Jeff Koons and Unknown Artist Essay

Michael Jackson and Bubbles by Jeff Koons and Painted Sarcophagus Hanunia Tlesnasa by an unknown artist both have subjects that are reclining in similar positions. Michael Jackson and his chimpanzee, Bubbles are dressed in suits that are similar to the Sergeant Pepper uniforms of the Beatles. Jackson is in a combination of sitting/reclining position leaning back on his arm with his hand on the floor for support. His back leg is raised with his foot on the floor while his other leg is bent and but completely resting on the floor. Bubbles is resting in his lap while leaning into his owner. Jackson is has one arm gently placed around the chimp. They are sitting on the blossoms of many flowers and several of the flowers are placed randomly on the two subjects. Painted Sarcophagus Hanunia Tlesnasa is of a large woman with what would be considered today as masculine features. She has her back leg raised with her front leg bent and completely resting on the floor. Her elbow is holding her in a sitting position while propped on a pillow and the hand of that arm is holding an open mirror. The other hand is holding back the long white covering her head. Her dark hair is pulled back and up. Her dress is loose and flowing yet cinched at the waist with a golden cord. She is resting on a Sarcophagus that is decorated with blooms of a large flowers and columns. Painted Sarcophagus Hanunia Tlesnasa has a medium of terracotta and she is painted with the dye like paint that was used during that time period. The terracotta was chosen by the unknown sculpture because that is what type of material a sarcophagus would be made. It was a perfect medium to hold a body and to decorate as well. Michael Jackson and Bubbles is made of ceramic porcelain. While this medium is fragile, it was probably chosen for its easy molding and the sheen after it has been in the kiln. Paint is also very durable when it is baked on the porcelain. Painted Sarcophagus Hanunia Tlesnasa is from the Etruscan Artistic Period. This period is even before the ancient Roman time in northern Italy. This civilization just disappeared so their origins are still a mystery. They did leave behind many pieces of art and the ruins of their architecture. Many of their works of art that survived were their burial and crematory containers and Painted Sarcophagus Hanunia Tlesnasa is a perfect example of the time in which it was sculpted. Both the Painted Sarcophagus Hanunia Tlesnasa and Michael Jackson and Bubbles have the formal element of color. Michael Jackson and Bubbles has a predominant gold and white color that dominate the sculpture. The eyes of both subjects are black and their lips are shocking red, but these colors seem to fade into oblivion when contrasted with the gold. Painted Sarcophagus Hanunia Tlesnasa is white also predominantly white and gold except that there is more white whereas in the other sculpture has more gold. The fact that the subject’s hair is brown stands out since it everything else surrounding it is white. The pillow where she rests her arm is reddish brown, yet unlike the hair, it is hard to discern. The flowers on the sarcophagus are also of a reddish brown and the columns are a dark gold. I chose Michael Jackson and Bubbles by Jeff Koons sculpted in nineteen eighty-eight and Painted Sarcophagus Hanunia Tlesnasa sculpted in one hundred and forty B. C. by the unknown artist more because I did not like them instead of admiration. I particularly did not like Michael Jackson and Bubbles because of the subject. I always thought that Michael Jackson was an overrated musician, then I felt that he was more famous for his weirdness than his talent. I know that he was not convicted of child molestation, but through his interviews, I felt that he was inappropriate behavior, so it is hard to get past the subject of this sculpture. However, I did try really hard to look at the value of Koons’ work. I felt that the there was too much gold for a realistic affect. I came to the conclusion that the gold was symbolic of how money could allow a man who obviously needs help to thrive in a society that accepts anything from people with money. I did not feel that I would like the subject of Painted Sarcophagus Hanunia Tlesnasa if I had known her. Her countenance and position seem to portray an air of arrogance. They both displease me because of the unlikable feel of the subjects and Michael Jackson and Bubbles leave me with a feeling of disgust because of Jackson. Bubbles has nothing to do with the reason that I feel negatively about the sculpture. Works Cited Delahunt, Michael. Artlex. com 10, November 2008 http://www. artlex. com

Creationism vs. Evolution

Since high school, I have been on something of an intellectual and spiritual journey from what I was told to believe to what I believe for myself. It wasn't until recently that I have finally started to become comfortable with what I do and do not accept as the truth regarding the origins of our existence here on this planet. I grew up in a diverse Christian home: my mother's side are devout Roman Catholics and my Father's Lutheran. I was raised Catholic and we went to mass religiously (no pun intended) every Sunday and my mom said my Hail Mary's with me every night before bed. The existence of God and His role in our lives was not even a question. From there, I went to a Christian pre-school, a Catholic kindergarten and grade school, and then a privet Catholic all-girls academy. In High School, evolution was barely talked about unless you were taking a class specifically related to it (or maybe it was but I tended to fall into a coma during science related lectures) and in primary school, it wasn't talked about at all. My father is what my mother likes to call a â€Å"holy roller†: he is a starch Fundamentalist Christian and a Young-Earth Creationist who believes that the bible is fact and not to be interpreted in any way other than literally. I can remember him talking about the evils of evolution and how it was impossible for monkeys to still exist if we evolved from them. He said that the evolutionary theory was just that: a theory and not fact like the bible. My father is an extremely intelligent man who reads and researches his beliefs but he is blindly religious. My high school was an extremely intellectually nurturing environment. When I started religion classes there, while there was some bias, I got to hear other peoples points of view and beliefs which helped me to start figuring out what it was that I truly believed. It was through these classes that I met some girls who happened to be atheists. I had no idea that the general consensus among those girls was that all religious people were un-intellectual and unintelligent because of Young-Earth Creationist. It was during this time that I started read about the subject and I read a lot. I read a book by a Christian astronomer named Hugh Ross, an Old-Earth Creationist who believes that the first few chapters of the Book of Genesis are not a literal portrayal of actual events but rather, God's revelation of the creation of events to the writer of Genesis. I thoroughly enjoyed the book but I promised my father I would at least give some Young-Earth Creationist views a chance. My dad gave me two books: one by Henry Morris and one by Ken Ham (the author of the assigned article. ) I was unimpressed by Henry Morris's book as I found it extremely tangental and rambling. I then moved on the Ken Ham's book, called The Answeres Book: The 20 Most-Asked Questions about Creation, Evolution, and the Book of Genesis Answered! I was actually appalled because essentially, he said that a person who does not believe in Young-Earth Creationism is not a Christian because they don't believe the Bible. This was extremely disturbing to me because most of his comments throughout the book and on his website Answers In Genesis/ mission were extremely intolerant and even at times abusive towards scientific community as a whole. How could it be possible that the same PhDs and other teachers from whom I was learning all be deceptive liars? I think that's why I had such a problem reading and accepting this article to be anything other than bullshit. True, he is not spouting any of his â€Å"holier than thou† spew in this particular piece but because I know and have read his other works I know he is trying to sell something: his own small-minded one-sided view of the world. The truth of the matter is that evolution is not anti-Biblical. I know that the Earth and the universe are both old. I know that life itself is old, we have scientific proof of it, but the question for me remained how exactly did life begin and develop. The Biblical creation story is clear: God created everything from the very beginning. How it progressed from there is not specifically spelled out. I have come to believe through reading, research, and soul-searching that evolution is the best and most plausible explanation for the progression of life on this planet. When my father was learning about evolution, it was discussed in terms of long-term gradual changes facilitated by natural selection. It had now been found that the process can be sped up by natural selection and other genetic processes. Over time, evolution has become better supported through tireless research. I think Evolution is easy enough to digest for people like my mother until it gets to the issue of monkeys. Whenever that subject is brought up it gets uncomfortable because she doesn't want to believe that we, God's handmade â€Å"mini-me's†, originated from, to quote the immortal line from the movie Planet of the Apes, â€Å"damn dirty apes†. The idea that God hand-made each and every one of us from scratch is an easier pill to swallow for most Christians. I feel that biological evolution is a beautiful and reasonable explanation for the physical progression from apes to humans but it lacks a spiritual explanation. My Grandmom always said to me that she never fully believed in God until she was in the room when someone died. You can see all the life: the intelligence, the love, everything they were in life completely drain from them and all thats left is an empty vessel. I never thought I'd have an experience like that until my Grandmom passed away in her sleep last March. I saw everything she described happen right before my eyes and it was then that I realized that there had to be something, some supernatural aspect to humans that no other animal possesses. When I saw her lying in the casket, it was no longer my Grandmom but the shell of the beautiful and complex person she once was. Whether you want to call it a soul, God's breath of life, or his image and likeness we are different and not just in our linguistic skills. It is clear to me that God chose us to be His children and to love Him forever but how or why he chose to differentiate us from the rest of the primates is still unclear to me. I have come to find that my thoughts and beliefs align with what is called Theistic Evolutionism or Evolutionary Creationism. Theistic Evolution is the concept that classical religious teachings are compatible with modern scientific understanding about biological evolution. Because I found this concept that fully aligned with my beliefs, I have never been more firm in my faith or more sure of my belief in God and Jesus Christ. I believe that God sent Jesus to cleanse me of my sin and I believe that He loves me. I believe that He hears my prayers and answers them and I believe that God did create the universe and everything in it but he chose to do it in a ways that we, his children, can study scientifically so we can better understand Him and His plan for us.

