International Corporate Reporting Issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

International Corporate Reporting Issues - Essay Example The Objective of Financial Reporting The major elements of the financial statements are the Asset, Liabilities, Equity, Income and Expenses. The financial statements are prepared on the accrual basis of accounting and ‘going concern’ concept both being the fundamental principles for recognition, measurement and reporting. The objective of financial reporting could be achieved only if the decision-usefulness aspect maintaining the principle of stewardship is fulfilled in financial reporting. The information provided should be useful to the existing investors and the other stakeholders and relevant in decision making. Qualitative aspects should enhance the financial statements’ usefulness in predicting the future while confirming the fair and true view of the current status of the company and the statements are required to be understandable and comparable. A - Decision Usefulness Stewardship information is historical in nature and they are subjected to various types of analysis to assess the performance during a particular year for taking decisions. The comparison of the information over a period of time reveals the trends in the operations and the business. But, in most of the cases these could not be extrapolated to assess the future of the company as they are dependent on various internal and external environmental factors. The other statements and the reports like Chairman’s Report or Directors’ Report to the shareholders would be useful in assessing the future performance. Information regarding Stewardship objective The data available from the Income Statement and the Balance Sheets are useful for working out various financial ratios for the purpose of analysis with reference to various parameters such as efficiency in performance, profitability, leverage, interest cover or return on capital employed. For example we can work out operating margin from the Consolidated Income Statement as below: 2011 2010 2009 Sales 13,232 12, 958 12,283 Operating Profit 2,595 2,574 2,418 Operating Margin 19.61% 19.86% 19.68% The comparison for the past three years suggests that though there is increase in sales during 2011 by 2.11% in 2011 and 5.5% in 2010 over the previous years it is not reflecting in gross margin. This is mainly because there has been slowdown in the economy during this period and there has been increase in excise duties, marketing and other operating expenses. Similarly, we work out the current ratio from the balance sheet. 2011 2010 Current Assets 7161 6952 Current Liabilities 4915 3944 Ratio 1.46 1.76 Though the current ratio is better than the generally accepted level of 1, the ratio has come down during 2011. This is mainly because of the increase in overdraft from 587 in 2010 to 1447 in 2011. Stewardship oriented cash flow statement would indicate the movement of cash in the operations of the business. The details given in the Annual Report serves the decision useful objective in the areas such as efficiency in working capital management or plough back of profits accrued for long term capital investments. Elliott and Elliott (p. 16) state â€Å"Cash flow accounting provides objective, consistent and prudent financial information about businesses transactions. It is

Chemistry and Chemical Reactivity Essay Example for Free

Chemistry and Chemical Reactivity Essay The Kinetic Molecular Theory of Gases (KMT) is an explanation and description of the motion and behavior of molecules. It looks into the kinematics of molecules, wherein focus on the forces exists between molecules and the energy generated by the motion of these molecules (Poseidon Software and Invention, 1997). Etymologically, the KMT comes from â€Å"kinetic† which means moving, and â€Å"molecular† which comes from the root word molecule, classically the smallest unit of particle. The KMT includes several postulates which describe how the molecules of gases behave. The following are characteristics of how gas molecules behave: (1) Gases are composed of very small particles called molecules; (2) the molecules are very large in number; (3) they are perfectly spherical in shape and elastic in nature; (4) their volume is negligible which implies that they can move freely (Dogra, 1984); (4) the average distance between molecules is relatively large as compared to their size (Kotz, et al. , 2008); (5) they behave in a state of constant, random motion following Newton’s Laws (Selvaratnam, 1998); (6) they move in a straight line until they â€Å"collide with another [particle or with] the walls of the container† (Whitley, 2005, n. p. ). (7) the collisions of the gas molecules with other particles or with the walls of the container are perfectly elastic such that the total kinetic energy after the collision is equal to the total kinetic energy before the collision; (8) there are no attractive or repulsive forces between the molecules, and only during collisions do the particles exert forces on each other (Wulfsberg, 2000); (9) there is no energy lost during the collisions; energy is conserved; and (10) the average kinetic energy of the particles depends on the temperature of the system. These postulates can be further illustrated in terms of the interpretation of the temperature and pressure of a gas. Temperature, being a macroscopic characteristic of matter, is â€Å"interpreted in terms of the kinetic energy of the molecules† (Selvaratnam, 1998, p. 183). There is a directly proportional relationship between the temperature and the kinetic energy of the molecules of a gas. This means that an increase in temperature causes a similar increase in the kinetic energy or rapid movement of the molecules. â€Å"The hotter the gas is, the faster its particles move† (Whitley, 2005, n. p. ). Pressure, on the other hand, is â€Å"due to the incessant bombardment of the walls of the container vessel by the billions and billions of molecules present† (Selvaratnam, 1998, p. 183). This only means that if more collisions occur, the pressure is higher. The individual gas laws could be put into perspective in relation to the KMT. According to Boyle’s Law, â€Å"at constant number of moles and temperature, pressure and volume are inversely proportional† (Whitley, 2005, n. p. ). Charle’s Law, on the other hand, states that â€Å"at constant number of moles and pressure, the volume and the temperature are directly proportional† (Whitley, 2005, n. p. ). A third Gas Law consists of the theory that â€Å"at constant number of moles and pressure, the volume and the temperature are directly proportional† (Whitley, 2005, n. p. ). These individual gas laws, if combined, would produce an â€Å"ideal† gas. In relation to the motion of the molecules, the molecular activities in the three states of matter differ in several aspects. In the solid state, the particles are packed in a more closely manner. They are held closely to one another by their attractive forces (Poseidon Software and Invention, 1997). These strong, attractive forces between the particles cause them not to move freely and instead, vibrate. This feature results in a definite shape and volume of solids. In the liquid state, the intermolecular forces only permit the particles to flow or glide over one another. As compared to solid, the motion of the molecules is more random. The shape and volume of a liquid is dependent on its container. The intermolecular forces are also essential in understanding the dissolution of things. In the dissolving process, the molecules of the solute are surrounded by the molecules of the solvent. Here, â€Å"molecular bonds between molecules of solute have to be broken and molecular bonds of the solvent also have to be disrupted† (Educating Online, 2007, n. p. ). References Blauch, D. N. (2001). Kinetic Molecular Theory. Retrieved March 6, 2009 from http://www. chm. davidson. edu/chemistryapplets/kineticmoleculartheory/BasicConcepts. html. Dogra, S. (1984). Physical Chemistry through Problems. India: New Age International. Educating Online. (2007). Solubility of things. Retrieved March 6, 2009 fromhttp://www. solubilityofthings. com/basics/why_things_dissolve. php Kotz, J. C. , Treichel, P. Weaver. (2008). Chemistry and Chemical Reactivity. U. S. : Cengage Learning EMEA Poseidon Software and Invention. (1997, November 16). Kinetic Molecular Theory. Retrieved March 6, 2009 from http://www.psinvention. com/kinetic. htm. Selvaratnam, M. (1998). A Guided Approach to Learning Chemistry. South Africa: Juta and Company Limited. The Kinetic Molecular Theory. (2009). Bodner Research Web. Retrieved March 6, 2009 from http://chemed. chem. purdue. edu/genchem/topicreview/bp/ch4/kinetic4. html. Whitley, K. (2005, May 13). Kinetic Molecular Theory of Gases. Retrieved March 6, 2009 from http://www. chemprofessor. com/kmt. htm. Wulfsberg, G. (2000). Inorganic Chemistry. U. S. :University Science Books.

The Leadership Lessons of Jesus Christ Essay -- Business Management

The Leadership Lessons of Jesus Christ When we talk about Jesus as a leader, we may imply two different forms: Jesus as the only Son of God, God of the universe, or the risen Christ as being one with God; or Jesus as the 1 st century flesh and blood human being, the historical figure. Since the purpose of studying leadership is to improve one's own leadership skills, it makes sense to analyze Jesus' applicable traits, actions, and accomplishments as a good leader—in his historical role—so his leadership skills can be feasibly related to ourselves as human beings. I will attempt to analyze, using modern leadership criteria, how Jesus of Nazareth, the Jew and carpenter's son, was an effective spiritual leader of his time. Let us first examine the leadership attitude Jesus showed in his ministry. According to the address Thomas Cronin delivered at the Western Academy of Management in 1982, part of what makes leaders appealing is their confidence and faith: Leaders have those indispensable qualities of contagious self-confidence, unwarranted optimism, and incurable idealism that allow them to attract and mobilize others to undertake tasks these people never dreamed they could undertake. (To Lead or Not to Lead, Unit One 36) Jesus had infectious self-confidence that attracted all types of people to his cause. A teacher of the law said to Jesus, â€Å"Teacher, I will follow your wherever you go† (Matt. 8:19). He was also an optimist: Jesus said, â€Å"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well† (Matt. 6:33). He was an idealist; his mission commanded his followers to be spiritually perfect (Matt. 5:48). Although Jesus' ethical standard was incredibly high, his faith in God was... ...human characteristics. But his weakness contributed to his character as a man. Essentially, Jesus' leadership abilities were perfect for his time. Works Cited Borg, Marcus J. Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time. San Francisco: Harper Collins, 1994. Borg, Marcus J., and N.T. Wright. The Meaning of Jesus. San Francisco: Harper Collins, 2000. To Lead or Not to Lead, Phi Theta Kappa Leadership Development Studies. Jackson, MS: Phi Theta Kappa, Inc., 2001. Porter, J.R. Jesus Christ: The Jesus of History, the Christ of Faith. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999. Schure, Edouard. Jesus: The Last Great Initiate. Kila, MT: Kessinger Publishing Company, 1995. Stafford, Tim and Philip Yancey. The Student Bible, New International Version. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1986. Yancey, Philip. The Jesus I Never Knew. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1995.

