Tuesday, November 26, 2019

International Finance Trend of Exchange Rate

International Finance Trend of Exchange Rate Trend of exchange rate over time The graph presented below shows the trend of the weekly exchange rate of the Turkish Lira and Thai Baht against the US dollar for a period of five years that is, between 2008 and 2013.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on International Finance: Trend of Exchange Rate specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Based on the graph above, it can be observed that the exchange rate of Turkish Lira was higher than the exchange rate of Thai Baht over the five-year period. The range of exchange rate for the Turkish Lira was between 0.5 and 0.8 while the exchange rate for the Thai Baht against the US dollar was below 0.1 throughout the period. Secondly, it can be observed that the exchange rate for the Turkish Lira against the US dollar fluctuated during the period. There was a slight appreciation in the exchange rate between 2008 and 2009. This indicates that the economy of the country grew strong duri ng the period. Thereafter, the exchange rate depreciated by a small margin between 2009 and 2011. This was caused by the global financial crisis. Between 2012 and 2013, there was an appreciation of the exchange rate. This indicates that the economy recovered from the financial crisis. The country heavily relies on international trade as a key source of income. Therefore, fluctuations in the value of the exchange rate are as a result of market changes. It indicates that the country operates a flexible exchange rate regime. On the other hand, it can be observed the exchange rate for the Thai Baht against the US dollar was fairly constant throughout the period. The value depreciated slightly from values ranging between 0.02 and 0.03. It indicates that the country operates a managed exchange rate regime. Bid and ask price The graph presented below shows the bid-ask spread expressed as percentages for the weekly exchange rate of the Turkish Lira and Thai Baht against the US dollar for a period of five years. Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The graph presented above indicates that the percentage of the bid-ask spread for the exchange rate of the Thai Baht against the US dollar was higher than the percentage spread for the Turkish Lira against the US dollar for between part of the five-year period. The bid-ask spread for the exchange rate of the Thai Baht against the US dollar was quite high in 2008. However, by the end of the 2008, the spread declined significantly. It remained fairly stationary between 2009 and 2011. However, in 2012, the company experienced a decline in the value of percentage spread. The high percentage spread can be attributed to a number of factors. The key factor is the perceived risk and political instability in the country. Volatility in the economic conditions in the country also explains the high value of the bid-as k spread. On the other hand, the percentage bid-ask spread for the exchange rate of the Turkish Lira against the US dollar escalated in early 2009. This can be attributed to the global crisis. Thereafter, the spread remained quite low and stable. The lower bid-ask spread is as a result of a large volume of shares traded (OANDA Corporation 1). Cross rates The graph presented below shows the trend of the spot exchange rate of Turkish Lira against the Thai Baht for the five-year period. The graph above indicates that there was a gradual decline in the value of the cross exchange rate during the five-year period. Besides, it can be observed that the graph of actual exchange rate is superimposed on the graph of cross rates calculated. It implies that the calculated cross rate is similar to the actual rate extracted (OANDA Corporation 1). OANDA Corporation 2013, Historical Exchange Rate. Web. https://www1.oanda.com/fx-for-business/historical-rates.Advertising We will write a cus tom assessment sample on International Finance: Trend of Exchange Rate specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Antonio López de Santa Anna, 11-Time Mexican President

