Monday, September 30, 2019

Represents human nature Essay

The conscious decisions of people to act upon negative emotions, damages and ultimately destroys our relationships with fellow human beings. Gray explores this idea through ‘Poem to my Father’, a personal and confessional letter directed towards the persona’s father, whom is believed to be Gray’s father; a man who neglected Gray as a child as a result of his drinking, indifference and gambling. The persona believes that his father destroyed the paternal relationship and represents this through emotive language and words with negative connotations evoking emptiness and disconnection within ‘Poem to my Father’. ‘In you, now signifying nothing;†¦ That’s all there is to say. ’ The word ‘nothing’ displays the completeness of the disconnection while ‘all’ connotes an all-consuming idea. Thus when used together create the idea of all-consuming disconnection between the persona and his father. (Can talk about the use of punctuation. Full stop creates finality. )Gray contrasts the elements of nature with human nature in order to show humanity’s intrinsic destructive nature. This juxtaposition reveals the idea of nature destructing for replenishment, whereas humanity destructs subconsciously for satisfaction and self-fulfillment. Consequently the issue highlighted is that of human nature not allowing for complete satisfaction, resulting in a cycle of destruction for both the individual and the environment. Gray’s poem ‘Flames and Dangling Wire’ vividly explores the destruction of the natural environment due to humanity’s actions. ‘It is a man, wiping his eyes. Someone who worked here would have to weep†¦ Knowing all that he does about us, how can he avoid a hatred of men? ’ The imperative and emotive language tugs upon the reader’s heartstrings as the guilt of this man is placed upon the reader. The harsh imagery used earlier in the poem cumulates until this point of the poem, when responsibility is seen through the man’s pain. As a responder to the text, I believe that Gray recognizes this man’s innocence individually, as he tries to help through his work. Yet this man is still seen to be feeling the pain caused by the destruction of the environment, reflecting humanity’s responsibility as a whole and not simply a portion of the population. Gray therefore uses the didactic nature of his work to impart his value placed on the respect and protection of the environment. The selfishness of man is seen in the tenth stanza. ‘This is how it shall be after men have gone. It will be made of things that worked. ’ The future tense of this stanza assists in creating textual integrity and understanding within the poem. No matter the context of the reader, the future tense causes them to reflect upon their actions, furthering Gray’s didacticism within the text. The one phrase reflecting on the past within the stanza however, is ‘made of things that worked’. The idea portrayed by Gray is one of comparison. He compares the things ‘that worked’ – human’s creations which they have dumped – to nature’s creations and processes – things that will continue to work. Thus the comparison used by Gray is effective in exemplifying humanity’s short-term view and ultimately the intrinsic and often subconscious nature of destruction.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Fight Club (Film) by David Fincher Essay