Nationalism in Latin American History

Nationalism 1. In the wake of neocolonialism, Latin Americans remade the nativist rhetoric of the past to push a new nationalist cultural and economic agenda. I. Nationalism 1. Latin American nations had been defined by their internal diversity 1. Transculturation 2. Racial mixing 2. Europeans had associated Latin American difference with a negative meaning 3. Nativism challenged this attitude 4. Nativism faded after independence 3. New nationalism was another wave of nativism with strong economic agenda 4. Who were nationalists? 5. Often urban, middle class 6. Mixed-race or recent immigrants . Benefitted less from export boom 5. Nationalism challenged the supposed superiority of European culture 8. Reinterpretation of Latin American difference as positive 9. Use of local cultural forms to define that difference 6. Critique of foreign intervention 10. Military intervention 11. Economic power 7. Ethnic nationalism 12. Differs from U. S. â€Å"civic nationalism†13. Employs signs of ethnic identity 1. Foods 2. Dance 3. Clothing 1. Celebrates racial mixing 1. Adaptation to Latin American environment 2. Sometimes as improvement — best of all races 3. Nicolas Guillen . Premier exponent of Afro-Cuban identity 2. â€Å"Ballad of Two Grandfathers† 3. Poems sometimes mimicked Afro-Cuban speech 1. Many writers use indigenous and Afro-Cuban themes 1. Alejo Carpentier (Cuba) 2. Ciro Alegria (Peru) 3. Miguel angel Asturias (Guatemala) I. Nationalists Take Power 1. Mexican Revolution 1. Diaz had ruled for 34 years by 1910 2. Reformers back Francisco Madero 1. Madero sought only more power for elites in Diaz government 2. Madero was jailed and exiled 1. Madero radicalizes, proposes returning indigenous lands 2. Emiliano Zapata 1.From indigenous community of Anenecuilo 2. Lost land to sugar plantations 3. Allied his movement with Madero 4. His image — sombrero, mustache, horse — become iconic of Revolution 5. One of many local leaders moving a gainst the government 1. Madero goes into exile in 1911 1. Diaz unseated by a general, killed 2. Years of upheaval, multiple armies fighting at once 1. Pancho Villa 1. Northern Mexico 2. Army comprised of cowboys, miners, railroad workers, oil workers 3. Very different from Zapata’s southern indigenous rebellion 1. Constitutionalists 1.Third movement along with Villa and Zapata 2. Urban, middle class 3. Drafted a new constitution in 1917 4. More typical of Latin American nationalists 5. May be considered the â€Å"winners† of the revolution 1. Constitution of 1917 1. Article 27 reclaims oil rights for nation from foreign companies 2. Paved the way for villages to recover common lands (ejidos) 3. Division of large landholdings, distribution to landless peasants 4. Article 123 – labor regulations 5. Limited privileges of foreigners 6. Curbed Catholic church 1. No longer could hold land 2. Limits to number of clergy . Clergy could not wear ecclesiastical clothes in the street 4. Clergy could not teach primary school 1. 7. Defeated Villa and Zapata 2. Fought off Catholic traditionalist â€Å"Cristero† rebellion 3. Created single-party political system 1. Remained in power as Revolutionary Party for seventy years 2. Employed Villa, Zapata, Madero as its heroes 1. Revolution was transformative for Mexico 1. Created new loyalties 2. Occupied a central space in the national imagination 3. Two U. S. interventions added nationalist luster 1. New government initiatives 1.Road initiative decreases isolation of rural areas 2. Land redistribution 3. Public education initiative 4. Jose Vasconcelos 1. Minister of Education 2. Celebrated the â€Å"Cosmic Race,† meaning mestizos 1. Artists Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo illustrate revolutionary nationalism 1. Diego Rivera 1. Muralist 2. Depicted Mexico’s indigenous past 3. Painted Ministry of Public Education 1. (i) Images of open-air schools 2. (ii) Indigenous peasants dividing land 1. M exico’s national palace 1. (i) Scenes of Tenochtitlan 2. (ii) Depicts Spanish conquest as a hypocritical bloodbath 1. . Frida Kahlo 1. Small self-portraits 2. Painted while bedridden 1. (i) Polio survivor 2. (ii) Crippled by a traffic accident 3. (iii) Multiple surgeries 1. Depicted herself with cultural symbols of Mexico 1. (i) Traditional hairstyles 2. (ii) Folk dresses 3. (iii) Pre-Colombian jewelry 1. Nationalism was en vogue in the 1920s–30s 1. Folk music (corridos) 2. Dance (jarabes) 3. Traditional dishes (moles  and  tamales) 4. Old-style theater (carpas) 5. Mexican films 1. Nationalist movement had Marxist overtones 1. Kahlo and Rivera joined Communist party 2. Soviet exile Trotsky lived in Mexico 1.Uruguay 1. Background 1. Export boom rivaled that of Argentina 2. Ruled through managed elections 1. Jose Batlle y Ordonez 1. Country’s great nationalist reformer 2. First term (1903–07) vanquished political rivals 3. Broad support among immigrant working and middle class of Montevideo 1. Batllismo 1. Civic and economic nationalism 2. State action against â€Å"foreign economic imperialism† 1. Tariffs to protect local business 2. Government monopoly on public utilities 1. (i) Formerly British-owned railroad 2. (ii) Port of Montevideo 1. Government ownership of tourist hotels 2.Government owned meat-packing plants 3. State-owned banks 1. 3. Hemisphere’s first welfare state 1. Minimum wage 2. Labor regulations 3. Paid vacations 4. Accident insurance 5. Public education expanded 6. University opened to women 1. 4. Batllismo relied on prosperity to sustain reforms 2. Left rural Uruguay largely untouched 3. Aggressively anti-clerical 4. Tried to abolish presidency in favor of a council 5. Considered a â€Å"civil caudillo† 1. Argentina — Hipolito Yrigoyen 1. â€Å"Revolution of the ballot box† (1916) 1. Radical Civic Union 2. Middle-class reform party with working class support 3.First truly mass -based political party in Latin America 4. Rewarded supporters with public jobs 5. Reforms less audacious than in Uruguay 1. Used nationalist rhetoric 2. Did not significantly affect presence of foreign capital 1. 6. Created government agency to oversee oil production 1. Man of the people 1. Hated, and hated by, urban elite 2. Framed politics in moral terms 3. Lived in a simple house 1. Rejected European and U. S. initiatives 2. Repressed labor action 1. â€Å"Tragic week† of 1919 2. Patagonian sheep herders’ strike of 1921 1. Returned to power in 1928 1.Victor Manuel Haya de la Torre (Peru) 2. Exiled from Peru for protesting a U. S. -backed dictatorship 3. Lived in Mexico, influenced by Mexican Revolution 4. Formed Popular American Revolutionary Alliance (APRA) 1. International party 2. Defense against economic imperialism 1. Preferred the term â€Å"Indo-America† to Latin America 2. Indigenismo  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ nationalist emphasis on indigenous roots 1. Jose Carlo s Mariategui imagined indigenous socialism 2. Inca models combined with Marxist theory 3. Peruvian society ethnically split, so  indigenismo  was not successful 1.APRA 1. Did not succeed as international party 2. Indigenismo  scared Peru’s Conservatives 3. Mass rallies against oligarchy, imperialism 4. Party revolted after losing a managed election 5. Rebellion crushed, party banned 1. Ciro Alegria 1. High-ranking APRA militant 2. Fled Peru 3. Wrote  indigenismo  fiction 4. Authored â€Å"Wide and Alien is the World† 5. Best-known Latin American  indigenismo  writer 1. Nationalists were influential even when kept from power 1. Colombia 1. Nationalists tried to outflank conservative client networks 1. Unionized urban workers 2.Rural oligarchies were too strong 1. 2. Jorge Eliecer Gaitan 1. Fiery popular leader 2. Rose to fame protesting massacre of banana workers at U. S. -owned plantation 1. Venezuela 1. Oil money kept leaders entrentched 2. Popular outre ach carried out by communist or socialist activists 1. Chile 1. Thirteen-day â€Å"Socialist Republic† 2. Nationalists on the right prevented consolidation of a government 1. Cuba 1. Broad nationalist coalition ousted neocolonial dictator 2. Included university students and non-commissioned army officers 3. Fulgencio Batista 1.Led military element of revolution 2. Bowed to U. S. influence 3. Nationalism as window-dressing I. ISI and Activist Governments of the 1930s 1. Import Substitution Industrialization (ISI) 1. International trade collapses during 1930s Depression 2. Latin American manufacturers fill void left by collapsed trade 3. Began during trade disruption during World War I 1. Buenos Aires, Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Mexico City develop industry 2. Latin American industry remains mostly undeveloped 1. Industrialization becomes central to nationalism 1. Economic activism 1.Setting wages and prices 2. Regulating production levels 3. Protective labor laws 4. Manipulate d exchange rates 1. 2. State ownership of banks, utilities, key industries 1. Largest markets benefitted from ISI 1. Mexico 2. Southern Cone nations 1. Smaller markets did not see much industrialization 1. Poor, rural populations 2. Less market for domestically-produced products 1. Light industry responded better to ISI than heavy industry 1. Heavy industry required importing equipment 2. Required steel 3. Only Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, and Chile had steel industries 1. Brazil 1.Industry surpassed agriculture as percentage of GDP within two decades 2. Getulio Vargas 1. Compared to U. S. president FDR (Franklin Delano Roosevelt) 1. Made famous use of radio 2. Vastly expanded government 1. Oligarchic republic begins to collapse in 1920s 2. Young army officers –  tenentes  Ã¢â‚¬â€œstage symbolic uprisings 3. Coffee industry in crisis from overproduction 1. â€Å"Coffee Valorization Program† cannot offset drops in prices 2. Depression in 1929 causes prices to plummet again 1. Revolution of 1930 1. Vargas was governor of Rio Grande do Sul, non-coffee state 2.Candidate from coffee-producing Sao Paulo won a managed election 3. Opposition forces gather to dispute result 4. Vargas takes presidency with support of the army 5. Revolution of 1930 brought together diverse political movements 1. Frustrated liberals 2. Tenentes —  nationalists who despised Liberals 1. Young  Tenentes  absorb radical ideologies 1. Many  tenentes  joined communist party 2. Communist party at the center of Alliance for National Liberation (ALN) 3. Others join Integralists, inspired by European fascism 1. Vargas presidency 1.Ruled more-or-less constitutionally for seven years 2. Played different political factions against each other 3. Took dictatorial power in 1937 4. Announced  Estado Novo  (New State) 1. Highly authoritarian 2. Dissolved legislative bodies 3. Banned political parties 4. Media censored 5. â€Å"Interventors† appointed to direct st ate governments 6. Police operated with brutal impunity 1. 5. Nationalism helped maintain his popularity 1. Flood of new government agencies 2. National Steel Company 3. National Motor Factory 4. Prohibited foreign ownership of newspapers 5.Assimilation pressure on immigrant communities 1. Promotion of Afro-Brazilian heritage 1. Gilberto Freyre 1. Anthropologist 2. Authored  The Masters and the Slaves 3. Argued that African heritage created Brazil’s national identity 1. 2. Samba became Brazil’s national dance 2. Carmen Miranda 1. Known for her fruit-hats 2. Movie star first in Brazil, then in United States 3. In Brazil, movies occupied a nationalist niche — national dance, national music 4. In the United States, became a caricature of Latin America 5. Born in Portugal, raised in Brazil . Dance, costumes, and songs embodied Brazil 1. Sao Paulo Modern Art Week, 1922 1. Heitor Villa-Lobos 1. Integrated Brazilian folk melodies into classical compositions 2. Under Vargas, worked on national program for musical enrichment 3. Remains Latin America’s most famous classical composer 1. 2. Oswald de Andrade 1. â€Å"Cannabalist manifesto† 1928 2. Suggested that Brazilians metaphorically cannibalize European art 1. (i) Consume and digest it 2. (ii) Combine it with indigenous and African art to create Brazilian forms 1. 3.Jorge Amado 1. Best-known Brazilian novelist 2. Novels set in strongly Afro-Brazilian Bahia 1. Placing Vargas on the left-right spectrum 1. Organized labor unions 2. Protected workers 1. 48-hour work week 2. Safety standards 3. Retirement and pension plans 4. Maternity benefits 1. 3. Paternalistic — no worker control 1. Striking prohibited 2. Grievances addressed to the state 1. Lazaro Cardenas in Mexico 1. Humble beginnings, unlike Vargas or FDR 2. Fought in the Revolution 3. Became governor of Michoacan, his home state 4. Ran for president unopposed as Revolutionary party’s candidate 1.Campaigned across the country 2. Made a point to visit small villages 1. Distributed nearly 45 million acres of land, as much as previous twenty-four years put together 2. Supported labor, defended right to strike 1. Led to major international confrontation in 1938 2. Striking workers were employed by U. S. and British companies 3. Companies and strikers submitted to Mexican government for arbitration 1. Arbitrators awarded workers increased pay and social services 2. Foreign firms refused to comply 3. Mexican supreme court upheld decision 4.Companies continued to stonewall 1. 4. Cardenas expropriated the oil companies under Article 27 1. Mexicans voluntarily contributed to help government compensate the companies 2. Seen as a â€Å"declaration of economic independence† 3. Gave rise to national oil company, PEMEX 1. 5. Britain cut off diplomatic relations 1. FDR’s â€Å"Good Neighbor Policy† 1. Need for Latin American allies in unstable 1930s 2. 1933, Pan-American Conference 1. United States forswears intervention in Latin America 2. Cuba and Panama would no longer be protectorates 1.Rise of â€Å"Good Neighbor† movies 1. Carmen Miranda 2. Disney’s â€Å"Three Caballeros† 1. World War II 1. All countries of Latin America joined the United States as allies in World War II 1. Central American and Caribbean countries among first to join 1. Rafael Trujillo of the Dominican Republic 1. (i) Petty dictator supported by United States 2. (ii) â€Å"He’s our bastard† 1. 2. Chile and Argentina were aloof, with large population of immigrants from Italy, Germany 2. Brazil was greatest ally 1. â€Å"Bulge of Brazil† was of great strategic importance 2.Vargas allowed construction of U. S. bases and airstrips 3. Brazilian infantry fought in Italy 1. 4. Mexican fighter pilots flew in Pacific 1. War spurred ISI 1. U. S. demand for agricultural exports increased 2. United States and Europe still unable to produce industrial goods 3. Demand up and competition low for Latin American industry 4. Brazil, for example, enjoyed a huge trade surplus 1. Nationalism in 1945 1. Cultural shift had taken place 1. Rivera’s murals in Mexico’s government buildings 2. Acclaim for Afro-Brazilian samba dancers . Carlos Gardel 1. Famed tango singer 2. Popular throughout Latin America 3. Career cut short by plane crash 1. 4. Gabriel Mistral 1. Chilean poet 2. First Latin American to win a Nobel Prize 1. Many things remained unchanged 1. Central America virtually untouched by benefits of nationalism 1. Internal markets too small to support industrialization 2. Land-owning oligarchies had not ceded control 1. 2. Guatemala 1. German coffee growers had no interest in developing the country 2. Jorge Ubico 1. (i) Classic neocolonial dictator 2. ii) Main concern was promoting â€Å"civilization† and cultivating coffee 3. (iii) Wanted to be closest U. S. ally 1. United Fruit Company becomes single dominant economic ent erprise 1. 3. El Salvador represented â€Å"worst-case scenario† 1. Dictator Maximiliano Hernandez Martinez 1. Brutally defended coffee production 2. (ii) 1932 becomes known as the year of â€Å"the Slaughter† 3. (iii) Most of the more than 10,000 victims were indigenous 1. Indigenous Salvadorans slowly gave up signs of their identity 1. 4.United States stopped nationalism in Central America and Caribbean 1. Batista in Cuba 2. Several rulers owed their power to U. S. intervention 1. (i) Anastasio Somoza of Nicaragua 2. (ii) Trujillo of Dominican Republic 1. (1) Motto: â€Å"God and Trujillo† 2. (2) Major nationalist effort was massacre of Haitian immigrants 1. 5. Rhetoric often outran reality in nationalist countries 1. Racism lingered 2. Urbanization created shantytowns 3. Rural areas of most countries saw no improvements 4. Countries remained technologically behind Europe and United StatesChapter

