A character analysis of john irving’s novel ‘a prayer for owen meany Essay

Applying to the theme of religious faith and personal fate in his famous novel A Prayer for Owen Meany, John Irving discusses this crucial issue through the narrator John Wheelwright whose unusual understanding of God and extreme political views uncover inner doubts of people in relation to Christianity. In this regard, John Wheelwright is portrayed as a person who is lost in his wrong worship and who is destroyed by his obsession of his closest friend Owen Meany, failing to find the true meaning of his life. In the novel A Prayer for Owen Meany John Wheelwright, the offspring of the noble family, uncovers the story of his upbringing, religious faith and his relations with Owen Meany who is usually treated by the narrator as a symbol of Christianity. In fact, John’s belief in God is based not on his faith, but on his belief in Owen Meany. As the narrator claims at the beginning of the novel, â€Å"I am a Christian because of Owen Meany. I make no claims to have a life in Christ, or with Christ – and certainly not for Christ, which I’ve heard some zealots claim† (Irving 1). John acknowledges that he has no profound knowledge of the Bible, although he regularly visits the Church and is used to repeat some passages from this Holy book. Such a contradictory attitude towards Christian religion reveals inner doubts of John, his inability to accept all religious dogmas created by the Church and his attempts to form his own belief. This is especially obvious from the following words of John Wheelwright: â€Å"†¦ but every study of the gods, of everyone’s gods, is a revelation of vengeance toward the innocent (This is a part of my particular faith that meets with opposition from my Congregationalist and Episcopalian and Anglican friends)† (Irving 7). Thus, the narrator eliminates some wrong assumptions of Christianity, substituting them with his own concepts and demonstrating his ironical attitude towards the existing images of gods. Applying to such a portrayal of the principal character, Irving makes an attempt to show that a person’s fate depends on his/her actions and his/her ability to critically evaluate social and religious systems of the modern world. But despite his acquired wisdom, John is unable to accept reality; instead he constantly returns to the past, failing to accept the changes that occur in the present. As John Wheelwright rightfully states, â€Å"Your memory is a monster; you forget – it doesn’t. It simply files things away. It keeps things for you, or hides things from you – and summons them to your recall with a will of its own. You think you have a memory; but it has you! † (Irving 35). As a result, in his middle age John appears to occupy a neutral position in life, while his friend Owen Meany is overwhelmed with powerful emotions and energy in his religious activity. Despite the fact that John claims to believe in God, he also expresses anger towards his religious faith and opposes Regan ruling. John is greatly influenced by Owen, but deep inside he is not able to decide whether there is God or not; it is this doubt that makes John claim at the end of the novel: â€Å"watch out for people who call themselves religious; make sure you know what they mean – make sure they know what they mean† (Irving 572). The writer intentionally repeats the phrase two times to intensify the meaning of the whole narration and to reveal the importance of a personal choice; John is so influenced by Owen’s faith that he is not able to overcome the limitations of Christian dogmas and seek his own understanding of some crucial issues of existence. On the other hand, inner doubts of the narrator contribute to the formation of such negative traits as self loss and indecisiveness in him. As John Wheelwright points out in the letter to Owen, â€Å"You’re always telling me I don’t have any faith†¦ Well – don’t you see – that’s a part of what makes me so indecisive. I wait to see what will happen next – because I don’t believe that anything I might decide to do would matter† (Irving 504). Perhaps, John’s childhood experience results in his self loss and his unusual worship of Owen; the narrator constantly wants to find out the truth about his father, but mother’s death deprives John of this opportunity. Simultaneously, John losses both his parents and long-expected truth, hoping that somehow God in the face of Owen will give him the clue to his birth. However, as John becomes older, he finds it impossible to blindly follow everything that he believed in youth; for instance, when at the end of the narration Mr. Meany tells that Owen appeared as a result of a virgin birth and, thus, was similar to Christ, John expresses doubts as to this news. In fact, throughout the novel the narrator makes an attempt to overcome his doubts and understand the essence of religion, but he fails to find an appropriate balance between his doubts and his religious belief. The death of Owen relieves John of the necessity to differentiate between two excesses. However, John Wheelwright still has to decide whether to believe in the existence of God or not, but the novel ends without this answer. The narrator’s ambiguity intensifies the narration, revealing that John is psychologically destroyed by certain events of his life. Although John tells the story of another person, he implicitly expresses his views on some religious and political issues, demonstrating his inability to overcome the events that occurred with him in the past. Searching for his identity, John tries to explain his profound relations with Owen and his unusual religious faith, but his explanation is rather complicated. John makes an attempt to understand Owen and his belief in God, but everything that the narrator manages to achieve is intricacy. As John claims at the end of the novel, â€Å"How could Owen Meany have known what he ‘knew’? It’s no answer, of course, to believe in accidents, or in coincidences; but is God really a better answer? † (Irving 571). Thus, on the one hand, the narrator challenges the necessity to believe in God, but, on the other hand, John Wheelwright continues to pray for Owen Meany’s resurrection. To some extent, John explains this ambiguity at the beginning of the narration: â€Å"I was baptized in the Congregational Church, and after some years of fraternity with the Episcopalian†¦ I became rather weak in my religion: in my teens I attended a non-denomination church. Then I became an Anglican† (Irving 1). The variety of churches that John attended contributed to John’s inability to choose; this inability concerns not only his religious views, but also his political and social concepts. John believes in God only in view of Owen’s religious belief, he criticizes political leaders and their actions through Owen’s understanding of political events. As John remembers, â€Å"The only way you can get Americans to notice anything is to tax them or draft them or kill them, Owen said† (Irving 431). John’s life appears to be closely connected with Owen’s life and ideas, and after Owen’s death, Johns finds it difficult to live. Although John builds new life in Canada, finds an interesting job and constantly visits church, he feels that he lacks something important, the sense of life that he had while Owen was alive. In his middle age the narrator has no family and no sexual relations with women; he criticizes Iran scandal and the Vietnam War. His worship of Owen destroys John’s personality, depriving him of the possibility to create a personal life; as John admits, â€Å"I make no claims to be especially pious; I have a church-rummage faith – the kind that needs patching up every weekend. What faith I have I owe to Owen Meany, a boy I grew up with. It is Owen who made me a believer† (Irving 2). Throughout the narration Irving implicitly shows that such worship may be dangerous for a person, especially if it is formed in early childhood and youth; this childhood worship may destroy a person in adulthood. As John narrates of his early years and of his present life, he simultaneously reveals various psychological problems; he is a person who is unable to adjust to the existing political and social life in Canada, rejecting his status as an American citizen. The narrator is not able to find his true self, because he chooses wrong paths and wrong ways, although, contrary to Owen, he belongs to a well-known family that lives in New Hampshire. According to John, â€Å"I was a Wheelwright – that was the family name that counted in our town: the Wheelwrights† (Irving 6). However, growing up in a rather unconventional family, John follows the faith chosen by his best friend Owen, but his belief in God is different from Owen’s belief. John believes in a person who embodies God, but not in God, and this personification deprives John of the possibility to find true faith that will help him to overcome his inner problems. John’s criticism of Regan ruling is based on the fact of Owen’s death rather than on any specific political ideology. He does not want to accept Owen’s death and he implicitly accuses American government in his friend’s death. This oddness of the narrator is exposed to harsh satire by Irving who reveals the impact of worship on the behavior and thinking of John Wheelwright. Other characters of the novel explain John’s psychological problems as a result