This confronting movie casts the brilliant Edward Norton and the extremely popular Brad Pitt as they team together to bring the public one of the greatest suspense movies of all time. Norton plays Jack, a middle-aged man, who isn’t sure what his purpose for living is anymore and Pitt plays Tyler Durden, a soap salesman, who has come to the same realization about life. Directed by David Fincher, written for the screen by Jim Uhls, and based on the acclaimed novel by Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club is a powerful film, which fuses the highly sensitive issues that haunt its frustrated and confused protagonist with the visual representations of his mental states. It all begins when Jack becomes so frustrated with his life that he just can’t take it any longer. For his entire life, the media has painted a glorious image of wealth for everyone and has made everyone believe that they would be rich and famous eventually, while in fact they weren’t. Flooding society with more useless products and making them slaves to their own needs’, Jack realizes that it is all just a joke. Under the realization of this, Jack searches for a way to find new excitement away from the material world. He starts to visit numerous support groups for cancer victims and other diseases. This is where he meets Marla Singer (Helena Bonham Carter), a middle-aged woman who is also going through the same thing as he is. Together these seem to be the only places for them to find real emotions, and to be able to express their own emotions at the same time. One day while on an airplane, Jack meets Tyler Durden. While talking with Tyler, Jack notices that they have the same exact suitcase along with many other things in common. Tyler gives Jack his business card and tells him to call if he ever needs anything. When Jack returns home, he finds that his entire apartment has been blown to pieces. With nowhere to go, he takes out Tyler’s business card and proceeds to call him. Tyler comes to Jack’s rescue and the two begin living together in an old run-down house. One night outside a bar, confused in their frustration of the world, they begin hitting each other for the pure excitement and adrenaline rush. After much thinking, Tyler has made up his mind about society and has created his own beliefs. He opposes all material wealth and lives for the moment, unafraid of pain or death. Slowly he teaches Jack these traits as well, as they now begin to build â€Å"Fight Club,† an underground association where equally frustrated men can take out their emotions by fighting with one another. Soon many Fight Clubs spring up across the country and Tyler is hailed as a celebrity among the members. With Fight Club’s popularity increasing, Tyler’s plans become much bigger and he establishes â€Å"Project Mayhem,† his plan to destroy the material world. He recruits an army of equally powered men and goes on a spree to destroy all signs of materialism he sees. While watching the mayhem Tyler has created, Jack becomes disturbed by the idiocy of the followers and the violent acts they are committing. He wants to put an end to the insanity, but without Tyler he can’t stop it, and Tyler is nowhere to be found. With Tyler now missing, Jack begins travelling from city to city in search of Tyler. When asking people if they know Tyler Durden, he is given the same answer over and over: â€Å"Yes sir, you’re Tyler Durden.† Jack finally comes to the conclusion that he and Tyler are the same person. Tyler is simply a figment of Jack’s imagination. Tyler is everything that Jack wishes he could be. He looks how he wants to look. He acts how he wants to act. He is Tyler Durden. This movie combines great action sequences, romance, and suspense all rolled up into one. The great casting of Edward Norton and Brad Pitt give the movie just the right amount of masculinity it needs. How the composer creates meaning The composer creates a chilling setting, which is familiar and stereotypically American with its high-tech devices, also with fast and crisp movement of camera angles to show some extraordinary effects. The composer also used lighting to create meaning. The lab in which Jack was sitting down which we witness in the fast and crisp movement of camera shots, had very dark and dull colours. The music also rolled along to help create this setting, which is very important within the film. The director David Fincher utilizes a number of techniques to present his ideas of change. The film opens with voice-over from our lead character Jack, played by Edward Norton. He hasn’t slept in months and it’s beginning to take a toll on his sanity. He finally finds release from his troubles by going to support groups for people with various diseases – testicular cancer, bowel disease, etc. – where he finds freedom in pretending he’s a survivor, that he has nothing to lose. Thus, it also represents a new foundation as a result suggesting a change in Jack’s lifestyle. Through the character Jack the composer is also able to create meaning. Here we see that through zoom and close-up camera angles the composer shows a change in the behaviour of Jack. It becomes evident that after bearing in mind explosion of his apartment, he becomes astound and through the facial expressions we see that he is discontented. The smile that was witnessed prior to this terrible tragedy has mislaid as a consequence symbolizing a change in his attitude and his perception of the slight civilization. The composer also creates meaning, through the use of Jacks lifestyle. In this motion picture the main character Jack, changes his lifestyle through self-destruction rather than self-development. The composer has done this to show that there is more than one way to change, that change does not always have to occur in a positive way. This is one of the most important themes running through the movie. Fight Club; a movie about the change within one mans life, Jack, with the help of his ‘friend’ Tyler, who is actually a creation of Jacks mind. Jack breaks away from all of societies conventions and this leads to the many changes in his life. Jacks changes are made all the more significant through the use of colours. Before Jack’s ‘enlightenment’ all the colours used are dull blue-greys. The camera angles are narrow and focused. This creates a tone of monotony and boredom. Later, the scenes become brighter and colours are powerfully contrasted. Many of the scenes take place at night with neon lights in the background with contrast with the bright red leather jacket worn by Tyler throughout much of the film to create an exciting, almost surreal element to the scene. The camera angles become wider, reflecting Jack’s broader perspective of life. A further structural device used by David Fincher is to allude to Jack’s earlier life. One example is when he receives a phone-call from the detective looking into the explosion of his house. Jack responds to his questions by discussing how much the things in his apartment meant to him, how they were part of his identity. When the phone-call is over he says, â€Å"I would like to thank the academy.† From this statement, it is obvious that he looks back on his former lifestyle with contempt. From this film we can see how difficult it can be for one to move to another door of perception when everything around them reinforces the accepted view of the world. It is easy to accept everything that is occurring and live in denial without changing. Jack would not have been able to escape from the media induced, corporate driven life that he led if his brain had not created Tyler Durden. In Fight Club we see there are many reasons for people to choose not to change. The risk may seem too high. It might be hard work. There is a loss of the security a person has when he or she is in familiar territory where everything is known to them. Even when the opportunity stares at them right in their faces they refuse to take it. In the movie, we see Jack struggling at first with quitting his â€Å"ikea-guy† life but is soon able to boldly step away from the illusions that held him. Explanation of how the text links to both a text from the Stimulus Booklet and the play Away Clearly, change brings consequences. These consequences can vary in importance and significance; they can be beneficial, detrimental or even impartial. Change, its impact on self and the resulting consequences, which it inevitably brings, is an issue explored by many composers in a variety of texts. Change is the process of being made different. Change can be caused by anything such as time, birth, death, people and fighting†¦ The concept of changing self and its significance to the individual is explored in a number of texts including the play â€Å"Away† written by Michael Gow, â€Å"Sky High† by Hannah Roberts (BOS Changing) and the film Fight Club by David Fincher. All these texts symbolise change in a variety of ways. To show the consequences of change composers have used a number of techniques in terms of language, imagery, contrast and repetition. This film Fight Club deals with the approach in which we transform ourselves. In this film Jack transforms his standard of living through self-destruction to assertion self-development. The director David Fincher has fulfilled this to exemplify that the things we own, actually end up owing us. The change occurs when Tyler opens the door for him to amend. Unfortunately, Tyler becomes too powerful. This shows the rituals of both sides. Allusions is a structural device used by the director Fincher to contrast the Jack-then to the Jack-now, constantly making references to his earlier life presented at the beginning of the film. An example of this is when Jack is living in the dilapidated house he often receives calls from a Detective Stern from the arson unit, inquiring about his destroyed condo or feeding him information about it (the police suspect he did it to claim insurance). Jack often replies by talking about how much the things in his condo meant to him and how they were a part of his identity. When the phone-call is over he says; â€Å"I would like to thank the academy†. From this statement it is obvious that he looked back on himself with contempt. The director shows that the choices that one makes during his or her life, defines the changes that would occur to them in the future. When one looks back at the decisions that they had to make, the difference before the choice was made and after becomes quite obvious. Another aspect of change presented in the film is that change is often cyclic. As we make one decision, we are soon required to make further decisions and it is a never-ending cycle until the day we die. Therefore one never stops changing until their death. From this film we can see how complex it can be for one to move to another door of perception when everything around them reinforces the accepted view of the world. It is easy to accept everything that is occurring and live in denial without changing. Jack would not have been able to escape from the media induced, corporate driven life that he led if his brain had not created Tyler Durden. In link to ‘Sky High’ by Hannah Robert’s it demonstrates that responsibilities force a person to change, and that the change is not always optimistic, other than it has to be embraced for a character to established, and that although there is a change it is most undoubtedly not an end, but rather a progression. This text has contributed a great deal to my understanding of change. It helps us to see how difficult it can be to change ones lifestyle and to change their view of the world when it is reinforced as being the accepted view of the world that we must adhere to, and sometimes it requires something as drastic as an imagined person to change that view. The other thing it has contributed is that there are many reasons for a person not to change, risk, too hard work or the loss of security in their new life, but once that change is made, the person’s old lifestyle seems contemptibly inadequate. In â€Å"Sky High† by Hannah Roberts, it is not another person, which outlines a change in self of the persona, but an object (a clothesline) that triggers a memory from the persona’s youth. Personification of the clothesline, and it’s relation to the author’s own change in self since her youth, is one technique incorporated by Roberts. When describing her and the clothesline in the first two paragraphs, we are given the phrases â€Å"silver skeletal arms† and â€Å"smooth, sweat damp hands†. Comparing this to â€Å"age-warped washing line† and â€Å"hands, beginning to accumulate†¦wrinkles† one can see the dramatic realisation of the changed persona. Another representation of the changing influence of the clothesline is the descriptions of the hanging clothes. Where as in her youth the clothesline was â€Å"festooned with socks and knickers and shirts like coloured flags in a secret code†, Roberts now â€Å"write(s) my own semaphore secrets in colourful t-shirts and mismatched sock†. This suggests that as a child, the author thought that the clothes were hung out in â€Å"secret code†. Now as an adult she realises the ordinariness of the practice. The â€Å"semaphore secrets† that she writes as an adult expose to the reader the question if these are messages of unhappiness. The narrator utilizes an analogy to illustrate how responsibilities and social conventions limit a person’s ability to follow urges. The writer wants to ‘fly’ as she did when she was young, but she is concerned that the conventions of her modern life will not allow her to do so. Remembering the minute details of the garden develops a nostalgic mood. This is so as a person remembers details such as these if they treasure the memories Sky high has contributed to my understanding of change by showing that responsibilities force a person to change, and that the change is not always positive, but it has to be embraced for a character to mature, and that although there is a change it is most definitely not an end, but rather a process. On the surface ‘Away’ by Michael Gow, may possibly appear like a simple narrative about three families who take off for a holiday. People are shown as going away, being pulled away, being washed away, walking away and so on. What is also stressed however is the act of recurring, regrowth and renewal that results from their ‘away’ experience. Away presents the concept of change as self-recognition and renewal through the portrayal of the key characters who journey from fear, isolation and delusion to an understanding and acceptance of themselves and their relationships with others. Away is a short though direct play, which deals with many variations of change, each of which is a change of character or personality, which occurs as a realization as the events in the play, get through to them. A perfect example is Gwen, a middle-aged mother with the need to control. Her resistance to change is of an attitude as her family suddenly becomes separate in reaction to her behaviour. The family is on a holiday and what was meant to be enjoyable, becomes a conflict which causes her daughter Meg to isolate herself from her. Gwen depicts this resistance to change with the importance of it. Simply compare changing toothbrush to changing personality, which will have a resisting effect. Michael Gow’s play is very theatrical. While much of the dialogue is realistic, drawing on the idiom of the day, the storm and the appearance of the fairies break away from realism. Gow draws on the conventions of comedy and tragedy as the play moves from the comic to the tragic. Many of the characters appear as stereotypes found in comedy- the nagging wife, the henpecked husband, the pompous teacher, – but as the play progresses these stereotypes are abandoned as the characters are confronted by the need for change. They become individuals capable of change. The composer exploit Language to provides a precious impending into the intelligences of the protagonists. Gwen’s continuous and tedious use of clichà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½s creates her the parody of a middle-class housewife with high-class aspirations. In the final act, mime plays a vital role. It is the explicit lack of language here that provides the audience with a perceptive of the high level of self-awareness and imminent that is now shared by the protagonists. Perhaps the two most significant characters in ‘Away’ who experiences the most profound changes are Gwen and Coral. * Gwen is one of the most momentous protagonists in the play. She changes from being a stress ridden control freak of a mother and wife to coming to an understanding of life and the fact that humans are not in control. The plainest demonstration of this is the storm, which trashes her perfectly planned holiday. Note that in the stage directions, the fairies single Gwen out for particular attention in the storm. Gwen experiences an epiphany during the walk with Vic, presumably in reaction to the news that Tom is dying. She returns from the walk a changed woman, and it is she who stands and applauds Coral as she ‘walks’ in ‘Strange on the Shore’. * Coral has lost her grip on reality. At the beginning she is a woman pervading grief at the death of her only son in the Vietnam War. In attempting to respond to her husband (Roy’s) plea that she behaves ‘normally’, she enters a relationship with a young recently married man named (Rick). She than adopts the persona of the artist on the beach, and it is Tom who recognises her as the headmaster’s wife. She achieves some kind of acceptance of life and loss through her performance in ‘The Stranger on the Shore’. (â€Å"I’m walking, I’m walking† represents a return to life). The ‘walking’ becomes symbolic of Coral’s return to reality, her final acceptance of the death of her son who died in Vietnam. Tom is responsible for her ‘healing’. He determines Coral’s role in the play. In Act 5 scene 1 we see her reconciled with her husband Roy. These changes are represented dramatically in the pl ay. Her situation in ‘Away’ is symbolized by her role in the little play- when she walks at the end, she is retuning to life where she belongs. Opening on the last day of the school year in 1967 and closing on the first day of the next school year, the play spans only a few short weeks in the lives of its characters and yet their perspectives and understandings have changed radically over that time. Possibly the character who experiences the most philosophical change is Gwen. Through the intensity of the emotional conflict she encounters, she has had to acknowledge the inevitability of change in life and has adjusted her expectations accordingly. This change of perception over time can be contrasted to the reminiscing of Hannah Robert, in her story â€Å"Sky High†, Text 3 in the Board of Studies ‘Changing Booklet’. Where the older narrator looks back on a lighter, less burdened childhood. The rewarding repercussions of confronting change and of living for the present have been highlighted by the texts I have studied which in turn delineate the integral nature of change in the lives of people and their relationships.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Analysis of Kate Chopins Short Stories The Feminist Analysis Essay

Analysis of Kate Chopins Short Stories The Feminist Analysis - Essay Example She fainted at the sight of Mr. Mallard and eventually the doctor declared that she died of the joy that kills. Nevertheless, that is not all to the story. The author shows how females are quietly held by their necks by their male partners at a time when norms placed women in houses to take care of the household chores and attend to the needs of their husbands and children. In this paper, an analysis of the story’s feminist entreaties will be discussed in detail. Women in the past centuries have been burdened with their perceived roles as housekeepers and child-caregivers set by the norms of patriarchal culture. During the author’s time, one of the popular media used in expressing one’s ideologies is through stories. This is evident in the aforementioned story. Here, Josephine is used to represent the women who are quite content to accept the norms and are bound to perform their duties without question. Louise on the other hand is the portrayal of women who want more than just being a housekeeper. Nevertheless, since it is a taboo for women to pursue their dreams, she acquired heart trouble from her situation. When Louise locked herself in her room, she thought of her husband. â€Å"She knew that she would weep again when she saw the kind, tender hands folded in death; the face that had never looked save with love upon her† (Chopin). Her husband was a gentleman but that was not enough for Louise’s adventurous and revolutionary heart. She wanted to go to various places, meet other people and be as free as the wind. She never experienced those while she was married because even though her husband is kind and loving, he was a â€Å"powerful will bending hers in that blind persistence with which men and women believe they have a right to impose a private will upon a fellow-creature† (Chopin). Louise was never free to assert herself in the