Effects of Nationalism After French Revolution

After the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Era, people were brought together by the French army marching through their country. During the nineteenth century nationalism became a great aspect of life. Both writer and artist works were greatly influenced by nationalistic ideals and brought people together. Nationalism became a very popular thing after the Napoleonic Era, when people saw how the French carried themselves as a people of a nation. This is when other nations started to strive for links between their people.One major forerunner was language. People saw language as one way to unify as a nation, and create a brotherhood between its people. The whole idea of roots and back story also influenced the literature of the nineteenth century as well. Many writers works were influenced from the nineteenth century was influenced by Nationalistic ideals. One set of writers who showed the idea of nationalism were the Brothers Grimm in their Grimm’s Fairy Tales. Grimm’s Fairy Tales is a collection of German fairy tales all in one book.They used these collection of fairy tales to create a German identity, by saying these were the tales passed on from generation to generation in German culture. Another writer that shows nationalism is Aleksandr Pushkin in his work The Bronze Horseman. The Bronze Horseman tells the tale of Evgenii and how he ends up going mad and getting killed by the statue of Peter. This shows nationalism in the fact that in the introduction of the poem, he talks about the founding of St. Petersburg and how great Russia is. Artist also had many works that portrayed nationalistic ideals.One piece of art that without a doubt showed nationalism was La Liberte guidant le peuple by Eugene Delacroix. This painting depicts â€Å"Mother France† leading her people into battle during the French Revolution. It shows Mother France with torn clothes and a French flag above her head which show how she wanted to bring her people all under the French flag and join them together. Another painting that depicts nationalism is The Bard by John Martin. This painting shows a Welsh bard running from a massacre that had just happened in a town off in the background of the painting.This showed nationalism in the idea that no matter what the English would send upon the Welsh they would always stand strong as a people and never give in to the English repression. All these different works show different aspects of nationalism. The Brother Grimm with the Grimm’s Fairy Tales, showed German nationalism in the fact that it created German folklore for people to come around. Aleksandr Pushkin’s The Bronze Horseman showed nationalism in that it tells how great Russia is and no matter what happens it will forever keep its greatness.Eugene Delacroix’s painting La Liberte Guidant le people shows French nationalism in that it shows the French people all coming together under one flag to fight alongside Mother France and were willing to die for her. In The Bard by John Martin shows Welsh nationalism in that no matter what the English did to them they would never give in. In sum, nationalism became a major aspect of life in the nineteenth century. People came together and many new nations began to form in response to these new ideals of nationalism. Nationalism led to many great things, like the unification of Germany in 1871.

How to Play the Taxi Cab Improv Game

How to Play the Taxi Cab Improv Game The Taxi Cab improv game can be played with three to six performers. Its a fun icebreaker game for parties or you can use it as a classroom activity for theater, drama, or improv classes. It is suitable for all ages and can be played by children or sharp-witted members of improv groups. No matter what the level, it is fun to watch and fun to perform. How To Play the Taxi Cab Game Select one performer as the taxi cab driver and two or more performers as passengers.Set up one chair for the taxi-cab driver and several chairs for the passenger seats.One performer plays the role of the cab driver. He/she starts the scene by pantomiming driving. Feel free to develop a funny, quirky cab driver character. After a few moments of driving, the performer spots a customer.The passenger hops into the back of the cab. Now, heres where the game begins. The second performer playing the role of the passenger should have a distinct personality. This should be assigned before the start of the game and known to the other performers.The gimmick is that the cab driver adopts the personality traits of his customer. When a new performer (a new passenger) enters the scene, the cab driver and the other passengers emulate the new personality/behavior. The passengers explain to the driver where they are going and what they plan to do.After the passengers have interacted with one another, the cab driver will start to drop off his/her customers. When a passenger is dropped off and exits the scene, everyone switches personality again, until  eventually, the cab driver character is alone again and back to the original personality. A director or teacher may want to use a timer to cue when the next passenger will enter or exit the cab to keep the game flowing. This can be varied. If the performers are on a roll, the director can let it continue longer. If they arent doing well with a  character, the director can cue the next passenger swap to keep the game lively. Passenger Personalities The personalities can be prepared in advance by the director or teacher or they can be taken as audience suggestions before the beginning of the game. A secretive British agent.A snobby opera singer.A hyper 4-year-old.A friendly, overly talkative old woman. For advanced improv groups, each performer may come up with their own passenger personality and not reveal it until they enter the cab. This presents more of a challenge for the others to emulate it. Another wrinkle is to take audience suggestions during the game. For the best flow, it can be good to assign audience members to call out a passenger personality rather than have several people competing with suggestions. Dramatic Skills Used in the Taxi Cab Improv Game This activity develops a performers emulation ability. How well can the actor mimic the style of another performer? How quickly can an actor change his or her character? What ranges of emotions can the actors express? Teachers and directors should encourage their cast to try as many new personalities and emotions as possible. Have fun with the game and dont forget to give the cabbie a decent tip.

Free Essays on Heuristic Problem Solving

Heuristic problem solving – are common-sense rules drawn from experience, used to solve problems. Or simply put the heuristic method of problem solving is a rule of thumb. By contrast, algorithms are straightforward procedures that are guaranteed to work every time. Heuristic programming characterizes programs that are self-learning; they are a part of artificial intelligence, they get better with experience. Heuristic programs do not always reach the very best result but usually produce good results within a reasonable amount of search time. As discussed in the April 1998 Phi Delta Kappa article titled â€Å"What is problem solving†, general heuristics are â€Å"cognitive rules of thumb that are useful in solving a great variety of problems†. Specific heuristics are used in specialized areas, often-specific subject domains or professions. There are three common methods in heuristic problem solving. First, the most powerful general heuristic is to form a sub-goal to reduce the discrepancy between your present state and your ultimate goal state. Do something to get a little closer to the end goal. Problems defy one-shot solutions; they must be broken down into smaller parts. A second heuristic method seeks to solve problems by "working backward." First, consider your ultimate goal. From there, decide what would constitute a reasonable step just prior to reaching that goal. Then ask yourself, what would be the step just prior to that? Beginning with the end, you build a strategic bridge backward and event ually reach the initial conditions of the problem. The third heuristic method seeks to solve problems through "successive approximation." Initial tries at solving a problem may result in a product that is less than satisfying. Writing is a good example. Few accomplished writers attempt to write perfect prose the first time. Rather, the initial goal is a rough draft or an outline or a list of ideas. Over time, a manuscript is ... Free Essays on Heuristic Problem Solving Free Essays on Heuristic Problem Solving Heuristic problem solving – are common-sense rules drawn from experience, used to solve problems. Or simply put the heuristic method of problem solving is a rule of thumb. By contrast, algorithms are straightforward procedures that are guaranteed to work every time. Heuristic programming characterizes programs that are self-learning; they are a part of artificial intelligence, they get better with experience. Heuristic programs do not always reach the very best result but usually produce good results within a reasonable amount of search time. As discussed in the April 1998 Phi Delta Kappa article titled â€Å"What is problem solving†, general heuristics are â€Å"cognitive rules of thumb that are useful in solving a great variety of problems†. Specific heuristics are used in specialized areas, often-specific subject domains or professions. There are three common methods in heuristic problem solving. First, the most powerful general heuristic is to form a sub-goal to reduce the discrepancy between your present state and your ultimate goal state. Do something to get a little closer to the end goal. Problems defy one-shot solutions; they must be broken down into smaller parts. A second heuristic method seeks to solve problems by "working backward." First, consider your ultimate goal. From there, decide what would constitute a reasonable step just prior to reaching that goal. Then ask yourself, what would be the step just prior to that? Beginning with the end, you build a strategic bridge backward and event ually reach the initial conditions of the problem. The third heuristic method seeks to solve problems through "successive approximation." Initial tries at solving a problem may result in a product that is less than satisfying. Writing is a good example. Few accomplished writers attempt to write perfect prose the first time. Rather, the initial goal is a rough draft or an outline or a list of ideas. Over time, a manuscript is ...

