Assess the impact of new technologies on the music industry – Discuss the significance and implications of these developments

Over the years, the development of new technology has caused significant changes in the music industry. The presence of radio and digital radio, digital television, mini discs and the Internet has created challenges and opportunities for the BPI (British Phonographic Industry) and RIAA (Record Industry Association of America) alike. Radio works in parallel with the record industry because airplay determines to some extent, the chart position of an artist or group. If chart success is dependent on radio, then radio is an important tool to the music industry. To show just how important, ‘pluggers' are employed to approach disc jockeys to play their bands music for promotion and chart placement. Furthermore, the introduction of digital radio has excluded some of the restrictions of area broadcasting so people have more access to music. This is significant because radio now has a larger audience than before and more people are being influenced. This changes the way music is purchased and determines the success of artists and the record companies. Digital television works in the same way as radio in that the music channels help promote singles through the playing of music videos. Specialized channels and radio stations target specific audiences – this is known as narrow casting – which let every genre of music be heard enabling audiences to make up their own minds about what they like. As homogenous music exists alongside specialist music produced mainly by A and R (Artist and Repertoire), record companies want to target the right audiences for maximum exposure and therefore corresponding sales. For example, the channels ‘MTV Hits', ‘The Box' and ‘Smash Hits† play mostly pop music, whereas channels like ‘Kerrang', ‘Q' and ‘MTV2†³ specialize in alternative and rock music. The Internet has proved to be both helpful and challenging to the music industry. For record companies, it advertises and sells their music and is an easy way for people to purchase singles and albums. The introduction of selling CD's on the Internet has not meant that high-street stores will go out of business as not everyone buys music from their computers. For example younger people do not have credit cards and are therefore not able to buy music on the Internet. Instead, it has provided record companies with another profitable venture, as now there is more access to buy music. The downside of the Internet for the music industry is the emergence of MP3. This compresses material without altering the end product so it can be downloaded onto PC. Many millions of people now download music for free and burn the songs onto a blank disk. This is illegal but available and at present because of the mass numbers of people doing it, the BPI and RIAA cannot stop it from happening There are many arguments in favour of downloading, but the music industry insists outright that it should be banned. Their arguments against file sharing are that it deprives artists (and record companies) of royalties. The money gained from selling music provides an incentive to actually make it – if there is no money then there is no incentive and it will discourage artists from recording music. However, some artists may not consider money to be the main incentive to make music and even record straight to MP3 format. For example, David Bowie, the ‘Beastie Boys' and ‘Muse' do this. Other implications of downloading music are that if profits continue to fall, record companies will take fewer risks and not introduce new bands with different styles of music. This means that music will become even more predictable and formulaic which in turn creates a limited choice for the consumer. They also claim that it could undermine the record industry. The industry does feel threatened as in 1999 two hundred free music websites were shut down. Record companies say that the industry will be weakened because of MP3, and eventually smaller, independent record companies would disappear and again, people's choice in music will be limited. However, it can be argued that through buying albums choice is already limited. File sharing actually allows audiences more freedom to obtain the music that they want to hear, rather than paying for an album and only liking two out of ten songs. Alongside the threat of Internet downloading is the existence of mini disks and mini disk players. This causes a problem for the record industry as people can hold an extensive collection of music from a variety of different genres on one small disk for the price of a blank mini disk rather that a compilation compact disk for about fifteen pounds. The new technologies discussed above have a mixture of positive and negative outcomes for the record industry. They benefit from some – for example radio and digital television, even the Internet, but suffer from other developments such as file sharing. In order to compete with the ever-growing demand for music that is cheap and readily available, then it is advised that the industry make a number of significant changes that will benefit themselves and the consumer.

Complete Course Material Essay

MGT 426 Complete Course Material MGT 426 Week 1 DQ 1 Why is change necessary? What about change is disruptive? How can meeting the challenge of change become organizational opportunities? MGT 426 Week 1 DQ 2 Change: what is in it for me? What is the cycle of change? What are some examples of continuous change? What are some examples of discontinuous change? What are some differences between continuous and discontinuous change? MGT 426 Week 1 Individual Assignment Article Review MGT 426 Week 2 DQ 1 What is organizational culture? What is the relationship between shared vision and organizational culture? How does organizational culture affect an organization’s ability to cope with change? MGT 426 Week 2 DQ 2 How does modeling a change process facilitate change? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the three change models? What are some applications of the three change models? MGT 426 Week 2 Individual Assignment Roles of Managers and Individuals Paper MGT 426 Week 2 Learning Team Assignment Managing Change Paper Part I MGT 426 Week 3 DQ 1 Why is it important to do a gap analysis? How do you apply gap analysis to the change models? Give an example of when you may use a gap analysis. MGT 426 Week 3 DQ 2 What are the steps in implementing change? What should you consider when selecting a change implementation model? Explain. MGT 426 Week 3 Individual Assignment Resistance to Change Paper MGT 426 Week 3 Learning Team Assignment Managing Change Paper and Presentation Part II MGT 426 Week 4 DQ 1 How do you measure the progress of change? How do you know change has been institutionalized? How do you determine what changes have occurred? MGT 426 Week 4 DQ 2 What organizational systems are impacted by the cycle of change? Explain. What systems are not as easily impacted by change? Why or why not? MGT 426 Week 4 Individual Assignment Ethics During Change paper MGT 426 Week 4 Learning Team Assignment Managing Change Paper Part III MGT 426 Week 5 DQ 1 What characteristics of a learning organization do you see in your organization? What can your organization do to transform into a learning organization? MGT 426 Week 5 DQ 2 How closely does your organization follow Senge’s five disciplines? Is this useful? Why or why not? MGT 426 Week 5 Individual Assignment Learning Organization Paper MGT 426 Week 5 Learning Team Assignment Managing Change Paper and Presentation Part IV

