Case Study Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 2

Case Study Assignment - Essay Example He further argues that the development department is capable of producing the software within the stipulated time since one of the employees at the department told him that they have extra time to develop such kind of software. Kelly Thomas argues that the reason as to why they cannot develop the software by August is because, based on his analysis of two years ago, when the company had more people, every support engineer was allocated a client after every one hour and as a result, the product in the market was of high quality and needed less support. Currently, the engineering development department has a shortage after 25 percent of the total staff was laid off and thus the remaining personnel needs more time to create the software since most of them are involved in the engineering support department for customers. Chris argues that the sales and revenues of the company are shrinking and to maintain the strengths and productivity of the company, there needs to be a 15 percent cut in the budget of the company. Chris further argues that it is possible to achieve a 15 percent cut in the budget without laying-off of staff and thus Total Corporation of the employees of the department is needed. The argument made by Cliff O Connor is sound. This argument is based on statistics and records of the company and thus he foresees the future based on past and current trends. For instance, Cliff argues that the current revenue of the company based on sales and service ratio is 50:50. This argument can only be made if there is an available statistical data to provide proof. In conclusion, the argument made by Cliff is very logical. The argument made by Pat Lambert is unsound. It is based on predictions and no available record is shown to support his line of reasoning. Pat argues that customers will be happy if the prototype is in the market by August despite its incompletion. Normally, if a product is released in the market and it does not offer value

Can democracy emerge in any country or must there be some Essay

Can democracy emerge in any country or must there be some pre-requisites in place beforehand - Essay Example The paper tells that democracy as an operational political framework does not simply emerge in any country; it is built. Thus, there are bounds to the advantages of being informed by assumptions from historical sociology and pragmatic political analysis, which use retrospection, in recognising prerequisites for democracy. Three aspects act together to decide which direction a society will take throughout the course of regime change: the choices of the Defender and Challenger, the Defender’s reaction to the choices of the Mass Public, and the method of the Defender during the discussions. A Defender and a Challenger argue in the discussions about the form of political system that will be established as the result of the transition stage of the course of democratisation. According to Gill, each desires to gain a result for the process of regime choice that directly resembles their best regime. Even though it serves an important function in the process as a provider of knowledge or necessary resources, the Mass Public does not participate in the discussions. The Defender is the current player, and hence the adherent of the existing state of affair. It is either the totalitarian government whose power was destabilised by the passing of a major event or the entity that deposed the previous government as a part of the major event. The Challenger aims to seize control from the Defender. It may aim to set up a competitive democratic structure, or it may aim to establish a new totalitarian structure under its power. The Mass Public has choices as well about the form of political system it would want the process of regime choice to generate (Diamond & Gunther 2001). Such choices reveal the degree to which a negotiation among opposing motives is probable and thus how simple or complex the compromises will be. The response of the Defender to the Mass Public ideas reveals its evaluation of its opportunities to attain its most favoured result for the process (Gill 200 2). According to Gill (2002), the technique the Defender takes on during the compromises demonstrates whether or not it thinks it should negotiate with the Challenger. Thus, the process of regime choice may produce major results, namely, sustained totalitarianism and democratisation. There are particular directions through the process

Some Issues Of Governance In Pakistan Economics Essay

Some Issues Of Governance In Pakistan Economics Essay Good governance is regarded as development agenda in Pakistan by each government while the public see governance as the major indicator for sustainable development. In this premise, good governance is known as one of the most decisive factor for thriving accomplishment of the strategic thrust, policies and programs. It is as an exercise of authority to manage a countrys affair at all levels to improve the quality of life of the people. It is a continuous process where divergent opinions and desires are satisfied through compromise and tolerance in a spirit of cooperative action for the mutual benefit of the larger whole.  [1]  According to World Bank and UNDP, governance has three dimensions; the political regime, the systems and procedures for exercising authority and the capacity of governments.  [2]  This paper discusses the underlying causes of weak governance and interaction between state institutions and citizens in Pakistan along with suggesting some policy options as minimum action needed for improvement. It is widely acknowledged by the academia that the state-machinery of government has contributed to the present state of affairs. Further, the federally-managed resources are obstacles for provinces to obtain the best value for money. Sincere civil servants are frustrated with cost ineffective systems and procedures; the general public is faced with an irresponsive and non accountable political and bureaucratic system while the entrepreneur is witnessed with a set of contradictory policies which further hinder his business. Briefly, both federation and provinces of Pakistan must bring about drastic changes to achieve economic growth and to improve the quality of life of its people. Conceptual Framework of Good Governance The term good governance is coined by the World Bank and its foundations rest on the principles of freedom, equality, justice and accountability. Philosophical literature and religious texts are full with the definitions and examples of both good and bad governance. The traces of good governance can be found in history which reports the downfall of nations due to bad governance and also gives lessons that how nations have risen to great heights because of good governance. At the moment, the concept of governance has been evolving from some narrow definition used by the World Bank as the manner in which power is exercised in the management of a countrys economic and social resources to the broader definition adopted by the Commission on Global Governance as the sum of the many ways in which individuals and institutions, public and private, manage their common affairs.  [3]   Good Governance in the context of Pakistan, go beyond good politics. In Pakistan good governance must enable all the stakeholders to enhance economic growth, social development and a mechanism to sustain growth in the future. This can be achieved through civil services reforms, capacity building of institutions, improving and devolution of fiscal administration, increasing the role of the private sector and controlling unproductive public expenditures. All of these fall within four broad areas, namely, legislative framework, institutional capacity, efficiency and management.  [4]  Legislative framework is set of boundaries within which institutions, agencies and agents can operate and therefore addresses issues related to devolution, discretion and accountability. Institutional capacity identifies the ability of institutions, agencies and agents to identify policies ensure coherence and coordination and ensure compliance. While the efficiency addresses issues of resource generati on, expenditure planning, expenditure controls regulation and overall public administration to ensure the most effective use of resources. The last but not the least is management which addresses issues related to the proper use of systems and procedures and the mechanisms used for the development of the infrastructure and the delivery of services by ensuring that there is an equitable and transparent access to goods and services and protection of public interest from private intrusion. Legislative Framework Legislative issues are important and need to be addressed. Although constitution of Pakistan draws responsibilities between various tiers of government yet there are some areas where no clear-cut allocation of responsibilities is specified. Further, this lack of clarity creates fragments between the functions of various tiers of government and the services which should be delivered by the provincial governments are yet delivered by the centre. This change has not yet been brought in the future programmes. It requires designing of new mechanism for attaining this very objective. One of such mechanism is employing Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in making communities aware of their rights and responsibilities. They have been developed to some extent but are largely working as case studies. However, this role needs to be extended. There are also concerns about the legislations that it is passed without adequate drafting skills. Furthermore, some built-in provisions and powers to s et aside any mandatory requirement are more often used. These provisions are related with extreme cases of hardship but history is full of the examples where these provisions have been exploited for personal gains. In addition, discretionary quotas provide benefits to the few. These steps result in inefficient public institutions and further pave the way for corruption. In this outline, discretionary quotas followed by discretionary power should be the removed as a first objective. Institutional Capacity-building Although legislation is necessary for an efficient and transparent allocation of responsibilities yet without the corresponding capacity, no change may be forthcoming.  [5]  Contrary to it, government institutions are facing huge number of shortcomings. Coherent and coordinated policies are absent in public institutions while the current systems and procedures are outdated.  [6]  Although the mechanisms to ensure coordination do exist yet are not implemented. Further there is permanent hindrance in routine management while the existing staff is also inadequately trained.  [7]  All of these issues can be eliminated through capacity-building of institutions. There is an immense need of decentralization of functions which means that financial powers and administrative authority should be given to the lowest tier of government. But decentralization is not a cure-all for resolving Pakistans continuing crisis of governance. It has the potential of decreasing the distance between citizens and the state and thus enabling the government to be more responsive to local needs.  [8]  Simple transfer of power from centre to region in decentralization will fail to empower the people, and intensify the crisis of governance to new levels.  [9]   An irresponsive civil service needs reforms to make the civil servants answerable for their actions. History of Pakistan has only witnessed a notable reform in 1973. Apparently, it was a measure designed to enhance the professional quality of the cadre but it became a powerful means of political influence. The current inefficient and corrupt needs to be weeded out and staff skills need to be developed to use modern management techniques.  [10]  Simple attendance at courses operated by civil service training institutions does not constitute training. Civil servants must be required to show absorption of training skills by results in tests and examination, and this process should be very frequent. Efficiency There are number of ways to achieve efficiency. The use of appropriate mechanisms ensures the greatest value for money and this can be one way out. Further, pro-active legislation and use of information can ensure target-based management. The use of information technology through the development and implementation of standardized procedures could also become the cornerstone for change. While private sector participation can overcome a number of shortcomings in the development of infrastructure but this would result in excessive rents accruing only to the few agents.  [11]  The legislative framework establishes the boundaries within which the public-private partnership can take place. However, these laws will need to be translated into a workable and transparent regulatory framework. Most of the existing institutions are manned largely by staff without the knowledge and understanding needed to adapt to a rapidly changing operating environment. The international environment is in favor of the industrialized nations hence Pakistan needs to adopt a strategy which has been shown to be successful by the newly emerging industrial states, that is, the induction of the private sector from inception to implementation. In other words, Pakistan must include the private sector in all facets of dealing with the international community starting with preparation of position papers and underlying research, to actually negotiating access and, the subsequent supervision and management of the accord. Moreover, the general complaint with respect to Pakistans exports has been the absence of quality control. The private sector must ensure that this becomes a necessary condition for export. Towards this end, trade associations should be encouraged to establish and operate training centers and central quality control facilities, set standards which are mandatory, and establish a system of penalizing violators. Management Management can be divided into three broad categories; economic management, fiscal administration and expenditure management.  [12]  Economic management means efficient allocation of resources to ensure wide spread and equitable economic and social development of a nation. It is the basic responsibility of any government and this can only be achieved through good governance. Unfortunately, this has been a dream for not only the policy makers of Pakistan, but also of its people. Fiscal administration is another need of hour in Pakistan. Breakdown in economic governance results from the failure of governments to institute a progressive taxation structure. Today taxes are imposed on and collected from the poor. Large segments of civil society, particularly the rich remain inadequately taxed. Also there is exemption of tax on agricultural incomes and capital gains and the taxation structure creates inefficiency in the economies. Fiscal policy of Pakistan shows excess of tax holidays, exemptions and grants without an independent audit of assessment by outside agencies. A fundamental problem, however, is that the tax base remains narrow and a large proportion of direct taxes are collected as deductions at the source. Much of these shortcomings of tax administration can be reformed through broad systemic changes undertaken at all levels. The effectiveness of the change will depend on political support. The establishment of independent and autonomous Revenue Authorities with a market based pay structure with built-in rewards and penalties should be considered as the most viable vehicle for reform. Expenditure management is another important issue as planning and budgeting systems are deficient in Pakistan. This reduces transparency and accountability in the process of allocation and expenditure. Consultation in matters of taxation with vested interest groups has always existed but there is little external input in making the budget. Expenditure requests are not scrutinized by legislators and budgets are framed without a consistent macroeconomic framework. Medium to long-term expenditure plans are not prepared, neither are such frameworks established which results is no link between the composition of expenditures and the financing of the deficit to major economic parameters, such as growth and prices. Therefore, it erodes efficient allocation and effective management of the macro economy. End Result Corruption Mis-governance leads and breeds corruption in a number of ways, through bribery and extortion, nepotism, and fraud and embezzlement. It reduces the efficiency on which an economy depends, and by increasing the cost of investment, lowers the potential return. It also reduces the governments resources and hence its capacity for investment. Corruption in Pakistan is not a unique phenomenon. It occurs up stream and has wings which encourage flight of capital. Corruption has had adverse effects on human development and as Pakistan faces a scarcity of resources, it is unable to set up and enforce an effective legal framework to eradicate the corruption. According to Robert Klitgaard, who first devised the equation of corruption in 1988, corruption is a function of monopoly power, discretion, lack of accountability and low government salaries.  [13]   Corruption = f (Monopoly power, discretion, accountability, low government salaries) The combination of monopoly power and discretion alone is a disastrous combination. When linked to the absence of accountability and low legal earnings they become more than just lethal. One obvious mechanism to eliminate corruption would be to review legislation which helps breed corruption, such as through creating monopoly power, permitting discretion without checks and balances, places authority without responsibility. Parallel to this should be an effort to reform the judicial system generally. Another mechanism would be to introduce legislation which is effectively implemented through an impartial and independent authority. Corresponding changes in the laws of evidence and trial should allow for flexibility in procedures and rigour of evidence. The legislation alone is insufficient for eradication of corruption. At the same time the strength and independence of the judiciary must be secured. In summary, the action needed to eliminate corruption should include accountability from the top, setting up of national anti-corruption commissions and exclusive corruption courts, ending of unnecessary discretionary laws and ensuring transparency. Conclusion To ensure sustainable and equitable development the government must realize its role in economic development. This can only be achieved best through a realization that such a positive role requires not an expansion in the scale of government activity, but an increase in its effectiveness and a major reallocation of its resources. Poor governance is now recognizable. There is a failure to establish a framework of law and government behavior conduces to development, with a tendency to divert public resources for private gain. No arbitrariness in the application of rules and laws with excessively narrowly based decision making mechanisms only exacerbate the problem. Further the development in Pakistan can be achieved through political stability, stable macroeconomic environment, the outward-looking trade strategies, the quality of primary education, effective land reforms, credit reforms, a merit based efficient and competent bureaucracy, well-functioning institutions and development of core areas of comparative advantage. In sum, governance is a continuum; it does not automatically improve over time. Citizens need to demand good governance. Their ability to do so is only enhanced by awareness, education, and employment opportunities. The Government of Pakistan needs to be responsive to those demands. For change to be effective it must be embedded in the societies concerned and cannot be imposed from the outside. Notes

