Bear Stearns Collapse Timeline Essay

This week five years ago, JP Morgan announced it would buy Wall Street rival Bear Stearns in a deal worth $2 a share – this ultimately rose to $10. Here, Financial News looks at the events in the run-up to the fall of the 85-year old independent investment bank. Financial News compiled the timeline from press releases, contemporary media reports and William D Cohan’s account of the collapse of the bank, ‘House of Cards’. May 21, 2007 After months of growing instability in the US sub-prime mortgage market, Bear Stearns chairman Alan ‘Ace’ Greenberg offers reassurances that the firm, heavily exposed to the market, is on top of things. â€Å"The sub-prime (issue) has been blown completely out of proportion,† he says, in comments reported by Dow Jones Newswires. Mid-June 2007 Serious problems become apparent at two Bear Sterns hedge funds with a high exposure to sub-prime mortgages. Investors in the High-Grade Structured Credit Strategies Enhanced Leverage Fund, which managed $600m, are informed that the fund has lost 23% of its value over the year to April, reports The Wall Street Journal. The fund begins a fire-sale to minimise exposures. After the failure of a mooted rescue plan involving support from lenders, a new rescue scheme is announced by Bear Stearns, which offers $3. 2bn for a bailout of a second fund – the High Grade Structured Credit Fund. The bank previously had only $45m invested in this fund’s equity, according to William D Cohan in House of Cards’. Bear Stearns later says it is providing $1. 6bn to the fund rather than the original $3. 2bn, citing the sale of assets. A decision is made not to rescue the High-Grade Structured Credit Strategies Enhanced Leverage Fund, according to Cohan. August 3, 2007 Standard & Poor’s downgrades the bank’s outlook to negative. The bank says that concerns over its situation are â€Å"unwarranted† as the hedge fund fallout represented â€Å"isolated incidents† and â€Å"by no means a broader indication† of the bank’s performance, according to The Wall Street Journal. August 5, 2007 Bear Stearns president and co-chief operating officer Warren Spector resigns from the bank. Alan Schwartz is confirmed as sole president. Days later, the Associated Press reports that the bank sends letters to clients reassuring them of its financial position. September 10, 2007 British billionaire Joseph Lewis expresses his confidence in the future of the bank by acquiring a 7% stake, becoming one of the largest shareholders. October 5, 2007 Federal prosecutors launch an investigation into the collapse of the Bear Stearns hedge funds. November/December 2007 Chief financial officer Sam Molinaro says that the bank has been â€Å"very conservative and aggressive† in its revaluations, according to Dow Jones Newswires. On December 10, MarketWatch reports that the bank has written down $1. 9bn related to mortgage exposure. January 8, 2008 Chief executive Jimmy Cayne steps down after widespread criticism of his hands-off response to the events of the previous year. He remains as chairman. He is replaced at the top by Alan Schwartz. In the same month, the bank announces the closure of a third fund, the Bear Stearns Asset Backed Securities Fund. Bloomberg reports that this fund has suffered a decline of 39% of its value over a year. February, 2008 Hedge fund Peloton Partners, run by Goldman alumnus Ron Beller, collapses following its exposure to asset-backed securities. March 2008 Carlyle Capital, a hedge fund based in Amsterdam, collapses as concerns over exposures to mortgages begin to multiply, causing a squeeze on lines of funding. By March 5, insurance premiums on Bear Stearns debt have risen from $50,000 per $10m of debt at the beginning of 2005 to $350,000 per $10m debt, according to William D Cohan. It soon reaches $700,000. Monday, March 10, 2008 The company’s stock falls 11% to its lowest level in five years following a Moody’s downgrade of portions of its mortgage bond holdings, writes Cohan. The bank denies rumours that it is in trouble. Investors look for ways to bet on further falls in the bank’s stock. Tuesday, March 11, 2008 ING Groep, the Dutch bank, cancels $500m of short-term funding for Bear Stearns, according to The Wall Street Journal, following an example set by Rabobank. According to a press release, the Federal Reserve announces an unprecedented lending facility in which collateral can be exchanged for funding, but the scheme cannot be accessed until March 27. In another important incident, cited by Cohen in ‘House of Cards’, Goldman Sachs refuses to stand in for Hayman Capital in a trade with Bear Stearns, suggesting hemorrhaging confidence among major financial players. Wednesday. March 12, 2008 Overnight markets for funding begin to dry up, while institutions continue to deny short-term lending to Bear Stearns. Hedge funds and other investors continue in their attempts to extract their money from Bear Stearns, which is rapidly approaching a funding crisis. Thursday, March 13, 2008. As customers continue to withdraw funds, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the New York Federal Reserve begin discussions on the crisis. In a meeting on Thursday night, reported by Cohen, it is discovered that outgoings at the firm can no longer be maintained, with the firm effectively running out of cash during the afternoon. Lawyers are summoned to discuss the options for bankruptcy, while a deal with JP Morgan Chase is sought. After late night negotiations, JP Morgan agrees in conjunction with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York that it will provide secured funding to Bear Sterns for an initial period of up to 28 days. Friday, March 14, 2008 The cobbled-together deal fails to assuage the markets. Investors continue to pull money from the bank over the course of the day. By the evening, it is clear that a solution will have to be devised over the weekend if the bank is to survive. Saturday, March 15- Sunday, March 16, 2008 JP Morgan says it cannot do a deal without support from the Federal Reserve, due to the large number of toxic securities on the books of Bear Stearns. In response, the Fed approves a loan of $30bn saying that it is necessary to avoid â€Å"serious disruptions in the financial markets†. JP Morgan offers just $2 per share for the bank, a large loss for those whose stock was worth $30 on Friday, $60 the week before and over $150 a year before. Bondholders will be rescued by the deal, which is accepted by the board of Bear Stearns on Sunday morning. Wrangles with JP Morgan over a contract situation – which potentially leaves the bank liable for funding Bear Stearns without claiming full ownership – result in brinkmanship from Bear Sterns. A final price of $10 per share is agreed, with a value of $1. 45bn attached to the equity. March 25 Bear Stearns chief executive Jimmy Cayne and his wife sell 5. 66 million shares in the bank for $61. 34m, which, according to Cohan, represented a $1bn loss on the bank’s stock. May 29 The final Bear Stearns shareholder meeting takes place, at which former CEO Cayne speaks of his sadness at the firm’s demise, according to The Wall Street Journal, citing guests present.

Monologue of a Serial Killer

How was I supposed to know that this was wrong, when it felt so right? Everything my father has taught me is wrong†¦ He taught me not to love, taught me not to feel, have no compassion for others. How†¦how could this be wrong, my whole life a lie; that’s what it was, that’s what I could reduce it to, a lie. Where had my mother been when my father had been teaching me these things? Where had aunts, uncles, grandpas, grandmas, cousins†¦ teachers, anybody been to tell me, to show me that†¦that all of this was wrong. Wrong†¦that word doesn’t seem real now, and it will never truly seem real, because I’ve never known anything else. I sound like I’m trying to shoulder the blame but I’m not, I’m truly not; I just†¦I felt so accepted by him, and loved, so loved that I didn’t really need anyone else†¦you know, the kind of love where†¦where anything could happen, and that one person would still be there; still there listening to everything you ever have to say, any problems and they say one word, two words, a sentence and everything is better†¦everything is fixed. My father is the kind of person I always wished I was; strong, capable, a true man†¦a real man†¦someone I would never be. My father says my mother held me too much when I was a child; he had to get me away from her quickly, so†¦so he found something to bond us together, found something that my mother could never be a part of, would never be a part of. And my mother, my mother didn’t seem to notice how I changed. I changed so drastically in the space of about 5 months; my perspective on life changed, suddenly I started to view everyone as a victim, as an outsider, and eventually the only person I could trust was my father, the only person I believed was him; my father, my best friend, my partner, my mentor, the one person who I could go to, who I knew could never judge because his crimes are worse than mine, much worse. I’m told that I’m a victim in all of this; a victim of my environment, a product created by my father for his own means. How can I believe that? How†¦how can that be true after everything he said, everything we’ve done together, always together. I told him we shouldn’t have taken her, that last one; she was wanted, she had friends, she had a family, she had a future, she†¦she was somebody†¦loved. But he had to have her and I couldn’t tell him no, he was the master he’d say, and I was his student†¦a student still after 12 years, 12 long years stretching out behind me. When I look at those years now I see there was no love there, how could he ever love anything more than what he did to those girls? He was alive when I watched him do that; his eyes, they sparkled and twinkled in the night. I try to remember a time when I’ve seen him happy like that with my mother and I can’t†¦I can’t. I’ve seen him smile, obviously I’ve seen him smile, but happiness is something a child should witness from a parent in normal circumstances†¦but then again what’s normal? They say normal is gardening, cooking, cleaning, washing, golfing†¦perhaps driving, stalking, watching, learning, catching, cutting, killing, digging†¦burying†¦none of that is normal, so I’ve been told. My mind†¦my mind is mixed up and all I can hear is my mother crying†¦crying trying to convince herself that she didn’t know what was going on. I want to see my father, but I’m not allowed. As if anything he could say would influence me more than he has done already; there’s nothing they can say now to make me confess, to speak a bad word about my father. I am his†¦forever his†¦but he will never be mine.