Antonio Là ³pez de Santa Anna, 11-Time Mexican President Antonio Là ³pez de Santa Anna (February 21, 1794–June 21, 1876) was a Mexican politician and military leader who was President of Mexico 11 times from 1833 to 1855. He was a disastrous president for Mexico, losing first Texas and then much of the current American West to the United States. Still, he was a charismatic leader, and, in general, the people of Mexico supported him, begging him to return to power time and again. He was by far the most important figure of his generation in Mexican history. Fast Facts: Antonio Là ³pez de Santa Anna Known For: President of Mexico 11 times, defeated U.S. troops at the Alamo, lost much Mexican territory to the U.S.Also Known As:  Antonio de Padua Marà ­a Severino Là ³pez de Santa Anna y Pà ©rez de Lebrà ³n, Santa Anna, The man who was Mexico, Napoleon of the WestBorn:  February 21, 1794 in Xalapa,  Veracruz  Parents: Antonio Lafey de Santa Anna and Manuela Perez de LabronDied:  June 21, 1876 in Mexico City, MexicoPublished Works:  The Eagle: The Autobiography of Santa AnnaAwards and Honors:  Order of Charles III,  Ã‚  Order of GuadalupeSpouse(s): Marà ­a Inà ©s de la Paz Garcà ­a, Marà ­a de los Dolores de TostaChildren: Marà ­a de Guadalupe, Marà ­a del Carmen, Manuel, and Antonio Là ³pez de Santa Anna y Garcà ­a. Recognized illegitimate children: Paula, Marà ­a de la Merced, Petra, and Josà © Là ³pez de Santa AnnaNotable Quote: As general-in-chief I fulfilled my duty by issuing the necessary orders for the vigilance of our camp, as a man I succumbe d to an imperious necessity of nature for which I do not believe that a charge can be justly brought against any general, much less if such a rest is taken at the middle of the day, under a tree, and in the very camp itself. Early Life Santa Anna was born in Xalapa on February 21, 1794. His parents were Antonio Lafey de Santa Anna and Manuela Perez de Labron and he had a comfortable middle-class childhood. After some limited formal education, he worked for a short time as a merchant. He longed for a military career and his father procured an appointment for him at an early age in the Army of New Spain. Early Military Career Santa Anna quickly rose through the ranks, making colonel by the age of 26. He fought on the Spanish side in the Mexican War of Independence. When he recognized that it was a lost cause, he switched sides in 1821 with Agustà ­n de Iturbide, who rewarded him with a promotion to general. During the turbulent 1820s, Santa Anna supported and then turned on a succession of presidents, including Iturbide and Vicente Guerrero. He gained a reputation as a valuable if treacherous ally. First Presidency In 1829, Spain invaded, attempting to retake Mexico. Santa Anna played a key role in defeating them- his greatest (and perhaps only) military victory. Santa Anna first rose to the presidency in the 1833 election. Ever the astute politician, he immediately turned over power to Vice President Valentà ­n Gà ³mez Farà ­as and allowed him to make some reforms, including many aimed at the Catholic Church and the army. Santa Anna was waiting to see if the people would accept these reforms. When they did not, he stepped in and removed Gà ³mez Farà ­as from power. Texas Independence Texas, using the chaos in Mexico as a pretext, declared independence in 1836. Santa Anna himself marched on the rebellious state with a massive army, but the invasion was conducted poorly. Santa Anna ordered crops burned, prisoners shot, and livestock killed, alienating many Texans who might have supported him. After he defeated the rebels at the Battle of the Alamo, Santa Anna unwisely divided his forces, allowing Sam Houston to surprise him at the Battle of San Jacinto. Santa Anna was captured and forced to negotiate with the Mexican government for recognition of Texas independence and to sign papers saying he recognized the Republic of Texas. The Pastry War and Return to Power Santa Anna returned to Mexico in disgrace and retired to his hacienda. Soon there came another opportunity to seize the stage. In 1838, France invaded Mexico in order to make them pay some outstanding debts. This conflict is known as the Pastry War.  Santa Anna rounded up some men and rushed to battle. Although he and his men were soundly defeated and he lost one of his legs in the fighting, Santa Anna was seen as a hero by the Mexican people. He would later order his leg buried with full military honors. The French took the port of Veracruz and negotiated a settlement with the Mexican government. War With the United States In the early 1840s, Santa Anna was in and out of power frequently. He was inept enough to be regularly driven out of power but charming enough to always find his way back in. In 1846, war broke out between Mexico and the United States. Santa Anna, in exile at the time, persuaded the Americans to allow him back into Mexico to negotiate a peace. Once there, he assumed command of the Mexican army and fought the invaders. American military strength (and Santa Annas tactical incompetence) carried the day and Mexico was defeated. Mexico lost much of the American West in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which ended the war. Final Presidency Santa Anna went into exile again  but was invited back by conservatives in 1853, so he served as president for two more years. He sold some lands along the border to the United States (known as the Gadsden Purchase) in 1854 to help pay some debts. This infuriated many Mexicans, who turned on him once again. Santa Anna was driven from power for good in 1855 and went once again into exile. He was tried for treason in absentia, and all of his estates and wealth were confiscated. Schemes and Plots For the next decade or so, Santa Anna schemed at getting back into power. He attempted to hatch an invasion with mercenaries. He negotiated with the French and Emperor Maximilian in a bid to come back and join Maximilians court  but was arrested and sent back into exile. During this time he lived in different countries, including the United States, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and the Bahamas. Death Santa Anna finally was given an amnesty in 1874 and returned to Mexico. He was then about 80 years old and had given up any hope of returning to power. He died on June 21, 1876, in Mexico City. Legacy Santa Anna was a larger-than-life character and inept dictator. He was officially president six times, and unofficially five more. His personal charisma was astounding, on a par with other Latin American leaders such as Fidel Castro or Juan Domingo Perà ³n. The people of Mexico supported him multiple times, but he kept letting them down, losing wars and lining his own pockets with public funds time and again. Like all people, Santa Anna had his strengths and weaknesses. He was an able military leader in some respects. He could very quickly raise an army and have it marching, and his men seemed to never give up on him. He was a strong leader who always came when his country asked him to (and sometimes when they didnt ask him to). He was decisive and had some crafty political skills, often playing liberals and conservatives off against one another to build a compromise. But Santa Annas weaknesses tended to overwhelm his strengths. His legendary treacheries kept him always on the winning side  but caused people to mistrust him. Although he could always raise an army quickly, he was a disastrous leader in battles, winning only against a Spanish force at Tampico that was ravaged by yellow fever and later at the famous Battle of the Alamo, where his casualties were three times higher than those of the outnumbered Texans. His ineptitude was a factor in the loss of vast tracts of land to the United States and many Mexicans never forgave him for it. He had serious personal defects, including a gambling problem and a legendary ego. During his final presidency, he named himself dictator for life and made people refer to him as most serene highness. He defended his status as a despotic dictator. A hundred years to come my people will not be fit for liberty, he famously said. To Santa Anna, Mexicos unwashed masses could not handle self-government and needed a firm hand in control- preferably his. Santa Anna left a mixed legacy to Mexico. He provided a certain degree of stability during a chaotic time and despite his legendary corruption and incompetence, his dedication to Mexico (especially in his later years) is rarely questioned. Still, many modern Mexicans revile him for the loss of so much territory to the United States. Sources Brands, H.W. Lone Star Nation: The Epic Story of the Battle for Texas Independence. Anchor Books, 2004.Eisenhower, John S.D.  So Far from God: The U.S. War with Mexico, 1846-1848. University of Oklahoma Press, 1989.Henderson, Timothy J. A Glorious Defeat: Mexico and its War with the United States. Hill and Wang, 2007.Herring, Hubert. A History of Latin America From the Beginnings to the Present. Alfred A. Knopf, 1962Wheelan, Joseph. Invading Mexico: Americas Continental Dream and the Mexican War, 1846-1848. Carroll and Graf, 2007.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

