Kohlberg's Stages of Moral Development in Thank You for Smoking (2005) Essay

Kohlberg's Stages of Moral Development in Thank You for Smoking (2005) - Essay Example Some of the characters in the film swing across these moral stages, depending on their changing goals and target audiences. Characters in â€Å"Stage 1: Obedience and Punishment† display morality that comes from following authority (Crain, 1985). Nick Naylor (Aaron Eckhart) shows Stage 1 morality because he is initially focused on what his boss and company think is right. Instead of following the government or traditional social norms, Naylor follows the goals and norms of his company and boss. Naylor’s boss BR (J.K. Simmons) seeks for ideas on making smoking a more lucrative business. He tells Naylor: â€Å"We don't sell Tic Tacs, we sell cigarettes. And they’re cool, available, and addictive† (Sacks & Reitman, 2005). Naylor responds with a recommendation of product placement in the movies. He is responding to the pressure of doing what is right, based on what his company demands from him. Furthermore, Naylor displays loyalty to his boss, even when the latter does something wrong. BR steals Naylor’s idea of product placement in the movies and presents it to Captain (Rob ert Duvall) as his own. Naylor does not correct Captain anymore for fear of reprisal. Morality, in this stage, is â€Å"external† to the people, and not something they feel they must be personally responsible for, so they follow their bosses as the basis of their morality (Crain, 1985). Aside from Stage 1, characters in Thank You for Smoking exhibit morality in â€Å"Stage 2: Individualism and Exchange,† when they focus on the relativity of morals and the importance of making compromises to gain something. Naylor shifts to Stage 2, when he explains to his son that being right heavily relies on one’s argumentation skills. He tells his son: â€Å"That’s the beauty of argument, if you argue correctly, you're never wrong.† Morality is relative to the person doing the argumentation and his/her persuasiveness. Furthermore, flexible morality is another indicator of an individualistic approach to morality. Naylor admits to his son that to be in his job, he must have â€Å"flexible morals† (Sacks & Reitman, 2005). Flexible morals allow him to stay unaffected of the negative views on tobacco smoking. Jeff Megall (Rob Lowe) is another example of someone who manifests Stage 2 because he is not concerned of maintaining the social order or universal principles. Megall emphasizes that individuals have different opinions, so he calls himself a â€Å"facilitator† because â€Å"people decide for themselves† (Sacks & Reitman, 2005). He believes in the individual differences of morality and does not judge them. Heather Holloway (Katie Holmes) illustrates Stage 1 morality too because she exchanges something to gain another. She enters into a sexual affair with Naylor, so that she can access and expose his secrets as a reporter (Sacks & Reitman, 2005). These are examples of people, who believe in individualistic views of morality, as well as the flexibility needed to undergo social transactions for the purposes of personal gai n. The next stage is â€Å"Stage 3: Good Interpersonal Relationships,† and characters show this level of morality, when they do what is good based on what their family and community value as good behaviors (Crain, 1985). Naylor wants to be a better father to his son. In order to do this, he thinks that it is right to spend more time with him. Joey’s mother and stepfather are alarmed of what he is learning and inhaling from his father, but Naylor does not care, because he simply wants to have more quality time with Joey (Sacks

England Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

England - Assignment Example Players in the industry had to put forward drastic measures by the engagement of massive discounts so as to support the relatively threatened customer base especially due to the global economic meltdown which had its effects in the UK by the end of 2009.It has been reported that the global shipments of the products have been growing by 4% annually supported majorly by the imports from the US ,Japan and South Africa .The Japanese market has been stabilizing currently making ripple effects in the local market and enabling the increasing stability of the UK market an achievable phenomenon. By January the import of our company stood at 7% and the shipments to foreign branches stood at 3.1 %.The projected sales of champagne in the year 2012 is expected to be 35.5M. Sales is one of the most important components of a business ,however it has to promote responsibility to avoid the long term effects on their brand and to avoid the crumbling of the business. The size of the industry has been growing over the previous years, however it received a major slow down due to the impacts of the global economic recession. Despite the economic troubles facing the globe presently, the sales are stable and relatively high during the festive seasons plus there are new emerging markets within the country offering the champagne business new avenues for major sales. The ports that are used by our company for the importation of our facilities and majorly for our products have to meet the criterion for efficiency and have to be secure .the port has to be versatile ,have diversity of traffic and the charges have to be competitive and realistic for the business venture of our type to avoid extra input into the system. The company has been using the Bristol port for a very long time for its shipping duties since it is meeting the standards put by the management and the stakeholders in the company. Our