Friday, September 27, 2019

Hydraulic Fracturing For Natural Gas - Gasland Essay - 7

Hydraulic Fracturing For Natural Gas - Gasland - Essay Example One of the rhetorical strategies used in the documentary was the manner by which the narrator gathered pieces of evidence from people through verbal communication or speech. Through the journey, Josh Fox had interviewed an estimated number of about 20 individuals who were directly affected by the gas wells; and about 5 experts in the fields of environmental protection, public service, quality specialists, medical practitioner, and representative of the Environmental Protection Agency. The manner by which these individuals and experts provided testimonies to their verbal disclosures viably supported their arguments that since the oil and gas wells were drilled in their respective properties, their drinking water had been seriously contaminated. Aside from relaying the information verbally, most of the testimonies provided pieces of evidence in terms of showing the kind of water collected from their faucets; and even proving that when lit, water from the faucet ignites into flame. Like wise, some of the people who were interviewed explicitly indicated the negative impact of these wells; such as Debbie May who relayed that the drinking water initially tasted like metal and turned into murky brown. In addition, she also showed that her cat and horse exhibited shedding of their hair, as a result of being exposed to these gas wells. Thus, the people who provided verbal discourse were effective in appealing both through logic (through visual support) and emotions (by indicating health hazards and conditions which were experienced); as such, were effective in providing the needed proof to substantiate their allegations that the gas well was detrimental to their lives. Another rhetorical strategy used by Fox was the selection and choice of sound. It was evident that Fox was able to creatively incorporate background music, the sounds of machines, the sounds of the wind or water from the streams, the sound of children playing, and even an intermittent sound of silence. For instance, the documentary started with Fox playing the banjo and the end of the documentary also showed a man playing a musical instrument, which effectively integrates the whole creative work. Also, the sounds of the telephone ringing, the busy tone, and the background music of the answering machine were very effective in relaying the message that the narrator had been trying to collect different people and organizations to set the needed interviews for the documentary. These sounds and background music were all effective in appealing to the emotions of viewers. Sound and music provide an enhancing ability to emphasize an argument or a point being asserted. Likewise, background music, for instance, was instrumental in bridging one completed scene and used to transcend into a new issue or concern. The sounds actually enhanced and emphasized the arguments, as needed. Finally, the narrator also used the rhetorical strategy of visuals. Aside from the scenery and the people who were in terviewed, visuals also included graphics through stating relevant quotes, such as â€Å"water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink† (Moldovan) written in bold, white face and in all capital letters against a totally black background. In addition, graphics assisted in identifying the people who Fox interviewed, some with appropriate designations; such as Dr. Al Armerdariz, the Air Quality Specialist and Researcher at Southern Methodist University; Calvin Tillman, the Mayor of Dish, Texas; Wilma Subra, Chemist, First Responder, and MacArthur â€Å"Genius Award† Recipient; to name a few.        

Thursday, September 26, 2019

'Give an account of the main mosques of Samarra' and al-Fustat in the Essay

'Give an account of the main mosques of Samarra' and al-Fustat in the early 'Abbasid period.' - Essay Example Through a discussion that begins with first developing a basic understanding of the function and form of Mosques from the medieval period, then moving through a discussion of specific structures, an exploration of the Mosques from the Abbasid period can be made in order to better understand the importance of these great structures. Function In attempting to study the architecture of the Islamic world, Hillenbrand suggests that one of the primary difficulties lies in the terminology that is used. This is due to the multiplicity of purposes that each building would serve as a function within the culture. He states â€Å"Small wonder that one and the same building could be designated by a string of descriptive terms if each did in truth refer to some aspect of its regular function†.1 In examining the ways in which the buildings of the Islamic middle ages were used it is clear that that mosques were not only used for worship, madrasas were not only used for education, and neither were mausolea used just for burial. The many needs of the culture were fit into the buildings through multiple functionalities, thus the first understanding of such buildings must be made through the idea of function. In discussing function, the first problem that can be seen in studying Islamic buildings is that there is little in the way of written information on the building of these structures. Technical renderings and information about the circumstances of how these buildings came into being are few and far between, allowing for only the buildings themselves to serve as objects of study on their construction.2 Although there is suspicion that the Islamic religious aesthetics influenced the building of Mosques during the medieval period, there is no explicit reference known or accessible to Western cultures that suggest that this is the case. Therefore, in studying the function of such buildings, one must look at the building itself to try and access this aspect and the culture in order to understand the development of needs for which the building served as a solution for cultural needs. According to Meri and Bacharach, however, most Mosques of the medieval period were designed after the creation of house that was build for Mohamed in Medina, which is located in Saudi Arabia. Literary evidence of the form of this house is more relevant than the archaeological as it is described as having a â€Å"large walled courtyard with entrances on three sides and two covered porticos, the larger of which functions as a sanctuary for the faithful where they may find shelter from the sun during prayer†.3 The original orientation of the qibla wall, the wall of the larger portico, was originally facing towards Jerusalem, and then later towards Mecca, thus providing for the importance of orientation when building a Mosque. The small portico was used as a place of shelter for those who were poor, thus setting up the division of classes within the Mosque cultural usag e. The three basic elements developed from this original structure were the courtyard for the gathering of the followers of Islam, the sanctuary for prayer, and the qibla wall.4 Form Hillenbrand lists three distinct areas in which form can be discussed. The first is in hierarchy, the second is in

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Insurance Case Study Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Insurance Case Study - Coursework Example A further analysis in the case study reveals that Mr. Farid does not deny the answers he gave. He had stated he is the Manager and added that his work entailed inspection of construction sites and training of workers. With this information, the insurer still went ahead to insure him under non-manual work. A look at his medical health reveals a heart disorder which puts Mr. Farid at more risky state of leaving his employment. This analysis reflects on asymmetric information where full disclosure of the duties undertaken by Mr. Farid is not given. This led to adverse selection of Mr. Farid because the heart disorder deteriorated leading to employment forfeiture (Amy, 2007). The outdoor activities were the majority of tasks that Mr. Farid did. Prudent Insurance Inc. would not have given the income policy to Mr. Farid had the information about his activities been clearly outlined. Question 2 As an underwriter, I would not approve the claim from Mr. Farid. This is because the insurer shou ld have assessed the kind of work Mr. Farid undertook on a daily basis of which he forfeited to do. A risk assessment would reveal his work jeopardizes his health condition further let alone the construction inspectorate job. There was very high risk of Mr. Farid losing his job based on his health. Mr. Farid had explained in his response that he also did construction inspections exposing him to activities like climbing ladders, lifting small items as a demonstration etc. The insurer ought to have done an observation of the daily activities to assess the work before issuing the policy. The heart disorder predisposes Mr. Farid to loss of his employment or forfeiture due to the kind of work he undertook. In light of this, the insurer should have assessed the daily duties to determine at what rate the disorder would have deteriorated. This is not measurable but an estimate would have been made. His age should have been put in consideration with the health status in mind (Thummuluri, 201 0). Question 3 As an insurer, I would deny the claim. This is because the claim form clearly depicts the breach of the contract signed between the two parties. His work entailed office work and inspection of constructions and training. These kinds of duties would have delayed the health condition outburst. The claim clearly states lifting heavy items and further carrying these items. These are way off the inspection duties that entail a review of work done, work in progress, review of remaining work, budget analysis and further deduce necessary reports. His sentiments do not depict compliance with what his duties entails. Though he exaggerated the number of hours for each activity, this does not change my stand. He was not supposed to do these strenuous duties ab initio. Although his claim of loss of income is substantial, this is out of the context of disclosure of his work. Part II: Household items Insurance Question 1: Mr. Green’s earlier conviction would affect the underw riter decision by refuting or denying the policy. The acts of violence are not insured against in this kind of a policy. The policyholder stands at a risk of seizure of his goods or damage during the violent acts. A claim from the police department may necessitate auction of household goods if he cannot settle the damages inflicted in the violence. This insurance policy covers against loss of household items from fires, floods, or natural disasters. The violent acts predispose unforeseen loss to the Insurance Company. Full disclosure of

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Why is it difficult for parents and children to communicate Research Paper

Why is it difficult for parents and children to communicate - Research Paper Example Proper communication between parents and children also project that they hold individual value to the family, which in turn helps in developing their overall confidence level by a considerable level (New Mexico State University, n.d.). However, it becomes quite difficult for the parents to maintain a smooth communication with their children specifically during the adolescent stage. In this particular stage, the parents and the children experience much tension, which eventually results in deteriorating the parent-child relationship to a major extent (Swerdlow-Freed Psychology, P.C, 2014). With this concern, the prime intention of this research paper is to identify along with discuss about the various stress related factors that are faced by the children during their childhood stage, which results in improper parent-child communication. The various sorts of parent-child communication issues would be presented in this research paper with the aim of determining about why it often becomes quite difficult for parents and their children to communicate in an effective manner. Adolescent Stage Issues. As already discussed above, parent-child communication issues mostly occur during the adolescent stage of the children. During this stage, every child desires to be independent in terms of taking own decisions and act accordingly. In this stage, every child starts demanding for his/her own individuality within the family and friends circle, resulting in raising disturbances and tensions at large (Swerdlow-Freed Psychology, P.C, 2014). Thus, in this regard, it often becomes much difficult for parents and children to communicate. Ignorance from Parents. At certain times, it can be seen that the communication link between parents and children also get decimated due to the ignorance made by the parents towards the children. Majorly, it is observed that due to the lower level of family income, the parents of the children are forced to work outside. This eventually gives