The amazing adventures of kavalier and clay Essay

The amazing adventures of kavalier and clay - Essay Example With these ideas, they come up with a symbol of the two- The Escapist. This paper will look into the unfolding in the book giving a clear understanding of the same. The Escapist is the alter ego of Joe and Sam in several ways. Joe is a trained escapist. As such, he is able to escape most of the challenging things he faces just like the Escapist. He manages to escape the reign of the Nazis in Prague. He even uses his artistic creativity put the experience on paper. There are instances were he also escapes. The happy relationship he had with Rosa, for instance. He also escapes the carbon monoxide poisoning, madness, his family, as well as, Sammy. Joe is a real-life escapist in the novel. Sammy escapes from reality through daydreaming. He manages to escape from having to travel with his father. Another instance where Sammy’s escapism is manifested is when he escapes from providing for his family; mother and grandmother. However, his escapist nature is brought out more clearly when he escapes from the reality of his being homophobic. When he is publicly said to be a homosexual, he is relieved. The alter ego is crucial for the Escapist. This other self revealed in the escapist gives a leeway for the escapist to avoid some situations that are challenging. Realism is heightened with the escapist roaming the world to rescue those chained by despotism. An insight of the lives of Joe and Sammy is brought out. Escapism and their alter egos play vital roles in bringing out the stories of their lives. The feelings of these characters are brought out in many instances. Feelings of guilt on exuberant living are felt by Sammy. His sexual orientation is also brought out revealing some of the intimate issues affecting the characters. Love and happiness is also explored within the escapism theme. Both Joe and Sammy find love in Rosa and Tracy. Joe leaves Rosa after he fails to protect his brother. He considers himself a failure thus the

