realizing how cruel they have been until when they grow up and mature (Jeannette, p134). Jeanette spends her teenage life in the west side of Virginia where the father is forced to retreat to their home area after experiencing a miserable life in Arizona.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Here, the life of this family does not get better but continues to hit its worst points as they live under a roof that leaks. Rex tries to mend the roof but it does not do them any good either. In fact, they also have to face challenges as they have nowhere to dispose their rubbish and waste. The family is forced to put up with a smelly condition as they dispose the wastes in small holes that they dig.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Food also continues to be another problem for they cannot afford to buy any and they almost go without it. Jean is forced to go to high school and dig leftovers from the garbage as her father continues to drink irresponsibly as usual. As their lives get worse and miserable, Jeanettes mother ends up doing the most awful things one can ever imagine. Jeanette and her siblings find a ring made of diamond and decide to sell it so that they could buy food. The mother does not agree with this idea since she wants to maintain her dignity. This action lives the family in the some state of lacking food and starving.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When Jeanette or her siblings go out playing with other kids, they are mocked and addressed as kids who are health epidemic for they live in garbage places. Her family and their neighbors always fight for they keep on picking on their perverted situation. Hours spent in school are also not favoring to her either; she has to steal other kids food or hide in the bathroom at lunch hours while the others take their food. After lunch, she comes out and collects the leftovers and eats them for she has no choice over it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  She later gets tired of this life and decides to go to New York where she gets further studies. She lives her family with the aim of getting knowledge that will secure her a good job and enable her to take care of her family. While she is in New York, her father gets ill and is admitted to the hospital suffering from Tuberculosis. She visits him and pleads with him not to leave the hospital before he fully recovers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Later, she receives a call from her parents that they were homeless and had no place to go. She decides to move in with them for she still has great love for them despite the life they had offered in during her child life (Jeannette, p100). People around Jeanette discourage her about this idea saying that it was not good to give the homeless a place to stay for it makes them lazy and reluctant on finding their own home; his pisses her off but she does not show it to them.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jeanette is forced to change the idea of attending a private school while her parents have no home. Instead, she opts to stay and take care of them but her brothers go against her decision telling her that her mother owned a whole lot of jewelry she could sell and that she has a land in Texas where her husband and her could go and live. Her husband behavior does not change and she is forced to live him. She has although kept a secret land away from her family and when Jeanette discovers this; she is really annoyed with her.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After her brothers death, Mary then goes to live in his land her in which her life does not change. She continues living miserably especially now that her communication with her children and husband had been disturbed. It is true to say that the love of the daughter towards the mother by now has changed unlike before when she was still a young girl and innocent to place judgment on her parents treatment towards them.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jeanette later marries Eric whom she has dated for five years. She moves in with him to a better house since Eric came from a rich family. She tries her best to take care of her younger sister who tends to take the wrong direction in her life. Jeanettes life has changed and she feels that her siblings should follow her steps for they have faced the same miserable lives.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Her mother cannot hold on the problems she is facing and goes ahead to borrow money from Jeanettes husband a step that annoys her to a great extent. What annoys her most is the fact that she has kept the land that she owns away from the family despite all the poverty and problems that they went through during their earlier life. As if this is not enough, she goes ahead to borrow money from Jeanettes new husband so that she could purchase the other half of the land.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Later, Jeanette visits her father who tells her that she is suffering from a disease that he contracted while fighting with a Nigerian who happened to be a drug dealer. He later suffers from a hurt attach and is placed in a machine that supports his life. He spends his last moments with Jeanette who holds his arm recalling of how he had told them that he would prefer his body placed on a mountain when he dies- he later dies after an hour and the machine turned off. Jeanette grieves her fathers death and in one year, she lives her husband as she saw him as not the right man for her. Work cited Jeannette Walls. The Glass Castle: A Memoir. Scribner, 2006: 45-250