Questions Concerned International Business Law Research Paper

Questions Concerned International Business Law - Research Paper Example It is to be remembered that Coca is not to be misconstrued with cocoa, which emanates from cacao seeds and is being mainly used in making cocoa butter, cocoa and chocolates. (Index Mundi 2010). Even if you travel to the UK or some other destination through UAE or Dubai, it is advisable not to carry Coca with you. For example, if one is found to be carrying a packet of Khas Khas which is a generally used as a spice in some Indian sweets and curries, then it will be considered as a serious offense in UAE. Khas is also notoriously called as poppy seed, which can be germinated to grow narcotics (afeem etc.). (Index Mundi 2010). Thus, one should aware recent developments in the laws in UAE about Coca, and the exporter should clearly distinguish it from cocoa ( ingredients for Chocolates) and in other Gulf countries also which have been declared that carrying Coca is punishable with even worse with the death penalty or minimum 20 years of imprisonment. If a case has been booked by mistreating Cocoa as Coca, then the exporter has to incur huge legal fees as lawyers are demanding heavy fees for appearing in the court which may be amounting to AED 100,000 to plead for any innocence in Coca offenses. Everyone who is having business dealing with UAE should consider the significance of this issue and should never ever carry even minutest quantities of the following items when traveling or exporting the same to UAE or other Gulf countries. 2. For Ultra Educator Software Limited you have to assess what is the best form of corporate entity that I ideal for them in the United Arab Emirates? is it best if they have a branch or should they have a wholly owned subsidiary.

Entrepreneurship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 9

Entrepreneurship - Essay Example The current project will also explain the sales strategies as well as give an outline of the initial financial projections. With growing impact of globalisation, the role of entrepreneurship has gained higher importance in a country’s economy. Entrepreneurship is no more limited to a particular segment or section of business; in reality, it has spread across all the business areas in an economy. Entrepreneurs are increasingly entering in B2B, B2G (business to government) and B2C (business to consumer) sectors. With growing involvement of entrepreneurs, the competitive level of these sectors has improved substantially, resulting in better services for consumers (Audretsch, Keilbach and Lehmann, 2006). From a buyers’ perspective, a buyer can be of two types: final consumer and those who buy for future sale. In B2B activities, the buyer is not the final consumer. In this sector, commercial transaction takes place between two or more businesses such as, transaction between manufacturer and distributor, distributor and whole seller and distributor and retailers. B2B transactions are comparatively higher in volume than that of B2G and B2C, which is why scope of earning profit in this sector is also greater for entrepreneurs (Bussler, 2003). In present day scenario, hospitality industry is growing at the fastest pace as demand for service sector is outperforming that of manufacturing industry. Service sector not only delivers profitable growth, but also help to develop better-quality strategic positioning of the company (Getz and Petersen, 2005). The paper is about setting up recruitment consultancy for catering to needs of the hospitality industry in London. The term entrepreneur is derived from a French term ‘enteprendere’, which means to undertake. In a broader sense, an entrepreneur is any person who initiates a business or activity, gathers resources related to it, arranges funds for the venture, takes in

Social Economic Development and the Human Resources Management Article

Social Economic Development and the Human Resources Management - Article Example As the paper declares  workplace conflicts are increasing rapidly in the firms which employ people of different backgrounds. Social development policies are aiming to increase collaboration, positive interaction and exchange of beliefs among the employees.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This study outlines that economic development on the other hand referred to growth of economic prosperity of the country or areas. Residents of the countries like USA, UK, China, India, Australia and many other developed and   developing countries are considering economic growth as one of the major responsibility. Financial growth and purchasing power parity are considered as the major indicators of the economic development. Countries are using the parameters like the gross domestic product, real national income, and per capita income in order to judge the economic capacity of the peoples. Economic development refers to more in depth boost of country capacity. Such development process is used by the nations in o rder to improving the economic, political, and social beneficiary of residents and other peoples involved.  GDP is mainly representing the total value of products and services within country borders yearly. Gross domestic income (GDI) is similar to GDP according to their functionality.  Mainly the strategy covers various employee welfare activities that are adopted by the organizations.  Various requirements of the personal lifestyles are required to be maintained in order to motivate and satisfy stakeholders.

Employee Engagement Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Employee Engagement - Research Paper Example The employees should have other things in mind than salary only so that their performance can be the best. For this purpose the relationships between people within an organization should work in a good environment. Employee engagement is the bondage an employee had with the organization which makes him put in efforts to work for the benefit of the company. Employee engagement involves the efforts of both the organization and the employees themselves. True commitment towards work is necessary by the employees. This can be attained by the organizations by encouraging the individuals to put in efforts for the benefit of the organization. Every person working in a team should be encouraged and added in the conversation. Feedback should also be taken by all the employees in an organization. When an employee feels that he is valued, motivated and encouraged then he works more hard, hence benefiting the organization. Employee engagement is hence an important factor for the businesses to run efficiently nowadays. Employee engagement can be improved by frequent communication, meetings and friendly conversations. For example, Stamm (2009) discussed that in a hospital there was a meeting arranged for improving employee engagement. The nurses felt that the doctor was not friendly towards them and never even smiled at them. On the other hand, the doctor was a concerned to do his surgeries with perfection. He found it shocking that the staff was not at ease with his attitude. According to him he was busy taking wise decisions for doing the best surgery for his patients and never paid attention to this fact. With the help of this discussion the nursing staff also got to know that the doctor was never intentionally rude with them. This made them work better with one another, helping each other more efficiently and focusing on their duties more than on the personal attitudes hence employee engagement was improved. World is getting more and more connected nowadays. People have b etter job opportunities and everyone wants to improve his income because he wants to get luxuries and comforts in his life. Employee should not work only for getting salary, he should own the company. Efforts are being made by companies to improve employee engagement as well. The personal goals of the employees are also important for improving employee engagement. In this assignment, the differences between individualism and collectivism are explored in detail. 2. Employee Engagement 2.1 What does Employee engagement mean? Employee engagement is the hot cake issue for organizations for the past several years. It is the amount of attachment or emotional bondage a person has with his organization and work. This bond makes the employee work at his best for benefitting the organization. It is all about to â€Å"own† an organization and work for it and to share the good and bad moments. According to Investopedia (2011), employee engagement is a management concept which is of great importance. It is the level of interest and devotion an employee has towards his job. For example, a person who works in a company and puts in efforts for the organization’s growth and profits and does not only works for money or salary and has devotion towards his job and company is an engaged employee. Organizational culture and its management contribute a lot in the employee engagement. According to Cook (2008), employee engagement is the amount of commitment an employee has towards his organization. It is the passion and energy the employee has towards putting in efforts for the betterment of his organization. For example the employee working in an

What are the strengths and limitations of the methods of 'political Essay

What are the strengths and limitations of the methods of 'political economy' in offering us insights into the operation of t - Essay Example Studies depict that the media units reach the reader through catchy information that propels the purchases and drives out competition. However, the act is often a tricky affair as the media may employ propaganda to enrich the information and reach the reader with the desired degree of perception (Skinner, 2005, p. 2). The context documents the theories and theorists on the limitations and strengths of the media in relevance to the political economy method and the general environment. The Political Economy Method Media channels release news to the environment meant to convey information on the actual outcome of events that affect the lives of individuals. In the competitive media industry, the channels shift concerns towards profitability rather than practice the right approaches to the environment through abiding by the code of conduct. For example, the readers do not expect that the information conveyed to them could be ill yet interesting, but on the other hand, it is a criterion a pproach that only catchy information would sale to the readers profitably (Mcchesney, 2008, p. 45). The practice implies a conflicting situation to the ethical code of conduct and the prevailing cultural values and the extent upon which the media practices further contrast with the will to deliver information and that of amassing profits (Plappert, 2010, p. 3). The media practices of the political economy method meant to derive the following set of views. The media industry depicted a continuous overflow in the market that threatened concentration, as this would normally implicate negative returns on revenues. The media depicted that globalization pursued the industry and based on the decreased diversity, chances were that the international audience would tend to react towards information in a similar manner (Wasko, Murdock and Sousa, 2011, p. 24). Prospects were that the method would hinder any negative influence from the opposition and other groups that would perceive a chance to indict charges towards the media practices. According to the team on political economy, Raymond established that the media and the public established different interests, but the extent to which the public would affect the media, was dependent on private interests of the media stakeholders (Winseck and Jin, 2011, p. 76). The Problem Approach of the ‘Political Economy’ Method in Relation to the Media The method of political economy in relation to the actual consciousness of the society through media communication raised a heated debate in the 1970s. The theorists of the political economy approach outlined the importance of the method and that it enhanced the welfare of the individual society members negatively. In a way, the media would articulate communicative programs to monetary related objectives and ensure that the public felt the salient role of the information in the society (Wasko, Murdock and Sousa, 2011, p. 28). The media would evolve accordingly through the pr ocesses and programs that related inversely to the economic propulsion but ethnically contrasted with societal beliefs and norms. The theory of ‘political economy,’ as initially indicated by Marx and Engels, targeted to realize ethics alongside economic values. This would further imply the aspect of consciousness towards the society. The contrast is that towards the end of implementation of the theory, the result was a positive economic approach to the business culture with less relation to the societal welfare, thus

