Employee Portfolio Essay

The purpose of this word summary is to be in the place of three employees at Riordan Manufacturing. These three employees have recently taken various self-assessments to help the manager in managing the teams. The summary will discuss the ways in which these three employees’ characteristics affect the performance of the organization and make recommendations for additional assessment. The three employees who have taken these tests are Antisha McFadden, Marianne Felts, and Edna Scafe. Antisha McFadden has scored 76 in the test â€Å"How satisfied and I with my job?† Because her score was below the average she is a very satisfied person when it comes to her job, she is optimistic. However, she cannot accept critique and she should learn how to be able to accept critique. In the test Felts her score was 66, which says about her that she is a deliberate candidate. These are things that she does with no reason and she should start having a reason for everything she does. In t he Scafe test, Edna scores 92, which means that she poses a higher emotional intelligence. She should learn how o be less subjective when evaluating. Marianne Felts has taken the same tests, as Antisha and her results were different. In the first test she scored 76 which means that she is an average satisfied person when it comes to her job, while in the second test she scored 66 telling us that she has a higher emotional intelligence. The recommendation for Antisha is to increase the level of concentration when working so that everything is perfectly done. The third employee interviewed is Edna Scafe, who takes the same tests as the first two employees and her scores are different. In the first test, Edna scores only 92 meaning that she is not satisfied with her jobs, while in the second her score is 22 meaning that she has a more blended style of decision making. The third test shows a score of 28 meaning that she is a person with normal levels of emotional intelligence. The recommendations for Edna are to reduce the time when deciding and not to reduce the quality or effectiveness of the decision taken.

Acid Rain: the Southern Company (a) Case Analysis Essay

Acid Rain: The Southern Company (A) Case Analysis | Production Processes and Costs| Executive Summary In the year 1992, the Southern Company that held the Bowen plant, a coal-fired steam electric plant had to decide on the various options available to comply with the amendments in the Clean Air Act, effective 1995. The Bowen plant was an unusually large plant with a capacity to serve the residential, commercial and industrial demands of 1 million people. The Bowen generators consumed 8.338 million tons of coal and generated 21,551 million kilowatt-hours of electricity. During 1990, Bowen plant emitted over 30 tons of sulfur dioxide per hour, an important precursor of acid rain. In 1990, Congress passes the Clean Air Act that aimed at controlling acid rain. As per the Clean Air Act, beginning 1995 (Phase 1) all the coal-fired utility plants would be receiving allowances to emit 2.5 pounds of sulfur dioxide per million British Thermal Units (MMBtu) of coal consumed. In the year 2000 (Phase 2), all coal-fired utility plants, would get allowances worth 1.2 pounds per MMBtu of coal. The plants either had to reduce their emissions or purchase additional allowances from other firms. The Bowen plant received allowances for 254,580 tons of sulfur dioxide for each if the five years, from 1995 till 1999. From year 2000, it would receive allowances worth 122,198 tons per year. To comply with this new law, Southern Company had the following options: * Burn high sulfur Kentucky coal without scrubbing the exhaust gases, as in past, and buy the allowances from other firms. * Install scrubbers to remove sulfur dioxide from the exhaust gases of the generators. There were further two options available to be considered * Scrubbers could be installed from 1992 to 1994, to be ready for Phase one. * Install scrubbers from 1997-1999 and be ready for Phase 2. * Switch to low-sulfur coal from Kentucky or West Virginia. The emissions would be lower than the amount permi tted in Phase One, but in  Phase Two they would have to buy allowances. As a result of the analyses, Option 3 : burning low-sulfur coal seem to be the best fit in this situation, because it has the minimum cost involved and thereby, generates the maximum profits for the company. PROBLEM STATEMENT The Southern Company, is trying to figure out the best option available, the one with the minimum costs involved, to comply with the amendments in the Clean Air Act, effective 1995. The main issue was the amount of sulfur dioxide emitted each hour by the plant, which was 30 tons in year 1990. As per the amendments in the Clean Air Act, the amount of sulfur dioxide was regulated to 2.5 pounds per MMBTu of coal from year 1995 and further reduced to 1.2 pounds per MMBtu of coal from year 2000. The regulated amount was the total emission allowed by all the coal-fired utility plants in the country. As a result, Bowen plant would receive an allowance for 254,580 tons for each of five years beginning 1995 and 122,198 tons per year starting 2000. The company could either buy extra allowances from other firms or reduce the emission amount by either scrubbing off the sulfur dioxide from exhausted gases or use low-sulfur coal. METHODOLOGY The case presents three main options which were analyzed to make an informed decision about the choice to be made. I have calculated the net present value of the costs involved in each of the three methods and recommend the option one with minimum net present value of cost to be used for complying with the Clean Air Act amendment. The three available options are: * Burn high sulfur Kentucky coal without scrubbing the exhaust gases, as in past, and buy the allowances from other firms. * Install scrubbers to remove sulfur dioxide from the exhaust gases of the generators. There were further two options available to be considered * Scrubbers could be installed from 1992 to 1994, to be ready for Phase one. The Bowen plant would then be generating lower sulfur dioxide emissions that could be sold to other firms * Install scrubbers from 1997-1999 and be ready for Phase 2. In this, they will be generating excess of allowed emission level  in Phase 1 (1995-1999) and would have to buy those allowances. Starting Phase 2 (year 2000), they would be in a state to sell the allowances. * Switch to low-sulfur coal from Kentucky or West Virginia. The emissions would be lower than the amount permitted in Phase One, but in Phase Two they would have to buy allowances. To calculate the total costs involved for each of the three options, I have considered only those factors that are not common in all. I have calculated only the excess of cost that might be required to deploy an option. The current operating costs and all costs that do not change amongst the options have been left out as these costs would remain same and will have no effect on the decision. Data Requirement or Sources The data used to perform analysis has been taken from the case study only. The factors available are: * Switching cost of coal: switching from high sulfur to low sulfur. * Costs or revenue involved with buying or selling, respectively, the sulfur dioxide emission allowances. * Depreciation on capital costs * Capital costs involved to upgrade the plant with scrubbers or existing machinery. * Additional operating costs * Energy consumptions (Revenue lost) when using scrubbers. * Federal and state taxes involved * Discount rate used by the company to evaluate investment opportunities. Key Assumptions To determine the costs involved in the given three options, following assumptions have been made: * There is no available evidence that the cost of coal may deviate from the given amounts, or the company seems to have contracts with the coal vendors and so the values are constant. * The electricity generated by the plant remains constant throughout the operation of the plant, that is, amount of electricity generated is 21,551 million kilowatt hours every year. * The amount of coal required to  generate the electricity amount remains fixed to 8.338 million tons when high-sulfur coal is used and 8.391 million when low-sulfur coal is used. * In 1990, the revenue generated by electricity is $5.6 cents per kilowatt hour on an average, and will more or less the same. * The rate of buying or selling allowances is estimated to be $250 in year 1995 and will increase at a rate of 10% every year till 2010. After 2010, the rates will remain constant. * As per the amendments in the Clean Air Act, in Phase One, Bowen plant will be allowed to emit 254580 tons of sulfur dioxide and in Phase Two, 122198 tons of sulfur dioxide. * There are firms ready to sell or buy the allowances for sulfur dioxide emissions. Analysis Option 1: Burning High-Sulfur Coal without Scrubbers; Purchase Allowances In this option, we consider using the existing infrastructure. Since, the companies are allowed to buy extra emissions from some other firms, we will consider that. The information that is available to analyze is: * Cost of coal from 1992-1995 is $41.46 per ton and is expected to fall down to $29.82 per ton from 1996. * The amount of sulfur dioxide emitted is 266550 tons for burning 8.338 million of high-sulfur coal. * The first and only cost in this method will be the cost to buy emission allowances for sulfur dioxide from other firms. The costs will vary every year because of the difference in allowance prices as shown in Exhibit â€Å"Option1†1. * There is no capital costs involved in this method as there we are not investing in machinery required. Also, since there is no capital costs involved, there is no depreciation. * The additional operating costs are also zero. After, adding the tax benefits to the total cost, the net present value of cost in this method is $266,379,610. The advantages of using this approach are that there will be no costs to add or upgrade machinery. Also, since the plant will be operating as it currently is, there are least chances of unexpected malfunctioning of the plant. The issue with this approach is that we are assuming that there are firms willing to sell their allowances. But, since it is known that the Bowen plant is comparatively cleaner than  the other coal-fired steam electric plant, finding the firms willing to sell involves risk. And in-case, if we are not able to find firms ready to sell allowances, it will put the plant into a risk of shutting the operations and pay fines, or decrease the amount of electricity generation to emit the allowed sulfur dioxide levels. Also, it is a greater threat to the environment to emit such large numbers of sulfur dioxide when there are methods available to decrease those numbers. Option 2: Burning High-Sulfur Coal with Scrubbers; Sell Allowances In this option, we consider adding scrubbers to the plant. Scrubbers will help reduce the amount of sulfur dioxide emissions by 90%. In this option, the plant will be able to sell allowances as very low amounts of sulfur dioxide will be emitted by the plant. The information that is available to analyze this option is: * Cost of coal from 1992-1995 is $41.46 per ton and is expected to fall down to $29.82 per ton from 1996. * The amount of sulfur dioxide emitted is 26655 tons for burning 8.338 million of high-sulfur coal, once the scrubbers are installed * The first cost in this method will be the cost of installing scrubbers. The scrubbers are highly expensive and so can be considered to be installed and ready to use either by the beginning of Phase 1 (year 1995) or by the starting of Phase 2 (year 2000). The total capital costs including the 10% capital interest for installing scrubbers is $719,430,000. The cost is spread over three years, $143,850,000; $503,610,000; $71,970,000. * There is depreciation amounts involved for the investments in installing scrubbers. * The additional operating cost is $0.0013 per kilowatt hour that amounts to a total cost of $28,016,300 per kilowatt hour for each year * Also, the operation of Scrubbers uses 2% of the total electricity generated, which means 2% of the total revenue generated every year which has the value of $24,137,120. After adding the benefits of tax deductible expenses and depreciation values, the net present value of cost in this option is $451,531,619 if the Scrubbers are ready to be used in Phase 1 (as shown in Exhibit â€Å"Option2A†). If the Scrubbers are ready to be used in Phase 2 the net present value comes out to be $293,959,184 (shown in Exhibit â€Å"Option2B†). The advantages of using this approach are that there is a very low emission level of sulfur dioxide, and we can earn revenue by selling allowances. Also, we are sure that there will  be firms ready to buy those allowances. This option also is beneficial for the environment. The issue with this approach is that we are the net present value of the cost is high. Also, we will be investing atleast $293,959,184 in the plant which we are sure will be operational for only a few more years, till 2016. With the advancement in technology, there are higher chances of new more efficient plants to come on stream even earlier. Option 3: Burning Low-Sulfur Coal In this option, we consider changing the type of coal that is burnt in the plant. We can switch to low sulfur coal which contains 1% sulfur by weight and so will reduce the emission of sulfur dioxide in the environment. The information that is available to analyze this option is: * Cost of low- sulfur coal from 1996 is $30.37 per ton and is expected to rise to $34.92 per ton from 2000. In years 1992-1995, coal used in the plant will be high-sulfur coal which has the cost of $41.46 per ton * The amount of sulfur dioxide emitted is 16750 tons for burning 8.391 million of low-sulfur coal starting 1996 and so we would have to buy emission allowances for the years 1995, 2000-2016 and we will generate revenue in years 1996-1999 by selling the excess of emission allowance. * The first cost in this method will be the cost of switching from high-sulfur coal to low-sulfur coal. The amount and cost of high-sulfur coal required to generate 21,551 million kilowatt hours every year is different from the low-sulfur coal rate and quantity. There is an overall increase in the cost when operations are switched from high-sulfur coal to low-sulfur coal as shown in Exhibit â€Å"Option3†. * Switching to low-sulfur coals also need changes in the existing electrostatic precipitators used to control airborne particulate matter as it is currently designed for operating with high-sulfur coal. The costs for upgrading the electrostatic precipitators for low-sulfur coal is $22.1 million * There is depreciation amounts involved for the investments for upgrading electrostatic precipitators. After adding the benefits of tax deductible expenses and depreciation values, the net present value of cost in this option is $176,919,328 (as shown in Exhibit â€Å"Option3†). The advantages of using this approach are that the net present value of the costs is the lowest and so is most beneficial for the  Southern Company. There is relatively lower emission level of sulfur dioxide. Although we have to buy allowances in most of the years, still the lower levels are better for the environment. The issue with this approach is that we are the investing a $22.1 million in the plant and we are depending on the new type of coal whose cost is expected to rise over the years. Conclusions and Concerns: After analyzing all the three available options, I would conclude that the best option to be deployed is Option 3: Burn low-sulfur coal. This option does not only have the least cost but is also beneficial for the environment. The option will generate higher profits for the company and we can have even a lower cost, if the price of the low sulfur coal does not rise and is negotiable. Also, there can be a possibility that the changes in the electricity precipitator for low-sulfur coal could decrease the emission levels. The major concern with this option is that we have to either find firms willing to sell their allowances (although a small amount) or would have to decrease the amount of electricity generated to adjust the sulfur dioxide emissions which will impact the revenues but since the amounts are low, the revenues will not be affected adversely.