The Issue Of Domestic Violence In Malaysia Social Work Essay

The Issue Of Domestic Violence In Malaysia Social Work Essay Domestic violence is acknowledged as a significant issue within Malaysia. Historically, women non-government organizations (NGOs) have made violence against women a visible issue and have laws and protection services for victims of gender violence. In the year of 1994, the Domestic Violence Act was finally passed by Parliament, making Malaysia the first Asian and Muslim country to adopt such legislation. Government and Womens groups have make hard afford in raising awareness around the issues of domestic violence due to Malaysia has a high level of physical abuse of women by husbands and boyfriends. The 1992 WAO/SRM (Womens Aid Organisation and Survey Research Malaysia) survey revealed that 39 percent of women have experiencing battering. In the year of 1995, there were 1409 police reports of domestic violence. 1n 1997, the first full year of the implementation of the Domestic Violence Act, increase to 5477 reports, representing a 388 percent increase. To sum up, the statistics of do mestic violence cases are increasing year by year according to the statistics on marital violence cases of the Department of Social Welfare of the Ministry of National Unity and Social Development (Department of Social Welfare, 1999-2009). Except the studies on the number of cases reported for domestic violence, there has also been a small body of research conducted in order to recognise the consequential costs to governments in responding to the consequences of such violence. Studies of the prevalence of violence against women indicate that violence is an issue that permeates every corner of society, is widespread and costly. The costs that spend on domestic violence can be found in Justice, Health, Social Services, Education, Business Costs, Personal or Household Costs. Consequently, the costs of violence against women drain resources from many sectors including private businesses and agencies, the government, community groups and individuals. In brief, for the long run, violence against women will impede economic and social development in Malaysia. Majority of the research on domestic violence tend to place the attention on its causes and consequences as well as short-term crisis intervention such as provision of accommodation, welfare assistance and other emergency support and advocacy services. However, less attention has been given to the long-term impact of intimate partner violence on battered womens career development and the role of career counselling interventions in empowering battered women to become economically independent. Therefore, this paper aim at exploring a more comprehensive and extended framework by which the focus is given to the importance of long-term planning in areas such as job search and career development. Thus, rather than continues to concentrating on immediate needs, focusing on the area of career development will reduce the overall expenditure spend by the government or society and also provide an opportunity for the victims of domestic violence for long-term independence as more people enter th e workforce. According to the Womens Aid Organization annual report, there is a need for a more long-term approach to the issue of domestic violence in Malaysia. Since the topic of this paper is to discuss about the domestic violence and career development in Malaysia, thus, firstly, the author will examines the impact of domestic violence on career development. Second, it places the issue of career barrier encounter by battered women, and third it explores the work of Bandura (1989) and Gianakos (1999) to understand career orientation. Finally, by drawing on these concepts builds a framework which provides a pathway for domestic violence victims to attain sustainable employment and independence. The Impact of Domestic Violence on Womens Career Development The impact of domestic violence on womens career development can be devastating. The constant denigration associated with emotional abuse destroys womens beliefs in their competence and worth. Physical states and injuries resulting from physical and sexual abuse limit womens ability to go to work, complete job tasks, and advance in their job positions (CDC, 2003; Chronister McWhirter, in press). Battered women also may be isolated and as a result, have fewer opportunities to engage in positive learning experiences, observe role models, and build support networks. These factors, considered from a social cognitive career theory (SCCT) perspective (Lent, Brown, Hackett, 1994), severely restrict battered womens range of career interests, formulation of career goals, and persistence toward those goals. Poverty and employment have been at the forefront of economic and social policy debate in Australia for the last three decades (Saunders 2006). Domestic violence victims not only suffer from a range of physical and mental health problems, but are more likely to have been unemployed in the past and also have higher levels of job turnover (Lloyd and Taluc 1999; Costello et al. 2005). Some work in the USA suggests that women who had experienced aggression from male partners had only one third the odds of maintaining employment for at least 30 hours per week over a six month period (Browne et al. 1999). While some abusers simply prohibit their female partners from working, others take measures to undermine any attempts at employment such as denying them transportation, tearing up clothing, beating them before job interviews and generally demoralising the partner to such an extent that work becomes impossible (Brandwein 1998; Lloyd and Taluc 1999). Such women then have more interrupted wo rk histories, are less likely to seek or achieve promotion and often operate in low paid/low skilled work (Costello, Chung and Carson 2005: Lloyd and Taluc 1999). In the Australian context unemployment or joblessness as it is now known continues to be the perennial cause of poverty (Saunders 2006). However, there is a lack of Australian research on the links of domestic violence and employment, but what limited work there is has found that training and employment transition services were considered a low priority even though the financial, social and emotional benefits of such interventions were considered significant (Costello et al. 2005, 257). This is very different from Britain and Ireland where the issue of poverty and joblessness has been addressed in a comprehensive way with the setting of anti-poverty targets and long-term solutions (ACOSS 2004). Domestic violence, no matter whether it be physical, emotional, verbal, economic or social, leads to lower self-esteem and self worth, social isolation, poverty and welfare dependency and poor health for the women and children who are subjected to such abuse (Partnerships Against Domestic Violence 2001, 7; Tolman and Wang 2005, 148). They find they are unable to set short-term goals, have limited information through their social and economic isolation and exist in a climate of fear and these become barriers to seeking full employment and becoming financially independent (Trent and Margulies 2007). Domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse or intimate partner violence (IPV), can be broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, friends or cohabitation.[1] Domestic violence has many forms including physical aggression (hitting, kicking, biting, shoving, restraining, slapping, throwing objects), or threats thereof; sexual abuse; emotional abuse; controlling or domineering; intimidation; stalking; passive/covert abuse (e.g., neglect); and economic deprivation.[1] Alcohol consumption[2] and mental illnessHYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domestic_violence#cite_note-dutton1994-2[3] can be co-morbid with abuse, and present additional challenges when present alongside patterns of abuse.

Europe In 2010 :: essays research papers

Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) is a single currency area within the European Union single market in which people, goods, services and capital move without restrictions. It creates the framework for economic growth and stability and is underpinned by an independent central bank and legal obligations on the participating Member States to pursue sound economic policies and to coordinate these policies very closely. As trade between the EU Member States reaches 60% of their total trade, EMU is the natural complement of the single market. This market will work more efficiently and deliver its benefits more fully with the removal of high transaction costs brought about by currency conversions and the uncertainties linked to exchange rate instability. EMU and the economic performance of the Euro area will have their largest external effects on neighboring economies in western Europe and on developing and transition countries with important trade and financial links to Europe, including countries that link their currencies to the Euro. Among emerging market economies, those likely to be most affected are the transition countries of the central and Eastern Europe and the Baltics. The global environment has been favorable in a number of respects for the transition to EMU and the achievements of its objectives. The strong demand for euro-area exports from industrial countries at more advanced stages of the business cycle and the depreciation of the currencies of euro area countries over the past four years fostered a strengthening of growth in the euro area and helped to offset the effects of the Asian crisis. There are also challenges for EMU in the global economic environment: The crisis in Asia and other emerging market economies could produce adverse spillover effects and make the monetary policy more difficult to carry out. The continuation of the crisis could result in weakening of the external demand, which, in turn, could dampen confidence and domestic demand. The financial market volatility could increase the uncertainty in assessing the economic indicators. The economic crisis in emerging markets could influence the commercial banks in the euro- area to make substantial provisions for non-performing loans. THE FUTURE OF EURO It is, of course, impossible to predict the properties of the behavior of the exchange value of the Euro. With regard to broad trend, it seems likely that the Euro will tend to appreciate against the U.S. dollar and pound sterling over the next few years, but depreciate against the Japanese yen when Japan’s economic recovery begins. The United Kingdom and the United States have

gatjay F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby - Lessons from Jay Gatsby :: Great Gatsby Essays