The violence currently facing Colombia's dispossessed is indicative Essay

The violence currently facing Colombia's dispossessed is indicative that the country could soon experience a revolution - Essay Example Observe, do not fulfill† (Brenner 8). From this background, different leaders arose and rebelled against the government: although these leaders had different agendas, the support of the Mexican masses lied on one desire: the desire to change the social structure, to implement reforms that would give economic and socio-political empowerment to the majority of the people (Brenner 35-40). From the above statement, the researcher of this paper thinks that a similar revolution is also brewing in Colombia: a revolution to empower the dispossessed and make radical reforms that would change society’s structure and give more opportunities to the poor. As the Mexican Revolution of the 1910s sought to overthrow the elites and give â€Å"Mexico back to the Mexicans† (Brenner 62), so will happen with Colombia, where several rebel guerilla groups, most notably the FARC-EP, are already there proclaiming itself as the army of Colombia’s poor and dispossessed. ... s â€Å"The Wind That Swept Mexico† and Alfredo Molano’s â€Å"The Dispossessed: Chronicles of the Desterrados of Colombia.† One of the main characteristics of Mexican society in the 1910s was the monopoly of political power by the elite. In the time of the dictatorship of Diaz, almost all of the positions on the government bureaucracy were given to the elites, either to the â€Å"biggest landowner or businessman† (Brenner 10). Such political tradition gave Diaz the support of the elite for much of his administration. In addition, this political; system was justified with the fact that Mexico is not ready for democracy, given that ninety percent of its people is dominantly Indian, viewed as â€Å"racially inferior† and â€Å"subhuman† (Brenner 10). While the idea of open elections was also dismissed by Diaz due to the fact that only â€Å"not even fifteen percent (of the population) can read† (Brenner 10), it was also declared that dem ocracy was a utopia that must not to be toyed with. In addition to political power was economic power: both the elites and foreign corporations controlled the Mexican economy (Brenner 14). Much of the economy was driven buy investments from foreign corporations, most notably the United States, using cheap Mexican labor that neither have control over their own land or their country’s national resources (Brenner 14). Most of Mexico’s industries where controlled by foreign enterprises, reaping much revenues, making Mexico a â€Å"bonanza land† for investors using a steady supply of Mexican â€Å"cheap and docile labor† (Brenner 15). Meanwhile, in the countryside, haciendas ruled the land, with them owning almost all of the arable lands, making the land reform of the previous Juarez regime useless (Brenner 19). In fact, it was actually

Thomas becket Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Thomas becket - Research Paper Example Thomas was born December 21st, 1118 or 1120 in the family of a wealthy and prosperous merchant, a citizen of London – Gilbert Beket. The name Thomas was given to him because he was born on St. Thomas the Apostle’s day. Both Thomas’ parents were of Norman ancestry. Very little is known about Thomas’ childhood. What we do know is that his mother was a righteous and charitable woman, giving him some allowance to give to the poor. That had a great impact on him and played a key role in making him what he became in his adult life. Becket studied between the age of ten and twenty-one, most likely between 1130 and 1141. He studied in a few educational institutions, such as the Augustinian priory at Merton in Surrey, and then in one or more of the grammar schools in London. His student life was spent in Paris. He was not a particularly studious pupil. His mother was the one who encouraged him to study. In fact, when she died, he stopped his education at age of twe nty-one. Frank Barlow says about his education: Thomas’ rather sketchy education caused the biographers some difficulty. They know that, although he was extremely intelligent, he was never much of a scholar†¦ Presumably, because he became an archbishop and then a saint†¦ even if he had been an inattentive schoolboy, in ten years he must’ve gone through the whole curriculum at a modest level and acquired some knowledge of the seven liberal arts†¦ But clearly he had not mastered the subjects†¦ It is also clear that, in youth, he did not proceed beyond the basic curriculum. His legal and theological studies pertain to later periods of his life, to professions which required those special qualifications. (Barlow 21) Thomas’ father, Gilbert Beket suffered financial problems, so Thomas was forced to find a work. He first worked as a clerk for a relative, but later became the agent to Theobald, the then-current Archbishop of Canterbury. He was sent on a few important missions to Rome. He was entrusted with much, and his efficiency paid off. Theobald recommended him to King Henry II for the position of Chancellor. Becket was appointed to this position in January 1155. On this post, Becket showed his political brilliance – he razed castles, repaired the Tower of London, raised, prepared and led troops to war, conducted various diplomatic missions etc. He was completely trusted by Henry II, who, besides a loyal and faithful subject, found Thomas to be a close friend and a great companion. He aided the King in his mission to subject all power into the hands of the monarch, even when his interests were contrary to those of the church. As a Chancellor, Becket lived and traveled in luxury. This strongly contradicted with his status as Archdeacon of Canterbury. Another very serious and contradicting occurrence was the fact that he flatly refused to leave this post, even though he neglected his duties. Theobald disapproved his a ctions greatly, Becket when he was called on, did not appear before the dying Archbishop. This is another fact historians widely criticize. During this time the Gregorian reform had begun to be implemented, spreading from the Holy Roman Empire, Italy and France and started to influence English clerics as well. According to the reform, the clerical posts were appointed by free elections, an issue of free appeal to Rome was implemented, and other such changes, that made the church more independent from secular rule. Henry II

The Great awakening Essay Example for Free

The Great awakening Essay The Great Awakening as a marker for a cultural and religious upheaval did not appear immediately, but in scholastic research on religion in the eighteenth century, the time reflects the complexity of attitudes toward, and consequences of, religious activity in the African American communities. Taken in total, the landscape of Black Christian images presented a vast picture, still incompletely realized, from the earlier and persistent view of a monolithic vision accepted by many. Possibly only to save a few rationalists or extremists could see a different scenario. After his own religious conversion, Richard joined the Methodist Society, began attending classes, and evangelized his friends and neighbors. Richard and his brothers attended classes every week and meetings every other Thursday. A. M. E. leaders began to use both written biographical materials and public commemorations of Allens life to instill a sense of history and tradition among the largely illiterate masses. Their complementary use of public commemorations and written accounts of Allens life during this period suggest a more general attempt among Black leaders to bridge the overlapping worlds of morality and literacy in order to establish a sense of tradition, an empowering historical memory, and a pantheon of Black heroes who might one day gain their rightful place in the national pantheon. (Conyers, 1999) Notwithstanding its name, the AME Church was clearly the most respectable and orthodox of black American independent churches. While some recognizably African elements surfaced in services, AME leaders tended to disdain if not actively to suppress those beliefs and practices that scholars today celebrate as signs of Africas persistence in the New World. The whole point of racial vindication was to demonstrate blacks capacity to uphold recognized standards in their personal and collective lives and thereby to hasten abolition and full inclusion in American society. Surely people interested in connections between black America and Africa should look elsewhere than the AME Church. Historically, the first separate denominations to be formed by African Americans in the United States were Methodist. The early black Methodist churches, conferences, and denominations were organized by free black people in the North in response to stultifying and demeaning conditions attending membership in the white-controlled Methodist Episcopal churches. This independent church movement of black Christians was the first effective stride toward freedom by African Americans. Unlike most sectarian movements, the initial impetus for black spiritual and ecclesiastical independence was not grounded in religious doctrine or polity, but in the offensiveness of racial segregation in the churches and the alarming inconsistencies between the teachings and the expressions of the faith. It was readily apparent that the white church had become a principal instrument of the political and social policies under girding slavery and the attendant degradation of the human spirit. In all fairness, without exception, Richard Allen embodied the assertive free-black culture that was maturing in the North by the 1830s. Despite criticisms of his domineering manner and personal ambition, Allen had attained by the time of his death in 1831, a position of respect among his people that was rivaled by very few of his contemporaries.

