Van Goghs Starry Night Essay Example For Students

Van Goghs Starry Night Essay Despite my limited knowledge about art, its components, and the artists who create their masterpieces, Vincent Van Sagos The Starry Night is probably my favorite piece of artwork in the textbook. I love this painting and chose it because to me, this piece of work is so serene yet captivating and stimulating at the same time. I believe that if a piece of art can evoke that many emotions in a person, then it is truly a masterpiece. I actually have a replica of The Starry Night hanging in my house, which as another reason why I chose to discuss this particular painting. We will write a custom essay on Van Goghs Starry Night specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now One of my favorite aspects about Van Sagos work is the lines depicted and painted in the art. I think that is the main element that makes The Starry Night so unique and beautiful. Van Gogh uses colorful and curvy lines in an energetic and stimulating way. The color used in this piece of art is also a powerful element included . I think that the colors Van Gogh chose to use are genius because it makes the painting more rueful yet sets almost a cool and serene atmosphere by using the blue colors and its hues. The textbook suggests that many have depicted The Starry Night to reflect Van Sagos disturbed mind. However, I find the painting to have almost a mystical and calming effect. The different lines that Van Gogh uses in this piece of art also provide the piece with texture. Looking at The Starry Night hanging in my living room or the one in the textbook makes me want to reach out and actually be able to feel he artwork itself and the lines to feel the texture it appears to have. Van Gogh also uses the elements of light and dark superbly in this painting. The whole painting is created using darker colors yet the sky reflects lighter hues variously throughout which I believe provides The Starry Night with a nice contrast. I think that Vincent Van Sagos The Starry Night is my favorite piece of artwork I have seen yet and contains many different design elements and principles that help make it the masterpiece that it is today.

CHAPTER 30 Essays - United States, Conservatism In The United States

CHAPTER 30 Essays - United States, Conservatism In The United States CHAPTER 30 UNCERTAIN TIMES, 1974 - 1992 Chapter Outline I.Searching for Direction, 1974-1980 A.A Faltering Economy B.Welfare and Energy Initiatives C.Negotiation and Confrontation in Foreign Policy D.The New Right II.The Reagan Revolution, 1981-1992 A.The Election of 1980 B.Supply-Side Economics C.Curtailing Unions, Regulations, and Welfare D.Reagan to Bush III.Renewing and Ending the Cold War A.The Defense Buildup B.Deploying Military Power C.The Iran-Contra Controversy D.The Cold War Eases E.Post-Cold War Policy and the Persian Gulf War F.The Election of 1992 IV.The Politics of Social Movements A.Women's Issues B.Sexual Politics C.Activism among African Americans D.Activism among American Indians E.Activism in Spanish-Speaking Communities F.Activism among Asian Americans G.Anti-Government Activism Chronology 1974Nixon resigns and Ford becomes president; Ford soon pardons Nixon 1975South Vietnam falls to North Vietnam; Ford asserts U.S. power in Mayaguez incident 1976Jimmy Carter elected president; OPEC sharply raises oil prices. 1978Carter helps negotiate Camp David peace accords on Middle East 1979Soviet Union invades Afghanistan; Sandinistas come to power in Nicaragua; U.S. hostages seized in Iran 1980Ronald Reagan elected president; U.S. hostages in Iran released 1981Reagan tax cut passed 1983U.S. troops removed from Lebanon; Reagan announces SDI ("Star Wars") program 1984Reagan defeats Walter Mondale 1986Reagan administration rocked by revelation of Iran-Contra affair 1988George H.W. Bush defeats Michael Dukakis in presidential election; Congress enacts Indian Gaming Regulation Act 1989Communist regimes in Eastern Europe collapse; Berlin Wall falls; Cold War, in effect, ends 1990Bush angers conservative Republicans by agreeing to a tax increase 1991Bush orchestrates Persian Gulf War against Iraq, 1992Bill Clinton defeats Bush Lecture Outline 1.In the aftermath of the turmoil of the Vietnam War and the Watergate scandal the nation was searching for direction, 1974-1980. The presidency of Gerald Ford suffered from popular impressions that he was a weak, indecisive, "caretaker" president. a.Ford was undermined by a faltering economy and his effort to "Whip" inflation was both ineffective and a public relations failure. Under Jimmy Carter, the economy only seemed to worsen with rising unemployment and soaring inflation. b.Carter pushed hard for both welfare and energy initiatives; although he could not forge an agreement for welfare, he used the new Department of Energy to "declare war" on the nation's reliance on fossil fuels. c.The U.S. foreign policy of containment played itself out in Southeast Asia as a long U.S. war in Vietnam ended under Ford with the fall of Saigon. Carter infused his approach with more negotiation than confrontation and a respect for human rights. Though his results were mixed, they did yield the Camp David agreement between Israel and Egypt. d.There appeared a new right on the American political landscape that was as deeply interested in advancing a conservative social agenda as they were for political and economic issues. 2.Ronald Reagan emerged as the brightest star and best hope for the new right. His defeat of Carter in the election of 1980 signified the beginning of what came to be called the Reagan Revolution, 1981-1992. a.Offering a sunny persona and more optimistic outlook than the comparative gloom of Carter, Reagan swept to a convincing electoral victory in the election of 1980. b.Reagan embraced a theory of "supply-side" economics, which held that tax reductions would stimulate investment and thereby create economic growth. These changes in government policy did create wealth, though it was uneven, favored the rich, and led to soaring national debt. c.Another part of Reagan's agenda was the curtailing of government support of union and the cutting of regulations and welfare measures. d.The Republicans Party kept control of the presidency as the personal appeal of Reagan helped his vice-president, George H.W. Bush, gain victory despite the new right's lack of enthusiasm for his candidacy. 3.Reagan's promise to reverse the post-Vietnam "passivity" by the nation on the world stage led to both his renewing and ending the Cold War with an aggressive American foreign policy. a.Reagan supported a dramatic defense build-up with massive increases in military spending, most visibly in the failed Strategic Defense Initiative. b.The Reagan administration proved eager to deploy military power in numerous confrontations. c.The Iran-Contra controversy, the illegal selling of arms to Iran to fund a military effort to overthrow the government of Nicaragua, proved the biggest scandal of the Reagan administration. d.Mikhail Gorbachev, the new Soviet leader, played a vital role as the Cold War eased via his policies of glasnost ("openness") and perestroika ("economic liberalization") until the collapse of the Soviet Union

Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 7

Personal Statement Example This becomes one of the major reasons why I am applying for MSC Finance course at the Manchester Business School. To introduce myself, I am Mr. Shawn, a three year student from Bangor University. I studied at the Beijing Institute of Technology for two years. After that, I planned to come to UK for further studies. I achieved an excellent academic result during my second year Bachelor degree study with average score of 75.7. Finance was one of my strongest subjects, in which I scored 86 marks. Strong basic knowledge of math and flexible thinking supported me to get exceptional results in Probability and Optimization and Statistical Methods, with 99 and 94 scores respectively. This proves that I have always been a first-class student. My teachers and professors always considered me a student worthy of reward. I feel that I have enough knowledge and passion to know more about the financial market. Studying finance will not only increase my learning about the financial market, but will also help me achieve a reasonable job. I shall prove to be an excellent professional as I am really interested in solving different financial challenge. To maintain my interest, I keep myself updated with market requirements. I have always thought about bringing my knowledge into use that I gained during my college. I keep on reading related journals, books and magazines, and attend related seminars held in my vicinity. I feel that I possess those special skills needed to fulfill the requirements for this course. I have always come up fresh, innovative and unique ideas. I believe that I have huge potential to improve my academic ability. I always visit the business part of BBC news which enables me to connect what I learnt with the real business world. I am especially interested in the news about Finance and Economics. Now, I shall discuss some of my personal qualities that make me proud of who I am, and which will surely help me in my professional life as well. My best talents incl ude good organization, discipline, carefulness, thoughtfulness, and getting things done in time. I like to put in my best efforts in whatever I do, and I never give up no matter what it takes. I am good at basketball as a point guard. I also have a craze with music, and I love playing piano. I am proud to state that I am a very good learner, and pick up concepts quickly. I keep myself updated with the latest tech information. I have expertise in MS Excel, Word, Power point, Publisher, and Access. I also love working in Adobe Photoshop and Corel Draw. I am a very kind-hearted person, an example of which is my efforts to help Jiaheng Peng, who was a pilot of American volunteer group (the customer gave me this name) in Second World War. He is suffering from leukemia, and my friends and I raised around 1,000 Yuan by launching a donation campaign in Zhongguancun, China. It is also important to state why I chose MBS. The Manchester Business School is a reputable institute, and the atmosph ere of study is incredible. I realized this after listening to a lecture of Xianping Lang, who is a famous Chinese economist. This proves that MBS enjoys a high reputation in the world. Also, the contents of the courses offered by MSC Finance at MBS are first-rate and basic, and they suit today’s business field. I am still preparing to apply for MSC Finance and Investment, MSC Finance and Econo

Strategic management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Strategic management - Assignment Example It will be noted that competitive advantage is created when a company is able to make its products and services the preferred option for customers within a market where competitors are offering products and services of the same nature or kind (Carter, Daniel and Betty, 2006). For competitive advantage to be achieved, the need for a critical understanding and appreciation of what the customer wants is very important. This is because the customer is always the end user of the product and service that the company offers. With the immediate direction and scope where the company wants to prioritize the interest of customers in product and service innovation, there is every hope that competitive advantage will be created because the company will offer precisely what the customer wants from the hospitality and tourism industry that it is not getting from other competitors. QUESTION TWO The business approach to strategic management is selected as the most suitable framework for Thomas Cook G roup to maximize its strategic impact with key stakeholders. This business approach to strategic management framework is however made up of a number of strategic options that makes it very important for the company to be highly critical in its selection of an appropriate strategic. Generally, two strategic approaches namely sociological approach and industrial organizational approach will be identified. Though each of these two approaches will at any point in time help a company in achieving some level of strategic success with its stakeholders, the use of industrial organizational approach is opined as the optimum strategy among the suitable framework that can bring about strategic development with stakeholders. The reason for this point is that in the use of industrial organizational approach, companies are admonished to take up the combined use economic theory and assumptions. Under economic theory, considerations are base for key economic factors such as resource allocation, com petitive rivalry and economies of scale. Meanwhile, in the current global economic crunch, these economic factors are very important for the achievement of economic growth and development. This is because based on economic theory, the company will be offered the opportunity to naming its competitive rivalry and know how to rightly allocate its scarce resources in a manner that presents a better competition against the competitor. With reference to assumptions also, Thomas Cook Group will be allowed the use of rationality, profit maximization and self discipline principles to compete (Carter, Daniel and Betty, 2006). QUESTION THREE In the current state of global economic recession within which Thomas Cook Group is forced to compete and growth as a leader in the hospitality and tourism industry, the effective management of resources and competences would be the only remedy to ensure that the company survives the recession. This is because world economic crunch is generally associated with cut downs and limitations in resources and competences. This situation is created because the input into resource availability of companies hardly synchronize with the resource output that the company undertakes (Breiman et al, 2009). With the scarcity therefore, effective