A Comparative Analysis of Sunshine Coast Tourism and Gold Coast Research Paper

A Comparative Analysis of Sunshine Coast Tourism and Gold Coast Tourism - Research Paper Example The tourism sector in Australia has contributed substantially to the creation of job opportunities, increased export earnings and catalysed the process of regional development. In this regard, special emphasis is given to bring forth the comparison between the Gold Coast Tourism and the Sunshine Coast Tourism. The Gold Coast in Australia is a very diverse and interesting city which offers a number of surprises to its visitors. It has 10.5 million people visiting this place every year. It has families, couples, business delegates, and solo travellers visiting the place all round the year. The city offers different kinds of experiences and packages to different people in accordance to their budgets. The Gold Coast is said to have the maximum number of venues each of which is extremely popular among the countries of the southern hemisphere (Very Gold Coast, 2010). The sunshine Coast on the other hand is a more peaceful and calm tourist destinations in Australia. It is characterised by the unique combination of both country and coast. It is considered to be the perfect place for unwinding and relaxing. This place is also famous for offering the best cuisine, adventure and action. The cost is specifically famous for being picturesque round the year. The temperature remains moderate all around the year which makes it the dream holiday destination in the country (Sunshine Coast, n.d.). Customer satisfaction is the most important aspect on which the entire tourism industry thrives. Many tourist spots have been competing with each other with a view to maximise and maintain high visitor satisfaction. Hence companies are stressing more on understanding and studying the factors which are responsible for influencing customer satisfaction. Recently a number of studies were conducted to assess the performance of the tourism industry in Australia. It was found that customer satisfaction in case of non tourism services and products increased along with

You Decide ... It's a memorandum Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

You Decide ... It's a memorandum - Coursework Example An anencephalic infant has been born in the hospital. It is evident to medically aware community that no anencephalic baby would live for long as this is a condition when the baby is born without a considerable portion of scalp, skull and brain. This condition is caused by the cephalic head end of the neural tube failing to close during pregnancy. But this child was born with a small stem of brain. Hence, she could not be declared brain dead legally. The law of this state does not permit declaring a person brain dead, if the person had even a partly functioning brain. The infant was kept on ventilator as at that time the metabolic functions of her body were working to an extent. The doctors could convince the parents of the child about the non retrievable condition of the baby and they agreed to donate her heart for the treatment of an infant who had a critical heart condition. That infant too was admitted in this hospital. The issue of legal compliance remained. Waiting for this pro blem to be resolved, could have a consequence of loosing an opportunity to save the life of the second infant as well. It was in this painful dilemma that I found myself. There was also the tissue type matching to be done to find out whether the second infant’s body would accept the heart from the body of the first infant. Tissue type matching could be carried out successfully only if tissues are retrieved from the donor within 24 hours of the stopping of heart beat. So, waiting for the heart to cease beating naturally would reduce the chances of conducting a successful tissue type matching. Though the parents of the child were supportive of the decision that I wanted to take, some relatives had a different opinion owing to some religious considerations. According to their religion, death can be accepted only when the heart beat stops, they said. But as John Stuart Mill (2007, pp.78) has rightly put, I believe that, â€Å"the sentiment of justice appears to me to be, the animal

MANAGEMENT DECISION-MAKING case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

MANAGEMENT DECISION-MAKING - Case Study Example Moreover, there are many suppliers to supply the needs of the industry. The industry is boosted by scenic views and rugged coastline of the Bahamas that attracts tourists. The country also offers attractive terms and an enabling environment to boost tourism terms in the country. The company relies mostly on experienced divers for business. However, the company is designing packages for families to increase their customer base. The point implies that the number of clients who visit its resorts determines the company revenues. The business depend on foreign tourism. The situation implies that the international environment affects the industry. Factors such as economic recession and conflicts derail international travel thereby hindering tourism in the country. The profitability of the company is on an upward trend. The profit margin ratio shows an increase from a ratio of 0.06 in 2005 to 0.07 in 2007. However, a sudden shock in 2006 causes a sharp fall in profits. Students should be able to comment on how each of the 5 factors below, which are typically directly or indirectly, an issue in the case are factors within the context of the case and are effecting the performance of the

Variability of a price of commodity (oil, coffee, gold, etc) Essay

Variability of a price of commodity (oil, coffee, gold, etc) - Essay Example On the contrary, when the advertising level goes down, the sales also go down as a result. Additionally, the level of competitors’ advertising has a negative effect on sales of an organization (Trehan, & Trehan, 35). The model has a coefficient of determination, R2 = 0.761468 and ANOVA sig-F = 9.57E-14. The t-test p-values, p=5.5E-13, p=2.64E-08, p=1.4E-11 and p=0.023479 for intercept, Newspaper, TV and Competitors advertising respectively. Looking at the four models above, model 4 has the highest coefficient of determination, R2 = 0.761468, followed by model 2, R2 = 0.360276, model 3, R2 = 0.222313 and model 1, R2 = 0.203654. R2 explains the proportion of the dependent variable which is explained by the independent variable(s). Therefore, in model 4, 76.1468% of sales is explained by Newspaper, TV and Competitor’s Advertising (Wang, & Jain, 13). In conclusion, all the models depict some significance in explaining the sales. This implies that all the independent variables in the data are reliable when it comes to estimation of the dependent variable. However, variation in reliability of the models is differentiated by the coefficient of determination despite the fact that the t-test p-values in all models showed significance (p

Should students be assigned to classrooms according to their IQ level Research Paper

Should students be assigned to classrooms according to their IQ level why or why not - Research Paper Example One such issue is whether children should be placed in classrooms based on their age alone, or should their IQ also weigh in as well. There are various ways through which children with higher IQs are catered to in various educational institutions. Some techniques entail placing the â€Å"gifted† children in the same class as their peers, with specialized activities being created for them, different from those of the rest of the class. Still others involve having the gifted children take special classes after school hours, for instance private tutoring. There are certain schools that provide separate classrooms for gifted students altogether, whereas there are institutes that only cater to gifted children. This paper discusses the technique that advocates providing separate classrooms for children based on their IQ. ... Children with higher IQs tend to get bored in regular classrooms, where they are forced to hold back their intelligence, so to speak. This results in them not achieving their full potential. On the same note, children with average IQs, when placed with gifted children, will also experience frustration and confusion. Such feelings can often result in children either lashing out or withdrawing within their own selves. What is more, with the present public school system geared towards improving the standards of the average or deficient/lacking children, the needs of gifted children are often ignored. Assigning gifted children to separate classrooms enables them to challenge themselves and cause them to utilize their maximum potential, something not possible in a regular classroom. Placing such children in regular classrooms may even cause disruption as the gifted child, out of boredom or frustration, may cause distractions in class, thus disturbing the learning of other students. The pr oponents opine that as gifted children are lesser in number, therefore, in a bid to â€Å"fit in† they may end up playing down their intelligence, whether for the teachers or for their classmates. It is a normal phenomenon in a classroom that the teachers often do not call out children who they think would already know the answer, instead focusing on the average or lacking students. All these factors may cause the children to drop out of school altogether (Cloud, Badowski, Rubiner, & Scully, 2004). Once again, students at both ends of the spectrum will benefit greatly from being assigned to classrooms based on their IQ level. On the other hand, the opponents state that the system of measuring IQ, first of all, is not an exact science and

Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 34

Economics - Essay Example ctive of the essay a detailed elaboration has been presented on the major effectiveness of the liberalization of trade on the level of poverty of nations. With the recent years of globalization, the countries have been able to curtail down borders and accordingly, enhance international trade. This internationalization was initially observed to increase the level of quality living in a nation. Openness and trade liberalization are presently observed to be the key components that lead to the development of an economy. Liberalization of trade is by far identified to be the central source that has been playing a pivotal role to ensure successful economic development. On the contrary, when theorists are elaborating the success of trade for economic development extreme poverty continues to persist1. Globalization has emerged to be the most important factors of the global economy after the Cold War. The globalization has become a defining feature of the global economy in the 21st century and a major source of initiating international integration. However, the world still persists on the basic principles of the national and domestic policies determining the economic affairs of nations. During the last phases of the 20th century, the rapid internationalization became evident with the expansion of the Multinational Corporation (MNC). This forced different national economies to integrate with the international economies globally. Contrarily this even instigated the effect of international economy on the domestic economies of nations2;3. Internationalization of trade has in turn been implying a huge impact on the economic decision making of nations. It has often been observed that the interlinked economic system in this globalized world has often made it difficult for the underdeveloped economy to pace up their growth as well as development with the developed ones. Moreover, the financial crisis experienced in one segment of the global economy creates a huge impact on the

Micromax Info Essay Example for Free

Micromax Info Essay Regd. Office: 21/14, Naraina Industrial Area, New Delhi-110028. CODE OF CONDUCT FOR DIRECTORS, SENIOR MANAGEMENT, OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES OF MICROMAX INFORMATICS LTD. MICROMAX INFORMATICS LIMITED is committed to conducting its business in accordance with the applicable laws, rules and regulations and with highest standards of business ethics. This code is intended to provide guidance and help in recognizing and dealing with ethical issues, provide mechanisms to report unethical conduct, and to help foster a culture of honesty and accountability. Each Director, senior manager, officer and employee is expected to comply with the letter and spirit of this code. The Directors, senior management, officers and employees of the Company must not only comply with applicable laws, rules and regulations but should also promote honest and ethical conduct of the business. They must abide by the policies and procedures that govern the conduct of the Companys business. Their responsibilities include helping to create and maintain a culture of high ethical standards and commitment to compliance, and to maintain a work environment that encourages the stakeholders to raise concerns to the attention of the management. A present, overall, contents of this Code are in practice, being already followed by the Directors and the Senior Management, however, in compliance with the new Clause 49 of the listing agreement, the Code as set out below, is to take effect from the date, when approved by the Board in its meeting 1. APPLICABILITY: The Code is applicable to all the members of the Board of Directors, Senior Management, Officers and employees of the Company. Senior Management shall include all executives holding the positions of Director (Non-Board Member/s), Sr. Manager, Managers, Asst. Managers and all head of the departments excluding Board of Directors. Such personnel shall hereinafter be treated as members of its core management team. 2. DILIGENCE: The Directors, senior management, officers and employees are to exercise due diligence in attending to their respective duties and obligations in the best interest of the Company. 3. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST: The Directors, senior management, officers and employees should be scrupulous  in avoiding conflicts of interest with the Company. In case there is likely to be a conflict of interest, he/she should make full disclosure of all facts and circumstances thereof to the Board of directors or any Committee / officer nominated for this purpose by the Board and a prior written approval should be obtained. A conflict situation can arise: a. When an employee, officer, senior manager or Director takes action or has interests that may make it difficult to perform his or her work objectively and effectively, b. The receipt of improper personal benefits by a member of his or her family as a result of ones position in the Company, c. Any outside business activity that detracts an individuals ability to devote appropriate time and attention to his or her responsibilities with the Company, d. The receipt of non-nominal gifts or excessive entertainment from any person/company with which the Company has current or prospective business dealings, e. Any significant ownership interest in any supplier, customer, development partner or competitor of the Company, f. Any consulting or employment relationship with any supplier, customer, business associate or competitor of the Company. 4. TRANSPARENCY: The Directors and the Senior Management are to ensure that their action/s in the conduct of business are transparent, except where the confidentiality of the business requires otherwise. Such transparency shall be brought through appropriate policies, procedures, and maintaining supporting and proper records. 5. FAIR DEALING: Each director, member of core management team, officer, and employee should deal fairly with customers, suppliers, competitors, and employees of group companies. They should not take unfair advantage of anyone through manipulation, concealment, abuse of confidential, proprietary or trade secret information, misrepresentation of material facts, or any other unfair dealing-practices. 6. HONEST AND ETHICAL CONDUCT: The Directors, senior management, officers and employees shall act in accordance with the highest standards of personal and professional integrity, honesty and ethical conduct not only on Companys premises and  offsite but also at company sponsored business, social events as well as any places. They shall act and conduct free from fraud and deception. Their conduct shall conform to the best-accepted professional standards of conduct. 7. CORPORATE OPPORTUNITIES: Directors, senior management, officers and employees owe a duty to the Company to advance its legitimate interests when the opportunity to do so arises. Directors, senior management, officers, and employees are expressly prohibited from: a. Taking for themselves personally, opportunities that are discovered through the use of Companys property, information, or position, b. Competing directly with the business of the Company or with any business that the Company is considering. Using Companys property, information, or position for personal gain. If the Company has finally decided not to pursue an opportunity that relates to the Companys business activity, he/she may pursue such activity only after disclosing the same to the Board of directors or the nominated person/committee. 8. BUSINESS INTEGRITY: The Directors and the Senior Management are to ensure that the Company carries out its business as per accepted practices of business integrity, ethical standards, fair play and conduct, honestly, legitimately and as a fair competitor. 9. WORK PLACE: The Directors and the Senior Management are to ensure that there is gender friendly work place, equal opportunities are given to men and women, and there exists good employment practices. 1 0. QUALITY OF PRODUCTS/SERVICES: The Directors and the Senior Management are to endeavor that the products / services of the Company meet the accepted standards of quality including that of ISO 9001 and any other standard/s, and also the specifications of the legal authorities/laws so that customer satisfaction is ensured. Moreover costs are kept reasonable. 11. PROTECTION AND PROPER USE OF COMPANYS ASSETS: The Directors and the Senior Management are to ensure to protect Companys assets and property and the same should be used only for legitimate business  purposes. 12. CONFIDENTIALITY: The Directors, Senior Management, Officers and Employees shall maintain the confidentiality of confidential information of the Company or that of any customer, supplier or business associate of the Company to which Company has a duty to maintain confidentiality, except when disclosure is authorized or legally mandated. The Confidential information includes all non-public information (including private, proprietary, and other) that might be of use to competitors or harmful to the Company or its associates. The use of confidential information for his/her own advantage or profit is also prohibited. 13. COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS, RULES, AND REGULATIONS: T he Directors, senior management, officers and employees shall comply with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations. Transactions, directly or indirectly, involving securities of the Company should not be undertaken without pre-clearance from the Companys compliance officer/Company Secretary. Any Director, member of core management team, officer or employee who is unfamiliar or uncertain about the legal rules involving Company business conducted by him/her should consult the legal department of the Company before taking any action that may jeopardize the Company or that individual. 14. RELATIONSHIP WITH CUSTOMERS AND SUPPLIERS: The Directors and the Senior Management are to endeavor that their dealings with the customers are given due importance, value is created and relationship of trust is built. In dealing with suppliers it should be the endeavor that supplies are based on need, quality, service, price, and appropriate terms and conditions. 15. SHAREHOLDERS: The Directors and the Senior Management are to ensure that the rights of shareholders are met as per law and good corporate practices, and all efforts are made to provide best services to them. 16. COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES: The Directors and the Senior Management are to endeavor that the Company be a trusted corporate citizen and, as an integral part of the Society, fulfills its responsibilities and duties to the societies and communities in which it  operates. 17. CODE OF ETHICS FOR CHIEF FINANCE OFFICER: Honesty, integrity and sound judgment of the senior financial officers is fundamental for the success and reputation of Action Construction Equipment Limited. The professional and ethical conduct of the senior financial officers is essential to the proper functioning of the Company. The senior finance officers as well as Directors of the Company shall be bound by the following code of ethics: 1. Act with honesty and integrity, including the ethical handling of actual or apparent conflicts of interest between personal, financial and professional relationships, 2. Make full, fair, accurate, timely, and understandable disclosure in reports and documents that the Company files with, or submits or makes periodically, to the shareholders, government authorities, and to the public, 3. Comply with governmental laws, rules, notifications and regulations applicable to the Companys business, 4. Disclose to the Board or any committee/officer designated by the Board for this purpose, any material transaction or relationship that reasonably could be expected to give rise to any violations of the code including actual or apparent conflicts with the interests of the company, 5. Promote prompt reporting of violations of the Code of Ethics to the Board of Directors or any person/committee designated for this purpose, as may be necessary, 6. Respect the confidentiality of information acquired in the course of employment unless legally obliged to disclose and ensure that no such confidential information is used for personal advantage/benefit, 7. Maintain the skills necessary and relevant to the Companys needs, 8. Act in good faith, responsibility, with due care, competence and diligence without misrepresenting material facts, 9. Refrain from any inappropriate or undue influence of any kind in all dealings with independent auditors, and avoid any actual or apparent conflicts with analysts, 10. Achieve responsible use of and control over all assets and resources employed or entrusted to them, 11. Promote ethical and honest behavior within the Company and its associates, Chief Finance Officer should adhere to both the code of business conduct and the code of ethics of the Company. Violation of the code of ethics will lead to appropriate disciplinary action including dismissal from the services of the Company any  deviation/waiver from this code can only be affected on the sole and absolute discretionary authority of the Board or any person/committee designated by the Board for this purpose. 18. INTERPRETATION OF CODE: Any question or interpretation under this Code of Ethics and Business Conduct will be handled by the Board or any person /committee authorized by the Board of the Company. The Board of Directors or any designated person/committee has the authority to waive compliance with this Code of business conduct for any Director, member of core management team, officer or employee of the Company. The person-seeking waiver of this Code shall make full disclosure of the particular circumstances to the Board or the designated person/ committee 19. COMPLIANCE WITH THE CODE OF CONDUCT: Compliance with this Code of Conduct is an obligation. The Directors and the Senior Management are to ensure that this Code is communicated to, and understood and observed by all employees. The Directors and the Senior Management shall affirm compliance with the Code, on an annual basis. The Board expects employees to bring to their attention, or to that of Senior Management, any breach or suspected breach of this Code. Compliance with this Code is subject to the review by the Board and complemented by the Audit Committee of the Board. Any modification/s, amendment/s, or review of this Code shall be done by the Board.