America And World War Ii History Essay

America And World War Ii History Essay The objective of this book is to subject the chief features of the Good War myth to bright analysis in the hope of present an additional realistic picture, one that does not demean the achievement of the United States and of liberal democracy but that at the same time does not diminish the stress, suffering, problems, and failures inevitably faced by a society at war. The war was good for the economy. It was liberating for women. It was a war of tanks and airplanes a cleaner war than World War I. Americans were united. Soldiers were proud. It was a time of prosperity, sound morality, and power. But according to historian Michael Adams, our memory is distorted, and it has left us with a misleading even dangerous legacy. Challenging many of our common assumptions about the period, Adams argues that our experience of World War II was positive but also disturbing, creating problems that continue to plague us today. Michael C Adams has contributed to The Best War Ever: America and World War II as an author. Michael C. C. Adams, a professor of history at Northern Kentucky University, is the author of The Great Adventure: Male Desire and the Coming of World War I (1990).   Much of the events of WWII has been mythologized not only by Hollywood and government propaganda, and over the years this mythology has been perpetuated by those who lived through the war themselves. Michael C. C. Adams has sought to expose these stories for what they are, fabrication and oversimplifications, and provide the basic facts that facilitate a truer understanding of WWII and the world wide cultural changes surrounding it, both before and after the war itself. In chapter one, Mythmaking and the War, Adams sets out the myth itself, as defined by Hollywood dramatization, government propaganda, advertisement agencies, and the revised memories of those who stayed home, as well as those who fought in the war itself. The war became Americas golden age, a peak in the life of society when everything worked out and the good guys definitely got a happy ending. (Adams, 2) The WWII era came to serve a purpose; to be the bygone age which America once was, and if worked hard enough for, could be again. It was, in a sense, Americas Garden of Eden, the time and place where all things were right. Of course, this was a manufactured ideal, what Adams calls a usable past. In creating a usable past, we seek formulas to apply in solving todays problems. Americans believe that WWII proved one rule above all othersit is usually better to fight than to talk. (Adams, 4) To make WWII into the best war ever, we must leave out the area bombings and other questionable aspects while exaggerating the good things. The war myth is distorted not so much in what it says as in what it doesnt say. (Adams, 7) This applies not only to the war itself, but also to the home front. Chapter two, No Easy Answers, begins the process of deconstructing the myth, and demonstrating that the events leading up to WWII began long before the Treaty of Versailles, and the ramifications of WWII will last much longer than the generation that fought it. Adams lays out the frame of the complex political, cultural and economic histories of each of nations which would become involved in WWII, and shows that there was no obvious point at which one decision would have prevented the war from happening. Taken in context, the actions each nation took leading up to WWII make sense. Adams asks, what could have been done differently? Apparently, not much; appeasement didnt work in Europe, and determent didnt work in Asia. There really were no easy answers. Chapter three, The Patterns of War, 1939-1945 lays out the way in which each nation fought the war, with a new speed and brutality made possible by technology and the remoteness of the enemy. Chapter four, The American War Machine, demonstrates how the tools were created and sent into battle, and how the soldiers and organization of each army differed, for better or worse. Chapter five, Overseas, outlines the realities of life for the American soldier both in the European and Pacific theatres, while chapter six, Home front Changes, does the same for those who stayed home. These chapters have one unifying purpose; to define the reality of the WWII era, expose the complex history and actors, and above all, disabuse us of the reigning WWII mythos. Chapter seven, A New World, takes us one step further and debunks the myth that returning GIs readjusted quickly without lasting physical ailments and emotional traumas and into a society awaiting them with open arms, friendly smiles and lovin g families. Above all else, Adams has provided an interesting and easily accessible framework with which one can examine WWII and appreciate the complexities and realities of the era. While his history is intentionally brief and uncomplicated by example and detail, it does achieve its purpose. By identifying the mythos and realities of WWII, the Good War can be appreciated for what it actually was; an ugly, brutal and ultimately necessary war. Adams says that the existence of the WWII distortions is not entirely the fault of the American public. It is also the fault of the Federal Government and the media. The government censored controversial material during the war and only delivered to the public details that were uplifting and beneficial to the cause. The media also used the war to its advantage, promoting products using references to the war.   Adams also goes into detail the Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome the soldiers endured during the war.   The book does go into some historical accounts of WWII. Most of Adams references though were secondary sources. I would have liked to see him use more primary sources which would have provided more authenticity and credibility to the book. I do recommend the book if you are looking for a quick read about WWII, but if you are looking for a military history about WWII, this is not the book for you. 3-John F. Kasson, AMUSING THE MILLION: CONEY ISLAND AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY Amusing the Million: Coney Island at the Turn of the Century (American Century) Amusing the Million examines the historical context in which Coney Island made its reputation as an amusement park and shows how Americas changing social and economic conditions formed the basis of a new mass culture. Exploring it afresh in this way, John Kasson shows Coney Island no longer as the object of nostalgia but as a harbinger of modernityand the many photographs, lithographs, engravings, and other reproductions with which he amplifies his text support this lively thesis. After studying the whole book my point of analysis on this book is that In these times, when entertainers bare body parts normally kept strictly covered, it is hard to believe the cover photo of this book was considered rather racy a century ago. It shows a line of girls on the beach at Coney Island where the skirts on their swimsuits have been raised to reveal the shorts underneath. Considering that they also appear to have full-length tights on underneath the shorts, to modern eyes, they look overdressed. There were many social commentators at the end of the nineteenth century that argued that the egalitarian social structure of Coney Island was debasing the social fabric of the nation. As Coney Island was the most conspicuous example of the dramatic social changes taking place in the United States. By the turn of the century, the people were generally no longer rural tillers of the soil, having been transformed into urban tillers of the machines. Furthermore, by this time, the social distinctions between the upper and other classes were being blurred. As the author points out, at Coney Island, many of the stiff social restrictions came down. People who otherwise would not speak to each other became friendly and shared rides, beach water and other amusements.   The members of the compressed urban society craved simple and inexpensive recreation and Coney Island provided it. Therefore, as Kasson points out so well, it was a phenomenon that grew out of a social need and in many ways served as a social release. People could, for a very small fee, leave their crowded dwellings and engage in a day of escape. Everyone was equal on the rides and the beaches, so at least at that location, social distinctions disappeared.   Until I read this book, I had never considered the amusement park as a barometer for social change. However, it is now clear that Coney Island was a metaphor for a dramatic change in the social fabric of the nation and from this book, you can learn many of the details. These were all much the same in nature, differing mainly in size and duration. Their reason for being and the reason or them becoming a thing of the past is all the same.   The book suggests that they started in the mid-1800s is stretching the point somewhat as Fairs of all types were around for many centuries and only differed in how big they were, how far people travelled to them ,how much new inventions became incorporated and how long they lasted.   It seems that throughout history people loved to gather for just about any reason, but generally some sort of amusement along with the hope of seeing something new. Thus there were Races, Exhibitions of animals, crafts, products for prizes or sale, Auctions, Magic shows, Plays, Sporting events; and on and on ad infantilism.   This happened at Stonehenge and before, at the Roman Collisium, and Religious Celebrations. It didnt take much to create an event; heck, even a Hanging was enough to get a huge crowd out.  The same sort of thing continues today. So instead of taking the Subway to Coney Island or some other Amusement park; we go to the great Theme Parks, National Parks, Sporting Events, Concerts, Casinos, Vegas, Nashville, Ski Hills, Cruises, or even events and locations around the world, such as World Fairs or the Olympics.   The old adage The more things change, the more they become the same applies to Amusement Parks, just as it does to everything else.   The greatest change is in the ease of travel, the amount of disposable income available, and the introduction of TV where everything can be brought right into the living room. That doesnt leave much but the Thrill Rides, the Smells and Sounds, the Crowds and the Outdoors; but thats coming too.  The Canadian National Exhibition continues to run for 3 weeks in August: however it gets poorer and tackier every year and who knows how much longer it will continue. Amusement parks that began to exist during the turn of the century served as venues for fun and excitement as well as helped to release the repressed from the gentility of the Victorian Age of the nineteenth century. John Kasson examines the social and cultural ramifications that occurred in American society in his book, AMUSING THE MILLIONS: CONEY ISLAND AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY. In his study, Kasson shows how the American landscape became playgrounds, especially in New York, which extended the use of recreational space, New Yorks Central Park, and expositions that commemorated and celebrated the American historical past, Chicagos Columbian Exposition of 1893. They magnified the cornerstones and building blocks of the city, and the behavior that was exhibited with the rising middle class, which attracted a mass audience. The city became cosmopolitan and modern where many engaged and frolicked, and helped to unlatch social, racial, and economic boundaries that were bestowed upon ma ny individuals; they also helped to rejuvenate cities through urban planning.   Indeed, Kasson explores the world of imagination. The amusements ran the gamut from a Barnum and Bailey atmosphere to reveling along the boardwalk amongst exotic and unusual exhibits that coveted Coney Islands Luna Park and Dreamland Park. And within the text Kasson highlights those who helped architect this unrestrained environment of excess, such as Frederick Law Olmstead, Daniel H. Burnham, George C. Tilyou, Frederic Thompson, James Gibbons Huneker, and Maxim Gorky. Undoubtedly these were elaborate and spacious constructed palatial playgrounds of pleasure full of materialism and consumption where many gathered for pure utopian enjoyment. According to Kasson, these amusements also served as an outlet for artists and painters whose works did not particularly belong in museums. However, they reflected the modernist and realist genres of the art world before they came into vogue, and they depicted technological, urban, populous, egalitarian, erotic, hedonist, dynamic, and culturally d iverse images that the public were not accustomed to (88).   Overall, this is an interesting trip down nostalgic memory lane. Through the revealing pictures and detailed narrative, Kasson shows readers how Coney Island at the turn became a form of liberation for an array of classes. In essence, this is a good source to refer to when studying or reading about the American Dream as it relates to amusement parks that transcended social and cultural change in American society.   4-John Kenneth Galbraith, THE GREAT CRASH, 1929 The Great Crash of 1929 The Great Crash, 1929  is a book written by  John Kenneth Galbraith  and published in 1954; it is an economic history of the lead-up to the  Wall Street Crash of 1929. The book argues that the 1929 stock market crash was precipitated by rampant speculation in the stock market, that the common denominator of all speculative episodes is the belief of participants that they can become rich without work and that the tendency towards recurrent speculative orgy serves no useful purpose, but rather is deeply damaging to an economy.  It was Galbraiths belief that a good knowledge of what happened in 1929 was the best safeguard against its recurrence. Galbraith wrote the book during a break from working on the manuscript of what would become  The Affluent Society. Galbraith was asked by  Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr.  if he would write the definitive work on the  Great Depression  that he would then use as a reference source for his own intended work on Roosevelt. Galbraith chose to concentrate on the days that ushered in the depression. I never enjoyed writing a book more; indeed, it is the only one I remember in no sense as a labor but as a joy.  Galbraith received much praise for his work, including his humorous observations of human behavior during the speculative stock market bubble and subsequent crash. The publication of the book, which was one of Galbraiths first bestsellers, coincided with the 25th anniversary of the crash, at a time when it and the  Great Depression  that followed were still raw memories and stock price levels were only then recovering to pre-crash levels. Galbraith considered it the useful task of the historian to keep fresh the memory of such crashes, the fading of which he correlates with their re-occurrence. For the purpose of the summary and analysis phase of this book I thought that the Republican Great Depression of 1929-1939 has been an unending source of mystery, fascination, and disinformation for the past four generations. As youre reading these words, theres a huge push on by conservative think-tanks and wealthy political activists to reinvent the history, suggesting that Roosevelt prolonged the Depression or that New Deal programs were ineffective. At the same time, folks like David Sirota are valiantly pushing back with actual facts and statistics, showing that Roosevelts New Deal was startlingly effective, particularly when compared with the Republican policies of 1920-1929 that formed the bubble that crashed in 1929, and the Republican failures to deal with its consequences during the last three years of the Herbert Hoover administration (1929-1933). To really understand what brought about the great crash, however, its most useful to read an historical narrative written by one of the worlds preeminent economists when that world-changing event was still fresh in his and his readers minds.  