The Current Policing Philosophies Have a Positive Impact on the Commun Research Paper

The Current Policing Philosophies Have a Positive Impact on the Communities - Research Paper Example The current policing philosophies have a positive impact on the communities since they ensure community partnerships in addressing the underlying causes of crime and entail the use advanced technologies in the collection of intelligence information that ensure a proactive response. The history of policing in America has similarities to that of England since Colonial America had a system of night guards who were supposed to guard the cities and municipalities against disorder, fire outbreaks and crime (Palmiotto, 2000). A distinct characteristic of policing in the 1800s was the powerful influence of politicians since police chiefs were hired in order to further the interests of the politicians. Police officers were often accused of corruption, misuse of force and violence towards certain racial groups in the society (Adlam & Villiers, 2003). The Southern states such as Carolina established the ‘Slave Patrol’ that tasked the officers with the duty to apprehend and return escaping slaves and subject the slaves to summary disciplinary measures outside the formal judicial system (Reisig & Kane, 2014). The officers would also enforce the ‘Jim Crow’ laws that advocated for segregation and unequal access to the political rights. The end of slavery led to the evolution of policing work since formal police departments were established in order to deal with local law enforcement. The changes saw the establishment of the centralized municipal police department in the 1830s and the cities of Boston, New York and Chicago were the first to establish the American police force (Palmiotto, 2000). The 20th century led to urbanization and increase in crime rates thus better-equipped police force was established in order to handle crime (Cordner, 2014). The civil rights era led to a shift of policing from the tradi tional crime control to more cooperative partnerships with communities.  

Phase 1 Discussion Board Schedule and Cost Control Techniques Essay

Phase 1 Discussion Board Schedule and Cost Control Techniques - Essay Example After this survey we have to analyze the gathered data from the survey. This analysis sub phase provides all required information for our project seclude and cost estimation. After this analysis sub phase next comes the design sub phase of the project in which we have to design all events and process that are necessary for the completion of this project. In this phase we also demine expected expenditure, estimate time required, and main events of the up gradation project. Then next phase is Executing Phase. Here we hire a software development team for the implementation of this new upgraded email system, now our project team completes the work related to all aspects of this up-gradation. Here an impotent phase is controlling phase that will run in a parallel way with all other phases. In this phase we control the time, cost, manpower required, resources needed and all things that are associated with is project. We analyze all the ways like project is running on time, is any module required additional time, then managing time in such a way that additional time is not required. Cost and expenditure monitoring is done in such a way that no extra resources will be needed along the way. Then the last and final phase would be Closing Phase: here we have to ensure that the project work is complete successfully, we have to confirm and verify that the deliverables and then completed out the project finances, panel reports, and lessons learned are all documented and analyzed that all thing are well and new email system is working properly. Cost estimation is one of main and difficult part of any project (Chamoun, 2006). All project depends on this estimation, if this estimation goes wrong then lot of complexities might occur during the project. So in our Email Up-gradation project we have to estimate the cost in such a way that no complicity can happen, and project can be completed successfully. As a project manger it is my

Byzantine Empire Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Byzantine Empire - Essay Example These books and codes were largely accepted in the East but failed to make substantial impact in the west and thus contributed to the divide which has started to rise. Justinian ambitiously tried to reconquer all the Western lands that Rome had lost to the barbarians. Justinian became the emperor in 527 and ruled until 565 and proved him to be an able ruler and he was in fact responsible for the rise of the Byzantine Empire and gave Eastern Rome a separate identity. It was his great reign which is considered to be the birth of the Byzantine Empire. Justinian successfully reconquered much of the territory that had fallen into barbarian hands. In the first phase of his projects, the entire north coast of Africa fell under Byzantine rule. Next he fought the Ostrogoths in Italy. But in 18 years of siege and counter-siege (535-553), Rome changed hands six times which means he stabilized the Eastern part but the Western part was falling which ultimately resulted in the lost of Roman identi ty and birth of the Byzantine Empire. The New Groups The wars were taking place and the barbarians were becoming powerful but at the same time new groups were also rising which included the Christians and the Muslims. The Christian priests were spreading the faith among the masses and Christianity was made the official region of the empire which meant that the Roman temples and Oracles were no more the centers of religion and the holy was now redefined and Churches were the place of worship now. Byzantium Defense Constantinople, the Byzantine capital city was the most important factor in the increasing the strength of the Empire since it was naturally protected against the invaders and could not be conquered with ease no matter how strong and advanced the invading army was. The high... Byzantine Empire Through the 4th century while the Roman Empire was still united there were two capitals following the political will of the same emperor. There was a split in the empire but the two states were not antagonistic to each other since they were a single empire on technical grounds but the series of events that took place in the 5th century lead to the collapse of the Western part while the Eastern part survived but was reduced to a medium sized empire which was more akin to the Persia than to Gaul. The East Held-back The diplomatic and political distances between the two parts of the empire were becoming more and more and the administrative and infrastructure crises in addition to the wars fueled the deteriorating situation. The war with the Visigoths was fought alone by the western wing of the empire and eastern wing instead of sending troops to defend the western borders strengthened its own capital. The infrastructure which was decaying on the western fronts was not repaired by the ea stern richer wing because they were no more concerned about the bridge between the two wings which was holding them together. Role of Justinian Emperor Justinian of the east is well-known for his efforts for driving away the barbarians and restoring glory to the Roman Empire. Another great effort by Justinian was the legislative initiatives he took. Thus the historians have legitimately renamed the Eastern Rome as Byzantine Empire because the Roman identity no more existed.

Letter from Birmingham (Response Paper) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Letter from Birmingham (Response Paper) - Essay Example Nevertheless, one assassination attempt cost his life although he remains an icon in the history of America and his written work is fascinating literary work. Martin Luther King’s â€Å"Letter from Birmingham Jail† is powerful, compelling, and unwavering. In this regard, the letter indicates the astounding aptitude by King to show cruelty and adverse behavior towards minorities in America, which demonstrates King’s intelligence. All the way through the letter, a response to eight clergymen from Alabama, King did not deviate too far from his fight for parity towards African-Americans in Birmingham and equality to the rest of the world (Barnet and Bedau 292). In this case, King wrote the letter to remind the clergy from Birmingham of the importance of unity amongst them in order for them to attain the common goal of equality amongst the citizens of America. In effect, the letter did not look to fuel the embers of segregation in America. Instead, the letter addresse d issues that King felt that the clergy from Birmingham failed to address in their letter to King. ... saith the Lord’ message far beyond†¦and as Apostle Paul left his village of Tarsus†¦I like Paul, I must respond to the Macedonian call for aid† (qtd. in Barnet and Bedau 294). This allusion shows the clergy and the reader of King’s intent and determination to ensure that the people of Birmingham and the rest of the country achieved equality. In addition, I find the allusion that refers to Biblical quotes enhance King’s character while, at the same time, it illuminates on a mutual bond between African Americans and the white clergy in Birmingham, which is the bond of religion. King’s brilliance in using rhetoric broadens his argument in order to ensure that widening subsets of the audience feels included in the letter, which I would like to refer as the nonreligious audience and the intelligence audience. In this case, King states, â€Å"Just as Socrates felt that it was necessary to create a tension in the mind†¦so must we see the nee d for nonviolent gadflies to create the kind of tension in a society that will help men rise from the dark depths of prejudice and racism to the majestic heights of understanding and brotherhood (qtd. in Barnet and Bedau 296). In this regard, King manages to bring the nonreligious people into the discussion by adequately responding to concerns that I think fell out of the religious institution with a response based within the archetype of academic. Thus, none of the audience will feel alienated since King manages to change the discourse of the letter from the religious discourse it was taking for awhile. In effect, it becomes an all-inclusive discussion. King claimed that he went to Birmingham hoping â€Å"that the white moderates would see the need† for their cause in fighting for justice (qtd. in Barnet and Bedau 303). In this

What is Art - Discussion Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

What is Art - Discussion - Assignment Example It makes me guess what culture it came from, what message the artist implied when he was painting it. It is a thought-provoking object that has no practical function and is created for the sake of self-expression of the artist who had made it. It gives rise to a train of thoughts on primitive African societies when I am looking at it. It might as well have been made by an African artist, though it is not a case. It is surely a work of art, in my opinion. There is probably a toy at the third image with a metal ball inside. It might be perceived as a work of art from some subjective point of view, though in my opinion it is made strictly for the purpose of entertainment of children and is not a work of art per se. Although there is a specific and quite precise definition of what art is, this notion extends into a subjective category and it is not an easy task to circumscribe the limits of it. Thus, in my opinion, this toy is not a work of art. On the other hand, it might as well be an allegorical manifestation of the way someone who created it looks at the world and, if placed within a certain context, could be perceived as a work of art. The blue plate on the fourth image might be a work of art for some people, while others wont consider it to be as such. Although it is created with a certain practical purpose to serve, it obviously applies imaginative skills of a person who made it. The surface of it is painted inside and these elements of its design make this object of pottery a work of art, in my opinion, though it might as well be solely perceived by some as a part of dinnerware and serve practical purposes

Essay for maritime law Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

For maritime law - Essay Example First, let us consider the case of Barrack. Barrack was merely a buyer of vodka and it was meant for presidential election. He had accepted the offer made by Dimitry and had undertaken to bear the profit or loss as expected from the trading point of view. But since the good was not yet delivered to Barack, he can definitely claim compensation, but that is subject to the deal he had with Dimitry. Maritime law is actually an aspect of the international law and cannot be considered a municipal or domestic law. The international aspect of the maritime law can never be denied and it gives it a distinctive flavor. In the doubtful cases the court of one country will look into the examples or rulings of another country for the requirement of idea or assistance. Except to the degree that it is bound by the international conventions like Hague, each country can adapt to the maritime law that think is favorable. Hence, what maybe valid for Russia, may not be applicable for USA and vice versa. But since the bill of lading is considering the U.S. law hence, it can be considered that Barrack will have a definite advantage. In many cases the pilot effort has been made by the International Maritime Committee, which is more commonly known ass Comità © Maritime International (CMI). This contains the maritime law associations of about 30 nations. The work of the committee is to primarily draft the international conventions which relate to the subjects of maritime law. When these drafts are prepared it is then submitted to the government of Belgium which then holds a diplomatic conference and this draft is discussed and amended as per the requirement of the international maritime trade. These regulations are an international system of navigation. In extra fields a lot has been achieved in order to guarantee the international consistency through the confidential agreements willingly adhered to by the affected parties; the