Technology Improves Education :: Educating Technological Papers

Technology Improves Education Many believe a revolution is taking place in education in the way people learn and they way instruction is given. The education community has been hearing of reforms and revolutions for the past few decades, but most of them have been nonexistent or without any long-term merit or real value. Some believe the method of an instructor lecturing while students listen and absorb is really the only viable way to teach or learn. About two decades ago, when personal computers started to become affordable, many thought that computers would revolutionize education, that computer-based teaching and learning would become the savior of education and the solution to falling test scores. This has never really happened. Over the past two decades, many teachers have successfully prepared students, some with computers in the classroom and some without. Teachers could avoid computers, either because they chose not to learn how to use them or because they had none in their classroom or school to use. T eachers entering the profession have not been required to understand computational technology in order to graduate from college. The internet has been in existence for almost two decades and began to extend into schools about 15 years ago, first into universities and then into K-12. Did the internet revolutionize education? Not exactly, it did provide an opportunity to expand learning options for teachers and students who were fortunate enough to have internet access, a few computers, and appropriate guidance on usage. Often this took place in only one classroom and only one school within a system and did not become systemic throughout the school. There are many factors affecting this slow implementation of computing and communications technology in schools, including administrations with no knowledge of its value or no willingness to realign school budgets to include computational technology; insufficient in service professions development programs for teachers; a lack of specific curriculum benefits or of resources for teachers to use in their courses; deficient preservice preparation of teachers in technolo gy or computation. Why do some of us believe there is now a revolution taking place that cannot be ignored by educators or administrators? In November 1993, the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) released Mosaic, the first World Wide Web browser for all three computing platforms (UNIX, PC, and Macintosh). The internet had become the World Wide Web, and now Mosaic allowed anyone who knew the basics about using a computer and a mouse to go out onto the Web and easily and quickly locate multimedia information.