The Great Crash  is that book, first written by Galbraith in 1953-54 (and published in 1955) and updated for modern readers in 1997. From this book I like to discuss some points in its summary phase. From the Introduction The people who remained sane and quiet Extracts from  The Great Crash: 1929, John Kenneth Galbraith, First Published 1955, Page 27 Even in such a time of madness as the late twenties, a great many man in Wall Street remained quite sane. But they also remained very quiet. The sense of responsibility in the financial community for the community as a whole is not small. It is nearly nil. Perhaps this is inherent. In a community where the primary concern is making money, one of the necessary rules is to live and let live. To speak out against madness may be to ruin those who have succumbed to it. So the wise in Wall Street are nearly always silent. The foolish thus have the field to themselves. None rebukes them. From Chapter 1: A Year to Remember Opportunities for the social historian Extracts from  The Great Crash: 1929, John Kenneth Galbraith, First Published 1955, Page 26 In the autumn of 1929 the mightiest of Americans were, for a brief time, revealed as human beings. Like most humans, most of the time, they did some very foolish things. On the while, the greater the earlier reputation for omniscience, the more serene the previous idiocy, the greater the foolishness now exposed. Things that in other times were concealed in a heavy facade of dignity now stood exposed, for the panic suddenly, almost obscenely, snatched this facade away. We are seldom vouchsafed a glance behind this barrier; in our society the counterpart of the Kremlin walls is the thickly stuffed shirt. The social historian must always be alert to his opportunities, and there have been few like 1929. From Chapter 7: Things Become More Serious Things keep getting worse Extracts from  The Great Crash: 1929, John Kenneth Galbraith, First Published 1955, Page 130 In the autumn of 1929 the New York Stock Exchange, under roughly its present constitution, was 112 years old. During this lifetime it had seen some difficult days. On 18 September 1873, the firm of Jay Cooke and Company failed, and, as a more or less direct result, so did fifty-seven other Stock Exchange firms in the next few weeks. On 23 October 1907, call money rates reached one hundred and twenty-five per cent in the panic of that year. On 16 September 1922 the autumn months are the off-season in Wall Street a bomb exploded in front of Morgans next door, killing thirty people and injuring a hundred more. A common feature of all these earlier troubles was that, having happened, they were over. The worst was reasonably recognizable as such. The singular feature of the great crash of 1929 was that the worst continued to worsen. What looked one day like the end proved on the next day to have been only the beginning. Nothing could have been more ingeniously designed to maximize the suffering, and also to ensure that as few as possible escaped the common misfortune. The fortunate speculator who had funds to answer the first margin call presently got another and equally urgent one, and if he met that there would still be another. In the end all the money he had was extracted from him and lost. The man with the smart money, who was safely out of the market when the first crash came, naturally went back in to pick up bargains. The bargains then suffered a ruins fall. Even the man who waited out all of October and all of November, who saw the volume of trading return to normal and saw Wall Str eet become as placid as a produce market, and who then bought common stocks would see their value drop to a third or a fourth of the purchase price in the next twenty-four months. The Coolidge bull market was a remarkable phenomenon. The ruthlessness of its liquidation was, in its own way, equally remarkable. 5-Ronald G. Walters, AMERICAN REFORMERS, 1815-1860 American Reformers, 1815-1860, Revised Edition With American Reformers, Walters has composed a fine synthesis of secondary literature on the varied antebellum reform movements. In doing so, he argues that the reform impulse emerges out of evangelical Protestantism but by the Civil War takes a more secular turn more involved in legislating social controls than converting the hearts of individuals. As he develops this argument he addresses the different forms that this reform impulse took and organizes the book thematically. He discusses in successive chapters utopian movements and secular communitarians, abolition, the womens movement and the peace movement, temperance, health reform and spiritualism, working mans reform, and institutional reform, into which he groups mental hospitals, prisons and schools. Walters demonstrates the secularization of reform in the realm of communitarian societies. Thus, the early nineteenth century utopian settlements that often emerged out of pietistic impulses gave way to more secular experiments in social engineering such as Owenism, or as in the case of Oneida, how a once religious community endured only as a commercial venture. Similarly he shows institutions such as asylums wove their religious inspiration with the science of the times but like prisons and almshouses became holding pens for outcasts rather than places for healing and reform. Walters also situates the emergence of reform in the particular circumstances of antebellum America. He argues that the emergence of the middle class created made it possible for people to devote time to reform, and those technological advances in printing made it possible for people to actually make a living as an agitator. He also argues that reform helped shape the identity of the emerging middle class. This point comes through particularly clearly in his chapter on working mans reform. Walters synthesis suffers from its grand scope and short length. In it he sacrifices a certain amount of detail and analysis for space and clarity. The section on utopian movements, for example, traces the personalities of the major reformers and a brief outline of the community that followed without in-depth analysis. Throughout the book quotations from primary sources would have been helpful in giving a feel for the particular movement under discussion. The lack of primary source material allows Walters to sacrifice documentation, and the reader sometimes wishes for some assistance in discerning the origin or fuller development of a particular point. To his credit, Walters provides a good bibliographical essay at the end, but the lack of documentation sometimes proves frustrating and thus interrupts the otherwise smooth flow in the text. Nonetheless, American Reformers is a very readable and useful synthesis of the secondary sources on antebellum reform. As such, it is a helpful an d welcome addition to the field. In my mind, this is an introductory text, albeit a fine one. Walters is very accessable, he tries to include necessary historical perspective and whatever cultural information he deems to be valuable to the story hes telling in each chapter. And while each chapter is a story of a different movement or people, he also demonstrates those things these groups have in common. I wont spoil it for you, but at the least of it, they were all idealists who thought to affect the world around them. Material and political changes transformed America at a dizzying pace in the 1820s and 1830s. The expansion of industrialization, the creation of roads and canals to connect manufacturers to new markets, westward migration, a prolonged period of economic depression following the panic of 1837, and the broadening of voting rights triggered vast social upheavals. Reform movements were often attempts to cope with the consequences of these changes. Some movements wanted reform of institutions like prisons, schools, and asylums. Others looked to individual regeneration to transform the whole society. Some reformers drew attention to a particular groups suffering: Richard Henry Danas  Two Years before the Mast  (1840), for example, pressed for expanded legal rights for sailors. Others, like the founders of Brook Farm, sought radical and universal reform. A powerful source of reform emerged from the Second Great Awakening, the religious revivals sweeping the nation from the 1790s through the 1820s. Like the Great Awakening of the 1730s and 1740s, this series of revivals emphasized individual, often emotional religious experiences. Yet unlike the first period of revival, the Second Great Awakening had an even broader impact. The disestablishment of religion in the early national period and the deism associated with Americas founding fathers (that is, their belief in the power of reason and the existence of a Supreme Creator and their skepticism about supernatural religious explanations) seemed to threaten the nations Protestant moral foundation. Moreover, many Christians attributed certain social ills (drinking, dueling, disregard for the Sabbath, and the like) to Chris-tianitys decline. Ministers such as Lyman Beecher (1775-1863) and Charles Grandison Finney (1792-1875) responded with messages about wickedness, conversion, and the imm inent return of Christ. Moving away from the Calvinist doctrines (such as predestination) associated with the initial Great Awakening, they preached individual moral agency and personal salvation, moral improvement and perfection, and a responsibility to hasten the coming of Gods Kingdom. These religious ideas contributed to the desire for reform and creation of voluntary benevolent societies such as the American Education Society (1815), American Bible Society (1816), and American Tract Society (1825). These organizations distributed religious literatures, but their members also led efforts to stem Sabbath-breaking, drinking, and other forms of vice. Various female moral reform societies focused on ending prostitution, sexual exploitation, and the sexual double standard. The ostensibly moral concern with sexual vice also helped justify the not-so-pious demand for reform literature featuring fallen and wronged women in texts like Maria Monks  Awful Disclosures  (1836) and George Fosters  New York by Gas-Light  (1850). Evangelical reformers also played important roles in other reform movements. Theodore Dwight Weld (1803-1895), a disciple of Finney, began his career distributing tracts and preaching against strong drink. In 1829 Weld shifted his efforts to the campaign against slavery and authored two antislavery classics,  The Bible against Slavery  (1837), which dismantled biblical pro-slavery arguments, and  American Slavery As It Is  (1839), the text that inspired Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-1896) to write  Uncle Toms Cabin  (1851-1852). Evangelical reform spread popular literature as tracts, sermons, Sunday school books, and temperance testimonies. The revivals also had an important influence on developments in literary style. Religious writings became more emotional and imaginative, formally less rigid, and theologically less rigorous. Antebellum religious texts began to rely on vivid narratives to illustrate, edify, and entertain. This new religious style, as David S. Reynolds calls it in his study  Beneath the American Renaissance  (p. 15), reshaped not only evangelical writing but also the style of liberal reformers, popular writers, and transcendentalists. 6-James M McPherson, ABRAHAM LINCOLN Abraham Lincoln In honor of the bicentennial of Lincolns birth, renowned Civil War scholar James M. McPherson has written a wonderful brief biography of our 16th President. This book will be a wonderful source for beginners to study Lincoln and will serve as a good framework for larger works, like David Herbert Donalds  Lincoln. This book covered the important aspects of Lincolns life from his birth and childhood in Kentucky and Indiana to his coming to Illinois, to his administration and death. McPherson discussed Lincolns tarnished relationship with his father and his wonderful relationship with his step-mother, which presented a more personal side of the man. Though short, this book does a great job of discussing Lincolns life in the larger context of American history. McPherson summarized the important moments and events during his life and provided a wonderful look at the war and its effect on him. True to his scholarly reputation, McPherson used great sources for this little biography, including the  Collected Works of Lincoln  and  Lincoln at Cooper Union  to name a couple. In addition to using great primary and secondary sources, McPherson provided a bibliographic essay that provided a great synthesis of the historiography of Lincoln and where it may be heading in the coming year. There are many things to like about this book. It is a well-researched, but brief biography that will reach a wide audience. The reputation of James McPherson as a scholar lends great weight to the legitimacy of this biography.  Abraham Lincoln  is a wonderful beginning to the scholarly celebration of the Lincoln bicentennial. - James McPherson has emerged as one of Americas finest historians.  Battle Cry of Freedom  , his Pulitzer Prize-winning account of the Civil War, was a national bestseller that Hugh Brogan, in  The New York Times Book Review  , called history writing of the highest order. In that volume, McPherson gathered in the broad sweep of events, the political, social, and cultural forces at work during the Civil War era. Now, in  Abraham Lincoln and the Second American Revolution  , he offers a series of thoughtful and engaging essays on aspects of Lincoln and the war that have rarely been discussed in depth. McPherson again displays his keen insight and sterling prose as he examines several critical themes in American history. He looks closely at the Presidents role as Commander-in-Chief of the Union forces, showing how Lincoln forged a national military strategy for victory. He explores the importance of Lincolns great rhetorical skills, uncovering howthrough parables and figurative languagehe was uniquely able to communicate both the purpose of the war and a new meaning of liberty to the people of the North. In another section, McPherson examines the Civil War as a Second American Revolution, describing how the Republican Congress elected in 1860 passed an astonishing blitz of new laws (rivaling the first hundred days of the New Deal), and how the war not only destroyed the social structure of the old South, but radically altered the balance of power in America, ending 70 years of Southern power in the national government. The Civil War was the single most transforming and defining experience in American history, and Abraham Lincoln remains the most important figure in the pantheon of our mythology. These graceful essays, written by one of America are leading historians, offer fresh and unusual perspectives on both. From my analysis point of view the book itself in hardcover is a joy to hold with its compact size, readable typeface and bound-in ribbon bookmark. Whoever worked on this project obviously did it as a labor of love. They worked the details on this one.  You cant honestly compare this work to others like Carl Sandbergs Lincoln or With Malice towards None or even my nice coffee table book of photographs taken of Lincoln. This work COMPLEMENTS those more comprehensive volumes. That said, it is not incomplete. It does an excellent job of hitting the hundreds of high and low points in Lincolns too brief life. The pace moves quickly and precisely along so that you never have the feeling that youre being written down to if thats the phrase Im looking for. This one has NOT been dumbed down for the reader.   Personally I see this smaller volume as an annual read

