Financial Disclosure of Starbucks

Accounting is the language of business. It is used basically to communicate or to provide information about the profit or loss and the financial position of the business about which there are many interested parties like owners, employees, creditors, government, investors, and research scholars. To provide such valuable information an accountant prepares financial statements comprising of Trading and Profit and Loss Account and the Balance Sheet. But these statements cannot meet the needs of a wide variety of users unless they are prepared in a prescribed form and discloses all the material facts of the business.To comply with this accounting principle namely ‘full disclosure principle’ has been developed which postulates that the financial statements should disclose all the important material facts about the business. In addition to this, it also states that the objective of such statements must not only be to provide true and fair view of the state of affairs of the bu siness but also it must be able to give the prescribed forms under which such financial statements are prepared. This disclosure of accounting principle helps the organization to reveal their financial statements and mail stone of the development of the business.A qualified financial statement helps to the organization to take the decision accurately. This paper discusses the disclosure principles followed by Starbucks Inc. with regard to certain items. The essay covers only important items of current assets such as cash and cash equivalents, receivables and inventory. The essay also discusses the various components of cash and cash equivalents of the company. Disclosure Policy with regard to cash and cash equivalents, Receivables and Inventory Starbucks is recognized as the world's number 1 specialty coffee retailer company.It has more than 16,000 coffee shops situated at different countries which are about more than 35 countries. Their outlets offer not only coffee drinks and food items, but also roasted beans, coffee accessories, and teas. Starbucks owns more than 9,000 of its shops, which are located in about 10 countries, but most of its outlets are situated in US, while licensees and franchisees operate more than 7,400 units worldwide and they are mainly focused on shopping centers and airports. The company also owns the Seattle's Best Coffee and Torrefazione Italia coffee brands.In addition to this, Starbucks markets its coffee through grocery stores and licenses its brand for other food and beverage products. Starbucks as a firm has some accounting flexibility in measuring their key success factors and risks. This flexibility makes them to manage its reported numbers in such a way that it makes their accounting data to be informative and reliable as regards to how their company is doing and to evaluate and analyze their performance more significantly. Starbucks, like most other companies in the United States, must adhere to standard accounting policies and conventions.With all of the new SEC regulations, companies have less room to move around numbers in their financial statements in a way to benefit the company and it discloses the financial information more clearly and up to date. In order to assess the firm’s business strategy and explaining key accounting policies financial disclosure is necessary. It describes lot about the items involved in the financial statement such as cash and cash equivalents, cash receivable, inventory, allowance for doubtful accounts, property, plant and equipment, etc.The Management Discussion and Analysis of Financial Conditions and Results of Operations section of the 10-K sufficiently explains Starbucks’ current performance and Also their report describes the increase in earnings. Revenues are growing due to the increase of new stores opening in the United States and in other countries. This depicts comparing the Starbucks’Consolidated Statements of Earnings and Liquidity and Capital Resources. This also shows breaks down each item and describes why each increased between the years.Operating segments are the business segments that are focused on in the 10-K. The 10-K does not reflect any bad news or hardly any poor performance that has occurred. Starbucks is a growing company and their revenues do increase each year, but it mainly shows all the increases of the statements and gives some explanation on why certain items decreased. Cash from Sales consists of Sales +/- the decrease/increase of Accounts Receivable. Each year, Cash provided/ (used) by changes in operating assets specifically Accounts Receivable were at a decrease.Because of this reason why the ratio is below one because Cash from Sales is greater than Sales. ThNetSales/Net Accounts Receivable ratio fluctuated throughout the years. Sales increased substantially each year as Accounts Receivable only increased slightly. The Net Sales/Unearned Revenue ratio consistently decreased through the ye ars. The disclose procedure of inventory valuation with respect to Starbucks can implement moving average cost method, last-in-first-out method, or the first-in-first-out method.All of these methods produce variant outcomes that can either benefit or maintain the financial statements of the firm. Also, every firm has a choice on how they want to amortize Goodwill over the period. They can write-off the Goodwill over forty years or take a more conservative approach and write it off over a shorter time period. It is also important to realize how Starbucks records their inventory on their consolidated financial statements. Since they sell products, not services, they have a large inventory, which they record at the lower of cost or market.It is also crucial how a firm records and depreciates its inventory, and can give investors wrong information if not done correctly. Components of Cash and Cash equivalents The components of cash and cash equivalents are stated by Starbucks as being h ighly liquid instruments with a maturity of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents. The cash and cash equivalent components of star bucks Cash and cash equivalents are the most liquid assets found within the asset portion of a company's balance sheet.Cash equivalents are assets that are readily convertible into cash, such as money market holdings, short-term government bonds or Treasury bills, marketable securities and commercial paper. Cash equivalents are distinguished from other investments through their short-term existence; they mature within 3 months whereas short-term investments are 12 months or less, and long-term investments are any investments that mature in excess of 12 months.Another important condition a cash equivalent needs to satisfy is that the investment should have insignificant risk of change in value, when used in the context of payments and payments transactions refer to currency, coins, money orders, paper checks, and stored value products such as gift certificates and gift cards. If in adjustment of cash flow is written that investment is short term which should not consider that investment as a part of cash and cash equivalent.

Research in Motion Limited Essay

In early 2002, Chris Wornald, as the director of strategic alliances for RIM, believed the tremendous synergy value offered from the acquisition of Slangsoft and its importance for RIM’s future Asian market. However, after his successful presentation on the deal to senior executives, one piece of archived news on Jerusalem Post got the attention from RIM’s director of legal affairs. The widespread panic and paranoia among Slangsoft employees, unrealized revenue from HP and multiple registrations became a great concern. Thus, Chris Wornald had to accurately measure the benefits RIM would gain from Slangsoft and the risks associated with its operation and corporate culture. Moreover, it is significant to draft a detailed action plan to help RIM capture all the synergy if deal is set. In this case, four categories are detailed analyzed; RIM itself, Slangsoft itself, three alternatives and the detailed plan of action. Research in Motion Limited (RIM) Firm and its products: Research in Motion Limited (RIM), trading as BlackBerry, was â€Å"a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market. Immediacy, security and ease-of-use were its pillar of competitive strategies. In early 2002, RIM and Hong Kong-based Hutchison Whampoa announced the commercial launch of BlackBerry operating in Hong Kong. To date, RIM’s development tendency focused on expanding the global reach of the BlackBerry solution, especially into the rapidly growing Asian markets where no such solution yet existed. In term of its products (exhibit 1), the best-known and most profitable product was its Blackberry wireless solution, and another 45% of its revenue mix came from RIM wireless handhelds, software development tools and embedded wireless technologies. To date, RIM’s target customer had been focused on enterprises, not individuals. As the pioneer in the filed of wireless data communication, RIM’s products have the great features of â€Å"small size, long battery life, easy-to-use, reasonable pricing, flexible architecture and a data security plan† In order to maintain its leadership, RIM focused on the innovation of two-way wireless technologies and applications, adoption of its platform by wireless network service providers globally, and protect its intellectual property. Throughout the operation, RIM remained responsive to end-user needs and continue to develop and market leading edge hardware and applications. Moreover, in order to extend and develop its capacities, RIM had broadened the strategic alliances and relationship in order to enhance its competitive position. But, to date, the most emergent wireless capacity it needed was support of localized Chinese input and display. Finance From 2000 to 2001 (exhibit 2), RIM’s revenue grew 160% from $85 million to $221 million. RIM has an extremely strong balance sheet after completing a follow-on equity offering in November 2000 that raised $ 590 million. Therefore, RIM has very strong financial assets for financing their growing opportunities. In term of one single item on balance sheet, RIM has $50.8 million liquid asset to finance any small valued opportunities, and the sales of new equity indicates the investors’ confidence towards RIM. People and Culture Mike Lazaridis, RIM’s CO-Chief Executive Officer, was a passionate advocate for the power of basis science to improve and transform the world. With his engineering degree, Lazaridis is responsible for product strategy, research and development, product development and manufacturing. Jim Balsillie with more charismatic and outgoing personality brought his wealth of business knowledge to RIM. With such strong leading executive team, RIM had achieved a great employee growth by department from Fiscal 1999 to 2001. (exhibit 3) Moreover, RIM has a well-developed corporate culture that celebrates achievement, creativity, and risk taking. Employees at RIM were well compensated and motivated by various benefits, at the meanwhile, RIM is also famous for its corporate giving to the communities. Slangsoft Inc. (Slangsoft) Slangsoft, headquartered in Boston, was a small Israel-based company with majority of employees in Jerusalem. It had three main products: a core keyboard mapping engine, 52 language scalable vector fonts and a predictive input engine. Its well-developed Intelligent Text Input and Display (iTID) technology was essential for RIM’s entry into Asian market. Many RIM competitors also desired this technology. Slangsoft has signed licensing deals with nine companies and was in the stage of negotiation with one cellphone company. Arie Mazur, CEO and president of Slangsoft, showed his welcome towards building a closer relationship with RIM. However, former Slangsoft employees had or were considering sue the company for unpaid salaries, and alleged physical and personal abuse. Creditors also claimed their trouble collecting receivables. It also has problem in term of transferred intellectual property and deal issues with HP (one of RIM’s competitors) Three Alternatives There are three main alternatives for RIM at current: acquisition of Slangsoft, acquisition of Slangsoft’s competitors and outsourcing or developing own input and font display technology. Before analyzing the advantages and drawbacks of those three alternatives, we needed to firstly assess RIM’s current performance and the moving direction this year, in three years and ten years, then visualize the business strategy in terms of goals, product market focus, value proposition and core activities, and lastly apply strategic models to position RIM’s needs from the deal. Assessment We used the performance matrix (exhibit 5) to classify RIM’s current position of the business and the direction it targeted towards. In the current market, RIM had very good organizational health and operating performance. Therefore, RIM was in quadrant 1 and the strategy review will be a question of fine-tuning and taking a farther than usual look into the future. This specific direction demonstrated the importance of RIM’s sustainable future operational plan, both in short term and long term. Thus, RIM not only had to enhance its operation in order to maintain its position within a year, but also needed to develop non-existing market in this rapid-paced industry in a short term (3 years) and capture the future market share with developed technology in a long term (10 years) Goals Besides the operational direction goals, RIM had its specific business goals. In terms of hard goals, RIM still wanted to enhance their competitiveness as the leader in the market, at the same time of developing wealth for stakeholders. In terms of soft goals, RIM was willing to create opportunities for employee to advance while benefit society through innovation. Product market focus In this case, RIM’s board of directors had agreed to penetrate the new Asian market with its BlackBerry solution, which contains the new technology of input and font displays. Therefore, firm chose to have a diversification market focus on both product and market. Value proposition In order to gain the most market share in Asia and win against other competitors that are interested at the growing Asia market, RIM presented its value proposition in term of execution such as availability and intensity. To be specific, RIM had to find the way to get the font and display technology as soon as possible. With sales hustle and rapid timing, RIM could gain the leadership position in Asian market and capture most of the growing markets to become sustainable. Core activities RIM’s determination of its core activities was a critical aspect of its strategy since these choices would have a fundamental impact on its market and operations control, cost structure, capacities and flexibility. As demonstrated in this case, RIM was reaching out for a vertical integration in order to maintain the control of font and input technology, while limited its competitors’ abilities of expanding their market share in Asian market. Moreover, there are eight specific tasks RIM set for fiscal 2012. The ones we need to focus on in this specific case are to continue to substantially increase BlackBerry user base, launch new market and maintain the culture. Since the main strategy RIM utilized was strategic alliance (exhibit 4), it became more obvious that RIM would continue its acquisition on small technologies. Acquiring Slangsoft or its competitors or outsourcing/developing own? After assessing RIM’s performance and position, it was defined that RIM took great consideration on maintaining its leading position and kept innovating and gaining new market shares. Specifically, by looking carefully at the business strategy components, it was even clearer that RIM is unable to wait for Slangsoft’s competitors (Zi and Tegic) to get rid of the lawsuits. Also Slangsoft’s iTID platform had better functionality, performance and architecture compared to all four of competitors. Therefore, Chris’s decision on quickly moving on to due diligence and negotiate an acceptable offers is a wise for RIM in the short term. After gaining the market share in the large Asian market, developing own text input and font technology might be an optimal solution, but it is not short-term solution. Therefore, in order to win Asian market place with a possible past pace and save time for other sustainability plans, RIM should acquire Slangsoft as soon as possible. However, the specific requests and changes can be made through due diligence, as indicated in the plan of action.