BLEVE paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

BLEVE - Research Paper Example The rupture will occur at the weakest point of the container (the part of the container that is leaking due to corrosion). A prime example is the Kingman BLEVE or Doxol Disaster (1973). The explosion occurred during propane transfer from a Doxol railroad vehicle to a storage tank on the rail sliding, located near the Andy Devine Avenue. The explosion occurred when a worker was attempting to tighten a leak on the connection by hitting a wrench with a hammer into the leak. The burning propane gas escaped through the valve connection on the rail car, which resulted in the cooling of the tank pressure. (Kletz, 1990) This resulted in an increase in the leak and the fire, heating the tank car. The fire burned the employees working at the site, with some succumbing to their injuries in hospital. The heating of the tank car resulted in a huge explosion. The safety valve on the car opened, which increased pressure in the tank. The high pressure eventually caused the tank to explode, blowing up the carrier in the process. The explosion created a shock wave that was audible for a radius of 5 miles. Three firefighters who had managed to get to the scene were killed upon explosion, with eight more dying in hospital from burn severe burn wounds. It is a demonstration of the adverse danger of BLEVEs, and how measures must be taken to prevent such incidences using better safety precautions. Another example is the San Juanico Disaster. The incident was initiated by a gas leak in Petroeos Mexicanos (PEMEX). There was a pipe rupture during the transfer operation, which resulted in the plume of the LPG thus concentrating at ground level. The plume grew larger, and drifted with the winds to the direction of the waste gas in the flare pit. (Mannan, 2005) The first plant exploded (BLEVE), and it was followed by 12 more BLEVEs. Two of the largest tanks on the site had such a large explosion,

Coach †The Leading Consumer-centric Corporation Essay Example for Free

Coach – The Leading Consumer-centric Corporation Essay Abstract Fashion trends are sensitive, and customers are unpredictable. It makes fashion industry become a highly competitive market. To survive and thrive, fashion companies need distinctive strategies. It seems aspiring but not many firms can achieve. As an exception, Coach proves its success in this challenge by not walking through the same way as others rivals (e.g. Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Prada, and Hermes) have done. Coach has created a customer-focused model and a result-driven strategy to lead its business to overcome crisis and expand market. Even though there still have many challenges in the fashion sector, Coach’s strategy seems to be sustainable. Coach – The Leading Consumer-centric Corporation Coach was a family-run company founded by Miles Cahn in 1941 in New York (Coach, 2012). Coach was famous for traditional crafted leather goods, but keeping the classic styles drove it to dramatically lose market share. Based on the excellent management of Chairman Lew Frankfort, Coach shifted from a conventional leather division of Sarah Lee Corp. to a fashion-oriented brand name and a customer-centric corporation (Boorstin, 2002). Coach has thrived not only in North America but also in Japan, China and other countries (Coach, 2012 Tsukahara, 2011). Therefore, Coach’s strategy is sustainable. Successful Management in Turbulent Economic Conditions The secret formula for Coach’s success simply comprises two components. First, it is the perfect collaboration between Lew Frankfort (Chairman and CEO) and Reed Krakoff (President and Executive Creative Director). Since Frankfort took his office, he implemented several typical reforms: created customer database to examine consumer behavior, built multichannel distribution system (retail stores, factory outlets, boutiques, and online store), and hired Reed Krakoff to refresh Coach’s product design (Slywotzky, 2007). Krakoff made a revolution in Coach conventional product lines by using new materials, shapes, styles, and colors to attract more customers but not abandon its loyal fans (Slywotzky, 2007). Second, consumer-focused strategy makes Coach stand out. Based on customer information that is collected through various angles, Coach can sooner identify problems and quickly adjust. In a nutshell, Coach’s success derives from a blend of â€Å"understanding the consumer, being results-driven and at the same time anticipating when fashion is happening (Karimzadeh, 2004). What Makes Coach Different From its Competitors? Coach chooses to operate in its own way. First is â€Å"selling luxury for the mass† (Gogoi, 2005). Coach sets product prices 50% lower than Gucci or Louis Vuitton to attract cost-conscious customers (Takahara, 2008). Coach’s numerous product lines satisfy diverse market segments based on ages, regions, and cultures. However, product quality must be maintained to be considered as luxury goods (Slywotzky, 2007). Second is the customer-driven operating model. Coach spends around five million U.S. dollars annually on market research to collect customer information through private interviews, telephone surveys, competitive analysis, and in-store product tests (Slywotzky, 2007). By putting customers into operating process from input (what customers desire) to output (product testing), Coach can modify its products to satisfy customers’ requirement or increase production of favorite products (Slywotzky, 2007). For example, Japanese customers usually commute to work, so they prefer small bags (Tsukahara, 2011). Moreover, database shows that customer usually visits store every month so Coach launches its new products monthly to attract customers and give them more new choices (Slywotzky, 2007 Tsukahara, 2011). Third is the tight management. The executives check sales operation of each store daily and frequently review each business unit as well as the total business planning (Boorstin, 2002). Lew Frankfort even visits stores a few times a week to check their operations and directly evaluate customer responses (Slywotzky, 2007). Fourth, Coach has a flexible production process by using 100% outsourcing in 16 countries around the world (e.g. Vietnam and China), which neither Gucci nor Louis Vuitton is interested in (Karimzadeh, 2004 Tsukahara, 2011). This also helps Coach cut off fixed costs, and reduce time consuming from production to sales operation. Fifth, Coach has a huge multichannel distribution system: 500 stores in U.S and Canada, 300 direct-operated stores in Japan, China, Singapore and the like, a set of boutiques in particular department stores and an online website coach.com (Coach, 2012). This provides more opportunities for Coach to expand business globally. Coach Strategy is Sustainable In this highly competitive market, Coach has its own weapon to be considered sustainable: understanding customers and building a solid business structure. With a huge database of 9.7 million families from different viewpoints (Slywotzky, 2007), Coach knows how to make its products fit with customer demands or even how to set reasonable prices. For example, a survey before launching the New Hamptons Lap Satchel revealed that customers were willing to pay 328$ for this product, which was 30$ higher than prediction, then Coach immediately reprinted the price tags and sales augmented (Slywotzky, 2007). Moreover, with the close management as described above, Coach runs its operation sensibly by focusing on any detailed changes in sales and customer behaviors. Besides, Coach has a diversified product category (handbag, wallet, suitcase, accessories, perfume, and clothes) with various designs and an enormous distribution channel to help Coach approach many different market segments. In an interview with Fox Business in 2011, Frankfort was confident that Coach’s strategy was sustainable in that turbulent time, he only concerned about the macro economy: the slowly irregular economic recovery might affect consumer confidence in purchasing decision. Conclusion To gain market share, Coach chooses a unique way to operate: Coach’s customer-centric model, together with the perfect combination of logic (represented by Lew Frankfort) and magic (symbolized by Reed Krakoff), help Coach thrive in such a very competitive fashion industry. Even though there might be many forthcoming challenges, Coach’s strategy is sustainable because understanding customers helps Coach identify risks sooner and respond faster. References Boorstin, J. (2002, October 28). How Coach got hot The maker of the indestructible purse finally considers style. CNNMoney. Retrieved on Oct. 25, 2012 from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?sid=2f9ec3fa-9541-4044-87e1-2ddd37107d03%40sessionmgr112vid=1hid=127bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=bthAN=7567234. Coach (2012). Coach financial tear sheet. Retrieved on Oct. 25, 2012 from http://phx.corporate-ir.net/Tearsheet.ashx?c=122587. Gogoi, P. (2005, November 28). Selling luxury for the masses. Bloomberg Businessweek. Retrieved on Oct. 25, 2012 from http://www.businessweek.com/stories/2005-11-28/selling-luxury-to-the-masses. Glick, A. (Interviewer) Frankfort, L. (Interviewee) (2011). Coach evolving its base with poppy. Retrieved on Oct. 25, 2012 from http://video.foxbusiness.com/v/3951579/coach-evolving-its-base-with-poppy/. Karimzadeh, M. (2004, March 1). Riding Coach’s express: No signs of slowdown as luxe brand zooms. Women’s Wear Daily. Retrieved from http://www.wwd.com/fashion-news/fashion-features/riding-coach-8217-s-express-no-signs-of-slowdown-as-luxe-brand-zooms-695558?full=true. Takahara, K. (2 008, September 12). Coach builds brand of affordable luxury goods. The Japan Time Online. Retrieved on Oct. 25, 2012 from http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nb20080912a3.html. Tsukahara, M. (2011, November 26). A study of brand/ Coach keeps on riding high. The Daily Yomiuri. Retrieved on Oct. 25, 2012 from http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/business/T111121007083.htm. Slywotzky, A. J. (2007). The upside of strategic risk. In Oliver Wyman Journal. Retrieved on Oct. 25, 2012 from http://www.oliverwyman.com/pdf_files/OWJ-UpsideofStratRisk.pdf.