The Associative and Commutative Properties

The Associative and Commutative Properties There are several mathematical properties that are used in statistics and probability; two of these, the commutative and associative properties, are generally associated with the basic arithmetic of integers, rationals, and real numbers, though they also show up in more advanced mathematics. These properties- the commutative and the associative- are very similar and can be easily mixed up. For that reason, it is important to understand the difference between the two. The commutative property concerns the order of certain mathematical operations. For a binary operation- one that involves only two elements- this can be shown by the equation a b b a. The operation is commutative because the order of the elements does not affect the result of the operation. The associative property, on the other hand, concerns the grouping of elements in an operation. This can be shown by the equation (a b) c a (b c). The grouping of the elements, as indicated by the parentheses, does not affect the result of the equation. Note that when the commutative property is used, elements in an equation are rearranged. When the associative property is used, elements are merely regrouped. Commutative Property Simply put, the commutative property states that the factors in an equation can be rearranged freely without affecting the outcome of the equation. The commutative property, therefore, concerns itself with the ordering of operations, including the addition and multiplication of real numbers, integers, and rational numbers. For example, the numbers 2, 3, and 5 can be added together in any order without affecting the final result: 2 3 5 10 3 2 5 10 5 3 2 10 The numbers can likewise be multiplied in any order without affecting the final result: 2 x 3 x 5 30 3 x 2 x 5 30 5 x 3 x 2 30 Subtraction and division, however, are not operations that can be commutative because the order of operations is important. The three numbers above cannot, for example, be subtracted in any order without affecting the final value: 2 - 3 - 5 -6 3 - 5 - 2 -4 5 - 3 - 2 0 As a result, the commutative property can be expressed through the equations a b b a and a x b b x a. No matter the order of the values in these equations, the results will always be the same. Associative Property The associative property states that the grouping of factors in an operation can be changed without affecting the outcome of the equation. This can be expressed through the equation a (b c) (a b) c. No matter which pair of values in the equation is added first, the result will be the same. For example, take the equation 2 3 5. No matter how the values are grouped, the result of the equation will be 10: (2 3) 5 (5) 5 10 2 (3 5) 2 (8) 10 As with the commutative property, examples of operations that are associative include the addition and multiplication of real numbers, integers, and rational numbers. However, unlike the commutative property, the associative property can also apply to matrix multiplication and function composition. Like commutative property equations, associative property equations cannot contain the subtraction of real numbers. Take, for example, the arithmetic problem (6 – 3) – 2 3 – 2 1; if we change the grouping of the parentheses, we have 6 – (3 – 2) 6 – 1 5, which changes the final result of the equation. What Is the Difference? We can tell the difference between the associative and the commutative property by asking the question, â€Å"Are we changing the order of the elements, or are we changing the grouping of the elements?† If the elements are being reordered, then the commutative property applies. If the elements are only being regrouped, then the associative property applies. However, note that the presence of parentheses alone does not necessarily mean that the associative property applies. For instance: (2 3) 4 4 (2 3) This equation is an example of the commutative property of addition of real numbers. If we pay careful attention to the equation, though, we see that only the order of the elements has been changed, not the grouping. For the associative property to apply, we would have to rearrange the grouping of the elements as well: (2 3) 4 (4 2) 3

Global warming and bacteria Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Global warming and bacteria - Research Paper Example These paper seeks to discuss global warming in relation to environmental microbiology. In doing this, the paper will analyze the general characteristics of bacteria and relate them to the aspect of global warming to ascertain how they affect the environment of microbes Bacteria and archaea are significantly used in cycles of almost all essential elements. For example, in the nitrogen cycle, the nitrogen fixing bacteria such as rhizobium fix nitrogen, which insinuates that they convert nitrogen from the atmosphere into biological nitrogen that plants can use to build plant proteins. Photosynthetic algae and cyanobacteria form a major component of the marine plankton. They play a major role in the carbon cycle through photosynthesis and form the basis of food chains in the oceanic environments. Some species of bacteria are useful in the environment, and in the end can help in mitigating the problem of global warming. Prochlorococcus and synechococcus are single celled cyanobacteria, th e smallest yet most abundant photosynthetic microbes in the oceanic ecosystems. Researchers have established that these microbes have the ability to remove about 10 billion tonnes of carbon from the air each year. With this information, scientists hope to find out reasons as to why these cyanobacteria are successful in their photosynthesis and the ability to harness such microbial power can slow down the increases of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases thereby mitigating global warming and reducing significantly the effects of climate change globally.

Report Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Report - Assignment Example The advent of new technology will contribute to raise the productivity and will also reduce the production cost. The introduction of upgraded technology will enhance the power quality. The technological progress in the production process will also contribute in the distribution process of power. In this fashion less power will be lost in the distribution process and can be utilized by the people (Mkpandiok & Dimla, 1999). Price The price is the most important determinant that either drives the consumers towards the products or drives them away. If the price strategy is attractive the consumers will be driven to buy the products (Salzman, 2008). Again if the consumers believe the price is costlier than the substitutes available in the market, they will drive themselves towards the substitutes. Therefore thorough market research is necessary before labelling up the price. The company firstly needs to target the consumer base. If the target base is the upper income level people then the incomes of those consumers should be taken into account while adopting the appropriate price strategy. It is important to judge the demand throughout the year as well. It is recommended to use the flexible or the reasonable price strategy since this will allow the middle income group to fall with the consumer base. This strategy will have two objectives (Belohlavek, 2008). On one hand the company will be able to cement the consumer base while on the other the demand for the product will raise which will tend to bring in more revenue into the company. The middle income group generally have low disposable income and so a reasonable price strategy will be mouth watering for them. Place The first thing which the company will like to do is to target the areas where it expects to attain maximum demand. An effective market research technique is indispensible in this case. The population, income levels, the demand potential are some of the parameters that are taken into account while analy sing the target market (Shaad, & Wilson, 2009). Once the potential areas have been identified the company needs to tap them either with the help of some attractive strategies or with various methods of advertisements. Once the potential market gets tapped the company needs to recruit the suppliers to maintain the distribution chain. These suppliers will provide electricity to the entire geographic location. Promotion It is necessary to increase the brand awareness in the modern world. The consumers are inclined towards brand and therefore companies tend to focus a lot today on generating brand value (Viardot, 2008). The brand value can be gained through various modes of advertising namely print media or digital media. The advertisements cement the name of the brands on the minds of the consumers. Similar advertisement initiatives include sponsorship of sporting events or television programs. The point is to stay in touch with the consumers all the time in whatever way it can be. Few Statistics The demand of energy has significantly increased over the last few decades. Significant energy production and appropriate distribution can drive the nation towards development and growth. Nigeria Follows federal constitution. The purpose of the study is to develop marketing mix strategy for the energy providing company in Nigeria. The organization is trying to provide electricity in the Nigerian Market. The Nigerian electricity industry is very much potential. The industry is suffering from

Executive Interview & Analysis Paper Term Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Executive Interview & Analysis - Term Paper Example In light of these, the paper focuses on the critical assessment of the role of organization design within Saudi Electricity. Different approaches can be used to assess the role and function of organization design within a given context. The SEC has incorporated based value creation and cost, quality and excellence as its key drivers in all its operations. One such example is the use SEC has established value based practices that assist its management in making critical decisions aiding in the general performance of an organization. According to Brebbia (2013), Globalization has further facilitated the process of change, especially in organizations. Most organizations nowadays structure their processes and operations in accordance to both internal and external changes happening within their environment. However, for many organizations the process of measuring the change process has always been a challenge. In the case of my organization, key decisions and policies are always defined by the government ministries who see all operations conducted by the organization. In addition, the organization has formed special regulatory departments to work in collaboration with the government in addressing various issues affecting the organization and other concerned stakeholders. Most funding received by the organization is always obtained from sales of oil and gas supplied to various locations in the Saudi kingdom. Due to the expansion in the market, the organization is accepting change in its processes to place itself in a healthy competitive position in the region(Ramady, 2010). Over the recent five years, the organization has been forced to make critical decisions in its operation and the external environment. Due to the ever increasing demand of energy by consumers, the organization has focused on expanding its investment strategy by reaching out more to investors in the external environment. In addition, it has

Business strategy in global environment Assignment

Business strategy in global environment - Assignment Example The competitors in this market are holding their ground; they are trying very hard to slice of some customers from Fastway’s customer base, but so far, no competitor has been successful in accomplishing this objective. Even though the current operations of the company are redundant, but still the company has been very successful in meeting its customers’ expectations with significant ease. Nevertheless, the company cannot keep operating like this for too long and it will have to take initiatives to improve its current processes. Moreover, the company needs to decide whether it would use its strong capital base to expand into new market or if it will continue to serve in its current market. In this regards a decisive action is needs from the company’s management. Introduction: Tough economic climate has made it imperative upon companies to improve their operation methods, restructure their cost structure and identify new market segments, which the company can serv e profitably. In this regards, if a company wants to ensure its survival, it should start its operations in the global arena. A company by initiating its operations in the international arena can expand its customer base and take advantage of the opportunities presented by globalization. To reap the benefits of globalization, the company needs to adopt a global strategy. ... Part 1: Strategic Choices and Options for the Company Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) Matrix: Strength: The company was formed in 1983 in New Zealand, and is now the world’s largest franchise courier service company. The company’s management is renowned for coming up with exceptional company policies. Company’s internal structure, comprising of policies, procedures and staff is perfectly tailored to fit the requirements and expectations of local market. The company has a very strong organisational culture in place, which is perfect for handling any unprecedented circumstances in the company’s external and internal environment. The company is offering a product mix that is highly suitable to meet the needs of the local market. The company has strong brand equity in its local market. The company has strong infrastructure and is highly technology oriented; the company firmly supports innovation in its existing company processes. The comp any has a strong positioning statement to differentiate it from competitors operating in the market. The company has operational processes which enables it to deliver a package in a very quick time. This further leads to its name being synonymous to quick and timely delivery. The company has a strong capital base which allows it to maintain a large fleet in the marketplace. The company has a strong network of hubs, airplanes and trucks which allow it to offer fast track services. The company holds 50% of the market share of the parcels in the shipping industry. The company is firmly customer oriented and this fact is professed by means of its customer service.

Information Systems Have Changed the Way We Collaborate and Work in Research Paper

Information Systems Have Changed the Way We Collaborate and Work in Significant Ways - Research Paper Example We are partially robots and partially human-beings. It is very interesting to complete each stage of production and manufacturing. A perfect society, an ideal template of society, which can be reached with the help of technologies, Internet and Computers, is the main goal for modern leaders and managers. All of them are looking forward to reaching a common goal. They want to be effective and you do not spend your time on personal conflicts with them. A process of manufacturing or work will be turned into a chain of consequential actions. Different aspects of Scientific Management in the 21st Century are considered in terms of changing information systems. Modern people are surrounded by technologies. Moreover, we are absorbed by the deep technological abyss. We go to work by car, we pay for our dinner with our credit card and even in the hospitals, the processes of health inspection are absorbed by technologies. For modern citizens, these processes of technological development result basically in positive changes. Scientific Management is being developed at a huge pace for the last 100 years. Nowadays it also plays a very important role.  Current working conditions enabling people to be more proactive and efficient in the process of their work.   Main concepts of Scientific Management F.W. Taylor is a father of scientific management. This scientist claimed that it is better to make an emphasis on the importance of productivity and decrease the power of labor. Each function in the process of manufacturing was properly studied. Every operation was controlled by a separate person. Taylor promised that he would ensure his employees of fair days of work.  