Developing an Evalution Plan and Disseminating Results Research Proposal

Developing an Evalution Plan and Disseminating Results - Research Proposal Example But overcoming these hurdles will always give the satisfaction these changes usher in. Thus, it can be safely sound applying the above concept in the case of CHF patients whose major issue is non-compliance to physicians and preventive treatments that becomes a major stumbling block in combating this fatal disease. So formulating an implementation program to give the best care and medical treatment to such chf patients become imperative with active co-operation from all quarters involved. The role of organizations, medical experts, doctors, nurses, family and society in general has to be defined clearly and with clarity so that it can take a smooth course. Some of the ways to implement successful means to achieve this objective is discussed below. This major hurdle in efficient management of Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome and Time (PICOT) occurs mainly due to lack of awareness and noncompliance by patients of the physician’s instructions and medical regimen. ... nt in overcoming the maladies of non-compliance which itself is shaping into a dangerous disease, and how the medical community and society with its healthcare professionals can overcome the laxity of expertise into the subject experienced, leading to improvisation. Therefore the proper course of action is by implementing the much wanted changes. First and foremost priority has to be given in seeking ways for identifying the signs and symptoms associated with the chf syndrome, and after much deliberation it was safely concluded that facilitating a checklist which clearly specifies the signs and symptoms will go a long way to eradicate the trust deficit faced by patients and cause non-compliance as suggested in the article â€Å"Signs and Symptoms of Heart Failure: Are You Asking the Right Questions?† (Albert, 2012). The results indicated that this methodology boosts the confidence of patients, shedding their reluctant attitudes and raising the compliance level to a better degr ee Hence it would facilitate for appropriate decisions by care providers for a better overall outcome. â€Å"The checklist format prompted patients to report all signs and symptoms they were experiencing, rather than only those they thought were related to heart failure† (Albert et al. 2010). Various cause for non compliance which include factors like demographic indicators, the regimens of medication like side effects or the complexity associated with them, psychological problems, social and family attitudes as well as their concepts about self esteem becomes serious impediments in effectively combating the disease. In this scenario, there is a high relevance for compliance related interventions. The study, stresses the importance of this vital aspect. Here the findings suggest that educating

Accounting for Corporate Accountability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Accounting for Corporate Accountability - Essay Example Accounting for Corporate Accountability Many organisations in many countries have begun voluntary disclosure of the social environmental impacts of their activities in their annual reports. (Deecan and Unerman, 2006) These practices which have now become widespread began in many countries in the early 1990s, following considerable advances by a number of large companies to report environmental aspects of their business activities. Later-on from the mid-1990s, the reporting of social and environmental impact of organisations’ activities has become an increasingly popular practice. (Deecan and Unerman, 2006). The disclosures have often been made in the annual reports which include the financial statements comprising the balance sheet, profit and loss account and cash flow statement as well as a statement of shareholders’ equity. (Deecan and Unerman, 2006) The content of the social and environmental impact usually comprise of policies, practices and or impact of the reporting organisation on its environment. (De ecan and Unerman, 2006). The new practice today by some organisations is to separate the environmental social disclosures from the annual report as the disclosures have become widespread and extensive. (Deecan and Unerman, 2006). These organisations while publishing a summary of disclosures of social environmental impacts in their annual report publish alongside a more detailed social and environmental report in a separate document. (Deecan and Unerman, 2006).

Critique of a quantitative research report Paper

Critique of a quantitative report - Research Paper Example Through the selection of supporting literary research studies, analysis/interpretation of data and observations the objectives of the study were accomplished. The purpose of this paper is to critically reviewing the format, content in relation to the objectives, and evaluate the effectiveness of the quantitative research study. The scientific style of writing is a formal and rigid form of writing which is to succinctly with efficiency communicate scientific findings (Bates College, 2011). The abstract section of a research study should announce what is to proceed and clearly state the research question(s) or problem(s) under investigation. Additionally as the introduction the abstract should contain a descriptive of the research design, methodology used in the study, primary results or findings. along with an abbreviated analysis of the results in relation to the research study’s objectives. As a scientific research study the abstract should spark the curiosity in others and offer additional knowledge on the subject motivating and stimulating interest in the minds of the readers enticing him or her to continue reading with interest and anticipation. Creswell (2008) in his instructions on how to write compelling research studies suggested using crisp, clear, concise verbs and descriptive language incorporating the strategy used for data collection, identifying the research site, and providing information on the participants in the study as an interlude or in the abstract of the study (pp. 113-119). Neuman (2006) emphasizes the mental or critical thinking component of the researcher(s) as the initial undertaking with the evolution of the study taking form after the thought process is engaged and the decision of what the purpose and objective of the study is about and hopes to accomplish. Neuman (2006) suggested in his methods of formulating an

Coming of Age in Mississippi Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Coming of Age in Mississippi Paper - Essay Example Since this kind of racism is a big part of the American experience for African-Americans in the past, it is important to know about it. The book is set during the 1960s as well, when the civil rights movement was in full swing and it was often very dangerous for African-Americans. That makes this book an important read to anyone who wants to know about this time period in America. During her childhood, Anne was named Essie and she grew up in the rural part of Mississippi in Centreville. Her family was poor and the white people they worked for usually did not treat them nicely. In addition she had family problems, as her father was abusive and then abandoned them. Her mother settles down with a new man, but has more children and times are still difficult. From a young age, Anne had to work after school to make sure her family had enough money to eat. At the beginning of the second section, she becomes aware of the horrible things about race in a new way when she hears of a fourteen-ye ar-old black boy being killed. Throughout high school she becomes more and more worried about things like this, being almost obsessed with killings and KKK attacks on other African-Americans. She goes to college after getting a scholarship to play basketball and while she is there she decides to take part in the NAACP. Her family is upset about this because white people threaten Anne and her family because of it. After college Anne becomes a member of something called CORE and goes to try and encourage African-Americans to take a more active part in their civil rights movement. This part of the book really shows the tension between Anne and many of the other characters, as even among the civil rights activists she is seen as sometimes too serious. The book ends with Anne growing unhappy with how the movement is going because nobody's life is really being improved. Coming of Age in Mississippi is a powerful book that really had a big effect on my way of thinking. Although I have grow n up in the American South in Tennessee, Georgia, and Texas and am not white, I have never experienced anything close to the kind of racism that Anne Moody talked about in her autobiography. It was really an eye-opener to me to read from someone who experienced about how bad things were in those days. After reading about her experiences as a high school girl and especially when she was involved in CORE and trying to get African-Americans to vote in Canton, Mississippi, I now look at the slight racism that still exists in America in a new light. It makes me want to take this book and show it to people who just take their lives for granted in the USA. Even though the book is sometimes very upsetting, I did find myself enjoying it a lot. The author is a very good writer and knowing that she really went through everything in the book made it very easy to get into and forget what time it was. This is hard to do. The things I liked the most about the book was the way that Moody did not sh y away from using strong language if that was what the people it represented would have used. For instance, when Anne finds out about the murder of fourteen-year-old Emmet Till at the beginning of chapter ten, the boys she is with swear quite a lot because they're angry with her for not paying more attention to her own community. This also makes us see Anne's character as a more real person, because she is not trying to pretend that she