Internet and UK Tourism Industry Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 8000 words

Internet and UK Tourism Industry - Coursework Example It has been used for various transactions from information transfer to interpersonal communications. Businesses have greatly improved with the onset of internet usage. The utilization of internet has come to the point of it becoming a necessity rather a luxury. The popularity of the internet usage has made it a subject of various studies not only in the academe but including industries that nowadays depend on it. The properties, advantages as well as the disadvantages have been the focus of these studies. The introduction of internet as one of the modes of communication has made significant changes in the lifestyle on the people. It began in the 1980s as the Computer Revolution and now it became the Computer and Internet Revolution. During the computer revolution, the computer usage has increased rapidly and between 1985 and 1999, the usage of computers at work or at home increased from 30 percent to 70 percent as the increase in computer ownership rose from 15 percent to 60 percent (Kim, 2001). Consequently, these factors have made businesses change their strategies. They introduced e-commerce in which consumers can exchange goods and avail themselves of the services offered by companies thru the internet. E-commerce follows the same basic principles as traditional commerce that, buyers and sellers come together to exchange goods for money. But unlike traditional commerce in which the consumers go to a particular place to avail necessary products, they can visit the web sites of multiple vendors anytime, any day to compare prices and make purchases online. But this does not only benefit the consumers, the sellers as well can cut costs and expand their market. Because they sell over the internet, which can be accessed globally, they have the potential to market their products or services worldwide and are not limited by the physical location of a store. At the same time, internet technologies also permit sellers to track the interests and preferences of their customers with the customer's permission and then use this information to build an ongoing relationship with the customer by customizing products and services to meet the customer's needs. Nielsen (2005) wrote that there is an upward trend in global online shopping. Popular items purchased on the internet are books at 34%, videos and games at 22%, airline tickets and reservations at 21% and clothing and accessories at 20%. The study also showed that even one percent of the total population purchase using the net does not necessarily mean successful online sales but it is still important for retailers big and small to understand the factors that drive brand equity and site usage. It also shows that sites and brands with higher brand equity attract higher visitation and sales. But e-commerce has also its downside; some costumers are reluctant to buy products which need actual assessment such as furniture and appliances. Some also consider shopping a social experience; they may be going to a store with family or friends. Security and assurance of transactions are also some factors why some consumers are apprehensive to use the internet for purchases (Microsoft Encarta 200 7). According to a survey by HM Revenue and Customs, web users especially in the UK are using the internet to make their lives easier. The surveys shows that the top three uses of internet are researching