of his complex childhood: â€Å"You keep doing that and you’ll make yourself sterile’, said my cousin Hester, to whom every event of our shared childhood was either sexually exhilarating or sexually damaging† (Irving 54). Thus, Irving applies to some aspects of psychoanalysis in his portrayal of John, trying to find several explanations of his unusual behavior. John’s childhood experience and especially his ambiguous religious faith transform the narrator into a cripple. As John moves to Canada, he leads a secluded life there, working as a teacher of English, but being obsessed with his thoughts and recollections. John’s criticism of social and political life conceals his anger as to Owen’s death; although he accuses American government and God in this tragedy, he hurts himself for this death. Being a virgin in his middle age, the narrator reveals powerful emotions only when he reads some facts about crimes in the United States, as if seeking relief in the news that manage to suppress his pain. However, nothing can give John a hope after Owen’s death; his friendship with Owen was so prolonged and so strong that John continued to feel the presence of Owen. Even after death Owen influences John and controls all his actions, although only on a spiritual level. John Wheelwright believes in Owen’s support as if Owen is God; in fact, the narrator identifies Owen with an image of God, hoping that one day they will meet again. When Owen implicitly helps him to find his father and his identity, John is convinced of Owen’s divine origin, feeling that â€Å"Owen Meany was very near† (Irving 542). The mystery of his birth troubles the narrator, he is in search of various ways to find out the truth, because he feels that he is not able to lead a normal life without recognizing his origin. John’s faith in Owen is so powerful that he believes that Owen saves his life several times throughout the narration. Owen is John’s closest friend, despite the fact that Owen is the reason of the death of John’s mother. Creating a new life in Canada, John constantly thinks how Owen would act in various circumstances. In this regard, Irving demonstrates that John’s faith in Owen is intensified after Owen’s death; John is unable to forget a person who accompanied and supported him for many years. Through Owen, John tries to find answers to some crucial issues of existence. In his early years John makes constant attempts to repeat everything after his friend; however, he feels that he is not able to be like Owen, although he admires him. In his adulthood John also follows Owen’s advice, moving to Canada and finding a place in the Bishop Strachan High School. Thus, it is Owen who controls John’s fate, considering that he has such a right. Applying to a rather prosaic speech, the narrator contrasts himself to Owen and his inner power. The narrator even emphasizes Owen’s words throughout the novel, trying to prove Owen’s greatness and his impact on John’s personality. Owen’s authority is explicitly vivid, as the novel progresses, but Owen dies, failing to realize that, to some extent, his influence on John possesses some negative features. The fact is that faith inspired by Owen in the heart of John destroys the narrator, because this faith is a label that is not able to provide the character with real belief and understanding of the world around him. John appears to depend much on Owen, being unable to lead an independent life and experiencing considerable insecurity. When John has to take a decision, he applies to Owen for advice or simply evaluates something from Owen’s point of view. After Owen’s death John starts to believe that there are no coincidences in this world, everything is predestined; the similar words are expressed by Owen when he was alive: â€Å"Owen Meany believed that ‘coincidence’ was a stupid, shallow refuge sought by stupid, shallow people who were unable to accept the fact that their lives were shaped by a terrifying and awesome design† (Irving 186). However, following Owen’s thoughts, John Wheelwright ignores the profound understanding of the occurred events; although he accepts the fact of his mother’s death from the hands of Owen, he does not want to think why God punishes him in such a way. John seems to be the only person who has such a strong belief in Owen and in miracles that are connected with him. In this regard, the narrator evokes sympathy, because his wrong worship saved him only in early years. In adulthood he experiences discomfort over many things; although John claims to believe in God, he does not really understand the essence of Christian religion. Although he criticizes some political events, he does nothing to change the situation; for instance, he prefers to injure himself to avoid taking part in Vietnam War. The narrator is afraid of being destroyed by this War, but in reality he is destroyed by Owen. Throughout the narration John expresses contradictory viewpoints as to certain aspects of life; in particular, at the beginning of the novel he tells that faith should not be based on any miracles, but finally he accepts these miracles as an integral part of his own faith. Despite the fact that John constantly cites some passages from the Bible, he admits that he does not really know this Holy book; he simply wants to support the ideas of Owen with these passages. Thus, the narrator does not sincerely believe in God and he does not take part in any social or political activity. John Wheelwright lives in his own secluded world, keeping other people out of this world and believing only in Owen. John’s faith is intertwined with inner doubts, and faith can not survive if these doubts are not suppressed. True faith is based on trust, but Owen expresses the contrary idea that evokes doubts in the narrator. According to Owen, â€Å"That isn’t exactly what faith is†¦ I don’t believe everything that pops into my head – faith is a little more selective than that† (Irving 472). In fact, John does not realize his dependence on Owen until Owen’s death, he does not realize his weakness, and he has to face the consequences of his ignorance. As the narrator writes to Owen, â€Å"What good does it do to make whatever decision you’re talking about? What good does courage do – when what happens next is up for grabs? † (Irving 504). As a result of his dependence on Owen, John is afraid of life, he is afraid of any changes that may destroy his little world. Growing up with Owen in New Hampshire, John feels that this friendship is the only thing that supports him throughout his life. The narrator is not able to broaden his horizons and find other interesting things; his strange worship prevents him from finding the true meaning of life. John’s life is reflected in Owen’s life, thus, despite the fact that Owen and John share the similar life principles, their ways of life are different, as John has no personal life, he simply makes an attempt to resemble Owen. Contrary to Owen who manages to find the goal in life, John is unable to understand his own predestination. The narrator lives in the light of Owen, failing to find his own light; as a result, his life is spiritually destroyed after Owen’s death. Although John brings up some life issues, he is not able to understand what is crucial in his own life. Thus, at the end of the narration John turns to prayers, as if hoping to find solace in them, to find the meaning of his further life, but he is still full of doubts that prevent him from accepting reality. Although John Wheelwright is already an adult, to some extent, he remains a little boy who is in search of comfort and understanding and who needs another person to guide him through life. With Owen’s death, John collides with inner conflicts, concerning his faith. Perhaps, these conflicts can be explained by the fact that absolute faith created by Owen Meany is impossible for such persons as John; he is not Owen, although he tries to resemble him. John’s upbringing and life experience are different from that of Owen’s, thus John fails to fully believe in the things believed by Owen. Due to John’s inner doubts and inability to create a personal life, John usually turns to sarcasm in his evaluation of certain events. Instead of analyzing political or religious issues, the narrator treats them through his personal experience. Thus, John’s insight is restricted by his infirm intellect; the faith that he seems to have does not shed light on the narrator’s life; instead it transforms him into a person who experiences constant pain and obvious displeasure. Unlike Owen who finds power and inspiration in his belief, John is unable to experience the similar inspiration. He appears to be a tool in the hands of Owen who utilizes the narrator to his own liking, persuading John that he is a God’s instrument. It is Owen who performs home tasks for John, it is Owen who makes him receive a major degree in English, it is Owen who saves him from Vietnam and who persuades him to move to Canada. John is so used to this guidance and dependence that he does not realize that Owen manipulates him, depriving John of the possibility to become a mature adult in his middle age. Influenced by Owen, John Wheelwright prefers to keep in the background of Owen’s life, implicitly challenging the issues of true faith. Works Cited Irving, John. A Prayer for Owen Meany. New York, NY: Ballantine Books, 1990.