Assess The Importance Of The Political And

Military Considerations That Led The Ussr Towards The Invasion Of Czechoslovakia In August 1968. Essay, Research Paper The Novotny government in Czechoslovakia fell in December 1968 due to miss of economic reforms unsolved political jobs of the Slovak portion of the state, and Novotny s failure to cover with turning clash between the government and the state s intellectuals and pupils. Dubcek was appointed the new president, nevertheless during the Prague Spring, the reforms that were brought in by the new leading began to present many jobs. Although, harmonizing to several beginnings, Moscow felt it necessary to present some economical reform in Czechoslovakia, one of the most faithful Warsaw Alliess, the extent to which the Spring went proved excessively far for the Orthodox leaders of the Soviet Union. After seeking to set force per unit area on Dubcek to do him hold back the reforms, USSR came to the concluding determination # 8211 ; invasion. On August 21st Czechoslovakia was invaded by the Warsaw Pact troops. This essay looks at the state of affairs that developed in Czechoslovakia during the memorable Spring of 1968, and focuses on the factors that eventually pushed USSR towards occupying one of its Alliess. Behind the invasion were sets of considerations, political every bit good as military. I will measure the importance of these considerations in the essay. When in the winter of 1967 Novotny invited Brezhnev to assist him against resistance within Czechoslovakia, Brezhnev washed his custodies off the matter, stating: It s your concern. The relaxed attitude at this phase suggests that Moscow felt it was clip to present some reforms in Czechoslovakia in order to overhaul the state where, under Novotny the economic system had atrophied and the morale had sunk. A few yearss after Brezhnev s visit the rebellion against Novotny s government came into the unfastened at a Czech Central Committee plenum. Shortly thenceforth, at the plenum of January 3-5, 1968, Alexander Dubcek replaced Novotny as party secretary. It is interesting to look at the inquiry of new leading in Czechoslovakia, to what extent did USSR support it? Alexander Dubcek was an vague forty-six-year-old Slovak party official, brought up and educated in USSR. Harmonizing to P.J. Mooney Dubcek s lineage was faultless. Moscow was happy with Dubcek s assignment, even though his aspiration to regenerate the party was known, Brezhnev sent his praises. It seems instead dry that Moscow supported the new government, nevertheless yet there was no grounds that Dubcek was be aftering to liberalise the Czechoslovak political system every bit much as he did. Dubcek was seen as a loyal party member, and the communiqu that followed the meeting of Brezhnev and Dubcek in Moscow in the terminal of January 1968 radius of the full individuality of positions on all inquiries discussed. In my sentiment at this point non even Dubcek imagined where the reforms would take and how rapidly the state of affairs would develop. The new leading had to confront multiple jobs, it had to fulfill the demands of the intellectuals, pupils and other progressive groups within Czechoslovakia, while at the same clip guarantee the Soviet Union of trueness and show consciousness of the extent to which the reforms will travel. Dubcek fell between two stools. He sought to happen balance, sing the internal state of affairs he promised there would be no return to administrative methods of regulating. At the same clip he tried to reassure those who concerned about the weakening of rules of socialism by stating them the new government would non travel excessively far. On the 23rd of March the Soviet concern at the tendency of events was expressed to Dubcek and his co-workers at the Dresden conference. This was an exigency meeting of the Warsaw Pact members ( excepting Rumania ) , as the Alliess felt the menace of Czechoslovak reforms to the common policies of the Warsaw axis. One of the factors that particularly alarmed USSR was that Dubcek hinted at more Czechoslovak independency in foreign personal businesss, which meant that Prague would seek better dealingss with West Germany. USSR besides expressed concern over the undermentioned developments: the call for alteration of censoring, an addition in the function of Parliament ; talk of a socialist market economic system and a greater inner-party democracy. Brezhnev saw all these developments as playing into the custodies of the West, and possibly even suspected some Western engagement in the Czechoslovak personal businesss. This was a major political concern, as Western influence could sabotage the ideological integrity of the orbiter states. As Brezhnev put it: Imperialism has attempted to weaken the ideological-political integrity of the working people in socialist states # 8230 ; The communiqu of the Dresden Conference stressed the danger of militaristic and Neo-Nazi activity in West Germany and the demand to transport out practical steps in immediate hereafter to consolidate the Warsaw Treaty and its armed forces. Besides came a clearly expressed warning to Czechoslovakia, the conference members stated that it was expected of the new Czechoslovak leading to see farther advancement of socialist building. Dubcek was besides advised to seek fiscal assistance from the Warsaw Pact Alliess, instead than developing economic dealingss with West Germany. Dubcek had received the first warning from the Soviet Union. Nevertheless he continued to advance freedom of address and radius of the demand to do the party the retainer and non the maestro of the people. Argument widened and one issue led to another as the political onion was unpeeled bed by bed # 8230 ; Novotny was replaced by Svoboda on March 29th a new president who supported Dubcek. Another warning came from Moscow, this clip non merely from Brezhnev, but besides from the Soviet Deputy Foreign Minister Semyonov, who stated that unless Dubcek and Svoboda maintain, order Russian military personnels would step in. On 31st March of Soviet Minister Marshall Grechko, who empowered 35 000 military personnels in the state to enforce soldierly jurisprudence if necessary, arrived at the Red Army central office in Czechoslovakia, underscoring this menace. Harmonizing to J. Steele in March Brezhnev still hoped that Czechoslovakia s Communists would barricade the unsafe tendencies themselves, provided they were cognizant of the failing in their ain ranks. This position was certain to alter after the Czechoslovak Central Committee approved of the Action Program on May 5th. If the Soviet leaders did get down by trusting that detaining tactics would decide the Czech job, they obviously were disabused of this thought in early April, when the Dubcek government s new action plan was adopted. This plan, approved after a hebdomad long meeting provided new warrants of freedom of address, broader electoral Torahs, more power for parliament and authorities versus the party setup, greater range for non-Communist groups, and other economic and political reforms. It was a 60 page papers entitled: Czechoslovakia s Road to Socialism, released in a drumhead signifier on April 9th. The Action Program confirmed Moscow s frights. USSR approved of order above all things, hence the state of affairs in Czechoslovakia appeared so unsafe. It was unpredictable. Up to this minute, the Soviets maintained a cautious attitude towards Czechoslovakia, the imperativeness kept quiet about the state of affairs. The Action Program though was regarded by the Soviet leaders as a unsafe going from orthodoxy that finally might endanger the footing of party s legitimacy everyplace, the Soviet Union included. It became clear that to halt reforms, USSR would hold to take a harder base on the issue. Dubcek and his followings weren t commanding the state of affairs, at least non in the manner Kremlin felt it needed to be controlled. On April 12th for the first clip the imperativeness commented on the state of affairs. Pravda condemned right-wing surpluss that allegedly were demoing up in Prague. Already at this point, USSR felt threatened by the extent of reforms taking topographic point in Czechoslovakia, though at foremost there was a certain grade of support for the new leading, Moscow was longer certain about Dubcek s purposes and felt the demand to somehow act upon the state of affairs in Prague. The Czechs realized the demand to pacify Moscow s uncertainties, and Dubcek went to Moscow in early May. The followers was said by Josef Smirkovsky ( Chairman of the Czech parliament ) : We must understand the frights of the Soviet Union which has in the head non merely Czechoslovakia, but besides the security of the whole socialist cantonment. Even so, the Soviet companions declared [ on Dubcek s visit to Moscow ] that they do non desire and will non interfere in Czechoslovakia s internal personal businesss. Possibly Czechoslovakia was acquiring the incorrect feeling from the Soviets, nevertheless I believe that Czechoslovakia at this phase should hold started moving more carefully, Kremlin s base was obvious by mid-May. Czechoslovakia had received adequate intimations and warnings from USSR, but all was ignored. Harmonizing to P. J. Mooney: despite Czechoslovak protestations, it must hold looked to Moscow as though Czechoslovakia was traveling the manner of Hungary in 1956. Brezhnev and his co-workers did non take long to make up ones mind that they might hold to step in by force. It is non known precisely when this determination was reached, nevertheless several factors indicate there were vacillations within the Soviet party about what attack to take towards Czechoslovakia. On May 17th Kosygin ( the Soviet Prime Minister ) visited Dubcek for a ten-day work-and-cure meeting at Karlovy-Vary, while at the same time Marshall Grechko was run intoing for a six-day unit of ammunition of conversations with defence functionaries in Czechoslovakia. T.W. Wolfe believes Kosygin s surprise visit and his desire to measure the current state of affairs suggested that at least some elements of the Soviet leading were still hopeful that Dubcek could be prevailed upon to asseverate stricter party control over the reform motion, saving USSR from intercession. However P.J. Mooney has a different sentiment on this. Kosygin visited Prague to discourse the strengthening of the Warsaw Pact, or closer control over Czechoslovakia. Moscow continued following a two-track policy. Pressure was exerted on Czechoslovakia to decelerate down reforms, and at the same clip USSR was fixing for the invasion. By the terminal of May it was announced that Warsaw treaty manoeuvres would take topographic point on Czechoslovak district in June. This helped USSR to prove evidences during June and July, and became a major force per unit area tool. However reforms continued. On June 27th, National Assembly voted to get rid of censoring, one of the cardinal promises of the Action Program was now realized. Equally good as that the same twenty-four hours a pronunciamento naming for more extremist reform was published: The 2000 Words. Harmonizing to T.W. Wolfe, The 2000 Words confirmed the Soviet fright of what would go on to the imperativeness one time censoring was abolished and no longer fell under the control of the party. He besides states that June 27th can be identified as one of the major turning points in the Soviet response to Czechoslovak reforms. From the early yearss of July throughout the balance of the month, Moscow mounted a steadily intensified war of nervousnesss against the Dubcek government, against the background of military moves which implied that the Soviet Union was fixing for an armed intercession should the Czechs persist on their democratisation class. June was followed by a period known as the July Crisis. On July 11th an article by I. Aleksandrov was published in Pravda, assailing The 2000 words as grounds of activation of right wing and counterrevolutionary forces in Czechoslovakia and pulling a comparing with the state of affairs that developed in Hungary in 1956 naming for Soviet intercession. As USSR became more disquieted about the state of affairs, it was decided to show the concerns in a signifier of a written warning. Along with Bulgaria, East Germany, Hungary and Poland on 15th July a missive was written turn toing the Czechoslovak leading: we can non hold to hold hostile forces push your state off from the route of socialism and make a danger of Czechoslovakia being severed from the socialist community. The ideological evidences for intercession were prepared # 8211 ; Czechoslovakia was the concern of the whole socialist cantonment. The missive besides laid accent on Party s loss of control of mass media. The Warsaw Letter served as an unambiguous warning. It was one of USSR s concluding efforts to supercharge Czechoslovak leading into decelerating down the reforms. This was followed by a demand from Moscow for an immediate meeting of the full Soviet Politburo and the Czechoslovak Presidium. However, due to the fact that the West was going aware of the state of affairs the political considerations were going more apparent. Brezhnev couldn T afford to follow a soft policy towards a rebellious satellite state. At the clip of the Cold War USSR had to be seen as a major power with strong support of the Warsaw Pact Alliess. Besides sing the development of the Sino-Soviet relationship throughout the 1960ss and USSR s loss of influence in Albania, Kremlin had to be careful non to free more communist Alliess. Harmonizing to Edmonds USSR politically had every ground to be concerned at the consequence on the universe communist motion. Poland and Eastern Germany put the Soviet Union under force per unit area. The leaders of these states, Gomulka and Ulbricht, insisted on USSR s intervention into Czechoslovak personal businesss, as they were worried about the consequence the reforms had on their governments. It was decided to keep a meeting in Cierna on July 29th. Harmonizing to beginnings, the Czechs displayed solidarity and support for Dubcek s government. Moscow s computation that the Czech leading will check under force per unit area and ask for USSR s intercession proved to be incorrect. It was agreed that USSR would retreat the military personnels from Czechoslovakia in the close hereafter. This took topographic point in Bratislava on August 3rd. The leaders of the Warsaw Pact spouses met to back on the armistice reached in Cierna. However the diction of the Bratislava conference was woolly and the meeting resolved nil. Issues discussed were really general, hence the readings of the meeting were different for both sides. The Czechs left Bratislava experiencing they convinced the others of their trueness to the Warsaw Pact, believing their sovereignty was assured. The Bratislava declaration was a papers which the Czechs could construe as a licence to go on their reform plan. Yet USSR got a really different understanding. They hoped the Czechs would hold the reforms, puting up a pro-Russian disposal. If that failed, they would ask for Russians to decide the state of affairs by collaring Dubcek and his protagonists. Equally good as that they were trusting the party would re-gain control of the imperativeness. Though at one point it may hold seemed USSR gave in to Czechoslovakia, and the universe had witnessed another David-over-Goliath triumph, the Soviet Union was shortly to interrupt the semblance. On August 10th the proposals for revising the legislative acts of the Czechoslovak Communist party were published, excusing the rights of the minority to province its positions in public after a bulk determination had been reached. Edmonds believes that this in the eyes of Orthodox Communists was the offense of factionalism. How could this be allowed in a system where public sentiment prevailed that of an person? The political and military considerations that were supercharging Kremlin became excessively apparent. Ignoring the Cierna and Bratislava conferences, the Warsaw Pact troops invaded Czechoslovakia on the dark of August 20-21st. In my sentiment, one of the primary factors that USSR was bothered about was the fact that Czechoslovak reforms were floating out of the party s control. Harmonizing to Steele, Dubcek and his co-workers had shown neither the will, nor the finding to command the developments. USSR ever had influence and control over the Warsaw Pact states, reforms were neer allowed to travel excessively far. It was clear that the further the Czechoslovak system alterations, the harder it will be to change by reversal it, and one time re-gain control of the state of affairs. There was besides the menace that extremist groups in Czechoslovakia will seek independency from the USSR. This in bend could sabotage the Soviet repute in the whole universe. This brings us to the undermentioned factors behind the determination to occupy. USSR was put under force per unit area non merely by the strategic place vis- -vis the West, but besides the sentiments of the whole Communist cantonment. China strongly criticized USSR for deficiency of control over the state of affairs, and leaders of Poland and East Germany suggested Soviet Union s intercession, before things got out of manus and reforms spread all around the buffer provinces, the so called Domino theory. Steele believes that Moscow couldn t afford another desertion. Equally good as that the consequence on the government within Soviet Union itself was hard to foretell. Each new development in Czechoslovakia increased the trouble of keeping the line against reform at place. At the same clip, the statements against the invasion remained weak. There was the likely consequence that the invasion might convey on the other communist parties in the universe. China at this point was already out of the inquiry, so the lone power that could be concerned was Cuba, and Castro was excessively dependent on USSR anyhow. There were the Communist motions in the West, but none of these were strong plenty, or truly recognized. The inquiry of possible Czech opposition # 8211 ; in Hungary 1956 a batch of Russian lives were lost. Yet Czechoslovakia was different ; there was no traditional hostility towards the Russians, neither the desire to contend. Besides, after Cierna and Bratislava conferences the Russians could occupy utilizing the component of surprise. This is where military considerations come in. Sing as Warsaw Pact manoeuvres had been continuously in advancement since July, the monolithic invasion of Czechoslovakia could be conducted successfully. Finally came the concern about West s reaction. The Russians calculated that if the invasion would hold any consequence on vitamin D tente or the negotiations with US about the decrease of strategic weaponries ( which were to come near in the hereafter ) , this would be really ephemeral. Czechoslovakia remained in the Russian domain of influence. At the point US was more concerned with the war in Vietnam, and the elections that were to come that twelvemonth. Although at that place seemed to be a portion of vacillation among the Politburo members, the determination to halt the reforms by force was reached. Looking at the factors that led USSR towards the invasion, possibly this was no surprise. It seems like there wasn T truly an option, particularly taking into the history the immediate fortunes that led to it. The Soviet leading chose to fall back to repression instead than to bow to reform.