Business strategy in global environment Assignment

Business strategy in global environment - Assignment Example The competitors in this market are holding their ground; they are trying very hard to slice of some customers from Fastway’s customer base, but so far, no competitor has been successful in accomplishing this objective. Even though the current operations of the company are redundant, but still the company has been very successful in meeting its customers’ expectations with significant ease. Nevertheless, the company cannot keep operating like this for too long and it will have to take initiatives to improve its current processes. Moreover, the company needs to decide whether it would use its strong capital base to expand into new market or if it will continue to serve in its current market. In this regards a decisive action is needs from the company’s management. Introduction: Tough economic climate has made it imperative upon companies to improve their operation methods, restructure their cost structure and identify new market segments, which the company can serv e profitably. In this regards, if a company wants to ensure its survival, it should start its operations in the global arena. A company by initiating its operations in the international arena can expand its customer base and take advantage of the opportunities presented by globalization. To reap the benefits of globalization, the company needs to adopt a global strategy. ... Part 1: Strategic Choices and Options for the Company Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) Matrix: Strength: The company was formed in 1983 in New Zealand, and is now the world’s largest franchise courier service company. The company’s management is renowned for coming up with exceptional company policies. Company’s internal structure, comprising of policies, procedures and staff is perfectly tailored to fit the requirements and expectations of local market. The company has a very strong organisational culture in place, which is perfect for handling any unprecedented circumstances in the company’s external and internal environment. The company is offering a product mix that is highly suitable to meet the needs of the local market. The company has strong brand equity in its local market. The company has strong infrastructure and is highly technology oriented; the company firmly supports innovation in its existing company processes. The comp any has a strong positioning statement to differentiate it from competitors operating in the market. The company has operational processes which enables it to deliver a package in a very quick time. This further leads to its name being synonymous to quick and timely delivery. The company has a strong capital base which allows it to maintain a large fleet in the marketplace. The company has a strong network of hubs, airplanes and trucks which allow it to offer fast track services. The company holds 50% of the market share of the parcels in the shipping industry. The company is firmly customer oriented and this fact is professed by means of its customer service.

Nutrition in Home Care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Nutrition in Home Care - Essay Example This essay will discuss principles of nutrition, give potential problems for lack of nutrition and talk about therapeutic diet. It will highlight safety in handling food, discuss fluid balance and talk about community resources on nutrition. 2. Key principle of nutrition. According to Gibson (2005, p. 25), adhering to principles of nutrition gives the client strength and helps to maintain body weight. It replaces lost minerals and vitamins, boosts the immune and enhances response after treatment. The client should eat a variety of foods from the following groups; carbohydrates, protein, minerals, fats, vitamins and sugars. The foods should be taken in correct amount to maintain weight and should avoid dehydration by drinking plenty of fluids. The client can have regular exercise. Three main meals in a day with plenty of snacks in between can be adopted. Ingram and Lavery (2009, p. 218) note that, the body is composed of water, minerals, protein, fats, carbohydrates and refuse. Food t hat is taken builds the body. Food is important in giving the body energy, warmth and retaining heat and energy. Implementing nutritional principles enable a person to have energy, good health, and reduce sickness. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables for good health. Increase water intake. Take seasonal foods since they enhance nutrition. Take a wide variety of diverse foods and ensure food is taken in moderation. Whole food nutrition is better than separate nutrition element. Taking supplements is not an equivalent to replacing food. Take food that is good for eating and not poisonous or contaminated. It is important to discipline self to eat food in the right amount. Good nutrition can prevent and at times reverse illnesses. If nutritional principles are followed the cost of care is reduced since ailments subside. 3. Potential nutrition problems. Birchenall and Streight (2012, p. 19) mention that, home healthcare clients can experience nutritional problems despite paying attention to getting adequate food. One of the common problems is under nutrition which leads to weight loss. Weight loss can be easily identified and treated with balanced diet, correct food and beverage quantities. However, medication effects and depression that a client experience can lead to weight loss. The problem is solved by introducing feeding tubes to avoid under nutrition of protein energy. Another problem is deficiency of pyridoxine, folate, vitamin D and minerals like zinc. The deficiency of nutrients hinders healing of wounds and contributes to low immune. Additionally, failure to take adequate fluids causes dehydration. Furthermore, post prandial hypotension can occur and inevitably cause the home care client to have aspiration pneumonia. Aspiration pneumonia can cause a fall. 4. Therapeutic diets. Therapeutic diets refer to foods that are modified to meet the specific health and physical needs of a client. The modification is recommended by a nutritionist or a medical profess ional. The objective is to adjust the content of calories, texture or nutrients to the most appropriate depending on the client’s condition (William and Schlenker, 2003, p. 17). Therapeutic diets require patience and convincing to the client. This is because they may have body weakness, sickness, lack of appetite or self pity. It is easier to make them understand the use of diet by explanation. Therapeutic diet include food

The Csr Evaluation of Gap Inc. Essay Example for Free

The Csr Evaluation of Gap Inc. Essay The Gap Inc. : The CSR Evaluation of Gap Inc. Outline of the notable ethical decisions made by Gap Inc. and their impacts on the company In 2003, Gap Inc. was sued for its usage of child labor and sweatshop factories in its subsidiary in Saipan. The decision to use child labor and sweatshop in Saipan was made by the management of Gap Inc. that could either be seen as egoism or utilitarianism (Smith, 2004). On one hand, on the egoism perspective, Gap Inc. could have decided to use child and sweatshop labor to cut its costs and maximize its profits. On the other hand, on the utilitarianism perspective, Gap’s decision to use child and sweatshop labor, cruel and ethical as it might seem, provided the people in Saipan a source of employment and income. As a poor, third world country, Saipan could not create enough jobs to sustain the livelihood of all its citizens, so it the citizens could choose between starving to death and making a difficult living in Gap’s sweatshops, the sweatshop is apparently a better option. Hence from the utilitarianism approach, Gap’s unethical behavior was actually better than its doing nothing at all. However, this decision gave Gap an international lawsuit over ethical treatment of labor, which does not cost Gap considerable fortune and energy, but also severely harmed its international reputation as an ethical player in the apparel industry (Smith, 2004). It turned out that the public citizens and the media prefer to use the Kantianism when viewing a corporate ethical issue (Iwanow and McEachem, 2005). After this Saipan sweatshop incident, the stakeholders of Gap Inc. placed huge pressure on the company management (Smith, 2004). As a result, Gap Inc. went through a thorough reflection on business ethics and corporate social responsibilities (CSR). Finally, the company made a decision to shift from the Utilitarianism approach to the Kantianism approach in its business ethics and CSR decisions. The new approach features three key principles, namely the universality, reversibility and respect. First of all, Gap decided to apply the same standard of ethical treatment to its workers whether they work for Gap in the U. S or third world countries. Secondly, under the Code of Vendor Conduct (Gap, 2011), the Gap management has been committed to treat the employees just the way they expect the employees to treat them. Thirdly, Gap decided to treat its partners in the value chain with escalated respect, namely not considering them as a means to an end but rather as vivid means with flesh and bones. This revolution on Gap’s CSR philosophy has ushered the company into the right track of corporate social responsibility. Gap’s change in attitude has been accolade both by its stake holders and the media.