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Arab Spring Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Arab Spring - Essay Example This brief analysis essay will compare some of the positive and negative effects that this Arab Spring has had on Egypt as well as to discuss some of the key changes that have taken place as a result. Firstly, it is this author’s strong belief that the Arab Spring in Egypt has created a fundamentally good thing. Whereas before no level of democratic process typified the way in which the government ruled the people, as a result of the Arab Spring in Egypt, elections have been held, a president has been selected, a constitution drafted, and a representative parliament has been formed. As opposed to before where Mubarak’s dictatorship was a seemingly endless definition of the future of the nation, the people of Egypt are now able to take part in their own right to self determination, sovereignty, and the democratic process (el Faki 1). In this way, the effect of the Arab Spring has been profound in helping a nation to modernize and realize a long held wish that democracy would come to its inhabitants. The cons to such a process of course involve the painful transition to democracy. It is not the argument of this author that such a transition is without it’s drawbacks. Whereas Egypt has been controlled by one form of absolute monarch or dictator for the better part of the past several hundred years, providing a smooth and painless segue into democracy would be all but impossible. As such, some of the cons that have followed the process are the actions of key groups that feel that their rights have not been fully represented to a satisfactory extent within the confines of the democratic system. As such, these individuals have resorted to violence, coercion, and other illegalities as a means of expressing their own unique view. However, as has been stated, such is to be expected within the process of democratization and the untimely end of an

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Padini Swot Analysis Essay Example for Free

Padini Swot Analysis Essay For this particular event, I contributed myself in helping out the needy by showing them my support by donating food, clothes, toiletries. On the 23rd March 2012, at 3:30PM, I was told to gather up at Afi’s house (our team leader) to pack all goodie bags that was supposed to be given out for the needy. We organized the goodie bags and separate them according to the sizes of shirts that was packed in. The next day, on March 24th, our event day, at 3PM we gather up at Afi’s house again to double check with all the stuff that was supposed to distributes for the homeless. Right after we were done double checking those goodie bags, we load all of them inside the cars. All together there were 200 goodie bags. At 3:30PM, we started our journey to Kuala Lumpur. Due to the traffic jams in KL, we reached our destination at 4:30PM. We parked our car and gather up to Mr. Peter, Reach Out senior NGO, for briefing regarding the whole event; on what we were supposed to do and how to handle situations. After a couple of minutes, Mr. Peter divided us into separate task. At 5pm, we the event started. As for this Reach Out event, I was assigned to be the photographer of the day. Throughout the whole hour of giving out those food, clothes toiletries to the unfortunates, I went around here and there to capture all the moments that was happening. Time by time, I did help my teammates giving out those goodie bags. By 6. 15PM, all those goodie bags of food, clothes, and toiletries were completely given out. While most of unfortunates were sitting by the roadside consuming the food that was given by us, I took the chance of capturing those moments. We started packing/ clearing/cleaning up the area by 7pm and head home. I believe that our event was a successful one and I have learnt so much from it.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Byronic Hero Essay :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Typical heroes are perfect, they do everything right. However they are unrelateable because of it in the Romantic Era. Byron created a new kind of hero the Byronic Hero, in the movie First Blood, John Rambo is the perfect example of a Byronic Hero. In this movie John Rambo is rebellious, dark natured, hyper-sensitive, and passionate. He is willing to do whatever it takes for his cause.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  John Rambo is an ex-Green Beret, a peacetime misfit haunted by memories of Vietnam. He has no family and no one helped out of his plantation. He was tortured in Vietnam by enemies. He is dark natured through the whole movie. He has no friends; the only person he has left is his Colonel.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As Rambo passes through a small town in western Canada an over-zealous sheriff stops him and gives him a hard time. As the cops clean him up at the station he is reminded of how he was tortured in Vietnam. He goes crazy and beats the crap out of five cops and runs off into the mountains. This slows characteristics of the Byronic Hero.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  John Rambo may seem like and evil villain but he is not, just confused and very hard to understand. Rambo is very hyper-sensitive and emotional through the whole movie. Getting upset about his past and having very emotional flash-backs of Vietnam. He has a passion for what he thinks is right. At the end of the movie Rambo gets very emotional talking about his friends at war and how they died and how he drove million dollar machines in the military and in the real world he couldn’t even hold down a job at the car wash. So as he talks about this he is crying and holding his colonels arm. You understand after that part in the movie that he is a Byronic Hero.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In a way you feel sorry for Rambo in the end of the movie because of the way he is, but it is not his fault.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Beneficial Wasps against Destructive Flies