Monday, September 23, 2019

Leadership Assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Leadership Assessment - Essay Example This will encourage them to work harder as well as take an interest in the goals and ambitions of the organization as they do not wish to be responsible for its failure to achieve them. This leadership style allows for the discussion of various issues and the input of all the employees involved in the making of a decision. The organization operates under a Divisional structure that is designed to enhance team development within the organization. This structure functions through grouping each organizational function into a division that is staffed with the necessary individuals and requirements in order to operate efficiently (Robbins & Judge, 2007). For example, the financial aspects of the organization will be dealt with by the finance division of the organization. This allows for the negation of any potential confusion and allows for an individual to hone their relationship skills within the workplace. This is because every division can be considered to be a team thus the emphasis on team development whereby individuals in the same division need to work together and with other divisions to reach the organization’s goals thus developing the relationship skills of the employees as a result (Robbins & Judge, 2007). The performance of the Company CEO in terms of ethical behavior and communication can be considered to be of a high level as he was successful in getting his employees to understand what he needed from them in a way that motivated the various individuals to give their best in the tasks that they were handed (Deckers, 2010). His ethics were also impressive as at no time did he show favoritism to one particular individual or group and operated on a basis of deserved merit when dealing with his employees. This led to the employees being motivated to improve on their work performance as they were encouraged by the fact that only their hard work would be the basis for recognition by the company meaning that everyone in the organization had a fair ch ance at climbing up the ladder. There are various practices that an organizational leader can use to motivate their employees to improve their work ethic. Some of these practices include the issuing of rewards for jobs well done. This will motivate an employee to give their best in whatever their working on as they try to achieve this award (Deckers, 2010). The reward in itself does not have to be a major gift and could be simple such as an additional off day for the employee, a gift card or any small token of appreciation that makes the individual feel the company has recognized the good work they have done. Another way of motivating employees can be through the hosting of social events for the workers. This could be a way of saying "thank you" for the hard work and will motivate them to make their company proud through the work that they do (Deckers, 2010). These events could be Christmas or other holiday parties or even hosting a birthday party for the longest serving employee in the company for example. A third practice in motivating employees is the issuing of equity shares to the workers that will make them feel like they are part of the company therefore its success will be their success. Diversity is an issue that can bring about a

Sunday, September 22, 2019

In-depth literature review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

In-depth literature review - Essay Example (p. 17) One of the main strategies of the British fashion industry is the market differentiation. Here, companies that comprise the industry tend to specialize in a sector: menswear, ladieswear, children’s wear, knitwear, lingerie, street fashion, designerwear or accessories (scarves, ties, hats and gloves). At present, there is a governmental agency in the UK called the Standard Industrial Classification that provides a mechanism for gathering statistics and supplying information about an industrial grouping and in defining a market. Also, along with information from trade bodies such as the British Clothing Industry Association, data are utilized to make comparisons among competing countries comprising an industry. This is based on the idea that in the international market has become so saturated that the advantage of the ‘globalness’ itself has been essentially nullified. (Gamble, 2003, p. 346) Now more than ever, it is harder and harder to become a top-level fashion house in various global cities and so greater premium on specialization is evident. Paul de Gay (1997), in his book Production of Culture/Cultures of Production, explored this further as he argued that a comprehensive understanding of fashion in clothing can only be approached through an exploration of the mutually constitutive rhythms of production and consumption, hence mapping the multiple worlds where fashion is produced and consumed is definitely a must. (p. 8) Interestingly, Bruce, Moore and Birtwistle (2004) added that the majo rity of British fashion consumers prefer to buy the diffusion lines of clothing. (p. 160) In the book called, The National Fabric: Fashion, Britishness, Globalization, Alison Goodrum argued that British fashion is precariously poised amidst a clutch of conflicting narratives, representations and ideologies. For her, there is a

Saturday, September 21, 2019

National football league Essay Example for Free

National football league Essay 1 Is my title and introduction enticing? My title and introduction are enticing because it tells how the game of football became one of the greatest sports. 2 Is my thesis effective? Yes my thesis is effective because it details the important timeline of the critical changes to the sport. 3 Have I included enough details so the reader can visualize my experience? Readers can visualize my experience through my details. 4 Are the events presented in a logical sequence? All of my events are in logical order. 5 Have I used transitions to help the sequence of events flow smoothly? My transitions help the sequence of my essay flow smoothly with dates. 6 Have I used dialogue (if appropriate)? No 7 Have I used a consistent point of view and verb tense? I have used a consistent point of view and verb tense. 8 Is the point of my narrative evident? The point of my narrative is very clear and concise. 9 Have I ended the story satisfactorily? I ended my essay satisfactorily. 10 Have I proofread thoroughly? My narrative was proofread thoroughly by me and my roommate. Kelvin Hall Professor Ross HALL 2 ENG 101 30 September 2012 The History of Football. Before the 19th century, football was just known as a ball game played on foot; now it is a very competitive sport evolved over time to become one of the greatest sports ever played. This game had many versions with different rules according to which team you played. For instance, if you played Yale University their rules would be different than if you played Princeton. The first ever soccer-football game was played using the London Football Association rules. These were the rules that most teams followed until a coach from Yale University would write the first rules for American football. Walter Camp became known as forefather of football. From 1880-1883, he single handily reconstructed the game of football by restructuring the size of the field, position and numbers of the players, and the handling of the ball. He would use rules from both soccer and rugby to format the written rules. The number of players from each team on the field decreased from fifteen to eleven. The positions included seven lineman, two halfbacks, one fullback, and one quarterback. Prior to this adjustment there was utter confusion on the field. The size of the field dwindled as well. The players started using formations to line up on the field. He adjusted the scoring system by increasing the value of a touchdown to six points from five points and reducing the field goal to four points from five which today is only three points. Until his death in 1925, he would edit every American football rule book. The first professional football game was played between the Dayton Triangles and the Columbus Panhandles in 1920 under the American Professional Football Conference. It was not HALL 3 until 1922 that it became the National Football League as we know it to be today. It only included eighteen teams then but now has thirty-two. A new football league was formed in 1959 titled the American Football League. In 1962, the AFL filed suit against the NFL accusing them of monopoly and conspiracy. This legal matter went on for over two years before resolution. The championship game between the Baltimore Colts and the New York Giants on December 28, 1958 was considered to be the greatest game ever played according to the NFL. It was the first game to go to sudden death overtime in history with a one yard touchdown run by  Alan Ameche. In 1966, both leagues agreed to play an annual AFL-NFL championship game. The first super bowl which was known as the AFL-NFL championship game was played between the Green Bay Packers and the Kansas City Chiefs in 1967. This game was won by the Green Bay Packers; making them the first team in NFL history to win a super bowl which would be won again by them the following year. In 1970, Congress approved the two leagues merged to form one league with two conferences (National Football Conference and American Football Conference). To date, there are four NFL teams that have never made it to the super bowl and nine teams who have made it but have never won. The NFL has transformed tremendously since 1869. It has produced some of the greatest athletes in the world. The Pro Football Hall of Fame (currently having 273 members) was dedicated in Canton, OH on September 7, 1963. The super bowl is still the most watched televised program in history. Without Walter Camp and his contributions to the American football game; this game might still be considered just a game played on foot. HALL 4 Works Cited Hoffer, Richard. The First Super Bowl. Sports Illustrated 116. 5 (2012): 46-53. SPORT Discus with Full Text. Web. 21 Sept. 2012. HALL 5 Guttmann, A. (2006). Civilized Mayhem: Origins and Early Development of American Football. Sport in Society, 9(4), 533-541. College Football: History, Spectacle, Controversy. Coach and Athletic Director 71. 1 (2001): 62-. Pro Quest Research Library. PROQUESTMS. 26 Sep. 2012 Peterson, Robert W. (Pigskin: The Early Years of Pro Football. ) Cary, NC, USA: Oxford University Press, 1997.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Six Month Accountancy Internship Personal Development Essay