Impact of Contemporary Globalisation on Thailand

Impact of Contemporary Globalisation on Thailand Introduction Contemporary globalization is defined as the final wave of globalization, and is characterized by the acceleration and intensification of the technological, cultural, religious, economic and political integration (Gerle 2000). Although this has led to development and advancement in many countries around the world, it has raised issues in many parts of Asia facing religious and social concerns. This essay will argue that contemporary globalization will raise issues in the traditional social and religious visible in two Asian nations, Thailand and Malaysia. The values that will be discussed is in relation to the paper are the Buddhist and Collectivist values for the Thai, and Islamic values for the Malays. Thailand and Malaysia are countries that are similar in the fact that they have both dominant religions that are closely linked with their way of life. Both countries are multiethnic and multicultural but Malaysia has a higher percentage of 50% ethnic Malays and 60% of the country practicing the Islamic faith (Nations Online 2011). In Thailand, it has majority of Thai which is 75% and with 94.6% of the country practicing the Buddhist faith (CIA 2011). First this paper will discuss the conflict that occurs in the business culture of Thailand and Malaysia. Next, it will explain how contemporary globalization is intertwined with popular culture, or ‘pop culture, and has placed a significant Western influence upon the youth of Thailand and Malaysia, and has changed their social ideology compared to the traditional ideology. Finally, the paper will identify how globalization has led to conflict with the conservative religious values that exist in Thailand and Malaysia. Business culture in Thailand and Malaysia The global spread of Multinational companies (MNCs) has led to the popularity of conducting a business in a Western style, which has led to conflict in the traditional Thai and Malay business culture. In research conducted by Niffengger, Kulviwat and Engchancil (2006), traditional Thai business culture is strongly influenced by Buddhism.It explains that business is run in Thailand in a uniquely paternal style, and although the relationship between superior and subordinate is, â€Å"formal and authoritarian, the boss is expected to be benevolent and paternalistic† (Leppert 1996).   An example of how differently a local Thai business operates in comparison to a Western MNCs is visible in the example of the Siam Cement Group in 1998, when they â€Å"reported a loss of 52.5 billion Baht but did not lay off a single one of their 35,000 employees†, while on the other hand, â€Å"Kmart in 2003, laid off 57,000 of their staff to avoid bankruptcy and even closed one thirds of their stores† (Niffengger et al 2006 p. 409). It is just from the fundamental way of operating a business in the West that has come about from contemporary globalization which is very foreign to the Thai, and brings issues in the social and business aspect. For example, sexual equality was not common until the early 20th century due to Western influences upon Thailand and it is still seen as untraditional or unconventional in a traditional Thai business for a woman to be in a managerial level (Thaiways 2002). Through the influences of Western values which has come from contemporary globalization, traditional Thai business values face a dilemma on how to preserve their traditional business culture in the midst of the increasing MNCs. Malaysias business practice bias is visible through the Bumiputra policy, meaning â€Å"sons of the soil†, which is the preferential treatment of the native Malay people. The Bumiputra came about from the New Economy Policy (NEP) in 1971 with goals to alleviate poverty and social and economic imbalances through equity ownership, employment, and other fields. Stoever (1985) explains the fields that ownership of productive resources should be 30% in the Bumiputra hands, for public and private corporations the Bumiputra should be 30% of the employees. Finally, Malays are given other advantages in university admissions, bank loans and credit access. Although the Bumiputra policies are deeply imbedded into the Malaysian business culture, there are numerous ways that the Western practices of business have placed a significant amount of complication in the traditional Malay businesses. The traditional Islamic way of establishing the economy was from, â€Å"the desire to defend Islamic civilization against foreign cultural influences† (Kuran 1995 p.15). However, due to contemporary globalization the influence of the â€Å"Western secular system and capitalistic culture has been slowly adopted by a growing number of Malay business† (Mutalib 1993). The adoption and the continuation of coming into contact with the capitalist business culture of the West will endanger the survival of the Muslim culture, as argued by Al-Maududi (cited in Ahmad 2009), because it may result in complications to differentiate the Western and Muslim mindset and lifestyle. Although Malaysia has a strong protection for the ethnic Malays as seen wi th the Bumiputra policies, the gradual influences of the Western business culture is starting to endanger the security of the Malays and the way they conduct business. Popular Culture in Thailand and Malaysia Advancements in technology allows the Western media to be easily accessed by almost everyone in the nation, which will bring issues with the traditional lifestyle as the youth become more interested in what the Western media brings. Pop culture is commonly connected to cultural imperialism because it the Western film, television programmes, and music is known to impose bourgeois values and capitalist ideology (Berger 2008). There are many causes of the introduction of pop culture and the impact is has placed upon Thailand, like Tourism and Media. Tourism was one of the earliest forms of the introduction of pop culture in Thailand. Westerners make up a significant portion of the Thai tourism industry, and leave an imprint of their culture behind. Thailand has won many tourism awards and is the first in the world for having the Best Tourist country for five consecutive years (Asiativ 2011). However, that has led to a form of ‘neo-colonization in consumerism and tourism. What tourism can do in a political economy approach is that developed metropolitan cities often impose their values on developing countries; in addition, the recipient countries face environmental, social and economic problems (Chang and Raguraman 2001). Furthermore, in order to accommodate the influx of tourism, Bangkok, which is the capital city of Thailand, reformed itself so that it will have an ‘Old Bangkok, where the roya l palace and historic temples are located, and a ‘New Bangkok, where there are numerous shopping malls, hotels, and skyscrapers (Burke, Brash, and Bush 2010). Thailand is slowly losing its traditional characteristics within the cities. Besides tourism, Berger (2008) also added that Thailand was going through rapid modernization and was losing their Thai identity and becoming more ‘Americanized due to the western media. It is telling how from Rodcumdees (2002) research, the media is becoming the most common way for locals to learn more about the West; television being the first and the internet and Western music as the 4th most popular medium. Due to Thailand accommodating tourist needs and influence from Western culture and habits that the tourists leave behind, as well as the accessibility of the Western media, this culminates in the erosion of Thailands authentic and exotic traditional values. Malaysia is also at a similar situation where pop culture influences the youth of the nation, especially for the ethnic Malay population. The Malaysian former Deputy Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim delivered a speech   in The Straits Times (cited in ed. Souchou   2001) where he described his concern of media and technology because, â€Å"in recent years there have been an overwhelming, almost imperialistic diffusion of Western or Western-influenced cultural products.† The issue in Malaysia is that the youth are absorbed in wanting to be like their idols that they see on MTV or eating McDonalds or KFC instead of eating their local delicacies. It is further explained by (Jayne 2003) that it is also partially the state governments responsibility that the youth are being influenced by pop culture because of the lack of support for local pop culture that youths have no other choice but to search for their individuality or values in the western media which is e asily accessible and popular globally. The lack of support for the local pop culture and the accessibility of the Western pop culture through contemporary globalization have caused the Malay youths to wander away from the traditional social values and practices. Way of Life in Thailand and Malaysia Finally, through the discussion of the two different aspects of contemporary globalization, it is significant to discuss the most crucial aspect of how globalization comes into conflict with the traditional way of life of Malaysia and Thailand due to their daily life being intertwined with religion. In Thailand, there is a strong impact of contemporary globalization bringing issues to the traditional way of life for Thailand. The difference between the youth and the older generation as discussed in how pop culture is causing Thailand to lose its religious, cultural, and traditional way of life; moreover, it is leading to more dilemma. The forces of contemporary globalization did not stop at just imposing its Westernized culture, but also spread its influence to hybridizing the Buddhist religion of Thailand, which has caused an uprise and several issues in the nation. It is explained by Kitiarsa (2005) that this ‘hybridization has led to the rise of many public religious movements that are â€Å"responses to the wider, largely economic-impersonal forces of globalization that have profound ramifications for Thai social life.† It is discussed by Geert Hofstedes Cultural Theory that the West and Thailand have a significant difference as to how Buddhism is deeply interwo ven into the way of life for the Thai people (Niffengger et al. 2006). For example, the Thai people believed in the predestination of human life, and how it cannot be altered or changed. However, through Western influence of how an individual has the power to change his or her destiny, this belief is challenged (Thaiways 2002). These Western ways of thinking through contemporary globalization has influenced the traditional Thai values and is shifting the way of life to the people which endanger the preservation of the Thai values.   In Malaysia contemporary globalization is eroding the traditional social values and practices that have flourished in the nation for years. In Malaysia, many Muslims have started to adopt the ‘Hi/Hello culture, which contrasts with the Islamic greeting which is ‘Assalamu Alaikum (May peace be on you) because while the Western greeting does not carry any â€Å"emotional attachment or blessings to someone. The Islamic greeting not only expresses emotional attachment, but also conveys blessings of peace for the person being greeted† (Nurullah 2008 p. 6). Through this influence and visible change in the country, Malaysia is starting to feel a form of threat from this ‘Westernization and is further explored by Gerle (2009) that in Malaysia, the state attempts to â€Å"recreate a Muslim identity in order to protect oneself against the West, in terms of economic dominance as well as values.† However, it is uncertain whether this attempt will succeed or not du e to the wide influence that contemporary globalization already spread itself to. Conclusion The impact that contemporary globalization has on Thailand and Malaysia through the advancement of technology, introduction of foreign companies, and culture can be seen through this essay to be having a significant amount of challenges to the traditional religious and social values. Through the examination of the Buddhist Thai business culture and the Islamic Malay business culture, it is visible that the Western business culture is more individualistic, while the Thai and Malay business culture focuses on conformity, importance of religious practices, and taking care of the business as family. In addition, pop culture has caused the Thai and Malay youths identity to be more ‘Americanized due to the increase of western media and internet access. Finally, the cultural and social practices, and the way of life of the Thai and Malay people is changing due to contemporary globalization like way of speech, daily lifestyles, and changes in their traditional religious practices is starting to distance the people from their traditional way of living. There are attempts taken by the government and people who are passionate in keeping their traditional social and religious values. But from observations of the examples of the impact of contemporary globalization, this seems to be a challenging task indeed.

A Rose For Emily: Fallen From Grace :: essays research papers fc

A Rose for Emily: Fallen from Grace A comparative essay on the use of symbolism in William Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily." Authors traditionally use symbolism as a way to represent the sometimes intangible qualities of the characters, places, and events in their works. In his short story "A Rose for Emily," William Faulkner uses symbolism to compare the Grierson house with Emily Grierson's physical deterioration, her shift in social standing, and her reluctancy to accept change. When compared chronologically, the Grierson house is used to symbolize Miss Emily's physical attributes. In its prime, the Grierson house is described as "white, decorated with cupolas and spires and scrolled balconies in the heavily lightsome style of the seventies" (Faulkner 69). This description suggests that the house was built not only for function, but also to impress and engage the attention of the other townspeople. Similarly, the wealthy women of the era, Emily Grierson not withstanding, were dressed in a conspicuous manner. This, for the most part, is because their appearance was perceived as a direct reflection on their husbands and/or fathers. This display of extravagance was egotistically designed by men to give an impression of wealth to onlookers. Emily was regarded by her father as property. Her significance to him was strongly ornamental, just as their overly lavish home was. As the plot progresses, the reader is clearly made aware of the physical decline of both the house and Miss Emily. Just as the house is described as "smelling of dust and disuse," evidence of Emily's own aging is given when her voice in similarly said to be "harsh, and rusty, as if from disuse" (70-74). Ultimately, at the time of Emily's death, the house is seen by the townspeople as "an eyesore among eyesores," and Miss Emily is regarded as a "fallen monument" (69). Both are empty, and lifeless. Neither are even remotely representative of their former splendor. Just as their physical characteristics, Faulkner uses the Grierson house as a symbol for Miss Emily's change in social status. In its prime, the house was "big," and "squarish," and located on Jefferson's "most select street" (69). This description gives the reader the impression that the residence was not only extremely solid, but also larger than life, almost gothic in nature, and seemingly impervious to the petty problems of the common people. The members of the Grierson family, especially Emily, were also considered to be strong and powerful. The townspeople regarded them as regal. And Emily, as the last living Grierson, came to symbolize her family's, and possibly the entire south's, rich past. The townspeople's reveration of Emily soon decayed, however, once it

La Grande Odalisque Essay

Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres was born on August 28th, 1780. He became one of Jacques-Louis David’s most famous and successful students. During Ingres time working with David, and eventually turning away from him, he became a part of the Neo-Classicism movement; leaving behind, but not forgetting the Romanticism methods. Neo-Classicism is the 18th century restoration of tradition principles which lead Ingres to be one of the most famous draftsmen. Ingres was an extremely precise and talented man of his time and was most famous for his portraits; especially his portraits of female nudes. In the year 1814, Ingres created one of his most famed masterpieces, La Grande Odalisque. It was created in Paris and still remains there in the museum by the name of The Musà ©e du Loure. The painting is well-known for its subject of fantasy and eroticism; she was a passive, mysterious and an unknown being to the Western world, which made her audience long for answers. Throughout Ingres life he created many pieces of work. In his well ahead years, Ingres continued to paint and surprise his faultfinders. He eventually ended up on top, being viewed as â€Å"one of the greatest living artists in France† during that time. (Rifkin 15) He left behind many fans but no apprentices to carry on the Neoclassicism heritage. Ingres painted many historical, mythological, and religious subjects; however, he is probably most respected for his portraits and female nudes. Ingres’s style highlights skilful formations, along with smoothly painted surfaces, and very thorough drawings. â€Å"In 1814, he created one of his many famous masterpieces, Grande Odalisque. It is 91 cm in height and 162 cm in length (35.8 Ãâ€" 63.8 in).† (Peirce 50) It is an oil painting on canvas, with a subject of make-believe and sexuality. The painting was commissioned by Queen Caroline Murat of Naples, Napoleon’s sister. It was painted in the Neoclassicism movem ent in Paris, along with many of his other works. This one in particular is of a nude female, who transpires to be an odalisque. â€Å"An odalisque was a female slave in an Ottoman seraglio, especially the Imperial Harem of the sultan.† (Peirce 54) La Grande Odalisque was formed by Ingres using some of David’s ideas and creating a female nude, in a bizarre and unfamiliar way. To the Western world she was nothing like they’d ever seen before, which caused confusion but a desire to want to know everything about her; â€Å"In the mind of an early 19th century French male viewer, the sort of person for whom this image was made, the odalisque would have conjured up not just a harem slave, itself a misconception, but a set forth fears and desires.† (Shelton 75) This was mainly because of the way in which Europe considered Islamic Asia; they viewed the people there as unique, barren and careless. To observers she was located in an almost make-believe world, much like how Western culture viewed the Eastern side o f the world; fantasized. At the time it was ignominious for its physical wrongness; in specific, â€Å"the nude female was thought to have three lumbar vertebrae too many†. (Shelton 78) It was an opinion stressed by art critics, but was never challenged or proven. When it had finally been studied, they found something out of the regular, â€Å"we measured the length of the back and of the pelvis in human models, expressed the mean values in terms of head height, and transferred them to the painting.† (Peirce 81) The falsification was found to be greater than what had been presumed originally; â€Å"La Grande Odalisque had five, rather than three, further lumbar vertebrae†(Peirce 81). Basically, she is structurally impossible; her pose is one that would be impossible to mimic. Since Ingres combined rationality and realism into his paintings some critics believe the deformation may perhaps exist on purpose and stand for an emotional motive. The way in which the woman’s head is placed and how it the distance it is away from her pelvis suggests, â€Å"the artist may have been marking the gulf between her thoughts and her social role† (Shelton 79) The face of the woman is where the observer’s eyes are drawn. Her expression is secluded, care-free and mysterious; giving her an almost secret filled feel about her. Her role as a harem is not to think of feeling; she is there only for the purpose of pleasure. â€Å"This theme is consistent with the role of women in the nineteenth-century views on female gender roles — â€Å"public women,† i.e., prostitutes, fulfilled a vitally important social role as repositories of male sexual desire.† (Siegfried, Rifkin, Willey 34) Her gaze pulls viewers into her unknown world; captures and traps. The main reason for her existence is to wait upon a man, but not just any man; her husband. With knowing that her husband is the only man to ever see her in this state, the viewer is pulled in and knowing they will never be able to experience her, â€Å"she was part of the sultan harem, she was there to satisfy the carnal pleasures of the sultan, despise what she may feel or want. She reflects a woman ´s deep thoughts, complex emotions and feelings.†(Peirce 48) Her gaze tortures the viewer into looking and makes it difficult to look away. This piece is full of sensuality, mystery and romanticism. The woman is surrounded by a dark background; black with many different shades of blue. Her and her body are really the only aspect of the painting holding any light colours. With this, she stand out to the viewer; making her more striking than ever. Even with her imperfections she is blessed with flawless skin, shoulders, legs, arms and hands. The items nearby her, the peacock fan, the turban, and the pearls suggest an unfamiliar place; an exotic place. At her feet lies a hookah, which may come to the viewers as a shock; it’s not for tobacco but rather opium. The harem may come off to observers as irrational, passive and drugged, which creates more desire to know what she’s about. Is she offering it, or is she just high? That is a question that will never be answered, a question that keeps the viewers’ attention. La Grande Odalisque is what Western society believes a harem would look like. She is of the unknown but in a way that it becomes familiar. Since this is what the Western part of the world imagines and fantasizes about Islamic Asia, it makes them believe they are superior to what’s in front of them. Ingres conveyed his subject of wants and desires by painting La Grande Odalisque, and having the Western part of the world view it; you want what you can’t have. That is one way in looking at it, another is: â€Å"Some art historians have suggested that colonial politics also played a role.† (Shelton 81) Either way, Ingres combined what was happening to the world around him, two places so unfamiliar colliding together, with what the Western world wanted to see; what is actually happening is a completely different story than what one wants to believe is happening. La Grande Odalisque is recognized for its subject of desire for the unknown; her gaze, her pose, and the inferior, yet exotic, items surrounding her are what makes her so incredible to what people consider the norm. She has deficiencies but her overall appearance is perfect; she is nothing like her observers, which makes her that much more wanted; it’s a conflict between La Grande Odalisque and the viewer. Society, even today, is scared of the unfamiliar. We take situations, events and even the little parts in life that we are unsure of and turn it into something that can be confronted, even if it’s not reality; it’s what human beings do to feel safe from what we consider the abnormal. What makes this painting so unique is that people critique the way in which viewers see her, instead of the way she sees us; she is an unacquainted with us, as we are with her.