An article appearing on the ScienceDaily website entitled â€Å"Olives may be rescued by Helpful Wasp† reported the findings of the research headed by Victoria Yokoyama concerning the effects of releasing a small brown wasp known as Psyttalia cf. concolor into olive fruit fly infested groves in California. California is the leading producer of the olive fruit but olive fruit flies prove to be a major problem with the potential to destroy annual olive crop. ScienceDaily (2009) reported that the olive fruit fly was first discovered in 1998 but has now come to infest the whole state especially where olives are grown.P. cf. concolor would be able to help minimize the damage caused by the olive fruit fly by attacking its maggots thereby prohibiting their growth and decreasing their numbers. Olive fruit flies damage the production of olive fruits as its young feed voraciously on the fruit of the olive tree as it ripens. The P. cf. concolor would help to solve this damage caused by t he olive fruit flies by laying its eggs inside the flies’ maggots. ScienceDaily (2009) reported that when the wasp’s eggs hatch, the young wasp would feed on the maggot â€Å"from the inside out.† However, ScienceDaily (2009) reported that â€Å"scientists are continuing to carefully evaluate the wasp’s effectiveness in thwarting the olive fruit fly† but stated that â€Å"the wasp is harmless to people, pets and plants. † ScienceDaily (2009) also reported that the wasp is more effective than some of the parasitoids in combating the olive fruit fly. In 2008, Yokoyama et al. reported that the P. cf. concolor rate of parasitism to the olive fruit fly was at 24. 2 percent. The report by Yokoyama et al. (2008) also showed that the P. cf.concolor would, given the choice, prefer to attack olive fruit flies than the walnut husk fly implying that the wasp would attack the olive fruit fly maggots more often when there was no other choice thereby incre asing its effectiveness against the invasive pest. Yokoyama et al. (2008) reported that the P. cf. concolor was imported from Guatemala and were used in laboratory and field tests to determine its ability to control the olive fruit fly and was found to be highly adaptable under the same climate and weather conditions where its hosts thrive.They also reported that the wasps did not attack the seedhead fly—a beneficial fruit fly. Furthermore, Yokoyama et al. (2008) held that P. cf. concolor â€Å"shows great promise as a biological control agent for olive fruit fly and establishment of the parasitoid in olives will help protect the production of canned olives and olive oil in California that is valued at $68 million annually. † The ScienceDaily article presented two insects: a beneficial wasp and the destructive olive fruit fly.While it reported that the olive fruit fly causes destruction, particularly on olive crops, it reported a more likely solution to the problem. Th e article did not present the olive fruit as overly dangerous, however damaging, yet presented the P. cf. concolor as beneficial, without any serious adverse effects to the environment and to human population. Furthermore, the article presented its report based on scientific research and based its conclusions on the report of the researchers concerning P.cf. concolor as biological control for the olive fruit flies. Works Cited ScienceDaily. â€Å"Olives may be rescued by helpful wasp. † 7 March 2009. ScienceDaily. 23 March 2009. Yokoyama, Victoria, Rendon, Pedro A. , and Sivinski, John. â€Å"Psyttalia cf. concolor (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) for biological control of olive fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) in California. † Environmental Entomology Vol. 37, n