Patronage During the Italian Renaissance

Introduction: Imagine being an artist in Florence during the 1400-1500’s. The city would be a lively place bursting with numerous aspiring artists. Of the young men learning their trade as best as possible, most will not achieve centuries of notoriety. The ones that do earn the honor of being remembered today all had a common theme; wealthy patrons, including wealthy individuals, guilds and the church. Throughout the Italian Renaissance, the artists who achieved the most success were the artists who acquired the most notable patrons.Probably the most famous of these patrons were the Medici’s and, like other patrons, they were rich and powerful. The power did not always come directly from running the government, but because they had enough financial influence over the people in the Florentine government they indirectly influenced how the area was run. This influence means they had connections with the most important people of their day, important people who would also cr eate commissions for the artists. Powerful families were not only financially secure, but had excess money to spend on expensive items such as bronze sculptures.For the patrons it was all about showing off what they could afford to other wealthy families. Wealthy families influenced the arts because they wanted to show off, it was politically wise, and they actually appreciated the arts. These reasons lead to a profound impact upon the patron-artist relationship and the art produced during the Italian Renaissance period. Patronage To Flaunt The Medici’s were a highly affluent family and they desired to show off their excess wealth. Basically, they wanted to flaunt their wealth.Once the more expensive things in life, such fancy clothes are bought and a fancy party provided for all the friends, what else is there to do with such an excess of money? Becoming a patron of the arts was not always in association with a love of art, but because the people who could afford it wanted t o show off their wealth and prestige. One of the very best ways to do this was to purchase extravagant and expensive artwork, because it is long lasting and highly visual. One example of prestige is the tabernacle for the Church of the Annunziara in Florence.It was commissioned by Piero d’Medici and the inscription states that the marble alone costs 4000 florins. (Burke, p 98) Another proof this reason for patronage was so common is the statement, â€Å"the majority of the types of commission just referred to were determined by the taste and outlook of the upper middle class. † (Antal, p134) Many other sources assert the same exact thing. Most commissions were done according to the taste of the upper middle class because they were the people competing with one another to have the most extraordinary art.It is easy to invite people over and show the art to them or conveniently place artworks in public places to feature to clients and coworkers. This is a social practice widely used today and was in no way different during the Italian Renaissance. Political Scheming A wealthy person might support the arts based on politic scheming. If the wealth holder is a patron of the arts, then it shows he respects the talents of other men and is willing to support those other men. To quote Machiavelli, â€Å"A prince ought to show himself a lover of ability, giving employment to able men and honoring those who excel in a particular field. (Burke, p99) For someone with political aspirations, living this type of life would prove to political supporters how aware he or she is of other people’s abilities. And when someone supports those abilities as just a regular member of society, that support will likely increase as the person rises in power and wealth. The Medici’s exemplified this by the amount of art they increasingly commissioned as they increased in wealth and climbed their way to control over Florence. An example of political scheming is Bot ticelli’s Adoration of the Magi.It was commissioned by Guasparre di Zanobi del Lama, to be an alter piece for a chapel in the Santa Maria Novella. Traditionally, paintings of the magi are painted to pay religious homage to Christ, and the Magi who travelled to see him. In this particular version, Botticelli paints likenesses of the Medici into the people including depicting Cosimo de’Medici as the Magi kneeling before Jesus. It is believed that the he painted such a powerful family into the painting because of his patron’s desires. Guasparre del Lama wanted the Medici painted as the prominent characters to show his respect for the powerful family.People rarely show such a public display of adoration for a politically powerful family without having personal, underlying political motives. Ultimately, this man used his influence on the arts as a method of getting attention from the Medici family. (â€Å"Analysis: Botticelli’s â€Å"Adoration of the Magiâ⠂¬ Ã¢â‚¬  2010) Positive Patron-Artist Relationships When the artists developed a positive relationship with the patron, it proved highly beneficial for the individual artists. These benefits were primarily financial, including the potential for more work from the same patron.This can be seen many times over, including the example of Raphael with Pope Julius II. If the artist’s work pleased the patron, they would be likely to higher the same artist for more art, which would in turn lead to a stable income for the artist. In order to please the patron, the artist had to follow their specifications. Raphael completed many masterpieces for the Pope, including 3 frescoes in the Vatican. These pieces are proof that in order to please the Pope, Raphael had to incorporate him into the art.One source explained the School of Athens and the Disputa as the earthly and celestial wisdom of Julius II, while the Parnussus shows the beauty of creativity. The Expulsion of Heliodorus from th e Temple symbolizes the expulsion of the French and the subjugation of all the church’s enemies, with Julius II depicted witnessing the scene from his portable throne. In the Uffizi gallery in Florence there is a fresco completed by Raphael, showing the Pope as a resigned, pensive old man instead of a victorious Moses springing to his feet, as Michelangelo portrayed him.What the artist wanted in his paintings was irrelevant compared with the need to please the patron and continue acquiring commissions. (Barnett 2007) Not all artist-patron relationships were entirely business oriented. For proof of this more positive impact, it requires a look at Michelangelo and Lorenzo de’Medici. Unlike Raphael and Pope Julius II, Michelangelo’s relationship with Lorenzo Medici was much deeper. They were as close, if not closer than many fathers and sons.Michelangelo lived with the Medici’s for two years as a teenager because Lorenzo saw his talent and invited him to liv e at the Medici palace and study art while he was there. Lorenzo greatly appreciated his talents and was a constant source of encouragement to the young Michelangelo. There was a tradition in the Medici household, that the most prominent people were allowed to sit down first, and Michelangelo was allowed to sit before Lorenzo’s own son. Michelangelo returned the favor by carving the impressive marble relief, The Battle of the Centaurs for Lorenzo.Because of the bond the two shared, it did not come as a surprise to anyone that he went into a temporary depression upon Lorenzo’s death. Artists developing positive relationships with their patrons that heavily impacted their personal lives as well as their careers were rare for the time, but did occur on occasion and had an extended influence on their entire lives. Networking through Patronage Another major benefit that occurred from pleasing the patron was the networking. When the patron liked an artist, and another wealth y friend wanted to commission a piece of art, they would recommend the artist they liked most.Most often, when the need for an artist was announced, the artists interested would begin pestering the patron. A letter would achieve the pestering if the artist was not currently in the same city. This constant bothering involved the artists convincing their wealthy connections to encourage the patron to select them or reminding the patron of the positives concerning their working relationship. In these cases, the patron would pick the artist based upon their own personal working relationship with the artist.In 1474, news spread in Milan that the Duke wanted a chapel in Pavia to be painted. The duke’s agent is recorded as complaining that all the painters, â€Å"good and bad† were bothering him about becoming the artist for the chapel. (Burke, 101-102) Trouble often arose concerning the contract between the patron and artist over what had to be done, how it was to be done, w hen it would be done and how much it would cost. One well-known example requires looking at Michelangelo’s experiences with Pope Julius II.The strain between the two was constant and caused many complications. In order to get Michelangelo to paint the Sistine Chapel, Julius II had to first convince him to return to Rome. Something Michelangelo did with the assumption that pleasing the Pope would allow him to start working on the tomb again. How they agreed on what exactly was depicted in the Chapel does not have any specific source in the contracts, but most art historians would agree that it was a source of contention initially between the two obstinate men.And as the work progressed, Pope Julius II would show up and create new tension by telling Michelangelo to work faster. Despite the constant struggles, the Sistine Chapel was completed, which is not true for every patron-artist relationship gone south. The relationship between the patron and artist could easily become str ained resulting in frustration, unfinished works and a bad experience. But like the Pope, other wealthy families usually still commissioned paintings and sculptures because they enjoyed owning them. Even if working with an artist could be stressful.Artists would in turn continue to complete works commissioned from frustrating patrons because they provided a continuous livelihood. (King, 2003) Other Patronage Topics Another question brought to mind by the Sistine Chapel is whether great art would exist if the patron was not there to fund the art and to push the artist. Not all patrons were quite as pushy as Pope Julius II, but all patrons had some kind of say in how the paintings and sculptures were created. Proof of this is found in the surviving contracts from this time period.Without these contractual agreements and without the constant bothering from the patrons, many artworks would probably never have been completed. Due to the artist getting distracted by other work or simply n ot being interested in that particular piece anymore. A type of art that has not yet been discussed yet is architecture. Patrons who commissioned buildings were typically guilds or major groups in society, instead of individuals. But these types of patrons also had major influences on the architects. Brunelleschi’s Dome focuses on a major example of how the architects were influential.These guild patrons often helped competitions to decide who got the work instead of just going and picking someone. In the book, Brunelleschi was the main focus, but other people were brought up, such as the people he worked with and competed against. Prestige is the main factor behind competition, and competing against people who are already well known would have been difficult, so for Brunelleschi to compete anyway must have required a high amount of confidence. Especially after the rivalry between Brunelleschi and Ghiberti sparked by the gates of paradise ompetition lead Brunelleschi to focus on architecture instead of goldsmith artwork. Meaning the challenge of capping Santa Maria del Fiore must have appealed to him so greatly; that he did not care whom else he competed against. Its very pleasing that he gets the ultimate victory of the Dome, because that is the main architectural aspect of Florence and the baptistery doors exist in the shadows of his masterpiece. This method of earning a commission fueled rivalries and competition, which added to the competitive nature of art during the Italian Renaissance.This competitive nature in turn created the best work possible from each artist. When recognized for winning a competition, the artist would achieve high levels of fame that could make a career noteworthy. (King, 2000) Conclusion: Those with wealth affect everything because they are the ones with power. Art did not manage to escape that, especially throughout the Italian Renaissance. The motivation for each patron varied from political reasons, to the purpose of per sonal enjoyment, to the desire of flaunting to others.Sometimes their impacts limited the artists, other times they helped the artist become better skilled and more notable. Either way, the relationship between the patrons and the artists heavily influenced the final artistic product. ——————————————– [ 1 ]. Burke, Peter. The Italian Renaissance: culture and society in Italy. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1999. [ 3 ]. Pluribus One Consulting, LLC, â€Å"Analysis: Botticelli’s â€Å"Adoration of the Magi†. † Last modified 2010. Accessed November 16, 2012. ttp://pluribusone. wordpress. com/2010/09 [ 4 ]. Barnett, Peter. iartid, â€Å"Art in History. † Last modified 2007. Accessed November 16, 2012. http://artid. com/members/art_in_history/blog/post/164-famous-patrons-and-their-influence-pope-julius-ii. [ 5 ]. Burke, Peter. The Italian Renaissance : culture and society in Italy. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1999. [ 6 ]. King, Ross. Michelangelo and the Pope's Ceiling. New York: Walker Publishing Company, Inc. , 2003 [ 7 ]. King, Ross. Brunelleschi's Dome. New York: Penguin Books, 2000.