Six Month Accountancy Internship Personal Development Essay The merger of PwC Lybrand in 1998 formed PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), one of the big four firms in Singapore and worldwide (Wikipedia, 2010). Boosting a revenue of US$2,935 million in the Asia region for financial year 2010 (PricewaterhouseCoopers Global, 2010), PwCs principal activities include assurance, advisory and tax services, for its clients, in accordance with the latest generally accepted accounting principles. I am attached to assurance Operating Unit 5 (OU5), where in 2010, the department has achieved the following performance: Diagram 1: Assurance OU5 Financial Report (Year ended June 30) Performance Indicators July 2010 August 2010 Revenue $1,083,000 $949,000 Headcount 98 90 Billable hours per month 12,158 9,868 Billable hours Year- to-date 12,158 22,026 Vision What guides the organisation and its people lies in the vision, which is to be a leader in rendering professional services, strategically solving problems for its clients, in order to enhance the values for the firm and its clients. Furthermore, the firm aspire to be a hub to attract, train and retain talents from all over the world, where as many as 163,000 competent and innovative staff in 151 countries play an important role in the creation and moulding of the PwC experience. Diagram 2: PwC Experience As seen in the PwC Experiences flowchart above, the firm emphasises on the building the values of individuals and relationships within the staff and with their clients by understanding their needs and connecting with them. They also launched a new identity (logo) on 17 September 2010, which represents a continuing and paramount desire to create values, achieving goals and building great relationships for its people and its clients (PricewaterhouseCoopers Singapore, 2010). Organisation Chart The organisation chart of PwC Singapore is attached in appendix A. In an engagement team, the organisation structure would be similar to the diagram below: Diagram 3: Organisation Structure of an Engagement Team Culture The culture of the firm also helped in shaping the overall experience. The firm has an open door policy, which I found comfortable approaching my seniors and managers at any time. In PwC, the staff will be assigned to a career coach and buddy, whose responsibility includes guiding and advising their juniors in making choices or simply, to be a listening ear in times of needs. Besides just work, PwC also focus on work-life balance. Activities such as community services and Certified Public Accountants (CPA) games are organised to provide opportunities for networking with some professionals in the industry and also to promote work-life balance. Roles and Contributions Diagram 4: Simplified flowchart of work flow General At the start of the attachment, I was tasked with simple tasks such as call-over and casting of figures in the financial statements. Though these tasks may seem trivial to some, they were essential to ensure the accuracy of the figures shown in the financial statements, and for the call-over, to ensure that the two copies were similar and the changes that were previously noted, were reflected in the latest copy. Planning During the planning for an engagement, I mapped and imported the trial balance provided by the client into the database system so that the team members would be able to extract figures for the sections that they are responsible for. For the walkthrough, I enquired the clients on their system and noted down for example, how a sale transaction would be processed from the start to the end point. Furthermore, I arranged with the corporate secretary to carry out statutory review. Statutory review is carried out twice for an engagement. The first session would be during the planning stage, where the purpose would be to gain an understanding of the changes in key management personnel and the resolutions passed from the end of the last engagement till current year. The second session would be carried out after financial year end, and this would help the auditors to find out whether any subsequent events such as acquisition of a business unit that would affect the audited figures. Fieldwork After planning, the team would proceed to the clients place to carry out fieldwork. For the accounts receivable section, I performed accounts receivable ageing test, by vouching the major debtors invoices and re-performed the accounts receivable ageing. I took the number of days between the invoice date and year end date, and minus away the credit terms for each individual debtor, to find out the number of aged days. After which, I classified these into ageing bands of intervals of 90, that is, 1 to 90 days, 91 to 180 etc and compared the end results with clients classification. This step was done to test the reliability of the accounts receivable ageing analysis report provided by the client and this would support the substantive analytical review and other substantive analytical testing that were being performed on accounts receivable. For the accounts payable section, I performed the test for unrecorded liabilities to assess if there was any understatement of liabilities, by vouching to the paid invoices after year end to determine if they are current obligations and whether they have been recorded in the current financial year. I also traced to the unpaid invoices after year end to ensure that they have been accounted for in the current year. If the liabilities have not been accounted for in the books, liabilities would be understated. For the fixed asset section, I performed reasonableness test on the depreciation charges, to ensure that depreciation, a form of accounting estimates has been provided accurately. Using the fixed asset cost at the beginning of financial year, I removed the fully depreciated and disposed assets and provided partial depreciation for the new additions during the year. After which, I compared the end results with the clients amounts. If depreciation charges have been underprovided, it would result in overstatement of the fixed assets balance. Follow-up Session After the end of the fieldwork, we will have a follow-up session, to clear outstanding matters such as documents and queries not obtained during fieldwork or to do subsequent reviews after the previous session. I performed accounts recoverability testing by vouching for subsequent receipts after year end. If there were non-recoverable amounts above the pre-set planning materiality, the team would need to discuss with the management to provide for provision. Audit Instructions and Agreed Upon Procedures In addition, I assisted to draft the audit instructions and agreed upon procedures for other PwC firms overseas. PwC firms in the CATSH (China, Taiwan, Singapore and Hong Kong) regions adopt the same audit methodology. This was because our client was incorporated in Singapore, but their accounting records were kept in overseas. Therefore, taking into consideration the time and cost factors, we would request the PwC firm in the country where the records were kept to carry out the audit for us and to sign an inter-office opinion. Learning Experiences and Achievements Communication Skills One of the most important lessons I have learnt so far is communication skills. In school, we were so used to communicating with our peers and teachers casually. We do not need to prepare beforehand and could speak from our minds. However, from this internship, I came to understand that the way you talk and your message affects the communication with other people. When we are out for engagements, we need to communicate and negotiate among the team, such as on meeting time and venue, delegation of workloads and to clarify instructions. Nevertheless, in my opinion, the most difficult form of communication lies with the client. Every new engagement brings along a whole new team to work together for the client. We have to be selectively and be aware of how and what we enquire the client on. This is especially important as we are not in the clients place most of the times, therefore, we rely on the information that the client provides us with. Also, there might be miscommunication if the client misunderstood our queries. I was assigned to test the controls for payment of expenses. I vouched to the physical suppliers invoices, corresponding payment vouchers and recorded the payment voucher number and telegraphic transfer number. I found out that the payment voucher was not in the usual 6 digits format starting number 6 and it was in the telegraphic transfer format i.e. TT OCBC SG 123456. Being very confused with the arrangements, I approached the Finance Manager, to clarify my doubts. I remembered using the words sequential order and TT number is different in my questions. The client immediately rebutted me, You mean our payment vouchers are not in sequential order? Fortunately, my team in-charge helped me out by clarifying my questions with the client. My original intention was to enquire the use of TT transfer number that is different from the banks reference and to find out the basis on using such formats. After some clarifications, the client explained the change in the use of the formats from Jun e 2010 onwards, a new format for the recording of the payment voucher number, in the way familiar to them. For example, TOS 11 10 07 01 stands for TT OCBC Bank in SGD and where 11 is the currency code for SGD, 10 being year 2010, 07 being the month and 01 being the sequential numbering of the payment voucher. GIRO payment would have the format starting with 65 and payment by cheque will have the numbering starting with 84. From this incident, I have learnt to be tactical with my words and not mention words that might imply that the client was in the wrong. Firstly, we should request the client to walkthrough with us on the system. When they are done with the explanations, we could enquire on the deviations from the general procedures that they have briefed us on previously. I would also write down all the questions that I need to ask on a piece of paper, so as to avoid approaching the client frequently. Building relationships Relationship-building is paramount in the line of assurance, because we are not desk-bound jobs and require frequent travelling. I heard that most clients do not like auditors and we would often be scolded by them. However, I would think otherwise. I felt that it all boils down to how we manage our relationship with our peers, colleagues and clients. I really enjoyed the relationships that I shared with my first engagements client. Before the official working hours, I loved to join their staff at the pantry to chat and also shared with them my working experiences so far. The times that we have laughed were definitely fond memories. My seniors warned me that the Finance Manager was a fierce person who was unwilling to help. However, I realised that after much interactions with him, he would guide and joke with me. Even now, when I called back to follow-up, the staff recognised my voice and sent me the outstanding documents within a short time. I never felt uneasy been recognised as a student. The relationship that I maintained with my seniors was also more like a friend. We would play hard and work hard at the same time. These have definitely taught me not sacrifice work for time used for building of relationships. The close relationships that you have forged so far would be beneficial to you in the future. In school, many of us have Innovation and Enterprise (I E) events in year 3 for our Interdisciplinary Studies (IS) modules. Many of these events require the support of our friends, whether financial or in participation. If we have cherished the relationships with our friends, many of them would be willing to support our events. No one is alone. Therefore, it is important to meet new people, put in efforts in maintaining these relationships and these people could possibly help us even after our studies or internship. Being Proactive and Taking Ownership Being proactive in my attitude and be responsible for the tasks assigned to me was another learning experience for me. I am a slow learner and I should not allow this to affect the progress of the engagement team. As such, I read the prior years financial statements and checked with my team in-charge at least a few days before the engagement if there is anything that I could be help of and to discuss on my job scopes. These efforts paid off when I realised that I was able to relate what I have read in the prior years files to current years audit, as we would normally expect the trend to continue. In addition, going through the walkthrough performed by my seniors has allowed me to know the key management personnel that I may need to approach during fieldwork and to familiarise with the filling system, so as to expedite the vouching process. I believe that taking ownership of the tasks assigned is important. It is being responsible for yourself and others. When someone handles me a task, I would complete it as soon as possible, or if I am busy, I would ask the other interns to assist. This is because the other party have put their trust in you to help them to complete these tasks. If we are not responsible, our seniors would not want to entrust us with tasks and we would miss these opportunities for learning. Similar to the learning experiences in school, when we are assigned projects by our lecturers, we should always put in efforts, and not grumble and submitting substandard work, because the projects are designed to enable us to have a hands-on approach on the concepts learnt in lessons, and to encourage us to do research and explore beyond the lecture notes. Independence During this internship, I became less reliant on my seniors. For my first engagement, there were only 4 people in the team, including myself. My team in-charge resigned before the end of the engagement and both my seniors took annual leave and study leave, leaving myself to do the follow-up for that engagement. My manager was too busy to guide me. In the end, I was sent to do follow-up at the clients place alone for two days. As I was tasked to do only vouching for certain sections during fieldwork , I do not have a good understanding of the clients business and operations, as compared to my seniors and team in-charge who have handled the different sections and have liaised directly with the clients finance manager and director before. I felt nervous, lost and I tried very hard to remember what my seniors and manager had told me. I started on my work and reported to my manager once every few hours, to update her on my progress and obtain feedback from her on the work done so far. I f elt that I was too protected by my seniors and in-charge previously, as they would check my work before submitting my work to the manager for review. For now, there was no one to check my work and I have to think on my feet and complete them with care before submission. As compared with the project work and assignments in school, we could seek our friends help and lecturers opinions before the final submission and do not need to worry about making mistakes. Reflection on an Incident Carelessness For my first engagement, one of the tasks that I was assigned to was to vouch the credit terms for the major debtors. As it was my first time, I was nervous and stressed up over the deadlines. When asked by my team in-charge if I have completed all the vouching, I told her that I have completed the task and she believed me. However, to her dismay, she realised that the section was not completed when we went back to the office. I have forgotten to vouch that particular section and my in-charge had to call up the client to enquire on the details one by one. This has definitely added on her workloads as I understood that the section was due for review by the director that day. I thought that I have learnt my lesson from this incident. However, for the same engagement, but for the follow-up session, my team members were not around and my manager took leave and later on fell ill for another 2 weeks before my follow-up sessions. My manager had told me to keep track of the confirmations and correspondences with the client and third parties while she was away. Upon receipt of the confirmations and correspondences, I have to update in the control sheet, whether the confirmed balance is the same as the balance as shown in the accounts receivable and accounts payable listing. When my manager came back from her medical leave, she alerted me that I have signed and filled in a confirmation, which was actually returned to us, without any confirmation of the balances, as the address for the intercompany in Italy was wrong. Since the signing of the accounts was agreed on 13 December 2010, we were running short of time. My manager reprimanded me for the carelessness. I took immediate action by requesting our client to alert their intercompany in Italy to send a confirmation again, if not, at least, a scanned copy before the signing of the accounts. I regret for not learning my lesson previously as this was a repeat incident. Ever since then, I resolved to be careful in my work and to double check before submission. My manager acknowledged that I have put in efforts in my future tasks ever since that incident. Word Count: 2940 Appendices Appendix A Source: (PwC Singapore, 2010)