Introduction to Organisations and Management Essay - 6

Introduction to Organisations and Management - Essay Example In this work, we assess two organizations from the perspective of the science of organisations and management. As we make the assessment, we identify some of the most useful lessons from the module. The objectives of this work are as follows: 1. Compare two firms and use concepts and perspectives from the science of organisations and management that are useful for comparing and assessing the firms. 2. Analyze firm operations using perspectives from organisations and management. 3. Apply the relevant concepts and perspectives from organisations and management in forwarding recommendations on the how problems and situations articulated on the two firms can be addressed. In the discussion, we use a report rather than an essay format. In our analysis, we are also informed by the theories discussed in Module BB115007S conducted by Ms. H. McIntosh of the Anglia Ruskin University. 2.0. Overview on the Firms Being Compared 2.1. The two firms being assessed and compared in this work are Watso ns Engine Components and H&M Consulting. The two business organisations are disparate. 2.2. Watsons Engine Components is a family-owned company engaged in mass-producing parts for car engines. Its plant is in northeast England. The firm employs 200 people, comprising of 125 semi-skilled production workers, 15 clerical workers, 20 technical staff, and 40 managers. The plant is â€Å"highly unionised† with one union for the manual and clerical staff. There is a long history of poor relations between the union and management marked by industrial actions. Watsons has been described as successful in maintaining market share in the last several years. However, car manufacturing firms who are Watsons’ customers are in a highly competitive environment and have the option to get their supplies from abroad. Watsons is encountering the following challenges: order times are getting short, contract prices are becoming lower, and quality standards are becoming higher. Despite the ab ility to maintain a market share, maintaining its market share is a continuing challenge for Watsons in a globalized market. Watsons plant is small and â€Å"relatively old-fashioned†. Yet, at the same time, the firm is described to have â€Å"sufficient capital† to replace some of its machinery and technological systems. 2.3. Meanwhile, H&M Consulting is â€Å"a large global management, engineering and development consultancy.† The company has grown through merger and acquisitions. At first, H&M was established from the merger of two consultancy firms. Later on, H&M purchased several companies in the Romania, the Netherlands, and the USA. H&M Operations now cover 120 countries employing 13,000 staff. The company is in transport, energy, buildings, water, the environment, health, education, and communications. H&M Consulting caters to clients in both the private and public sectors. 2.4. A part of the explanation on why the two firms differ in their management an d organization is in their business orientation: one firm is global and the other tends to transact with local clients and belongs to an old industry in the United Kingdom. Of course, this does not mean that all firms oriented to the local market are managed along traditional lines. Students of management are exposed to various schools of modern thought. Unfortunately, some of the

Information and System Security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Information and System Security - Essay Example Information security is concerned with the confidentiality, integrity and availability of data regardless of the form the data may take: electronic, print, or other forms. The field of information security has grown and evolved significantly in recent years. As a career choice there are many ways of gaining entry into the field. It offers many areas for specialization including Information Systems Auditing, Business Continuity Planning. Information security is the ongoing process of exercising due care and due diligence to protect information, and information systems, from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, destruction, modification, or disruption. The never ending process of information security involves ongoing training, assessment, protection, monitoring & detection, incident response & repair, documentation, and review. In recent years identity management has become increasingly important, especially in the financial services, healthcare and government industries. Why identity management has emerged as a growing business and IT priority is no mystery. Obvious drivers include the need to protect one's intellectual property, data brand value and customer loyalty from the potential damage wrought by electronically-based fraud and theft; the desire to cut technical support costs, increase productivity through self-service and enable integration across disparate platforms.

Animation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Animation - Essay Example The purpose of this paper is to explore how animation has evolved and changed since the golden age of Disney in the 1930s through to the Pixar films of modern day. To do this, the research will focus particularly on a classic Disney movie (Fantasia) and one of the most popular films released by Pixar (Toy Story). In doing this, some similarities will be uncovered between the two, despite the differences in technology and the vastly different eras in which they were generated and produced. Disney’s Fantasia Fantasia is one of the most influential Disney films, and was released in 1940 (Neuwirth, 2003). The film itself is highly complex for such an early example of animated film, with over 500 characters being present within the story and over 1000 members of staff working on different elements of the production (Neuwirth, 2003). Although related to previous Disney animations (Mickey Mouse and Silly Symphonies), Fantasia is well recognized for having some of the most brightly co lored and intensely lit stills from any other animated movie or short from the period (Lasseter, 1995), perhaps a testament to the developing technology of the time. Color itself is recognized as being one of the most important elements of Fantasia’s success, and Disney requested that each scene be color-coded in a specific way to allow smooth transition between shots. Additionally, artists involved in the picture were encouraged to make 3D models of their characters to understand the movement for a more ‘realistic’ feel, despite the abstract nature of the film (Cavalier, 2011). An important point to note with respect to Fantasia and the early Disney films is that each and every shot in the film was drawn, colored and lit individually; an extremely painstaking process. It is from this starting point that the evolution of animation technology can be considered. Pixar’s Toy Story Like Fantasia, Toy Story is extremely significant in the history of animation. Released in 1995, Toy Story was the first full-length animation to be completely done using computer animation techniques. It also has the credit of being the first film released by Pixar, a hugely successful modern film studio. Toy Story relies on CGI-animation techniques created with PhotoRealistic RenderMan, a Pixar-specific image-rendering application based on the industry standard (Cavalier, 2011). One of the biggest challenges for animating the movie was that the producers wanted the animation to look as realistic as possible, which means a huge attention to detail. In this way, the animation techniques for both Toy Story and Fantasia involve a similar commitment. However, it is worth noting that only 27 animators worked on the production of Toy Story, although over 400 real 3D models were created to allow the animators to study movement and gain a picture of how the characters in the film should move and behave to create the aforementioned realism (Lasseter, 1995). Additional ly, there were challenges involved in creating realistic shadows and lighting, although these could be done to a higher standard than in typical ‘cartoon-style’ animations. Technology & Composition There are 55 years between the release of Disney’s Fantasia and Pixar’s Toy Story, which evidently means that there are a lot of

Response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 7

Response - Essay Example However, a society can be racist even if only a very small number (or even none!) of its members hold racist beliefs. Racism in a society gets often influenced by ignorance, legal system, family settings, economic scramble, among other factors. When a society where by a small number of its members exists, there stands a danger of infection of the small group to infect the larger non racist group. The racist group of people may also bring up their children under the racism grounds hence transmitting the social problem to their generations to come. If the racist group practices racism against their no racist counterparts, they may induce or stimulate counter racism in return. This may worsen or amplify the racism situation in the society (Shah). On the other hand, in a situation where no racist individuals exist in a society (which many scholars believe is hard), new emergences may arise due to various reasons. The first and the most obvious are the emergence of new racist members in the society. In his article, Shar argues that social settings are dynamic and liable to continuous change forever (Shah). These changes get influenced by the arrival of new members as one of the factors. The devastating thing is that this ethical society cannot stop people from coming to their society. Social grouping of one or particular group without considering racial participation equality may induce racism. Starting up a social group of a particular race may not even start up racism believes among them toward other races, but also induce the same believes among the other group that stands not included in this racial group (Shah). Therefore, a careful consideration should be taken when making social groups, institutions and employment to make sure that racial equality stands fair. Some government policies may also be effective in curbing racism while others promote it. The old Immigration Law in the US and apartheid system in South Africa, have promoted