Porphyria

The disorder I chose to do is called Porphyria. It can cause red bloches on the skin. It can also severely affect the nervous system. Ichose this disorder because it had a name similar to Porpise. Porphyria is a group of disorders caused by abnormalities in the chemical steps that lead to heme production. Heme is a vital molecule for all of the body's organs, although it is most abundant in the blood, bone marrow, and liver. Heme is a component of several iron-containing proteins called hemoproteins, including hemoglobin (the protein that carries oxygen in the blood). Researchers have identified several types of porphyria, which are distinguished by their genetic cause and their signs and symptoms. Some types of porphyria, called cutaneous porphyrias, primarily affect the skin. Areas of skin exposed to the sun become fragile and blistered, which can lead to infection, scarring, changes in skin coloring (pigmentation), and increased hair growth. Cutaneous porphyrias include congenital erythropoietic porphyria, erythropoietic protoporphyria, hepatoerythropoietic porphyria, and porphyria cutanea tarda. Other types of porphyria, called acute porphyrias, primarily affect the nervous system. These disorders are described as â€Å"acute† because their signs and symptoms appear quickly and usually last a short time. Episodes of acute porphyria can cause abdominal pain, vomiting, constipation, and diarrhea. During an episode, a person may also experience muscle weakness, seizures, fever, and mental changes such as anxiety and hallucinations. These signs and symptoms can be life-threatening, especially if the muscles that control breathing become paralyzed. Acute porphyrias include acute intermittent porphyria and ALAD deficiency porphyria. Two other forms of porphyria, hereditary coproporphyria and variegate porphyria, can have both acute and cutaneous symptoms. Each form of porphyria results from mutations in one of these genes: ALAD, ALAS2, CPOX, FECH, HMBS, PPOX, UROD, or UROS. The genes related to porphyria provide instructions for making the enzymes needed to produce heme. Mutations in most of these genes reduce enzyme activity, which limits the amount of heme the body can produce. As a result, compounds called porphyrins and porphyrin precursors, which are formed during the process of heme production, can build up abnormally in the liver and other organs. When these substances accumulate in the skin and interact with sunlight, they cause the cutaneous forms of porphyria. The acute forms of the disease occur when porphyrins and porphyrin precursors build up in and damage the nervous system. One type of porphyria, porphyria cutanea tarda, results from both genetic and nongenetic factors. About 20 percent of cases are related to mutations in the UROD gene. The remaining cases are not associated with UROD gene mutations and are classified as sporadic. Many factors contribute to the development of porphyria cutanea tarda. These include an increased amount of iron in the liver, alcohol consumption, smoking, hepatitis C or HIV infection, or certain hormones. Mutations in the HFE gene (which cause an iron overload disorder called hemochromatosis) are also associated with porphyria cutanea tarda. Other, as-yet-unidentified genetic factors may also play a role in this form of porphyria. Some types of porphyria are inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern, which means one copy of the gene in each cell is mutated. This single mutation is sufficient to reduce the activity of an enzyme needed for heme production, which increases the risk of developing signs and symptoms of porphyria. Autosomal dominant porphyrias include acute intermittent porphyria, most cases of erythropoietic protoporphyria, hereditary coproporphyria, and variegate porphyria. Although the gene mutations associated with some cases of porphyria cutanea tarda also have an autosomal dominant inheritance pattern, most people with this form of porphyria do not have an inherited gene mutation. Other porphyrias are inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern, which means both copies of the gene in each cell have mutations. Most often, the parents of an individual with an autosomal recessive condition each carry one copy of the mutated gene, but do not show signs and symptoms of the condition. Porphyrias with an autosomal recessive pattern of inheritance include ALAD deficiency porphyria, congenital erythropoietic porphyria, and some cases of erythropoietic protoporphyria. When erythropoietic protoporphyria is caused by mutations in the ALAS2 gene, it has an X-linked dominant pattern of inheritance. The ALAS2 gene is located on the X chromosome, which is one of the two sex chromosomes. In females (who have two X chromosomes), a mutation in one of the two copies of the gene in each cell may be sufficient to cause the disorder. In males (who have only one X chromosome), a mutation in the only copy of the gene in each cell causes the disorder. Males may experience more severe symptoms of the disorder than females. A striking characteristic of X-linked inheritance is that fathers cannot pass X-linked traits to their sons. Mutations in the UROD gene are related to both porphyria cutanea tarda and hepatoerythropoietic porphyria. Individuals who inherit one altered copy of the UROD gene are at increased risk for porphyria cutanea tarda. (Multiple genetic and nongenetic factors contribute to this condition. ) People who inherit two altered copies of the UROD gene in each cell develop hepatoerythropoietic porphyria. The exact prevalence of porphyria is unknown, but it probably ranges from 1 in 500 to 1 in 50,000 people worldwide. Overall, porphyria cutanea tarda is the most common type of porphyria. For some forms of porphyria, the prevalence is unknown because many people with a genetic mutation associated with the disease never experience signs or symptoms. Acute intermittent porphyria is the most common form of acute porphyria in most countries. It may occur more frequently in northern European countries, such as Sweden, and in the United Kingdom. Another form of the disorder, hereditary coproporphyria, has been reported mostly in Europe and North America. Variegate porphyria is most common in the Afrikaner population of South Africa; about 3 in 1,000 people in this population have the genetic change that causes this form of the disorder. Patients diagnosed with porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) are screened for other diseases. They may be treated with phlebotomy (blood collection) to reduce body iron stores and/or receive other treatments to decrease photosensitivity of the skin. Specialists advise PCT patients to wear protective clothing and use sunscreen at all times to reduce skin damage. PCT affects about 80 percent of patients with porphyria. It is the most common non-acute porphyria and by far the most common porphyria. Although acute intermittent porphyria (AIP) is the most common acute porphyria, it is still quite rare. It usually affects women between 20 and 40 years old and men between 30 and 50. Because patients with an acute attack of AIP can rapidly develop a life-threatening illness, physicians often recommend hospitalization. While being monitored in the intensive care unit, patients may be treated with intravenous fluids, a high-carbohydrate diet, and medications that suppress porphyrin production. As you can see, Porphyria is a terrible disease. It affecs many and can even kill those affected. Reaserch on cures and treatments is still underway. We can only hope they find a cure before more people are affected.

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Rosetta Stone - Research Paper Example One of the key features about the Rosetta stone is its name. The name is currently commonly confused with one of the quickest growing educational blogs. The blog was named after the rock since it serves the same role the Rosetta stone played for archeologists and the world, which was the deciphering of the hieroglyphs. Jean-Franà §ois Champollion was the archeologist who was able to decipher the meaning of the hieroglyphs. Champollion had a good understanding of the Greek language and had expansive knowledge and comprehension of Coptic. With an understanding of Coptic script and Greek, Champollion was able to decipher the hieroglyphs. Another interesting aspect about the Rosetta stone is its naming. The rock, which is believed to be made of granodiorite, is named after the town in which it was discovered. However, the Town was not known as Rosetta but rather is historically and geographically known as Rashid. However, the English translation of Rashid is Rosetta. Conventionally, the importance of the Rosetta stone, other than its contribution to the deciphering the hieroglyphs in 1822 is still not clearly known. However, several propositions of its roles have been from the translation of the hieroglyphs. The rock was uncovered by Napoleon’s soldiers when they were digging foundations in el-Rashid, which is commonly referred to as Rosetta The Rosetta stone is believed to have been issued in 196 BC in Memphis, Egypt. The stone was developed as a decree on behalf of King Ptolemy V. The stone is believed to have been written in three scripts for it to be easily read by priests, government officials and rulers of Egypt. Presumably, each of these groups used a different script in their literature. The current level of knowledge of deciphering argues that the stele was erected to assert the beginning of a new reign; a divine cult (Sandborn & Sandborn 110). The stone is one of the few historical

Landmark Decisions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Landmark Decisions - Assignment Example The rulings were important in shaping application of the constitution in practical terms (Plessy v. Ferguson) and also in securing the rights of the accused person in protecting his or her innocence (Miranda v. Arizona). Introduction In the Plessy v. Ferguson case, Homer Plessy challenged the Louisiana law requiring that black and white people ride in separate coaches on trains. His argument was that the 14th Amendment of the constitution was meant to guarantee equal protection and due process under the law. However the Supreme Court ruled that segregation under state law was constitutional as long as the facilities provided for the different races were equal. This â€Å"separate but equal† ruling sets the stage for segregation laws that stayed in force for the next 60 years. In the Miranda v. The Arizona Supreme Court held that an accused person’s confession was not to be admitted in court if it was found that he or she was not informed of their right to counsel or hav ing themselves protected against self-incrimination. It forms the basis of the Miranda warnings that are issued up to the present day before any interrogation by an arrested person is initiated (Landmark Rulings of the United States Supreme Court, n.d.). 1. The Plessy v. ... In passing the ruling, Justice Henry Brown noted that the â€Å"Separate but equal† statute merely implied a legal distinction between black and white and that it did not violate the Amendment because it could not have been intended to abolish distinctions based on race or to enforce social equality. As far as the majority Justices were concerned, as long as the statute did not discriminate against the black population politically and merely sought to enforce social order then it was legal and constitutional. This very narrow interpretation of the constitution was entirely in line with the thinking at the time and was accepted and endorsed by all except one of the judges of the Supreme Court (Amar, 2011). In the Miranda v. Arizona ruling, the appellant had objected to the use of a confession that had been made without the accused being made aware of their Fifth Amendment rights (the right to not involuntarily incriminate oneself) and also on this Sixth Amendment right (the rig ht to legal counsel, provided free of charge if the accused cannot afford it). The Supreme Court ruling was a landmark in the way accused persons are questioned prior to being charged in court. It also made the reading of the accused’s rights a mandatory requirement. Initially there was fear that this decision would lead to as one of the justices said, the setting free of killers, rapists and other criminals who would then go out and commit crime again but it also emphasized the doctrine of presumption of innocence, a key constitutional right (Schauer, 2013). 1A. In the Plessy v. Ferguson ruling, the lone dissenting voice was of Associate Justice John Marshall Harlan of Kentucky who held that the constitution is color

Importance of communication plan in trail transport Essay

Importance of communication plan in trail transport - Essay Example Despite the existence of various transport methods that are fully researched on, the trail system has been neglected and even not cared for because of the social perception (Ministry of Health Promotion). The involvement of organizations such as Rail-to-Trails and other organizations has helped change the perception of the society. Through highlighting of the benefits of the trails the organizations have helped shape the use of trail transport in the country (Rails-to-Trails Conservancy Organization). Rails-to-trails offer several support activities for the use of trails in transport. The organization advocates and influence policy development both for the state and national governments. In addition, the company offers technical assistance to the local trail builders to ensure their design factor in issues of safety and environmental conservation. Through defending the federal Trail banking statute, the organization supports government efforts in the process by developing the necessary support and watchdog activities. The research carried out by the organization helps in shaping the belief and the nature of the existing trails (Rails-to-Trails Conservancy Organization). Trails are important because they improve the health of the community by encouraging involvement in physical activities.