Crime Causation

Crime Causation and Diversion CJA/374 September 16, 2012 Crime Causation and Diversion Juvenile diversion programs are geared toward helping first time offenders get on the right path and avoid prosecution. The focus of juvenile diversion programs is to fix the problem rather than the juvenile having a criminal record and is aimed at juveniles 12 to 17 years (Juvenile Diversion). The process gives juveniles the opportunity to stay out of the juvenile justice system, providing the juvenile stays with the program and all the steps required for completion.This paper will discuss the juvenile intervention contract program and SAGA camp. There will also be a brief summary of a new program offering teen drivers a chance to correct a first time traffic citation. These programs have proven to be effective and beneficial to the area. Juvenile diversion program has services for juveniles who show behavior associated with being a delinquent and may result with the juvenile justice system taking action. These programs are an alternative to a criminal history, but also save the government money through prevention of housing a juvenile for a crime.The juvenile diversion programs offer the juveniles a way to making a change before prosecution. These programs have worked to reduce juvenile crime and assist the juveniles' individually specifically by need. The juvenile intervention contract program with the San Diego Sheriff's Department in California offers juveniles a course of action instead of prosecution. This program is offered by each Detective assigned to a station prior to or in place of prosecution. The contract gives the juvenile specific guidelines to follow to stay on track.The contract consists of the minor having no police contact in a negative way, stay away from illegal activity, follow parents and school rules, attendance at school, minimum of a c average in every class, 20 hours of community service, an essay of at least 500 words, report card, and drug or al cohol testing. The juvenile intervention contract gives the juvenile a date to complete the listed goals and failure to obey and obtain the rules can result in prosecution and the juvenile will no longer be eligible for the program. Sheriff's Adolescent Group Adventure (SAGA), rovided camps for juveniles to build confidence and self-esteem. This camp has recently been discontinued because of budget cuts; however, is one of the best known diversions in the area. The one day camp was an outdoor challenge for juveniles to stimulate the juvenile mentally and physically. The camp offered group activities to develop teamwork and leadership while also offering individual activities. The individual activities offered personal growth for the juveniles at each juvenile's level of need. The goals of the camp were provide the opportunity for juveniles to succeed individually and as a part of a team.SAGA's goals were leadership, self-esteem, trust, teamwork, courage, and communication. All of th e goals were factors in every activity; activities included obstacle courses that assisted juveniles in getting over fear, trust, and to build courage. The course known as the Challenging Outdoor Personal Experience (COPE) was located at Camp Mataguay and ran once a month (Sheriff's Department Re-Opens Day Camp for At-Risk Youth, 2008). This course helped juveniles face their fears through communication and hard work, which allowed juveniles to look within for the courage to conquer the course.The camp was set up with the belief that if a juvenile faces these challenges it would help in proper decision making later. This camp was also part of a three day camp cancelled by funding called the Sheriff's Diversion Camp. The two camps had the same goal in mind. A recent program being offered in San Diego County in California is a chance for first time drivers with a minor traffic violation to work with a juvenile detective and avoiding a violation on the juvenile's record. When a juvenil e is written a citation the local detective has the option to review the citation and contact the driver.With the parents, juvenile, and detective working together a juvenile intervention contract is signed. After an agreement and signed contract the juvenile must follow the contract. The juvenile must also attend a course called smart start put on by law enforcement which teaches juveniles the truth on the dangers of driving. Once the agreement is fulfilled the citation is dismissed which clears the juvenile's traffic record. This is a onetime deal offered for first time drivers only for the juvenile's first traffic offense.The juvenile intervention contract and camp program have both been effective, but with the cut on funding the camp is no longer offered and the juvenile intervention contract is the only one still in effect. It is effective in changes juveniles who choose to change and give the program a chance. The juvenile intervention contract assists parents and their child in finding the right steps to take to avoid prosecution. The contract gives the juvenile another chance to make the right choice and continue on without a criminal record.SAGA and the juvenile intervention contract are vital in reducing juvenile crime. These programs give juveniles the skills to move on from the criminal behavior. These programs provide self-confidence, trust, and a new outlook for some. The diversion programs teach juveniles that crime is not the way while building trust with law enforcement officers. It doesn't work for every juvenile involved as some just do not want to change, but the reduction in juvenile crimes says it all, it is working to reduce crime. Programs designed to prevent delinquency have shown to be beneficial.The programs rehabilitate and educate the juvenile to avoid prosecution on a first time offense. Without juvenile diversion programs most juveniles would not want to change or have an alternate way out of criminal activity. Law enforcement se eks to help teens who sometimes just need a little extra help finding his or her way in life without crime. If these juvenile diversion programs were not available the courts, law enforcement, and probation systems may see an increase in juvenile related crimes. This would amount to more costs for the court and local governments.The programs objective is to prevent future crimes and juvenile crime rates. A good relationship between juveniles and law enforcement helps the juveniles trust law enforcement to reduce crime.References Sheriff's Department Re-Opens Day Camp for At-Risk Youth. (2008, January). Retrieved from County News: http://www. co. san-diego. ca. us/dmpr/docs/newsletters/news0108. pdf Juvenile Diversion. (n. d. ). Retrieved from County of San Diego Community Action Partnership: http://www. sdcounty. ca. gov/hhsa/programs/sd/community_action_partnership/juvenile_diversion. html

10 Cause and Effect Essay Topics on Pork in the Middle East

10 Cause and Effect Essay Topics on Pork in the Middle East If you are writing a cause and effect essay on pork in the Middle East, consider using these ten facts below: For Islamic and Jewish communities in the Middle East, pork is not allowed on the menu. This practice refers back to religious writings which prohibit the consumption of pork. But long before the Old Testament and the Quran made their way to the Middle East, people were reducing the amount of meat in their diet, and new research data tells us why. Anthropologists have deciphered new cultural trends among historic groups. Archaeology and anthropology have come together to produce new evidence which shows that between 5000 BC and 2000 BC domesticated animals were incredibly common in the Fertile Crescent. In fact, they were the primary protein source for households which meant that individuals saw domesticated animals as food. But around 1000 BC the maintenance and consumption of pigs started to decline. Pigs require a high amount of water in order to survive which makes it difficult to travel with them when a family has to move. This is one factor which had contributed to the disappearance of pork from the table. It is not, however, the primary reason. The main reason for the change is that chicken started to take over as the main food source. Individuals living in ancient Middle East countries started to select chickens over pigs due to the fact that they can offer a more efficient protein Source compared to pigs. Chickens require 3500 liters of water in order to produce one kilo of meat whereas pigs require 6000 liters of water to produce the same amount of meat. In addition to this chickens produce eggs which functions as a secondary product available for consumption and pigs do not. Chickens are considerably smaller and can be consumed within a single day. This is particularly important because the ability to consume the entire chicken within 24 hours eliminates the issue of having to preserve a large amount of meat something which was very difficult to do due to hotter climate. This meant that pigs could not be consumed in one day. A great deal of the meat had to be preserved in a very hot and dry desert environment which led to improper storage and the cultivation of harmful bacteria. Finally, chickens were used by nomads. While chickens alongside pigs cannot be herded the same way that cattle can be herded, chickens can be transported by nomadic people quite easily. For historical purposes, it did not make sense at the time for individuals to keep pigs and chickens and they served similar dietary requirements.   It is for this reason that all of the circumstances came together to encourage the replacement of pigs with chickens as the main protein source. At the time that this took place and was not prohibited by religion but simply by chance. Today, in the Middle East poultry and the eggs from chickens are the second most popular food group for consumption next to red meat. Pigs have never fully disappeared from the area, and pig husbandry continues to insert in marsh and woodland areas where there’s more food options available for the pig. But nonetheless the religions which appeared on the continent after this change took place started to prohibit the meat for some of the same reasons which have led today to the almost complete replacement of pork products. There are customs involving food common among many cultures, particularly the avoidance of certain foods. In the Middle East both Judaism and Islam restrict the consumption of pork and all pork products. It is for this reason that pork is not a staple in Middle Eastern diets. Muslims refer to the Quran as the word of God. And in the Quran God prohibits the consumption of pork in many passages. One of the most commonly used vs. is found in Chapter 2 of the Quran and it state that God forbid his people to consume the flesh of pork or dead meat and blood. Some other mentions of pork in the Quran describe it as unclean or impure which means that it is forbidden. In life or death situations the consumption of pork is allowed by this religion.   Interestingly enough the reference to pork as unclean or impure   has scientific ties particularly with regard to the risk of trichinosis, a health concern whereby individual to consume   tainted pork will ingest worms which then live inside of the individual and continue to siphon off the nutrition this individual received until death.   This can happen when pork has been improperly prepared and is not thoroughly heated in the process. This is only one example of many illnesses which can come from consuming por k, the majority of which result from consuming improperly prepared pork. Middle Eastern Muslims have indicated that pigs consume a great many foods including garbage which can contain harmful bacteria. Pigs are messy by nature often rolling in the mud where other harmful bacteria exists. When pigs consume harmful bacteria it can spread pork tapeworms in to those who eat the meat even if that meat has been properly cooked. Refusing to eat pork products functions therefore as a public health measure by many Muslims. In many Muslim cities today the sale of pork remains forbidden. The Jewish faith indicates that only kosher food can be consumed. Kosher food is that which has been prepared to conform to all Jewish belief. The book of Deuteronomy in the Old Testament specifically states in chapter 14 that this page is unclean and that people should not touch the carcass of the pig nor eat its flesh.   Similar to Muslim, Jewish individuals abstain from consumption based on the idea that pigs are unclean. The special dietary restrictions have been traced to a Schism between Israelites and Philistines.   It was said that by placing special dietary restrictions and ritual slaughtering practices on themselves, the Jewish people could differentiate themselves from their Philistine counterparts. While they still do not consume pork products, the sale of pork takes place in some cities of Israel. These awesome facts will give you a better idea of the pork in the Middle East and a cause and effect essay. Don’t forget we’ve prepared 20 topics on the subject and a thorough manual on it as well. References: Testriono. Is Indonesian Islam Different? Islam In Indonesia In A Comparative International Perspective.  Stud. Islam.  18.1 (2011): n. pag. Web. Adams, Michael.  The Middle East. New York, NY: Facts on File Publications, 1988. Print. Armbrust, Walter.  Mass Mediations. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2000. Print. Beinin, Joel and Joe Stork.  Political Islam. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1997. Print. Browers, Michaelle. Minorities In Islam/Muslims As Minorities.  Contemporary Islam  8.3 (2014): 211-215. Web. Shechter, Relli.  Smoking, Culture And Economy In The Middle East. London: I.B. Tauris, 2006. Print. Stauth, Georg and Sami Zubaida.  Mass Culture, Popular Culture, And Social Life In The Middle East. Frankfurt am Main: Campus Verlag, 1987. Print.