Jews Milkweed Essay Example for Free

Jews Milkweed Essay During Hitler`s region, he and the Nazi region changed many lives of innocent people. Milkweed, a historical fiction by Jerry Spinelli, shows how the Holocaust impacted a multitude of people. Orphaned at an early age Misha, the protagonist, adopts the identity of an orphan gypsy a persona created by his friend Uri. Misha adapts that identity would eventually become Misha Milgrom- the Jew. Misha assumes the role as the Milgrom family â€Å"breadwinner†. After thousands of Jews including the Milgroms, are relocated to the ghetto of Warsaw, Misha learns to identify himself with the Jewish struggle, and to be a part of a family. Because of Hitler`s oppression region, Jews like Misha, the street gang of orphans, and the Milgrom family learn to rely on relationships to help boost their chances of survival if not survival of life then survival of humanity and hope. Hitler`s is able to oppress the Jewish population by taking away their individual power, humility, and hope. One of the ways he takes away power is by using propaganda is to convince the non-Jews that Jews are to blame the wrongs in society. Misha sees this happen when he goes to the carousel and finds a horse missing. It has been from the place on the ride. The crowd surrounding the carousel immediately place blame for the missing horse. â€Å"‘Find the dirty Jew! ’ the voices called over and over, and I think one I heard was mine. † (pg. 66). Spinelli is showing how readly people will follow the crowd and join in the demeaning of a person to save their own lives. Even Misha finds himself buying into the propaganda. He has jumped on the bandwagon. After Misha realizes he too is joining in, he sees that someone has been found to blame. â€Å"They found a Jew. Or should I say they found a Jew. Jews are interchangeable. One was as good as another. † (pg. 66). It is clear that Jews have lost their individuality and become the scapegoat. They are now the â€Å"filthy son of Abraham† a worthless group of useless people, thriving people. People who are to be blamed for all the ills of society. Another example, of oppression is when Misha, Uri, and the boys are being rounded up by the jackboots to go to the ghetto. The boys are surprised when shouting voices as they scramble to escape. In an effort to get away, the boys all go in different directions. One of the boys jumped from the loft. He was shot in midair and flopped to the ground like a ragdoll. † (pg. 79). the boys are oppressed; under complete control of the Nazis. They fear being shot too. The Nazis believe that shooting the boy that try to escape is a small price to pay to get all the others under control. As people lose their powers, they need to help one another as it means of survival. Misha is dependent on Uri for basic survival during Hitler`s take over at Poland. Misha is naive, immature, young homeless boy. He is hopeless without the guidance of Uri. Uri has kept Mishap with food, shelter, companionship, and clothing. He treats him like a younger brother. Uri teaches him about the true purpose of the jackboots and news rules in society. â€Å"For some reason, I felt freer to be stupid and silly when he was there than when he was not. † (pg. 80). Mishap is more comfortable with Uri than without him and does not feel safe to be himself without Uri around. He trusts Uri to protect him when he crosses the line. He knows that if he is to act foolish walking the streets alone he would undoubtedly be killed. To help Misha survive the atrocity of the war, Uri has to take drastic measures. By the end of the war, Misha has learned from Uri how to become a protector and provider. At this point of the novel, the reader has begun to see little of Uri. When he does show Uri he is needed and has to do what no friend should have to do to help Misha avoid the train. â€Å"The Jackboot flung me against a wall. I saw his hand go to his holster. I saw the gun come out and point between my eyes. Die piglet! The voice. I looked up. The red hair. The face. Uri! I cried, and the gun went off. (pg. 168). Uri may have shot off Misha`s ear off, but he gave him an opportunity to run toward freedom and away from the ovens. Misha is helping the Milgroms in a desperate time of need. During the Holocaust many families, including the Milgroms, learn to survive the hardships by relying on relationships to help boost their chances of survival. One way the Milgroms use relationships to survive is by using it to sta y positive. There is so much death and destruction in the ghetto that people need hope if they wish to keep going and survive. Misha leans this when Mr. Milgrom tells him and Janina that Hanukkah is a holiday to celebrate the Jewish heritage. â€Å"And so Hanukkah is eight days when we remember that time, and we remember to be happy and proud to be Jews and that we will always survive. This is our time. We celebrate ourselves. We must be happy now. We must never forget how to be happy. Never forget. † (pg. 157). Spinelli is showing to be proud of yourself. It doesn`t matter what race or religion you are. Just be happy and never forget to be happy. If you have a good attitude, you can make other people around you happy. If you feel happy about yourself nothing will bring you down. Being positive about yourself will help people survive in the hardest of times. After Misha learns about deportations from a friend, Uri, Misha warns the Milgrom family in order for them to survive. Mr. Milgrom realizes that he will need to let go of Janina in order for her to survive. â€Å"He stared into my eyes. He gripped my forearm. Take her hand. Keep her with you. Make her go take off your armbands off and run. Run until daylight. Then hide. Run at night. He squeezed my arm so hard I would have thought he was trying to hurt me if I hadn’t known better. Do not bring back food tonight. Do not return. Run. Run. † (pg. 180). It is clear that the Holocaust is tearing up families and people, but this shows the Milgrom`s family has trust in everyone in the family. This shows that Mr. Milgrom trusts Misha to take Janina away from Warsaw. Mr. Milgrom wants Janina to be safe, to be happy, and to be free. He doesn’t want Janina to die like her mother. Misha understands this is hard for Mr. Milgrom to let go of Janina, but it needs to be done in order for her to survive. The oppressive nature of living in a German occupied Poland created conflict for the Jews. In order to survive or at least have some hope of survival, Jews such as the Milgroms, Misha, and the orphans had to form relationship that boosted their chances to live. Misha needed Uri, the Milgroms needed Misha, and the street gang needed each one another. Because life is hard and people are cruel and intolerant, relationships are essential to bring hope and light into the darkness life may throw in your way. Life in the ghetto during the Holocaust is dark as it gets.

What is cybersquatting?