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain Essay -- mississippi river, racism, civ

Huckleberry Finn is one of the most controversial novels in history. It is the fifth most challenged book in United States history (About Mark Twain). It tells the tale of a young boy and a slave who venture across the Mississippi river. At the time, this was considered immoral and unheard of. The author of this story is Mark Twain. Twain was born as Samuel Clemens, but later, after he began writing, he took on the pen name of Mark Twain. This name signifies the borderline between acceptable and not acceptable- as shown in his writing. Twain had three punctilious messages in his novel. Mark Twain wrote Huck Finn to express his disillusionment of society through the eyes of a young farm boy who realized that senseless violence, racism, and slavery all expressed how cruel and corrupt people could be. Samuel Clemens grew up in Hannibal, Missouri. There, he experienced an adventurous childhood that greatly influenced several of his stories. The town of Hannibal however, was not all it seemed to be, for Samuel experienced death and violence at an early age. When he was 9 years old, he saw a local man murder a cattle rancher, and at 10 he saw a slave die after a white overseer struck him with a piece of iron (Mark Twain Biography). Next, after he married, he travelled frequently across the country. In his travels, he experienced slavery, and racism first hand. This greatly affected him and he fought against it with the publication of Huckleberry Finn. In 1858, he became a licensed riverboat pilot (About Mark Twain). This experience allowed him to explore the Mississippi River, which played a large role in developing the novel. Twain clearly shows his social criticisms in this novel using satire. Huckleberry Finn was publish... ...through the eyes of a young boy named Huckleberry Finn. Works Cited -A&E Television Networks, LLC. (1991, March 5). Abolitionist Movement. Retrieved May 18, 2014, from History.com: www.history.com/topics/black-history/abolitionist-movement -A&E Television Networks, LLC. (n.d.). Mark Twain Biography. Retrieved May 14, 2014, from Biography.com: www.biography.com/people/mark-twain-9512564#awesm=~oEhRSHITXnijgm -CMG Solutions. (2006, July 6). About Mark Twain. Retrieved May 9, 2014, from The Official Website of Mark Twain: www.cmgww.com/historic/twain/about/facts.htm -Twain, M. (1994). Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. (S. Appelbaum, Ed.) Mineola, New York, United States: Dover Publications, Inc. -Weider History. (2010, September 15). Causes of the Civil War. Retrieved May 17, 2014, from HistoryNet: www.historynet.com/causes-of-the-civil-war

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

The Police Powers of Search, Arrest, and Interrogation Essay examples -

The Powers of Police Individuals have civil rights; people are entitled to be allowed to move freely and to have their person and their property respected. However the police must have sufficient powers to investigate crimes. Therefore Parliament has given the police special powers that can be used in certain circumstances. These powers include the rights to stop and search suspects, to arrest and interview people when necessary and to take fingerprints and samples (blood samples) for scientific analysis. Without the police having these certain powers then it would be nearly impossible to investigate any crimes. But it is also important for the police to remember that, at the same time, they do not unnecessarily harass ordinary people, and that those who are suspects are protected from overzealous police officers. The law on police powers is covered in the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (also known as PACE) and the codes of practice under section 66 of PACE. There are five codes, running from code A to E. Code A deals with the powers to stop and search, code B deals with powers to search premises and seize property, code C deals with the detention, treatment and questioning of suspects, code D deals with rules for identification procedures and code E deals with tape-recording of interviews with suspects. This essay will discuss the police powers of search, arrest and interrogation, which are all covered by PACE 1984. The first item that this essay will be dealing with is the police's powers to stop and search. Under section one of PACE the police have the right to stop and search people and vehicles in a public ... ... as including torture, inhuman or degrading treatment and the use or threat of violence. Code C also gives protection to suspects who are being questioned in regard to the physical conditions of the interview. For example, the code says that interviews must be adequately lit, heated and ventilated and that suspects must be given adequate breaks for meals, refreshments and sleep. In theory the custody officer who is supposed to keep accurate records, should monitor the treatment of a suspect during their detention period. This should include the length and timing of interviews and other matters, such as visits of police officers to the defendants cell, so that any breaches of the rules will be obvious. However, research by Sanders and Bridges suggests that a substantial minority of custody records (10%) are falsified.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Nationalism In The Middle East Essay -- essays research papers

The study of international relations is very broad and complex. It is the study of nations and states and how they are formed. It is also the study of measures, such as revolutions and wars, that create different nations and states and the reasons behind such measures. One important concept in international relations is the view of nationalism. Nationalism is a part of every nation and state and thus is relevant to each country. An important geographical area where nationalism relates directly to the events occurring today would be in the Middle East where nationalistic views of two different nations, that of Jews and Arabs, coincide to create a very volatile conflict that has run its course for nearly a whole century.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A â€Å"nation† is defined as a group with a common culture, language, folkways, and values. A â€Å"state† refers to a government in control of territory and population. For example, Israel is a state and a nation since it consists mainly of Jews. However, Palestine is a nation because it consists of Arabs with a common culture, but not a State, since the International community does not recognize it as one. Nationalism is the view that a nation and state in a specific area should coincide. It is the view that says that a specific group with a common culture should be allowed to form its own state and thus its own form of government to govern itself. Thus, nationalism is related to every country and so is very important in the study of International relations. The most damaging weakness in Nationalism is that Nationalism may cause a culture to consider itself superior to all other cultures. This in turn may be used as a justification to eliminate other groups. A prime example is that of Nazi Germany and the Holocaust. But, on the other hand, this superior attitude towards other cultures could cause severe tension between whoever is involved, and in turn cause the inferior country to lash out causing a conflict or in this case war. Thus, nationalism is one of the important causes of revolutions, borders, and wars even in the world today.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  An important geographical area where the affects and causes of nationalism can be seen with clarity is the Middle East. The history of the Middle East is long and very complex relating back to more than three thousand years. The main conflict in the area today... ...ontinuing problems between the two manifestations of nationalism of Arabs and Jews.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Palestine War of 1948 was not the only major conflict between the two nations in the Middle East. Since then, there has been the Six Day War of 1967, the October War of 1973, the Palestinian Uprising of 1967, and perhaps more recently going on at this very moment the newest surge of Palestinian uprising in Israel that began in September of 2000. There are still tough issues to resolve between the two sides, issues such as Jerusalem, which is holy to both Jews and Muslims. Since both nations want full sovereignty over the Holy City and nothing less, this has become an important issue in their nationalistic views. Violent conflicts over such continue to spill blood, both Jewish and Arab, and bring more fear and pain into the already desperate situation. These conflicts are a continuing reminder of how nationalism, in this case both Jewish and Arab, can cause revolutions, uprisings, and wars in order for the creation of states. It is a continuing reminder of how nationalism relates to international relations and its importance in each individual country in the world.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Christmas Celebration Essay