Major innovations in technolog essays

Major innovations in technolog essays Major innovation in the pursuit of leisure Although it doesnt come to many people minds transportation in itself can be a leisure activity. Most people dont realize how far weve come from the horse drawn carriage. Bikes First bike invented by German Baron Karl Drais von Sauerbronn Simple design. Wooden plank set on 2 wheels.the first model didnt prove to be that much than simpy walking. 1871 The Penny Farthing is also referred to as the 'High' or 'Ordinary' bicycle, and the first one was invented in 1871 by British engineer, James Starley. Bike with large front wheel. Most effectiant yet front tire had rubber tubbing. Also had pedal on front wheel which gave it movement. 1885 Over a twenty-year span, the British brought the bicycle to its present form, thanks mainly to James Starley of the Coventry Sewing Machine Company. In 1885 the Starley Rover safety bike was born Early 1770 The unknown inventor accomplished dry land skating by nailing wooden spools to strips of wood and attaching them to his shoes. 'Skeelers' was the nickname given to the new dry-land skaters The late 70's through mid 80' - A second big skating boom occurred with the marriage of disco and roller-skating. Over 4,000 roller-discos were in operation and Hollywood began making roller-movies. 1979 - Scott Olson and Brennan Olson, brothers and hockey players who lived in Minneapolis, Minnesota, found an antique pair of roller skates. It was one of the early skates that used the 'in-line' wheels rather than the four-wheeled parallel design of George Plimpton. Intrigued by the in-line design, the brothers began redesigning roller skates, taking design elements from the found skates and using modern materials. They used polyurethane wheels, attached the skates to ice hockey boots, and added a rubber toe-brake to their new design. ...

Application of Criminological Theory

This paper will focus on the application of criminological theory in the following scenario: As the vice principal in charge of discipline at a prestigious school, I need to determine what actions to take in dealing with a deviant eighth grade male student. This student comes from a disadvantaged socioeconomic background and has now been caught in a physical altercation with another student. My direct supervisor, the principal, believes it is in the student’s best interest to remain at our school.As I am in charge of discipline, I will suggest several possible courses of action, incorporating criminological theories, to be used either singly or in tandem. The first course of action would be to speak to both of the students involved in the altercation and in turn, their parents. Although it is not an excuse, it is possible that there was some instigation preceding the altercation. Speaking with both students may paint a picture as to the nature of what transpired and how it could have been avoided. In any case, both students will be reprimanded as we have a zero tolerance policy for such acts here at the school. To properly understand the deviant student, let’s call him David, it will be necessary to find out more about his background, social and family ties, peer influences, general demeanor, and any goals or hopes he has. I cannot simply classify David as a juvenile delinquent or a future criminal. To label him may do more harm than good. Labeling Theory The labeling theory asserts that once an individual has deviated from the social norms of society, they are labeled as a delinquent or a criminal, and begin to behave as such (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2011).In other words, if David is continuously labeled by the school, his peers, and society in general as a juvenile delinquent then he will begin to believe it himself. His self-esteem and self-worth will go down and he will begin viewing himself as a juvenile delinquent. Once David has accepted his label, he will begin to engage in more and more deviant acts. So it is important here that I am sensitive to his situation and avoid putting a label on him for one discretionary act. Social Disorganization Theory We know that David comes from a disadvantaged socioeconomic background.It is likely that he lives in an environment where social ties are poor and delinquent peer groups are abundant. Such communities have a higher crime rate and a higher rate of delinquency, as explained by their weak social bonds. Socially organized and tight-knit communities are more likely to supervise and control teenage peer groups where socially disorganized communities are not (McCord, 1992). External factors such as lack of supervision and a weak social bond may be contributing to David’s delinquency. Unfortunately, the school can do little in the way of helping him and his family out of their community. However, creating a social bond of sorts here at the school may help David move from a perhaps delinquent peer group to one more conscientious of social norms and societal laws. I would suggest trying to get David involved in a sport or another social club at the school. Again, finding out what he is interested in is an important part of helping him. We want David to feel socially accepted and increase his self-esteem. Learning Theories Learning theories suggest that antisocial, deviant, and criminal behavior is not instilled in an individual, but learned through interactions with their environment and peers. Because of their individual circumstances, some people learn and practice behaviors that the larger society condemns. Not surprisingly, children growing up in neighborhoods rife with crime often end up committing crime themselves† (Barkan, 2009). It is essential that David associate with peers that follow and respect societies rules. The theory of differential association attributes an individual’s attitudes and views of crime and deviance to that of their immediate social groups.In other words, if David’s peer group is deviant, he will be deviant as well. Another explanation for that follows the theory of differential identification; David may feel the need to â€Å"fit in† and be accepted as a member of a group. By acting like the group he has chosen to fit in to; dressing like they do, speaking the way they speak, and engaging in the same deviant activities they engage in, he gains their approval and is accepted as part of the group. In the same manner, David is learning deviant behavior because he is exposed to it on a regular basis.He may see violence and deviance as a social norm (and therefore acceptable) because in his immediate environment it is a normal occurrence. Finally, through differential reinforcement, this learned behavior is reinforced through reward or praise from his peer group. Perhaps he see’s frequent violence in which the person committing the violence is never reprimanded. If David believes he can commit these acts with little fear of reprimand or with the encouragement of his peer group, he is more likely to do so and not even feel like he has done anything wrong.School is a place with many rules and many types of interactions with different people. Clearly what is acceptable in David’s home environment and peer group is not acceptable here. It is important that he understand what is right and wrong in this setting and furthermore, in society. I will likely suggest that David speak with the school’s psychologist to determine how much learned deviant behavior he has experienced. This will also give him an opportunity to bond with someone who respects social norms and laws. Control TheoriesUnlike other criminological theories, control theories set out to learn not why individuals commit crime, but why they do not commit crime (Akers Sellers, 2004). David’s meeting with the school psychologist will also shed some light on where he measures using some of the control theories. The containment theory introduces the possibility that there are internal and external influences that guide an individual away from committing crime. Internally, that individual’s positive self-image and tolerance for frustration help sway them from becoming deviant.On the other side, external influences like positive role models and a close family bond will do the same (Barkan, 2009). Travis Hirshi’s social bonding theory had several explanations for the behavior of juveniles. These explanations included supported research that found that â€Å"youth’s who were strongly attached to their parents were less likely to commit criminal acts† and â€Å"youths who maintained weak and distant relationships with people tended toward delinquency† (Evans, n. d. ) One final addition to control theories, although there are several more, is the coercive control and social support theory.This theory, in short, states that an individual is coerced into crime either through fear or through other means, such as poverty. Whether that individual has strong social support from family, their community, and social institutions such as school, has a large impact on the likelihood that the individual with commit crime. While each of these control theories introduce several ideas about why individual’s may or may not commit crime, one similarity is present throughout. The presence of a strong social bond with friends, family, and community encourages a crime free existence. To encourage David to head down the right path, so to speak, we need to fortify his social bonds. Life-Course Theories Life-course theories focus on what factors occur during different stages of one’s life that may promote delinquency or crime. These factors include: socioeconomic status, poor and inconsistent parenting, weak social bonds, poor school performance, and delinquent peers. (Barkan, 2009). The recurring theme across the life-course theories is that it is weak social bonds, poor parenting, and the influence of delinquent peers that determine an individual’s susceptibility to deviant behavior.Strain, or stress, result from an individual’s perceived inadequacies making them even more susceptible. Such strain can be caused by any number of the causal factors of delinquency listed above. A young and impressionable individual such as David may experience strain because of his socioeconomic status, his difficulty at the school, or many other reasons. The more strain one experiences, the more likely they are to display deviant behavior. Conclusion I fully support the principal’s decision to keep David at the school as it truly is in his best interest.My final disciplinary decision regarding the physical altercation between David and the other student will include several days of in-school suspension where both boys will be able to serve out their punishment while still completing school assignments, separated from the rest of the students of course. I am compelled to reach out to David and give him every opportunity to reform. I will be speaking with the teacher who made the initial complaint regarding David to explain to them that he is in need of a positive role model and positive reinforcement.A visit with the school’s psychologist will also be made. Not only will this give David an outlet to perhaps discuss his problems, it will also expose him to another positive influence and someone who can help him cope with any anger issues he may have. Introducing David to positive and close social bonds is already decreasing the chance that he will engage in more deviant behavior. Suggestions will be made that he engage in a sport or other social clubs at the school. This will encourage David to interact with a less deviant peer group.There will also be a meeting between David and myself. I will explain to David that his current behaviors are unacceptable here at school and any further infractions will be dealt with swift and more severe punishments. Once that has been discussed, I would like to find out more about what goals David has. In doing so, I can help motivate him to obtain these goals. My intention is to make it clear to him that I am there to help with any issues he has and that he can feel comfortable coming to me, or any other school staff, if he needs to.In closing, the main goal here is to help David by introducing positive role models, making him feel socially accepted to increase his self-esteem, strengthen his social bonds, and encourage him to interact with people in a more positive way. If nowhere else, a school should foster these values to reduce a child’s likelihood of delinquency. ? References Akers, R. , Sellers, C. (2004). Student Study Guide for Criminological Theories: Introduction, Evaluation, and Application (4th ed. ). Los Angeles, CA: Roxbury Publishing Company.