The Great Gatsby: Lessons from Jay   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the Novel The Great Gatsby, not many people really knew the man known as Jay Gatsby.   When he was rich and powerful, he was the man you "want to know."   But when he was dead, life went on without him. It seemed as if nobody cared that he was the man behind the parties and all the good times.   He was dead and nobody mourned.   This shows that the opinion of the great Jay Gatsby changed by the end of the story.   He was an icon of not only every man's image of the American Dream, but he was also apart of Americanism and the American Experience.   He was seen as the richest and luckiest man during his time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Unlike any of the other characters in the novel, Jay Gatsby does not change during the course of the story.  Ã‚   He as a person might not have changed, but the way that people perceived him certainly became different.   When he was alive and well, he was the perfect idea of the American Dream.   He had more money than he knew what to do with.   He could afford to have oversized parties every weekend.   Jay Gatsby was the person to know when it came to the Eggs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the beginning, he was only known as Jay Gatz.   He was a poor boy in the army.   He only had his charm to get him by.   This is how he meets Daisy.   She was a very rich girl, from a wealthy family.   They were in love from the beginning.   Unfortunately, Daisy believed that "rich girls don't marry poor boys."   From that moment on, Jay Gatz wanted one thing; to get rich so he could show Daisy that a poor boy could get rich.   This obsession ate up the real man inside.   Jay Gatz became Jay Gatsby.   This new man wanted to become the American Dream at an early age. He did what ever he could to get his money.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One of the more puzzling things about Jay Gatsby is where did he come from and where did he get his money?   Nobody other than Daisy really knows where he came from.   When people were talking at one of Gatsby's first parties, nobody could really say where he was from.

The History of African Americans in Film Essay -- essays research pape

Minstrel shows were developed in the 1840's and reached its peak after the Civil War. They managed to remain popular into the early 1900s. The Minstrel shows were shows in which white performers would paint their faces black and act the role of an African American. This was called black facing. The minstrel show evolved from two types of entertainment popular in America before 1830: the impersonation of blacks given by white actors between acts of plays or during circuses, and the performances of black musicians who sang, with banjo accompaniment, in city streets. The 'father of American minstrelsy' was Thomas Dartmouth 'Daddy' Rice, who between 1828 and 1831 developed a song-and-dance routine in which he impersonated an old, crippled black slave, dubbed Jim Crow. Jim Crow was a fool who just spent his whole day slacking off, dancing the day away with an occasional mischievous prank such as stealing a watermelon from a farm. Most of the skits performed on the Minstrel shows symboliz ed the life of the African American plantations slaves. This routine achieved immediate popularity, and Rice performed it with great success in the United States and Britain, where he introduced it in 1836. Throughout the 1830s, up to the founding of the minstrel show proper, Rice had many imitators. In 1842, in New York City, the songwriter Daniel Decatur Emmett and three companions devised a program of singing and dancing in blackface to the accompaniment of bone castanets, violin, banjo, and tambourine. Calling themselves the Virginia Minstrels, they made their first public appearance in February 1843 in a New York City theater. Another group called the Christy Minstrels, headed by the actor Edwin P. Christy, began appearing a few years later and ... ... which he received universal praise. Other films included The Long Kiss Goodnight, Deep Blue Sea, The Negotiator, Unbreakable, and Shaft. Despite his fame as a great Hollywood actor, Jackson has made time for stage work and independent films in order to stay close to his acting roots. Samuel L Jackson has then came to appear in many great movies such as Jurassic Park, Pulp Fiction, A Time To Kill, One Eight Seven, Shaft, Coach Carter, Star Wars and many others. He has also been nominated for many of these and has received many awards for a lot of these films. He is still acting and does not seem to be thinking of retirement any time soon. He truly is a great example of a great actor who rose to fame in the time of blaxploitation and also an inspiration to all those with addiction problems as someone who was able to overcome his problem and make something of himself.