Richard Rogers Architect Biography

Richard Rogers Architect Biography This report is written to acknowledge an architectural design icon, Richard Rogers. I will be looking at this mans life and his accomplishments. Richard Rogers is my design icon because his buildings are bold, daring, eye-catching and of course, inspirational. To get the information and research I need, I will be mainly gathering it from the internet, interviews and videos as well as any books I can come across. Hopefully, after reading this report you will understand why Richard Rogers is considered a design icon not to just myself, but the rest of the world. Richard Rogers As a person, Richard Rogers has lead an incredible life, born in Italy, he trained at the AA (Architectural Association) and Yale University leaving with an impressive amount of qualifications. Richard Rogers, his partner Norman Foster and their wives Su Brumwell and Wendy Cheesman, set up an architectural practice called Team 4, although this partnership only lasted a 4 years, Richard continued to marry Su, and create a new partnership with Renzo Piano when they then designed the first of many inspirational buildings, the Pompidou Centre. Richard won various awards for many different buildings, even though he did have some problems with the public about his buildings, he did go on to design another building, the Lloyds building in London, which is much more popular today than it was when it was being built. Richard has visited many different countries leaving his mark in many of them, including the United Kingdom, Spain, France, Germany, New York and Japan. He has inspired many people with his buildings and his determination. He has not being afraid of putting his ideas forward, and has been given both grief and praise by the public. He is committed to ensuring that his buildings should be peoples places. The BBC invited Richard as the first architect to give the BBC Reith Lectures for a series called Cities for a Small Planet. Richard even became the Chief Advisor on Architecture and Urbanism to the Mayor of London, he has also been a chairman of the Tate Gallery and Honorary Trustee of the Museum of Modern Art in New York. If that wasnt enough, he even went on to be knighted and became Lord Rogers. Richard Rogers has many achievements and has done many, many things over his lifetime, below is a short timeline of some of his most remarkable achievements. Richard Rogers was born in Florence, Italy in 1933. Richard moved to London to go to the Architectural association. He then went on to gain a masters degree from Yale University in 1962. Richard met up with former Yale student Norman Foster and began an architectural practice called Team 4 with their wives, although the partnership only lasted a few years, Richard quickly found a new partner, Renzo Piano, who together won the Prizker Price their building the Pompidou Centre which was built in 1977. His next main building was Lloyds building in London which was completed in 1986 which became just as much of a monument as big ben. The European Court of Human Rights (1995) is very popular in France, for its fantastic looks. The Barajas airport in Madrid was also a head turner. The Millennium Dome though really was a fantastic structure, representing so much in such a unique way, this was completed in 1999. Another big project was London Heathrow Terminal 5, there was so much to this project, but it was finally completed in 2008. And finally, a real monument, Three Word Trade Centre, it is said to be completed between 2011 and 2015, it is to stand next to two other towers built by other architects using the same style. Buildings Richard Rogers has designed many buildings, most popular are the Pompidou Centre in Paris, in London he designed the Lloyds Building, the Millennium Dome and London Heathrow Terminal 5. The European Court of Human Rights building in Strasbourg, Barajas airport terminal 4 in Madrid and the National Assembly for Wales building were also fantastic structures. The Pompidou Centre The Centre Pompidou was Richards first building created alongside Renzo Piano in 1977, the design of which won the Prizker Prize in 2007 by basically creating the building inside out. This meant that all the parts you would usually expect to see inside, like the stairs, air ducts, plumbing, cables, etc. were all on the outside of the building creating massive indoor space, which is particularly useful as this particular building was used as an art museum, in fact, it is the largest museum for modern art in Europe. Not only was this building functional, it also complimented its use for an art museum, impressing its visitors before they even entered the building. In theory, having the internal maintenance, such as the plumbing and air ducts, should also make the building easier to maintain. Another complimenting aspect of the building is how each external part has being colour coded to make sure they stood out rather than blend in. The Pompidous original plans were actually much more extravagant to start, including moving internal walls and adjustable floors, which unfortunately, did not make it into the final design. Richard was at first reluctant to put this design forward as he was confident that the French government would turn it down, but as it has it, they didnt, and although it was criticized at first and claimed to be ugly it is now complimented on being one of the most remarkable buildings of the 20th century. The headquarters for Lloyds of London Richard used the Pompidou center as an inspiration for his next building, the Lloyds building in London. This was a massive project as the previous building was created in steel where as this one of concrete. Once again the building was designed with its internal parts, outside, this even included glass lifts which were the first of their kind in the UK, as well as the cables, stairs, pipes and even the toilets. This, of course, left large open spaces on the inside. Once again the Lloyds building was brightly coloured and brightly lit. The public at first feared this would make this building an alien is actually regarded as one of the finest buildings on London since the 1980s The Millennium Dome The millennium dome is another one of Richardss creations. It is a very clever design with 12 towers or arms extruding from the white canopy which support the roof of the structure. Stretching out a massive 365m diameter, the Dome is the biggest one in the world. The design of the structure is also clever as you will notice 365m in diameter, one meter for each day of the year, as well as one tower for each month of the year. Although you would of never of realized until someone mentioned it, its still a remarkable thing to have built in. On the inside there was a large open space with a skylight in the center of it all to fill with whatever the users would like, which for the millennium, was split into 13 different zones to educate the public in an interactive way, unfortunately, the  £43 million building only brought in half the expected visitors and was finally converted into the 02 Arena. The millennium dome was a remarkable structure built for the millennium and had been planned for since 1996, and was originally planned as a temporary structure to last only 1 year, but as it happens, its lasted much longer. 175 Greenwich Street 175 Greenwich Street is the future site of the 3rd world trade center. The structure will stretch up to 1155 feet with 71 stories, four of which will be below street level. The building will occupy 200x 198 feet. The building itself has been designed to the highest energy efficiency ratings. It is to have a central concrete core using a steel frame on the outside of the building. It is planned to be completed between 2011and 2015 depending when the site is available to developers. The building will also be accompanied by two other towers built by separate architects but hired by the same company, Silverstein Properties. All three buildings are to have the same style. London Heathrow Terminal 5 Terminal 5 was finally approved in 2001 after a 46 month public inquiry, the longest public inquiry in British history. In 2002 work had finally started and was not completed until 2008. The new terminal means that the airport can support a much higher passenger capacity, but it will not have any more flights, although environmentalists say it will lead to more flights and pollution. For the terminal to be built, two rivers had to be diverted. Using artificial waterways to successfully divert the rivers allowed the  £4.2 billion building to be built. Terminal 5 had to include a railway station and several other buildings as well as a control tower; this really shows how big the project actually is. Style Richard Rogers has been accused of having several different styles, he himself is committed on his buildings being people places, although this is not normally classed as a style, he certainly has made it into one with his structures have exceedingly large indoor spaces. Bowellism is another style related to his first building, the Pompidou Centre. Having the internal components such as the lifts, pipes, stairs and cables externally, means that there is an unreal amount of floor space, which, for an art museum, is very useful. Post-modern is referred to another one of his structures, the Lloyds building in London, having all the components clearly visible, and then brightly painted, and then brightly lit When Richard was younger, he dreamed of building a Zip-up house where his parents would live, a zip-up house basically means ready to assemble or a flat pack house. Having walls, floors, panels and so on prebuilt and fabricated making the building energy efficient, and easy to adjust. Conclusion As you can see, Richard Rogers has lead a remarkable life, building many inspirational buildings such as the Pompidou Centre, leaving his mark in many countries such as England, and many cities such as Strasbourg, he has received many well deserved awards for his buildings and has even been knighted by the queen. He has an incredible design eye, and is not afraid to go outside of the box, or in some cases, the building, and even though some of his buildings have been criticized badly, in the end, they always came out positive. The fact that Richard is still designing, and his designs still make the public gasp is amazing, hopefully he will continue to build and design for as long as possible, and Im sure that many people will be inspired by his work and his life. All of these things, and many, many more, defiantly make him a supreme choice of a design icon. Recommendations Trying to recommend anything for Richard Rogers is extremely difficult as he has done it all, hes traveled, hes married, hes left his mark, hes inspired, hes lived, if anything people should look at his life and make recommendations for themselves. Do what you love doing, and do it until you die, dont be afraid of putting your ideas forward, and fight for what you want.

Humanism :: essays research papers

According to Encyclopedia.com humanism is, â€Å" a philosophical and literary movement in which man and his capabilities are the central concern.† While this simple definition certainly does convey the essence of the movement, it does no justice to the whirlwind of artistic and intellectual inspiration stirred up by it. There are many forms of humanistic philosophy in today’s society, but the origin of this school of thought traces its roots back to the days of the scholars of ancient Greece and Rome. It was the revival of and renewed interest in Greco-Roman culture around (during the western transition from medieval to early modern culture) that marked the beginning of the Early Renaissance. The humanists believed that the Greek and Latin classics contained all the lessons one needed to lead a moral and effective life. It was the profound respect for nature and scientific knowledge and of course the reevaluation of classical thought, literature, and art that gave the Renaissance its distinctively secular stamp. Many accomplished artists and intellectuals studied during the roughly 200 year period of the Renaissance, and while some are more recognized than others, it is their combined wisdom that created many of foundations on which modern society is based. Though there were many great intellectuals, and artists during the three Renaissance periods, there are a few who clearly stick out as representing the true attitude of the times. These â€Å"Renaissance Men† as they are now called didn’t limit themselves to one medium of study or expression. Rather they embraced many forms of science and artistry, and through their combined studies observed, recorded, and created many scientific theories about nature, man and nature, and man and himself that still hold truth and are the basis of many fields of study today. Of all the artist-scientists of the Renaissance Leonardo da Vinci best deserves the title. Born in Florence during the High Renaissance (1452-1519) he was most certainly not a man of â€Å"book learning† da Vinci spent his life observing the world around him, either imitating nature through art, or explaining nature through science. His hundreds of ingenious mechanical inventions and extensive knowledge in the fields of art, biology and the natural sciences immortalize his role as the father of the scientific revolution. Da Vinci’s work Embryo in the Womb (ca.1510) seems to be a perfect example of the impression classic humanism had on the works of the Renaissance.

The Influence of Self-Assessed Body Image on Confidence and Self-Esteem

Research in psychology today seems to be drawn towards particular fields of interest especially when it comes to understanding human behavior. One of the most common research topics for social psychology is body image and the perceptions that are related to age groups, genders, and ethnicities. Young people today are pressured by society to make physical appearance a dominant factor in their everyday lives, and the pressure is found not only through media influence but friends and family as well (Pavica, 2010). These pressures can affect many different aspects of a person’s life and significantly influence their actions. The aspects affected by body image can include popularity among peers, social comfort, and the attitudes an individual comes to commit to behavior (Lewis & Rosenblum, 1999). Studies of body image in the past have gained varying results as to the groups that are affected, as well as the amount of impact body image has with these groups. There has also been much debate over the validity of methods used to judge body image, and how well the measurements used actually correlate participants’ actual views of body image (Cash, Morrow, Hrabosky, & Perry 2004). Some factors that have led to this discrepancy in answers are questions that were framed to be more suitable to attain the attitudes of one gender over another. The initial studies of body image focused upon simply body shape which seemed to be more important to women, whereas body image affects were seen for men when questions of muscle definition were included into the questionnaire process (Ridgeway, & Tylka, 2005). This study hopes to gain a more in depth view of a demographic that is believed to put a great amount of focus on body image in the way the... ...ipong, Paul, and Heidi Burkey. "Body mass Index and Body Size Perception: A normalizing of overweight and obesity among diverse college students." Californian Journal of Health Promotion 9.1 (2011): 18-24. Retrieved from http://cjhp.org/Volume9-2011/issue1/18-24ratanasiripong.pdf Ridgeway, R., & Tylka, T. (2005). College men's perceptions of ideal body composition and shape. Psychology of Men & Masculinity, 6(3), 209-220. Retrieved from http://ovidsp.tx.ovid.com Rosenblum, G. and Lewis, M. "The relations among body image, physical attractiveness, and body mass in adolescence." Child Development 70.1 (1999): 50-64. doi: 10.1111/1467-8624.00005 Seidah, Amelie, and Therese Bouffard. "Being proud of oneself as a person or being proud of one's physical appearance: What matters for feeling will in adolescense?." Social Behavior and Personality 35.2 (2007): 255-268.