Managed Healthcare Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Managed Healthcare - Assignment Example Information technology enables faster acquisition of test results as well as better forms of treatment being administered to the patients. The managed care sector is therefore keen on ensuring that they offer quality services to their patients (Kongstvedt, 2012). There are various factors in the managed care industry. These factors include the government, the employers and the employees as well as the providers. The process of providing managed care is driven by two factors which are the federal government policy and market-driven business practices. Each of this is important when it comes to care provision since the law has to be followed. On the other hand, an organization also has to consider whether it is making profits or not and just how up to standard their equipment is. This will ensure that despite the provision of managed care going on, they make revenue and stay up to

Lenovo Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Lenovo - Assignment Example Consisting of the synergy of companies, the synergy of allocation canal, the synergy of the variety as well as management plus the synergy of price saving. The culture divergence; the disparity among the two countries might oblige the former staffs of IBM to depart from Lenovo. Such that Lenovo ought to respect the independence of abroad R&D centers. Numerous practices general in other authority is controlled in China. The Regulations stiffen regulatory necessities with deference to foreign attainment activities. The consequence will be to slim, rather than enlarge, the chances for foreign scheme capital. All these regulations are put for the safety and constancy of Chinese wealth, plus a means to keep the party’s organized over the financial system. Lenovo ought to intensify its internationalize attainment. Since Lenovo's achievement is accredited to its long-term centering on emerging sales plus successful abroad M&As, it ought to run a high-quality business of the businesse s it merged. Lenovo must place itself for the international market. Placing is at all times the critical subject that the Chinese corporations ignore, as well as it is the cause why Chinese corporation can barely last long. In conclusion, Lenovo should trim down their pricing plan. The worth of the produce is a significant factor to put into consideration; Lenovo is not able to make low-price policies to endure in the international market. Lenovo ought to rather be concerned as regards to the order of their target clients.

Existing Direct Tax System and Proposed Direct Tax Code in India Essay Example for Free

Existing Direct Tax System and Proposed Direct Tax Code in India Essay Tax is defined as a compulsory payment made to the government by the individuals firms and companies without any expectation of a direct return. In general there are two types of tax system prevailing in our country. One is direct tax and other is indirect tax. Here we will restrict our discussion to direct tax only. Direct taxes are those the burden of which cannot be shifted, that is incidence and impact is on the same person. In India the tax law is governed by the finance act. The amendments are brought through budget every year which is issued on the last date of February. There have been various arguments in regard to the complexity of the tax laws. The new tax system which is proposed basically focuses on the principle of equality and simplicity. Instead of having different explanations of tax laws under different umbrellas all the laws will be brought under one head. The new tax system will be highly focused on the matter that the richer should pay heavier tax and vice-versa. For this regard the exemption limit and tax slabs will be expanded higher. Moreover under new taxation laws various taxes like securities transaction tax will also be abolished thus making the code an efficient one. With the new tax code being implemented in India one can expect to have free trade across the length and breadth of the country and peace in the bags of investors. Thus, the new tax system is an attempt to create a system with minimum loopholes of the existing system, thus contributing to the national benefit.

Effects of Outdoor Play on Child Development

Effects of Outdoor Play on Child Development The aim of this project is to explore the effect of outdoor play on childrens social, emotional and physical development. According to Bruce (2004) play is probably one of the least understood aspects of an early-childhood practitioners work (p.135). The conceptualisation of play is shared by many other early childhood practitioners for whom play is considered essential, as an activity promoting learning (p.135). Outdoor play is a much needed activity in the early childhood. You may have come across a child playing and you are sure he/she is having a fun time. Therefore, play is the building block of a childs intellectual skills. Through play child develops social, emotional and physical skills. The outdoors according to Letter Wyver (2008) presents obvious opportunities to move and be active, and for children to discover and engage with the natural environment, as well as the chance for open ended activities such as sand water play, construction and pretend play. According to Hutt et al (1989, p.10) the emotional and social development of pre-school children depends crucially upon play while Penn (2008) asserts that to learn about child development is to learn about Piaget (p.41). As Piaget focused on how children acquire knowledge, he tried to understand how children change the way they think, how babies show intense reactions to external stimuli them (Penn, 2008). Ibid (2008) asserts that it was Piaget who provided a theoretical legitimating of learning through play. In addition, Berk (2009), Keenan (2002) Bruce (2004) are firm believers that children actively explore their environment and are influential in shaping their own knowledge. They believe that it was through social interaction with more experienced and more knowledgeable members of the society parents, relatives, teachers, peers etc. that children are able to acquire the knowledge and skills that a culture deems to be important According to Bruce (2004) there is no clear definition for play. It is still an umbrella world (Ibid, 1991), while other early childhood practitioners defined play as childs work. Play is primary way children express their social nature (Strickland et al, 2003). Ibid (2003) argued that all kids enjoy playing alone some of the time; while some prefer to play with others (social play) much of the time. Play is an integral part of learning. Piaget defined play as a kind of scientific rehearsal (Penn, 2008; p.43). While Bitton (2010) stated that play offers a meaningful context for children and that it is only when a situation has meaning and purpose that children can function at a higher level (p.49). Childrens emotions are ways in which they react to situations while social development refers to how they get alone with peers and form relationships (Ashiabi, 2007). Furthermore, emotional and social developments are linked because childrens social interactions are usually emotionally cha rged (Ibid, 2007). To clearly explore the role of outdoor play on social, emotional and physical development. Strickland et al (2003) asserts that outdoor play is critical to the social development of 3-4 year old children, and to girls in particular when it comes to building self confidence (p.2). In addition, children learn to be more empathy and less egocentric through play and they develop more skills for coping with conflict while boys tend to engage in more social dramatic outdoor play than indoors; outdoor play allows boys who are more physical to assume leadership roles (Srickland, 2002) and perhaps get more positive affirmation than they do inside. White (2007) confirmed that when given the choice, the outdoors is where most children want to be and playing outdoors is preferable to indoors. In support of this argument, Eustice Heald (1992) argued that outdoor play is an extension of classroom activities which summarises the beliefs of early year management that children learn best by explorin g, investigating and solving problems outdoors (p.7). While Alfano (2010) asserts that playing outdoors is a form of exercise that promotes well-being and wholesome physical developments; and that children are naturally drawn to active play outdoors. One of the obvious benefits of getting kids outside to play is the increased exercise they will be getting as opposed to setting in front of the T.V. or computer. Most early years scholars have also assert that when children play outdoors they are developing mentally, emotionally, socially, and physically. This view is supported by Johnson et al (2002) that children gain lots of opportunities outside to develop basic social skills and social competencies e.g. running, jumping cycling, hide and seek, sing; sensing, make noise, make mess, crawl, and explore the natural world unchallenged. While Brice (2004) viewed that through play, children develop initiative and are strengthened to face challenges in life (p.134). More so, playing outdoors reduces stress in kids. Children express and work out emotional aspects of everyday experiences through unstructured play (Levesque. 2011). Whilst Strickland (2002) argued that there are also opportunities for emotional development as children test their limit and challenge themselves to try things that may be just at the edge of their reach Moreover, most theorists found that pretend play outdoors was the most dominant form of play (Bulton, 2002). Perhaps thats why theorists such as Piaget and Vygotsky assert that pretend play provides children with opportunities to practice grown up and perspective talking (Ashiabi, 2007; p.2002). Also, in pretend play a child is always above his average age (Penn, 2008; p.44) and above their daily behaviour. In addition, Wyver Little (2008) asserts that play also facilitates language development, creative thinking and problem-solving; and helps children deal with complex and competing emotions. In view of the above statement, parents should allow their children play with other children because it helps in the emotional and social development. Although social and emotional benefits of outdoor play may not be in clear cut, one benefit from research is that it allows kids to move freely, make noise and self-express themselves in ways that many not be encouraging inside. Outside play encourages logical thinking and the ability to reason through highly interactive activities such as building sand-castles, playing games with friends, playing puzzles with friends etc. Time spent outside with peers helps to create social skills that are needed for great healthy friendship (Brouillette, 2010). While Froebal cited by Bruce (2004) stated that play is the highest level of learning.activities of the child (p.132). While Siraj-Blatchford et al (2002) cited by Bruce (2004) shows that the richest play is found especially in nursery schools. According to Little Wyver (2008) the significanc e of outdoor play as an essential part of every childs life has also been acknowledged by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child Article 31 supports a childs right to rest and leisure, and to participate in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child. There are other reasons why playing outdoor is important for children, according to Stewart (2010) when children play outside, they are more likely to maintain a healthy weight because they get the chance to burn off extra calories by running, jumping, climbing, riding bikes, yelling etc. which can also lead to better sleep. Also, the above exercise help children to develop small and large muscles, strengthened bones, increases flexibility, fine and gross motor skills and improves their overall health (Ibid, 2010). In addition, outdoor play is important in early childhood because it helps in the physical development of the child as obesity is a common problem among children today (Pillar, 2010). Therefore, engaging in outdoor play helps in preventing childhood obesity. More so, Vitamin D is essential for the skin and can only be derived by playing outdoors as it is impossible to get an adequate amount from food and vitamins alone. Getting kids outdoor increases the exposure to sun and their natural production of Vitamin D. In contrary to the above advantages of outdoor play, White (2007) argued that today it seems that the motivation for childrens outdoor play has declined because global society is very busy in its day-to-day activities and over protected parents. Furthermore, many school age children have too much homework after school, therefore having less time for outdoor play. Whilst those without homework are too busy/lazy watching T.V, playing computer games, or pre-occupied chatting with friends on-line. Lastly, some parents are too busy with work and other activities (watching T.V, Football, cooking) to see to their childrens adequate outdoor play. Some parents are so paranoid that every man outside the street with big glasses/spectacles is a pervert or paedophile waiting to attack or abduct their children as they play outside. Furthermore, social and environmental factors have greatly impacted on childrens opportunities for outdoors play. Little Wyver (2008) asserts that where once children may have spent time playing in the street riding bicycle, playing chasing games, and hide seek etc, increased traffic has made these areas and play opportunities off-limits for children as the changes are far too great. Children are now confined to classroom, backyards or local parks for relatively safe places to play. Also, Ibid (2008) stated that increase demand for housing in many areas, particularly urban areas, is eroding childrens play ground. Lastly, according to Johnson et al (2005) providing for outdoor play needs for children is a complex and challenging task. A variety of factors must be considered, including the various play needs of young children, supervision, safety etc. while many educators, politicians, and parents believe outdoor play takes time away from academic activities; as a result, recess and physical education in many schools is limited or totally eradicated (Sutterby Frost, 2002 cited by Johnson et al, 2005).