A Geography of Time

In the preface â€Å"Time Talks, With an Accent† the author describes his reasons of writing the book, as well as he shares his plans about future careers, his interest, and ideas about time geography.In the first chapter â€Å"Tempo: Speed of Life† special attention is paid to what tempo is, its core elements, economic well-being and what may happen beyond the tempo. In the second chapter â€Å"Duration: Psychological Clock† the author provides innovative and interesting suggestions and draws relevant conclusions bumps in time, how to change the life tempo and psychological experiences of time duration.Actually, I think that material presented in the preface and the first chapters are very exciting and informative as the author sets further background for research in this sphere.In the preface the author writes that every culture is represented by its own concepts and fingertips about time and time geography. Actually, it is necessary to lean about time values a s it gives an excellent opportunity to know the person better. Time gives idea of what person is, about his ideals and beliefs. The author admits that he has always been interested in time. As other Americans, the writer was taught that time is measured by the clock and nothing more.Time is seconds, minutes and hours. However, when the author grew up he realized that the concept of time is not as simple as it might seem at the first glance. When planning personal career, the author claims he has ignored the concept of money being offered by the particular job. Instead, he decided to learn temporal lifestyle as that area interested him the most.Firstly the author’s researches focused primarily on social psychology and attribution theory. Special attention was paid to gender differences in ideas about success and failure, self-confidence and attribution styles. Nevertheless, in several years the author became very interested in studying the value of time and the life pace in ge neral. Therefore, the author devotes the whole book to the pace of own lives, how people use and have to use time, what time is doing in our cities, etc.The first chapter addresses the question of time tempo stressing that tempo of life strongly depends on the factors of personal taste and skills, as well as on individual instruments and room involved. The pace of time is defined by the author as tome flow or movement being experienced by people.Pace of time is characterized by rhythms, sequences and synchronies. However, life pace is a matter of tempo. ‘Tempo’ is borrowed from music theory and it is associated with rate and speed of piece performance.The author is interested in characteristics of cultures and places distinguishing five factors which determine cultural tempos: economic well-being, degree of industrialization, population amount, climatic conditions, and orientation at individualism. Also, there are ‘fast’ and ‘slow’ people and t he author warns us not to overgeneralize about them.Actually, life pace depends on time, place and human doings. Ten areas are presented to think of yourself: speech patterns, concern with clock time, walking speed, eating habits, driving, schedules, list making, nervous energy, waiting and alerts.The second chapter addresses the issues of psychological clock and duration of time. The author writes that there were several studies devoted to time perceptions and the interest in estimation of time appeared on the scale.Duration is defined as the time that is going from the lat event. Actually, duration is the speed of the clock being ambiguous and precise. However, it is more difficult to define duration of time in the realm of psychological experience.There are differences in time duration among Westerners and Easterners. For example, in Western culture listening is not opposition of talking as it is waiting.Modern researchers are focus on identifying differences in types of informat ion and in the ways the information is processed. Interestingly, Maslow defined creative people as people being fascinated and absorbed in the current situation and here-now. The author concludes that time is proceeding as a clock arrow does. However, speed of time passing depends fully on individual preferences. A Geography of Time In a world with no clocks and no definite appointments people are living by event time. Therefore, the fourth chapter â€Å"Living on Time Events† is devoted to analyzing what it means to live beyond time or by time event. It is known that earlier time was measured by slow sweep of stars in the sky or by important events or changes.Heartbeats also measured time, as well as recurrence of hunger and duration of loneliness. The author assumes that in certain situations the clock or calendar can be defined as nothing more than simply ornament or decoration. Living by event can’t provide define appointments of lifestyle, whereas modern industrialized countries are motivated by punctuality.Historical perspective suggests that living by clock â€Å"is clearly out of line with virtually all of recorded history†. (p.82) The author asserts that the key difference in pace life is that people tend to use clock as the guidance in their lives, especially when they are planning the beginning and the end of particular events.People’s schedules aren’t allowed to include spontaneous activities. Therefore, there are two types of living: living by event time and living by clock time. The key difference between these types is speed difference and people who live by clock tie are faster than those who live by event time.The author specifies that under clock time timepiece is that director of the beginning and end of the events and particular activities. Under event time it is schedule that determines particular activities. Nevertheless, event time isn’t precise time as it is difficult to identify when people will be busy with necessary activities. Interestingly, adults are more susceptible to clock time.Industrial society is characterized by enmeshed style of life and clock time is the main driver of events and activities. However, in less civilized countries people are less concerned with control of clock. They feel life by mechanic clock i s abnormal and confusing as it set rigid frameworks and it is hardly possible to life full life when you are obliged to follow set schedule.The fifth chapter â€Å"Time and Power: The Rules of the Waiting Games† provides relevant and valuable rules about waiting peculiarities. The author says that waiting is always unpleasant thing.For example, when we are waiting for a bus or a person, we feel anxiety and even irritability. However, half of our life is simply waiting – waiting for tickets, appointments, particular events, buses, etc. Psychologists find it rather difficult to evaluate the pain from waiting, but they say that effect maybe both negative and positive. For business waiting is very expensive as time for them is directly associated with money.When people become more important, the demand for time becomes greater. With increased importance value of time increases as well as time is limited. Therefore, time of important people should be protected and carefully managed.The author stresses that â€Å"important people are usually seen by appointment only; and while those of higher status are allowed to make people below them to wait, the reverse is strictly prohibited†. (p. 109) Thus, one of the most important rules is that status dictates who will wait and it is position in the hierarchy that determines people’s importance. Further, the longer people are waiting the greater the status is. For example, the value of attorneys and bookkeepers is defined by the fact whether they are booked in advance.One of the rules suggests that time can be provided as a real gift meaning that waiting can be seen as an act of generosity. Offering is thus viewed as â€Å"a special instance of using time to demonstrate respect†. (p.123) Offering of time is important because it stretches far beyond explanations of gain or profit. The sole purpose of offering time is sending social message. Finally, breaking into line should be rare occasion s.Those people who break into line must re-assure that they don’t cause any troubles for others who are waiting. Rules of waiting are different in different countries and it is not recommended to play waiting games till you know all the rules. Mainly, waiting rules implicit and the chance to misinterpret the message are very high.