Watsons Theory of Caring Essay -- Nursing

Watson’s Theory of Nursing We live in a fast moving environment with longer tiring days. When we are ill we go to the doctor’s office or emergency room and expect fast and reliable service. Data is collected that is measuring satisfaction from the service and, of course that data helps to improve the service. Companies keep track of statistics, like income, housing, children, and cars. I also like numbers and statistics, and like the idea that everything can be measured and have a number associated with it. However, I am wondering if everything can be quantified. Can we reliably measure happiness, love, and care of one person for another? Attempts are made to quantify happiness in some countries, Bhutan and Great Britain, to name a few. Consider health care, we are counting admissions, discharges, hospital-days, and patient satisfaction scores, but this statistic does not reflect how a patient feels. How often was the patient scared, depressed and lonely in his statistical hospital room somewhere betwe en his admission and discharge? Did anyone care about this person? Watson's theory of caring concentrates on human aspect of nursing and gives nurses opportunity to connect and to care for patients. Background of Watson’s Theory of Caring Watson admits that her original intent was not to create a theory; she was only trying to solve some conceptual and empirical problems with nursing education, practice, and research. Her 1979 book, Nursing: The Philosophy and Science of Caring, was, in fact, an essay on nursing (Watson, 1999). Over 30 years, from 1979 to 2008, Watson develops and finalizes her Theory of Caring. She starts with her textbook for an integrated nursing curriculum at the University of Colorado. The theory starts wi... ...e. Easier, of course, to perform assigned task, but we know that in human interaction and especially in health care many more factors affect the outcome but not just well performed task. Watson’s theory gives a special attention and concentrates on the humanistic aspect of nursing. Works Cited Alligood, M. R., & Tomey, A. M. (2006). Nursing theory: Utilization & application (3rd ed.). St. Louis, MO: Mosby Elsevier. Cross, P. (1981). Adults as learners . Washington, DC : Jossey-Bass, a subsidiary of John Wiley & Sons . Watson, J. (1988). Nursing: Human science and human care. New York: National League for Nursing. Watson, J. (1999). Nursing: Human science and human care: A theory of nursing. Sudbury, MA: NLN Press, Jones and Bartlett Publishers. Watson, J. (2008). Nursing: The philosophy and science of caring. Boulder, CO: University Press of Colorado.

Dealing with Strangers in Strange Lands Essay

The book, A Land so Strange, tells of an expedition of 300 men, women, and enslaved Africans who set sail from Spain in 1528 under the leadership of Pà ¡nfilo de Narvà ¡ez with the dream of settling Florida. Yet, a hurricane, lost ships, navigational errors, leadership follies, and challenges from Indians well capable of holding off would-be European conquest added up to a colossal disaster. Expedition members ended up wandering along the Gulf Coast before taking to the water on handmade rafts which finally washed up on the Texas coast, in course of which their numbers rapidly diminished as they fell victim to drowning, dehydration, starvation, and cannibalism (by their fellow castaways). A mere four survivors-Cabeza de Vaca, Alonso del Castillo, Andrà ©s Dorantes, and an enslaved Moor known only as Estebanico remained. Throughout this reading, it will become quite clear that working with the Indians instead of against would have provided a more viable solution to the Spaniards survival predicament. Furthermore, the success of the Spanish in North American depended greatly on their relations with the natives. This will be seen through the embarrassing death of Narvaez and the success that Cabeza de Vaca experiences. Eventually, Cabeza and his crew begin to see the Indians as human beings and as a possible alliance in the harsh environment they are trying to conquer. The Spanish ideals of non-christians were very strong. Even the converts were criticized, â€Å"Such converts were euphemistically referred to as new christians, and were often the target of discrimination in an empire that had become unified on the basis of militant religiousity.†[1] Such an age of ego drove the kings to explore territory not only for riches and fame, but for the possibility of â€Å"spreading the good word†. During Cabeza de Vaca’s amazing journey, he went from the hunter to the hunted, from the giver to the begger, and from the fat to the starving. At one point, during a seemingly endless walk in a dessert, Narvaez notices a group of Indians. He is dying of thirst and barely has any food. However, he looks upon the Indians and says, â€Å"What poor and wretched creatures.†[2] Even at the lowest point, he still condemns the Indians instead of approaches and begs for some form of charity. Things got worse. He later gave up all hope of survival  and proclaimed, â€Å"It was no longer time for some men to rule over others, but that each one should do whatever seemed best to save his life.†[3] Narvaez died a painful death lost at sea on a raft carried by the tided. He wanted nothing to do with the Indians, even to the point of death. Such pain seemed to attract the leadership of false-superiority. Only at Cabeza de Vacas lowest point did he realize that the Indians could actually help him and the remaining survivors. He was shipwrecked on a small island with no food or drink. It is here where he stated the following after seeing its inhabitants, â€Å"Whether or not they were of great stature, our fear made them seem like giants.†[4] His fear was obviously overwhelming and he had no choice but to succumb to whatever treachery the Indians were to release. To the surprise of the castaways, the Indians brought food and drink to the survivors. They were astonished by the generosity of the Indians. The Indians eventually adopted and took care of them even through the toughest of seasons. Throughout the remainder of the story, Cabeza depended on the Indians for survival. He even went far enough to state, â€Å"These are the people most fit for war of all I have seen in the world.†[5] The Indians carried with them a great weight, for the stranded were quite useless when it comes to surviving in harsh conditions. Through persistence and persuasion, Cabeza eventually became a medicine man convinced he was sent by God to heal those in need. He worked his way up the ranks and finally came home to an astonished emperor. It is quite obvious that working with the Indians instead of against provided the best solution to the Spaniards issues. Narvaez chose a path of stubbornness and superiority while Cabeza de Vaca chose a path of harsh reality and acceptance. The Indians were taught at birth the laws of nature and how to overcome the most horrible of environmental circumstances, the Spanish came with little knowledge but a passion for fame and fortune. The following statement by Cabeza de Vaca sums it all up, â€Å"Together, Europeans and Native Americans could make the New World yield spiritual as well as material wealth† (218). Surviving in a land so strange can be strenuous beyond comprehension, there comes a time when the best ideal is cooperation. Source Cited Resendez, Andres. A Land so Strange. New York City: Basic Books, 2007. ———————– [1] Resendez, Andres. A Land so Strange Pp47 [2] Resendez, Andres. A Land so Strange. Pp121 [3] Resendez, Pp 127 [4] Resendez, Pp 134 [5] Resendez, Pp 182