What were British objectives in the Paris Peace talks Essay Example for Free

What were British objectives in the Paris Peace talks Essay In January 1919, having recognised that the signed armistice of November 1918 marked only a temporary ceasefire with the Central Powers, the Allied leaders convened in Paris to negotiate the various peace treaties with their defeated counterparts. The conference which unfolded bore witness to an intense debate revolving around both a clash of interest and ideology and ultimately resulted in a compromise which satisfied none of its creators. Regardless of whether Britain acted either as a mediator between America and France or was the French’s main opponent, Britain certainly entered discussions with overarching concerns for the need for both a durable peace and to accommodate wartime treaty commitments as well as recognising the need to both reorder the world map and to construct a new diplomatic system. To its own ends, however, maintenance of the Empire’s unity, holdings and interests were the principal focus of British concern in the conference. Due to Britain’s position as one of the three leading Allied powers it was able to obtain, in circumstances of divergent national interests, much of what it set out to achieve. It must however be noted that in some quarters, in particular relating to the settlement of Eastern Europe and the Treaty of Versailles, Britain was not entirely satisfied. Throughout the conference, Britain had several objectives which tied into those of both America and France, however for all countries involved there was certainly a desperate need for durable peace and to deal with mattes such as the removal of the Royal Naval blockade of Germany and the issue of the presence of Allied troops in the Rhineland. By the end of the World War One, Britain had been able to maintain its relatively strong position and still stood with an unequalled empire and ranked as the world’s richest power. Yet Joseph Chamberlain’s coined phrase, lamenting Britain’s prospects to no more than a, ‘weary titan staggering under the orb of its own weight’, did bring as much reality with it as it did gloom. The war had resulted in an eleven fold increase in National Debt, a surge in taxation levels and a huge overall reduction in Britain’s GDP. It was therefore certainly apparent that Britain’s own strategic position would be at the forefront of British minds throughout the conference. Ultimately Britain, like the rest of the victorious Allied countries, desired a long-lasting peace which would result in preventing any major future European wars and as such required the outcome of neutering any lingering German threat. The agreement that therefore arose was no more than an imposed peace, or Diktat, and ensured both that Germany would be unable to mount a serious challenge in the coming years whilst at the same time satisfying British and French public opinion which had called for the total destruction of Germany. For Britain itself, it was imperative that Europe stabilised because the fortunes of Britain were essentially placed in the hands of the European economy. The restoration of Germany, Britain’s largest trading partner prior to the war, as an economic power would have had the chain effect of both stabilising Europe and the world’s economy, which was vital for a prosperous Britain. Furthermore, and especially for Lloyd George who was fighting an election battle, it was certainly Britain’s objective to satisfy the general public. With around one million casualties, Britain had practically lost and entire generation whilst at the same time Britain was also in the uncomfortable position of having most to lose from a future war. Indeed with the advent of new military technology, in particular from U-boats, Britain would have been likely to have suffered greatly from another war and as such the need for a lasting peace was colossal from a British perspective. In actuality Britain did achieve much of its desire for a durable peace. Peace settlements with Germany, Austria, Bulgaria, Turkey and Hungary ensured that much of the sanctions that Britain wished to impose were realised whilst at the same time, to some extent at least, the level of stability that Britain desired in Eastern Europe was achieved. Moreover, British public opinion was also largely satisfied by the Treaty of Versailles. The extent to which it did make Germany suffer was widely accepted throughout Britain, with only minor criticism coming from those, such as Keynes, who believed it to be too harsh. Yet, and in particular from hindsight, there were some issues which would almost certainly oppose Britain’s ambition for a lasting peace. Most appreciable there was widespread discontent throughout Germany over the nature of the treaty. Derided as a ‘blank cheque’, the treaty imposed, under Article 231, that Germany accept full responsibility for the war and this lead to much outrage throughout Germany, with much of the population longing for the opportunity for revenge. Moreover throughout the rest of Europe there was also much resentment. Bulgaria, Turkey and Hungary were all left feeling aggrieved by the outcome of their respective treaties whilst in particular the reduction of Austria’s population to eight million and the prevention of a future Anschluss resulted in much bitterness. It was clear that the defeated Central Powers had much to feel aggrieved about and this certainly reduced the prospect of a durable peace. Events boiled to a head in the Chanak crisis and the resulting outcome indicated both that the imposed treaties were neither as strong as intended and also negotiable, for Britain this meant that their ambition for a stable Europe would never be completely realised. Lloyd George certainly reflected this in his Fontainbleu memorandum, in which he stated that if Germany was ‘unjustly treated’ it would ‘find means of exacting retribution’. Moreover, Britain also recognised the need to accommodate wartime treaty commitments and to fulfil promises which had been made to countries, such as Italy, Greece and Romania, throughout the war. These issues extended back to the Treaty of London in 1915 where for example Italy has been persuaded to join the Allies, with the incentive of territorial gains of the Trentino and Tyrol as far as Brenner, Trieste and Istria along with full ownership of Albanian Valona and Britain was eager to ensure that all countries involved within the war would not be left aggrieved with the outcome of the conference. For Britain it was important to ensure that the European economy recovered quickly and as such it was a necessity that there was stability throughout Europe. Moreover for the status quo to be maintained it was vital that Britain sustained its wartime allies. As such Britain’s involvement in the League of Nations and the punitive nature of the Treaty of Versailles did much to maintain its relationship with America and France respectively. Whilst more generally, with the exception of the relationship with Japan which was forgone for the sake of relations with America, Britain maintained its relationship with Australia, New Zealand, Greece, Turkey and Italy and therefore was reasonably successful in its attempts to ensure the relative survival of the status quo and its wartime allies. Linked to Britain’s desire for a durable peace came its ambition to guarantee its security.