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Brief History of BMW Essay

BMW began making its mark on history almost 90 years ago. Aircraft engines were the first thing to be produced followed by bikes and then cars – these vehicles also have been setting milestones in the area of motorsport from the very start. We can establish BMW roots back well over 100 years, to December 3, 1896. That date marked the formation of Wartburg works in Eisenach, the BMW manufacturing center for all cars made from 1928 to 1940. From that site and Wartburg’s numerous alliance before being sold to BMW in 1928 stretched activites as diverse as saucepan manufactured, powered mountain bikes, and the brake company. The car-construction tale of the Eisenach arm is the subject of a sub-sequent chapter. ( Airborne Excellence- page 5) However, basics of the heartland Munich-based company arrived in 1916 when the two airplane-engine manufacturing workshop Gustav Rau GmbH and Rapp Motorenwerken GmbH) were subject to takeovers and closures that resulted in the March 7, 1916 registration of Bayerische Flugzeugwerke AG (BFW). Its purpose as stated in the Munich Register of Companies â€Å"the manufacture and commercial distribution of airplanes and any related machinery, equipment and other objects, and further, in the pursuit of this purpose, the founding of other enterprises in any legally permissible form, or participation therein, and also the running of companies of any sort†. When Franz-Joseph Popp took over Karl Rapp as the new managing director on 5 October of 1917, he register the company as the Bayerische Motoren Werke GmbH. At the same time Poppo registered the company’s trademark, which still remains today- the stylized whirl of a rotating propeller surmounted by the letters BMW. (Achievements in White and Blue BMW in Retrospect- page 8) In 1917, BMW’s first aircraft engine was produced, the 6 cylinder Type IIIa. In 1919 using an aircraft powered by its successor, the Type IV, Franz Zeno Diemer set an altitude record of 9,760 metres. After WW1 BMW turned all kinds of activities, including shoe-making, to survive, But Popp and Friz were engineers, first and foremost, and there was no doubt that BMW would return to aero engine manufacture. (Motorcycle Marvels- Chapter2). In 1923 they enter the motorcycle production as a result. The motorcycle, the R 32 produced 8. 5 horsepower at 3300rpm from its flat-twin engine. The 2-cylinder 494cc motorcycle could reach a top speed of 59mph. 090 of them were manufactured during its three year life span. It was 1928 that made history in terms of the BMW car. BMW buys the Eisenach automobile plant, where the Austin Seven was successfully produced under the name â€Å"Dixi 3/15 PS†. Later it rebadged them to DA2. Which further went on to become a BMW – going on sale in 1929 as the BMW 3/15 PS DA 2 with a range of different body shells. A small car with a lot of appeal, its popularity helped the company to survive the lean years of the Depression. By 1932 BMW’s first â€Å"real† car (AM 4) went into production, this model was the successor of the Dixi and the first production car to be built totally in house by BMW. The model had a 50 mph top speed, 4 cylinder engine with suspension valves and double driving camshafts. In 1936 a sporting legend was born when the BMW 328 went on to win at the nuburging, which was basically the fastest standard-production 2-liter sports car. It went on to win over 120 other race between 1936 and 1940. BMW became a priority target during World War 2 and reaped a terrible reward for its famous aero engine and military prowess. The BMW factory at Munich was totally devastated after the War. The first post war model, the V8 equipped 501 luxury sedan produced in 1951 was a poor production choice for a country that was also devastated by the war. Demand was low and the 501 did not even com e close to meeting BMW’s expectations. So in a tightrope act between two extremes, to prevent the company bleeding to death at the top end of the automobile market, BMW’s policy was to introduce mini cars at the other end of the market. The BMW Isetta finally won the hearts of the public. Just 2. 29 m long, the company obtains the licence to build the motocoupe from ISO in Italy. Powered by a 12 or 13 hp BMW motorcycle engine. Over 160,000 people bought an Isetta in the Fifties, making it the best-selling BMW of the decade and a symbol for the boom years after the war.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Does power corrupt people Essays - Social Psychology, Power

Does power corrupt people Essays - Social Psychology, Power Does power corrupt people Shance McGuffey PHL/458 July 16, 2015 Albert Vandiver Does power corrupt people Ever since the beginning of time people have always tried to rule the world and with little success. Many famous leaders of our time have let the power they held corrupt them to the point of their own assassination by their own people. Today people use their power in different ways. They think since they have the power that they can do as they please and no one will say a word because they are the boss. There are corporate CEO's that misuse company property such as cars and planes. There are others that make their workers do things that they would not normally do in any other situation. Some have suggested that President Clinton's engaged in a sexual dalliance with his intern Monica Lewinsky simply because of power. There are two types of power according to Ronald E Riggio Ph.D. One is Socialized power and this power is the power used to benefit others. The other form of power is called personalized power, and it is used for personal gain instead of promoting their company and or people. (Riggio, 2009) Leaders can also become "drunk" by the power which causes them to engage in wrong behavior, simply because they can. They continue this behavior because they have and can get away with it. A sense of power can cause a leader to engage in exception making believing that the rules that govern what is right and what is wrong does not apply to the powerful leader like themselves. On the positive side, power makes leaders more assertive and confident and certain of their decisions. This enables them to move forward on a chosen courses of action. Leaders must use power to get the job done. There is a lot of good that come from leaders with power. They donate money to the needy, volunteer, and help people to gain success just like they have. Legitimately unless the leaders with power are caught and punished for what they are doing or are engaging in illegal activity they are only going to be perceived as doing wrong. There are a lot of leaders out there that play that fine grey line and play it well and to one person they are doing everything right and to another he is doing everything for themselves. References Riggio, R. E. (2009, August 8). How Power Corrupts Leaders. Retrieved from Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/cutting-edge-leadership/200908/how-power-corrupts-leaders

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Audre Lorde, Black Lesbian Feminist Poet