Advertising on a Global Scale Essay

When a company, brand, or product is marketed within several countries, a significantly different approach to advertising must be made opposed to if it was only being sold within one country. A company’s awareness of the international advertising can greatly affect how well a product is accepted by its target audience and how well it sells. The most important aspect of global advertising is an understanding of culture. This involves considering the language barriers, the cultural significance of images and signs, and the applicability that a certain product may have within different countries. Addressing these three factors, overall, can help to increase the appeal of a product or service; and it is essential that companies realize that implementing a standardized method of advertising is not always the most effective way to enter a foreign market. There have been several debates in regards to the regulation of global advertising. Two contrasting statements have been made—one that suggests that advertising standardization is the most profitable approach to international marketing, and another that promotes localization. Those who support the standardization method â€Å"†¦argue that standardizing advertising can help maintain a uniform global strategy and image of the firm, maximize the firm’s cost advantage and meet a universal need of people across the world† (Zou and Volz 2010: 57). The adaption method, however, stresses that differences and barriers between cultures, spoken languages, historical contexts, and socio-economic factors between various countries affects the way in which advertising messages are perceived and translated. It is therefore does not make sense to implement only one form of advertisement that is meant to span a variety of countries and cultures, because one single campaign cannot apply and appeal to every market worldwide. Perhaps the arguments in favor of standardizing international campaigns, particularly the language that is being used, stems from the fact that English has become the dominant language in the world. The majority of advertisers and other people who work in the global marketing industry speak English, regardless of what is their country of origin; and it appears as if many advertisers are beginning to apply this theory to the consumers. Despite the widespread use of English and the fact that is the most commonly used language in advertising worldwide, the concept of advertising standardization has been widely criticized in favor of adaptation. It is somewhat hasty to assume, after all, that all people worldwide are fluent in English, simply because most of those working in the business sector happen to speak the language. What about those in smaller towns or non-Western countries such as Cairo, Egypt? Egyptians who work in the tourist or hospitality industry are likely to speak English, but many of the average citizens—who are all potential consumers—will not necessarily speak English or be able to understand the writing. Studies have also shown that the use of a local language tends to appeal more to those who live in the area, especially within countries that perceive their spoken and written language to be a valuable part of their culture. Hornikx, Van Meurs, and De Boer write that â€Å"†¦ads that appeal to important cultural values (such as independence in the United States or loyalty in Mexico) should be more persuasive than ads that appeal to relatively unimportant cultural values (such as loyalty in the United States or independence in Mexico)† (2010: 171). Empirical studies have also proven that ads using the local language and cultural values of a country tend to be favored as opposed to those with a standardized language and advertising message (Hornikx, Van Meurs, and De Boer 2010: 171). Although it is clear that language adaption is important, the preference that locals have for their language does not imply that advertisers should not use English in foreign countries. They simply need to use English in a way that is effective in conveying the message behind a campaign, and have an understanding of how the English language is perceived in each particular market they are trying to enter. Among Chinese consumers who frequently purchase upscale or luxury goods, global advertising, brands, and products tend to be preferred over domestic good. This is because in Chinese culture, in particular, â€Å"†¦global advertising elements are valued as signs or surrogates for status, cosmopolitanism, excitement, modernity, quality, technology, and beauty† (Zou and Belk 2004: 71). If advertisers are going to use English, however, it is crucial that they simplify the language as much as possible in order to minimize the risk of misinterpretation. There is no point in using a standardized advertising campaign in China if nobody is going to understand what it says. In the Netherlands, the use of English slogans in advertising was also preferred to Dutch, so long as the slogans were easy to read and translate (Louhiala-Salminen and Rogerson-Revell 2010: 95). This shows how the use of English, in many countries, could actually be beneficial and profitable for a company; but since not all countries perceive English the same way, it is important for advertisers to understand how and English campaign will be accepted within their target market. English will not necessarily be preferred to the local language, nor will global brands necessarily be favored over domestic products— which proves that language adaptation should still be used in some situations as opposed to absolute language standardization. Along with deciding whether or not the local language should be used in an international advertising campaign, companies need to consider the visuals that they are using. What is the significance of the images within that culture? Could they possibly be negatively misinterpreted? What do the local consumers consider to be visually appealing? All of these factors, of course, differ between countries and cultures. Studies have shown that there is a significant difference between the way in which high-context cultures and low-context cultures interpret ads. These high-context cultures include China, Japan, the Mediterranean, and Arab nations, where a lot of information is left unspoken and messages are often coded. Low-context cultures, however, refer to the United States, Germany, the UK, and other Western European countries. In these countries, everything is relatively straight-forward and messages are made clear (An 2007: 307). An describes the findings from many studies, which all â€Å"†¦imply that the idea of employing advertising visuals that reflect the communication styles of a particular national market appears to be a promising strategy to effectively reach consumers around the world† (2007: 303). This suggests that multinational advertisers should seek to differentiate their visuals between Eastern and Western cultures if they wish to make a product or service appeal to the people. In the United States, for example, celebrities—from singers, to socialites, to athletes—dominate magazine pages, commercials, and billboards