Disempowered Individuals With Learning Disabilities Social Work Essay

Disempowered Individuals With Learning Disabilities Social Work Essay Being in the institution was bad. I got tied up and locked up. I didnt have any clothes of my own, and no privacy. We got beat up at times but that wasnt the worst. The real pain came from being a group. I was never a person. I was part of a group to eat, sleep and everything it was sad. (As cited on Mencap.org) Historically people with learning disabilities have suffered disempowerment by being excluded from mainstream society through segregation in large institutions. ( Wolfensberger, 1972) people were dismpowered by having little control over how they lived their lives. Although the Community Care Act 1990 has resulted in the closure and the resettlement of people with learning disabilities, people are still suffering disempowerment through exclusion by not being able to choose how to live their lives (Ramcharan,et al 1997). Empowerment is: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦concerned with how people may gain collective control over their lives, so as to achieve their interests as a group, and a method by which social workers [and other care providers] seek to enhance the power of people who lack it (Thomas and Pierson 1996, p.134). The Same As You? review is the Scottish Governments strategy for learning disability services in Scotland.   The review sets out the Scottish Governments wider policies of social inclusion, equality and fairness to enable changes to happen for the better in the lives of people with learning disabilities. A key area identified within The Same As You? is Person Centred Planning. Person-centred planning means starting with the individual and putting the supports around them that will enable them to have the life that they want. Person centred planning is a tool that can be used to plan with a person. This can be to help the person think about what is important in their life now and also to think about what what they would like in the future. Planning should include the persons circle of support and involve all the people who are important in the persons life. (Stalker and Campbell, 1998). The idea behind person central planning was to respond to problems of social exclusion, disempowerment and de-evalution. Person centred planning was developed in the 1980s by a small number of people including John O Brian and Michael Smull. As a way of enabling people with learning disabilities to move out segregated institutions and back into the main community. Person-centred planning is designed specifically to empower people, to directly support their social inclusion, and to directly challenge devaluation. By looking at what support is needed to allow the person included and involved in the community. (Magito-Mclaughlin et al., 2002). Person centred approaches offer a different alternative to the traditional model of planning used for service provision. The traditional methods of service provision operated around the individual receiving the service, with health and social care professionals making all the decisions on the type of support the individual received. The traditional model was disempowering to people with learning disabilities as it focused on the persons medical problems, ignoring the qualities of the person as human being. (Sanderson, 2003) Person centered planning places the individual at the center of the decision making process, allowing family members to become involved in the planning as Joynab, Mohammeds mother states: Person-centred planning has given us hope and a vision for a better future for Mohammed. We feel now we can have a say in how and what service support he receives. We no longer believe that only professionals know best for our son. Mohammeds faith and cultural needs are recognised and responded to.(DoH, 2010) Person centred planning looks at the persons qualities and is a way of listening to what is important in the persons life. People can direct their own services and supports, in a personalised way rather than attempting to fit within pre-existing service systems. An area where person planning has helped the person by listening to what they want enabling them to direct their services and support is through training and employment. People with learning disabilities have been marginalised from gaining employement, through the employers lack of understanding about learning disabilities and stereotypical beliefs that they are incapable of working. As a mother states I have a son who has Down syndrome..I go to the supermarkets and ask if they could try my son outà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦I explain that he has Down syndrome, then they change the subject and say they will give me an application form.I explain my son cannot write, and they tell me he cannot get an interview without an application form.Is this a way of eliminating the disabled? (Anonymous contribution as cited by Williams,2009) People with learning disabilities benefit from working as it helps them to gain fiancial independence and security, increases their self confidence and skills and allows them to socialise. Todd (2002) demonstrates this in his report planning a new future where an agency worked with a young man with autism whose goal in life was to be an airline pilot, even though this goal was unrealistic. The support worker involved in his person-centered plan, suggested and arranged a visit to Heathrow airport once a week. The idea was to find out what interested the young man about being a pilot, was it the flying, planes or uniform? After visiting the airport for a couple of months it became apparent that the baggage carousels captivated him. The young man was then supported to get a part time job as a baggage handler. (Todd, 2002) enabling the person to become part of the community. In a way that values their human rights, gives them independence and choice. Person centred planning has a particular approach that can be used for different individuals in different situations. The four main tools that can implemented include: McGill Action Planning System (MAPS), this process is a useful tool for gathering information in the early stages of planning, helping to identify the person talents and needs. ELP (Essential Lifestyle Planning) is more commonly used to plan for people who are moving out of instititionalised care. Personal Futures Planning is less service based, tending to be used for building relationships with family, friends and fitting into the wider community. PATHS (Planning Alternative Tomorrows and Hope) is used to develop an action plan for the individual. (Stalker and Campbell, 1998, Sanderson, 2000) People with learning disabilities can have communication problems and should not be disregarded from having person centred planning for that reason. There are various techniques that can be used allow a person with a learning disability to communicate in their ideas for the plan, such as Makaton, talking mats, sign language and picture banks. (Grove, 2005) the plan can be done any format that is accessible to the person such as a written document, a drawing or mind map with images or an oral plan recorded on to a compact disc. Plans are the updated when the person wishes to make a change or when they have achieved their goal. Person centred planning is for eveyone, not just for people who can communicate. As it can engage participants personally by allowing them to hear of deeply felt hopes and dreams and fears, even if the person feels they are silly. As the planning process allows the person to break free from the misconceptions and conventions that can harness their future. Some examples of peoples dreams were a young man wanted a trip to Mexico as part of his vision. Another is taking guitar lessons as a way to achieve his goal of being a country and western singer. An older woman, in her plan, decided to retire. Another is taking art classes and learning to paint watercolours. Starting a business, going to college or university, buying a house, these are all things that are possible through person centered planning. (ne-pdd.org) Person centered planning has helped people achieve empowerment is their choice to form relationships, get married or have children. People with learning disabilities have the same need for love and relationships as do all human beings. However this need is not being met for people with a learning disability. Literature on the subject provides information about sexuality in regards to learning disabilities, however it seems to focus on disability and sexuality from the perspective of it being a problem. (Parritt, 2005.) This negative view of people with learning disabilities and sexuality stems from the historical perspective of learning disabilities, where people with disabilities were placed in institutions and segregated (Potts and Fido,1991) This level of control can still be seen today with professionals and families trying to discourage intimacy and relationships, viewing the person with a disability as vulnerable, seen as the eternal child (McCarthy, 1999) Mrs Susan Hurst and Mr Frank Hurst tell their story of Our Wedding, Our Dream where person centred planning enabled them to get married. Mrs Hurst states, some people felt there wasnt a need for us to get married but we wanted what every one else hadà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Getting married had always been our dreamà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. (csrpcp.net) Mr. and Mrs. Hurst describe how the tools of person centered planning enabled them to identify both their hopes, goals and dreams for the future this enabled them both too make all the decisions in planning for their wedding. Mr and Mrs Hurst explain that they even planned their honeymoon and travelled to their honeymoon destination without the aide of support workers, as person centered planning had enabled them to plan ahead of the difficulties that might occur and how the couple would resolve them when on holiday. Without Person centered planning Mr and Mrs Hurst would never have been able to get married or go on honeymoon. Mr and Mrs Hurst felt that person centered planning helped them to achieve their goals enabling them to feel in control of their lives, allowing them to choose their human right to get married and respect for private and family life. (csrpcp.net) There is legislation that supports the rights of people with learning disabilities to have fulfilling relationships and sex lives if that is their choice. (Article 8) states that every human being has a right to respect for private and family life. The Disability Discrimination Act (1995) gives people the right to access family planning clinics and advice centers. People with learning disabilities should be accepted as people who have the same capacity for loving as others in society.(Lesselliers, 1999) Loneliness and isolation may occur through the lack of opportunity to have loving relationships. Therefore person centred planning can enable people with learning disabilities to be empowered by allowing them to make these decisions and choosing how they want to live their lives. person centred planning improves the person quality of life. Increasing the persons right to empowerment through the right to work where they want, where they would like to live and increasing their social network by letting them choose how they would to socialise. (Whitney-Thomas et al., 1998). Relationships improve for the person at the centre of the planning, as they became more motivated and goal oriented. As the participation process allows friends and family to join in the planning and help the person achieve their goals. Parents also reported that person centred planning had such an impact on their familys lives, that they choose to become involved in training other families in the importance of person centered planning. As person centred planning is designed to focus on one person at a time, it increases the potential to broaden opportunities for people with learning disabilities in gaining the life they choose. As Person centred planning allows the person to choose how, when and where they want support or services delivered rather than the standard one size fits all approach. (OBrien Lovett, 1993). However there are limitations to person centered planning for people with learning disabilities. Insufficient funding and resources can hinder the planning process persons and their opportunity to achieve their goals, leaving people disillusioned with the process. Person centered planning requires trained and well equipped staff who are knowledgeable about inclusion, rights of people with learning disabilities and how to help empower people by directing them. As people can lose trust in centered planning if these values are not upheld. (Kinsella 2000), Person centered planning can take time to achieve targets, it is not suitable for people who require emergency planning where action needs to take place in a few days. The process is not a quick fix (OBrien Lovett, 1993). In conclusion people with learning disabilities have suffered from disempowerment in the past as a result of institutionalised care. However person centered planning has enabled people with disabilities to become empowered by allowing them to make their own choices and be fully supported about how they would like to live their life. By allowing people with learning disabilities to choose their right to employment through what job they would like to work, this in turn empowers them by gaining fiancial independence and increased self confidence, as well as learning skills and getting to meet new people. Person centred planning has allowed people to gain their right to family life and marriage, by allowing people to plan their own wedding and honeymoon giving them independence to start married life. Therefore person centered planning creates positive effects that go beyond effective planning. In that it allows people to be listened to and what is important to them. However this is only effective if what is recorded on the plan is acted on, as people will lose faith in person centered planning if no action comes from their choices.