Presentation Techniques for News Program

Presentation Techniques for News Program This lesson we shall deal with the presentation techniques for an effective news program. And also deal with the principles required to learn in order to become a good presenter or anchor. ____________________________________________________________________________ Objectives After going through this lesson, you should be able to: Describe the skills for TV news anchor. Describe the principles and concept of anchoring Live show. ____________________________________________________________________________ Introduction An anchor is a person who hosts a show or a program. We can also say that anchor is the compare of a program. An anchor plays a very important role in broadcasting a program. Anchors can attract the viewers and keep them tuned to the program that he or she is anchoring. Anchors can attract viewers by their charming personality and speaking skills. The anchor should sound very confident while speaking to their audience. At the networks the TV news anchors present the news. You know the people the ones sitting there behind a desk (or in the field) telling you what’s happening in the world that day. Whether broadcasting from a small local station or manning one of the network’s primetime broadcasts TV news anchors compile news stories and deliver them. ____________________________________________________________________________ News Anchoring A news anchor is a television personality who presents material prepared for a news program and at times must improvise commentary for live presentation. The term is primarily used in the United States and Canada. Many news anchors are also involved in writing and/or editing the news for their programs. Sometimes news anchors interview guests and moderate panels or discussions. And some provide commentary for the audience during parades and other events. Anchoring is the art of finding and delivering the best possible expression to any given content. It includes factors such as use of language, shot composition, choice and selection of relevant details, and an interesting and engaging way of presenting one’s subject matter. In other words, it is the skill of capturing and holding the interest of the audience. Skills for TV News Anchor Being a news anchor requires a number of skills, the first of which is a comfort in front of the camera. There’s an element of show business in the job of a news anchor not only do you need to be comfortable in front of the camera but you need to make people want to watch you. Few more skills are given below: Knowledge base: An understanding of issues, names, geography, history and the ability to put all of these in perspective for viewers. Ability to process new information: Sorting, organizing, prioritizing and retaining massive amounts of incoming data. Ethical compass: Sensitivity to ethical land mines that often litter the field of live breaking news — unconfirmed information, graphic video, words that potentially panic, endanger public safety or security. Command of the language: Dead-on grammar, syntax, pronunciation, tone and storytelling — no matter how stressed or tired the anchor or reporter may be. Interviewing finesse: An instinct for what people need and want to know, for what elements are missing from the story, and the ability to draw information by skillful, informed questioning and by listening. Mastery of multitasking: Take in a producer’s instructions via an earpiece while scanning new information from computer and other sources. Appreciation of all roles: An understanding of the tasks and technology that go into the execution of a broadcast, the ability to roll with changes and glitches, and anticipate all other professionals involved. Acute sense of timing: The ability to condense or expand one’s speech on demand, to sense when a story needs refreshing or recapping. Writing Your Script Most importantly: write your script to be spoken, not read. Keep in mind that your audience will hear your words rather than see them, so it’s important to write in a way that when spoken it sounds natural. Smile: Smiling is perhaps the simplest way to connect with your audience. The warmth of a smile is a must at the very least at the beginning and very end of your performance Maintain Eye Contact: The magic of the teleprompter is that it enables you to look directly into the camera lens, creating the illusion of eye contact with your audience. Take full advantage of this by not looking away. Your continuous gaze really does engage your audience. Eye movements away from the camera can make you look a little bit ‘shifty’. Roles of News Anchor An anchor performs a wide variety of roles in a news organization. Apart from the skills that he or she is expected to have and inculcate, an anchor constantly learns on the job. The News Gathering Part of the Job How much reporting is involved in an anchor’s job is dependent on where the anchor works and what type of broadcast they work on. Some anchors, especially at local news stations, will report their own stories (perhaps with help from a producer or other staffer), and write the scripts they then transmit on the air. In that sense, an anchor works very much like a reporter with the main difference being that they need to craft the story in a way that works for television. Handling Breaking Newswithout a Teleprompter Handling breaking news is an essential part of 247 news. When you are rushing to the studio to anchor breaking news, grab all the available information you can. Dont be afraid to ask for help. You will probably be busy throwing on your make up and tying your tie. Have someone print you out the latest wire copy or jot down the latest facts. Do not wait for someone else to write a script for you. That will just delay your appearance on the air. Being first is paramount with breaking news. Good anchors get on the air first and look like they prepared all day. Besides, reading another writers script cold on the air wont be convincing. Digest the facts yourself and convey them like a pro. Reading a Teleprompter Reading a Teleprompter effectively is a lot more difficult than many people think. First of all, most people dont read aloud as well as they think they do. Add to that the difficulties of the sentences being cut up to two or three words per line and those lines moving at a distance while you have lights in your face. Meanwhile there are thousands, maybe millions, of people watching you closely. Deal with all this while appearing to not to be reading at all. Use the teleprompter as a guide. Do not try to read every word exactly as it is written on the teleprompter. Every anchor makes mistakes. Sometimes words are misspelled. Occasionally a long word will be cut in half because it is too long for a line. Whatever the problem, if you get lost in your script you will fall apart on camera. Television Anchor Makeup Women are better equipped to deal with anchor makeup for the simple reason that they are used to applying makeup. Women will only need to make a few adjustments to their makeup routine while men must start from scratch. Any men who have a problem wearing makeup while anchoring need to get over it fast. Television cameras and bright lights will change your appearance drastically. They will wash you out, flatten your features, and bring out all the imperfections in your skin. The most manly men you see on television are wearing makeup. You should too. Anchor Wardrobe Anchor wardrobe should always start with solid colors. The goal is to minimize too many conflicting visual images in your clothing when you anchor a television newscast. Begin with a solid suit or dress shirt. Women can wear solid suits, sweaters or blouses. Pay attention to the collar. Collars are very important on TV. When you appear in a head and shoulders shot, your collar frames your face. If your collar spreads apart wide, it will make your face appear wider. If your collar is long, pointed and close together it will make your face appear slimmer. Since TV makes most people look heavier than they are, most people should wear longer point collars. The same thing applies to lapels. Wide lapels widen. Thin lapels make you appear slimmer. Punch up your outfit with a splash of color. A bright tie or scarf will brighten your face without distracting. Go ahead and be bold with red, orange or purple. Even if it seems over the top in person, it wont appear so bright on the TV news. Breaking News Live Shows No skill is more vital to the worth of a television news reporter than their ability to do a breaking news live shot. They must be able to roll up to a scene, gather as much information as they can in a matter of minutes, then deliver a live report as if he had all day to prepare. They key to a great breaking news live shot is preparation in the face of limited time and resources. Don’t try to do it all on your own. Utilize all newsroom resources to gather information. The assignment editor who sent you to the breaking news live shot should have some details. This may only be what and where the breaking news happened. Press the assignment desk to get you more information as you head to and prepare for your live shot. Ask them to pull background information and file video. Biographies and historical accounts are useful. The details can help you fill time when you dont have anything new to say. Points keep in mind during anchoring live show When you arrive on the scene, finding witnesses is your first priority. They are sound bite gold. After that, seek police and other officials. They are less desirable interviews but will do if you have nothing else. If no one seems to know what is going on, look for neighbours who can put things into context. They can tell you that the incident happens all the time or is unusual for the neighbourhood. If you have time, use one of these people as an interview in your breaking news live shot. If you have a producer or intern with you, send them out to canvas the area. While you are preparing to be on the air they can gather more information and find potential interview subjects. Write down your bullet points. You dont have time to write a script so just outline the points you want to make in your live shot. Keep everything simple, straightforward and logical. Start with the latest breaking news. It may sound obvious but many reporters fail to start with what is new. Only then should you give background and establish context. The chronologic approach is not always the best way to tell the story. Tell viewers what you dont know. Reporters often do breaking news live shots without knowing any facts. In local TV news it is more important to get on the air first than to have all the details. If you are missing important facts that are essential to the story, explain that you dont know but are working to find out. It is a great way to tease that you are advancing the story for a future newscast. Viewers appreciate this. If you are missing an obvious fact but don’t mention it they will wonder why. Once you are done telling your story stops. Dont talk too much. Reporters often lose track of what they are saying in breaking news live shots and start to yammer. Often a reporter will do a great breaking news live shot only to ruin it by dragging it on too long.

The Lost Honour of Katharina Blum Essay -- essays research papers fc

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Due Date: 8th April 2005 The Lost Honour of Katharina Blum Long Essay Question 2:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Knowing about the writer of a literary text can shape significantly the way that it is read. Consider the effect of the writer’s context on your understanding of The Lost Honour of Katharina Blum. The Lost Honour of Katharina Blum is the product of a political and social genius: it is a comment on Germany and society in general and is, as its author, Heinrich Boll would have it described, â€Å"a pamphlet disguised as a novel† . It was written, not just to entertain, but above all, to criticise the society in which it was produced. It is therefore impossible to fully understand the major ideas and themes of the text, and even, to and extent, the storyline itself without some knowledge of the milieu in which it was composed. Being aware of the context in which The Lost Honour of Katharina Blum was produced intensifies the impact of the major issues which it explores (notably the detrimental effects of power abuse, language abuse, and discrimination on the basis of wealth and social standing) by forcing us to rethink the childish yet widely held belief that a novel is merely a story and inviting us to read the this text not as a fairy tale, but as a excruciatingly honest commentary on humanity and modern social values. Heinrich Boll was born towards the end of the First World War, and lived his childhood in its shadow. During this time he wrote many short stories with the background of economics and social consequences of the war. These reflected his experiences as a witness to Germany’s defeat in World War One – national humiliation, international debt due to the Treaty of Versailles, which also encompassed loss of land and foreign occupation, the political instability of the Weimar Republic, and the almost inevitable collapse of the German economy resulting in hyperinflation, unemployment and later, Great Depression of the 1930s. The shocking social, economic and political conditions in Germany eventually led to the rise of Hitler, Nazi Germany and later, to the Second World War. As a youth, Boll was conscripted into the army of the Third Rei... ...Vintage, London   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Used for quotes and textual support Butler, Michael, (N.D.) The Conscience of a Nation: Heinrich Boll, [online], retrieved April 1, 2005, from www.writing.upenn.edu   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Helpful information on Bolls life and career as a writer Class Notes   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Useful background information on West Germany and Bolls experiences with the police and press  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Corin, Chris, Fiehn, Terry, Communist Russia under Lenin and Stalin (2002), John Murray Publishers Ltd, London Background reading – helpful information on communism and western attitudes towards its rise in Russia Interwar Years – Economic Recovery, Spark Notes Online Study Guide [online], (2001), Retrieved April 3, 2005, from www.sparknotes.com Good brief overview of the years between the two World Wars – background information, useful for’ filling in the gaps’ ‘Germany’ (2003), Encyclopedia Britannica Online Reference Centre [online], Retrieved March 30, 2005 through MLC school intranet. Information on Germany in the past and present – interesting to see the positive comments made regarding freedom of the press