Why Fat People are Funny In Hollywood

The quote listed in the title comes from 2009 box-office hit The Hangover. The events that incite Mr. Chow (played by Ken Jeong) to say laughing â€Å"it's funny because he's fat† feature Alan Garner (played by Zach Galifianakis) charging at Mr. Chow, who is stomping on Alan's satchel, and exclaiming â€Å"Hey! There are skittles in there! † (Hangover 76:55; 76:45). In return Alan is punched in the stomach by one of Mr. Chow's henchmen, causing Mr. Chow to laugh hysterically and simultaneously slip â€Å"it's funny because he's fat† out of his mouth (Hangover 76:55).Clearly in the scene, the overweight character, Zach Galifianakis, is the butt of the joke as he is punched very hard in the stomach and then laughed at for his stupidity and weight. In modern movie making, overweight comedians have had a critical role in humor in films. Stars such as John Black, Seth Rogen, and Zach Galifianakis are modern examples of such characters, but in the last thirty years, ma ny other large comedians have developed and popularized similar roles in films.The overweight funny man in film has evolved into a more personal, relatable character due largely in part to their accurate reflection of the United States obesity problem. These characters have also created their own genre, a genre that has evolved out of slapstick comedy, yet remains in the realm of realism. This genre, which often involves immature and physical pain, yet remains plausible and not fake (like earlier slapstick humor), continues to bring new fans to the cinema and create greater love for this group of comedians.This paper will explain funny fat people's emergence, humor, and popularity in American cinema. Evolution of Slapstick Comedy in Films When was the first comedy film? John Montgomery suggests it â€Å"may well have been Fred Off's Sneeze, filmed in 1894 by William K. L. Dickson. The film was produced for Thomas Edison's Kinetoscope Company in the ‘Black Maria' Kinetographic Theatre which Dickson built for Edison in West Orange, New Jersey† (Montgomery 17). This film was released just three years after Edison's invention of the Kinetoscope in 1891.It is not a coincidence that a comedic piece of film was released soon after the production of the moving picture, but it simply suggests the necessity of comedic entertainment in American culture. From the early days of film, comedy became a staple on American cinema. In the early twentieth century, films were silent and featured many comedies. The initial type of comedy featured was slapstick comedy, which â€Å"was a gift to America from France† (Durgnat 67). The term slapstick evolved from â€Å"the double paddles formerly used by circus clowns to beat each other.The loud crack of the two paddle blades as they crashed together could always be depended upon to produce laughter and applause† (Dale 1). Slapstick is a type of comedy involving exaggerated physical violence and activities wh ich exceed the boundaries of common sense. The first American slapstick comedy producer was Mack Sennett, who with the help of actor/producer Charlie Chaplin, created many hilarious films loved by the American people (Durgnat 70). In these films, there was no audio component, requiring all humor to be dependent on physical actions (Montgomery 18).Raymond Durgnat states that â€Å"in early Chaplin, Dough and Dynamite (1915), the human body is all but reduced to an apparatus for punching, kicking, ducking and dodging† (Durgnat 69). Chaplin has been considered the â€Å"master clown† and in 1916, Chester Conklin, an actor and comedian, stated â€Å"without a doubt the one person who has been most successful in making people laugh is Charlie Chaplin† (Montgomery 108). Chaplin and others continued to produce silent slapstick comedy films through the Roaring Twenties, a time when film became increasingly popular and very successful.In 1926, Warner Brothers introduced the first film with audio attached. Because of the imperfections of the initial product and smaller budgets in the 1930s due to the Great Depression, films with an audio component remained imperfect, allowing silent films to retain their popularity and stay popular and not outdated. Following Chaplin and the others of the first generation of slapstick comedy was the Three Stooges: Larry Fine (born Louis Fienberg), Moe Howard (born Moses Horwitz), and Curly Howard (born Jerome Horwitz) (Matlin 163). This trio continued to produce popular short films and a few feature films until the late 1950s.The Three Stooges were the last true slapstick comedians, where Leonard Matlin argues that the use of â€Å"clever scripting and direction places the physical burden on others but still gives the Stooges elbowroom in which to clown† (Matlin 168). The Three Stooges were some of the last slapstick films, which essentially died out as many other forms of comedy emerged onto the film scene. One of these styles of humor Louise Dobson describes in a 2006 edition of Psychology Today as ‘hate-me humor', a style in which â€Å"you are the butt of the joke for the amusement of others† (Dobson 76).She continues stating this character is often the â€Å"familiar clown† or â€Å"fat guy† and includes examples like John Belushi and Chris Farley (Dobson 76). Dobson directly identifies the â€Å"fat guy† as an example of such comedy because of how popular these comedians have become. From this article it is evident that funny fat people are essential to American comedy, so much so that the author is able to classify them as the ‘fat guy' and American readers are able to identify with popular overweight comedians. Although there appears to be a reasonable argument that this comedy genre  falls into ‘hate-me-humor', I would suggest that these comedians exist as an of slapstick comedy.The laughs these characters receive come from the sa me qualities the original slapstick comedians, like Charlie Chaplin, shared. Raymond Durgnat describes this stating â€Å"Slapstick comedians are childlike, and in consequence act out the impulses which as adults we suppress† (Durgnat 72). If you replace Durgnat's word ‘slapstick' with overweight, the sentence would read: overweight comedians are childlike, and in consequence act out the impulses which as adults we suppress.Looking at many overweight comedians we see that this very well could be the case. The characters impulsive and childish actions are very common in their films (many examples to follow in next section) and generate laughs similar to those of traditional slapstick humor. In recent years, no director has released a true slapstick comedy film. The genre has been avoided (except in children's cartoons) in movies perhaps because the producers believe that the modern American culture is too advanced for this immature, simplistic, outdated humor.In reality, current comedy has progressed into a new form of slapstick comedy, where the exaggerations have been toned down and the humor has become a little more realistic. Looking through the last four decades we can see countless examples of films featuring this realistic slapstick humor. These characters tend to be lovable, goofy, wild and consistently overweight. Modernization of Slapstick Comedy: Realistic Physical Humor. In order to analyze the continuation of slapstick humor in American cinema, a look at the period immediately following the Three Stooges (the last true slapstick productions) is essential.In 1963, the release of the first Pink Panther film, starring Peter Sellers marked a new era for slapstick comedy. The Pink Panther series stretched nearly two decades with Sellers as the star, relied on slapstick humor, yet remained plausible. Most scenes from the Pink Panther movies are absurd and over the top in every manner, yet the events of the plot could be realistic, creating a new breed of slapstick comedy. At the end of the Pink Panther's dominance, National Lampoon released Animal House in 1978, starring several actors including John Belushi.Following the release of the film, Belushi evolved as the work’s centerpiece providing countless hysterical events. In the movie, John ‘Bluto' Blutarsky (played by John Belushi) appeared in about a dozen scenes, yet is the most memorable character of the film through his ridiculous actions. In the movie he rarely speaks, and acts very childish, both parallel pieces of the earliest slapstick comedians. Belushi has a handful of memorable quotes and scenes, most of which are truly ridiculous, yet believable.He has several immature one line quotes including: â€Å"Toga! Toga! †, â€Å"Blow-job!†, â€Å"Holy Shit! Holy Shit! Holy Shit! †, and â€Å"Food Fight! † (Animal House 44:00; 63:55; 30:25; 35:37). All of these quotes fit perfectly into the description of â€Å"childlike a nd in consequence act out the impulses which as adults we suppress† that the classic slapstick comedians possessed (Durgnat 72). Bluto continues to act wildly doing many things including falling off of a ladder trying to peep in a sorority window, crushing a beer can on his head, smashing a guitar someone else is trying to play, and chugging an entire bottle of Jack Daniel's and smashing it on a car.All of these actions are absurd and exaggerations of what any human might do in a similar scenario, yet all are possibly plausible. A last scene from Animal House that demonstrates the evolution of slapstick comedy begins with Bluto (Belushi) going through the lunch line where he stacks a ridiculous amount of food on his tray and in his pockets. While doing this he also stuffs enormous amounts of the food in his mouth, including a hamburger in one bite. He then proceeds to sit down at a table filled with some clean cut preppy students.There he is ridiculed for his eating habits and called a â€Å"P. I. G. pig† (Animal House 34:35). In response to being classified as a pig, he attempts to be a zit, stuffing his mouth with mashed potatoes and spraying everybody at the table by mashing his cheeks with his hands as seen in the following picture (Animal House 34:55): The focus of the scene is the unrealistic quantity and grossly unhealthy quality of food Belushi eats as well as the animalistic, childish manner in which he feasts.Following the incident he proceeds to be chased around the cafeteria, ultimately ending in a brawl and food fight. The sequence of events in this scene all are extremely humorous, yet very childish and exaggerated beyond what any viewer would expect from a twenty year old man. However, all of the actions in the scene are perfectly capable of being true, making this portion of the film extremely humorous in its realistic slapstick fashion. Nearly a decade later, in 1987, Planes, Trains, and Automobiles featured John Candy, another ov erweight comedian.In this film, the progression of slapstick comedy continues paralleling Belushi's contributions to the genre. Candy acts extremely childish and wildly, yet his actions remain plausible, exhibiting similar humor to that of John Belushi. In Planes, Trains, and Automobiles Candy's humor can fully be grasped in a scene on a commercial plane flight. On the plane, co-star Steve Martin has just been downgraded from first class to coach seating, and finds his seat next to John Candy. It quickly becomes clear that Candy fills up way too much of the seat, creating an uncomfortable situation.To make things worse Candy proceeds to take off his shoes in order to help relax, clearly releasing a disgusting odor observed by others in seats around him. He continues his gross movements by taking off his socks and spinning them around to air them out. When doing so, his dirty sock is very close to Steve Martin's face, and based on the expression on Martin's character it is clear that the sock smells wretched. This act is unbelievable, childish, and ridiculous, all similar characteristics of slapstick comedy.Later in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, John Candy continues to provide humor through another similar evolution of slapstick comedy, where he accidentally spills several beers on the bed in which he (who barely fits on the bed alone because of his enormous frame) and a complete stranger share. The move is very careless and results in an incredibly uncomfortable situation that makes the audience laugh hysterically because of the continuation of unfortunate events all linked to Candy's childish careless actions.A last scene from this film takes place in a rental car, after the duo (Martin and Candy) have managed to run into every problem possible on a trip to Chicago to get home for Thanksgiving. In the car, Candy attempts to get comfortable by tampering with the seat position. He uses the buttons on the side of the seat, jerking the seat around