What is cybersquatting? 1. Definition Cybersquatting is defined as The registering of a domain name on the Internet in the hope of selling or licensing it at a profit to a person or entity who wishes to use it. If the domain name is identical or confusingly similar to a trademark used by that person or entity, the owner of the trademark has a cause of action against whoever registered and is holding on to the name. Also called cyber piracy, domain name grabbing, and domain name piracy. We can distinguish different types of cybersquatting like: Typosquatting, also called URL hijacking, which relies on mistakes such as typographical errors made by Internet users when inputting a website address into a web browser. Should a user accidentally enter an incorrect website address, they may be led to an alternative website owned by a cybersquatter. For example: www.mbank.pl this is a web page of the biggest internet bank in Poland, however when you type it with com at the end , the link with lead you to the another private bank. It is only one of the example because typosquatting take into consideration as well following mistakes: A different top-level domain: mbank.org A misspelling based on typing errors: bank.com A differently phrased domain name: mbanks.com Domain Parking/Name-jacking- Purchasing a domain name as a second-level domain name. This allows the purchaser to capitalize on any searches for that name. Domain Tasting: getting domains for a five-day free refund period to test, then dropping for refund the ones that did not pan out. 2. Background First time when the cybersquatting term was used was in USA in early 90ties. It was the time when Internet babble exploded. Various individuals and organization could join in common network and share information. The Internet allows many user stimustanualy connect and exchange big amount of date- like images, sounds by going to different web pages or web sites. There was and still is huge marketing and sales potential in Internet unfortunately at this time not everybody could see it from the being. Long before many large companies realized the massive volume of traffic that the Internet could bring to their business, cybersquatters paid for and registered domain names using the trademarks of several prominent businesses. Note: Network Solutions, Inc. (NSI) domain registration organ does not make a determination about a registrants right to use a domain name. What NSI requires is to providedin written form following statements: The domain applicants statements are true and the applicant has the right to use the requested domain name; The use or registration of the domain name . . . does not interfere with or infringe the rights of any third party in any jurisdiction with respect to trademark, service mark, trade name, company name or any other intellectual property right; and The applicant is not seeking to use the domain name for any unlawful purpose, including unfair competition. Despite of such a protection many companies like Frys Electronics, Panasonic, Avon and Hertz became victims of cybersquatting, because when these companies realized that the internet was the next big marketing tool, they went online to find that their company names had already been taken by these cybersquatters. It was the case with Panavision Company, which in 1995 tried to register their trademark as corporate domain and they found out that Mr. Toeppen is already the owner of such domain. Panavision holds registered trademarks to two names: Panavision and Panaflex, which promote main company activity, that is motion pictures camera equipments. While, Mr. Toeppen under Panavision.com were displaying photographs of the City of Pana, Illinois. On December 20, 1995, Panavisions counsel sent a letter to Toeppen informing him that Panavision held a trademark in the name Panavision and telling him to stop using that trademark and the domain name as it was illegal action. Toeppen responded by mail to Panavision, stating that he had the right to use the name on the Internet as his domain name. However he presented the offer to Panavison which state that he is willing to resale domain for $13, 000. Additionally, Toeppen stated that if Panavision agreed to his offer, he would not acquire any other Internet addresses which are alleged by Panavision Corporation to be its property. Panavision rejected Toeppen proposition. In exchange Toeppen registered in NSI another Panavision trademark Panaflex. The content of the web page contained only one word Hello. Panavision decided to take the case to the court (Central District of California) accusing Toeppen for: Federal dilution of trademark; State dilution of trademark; Federal trademark infringement; Federal unfair competition; Unfair competition; Intentional interference with prospective economic advantage; Negligent interference with prospective economic advantage; and Breach of contract. Meanwhile NSI putted both domains on hold, waiting for the outcome of this litigation. 3. Applicable Laws Trademarks identify goods and create a distinction between goods various sources. Trademark is unique for each company and is protected by the law. In case of Panavision v. Toeppen, Panavision Company is suing Toeppen for violating the trademark law. In the USA history of trademark law go back to the 19th century, shortly after II world war as response to the rapid economic growth and the need of manufacturers for trade identity and better protection from infringement. The first Federal Trademark law was enacted in 1870. After that the Federal Trademark law was many time adjusted to occur situations. Like on March 3, 1881 when the new amended trademark law target trademarks used in interstate commerce (and in the commerce with Indian tribes) based on the interstate commerce clause in the U.S. Constitution (art. 1, sec. 8, cl. 3). [2] Major revision of the federal trademark law was enacted in 1905, and in 1946, when Congress passed the Lanham Act (15 U.S.C.ÂÂ1051-1127). The name of the act is coming from congressman who had devoted himself to its creation in accordance with American traditions. The Lanham Act is similar to English trademark law because it adopted use-based principles as its foundation. The Act, however, put much more emphasis on use than the English law did initially, requiring not merely an intention to use the mark, but an actual use of the mark in order for the mark to be registered. This emphasis, however, was later altered in response to changes made internationally. The only significant amendment to the Lanham Act has been the Dilution Act of 1996. This moved further to protect the interest of business and basically means that marks that are similar to those of a business, and could be seen as a way to deceived consumers, are an infringement of Trademark laws. This completely overrode the 1905 amendment to the 1881 Trademark Act. Another amendment in 1999 saw the introduction of the Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act. This act governs trademark infringement through domain names on the Internet. The introduction of this act basically meant that those who have rights to Trademarks also have rights to the associated domain name, so nobody besides Coca Cola can register the domain name cokacola.com on the Internet. This protects the Trademark of that company from misrepresentation. Beside the Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act, domain name disputes are typically resolved using the Uniform Domain Name Resolution Policy (UDRP) process developed by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). A complain in a UDRP to be executed must consist three elements as: The domain name is identical or confusingly similar to a trademark or service mark in which the complainant has rights; The registrant does not have any rights or legitimate interests in the domain name; and The registrant registered the domain name and is using it in bad faith. For UDRP bad faith is consider in the following situations: Whether the registrant registered the domain name primarily for the purpose of selling, renting, or otherwise transferring the domain name registration to the complainant who is the owner of the trademark or service mark; Whether the registrant registered the domain name to prevent the owner of the trademark or service mark from reflecting the mark in a corresponding domain name, if the domain name owner has engaged in a pattern of such conduct; and Whether the registrant registered the domain name primarily for the purpose of disrupting the business of a competitor; or Whether by using the domain name, the registrant has intentionally attempted to attract, for commercial gain, Internet users to the registrants website, by creating a likelihood of confusion with the complainants mark. the main goal for UDPA is to give alternative solution for resolving such disputes for cybersquating victims. Process Under UDPA is quicker and less expensive than the standard lÃÆ'Â ©gal challenge like the ACPA. Moreover in case that any party loses a UDRP proceeding, there is always possibility of bringing a lawsuit against the domain registrant under local law. The UDRP process has already been used in a number of well-known cases, such as Madonna Ciccone, p/k/a Madonna v. Dan Parisi and Madonna.com. [3] In this case, Dan Parisi registered as a trademark in Tunisia. Moreover around June8,1998, Respondent began operating an adult entertainment portal web site. The web site featured sexually explicit photographs and text, and contained a notice stating Madonna.com is not affiliated or endorsed by the Catholic Church, Madonna College, Madonna Hospital or Madonna the singer. Madonna brought Complaint, which contends that the disputed domain name is identical to the registered and common law trademark MADONNA in which she owns rights. She further contends that Respondent has no legitimate interest or rights in the domain name. Finally, Complainant contends that Respondent obtained and used the disputed domain name with the intent to attract Internet users to a pornographic web site for commercial gain based on confusion with Complainants name and mark. The arbitration panel found against the defendant registrant based on: That the domain name registered by the respondent is identical or confusingly similar to a trademark or service mark in which the complainant has rights; and, That the respondent has no legitimate interests in respect of the domain name; and, That the domain name has been registered and used in bad faith. Finally ordered the domain name turned over to Madonna. Additionally to ACPA and UDPA every particular country has his own law, which all cybersquatting disputes can be resolved. Below I presented couple countries and anti-cybersquatting law. Australia is another example auDA requires anyone registering a .com.au second-level domain to have a valid entitlement for that domain i.e. a registered business name with an Australian Business Number (ABN) issued by the Australian Taxation Office. However, this has failed to protect Australia from such cybersquatting acts. Any Australian citizen over the age of 16 can obtain an ABN (which is free) and use it to register as few or as many domain names as they like. Canada through its own Internet regulating body, the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) has taken a similar approach to Australia. Registrations for a .ca country code top-level domain must meet Canadian Presence requirements. The list is extensive and includes individual citizens and residents of Canada and in addition, Canadian businesses, Aboriginal Peoples and Indian Bands, Canadian trademark holders (whether Canadian or Foreign), Her Majesty the Queen and, Foreign Businesses with a physical Canadian presence. However, as with Australia, even this has failed to protect Canada from cybersquatting acts. In an unusual departure from trying to avoid the practice of cybersquatting, the CIRA themselves seem to encourage the practice by publishing on their website a very extensive Domains To Be Released List. This list is directly promoted on the site home page. The practice gives the impression of being intentionally designed to promote cybersquatting by allowing Canadian (or other) cybersquatters to literally go shopping for domains to register. Domains that can then be offered back to the previous registrant or a business or corporation with an affiliated name at an inflated price. Internationally, the United Nations copyright agency WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) has, since 1999, provided an arbitration system wherein a trademark holder can attempt to claim a squatted site. In 2006, there were 1823 complaints filed with WIPO, which was a 25% increase over the 2005 rate.[4] In 2007 it was stated that 84% of claims made since 1999 were decided in the complaining partys favour. 4. Case: Yahoo Inc. v. Akash Arora Companies in India have also faced the brunt of cybersquatting in the recent past. Besides, the courts in India have been extremely vigilant in protecting the trademark interest of the domain owners who have suffered from cybersquatters. The first case in India with regard to cybersquatting was Yahoo Inc. V. Aakash Arora Anr., where the defendant launched a website nearly identical to the plaintiffs renowned website and also provided similar services. Yahoo Incorporation is the owner of the well-known trademark, Yahoo and of the domain name Yahoo.com; both the trademark and the domain name acquired a distinctive name, good will and reputation. Yahoo.com had been registered by Yahoo Inc with Network Solution Inc since 1995 and offers a whole range of web-based services. The trademark Yahoo had been registered or was close to being registered in 69 countries. However, Yahoo Inc had not registered its domain name in India. Akash Arora started to offer web-based services similar to those offered by Yahoo.com under the name of Yahoo India. Yahoo Inc had sued Akash Arora for using a trademark deceptively similar to its own and passing off his services as those offered by Yahoo Inc. The issue in this case was that whether the act of Akash Arora in registering the domain name Yahoo India, to offer services similar to those offered by Yahoo Inc, is an infringement of the trade mark of Yahoo Inc and amounts to passing-off under the relevant sections of the Trademark and Merchandise Act? Yahoo Inc contended that Akash Arora adopted the domain name of Yahoo to offer services similar to those of Yahoo Inc and had attempted to cash in on the good will generated by Yahoo Inc. because there was every possibility of an Internet user gettingconfused and deceived, believing that both the domain names, Yahoo and Yahoo India belong to Yahoo Inc.. Therefore, Yahoo Inc. argued that Akash is liable for passing off. As the two trade marks/domain names Yahoo! and Yahoo India! were almost similar and the latter offered services similar to those offered by the former and as the latter passed them off as being offered by Yahoo Inc., the court held Akash liable for passing off and restrained him from using the deceptively similar domain name. The decision of the court in this case is based on the rationale that where the value of a name lies solely in its resemblance to the name or trade mark of another organization, the public is likely to be deceived by the use of such name and such act would amount to passing off. Probably the first reported Indian Case, where in the plaintiff who is the registered owner of the domain name yahoo.com succeeded in obtaining an interim order restraining the defendants and agents from dealing in services or goods on the internet under the domain name yahooindia.com or any other trademark/domain name which is deceptively similar to the plaintiffs trademark Yahoo. 5. Conclusion Looking at the current situation prevailing in the world, it is certain that cybersquatting is a menace. It is a menace which has no boundaries. In my opinion, it is similar to terrorism. The only difference is that in the latter human life is affected. Cybersquatters have robbed businesses of their fortune. Looking from the Indian perspective cybersquatting has been prevalent since internet came to the subcontinent. The courts in India have decided many cases related to cybersquatting. It is the imperitive for the parliament to enact a law which would deal with this menace. As of now there is no such law which prohibits cybersquatting like that of the United States. Cybersquatting has opened the eyes of governments across the world and has prompted them to look into this phenomenon in a serious manner. The United States by enacting the ACPA, has taken a monumental step in protecting domain names in its cyberspace. It is high time India and other countries come out with legislations to protect this virus from spreading.