Demonstrate how you would plan the development of a corporate Assignment

Demonstrate how you would plan the development of a corporate communications strategy - Assignment Example Further, the main purpose of devising a corporate communication strategy is to deliver the company’s message to internal and the external audience (Steyn, 2000). Prior to defining the objectives of the company’s corporate communication strategy, it is essential to critically analyse the company’s profile and current organizational achievements. For this purpose SWOT analysis may be performed, to understand company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and the future targets of the company. Moreover, a PEST analysis must also be performed to grab an overview of the environment in which the company plans to survive and succeed (Cornelissen, 2014). The first and the foremost objective of the communication strategy is to devise a message that it wants to deliver to its audience. The audience is divided into two groups that are internal audience and the external audience. The sole purpose of devising a corporate communication strategy for a company is to pave the way for the flow of information. As suggested earlier, there are two groups of audiences that are dealt by the company, and they are the internal audience and the external audience (Steyn, 2004). The internal audience include employees, investors, partners, suppliers, and other stakeholders. The external audience include governmental and nongovernmental organisations, general public, and other private companies. Communication with the internal audience is carried out at two steps (Steyn, 2012). The first step is of informing and developing knowledge and skills among the members of the organisation. The second step includes convincing the investors, bargaining with the suppliers, and satisfying the stakeholders of the company. For this purpose, one could suggest regular surveys at an organizational level, and periodical reports of the company’s performance over six or twelve months. Fu rther, the company may acquire the help of business consultants to evaluate its

The feasibility of climate change negotiation Coursework

The feasibility of climate change negotiation - Coursework Example There is an increasing unanimity among the scientific and the global community at large that the earth’s climate is changing. Human activities have been the number suspects contributing to climate change. Climate change cognizance has been followed by increasing awareness and concern among the public. The earth’s climatic conditions are at an advanced stage of making the world inhabitable. Unless organizations employ the correct mitigation efforts, irreparable changes may be inflicted on natural habitats that are used to feed humans, plants and animals. Climate change problems are shared, and they require a shared, unified and cooperative response. The world community needs to establish climate change mitigation that encompasses radical restructuring of the way the world’s economies function. The developed world is the main contributor of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through the consumption and unattainable means of production. The efforts put in place to mitigate climate change by the developed nations are not enough. Nations need to congregate and develop an action plan that can ensure effective climate change preventive measures work. Various climate change negotiations that have been by the United Nations have taken place. The Copenhagen Conference of the Parties (COP15) in 2009 deliberated on climate change as one of its main agendas (Batalha & Reynolds, 2012). The parties demonstrated widespread expectations of commitment for action.

The Nature of Conflict in the Middle East Article

The Nature of Conflict in the Middle East - Article Example Such a climate of cohabitants with little or no shared national identity being forced together has made it extremely difficult, if not virtually impossible, for effective democratic institutions to take hold as the primary vehicle of government in the Middle East. For these reasons, monarchies or dictatorships arose in many countries, crushing the human rights of minority groups. Iraq today is a microcosm of this difficulty, as the post-Saddam Hussein democratic government continues to sputter. Essentially, the Middle East is a region where vastly different peoples were forced by the victors of a war sixty years ago to live and build societies together and scramble to beat each other to fill the power void left by the colonial powers' abandonment of the area. Those who lost out on power and influence in the direction of their own political future have understandably become disillusioned with their status, and angry with the great powers of the world - particularly in the West - to whom responsibility for their plight can be directly traced. Ultimately, these disenfranchised groups who lack meaningful economic opportunities have not surprisingly turned to terrorist activities as an effective means to make their voices heard. This is arguably the biggest risk posed by the deprivation of self-determination as an ingredient in the formation of nation-states. Israeli-Palestinian Conflict The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is arguably the central issue fueling the discord that permeates the Middle East. A solution to this seemingly intractable problem would go a long way toward stabilizing the entire region. This conflict represents a poignant rallying point for Muslims and pan-Arab nationalists that will continue to feed violence and unrest until it is resolved. Thus, both Israelis and Palestinians wield a tremendous amount of influence over the state of the region. With the political will and strength of leadership on both sides, these two peoples have the potential to transform the Middle East. British Prime Minister Tony Blair has recently stated that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the root cause of problems facing Iraq and elsewhere in the Middle East. In order to solve the other problems in the region, according to Blair, " we should start with Israel-Palestine. That is the core.' If progress can be made there and in Lebanon, Blair said, moderate Arab and Muslim countries could be united to push for peace throughout the region, including Iraq" (Hall, par. 15). The extent to which the problem in Palestine reverberates throughout the region is clear. Blair calls the Israeli-Palestinian conflict " single biggest issue" in blocking progress toward peace in the Muslim world was not Iraq but Palestine" (par. 18). Despite international perceptions of Palestinian resistance tactics as being terrorist in nature, Palestinians themselves do not see it that way. As one Palestinian has stated, "the international community must understand that we have rights - Palestine is ours. We are not terrorists, we are not criminals, we don't want to kill, but we are the rightful owners of the land" (Kelbie, 5).  

Communication strategy report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Communication strategy report - Essay Example So, this report will include the kinds of crisis situation the 7-Eleven might face, the consequences of those crises, the need and rationale to develop a crisis-communication plan, an overview of that plan and finally a projection of cost and benefits for 7-Eleven. 7-Eleven was established by the Ito-Yokado group, with its first 7-11 store set up at Koto-ku, Tokyo in 1974. Actually the predecessor for the current 7-Eleven company or stores is an American retail company called Southland Corporation. In 1972 itself, Ito-Yokado group approached the Southland Corporation for the franchise of opening 7-Eleven convenience stores in Japan. After initially rejection, Southland gave the licensing agreement and thus its first store was opened in 1974 in Tokyo. However, in course of time, the situation changed upside down, with Ito-Yokado group acquiring 70% stake in the Southland itself, and thus all the 7-Eleven stores and its franchise rights came to the Ito-Yokado group, which only transformed into Seven & I Holdings Co. in 2005. Now, 7-Eleven is the â€Å"world’s largest operator, franchisor and licensor of convenience stores†, with more than 40,000 stores all over the world, including approximately 7,600 stores in the U.S. and Canada. (â€Å"About Us†). Crisis situations are problems or challenges, which happen in an organizational setup, and which could damage the organizational operations, creates bad image in the minds of the customer, putting the organisation under media and government scrutiny. â€Å"Any situation that is threatening or could threaten to harm people or property, seriously interrupt business, damage reputation or negatively impact share value† (Bernstein). Although, organizations can face many challenges in their every day operations, most of them are controlled within the organization. Only the ones, which directly affects its customers, the common public and environment, or may be illegal in nature and

Article Analysis Essay Example for Free

Article Analysis Essay In The part of me that you bring out: Ideal similarity and the Michelangelo phenomenon, Rusbult, Kubacka, Kumashiro and Finkel (2009) explore the effects of close relationships and ideal similarity to growth and pursuit of ideal self. The authors also explore how ideal similarity of partner traits promotes the Michelangelo phenomenon and contributes to relationship well-being. The authors explain that ideal self relates to a person’s individual aspirations and goals. Although ideal self has previously been investigated as an intrapersonal activity, this research suggests that pursuit of ideal self is also greatly influenced by close personal relationships. Ideal similarity is defined as the occurrence and degree to which a partner possesses elements of a person’s ideal self. On the other hand, the Michelangelo phenomenon is explained to be the phenomenon where in a person shapes the personality of another person. Hypothesis of the Study Rusbult, Kubacka, Kumashiro and Finkel (2009) theorize that ideal similarity directly affects positive affirmation, influencing a person to move toward personal goals in their efforts to achieve relationship harmony. They also theorize that ideal similarity promotes relationship well-being through the Michelangelo phenomenon. Real World Application This study explains that the pursuit of ideal self is not a wholly intrapersonal pursuit. External factors, in this case close relationships, affect the process of growth. As such relationships where in ideal similarities exist between partners promotes personal growth and improved relationships, the opposite can also be claimed. The importance of forming relationships where ideal similarities exist is therefore highlighted in this study. Because this study establishes that close personal relationships plays a role in shaping a person’s pursuit of their ideal, it also emphasizes the need to form relationships with person’s whose personality traits align with one’s ideal. Study Methodology The research was formed by a four-part study that analyzed couple relationship through self-report and friend-report questionnaires, reactions to video taped conversations and a an 8-day daily dairy. Throughout the studies the independent variable was the study of partnerships between committed individuals. Study 1 focused on newly committed individuals while Study 2 focused on individuals who have been committed, either married or living together, for a long period of time. Study 2 also included the interview of friends of the couple. The dependent variable that was being measured was the amount of affirmation individuals in the committed relationships received from their partners. Study Findings Based on Study 1, it was affirmed that ideal similarity has an observable effect on affirmations and growth toward ideal self. Study 2 revealed that the greater amount of affirmations received between individuals with ideal similarity, the couples experience greater adjustment and better relationships. Study Limitations Early in the discussion of the paper, the authors remind the reader that this study was first in studying the effects of ideal similarity on the Michelangelo phenomenon. Although the study shows that close relationships influence individuals, there is little to show that it is ideal similarity and not actual similarity that causes the positive affirmations. Also, most of the research conducted was done through questionnaire form, which does not present an in-depth study of the effects of ideal similarities. Reference List Rusbult, C. E. , Kubacka, K. E. , Kumashiro, M. and Finkel, E. J. (2009). â€Å"The part of me that you bring out: Ideal similarity and the Michelangelo phenomenon†. Journal of Psychology and Personal Sociology 96(1), p. 61-82. American Psychological Association.