Qin Shi Huang In Society And Modern Media History Essay

Qin Shi Huang In Society And Modern Media History Essay Scholars debate over Qin Shi Huang Dis legacy that he left after his reign 2,200 years ago. To the western public, he has been perceived as a disillusioned, power-hungry, tyrannical man whose lust for immortality he sought brought about the buried legacy of perfect, baked clay models dating from before the birth of Christ. In the last 50 years or so, his history has been re-analyzed into a colossus of a historical figure in Chinese history almost equivalent to Alexander the Great and Caesar rolled into one. By ruthless force of will, he bound warring states together and knit them into a tightly centralized system, standardized Chinas language and law, and built major structures such as the early Great Wall of China. Even the style of his coinage, round with a square-shaped hole in the middle, lasted until the dawn of Communist rule. Few other rulers have so shaped the sinews of their country. However, these feats pale in comparison to his greatest legacy, the establishment of a burea ucracy that would survive for more than 2,000 and would be the largest in the world, staffed by educated men and reaching to the lowest peasant in the land (Wood). The view held by the western public reflects the darker aspects of his life. Despite his massive reforms in the economic and political systems of China, he also garnered the reputation of being an oppressive and borderline psychotic ruler, the most commonly cited example being the Great Wall of China, which was built with hundreds of thousands of conscripted workers in such a small timeframe that thousands were overworked to their deaths. (Many of these workers are believed to be actually buried within the Great Wall) Perhaps one of the greatest stories that personified these psychotic and tyrannical tendencies is one regarding his obsession with immortality. In an attempt to obtain the fabled elixir of life, he dispatched thousands of people to Penglai mountain. When none returned (because failure meant execution), he se nt another expedition consisting of three men, only to be offered the feeble excuse that they had been frightened off by a gigantic fish. He duly set off to shoot it with a repeating crossbow, though despite his attempts, the elixir continued to elude him. His next attempt, immortality pills, consisting of mercury, which his alchemists assured would confer the same power that the substance displayed in absorbing gold, would prove fatal. The dynasty he had promised to last for thousands of years would barely struggle through a decade. The root of Chinas current alteration of the perception of Qin Shi Huang Di roots from the similarities derived between Qin Shi Huang Di and Mao Ze Dong. Both were inspirational leaders who united China in their times of need. Qin Shi Huang Di united China following a 200 year period, known as the Warring States period, creating a political entity recognizable as the China we know today. Similarily, Mao Ze Dong united a war-torn China following the collapse Qing dynasty, managing to create stability in a land which was used as World War IIs battlefield. However, the similarities do not end there. Qin Shi Huang Di was also know for his massive public works projects, often recruiting hundreds of thousands of workers at the expense of tens of thousands of lives à ¿to complete great engineering marvels such as the Great Wall of China, the Lingqu Canal, and the Mausoleum of the First Emperor. Mao Ze Dong similarly ordered huge public works projects, such as dams, canals and other infrast ructure projects, which millions of peasants and prisoners had been forced to toil on and in many cases die for. However, these projects often proved useless as they had been built without the input of trained engineers, whom Mao had rejected on ideological grounds. Other policies set out during Maos reign parallel Qin Shi Huang Dis actions during his reign. For example, both were extremely well known for their persecution of intellectuals in their empires that Mao would later be quoted as bragging: He [Qin Shi Huang Di] buried 460 scholars alive; we have buried 46,000 scholars alive. As Tun Dun, the musical composer for Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and Hero, would put it, Qin Shi Huang Di was pretty much like Mao Zedong. He unified China. He made the language, made the measuring system, made the currency. With these similarities, it would come as no surprise that the Communist party, just as it has protected the reputation of Mao in order to defend both the legitimacy of his leade rship and the foundation of the Communist government in China, would protect the reputation of Qin Shi Huang Di in a similar manner lest Mao be compared to Qin Shi Huang Di in a historical sense. The Communist government has commonly censored foreign films, a practice almost completely alien to Americans. Instead of a free speech clause in their equivalent Constitution, the Communist government is allowed completely control over the media world of China. Especially with foreign films, the Communist government uses a list of criteria to screen the film from the following attributes: Criticism against social order and government Disruption on the unity of various ethnicities of the state Endanger the sovereignty and territorial of the state. Endanger security of the state; harm the public reputation and interests of the state. Disrupt the unity of various nationalities of the state Divulge a state secret Advocate inappropriate sexual relationship; violate moral standard, or obscene content; having strong visual stimulation; tempt people degeneration Advocate superstitious belief; offense against social order Advocate violence; appeal people despise dignity of law; tempt crime; disrupt public security If failing to meet any of these requirements, the movie is typically banned from the country. While the Communist government has long had a stronghold on foreign films and has gained a strong reputation recently for its restriction of foreign films, domestic films face even closer scrutiny. While foreign movies must be screened by censors, domestic productions must submit their plots and final product for approval. The examination period for reviewing in the first step is 15 days, examine fees are based on government policy in different case. In second step, producers get response from censorship department for content should be modified. Last, after modification made accordingly, production will be sent back to review by censorship department. If content has been modified accordingly, the film will then be certified to be broadcasted. In addition, if filmmakers who are not agree with the examination, they are allowed to apply for reviewing no later than 30 days of the first time sub mission. Because of this strict screening process, many of Chinas prominent filmmakers have run afoul of the censors (such as some of the films mentioned below). But the communist governments ability to block unwanted material has withered, thanks to the Internet and a black market that made copies of unauthorized movies available. Hit films often generate tens of thousands of black-market copies, and are generally widely available on pirated DVDs. As the government controls much of the major media within China today, Qin Shi Huang Dis legacy and current perception is altered based on his portrayal in modern media outlets. à ¿Filmography is perhaps the simplest way to reach major audiences. A modern marvel that can instantly reach millions of viewers at once in just days, it comes to no surprise that Qin Shi Huangs greatest appearances in modern media are in movies. The most recent movie to portray Qin Shi Huang Di or reference him would be The Mummy Returns: The Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. However, this movie will not be discussed due to the fact that it is an entirely Western-Based movie and thus, involving no direct influence from the Chinese government and Chinese directors. It is interesting to note that in this movie, many of Emperor Hans signature aspects such as terra cotta warriors or obsession with immortality are based off of Qin Shi Huang Di. The Myth, the next most recent mainstream Chinese movie to feature Qin Sh i Huang Di is indeed directed by a Chinese (Hong Kong) director. However, Qin Shi Huang Di similarly plays a barely supporting role (his persona not even being seen once in the entire film). However, his obsession with immortality and his large mausoleum are referenced as well. Finally, Hero, the third most recent movie to feature Qin Shi Huang Di actually features the emperor on a rather important level. On at least three levels, The Hero violated the consensus of todays Chinese audience. First, ordinary peoples common judgment, which has lasted for thousands of years, that Qin Shi Huang Di was a tyrant, and that tyrants should be condemned. Although the aspiration for a benevolent ruler implied in this view is still a longing under autocratic rule, the condemnation of tyranny is universal. However, the movie Hero is intended to reverse the pubic view towards Qin Shi Huang Di, and goes against the sentiment of the audience. Hero is based on a stance that reverses the judgment towards tyrants. It takes the perspective not of the majority but of a tiny group of people. Second, ordinary peoples general view of martial arts heroes. You have to pay a price for the so-called wandering in the wilderness, but by paying the price you free your heart and spirit, and realize the desire to be in charge of your own life. Peoples general yearning for martial arts and acceptance of it are based on this longing for freedom. But in Hero, when Can Jian and Wu Ming give up their idea of assassinating Qin Shi Huang Di, ostensibly it marks a transcendence of their personal hatred. However, in reality it coincides with the emperors personal ambition, that the world under heaven is the world ruled by the son of heaven, and that consideration of the benefits of the world under heaven is the consideration for the benefit of the son of heaven. The film makes no secret of this view, which is expressed from the mouth of Qin Shi Huang Di: I didnt expect that the one who knows me best, the soul mate who echoes my wants and mind is the one wandering the wilderness. Realistical ly speaking, this movie captures the heart of propaganda towards the legitimacy of Qin Shi Huang Di. Even going so far as to accuse his own officials of calling him a tyrant, Qin Shi Huang Di (the actor) fails to even touch upon the actual actions that made him a tyrant (the building of the Great Wall of China, etc). Instead, he spews out highly theoretical talks of unification, idealized to the point of unreality. Perhaps the greatest indication of this movie aligning its ideals towards Communist ideals is the last translation of Tian Xia, another name for China. Of all the translations of such a name, the most common and literal one being under the heavens, the producers of Hero chose to instead translate it as Our land, to justify Qin Shi Huang Dis conquests. Our Land, the idea that the land is shared by the common person and that it was Qin Shi Huang Dis responsibility to unify China for the sole sake of protecting the common person would have been alien in Ancient Chinese socie ty. The consolidation of power into a single family has been the entire basis of Chinese history (dynasties). It has not been since the start of the Communist rule where the common persons ideals and welfare was truly looked out for by the government. Thus, in summary, Hero was a Communist ideal spouting movie sugar coated in the goodness of martial-arts fight scenes and dramatic and unpredictable plot twists. When the Map is Unrolled, the Dagger is Revealed. This is a famous figure of speech in China, which fits Chen Kaiges latest epic drama perfectly both in story and meaning. It means that only at the end we see peoples real intentions and their true nature. The figure of Ying Zheng (Qin Shi Huang Di) assumes gigantic proportions in this near-Shakespearean tragedy. Hes painted as a fair and just man at the beginning, but he eventually submits to his thirst for power and the dogma of his ancestral mandate. Thanks to pressure and paranoia, Ying Zheng betrays his initial intentions which were to unite all of China peacefully and lead it to years of prosperity. Thats what he initially promises. However, like most politicians, the promises become dead air when he finally reaches his goals. One of Ying Zhengs concubines and the love of his life, Lady Zhao, functions as a counterpoint to the Emperor. A fictional character, shes used by the director to give voice to the masses. She represents people who want humanity to prevail over bloodletting and power-thirsty dictators. These are the people who weep over the senseless loss of life, and want a peaceful solution instead. The film is structured into five acts which lay the groundwork for the final part in which the reluctant assassin Jing Ke plots to kill Ying Zheng. The intricate story might be difficult to follow for someone whos not used to Chinese history, but the script flows well and the characters are developed so effectively that such apparent shortcomings dont really matter at the end. Chen Kaige could have decided to focus on a history lesson, but instead hes more interested in three central characters (Ying Zheng, Lady Zhao and Jing Ke) and their motives. Hes able to create a psychological profile for Ying Zheng, who at first seems in control, but ultimately is the cause of his own undoing. His attempts to bring peace and prosperity to his kin conflict with the danger of holding too much power in ones hands. He cant handle the situation and the consequences are terrible. And guess who pays the price? The same people he was trying to help. Interestingly enough, this movie does not attempt to draw as many parallels between Qin Shi Huang Di and Mao Ze Dong. Dealing with less of his political actions throughout his reign and more with his relationship with his friends and family around him, it is hard to say whether or not the censors in China even bothered to red flag the film. Considering the difficulty of processing this film into anti-Communist propaganda rather a criticism of Qin Shi Huang Dis rule in general, this movie could have easily slipped under the scope of Chinese censors. The Emperors Shadow is an extravagant take on the life and times of Qin Shi Huang Di. Through the friendly relationship between a musician and the Emperor and lavish sets (billed as the most expensive film ever shot in China), it paints an epic picture of Qin Shi Huang Dis rise to power. Realistically speaking, taking out the historical information and the luxurious backgrounds, the movie is really nothing more than the altogether familiar (and relatable) story of two childhood-best-of-friends from different backgrounds and their ideological differences that separate the two. Though he may be portrayed as a ruthless conquerer, he produces some redemptive qualities that would draw him into a more positive light as a character. Qin Shi Huang Dis portrayal is almost identical to the one mentioned in hero as he is portrayed as being concerned with the symbols and identity of the new Qin Dynasty, and the way that these new symbols will come to represent all of China, and be accepted by th e people. In 1996, it did brisk business at the box office during a brief release in five major Chinese cities; but then was banned for censorship reasons. The idea that art could not be controlled by the media (a practice indeed supported during the reign of Qin Shi Huang Di) was also well supported Mao as well. This idea of restricting media in order to control the intellectual in China for both time periods, however, rang a negative light towards the censors, and in a swift act of irony, red flagged and consequently banned the film. However, it should be of note that the film was generally well received by the Western public. For whatever reason, it served as an actual inspiration for the musical The First Emperor. However, again, this was indeed a Western production and thus prospective on Qin Shi Huang Dis rule, which is not relevant to the thesis of this paper. Based upon the few movies portraying Qin Shi Huang Di, it can concluded that the Chinese government has altered Qin Shi Huang Dis perception in modern Chinese culture as a benevolent (if not heroic) figure that directly conflicts the nature of his past in order to draw parallels to and support the Communist government due to many of the similarities between the Chinese Communist party Mao and the emperor. Movies that either seem to conflict with Qin Shi Huang Dis ideals that coincide with Communist party agenda seem to become red flagged by Chinese censors while films that only portray Qin Shi Huang Di in a less than favorable light receive no punishment whatsoever. However, it definitely must be noted that this analysis of the role of the Communist government in Qin Shi Huang Dis is limited in several ways, the first being that the oldest movie with Qin Shi Huang Di was created in the late 90s. However, this only man point further to the similarities of Qin Shi Huang Di and Mao as i t would seem to indicate that Qin Shi Huang Di was too sensitive of a subject to work upon until the advent of the 90s where the Chinese government relatively relaxed their censorship laws. Finally, it must be noted that only three movies were referenced for this analysis due to the fact that there have only been three Chinese-made movies that have featured Qin Shi Huang Di ever created.