as the spokes models for various brands. This tends to attract the attention of the American public, as they recognize the celebrities and typically create a positive association between that celebrity and the product. In the Middle East, however, using a celebrity athlete to represent a box of cereal will not make that cereal appear any more appealing than if the box were blank. Advertisers, instead, must determine what will be visually pleasing to consumers in countries that have different values than those from more Western countries. In addition to finding what a will attract people in terms of advertising visuals, it is essential to be and respectful of cultural beliefs and customs. Consider countries in the Middle East, where Islam is a dominant part of society. This religion stresses modesty, especially amongst women. Kalliny et al describe how in countries such as Saudi Arabia, â€Å"†¦women are not allowed to walk in the streets with their faces uncovered†¦ [and there are] women wearing long clothing in 83 percent of Arabic magazine advertisements showing women, compared to the 29 percent in U. S. advertisements† (2008: 218). With female modesty being so important within certain cultures, it is extremely important that multinational advertisers be cautious about whether their visuals will be appropriate. It would not be a good choice, for example, for an advertiser to market a brand of women’s perfume in Saudi Arabia with an enormous billboard showing Britney Spears wearing a bikini and holding a bottle of perfume. This would be considered offensive and would not be beneficial for the popularity of a product. The Japanese cosmetics industry also presents an interesting example of the importance of visual marketing and how advertisers need to pay attention to what will efficiently sell a product. As the second largest market in the world in terms of cosmetics, it was estimated to be worth roughly 1. trillion yen back in 2003 (Barnes and Yamamoto 2008: 299). Research regarding what type of models Japanese women prefer in beauty campaigns indicated a surprising fact. Although white models are widely used in Japan, because they are considered to be the ideal form of beauty, Japanese women actually preferred to buy cosmetics that used Japanese models in the advertisements. Barnes and Yamamoto discuss how this is due to white models not being applicable to Japanese women in terms of physical beauty. The Japanese, for example, value fair complexions, while Westerners typically prefer tans. Additionally, â€Å"†¦since the Japanese facial structure is different from that of Westerners, they will not become similar in appearance if they use the same make-up as a Western model† (2008: 310). This proves how a choice of visual representation in an advertising campaign can greatly affect how a product is accepted within different countries, and how advertisers must adjust their images or models accordingly. As research within the Japanese beauty industry has shown, applicability is crucial in global advertising. If a product or service has no value, necessity, or appeal in a certain country, hen consumers will not purchase the product. An advertisement’s message and content, therefore, is important and can determine how much interest is generated amongst consumers. In one particular study involving 40 different advertising campaigns and 1200 consumers, the significance of content was examined. Van Den Putte states that the study indicates that â€Å"†¦after controlling for the effect of previous purchase behavior, the effect of message content strategy is generally larger than the effect of advertising expenditure† (2009: 669). This shows how it is not necessarily a campaign’s budget that determines the success of a product, but the message and content that it contains. Alcohol advertisements have been successful in tailoring their ads to suit the requirements of different countries and cultures. One example is the comparison of alcohol advertisements between the United Kingdom and Ukraine. Beefeater Dry Gin, a spirit brand that often appears in GQ magazine, markets their gin in Britain quite minimally. Their ad consists of a lime splashing into a bottle of gin, with the splash pattern forming the British flag. The slogan simply reads â€Å"Refreshingly London†, with one more line that says â€Å"Distilled in London since 1820† (Wolburg and Venger 2009: 15). That is all that is needed in order for British consumers to understand the product and find some sort of value in the liquor. In Ukraine, however, alcohol companies have to take a much different approach. Wolburg and Venger state that, because drinking has not been instilled as a cultural norm in Ukrainian society, â€Å"†¦marketers have had to educate Ukrainians about drinking various alcoholic beverages. Ads, magazine articles, and Web sites must not only teach Ukrainians how these drinks are prepared and consumed; they must also explain what makes certain brands authentic† (2009: 15). This involves the importance of cultural applicability—if alcohol advertisers do not understand the need to educate certain consumer markets about their product in detail, then consumers will not see a need for the product altogether. McDonalds has been one of the most successful companies in terms of launching their fast-food chains globally and adjusting their products and advertising campaigns to appeal to local consumers. In India, for example, many of the people do not eat beef; so to increase its appeal, McDonalds in India sells a lamb burger as part of its menu, and markets its fish fillet sandwich much more than it does in the United States. It also utilizes many small, local farmers and food suppliers in order to make the company seem more localized and appealing to the Indian consumer base (Sarin and Barrows 2005: 23). The original, American version of McDonalds would most likely have been unsuccessful in countries such as India if the company had not made some adjustments. If McDonalds in Indian maintained the same American menu, then the Indian public would undoubtedly not have been as accepting of the brand and its products. Not only was the company culturally sensitive to the dietary restrictions that many Indian people have due to religious meanings, but it also used local suppliers as an acculturation strategy. With a menu that conforms to the eating habits of India, along with the use of their own famers and suppliers, McDonalds has become well-adjusted to the global community and has effectively made itself applicable to a wide variety of cultures and consumers. Culture is the most important factor in any advertising campaign, regardless of its origin. Advertisers cannot simply use one campaign and expect it to be accepted, appealing, and applicable to every country. Standardization also forfeits the competitive edge that one brand may have over another if it is able to successfully integrate its product into a foreign market. Paying attention to the language, visuals, and significance of a product is essential in global advertising, and advertisers must alter their campaign in order to better suit the tastes and values of individual cultures.