Audience Perception of the Stereotypical Black Image on Television Essa

Audience Perception of the Stereotypical Black Image on Television In the introduction to the section on understanding social control in Race, Class, and Gender in the United States, Paula Rothenberg states â€Å"The most effective forms of social control are always invisible†(507). One of the most prevalent forms of invisible social control the creation and perpetuation of stereotypes. Studies have shown that stereotypes can become so ingrained in the minds of those exposed to them that the target of the stereotype might not only believe the mythological image, but also inadvertently act out the image they are expected to play (Snyder). In addition, those who subscribe to the stereotypical images of others will â€Å"notice and remember the ways in which that person seems to fit the stereotype, while resisting evidence that contradicts the stereotype†(Snyder 514). Stereotypes control by creating false images that work to maintain the status quo and keep those who hold power in their positions of power.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For stereotypes to be an effective method of social control, they must be created, dispersed and perpetuated. Though the process of using stereotypes as social control is invisible, as Rothenberg declares, the distribution of those images is anything but invisible. The average American watches between 30-31 hours of television per week (World Book). That constitutes the number of hours for a full-time job. This statistic illustrates that television is an incredibly powerful medium for dispersing information, entertainment, and misinformation: â€Å"negative images of African-Americans propagandize misinformation about African-Americans†(Cosby 137). Misinformation about disadvantaged groups in America has historically found plenty of airtime on television: â€Å"television brings to an otherwise heterogeneous audience a single set of values and social descriptions produced to the specifications of the owners of the broadcast industry and their advertising sponsors†(Matabane 21). These images have been shown to affect the way these groups are perceived and acted towards by the white mainstream (Ford 1997). The combination of the prevalence of negative images of minorities and the scientific proof of the effect these images on the behavior of the majority group lead to an invisible form of social control perpetuated through a most visible medium. Th... ...African-Americans on Person Perception.† Social Psychology Quarterly. 60. 1997 (266-278). Frye, Marilyn. â€Å"Oppression.† Race, Class, and Gender in the United States. Ed. Paula Rothenberg. New York: Worth, 2001 (139-143). Gray, Herman. Watching Race. Minneapolis: Univ. of Minnesota, 1995. Lewis, J. and S. Jhally. Enlightened Racism. Boulder: Westview, 1992. Malik, Sarita. Representing Black Britain: Black and Asian Images on Television. London: Sage, 2002. Matabane, Paula. â€Å"Television and the Black Audience: Cultivating Moderate Perspectives on Racial Integration.† Journal of Communication 38(4). 1998 (21-31). Ross, Karen. â€Å"In Whose Image? TV Criticism and Black Minority Viewers.† Ethnic Minorities and the Media. Ed. Simon Cottle. Buckingham: Open University, 2000 (133-147). Rothenberg, Paula. Ed. Race, Class and Gender in the United States. New York: Worth, 2001. Snyder, Mark. â€Å"Self-Fulfilling Stereotypes.† Race, Class and Gender in the United States. Ed. Paula Rothenberg. New York: Worth, 2001, (511-517) World Almanac & Book of Facts 2003, p282, â€Å"Statistics on the average number of hours Americans spend watching television per week as of October 2001.†