As Christmas arrives, instead of just opening presents, my family celebrates it by throwing a fun and exciting party. The events we plan are way to thrilling than any ordinary Christmas celebration because it’s our family’s tradition. For example, each year we make American style food and Vietnamese food, open presents under the Christmas tree, eat at the dining table, and sing! Most of my family members could not control their excitement and have broken one of the family’s traditions of opening presents by age. While we do celebrate Christmas like any other family does, we tend to celebrate it differently each year to change it up. Opening presents under the Christmas tree first, helps organize everything from causing chaos. Most of the time it’s our last event because it’s worth the wait, but most of us can’t help and take a peek at ours first. My family open presents uniquely different than other families because we wait for our turns. Our family has a tradition of opening of opening presents from youngest to oldest. We have been following this tradition for as long as I can remember. While, waiting, it’s hard for me to watch because I get extremely impatient, I’m always at the couch watching TV. Next, we heard over to the mall Christmas tree and take a Chinese red envelope filled with money. The envelope contains bills that vary from $1,$5,$10,$20 and $50. This is the most exciting part after opening presents because who wouldn’t want to test out their luck? I have the worst luck when it comes to picking an envelope off the tree. Every year, I always get $1 bills or $5 bills! This changed last year, when I hit the jackpot and won $50! Overall everyone not only receive presents, but goes home with money in their pockets. After opening presents and selecting our red envelopes off the tree, we take family pictures. The first picture is always serious because it has to be perfect. My cousin Michael, and I try our best to hold in our laugher, but we never successfully do. If the first shot isn’t perfect or if we joke around, then we all have to stand there until a perfect picture has been taken. After that we change into our Christmas sweaters and take silly photos. Nobody ever wants to see just serious Christmas photos in the family scrapbook! We take silly pictures to make it a fun and funny experience. Next we head over to the dining table to eat as much food as our hearts desire! Last, we brace ourselves again, for the serious karaoke competition! This is my favorite part of the day because it’s always funny to watch people mess up the lyrics. Each year, the competition gets more and more competitive; people take it way too seriously! My aunt thinks she is better than everyone else, but to our ears, that isn’t true. My aunts and uncles always fight over to see whose turn it is to go next because they love to have fun and show off their skills. When it’s my turn to sing, I remain calm and try my best to get a good score. Singing in chorus in high school for two years really pays off! Anyway, we all compare our scores at the end of the competition to see who wins a gift card to any store of their choice. The thing is, not everyone goes home empty – handed. Everyone wins a gift card too, but those don’t hold as much money as the grand prize. My family’s Christmas celebrations are the best! It’s great to see everyone having fun for once, rather than arguing about problems! I love the aura that everyone gives off with the smiles and laughter in the atmosphere! It’s the only time of the year where everyone can relax without causing any uproar. Overall, my Christmas celebrations are fun moments that I look forward to each year.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

English Only In The United States Essay

A countries identity is characterized by many different factors.   It may be the culture of the people, the beliefs, the technological advancement or the degree of economic prosperity.   It cannot be argued, however, that the single factor which brings all of these characteristics together and allows other people to appreciate and understand a country more is language.   All the signs of prosperity are meaningless without language to convey the real meaning.   Language is the single factor which allows people to become involved with a country and be able to call it their home.   The United States is one of those countries where to be American means to speak English.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The influx of foreigners and immigrants has given rise to an increase in the number of non-English speaking Americans.   While the term in itself is contradictory, it is sadly becoming a reality.   More and more modes of instructions in the United States are being translated into other languages in order to accommodate these increasing numbers of immigrants.   This is a travesty that surely makes the forefathers toss and turn in their graves.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The United States of America was founded on the English language.   It brought the people together and gave them the common will to fight for their independence and also to create a great nation.   People all over the world recognize this great achievement.   In recognition of this achievement, people teach themselves to speak English.   This is a testament to the greatness of not only the United States but of the English language as well.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The highest law of the land is the American Constitution and it is written in English.   There is no reason why other lesser laws or even regulations should be written in some other language.   Immigrants come to the United States not to conquer by imposing their language on the country but to learn and live the American way of life.   Part and parcel of the American life is learning how to speak English.