Money Laundering Essay -- GCSE Business Marketing Coursework Essays

Money Laundering In a recent movie Mickey Blue Eyes, there is a comical scene in which an unknown artist’s painting is sold to a buyer for $50,000. It seems as though a restaurant owner owed the mafia a large sum of money and he paid them by bidding an absurd amount of money for a horrid painting. The movie made this scene seem quite innocent and funny (See Appendix 1 for more examples). Unfortunately money laundering is a serious crime that is still prevalent in the United States and other countries. Money laundering is the routing of illegal profits from bank to bank to disguise its existence. The illegal profits are usually made through activities such as drug trafficking, prostitution rings, illegal arms sales, and various other things. The Russian mafia, the Triad (otherwise known as the Chinese mafia), and the Columbian drug cartel are just a few of the groups that partake in money laundering (FATF). No one knows exactly how much money is launder yearly but it is estimated to be about $100 billion in the United States (CCANB). Although there are hundreds of ways in which to launder money, some are more lucrative than others. The Black Market Peso exchange, gold, and digital cash are some of the more common ways to launder money. Making it harder to crack down on money laundering is the fact that many countries do not have money-laundering laws in place like the United States does. These other countries make it possible for this illegal activity to carry on. These countries are only hurting themselves because money laundering creates a direct negative effect on their economy. If these nations want to fight money laundering they will need to implement laws against it. Banks could be one of the most useful tools in stopping the laundering of money. WHAT IS MONEY LAUNDERING? As mentioned earlier money laundering is the process of hiding profits from illegal criminal activities. The major goal of these criminal activities is to make as large of a profit as possible. The money laundering process is very important to these criminals because it allows them to enjoy their profits without revealing the source. When one of these activities generates large profits, the group involved must find away to disguise the funds without attracting attention towards themselves. The way they accomplish this is by moving the funds to an indiscrete place wh... ...Feb 1996. 7 Nov 2001. http://members.tripod.com/~orgcrime/genmluk.htm â€Å"Money Laundering: A Banker’s Guide to Avoiding Problems.† Comptroller of the Currency Administrator of National Banks. 29 Jun. 2000. 2 Nov 2001. http://www.occ.treas.gov â€Å"Money Laundering: Black Market Peso Exchange.† U.S. Customs Service 3 Nov 2001 http://www.customs.ustreas.gov/enforcem/pesos.htm â€Å"Money Laundering: Financial Crimes Investigation.† U.S. Customs Service 4 Nov 2001 http://www.customs.ustreas.gov/enforcem/mone.htm â€Å"Money Laundering: A Changing Scenario.† U.S. Department of State 4 Nov 2001 http://usis.usemb.se/drugs/money/scenario.htm Preston, Staff Sergeant R.D. â€Å"Financial Investigations and Money Laundering: Investigator Manual.† United Nations International Drug Control Programme Rider, B A K. â€Å" The financial world at risk: The money dangers of organized crime, money laundering and corruption.† Managerial Auditing Journal v8n7, (1993): p3-14. ABI_INFORM_FT 6 Nov 2001 http://newfirstsearch.oclc.org â€Å"U.S. Wants CPAs to Help Fight Money Laundering.† The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants May 2000. 19 Sep. 2001 http://www.aicpa.org/pubs/jofa/may2000/news1/htm

Great Gatsby by Scott Fitzgerald Essay -- Great Gatsby Scott Fitzgeral

Great Gatsby by Scott Fitzgerald The 1920s is the decade in American history known as the â€Å"roaring twenties.† Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby is a reflection of life in the 1920s. Booming parties, prominence, fresh fashion trends, and the excess of alcohol are all aspects of life in the â€Å"roaring twenties.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The booming parties in Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby reflect life in America during the 1920s. Gatsby displays his prominent fortune by throwing grand parties. From next door, Nick Carraway witnesses the scene of Gatsby’s fabulous summer parties: There was music from my neighbor’s house through the summer nights. In his blue gardens men and women came and went like moths among the whisperings of champagne and the stars†¦On week-ends his Rolls-Royce became an omnibus, bearing parties to and from the city, between nine in the morning and long past midnight, while his station wagon scampered like a brisk yellow bug to meet all the trains (Fitzgerald 43). Gatsby’s house illuminates, the jazz music blares for the entire town to hear, the bubbly is served, and the guests dance until one A.M. The parties are â€Å"roaring.† Gatsby’s parties display the way Americans socialized and the lifestyle they lived during the 1920s when â€Å"Americans danced to the decades joyous music at a frantic and accelerating pace†¦Americans began to improvise leisure time activities that had no purpose other than having fun. People roared through the decade intent on enjoying every exciting moment of it†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Nash 370). Life in the twenties consisted of fun, fun, and fun. Americans partied like there was no tomorrow. Gatsby’s parties reflect the way society partied in the 1920s. Americans threw expensive never-ending galas. One result from the grand parties and riches was the gain in fame.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Prominence in The Great Gatsby is imperative for life in Long Island and also reflects 1920s America. Gatsby throws magnificent parties, boasts about his car, and flaunts his costly materials. Gatsby’s materials and riches result in his vast popularity. During one of Gatsby’s parties, Nick becomes intrigued when he overhears a group gossiping about Gatsby. The gossip â€Å"was a testimony to the romantic speculation he inspired that there were whispers about him from those who had found little that it was necessary to whisper about in this world†(Fitzgerald 48). Gatsby’s fo... ...gerald 55). Nick’s perspective on the evening has changed in an instant. In 1920s America, alcohol was just as important as it is in the novel The Great Gatsby. In America everyone was rebelling to Prohibition. Despite the law, â€Å"women who had not been allowed to drink in saloons went to the new speakeasies, where men and women gulped down Prohibition’s new drink, the cocktail†(Nash 398). Americans drank liquor when they and where they could. The consumption of alcohol in the 1920s was significant just as it was in The Great Gatsby. The amount of alcohol served at Gatsby’s parties and in general is an illustration of the overindulgence of alcohol during the 1920s. The drinking, the parties, the rich and famous, and the fashion elite make up not only Gatsby’s life but the 1920s as well.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lavish parties, prominence, stylish clothing, and the surplus of alcohol are aspects that frame 1920s America. The Great Gatsby written by F. Scott Fitzgerald is a direct reflection of the lives of American during the time. American history will always know the 1920s as the â€Å"roaring twenties† due to the spontaneity and rebellion that existed. It is no reason the decade is known as â€Å"roaring.†

Exploring the Cause of Eating Disorders - Familial Relationships and Bu

My sister is bulimic and has been in therapy for several months now. She seems to be making progress, but this eating disorder seems to rule her life nevertheless. Overwhelmed with conflicting desires, she is obsessed with food and her appearance. I see her suffer and wonder what has caused her to develop such behaviors. I know that there are several factors that can play a role in the inception of an eating disorder. Because of my sister’s problems, I have become interested in the interplay between familial relationships and bulimia. Is there a relationship between family interactions and bulimia? There have been numerous studies about the characteristics of a bulimic's family. One of the earliest by Laurence Igoin-Apfelbaum (1985), studied 21 women who were diagnosed by the DSM-III as bulimics. In the group of patients, two patterns of family background could be found. Thirteen patients were from broken homes, and a common characteristic of these families was that the father virtually disappeared from the life of the daughter. The twelve other patients came from close knit families, in which the sacred union of these families against the outside world was a defensive organization hiding major tensions within the family unit. The relationship between the bulimics and their mother is one of polarity. They feel that because their eating disturbances seem to worry their mother, she is the only one who cared, and as a result they do such things as calling their moms daily to make sure she is not worrying. At the same time they avoid their mother because they feel she can guess everything or demand so much from them that they would have no personal life left. All the patients had harsh words for their fathers. They see him ... ...ting Disorders. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 95(4), 395-402. Humphrey, Laura Lynn (1989). Observed Family Interactions Among Subtypes of Eating Disorders Using Structural Analysis of Social Behavior. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 57(2), 206-214. Igoin-Apfelbaum, Laurence (1985). Characteristics of Family Background in Bulimia. Psychother. Psychosom, 43, 161-167. Kent, Jan S., and Clopton, J. R. (1992). Bulimic Women's Perceptions of Their Family Relationships. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 48(3), 281-292. Laliberte, Michele., Boland, F. J. and Leichner, P. (1999). Family Climates: Family Factors Specific to Disturbed Eating and Bulimia Nervosa. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 55(9), 1021-1040. Stuart, G. W., et al. (1990). Early Family Experiences of Women With Bulimia and Depression. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 4(1), 43-52.