The European Union Law Overview Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

The European Union Law Overview - Essay Example The essay "The European Union Law Overview" presents the analysis of the European Union structure and also its decision-making process. The Council of Ministers operates clandestinely and its functions, which are influenced by national and transnational parties, lack transparency and accountability. Decision-making is determined by qualified majority voting in the Council of Ministers. The Council of Ministers is the most powerful institution in the European Union and comprises of envoys from the Member States of the EU. The European Parliament and the Council of Ministers enact the EU’s legislation. The Council decides issues either by qualified majority voting or by unanimity. Its presidency has a rotating tenure of six months. Although it does not formally comprise a component of the EU system, it has emerged as the cardinal institution of the EU. It organizes meetings between the heads of state and the representatives of the European Commission. Unlike the Council, the European Parliament is a supranational institution. The Council of Ministers has been accorded the status of the principal legislative body by the Treaties of the EU. Its importance stems from the fact that it constitutes the final decision-making authority. In the process of making policies, the Council relies on other institutions for assistance and direction. The EU is a novel political institution, consisting of intergovernmental elements in some issues, supranational in administrative matters and transnational in most domains.

MTV Culture And Music TV In Popular Culture Research Paper

MTV Culture And Music TV In Popular Culture - Research Paper Example With the desire to have huge following and cover, mass media engineered strategies to influence as many people as possible. Some of these strategies revolve around creating a culture that is consistent with the needs of the people, the products being advertised, and that can influence the beliefs, behaviors, and attitudes of people regarding certain products and services to the targeted audience. Music TV, MTV culture in popular culture One of the most popular culture edifices is music. Music stalks all life realms and it is impossible to find an individual who does not like any kind of music. Since its establishment in 1981, MTV has had a great influence in the way popular culture, especially in the music industry, has evolved and developed. It is hard to distinguish pop culture, MTV and music TV. There is no other mass media communication network that has had such influence and control over popular cultural evolution than the two networks (Rojek 199). MTV as a mass media communication network has greatly impacted the way people hold beliefs about politics, dressing, public figures, and other life elements that the network communicates to the audience. One of the credits that MTV has had is the way it has shaped the music industry. MTV and other music TV networks have taken a revolutionary turn by airing certain types of music that are conversant with the audience. For example, MTV has shaped people’s taste of music through repeated airing of pop music and gangsta rap that dominates the world popular culture.

Mortgage Crisis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Mortgage Crisis - Essay Example Subprime borrowers, with low rates of 7% to 8%, will see rates reset at numbers like 11%. Prime borrowers are seeing rates jump to 20% and more causing them to come near to defaulting on their loans. This increase in rates will create a domino effect altering most of the financial markets. The mortgage crisis is simply one side of the coin. With the failing economy mortgage lenders and banks are finding it hard to find the cash to support the foreclosures. With the low house demand and the growing defaults companies like American Home Mortgage Investment Corp. and Delta Financial Corp., filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Bigger banks are suffering losses as they write down their losses with even a company like Merrill Lynch posting its largest loss in 94-years. With the drop in employment rates and the economy in one of its worst positions for more than a decade a recession seems to be on the way. How bad the crisis will be and how it will alter the consumers lifestyle is what has to be determined as the mortgage crisis takes the country by storm. Being a mortgage collector I have the opportunity to review some of the ARM's, interest only and flexible payment/negative amortization loans. I have found that they are all positioned as tools to help the borrower afford the house for a moment.

Financial Management - Study of 3 Companies and their Flotations (IPO) Essay

Financial Management - Study of 3 Companies and their Flotations (IPO) onto the Stock Exchange - Essay Example Through IPO, companies intend to raise money by offering shares for the first time to the outsiders (Espinasse, 2011, p.1). Recently, Groupon, LinkedIn and Angie’s List decided to go public and released their IPOs. ‘Facebook’ has also filed its IPO recently. These are US based high profile internet companies and are running successfully worldwide. There are lot of benefits as well as some challenges too that are to be faced by companies going public. About the companies and its products and services Groupon: Groupon is a daily deal website, headquartered at Chicago, IL, US and was launched in November, 2008. Groupon is an e-commerce marketplace. It provides a link between the local merchants and consumers. The goods and services are offered at a discounting rate to the consumers. Groupon is a means of advertising through internet where local merchants can attract customers in order to facilitate selling of its goods and services. Consumers are informed about the d aily deals through emails, websites and mobile applications. These daily deals are about, what the consumers can do, see, eat or buy in their local markets where they live. One coupon named, ‘Groupon’ is offered everyday in each of the markets where it serves. The ‘Groupon’ is like an assurance contract which requires a minimum number of people to sign up for the deal or offer before it is available to everyone, or else the deal gets lapsed for the day. LinkedIn: LinkedIn Corporation is a social networking website which is mainly meant for professional business purposes. It is headquartered at Mountain View, California, US. LinkedIn was launched in May, 2003 and its website is available in different languages like English, Spanish, German, Italian, Japanese, etc. It provides a leading service in professional networking globally. An individual can post their profile in LinkedIn website and then they can use different tools available in the site for accessing different services. These services include, opportunities for searching jobs, recruitment of candidates searching for job, search for partners, suppliers and customers, finding expert advice, etc (Yoffie, Slind & Achsaf, 2008). Through LinkedIn, registered users can maintain their contact details of users with whom they are related to each other. Sponsored advertising facility is also available in the site. The subscribers or members can also form groups which provide a platform for group discussion on various topics, mainly related to employment and career opportunities. Angie’s List: Angie’s List, Inc. is a US based company headquartered at Indianapolis, Indiana, US. It maintains a huge database of reviews made by customers. Angie’s List provides services that are consumer driven and requires membership fees. Customers give online reviews on the services provided by different companies and then grading of these companies is done by Angie’s List based o n different criteria like, price, professionalism, quality, etc. From the reviews and grades provided, customers get to know more about services in the areas of architect, plumbing, medical, automobiles, etc (Green Watch, n.d.). Only the top graded companies in Angie’s List are allowed to advertise. Build-up to the Floatation (IPO) onto the Stock Exchange Groupon Inc. IPO Groupon Inc. decided to go public for the first time and launched its IPO during November, 2011. It got listed in NASDAQ stock market with the ticker symbol â€Å"

Developing Early Literacy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Developing Early Literacy - Essay Example Language development entails learning four strands namely listening, speaking, reading and writing. Oracy skills fall under listening and speaking while literacy skills fall under reading and writing. This paper will explore the links between oracy and literacy and how skills development in communication, language and literacy skills of very young children (aged 3-5 years) can be supported with various learning strategies, mostly including books and shared stories. The government’s flagship programme for children and young people aptly named Every Child Matters, makes it their mission to achieve five outcomes for children. These outcomes, identified by the children themselves, are as follows: â€Å"to be healthy; to stay safe; to enjoy and achieve; to make a positive contribution; and to achieve economic well-being† (HM Government, 2007). Speech, language and communication underpin achievement of every one of these outcomes. Inability to communicate effectively puts children at risk of poor outcomes such as struggling to engage in and enjoy education since most aspects of education are based on language use. The Rose Review (2009) made a clear connection between strong speaking and listening skills and children’s ability to learn and read. That is why communication, language and literacy has been identified and targeted to be one of the specific learning areas in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS, 2007). A great deal of a child’s acquisition of linguistic structure occurs during the first five years of life. This is the period when he is most active in discerning a set of underlying organizational principles of language from the expression that surrounds him. It is amazing how at a very young age, he is capable of abstracting meaning from direct experience with other language users depending on his own context. Beaty

Mortgage Crisis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Mortgage Crisis - Essay Example Subprime borrowers, with low rates of 7% to 8%, will see rates reset at numbers like 11%. Prime borrowers are seeing rates jump to 20% and more causing them to come near to defaulting on their loans. This increase in rates will create a domino effect altering most of the financial markets. The mortgage crisis is simply one side of the coin. With the failing economy mortgage lenders and banks are finding it hard to find the cash to support the foreclosures. With the low house demand and the growing defaults companies like American Home Mortgage Investment Corp. and Delta Financial Corp., filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Bigger banks are suffering losses as they write down their losses with even a company like Merrill Lynch posting its largest loss in 94-years. With the drop in employment rates and the economy in one of its worst positions for more than a decade a recession seems to be on the way. How bad the crisis will be and how it will alter the consumers lifestyle is what has to be determined as the mortgage crisis takes the country by storm. Being a mortgage collector I have the opportunity to review some of the ARM's, interest only and flexible payment/negative amortization loans. I have found that they are all positioned as tools to help the borrower afford the house for a moment.