The Great Gatsby- Immorality

The American Dream—A Road to Immorality â€Å"‘You will not certainly die,’ the serpent said to the woman. ‘For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God,  knowing good and evil’† (New International Bible, Genesis 3:4-5). The prevalence of temptation and immorality has been present from the beginning of time. In the Biblical sense, it was the serpent that tempted Eve with his promises for greatness and divinity, but ultimately corrupted her world, as well as the world today. Presently, the lust for power and authority is exceedingly evident amongst today’s society.In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the American dream was a foundation of desires for wealth and supremacy. Throughout the novel, the characters’ greed has a negative impact on their everyday decisions, and leads them down the path of immorality and depravity. Through the examination of the lives of Nick Carraway an d Jordan Baker, Tom and Daisy Buchanan, and Jay Gatsby, the following essay will prove how the tempting and agonizing pursuit of the American dream often leads to a life full of dishonesty and corruption.In the beginning of the novel, Nick Carraway evidenced his mixed emotions towards the rich lifestyle. In the manner he described Tom Buchanan, it is clear that Nick noticed the complacency of the rich lifestyle: Two shining arrogant eyes had established dominance over his face and gave him the appearance of always leaning aggressively forward. . . . His speaking voice, a gruff husky tenor, added to the impression of fractiousness he conveyed. There was a touch of paternal contempt in it, even toward people he liked—and there were men at New Haven who had hated his guts. Fitzgerald 12) Despite his distaste towards the rich, Nick also idolized them. His strong desire to achieve the American dream persuaded him to associate with these people. However, as he got sucked into their world, he became more and more dishonest and immoral. When asked by Tom and Daisy about his rumoured engagement to a woman back home, Nick denied it. However, it is later revealed that he is, in fact, engaged: But I am slow-thinking and full of interior rules that act as brakes on my desires, and I knew that first I had to get myself definitely out of that tangle back home.I’d been writing letters once a week and signing them: ‘Love, Nick,’ and all I could think of was how, when that certain girl played tennis, a faint mustache of perspiration appeared on her upper lip. Nevertheless there was a vague understanding that had to be tactfully broken off before I was free. (Fitzgerald 59) Regardless of this, he pursued an affair with Jordan Baker. As the novel progressed, Nick began to realize how the fast and extravagant lifestyle of the rich was only a cover for the disturbing moral emptiness amongst them.He learned that even Jordan, whom he had developed feelings for, was dishonest and was willing to do anything to ensure her success: Jordan Baker instinctively avoided clever, shrewd men, and now I saw that this was because she felt safer on a plane where any divergence from a code would be thought impossible. She was incurably dishonest. She wasn’t able to endure being at a disadvantage and, given this unwillingness, I suppose she had begun dealing in subterfuges when she was very young in order to keep that cool, insolent smile turned to the world and yet satisfy the demands of her hard, jaunty body. Fitzgerald 58) After gaining much maturity, Nick returned to Minnesota seeking a life structured by more traditional moral values. The lives of Tom and Daisy Buchanan are prime examples of how achieving the American dream often leads to living a low and vulgar life. At a first glance, their home seems to be the perfect family setting. It isn’t long before Tom’s affair with his mistress becomes evident: â€Å"‘Is som ething happening? ’ I inquired innocently. ‘You mean to say you don’t know? ’ said Miss Baker, honestly surprised. ‘I thought everybody knew. ‘I don’t. ’ ‘Why—’ she said hesitantly, ‘Tom’s got some woman in New York’† (Fitzgerald 20). When Daisy sees Gatsby again, she also begins an affair of her own. However this affair is short lived as Tom becomes aware of the infidelity of his wife. Daisy was forced to choose between Tom and Gatsby, but she refused to abandon her â€Å"old rich† lifestyle. After hitting Myrtle while driving Jay’s car, Daisy and Tom decided to conspire a plan in order to avoid responsibility for the tragedy: â€Å"Daisy and Tom were sitting opposite each other at the kitchen table, . . . There was an unmistakable air of natural intimacy about the picture and anybody would have said that they were conspiring together† (Fitzgerald 138). Despite Da isy’s professed â€Å"love† for Gatsby, she allowed him to take the blame for the accident, which eventuated in his death. When Wilson went to Tom and asked him who the car belonged to, Tom had no problem mentioning Jay Gatsby’s name, providing Wilson with the information needed to justify Myrtle’s death: â€Å"‘I told him the truth,’ he said. ‘He came to the door hile we were getting ready to leave, and when I sent down word that we weren’t in he tried to force his way up-stairs. He was crazy enough to kill me if I hadn’t told him who owned the car. . . .’† (Fitzgerald 169). In the end, Daisy chose the American dream over her moral conscience, proving that the rich are not really better than the poor. Jay Gatsby’s quest for the American dream began at the age of 17, when he left his North Dakota farm-life home in pursuit of better life. After meeting Daisy and seeing her wealth, he became obsessed wit h her.Gatsby’s â€Å"love† for Daisy was more of an urgent desire to possess her. He lied to her in order to draw her to him: He might have despised himself, for he had certainly taken her under false pretenses. I don’t mean that he had traded on his phantom millions, but he had deliberately given Daisy a sense of security; he let her believe that he was a person from much the same stratum as herself—that he was fully able to take care of her. (Fitzgerald 142) Gatsby’s desperation drove him to work for Meyer Wolfsheim.He quickly earned a vast amount of money by bootlegging alcohol and associating in other illegal activities under Wolfsheim’s order: â€Å"‘He and this Wolfsheim bought up a lot of side-street drug-stores here and in Chicago and sold grain alcohol over the counter. . . .’† (Fitzgerald 127). Even though Jay seemed to be an unsavory, worldly man with his illegal and immoral tendencies, he had an incredible sen se of loyalty. His unfailing loyalty extended to everyone he cared for, from his own father to Dan Cody to Daisy.Unfortunately, he did not always receive the same measure of devotion in return, demonstrated when Daisy allowed him to take the fall for her foolish actions. Nick Carraway recognized this goodness about him, and reassured Gatsby: â€Å"‘They’re a rotten crowd,’ I shouted across the lawn. ‘You’re worth the whole damn bunch put together’† (Fitzgerald 146). Jay Gatsby’s hunger for the American dream proves how even good-natured people can become corrupted by their lust for money and power. â€Å"‘You will not certainly die,’ the serpent said to the woman. For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God,  knowing good and evil’† (New International Bible, Genesis 3:4-5). The prevalence of temptation and immorality has been present from the beginning of time. In the Biblical sense, it was the serpent that tempted Eve with his promises for greatness and divinity, but ultimately corrupted her world, as well as the world today. Presently, the lust for power and authority is exceedingly evident amongst today’s society. In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the American dream was a foundation of desires for wealth and supremacy.Throughout the novel, the characters’ greed has a negative impact on their everyday decisions, and leads them down the path of immorality and depravity. Through the examination of the lives of Nick Carraway and Jordan Baker, Tom and Daisy Buchanan, and Jay Gatsby, the following essay will prove how the tempting and agonizing pursuit of the American dream often leads to a life full of dishonesty and corruption. Works Cited Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. Toronto: Penguin Books Ltd. , 1998. New International Bible. New York: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1982.

Interview: Occupational Therapy and Child Essay

The current interview process is in regards to a child who is four years old and was diagnosed with autism when he was two years old. Children with autism often display deficits in language, social interaction, behaviors, and sensory and perceptual processing (Case-Smith &ump; O’Brien, 2010). Therefore, the purpose of the current interview is to investigate the child’s overall needs, strengths, and weaknesses in regards to the child’s specific condition to gain an in-depth understanding of the child. The goal of the interview is to collect thorough information about the child to allow the practitioner to gain an understanding of the child and parent’s needs for therapy. Furthermore, the interview facilitates rapport between the practitioner and the child and parent and expresses the practitioner’s desire to understand and empathize with the child. It is important to establish a relationship with the child and the parent to allow for an open discussion and a successful intervention. The practitioner should establish proper eye contact and engage with the child properly to gain the child’s trust during the interview process. Structure of interviewing The structure of the interview is made available so there are smooth transition within the interview. The questions are phrased in an open-ended form to promote more conversation with the client and allows the practitioner to gain more information about the client. The questions in the interview are directed to the parent due to the young age of the child and the child’s diagnosis of autism. Furthermore, according to Stone and Hogan (1993) â€Å"parents offer an unique perspective on the child’s behaviors, one that is acquired over time and across different contexts and input from parents provides an invaluable supplement to clinical observations.† The intake form is formatted in a style where the practitioner may easily ask the questions and transcribe the information from the client. The typical sections of the interview are the opening, body, and closure (Sommers-Flannagan,J. &ump; Sommers-Flannagan, R., 2003). The intake form contains information regarding demographics, medical history, treatment history, and developmental history in the opening section. In the body section of the interview, information about the occupational performance areas, performance skills, and performance patterns are addressed. Lastly, the interview concludes by requesting the personal goals and major concerns for the client and parent. Opening In the beginning of the session, the practitioner introduces oneself to the client by stating the practitioner’s name, qualification and role in the setting (Crepeau, Cohn, &ump; Schell, 2009). In the opening of the interview, the practitioner needs to inform the client of the purpose of the interview and the type of questions that are going to be asked (Crepeau et al., 2009) and discuss about confidentiality (Sommers-Flannagan, J. &ump; Sommers-Flannagan, R., 2003). Confidentiality is an integral aspect of the interview process and is important to the client and practitioner. Establishing confidentiality encourages the client to participate with a healthy attitude and lead to effective sessions in the future. According to Sommers-Flannagan, J. and Sommers-Flannagan, R. (2003), practitioners in the opening of the session have a duty to make a positive first impression or they will lose their client’s trust. Practitioners need to relay that they care about their clients both with verbal and non-verbal cues (Sommers-Flannagan, J. &ump; Sommers-Flannagan, R., 2003). In the current case, the practitioner seeks information about the client’s demographics, medical history, treatment history, and developmental history. Although the goal in the beginning is to create a warm setting (Sommers-Flannagan, J. &ump; Sommers-Flannagan, R., 2003), it is important to learn about the client’s background information. In order to develop a proper treatment plan for the future, it is essential to know about the client’s history. Demographics questions are posed to gain general information about the client’s age, contact information, and caretaker’s information. Questions regarding medical history are present to help provide information regarding any medical disability that may affect the client’s current condition. Treatment history questions provide how effective the previous interventions were for the client and a framework for future interventions. Information regarding the client’s developmental history are asked to understand the client’s milestones and areas that the child may display delays. These questions provide the practitioner with a thorough background about the client and enables the practitioner to formulate a direct and specific treatment plan for the client. Body The body of the interview incorporates the development and exploration phase, which is the time when the practitioner and the client collaborate together to develop the personal story (Crepeau, et al., 2009). Moreover, during this stage of the interview process, the practitioner asks questions that are related to the client’s occupation and the factors that may hinder or promote the client’s occupations. The questions in the current interview are formatted according to the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework (OTPF) (American Occupational Therapy Association, AOTA, 2008). Within the body of the interview, the following topics are addressed: areas of occupation, performance skills, and performance patterns. Areas of occupation According to AOTA (2008) the areas of occupation are: activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living, education, work, leisure, play, social participation, and rest and sleep. In the interview, the practitioner poses questions to investigate the child’s independence regarding activities of daily living, which are bathing, eating, dressing self, and grooming. It is important to know how independent the child is in these areas to have an understanding regarding the child’s personal needs. Children with autism often are capable of learning tasks such as self-care, but it is important to know the child’s level of functioning. Due to the client’s age and diagnosis, the client is reliant on the care taker or parent to assist with instrumental activities of daily living. Education and play are the child’s primary occupations, therefore, it is important to recognize the child’s needs and capabilities in these areas. The intake interview asks questions regarding the child’s experience in school to help describe the child’s learning abilities. Children with autism often have developmental delays which impact the child’s abilities to grasp or process information (Case-Smith &ump; O’Brien, 2010). The level of functioning vary for each child on the autism spectrum, therefore, it is essential to know the specific academic experience of the individual child. Moreover, children with autism exhibit disturbances in behavior which often impacts their progress in education (Case-Smith &ump; O’Brien, 2010), therefore it is imperative to inquire about the child’s behavior issues. It is difficult to work with individuals who display behavioral issues, and therefore, children who have autism may often be refused for services, such as education. Other difficulties children with autism often experience are with social interaction and appropriate play. Practitioners need to inquire about the child’s interaction with other individuals their age and family members (Stone &ump; Hogan, 1993). It is important to have an idea of how the child interacts, if any, and what specific activities are motivators. Children with autism may react to strange settings and activities negatively, therefore it is essential to seek information regarding tasks that may offset these behaviors. Furthermore Lord, Rutter, and Le Couteur (1997) states that it important to ask questions regarding social interaction and avoidance to differentiate between children diagnosed with fragile X from those who are diagnosed with autism. Performance Skills According to AOTA (2008), performance skills are part of the occupational therapy domain and include: sensory and perceptual skills, motor and praxis skills, emotional regulation skills, cognitive skills, and communication and social skills. These areas within the performance skills are integral information that are relevant in children diagnosed with autism. The child diagnosed with autism may display difficulties in these areas. In this section of the interview, the practitioner seeks information regarding the child’s communication skills. Children with autism may not have spoken language, but may exhibit various communicative skills with the parent. According to Lord et. al (1997), questions regarding communication, such as directing attention, expressing interest in others, social interaction and imitating responses should be asked because children with autism often display disturbances in these areas. Also these forms of questions help differentiate between a child who has intellectual disability and autism (Lord et al., 1997). Other questions directed to children with autism are in regards to sensory processing skills. Children who are diagnosed with autism often haven an aversion to sensory stimulations and may over or under react to sensory input such as touch, sound, taste, and sight. Children with autism may display difficulty processing sensory information (Zager, 2005). Since children with autism often display issues with sensory processing and over stimulation, it is important to identify what specific form of sensory difficulties the child experiences. Difficulties in these areas may also pose problems with child’s ability to regulate their emotions, which leads to disturbing behavioral problems. Therefore, questions regarding these issues are pertinent to identify in order to have a successful intervention. Another focus within the performance skills domain is motor skills. Children with autism have developmental delays (Stone and Hogan, 1993) and this results in the child’s difficulty with motor and motor planning skills. Children with autism often have difficulties with praxis and therefore are often unable to perform novel tasks. Questions directed towards investigation of child’s praxis is important to identify because this provides the practitioner with an understanding of what the child is capable of doing. Understanding the child’s capabilities will allow the practitioner to have a foundation to establish proper therapeutic interventions. Performance Pattern Within this domain of the occupational therapy practice framework (AOTA, 2008), the different areas include: routines, roles, and habits. This area is relevant to children with autism because of the child’s high tendency to engage in repetitive behaviors (Zager, 2005). Therefore, it is encouraged for practitioners to inquire about the child’s daily routines, habits, and roles. Some of the habits (or behaviors) children with autism exhibit are unhealthy and practitioners should seek information about the specific behaviors that are harmful to the child. Often, children with autism display tantrums due to change in routine. If the practitioner does not seek information regarding these types of behaviors, then it may halt progress in the intervention. Closing In the last section of the interview, the practitioner needs to transition smoothly to the end the session (Crepeau et al., 2009). It is important for the practitioner to identify the child and parent’s goals and clear up any questions the client may have regarding the interview and the future sessions. The practitioner and client collaborate together to establish goals that are of primary to the needs of the client. Practitioners need to clarify any questions the client may have and provide information about the future sessions.