King Lear :: William Shakespeare Literature Essays

King Lear, Abbey exhibited King Lear, another of his large, dramatic pictures, at the Royal Academy in 1898; the painting was accompanied in the catalog by these lines from Act I, scene i: Ye jewels of our father, with washed eyes Cordelia leaves you. I know what you are; And, like a sister, am most loth to call Your faults as they are named. Love well our father. To your professed bosoms I commit him. But yet, alas! stood I within his grace, I would prefer him to a better place. So farewell to you both. The critics saw much to like in Abbey's King Lear. The reviewer for The Art Journal (1898, p. 176) comments especially on the bold use of color and the grouping of the figures on the canvas: If the admirers of Mr. Abbey felt that the note of the superbly dramatic 'Richard III.' was not repeated with similar force in last year's 'Hamlet and Ophelia,' all doubts should be set at rest by the barbaric majesty of the Scene from 'Lear,' a subject which, under the title of 'Cordelia's Portion,' inspired Madox Brown to the production of one of his finest compositions. The dominant figure in Mr. Abbey's commanding decoration is Cordelia, and it is impossible to resist the colour-charm in which she is invested. Her yellow-green vestment with the deep blue border set against the green robe of France, and opposed to the menacing reds and blacks of Goneril and Regan, is a triumph of originality. As in Richard III. there is a strong suggestion motion, and the drooping figure of Lear sustained by his pages and followed by his men-at-arms from the left to right of the canvas gives this note. The dramatic figure of the sisters in the attitudes of dignified indifference and mock courtesy are splendidly realized, and the foot-light effect discernible throughout the picture certainly adds to the intenseness of the composition. Unmistakably in this important group, Mr. Abbey has reached a very high level and is going far to prove, by this magnificent series of object lessons, that his decorative style is capable of giving the fullest expression of dramatic motives. "H. S.," the reviewer for The Spectator (May 14, 1898, p. 694), also remarks on the "audacity of the colour" and judges the effects "gorgeous and beautiful." "The truth of the gestures," he adds, "are as finely conceived as are the combinations of scarlet and purple black crimson and sea-green.

Red Badge of Courage :: essays research papers

Is it Sweet and Fitting to Die for One’s Country?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Stephen Crane’s The Red Badge of Courage is truly a unique book because it challenges the common perceptions of the Civil War. The fight for freedom and the American way of life were how writers such as Fredrick Douglass and Walt Whitman portrayed the Civil War. Crane challenges these principles by concentrating on the day-to-day reality the regiments of the North faced. Since the North’s main goal was to abolish slavery, they are remembered to be a group of men who were well equipped and prepared for battle because they represented the morality of the war. However, the North is shown through Crane to be a group of amateurs who are untested, lack discipline, and do not appreciate the opportunity to fight for their country and their way of life. In this sense, The Red Badge of Courage relates to life for how it is instead of how people want to remember it to be. Contrary to Crane, Cicero once wrote â€Å"Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori† (I t is sweet and fitting to die for one’s country). Stephen Crane’s The Red Badge of Courage begins as a validation of these sentiments of Cicero: although, the rationale of the sentiment is challenged throughout the story, Cicero outlook is ultimately shown to be true in the last battle scene.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the beginning of The Red Badge of Courage, the main character, Henry, has preconceived ideals of war that lead him to believe that â€Å"it is sweet and fitting to die for one’s country.† â€Å"The young soldier† and â€Å"the youth† are nicknames for Henry and are used throughout the novel to convey the characteristics of his youth. Henry had a false sense of what war is really like because his lack of experience causes him to compares war to epic ancient battles. He idealistically thinks that his first battle will be â€Å"one of those great affairs of the earth (45).† Henry desperately wants to follow in the footsteps of Ancient Greek heroes and become a hero himself. He naively believes in the traditional forms of honor and courage. Dreams of the image of a dead soldier being laid upon his shield, following the Greek tradition of dying in battle, fill Henry’s head. He lacks experience in war so he can only imagine w hat it is truly like. The lack of experience makes Henry over zealous for battle and makes his belief in his inevitable greatness seem vain and self-centered.