Cash Flows and Financial Statements at Sunset Boards

CASH FLOWS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AT SUNSET BOARDS Below are the financial statements that you are asked to prepare. 1. The income statement for each year will look like this: | Income statement| | | 2008| | 2009| | Sales| $247,259| | $301,392| | Cost of goods sold| 126,038| | 159,143| | Selling & administrative| 24,787| | 32,352| | Depreciation| 35,581| | 40,217| | EBIT| $60,853| | $69,680| | Interest| 7,735| | 8,866| | EBT| $53,118| | $60,814| | Taxes| 10,624| | 12,163| | Net income| $42,494| | $48,651| | Dividends| $21,247| | $24,326| | Addition to retained earnings| 21,247| | 24,326| . The balance sheet for each year will be: | Balance sheet as of Dec. 31, 2008| | Cash| $18,187| Â  | Â  | Accounts payable | $32,143| Â  | Accounts receivable| 12,887| Â  | Â  | Notes payable | 14,651| Â  | Inventory| 27,119| Â  | Â  | Current liabilities | $46,794| Â  | Current assets| $58,193| Â  | Â  | Â  | | | Â  | | Â  | Â  | Long-term debt | $79,235| | Net fixed assets| $156,9 75| Â  | Â  | Owners' equity | 89,139| Â  | Total assets| $215,168| Â  | Â  | Total liab. ; equity | $215,168| In the first year, equity is not given. Therefore, we must calculate equity as a plug variable.Since total liabilities ; equity is equal to total assets, equity can be calculated as: Equity = $215,168 – 46,794 – 79,235 Equity = $89,139 | Balance sheet as of Dec. 31, 2009| | Cash| $27,478| Â  | Â  | Accounts payable | $36,404| Â  | Accounts receivable| 16,717| Â  | Â  | Notes payable | 15,997| Â  | Inventory| 37,216| Â  | Â  | Current liabilities | $52,401| Â  | Current assets| $81,411| Â  | Â  | Â  | | | Â  | | Â  | Â  | Long-term debt | $91,195| | Net fixed assets| $191,250| Â  | Â  | Owners' equity | 129,065| Â  | Total assets| $272,661| Â  | Â  | Total liab. & equity | $272,661|The owner’s equity for 2009 is the beginning of year owner’s equity, plus the addition to retained earnings, plus the new equity, so: Equity = $89,139 + 24,326 + 15,600 Equity = $129,065 3. Using the OCF equation: OCF = EBIT + Depreciation – Taxes The OCF for each year is: OCF2008 = $60,853 + 35,581 – 10,624 OCF2008 = $85,180 OCF2009 = $69,680 + 40,217 – 12,163 OCF2009 = $97,734 4. To calculate the cash flow from assets, we need to find the capital spending and change in net working capital. The capital spending for the year was: | Capital spending| | Ending net fixed assets| $191,250| | – Beginning net fixed assets| 156,975| | + Depreciation| 40,217| | Net capital spending| $74,492| And the change in net working capital was: | Change in net working capital| | Ending NWC| $29,010| | – Beginning NWC| 11,399| | Change in NWC| $17,611| So, the cash flow from assets was: | Cash flow from assets| | | Operating cash flow| $97,734| | – Net capital spending| 74,492| | – Change in NWC| 17,611| | Cash flow from assets| $ 5,631| 5. The cash flow to creditors was: | Cash flow to credito rs| Â  | | Interest paid| $8,866 | – Net new borrowing| 11,960 | | Cash flow to creditors| –$3,094| 6. The cash flow to stockholders was: | Cash flow to stockholders| Â  | | Dividends paid| $24,326 | | – Net new equity raised| 15,600 | | Cash flow to stockholders| $8,726| Answers to questions 1. The firm had positive earnings in an accounting sense (NI > 0) and had positive cash flow from operations. The firm invested $17,611 in new net working capital and $74,492 in new fixed assets. The firm gave $5,631 to its stakeholders. It raised $3,094 from bondholders, and paid $8,726 to stockholders. . The expansion plans may be a little risky. The company does have a positive cash flow, but a large portion of the operating cash flow is already going to capital spending. The company has had to raise capital from creditors and stockholders for its current operations. So, the expansion plans may be too aggressive at this time. On the other hand, companies do need capita l to grow. Before investing or loaning the company money, you would want to know where the current capital spending is going, and why the company is spending so much in this area already.