Manistique Inc.

Manistique Inc. devised a safety compliance program within the organization whose aim is to train and monitor employees inducing low injury rates and higher safety compliance standards. Manistique offers rewards to employees with lower injury rates. The program was implemented on a large-scale throughout the organization amongst 83 plants. Without any statistical analysis it would be impossible to reach a conclusion as to whether the program has improvised the injury rates or not; however, individuals remark that there has been a slide in the injury rates depicting a favorable influence of the training program. The objective at Manistique is to standardize the program across the board so that there is ample saving on administrative costs incurred due to workplace injuries. Before this can be done so, the terms of the program have to be decided which will come in handy in convincing the management of the worthiness of this program. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to analyze the relationship between the terms of the safety program and the most two important measures of safety rates: 1. Safety attitudes 2. Time lost due to injuries. Making use of historical information as well as data available from the last quarter, this paper will use statistical techniques to reach a conclusion as to whether the safety program has been successful in lowering injury rates. Analysis The report is attached with the original dataset provided for the analysis of this report. We shall begin by analyzing the correlations between the different variables in the dataset to ascertain a conclusion as to whether the program has really improved safety attitudes and improved the time lost in injuries or whether the change is statistically insignificant Correlation between safe training attitude (safetrain) & i) Total number of injuries (tinjuries) Using the CORREL function in Excel, the value for the correlation co-efficient was: The low positive value of the correlation co-efficient suggests that there is no significant relationship between the safety attitude and the actual number of workplace injuries i. e. the attitude has not helped the practical level of injuries incurred at Manistique. For a significant cause-and-effect relationship the value of the correlation coefficient should have been positively larger. i) Total number of deaths (tfatalities) Using the CORREL function in Excel, the value for the correlation co-efficient was: The correlation co-efficient is negative (as should not have been the case). The value is not significantly high (very close to 0), which suggests that safety standards have hardly any influence in lowering the number of deaths at Manistique. On the other hand it has slightly increased the number of injuries (correlation co-efficient is slightly positive). Thus, safety attitudes have not at all been effective in reducing the number of injuries. iii) Disability days (disabdays) Using the CORREL function in Excel, the value for the correlation co-efficient was: Again the negative value suggests that there is a negative relationship between safety attitude and disability days (the lower the attitude, the lower the disability days). However, the value of the correlation co-efficient is very small which negates any strong relationship between the two variables. Correlation between safety support from co-workers (safesupport) & i) Total number of injuries (tinjuries) Using the CORREL function in Excel, the value for the correlation co-efficient was: The correlation coefficient is positive. This suggests that the increased safety support from co-workers actually has a positivee influence as it results in a drop in number of injuries at Manistique. However the low value of the coefficient suggests no strong cause-and-effect relationship for the program implemented at Manistique. ii) Total number of deaths (tfatalities) Using the CORREL function in Excel, the value for the correlation co-efficient was: The correlation co-efficient is negative (as should not have been the case). This negates all possibilities of a favorable influence of the coworker safety in reducing the number of deaths at Manistique; in fact, the relationship is quite the opposite with a very small magnitude. iii) Disability days (disabdays) Using the CORREL function in Excel, the value for the correlation co-efficient was: The low negative value again brings the conclusion that there exists a negative relationship but the degree of influence is very meek. This brings about the conclusion that there is no significant influence of the co-worker support attitude on the number of disability days; it is quite the opposite. Correlation between safety support from co-workers (feelsafe) & i) Total number of injuries (tinjuries) Using the CORREL function in Excel, the value for the correlation co-efficient was: The correlation co-efficient is negative (as should have been the case). However, the highly negligible value of the co-efficient suggests no significant relationship between a feeling of safety amongst the workers and the actual injuries at Manistique. ii) Total number of deaths (tfatalities) Using the CORREL function in Excel, the value for the correlation co-efficient was: The correlation coefficient is positive (as should not have been the case). Increasing confidence held by a worker that he/she is safe does not decrease the number of injuries at Manistique; rather it increases it weakly. This is ample evidence for a lack of good relationship between the two variables. iii) Disability days (disabdays) Using the CORREL function in Excel, the value for the correlation co-efficient was: The low negative value again brings the conclusion that there exists a positive relationship but the degree of influence is very meek. This brings about the conclusion that there is no significant influence of the belief of safety held by a worker on the number of disability days. Conclusion Based on the calculations made in the above section, the conclusion that can be formed here is quite obvious and brief: the new safety compliance program at Manistique has no significant influence upon improving the number of injuries, fatalities or disability days at Manistique. The training program, co-worker support regarding the safety program or even the belief held by the workers that their safety has increased as a result of the program have no cause-and-effect relationship good enough to reduce the number of worker injuries, deaths and the number of disability days at Manistique. Moving barely above the 0. 1 correlation level, there is no need for statistical hypothesis testing methods to be employed in reaching the conclusion. At any confidence level, these values are sufficiently weak enough to conclude that the safety compliance program is of significant importance in saving administrative costs for Manistique by reducing the number of injuries, deaths or disability days at Manistique.

The history of Ottoman empire Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The history of Ottoman empire - Essay Example The Empire was founded by Osman I. In 1453, following its capture from the Byzantine Empire, Constantinople, modern stanbul, became the new capital of the Ottoman Empire under the name 'Kostantiniye'. In the 16th and 17th centuries, the Ottoman Empire was among the world's most powerful political entities, with the powers of eastern Europe constantly threatened by its steady advance through the Balkans and the southern part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Its navy was a powerful force in the Mediterranean. On several occasions it even invaded central Europe, sieging Vienna, in its attempts to conquer the Habsburg domain, and was only repulsed by coalitions of European powers. In this period, the discussions among the elites of Ottomans on how to organize a new state constitute the most important detail. The location of this movement gave it access to many different cultures and experiences. Given the historical facts of other great empires, Ottoman elites believed that the power of the sword was not enough to build and maintain a powerful state. Swords must be wielded by men. It was important to find strong and capable men and bind them together in willing cooperation to conquer large sections of Europe, Asia, and Africa. It was also important to organize and govern their conquests in a fairly satisfactory fashion, and to establish a structure which would take great effort to dismantle. Ottoman elites gave precedence to the political ideas that constituted the life of the empire, which became their ruling institution. Only with these ideas was it possible to attract a great body of men from many directions and races and unite them in a common effort. The ideas and culture that were shaped during this period took three hundred years to decay and be destroyed. While it is arguable the empire had injustice, violence and destructive forces involved in the development of its structures, these must be considered within the context of their eight centuries of history, during which Turks began to drift southwestward away from the declining Saracen Empire Even though the Ottoman state existed before Osman I, he is regarded as the founder of the Empire, having given it its name and being the first bey to declare his independence. He extended the frontiers of the empire towards the Byzantine Empire, while other Turkish beyliks suffered from infighting. Under Osman I, the Ottoman capital moved to Bursa. He published the first coin under his name, demonstrating the trust he built. The economical structure of the Empire was defined by the geopolitical structure. The Ottoman Empire stood in between West and East, thus blocking the route eastward forcing Spanish and Portuguese navigators set out in search of a new route to the Orient. The Empire was holding the same path that Marco Polo once used. Ottoman studies imply that the change in politics between Ottomans and Central Europe did depend on the opening of the new sea routes. It is also possible to see the decay of the Ottoman Empire by tracing the loss of significance of the land routes. Decay is a very relative term, in reality while central Europe is moving forward, Ottoman were holding on to their traditions. The pragmatic thinking of Ottomans that once helped to reform the systems left behind by Roman Empire was once again giving out the same signs