Hemingway: The Relevance of Biography to Interpretation Essay

Even a cursory examination of the literature addressing Hemingway’s writing and his life can seem overwhelming. The purpose of this paper, however, is to demonstrate that some of Hemingway’s writing can be best understood through reference to his own life experiences. This is not meant to suggest that the text does not at times provide some internal textual evidence regarding the meaning of the piece as a whole, for it most certainly does, but that external biographical evidence must also be considered and weighed when interpreting Hemingway’s work. In this paper it will be suggested that an examination of the external evidence, as it relates to Hemingway’s own life experiences, is particularly relevant to any interpretation of Ten Indians or Hills like White Elephants and that in these short stories a reconciliation of the external biographical evidence with the internal textual evidence may better aid in understanding the stories themselves. Significant Biographical Characteristics: Machismo and Gender Relations In order to better understand Hemingway’s writing it is necessary to know about the man himself and some of the major events and experiences which shaped his thought process. With reference to the short stories specifically addressed in this paper there are two biographical characteristics which seem to aid in efforts to interpret meaning or to otherwise try to make sense of the text. The first biographical characteristic is often referred to as Hemingway’s extremely masculine lifestyle or what some scholars have referred to as his macho orientation. It is well-established among scholars and historians, for instance, that Hemingway thoroughly enjoyed rigorous physical activities and pursuits; it has been noted that Hemingway was known for his â€Å"highly developed skills in such ‘manly’ fields as hunting, fishing, boxing and sailing. ( Harry Sylvester, who used to box with Hemingway frequently, once told me that Hemingway was the strongest man he had ever known. )† (McCaffery 12). He was, in short, an independent-minded writer whom enjoyed physical exertion, challenging himself through a variety of pursuits, and outdoor activities. While some scholars, such as McCaffery, have viewed Hemingway’s manliness in a positive light there are some whom have viewed him in a less flattering light; indeed, as a leading Hemingway scholar has pointed out â€Å"Others view his masculinity as negative machismo. They consider him the worst example of a sexist, racist, homophobic man, and often refuse to read or teach Hemingway, or make apologies when they do. † (Moddelmog 2). Whether loved or hated, therefore, scholars seem to agree on his manliness and his abrasively macho view of life. For purposes of interpretation, this informs us that though a gifted writer, and an artist, Hemingway was not the sort of intellectual that was confined to a library or a desk at home; quite the contrary, unlike many other writers, he actually did live in many respects the very type of life which he wrote about. His were not speculative musings, or romantic idealizations, but reflections and comments on situations and characters with which he was intimately familiar. Any attempt to understand or interpret his written work, therefore, must to some extant take note of Hemingway’s own life experiences and philosophical mind-set.. The second biographical characteristic which can aid in the interpretation of Hemingway’s text more specifically, with respect to Ten Indians and Hills like White Elephants, involves his personal experiences with women and how he dealt with gender issues such as relationships and fatherhood in his writings. Hemingway, to put it mildly, experienced the company of many women and seemed almost forever to have troublesome or difficult relations with the opposite sex. He loved women and yet he seemed to struggle to understand them in reference to his own lifestyle and psychology. Referring to Hills like White Elephants, one researcher has observed that â€Å"the subtle and dramatic dialogue in ‘Hills Like White Elephants’ reveals a clear, sensitive portrait of two strong personalities caught in a pattern of miscommunication due to gender-linked language patterns† (Smiley 92); another researcher, referring to Hemingway’s writing more generally, has argued that he must be understood as a human being whom was never quite comfortable about â€Å"his own failed or failing marital and/or extramarital relations. † (Spilka 299). Gender communication or the lack thereof, particularly that dealing with romantic relationships, is pervasive in Hemingway’s writing and can to some degree be related to his own life. In sum, external biographical evidence is extraordinarily relevant when attempting to interpret Hemingway’s writing and it must be considered alongside the internal textual evidence of each written piece of work. Ten Indians An initial and superficial reading of Hemingway’s Ten Indians suggests a rather common plot in which a young boy falls in love, in which he is subsequently betrayed, and in which innocence is lost or diminished in the process. In the instant story, the protagonist is Nick Adams and he falls in love with a young Indian girl whom he apparently adores and whom he trusts feels the same as he does; the twist is that she has been spotted with another boy and that Nick is forced to confront the betrayal. The betrayal, however, is not easily predicted; it is not easily predicted because Hemingway creates a pleasant setting and a happy family atmosphere within which to develop his more depressing plot. Indeed, the protagonist Nick Adams returns home to his father after spending a happy Fourth of July with his friends the Garners. Over a late meal of cold chicken and huckleberry pie the father, who â€Å"made a big shadow on the kitchen wall,† informs Nick that his Indian girlfriend Prudence Mitchell spent her Fourth of July â€Å"threshing around† in the woods with one Frank Washburn (Carter 103) Everyone had seemed quite happy. The Fourth of July is a joyous occasion for friends and family, and young Nick Adams is in love. Although scholars have debated Hemingway’s intentions, because of different conclusions discovered in preliminary and final drafts of the manuscript, it is true that â€Å"In the final part of the published story, Nick goes into his room after the conversation with his father, gets undressed, and climbs into bed, lying with his face in the pillow and thinking, ‘My heart’s broken†¦. If I feel this way my heart must be broken'† (Nolan n. p. ). Thus, the story would appear to be a familiar one of trust, betrayal, and heartache. Further and more careful readings of the text, however, suggest deeper and, possibly, more metaphorical intentions by Hemingway. If from a superficial point of view the story appears to characterize the fallen world of young love then from a more careful examination of the text, reference to the aforementioned biographical characteristics and the relevant scholarly literature the story may also be said to characterize the fallen world of a man’s sense of orderly nature itself. This notion of metaphor, that the text sets forth a young boy’s broken heart to represent a larger type of destruction, is persuasive given the context in which Hemingway set the story and given the way in which the destruction of the wilderness is simultaneously presented in the text. As an initial matter, it is important to understand that Ten Indians was one of many short stories written by Hemingway which detailed and explored the coming of age of Nick Adams. Some scholars have suggested that the protagonist, Nick Adams, was in many ways a personal reflection of Hemingway’s own coming of age story and that he was an autobiographical figure for Hemingway in certain respects. Indeed, there are several interesting connections between Hemingway’s personal history and the people and places created in the short story, Ten Indians. First, although Hemingway was born in Illinois, it is commonly understood that he considered his spiritual home to be in Michigan. This area served as the setting for this particular short story. Second, he relied upon the local Indians of the region to create some of his important characters; in fact, he drew upon his real life observations of the Ottawa and Ojibwa Indian tribes. Indeed, the Indians and their country had a profound effect on Hemingway’s imagination. From his first attempts at fiction and in his later Nick Adams stories, he would draw upon his experiences at Walloon Lake, using Indian characters and wilderness settings. (Nagel 108) Together, these real life experiences helped Hemingway to create both the setting and many of the main characters for his short stories. In addition to providing inspiration for his setting and characters, there was a deeper conflict which Hemingway’s real-life experiences contributed to his writing design in Ten Indians; more specifically, drawing upon Indian tribes whose lives had become fundamentally changed through close contact and interaction with a different American culture, Hemingway was able to cleverly depict a metaphorical illustration of innocence lost through the betrayal of Nick Adams by the Indian girl. Nick’s innocence, it can be argued, has been destroyed in much the same way as the Indian wilderness. Hemingway lamented the modernization which infringed on the forests of northern Michigan and the parallels between the destruction of the wilderness and the destruction of Nick Adams’ heart are striking. These parallels have been noted by one scholar whom has suggested that: Hemingway shows the wilderness being destroyed and, with the loss of the trees, the end of the Indian way of life. This fallen world is the setting of â€Å"Ten Indians,† a story that centers on the adolescent Nick Adams’s first disappointment in love as he learns that his Indian girlfriend, Prudence Mitchell, has been unfaithful (Nagel 108-109) When examining the text of Ten Indians, therefore, it is important to note these important parallels, Hemingway’s love of nature and his view of man’s place in nature. Literally speaking, Hemingway drew on a familiar and beloved setting and populated much of the story with the type of Indian characters that were well-known to him. Figuratively speaking, or metaphorically speaking, Hemingway managed to link the fallen world of the pristine natural wilderness with the fallen world of a young man’s broken heart. It is against this contextual framework that any analysis of Ten Indians must proceed. This is not meant to suggest that either fallen world was the predominant theme; to be sure, both the text and the scholarly literature would seem to demonstrate that Hemingway found both the destruction of the wilderness and the destruction of a first love as betrayals that would inevitable shatter an individual’s innocence and mark another stage in the coming of age of young boys. A young boy, reconciling the external evidence with the internal evidence, might be better advised enjoying the beauty of the forests than the beauty of insincere wiles of young girls. Hills like White Elephants Although a comparatively short story, Hemingway’s Hills like White Elephants is full of tension and moral dilemma; more specifically, the text appears to suggest that the man and the woman are debating whether the woman should have an abortion and what the implications will be depending on whether the abortion is done or not done. What is most striking, from a textual analysis, is the contrast between the rather relaxed atmosphere or setting and the deeply personal nature of the discussion. On the one hand, for instance, the man and the woman are relaxing at a train station, drinking alcohol, and waiting for a train. This would seem to imply a happy couple, an anticipated journey, and a relationship that will endure at least until the train arrives. These contextual clues, however, are sharply betrayed by the underlying discussion regarding whether the woman, Jig, will undergo an operation to have an abortion. One might anticipate some form of closure, some final decision arrived at by the main characters, but instead Hemingway leaves the reader grasping for answers as the story comes to a conclusion. He leaves them grasping for answers because rather than stating what decision has been made, and whether the American and Jig will actually ever see each other again, Hemingway finishes his story without a definitive declaration in either respect. With respect to the operation for the abortion, the woman states that she is willing to have the operation; the American man, however, doubts her sincerity. The reader is therefore forced to wonder, as the American wonders, whether the woman is agreeing or temporarily attempting to placate her partner and lover. With respect to the relationship itself, the reader desiring a firm and resolute statement is left grasping for straws. This is because, rather than departing on the train to Madrid together as planned, the American places their bags or luggage at different positions on the platform before rejoining Jig. The story then finishes up with the man being suspicious of the woman’s true motives and convictions and with the placement of the bags providing a possible clue that the relationship is doomed. The couple is together and yet the bags are separate; this is where Hemingway leaves his readers and scholars themselves have grappled with both the meaning of the story and the likely outcomes. The scholarly analysis of Hills like White Elephants has traditionally tended to focus upon the use of internal textual clues to determine whether Jig intended to have the operation and the fate of the relationship between Jig and the America; more recently, however, some scholars have begun to analyze whether and to what extant the short story may have been influenced or otherwise inspired by Hemingway’s own life. This bifurcated focus has been summed up, analyzed, and synthesized by one leading Hemingway scholar whom has stated the scholarly emphasis thusly: â€Å"Two recurring themes in analyses of Ernest Hemingway’s ‘Hills Like White Elephants’ are the debate over whether or not Jig will carry her pregnancy to term and the search for biographical experiences that may have inspired and influenced the story. † (Wyche n. p). This section will examine each of these scholarly inquiries in turn. The traditional scholarly interest has involved an examination of the text for clues in order to determine whether an abortion was actually pursued and the fate of the couple. A review of the literature reveals at least four possibilities: Three different scenarios have been seriously considered: the girl will have the abortion (albeit reluctantly) and stay with the man; the girl will have the abortion and leave the man; or, the girl will not have the abortion, having won the man over to her point of view. However, there is strong support in the narrative for a fourth outcome that fits in, with the dark overall prognosis presented in other scholarly interpretations: the girl will indeed have the abortion, expecting in this way to stay on with the man, but after the operation has been performed, he will abandon her. Various verbal and non-verbal indications found in the story support this interpretation of the narrative, as does the very symbolism of the title itself. (Hashmi n. p. ) Although an extended analysis of each scenario is beyond the scope of this paper, a rationale for selecting the most plausible outcome based upon the text is not. The most persuasive outcome would appear to be the fourth; more specifically, a superficial reading of the text suggests that Jig will indeed have an abortion and that the American will abandon her despite her attempt to maintain the relationship. First, the American places their bags in different parts of the platform. Analyzed literally, this seems to suggest that he doubts her sincerity regarding the abortion and that he is preparing for a separation. Second, they stand together and Jig tells the American that despite the strain of the abortion decision she remains fine. The man has made the decision to separate the bags whereas Jig would appear to believe that things will work out in such a way as to maintain the relationship. The man’s actions represent separation whereas Jig’s actions and words represent togetherness. It is therefore plausible to argue that she will pursue togetherness by having the abortion and that the man will pursue separation by encouraging the abortion and then abandoning or otherwise terminating the relationship. Although never explicitly stating such a conclusion, the fourth scenario is supported by the aforementioned textual clues. Other scholars have instead focused on Hemingway’s own life in order to understand the story; in this way, the abortion issue is treated figuratively rather than literally. As one scholar pursuing this biographically-oriented type of analysis explains â€Å"While the figurative abortion in ‘Hills Like White Elephants’ can be understood on the basis of internal evidence, the concept of abortion as metaphor invites consideration of a number of biographical influences on the story,† (Wyche n.  p. ). While such an analysis requires a reconciling of certain parts of the text with information known about Hemingway’s personal life there are interesting parallels. One illustration involves the fact that Hemingway has been reported to have said that the birth of his first child led to the dissolution of his first marriage, that he was at the time too young to have become a father, and that â€Å"the author’s ambivalence toward fatherhood is well-documented† (Wyche, n. p. ). Against this larger framework, comparing the author’s real life with his written work, it may become plausible to argue that the scholarship dealing with the outcomes regarding the abortion and the relationship are in actuality tangential or irrelevant concerns insofar as the author was concerned; more precisely, it might be argued that Hemingway was merely incorporating difficult moments from his own coming of age experience without intending to offer concrete conclusions. In the final analysis, while it is both challenging and interesting to explore what Hemingway may have intended as a conclusion, it is perhaps more enlightening to view Hills like White Elephants as a writer’s reflections about his own past in which firm and absolute conclusions were never intended. Hemingway was placing the reader in his own shoes and asking what the reader might do, what the reader ought to do, in similar circumstances. Such an interpretation is consistent with the biographical data known about Hemingway and makes the story more powerful and personal by forcing the reader to draw his or her own conclusions rather than being force-fed a set of conclusions by the author. Conclusion In conclusion, what makes Hemingway so alluring is that he actually lived the type of life that he wrote about. It is therefore impossible to completely separate his own life from his writing as one might be able to do with other writers. As a consequence, interpretation must necessarily involve a balancing act in which external biographical evidence is weighed and considered alongside the internal textual evidence. It is this interplay, between real life and fiction, that perhaps makes Hemingway appear larger than life.

The Five People You Meet in Heaven

Most people believe that life ends after death, but what people don’t know is that death is a new beginning. The novel â€Å"The five people you meet in heaven† by Mitch Albom proves that. Eddie lived a peaceful life after the war. But Eddie still felt his life had no purpose after marguerite passed away. Eddie was also the second generation of family to work at the pier. When Eddie passed away, saving a little girl, on his eighty-third birthday, he discovers a second life. On his way through heaven Eddie will learn three of the most valuable lessons in life. â€Å"Lost love is still love†, â€Å"no sacrifice is too small†, and â€Å"all lives are connected†.â€Å"Lost love is still love† is one of the valuable lessons learned by Eddie. Eddie learned this from his fourth stop in heaven and meets marguerite, his wife for many years. Marguerite passed away to cancer at the age of forty. Eddie always loved the way marguerite threw parties for hi s birthday with the kids from the pier. Eddie never lost his love for Marguerite. Eddie spent his time loving and cuddling marguerite. The way I connect to this is in grade two my great grandpa passed away. I still miss him and wish I could hear some his stories now that I could understand what he was talking about.â€Å"No sacrifice is too small† is a lesson learned by Eddie at his second stop in heaven with the captain. Eddie lost all contact with the people from the war. Eddie was captured by Philippine’s and kept in a cell and forced to mine coal to help the Philippine’s win the war. The captain uses his example of going to scout ahead around a corner when he steps on a land mine. The way I relate to this is very unpractical but still had a use to my situation. I was playing air soft and sacrifice myself by going and scouting ahead and I ended up setting off a claymore and interrupted the ambush and my team was able to eliminate the other team and win. "All lives are connected† is a lesson learned by Eddie when he meets the blue man. Eddie is playing baseball with his friends when the ball crosses the road and Eddie runs to get it and cuts off a vehicle, who has to swerve and crashes, to grab the baseball. The blue man was blue from overdosing silver nitrate which turned him blue. When Eddie went to heaven he was confused and didn’t know who the blue man was. The way I connect to this is when I was playing baseball and I hit the ball over my fence and ran to get it and cut a car off and it slammed on the breaks and just about rolled.Overall the novel â€Å"the five people you meet in heaven† teaches many great lessons to its readers. The three most important lessons are â€Å"Lost love is still love†, â€Å"No sacrifice is too small†, and â€Å"All lives are connected†. The part about the story that I liked the most was when Eddie went to the captain in heaven and brought back the memories about the war. In the end, the novel taught me that heaven isn’t all what you think it is.