Audre Lorde, Black Lesbian Feminist Poet Audre Lorde Facts Known for:  poetry, activism. While some of her poetry is known for being romantic or erotic, she’s better known for her more political and angry poetry, especially around racial and sexual oppression. She identified through most of her career as a black lesbian feminist. Occupation:  writer, poet, educatorDates:  February 18, 1934 – November 17, 1992Also known as: Audre Geraldine Lorde, Gamba Adisa (adopted name, meaning Warrior – She Who Makes Her Meaning Known) Background, Family: Mother: Linda Gertrude Belmar LordeFather: Frederic Byron Husband: Edwin Ashley Rollins (married March 31, 1962, divorced 1970; attorney) Children: Elizabeth, Jonathan Partner: Frances Clayton ( - 1989)Partner: Gloria Joseph (1989 – 1992) Education: Catholic schools, Hunter High School (New York City)Hunter College, B.A., 1960.   Library Science.National University of Mexico, 1954.Columbia University, M.L.S., 1962. Library Science. Religion: Quaker Organizations: Harlem Writers Guild, American Association of University Professors, Sisterhood in Support of Sisters in South Africa Audre Lorde Biography: Audre Lorde’s parents were from the West Indies: her father from Barbados and her mother from Grenada.   Lorde grew up in New York City, and began writing poetry in her teen years. The first publication to publish one of her poems was Seventeen magazine. She traveled and worked for several years after graduating from high school, then came back to New York and studied at Hunter College and Columbia University. She worked in Mount Vernon, New York, after graduating from Columbia University, moving on to become a librarian in New York City.   Then she began an educational career, first as a lecturer (City College, New York City; Herbert H. Lehman College, Bronx), then associate professor (John Jay College of Criminal Justice), then finally professor at Hunter College, 1987 – 1992.   She served as visiting professor and lecturer around the United States and the world. She was aware early of her bisexuality, but by her own description confused about her sexual identity, given the times. Lorde married an attorney, Edwin Rollins, and had two children before they divorced in 1970. Her later partners were women. She published her first book of poems in 1968. Her second one, published in 1970, includes explicit references to love and an erotic relationship between two women.   Her later work became more political, dealing with racism, sexism, homophobia and poverty. She also wrote about violence in other countries, including Central America and South Africa. One of her more popular collections was Coal, published in 1976. She characterized her poems as expressing her â€Å"duty to speak the truth as I see it† including â€Å"not just the things that felt good, but the pain, the intense, often unmitigating pain.†Ã‚   She celebrated differences among people. When Lorde was diagnosed with breast cancer, she wrote about her feelings and experience in journals which were published as The Cancer Journals in 1980. Two years later she published a novel, Zami: A New Spelling of My Name, which she described as â€Å"biomythography† and which reflects her own life. She founded Kitchen Table: Women of Color Press in 1980s with Barbara Smith. She also founded an organization to support black women in South Africa during the time of apartheid. In 1984, Lorde was diagnosed with liver cancer. She chose to ignore the advice of American physicians, and instead sought experimental treatment in Europe. She also moved to St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands, but continued to travel to New York and elsewhere to lecture, publish and engage in activism. After Hurricane Hugo left St. Croix with devastating damage, she used her fame in mainland cities to raise funds for relief. Audre Lorde won many awards for her writing, and was named New York State Poet Laureate in 1992. Audre Lorde died of liver cancer in 1992 in St. Croix. Books by Audre Lorde The First Cities.  Introduction by Diane di Prima. Poets Press. 1968.Cables to Rage.  Broadside Press. 1970.From a Land Where Other People Live.  Broadside Press. 1973.The New York Head Shop and Museum.  Broadside Press. 1974.Coal.  Norton. 1976.Between Our Selves.  Eidolon. 1976.The Black Unicorn.  Norton. 1978.The Cancer Journals. Spinsters Ink. 1980.Zami: A New Spelling of My Name. Crossing Press. 1982.Chosen Poems Old and New.  Norton. 1982.Sister Outsider. Crossing Press. 1984.Our Dead behind Us.  Norton. 1986.A Burst of Light.  Firebrand Books. 1988.Need: A Chorale for Black Women Voices.  Women of Color Press. 1990.Undersong: Chosen Poems Old and New.  Norton. 1992.The Marvelous Arithmetics of Distance.  Norton. 1993.The Collected Poems of  Audre Lorde.  Norton. 1997.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Qualitative methods - Participant observation Research Paper