Research Paper On Amistad

Research Paper On Amistad HBO and Dreamworks socially and morally charged movie, Amistad is produced by Debbie Allen, Steven Spielberg and Colin Wilson, directed by Steven Spielberg and was written by David Franzoni. It stars Morgan Freeman, Anthony Hopkins, Djunon Hounsou, Matthew McConaughey, Nigel Hawthorne, Stellan Skarsgard, Harry Blackmun and Anna Paquin. It was released late 1997 and did not do outstandingly well in the box office (Amistad Film) although the movie is making waves through home video distributions. This is highly due to the fact that the movies theme and storyline is so historically, educationally and socio-politically charged that it is recommended to many educational institution nationwide as a multi-media supplement to curriculum. Synopsis The story revolves around the events that befell the passengers and crew of La Amistad, a two-masted American schooner that was owned by a Spaniard. On July 1839, Sengbe Pieh (also known later in America as Joseph Cinque) led the slaves being transported in La Amistad against their captors. All of these Africans were kidnapped from their homeland and was supposed to be sold as slaves. Two crew members were kept alive to navigate the ship back to Africa, however, they tricked Cinque and his people and brought the ship to the US coast where it was caught by the US Navy and all were imprisoned for their violent deeds on the La Amistad (Harvey). A widely-publicized court case would then ensue, dredged in politics and emotions, regarding the situation of these so-called slaves. The Amistad legal battle would then go as high as the US Supreme Court given its national and international value, but in 1841 it was ruled that the Africans were illegally transported and kidnapped and therefore c annot be called slaves but as individuals who are fighting their rights for freedom against oppressors and were ordered to be freed. (Ham) Analysis Amistad can be credited for being one of the few movies that dealt with a pre-civil war event on slavery. It also delves into the same eras notion of slavery in America but there is a twist. This is not about American slaves but of men who almost became American slaves through no fault of their own. In the process, it manages to present the issues of racism, human rights and moral awareness, set in a time where slavery was allowed to a certain degree. This is probably one of the very few, and latest movie that delve on this topic using a historical event. The one other movie that uses this approach is Glory directed by Edward Zwick, which alludes to the same issue of racism and bigotry of Amistad although its subject is the civil war and its effect on the characters. (Chapman) Historical movies are defined as movies depicting a real past event with a historical degree of accuracy allowed and limited by available actual historical reference. (Best Historical Movies). But it is also true that while the movie Amistad is based on the historical account of the La Amistad mutiny and the rifts it created internationally, it has made a number of changes to the screenplay wherein many scholars have shown disappointment over its historical portrayal of facts. With this in mind, you start to wonder at the amount of leniency in portraying historical details in the movie Amistad. If it is truly a movie based on the actual account of the mutiny of Amistad and the effects it had on the times, how much of the movie followed the true account? Should a movie that has taken so much liberty in portraying a historical event, be given importance and credit such as it is presently being given now in the study of slavery, abolitionists and historical accounts of the actual incide nt? Points of Contention Spielbergs Amistad portrayed how much the La Amistad case affected the blossoming conflicts of the abolitionists and slave owners in the US at that time, even referring to the possibility of civil war when in fact it would happen two decades afterwards. It should be clarified though that what the events of La Amistad historically affected is the movement to eliminate the international slave trade route and not the abolition of slavery in America. In the movie, Cinque tells the horrors of his kidnapping and the trade routes Middle Passage, which is a true area in the Atlantic Slave Trade where slaves, and slaves-to-be suffer at the hands of kidnappers and slave dealers. Do notice that even at that point in the story, nothing is mentioned of the injustices done to the domestic slaves, and yet the movie is connected to the abolition of slavery in the history of America.(Historical Accuracy, 3) Amistad took too many liberties in its screenplay to be considered as a main source of historical education with regards to slavery and its abolition in America. The introduction of it being a educational tool through a study guide that is being distributed to a number of schools in the country have led to students believing the actuality of Theodore Joadson (played byMorgan Freeman), one of the characters in the story; when in fact he is just a fictitious character thats inserted into the screenplay to augment the movies plot value. As a matter of fact, Theodore Joadson is the representation of the black man fighting for the black man and against bigotry. Clarification of this fact should be made clear to students before they watch Amistad if they truly intend to use it as an educational tool. Historians and educators are not given the proper credit in the creation of this film and they are even slightly reproached for not including the details of the La Amistad in school curriculum for awareness of slavery and as historical account for slavery abolition in the US. Meanwhile these scholars are offended and reprimand the movie for its use in some educational levels as historical source when there are a number of historical incongruities in the movies storyline. (Foner) This situation adds doubt regarding to the use of Amistad in educational and historical aspects. I dont agree with these scholars saying that it would have been better if books were printed with the money used to produce the film, which amounted to a whooping $75 million (Foner, 74); since film has its advantages over printed literature and they are two different mediums. But I do agree with them that this movie should not be used in American schools as a visual aid to show historical fact for the incidents concerning La Amistad, nor should it be used as an introduction to abolition of slavery in the US. Though it can be an educational tool for moral awareness, human rights, film appreciation and critique, racism, or at the very least present the effect the La Amistad incident had on the elimination of the international slave trade route at that time. But to use the movie as historical gospel to the actual incident and the series of events that were brought about by the La Amistad murders is as bad as people believing that the Blair Witch is real just because of the movie The Bl air Witch Project (Mythology). Allow me to point out that the producer and director are not historians but they have done their jobs wonderfully. They managed to show their version of history on screen for the right reasons and with proper application of their mediums tools such as cinematography, costumes, acting, direction and cinematic representation. One of the highlights of the movie is the use of original language from the actual incident, Mende a West African language, and presenting it in scenes that need no translation, since not all audiences appreciate subtitles. The portrayal of the actors in the first scene is enough that no translations is needed for the audience to be captivated purely by the visual and auditory aspects and not of dialogue; a truly genius move by Spielberg because it allowed the audience to partake of the scene through empathy and nuances. This is something that is hardly used in movies today and is truly highly commendable (Leong), but historically speaking that movie is still boun d by that same directorial interpretation which should credit the movie as a cinematic rendition and interpretation of the La Amistad affair and should not be used as for presenting historical facts. Conclusion Once again, Hollywood is guilty of presenting entertainment over information via this Spielberg movie. All the actors presented sterling performances, the camera work is very prolific, the plot smooth and easily understood and the movies message manages to reach the emotions and hearts of its audience. This is indeed a signature among all Spielberg historical and even fictional works such as Schindlers List, The Color Purple and A.I (Steven Spielberg) The movie, Amistad the movie, can also boast as that it is one of the most singular movies that are recommended by many educational, socio-political and historical groups and organizations with regards to civil rights, bigotry, racism, social and moral awareness in an international scope. But the fact that it is regarded for its historical value is quite problematic. There are just too many changes made from actual historical data made in the movie for it to be a proper curriculum supplementary material. And though it remains one of the foremost films that deal with slavery with magnificent film approaches and acting skills, it must be credited for what it is: a mind-opening, social awareness cinematic great that placed more attention on entertainment than factual information to reach as many people, races and countries as possible. That alone is quite a feat for any film and that is highly commendable and praiseworthy. It has proven very effective in this goal and should not be praised for or given historical credit more than it its due.