Wakefield Essay -- Literary Analysis, Hawthorne

What Was He Thinking? What would you think of a man who left his family, moved over to the next street to watch their lives unfold, and then returned after twenty years as if nothing had happened? What could drive a man to such bizarre behavior? These are the issues that Nathaniel Hawthorne deals with in the story of Mr. Wakefield. The very idea that a man could possibly do such a thing makes the audience want to understand his intentions. It is hard for a modern audience to make sense of such a story because television shows and movies have made today’s society focus so much on easily apparent themes or morals. Hawthorne used this story to examine society’s motivations. In his short story â€Å"Wakefield,† it is necessary that Hawthorne uses the narrator as a tool to shed light on Mr. Wakefield’s motives as well as to emphasize the story’s theme, that an individual can only appreciate and understand his life by looking in on it from the outside. In Hawthorne’s â€Å"Wakefield† the narrator’s thoughts and comments bring insight into the motivations of the character of the story. The story includes a long introduction in which the narrator, Hawthorne, describes how he heard the curious story of Mr. Wakefield. Hawthorne supplies his audience with a condensed version of the entire plot of the story. With this introduction, Hawthorne has already informed the audience of the story’s intriguing plot and this intensifies the audience’s desire to find out Mr. Wakefield’s motivations because they cannot comprehend why he would do such a thing. The audience will try to make sense of Mr. Wakefield’s actions, but they will not find a logical explanation. The story may seem unreal but the reader must take the story as it is and focus on the charact... ..., would argue that Hawthorne was showing his modernism by writing about the strange habits of human nature. Others, such as Morsberger would argue that the story of Wakefield simply mirrors many of Hawthorne’s other works. I do not disagree with either viewpoint, but I feel that Hawthorne simply wanted to create an intriguing story that dealt with people’s motivations. I would argue that he wrote this story to examine a side of human nature that is often forgotten or intentionally left out of a large portion of literature. Hawthorne is able to place the reader within the mind of Mr. Wakefield through his unique approach to story-telling. The result is a fascinating look into the mind of a very interesting character. Hawthorne has done such a wonderful job of luring in the reader that it takes only a few minutes to read â€Å"Wakefield,† but you will never forget it.

Angelas Ashes Essay -- essays research papers

Angela's Ashes Exposition:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Characters: Francis McCourt- protagonist   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Malachy McCourt (father)- antagonist   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Angela McCourt (mother)- protagonist   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Malachy McCourt (brother)- protagonist   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Michael McCourt (brother)- static   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Alphie McCourt (brother)- static   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Abbot (uncle)- protagonist   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Uncle Pa Keating (uncle)- protagonist   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Aunt Aggie (aunt)- antagonist   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Setting: In the poor part of Limerick, Ireland around 1938.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Rising Action: 1. Frankie's father, Malachy, lost his job in America. There is no money left in the family and they are living a poor and unhappy life without enough money to live. They are depending on the government to help them. 2. Frankie's mother has a baby, Margaret. Because of the lack of money the family can't eat and keep the children healthy. Margaret, the only girl dies and Frankie's mother and father are very unhappy. They go through hard times because of their loss. 3. Frankie's mother's cous...

Guitar Concert Critique

From Left to Right: Danica Rae Espiritu, Jerico S. Dela Cruz, Darla Denielle R. Felizardo, April Jane B. Luna, Judith D. Domingo, Angelo Gabriel I. Manila Last February 14, a guitar concert took place at the University of the Philippines Los Banos. The concert held in NCAS auditorium was entitled 12 strings with Nobel Queano and Franco Maigne as the artists. I. General Reaction a. Physical Setup Upon entering the auditorium, you will already feel the classy ambiance of the whole venue which matches perfectly with the music being played in the venue. Some members of the group have also some insights about the venue.According to Darla, the setup was stunning. She was impressed with the design of curtains and the lights. She also said that the dominance of the color red in the setup added to the Valentines ambiance, giving the audience that romantic and lovely feeling along with the sweet harmony and melody of the two guitars. For Jerico, he was also grateful with the lights in the even t but for him, he suggested that it will be better if the lights will be in sync with the rhythm of the music. For April, she felt that the venue was very sophisticated and made her feel at home. The lights also made the venue extra-special.Angelo felt that the stage was too rigid for some movements. The whole group agreed that the sound system was very good because there were no faulty errors on the whole duration of the concert. b. Personal Reaction Overall, it was really a great show. Although some students find it boring, majority in our group find the concert to be enjoyable and interesting. For Darla, she said that she definitely did not waste her 100 pesos for the ticket because the setup was beautiful, the artists were great, and the music being played was so relaxing. She also said that it was a good stress-reliever after a long day in class.For Angelo, he thought that the concert would be continuous with no breaks and that the artists would not be able to have some talking to the audience, but they did. He also said that the set of classical songs are so good that he almost felt the feeling of the one that composed the pieces. He also added that the addition of modern songs in the set list is great because it matches the audience’s genre. Danica was so amazed with how the artists play and handle the guitar but she felt that it was little boring to listen because she didn’t know most of the songs that were played. c. RepertoireIn terms of the artists’ set list, our group also agrees that they have a good set of songs. Although most of the songs played were not familiar, they really made an effort to make their pieces to be appreciated. According to Danica, you can really feel the love of the two artists to Spanish Music through their setlist. She also said that it was a good line up actually, because it was a combination of slow and upbeat music. She said that it was clearly a good picture for students like us what classical music really mean. For Jerico, he liked the set list because the artists included an opm which really made him appreciate the concert more.For Darla, although she didn’t know most of the songs that they played, she liked how the artists arranged their pieces and she felt like she was going through a timeline of music. II. One Favorite Composition Majority of the members in our group liked the â€Å"Super Mario Medley† which was composed by Koji Kondo for the game â€Å"Mario†. They liked it because of the arrangement done by the artists and even the little effects were given emphasize such as the melody when Mario shoots, when he grows, and when he shrink back to his original size. They felt that it was amusing and heartwarming and they left the audience craving for more.They also noticed that the elements of music such as melody, harmony, and rhythm changes accordingly to the parts of the medley they played. Also, even though they made their own arrangement for it, the people still recognized that it was the Super Mario theme. Overall, it was executed in a perfect way. Jerico on the other hand has a different favorite composition. His favorite composition was â€Å"Sana Maulit Muli† which was composed, arranged and sang by Mr. Gary Valenciano. He liked the sound of the song because of its varying dynamics.The harmony and the melody of the song makes it more appealing to the mass. Angelo also has another favorite; his favorite was â€Å"Love Story† which was sang by Taylor Swift. . He liked it because it is polyphony and it emphasizes fast tempo and repetitive melodic patterns. III. Performance a. Artists’ Skill in Playing the Instrument There is no doubt that the artists were really good. They play the instruments really really well. They handled the guitar almost perfectly that it seems that it was very easy and light to play. The displayed their talents in a very awesome way that they left the audience in awe.They were s o good in playing the guitars since the classical songs that they played were made for piano and orchestra, yet they managed to play those pieces perfectly. We were also amazed when they told us that the other one plays with his left hand while the other one plays with his right hand. Amazing indeed! Seeing them play makes us want to learn how to play the guitar as brilliant as them. b. Stage Presence and Audience Rapport In terms of stage presence, our group agreed that the artists have great stage presence. The crowd went crazy when they play familiar songs and the crowd often sings with the music and clap at each piece.The introduction of the song before they play it creates a connection between the audience and the artists making the audience really tuned into their performance. It is also good that they played two popular songs towards the end. They made sure that the audience can relate and sing along to the pieces that they performed. All in all, the concert was a great perfo rmance indeed. Love Story, which was the last song for that night was really perfect for Valentine’s Day. Overall, it was really and inspiring show. By watching the concert we learned to appreciate guitar and classical music even more.