Developing Early Literacy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Developing Early Literacy - Essay Example Language development entails learning four strands namely listening, speaking, reading and writing. Oracy skills fall under listening and speaking while literacy skills fall under reading and writing. This paper will explore the links between oracy and literacy and how skills development in communication, language and literacy skills of very young children (aged 3-5 years) can be supported with various learning strategies, mostly including books and shared stories. The government’s flagship programme for children and young people aptly named Every Child Matters, makes it their mission to achieve five outcomes for children. These outcomes, identified by the children themselves, are as follows: â€Å"to be healthy; to stay safe; to enjoy and achieve; to make a positive contribution; and to achieve economic well-being† (HM Government, 2007). Speech, language and communication underpin achievement of every one of these outcomes. Inability to communicate effectively puts children at risk of poor outcomes such as struggling to engage in and enjoy education since most aspects of education are based on language use. The Rose Review (2009) made a clear connection between strong speaking and listening skills and children’s ability to learn and read. That is why communication, language and literacy has been identified and targeted to be one of the specific learning areas in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS, 2007). A great deal of a child’s acquisition of linguistic structure occurs during the first five years of life. This is the period when he is most active in discerning a set of underlying organizational principles of language from the expression that surrounds him. It is amazing how at a very young age, he is capable of abstracting meaning from direct experience with other language users depending on his own context. Beaty

Gender and Video Games Essay Example for Free

Gender and Video Games Essay The current development in the literature concerning videogames and gender constitutes the formulation of perceptions of how not only game developers but also players establish their individual and collective identity in this process. Their relationship then corresponds to creating specific norms and principles that seek to identify specific ideas concerning their representation of reality and also their ability to capitalize on existing genres for cultivating game play and the issues related to acceptance of existing norms. Due to this, to better understand the relationship circumventing around video games and gender, fair amount of analysis must be made not only in its ability to represent the gaming public but also in the impact it creates towards taking the issue into a bigger picture as it relates to the construction of social norms and roles. Assessing Video Games and Gender Indeed looking at previous literature studies, it can be seen that misrepresentation remains apparent especially among the representation of gender in video games. Here, common patterns of male masculine figures and characters continue to dominate different platforms and games. Such idea remains to be seen particularly, during the earlier times wherein there is a corresponding depiction of players that are relatively male and ultimately dominate both the primary and secondary characters. Here, Williams, Martins, Consalvo and Ivory (2009) study highlights these apparent trends by arguing that â€Å"the most popular games are less representative than the typical game produced by developers, indicating that players also play a role in the cycle of creation and consumption† (p. 828). Similarly, such actions then establish the formation of implications relating towards both businesses and gamers alike. Given the constant marketing and exploration of new strategies to expand the level of gamers within a specific platform, there are indeed restrictions that this gender bias and formulation of games create. It necessitates not only hindering the potential appeal of these games towards consumers but also induce common means for limited appreciation and also shortage in sales. These dynamics in turn necessitate a constricted response to the ever growing number of patrons of video games as it encompasses the majority of participants and involve other actors who also place emphasis in their capacity for media to exhibit their common associations and relationship within the platform (Williams, Martins, Consalvo, Ivory, 2009). Opening up Patterns for Diversity and Change Assessing the validity of how video games embrace diversity, careful analysis needs to be made in the manner that video games seek to portray and outline the views concerning the gaming culture. Since social symbols often connote this process to be a male/masculine endeavor, earlier platforms somehow inhibit female participation in such activity and more often than not associated with male roles and tendencies (Williams, Martin, Consalvo and Ivory, 2009). However, this started to change as new designs and models have been introduced to cater to the changing perceptions of gender roles related to video games and adherence to the objectives to transcend over common representations that platform has over male and female responsiveness. Recognizing the current needs for embedding gender equality within the video game platforms, many game developers now seek to apply these strategies in the formulation of new titles that seek to connote better ability for people to utilize their perception of themselves within a particular game. This brought about significant changes as designers brought into consideration diversity and equal representation of male and female roles in the process. This dynamics then consolidated better means for outlining not only significant areas related to the overall game play but also in the appeal it gives towards different individuals regardless of their racial and gender associations (Brandtzaeg and Heim, 2009). Seeing this, the study by Jansz and Vosmeer indeed offer a good analysis of how the game ‘Sims 2’ address these changing trends and outline the evolution of gaming from a masculine and male dominated genre to a more lax and diverse area that induces common connections between masculinity and femininity. By using this game as an example, the study was able to highlight significant changes in these perceptions and was able to ascertain common ideals shaping and furthering opportunities accounting to how diversity serves as an instrument in merging the idea of gender and video games together. To complement this process, it takes into account creating video games that are not only responsive to the needs of gamers but also reach out towards their ability to utilize connections over the roles specific characters play. Here, Jansz and Vosmeer (2010) argues, â€Å"developing gender and games theory requires more detailed insight into the mutual shaping of game content, game play, and gender identities† (p. 247). By collaborating on these three aspects accordingly, the ability of growth of video games have indeed showcased a reality that is more conducive and responsive to the needs of individuals by offering a variety of platforms wherein interaction and associations remain possible. Videogames, Violence, and Gender Roles Another precept shaping the understanding concerning the idea of videogames and gender is the corresponding perceptions and roles it provides participants. Since this element is one part of media, it is through this that representations about culture and gender roles are provided among individuals regardless of age, race, or cultural affiliations. These dynamics in turn necessitate both positive and negative responses in terms of the establishment of identity and formulation of specific patterns of behavior innate within the characterization of primary and secondary characters in a particular game. In essence, there continues to be a relationship in the way individuals ascertain their preferences in games with their innate social behavior and ability to denote a particular response to each theme of a video game played (Brandtzaeg and Heim, 2009). Seeing these diverse variations concerning the ability to extract experiences and ideas from video games, it then presents the formation of specific behavior and inputs depending on the themes provided. Such actions then result in current diversity of games available in the market today. As Brandtzaeg and Heim (2009) argue, â€Å"the new electronic gaming landscape is complex, and consists of a vast array of choices in different game content genres tailored towards a range of user profiles in regards to highly different interests and content preferences† (p. 71). These in turn result in the formulation of specific behavior that equally shapes an individual’s personality and the manner that each one seeks to equate this in the formulation of their identity and role within social institutions. Associated with the formulation of gender roles, there are also instances of video games promoting violence as themes in its platforms. Such dynamics then necessitate impact on individual behavior as they try to ascertain specific tendencies towards the acceptance of violence to be a social norm and apparent in different scenarios and environment. Though research and literature may argue differently concerning this stance, it also goes to show the impact that video games can provide towards the inducement of violent and aggressive tendencies among gamers. Here, it is what Kim refers to as desensitization of violence within video games genre and points out its impact not only in the formulation of gender roles but also the acceptance of its role within the development of a player’s identity (Kim, n. d. ). Under this process, there continues to be new developments happening in video game technology that aides the desensitization of violence among consoles. These in turn contributes to further exposure and creates a real-life scenarios wherein players experience an almost-real setup where violence as a theme is depicted. Here, Kim (n. d. ) argues that â€Å"as video games become more sophisticated, there is a wide range of input devices at various levels of realism – from pushing keys on a keyboard to a turning wheel to drive or actually shooting a gun† (p. 5). Such realities then brings about the question of how such games provide the means to explore means to correspond the manner to ascertain violence, videogames and gender. It does take into account the value of how these themes permeate within choices and ability to partake in the gaming experience of individuals. By establishing these relationships, it can help analyze the formulation of behavior as well as how it corresponds to the nature of furthering opportunities to extract behavioral responsiveness on the part of individuals who partake in such endeavor. (Jansz, and Vosmeer, 2010). To conclude, the idea of gender and video games have undergone an expansion of literature that takes into account its development from a more conservative and masculine-oriented dimension towards the creation of games that seeks to highlight and induce elements of diversity. By taking account of these areas, it was able to consolidate better means to reach out towards different gamers and allow better means for access among people. Though there may still be corresponding bias views concerning gender, it was able to construct a new playing field wherein new games are able to cater towards the dynamic needs among gamers. Alongside this development, there is also the corresponding perspective of shaping new means to carry out effective means to extract gender roles among players. These elements manifest in the themes and perceptions utilized by individuals who participate in such endeavor. One element that can be seen in these areas is the corresponding violence that video game creates. Though there are contrasting views in the impact on human behavior, it plays a crucial role in establishing analysis in its association with the interplay of social norms and roles through the spectrum of perceptions and choices of video game genres. References Brandtzaeg, P. B. and Heim, J. (2009) Children’s Electronic Gaming Content Preferences and Psychosocial Factors: Is there a connection? Nordicom Review. 30 (2), pp. 69-86 Jansz, J. , Avis, C. and Vosmeer, M. (2010) Playing The Sims 2: An exploration of gender differences in players’ motivations and patterns of play. New media and Society. 12 (2), pp. 235-251 Kim, O. T. Effects of Violent Video Games on Desensitization: The Role of Gender, Previous Exposure, and Input Device. Williams, D. , Martins, N. , Consalvo, M. and Ivory, J. (2009) The virtual census: representations of gender, race, and age in video games. New media and society. 11 (5), pp. 815-834