Redwall Book Report Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Redwall is about a young mouse named Matthias. He lived in an abbey called Redwall. Redwall was a nice, peaceful place until a rat called Cluny the Scourge came with his horde and tried to take it over. The night before the citizens of Redwall knew that Cluny was coming, Matthias and Brother Alf had caught a giant fish that was big enough to feed all of the animals inside of Redwall so they had a big feast. When Matthias and Constance the badger were taking some of the animals who lived outside of the abbey home, they saw Cluny and his horde rolling past in a hay cart so they went back to the abbey to warn everyone. Cluny took one of the empty houses to use as his camp site until he took over the abbey. The Abbot agreed to meet with Cluny to see what he wanted but Cluny wanted Redwall to use as his fortress. Cluny said that the citizens of Redwall could surrender or die. The Abbot Refused to surrender and Cluny left to think of a way to capture the abbey. On his way out of the abbey, Cluny saw a tapestry of Martin the warrior. Cluny had a nightmare about Martin that night which made Cluny scared. Cluny had one of his men called Shadow try to sneak in to Redwall and try and steal the tapestry. Shadow is a half ferret, half rat and is completely black. Shadow snuck in without any problem but Matthias got in the way and ended up pushing Shadow off of the abbey wall. Cluny was waiting at the bottom and he got the tapestry of Martin and left Shadow to die. Matthias snuck out to steal the tapestry back from Cluny. On his way he met Basil the rabbit. Basil told Matthias he would help Matthias get the Tapestry back. Matthias snuck past the guards and Basil ran around the guards to get them away from the tents. Matthias heard someone calling for help in one of the tents so he went to find out who it was. It was the vole family. They had been missing since Cluny came. Matthias had to help them escape instead of finding the tapestry. While Matthias was out attempting to get the tapestry back, Cluny had launched his first attack against Redwall. Cluny’s horde tried attacking the abbey by slinging rocks at the mice on the wall and shooting arrows at them. The rats were losing horribly so Cluny came up with another plan. He had some of his army climb up a tree that was high enough for them to get up onto the wall. The oldest mouse in Redw... ...giving out meals to the soldiers on the wall, she saw the siege tower pop out of the forest right next to the wall. She was surprised and accidentally threw her lamp onto to the tower which sent it up into flames. All the rats ran back to their camp. Cluny had captured a family of field mice and sent the father in to unlock the abbey’s gates. If he refused, Cluny would kill his family. The guards let him in and later during the night, the father field mouse unlocked the gate. All of Cluny’s horde snuck into Redwall and tied everyone up. Just as Cluny was going to kill the Abbot, Matthias came back with one thousand sparrow warriors and five hundred of the Guerrilla Union of Shrews. Matthias fought with Cluny and ended up cutting the abbey’s big bell and it fell on Cluny. The sparrows and the Guerrilla Union of Shrews had more than enough animals to defeat the rats. Cluny had mortally wounded Abbot Mortimor and he was dying. Before he died he said that Brother Alf would become the next Abbot, Matthias would become the champion of Redwall and Matthias would marry Cornflower. All of those things happened and Matthias and Cornflower had a baby named Mattimeo. Kevin Frasier 4/17/05

The Hero Of Con Air :: essays research papers

The Hero   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The movie Con Air is a motivational movie. It is an action movie that can appeal to almost anyone. There are many factors in this movie and when combined all together, they give the movie a sense of unity. The theme and the purpose are similar and are intended to attract a wide variety of viewers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The main theme of Con Air is heroism. Of course, as in most movies, the main character of Con Air displays many heroic acts. Cameron Poe is stuck on a plane transporting hardened criminals. The criminals take over the plane, forcing Poe to play the hero and â€Å"save the fucking day† as he so delicately puts it. For example, when Johnny 23, a serial rapist, attacks a woman guard in attempt to change his name to Johnny 24, Poe stands up and refuses to let the rape occur. Poe also displays his courage by refusing to give up or get off the plane until he successfully saves the innocent lives on board. Poe is not the only hero. Vince Larkin, an officer of the law also displays many acts of courage. He refuses to shoot the plane down because of the innocent victims on board. Another prisoner, Garland Green, a brutal serial killer, displays more courage. When he comes across a young girl playing alone outside her house, he has a chance to turn her into a victim. But, remarkably, he does her no harm. Not the typical heroic act, yet it still applies.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Similar to the theme of heroism, is the purpose of Con Air. The purpose of this movie is to inspire people to do the right thing even when stuck in the worst environment. And what could be worse than Poe’s environment. As he describes it, â€Å"They somehow managed to get every creep and freak in the universe on this one plane, and then somehow managed to let them take it over and somehow managed to stick us right smack in the middle.† Yet he still manages to repair the damage done. Garland Green was also place in a vulnerable position, and he somehow manages to refrain from his killer instincts. These acts of heroism within the theme are effectively used to portray the purpose of inspiration.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Add together the theme, purpose, and plot of this movie, and the total would create an effective movie with the capability of attracting a large audience.