for a few mi nutes, failing to find a satisfactory position. Although Martin has persistently told him to stop and that he will break the seat, he continues on until ultimately he breaks the seat, making it uncomfortable and unmovable.Following the seat incident, he continues his path of destruction. After smoking a cigarette, he drops the butt out the window. However due to the wind, it blows into the back seat of the car ultimately sending the back seat up in flames and roasting the entire car. In this quick scene, Candy manages to act immaturely and rambunctiously resulting in the destruction of the car. The remains of slapstick comedy are clearly evident in this scene, climaxing with the unreasonable fate of the rental car.The absurdity of someone so overweight that he breaks a seat and the reality of seeing a car explode in flames seem like a moment from a slapstick cartoon, yet the film is completely plausible due to the overweight and clumsy nature of Candy. Following John Candy's death i n the early 1990s, Chris Farley emerged as the next overweight star, both on television and in a few Hollywood films. His humor was similar to that of John Candy and also very comparable to the works of John Belushi.In an article praising the life of Chris Farley following his death in Rolling Stone magazine, the author states â€Å"we talked about his hero and Saturday Night Live predecessor, John Belushi. It was well known that Farley had been obsessed with Belushi, and people loved making much of this fact, since the two seemed to share a love of certain rather common excesses† (Hedegaard 39). Looking at Tommy Boy, produced in 1995, John Belushi's influence on Chris Farley becomes apparent through Farley's role and performance in the film.In Tommy Boy, Chris Farley stars as the protagonist, an immature and dimwitted heir to an auto parts factory who must save the business to keep it from take-over and away from evil relatives. Throughout the film, Farley's childish actions bring laughs to audiences of all ages. To begin the film, Tommy (Chris Farley) is shown in a flashback as a young school boy rushing to class, late as always. In this scene he runs full speed into a glass sliding door, shouting â€Å"Holy Schnike! † (Tommy Boy 0:44). The film then skips several years and shows an older Tommy, in his seventh year of college.Although the older character is much larger (Chris Farley was very large), he mirrors the young middle school version of Tommy because he is pictured doing the same action: rushing to class (late again). In this scene, he is scene trying to take a short cut through some hedges, but runs full speed into a newly put up fence, hitting his head very hard and exclaiming â€Å"Holy Schnike! † again (Tommy Boy 2:02). From these scenes which mesh together, we can clearly see the immaturity of the character, yet the viewer gets many laughs through the physical pain Farley endures.These actions take place in the first minute of the film, and really set the tone for the rest of the movie. In the film, Tommy is seen acting very foolishly on many accounts: he consistently runs into sliding glass doors, he gets hit in the head with a two-by-four piece of construction wood, he hits his head on a forklift after not listening to his father say heads up, he slips and gets covered in cow manure when trying to go cow tipping, and he rips his friends blue blazer because he is too big for it. Consistently, Tommy releases very childish comments, and he is largely responsible for destroying his friend’s beloved car.In the film, the actions Farley takes mirror concepts that defined slapstick comedy. His childish and extreme actions are all very similar to this genre of comedy. Farley extends this comedy to make it more personal and relatable as the protagonist becomes more developed. His actions are all very extreme and in many incidents would cause physical pain. Although painful or ridiculous, all actions tha t take place in the movie could take place in real-life, making the audience relate to the comedy. In one scene in particular, Tommy pushes the realm of reasonable office behavior.In an attempt to sell auto products for his company, he acts out an anecdote with his customer's nice model cars. In his story he gives two examples of how a similar scene could play out with two different brakes. In the first action, the car has on Callahan Brake Pads (his company’s) and is able to stop in front of a obstacle that is suddenly in front of the car (a lighter also on the desk). While showing this action he has a complete narrative stating â€Å"You're drivin' along, la-de-da, woo. All of a sudden there's a truck tire in the middle of the road. And you hit the brakes. EEEEEEEEE!Whoa, that was close† (Tommy Boy 35:30). He then proceeds stating â€Å"Now let's see what happens when you're driving with the â€Å"other guy's†[does quotation marks with fingers] brake pads. Yo u're drivin' along, you're drivin' along, the kids start shouting from the back seat, ‘I gotta go to the bathroom, Daddy! ‘ ‘Not now, damn it! ‘ Truck tire. EEEEEEEE! I CAN'T STOP! † (Tommy Boy 35:45). He then rams the model car into the lighter smashing the car of the customer. Farley then gets really into the story acting out voices of a narrator, the kids, the parents, and eventually the paramedics who respond to the scene.In the scene, some of his quotes include â€Å"No! I can't feel my legs †¦ Here comes the meat wagon †¦ And the medic gets out and says, ‘Oh my God. ‘†¦ New guy's around the corner puking his guts out† (Tommy Boy 36:05). He also finishes the crash by setting the crushed car on fire with the lighter and calmly collects himself making his point casually stating â€Å"All because you want to save a couple extra pennies† (Tommy Boy 36:20). This scene is a clear example of Farley taking over a sc ene that could have easily been executed much more peacefully, maturely, and professionally.But the director and Chris Farley decided to execute the scene wildly and immaturely so that viewers see the scene in awe as they cannot believe how overdone he makes the episode. The film is full of scenes like this one, which leave the audience in shock at how a human could act in such a manner. They key to the humor brought about in the film is much like that of Belushi and Candy, it remains believable: although unlikely, all actions in the film could possibly occur in a person's life. Through looking at these three overweight comedians we see the progression of the same genre of comedy.The slapstick comedy that first featured Charlie Chaplin and other silent film comedians progressed into slapstick comedy with audio, like the Three Stooges. Following the Three Stooges, the horseplay that was extreme and in many ways violent and not possible for a person to survive, died out. In return, se veral years later comedians like Belushi rediscovered the art of making a career out of horseplay in every film or television show in which they appeared. Following the mold Belushi made, many other actors have morphed their careers into similar roles.Through the years the importance of the overweight comedian has grown dramatically. In 1978, John Belushi was a minor character in Animal House. Although his few scenes (around a dozen) are the most memorable from the film, his role contained very few lines and he was never intended to be the star of the film. Looking forward nearly a decade later, John Candy in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles promoted his role to the supporting actor, though not the protagonist of the film.In this film, we learn much more about the character (a back story, his emotions, etc.) than we did of Belushi in Animal House. Belushi's character, Bluto, has apparently been in college for several years and the odds of him graduating appear slim. Other than this, we have no other information on the character. For Candy's character, Del, we find out much more about his life as a shower ring salesman as he appears in nearly every scene and is a much better developed character. Finally looking at Tommy Boy, released almost two-decades after Belushi, the American audience sees the fat wild character as the protagonist of the work.Chris Farley's character, Tommy, is the clear protagonist of the film (the film is even titled after the character's name). Farley's character has a well developed character, as the viewer is well informed of the character's entire family and Tommy's flaws and strengths. Why Overweight? Following in the footsteps of the unrealistic, unsurvivable slapstick comedy to the more plausible realistic feature films, the role of the fat comedian progressed to the center of the film. Perhaps the movement towards realism reflects American’s recognition of their own overweight society.The United States is the world's most ob ese country. In an attempt to explain this epidemic, Greg Critser published Fat Land: How Americans became the fattest people in the world. This work highlights new research that claims cheap fats and sugars as the source which causes our calories to stick and shows why children are too often the chief metabolic culprits of such foods. He clearly claims that we (Americans) have been telling ourselves lies about how much we can eat and how little we can exercise.He attempts to expose the nutritional value (or lack thereof) in schools as well as political and cultural forces that have caused American’s fitness to continue to decrease (Critser 23). Critser debunks all eating patterns and even diet books in an attempt to explain why they do not work and only supplement the obesity problem in the United States. Although a slightly humorous book, Critser's message is very serious; the lack of a balanced nutritional diet (which he provides to the best of his understanding) and reduc ed exercise has set a death trap for many people in America, leading to an obesity problem.Hollywood has capitalized on the acceptability of overweight people, and has used and continues to use actors bearing this unhealthy lifestyle in order to provide entertainment (usually humorous) to the United States (Critser 25). The comedians explored in the previous pages share one common obvious trait, their weight. John Belushi, John Candy, and Chris Farley were all obese. The reason why they were overweight will never be fully understood, whether it was genetics, poor eating, lack of exercise, pressures of society, or bad habits. The fact is that all these men were huge, and remained large until their respective deaths.Not only were all of these men overweight, they were also well loved. In a People Magazine article following the death of John Candy, the author concludes â€Å"in the end, of course, no one can say for certain whether diet and self-denial would have prolonged Candy's lif e a single day. Only one thing is sure: Already Candy is missed† (Harmes 97). Similarly in a Canadian magazine an author begins â€Å"While all of us feel as though we've lost someone we knew personally,† showing another example of the attachment fans had with such comedians (Candy in both of these instances) (The Untimely Passing 9).Like Candy, Chris Farley had his fair share of praises in a Rolling Stone Magazine stating â€Å"almost everyone loved Farley, and it was a genuine love, not a Hollywood love† (Hedegaard 40). Through these accounts praising the lives of such overweight comedians, it becomes clear that the actors really connected with their audience and gained a sincere affection from their fans. The love they generated came through both the laughs they consistently provided America as well as their big loving appearance.Perhaps people connected with the characters because they thought their enormous build made them more resilient and therefore they c ould endure the slapstick comedy they provided. Maybe the reason they were admired was because their large appearance was not the typical Hollywood ‘Barbie'-like figure that so many stars posses, but a reflection of how America really looks: overweight. Or, perhaps their size made them more human because they embodied the flaws in all of us. By the simple act of laughing at and with them, the audience is put at ease and feels better about their own shortcomings.In any case, the success of these comedians came through their realistic appearance on stage. The people and actions in these films could occur in everyday American lives. The men were not living a sophisticated lifestyle and did not have special skills; they portrayed an overweight male (which is common in the United States) and shined in immature and physical humor evolving the slapstick genre that has been a staple of American comedy films since their beginning a century ago.