Comparing Islamic Religion

To compare the Islamic religion, one has to first define Islam. â€Å"The word Islam means surrender or submission to the will of Allah, the one God†(Webster). The word Islam conveys much meaning, especially those of submission and peace. It is through the total submission to the will of God, also known as Allah, that one achieves peace with oneself, peace with the Creator, as well as peace with all creations. Muslims are believers who have submitted themselves to the will of God. The basic creed of Islam is the shahada. Shahada is the profession of faith: â€Å"I testify that there is no deity save God and that Muhammad is the messenger of God†(Schimmel 34). I study Buddhism. Buddhism is the name attributed to an intricate system of beliefs developed around the teachings of a single man known as the Buddha. Buddha is the title given to the Indian philosopher Gautama circa 2,500 years ago. Buddhism is a Western word. â€Å"The religion is known in the East as the Buddha-Dharma, or the teachings of the Buddha†(Maitreya 1). Buddhists share similar beliefs about the nature of the world and how to behave within it based on the teachings of the Buddha. Islam comes from the mouth of Muhammad. Buddhism is based on the Buddha†s personal experience of enlightenment. Thus, Muhammad is a divinely inspired teacher who preached the words of God†s will, whereas the Buddha shared his understanding of ‘the way† to attain enlightenment. Neither religion worships the tellers of the truth i. e. Muhammad and the Buddha. Instead, both religions recognize and appreciate the magnificent contribution both men have made as well as utilize the doctrines that summarize their school of thought-the Koran and the Four Noble Truths. The foundation of Islam is the Koran which is, for the pious Muslim, not the word of a prophet but the unadulterated word of God, which has become audible through Muhammad, the pure vessel, in clear Arabic language†(Schimmel 29). The main emphasis of the Koran is the oneness of Allah. All of humanity is regarded as subject to the will and power of Allah. It is He who has created mankind, and will one-day judge his creation. The faithful are called upon to believe in Allah and to listen to His Prophet and will be saved on Judgement Day. â€Å"The Four Noble Truths are the briefest synthesis of the entire teachings of Buddhism† (Maitreya 3). The first truth is that all life is unpleasant suffering, pain, and misery. The second truth is that this suffering is caused by selfish craving and passionate personal desire. The third truth is that this selfish craving can be overcome. The fourth truth is that the way to overcome the misery of life is by following the Eightfold Path. The Eightfold Path promotes sight and wisdom that will allow for inner peace, and ultimately enlightenment. The Koran†s principal assertion is that there is one God–the creator and sustainer of the universe. â€Å"This God, Allah, is compassionate and just. Because He is compassionate, He calls all people to believe in Him and worship Him†(Ali 6). Buddhism does not teach of gods. Instead, Buddhism teaches the way of life that Buddha comprehended-the Eightfold Path. The Koran declares that all of humanity is subject to the will and power of Allah. â€Å"It is a fundamental Islamic belief that we were created to serve (worship) Allah†(Ali 2). Islam religion regards mankind as the crown of creation, entrusted by God with management of the whole-created order. Humans can be weak and are susceptible to disbelief in God and to disobedience to His will. Humanity†s weakness is pride. Humans do not realize their limitations and believe they are self-sufficient. It is the people who are deluded by Satan that continued to disbelieve in Allah. Similarly, the Four Noble Truths proclaim that people make a mistake of being excessively egotistical. Analogously, Buddhism confirms that people error by identifying too strongly with personal existence in any one life. Unlike Muslims, who consider themselves committed to a mission by their belief in Allah, Buddhist aspires to escape from the sufferings of life. These two goals of life are vastly different. Muslims will always see themselves reflected in the eyes of God whereas Buddhists will never see a God, only their life as a cycle of rebirths until the release called Nirvana. The Islamic religion is an extensive, multidimensional, and complex topic just as Buddhism is. I acknowledge that I am neither an expert of the religion nor a religious scholar, yet. I am solely making a brief comparison between Islam with my own personal convictions and understandings of Buddhism.