Adolescence Acting Out In Group Theraphy

Acting-out means performing an act that expresses emotional conflict in the individual. The emotional conflict may be subconscious. The actions done in acting out are usually antisocial and are meant for getting attention. Behaviors acted out include drug taking, or behaving promiscuously.Actions in this category are harmful to the individual and stand in the way of the individual developing constructive behavioral responses to feelings. Acting out is the opposite of response to feelings in ways like talking out, or psychodrama. (Blatner, 1996)This behavior happens within group processes and is studied in group dynamics which is the study of groups. The group dynamics study’s primary concern is small group behavior. A group is a number of individuals who are brought together by social relations. Groups develop peculiar dynamic behaviors among its members due to their close interaction.According to psychoanalysis findings by Sigmund Freud, human actions can be explained by look ing at the conscious and the subconscious part of the mind. The unconscious is a section of the mind that is not immediately connected to perceptions but is a store of a persons past experiences. The past experiences come out of the unconscious to the conscious and in a way affect our personalities.The imperative here is that the motivations for acting out are beyond conscious control. However the motivations can be accessible through inference on behavior as the actions are believed to be the expression of repressed material. (Jones, 1973)The term used to describe the relation of experiences from one interpersonal setting to another is called transference. It deals with revisiting past experiences in existing circumstances. The relation of past and present behaviors are established by other people who come into contact with the individual. The individual will be discovered to be trying to address the unresolved issues from his/her past.  In this paper, group therapy is tackled on the basis of psychotherapy, and psychoanalytic studies. Psychotherapy is the field that specializes in investigating the manifestations of relations of past actions on the present actions with aim of helping the persons overcomes the influence. Psychotherapists look into the unconscious projections of transference.In psychoanalytic study transference is seen as a source of conflict and as one of the influences of choices in life including occupations. They lead a person to be interested in certain things like settings, and people. It therefore unites the past and the present.A good understanding of transference helps psychotherapists understand the causes of some human behavior more clearly in order to be able to implement effective interventions. According to Sigmund Freud the formative experiences of a person are critical, and relationships of childhood years are reflected with other significant ones through life. The earlier events come out in repeated difficulties in relationsh ips and dreams.Lack of happiness and conflict can in this case be understood through knowledge of unconscious human motivations. (Nickel, 1987)The repressed materials are thus acted out. Interpretations of acting out of individuals vary with the contexts under which they act, and the audiences that witness the actions. In the context of parenting acting out is literally understood. It means acting those desires that are forbidden by the society.According to psychoanalysis study the laws in the society make the Superego and a person’s body of desires is called the Id. The Superego acts on the Id to make a person behave in socially acceptable manner. Freud used the theory of psychoanalysis to devise ways of treating patients with mental problems.  The initial desires of the individual are replaced with socially accepted behavior in a process called sublimation. However, in acting out the individual goes contrary to the authority of the superego on the Id. Acting out entails c oping with pressure by giving in to the desires of the Id. The person who acts out their desires do it with little or no regard to their conscience and with little thought.Hence the acts are either deliberately bad or unpremeditated wrongdoing. Even when the people are aware of their wrongdoing they try to protect themselves against the society’s censure by hiding their deeds. Other coping mechanisms that use are such as denial which is used to protect one from feelings of shame. (Freud, 1972)Acting out in essence is handling pressure by giving in to the desires. It is however not actually coping, for coping mechanisms try to handle pressure and not conforming to it.Acting out is the opposite of sublimation. Unlike in sublimation where the desired action is replaced by another socially acceptable activity, here the desire is acted out bluntly. Such things as temper tantrums are episodes of acting out. At the early age the children have not developed communication means for th eir distress feelings.Thus they use tantrums as an effective means of alerting parents of their needs and commanding attention. But then when the children pass through the society they learn to get attention through strategies that are socially acceptable and that are constructive.It is then interesting that the behavior of acting out shows again during the years of adolescence in many youths. It comes in the form of acts of rebellious nature such as smoking, and drug abuse that can be seen as a cry for recognition.The youth may be disruptive, a behavior that is caused by an inability to control emotions in other ways. During adolescence emergence of antisocial and criminal behavior occurs. This behavior goes on into adulthood with considerable loss that comes from the action to the individual, families and also the community. Attempts to identify risk factors of antisocial and criminal behavior have been done with aim of preventing the problems.Some of the risk factors are identifi ed in the years of beginning primary school. At this age there is identified difference of acting in that two groups are found. The groups are the antisocial and social. From this age there is difference of behavior between the two groups. In mid childhood the antisocial group manifested higher levels of acting out, and showed more trouble behaviors like hyper action and aggression. They were also found to act in manner craving for attention.Problematic behavior continues in late childhood. The children continue showing problematic behavior. They also become less cooperative; have lesser self control, as well as poor communication with their parents. At this age the children probably have acquired friends who practice antisocial behavior. During adolescence, the antisocial group gets more significantly different from the social group.The differences between the groups were centered on aspects of temperamence such as negativity, low persistence, volatility, involvement in risky activ ities, and acting out. Acting out is a manifestation of all the other aspects of the individual psyche at this time.A study on the prevalence of HIV and AIDS among Australian youths illuminates the study of acting out. Heckerman in the report of the study states that there has been an increase in infection rates of youths with the deadly HIV through engaging in promiscuous behaviors. The rate of levels of adolescents who are infected with the HIV has increased in the past ten years, in spite of the education on the disease being taught in the schools and family courses.With the teens receiving this information it becomes a matter of concern that the rate of infection continue to rise.  Ã‚   However, studies show that knowledge and behavioral changes are not directly correlated.   It has been established that despite the youths having adequate knowledge on HIV, the knowledge does not influence a change of risky sexual behavior.It is seen here that the youths who act out by resort ing to risky social behavior have influence that is manifested in the subconscious. (Heckerman, 2002)  In an essay on group analysis Rosenthal relates the issue of the persistent influence of subconscious on the actions of the individual on an aspect of psychoanalytic study called resistance. Resistance is understood to be an inadequate, wrongly adopted, and an indirect manner of self revelation.Using the media of resistance the psychoanalytic patient tips that he/she cannot engage in verbal communication with emotional significance. (Rosenthal, 1979).Analytic treatment exacts great demands for efforts on the part of the patient as it does on the physician. They are both demanded to overcome their inner resistances. By overcoming the resistances the patients’ mental, life is changed permanently.The patient is hence lifted into a higher level of development and remains above possibilities of regression. It takes effort to overcome the resistances as the analytic treatment is achieved. (Freud, 1916)In the essay above it has been seen that the phenomenon of acting out has got many sides to itself. A clear understanding of the concepts of transference, resistance, psychotherapy, leads one to a better understanding of the concept of acting out and helps in discerning the processes involved in the minds of those who act out and hence help in administering group therapy.References Blatner, A. (1996). Acting-in: Practical Applications of Psycho-dramatic Methods.Springer Publishing Company.Freud, Sigmund (1922) Group Psychology and the Analysis of the Ego. New York: Liveright Publishing.