Macro Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Macro - Essay Example Unemployment rates in transition economies and developing countries have also moved higher, â€Å"in particular in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and Central and South-eastern Europe† (Andy Kilmister, 2008). Economic theory: According to Andy Kilmister (2008), in the years leading up to the economic crisis that began in 2008, the global economy showed strong Economic Growth (EG). Over 2001-07, real world gross domestic product (GDP) grew by more than 3 percent a year, exceeding annual growth of 2.7 percent during the 1990s. The large influx of money into the Western financial system enlarged the â€Å"supply of funds available for loans and investment relative to the profitable opportunities available† (p. 67). This consequence, combined with â€Å"insufficient government financial regulation and supervision, resulted in investors and banks making riskier loans, such as for subprime home mortgages and mortgage refinancing in the Unites States† (Andy Kilmister, 2008). Interest on the article: The world financial crisis is a recent world effect, which affected almost all countries in world, Andy Kilmister (2008). It impresses me most because, to come out of the crisis, economic knowledge was needed to salvage the situation. Economic theory played a major role, â€Å"for instance the use of interest rates to regulate the cost of borrowing from financial sectors† (p. 23). Also, the use of fiscal policies, for instance stimulus packages in the financial and non-financial sectors (Andy Kilmister,

Buying house is better than renting an apartment Term Paper

Buying house is better than renting an apartment - Term Paper Example Moreover, the residents do not have to worry about moving from one rented apartment to another, if the landlord decides to sell it or rent it out to someone else. Buying a house is also a favourable option due to the current economic situation. The dip in the property price has enabled many people to invest in a house, which is a far better option than renting an apartment. Keywords: buying, house, renting, apartment, property, investment, mortgage. Buying a House is the Winning Choice Did you know that you can purchase a house for $100k and have a mortgage of $900.00 dollars, which is less than average rent? According to World Time News Report, the national average two-bedroom fair market rent is â€Å"$928 a month† (2009). During the same year, the median sales price for those homes was $223,800; while the average sales price was $257,500, which is roughly about $800 per month. (Wyndham Capital Mortgage, Inc., 2009) This comparison of the average monthly rent and the average monthly instalment, in case of buying a house explains why buying a house is the winning choice. Buying a house is a long term investment; it gives financial security and a sense of ownership. Home ownership is not an easy task though; yet it is extremely beneficial in the long run in a number of ways. The current situation in real estate market gives one an optimum chance to invest in a house as, â€Å"home prices have fallen approximately 10% year-over-year in most markets...† (Lynn, 2009, p.5) Home ownership provides an investing advantage. Every payment one makes towards the mortgage, guarantees ownership. Any major updates or changes that one desires to make to the property will increase the value of the house. Under normal circumstances, home resale values tend to increase over the years. According to statistics provided by U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development, homes that were sold for $90k in 1990 are now worth about $150k; despite the fact that in 2005, th ose homes where at about $250k. (2011) It is a relatively easier way to buy a house by paying only 5% or as less as 3% down-payment of the total price. If a person has an FHA loan, which are secured and protected by the government, then buying a house becomes an easy process. This way, a person can get a slow-start and gain ownership. On the contrary, renting an apartment requires at least $3000 upfront- which is a lot of money! In other words, a house that is worth $100k can be purchased with $5000 down-payment and a monthly mortgage of about $950. However, the same house shall be rented for approximately $1200, exclusive of the initial deposit. Thus, buying a house is a viable option, particularly in the current economic situation and the state of the real estate market. Buying a house is considered as an opportunity to make profit out of the oscillating prices of the real estate market. A person can even get a chance to sell out the house if a potential buyer offers a higher pric e than the actual price at which it was bought. Thus, it proves to be a sound financial investment as contrasted with renting an apartment. Buying a house also gives a sense of financial security as one is aware of the fact that he/she shall have to pay the same amount of monthly mortgage for the nest thirty years. This is of high significance, as it allows the home owner to plan his savings and expenses, accordingly. On the

Koran Issues in Contemporary Middle Eastern History Essay

Koran Issues in Contemporary Middle Eastern History - Essay Example The followers of Judaism and Christianity viz. Jews and Christians are referred to in Islam as the ‘people of the book’ because they too were sent messengers with scriptures. Differences between the three lie mainly in which prophets are recognized or not, the accepted books, interpretations of faith and teachings and so on. The Jews and Arabs historically are cousins set apart by the brothers Ishac (Isac) (A.S.) and Ismail (Ishmail) (A.S.) respectively, both descendents of prophet Ibrahim (A.S.). Between Christianity and Islam the notable differences come down to the belief in the oneness of Allah versus the doctrine of trinity; that Jesus was a prophet like other prophets (Islamic view) or the son of God (orthodox Christian view), and so on. So, there is a very close relationship between Islam, Judaism and Christianity and a great scope for mutual understanding and learning. Christians especially are potentially closer to the Muslims â€Å"because amongst these are me n devoted to learning and men who have renounced the world and they are not arrogant†. (5:85) The true concept of jihad in Islam is a comprehensive and constant ‘struggle’, ‘effort’ or ‘striving’ on an individual level and against one’s ego (nafs). Its justification or purpose is purification of the soul In a limited sense and as popularly perceived in the West, it also means a collective ‘holy war’ against others especially infidels. It is therefore a collective obligation (fard al-kifayah) under certain circumstances. It should also be pointed out that jihad in this manner has certain conditions that must be met, also that the drive to engage in warfare is overridden by some conditions too. For example, in Surah Tauba (9:5-6) it appears that muslims are being enjoined to fight but this must cease if for instance, those who are being fought convert to Islam, observe prayer, or seek asylum and pay the

Ear Disorders Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Ear Disorders - Essay Example Treatment procedures usually include typical treatment modes such as yoga to cope stress in these patients and after that they could be given intratympanic corticosteroids. The function of these corticosteroids is to reduce inflammation in the endolymphatic dust. Also surgical procedures which include decreasing the pressure in the duct in order to maintain the flow of the endolymph in the vestibular system can also be applied in severe cases. But, surgical procedures usually lead to hearing loss as a complication since both the systems are very closely associated (ODonoghue et al 2000). Excessive endolymph pressure in the endolymphatic duct and the whole inner ear leads to the compression of the nerve endings of the outer and inner hair cells. Once compressed for a longer period of time these nerve endings first generate a symptom of timmitis with alternating periods of hearing loss and then if the disease is not treated these nerve cells eventually die. Since nerve cells do not have the capacity to regenerate the damage once done is usually irrereversible (ODonoghue et al

Journal Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Journal - Term Paper Example One of the first insights Thoreau makes when he states, â€Å"a man is rich in proportion to the number of things which he can afford to let alone† (Thoreau, pg. 335). This statement is somewhat complex and difficult to discern. While Thoreau is referring to his interactions on the Pond, it’s clear the statement can be extended to the larger context of existence. For me the statement is referring to a sort of wealth that isn’t necessarily linked to money, but is more rooted in wisdom or knowledge. In these regards, Thoreau means that the individual that can go without certain elements in life, has already experienced or gained spiritual insight into their nature and as such can go without them. Another insight I found highly enlightening was Thoreau’s insights into the nature of daily existence and art. In these regards, he states, â€Å"We must learn to reawaken and keep ourselves awake, not by mechanical aids, but by an infinite expectation of the day, which does not forsake us in our soundest sleep...to affect peoples' quality of life, that is the highest of arts† (Thoreau, pg. 338). This section of the essay is very loaded and complex. In one sense, Thoreau seems to be indicating that the Socratic belief that the unexamined life is not worth living is accurate. He is stating that the individual should wake up every morning with the desire to discover some new truth or an ‘infinite expectation of the day’. Rather than leaving the reader at this stage, however, Thoreau extends this to include the nature of art. He indicates that the greatest type of art should affect individuals’ quality of life. In these regards, Thoreau has gone beyond simply Socratic insights, into stating that the individual should also contribute their intellect to the betterment of society. For me, this underlines the passage and a great deal of Thoreau’s mission. "Reading" 351-362; "Sounds" excerpt 363-364 In the section tit led ‘Reading’ Thoreau considers the nature of reading as it relates to self-edification and culture. In his discussion Thoreau considers a number of works, all of which are considered ‘classics’ in the traditional sense. He has a great support for these works and argues that the information contained therein represent the pinnacles of human thought distilled and articulated into literature that has lasted the test of time. In his support of classic literature, Thoreau laments the unwillingness of others to embrace these texts. He states, â€Å"A man, any man, will go considerably out of his way to pick up a silver dollar; but here are golden words, which the wisest men of antiquity have uttered, and whose worth the wise of every succeeding age have assured us of;- and yet we learn to read only as far as Easy Reading, the primers and class-books† (Thoreau, pg. 357). While underlining Thoreau’s support of classic literature, this quote also indi cates a sort of general displeasure Thoreau has with the general social order. It should be no surprise that an individual who chose to live life for a period in seclusion on a farm should have some general disagreements with the nature of society. As the text progresses, it’s clear that Thoreau’s vision is in large part critical of traditional social assumptions