Ilisu Dam Project Development

Ilisu Dam Project Development The proposed Ilisu Dam is a single project under the umbrella of the massive Southeastern Anatolian Project (Guneydogu Anadolu Proje) or GAP. The GAP was a major development endeavour for Turkey and aimed to develop projects using the power of the two largest rivers in Asia, the Tigris and Euphrates, that run begin in Turkey and run through to the Arabic Gulf. GAP was conceived to meet Turkey’s rising energy needs by the construction of 22 irrigation dams and 19 hydroelectric plants, harnessing the hydroelectric potential energy contained in these two massive rivers (Stern, 2004). The GAP attracted international attention due to its focus on the human effects of the project and attention to sustainability. International credit agencies from the Canada, USA Japan, UK and other European governments along with the World Bank stepped forward to fund the project which they see as one being integral to the socio-economic development of Turkey which is an important US partner and is aspiring to join the EU. Certain aspects of the GAP, specifically the Ilisu Dam, have come under attack from citizens groups concerned about the social and political ramifications of the dam and the project is currently on hold after major sponsors pulled out and completion date has been pushed from early 2000 to 2010. This paper will examine the proposed dam and the issues that surround it. Turkey was once part of the Ottoman Empire emerged from the demise of that empire and was inaugurated as a nation in 1923 under Mustafa Kemal who was later honoured as the â€Å"Father of the Turks†. Under his authoritarian leadership the Anatolians of the region saw improvements in social and economic status. The nation enjoyed a peaceful transfer to democracy in the 1950s though has since seen several military coups but always with a peaceful transfer back to democracy (CIA World Factbook. 2005). The nation borders the Black and Mediterranean Seas and its neighbours include Bulgaria, Greece to the West and Georgia, Armenia, Iran, Iraq and Syria to the East. The country is a member of the UN and NATO since the 1950s and is seen as a leading nation in the Asia region. There have been recent conflicts with separatist Kurds in the South Eastern portion of the nation. The Kurdish separatist movement is known as Congress of Kurdistan (KGK) or the communist PKK and have links with Kurds in bordering Iraq and Syria (CIA World Factbook. 2005). The nation has been adopting major environmental and social reform in hopes of being admitted to the rapidly expanding EU. The GAP is aimed at developing the south eastern 8 Anatolian provinces which are home to the majority of the Kurdish population of the nation. The project is the largest ever development project Turkey has ever undertaken and seeks to improve the lives of nearly 10% of the Turkish population (Ilisu Engineering Group, 2001; Stern, 2004). The south eastern part of Turkey is a poverty stricken area plagued by low income, violent instability and inequality (Morvaridi, 2002). The area’s faming consists of low-mechanization with few cash crops and the region suffers from aridity despite the presence of major rivers like the Tigris and Euphrates. The region also suffers from the Kurdish separatist movement which has attracted the attention of the Turkish and this has been compounded by the militants fleeing Iraq due to the recent US and UK invasion. The focus of the GAP is to develop the energy potential of the region while providing irrigation for crop growing to the region. Historically most of the development in Turkey was concentrated on the North and Western regions of the nation, leaving the South and East to languish in obscurity. This lack of investment in the region could be a driving reason behind the Kurdish separatist movement. It is Turkey’s national interest to tap the resources of this region and hopefully quell the separatist movement by funnelling development funds into the area to improve the lives of its inhabitants. The GAP has already begun to pay off as other projects other than the Ilisu Dam have already been completed. GAP related dams already account for more than 15% of Turkey’s energy needs and has potential to reach 22% (Kaygusuz, K, 1999). The final goal for land irrigation is 20% of Turkey’s total irrigable land which is nearly 1.7 million hectares of land United States Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service, 2005). In the region of Sanliurfa – Harran, agricultural benefits are being seen with huge increases in cash crop production (mainly cotton), the establishment of new industries such as beef along with development of textile industry which is raising the standard of living in the region (Northwest Texas International Trade Center, 2004). Energy production is the other prong of the pitchfork of progress that is GAP. In 2002 Turkey’s energy consumption peaked at 126.9 billion KWh. Due to industrialization, development and population growth this figure is projected to rise to 265 billion KWh by 2010 and to 528 billion KWh by 2020 (Stern, 2004). Turkey has scarce fossil fuels so a major source of energy for the nation is hydroelectricity which accounts for 40% of Turkey’s energy needs (Stern, 2004). GAP was conceived to help meet these rapidly increasing energy demands and if GAP does not relieve some of the energy strain put on the nation then other sources of energy must be found. The politics of the GAP are tricky as other nations lie down stream of Turkey on the Tigris and Euphrates. Iraq and Syria are dependent on the flows from the two rivers and by Turkey assuming control of these cross-border water resources tension has been created due to rights to access of the water. Turkey has to be sure to manage the water resources of these rivers in such a way as to not disadvantage the residents of these nations lest they risk war. The GAP falls into the realm of sustainable development as it aims to use a renewable energy source for a long term benefit to the people of the region. The standard definition for sustainable development was generated by a report produced by a United Nations commission in 1987 entitled Our Common Future which is better known as the Brundtland Report after the head of the commission. The definition of the phrase sustainable development is wide ranging and open to subjective interpretation but Our Common Future (1987) defined it as: Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. From Our Common Future (Bruntland, 1987) This report generated much response as world leaders began to respond to the issues tackled in the report. The environmental movement began in earnest with the 1960s with the publication of Rachel Carson’s landmark book Silent Spring. (Carson, 1962). The emergence of a demand of environmental responsibility from global citizens was often at odds with economic development planning and a compromise was necessary. Development in 3rd world nations was unchecked and often at the expense of environmental resources. Companies, unable to dispose of environmentally hazardous waste in 1st world nations, looked to pawn it off on 3rd world nations. Economic development was at the forefront of 3rd world nation’s development policies as deforestation, overfishing, herbicide and pesticide application raged rampant with little thought paid to environmental ramifications. An example of this was the 1972 United Nations Conference on Human Environment which was held in Stockholm, Sweden. At this conference the goal was to tackle the problem of acid rain problems of northern Europe. The nations pushing for a solution that addressed the industrial development roots of the problem were strongly opposed by the Soviet-led Block of 77 which accused the nations of pushing an eco-agenda and refused to cooperate (WSSD, 2000). However a positive outcome from this conference was birth of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Through the 1970s and 1980s the UN began to fund more initiatives focused on conservation and human environment issues (IISD, 2002). Public initiatives began to spawn environmental non-government organizations (ENGOs) such as the Environmental Defence Fund in 1967, International Institute for Environment and Development in 1971 and the Worldwatch Institute in 1984. These major environmental policy groups are still active and important today. Major environmental disasters such as Bhopal, India and Africa’s starvation in the 1980s brought further attention to human and environmental development (IISD, 2002). In 1992 the World Summit on Sustainable Development was held in Rio, Brazil. This marked a major effort by the world’s nations to tackle human development in the context of environmental issues and try to develop a model of development that was sustainable. Sustainability can only come about without the degradation of natural capital that provides the necessary requirements for human life. It has been determined that a healthy population is dependent on a healthy environment. Links are often drawn between human health and environmental health outside the realm of needs production as poisons in the environment negatively affect human health as evidenced by historical use of pesticides and their effects. Further conferences on sustainable development in 1997 (Rio+5) and most recently Rio +10 in Johannesburg 2002 has further developed the notion of sustainable development. Due to public pressure corporate social responsibility has become a focus for corporations based in the developed world and this is further evidenced by the emergence of ethical investment funds which critically screen the companies they invest in. Dam construction was a popular activity in the first half of the 20th century and experienced a peak in building activity in the 1970s (WCD, 2000). It is not that the usefulness of the dam in providing energy, irrigation and flood control has passed; it is that there are fewer rivers that are left to be damned and social and environmental awareness of issues surrounding dam construction has increased. However dam construction continues as it is an important source of energy and nations are forced to meet the energy requirements of their citizens. More than 20% of the world’s energy supply comes from dams and more than 60 countries depend on hydroelectricity for greater than 50% of their total energy needs (WCD, 2000). The World Bank still funds dam construction but less than in the past with 1.3% of the bank’s funds going toward dam-related projects and 0.9% being spent on the construction of new dams (The World Bank, 2000). In 2000 the World Commission on Dams (WCD), a United Nations research body, released a landmark report entitled Dams and Development – A New Framework for Decision-Making. This research was undertaken in response to the new realizations on the effects of dams and the role they could play in sustainable development. The report noted that nearly 1/5th of the world’s energy was generated through hydroelectricity and that 1/6th of the global agriculture was dependent on irrigation from dammed rivers. It has been estimated that global levels of hydroelectric generation, which is largely carbon-neutral, precludes the need of an extra 4.4 million barrels of oil a day (WCD, 2000). If all dams were decommissioned and destroyed the damage to humankind would have enormous and alternatives would have to quickly be found to provide the benefits that we glean from dams. There are several high profile dams being constructed globally today. The larger projects like the Three Gorges Dam project in China and the Narmada Dam project in India. These dams are large and multi-purpose aiming to help these nations meet development needs of energy and irrigation. Though dams have been integral to social and economic development there are costs as well. Large dam projects typically involve the displacement of people living near the river upstream of the dam. The WCD (2000) estimated that between 40 and 80 million people have been displaced by dam building often with little or no compensation. Water and Conflict Fresh water is a requirement for life as we know it. Humans are made up of more than 70% water and can live only days without a source of drinkable water. Clean water is needed for drinking as well as for farming, industry, sanitation and household uses. Unfortunately fresh water is scarce on Earth and its distribution uneven. With the majority of fresh water resources concentrated in a few nations the need for shared management of water resources is obvious. Turkey is a water poor nation as are its neighbours Syria and Iraq (WCD, 2000; Stern, 2004). The Tigris and Euphrates are two of the main sources of water for these two nations and they have their sources in Turkey. In a river system such as this the actions of the users upstream have an impact on those downstream. Since rivers do not follow nationally contrived boundaries this can cause conflicts between nation-states as one nation, acting within its own borders, can have significant impact on other nations. It was just this sort of trans-boundary environmental issues that incensed the UN to act and create bodies to help manage and resolve such issues. Acid rain, smog, ozone and pollution are all similar in that though no national borders are trespassed, damage it still felt by other nations. New solutions and methods are needed, and are being develo ped by ENGOS, industry and government, to tackle problems such as these The Ilisu dam project was approved in 1982 and because of the date of approval the project is not automatically subject to the Regulation on Environmental Impact Assessment which is current Turkish environmental policy (Ilisu Engineering Group, 2001). However due to the scope of the project and the international attention it attracted an Environmental Impact Assessment Report produced by a consortium of international experts under the moniker of the Ilisu Engineering Group was commissioned by the Turkish authorities and firms involved in construction of the dam. The Ilisu Dam will consist of a reservoir with a surface area of 313 km and a volume of 10.4 billion cubic meters. The power station will have a capacity of 1,200 MW and is expected to be capable of producing 3,800 GWh of power per year (Ilisu Engineering Group. 2001; Stern, 2004). The dam will transform the local environment, inundating land that is typically arid, causing a shift in the ecology of the area. Resettlement of the Kurdish people in the Anatolian regions is the main source of resistance to the construction of the dam. It was determined that approximately 183 settlements will be affected, 82 would be inundated entirely and 101 would be affected by flooding (Stern, 2004; Morvaridi, 2002). Exact numbers of people are unavailable because conflicts in the region have driven people out of their villages and have encumbered census takers from obtaining accurate estimates of population. The estimates range from 30,000 to 70,000 people, mostly Kurds, losing homes or land or both. Under Turkish law these people would be allotted cash compensation or an offer of resettlement under Turkish law (Morvaridi, 2002). This compensation plan becomes much more complicated when it is realized that many of the people living in the region do not hold deeds to their land and many have expanded their land without government planning permission (Morvaridi, 2002). Determining who would be eligible for compensation would be a long and painful bureaucratic process that would undoubtedly leave many people unsatisfied. Some have claimed that this project is part of a Turkish plot to expatriate the Kurdish people from their native lands. Human rights NGOs mobilized on behalf of these groups and were able to influence the international financiers into relenting on their backing. However the dam’s constructors and the Turkish government point to the social and economic benefits to the people of Turkey and the direct benefits to the people of the Anatolian provinces. The construction of the dam will bring jobs, training and an influx of money to a previously impoverished region. The availability of ample fresh water for irrigation, possibility of a fishery and tourism opportunities also bear consideration. The possibility exists for real economic and social benefit to the region if the project is handled properly with attention paid to women’s rights and economic opportunities, education and investment in long term planning (Ilisu Engineering Group. 2001). Cultural Issues A second major objection to the dam is archaeological potential of the area. The proposed site has seen much history pass through the area. Mesopotamia was centered here, the Romans conquered the area and the Silk Road wove through what is now South Eastern Turkey. Access to the area was previously restricted due violent conflicts between the Turks and the Kurds but in the lull archaeologists have began excavating the area. One site in particular is Hasankeyf which has visible archaeological evidence dating to 2000 years ago and the ruins may evidence a settlement dating back to 7th century B.C.E (Young, 2000). The excavation of Hasankeyf began in 1986, was stopped in 1991 due to civil strife, and excavation resumed only recently with a laughable grant from the Turkish government of  £15,000 from the Ministry of Culture. The government is spending only  £76,000 in exploring the area agriculturally before the dam is built, a meagre effort at best. Even the Ilisu Engineering Group revealed that some of the worst damage of the dam would be in the loss of untold archaeological treasures (Ilisu Engineering Group. 2001). Political Issues The construction of the Ilisu dam would require the water flow to be suppressed in the construction of the dam. Even the slowing of the flow of the river has consequences for the downstream inhabitants in Syria and Iraq. The people of these countries rely on the river for sanitation, industry and personal use and as the rivers are already over taxed any further reduction will surely have negative consequences on the people of these regions. With the construction of the Ilisu dam reservoir there is the potential that Turkey can fully cut Iraq and Syria off from the flows of these vital rivers. In the coming years when the crisis over water deepens this could be an ill-advised political tactic for Turkey to dominate these nations. Due to the volatile nature of the region it is hoped that it does not come to this. However in 1997 the UN approved the Convention on the Non-Navigational Uses of Transboundary Waterways with a vote of 103: 3. The convention was aimed at preventing damage to international waterways with emphasis on peaceful resolution and prior notification between nations. China, Burundi and Turkey all rejected the treaty (Bosshard, 1998). Dam Alternatives The main focus of the dam is to meet Turkey’s energy needs. In the way of natural energy resources Turkey is scarce. To match the 1,200 MW output of the dam numerous coal, lignite or oil plants would need to be constructed which will have a negative impact on the environment of the region and the globe. In the Ilisu Engineering Group’s 2001 Environmental Impact Assessment the group concluded that it would be necessary to import and consume over 2,500 tons of oil per day, releasing 3 million tons of CO2 per year. A coal plant would do much the same. Photovoltaic technology is not advanced or cost-effective enough to possibly take the place of such a large MW project with the costs being three times per kilowatt what hydroelectricity would cost (Ilisu Engineering Group. 2001). Wind projects are under consideration in Turkey but it will take the construction of wind farms as well as the GAP to meet Turkey’s energy needs in the coming decade. The major avenue for reducing the need to build the dam is in increasing energy efficiency. The Ilisu Engineering Group’s report pointed to this avenue as a necessary one for exploration as Turkey’s energy needs continue to grow. Current Status and Future The Ilisu dam’s future is uncertain as major international funding fell apart over concerns of the dam’s social and ecological impact. In November 2001 the British construction firm Balfour Beatty backed out of the deal as the UK export credit agency pulled its support due to public pressure. Another construction company, Impregilo of Italy, also pulled shortly afterwards and the Swiss bank UBS did the same less than 6 months later (BBC, 2002) Through Turkish government still plans on carrying on the project the lack of financial backing makes it impossible to go forward. For the time being the project is on hold. Recommendations A baseline study of wildlife and ecology with the intention of creating reserves nearby for displaced species. Adequate funding and time for proper exploration of Hasankeyf and investigation of other potential sites. Negotiation with Syria and Iraq on the use of the river. Finding a solution that benefits these nations is vital to the dam’s construction. A plan for compensation of people displaced by the dam. Compensation will need to be based on more than proof of land ownership and a census of the area will be necessary to determine the scope of the compensation plan. Negotiation with the Kurdish people of the region, guaranteeing them a greater say in the compensation funds from the dam and in the monetary benefits to be gained from its construction. Moves to further improve the existing energy infrastructure to ensure maximum benefits are garnered from the dam. Development of industry and agriculture in the area to aid in the development of the region. The Ilisu dam is a highly controversial project is a necessary part of Turkish development, providing energy for tens of thousands of people. Dams, though notorious for displacement of people and conversion of landscapes, are a multi-purpose high energy yielding alternative to fossil or nuclear power generation. In terms of sustainable development they are a much better option than fossil fuel and provide the best energy option until wind and photovoltaic energy technology improves. The dam is controversial and for good reason. The Turkish government must take into account the many parties that will be affected by the dam and work to mitigate their concerns. However without this dam Turkey will be hard pressed to meet energy needs and be able to develop for the social and economic benefits of their people. The Ilisu dam may not be an ideal solution to Turkey’s energy needs but it seems to be the best currently available. Bibliography BBC. 2002. Swiss bank quits Turkish dam project. Available from http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/1844465.stm>. Last accessed April 25th, 2005. Bosshard, P. 1998. Ilisu a Test Case of International Policy Coherence. Berne Declaration, November 1998. Available from http://www.rivernet.org/turquie/ilisu.htm>. Last accessed April 25th, 2005.  © Copyright of European Rivers Network Bruntland, G. (ed.), 1987. Our common future: The World Commission on Environment and Development, Oxford, Oxford University Press. Carson, R. 1962. Silent Spring. Houghton Mifflin, Boston. Ilisu Engineering Group. 2001. Ilisu Dam and HEPP Environmental Impact Assessment Report. IISD. 2002. Sustainable Development Timeline. Available from http://www.iisd.org/rio+5/timeline/sdtimeline.htm>. Last accessed April 25th, 2005. Kaygusuz, K. 1999. Energy and water potential of the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP). Energy Sources ; Vol. 21 ; Iss: 10 ; PBD: Dec 1999. Morvaridi, B. 2002. Social Review of the Ilisu Dam Resettlement Action Plan. UK Export Credit Guarantee Department. Northwest Texas International Trade Center. 2004. Gap Irrigation Project In Turkey.  © Northwest Texas International Trade Center 2000-2004. Available from http://www.nwtitc.org/gapturkey.htm>. Last accessed April 24th, 2005. Last Updated 02/06/2004. Stern, S. 2004. International Project Finance: The Ilisu Dam Project in 2004 and the Development of Common Guidelines and Standards for Export Credit Agencies. Journal of Structured and Project Finance. New York: Spring 2004.Vol. 10, Iss. 1; p. 46. The World Bank. 2000. Statistics on the World Banks Dam Portfolio. Available from http://www.worldbank.org/html/extdr/pb/dams/factsheet.htm>. Last accessed April 25th, 2005. United States Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service. 2005. Southeast Anatolia Project (GAP). Available from http://www.fas.usda.gov/remote/mideast_pecad/turkey/turkey.htm>. Last accessed April 24th, 2005. WSSD. 2000. Towards Sustainable Development: A Guide To The Process Towards The U.N. World Summit For Sustainable Development. Johannesburg, 2002 WCD. 2000. Dams and Development – A New Framework for Decision-Making. Young, P. 2000. Hasankeyf: A city in Peril. History Today; Nov 2000; Vol. 50 Iss 1. pg. 3.