Land Travel in the 17th Century Essay -- European History Essays

Land Travel in the 17th Century Barbara Blaugdone traveled a great deal, using her faith and drive to spread her message across England and Ireland. In England, she traveled well over a hundred miles, in Ireland she traveled over two hundred. She also made several voyages by sea. Her travels must have been long and difficult, as she faced not only the everyday dangers of the road but the dangers of persecution and imprisonment as well. Many Quakers traveled in her time, following God’s will and spreading their message across many miles. They were not the only ones who traveled by land, however. Merchants and businessmen depended on goods, which were transported to them by farmers, merchant caravans, or ships. Peddlers made their living by travel, selling various goods and buying others. Wealthy young men often traveled to complete their education, and members of the upper-class visited health spas. Mainly, land travel was on foot or in the saddle. In addition to their own two legs, lower classes relied on mules or asses, wagons, and hand carts. The upper class used h...

Laboratory Techniques and Measurements

Name: Kensley Shelley|Date: 9-17-12| Exp 2: Laboratory Techniques & Measurements|Lab Section: 0000| Data Tables: Step 1: Length and Measurements Object Measured|Length in cm|Length in mm| Key|5. 15 cm|51. 5 mm| CD|12. 0 cm|120. 0 mm| Fork Spoon|18. 05 cm 16. 30 cm|180. 5 mm 163. 0 mm| Step 2: Warm Temperature Measurements Hot tap water temperature49. 50_? C Boiling water temperature __immediately:104. 5; after 5 minutes: 103. 0__? C Step 3: Cold Temperature Measurements Cold tap water temperature_24. 5_? C Ice water temperature after 1 min:4. 5, after 5 min:1. 0 ? C Step 4: Volume MeasurementsVolume of half filled graduated cylinder__12. 5__mL Volume of completely filled small test tube __n/a__mL Number of drops in 1 mL___14_drops Volume of the micro pipet __28__ drops_2___mL Step 6: Density Measurements Part A Mass of empty graduated cylinder_16. 9_g Mass of graduated cylinder and water 21. 1_g Net mass of the water __4. 2_g Density of the water_0. 84_ g/mL Part B Mass of graduated cylinder and alcohol _20. 4_g Net mass of the alcohol __3. 5_g Density of the alcohol__0. 7__ g/mL Part C Mass of graduated cylinder and salt solution ____g Net mass of the salt solution____gDensity of the salt solution____ g/mL Part D Volume of half filled graduated cylinder__8. 0__mL Volume of half filled graduated cylinder and metal bolt_9. 1__mL Volume of the metal bolt_1. 1_mL Mass of the metal bolt __7. 2__g Density of the metal bolt__6. 55__g/mL Part E Mass of half filled beaker__89. 0__g Mass of water displaced by metal bolt__90. 1__g Volume of the metal bolt__1. 1__cc Density of the metal bolt__6. 55__g/cc Mass of half filled beaker__89. 0__g Mass of water displaced by magnet__89. 8__g Volume of the magnet _0. _cc Mass of the magnet __4. 0_g Mass when dropping the magnet in the beaker__92. 9__g Density of the magnet__5. 00__g/cc Calculated volume of the magnet using dimensions of length x width x height__0. 78__cc Density of magnet using the calculated volume_5. 13___g/cc C onclusion: Questions and Problems: A. Which method of determining density is more accurate, the water displacement method in Part D or Archimedes’ principle method in Part E? Why? For the metal bolt, I received the same answer for both experiments, so I would say both were equally accurate in my experiment.B. What is the relationship between mL and cm3? They equal each other; mL = cc C. Everyone knows that water is supposed to boil at 100 ° C. Why did your water sample boil at a different temperature? Water boils at different temperatures depending on the altitude. The higher pressure in the air keeps the molecules from escaping as easily. D. To help you get a feel for metric measurements, you need to know the relative magnitude of a few basic measurements. For example: 1 mm = thickness of a dime, a penny weighs 2 ? grams, and 20 °C = normal room temperature. Determine the following: . What is the mass in kilograms (kg) of a person who weighs 143 lb? 64. 86 kg 2. What wei ghs approximately 1 g? dollar bill, paper clip 3. What is approximately 1 cm long, wide or thick? fingernail is 1 cm wide 4. What weighs about 100 g? 20 nickels, 40 pennies 5. What weighs about 1000 g? 1 liter of water Conclusion: The experiment was designed to help acquaint the student with proper laboratory measurements and techniques. This was done by allowing the student to use the different lab tools in a variety of ways, such as: heating, measurements, volume, and density.In completing this lab, I am better aware of the different tools which will be used and how to properly use them, because a slight mistake in measuring can skew your data. I witnessed this in the density calculations in that the wrong mass or volume could greatly skew the results of the density. I first recorded 7. 6 g as the mass for the metal bolt, but on second glance I realized it was only 7. 2 g. While this may not seem significant at first, having a difference of 0. 4 g is very significant in determinin g the correct density. I also observed how important it is to account for one uncertain digit.When measuring items using the cm side of the ruler, I had to account for an uncertain digit when it measured in between two lines. Accounting for this uncertain digit helps to gain a more accurate reading. Also, reading at the bottom of the meniscus is also very important when measuring. When I first used the beaker, I did not get down to eye level and therefore I could not properly see the meniscus, but after putting it to eye level, I could see that I was slightly off on my measurement. I also learned how to determine the mass of certain objects that are not easily measured.I did so by first measuring the cylinder's mass and then measuring the mass of the cylinder with the liquid in it. I was then able to subtract the two and get a good measurement of the mass of the liquid. Another technique practiced was using displaced water to determine the volume and subsequently the density of an o bject. By putting the object on a string and placing it in the water, I was able to record the mass of the displaced water (90. 1 g), which i was then able to convert to the volume of the object (1. 1 mL). This number along with the mass of the object (7. g), could then be converted to the density of the object (6. 55 g/cc). There were a few potential errors that could have occurred while preforming the experiments. First, when calibrating my at home scale, I had to place an object that was 500 g on the scale. While I believe the object I placed on it was close to that mass, it could have been off slightly which could have skewed my results. Also, there is always the possibility of miscalculations when I was determining the volume of the magnet using the ruler. There is always the chance of miss counting something which can led to inaccurate results. Laboratory Techniques and Measurements Measurement:Length, Mass, Volume, Density, and Time Peter Jeschofnig, Ph. D. Version 42-0267-00-01 Lab RepoRt assistant This document is not meant to be a substitute for a formal laboratory report. The Lab Report Assistant is simply a summary of the experiment’s questions, diagrams if needed, and data tables that should be addressed in a formal lab report. The intent is to facilitate students’ writing of lab reports by providing this information in an editable file which can be sent to an instructor. Data Table 1: Estimation of various measurements| Measurement| Estimated| Actual| % Error| Length (m)| | | | Time (s)| | | |Mass (g)| | | | Data Table 2: Measurement of an object using various instruments| | Length(cm)| Width(cm)| Height(cm)| Volume(cm3)| Object Being Measured:| | | | | Hand (hand units)| | | | | Hand (cm)| | | | | Ruler| | | | | Meter tape| | | | | Data Table 3: Measurement of an object using various instruments| | Length(cm)| Width(cm)| Height(cm)| Volume (cm3)| Object Being Measured:| | | | | Hand (hand units)| | | | | Hand (cm)| | | | | Ruler| | | | | Meter tape| | | | | Data Table 4: Measurement of an object using various instruments| | Length(cm)| Width(cm)| Height(cm)| Volume(cm3)| Object Being Measured:| | | | |Hand (hand units)| | | | | Hand (cm)| | | | | Ruler| | | | | Meter tape| | | | | Data Table 5: Determination of ? | Object| DiameterD(cm)| CircumferenceC(cm)| Slope| % Error| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Data Table 6: Density measurements| Method| Volume of water in graduated cylinder (mL)| Volume of water+ bolt(mL)| Volume of bolt (mL)| Mass of bolt in air (g)| Mass of bolt in water (g)| Mass of bolt â€Å"lost† in water (g)| Density orS. G. ofbolt(g/mL)S. G. =unitless| Water- displacement method| | | | | | | | Archimedes’ principle method| | | | | | | | Data Table 7: Time measurements using visual cues| Drop time (s)| Trial 1| | Trial 2| | Trial 3| | Average| | Data Table 8: Time meas urements using auditory cues| | Drop time (s)| Trial 1| | Trial 2| | Trial 3| | Average| | Questions Exercise 1: Estimation of Various Measurements A. Why is it important to correctly estimate length, time, and mass? Exercise 2: Measuring Using Instruments of Varying Degrees of Precision A. Can you think of an occasion when it would be adequate to use your â€Å"hand† measurement? B. What would happen to your volume calculations if the length, width and height measurements were off a little? Exercise 3: Graphing data and the determination of ?Object Description| Diameter (cm)| Circumference (cm)| Measuring Device| Penny| 1. 90  ± 0. 01| 5. 93  ± 0. 03| Vernier caliper, paper| â€Å"D† cell battery| 3. 30  ± 0. 02| 10. 45  ± 0. 05| Vernier caliper, paper| PVC cylinder A| 4. 23  ± 0. 02| 13. 30  ± 0. 03| Vernier caliper, paper| PVC cylinder B| 6. 04  ± 0. 02| 18. 45  ± 0. 05| Plastic ruler, paper| Tomato soup can| 6. 6  ± 0. 1| 21. 2  ± 0. 1| Plastic ruler, paper| 5. Graph C vs. d using a computer spreadsheet program. 7. What is the slope of the line? What does it represent? 8. Calculate the percent error of your value from the true value of pi.Exercise 4: Density Measurements A. Which of the two volume determinations will be more accurate? Why? B. Research the Archimedes’ principle method. Write one paragraph explaining why it is called Archimedes’ principle Exercise 5: Time Measurements A. Which is more accurate, the individual times or the average? Explain. B. Sometimes many trials are run and recorded. Then the highest and lowest data points are disregarded when taking the average. Could this technique help in this experiment? How? C. Explain any differences that occurred between recording the data visually and aurally.