Engaging with God: A Biblical Theology of Worship Essay

As is well known, the urge to worship is an innate drive of humankind. Through the ages, people from all walks of life have appealed to a deity for assistance, protection, and salvation. Then, through various ceremonies of praise and thanksgiving, countless societies have expressed appreciation for the bounties of life. Further, chapter seven blatantly stresses that the idea during the ancient times in building the church and the assembly of the people for service to God has been a consistent aim in providing the needs of humankind in the most spiritual sense of sagacity. As the Roman Empire crumbled and Christianity ascended, early Christians adopted the basilica as a temple for worship, adapting a secular dwelling to religious needs. The dominance of its form and the dignity of its purpose in accommodating the liturgical needs of the Church seem to have appropriately reflected the triumph of Christianity. But Paul’s use of the word â€Å"justification† has been greatly misunderstood in contemporary theology. For Paul, justification does not denote an event or process by which one is saved. Justification is not â€Å"so much about soteriology as about ecclesiology. † It’s far more concerned with discerning â€Å"who is in† rather than the process through which one â€Å"gets in. † Justification is concerned about how one can discern â€Å"who is a member of the covenant family. † Faith is the â€Å"badge of covenant membership, not something someone ‘performs’ as a kind of initiation test. † The law court is the â€Å"metaphorical mean through which the covenant purposes of God are fulfilled. Some people may even call God different names but the level ground that all these people have is the belief in something higher than the mortal soul. Although some may refute this as merely assumptions but investigating the self clearly, there is this certain uncertainty of being a mortal, of being a mere human being. However, this may be beside the point. Religious tolerance can not only promote appreciation for other religions but it could also stop religious conflicts. People have tendencies on neglecting what is basic on the Commandments of God, it on love thy neighbors and if this love would necessitate tolerance then peaceful interactions could be attained. However, Paul remained in the belief that through the structure of the church, and the gathering of the people in edification, what is seemingly important in such scenario is the idea that these individuals come together in the light of praising God—that whatever it is that may have possibly been â€Å"different† within each other, is not a hindrance to praise one God and spread the word to humankind in that instance. Moreover, incorporating certain characteristics of Greek architecture, but often surpassing it structurally, the ancient Roman temple was likewise a magnificent work of stone visually representing the important role of religion in society. Reflecting the values of secular society, the Roman basilica, a court building and meeting hall, similarly evolved into an imposing form, also prominently situated, while the exterior of the Classical civic temple projected monumentality appropriate for a central public building, the interior, with its spatial organization of narthex, nave, and chancel, echoed solemnity of important functions, including religious ceremonies. Rows of columns defining side aisles adjacent to the nave effused dignity of purpose while rhythmically moving the eye forward to the chancel with its sacred altar. Review on Chapter Nine What is going on around them, in the social and political life of their power of false religion? In most part of the world, Jesus Christ is not a stranger in concept and in fame. Some books in the Holy Bible were even devoted to discussing and retelling the life of Jesus Christ. It could be seen then that the main writers or proponents regarding the accounting of Jesus’ life and works were written by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Few words are as deeply freighted as â€Å"religion,† and few raise so many questions. If the first is â€Å"What is the meaning of life? † others follow rapidly. At the pedestrian level of empirical discourse, some obvious ones arise. Is religion one or several? If the latter, what do they have in common, and why are there so many of them? How did they arise? Why are they so different? What has determined their content and their demographic boundaries? What distinguishes religion or religions from other types of human conduct? Why do particular religions emerge and disappear? Is religion a social phenomenon or a property of individuals? Are all individuals religious? Is religion a delusory form of wishful thinking or a kind of understanding? Is it an unavoidable aspect of human existence or a characteristic of one phase of human history? To all these questions and more, different people will give different answers, but one thing is certain: the answers we give on the empirical level will depend on the way we conceive of our humanity. In the light, â€Å"religion† came to designate something apparently common to all peoples: their avowal that they were obligated by supernatural powers to act in certain ways. But beyond that vague similarity, the term had no specific content. Religion was only real, observable, and meaningful in its concrete instances, Latin polytheism, Judaism, Catholicism, Lutheranism, and so forth, and that rich meaning was provided by the adherents of each of those religions themselves. â€Å"Religion† had no ontological status beyond that of a convenient term to point to an amazing variety of real, but mutually contradictory, sets of beliefs about gods or god and the conduct by which they were expressed. One of the most notable conflicts that have been debated by many scholars since the medieval ages is the controversy regarding the place of philosophy and religion in a society. The two have been used to attack each other in order to uphold their own credibility. The study of Philosophy is directed towards the speculation of the things that govern the world and its processes, and the nature of man and his relationship with other individuals as well as with the world (Gasset, 1964). Philosophy attempts to scrutinize and make rational explication of almost everything that can be grasped by the human mind. Yet, it does not really provide sufficient and concrete answers to all its queries. Religion, on the other hand, focuses its scope on explaining things and phenomena that cannot be explained by science and at some point even those that cannot really be made explicit by philosophy. It tries to give reason for everything that is happening. Its justification for every reason that it provides is primarily founded on faith (Nasr, 1996). Hence, by faith, it need not be verifiable. A strong faith or believe could suffice one’s doubt and hesitation.

Symbolism of the Island

The Island Major Joe Ridge View High School English 1 Mrs. Walker December 17, 2012 There are many different symbols in the book Lord of the Flies. Some of the symbols represent peace and some represent war. Some of the characters themselves represent different symbols. The item of symbolism that stood out the most was the island itself. The island itself is an excellent item of symbolism because it uses the boys themselves to convey what it stands for thus almost making itself seem alive. The island represents peace, atavism, the struggle to hang on to civilization, life, and the struggle to hang on to humanity.The island itself stands for peace. It shows this through Simon. The special place in the jungle where Simon went shows the peaceful part of the island. There is not much of it but it is there hidden by all of the confusion other factors at work. â€Å"He came to a last place where more sunshine fell. Since they had not so far to go for light the creepers had woven a great m at that hung at the side of an open space in the jungle; for here a patch of rock came close to the surface and would not allow more than little plants and ferns to grow. The whole space was walled with dark aromatic bushes, and was a bowl of heat and light.A great Tree, fallen across one corner, leaned against the trees that still stood and rapid climber flaunted red and yellow sprays right to the top† (Golding 56). Simon found that place peaceful and beautiful. He goes there in the middle of the night just to escape the atavistic character of the island itself which is portrayed through the forest and Jack. The island also shows atavism through the forest and through Jack. Throughout the story the boys continued referring back to creepers â€Å"I can’t hardly move with all these creeper things† (Golding 7).Creepers are like vines that climb up tree trunks and grow across open patches of ground. They cover up the trees and ground and make it hard for the tree or the ground to get sunlight or water. The vines take the water from the trees so that they can survive in the conditions of the island. Jack and his hunters do similarly the same thing with the pigs. The boys engulf the pig with their presence and beat it to death making it nearly impossible for them to escape the rancorous attacks and also making it nearly impossible for the pigs to breed and fill the island with wildlife and swine.The island also portrays life. For this it uses the open space that Simon found and the fire. When Simon found his special part of the island, he noticed that the creepers did not grow there allowing the fruit trees and the flowers to grow there abundantly. The fire also symbolizes the life of not only the island but the life of the boys’ morale and hope of going home again. â€Å"The fire was dead. They saw the straightaway; saw what they had really known down on the beach when the smoke of home had beckoned. The fire was out, smokeless and dead ; the watchers were gone.A pile of unused fuel lay ready,† (Golding 67-68). The boys saw a ship passing by in the distance when they found out that the fire was dead. At that moment Ralph called an assembly. Jack and his hunters came from the forest with a pig. Ralph told Jack about the fire and the ship but the only thing the Jack was concentrated on was how he and his hunters managed to capture the pig. The Island also represents the struggle to hang on to civilization. The Island shows this through the scar that the plane left when it crashed.The entire island is in order with creepers and trees making an attempt to grow everywhere. The beach is sandy and the lagoon is not too far from the beach everything on the island was neat and in order. The plane crashed it left a scar that left a path of burned creepers fallen trees and overturned dirt and debris. The rocks on the island also had a role in breaking the rope of civilization. When Piggy’s glasses broke they fell on a rock after Jack smacked them off of Piggy’s face. â€Å"Ralph made a step forward and Jack smacked Piggy’s head. Piggy’s glasses flew off and tinkled on the rocks.Piggy cried out in terror: ‘My specs! ’†¦ ‘One side’s broken† (Golding 71). At that moment in the book the normal world’s idea of civilization went out of the window and Jack’s idea took over. Ralph and piggy both wanted to keep the island as civilized as possible. Piggy gave ralph the idea to blow the conch and try to call all the boys to one central location. While resting on the mountain he realized the conditions of himself and the other boys on the island: With the memory of his sometime clean self as a standard, Ralph looked them over.They were dirty, not with the spectacular dirt of boys who have fallen into mud or been brought down hard on a rainy day. Not one of them was an obvious subject for a shower, and yet—hair much too long , tangled here and there, knotted round a dead leaf or a twig; faces cleaned fairly well by the process of eating and sweating but marked in the less accessible angles with a kind of shadow; clothes, worn away, stiff like his own with sweat, put on, not for decorum or comfort but out of custom; the skin of the body, scurfy with brine—He discovered with a little fall of heart that these were to conditions he took as normal now and that he did not mind, (Golding 110). This realization from Ralph shows that he misses the rest of the world and that being shut off from the rest of the world gave him and even stronger need to try to restore civilization on the island. The island also symbolizes the struggle to hang on to the humanity of the island. Before the boys came to island the pigs had no real enemy that was known. The boys were the same way.When the boys were luckily landed on the island the pig’s predator became Jack and his hunters. It was easy for Jack to find his first pig but not as easy for him to kill it. The second time he carried out his task. As the story continues Jack has to go through different procedures and tricks in order to find a pig. He painted his face, he crawled around on the ground following a pig slide and pig droppings. He ends up killing pigs almost every day for the group. The pigs adapt to Jack’s ways and try to avoid him.When Jack killed the mother sow, the amount of humanity left on the island was in question. â€Å"Rodger found a lodgment for his point and began to push till he was leaning with his whole weight. The spear moved forward inch by inch†¦ ‘Right up her ass! ’† (Golding 135). The island was the most important symbol in the book. Without the island and the natural features of it then one may not think that the island could stand for anything other than an uninhabited graveyard for an assortment of young boys.In order to really see the significance of the island one needs to look closely at the events that happen and where they happen in the book. The island talked to the reader through the characters of the story. Each character represented a different trait of the island. Jack was the fear of the island, Piggy was the gentle side, Ralph was the firm part of the island, and Simon was the peace on the island. There are many other situations like this in many other stories, one just has to pay attention and open their eyes. References Golding, W. (1954). Lord of the Flies. Salisbury, England: Faber and Faber.