Variola rex smallpox Essay -- Biology Medical Biomedical Smallpox

Variola rex (Smallpox) Smallpox is a virus that was first founded in ancient times. The virus?s proper name is Variola rex, and it has various different forms as well as various symptoms. Among these forms are typical smallpox, hemorrhagic smallpox, and malignant smallpox, all of which usually always cause death in their victims. Some of the typical symptoms of smallpox include red vesicles and pustules all over, bleeding from all orifices of the body, swelling in the face, throat, and eyes, difficulty eating and swallowing, delirium, malaise, deterioration of the bone marrow, lymph nodes and mucus membranes of the body, and a multitude of other secondary symptoms. Smallpox is typically diagnosed by ruling out the possibility of other viruses, which manifest themselves initially in a similar way, such as measles, and chicken pox. There is no known cure for smallpox once it has been contracted, and a majority of its victims die from it. Variola rex is considered to be one of the most contagious infectious diseases know to man. The virus is not bound to one particular race, culture, country, sex or age but can found at almost any location. Over the centuries Variola rex has been associated with a multitude of titles including, La Petite Verole, Blattern, Lesser Pox, and Plague. However, the virus that once possessed these various aliases is now most commonly known as Smallpox. Smallpox is typically diagnosed through the characteristic progression or particular physical as well as internal symptoms. The virus is divided into three groups depending upon initial symptoms, and progression of the infection. These groups include the most common and typical smallpox, which is divided into two, more rare forms of the disease includi... ...er reaches it victims. However to this day there is no known cure for smallpox and once contracted the chances of survival are slim. Works Cited Aufderheide, AC.The Cambridge encyclopedia of human paleopathology Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; 1998. p. 201-07 Gehlbach, Stephen H. American Plagues: Lessons from our Battles with Disease. New York: Mc Graw Hill Companies, 2005. 26-27. Hopkins, DR. The greatest killer: smallpox in history. Chicago: University of Chicago Press; 2002. p. 13- 317 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. "Smallpox." CNN. 12 Aug. 2005. 30 July 2006 http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/library/DS/00424.html McNeill, WH. Plagues and peoples: a natural history of infectious diseases. New York: Anchor Press/Doubleday ; 1976 Oldstone, MBA. Measles. Viruses, plagues, and history Oxford: Oxford university Press; 1989. p. 73-89

Warfare :: Essays Papers

Warfare Warfare is a prominent theme in Beowulf . The reasons and conduct for and during warfare are mentioned and displayed throughout the poem. The reason for warfare is usually for retribution. As an act of revenge, battles are fought. The conduct is also very standard and prevalent. All warfare fought by honorable men had to be fought fair. If the opposing side bore no weapons, then the other side also used no weapons. The author of this poem depicts himself/herself to be an advocate of warfare. By idolizing Beowulf because of his heroic deeds during warfare, the poet makes armed conflict courageous and noble. The reasons for bloodshed are spelled out quite well when noble Beowulf consoles his sad friend, Hrothgar concerning his friends demise. He tells him: " Sorrow not wise warrior. It is better for a man to avenge his friend than much to mourn" (Norton 45). Beowulf advocates and promises to avenge Aeschere’s death during warfare with the slayer, Grendel’s mother. The act of battle is given a reason and purpose which is to avenge a death. Conduct in warfare might be "every man for himself" in today’s world however, during Beowulf’s time, the poet shows that honor was the most valuable asset. Upon knowledge that Grendel used no weapons, just bare flesh, Beowulf immediately put his weapons aside and promised to fight empty handed, so the fight would be fair. "I have also heard say that the monster in his recklessness cares not for weapons......I scorn to bear sword or broad shield, yellow wood, to the battle, but with my grasp I shall grapple with the enemy and fight for life, foe against foe " (Norton 32). An unfair fight, as the poet implies, has no glory or distinction. This proves Beowulf to be a worthy hero and role-model. The poet gives the impression that warfare is honorable and exciting. This does not imply that the poet likes bloodshed; it refers to honorable warfare. Honorable warfare includes a good reason and virtuous conduct. The poet can not be a pacifist because he/she describes Beowulf as a savior and hero. If the poet was a pacifist he/she would have described him as an egotistical bully. The poet makes Beowulf an icon and noble warrior. Beowulf is described as " †¦survived every combat, every dangerous battle, every deed of courage†¦" also called ".