Qualitative methods - Participant observation - Research Paper Example Literature Review: Introduction: Participant observation has its roots in anthropological studies, where researchers would go to a far away place to study the customs and practices of less known societies (Lakono et-al, 2009). With regard to a qualitative method such as semi-structured interviews, the process involves a researcher speaking to research subjects and then attempting to make sense of what has been said by reviewing the transcript of the conversation (Tolhurst, 2012).To avoid biased remarks, the researcher has to learn to put aside their preconceptions (Kutsche, revised 2008). Challenges: The challenges that face researchers in the field of qualitative research, otherwise referred to as ethnographic fieldwork, which encompasses participant observation are enormous and disorienting. These short theoretical explanations make it clear that we are dealing with a social phenomenon that confronts researchers with a new complexity in terms of special disruption, and at the same time, a highly connected social formation (Richter, 2012). The social sciences have particularly advanced in application of qualitative methods, including gender concerns. The desire to overcome the separation of productive and reproductive labour in the lives of both sexes is a desire that can only be achieved if labour unions perceive gender relations as a political challenge demanding their attention (Morgenroth, 2012). Jun Li, in her research in the field of female gambling, sums up some of her challenges in a slightly disturbing fashion. By assuming a covert research role, I was able to observe natural occurrences in gambling settings, but unable to make peace with disturbing feelings of my research concealment. By uncovering my research identity, I was able to fulfill ethical obligations as a researcher, but unable to get he female gamblers to speak their minds (Jun Li, 2008). According to Jun Li, she may never have succeeded in uncovering the individual secrets behind their p erformance in the game, and for any other matters they considered her an outsider. Participant Observation Definition Participant observation is a method of acquiring information for a study that requires the researcher to undertake their study in the target society. For this reason, the researcher gets ‘absorbed’ into the society and makes direct observations while in the assumed position of a member of the society. For this reason they participate directly in the affairs of their target, and therefore have a clearer understanding of the aspects of their study. Application of Participant Observation in Business management The method of participant observation has over time spread in application from the initial sociological fields to gain application in more disciplines, including business management. The managers of a business expect to be provided with forthright information about all aspects of the business that could help them to make advised decisions in running t he business. For this reason, they may decide to plant ‘informers’ to update them on curious operational details. They may as well decide to engage in relatively lower ranked duties in the firm in order to have clearer control of operations. A business proprietor interested in

Friday, November 1, 2019

Climate Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Climate Change - Essay Example Earlier it has been pointed that ecological destruction is one of the many leading causes that contributed to climatic changes. Jha and Whalley (1999) pointed that in developing countries, these environmental destruction is caused by massive soil erosion, open and illegal logging, dumping of solid and chemical wastes to the seas and ocean floors, incessant and unregulated pollution’s emission from companies, households, vehicles and industries. This is exacerbated by untreated human and nonhuman waste and other non-compliance of environmental control and laws in resource extraction, land use, and maximization of chemical-based fertilizers (Jha et al., 1999). The heterogeneity of environmental issues is also affected by the lack, if not absence, of enabling policies that can regulate and address ecological problems around the globe. As advanced nations engaged in an extractive industries in open states or countries, project developments in sites where there are mineral production sharing agreement proved destructive to mountains due to open pit nature of operations with consequential negative impact to rivers, water basins, siltation in the shorelines, displacement of native people, polarization of community (e.g. pro-mining and against), militarization of mine sites, and aggravation of community-based human rights violations (World Bank, 2004). The human beings, an integrated part of ecosystem, are also alienated by these developments as original residents in mine sites are removed from their natural livelihood (World Bank, 2004).... The influence and confluence of sun’s phenomenal flares that emit heat waves, atmospheric natural relations within earth’s axis and the environmental destruction made by human beings, intentional and non-intentional, have contributed or caused climatic changes (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2008). Figure 1. A comprehensive graphics of climate change effects to the world. (OpenGreenSpace, 2012). Causes of environmental problems Earlier it has been pointed that ecological destruction is one of the many leading causes that contributed to climatic changes. Jha and Whalley (1999) pointed that in developing countries, these environmental destruction is caused by massive soil erosion, open and illegal logging, dumping of solid and chemical wastes to the seas and ocean floors, incessant and unregulated pollution’s emission from companies, households, vehicles and industries. This is exacerbated by untreated human and nonhuman waste and other non-compliance o f environmental control and laws in resource extraction, land use, and maximization of chemical-based fertilizers (Jha et al., 1999). The heterogeneity of environmental issues is also affected by the lack, if not absence, of enabling policies that can regulate and address ecological problems around the globe. As advanced nations engaged in an extractive industries in open states or countries, project developments in sites where there are mineral production sharing agreement proved destructive to mountains due to open pit nature of operations with consequential negative impact to rivers, water basins, siltation in the shorelines, displacement of native people, polarization of community (e.g. pro-mining and against), militarization of mine sites, and