P1 Outline the responsibilities of the levels of government in the UK Essay

Government Department Responsibilities Ministry Of defence This department has responsibility for the British Army, the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. This department is regulated by the Secretary of state for defence and three other junior Ministers, specifically the Minister of State for the armed forces, the under-secretary of state for defence and Minster for Veterans. The Ministry of defence’s job is to decide the policies and earning for all three armed services and decide budgets to. Ministry Of Justice From charge to release the ministry of Justice is responsible for the courts, prisons and Probation Services. The Home Office The Home office has a prime responsibility; they are responsible for civilian services such as the passport and Immigration service, drug policies and the Police. Department Of Communities and Local Government This department is responsible for The Uk’s fire and Rescue service. It is regulated by the secretary of state for communities and local Government and Numerous junior Ministers. The departments job is to allocate the local Government with supply’s to fund the Fire and rescue Service. The Department also improves the Rescue national policies and priorities. On the other hand this department is also responsible for local government although it’s non-uniformed it is still a necessary service. Department For Health This department has responsibility for the national Health Service. They are responsible for the Ambulance service to. Independent Police Complaints commission This department deals with complaints within the Police service. There responsibility is to carry out investigations on serious matters. Some of the complaints made might be related to incidents involving death or injury, police corruption, police racism or perverting the course of justice. HM Revenue and Customs This department is responsible for collecting taxes it also has responsibility for the customs and exercise service. Inspectorates and HM inspectorates To ensure the even running of particular public services the government has given this responsibility to the HMI The defence Vetting Agency This agency carries out national security checks its responsible for checking anyone who joins the Armed services, civilians who work with the Ministry of Defence, civilian contractors or any other checks in government departments. Quality Care Commission This department’s responsibility is to make sure all health care and social care including private healthcare in England is met to the quality standards required and that patients are getting the care they expect.

Kolcaba’s Theory of Comfort Essay

Within the context of theory illustrates a demanding yet creative shaping of plans, structured requirements, and prediction of a provisional, determined, and systematic sight of phenomena (Chinn, 2011). Nursing theory is a crucial function within the nursing practice. Theories afford nurses with the distinctive facets that are in encompassed within patient care and the nursing profession. Clarification of practice governance, and expectations are also integrated within contextual framework of nursing theory. It bestows various manners to acquire data, examine and study, and foresee the practice of nursing and the outcomes of patient care (Parker, 2010). Kolcaba’s middle range theory of comfort captivated my interest because my impression of comfort curtails that of positive patient outcomes. Comfort is not solitary to just physical ailments, but emotional and psychological measures in addition. Throughout my experiences and years as bedside registered nurse, I can attest that patient requests stem largely from the factor of being made comfortable. As stated above, this not only embraces physical comfort, but something unassuming as a comforting touch or positive attitude to render the positive outcome and a content patient. Absorbing how theory influences practice has been an impediment that I have recently overcame. I was unmindful that certain situations and decision making were reinforced through the use of theory. Examination of the importance of nursing theories, more in depth review of Kolcaba’s theory of comfort, and theory of comfort in nursing practice, education, and research will be reviewed further. Importance of Nursing Theories Separately from the governance of practice and foundation for the practice of nursing, theories furthermore propounds opportunities for nurses in the sense of practical application. Measurable changes and enrichment of the profession occur when nursing theories are incorporated into practice. The benefits of having a defined frame of theory in nursing produces superior patient care, heightened professional repute for nurses, progressed interaction among nurses, and direction for exploration of the practice and education. Theories also illustrate the quality of the nursing profession, and serves as a reservoir of knowledge with the examination of the essential requirements of patients and necessary interventions. In addition, specialized rationales are provided. Succeeding medical doctors orders are not exclusively to the context of nursing care. Nursing care incorporates not only a compassionate attitude but passion for care of patients. The caring component of nursing cannot be measured, rather dissected through theory within the clarification of what nurses do. Systemically this is all supported through abundant theories and theorist. The nursing profession emphasizes on holistic care which is defined as treatment of the whole person. Within this skill is the admittance of problems that are biomedical but also opportune clarification of the well-being and health of a human that introduces added indicators of disease that are non-visualized (Powers, 2011). Kolcaba’s Theory of Comfort The origination of Kolcaba’s theory of comfort stemmed was first established in the 1900’s. Founder, Katherine Kolcaba, concluded that for a positive patient outcome to accomplished, comfort is a crucial obligation. Katherine organized a representation for exploring, analyzing, and gauging the care of the patient. Historically, she believed that the product of the profession of nursing is comfort. According to Kolcaba (2010), comfort is achieved in a few diverse ways to include transcendence, relief, and ease. Transcendence represents the aptitude to overcome the lack of comfort sensed by patients through their awareness to cease. Patients are able to rise above their challenges. For example, a post-operative below the knee amputee patient may experience great physical pain from the surgery as well as psychological trauma from the intervention. Pushing forward to regain strength and independence would be an instance of transcendence. Relief constitutes any ordered analgesic medication that can be given to the patient or  non-pharmacologic interventions such as distraction or repositioning. This structure of comfort is experienced as relief. Anxiety reducing measures such as anxiolytics or inducing expression through conversation or other forms of communication can be facilitated. These actions can be constituted as placing the patient at ease. In my day to day professional practice experiences, I come across different situations where comfort may be the only measure to take in a particular patients care. Pharmacological therapy interventions are important for adequate relief, but non-pharmacological interventions are just as imperative. A simple caring touch and tone conditions the patient to an enhanced state. This particular theory affords nurses a better comprehension and obligation to comfort in the practice setting. Nurse are the forefront of healthcare. We have the ability to promptly identify the demands the needs of the patient. Kolcaba’s theory of comfort conforms into the nursing metaparadigm with relation to the three concepts presented: transcendence, relief, and ease. There is a clear consensus about the concepts which includes health, nursing, person, and environment of the metaparadigm. Kolcaba elaborated on the four various experience backgrounds that comfort is achieved. These include environmental, physical, social, and psychospiritual (Kolcaba, 2010). Theory of comfort in nursing practice, education, and research Kolcaba’s theory of comfort guides research in assorted ways. It challenges the nurse to examine the correlation among holistic interventions and different comfort measures. It also imposes a contention between comfort and â€Å"health seeking behaviors†. If the product is positive, than it enhances future endeavors and postulates additional motivators to provide comfort. Institutional outcomes are also examined (Koehn, 2000). References Chinn, P.L., & Kramer, M.K. (2011). Integrated theory and knowledge of development in nursing (8th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Mosby/Elsevier Koehn, M. (2000) Alternative and complementary therapies for labor and birth: an application of Kolcaba’s theory of holistic comfort. Holistic Nursing Practice. 15(1):66-77 Kolcaba, K. (1992). Holistic comfort: Operationalizing the constructs as a nurse-sensitiveOutcome. Advances in Nursing Science, 15(1), 1-10, p. 6. Kolcaba, K. (1994) A theory of holistic comfort for nursing. Journal of Advanced Nursing 19: 1178-1184 Kolcaba, K. & DiMarco, M.A. (2005) Comfort theory and its application to pediatric nursing. Pediatric Nursing, 31(3), 187-194 Parker, M.E., & Smith, M.C. (2010), Nursing theories and nursing practice (3rd ed.) Philadelphia, P.A.: F.A. Davis Company Powers, B.A., & Knapp, T.R. (2011). Dictionary of nursing theory and research (4th ed.). York: Springer Publisher Company

Multinational Acquisition Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Multinational Acquisition - Research Paper Example In 2010, the world witnessed the acquisition of a famous multinational company Cadbury by Kraft Food Products. Kraft Foods, an American multinational, which deals in food products acquired Cadbury, a British multinational dealing in confectionary products, as a way to diversify its holdings. As such, in January 2010, Kraft Foods acquired Cadbury for ?11.9 billion ($19.6 billion) (Merced & Nicholson, 2010). This made Kraft Foods the biggest confectioner in the world. It has been recorded as the biggest food and beverage deal in European history according Reuters. The initial offer of Kraft Foods was 745p, per share which was increase by 14 percent to 850p per share. Initially the acquisition was opposed by the trade unions because they had the prescient concern that such an acquisition would necessarily lead to job cuts. However, Kraft Foods confirmed that the combined company would be able to create more jobs in UK, apart from the existing employees that Cadbury currently employed (J ones, & Dorfman, 2010). Research Objectives The objective of this research is to focus on the issues that arise after a multinational acquisition acquires a different organizational culture, framework, process and system in comparison to the company which has acquired it. The motive would be to analyze the accounting requirements after acquisition, difficulties that arise with reference to preparation of combined financial statements, as well as to separately assess the goodwill of the business combination and other key issues. The objective would also be to study the IFRS and GAAP guidelines which are applicable in cases such as the one that will be studied. Outline of the Study The research study includes a detailed study of the multinational acquisition of Cadbury by Kraft Foods. General analysis of the scenario before acquisition is done; furthermore, the study will discuss the after effects of acquisition within the new business combination. As such, the study will begin with a brief overview of the acquisition that took place in January 2010. The research objective is stated to describe the motive behind conducting the research. Furthermore, a literature review will include analysis of the accounting requirements and the challenges faced by the company in preparing the combined financial statements. Apart from this discussion on the process of evaluating the intangible assets of the company and key changes that are made in the acquired company would be revealed, the study will attempt to give a complete view of the successful objectives required by such an approach. LITERATURE REVIEW Accounting Requirements and Challenges in preparing Financial Statement In the case of the acquisition of Cadbury by Kraft Foods, the holding company is Kraft Foods and Cadbury is the subsidiary. Therefore, the companies in this business combination need to apply for acquisition accounting to the newly united business. Similarly, the holding company is the one which holds ma jority of the shares of the subsidiary company. The holding company must also become responsible for the balance sheet and profit and loss statements of the subsidiar