Artificial Intelligence in Today’s Society

Artificial Intelligence in Today’s Society Larry Anderson INF103 Instructor Geathers November 21, 2011 â€Å"The goal of many computer scientists since the mid-20th century has been to create a computer that could perform logical operations. †(Bowles, 2010, 9. 2). The journey to achieving this is called Artificial Intelligence, which is considered to be the branch of computer science that is focused on creating machines that engage in human behavior, and intelligence. â€Å"The term Artificial Intelligence was first coined at the Dartmouth Conference in 1956 by John McCarthy. † (McCorduck, 2004, 2. ). â€Å"The Dartmouth conference paved the way for examining the use of computers to process symbols, the need for new languages and the role of computers for theorem proving instead of focusing on hardware that simulated intelligence. †(Krishnamoorthy & Rajeev, 1996, 9. 1). Even though this name was coined in 1956, we saw artificial intelligence 15 years earli er when the electronic computer was created in 1941. Artificial Intelligence is an exciting subject that will only get better with time, allowing humans to do things that were never thought to be reality, until the last few decades. In this paper, I will be telling you about the four main studies of artificial intelligence and their importance to our society, as well as how they are affecting our everyday lives. These four studies are expert systems, natural language, neural networks, and robotics. Mostly all artificial intelligences can be categorized under these four studies. Not only are these technologies making life easier, they are making life more enjoyable for all societies. The first study of artificial intelligence I will talk about is expert systems. Expert systems are computer programs that contain large amounts of information in a certain field. These programs use this large amount of information to solve problems that normally would require human intelligence. The great thing about expert systems is that they can process information, in seconds, which would take humans days. Every expert system is made up of two parts: knowledge, and reasoning. â€Å"The knowledge base of the expert systems contains both factual and heuristic knowledge. †(Engelmore & Feigenbaum, 1993, 1. 2). The knowledge is the information, while the reasoning is the problem solving aspect of the expert system. One common, but powerful paradigm involves chaining of if-then rules to form a line of reasoning. †(Engelmore & Feigenbaum, 1993, 1. 2). For example, if you have these symptoms, then you must have a head cold. Expert systems are affecting our everyday lives by diagnosing illnesses, and predicting the weather. â€Å"One of the first systems was a computer that could perform a medical diagnosis. † (Bowles, 2010, 9. 2). A doctor can enter symptoms into a computer, and then process a few questions for the doctor; after answering the questions the computer will make a diagnosis of the patient. This is very useful to doctors because now they can see more patients, and give promising diagnosis efficiently. The second way expert systems are affecting our lives is by predicting the weather. Meteorologists are using these systems to help predict hurricanes and tornadoes. This is very helpful to society, giving people more evacuation time during major storms. The second study of artificial intelligence is Natural Language, which is considered human language. â€Å"Natural language processing programs use artificial intelligence to allow a user to communicate with a computer in the user’s natural language. (Poole & Mackworth, 2010, 12. 6). The computer can both understand and respond to commands given in human language. The two biggest hurdles in this study are phonetic knowledge, and pragmatic knowledge. Phonetic knowledge concerns how words are realized, and how words are realized as sounds. Pragmatic Knowledge has to do with how sentences are used in different contexts and how that affects sentence interpretation. Even with the tough barriers of language, and the meaning of words computer specialists are producing helpful natural language processing programs to better society. When was the last time you made a customer service call? Natural language is affecting you when you call a customer service number, and an automated voice tells you to say a command. â€Å"Voice-recognition systems are now handling night and weekend toll-free directory assistance calls for big corporations. † (Poole & Mackworth, 2010, 12. 6). For example if you need to check your balance for a cell phone bill, a voice-recognition system can assist, without the need of a human. This allows the human customer service representatives to help customers with more complex questions. Another way natural language is being used is with Google’s real time translation application. With this application you can take snapshots of things in a different language with your phone and it will translate the words into your language in seconds. This can be useful when you are traveling in different countries, needing directions, or when you are selecting from a menu in a different language. â€Å"A neural network is, in essence, an attempt to simulate the brain. Neural network theory revolves around the idea that certain key properties of biological neurons can be extracted and applied to simulations, thus creating a simulated, and very much simplified brain. †(Reingold & Nightingale, 4. 1). The first important thing to understand is that artificial neural networks are an attempt to recreate the computing potential of the brain. However, no one has ever simulated anything as complex as an actual brain which makes it very difficult to finish the whole project. Credit card fraud is very big in the present day, because many people are not using cash; instead they are using credit cards and debit cards to make transactions. â€Å"Nearly 400,000 transactions per day are of fraudulent charges. † (Brause & Langsdorf, 1). Neural Networks are being used to detect fraud transactions with the principal of pattern recognition. Every time a credit card user uses their card there is a pattern of transaction. Neural network software uses information such as how much money a person makes, type of transactions made, and how frequent certain transactions are made to predict fraud. â€Å"Neural network based fraud detection is based totally on the human brain working principal. As the human brain learns through past experience and uses its knowledge or experience in making the decision in daily life problem the same technique is applied with the credit card fraud detection technology. † (Patidar & Sharma 2. ). The last study of artificial intelligence I will be talking about is robotics. Robots are physical agents that perform tasks by manipulating the physical world. â€Å"They perform tasks which are idealizations or extensions of human capabilities. †(Selig, 1992, 1. 1). Robots have four characteristics; sensing, movement, energy, and intelligence. First off, a robot must sense its surroundings u sing light, touch, and pressure sensors. Secondly a robot must have movement; a robot needs to move around in its in environment, whether or not the whole robot moves, or just parts. Thirdly, a robot needs power to function properly, this energy could be solar, electrical, or battery powered. Last, it must have some kind of intelligence, such as software from a programmer in order to operate. Actual robots might seem like far off science fiction, but that is not the case robots have been affecting our everyday life for years. One of the biggest uses for robots today is in the automotive industry. Over the past few decades robots have completely changed the automobile industry in many ways. Even though the use of robots has also led to many workers losing their jobs, it is very cost effective. The robots are used for welding, painting, drilling, sanding, cutting, and moving tasks in manufacturing plants. The robots have improved this industry with a job efficiency that couldn’t be duplicated by humans. These robots have made assembly lines and factories safer by handling jobs that are too dangerous and too difficult for workers to perform. Another great way that robots are working in society’s favor is by cleaning up toxic and contaminated areas that would otherwise be harmful to humans. The biggest reason that robots are able to do these jobs is that they can be easily shielded against hazardous environments and are easily replaceable, unlike humans. Robots are used to clean up nuclear waste or clean ammunition, and landmines all over the world. Robots are also an asset to the military because they can detect and diffuse bombs in a combat zone. These robots are saving lives every day because they are able to go into situations that are life threating to humans and get the job done. The studies of expert systems, natural language, neural networks, and robotics are just in their early stages of advancements, but are already showing important promising characteristics for the future of mankind. We already see these advancements being put to the test by making medical diagnosis, predicting weather, voice automated services, catching transaction fraud, building automobiles, and cleaning up hazardous wastes. There is no doubt that Artificial Intelligence is already affecting society in ways that were never imagined decades ago. Technology will continue to explode into the next few decades, excelling in Artificial Intelligence, how we embrace the advances, will define us as a society. Resources: Bowles, Mark, D. (2010). Introduction to Computer Literacy. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education. McCorduck, P. (2004). Machines Who Think. Natick, MA. AK Peters, Ltd. Krishnamoorthy, C. , Rajeev, S. (1996). Artificial Intelligence and Expert Systems for Engineers. CRC Press. Englemore, R. & Feigenbaum, E. (1993). Expert Systems and Artificial Intelligence. WTEC Hyper-Librarian. Poole, D. & Mackworth, A. 2010). Artificial Intelligence Foundations of Computational Agents. Cambridge University Press. Reingold, E. & Nightingale, J. Artificial Intelligence Tutorial Review. http://www. psych. utoronto. ca/users/reingold/courses/ai/ai. html Brause, R. & Langsdorf. Neural Data Mining for Credit Card Fraud Detection. J. W. Goethe-University. Frankfurt, Germany. Patidar, R. & Sharma, L. (2011). International Journal of Soft C omputing and Engineering. Jaipur, India. Selig, J. (1992). Introductory Robotics. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall International.

Basketball.

Basketball. BasketballBasketball is a game played on a rectangular court, which is usually indoors. The objective of the game is to score more points than the opposing team by putting an orange, round ball through a hoop called a rim. The rims are placed at opposite ends of the court, ten feet above the ground. The rim is connected to a four by six foot backboard. Basketball is one of the most popular sports in the world and it is played by both men and women.Each basketball team is allowed five players on the court at a time. The players consists of two guards, two forwards, and a center. You have to keep bouncing (dribbling) the ball down the court. You can not stop "dribbling" until you are willing to pass the ball to another player. You can not touch another player or it will be called a foul.English: Basketball article stub iconPlaying offence is the most prominent part of playing basketball. Basic offensive skills include passing, ball handling, shooting, and rebounding. Passing the ball i s the fastest and most efficient way of advancing the ball up the court. There are five types of passes that are "chest", where the ball is thrown at chest height, "bounce", where the ball is bounced on the ground before it reaches the other teammate, "overhead", where the ball is thrown with both hands over your head, "baseball-style", in which the ball is thrown like a baseball, and "behind-the-back", in which the player throws the ball at waist height with one hand whipping around the back. Another offensive strategy is shooting. The basic types of shooting are the "layup", the "jump shot", the "foul shot", and the "hook shot".The defense id just as important to winning the game as the offense. The goal of the...

Gender Equality Argument Professor Ramos Blog

Gender Equality Argument Angela Bernier English 101 29 June, 2019   Ruth Bader Ginsburg is a legend in women history and even has a movie made after her. She was the second women to ever serve in the Supreme Court and she was very deserving of it. Ruth had a full scholarship to Cornell University and in the movie â€Å"On the Basis of Sex† she is one of the top students. Even after graduating it was hard for Ruth to find a job as a lawyer because of her gender. Eventually she settled for a job as a professor and started to become more involved with gender equality. Ruth even became the founding counsel of ACLU’s womens rights project. After her struggle of personally dealing with gender discrimination, she stood up for herself and was not afraid to fight for what is right and has helped women have a voice. In Ruths closing argument for a case she is working on in the movie, â€Å"On the Basis of Sex† she gives a moving speech talking about why gender equality is important and how it will not ruin the system but improve it. â€Å"We are not asking you to change the country. That has already happened without any courts permission. We are asking you to protect the right of the country to change,† (On the Basis of Sex). This quote stands out because it is talking about how this country is unenviably changing and how the court is trying to keep everything in â€Å"order† by making laws that seem fair but are really actually biased. Ruth is trying convince the judges that change is not a bad thing and people should not be afraid of it. â€Å"Our sons and daughters are barred by law from opportunities based on assumptions about their abilities. We must take these laws on, one by one, for as long as it takes, for their sake,† (On the Basis of Sex). Ruth is referring to a tax law, Section 214, that was biased about gender roles and was her first step into changing the system. Ruth wanted to change to happen and decided to take a slower approach by fighting for one law at a time. If she can convince the court to make a small change then it would open doors for more people to fight and be hopeful of future change. Ruth talks about how the laws are made by assuming each genders ability which is not fair to men or women. A woman should be able to go out and find a job just as easily as a man if she has the same qualifications. Ruth and her husband both graduated with the same degrees yet Ruth was not able to find her dream job as a lawyer while her husband became a successful lawyer. Ruth wanted to fight for future women and men by getting rid of made up gender roles. â€Å"You are being urged to protect the culture and traditions, and morality of an America that no longer exist,† (On the Basis of Sex). This statement is very powerful because she is pointing out how the court and the people in the court are avoiding the changes already happening in America. No matter what the court is trying to keep in place more people are started to realize what is wrong with the laws. Ruth mentions how in law school there were not even bathrooms for women, she then brings up how things have already changed over the years and women are becoming more relevant in these types of environments. â€Å"A generation ago, my students would have been arrested for indecency for wearing the clothes that they do. Sixty-five years ago, it would have been unimaginable that my daughter would aspire to a career. And a hundred years ago, I would not have the right to stand before you. There are a hundred and seventy-eight laws that differentiate on the basis of sex. Count them. The government did the favor of compiling them for you. And while you’re at it, I urge you to read them. They’re obstacles to our children’s aspirations,† (On the Basis of Sex). Ruth is stating that America is changing no matter what and the laws are making it a disadvantage for people to be what they want.By stating all the changes that have already happened, the judges can see that no matter what laws are in place the country will change and evolve and women are becoming more outspoken. In the movie, Ruth has daughter who is motivates her to fight even harder not only for her own rights but for her daughters future. She wants her daughter to grow up in a world where she is not judged by her gender or put at a disadvantage. â€Å"These are laws written by men who think we are privileged to be excused from men’s obligations. But it is not a privilege, it is a cage, and these laws are the bars!† (On the Basis of Sex).   Ruth is describing these laws as a cage because women feel trapped and forced to live a certain life style.   It is not every womens dream to stay at home, cook, clean and raise kids.   Women now want to go out and get an education and have a voice in the world the same as men.   Men back then thought it was a privilege for women to stay home all day and not be out working, when in reality not all little girls dream of becoming a house wife when they grow up.   Women  now have a chance at a career and have opportunities never imagined by previous generations.   Ruth is a woman to admire because she stood up for what is right and took a chance for women everywhere.   I chose her closing argument from the movie because it was a strong statement that was said to male judges.   She put her fear aside and did fought for something she believed in.   I think every  women  should look up to her and feel ashamed for our gender but stand up for it and keep fighting for our rights. Aaron M. Houck,Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Encyclopaedia Britannica,Encyclopaedia Britannica,inc. Ed Hightower,  On the Basis of Sex  and  Ruth Bader Ginsburg: The manufacturing of a â€Å"living legend†,  Published by the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI).   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cmKDpRrSKA  

Does Applying Early Decision Increase My Chances?