Drugs and Alcohol in the Adolescent Years Essay -- Influence Teenagers

Drugs and Alcohol in the Adolescent Years The years of adolescence are a very important time for both young girls and boys to make decisions that will essentially have the power to shape their lives. In life there are conflicts to be overcome from both the â€Å"evil† social world and also a young girl’s vulnerability can cause problems. Both have a huge impact on decisions she will make. Drugs and alcohol are both issues that almost any young person in today’s society is going to come into contact with. Then there is the issues of making decisions about how these substances will affect their life. It is interesting to study and compare the drug use among different ethnic groups as well as how the culture that one is brought up in has a big part in how they will respond to the same issues. This leads right into my paper topic which is girls growing up on the border. This is a completely different lifestyle as well as upbringing for these girls that are living so close to the Mexico. Drugs and alcohol are everywhere and are most likely intertwined into each of our lives in some way. For this reason it is apparent how likely it is that adolescents are exposed to these substances very often if not daily. Recent surveys that have been done, in particular the Ontario Health Survey, 1990, shows that initiation to drugs begins as early as 12 years old in an adolescents life. Twelve years old is considered the risk period for alcohol and tobacco and this phase does not end until about age 22. A sample of 4,364 people from this same study was on people from the ages of 15 to 35. Results showed that the major risk age for initiating with either alcohol, marijuana, or tobacco is over by age 22. Once again it is sh... ... are white or Mexican and live on the border or not. Works Cited: Leverton, Kate. Personal Interview. 25 March 1999. Phipher, Mary. Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls. New York, NY. G.P. Putnam Sons, 1994. DeWitt, David J; Offord David R. "Patterns of Onset and Cessation of Drug Use Over the Early Part of the Life Course." Young Adults-Drug Use- Ontario-Drug Abuse-Ontario -Drinking Alcohol icges-Ontario. Vol.24, pg. 746, 13p. Holck Susan E., M.D., Warren Charles W. Ph.D, Smith Jack M.S., Rochat Roger M.D., "Alcohol Consumption Among Mexican American and Anglo Women; Results of a Survey Along the U.S.- Mexican Border." Vol. 45: Pg. 149-154, 1984. Dassori Abana M., Neff James A., Hoppe K, Sue. "Ethnic and Gender Differences in the Diagnostic Profiles of Substance Abusers." Vol 15, Aug. 1993, pgs. 382-390.

Harriet Jacobs, Slavery, The South, and the Civil War Essay

Harriet Jacobs remains one of the most important anti-slavery figures in American history. As a former slave turned author, Jacobs was very influential in shaping public opinion towards an anti-slavery sentiment. Jacobs was born into slavery in 1813. She would eventually escape into freedom in 1835. Her escape route would eventually lead her to Philadelphia where she would not have to worry about being returned to the south. (Most northern cities were sympathetic to escaped slaves) Upon moving to New York City, Jacobs would develop a personal relationship with a publisher named Nathaniel Parker Willis. Perhaps it was this relationship that inspired her to write her seminal work Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl detailed the horrible conditions that women faced in slavery. The stories were first published in the newspaper the New York Tribune. While the articles were well received at first, the graphic depictions of sexual abuse proved controversial and the serial was discontinued. Eventually, Jacobs work was published in book form. The book became an immediate sensation and significantly shaped an anti-slavery sentiment that surely fueled the abolitionist movement. While the north understood slavery was evil, the pure brutality of it was unknown to most. Jacobs work raised a much needed awareness. But why did the south embrace slavery in the way it did? There were a number of reasons why the south was a huge proponent of slavery. The most obvious reason centers on the enormous profits that the southern states were able to amass due to having free labor. In time, the south was eventually overly reliant on  slavery since it was a non-industrialized society. Without the presence of factories, modern machinery, and an industrialized production center, the southern states were reliant on human labor more than the north. And as previously mentioned, free labor in the form of slavery provided the mechanism for this backwards infrastructure. There were many issues that drove the notion of the south succeeding from the union. If there was a â€Å"final straw† that drove the southern states to succeed from the union, it was the election of President Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln had campaigned on an anti-slavery platform. When he was elected, he professed his assertion that no new states entered into the union would be allowed to be slave states. This led to several southern states succeeding from the union and to form the Confederacy. Obviously, President Lincoln sought to quell this succession as soon as possible. However, the tensions exploded on April 12, 1861 when the Confederacy launched an all out assault on the military base Fort Sumter in South Carolina. More than anything else, this was the inciting incident that led to an all out Civil War.   During the initial years of the Civil War, the south was seriously â€Å"hammering† the north as the north could not find a proper strategy to win the war. This situation nearly led to Lincoln’s defeat in re-election. However, Lincoln did win re-election and eventually found the right general in Ulysses S. Grant. Under Grant, the south was defeated and the Emancipation Proclamation was upheld. Slavery was no more in the United States. In the aftermath of the Civil War, the reconstruction of the devastated south began. One goal of reconstruction was to integrate the now freed slaves into society.  However, Lincoln’s assassination undermined reconstruction and African-Americans would remain disenfranchised in the south for an additional 100 years.

Relationship Between Religious Beliefs Essay

‘The relationship between religious beliefs, religious organisations and social groups is complex and diverse. Different groups have different needs and priorities.’ To what extent do sociological arguments and evidence support this view? Statistics show that women have a greater participation rate in religious organisations than men. Women are more likely to express a greater interest in religion, to have a stronger personal faith and believe in life after death. They are more likely to involve themselves in religious rituals and worship, for example, attend religious services and lead a more religious life generally. There are many sociological explanations as to why women are more religious than men. Firstly, Miller and Hoffmann suggest that gender socialization means females are brought up to be more compliant, obedient and nurturing than males. They state that women are more involved with feelings, co-operation and caring for others. However, Walter and Davie see women as more exposed than men, to the ups and downs and changes of life. This is because of their biological involvement through childbirth, and through their greater participation in paid caring jobs, for example as teachers, nurses, social workers. Davie suggests that these factors give women a closer association with birth and death than men, and these are also central issues for many religions. They make women more aware of the helplessness of human life, and more familiar to the spiritual dimensions for human existence. Women are also more likely to turn to religion as a result of feeling deprived; they are more likely to experience poverty, family problems, less self confidence and less power. This means they turn to religion for comfort, particularly in religious sects and new religious movements which provide theodicies explaining their feelings, as well as solutions and support. Status frustration may be experienced by some women, who lack personal fulfilment or status as a result of being restricted to the home by the constraints of housework and childcare, or are in unsatisfying lower-middle-class jobs, which are mainly done by women. Religious participation, particularly in religious sects or new age cults, may help to overcome or compensate for this. Due to women staying at home for child care or having part time jobs, some would argue that this allows women to have far more spare time to be able to attend religious groups, therefore increasing their attendance. Statistics show women’s attendance to religious organisations are higher than men’s, however some Marxist  feminists such as Bevoir and Bird argue that religion is used to oppress women. The view that religion has negative consequences for women is conveyed in the study by Bevoir, who sees religion as patriarchal and oppressive. She supports the Marxist perspective and suggests that religion is oppressive and serves to control and reimburse the second class status given to woman. Which is similar to Marx’s viewpoint on the polerteriants who believe religion gives women a false belief that they will be compensated for their suffering on earth by equality in heaven. This argument suggests that religion is patriarchal therefore it is inevitable that it will end up having negative consequences for women. According to feminists there are countless example of patriarchy which have been used to control and later oppress women. Places of worship show this as they often segregate the sexes. An example of this is the Jewish synagogue in which women are placed behind screens separate from the men who in turn are situated in the main centre space. This highlights the marginalisation between the men and women. Although there are some rising female readers of religion, scriptures were first and foremost written and interpreted by men and it is men that are the head of the churches in Islam and Catholicism. This could mean that many values and ideologies such as wearing the Burka, beatings, female circumcision and bans on contraception may have been misinterpreted for men’s gain and passed on through generation to generation. May religious women are still not permitted to become priests or are only allowed to work themselves up to a certain level before they hit a religious ‘glass ceiling’, identifying where they want to be, but not being able to reach it due to the constraints set upon them. On the other hand, there are views to suggest that women are no longer oppressed in religion. For example, many cults are run by women and Paganism, from which many New Age religions originate, remains the most female-friendly approach to religion with a strong feminist element, where God is a mixture of male and female, and strong female leadership is common. Individuals seem to develop a greater attachment to religion as they grown older. Religious belief is lowest among those under 34, and highest among those over age 55. Young people are not only less likely to participate in mainstream religious activity than older people; more than half of them say they don’t regard themselves as religious at all, as shown in such studies as the British  Social Attitudes survey and the European Values study. There are three main reasons as to why older people might be more religious than the younger generation. The first being disengagement. This means that as people get older, they become detached from integrating mechanisms of society, such as participation in workplaces through paid employment. Older people may face increasing social isolation as partners and friends die. Participation in religious organisations provides a form of social support in this situation, and a network of people to relate to. The second is religious socialization, where older people are more likely to have a greater emphasis places on religion through the education system and socialization in the family when they were younger. Lastly, ill health and death. Older people tend to be faced with declining health, and death looms on the horizon. These are the very things that religion concerns its self with. The aging process and disengagement from society may therefore generate an engagement with religion for comfort, coping, meaning and support. Young people are less religious in terms of their expressed religious belief in surveys and their participation in mainstream religions, however this may be because these are simply being expressed in new, private ways which are difficult to record in surveys. Lynch suggests that young people may be running away from conventional ideas of religion as they can now go ‘spiritual shopping’. This involves an increasing exposure and accessibility to a diversity range of religious and spiritual ideas. This has encouraged new ways of exploring religion and spirituality. Young people may be choosing to take of their religion, of whatever faith or mix of beliefs, as a private matter. Davie expressed this in the words ‘believing without belonging’. This is where individuals may have a belief in something, however they do not chose to practice this belief. Secular spirituality and the sacred, Lynch suggested that young people may not have lost all religiosity , but that is simply finding new forms, many of which are associated more with the secular and non-religious world than with religious as it is currently understood by most people. Pragmatic reasons also mean there are a range of possible more practical or pragmatic explanations for the decline of religious belief and commitment amongst young individuals. Leisure activities have become a much bigger part of life, and shops and pubs all open for very long hours, including Sundays. Young people have more demands on their time and they may  simply have more interesting ad enjoyable things to do.