The Gaze a Critical of the Female Figure in Art and Advertising

Ideas and Perspectives Module 2012/2013 Claire Hynds The Gaze A Critical of the Female Figure in Art and Advertising 22/01/2013 Contents Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦4 Chapter 1: History of ‘The Nude’ within European oil Paintings†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 5-6 Chapter 2: Susanna and the Elders†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 6-10 Chapter 3: The Vanity of Women†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 10-11 Chapter 4: Helene Fourment in a Fur Coat†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦11-12 Conclusion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã ¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 13 Bibliography†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 14 List of Illustrations Peter Paul Rubens Susanna and the Elders (1636-40)†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Artemisa Gentileschi Susanna and the Elders (1610)†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 9 Tintoretto Susanna and the Elders (1555-56)†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦10 Rubens Helene Fourment in a Fur Coat (1577-1640)†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦12 Introduction Women have often been observed in society as being different from a man. A man’s presence is seen as being a powerful force; whereas a woman’s presence has been depicted as being a physical emanation, a kind of heat. It has been said that from a young age a woman has been taught to constantly watch her every move, whether it be her walking across a room, or whilst weeping at the death of a loved one.To be born a woman was said to have been born within a confined space, or into the keeping of a man. Throughout history men have always surveyed a woman before they considered treating them. Consequently how a man treats a woman can be determined by many things, for instance if a woman is to throw a glass on the floor, this is how she expresses her anger towards a situation and how she would like it to be perceived by others, yet if a man was to do the same this would be read as an expression of his anger. As John Berger states in ‘Ways of Seeing’ (P. 47) Men act and wome n appear. Men look at women.Women watch themselves being looked at. This determines not only most relations between men and women but also the relation of women themselves. â€Å"The surveyor of women in herself is male: the surveyed is female. Thus she turns herself into an object and most particularly an object of vision: a sight† (John Berger ‘Ways of Seeing’ Page. 47) Chapter 1 History of ‘The Nude’ within European oil Paintings In the history of European oil painting it has been said that women were known for being the primary and ever-recurring subject. In the subject of women they were best known for being painted in the nude.It is said that the first nudes to have been depicted in the history of art was that of Adam and Eve. John Berger has stated (P. 47) that is was worth mentioning the story of Adam and Eve as told in Genesis: ‘And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof and did eat; and she gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig-leaves together and made themselves aprons†¦.And the Lord God called unto the man and said unto him, â€Å"Where are thou? † And he said, â€Å"I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself†¦. Unto the woman God said, â€Å"I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband and he shall rule over thee† What is found striking about this particular story is how Adam and Eve become aware of each other’s nakedness the exact moment they take a bite of the forbidden fruit, as a result of this they saw one another in a completely different way.Nakedness was created in the mind of the beholder. Wha t is also striking about this story is how the woman is blamed and made to suffer by being made to serve the man. As the traditions of paintings become more secular, other themes are offered up as an opportunity for painting nudes. But in all of them there remains the fact that the subject (a woman) is all too aware of being watched by the spectator. ‘She is not naked as she is. She is naked as the spectator sees her. ’ (John Berger ‘Ways of Seeing. Page. 50) Chapter 2 Susannah and the EldersSusanna and the Elders was one of the most popular images of the sixteenth century, these pieces were taken from the Old Testament story of Susanna and the Elders. The images that were done of Susanna and the Elders were depicted from specific passages from the 13th Chapter of the book of Daniel. Unlike most versions of Susanna and the Elders, the Schonborn painting presents the central confrontation between the main characters, the exact moment within the story when the Elder s return to the garden to seduce Susanna. Mary Garrard (â€Å"Artemisia and Susanna†, Feminism and Art History: Questioning the Litany, Norma Broude and Mary D.Garrard, eds. , pp. 146-171) had this to say on her account of these paintings: Few artistic themes have offered so satisfying an opportunity for legitimized voyeurism as Susanna and the Elders. The subject was taken up by relish by artists from the sixteenth through eighteenth centuries as an opportunity to display the female nude, in much the same spirit that such themes as Danae or Lucretia were approached, but with the added advantage that the nude's erotic could be heightened by the presence of two lecherous old men, whose inclusion was both ichnographically justified and pornographically effective. The story of Susanna and the Elders is seen as a remarkable testament of the man’s ego, a biblical theme of the exemplum of a female’s chastity which shows the celebration of sexual opportunity. Or as Max Rooses enthusiastically described Ruben’s version of the story as a â€Å"gallant enterprise mounted by two adventures†. Peter Paul Rubens, Susanna and the Elders, 1636-40 Griselda Pollock (Differencing the Canon, p. 105) states the following on the subject of Susanna and the Elder’s. â€Å"The biblical story of Susanna and theElders tells of a young married Jewish woman living in Babylon during the first exile of the Jewish people (after 586 BCE. ). Susanna is bathing in her garden. She sends her two maids into the house to fetch oil and perfumes for her bath. Two lecherous elders of the community spy on her, conspiring to force her to submit to them sexually. They threaten her that, if she refuses, they will denounce her of adultery with another man, adultery being, according to ancient Jewish law, a capital crime for women.Susanna refuses, preferring the fate of death to the sin they propose. She is then falsely accused by the elders and condemned to death. Daniel, of leonine fame, vindicates Susanna by exposing the elders' mendacity. Interrogating them separately, he asks them under which tree Susanna committed adultery. Each names a different kind of tree. They are then executed for the crime of false witness. † This story is seen as a complex narrative of sexual desire and visual temptation.During the Renaissance the focus of the woman’s nakedness while bathing is exposed to a lecherous conspiracy which emphasized the sexual, voyeuristic and visually violating aspects of the theme, while at the same time providing a biblical and even a theological justification of the painting as an erotic female nude, a genre that was emerging in this period, shifting the focus of the female nude from its traditional association with truth towards a more modern signification of desire and its privileged visuality.Garrard and Pollock’s focus on the subject of Susanna and the Elders is of a painting based on the same subject by A rtemisia Gentileschi. Artemisa Gentileschi, Susanna and the Elders, 1610. In one of the many versions of Susanna and the Elders by Tintoretto, Susanna is seen looking at herself in the mirror. In turn she becomes the spectator herself. Tintoretto, Susanna and the Elders, 1555-56. Mary Garrard Mary Garrard (â€Å"Artemisia and Susanna†, Feminism and Art History: Questioning the Litany, Norma Broude and Mary D.Garrard, eds. , pp. 149-150) presented the following on Tintoretto’s painting of Susanna stating: â€Å"Tintoretto, whose adventurers stage their advance in a manner more sneaky than bold, nonetheless offers a representative depiction of the theme in his emphasis upon Susanna’s voluptuous body and upon the Elders’ ingenuity in getting a closer look at it. † Chapter 3 The Vanity of Women The Mirror was often used within paintings to show the vanity of women. The moralizing, however, was seen as being quite hypocritical. You painted a naked woman because you enjoy looking at her, you put a mirror in her hand and you called the painting ‘Vanity’, thus morally condemning the woman whose nakedness you had depicted for your own pleasure†. (John Berger, ‘Ways of Seeing’, P. 51) The main function of the mirror was to make the woman notice herself and see what men see her as, a sight. It is a well-known fact that some paintings do include a male lover. However, the woman’s attention isn’t always directed straight at him.The woman is usually panting looking away from the man or she is seen looking out of the painting supposedly looking towards her true love, or in this case the spectator-owner. In one instance of this type of theme is that of Lely’s painting titled ‘Nell Gwynne’ at painting done especially for the king of that time. In this piece it is clear that the woman is looking passively out of the painting at the spectator, in this case the spectator turns out to be the king. However, Nell’s nakedness was not the expression of her own feelings, but instead was the sign of her submission to the king’s demands. Chapter 4 Helene Fourment in a Fur CoatOne painting that was found to be particularly fascinating was that of Ruben’s young second wife, who he had happily married even though he was, at the time, quite old. Rubens ‘Helene Fourment in a Fur Coat’ 1577-1640 In this piece we see Ruben’s wife in the mist of turning, as she does her fur coat begins to gradually slip off her shoulders. It is clear that if she continues with what she is doing she will not remain covered for very much longer. As her body faces us, even if it isn’t full frontal, it is shown as being a well experienced body. Her appearance has, in the eye of the painter, been altered bye his subjectivity.As John Berger (‘Ways of Seeing’, P. 61) describes ‘There is a displacement sideways of about nine inchesà ¢â‚¬â„¢. If looked at closely it is easy to work out that her thighs, where they are meant to join up with her hips, are seen to be at least a couple of inches apart from the left side of her body. Conclusion The ways of seeing a woman and the way they are presented within a painting have not changed. Women were depicted as being different from men, not because of the difference between feminism and masculinity, but because the spectator is often assumed to be a man and a painting of a naked woman were designed to flatter him. In the art-form of the European nude the painters and spectator-owners were usually men and the persons treated as objects, usually women. This unequal relationship is so deeply embedded in our culture that it still structures the consciousness of many women. They do to themselves what men do to them. They survey, like men, their own femininity†. (John Berger, ‘Ways of Seeing’, P. 63) In the end what was found was quite remarkable and found that women were often observed in society as being different from a man. It just goes to show that even in paintings women will always be seen as objects and nothing more.Bibliography Books: Berger, J. (1972) Ways of Seeing. London: Penguin Books. McMillan, K. Weyes, J. (2011) How to Write Essays & Assignments. 2nd ed. Ashford: Pearson Educations Limited. D’Alleva, A. (2010) How to Write Art History. 2nd ed. London: Laurence King Publishing. Broude, N. Garrard, M. D. (1982) Feminism and Art History: Questioning the Litany. 1st ed. New York: Harper & Row. Websites Tilt, S. (2011) Susanna and the Elders [Online]. Available at: http://employees. oneonta. edu/farberas/arth/arth200/women/susanna. html [Accessed: 14 January 2013]