The Rhetorical in the Music of The Tempest Essay -- Tempest essays

The Rhetorical in the Music of The Tempest In the midst of a Shakespearean play, there has and always will be a ghost that hovers over the actors and the audience. This is a ghost with a purpose, a ghost I call rhetoric. In every Shakespeare play, there exists an energy that has the power to persuade the audience to feel or believe something that Shakespeare believed. This energy breathes through the dialogue, the props and especially the music. The audience and the play engage in an exchange of question and answer to assist society in working through human dilemmas. What I hope to point out in this paper is how that ghost, rhetoric, manifests in the music in Shakespeare’s play, The Tempest. I assert that Ariel is a bridge, a sort of servant, not just to the character Prospero, but also to Shakespeare’s audience. In Peter Seng’s book, The Vocal Songs in the Plays of Shakespeare, he reflects upon the idea that Shakespeare use of song was to incite characters to action. As Ariel sings, he is causing the characters to move into a certain dramatic action. Seng says, "Ariel draws Ferdinand from the coast to Miranda’s presence, by singing, ‘Come unto these yellow sands,’ and that in the second song Ariel ‘persuades the prince of his father’s death, thus recalling his grief and preparing him for a new and unreserved affection" (248). The purpose of Ariel’s song in the play, to call Ferdinand forward unto the island, was the plan of Prospero to get Ferdinand and his daughter Miranda together. He enchants them with his magic to fall in love when they meet. This relationship serves a rhetorical purpose for the Elizabethans as S eng suggests, Ariel is here issuing an invitation to the dance. It is addressed to Ferdinand. Miranda, t... ...Theatre of Ben Jonson. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1980 Hagar, Alan. Shakespeare’s Political Animal: Schema and Schemata in the Canon. Newark: University of Delaware Press, 1990. L’Engle, Madeleine, Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art. Wheaton: Harold Shaw Publishers, 1980. Montagu, Jeremy. The World of Baroque and Classical Musical Instruments. Woodstock: Overlook Press, 1879. Platt, Peter G . Shakespeare and Rhetorical Culture. Rpt. in Kastan, David Scott. A Companion To Shakespeare. Oxford: Blackwell. 1999. Seng, Peter J. The Vocal Songs in the Plays of Shakespeare: A Critical History. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1967. Schantz , Alan, The Arts in Christian Perspective and Selections from the World of Music. Dubuque: Brown and Benchmark, 1997. Vyverberg, Henry. The Living Tradition. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1988.

Curriculum Development for Inclusive Practice Essay

Introduction: In education, the word â€Å"curriculum† is not new since the organisations of schooling and further education have long been associated with the idea of a curriculum. Before starting the assignment, we would like to find out what it means by â€Å"curriculum† and what is â€Å"curriculum development for inclusive practice†. By definition, in formal education, a curriculum is the set of courses and their contents offered at an educational institution. John Kerr defined â€Å"curriculum† and later taken up by Vic Kelly in his standard work on the subject as, â€Å"All the learning which is planned and guided by the school, whether it is carried on in groups or individually, inside or outside the school.† (quoted in Kelly 1983; also, Kelly 1999). There are four ways of approaching curriculum theory and practice: 1. Curriculum as a body of knowledge to be transmitted 2. Curriculum as product, i.e. an attempt to achieve certain ends in students 3. Curriculum as process 4. Curriculum as praxis We will express the later three ways in this assignment. These ways of approaching curriculum theory and practice can be also described in three disciplines: the theoretical, the productive and the practical. These are illustrated as the map below: (Source: infed.org/ Curriculum theory and practice.) Inclusive curriculum refers to the process of developing and designing a programme of study to limit the barriers that students may face in accessing the curriculum. Indeed, the curriculum created by the educational institution should aim to provide opportunities for all students to learn and to achieve. Also the curriculum should aim to promote students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, to establish an entitlement and to establish standards. In this assignment, we will discuss how different theories, principle and models of curriculum have been developed and applied in a learning environment in order to achieve these. Particular in this essay, we will focus on the dental nurse training  environment where all trainee dental nurses are expected to meet standard set by General Dental Council (GDC) at the end of training regardless their background and entry levels. Analyse and discuss the influence of theories, principles and models of curriculum design with a view to promoting inclusive learning. Curriculum as product Curriculum as product model is also known as behavioural objectives model, as it heavily depends on the settings of behavioural objectives and it is interested in the product of curriculum. It is the dominant model of describing and managing today’s education. Because in modern education system throughout different stages and qualifications, certain standards or objectives are set and education institutions aim to draw up a plan to achieve these objectives and create methods in response to the plan. Outcomes reflecting on students’ learning abilities as well as efficiency of these plans and methods will be measured. From above, there are four fundamental questions for education practitioners: 1. What are the aims and objectives of curriculum? 2. Which plan and methods meet these aims and objectives? 3. How can these plans and methods be practiced? 4. How can the extent to these plans and methods be evaluated? (Adapted by Tyler 1949) Curriculum as product is strongly supported by the behaviourist model which believes knowledge is finite and learning supposes to be overt, observable and measurable. It also believes the statements of objectives of the education institution should be a statement of changes occurred to students. (Tyler 1949:44) Regarding to stimulation of positive changes to students, few major theorists have contributed to the behaviourist theory. Edward Lee Thorndike (1874-1949) believed learning was a process of linking physical and mental events in various combinations. Also, learning is enhanced when bonds are made between the stimulus and the response. B F Skinner (1904-1990) innovated in â€Å"operant conditioning† and expanded on Thorndike’s work on reinforcement of learning. In Skinner’s view, positive reinforcement strengthens behaviour by applying some encouraging events. Oppositely, negative reinforcement improves behaviour by removing some  aversive events. Advantages of curriculum as product model include: it makes assessment more precise; it helps to select and structure teaching plan; it makes teachers aware of different types and levels of learning involved in particular subjects and it guides teachers and students on skills to be gained. However, some criticisms are also raised, such as: it discourages teacher’s and student’s creativity; the curriculum is too subject and exam bound and some specific behaviours are appropriate for affective domain. Curriculum as process: Comparing to curriculum as product which is focusing on the outcomes, curriculum as process focuses on teacher and student activities. Indeed, it emphasis on means rather than ends. Rather than teachers set up objects and draw up teaching plans and methods, students have part in deciding nature of learning activities and therefore it is a more individualised atmosphere and different learning experience. Lawrence Stenhouse (1975) produced one of the best-known explorations of a process model of curriculum theory and practice. He defined curriculum as: ‘an attempt to communicate the essential principles and features of an educational proposal in such a form that it is open to critical scrutiny and capable of effective translation into practice.’ Curriculum as process is supported by humanist model which concentrate upon the development of the student’s self-concept. It believes learning is a progress towards the pinnacle of self-development. In the other words, if students feel good about themselves and the concept of learning, it is a good start. There are a few theorists who contributed in the humanistic theory such as Alexander Sutherland Neill (1883-1973), Carl Rogers (1902-1987) and Abraham Maslow (1908-1970). The most significant theorist among these is Maslow, who invented hierarchy of ‘basic needs’ and term ‘Self-actualisation’. The main advantages of curriculum as process model are: it emphasis on active roles of teachers and learners as well as learning skills. It believes on certain activities as important in themselves and for ‘life’. However, people also criticize that it neglect considerations of appropriate content and it is difficult to apply approaches in some areas. Curriculum as Praxis Curriculum as praxis is a development of the process model. Comparing to  curriculum as process which is driven by general principles and emphasises on judgement and meaning making, curriculum as praxis makes an explicit commitment to emancipation. So basically, teachers need to have a proposal for actions involving essential principles and features of the education encounter. They encourage students to build up conversations and interactions between each other in the situation. These actions lead to a form of commitment to learning.  Teachers continually evaluate this process and provide a view of outcomes according to this. Therefore through this approach, the curriculum as praxis itself develops through a dynamic interaction of action and reflection. Similar to curriculum as process, the curriculum also emphasises on the development of student’s ‘self- actualisation’. Therefore it is also supported by the humanistic model. Describe, critically analyse and reflect on which factors might affect curriculum design and how the curriculum can differ according to the context in which it is provided. Also describe and discuss the impact some of these factors have on your own specialism. As a dental nurse tutor, my students have following characteristics: firstly they are adult learners; secondly they have different academic and cultural backgrounds as well as learning abilities; they have an initial interest in the subject and a clear objective and motivation of getting qualification and becoming a dental nurse.Upon above characteristics of students, my role has following aims: to create an inclusive learning environment for all my students; to follow guidance from General Dental Council (GDC) and draw up teaching plans according to the guidance; to help students reach GDC standard, pass theoretical assessments and gain GDC registration; to provide great exposure of the practical side of training to students a nd make sure student reach GDC standard on practical/hand-on skills enabling them to gain registration. From above, it is not hard to see that the overall objective of getting GDC qualifications cannot be achieved by applying single curriculum design and model during my teaching. In fact, it requires a combination of curriculum as product, as process and as praxis as well as other auxiliary curriculums such as the hidden curriculum. Curriculum as product: GDC requires a certain theoretical assessment standard for trainee dental  nurses to reach. Students need to sit GDC exams for all the theoretical units they have attended. This has become the crucial objective for dental nurse tutors. In order to achieve this, we have created a practical plan and various methods in teaching. Firstly, classroom teaching has been arranged three times a week for two hours per class. Contents of teaching and learning are strictly referenced to GDC publications and the classes are well organised and formatted. Secondly, regular mock assessments to students are applied in order to track trainee dental nurse’s progress and provide feedback to our teaching methods. In order students to carry on progressing towards GDC exams, certain forms of encouragements and punishments have been applied which reflects on Skinner’s ‘Reinforcement’ in Behaviourist model. For example, students with top exam scores are offered scholarships and students with failed grades are required to attend extra classes and re-sit for exams. Curriculum as products model has provided a clear path for dental nurse tutors and trainee nurses to process towards objectives. However, it has also led some problems. Once trainee nurses are pushed too much towards exams and grades, they may lose enthusiasm and motivation. Also, as students are with uneven learning background and ability, trainee nurses who are lack of certain skills or previous knowledge may find reaching GDC standard particularly challenging. Here comes the concept of â€Å"providing an inclusive practice†, we will discuss this later in â€Å"The hidden curriculum†. Curriculum as process: As well as ensuring trainee nurses to pass GDC exams, they are also required to achieve strong practical skills and pass practical assessments. The practical side of training are carried out in trainee dental nurse’s work placements, usually within hospital’s dental department, a local NHS dental practice or a private dental clinic. After learning fundamental theories of dental knowledge, trainee nurses will work along with senior dental nurses and dentist to observe and practice skills at real work place. Trainee dental nurses usually spend at least half of their entire training in work placements and the placement is well organised by both dental tutors and head nurse in dental practice. Trainee nurses’ learning progress is observed mainly by senior nurses and dentists at work placement, a report will be sent back to dental tutors regularly. Dental tutors also visit trainee  dental nurses’ work place on a regular basis to observe and assess on student’s progress. Curriculum as process within dental nurse training has closely followed the Humanistic model, especially Maslow’s hierarchy of ‘basic needs’. Trainee dental nurses have to gain fundamental knowledge of dentistry in order them to gain security once putting knowledge into practice. When they feel secured, they are more enthusiastic and motivated to achieve the next level and eventually gain ‘self- actualisation’. Curriculum as paxis: As mentioned in curriculum as process, dental nurse training values entire journey of student’s progress rather than the final exams. Trainee dental nurses are observed and assessed throughout their training in all different aspects. Apart from the practical skills, dental tutors are also aware of trainee nurses’ oral/ communication skills, writing skills, co-ordinating/ interacting skills with colleagues and patients as well as professional manner as a medical staff. All of these factors are observed and accessed via multiple tunnels throughout classroom and work placement, such as dental nurse tutors, senior nurses and dentists, feedbacks from fellow trainee nurses and patients. As trainee nurses get more and more skilled in handling patients and communicating with fellow colleagues, they will find work get smoother and therefore they will gain more confidence and motivation in their job. This has reflected again on the humanistic model and Maslow’s hierarchy o f ‘basic needs’. Development of inclusive practice and the hidden curriculum Regarding the characteristics of adult learning, although trainee nurses are more purposeful in learning and show more active participation, their previous knowledge background and learning ability may vary. In order to get all the students on the same line and help them to achieve GDC qualification, we have applied the hidden curriculum to achieve an inclusive teaching and learning environment for the trainee nurses. The hidden curriculum means all that is learnt during school/college activities that is not designated part of official curriculum, such as one-to-one class for individuals, extra assessments and mock exams. Although learning associated with the hidden curriculum is often considered in a negative way, we find  this is a suggestive method for adult learners. For trainee dental nurses who are lack of language skills or basic medical knowledge, we arrange occasional individual class for them with one of our dental tutors. This is usually carried out in student’s and dental tutor’s spared time. As some trainee dental nurses are desperate in improving their essential skills, they feel rather welcome to the extra tuition and are willing to put in extra efforts. For trainee nurses who did not achieve satisfactory results in their mock exams before final GDC exams, we also occasional organise extra class for them and offer them opportunity to re-sit the mock exams. By carrying out occasional hidden curriculum, trainee nurses with less skill improve so that dental tutors are able to prepare them at the same level for GDC exams. This has helped us I developing inclusive practice within our institution in a different perspective.