Leadership and Organizational Behavior

Breast Cancer Society of America Funds? Mary Clayborne [email  protected] com Leadership and Organizational Behavior MGMT -591-19138 Instructor: Jacci Christopher September 21, 2012 At one point in time, I’ve thought that every one including myself knew themselves whether it was their character, personality, what they like and do not like. I figured that once you knew of these things than that means that you were going to be just fine and that you now have the knowledge and tools needed to get by in life it self.After taking this life styles inventory test, I realized that what you have thought about in regards to ones own self may not always be true. While taking this inventory, my primary results were that I scored a 99 for being affiliate, needing approval, conventional, being dependent, and also avoidance. One word that I did not understand was affiliate. So when I did my research on the word the definition that came about was from businessdictionary. com states that an affiliate leader is one that promotes harmony among his or her followers and helps to solve any conflict.They also make it where their followers feel connected to each other. This sounds like me. I love to be in a place where there is peace, love, harmony, unity as well. This particular inventory amazes me even from the start of it. My backup personal thinking styles as shown in my circumplex are oppositional, self-actualizing, and humanistic-Encouraging. Its funny how one of my second highest percentiles was humanistic-encouraging. At my church, my talent and gift and being an encourager.So this thinking style I most certainly agree with due to the fact that I find myself encouraging people all the time on a regular basis. Even when I’m at work, at church, at school or just daily doing activities and it might perhaps cause me to interact with someone. Most times I catch myself asking that particular person if they are alright or if there is anything that I can do for them. I t feels like when I say those words it feels so natural to ask them that and not like any struggles as it may feel to others. In this case I totally agree with me being a humanistic-encourager.However, I would have thought that humanistic-encouraging would have been one of the styles that gotten a high percentage, so that kind-of puzzles me. In my mind being a dependent type of person means that you rely on people for certain things. Now that I think about it I guess it’s true to a certain extent. The style that I think might be reducing my over all effectiveness would be oppositional. I don’t think that I critic everything and seems to be a negative person. I try to be as positive as I can towards any situation. If an employer sees that one of my styles were oppositional, I don’t think they would want to hire me.However, I’m willing to be more open minded about the situation of course and to gain more knowledge and wisdom as to how to handle different si tuations that may come my way. One thing that I’ve noticed is that when you are a manager or a CEO of a particular company, hearing the voice from your staff should be very vital. At my job one of the biggest issues that everyone is having is with parking. I work literally right outside of down town and so the area in which everyone parks at is for free which means that everyone including the people you work with will get there as early as possible to get a park.However, there is a paid parking lot that located right behind our building where a lot of people do not park at because of the pricing. So us as a staff, we asked the owner of the company if he could rent the parking lot out for his staff and we all would pay a monthly fee. We all should have known what the response would be, (it was no). Due to this matter trying to get to work at 6:00am and do not have to see client’s until 9:30am is quite a bother. Some times it effects my work ethics and behavior because i m at work so early and don’t have to see anyone until hours later.So when the time come, I feel tired and drained because all of my energy was used so when I got to work. When you are working with a diverse group of people, you will notice that you have to be a multitasked and able to be opened minded with new ideas that might come about. My LSI style affects my personal and professional life style. I have 8 brothers and sister. Majority of them are girls, so there would always be some types of competitiveness going on in the house. Who has the longest hair, which can clean up the best for mother’s approval, who can dance better, who can do a lot of other things better than the other.My LSI style has contributed to my child hood. It makes you think and wonder, when we were children we started to develop into our character and personality not knowing it would create our own unique self. Being a perfectionist is a style that I thought I carried very strongly. I’m assuming that its not based on the LSI inventory. I could remember times where I would get highly upset if a particular task that I was to complete was not done the way that I wanted it to be. If so, I would stop completely and never return to it.Not knowing that that style is being a perfectionist person. Did this make me different from the other children or not was a question that I wondered for years. One of the things I would like to learn while being in MGMT591 is that I’m able to learn how to blend my primary and backup styles together or balance them out so that I can become emotionally stable while on the job or in my personal life. While doing so, this would improve who I am as an employee and as a person in general. Name:  Ã‚  D01595657 |Date Survey Taken:  Ã‚   | Your LSI Styles Profile The raw and percentile scores in the table below and the extensions on the circumplex shown below depict your perceptions of how you think and behave. The CONSTRUCTIVE Styles ( 11, 12, 1, and 2 o'clock positions) reflect self-enhancing thinking and behavior that contribute to one's level of satisfaction, ability to develop healthy relationships and work effectively with people, and proficiency at accomplishing tasks.The PASSIVE/DEFENSIVE Styles (3, 4, 5, and 6 o'clock positions) represent self-protecting thinking and behavior that promote the fulfillment of security needs through interaction with people. The AGGRESSIVE/DEFENSIVE Styles (7, 8, 9, and 10 o'clock positions) describe self-promoting thinking and behavior used to maintain status/position and fulfill security needs through task-related activities. |Position |Style Score |Percentile | |1 |Humanistic-Encouraging |39 |96 | |2 |Affiliative |40 |99 | |3 |Approval |33 |99 | |4 |Conventional |36 |99 | |5 |Dependent |36 |99 | |6 |Avoidance |21 |99 | |7 |Oppositional |9 |63 | |8 |Power |2 |10 | |9 |Competitive |7 |15 | |10 |Perfectionistic |15 |20 | |11 |Achievement |25 |25 | |12 |Self-Actualizing |32 |70 | The raw scores potentially range from 0 to 40. The percentile scores represent your results compared to those of 9,207 individuals who previously completed the Life Styles Inventory.For example, a percentile score of 75 means that you scored higher along a particular position than 75% of the other respondents in the sample and, in turn, indicates that the style represented by that position is strongly descriptive of you. In contrast, a score of 25 means that you scored higher than only about 25% of the other respondents and therefore indicates that the style represented by that position is not very descriptive of you. Your LSI Styles Circumplex For detailed descriptions of each of these 12 styles, click on the circumplex graphic in each of the 12 sections. [pic] Examining your Circumplex To accurately interpret your LSI results, it is important for you to consider your score on each style in terms of its range (high, medium, or low) on the profile. The three ranges correspond to the percentile points in the circumplex and in the table above. [pic] Leadership and Organizational Behavior Assignment 1, Briefing sheet, January 2013 Jeffrey P. Bezos : An entrepreneur leader Jeff Bezos was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico and from an early age he showed his mechanical attitude developing intense and varied scientific interests. Considering this fact, his parents sent him to a special program for gifted children, where Jeff could develop his love for gadgets (Byers, 2006). When his family moved to Florida, he discovered his ‘great passion’, computers, so he abandoned his studies in Physics and got a degree on Computer science and Electrical engineering (Sherman, 2001).After his studies, Jeff Bezos started working for Bankers Trust, and at the age of 26 he became the youngest Vice President of the company (Byers, 2006). When he noticed in 1994 that internet usage was increasing by 2300% a year (Hamalainen & Saarinen, 2007), he started planning his next step, which was Amazon. com. Amazon made his appearance in 1995 with 3 micro stations in Bezos’ garage (Robinson, 2009) and its activity was to sell books. Today Amazon. com is one of the most preferable internet retail platform, where customers can find DVD’s, CD’s, MP3 downloads, books and toys. According to Economist (2000), Amazon. om is the most visited internet retail platform in USA and one of the top 3 in Germany, UK, France and Japan. The impact of Amazon. com Amazon. com is today the largest electronic retail worldwide (Anon. , 2012). According to J. Bezos (Wired Magazine, December, 2011), Amazon is a cultural pioneer which lives to disrupt even its own business. It is recognized by 55% of conscious population, and it is part of today’s Western culture (Spector, 2002). The company spends almost 40% of its income on brand building (Margolis, 1999), and that is why Amazon. com is a trustable and a well-known brand name (Economist, 2000, Marketing, 1999). 0,000 people work today for Amazon, and the company turnover is 48 billion a year (Warman, 2012). Amaz on. com launched in November 2007 Kindle E-book reader and as Bezos notes â€Å"Millions of people own now Kindles† (Gonsalves, 2010)). According to Gonsalves (2010), Amazon sells 6 Kindles titles for every 10 hard books, and this strategic move increased profits up to 71%. Jeff Bezos vision about Amazon. com is to be the most customer-centric company in the world (Mellahi & Johnson, 2000). According to Mellahi and Johnson (2000) the success key of the company is†¦ innovation-innovation & innovation. J.Bezos’ approach to leading Amazon and his key factors which have contributed to his success. He was named â€Å"Man of the year 1999† (Ramo, 2011) and â€Å"Business person of the year† (Fortune Magazine, 2012). Jeff Bezos is a visionary entrepreneur leader ( (Dyer, et al. , 2009)). According to Moment (2004) the essential traits of an effective entrepreneur are to be singular focus, self-driven, ambitious, achievement oriented, imaginative, independen t and versatile. According to Quittner (1999) â€Å"Bezos, naturally enough is unmoved by the nay saying†. He asserts some instinctive characteristics, which make him distinctive from other leaders.Can he be described as a â€Å"Great Man/ Great leader†? As Huczynski and Buchanan put it (2007) â€Å"Great man are born leaders and emerge to take power regardless of social, organizational or historical context†. Other researches on trait theories tried to specify the traits of a great leader and found hundreds of them. However, according to Kilpatrick and Locke (1991) the typical leadership traits are: drive to archive, motivation to lead, self-confidence, ability to withstand setbacks, honesty and integrity, standing firm, cognitive ability, knowledge of business, emotional resilient.When Bezos decided to quit from his work on Wall Street, he had a strong feeling that his new business plan for an internet based retail platform would be his chance to move his idea s one step further (Academy of achievement interview, 2001). According to Stogdill (1948, 1974) a great man is confident, and he has a strong ego. A great man also has traits as honesty and integrity (Kilpatrick and Locke, 1991) and Jeff Bezos believe that one of the principal key of a leader is the courage â€Å"to tell the hard truth†.His collaborators and people who spend time working with him, subscribe Bezos as â€Å"immensely likable man† (Eskenazi, 2005). All this shows to us his excellent social skills. Subordinates are surprised by his brainpower and the way he inspires and leads his subordinates . These are signs of his intelligence and his motivation to lead. Examine the style, approach and content of the leadership demonstrated by specific examples Daft (2009) subscribes Bezos as a strong charismatic and also a visionary entrepreneur leader (Dyer, et al. , 2009).According to Schlooser and Todorovic (2006) there are commonalities between entrepreneurs and ch arismatic leaders. Subordinates usually are attracted by the way an entrepreneur and charismatic leader shows his great passion on achieving goals, taking risks, adding value in the organization and the way to control the business (Schlooser and Todorovic, 2006). According to Daft (2009) in an organization like Amazon where growth increases and the leader (Bezos) provide his major goal for continued growth, subordinates are exited and fully committed.Bezos has also a great ability to adapt to changes. He believes that engaging only to practices which will surely be successful, will prevent from exploring new opportunities (The business journals, May, 2008) Amazon. com’s motto is â€Å"Work hard, have fun and write history†. According to Adair (1979) in order to increase the effectiveness of the group, leaders (managers) must find ways to cover three basic needs of their subordinates: task needs (work hard), individual needs (have fun) and team maintance needs (write hi story).This approach is called Action-Centred Leadership and is part of Functional Approach. According to this approach, attention is focused on the content of leadership and how the group of the subordinates is affected by the leaders’ behavior. Bezos is also a situational leader, when Amazon had 2,9 million dollars in loses, he changed his strategy from â€Å"getting Amazon bigger and faster† to â€Å"look inside the house† (Anon. , 2012). Situational approach (Hersey and Blanchard, 1979) focuses on the situation where characteristics of an effective leadership are depending on the situation.Furthermore, Bezos is a transformational leader. Researchers in leadership argue that visionary and charisma are some of the characteristics of a transformational leader (Mullins, 2010). A transformational leader inspires and gives vision for the next day of the organization and knows how to connect the achievements of the subordinates with the organization’s goals (Kark, et al. , 2003). Shares are offered for bonuses to Amazon. com employees, in order to motivate them to see the big picture of the business and to feel their participation within the organization’s vision.Evaluate whether Jeff Bezos could have been as effective in a different context or organization, giving a credible argument for this supported by referenced theory Jeff Bezos has showed he can lead Amazon. com through change via his ability to make it the most costumer centric company in the world (Sherman, 2001). His visionary entrepreneur leadership style (Dyer, et al. , 2009) offers the ability to fit in change. His transformational leadership style (Burns, 1978) also indicates his charismatic way on leading his organization under different situations.Also, Jeff Bezos and Amazon surprised by launching the new Kindle Fire HD tablets (Spencer, 2012). Kindle Fire Hd is now one of the most hi-tech tablet gadgets in the world and Apple’s iPad finally found a real c ompetitor. According to Charles(2012), Bezos and Amazon are preparing another big surprise for their competitors: The new Kindle phone. These show us that Bezos could be effective if the context of the company was different. Jeffrey Bezos is an entrepreneur, and like other entrepreneurs he is known for having started his own business. It is unknown whether he could lead an established organization.It can be said that he would not be effective leading companies which are out of his ’area’ (computing & internet), but he also founded ‘’Blue Origin’’, a human spaceflight company (Boyle, 2006). According to these transferable skills and his traits (charisma, creativity, energy-drive, strong ego, honesty and integrity, social sills) he could lead different context companies in various situations. Conclusion We showed that Jeff Bezos is a strong visionary and charismatic entrepreneur leader with the traits of a great man. He is also a situational an d transformational leader with a great ability to inspire his suborders.They admire his brainpower and his successful decision-making. He can easily adapt to change, and his transferable skills make him a great leader under any circumstances. References Anon. , 2006. Click to download. [Online] Available at: http://www. economist. com/node/7791530 [Accessed 28 December 2012]. Anon. , 2012. A Retail Revolution Turns 10. [Online] Available at: http://www. nytimes. com/2005/07/10/business/yourmoney/10amazon. html? pagewanted=all&_r=0 [Accessed 28 December 2012]. Boyle, A. , 2012. 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Wired Magazine, 13 November.Margolis, B. , 1999. An Amazon. com storey lessons learned. Direct Marketing, 62(761), p. 243. Mellahi, K. ; Johnson, M. , 2000. Does it pay to be a first mover in e. commerce? The case of Amazon. com. Management Decision, 38(7), pp. 445-452. Mullins, L. , 2009. Management and Organisational Behaviour. 9th ed. Essex: Pearson Education Limited. Ramo, J. C. , 1999. Jeffrey Preston Bezos: 1999 Peson of the year. Time Magazi ne, 27 December. Robinson, T. , 2009. Jeff Bezos: Amazon. com Architect. Minneapolis: Abdo Publishing Company. Sherman, J. , 2001. Jeff Bezos:King Of Amazon. Com. New York: 21st Century.Spector, R. , 2002. Amazon. com: Get Big Fast. New York: Harper Collins Publishers . Todorovic, Z. W. ; Schlosser, F. K. , 2007. An entrepreneur and a leader! : A framework conceptualizing the influence of leader style on a firm's entrepreneurial orientation—Performance relationship. Journal of Small Business and Entrepreneurship, 2o(3), pp. 289-308. Warman, M. , 2012. Amazon: don't blame us for the revolution on the high street. [Online] Available at: http://www. telegraph. co. uk/technology/amazon/9604296/Amazon-dont-blame-us-for-the-revolution-on-the-high-street. html [Accessed 28 December 2012].