Students with their hearts set on attending a specific college often want to know how they can increase their odds of acceptance. Will attending summer programs give them a boost? How about contacting a local alumna? We hear these questions a lot, but there’s one we hear far more often than all the others—will applying early decision increase my chances? It was previously believed that applying early decision or early action offered no significant advantage to applying regular decision at most colleges. Is this still the case? Keep reading to find out how applying early decision can impact your odds of acceptance. It’s easy enough to look up acceptance rates, and anyone who does so will notice that most schools have higher acceptance rates for early decision applicants, sometimes significantly so. To the untrained eye, this might make it seem like early decision is an easier round of admissions, but this ignores a big piece of the puzzle. Students who apply early decision might be more qualified overall than those who apply regular decision. After all, they are the students who have decided months ahead of time where they want to attend college. Maybe this also means they are the same students who have been ahead of other curves throughout their high school years. While it’s hard to find statistics about the average SAT or GPA of early decision applicant pools, it’s safe to say that students who apply early are forward thinking planners who pay close attention to detail. Could this alone account for the sometimes very large discrepancy between acceptance rates? At , we have experience working with thousands of college hopefuls and we have access to thousands of other data points gathered through our own research. While we used to believe that the higher acceptance rates of early decision programs were accounted for by more highly qualified applicants, we now believe that the difference in acceptance rates between early and regular decision cannot entirely be accounted for by differences in the applicant pool. Our data shows that applicants across the board have a higher chance of gaining acceptance when they apply through early decision, even when differences in candidate strength are accounted for. This means that the average student is more likely to get in when he or she applies early decision than when the same student applies regular decision to the same school.    Estimating your chance of getting into a college is not easy in today’s competitive environment. Thankfully, with our state-of-the-art software and data, we can analyze your academic and extracurricular profile and estimate your chances. Our profile analysis tool can also help you identify the improvement you need to make to enter your dream school. Early decision applicants are a sure thing for colleges, many of which want to accurately predict their yield. Yield is an important factor for colleges. Essentially, it is the percent of accepted students who end up enrolling. Not only is this an important factor to predict accurately for financial purposes (since a full class brings more tuition), but it is also weighed by many college rankings. Early decision applicants help a college to more accurately predict yield because they have committed to attending even before they are offered an acceptance. As Karen Richardson, the dean of undergraduate admissions and enrollment management at Tufts says, â€Å"The biggest difference between ED and students is that those who apply ED have already decided that Tufts is the place that they want to be. As the ED pool has grown and gotten stronger, it’s difficult to say ‘no’ to good students who are good fits and who have made the commitment to attend if accepted.† Richardson goes on to note that Tufts specifically does not offer Early Action, because its non-binding nature makes yield projections difficult. With so many qualified candidates now applying through early decision programs, it’s easy to see why colleges are apt to favor them. In fact, at many schools, early decision applicants are accepted at rates 10-12% higher than regular decision applicants. While it doesn’t offer as significant a boost as early decision, most early action programs still provide some admissions advantage. For Single-Choice Early Action or Restrictive Early Action programs, the admissions benefits can be around 6-8%, while for normal Early Action, the admissions benefits hover around 4-6%. While these might seem negligible, keep in mind that the overall acceptance rate at many top schools is now below 10%. A 6 point advantage can be significant when we’re talking about such low acceptance rates. Early action programs probably don’t offer as big of an advantage as early decision because they don’t offer as big of an advantage to colleges, either. Early action, even single-choice or restrictive early action, still leave room for accepted students to change their mind and attend another school. While the applicant’s demonstrated interest is still seen as an advantage to admissions committees, it isn’t as significant as the sure bet that early decision applicants represent. Of course, to every rule there is an exception, and this is no different. While most colleges do accept early decision and even early action students at higher rates, this isn’t true of all schools across the board. Most notably, the early action acceptance rate at MIT is just 6.9%, compared to the regular decision acceptance rate of 6.7%. So, while most colleges do favor early decision candidates, the degree to which this occurs varies from one school to another, and at some schools, it can even be insignificant. To learn more about optimizing your chances of getting into your top choice school, consider enlisting the help of ’s Applications Guidance service. Here, you will be paired with a personal admissions specialist from a top a college who can provide step-by-step guidance through the entire application process.

Contract Law Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Contract Law - Coursework Example Under normal circumstances, one party’s document will have different terms from the other party’s terms thereby begging the question: whose terms governs the contract? This is what leads to what is termed as the â€Å"battle of forms.† Such a case was explored by Lord Denning in Butler V. Ex-Cell-O3. In case there is a battle of forms in any transaction, a contract is assumed to have taken effect as soon as the last of the forms is sent and received without any issue or objection being taken to it. Nevertheless, a difficulty arises when it comes to deciding which form or part of the form is a term or a condition with regard to the contract in question. Under some cases, the battle is won by the party that fires the last shot. This is the general rule under the battle of forms4. The last shot rule provides that no contract comes into existence as long as an offer and acceptance does not match. Under such a situation, each party’s reference to its own genera l conditions is taken as a rejection of the other party’s offer, thereby treated as a counter offer. It is only if one party to the contract accepts the other party’s offer, plus all the conditions prescribed in it that a contract is deemed to have been formed. The terms of the contract in this case refer to those of the party who has managed to ‘fire the last shot.’ In most cases under the battle of forms cases, this becomes the seller5. For instance, by sending the seller a purchase order by making reference to its general conditions, the buyer makes an offer under his personal standard terms. Then, by making reference to his/her own standard terms in the reply the seller makes a counteroffer and consequently rejects the buyer’s terms. The buyer is implied to have accepted this offer through acceptance of its delivery. This was evident in the case between British Road Services V. Crutchley6 . In this case, the court held that Crutchley’s co unter offer, which was not objected to by the British Road Services, was valid and, as such, carried the day7. From the case, it is evident that the victory was for the party that fired the last shot. It is worth noting that despite this being the general rule under battle of forms, certain exceptions exist. An exception comes where the victory goes to the party that gets in the blow first. For instance, where one party offers to sell at an express price based on the stated terms on the back and the buyer happens to order the same commodities implying to having accepted the offer on the order form with his own different terms on the back. If the difference happens to be so material to the extent that it may affect the initial price quoted, then the buyer is not supposed to be allowed to take advantage of this difference, not unless he/she notifies the seller regarding the difference. Such was the case between Butler V. Ex-Cell-O8. In the case between Butler V. Ex-Cell-O, it was the sellers who fired the first shot since they expressly made it clear that the contract was to be made only on their terms. Lord Denning alludes that in such a case, the seller should win the battle. Nevertheless, according to the ruling of the case by the court of appeal, the issue at hand was the question of who made the offer against the party that accepted it. As such, since the seller made the offer but the buyer later made a counter offer, which was accepted by the seller by raising no abjection, the buyer carried the day9. Application under

International Trade and Competition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

International Trade and Competition - Essay Example Certain policies that should be employed by different trading nations all over the world in order to combat the effects of GFC have also been studied. 2. Trade Theories 2.1 Mercantilism This theory of international trade existed in the mid of 16th century. It postulated that the wealth of a nation depends on its accumulated treasure mainly in the form of gold. Trade surplus was believed to be the key trade practice. However, it had disadvantages of having restrictions in the form of government intervention and impaired growth (Reynolds, 2000). 2.2 Theory of Absolute Advantage This theory is believed to be developed by Adam Smith. It was against the mercantilism trade theory and brought in the concept of free trade. Different countries can take advantage of their efficiency in producing different products and trade for the other products. Hence all the countries would have simultaneous advantages while practicing free trade (skidmore.edu, 2007, p.1). 2.3 Theory of Comparative Advantag e This is an extension of the free trade mechanism theory. This theory takes into consideration two important concepts, namely opportunity cost and the frontier of production possibility. It believes in efficient utilization of existing resources leading to the increase in productivity. A country may be efficient in producing certain products but still it should import from other country if it is comparatively advantageous for the country (hawaii.edu, n.d.). 2.4 Factor Proportions Trade Theory It is also known as Heckscher – Olin Theory. This theory states that those goods should be exported which are locally available in plenty and that makes intensive use of factor endowments. Factor endowments are the main determinants of trade and not its productivity. Here the focus is more on relative advantage rather than absolute advantage. It takes into consideration two important factors of related to production. They are labor and capital (ups.edu, n.d.). 2.5 New Trade Theory The i ndustries whose fixed costs are relatively high output are enhanced through specialization. The effects of learning are also quite high. Only few competitors will be supported through the world demand. International trade results in increased income and output for a country. This results in enhanced savings as well. Rise in competition amongst different countries results in gains in trade which are dynamic in nature. 3. Global Financial Crisis (GFC) Global Financial Crisis (GFC) that took place in 2008 proved to be a historical event in world economy. It had a substantial effect on most of the nations in the world. It has led to the debacle of big financial institutions like Lehman Brothers all around the world. It resulted in the decline of share markets all over the world. It all started in United States with the fall of its market involving sub-prime mortgages. Introduction of complex financial instruments has also been one of the prime reasons behind the crisis. Securitization o f mortgage loans in US was done with the objective of mitigating risk but ultimately it led to the increase of risk through increased use of derivatives instruments in the market as speculative instruments and finally resulted in financial crisis. GFC have