Prepare And Implement A Personal Development Plan Education Essay

Prepare And Implement A Personal Development Plan Education Essay Each of our work guided by the goal. we cannot live without doing any work. If we start our work by paining, that is definite to get success or reach the goal. Otherwise if we start to work without any plan there is certainly we get little achieve but we lost more time and resource. There should be need special skill to do any kinds of work. To get rational skill and knowledge we need rational learning style. Before the start new learning we need to do self-assignment about own skill and knowledge. Before the start of new thing to prepare the personal development plan (PDP) is so reasonable manner. How would we define a personal development plan? Well I would define it as a plan we make for our self to achieve something in our life. What do we wish to accomplish? Do you want to start a wholesale business? Do we want to get a new career? Whatever it is our wish to do we will need to define a personal development plan and put begin to put it into action. The PDP has given us the fully guide line of our learning. What is Personal Development Plan (PDP) In the general sense personal Development Plan is that kinds of plan which we prepared to before the start of our work to made the success of our goal. In the PDP we analysis of our exacting skill and ability, and what goal we need to achieve after the work this all thing include in the PDP. It is a kinds of working plan. Personal Development Planning can be defined as a process that helps you to think about your own learning, performance and/or achievements and to plan for your personal, educational and career development.  [1]   Therefore under the PDP include of this thing: Current proficiency. What is the skill which is going to learn How and with whom is going to learn new skill Learning or working time scale Criteria for judging success The evidence of learn or work. In this way, PDP is that thing it help to us to know what we going to do , what skill I have available and what result is came it all thing and as well as it help to systematic and achievable of our work. Significance of a PDP for University student PDP has played a most significance role for a university student like me. A student main goal and purpose is to learn new skill and knowledge. For example I came in UK to study of business management. After the study I want to learn newly management related skill and knowledge. To learn new skill and knowledge I spend my money and time in the UK. When I learn about the PDP then I also made my PDP and now I have implement it in my existing student life it help to me so much to effective learning. For example after the study of management research project and presentation I had learn the skill of how to prepare the project? How to present it with other? How to answer the question of participator? How to manage the feedback? How to solve the problem? In here, my PDP has support to me made a confidence of that work. PDP is the so important of a university student. PDP has encourage to student to learn a new skill and knowledge. It give a clear vision of the student learning. It give a clarity of what is learning and how it is going to learn. I give a method of learning for the student. PDP has identify the what skill already to learner and what skill need to learn. From the PDP what skill I am success to learn and what skill I did not learn it also identify. By the PDP we can know what should be need to do in the next stapes as well. In the conclusion, we can said PDP has help to us to manage our time, work, learn and as well as it give a vision of our future and help to made of our future planning therefore PDP has play must significance role in the university student. 4. Implement of my PDP, suggest and explain of my Action plan. When I understand the significant of PDP for a student then I also prepared and implementing of my PDP. My learning goal is to make a success manager so my purpose is to stay in UK and study of business management. I want to learn communication skill, team working skill, leadership skill, decision-making skill, problem-solving skill, organization operation skill, under one year time period. As well as I want to learn the theoretic knowledge of commerce, business, and management. For that purpose now I am studying in LSBM in postgraduate level of APDMS course. Action Planning helps me to identify and set targets, documenting a thought out strategy. A well written action plan will be clear in its intentions, unambiguous and focussed. I am going to saw the long-term action plan of my PDP simple and the table of personal development plan is in appendix -1: My long-term aspirations and goal: About me: my plan beyond post graduation I would like to get a job working in business organisationà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s manager for long company Opportunities: way forward for me I will find out what quality and experience is need for the job Action planning target Action points By when Find out what qualification I need to get By the end of 1st semester Investigate what experience is repaired for the job By the mead in 2nd semester Speak to my advisor of studies By the end of second semester Note on completion 5. Important of self-review Self-review is so important of a university student. Self à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬review had help to me to identify the success and unsuccessful part of my PDP implement. After the self-review I can learn how many skill and knowledge and how many I did not learn? To know our success and unsuccessful part we can made a further strategy. And we get the chance to improve ourself. . After the self-review mainly we can learn following thing: Is our work going to meet the personal goal. What I do well and where I can improve. My personality and personal quality. What if fiend motivating and what interests. How I learn best. Self review help to us to remove the coming learning obstacle and keep the alert position in all time as well as give the opportunity to improve of our PDP. 6. Self-review influence on the Effectiveness of my Individual Learning Self-review has important influence in my learning. I failed in some module in my first semester after that I doing my self-review and asked the question why I failed? When I did my self-review I find out, in the past time I studied in Nepal in theoretical base but in UK study method is practical base method so there is learning style is not matching and I did not learn properly and I failed in the exam. And the other reason is, in Nepal my study method is Nepali medium but in England I am studying in English medium first chance. The is reason of language weakness I did not learn so many thing as well as I could not expresses of my learn thing also so I failed in the exam. Main this two thing I find out after my self- review and now I am try to remove that my weakness and going to made more effective of my study. 7. Conclusion: There is so important of Personal Development of a university student. So there should be need to prepare and implement a PDP for a university student. PDP has encouraged studying a student. A studentà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s PDP has helped the student to identified, what I learn? What should be needed to learn? What is the action of learning? Which skill has I learn? and what is my progress etc. In this way PDP has help to got a student object and give the clear guideline. In my experience PDP has help me to learn many kinds of business management related skill which I want to learn. For that purpose I did self-review of my PDP in time to time. Self-review has identify to me my weakness of learning when I identify of my weakness I have improvement that and go ahead. In this way self-review has brought to effectiveness in my learning process. Especially after my self-review I get the chance to improvement my language and practical base study method. Reference: Gorman, Thm., (1998). The Complete Idiotà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s Guide to: MBA Basics. 1st Ed. New York: Alpha Books. Rebbins, Stephen P. and Hunsaker, Philip L. (2009) Training in interpersonal Skill.5th Ed. Pearson international Edition: London. http://www.imperial.ac.uk/ice/, 20th December 2010. http://ezinearticles.com/?Define-Personal-Development-Planid=790578, 20th December 2010. http://ivythesis.typepad.com/term_paper_topics/2008/09/personal-develo.html, 20th December 2010.

Man Against God in Moby Dick Essay -- Moby Dick Essays

Man Against God in Moby Dick Thee Works Cited "God, God is against thee, old man; forbear! 'tis an ill voyage! ill begun; ill continued..." (418). Humanity has embarked on a journey. A journey of choice that will lead into the end days; one which will determine mankind's fate and weave the mat of life to completion. Humanity, like Captain Ahab, has chosen to follow the direction of his own desires rather than reason and faith. Refusing to hear the voice of reason, man has seared Starbuck-his conscience and morals-to "a lipless, unfeatured blank" (459). Following the desires of the flesh, he has thrown out the compass and declared himself "lord of the level loadstone" (425). And like Captain Ahab, humanity will suffer the consequences of "all his fatal pride" (425). Every person who lives believes he posses the power, the free will, to weave his mat of life, to make the designs come out the way he wishes. Yet, when the time of decision comes, every one will let "the ball of free will [drop] from [his] hand" and follow Captain Ahab in pursuit of the heart's passion and the mind's fantasy. The pressure of Ahab's voice drives the crew to compliance, and only Starbuck dares to stand up to him. But even Starbuck's courage wavers and he is unable to hold his ground. Seared into white noise, his silent pleas for obedience are seldom heard over Ahab's commands. For "[s]uch was the thunder of [Ahab's] voice," that "the men sprang over the railing" and into the sea (187). Ahab realizes the power he has and declares it many times outright. Yet he does not respect the authority granted to him and abuses it by taking his ship and crew on a voyage of revenge and "foolish, impious ... ... of God. Mankind has chosen to ignore the orders of the ship owners and the warnings of the compass, and like Ahab, has declared himself "immortal on land and sea" (411); therefore, "[I]nspite of all that mortal man could do," there will be "[r]etribution, swift vengeance" (468). "Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place..." (381) Works Cited The Holy Bible. Concordance and end-of-verse references ed. by Russell L. Surls. The Authorized King James Version. Iowa, World Bible Publishers, 1986. Melville, Herman. Moby Dick: An Authoritative Text; Reviews and Letters by Melville; Analogues and Sources; Criticism. A Norton Critical Edition. Ed. Harrison Hyford and Hershal Parker. New York, W. W. Norton and Company, Inc. 1967. Man Against God in Moby Dick Essay -- Moby Dick Essays Man Against God in Moby Dick Thee Works Cited "God, God is against thee, old man; forbear! 'tis an ill voyage! ill begun; ill continued..." (418). Humanity has embarked on a journey. A journey of choice that will lead into the end days; one which will determine mankind's fate and weave the mat of life to completion. Humanity, like Captain Ahab, has chosen to follow the direction of his own desires rather than reason and faith. Refusing to hear the voice of reason, man has seared Starbuck-his conscience and morals-to "a lipless, unfeatured blank" (459). Following the desires of the flesh, he has thrown out the compass and declared himself "lord of the level loadstone" (425). And like Captain Ahab, humanity will suffer the consequences of "all his fatal pride" (425). Every person who lives believes he posses the power, the free will, to weave his mat of life, to make the designs come out the way he wishes. Yet, when the time of decision comes, every one will let "the ball of free will [drop] from [his] hand" and follow Captain Ahab in pursuit of the heart's passion and the mind's fantasy. The pressure of Ahab's voice drives the crew to compliance, and only Starbuck dares to stand up to him. But even Starbuck's courage wavers and he is unable to hold his ground. Seared into white noise, his silent pleas for obedience are seldom heard over Ahab's commands. For "[s]uch was the thunder of [Ahab's] voice," that "the men sprang over the railing" and into the sea (187). Ahab realizes the power he has and declares it many times outright. Yet he does not respect the authority granted to him and abuses it by taking his ship and crew on a voyage of revenge and "foolish, impious ... ... of God. Mankind has chosen to ignore the orders of the ship owners and the warnings of the compass, and like Ahab, has declared himself "immortal on land and sea" (411); therefore, "[I]nspite of all that mortal man could do," there will be "[r]etribution, swift vengeance" (468). "Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place..." (381) Works Cited The Holy Bible. Concordance and end-of-verse references ed. by Russell L. Surls. The Authorized King James Version. Iowa, World Bible Publishers, 1986. Melville, Herman. Moby Dick: An Authoritative Text; Reviews and Letters by Melville; Analogues and Sources; Criticism. A Norton Critical Edition. Ed. Harrison Hyford and Hershal Parker. New York, W. W. Norton and Company, Inc. 1967.