The Touch of God (A Testimonial Story) Essays

The Touch of God (A Testimonial Story) Essays The Touch of God (A Testimonial Story) Essay The Touch of God (A Testimonial Story) Essay My life has consisted of ups and downs just like it would be in anyone’s life. I grew up in the church and knew who God was. It wasn’t until my parents’ divorce, when I started turning more and more to God; and God answered with the simplest thing a touch. It all started on a local mission trip ran by the local Baptist Church. The event was a week long. The purpose of this event was to help families that lost parts of their house during Hurricane Ike. We helped a single mother build a carport and a front porch; also we helped this elderly couple rebuild their whole bottom of their house. I was paired with the group that went to build the carport and porch. The house was fairly old and clearly needed some work. So as the first day went by everything went smoothly we had started on the carport. When we came back to the church it was time for supper and worship. The second day we had started progressing more and more toward the completion of the carport. It was frame day, that meaning that we had lumber to frame out the carport. Anytime you are messing with lumber of any sort that has not been sanded; you are most likely to run into some splinters, and that’s exactly what became my problem. Man oh man them splinters torn me up that day; but it was all for a great cause. The third day we were getting the carport handled so a group started on the front porch I did not take part in that project because of all the splinters the day before, so I just stayed working on the carport. As the day progressed on it got really bad for me due to the fact that more than half of my swings I took nailing I ended up smashing my fingers talk about holding back some very vulgar words, but all in all I got the job done. Then the fourth day came around this was the last day of the mission we finished the carport and the porch; also we fixed up some foundation problems with the house. We finished the house around one that afternoon. Then we got a call

Report relating to the recent financial crisis Essay

Report relating to the recent financial crisis - Essay Example A major strength in the author’s exposition is the manner in which he offers deductive analyses of situations, which makes it possible for the reader to connect the links between institutional practices and the resultant adverse effects on the American economy. In a significant sense, the author illustrates the manner in which the banking industry in America has used its immense financial resources to bankroll policies through calculated manipulation of Congress. The act of manipulation occurs through highly paid Ivy League economists and financial analysts who are paid large sums of money to give convincing but untruthful information about the matters of financial management and economic policies. As a result, it becomes appropriate to consider the fact that most of the issues raised by the author take a wide angle that connects the practices and policies of various institutions within a network that affirms the primacy of short-term financial gains over long-term policies by the corporate actors (Ferguson 44). The author makes the point that the various economic challenges facing America are derivative of the policies and practices adopted by Wall Street over the past decades. Fergusson enriches his arguments by roping in the changes in the legal framework, which have enabled private players in the economy to advance their private interests at the expense of economic growth. For instance, he cites the removal of the 1933 Glass-Steagall Act, had established and maintained some element of distinction between investment banks and commercial banks (Ferguson 51). The consequence of such actions were seen in a wide range of unethical and unprofessional business practices that included credit default swaps and other measures that had the long term effect of ruining many sectors of America’s economy. The book points out some of the major loopholes that have enabled the unethical practices to persist in the American economic environment are largely deter mined by various economic indicators that connect with the multiple issues on which the economic processes are based. In this regard, the book opens up a deep analysis of the unstable nature of the American economic systems in terms of their impact on the dependent economies. Bad corporate governance practices that thrive within the American economic system are explained in terms of non-existent of laws that would be relied upon to reign in the corporate culprits. On this particular matter, the author makes the case for the review of the current policies in the American economic sector for the purposes of instilling value and good corporate practices. Such practices, as the author argues, would shield the American economy from adverse effects such as those that were witnessed during the 2008 economic crisis. The crisis, according to Ferguson, was a culmination of years of corruption and institutionalized greed that have destabilized the American economic system and threatened the co untry’s economic power image in the world. The book offers projections about the possibilities of recurrent crises in the event that the United States does not review its policies by developing financial and economic safeguards to check against runaway corporate greed. An important aspect

Competition, Monopoly, and Oligopoly & Monopolistic Competitive Market Term Paper

Competition, Monopoly, and Oligopoly & Monopolistic Competitive Market Structure - Term Paper Example The research explained briefly on the perfect competitive market structure and revealed some features of this market structure. It described the way firms maximize profits with the help of diagrams, the researcher revealed the way they maximize profit at the equilibrium point in both short and long run. Lastly, the conclusion summed up the discussion, and the researcher provided some significant areas for further research study. The market is structured depending on varied factors and variation that determine the market structure of a particular firm in an economy. Competition is one of the factors or conditions that determines the structure of a firm. The economists assume that there are many buyers and sellers in the marketplace; hence, they compete favorably for the available products in the market. Therefore, competition in the market contributes to changes of prices for commodities; thus creating a shift in demand and supply curve. Furthermore, there are substitute products in t he marketplace; thus, when one product increases the prices, consumers chose the alternative of consuming substitute products. The buyers and sellers have the ability to influence prices for commodities, and this contributes to increased competition in the market. ... The buyers and sellers may exchange property rights and everyone in the market interacts voluntarily in order to achieve self-interest. The buyers and sellers interact; thus, they signal much information about the product through product prices. Successful sellers reduce prices in order to influence buyers and out-compete their competitor (Mankiw 2011, 36). The sellers can maximize profits in case the price exceeds the products costs. Monopoly A monopoly refers to a market structure whereby only a single producer or buyer for a commodity exists. The monopoly firms are the price makers because they are single sellers in the market. Monopoly is a single business firm and it is characterized by varied features including market restrictions because of high costs and production of homogenous products. The government has powers to control or restrict entries into the market by creating barriers. The barrier to market entry may result because the firm may have exclusive rights of accessing the natural resources. For instance, the Kenya Power and Lighting Company is a monopolistic firm because the government takes control over the resources. The same case applies to Saudi Arabia oil industry because the Saudi government is the sole control of the natural oil reserves. The market also have a patent right that impede other competitors from entering into the market. The monopoly firm is classified into numerous features including perfect monopoly whereby the single seller does not have substitute products. Therefore, there is no perfect competition, but such firms are extremely rare. Another one is imperfect monopoly whereby the single seller does not have close substitute products meaning that the