Information Technology Essay

Advancements in information technology have had many great benefits on society. It has revolutionized the phase of business and living around the world. Information Technology has made Local businesses become international due to a simple website. Information technology (IT) is the use of computers and telecommunications equipment to store, retrieve, transmit and manipulate data. The term is commonly used as a synonym for computers and computer networks, but it also encompasses other information distribution technologies such as television and telephones. It is broadly considered to encompass the use of computers and telecommunications equipment to store, retrieve, transmit and manipulate data. Several industries are associated with information technology, such as computer hardware,software, electronics, semiconductors, internet, telecom equipment and computer services (Chandler, 2012). Therefore, the purpose of this assignment is to discuss the wonders and horrors Information Technology has brought to us. It will first look at the wonders which Information Technology has brought, and then it will look at the horrors. It is from the wonders and horrors were a conclusion will be drawn from. Today information technology involves more than just computer literacy; it also takes into account how computers work and how these computers can further be used not just for information processing but also for communications and problem solving tasks as well. Information technology also involves the development, installation, implementation, maintenance, and the use of computer systems, software and networks for the processing and distribution of data (Daintith, 2009). Our world today has changed a great deal with the aid of information technology. The revolution in IT has itself been brought forth by a company of innovations in telecommunications and informatics, made possible by cheaper new lightweight materials such as optical fibers transmitting information faster. Information flows faster and less expensively throughout the globe, but it will take substantial time to reach full digitalization given the youth of IT (Achimugu et al; 2009). Things that were once done manually or by hand have now become computerized operating systems, which simply require a single click of a mouse to get a task completed. With the aid of Information Technology, we are not only able to stream line our business processes but we are also able to get constant information in ‘real time’ that is up to the minute and up to date (Vermaat,2004). The significance of Information Technology can be seen from the fact that it has penetrated almost every aspect of our daily lives from business to leisure and even society. The world has an estimated 350 million internet users. Over 90% of them are in industrial countries, although developing countries comprise about 85% of the world population (Berndt and Morrison, 1995). Today personal Computers, cell phones, fax machines, email and internet have all not only become an integral part of our very culture but also play an essential role in our day to day activities (Parker, 2003). Information Technology has brought a lot of wonders in our daily living. Some of the wonders include: Globalization – IT has not only brought the world closer together, but it has allowed the world’s economy to become a single interdependent system. This means that we can not only share information quickly and efficiently, but we can also bring down barriers of linguistic and geographic boundaries. The world has developed into a global village due to the help of information technology allowing countries like Chile and Japan who are not only separated by distance but also by language to shares ideas and information with each other. Communication – With the help of information technology, communication has also become cheaper, quicker, and more efficient. We can now communicate with anyone around the globe by simply text messaging them or sending them an email for an almost instantaneous response. The internet has also opened up face to face direct communication from different parts of the world thanks to the helps of video conferencing. Information Technology affects the way companies communicate and establish relations with their clients. In the fast moving and business environment, it is vital for them to interact with clients regularly and quickly to gain their trust and to obtain customer loyalty. With the use of internet and social networks, firms interact with consumers and answer all their queries about the products. Take for instance ‘ Barack Obama- USA President’ as the figure. With the use of networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook, blogs, social bookmarking, the leader could approach to the world whenever necessary and the world can receive the news and updates which he has done or wants done within a short period of time. Cost effectiveness – Information technology has helped to computerize the business process thus streamlining businesses to make them extremely cost effective money making machines. This in turn increases productivity which ultimately gives rise to profits that means better pay and less strenuous working conditions. Additionally, to think and to research, we need resources to find what our past people has thought, what quotes they have left for us that is information and theory. Information can now be easily found by a single click in search engines such as Google and yahoo. Business Operations. With the use of technological innovations, business owners and entrepreneur understand their cash flow better, how to manage their storage costs well and enables you to save time and money. Bridging the cultural gap – Information technology has helped to bridge the cultural gap by helping people from different cultures to communicate with one another, and allow for the exchange of views and ideas, thus increasing awareness and reducing prejudice. More time – IT has made it possible for businesses to be open 24 x7 all over the globe. This means that a business can be open anytime anywhere, making purchases from different countries easier and more convenient. It also means that you can have your goods delivered right to your doorstep with having to move a single muscle. Increase the sense of Human Rights- The technology can remind of our human rights, basic needs and give updates where relief or worldwide help is necessary. During earthquakes, terrible floods, while co-operation is necessary the World Wide Web can help us to collect the donation by a desired amount. It is not possible to just figure out everything about the good and bad sides of Information and Technology within a page and article as because it has mixed with every aspects and corners of our lives. Rather, let us look at the side effects, bad sides (cons) which IT-sectors have brought to the Human Society Creation of new jobs – Probably the best advantage of information technology is the creation of new and interesting jobs. Computer programmers, Systems analyzers, Hardware and Software developers and Web designers are just some f the many new employment opportunities created with the help of IT. Information technologies of various kinds, together with globalization, are powerfully affecting the range of employment options for individuals in advanced and developing countries alike- and at various levels of education. Further, the classes of Information Technology that automate, disinter mediate and reduce costs of remoteness are also enabling the construction of increasin gly complex and geographically diverse global supply chains and networks (Spence, 2012) . Advancements in information technology have had many great benefits on society; however, this has not come without its downsides. Below are some of the horrors or disadvantages of information technology: Unemployment – While information technology may have streamlined the business process it has also created job redundancies, downsizing and outsourcing. This means that a lot of lower and middle level jobs have been done away with causing more people to become unemployed. Technology in an organization, company or business, the number of hours that a human works at that company is reduced. Technology is playing multiple roles. The replacement of routine manual work by machines and robots is a powerful, continuing and perhaps accelerating trend in manufacturing and logistics, while networks of computers are replacing routine white-collar jobs in information processing. For instance, the elimination of intermediaries in banking, online retail and a host of government services, to name just a few affected areas. This has even resulted in some people losing their jobs because technology is doing it for them. However this is beneficial for the organization as their profit is increased because they do not need to pay their workers as much because they are not required as much (Spence, 2012). Privacy – Though information technology may have made communication quicker, easier and more convenient, it has also bought along privacy issues. From cell phone signal interceptions to email hacking, people are now worried about their once private information becoming public knowledge. As IT Sectors have wined the people’s heart worldwide. People are here to share and store any kind of information, private date in their hard drives and private online databases. But due to some Cyber-Criminals, nothing is so safe both online and offline. If someone becomes a bit careless, he or she may needs to pay high for it especially when it comes to work related information (Saldarini and DeRobertis, 2003). Lack of job security – Industry experts believe that the internet has made job security a big issue as since technology keeps on changing with each day. This means that one has to be in a constant learning mode, if he or she wishes for their job to be secure. Dominant culture – While information technology may have made the world a global village, it has also contributed to one culture dominating another weaker one. For example it is now argued that US influences how most young teenagers all over the world now act, dress and behave. Languages too have become overshadowed, with English becoming the primary mode of communication for business and everything else Over reliance on technology – a lot of people believe that because computers and the Internet has become such a regular part of modern life, some people particularly children who grow up with it, will not be able to function without it. Some people think that the Internet is making people lazy, particularly when it comes to essay or project research as instead of reading books in a library, one can just perform a Google search. Loss of communication skills – with the ever increasing variety of social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter, a lot of people are worried that traditional communication skills will be lost. This worry is particularly about children who often engage in these websites because communication and interactive skills are not important with computers. Loss of personal touch – emails and instant messaging has replaced the old tradition of handwriting letters. And although this is advantageous because of time constraints, a personal touch and sense of feeling is lost compared to taking the time to sit down and hand write a letter. We can think, gather human principles (ethical knowledge) and make co-operative relationships between friends and families. But due to harmful aspects of (IT) people are becoming fully technological based. And it can bring huge damage to the society as its taking away the natural thoughts and organic ideas. Health problems – research has shown that technology can cause a number of problems with a person’s health. Many scientists, doctors and researchers are concerned about possible links between technology and heart problems, eye strain, obesity, muscle problems and deafness. Waste emitted from technology can pollute the environment which not only makes people ill, it also damages the environment. The online community is not safe for Family anymore- the family is the foundation of every nation. However, due to Information Technology, children under age may often share Cell Numbers, Private Email Address which can be hacked by people and can pass it to the criminals who have a blue-print to harm the society. And people are losing credit card privacy and other payment processing options. Again, there are some sites created by foul people, which can lead under eighteen teenagers to a different path – That Is going to bring Harm to the Nation. A very good example is the Iris Kaingu Video which circulated not only nationwide but also worldwide and was viewed by both young people and adults. In conclusion, one can safely say Information Technology has brought both wonders and horrors to our society. Things that were once done manually, or by hand have now become easier and faster by the introduction of computer technology in the workplace. Our world today has changed a great deal with the aid of Information Technology which has penetrated in almost every aspect of our daily lives and society. With all the good things about Information Technology, it has brought terrible horrors to some in our societies. A lot of people have lost their jobs because they have become irrelevant due to the introduction of computers in the workplace. It has contributed to the poor livelihood of people. Advancements in information technology have had many great benefits on society. It has revolutionized the phase of business and living around the world. Information Technology has made Local businesses become international due to a simple website. Information technology (IT) is the use of computers and telecommunications equipment to store, retrieve, transmit and manipulate data. The term is commonly used as a synonym for computers and computer networks, but it also encompasses other information distribution technologies such as television and telephones. It is broadly considered to encompass the use of computers and telecommunications equipment to store, retrieve, transmit and manipulate data. Several industries are associated with information technology, such as computer hardware,software, electronics, semiconductors, internet, telecom equipment and computer services (Chandler, 2012). Therefore, the purpose of this assignment is to discuss the wonders and horrors Information Technology has brought to us. It will first look at the wonders which Information Technology has brought, and then it will look at the horrors. It is from the wonders and horrors were a conclusion will be drawn from. Today information technology involves more than just computer literacy; it also takes into account how computers work and how these computers can further be used not just for information processing but also for communications and problem solving tasks as well. Information technology also involves the development, installation, implementation, maintenance, and the use of computer systems, software and networks for the processing and distribution of data (Daintith, 2009). Our world today has changed a great deal with the aid of information technology. The revolution in IT has itself been brought forth by a company of innovations in telecommunications and informatics, made possible by cheaper new lightweight materials such as optical fibers transmitting information faster. Information flows faster and less expensively throughout the globe, but it will take substantial time to reach full digitalization given the youth of IT (Achimugu et al; 2009). Things that were once done manually or by hand have now become computerized operating systems, which simply require a single click of a mouse to get a task completed. With the aid of Information Technology, we are not only able to stream line our business processes but we are also able to get constant information in ‘real time’ that is up to the minute and up to date (Vermaat,2004).