Unit 5 discussion Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Unit 5 discussion - Research Paper Example In the case of Bedford Mountain parenting program one could debate that there might have been preconceived thoughts about the program’s success. In Maritza’s case, it is important for the funding agency to understand the purpose of the program. The findings in this case should be presented and explained clearly to the founder. According to Royse et al. (2010) this evaluation’s findings are intended for knowledge development. They are exempted from scrutiny by IRB (p.49). Despite this; it is good for the evaluator to share her plans with the nearest IRB for guidance. It is also crucial for the evaluator to review how others addressed this problem and apply ethical principles to the situation. Maritza should consult with her supervisor on the evaluation and objectively discuss the way forward as the program collides with politics of funding and the need to be addressed. Maritza should not compromise on the findings but should present her findings in such a way that they capture the pros and cons of the program and give recommendations for it. This type of data ought to be shared with the funding agency and her immediate supervisor. Evaluators are urged not to be complacent even in the midst of political, financial or personal interest but maintain neutrality and exercise their ability to report accurate

Democracy and New Media Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Democracy and New Media - Article Example The new media has exponentially augmented the access to information and has dramatically expanded the scope of free speech. The global flow of information has enabled people around the world to test and contrast the archaic models of civic life with the emerging trends and influences. The pivotal question in this context is that is the new media ubiquitous and if it is so, does it have the potential to contribute to the cause of democracy at a global scale? I s new media contributing to democratic values in Castro’s Cuba or in war ravaged Afghanistan? A general perusal of the history establishes beyond doubt that one or other form of media did play an essential role in the dissemination of political values and ideologies in the 20th century. Lenin’s smuggling of Iskra into Russia, nine decades ago is an apt example of the subversion of a regime through the usage of media (Leighley, 2003).

Guidance and Support to Meet Learning Needs Term Paper

Guidance and Support to Meet Learning Needs - Term Paper Example The difficulties that such students experience in learning is normally not associated with mental disability. The students possess a certain degree of intelligence, but their brain may fail to register information in the desired manner, thereby making it difficult for them to grasp information fast especially in learning institutions. Nevertheless, they are capable of studying and succeeding in academics. There are many characteristics that are exhibited by students with learning disability. These can be helpful to the teachers while trying to identify the students with special needs. The students occasionally fail to pay attention for a long period and are easily diverted by external occurrences beyond the classroom. They are normally forgetful and have problems of time consciousness. It is therefore difficult for them to make a proper time plan. The problem can also be exhibited in their inability to write legible handwritings and their reduced capacity to read. They usually omit some words while reading as well as pronouncing some letters incorrectly. This may be attributed to their inadequate coordination of the eyes and the hands. Understanding and adhering to instructions is usually difficult with a poor reasoning capacity, and therefore they fail to make sensible objectives. Such students are irritable and always require to be recognized, while on the other hand, they are quite disorganized and constantly mess up with procedures. There are various types of learning needs. Many are not known because they do not exhibit notable physical characteristics. The most common learning need is dyslexia. It is a problem that is associated with difficulties in understanding. Writing problems occur in some learners, reducing their capacity to spell and write words correctly. It hampers the student’s ability to write a coherent composition or piece of academic writing. This problem is known as dysgraphia.  

Unit 5 discussion Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Unit 5 discussion - Research Paper Example In the case of Bedford Mountain parenting program one could debate that there might have been preconceived thoughts about the program’s success. In Maritza’s case, it is important for the funding agency to understand the purpose of the program. The findings in this case should be presented and explained clearly to the founder. According to Royse et al. (2010) this evaluation’s findings are intended for knowledge development. They are exempted from scrutiny by IRB (p.49). Despite this; it is good for the evaluator to share her plans with the nearest IRB for guidance. It is also crucial for the evaluator to review how others addressed this problem and apply ethical principles to the situation. Maritza should consult with her supervisor on the evaluation and objectively discuss the way forward as the program collides with politics of funding and the need to be addressed. Maritza should not compromise on the findings but should present her findings in such a way that they capture the pros and cons of the program and give recommendations for it. This type of data ought to be shared with the funding agency and her immediate supervisor. Evaluators are urged not to be complacent even in the midst of political, financial or personal interest but maintain neutrality and exercise their ability to report accurate

Guidance and Support to Meet Learning Needs Term Paper

Guidance and Support to Meet Learning Needs - Term Paper Example The difficulties that such students experience in learning is normally not associated with mental disability. The students possess a certain degree of intelligence, but their brain may fail to register information in the desired manner, thereby making it difficult for them to grasp information fast especially in learning institutions. Nevertheless, they are capable of studying and succeeding in academics. There are many characteristics that are exhibited by students with learning disability. These can be helpful to the teachers while trying to identify the students with special needs. The students occasionally fail to pay attention for a long period and are easily diverted by external occurrences beyond the classroom. They are normally forgetful and have problems of time consciousness. It is therefore difficult for them to make a proper time plan. The problem can also be exhibited in their inability to write legible handwritings and their reduced capacity to read. They usually omit some words while reading as well as pronouncing some letters incorrectly. This may be attributed to their inadequate coordination of the eyes and the hands. Understanding and adhering to instructions is usually difficult with a poor reasoning capacity, and therefore they fail to make sensible objectives. Such students are irritable and always require to be recognized, while on the other hand, they are quite disorganized and constantly mess up with procedures. There are various types of learning needs. Many are not known because they do not exhibit notable physical characteristics. The most common learning need is dyslexia. It is a problem that is associated with difficulties in understanding. Writing problems occur in some learners, reducing their capacity to spell and write words correctly. It hampers the student’s ability to write a coherent composition or piece of academic writing. This problem is known as dysgraphia.  

The Story of My Love Essay Example for Free

The Story of My Love Essay Love is a crazy, strange, yet enticing game. Many think that they will never fall into its captivating lure; I am one of these people. If someone had told me back in April, when Aingeal and I were officially introduced that he would later become my Fiancà ©e, I would have laughed at the mere thought. It’s quite funny how life works. We have had our share of problems but I never would have thought I would lose him so soon. Shortly before finishing the last of my college classes, the only thing keeping me from being a free woman was my Externship and graduation. It was happily a time once in my life where things finally seemed to go the way I planned. My very close circle of friends consisted of four people, my childhood friend Jen, my unofficial sister Tracy (who stayed at my house during senior year), and Aingeal who was a dear friend of Jen who also happened to be Tracy’s good friend. Every Thursday, from that first day back in April, when Aingeal and I were first introduced, till the end of the year, the four of us (Jen, Tracy, Aingeal, and I) would meet at Old Country Buffet after classes to sit and talk about all aspects of our lives. We became so close that the four of us could not part. We adopted the funny name â€Å"The Pretty Eyes Club† simply because we all had pretty eyes; it was fun how we acted so exclusive. We also had a special place that even in the cold dark of winter we would could run to just to relax in this beautiful gazebo overlooking the town. I managed to obtain a job for him with me later in the year. Working together and having the same classes allowed the perfect opportunity for a very close and intimate friendship. As life continued on, Aingeal and I became much closer. Eternship and graduation were rapidly approaching and up until this point, I never looked at Aingeal as anything much more than just a friend. We were invited to a party for Graduation. He and I arrived at the party with different friends, however that night changed things completely. After the party, both of our dates scampered home. There was an after-hours party being thrown that we really wanted to go to. The girl throwing the party was Sally. Her family was renting out a hotel room and they were known for throwing the most amazing parties; their room was our destination. There was a shuttle bus driving people from the party to Sally’s house. I recall Aingeal and me quietly sitting near each other taking random pictures of our friends and just talking about how the night was going. I was noticing a bond developing; it was scary but amazing how much we really had in common. Arriving at the party it was obvious that we both wanted absolutely nothing to do with anyone else but ourselves. We sat out on the porch just gazing at the stars. That nice night was the very first night that he kissed me. We acted as if nothing happened and simply considered it to be a one-time thing. There was an entire week gap between externship and graduation, I recall only one time that we talked about that kiss. â€Å"Are you upset with me?† I inquired very timidly, he knew precisely what I was speaking about. â€Å"Not at all.† He responded with such a look that I am sure that I will never forget; a look that said â€Å"are you kidding me?† his eyes said everything, this was just the beginning. Graduation was next up on the list. It was a very exciting day and Aingeal was by my side the whole time. Things were really going well. There was a graduation party the following day. We were sure to bring tents and have them set up in the back yard. I bought a small tent and Aingeal came over a couple of times to get some practice setting it up. I will never forget the time we fell asleep in it behind the house in my backyard; my grandmother thought that we were insane. We had just left work, the tent was laying in my backseat and finally it was time to go to the party. We pulled up to the house and the tantalizing smell of delicious food and the sound of music were coming from the backyard. Somehow, we both knew it was going to be a special night. We got the tent set up and just had a wonderful time. That special night our relationship took yet another turn for the better. Happily by the time morning rolled around we were slowly walking to my car holding hands. It was not until almost mid-month when we finally made the decision to officially go out, it was shortly after I returned back from my job interview. We spent the entire summer working fourteen-hour shifts at work, relaxing in the pools on our days off lying under the stars late at night, and watching movies whenever we wanted. Between you and me, Aingeal and I caused a riot to break out at a concert one time. We accidently knocked over the police, and lead thousands over barricades and through a stadium. We went to Dorney Park whenever we could, no matter how much I begged him he would stil l never go with me on a rollercoaster. Jen and Tracy were with us through it all. It was such a wild time, an amazing warm summer with two of the most important beloved people in the whole world. That gazebo at our secret spot was the very place that Aingeal got the courage to kneel down on one knee and propose to me, the orange and pink sunset and the sweet smell of the flowers on the breeze forever locked this memory in my head where it never will be forgotten. Sadly, we all knew that the summer was going to end soon, and with that, we are all going our own way. I was going off to Atlantic City, Aingeal was thinking of going to upstate New York, Tracy was going to Peru, and Jen was going on vacation to Italy. We all slowly lost touch over that summer. I make it a point to talk to them all now more than ever. Sadly the last day of summer fun came. I picked up my last check from work and in the parking lot, we all said we love each other and then we said our goodbyes. There were a lot of tears; I recall that as being the only time I ever saw Aingeal cry. I knew that there was no way I could comfort him which means, our entire relationship was about to completely change and we both knew it. I sat in the car and all I could do is cry. I cried for all the memories that made my life all the more livable, cried for the expected periods of separation that we would both experience, cried for so many things that day, but I mostly cried because I was leaving the only life that I had worked so hard for years to build. It just felt like it was all shattered to the ground in the course of one day. As I pulled out of that lot and looked in my rearview mirror one last time, I knew that he was indeed the man I loved. From that day forward, I would see him once every three months only if I was lucky to even get that. Eventually our dreams hit hard with the all too painful hand of which we call reality. We realized we were seeing less of each other and living completely separate lives. It was not going to work at that time, and it killed me to admit it. We wound up breaking up after a perfect one-year relationship, with that went all of our dreams and hopes of a life together, and our dreams of raising our own family. We were already picking out names for our child: Isabella Maria Nurena. On the day we separated, I am sure we both lost a tender part of ourselves, something that no amount of time could ever heal. Now all that remains are the memories and dreams, dreams of the future and memories I wished for from my ideal past.