Part Four Chapter IX

IX The Yarvil and District Gazette erred on the side of caution in reporting what had been said during the most acrimonious Pagford Parish Council meeting in living memory. It made little difference; the bowdlerized report, augmented by the vivid eye-witness descriptions offered by all who had attended, still created widespread gossip. To make matters worse, a front-page story detailed the anonymous internet attacks in the dead man's name that had, to quote Alison Jenkins, 'caused considerable speculation and anger. See page four for full report.' While the names of the accused and the details of their supposed misdemeanours were not given, the sight of ‘serious allegations' and ‘criminal activity' in newsprint disturbed Howard even more than the original posts. ‘We should have beefed up security on the site as soon as that first post appeared,' he said, addressing his wife and business partner from in front of his gas fire. Silent spring rain sprinkled the window, and the back lawn glistened with tiny red pinpricks of light. Howard was feeling shivery, and was hogging all the heat emanating from the fake coal. For several days, nearly every visitor to the delicatessen and the cafe had been gossiping about the anonymous posts, about the Ghost of Barry Fairbrother and about Parminder Jawanda's outburst at the council meeting. Howard hated the things that she had shouted being bandied about in public. For the first time in his life, he felt uncomfortable in his own shop, and concerned about his previously unassailable position in Pagford. The election for the replacement of Barry Fairbrother would take place the following day, and where Howard had felt sanguine and excited, he was worried and twitchy. ‘This has done a lot of damage. A lot of damage,' he repeated. His hand strayed to his belly to scratch, but he pulled it away, enduring the itch with a martyr's expression. He would not soon forget what Dr Jawanda had screamed to the council and the press. He and Shirley had already checked the details of the General Medical Council, gone to see Dr Crawford, and made a formal complaint. Parminder had not been seen at work since, so no doubt she was already regretting her outburst. Nevertheless, Howard could not rid himself of the sight of her expression as she screamed at him. It had shaken him to see such hatred on another human's face. ‘It'll all blow over,' said Shirley reassuringly. ‘I'm not so sure,' said Howard. ‘I'm not so sure. It doesn't make us look good. The council. Rows in front of the press. We look divided. Aubrey says they're not happy, at District level. This whole thing's undermined our statement about the Fields. Squabbling in public, everything getting dirty †¦ it doesn't look like the council's speaking for the town.' ‘But we are,' said Shirley, with a little laugh. ‘Nobody in Pagford wants the Fields – hardly anyone.' ‘The article makes it look like our side went after pro-Fielders. Tried to intimidate them,' said Howard, succumbing to the temptation to scratch, and doing it fiercely. ‘All right, Aubrey knows it wasn't any of our side, but that's not how that journalist made it look. And I'll tell you this: if Yarvil makes us look inept or dirty †¦ they've been looking for a chance to take us over for years.' ‘That won't happen,' said Shirley at once. ‘That couldn't happen.' ‘I thought it was over,' said Howard, ignoring his wife, and thinking of the Fields. ‘I thought we'd done it. I thought we'd got rid of them.' The article over which he had spent so much time, explaining why the estate and the Bellchapel Addiction Clinic were drains and blots on Pagford, had been completely overshadowed by the scandals of Parminder's outburst, and the Ghost of Barry Fairbrother. Howard had completely forgotten now how much pleasure the accusations against Simon Price had given him, and that it had not occurred to him to remove them until Price's wife had asked. ‘District Council's emailed me,' he told Maureen, ‘with a bunch of questions about the website. They want to hear what steps we've taken against defamation. They think the security's lax.' Shirley, who detected a personal reproof in all of this, said coldly, ‘I've told you, I've taken care of it, Howard.' The nephew of friends of Howard and Shirley's had come round the previous day, while Howard was at work. The boy was halfway through a degree in computing. His recommendation to Shirley had been that they take down the immensely hackable website, bring in ‘someone who knows what they're doing' and set up a new one. Shirley had understood barely one word in ten of the technical jargon that the young man had spewed at her. She knew that ‘hack' meant to breach illegally, and when the student stopped talking his gibberish, she was left with the confused impression that the Ghost had somehow managed to find out people's passwords, maybe by questioning them cunningly in casual conversation. She had therefore emailed everybody to request that they change their password and make sure not to share the new one with anybody. This was what she meant by ‘I've taken care of it'. As to the suggestion of closing down the site, of which she was guardian and curator, she had taken no steps, nor had she mentioned the idea to Howard. Shirley was afraid that a site containing all the security measures that the superior young man had suggested would be way beyond the scope of her managerial and technical skills. She was already stretched to the limits of her abilities, and she was determined to cling to the post of administrator. ‘If Miles is elected – ‘ Shirley began, but Maureen interrupted, in her deep voice. ‘Let's hope it hasn't hurt him, this nasty stuff. Let's hope there isn't a backlash against him.' ‘People will know Miles had nothing to do with it,' said Shirley coolly. ‘Will they, though?' said Maureen, and Shirley simply hated her. How dare she sit in Shirley's lounge and contradict her? And what was worse, Howard was nodding his agreement with Maureen. ‘That's my worry,' he said, ‘and we need Miles more than ever now. Get some cohesion back on the council. After Bends-Your-Ear said what she said – after all the uproar – we didn't even take the vote on Bellchapel. We need Miles.' Shirley had already walked out of the room in silent protest at Howard's siding with Maureen. She busied herself with the teacups in the kitchen, silently fuming, wondering why she did not set out only two cups to give Maureen the hint that she so richly deserved. Shirley continued to feel nothing but defiant admiration for the Ghost. His accusations had exposed the truth about people whom she disliked and despised, people who were destructive and wrong-headed. She was sure that the electorate of Pagford would see things her way and vote for Miles, rather than that disgusting man, Colin Wall. ‘When shall we go and vote?' Shirley asked Howard, re-entering the room with the tinkling tea tray, and pointedly ignoring Maureen (for it was their son whose name they would tick on the ballot). But to her intense irritation, Howard suggested that all three of them go after closing time. Miles Mollison was quite as concerned as his father that the unprecedented ill-humour surrounding next day's vote would affect his electoral chances. That very morning he had entered the newsagent's behind the Square and caught a snatch of conversation between the woman behind the till and her elderly customer. ‘†¦ Mollison's always thought he was king of Pagford,' the old man was saying, oblivious to the wooden expression on the shopkeeper's face. ‘I liked Barry Fairbrother. Tragedy, that was. Tragedy. The Mollison boy did our wills and I thought he was very pleased with himself.' Miles had lost his nerve at that and slipped back out of the shop, his face glowing like a schoolboy's. He wondered whether the well-spoken old man was the originator of that anonymous letter. Miles' comfortable belief in his own likeability was shaken, and he kept trying to imagine how it would feel if nobody voted for him the following day. As he undressed for bed that night, he watched his silent wife's reflection in the dressing-table mirror. For days, Samantha had been nothing but sarcastic if he mentioned the election. He could have done with some support, some comfort, this evening. He also felt randy. It had been a long time. Thinking back, he supposed that it had been the night before Barry Fairbrother dropped dead. She had been a little bit drunk. It often took a little bit of drink, these days. ‘How was work?' he asked, watching her undo her bra in the mirror. Samantha did not answer immediately. She rubbed the deep red grooves in the flesh beneath her arms left by the tight bra, then said, without looking at Miles, ‘I've been meaning to talk to you about that, actually.' She hated having to say it. She had been trying to avoid doing so for several weeks. ‘Roy thinks I ought to close the shop. It's not doing well.' Exactly how badly the shop was doing would be a shock to Miles. It had been a shock to her, when her accountant had laid out the position in the baldest terms. She had both known and not known. It was strange how your brain could know what your heart refused to accept. ‘Oh,' said Miles. ‘But you'd keep the website?' ‘Yeah,' she said. ‘We'd keep the website.' ‘Well, that's good,' said Miles encouragingly. He waited for almost a minute, out of respect for the death of her shop. Then he said, ‘I don't suppose you saw the Gazette today?' She reached over for the nightdress on her pillow and he had a satisfying glimpse of her breasts. Sex would definitely help relax him. ‘It's a real shame, Sam,' he said, crawling across the bed behind her, and waiting to put his arms around her as she wriggled into the nightdress. ‘About the shop. It was a great little place. And you've had it, what – ten years?' ‘Fourteen,' said Samantha. She knew what he wanted. She considered telling him to go and screw himself, and decamping to the spare room, but the trouble was that there would then be a row and an atmosphere, and what she wanted more than anything in the world was to be able to head off to London with Libby in two days' time, wearing the T-shirts that she had bought them both, and to be within close proximity of Jake and his band mates for a whole evening. This excursion constituted the entire sum of Samantha's current happiness. What was more, sex might assuage Miles' continuing annoyance that she was missing Howard's birthday party. So she let him embrace and then kiss her. She closed her eyes, climbed on top of him, and imagined herself riding Jake on a deserted white beach, nineteen years old to his twenty-one. She came while imagining Miles watching them, furiously, through binoculars, from a distant pedalo.