International Legal and Ethical Issues in Business

In this paper I will discuss environmental regulations and labor laws in place in Thailand and Singapore. This paper will show that while Singapore seems to have stricter environmental regulations in place in it’s country, the labor laws in Thailand seems to protect its citizens better with better work hour regulations and wage requirements. Singapore’s labor laws can stand to be revisited so as to keep the working citizens safe from greedy business owners. What are Thailand and Singapore’s environmental regulation levels? Thailand’s government has been known to keep loose environmental standards for investors. Many foreign investors have been used to Thailand’s loose environmental regulation, however, the country’s government is now struggling to deal with tough new environmental regulations. An upheaval from residents in some of the more industrial areas of Thailand has set in motion a movement to toughen environmental regulations, which has many companies like Ford thinking of relocating some of its manufacturing plants. Singapore, however, has very strict environmental regulations in place, with an extension of liability even reaching to directors and officers of the companies that operate in Singapore. The government in Singapore has passed strict laws to ensure that corporations operating in the country do not compromise the health of their people. Violators of the environmental regulations in Singapore may even face mandatory jail time if found guilty of participating in activities that are deemed harmful to the environment and the people living in the area. What kind of legislation has been passed in the country regarding working hours and wages? The Department of Labor in Thailand enforces labor laws in the country. Currently, Thailand has some pretty good labor laws in place to protect it’s citizens. The most hours a person can work per day in Thailand is 8 hours per day or 48 hours per week. If the job is deemed hazardous, the workday is considered complete after 7 hours, or 42 hours per week. Employees must be paid overtime pay at a rate of 1. 5 to three times the normal hourly rate when the maximum amount of hours has been surpassed. The minimum daily wage rate varies, depending on location. Some provincial areas can pay a daily rate of 137 baht, or $3. 43 U. S. dollars, whereas the daily rate can be 175 baht or $4. 38 U. S. dollars in Bangkok. Office and management staff working full-time hours can earn about 15,000 baht (US $375) to 150,000 baht (US $3,750) per month, depending on the level of management and experience. Singapore does not have any regulations in place with regard to a minimum wage for it’s workers. The Employment Act in Singapore only stipulates that workers be paid timely, which is translated to mean at least once a month. Workers who make less than 2,000 SGD per month may not be required to work more than eight hours a day or 44 hours per week. Employees working in management positions or higher may be permitted to work longer hours, depending on what terms are outlined in their contract. Do you think the country's environmental regulation is sufficient? Explain. It seems Singapore has sufficient environmental regulations in place, what with punishments which include jail time for those found guilty of infraction of the regulations. However, I feel that Thailand still has a long way to go in establishing effective environmental regulations. The people of Thailand are still fighting to get proper regs in place to keep their environment and their people safe and healthy. It seems that Thailand is reluctantly coming around, however, the threat of losing many of its foreign investors because of new environmental regulations might hinder any real progress. Do you feel that the country's hour and wage legislation is ethical? Explain. Thailand’s hour and wage regulations are adequate; however, Singapore’s hour and wage regulation still leave way too much room for employees to be taken advantage of by their employers. The fact there is no national minimum wage requirement leaves too much room for employers to underpay their employees. There is also no regulation in place to limit the amount of hours per day an employee can work. There is also no regulation for overtime pay. The lack of regulation in place to determine how many hours per day or week a person can work before overtime pay is required leaves the employees at the mercy of their employers. References http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704182004575056421383885014.html http://www.business-in-asia.com/thai_labor_law.htm http://www.ehow.com/list_5989991_labor-laws-singapore.html

Novartis Pharmaceutical Corporation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Novartis Pharmaceutical Corporation - Essay Example The ideas identified here are further polished and developed in the Novartis Foundation for Sustainable Development and then the finalized solutions to cure the sufferings of the humanity are turned into Novartis product line. The objectives of the growth and welfare go hand in hand throughout these stages. The company’s goals and objectives are in line with its mission and all initial goals and objective contribute towards the final mission of the company. A more than 50.6 billion dollar sale in 2010 provide Novartis the solid financial grounds to support its research activities, fulfillment of commitments towards people, patients, communities, and environment. This not only contributes to the making of a corporate citizenship face of the company but shareholders also yield an increase of 5% in dividends. Novartis portfolio is widening rapidly and recent mergers and business purchases are a symbol of company’s confident march towards success. The fruit of this growth r eaching end to end and employees’ commitment towards the growth of the business marks this fact. (Report, 2010).Aforementioned short description of the company helps us to conclude our discussions with a sufficient insight into the scale of Novartis business and operations. This helps us to select the company for the SLP project and preparation of a detailed case. Moreover, the available sources of information can lead to the in-depth study of the company which is the most exciting part of any SLP project.

How Organizational Change Affected DOD Employees Research Paper

How Organizational Change Affected DOD Employees - Research Paper Example   The management of change is extremely important in the development of an understanding between employers and employees because it focuses on the people within the said organization and how they resist changes that are imposed on them (Rusaw, 2005, p.482). It also comes to look at how, afterward, these employees come to accept these changes as being part of their work environment. It has been found that the administration of the Department of Defence tend to aim at creating an environment which is highly receptive of change because they have come to realize that the acceptance of change is the key which determines whether the changes that they implement become either successes or failures. The strategy which is used by the Defence Department when making changes to the organisation has come to be found to be what makes the difference on how well these changes are received by its employees, and as such, it is what determines the level of success that newly implemented management str ategies have not only on the employees but also on the department itself (Durant, 2008, p.282). It has been found that the best means that the Defence Department implements changes among its employees has been its recognition of the fact that it is a normal human behavior to resist change. One of the most pertinent issues that it has come to address when implementing changes has been the recognition that its employees will not automatically accept any of the new changes that it attempts to implement.   

Open source intelligence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Open source intelligence - Essay Example What’s more, this can be seen as an improvement from the 1981’s scenario whereby Israel attempted to set back Iraq’s nuclear program by bombing its nuclear reactor – such a process is very risky as it can cause massive loss of lives.1 Although Iran has, on different occasion, promised to cooperate - it has kept reneging on promises by embarking on uncompromising positions, which has been a major stumbling block. Once, a report by the IAEA director general revealed that Iran’s cooperation with inspectors has been erratic. In most cases, Iran argues that its nuclear program is developed as a source of energy, but it is very easy to read foul play from its pronouncements. It is Iran’s frustrating actions that have forced the United States to harden its stance, for example, by requesting the board of the International Atomic Energy Agency to stop issuing warnings to Iran and instead refer its nuclear program to the Security Council. As such, thes e desperate measures by the United States are understandable because, if action is not taken, Iran is likely to drive the world into a very compromising position in the future, consideration that it does not seem to cooperate any soon.2 Actually, the U.S. administration should heighten its campaign to push Iran to abandon its nuclear program.3 Furthermore, even the report by the American 007 agents supports that Iran’s nuclear program has not been peaceful. According to this report, it is not clear what Iran is currently planning, which implies that it could be planning to manufacture weapons of mass destruction. In view of this, this report proves untrue the allegation by past negotiators that the problem facing Iran originates from disregard to give the accurate information to the IAEA instead of an arranged disguise. As confirmed by this report, the Iran’s nuclear program could have led to production of dangerous weapons, only that this has always been aborted due t o pressure from the international community – after all there is evidence that this program has been under supervision of the Iranian army, whom central objective is linked to weapon.4 In fact, this is the argument that American Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice used to rely upon in order to win the support of the international community to put more pressure upon Iran. In addition, there was a cause for alarm because this report had mentioned that Iran possesses strong industrial, technological and scientific capabilities, which it can use to develop dangerous weapons any time in the future. Although it sounds interesting, there could be some truth in the America spies’ assertion that Iran is positioned to develop weapon in year 2015, especially considering its existence in supporting the war against the weapon. However, the report of the America’s spies cannot be taken as a gospel truth because they also have their own conflicting interests and objectives the y would want to achieve. 5 Although the U.S. intelligence is making great efforts in dealing with Iran’s nuclear program, as a mater of fact, there are numerous gaps that need improvement - especially concerning its ability to collect valid information. While some experts had posed questions against the report released by a U.S. congressional committee some years back, many others supported its arguments about the existence of gaps. Unless one experiences a biased opinion, it is not