Unethical issues of AIG

Unethical issues of AIG Company history   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   American International Group, Inc is a company whose operation began back in 1919. It was established back then by Cornelius Vander Starr as an insurance agency in Shanghai, China. AIG left china in 1949 after Starr had established himself as the westerner the sell insurance to the Chinese people. AIG headquarters then shifted from china to New York City, which is still the headquarters up to date. It is from here that AIG began its expansion tapping into other markets such as the Latin America, Asia, Middle East and Europe through use of its subsidiaries.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It was in 1962 when Starr transferred management of AIG United states holdings to Maurice R. Greenberg. Greenberg introduced policies that made the company shift from its original personal insurance background to anew high market corporate targeted cover. The new management under Greenberg went on to focus mainly on selling AIGs insurance packages through independent brokers. This deviated from the initial system which made use of company agents thus eliminating the agents salaries. This move aimed at reducing the expenses of the company but it led to decreased sales in some of the companys products. Greenberg was named the successor to Starr in the year 1968. In the following year 1969 AIG first went public.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The start of problems facing AIG began during the tenure of Greenberg as AIGs CEO. It was during tenure that the company expanded from its initial line of insurance into other many complex lines of business and insuring risks that only a few other companies would consider handling. This led to the involvement of the company in businesses that it did not fully comprehend. AIG started investing in many different types of securities which included mortgage backed securities and also credit derivatives trading. AIG then went ahead to become a leading player in these markets, insuring other companys debt obligations against losses due to its excellent credit rating at the time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It was AIGs Financial Product Unit (AIGFP) that brought about the fall of the company, due to its disastrous credit swaps product. AIGFP was founded in the year 1987 by three Drexel Burnham Lambert Traders who were led by a Howard Sosin, a finance scholar. They convinced Greenberg based on the companys AAA credit rating to create a division which focused on complex derivatives trade. Greenberg and Sosin signed an agreement in which 38 percent of money earned went to AIGFP while the remainder 62 percent went to AIG. If things had to go bad down the line it was AIG and not AIGFP that would be on the hook. AIGFP continued its expansion program opening branches in other countries such as London, Tokyo and even Paris. Despite the fact that AIGFP had never made even a single credit swap by the year 1998 the unit had revenue of over $500 million (Tpmckraker, 2009)..   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It was in 1998 that AIG was approached by JP with a proposal to insure JP Morgans Complex corporate debt. It was stated by Gary Gorton, a Yale Business Professor that the chance of AIGFP not paying out these deals was almost 99.85 percent. This was based on the reasoning that for the unit to pay out these deals the economy would have to be in a full blown recession and that in this situation the counter parties would have already been wiped out. It was with this deal that AIGFP agreed for the first credit swap with Savage the then CEO signing the deal. Later in 1998 Cassano replaced Savage as CEO of the company. Although Cassano was not experienced in the complicated assessment of risks using computer models he was gifted in accounting and credit. It was through Cassanos strong desire to succeed that led to growth of the units revenue to 1 billion in a year and also led to a significant growth in the number of employees to 400 in 2005. AIG What went wrong? The start of problems facing AIG began during the tenure of Greenberg as AIGs CEO. It was during tenure that the company expanded from its initial line of insurance into other many complex lines of business and insuring risks that only a few other companies would consider handling. It was in the year 2002 that AIGFP was charged by the justice department for illegally helping PNC Financial Services to not correctly show their bad assts in their books. AIGFP did this by setting up a separate company special purpose entity to handle all the issues related to the assets of the PNC firm. By doing so AIGFP was alleged of breaking the securities law by setting up the company by the Feds that would invest in the firm making it appear real. It was until 2004 that AIG would fully settle the charges against it. It was asked to give back over $45 million in fees, a fine of $80 million and in addition give up all the interest it had earned on the deal. The unit was not formally sanctioned due to the incident but the justice department placed it on a short leash.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It was in March of 2005 that Greenberg stepped down as the CEO amidst investigations on allegations of accounting malpractices at the firm by the New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer. The issue under investigation by then was not directly related to AIGFP, but the effects of the dealings eventually affected the operations of the unit negatively. Following the departure of Greenberg at the helm of the company and in addition the investigations ongoing within the organization the credit ratings agencies downgraded the companys credit worth from AAA to AA. This reduction in AIGS credit rating led to provisions in some of AIGFPs credit default swaps. This made AIG to pay in collateral for the deals over $1 billion. This was the mark of many dark days for the unit.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It was until later in the year that Eugene Park an executive at AIGFP was named to closely look at the portfolio containing the firms credit default swaps. The evidence was alarming in that the unit had insured many CDOs that had large proportions of it as sub prime mortgages. This meant that in any situation where the housing market had to collapse the risk of default was too high. This coming up after the downgrading of the units credit ratings indicated an increased chance that AIGFP had to come up with collateral to pay out all the bets it had made in the past. After Cassano was informed of the report he put up a group of investment bank researchers whose prime job was to assess the risks posed by the sub prime mortgages. The credit default swaps were stopped later in 2005 but this came as a case of too little to late owing to the fact that Cassano could not avoid obligations to his unit of over $80 billion worth that was in the form of collateral ized debts that were inform of already made swaps in the books of AIGFP.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the year 2007 with the collapse of the housing market and plummeting in value of sub prime assets AIG was supposed to pay a sum of $1.5 billion to Goldman Sachs based on the credit default swaps insured by AIG to cover the mortgage backed securities. During the same year AIG had to pay $2 billion to meet the demands of other firms that made collateral demands. It was during this year that the stock prices of AIG fell 25 percent and a reported loss of $1.1 billion in portfolio swaps in AIGFP. The problems facing AIG continued further with the company reporting a loss of $11.5 billion and in addition $5.3 billion posted as collateral in February of 2008.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   AIG would get further shock as the credit rating agencies planned to further downgrade the companys credit ratings as at September of 2008. This would trigger needs for more collateral that the company would not handle. What was unethical about AIG?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   What was unethical about AIG was that the company would hand out multi-million dollar a bonus to its over 450 employees operating in its six offices around the world. After handing out these bonuses AIG still had the guts to accept a government bail out plan, this was as the country underwent recession with most of its citizens unemployed and barely making ends meet. AIG also conducted some unethical behavior with its executives dealing in unethical financial reporting practices and illegal brokerage as uncovered during a recent investigation by New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer (Cooper, 2006). AIG Whistleblower   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Former AIG CEO Greenberg claimed that following his departure internal controls he had established during his 40 years at the helm of the company had been abandoned. This was made in comments written to the made House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. In the comments Greenberg accused Robert Willumstad and Martin Sullivan who were both his successors as the CEO of AIG of being unable to execute enough oversight on AIGFPs division. And it was for this reason that the company faced a lot of troubles emanating from the divisions $500 billion portfolio. Greenberg claimed that the branch which was formed in 1987 was the company beginning to its downfall. Reports said that until this time AIG had lost $50 billion and made a $25.9 billion in mark to market losses. This was related to securities the company held in its investment portfolio and its CDS value.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Greenberg in his letter said that within the nine months a lot of credit collaterals default swaps had been made leading to increased obligations on the companys debt. This he said was different during his tenure and it was after he left office that most of the default swaps done by AIGFP were exposed to sub prime mortgages. . This led to the involvement of the company in businesses that it did not fully comprehend. AIG started investing in many different types of securities which included mortgage backed securities and also credit derivatives trading. AIG then went ahead to become a leading player in these markets, insuring other companys debt obligations against losses due to its excellent credit rating at the time. AIG today.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   AIGs future is still not clear after facing years of problems. It is now a year since AIG was bailed out by the federal government and the company is still in a transition. The company is undergoing several transformations that include increased efforts to appoint a new chief executive officer, its initiative to sell most its non core assets tied to the firm and the increased anticipation take off of its new Chartis brand dealing with its commercial property operations. AIG is still faced with the responsibility of repaying federal loans handed to it by the government which amount to billions of dollars. This is further complicated by the fact that it is still unknown how much the governments patience will last. All the above reasons lead to the inability of experts to gauge the companys future (Time. The curious Capitalist, 2009).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The future of AIG is still dependent on the financial market stabilization. The companys policy holders are encouraged by the companys gradual rise from its problems. The process of redefining AIG i.e. prompted shifts in capacity has led to some of its clients having to reassess how they relate to the insurer. Most of the companys clients have chosen to remain loyal and appreciate the efforts made by the combine AIG and Chartis. Clients believe that the decision by the company to re brand its casualty operations was a step in the right direction. Although the Chartis spin off expected to be in the form of a public offering date has not been set, Chartis made a good start by explaining that it would take some time to its clients. AIG though slow in the process of disposing its noncore assts has made it clear that it would make sure that it gets the true value of its businesses through the process. The other looming question on AIGs future is its abilit y to repay the government bail out loans. References Top of Form Cooper, R. W. (2006) Research in Ethical Issues in Organizations Spitzers Allegations of Unethical/Illegal Behavior: Has the Insurance Industrys Ethical Environment Really Changed Dramatically? New York: Emerald Group Publishing Limited. Mary, D. M., Irene, N. M. Victoria, S. (2006) AIG: Accounting and Ethical Lapses. New York: Emerald Group Publishing Limited Time. The curious Capitalist. (2009, Aug). AIG: Still a company. Retrieved October 5, 2009, from http://www.time.com/ AIG Still a company The Curious Capitalist TIME.com.htm