Death and Grief in Midterm Essay

‘Out Out’ was written by Robert Frost who was an American poet born in 1874. He moved to New England, a farming region, where most of his poems were inspired. ‘Mid Term Break’ was written by Seamus Heaney, who was born on a farm in County Londonderry in Northern Ireland. It is evident that both poets’ backgrounds have had much influence in their poetry writing which can be seen from these two poems. Although, Robert Frost attended Harvard University he had to leave early to support his family by moving to a farm in New Hampshire. He also had six children but four of them died before he did. In ‘Out Out’, he writes about the harsh reality of a young boy from a poor working class background having to work on a farm in order to help his family which led to his horrific and unmourned death. Apparently this was based on a true event. Seamus Heaney was one of nine children. When he was twelve he won a scholarship to St Columb’s College in Londonderry. When he was studying there his four year old brother, Christopher, was killed in a road accident. Mid Term Break is based on this event. In contrast the death of Seamus Heaney’s brother is described as a very emotional event mourned by family and friends. I am able to point out many similarities between these the poems but also a number of differences. The themes of the two poems focus on the death of two young boys. However in Mid – Term Break the focus is on the aftermath and emotional responses of friends and family to a terrible accident. The boy is dead at the start of the poem. In Out Out the boy dies during the poem. This poem is written like a running commentary and his family show little emotion when he dies. I find this shocking. Also, both boys have died due to an accident at the hands of a machine. In â€Å"Mid Term Break†, the boy was killed by a car and in â€Å"Out Out† he was killed by a buzz saw. The difference is that one boy is left with hardly a scar, only â€Å"a poppy bruise† yet the other boy sustains horrific injuries by losing his hand and bleeding to death. One boy is killed instantly by a car and the other boy slowly bleeds to death. Both poems create an uneasy opening and an atmosphere of suspense. In Mid Term Break, Seamus Heaney describes the knelling of bells which is a sinister phrase used to describe funeral bells. He is also waiting to be picked up by his neighbour which indicates something may have happened to a family member. In Out Out, the poem’s tone begins with the description of the buzz saw which is threatening and sinister. The poet uses words like â€Å"Buzz, snarled, rattled.† These words are words used to describe a hungry ferocious animals like a venomous snake or a wild dog. The words are a good use of onomatopoeia. They introduce a sense of threat into the poem as they might be associated with danger and accidents. Robert Frost uses sibilance at the start of his poem. He changes the tone of the poem and refers to â€Å"Sweet scented stuff when the breeze blew across it†. This sentence appeals to our sight, smell and hearing. These are calm, gentle words in contrast to the threatening words used to describe the buzz saw. Seamus Heaney uses alliteration at the start of his poem, â€Å"Counting bells knelling classes to a close†. The sounds used here make you think of the â€Å"tick tock† of a clock. It also a metaphor as knelling bells are also bringing his brother’s life to a close. Both of the poems have shocking endings. In Mid Term break we realise that the dead child was only 4 years old. â€Å"A four foot box, a foot for every year.† Nearly every word in the last line is short. It gives a sense of shortness and comes to an abrupt ending just like the brother’s life. The ending in â€Å"Out Out† is equally appalling as it ends with the family showing little or no emotion to the death of their son. It also had an abrupt ending. Another similarity between the poems is that time is referred to in both of them. In Out Out, reference is made to the sunset far in Vermont. This suggests that light is becoming dimmer and the dim light could also have led to the accident occurring and the eerie atmosphere. In Mid Term break the poet refers to 10 O’clock twice which is a bright part of the day. Both poems use language with attitude. In Mid-Term Break Seamus Heaney uses metaphors â€Å"wearing a poppy bruise† this helps create an image because even though we know the dead child is not literally wearing a poppy bruise we can imagine what the bruise would look like and it is also a symbol of death. Also alliteration is used in â€Å"a four foot box, a foot for every year.† This makes the text seem more aggressive. It uses this technique to show the families anger at the death of the young child. Both poets use caesura in their poems. The effect of this is to build up tension and perhaps prepare the reader for unexpected events. Caesura is used in Mid Term Break just as Heaney is about to enter the room where his dead brother was resting. He does not know what to expect. It is used in Out Out at â€Å"And nothing happened: day was all but done.† The effect of the caesura is to put on pause the scene painted. It is near the end of the working day and the work is nearly completed and everything appears to be normal. In the first line of the poem we had that feeling that something sinister and threatening was going to happen and this pause may be used to allow the reader to prepare us for an expected significant event that was about to take place. Enjambment is used throughout Mid Term break. It gives the effect that the poet is in a sort of daze. There are also many differences between the two poems. The two families are from a different class. One boy comes from a working class background and another boy is from a more affluent background as the other boy is attending boarding school. Also, Mid Term Break was written in 1st person while Out Out was written in third person. You can understand more about the emotions that are felt in Mid Term Break. Although, Out Out has more action in it as it is a fast flowing poem. There is also a striking difference in how the families react to the death of the children. In Out Out there was no real emotion shown when the boy finally died. He is left alone and they then return to their work. In contrast, Mid Term Break describes the scene of the father crying uncontrollably. This would not be an expected reaction for men in Ireland to cry as they would normally bottle their emotions up. The fact that Jim Evans said it was â€Å"a hard blow† shows that it was someone close to the family. Friends and family gather at the house to offer their condolences. The body was then brought home and viewed in a coffin. Another difference is how the two boys are treated by their families. The boy in Out Out is treated as an adult who is doing a man’s job. He is treated no different than anyone else. In Mid Term Break, the boy is being educated. He is however treated like a man when old men stand up to shake his hand as his father is in a bad state, people told strangers that he was the eldest. However, he is then reduced to a small child again when his mother holds on to his hand as she doesn’t want to let him out of her sight. There is also a difference in the acceptance of the two deaths. In Out Out there wasn’t any grieving amongst the family members but in Mid Term Break there is little acceptance particularly from the boy’s mother. The poem says she â€Å"coughed out angry tearless sighs.† She may be blaming herself as should have been with her child or not let him out of her sight.