Critically Assess Marx’s Theory of Class and Stratification

Marx class theory derived from his belief that class divisions are not found in all forms of society; classes are a creation of history. For Marx, classes are defined and structured by firstly, who owns or has property and means of production and who does the work in the production process, secondly the social relationships included in work and labour, and thirdly who produces and who rules the surplus human social labour can produce. All of these aspects of Marx class theory will be further explored in this essay. Marx believed that class divisions are not found in all societies, classes are a creation of history. The earliest and smallest societies (tribal and primitive) were classless. It is universally true that all human beings depend on the quest of meeting their basic needs – food, water, shelter and clothing. In these primitive societies, the working day was taken up with required labour in order to meet society’s basic needs and forces of production were distributed equally amongst the community. But when basic needs are met, this leads to man’s creation of new needs, as humans are forever dissatisfied animals. Marx defines human beings as producers (Callinicos, A, p. 98, 1996). Humans seek to transform nature to enable them to meet their needs and do this through two different mode of production. The first ‘forces of production’ which depends on what Marx calls the ‘labour process’. ‘‘Labour is first of all a process between man and nature, a process by which man, though his own actions, mediates, regulates and controls the metabolism between himself and nature’’ (C I 283). The relations of production is the social aspect, which involves the property rights of the productive forces, it is what distinguishes the modes of production for one another. Improvements in the labour force are determined by if man is able to produce the same amount of things but with less human labour. By been able to produce more effectively, therefore meant man gains more control over nature. Thus the developments of the labour process are a reflection of human technology (Callinicos, A, p. 8, 1996) and Marx believed that the developments of science and technology in society provide a basis on which future societies can build upon. Although Marx never said in so many words what he meant by class, his theory lies on the statement that â€Å"the history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles. ’’ That once beyond primitive socities no labour can exist without means of production, which is who controls the direct producers. The central classes in capitalism are the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. Class divisions arise in society when the direct producers are separated from the means of production. The means of production, the bourgeoisie, become the monopoly of a minority and use exploitation and domination in relation to the producers, the proletariat. Marx looks at the working day in a class society and identies how capital exploits labour wage. During the first half of the day the worker produces goods in which he is paid to but during the second part of the day the worker performs surplus labour. Surplus labour is generated by how much labour time is left over after the employer has made back the equivalent of the cost of the wages of the labourer. The profit of this surplus labour is too small though to improve everyone’s standard of living, so it is taken by the minority who control the means of production. Marx decscribes four main types of class societies: Asiatic, ancient, feudal, and modern bourgeois, ‘‘the distinction between for example a society based on slave labour and a society based on wage labour – is the form in which this surplus labour is in each case exploited from the immediate producer, the worker’’ (C I 325). The practice of exploitation depends on the distribution of the means of production. In the case of slavery , it seems all the slaves labour is surplus labour , he is not permitted to any of his product. But the slave has to be kept alive in order to gain surplus power, therefore a proportion of the slaves wages is set aside to provide him his basic needs. In feudalism society, the peasant may have owned his animals and tools, but did not own the land he works on, therefore must divide his labour time between the work that needed to be done in order to provide for himself and his family and surplus labour for his lord. In both these mode of production, slavery and feudalism, exploitation is clearly visible and physical consequences are evident without question. However in capitalism exploitation is concealed. The worker is legally free, as he has volunteered to partake in the labour process. Marx wrote that workers are ‘‘ free in a double sense , free from the old relations of clientship, bondage and servitude, and secondly free of all belongings and possessions, and of every objective, material form of being, free of all property’’ (G 507). By not selling his labour power to the capitalist, the workers only other option is starvation. The means of production use economic pressures as a means of control over workers, not physical actions. Thus once the employer has employed the workers, he makes them work longer hours than necessary, creating surplus labour. In the case of feudalism, after centuries new methods of producing began to develop. But releasing these new methods worked against the ruling class–in the framework of the prior form of exploitation and the â€Å"legal and political superstructure† that had arisen out of it. This clash between the new opportunities and the structure of the previous order, was in severe crisis. Without new developments, the existing means of producing was not able to sustain any more development in the population, the Black Death followed, causing horrific events such as famines and disease and violence. The previous ways of shaping society and furthering the mode of production were brought to a halt. Marx foresaw that there could be revolution in society abolishing classes altogether. Then begins an epoch of social revolution,† , Marx wrote. Yet the ruling class were still dominating the workers, even though the mode of production had self-destructed. The ruling class dominates not only the way production is carried on, but all the other organizations and relations in society, whose structure aids the exploiters, control their power. As Marx explained, all class societies create a legal, political and ideological â€Å"superstructure† which functions to control the existing relations of production and guard the rulers from the ruled. But an important tool for the ruling class to persuade the working class is ideology– schemes of ideas that depict the recognized order as natural and positive to everyone, whatever its undeniable faults. Marx believed that the workers did not realise they were been exploited, had a false consciousness, mistaken sense that they could count on their employer. He believed that ideologies help sustain the ruling class, by giving misleading views to people about the world in order to exploit others about their position in society. It caused people to form mistaken views about the nature of society in order to keep the existing mode of production in action. Because the dominant or ruling class rules the social relations of production, the central ideology in capitalist society is that of the ruling class. Marx theory of class consciousness was an idea how to make members of a class aware that they have a common situation and interests and, moreover, are able to organize a collective defence of those interests (Elster, J, p128, Intro to Karl Marx). Marx saw that there were many logics why the proletariat would develop into a class that is conscious of its own status, power, obligations, and prospects. The objective condition of a class subsists because of its position in the productive process. Possession or non-possession of the means of production, place in the labour process, and the control over surplus regulate this. However a class such as the bourgeoisie or proletariat, may be unaware of this position, or in any case the effects of this position. Marx believed there would be a revolution, the workers would come together and rise up and fight to abolish the class system. Once everything had calmed down after the revolution, the proletariat would then own the means of production. He believed that no dominating class would exist and everything would be owned equally amongst society. He thought that if the working class were to take control of the means of production, they would inspire social relations that would help everyone proportionately, and an organization of production less at risk to repeated crises. Overall, Marx believed that nonviolent compromise of this issue was unrealistic, and prearranged and violent revolution would be necessary, because the dominating class would not surrender control without a fight. He speculated that in order to secure the socialist system, a dictatorship of the proletariat must be generated on a provisional foundation. Marx’s forethought of a revolution did not come true. As societies developed and expanded, the working classes grew to be more educated, obtaining detailed job skills and accomplishing the type of financial welfare that Marx never thought achievable.

Prons and Cons of Corporate Reporting Essay

We succinctly lay out arguments put forth both for and against the regulation of corporate disclosure and standard-setting. We then examine current developments suggesting that accounting standard-setting is at risk of becoming entangled in a web of political forces with potentially significant consequences. The crisis has brought into sharp focus the reality that the regulation of corporate reporting is just one piece of a larger regulatory configuration, and that forces are at play that would subjugate accounting standard-setting to broader regulatory demands. Recent actions by the European Commission relating to IFRS 9 and proposed legislation in the US Congress to create a systemic risk council serve to illustrate this point. We conclude by discussing in detail the recent fair value debate as a case study of the way in which bank regulatory policy and accounting standard-setting decisions were jointly determined as a potentially socially optimal means to mitigate the effects of the financial crisis. Keywords: regulation; corporate reporting; politics 1. Introduction History attests to the influence of crisis and scandals as an impetus for regulatory intervention by politicians (Banner, 1997; Reinhart and Rogoff, 2008). After a series of scandals in the UK in the 1990s culminating in the collapse of Barings Bank, there was a dramatic shift in the structure of nnancial regulation that consolidated regulation responsibilities under the auspices of the Financial Services Authority. A wave of financial scandals epitomised by the Enron debacle catalysed swift and sweeping ciianges to US securities regulations with the passage of the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002. Today, in the aftermath of the financial crisis of 2007-2009, financial accounting standard-setting finds itself drawn into the orbit of complex political processes focused on restructuring the regulation of the world’s financial markets. The crisis has ignited woddwide debate on issues of systemic risk and the role played by financial regulation in creating and exacerbating the crisis. Proposals abound for how regulation of financial markets and financial institutions should be changed to mitigate the potential †¢The authors are at Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina. This paper has been prepared for presentation and discussion at the Information for Better Markets Conference, sponsored by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales, 14-15 December 2009. We thank Dan Amiram, Mary Barth, Elieia Cowins, Martien Lubberink, Brian Singleton-Green and Steve Zeff for helpful comments. Correspondence should be addressed to: Professor Robert Bushman, Kenan-Flagler Business School, The Unversity of North Carolina, CB #3490, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3490, USA. E-mail: Bushman@unc. edu. for such large-scale financial meltdowns in the fixture. The scope of regulatory issues under debate spans many aspects of the financial system, including the alleged role played by financial accounting standards in deepening the trajectory of the crisis. The crisis has energised politicians, regulators, and economists to scrutinise financial accounting standards as never before, creating significant pressure for change (see, e. g. G-20, 2009). Given mounting momentum for potentially far reaching regulatory change, this is an opportune moment to step back and carefiilly consider how to organise the analysis of efticient regulatory choice.