A case in point was DMG's campaign for Volkswagen Study

A in point was DMG's campaign for Volkswagen - Case Study Example For example, DMG’s founder, Dan Mintz soon realized that China is a highly conservative society where people and businesses are controlled by stringent rules and restrictions as opposed to most Western cultures (Chiang, 2000).Consequently any business that would have tried to obey all the regulations and rules rather than find a way around them would have probably failed to achieve its objectives because in China, restrictions are virtually everywhere. There are a number of serious ethical issues that are likely to arise when using guanxiwang as a means of getting things done in the Chinese society. For example, the reciprocal nature of relationships and connections involved can potentially pose a serious ethical challenge in the event that a partner requests the business to return a favor. This therefore suggests that a Western business that is committed to ethical standards should always set some limits when using guanxiwang to ensure that it does not amount to

Modular Integrated Manufacturing Systems (MISS) Essay

Modular Integrated Manufacturing Systems (MISS) - Essay Example This means they have to increase efficiency in the manufacture of their products, maintain good quality and make reasonable profit just to stay ahead of the others in the game. With this in mind, SMEs is embracing methods of improving manufacturing through different methods among which specialized designing and modular designing. Unlike specialized designing which is customized for a specific SME, modular designing involves the combination of standard components together to form a complete system that functions as desired by the manufacturer. This method offers a variety of options for the SME to choose from since standard components are in abundance in the market, thus making many modular designs available. However, one must research which of the many is best suited for the business. The best way to solve this is developing a Modular Integrated Systems Strategy (MISS) framework to help in the selection. This paper will look at the best way for SMEs to integrate formulation of a manu facturing strategy through MISS. Given that there are several types of modular design methods, only six of them are considered as standard. These include component sharing, component swapping, cut-to-fit mix bus and sectional modularity as illustrated in the figure below. All these forms of modularity are visible in our day to day lives in their simplest forms. Workmen’s tool kits with drills, sanders and jigsaws are one example. In terms of component sharing modularity, these tools are designed to use the same battery pack between them and the drill head being switched for a sander is an example of component swapping modularity. Bus modularity is used in the communication system of telephones through switchboards and cut-to-fit in the tailoring industry for custom fit clothes. The best example of sectional modularity is best brought out by the LEGO Â ® Company in making blocks that stack in any direction (The Daily Module, 2014). These forms of

How does fear motivate the main characters in The Crucible Case Study

How does fear motivate the main characters in The Crucible - Case Study Example According to the research, John Proctor is an example of the characters that show fear. He is under the judgment that Abigail will blemish his good name because of their affair. In addition, Abigail could ruin the life of John because of his carelessness, which his wife is fully aware. It is unlike John Proctor to be afraid of anyone because he usually is a pillar of strength and a well-known member of the community. This makes his fear powerful as it is unlike him. He is afraid of Abigail ruining his name because of his deep pride. John is fully aware of the sins he committed and cannot easily forget about them. When Abigail lies to the town about seeing the devil and the presence of witchcraft in the town, John thinks she deserves hanging. John is a hero and despite what Abigail says, he is motivated to speak out and what he believes as much as the result is death. To fulfill his obligation, he pushes Abigail out of his life and openly tells her he loves his wife. He looks out for the truth from God because he knows and sees all. John strives for people to see the reality and to believe in what is true. Abigail Williams spreads fear of witches in the town of Salem and ends up dominating the lives of people in the town. She has a love affair with John Proctor and wants his wife Elizabeth to leave him for her. In addition, she is responsible for the girls meeting in the woods. Abigail is motivated by the fear of being discovered dancing naked in the woods.

Do Violent Video games encourage violent behavior Essay

Do Violent Video games encourage violent behavior - Essay Example However, what matters most is the thought that this can have significant impact on the child’s perspective about the reality. This has important impact on how the child will significantly understand the right from wrong set by the society. As stated earlier, those children exposed to violent games have the tendency to acquire violent behavior. This makes sense because in the first place, the bottom line impact of online violent games is said to be highly associated with children’s violent behavior. In order to understand this further, it is important to understand children’s behavior and his environment in detail. Children’s behavior and environmental influence Children’s behavior is susceptible to various influences in the environment. For instance, adult behaviors can be adapted by them. In fact, part of a children’s development of their behavior is highly influenced by the environment. In a family, parents are important persons in the live s of children because they tend to influence them. This is a clear illustration how an individual is being influenced by his immediate environment. However, children are not only influenced by their direct environment such as their family, they also acquire them from what they observed from their day to day interaction with other people, friends and media. This clearly emphasizes that there should be a significant impact on playing and watching violent video games among children. On the other hand, this belief was challenged at first due to methodological research issue concerning on the investigation of the association of children’s behavior and violent video games (Griffiths 203). This methodology includes observation of children’s free play. Eventually, the research method has significant limitations... Children’s behavior is susceptible to various influences in the environment. For instance, adult behaviors can be adapted by them. In fact, part of a children’s development of their behavior is highly influenced by the environment. In a family, parents are important persons in the lives of children because they tend to influence them. This is a clear illustration how an individual is being influenced by his immediate environment. However, children are not only influenced by their direct environment such as their family, they also acquire them from what they observed from their day to day interaction with other people, friends and media. This clearly emphasizes that there should be a significant impact on playing and watching violent video games among children. Â  On the other hand, this belief was challenged at first due to methodological research issue concerning on the investigation of the association of children’s behavior and violent video games (Griffiths 2 03). This methodology includes observation of children’s free play. Eventually, the research method has significant limitations or drawbacks that will eventually lead to a questionable result of the study. However, as research on the association of children’s behavior and violent video games increase over time, significant methodologies emerged to justify more reliable results (Konijn, Bijvank & Bushman 1038; Funk 387; Anderson et al. 151). These studies clearly emphasize a strong association of children’s environment and their behavior.

Nat Turner Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Nat Turner - Essay Example He was the property' of Benjamin Turner, a plantation owner. Nat Turner's mother and grandmother had been brought to America from Africa and hated the concept of slavery from the bottom of their hearts. Nat grew up deeply religious and intensely sharing his mother's views of slavery. He gradually believed that He was God's prophet chosen to lead his people out of slavery. An annual solar eclipse convinced Turner that God had signaled from the Heavens above to start a revolution and with seven other of his associates or friends who were also slaves launched a rebellion. The rebellion began with the house of Nat's new master Joseph Travis. Almost 50 white people were killed. Contrary to what Nat had planned the rebellion was crushed within 48 hours and he himself was captured several days later. Naturally this insurrection had incited public fury and led to a thousand idle exaggerated and mischevious reports' (Thomas R. Gray). It heralded the beginning of a series of upsurges of open rebellion of the slaves which eventually led to the Great Civil War. Everything was shrouded in mystery till the confession' of Nat Turner was brought to light. Thomas R. Gray met Nat Turner in prison and recorded his account of the slave rebellion .Nat Turner was regarded as the Great Bandit'. Thomas Gray claims he found Nat willing to make a full and free confession of the origin, progress and consummation of the insurrectory movements of the slaves of which he was the contriver and head'. (Thomas Gray) The Confessions of Nat Turner like all other confessions cannot be held to be a document of Absolute Truth. It is definitely a revelation of several facts most of which can be corroborated further but every convict even during the last confession of his life will be in fear of his captor even if faced with the gallows. Moreover, what he said has been written down by Thomas Gray in the prison cell. Just as what Turner said may have been directed by emotion so also what was finally written may have been tainted by the writer of this confession to satiate the greatly excited public mind'. The mind is fraught with the very pertinent question did Turner voluntarily make these confessions The Confession remains a subject of intellectual debate , "both praised as a brave look into a rarely represented life, and maligned for what many saw as a clichd conception of a black man.". (NAT TURNER: A Troublesome Property, Styron 1967) Nat Turner's rebellion marked a year that also saw the rise of the abolitionist movement, growing tensions over states' rights and the arrival of the steam locomotive.1831 proved to be a watershed year in American history (Louis P. Masur, author of 1831: Year of Eclipse). The hysterical climate that followed Turner's revolt, blacks from as far away as North Carolina were accused of being part of the insurrection and even executed. Harriet Ann Jacobs, who later escaped to freedom, describes this climate of fear and harassment in her memoirs, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Written by Herself. Nat 's confessions regarding his visions were probably correct and seem to be the words of a prophet who is convinced about his convictions. He sincerely believed that the Holy Spirit which spoke to prophets of earlier times actually spoke to him. He claims unabashedly that the Spirit told him "Seed ye the