Lyric interpretation †“Sister Golden Hair” by America Essay

For this lyric assignment, I chose the song Sister Golden Hair (released 1975) by America in their album Hearts . America is an English-American Folk-Rock band, originally composed of members Gerry Beckley, Dewey Bunnell, and Dan Peek. The three members were barely past their teenage years when they became an overnight musical sensation in 1972. They reached a peak in popularity in the early to mid 1970s and early 1980s. Among the band’s best known songs are â€Å"A Horse with No Name†, â€Å"Sister Golden Hair† (both of which reached Number 1), â€Å"Ventura Highway†, and â€Å"Tin Man†. The song Sister Golden Hair is interpreted by many people in a variety of different ways and meanings. In my opinion and from my research solidifying my interpretation, this song is about a guy that is wrestling with forbidden love. In my interpretation of the lyrics, he is wrestling with forbidden love but not the love for a nun as many have thought. He has fallen in love with his half-sister whom he has been introduced to but didn’t know she existed prior to some broken family interaction along the path of his life, hence the surprise. She also has shown that she felt something more than sibling love for him during family gatherings. He tries to fake being a brother but he is tortured by his lust for her and prefers to stay away from family contact for fear of being taken as a family member by her and lose his chance with her. Not ready for the alter would mean that marriage is not an option due to his blood ties to her, but that he seeks to live his life with her anyways as. This song is about a letter he writes to her after years of painful waiting for her to catch up to him in years and reach adulthood, and to see if they can move on without one-another, metaphorically, Sunday but then Monday means several painful years of questionable, cautious, cat-like commitment to being there right when she’s ready. Originally, the lyrics said Meet me in VA would have meant giving him her virginity but as the lyric changed to air the meaning is that he has sent her a recording of a song he wrote for her and would she embrace his disincarnate company present in the â€Å"air† which is not a stretch of a term for a piece of music. Will you meet me in the middle would mean that they both have buried their forbidden love for years and in his letter he is calling the game because the burden is too  great and he may be considering suicide in his deep depression. Can’t you see it in my eyes means he has also sent her a photo with the letter and the recording (the CD cover?) the photo must show his emptiness but also his affinity for her, that she would fall in love even more so with the photo after not seeing one another for years. This song is a musical masterpiece because like the outro it makes the musical statement that he would win her through his musical prowess: the intro for the song is a solo acoustic guitar bit which I think sounds awesome. While all this may seem to be a stretch, you might think I’m reading my own experience into these most beautiful and mysterious lyrics but just consider this†¦ the author has stated that these lyrics are strictly poetic license and that mean these lyrics came from his in-depth subconscious mind. The first time I heard this song I loved how it sounded and never bothered really listening to the lyrics. However, the more I listened to it and attempted to decipher its meaning, the more I realized how many metaphors it contains, and how much of a deeper meaning this song has. Guitarist Gerry Beckley wrote this song, and when asked if it was written to anyone, Beckley said: â€Å"No, this is all poetic license. With ‘Sister Golden Hair,’ as far as my folks were concerned, I was writing a song about my sister, and I couldn’t quite fathom it; they must not have listened to the lyrics.† (thanks, Brett – Edmonton, Canada) In my opinion, I believe this is a song with a very deep and hidden meaning that has been created like this on purpose because if people did really know its meaning it would never have been one of Americas top hits.

The Bean Trees

In the book The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver, there is a young girl named Taylor who did not want to be like the typical girls from Kentucky. She wanted to go and get out of the small town. She got in her old beat up car and traveled throughout the United States, until she landed in Arizona. When she was there she not only had to deal with herself, but she now had a little girl who she named Turtle. This was not her daughter; instead someone she barely knew handed her off to Taylor. Turtle was not your average toddler, she was what some people call retarded or slow, but Taylor did not even notice that, all she saw was a little girl in need of help. Even though Taylor could not give Turtle a life of riches, she knew she could at least do better than before. Throughout the rest of the book Taylor experiences many events that portray evil. â€Å"Turtle's main goal in life, other than hanging on to things, seemed to be to pass unnoticed† (81). Turtle was a mentally slow child. When she was given to Taylor the woman said that her mother had died and that the little girl had no home. Taylor was just being a good person and taking Turtle, so that she could live in a better place. Once she had Turtle she took her back to the hotel and gave her a bath. When she did she realized that the black and blue marks on her body was not just dirt, but bruises. Taylor had grown up in a loving house with a loving mother who taught her the necessities of life. Seeing Turtle and beat up and scared broke Taylor’s heart. There was a cactus with bushy arms and a coat of yellow spines as thick as fur. A bird had built her nest in it. In and out she flew among the horrible spiny branches, never once hesitating. You just couldn't imagine how she'd made a home in there† (130). Which makes Turtle’s new life, not glamorous, but a lot better than it could have been. Turtle was not the only person in Taylor’s life. There were two immigrants that were friends of hers they were Esperanza and Esteven. She knew that they were in the country illegally, but Taylor did not care. They were nice people who had been tortured in their life as well. The government had been trying to get them and everyone seemed to be very rude to them. â€Å"You can go and visit heaven. What? You see a room just like the first one, the same table, the same pot of stew, the same spoons as long as a sponge mop. But these people are all happy and fat† (113). Esteven meant that there is people will help you in heaven, but no one will help you in hell. He was influencing that he was in hell because someone had kidnapped his very own kid, and the government is out to get rid of them. This shows how their whole life they have been trying to run away from evil. Turtle was a very unlucky and lucky girl. She was unlucky in the sense that she had been abused and almost lost and kidnapped. She was in the park one day playing with Lou Ann’s child, when this scary man came up and was going to take her. Her babysitter put up her cane and scared the man away. Turtle did not just forget about it though. She went on not talking to anyone about anything, even Taylor. Taylor had always been very strong when hard or scary situations came upon them. In this case she was not, she was going crazy worried that Turtle would never talk again. She also started feeling sorry for herself, like she wasn’t good enough to be a mother to Turtle. She soon came to realize that she was the best life that Turtle could have right now. Eventually Turtle talked again but it she felt most comfortable with Taylor. Throughout this book there were many bad experiences that happened to Taylor. She found a sad little girl that was abandoned and bruised, friends that were in trouble with the government, and a new daughter that was almost kidnapped. Even throughout all of those hard times Taylor managed to not â€Å"freak out† she always looked at life in the positive eye. Taylor is a strong woman, and even though people have their weaknesses she was a great mother to Turtle. Out of all the evil in her life she made it look so simple to deal with. â€Å"†¦I was not the smartest or even particularly outstanding but I was there and staying out of trouble and I intended to finish† (3). Taylor was not the perfect mother or a perfect person, but she had a great heart and a great passion to do the right thing, and that she was amazing at. The Bean Trees In the book The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver, there is a young girl named Taylor who did not want to be like the typical girls from Kentucky. She wanted to go and get out of the small town. She got in her old beat up car and traveled throughout the United States, until she landed in Arizona. When she was there she not only had to deal with herself, but she now had a little girl who she named Turtle. This was not her daughter; instead someone she barely knew handed her off to Taylor. Turtle was not your average toddler, she was what some people call retarded or slow, but Taylor did not even notice that, all she saw was a little girl in need of help. Even though Taylor could not give Turtle a life of riches, she knew she could at least do better than before. Throughout the rest of the book Taylor experiences many events that portray evil. â€Å"Turtle's main goal in life, other than hanging on to things, seemed to be to pass unnoticed† (81). Turtle was a mentally slow child. When she was given to Taylor the woman said that her mother had died and that the little girl had no home. Taylor was just being a good person and taking Turtle, so that she could live in a better place. Once she had Turtle she took her back to the hotel and gave her a bath. When she did she realized that the black and blue marks on her body was not just dirt, but bruises. Taylor had grown up in a loving house with a loving mother who taught her the necessities of life. Seeing Turtle and beat up and scared broke Taylor’s heart. There was a cactus with bushy arms and a coat of yellow spines as thick as fur. A bird had built her nest in it. In and out she flew among the horrible spiny branches, never once hesitating. You just couldn't imagine how she'd made a home in there† (130). Which makes Turtle’s new life, not glamorous, but a lot better than it could have been. Turtle was not the only person in Taylor’s life. There were two immigrants that were friends of hers they were Esperanza and Esteven. She knew that they were in the country illegally, but Taylor did not care. They were nice people who had been tortured in their life as well. The government had been trying to get them and everyone seemed to be very rude to them. â€Å"You can go and visit heaven. What? You see a room just like the first one, the same table, the same pot of stew, the same spoons as long as a sponge mop. But these people are all happy and fat† (113). Esteven meant that there is people will help you in heaven, but no one will help you in hell. He was influencing that he was in hell because someone had kidnapped his very own kid, and the government is out to get rid of them. This shows how their whole life they have been trying to run away from evil. Turtle was a very unlucky and lucky girl. She was unlucky in the sense that she had been abused and almost lost and kidnapped. She was in the park one day playing with Lou Ann’s child, when this scary man came up and was going to take her. Her babysitter put up her cane and scared the man away. Turtle did not just forget about it though. She went on not talking to anyone about anything, even Taylor. Taylor had always been very strong when hard or scary situations came upon them. In this case she was not, she was going crazy worried that Turtle would never talk again. She also started feeling sorry for herself, like she wasn’t good enough to be a mother to Turtle. She soon came to realize that she was the best life that Turtle could have right now. Eventually Turtle talked again but it she felt most comfortable with Taylor. Throughout this book there were many bad experiences that happened to Taylor. She found a sad little girl that was abandoned and bruised, friends that were in trouble with the government, and a new daughter that was almost kidnapped. Even throughout all of those hard times Taylor managed to not â€Å"freak out† she always looked at life in the positive eye. Taylor is a strong woman, and even though people have their weaknesses she was a great mother to Turtle. Out of all the evil in her life she made it look so simple to deal with. â€Å"†¦I was not the smartest or even particularly outstanding but I was there and staying out of trouble and I intended to finish† (3). Taylor was not the perfect mother or a perfect person, but she had a great heart and a great passion to do the right thing, and that she was amazing at.